Bergen County Grandpa Was Worried About Kids Playing Near Route 208. Changes Were Made.

BERGEN COUNTY, NJ — A man who lived in Franklin Lakes, whose home abutted a state highway, told his assemblyman recently that he was concerned for his grandchildren. This week, state and local officials celebrated the resulting safety upgrades to Route 208.

The roadway, first planned in 1929, has become a busy thoroughfare through Bergen and Passaic counties, with cars riding at high speeds and potentially crashing into homes.

Assemblyman Christopher DePhillips and other Bergen County lawmakers say they took concerns about Route 208 to the state.

Recently, DePhillips and other local and state officials celebrated the completion of two months' of work on Route 208, all meant to keep cars from crashing into residential neighborhoods in Wyckoff, Franklin Lakes, and Hawthorne.

State officials recently completed the plan to add new guiderails, crash cushions, and retaining walls/barriers along the road in Bergen and Passaic counties.

“This project isn’t just about installing guiderails and crash cushions – it’s about protecting lives, preventing tragedies, and ensuring greater peace of mind,” said NJDOT Commissioner Fran O’Connor this week. “These improvements were made possible because local concerns were heard and championed by the dedicated advocacy of elected officials and local mayors.”

DePhillips (R-Bergen) said, “Residents of Franklin Lakes, Wyckoff and Hawthorne’s backyards are vulnerable to high-speed accidents."

Route 208’s heavy congestion, speeding vehicles and proximity to residential neighborhoods led lawmakers in Legislative District 40 to spearhead meetings with local mayors and the DOT to fund improvements, said a legislative spokesperson.

DePhillips said, “For those of us who live along 208, today is a culmination of our efforts to put safety first. This is what government is all about. A collaboration between DOT, the mayors and our legislative delegation in district 40, delivered results and put safety first.”

Wyckoff, Hawthorne Mayors Weigh In

The mayors of Hawthorne, Wyckoff and Franklin Lakes toured Route 208 with the three lawmakers and DOT officials earlier this year. Together, they identified safety issues and areas for improvement.

“Traffic safety on 208 has been an evolving project and it will continue to evolve as traffic patterns change and vehicles start to change,” Wyckoff Mayor Rudy Boonstra said. “At one point, I remember 208 was unpaved. There was no pavement, there were no automobiles, there were no trucks.

"If you slow down enough before Russell Avenue going northbound behind the existing guardrail is a stone wall. It is one of the original stone walls that was built for traffic safety."

Route 208 was first designed in 1929 as Route S-4B.

It was renamed Route 208 in the early 1950s to match NY 208, said an official. Now, it runs through suburban areas of Bergen and Passaic counties as a four- to six-lane divided highway.

“This has been a long time coming and I’m thankful. During my lifetime, I watched 208 evolve into the major New York-metropolitan highway that is
here today,” Hawthorne Mayor John Lane said.

“The municipalities of Hawthorne, Passaic County and Wyckoff and Franklin Lakes, Bergen County, can assure their residents that these updates will not only minimize the likelihood of motor vehicle accidents, but will also help prevent the invasion of residential properties by trucks and other vehicles,” Franklin Lakes Mayor Charles Kahwaty said. “I thank Commissioner O’Connor and the assemblymen and senator for their attention to the local concerns."

The Route 208 project was funded by the New Jersey Department of Transportation’s capital program, which helps communities replace bridges, preserve pavement, and make repairs to preserve the life of the roadway.