Route 3 westbound on-ramp from Passaic Avenue to be closed for several months in Clifton, Passaic County

Closure necessary for ramp widening

(Trenton) – The Route 3 westbound on-ramp from Passaic Avenue is scheduled to be closed for several months beginning tomorrow night as an intersection safety improvement project advances in Clifton, Passaic County. In addition, the Route 3 westbound off-ramp to Passaic Avenue is scheduled to be closed on Friday night.

Beginning at 8 p.m. tomorrow, Friday, March 13, the Passaic Avenue ramp to Route 3 westbound is scheduled to be closed for approximately two months. The closure is necessary to widen the ramp. The following detour will be in place:

Passaic Avenue ramp to Route 3 westbound Detour:

• Motorists on Passaic Avenue southbound or northbound wishing to take the ramp to Route 3 westbound will be directed to turn onto Ward Avenue
• Turn left onto the ramp to Route 3 eastbound
• Take Route 3 eastbound
• Take the exit ramp for Main Avenue
• Turn right onto Main Avenue and go under Route 3
• Turn right to take the ramp onto Route 3 westbound

In addition, beginning at 8 p.m. tomorrow, Friday, March 13 until 6 a.m. Saturday, March 14, the Route 3 westbound off-ramp to Passaic Avenue is scheduled to be closed and detoured. The closure is necessary to install construction barrier. By 6 a.m. Saturday, March 14, the Route 3 westbound off-ramp to Passaic Avenue will reopen. The following detour will be in place overnight:

Route 3 westbound ramp to Passaic Avenue Detour:

• Motorists on Route 3 westbound wishing to take the ramp to Passaic Avenue will be directed to continue on Route 3 westbound
• Take the exit ramp for Bloomfield Avenue
• Turn left onto Bloomfield Avenue and go under Route 3
• Turn left to take the ramp onto Route 3 eastbound
• Take the Passaic Avenue exit
• Turn right onto Ward Avenue, back to Passaic Avenue

The work is part of a $1.98 million project to improve safety near the Route 3 Passaic Avenue Exit Ramps and the Passaic Avenue/Ward Avenue Intersection in Clifton, Passaic County. The project will make improvements at the following three intersections within the Route 3/Passaic Avenue/CR 603 Interchange:

1. Route 3 eastbound on and off ramps and the Kensington Avenue and Ward Avenue Intersection will be reconfigured so vehicles traveling on Ward Avenue will be required to stop and vehicles traveling on Route 3 eastbound taking the Ramp/Kensington Avenue will be free flow
2. Passaic Avenue and Ward Avenue Intersection will have a new traffic signal installed with exclusive left turn lanes in both directions on Passaic Avenue
3. Route 3 westbound on and off ramps and the Passaic Avenue Intersection will be improved to include an exclusive left turn lane and right turn lane at the end of the off-ramp, and an exclusive left turn lane will be added to Passaic Avenue southbound

In addition to the ramp reconfiguration and new traffic signal, other safety improvements include new sidewalks with ADA-compliant curb ramps and pedestrian crossings to connect to the bus stops on Route 3 eastbound and westbound. Vegetation clearing will also improve sight distance on the ramps.

The precise timing of the work is subject to change due to weather or other factors. Motorists are encouraged to check NJDOT’s traffic information website www.511nj.org for construction updates and real-time travel information and for NJDOT news follow us on X (Twitter) @NewJerseyDOT, on the NJDOT Facebook page, or Instagram @NewJersey.DOT.