Broadway Improvement Work Could Start This Summer

A project designed to ease traffic congestion in downtown Westwood could get started by the time schools let out, if everything goes well, borough engineer Stephen Boswell said Tuesday.

The plan calls for the intersections of Broadway with Irvington Street, Washington Avenue and Jefferson Avenue to be upgraded with new signals that will allow drivers to continue along Broadway while trains pass. Currently, traffic is stopped in all four directions at the three intersections whenever a train comes.

If everything works out with the county and NJ Transit, the project will go out to bid later this month or in early May, Boswell said. The project could then start after schools let out for summer, when there is generally less traffic.

Councilman Peter Grefrath asked if the work would interfere with the many summer programs in Veterans' Memorial Park, like the evening concerts and movies. Boswell said they should be able to have the contractor work around any events.

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