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Route 46 and Notch Road Interchange
Little Falls and
Woodland Park
Route 3 and Valley Road Interchange
Clifton
Overview
The New Jersey
Department of Transportation
(NJDOT) is in Final
Design of the proposed
operational and safety improvements
for two Passaic County interchanges
- Route
46 and Notch and Rifle Camp
Roads in Little Falls and
Woodland Park and Route
3/Valley Road in Clifton.
These two interchanges have
become chronic
bottlenecks due to heavy
traffic volumes during
peak hours.
Estimated project schedule
| Begin Final Design |
April 2009 |
| Community outreach |
Fall 2010 |
| Complete Final Design |
Summer 2011 |
| Start construction |
To be determined |
In this Final Design stage,
these will be completed in
2010/2011:
- right of way requirements
- access changes
- environmental permits
- final design
History
The NJDOT’s Bureau of Project Scope
Development completed a Feasibility
Assessment Study in 2001 to
determine
the transportation problems
and needs along Route 46 from
the interchange with Notch
and Rifle Camp Roads in Little
Falls and Woodland Park to
the Route 3/Valley Road interchange
in Clifton, Passaic County.
The study resulted in the
selection of an
Initially
Preferred Alternative (IPA) for
operational and safety improvements
at Route 46 and Route 3 to
conform
to current design standards.
Following
completion of scope development, NJDOT
re-evaluated improvements to reduce project-related
impacts and cost without sacrificing
the intended outcome of the original
project. The current
plan, referred to as the Proposed
Improvements Plan, reduces impacts
to major utility infrastructure and to
the environment.
Project area
The project area extends along Route
46 from the vicinity of Lower
Notch Road to Rock Hill Road
and along Route 3 from Valley
Road to west of
Grove Street, in Little Falls,
Woodland Park and Clifton,
Passaic County.
Proposed interchange improvements
The proposed improvements at the
Notch Road/Rifle Camp Road
interchange include the re-striping
of the existing intersection
on the south side of Route
46 and a new roundabout on
the north side of Route 46
to improve traffic flow and
sight distance. At Clove Road,
a new interchange will improve
access to Route 46 westbound.
Improvements to the
Route 46/Route 3/Valley Road
interchange include reconstruction
and reconfiguration of the
ramps, a new traffic signal
on Valley Road and a new roundabout
at the intersection of the
Valley Road, Great Notch Road
and the new Route 3 exit ramp.
Proposed structural improvements
The proposed project will require
five new bridge structures
and one superstructure replacement,
each designed to improve physical
condition and substandard
vertical under clearance.
The Notch
Road/Rifle Camp Road superstructure
will be replaced.
The structure
will be widened
to
provide two turning lanes,
shoulders
and sidewalks.
- A new bridge structure will
be constructed over Route
46 at Clove Road as part
of the Clove Road interchange
improvement.
- The Route 46 over Valley
Road bridge will be replaced
under staged construction
to provide auxiliary
lanes at the Route 46
and Route 3 connection.
- Three
replacement bridges at
the Route 46 and Route 3
interchange will provide
for the reconfiguration
of ramps to meet current
standards.
In addition, a number of
retaining walls will be constructed
at various locations
due to grade differentials.
They will vary in height
from a minimum of 3’ to
approximately a maximum
of 30’.
Proposed roadway improvements
From Notch/Rifle Camp Road to the
Valley Road interchange, Route
46 will be widened to provide
shoulders and acceleration/deceleration
lanes, to reduce mainline
weaving caused by the closely
spaced driveways and access
points on Route 46 and at
the Route 46/Route 3 diverge.
Three lanes are proposed to
replace the existing two lane
connections at the intersection
of Route 46 and Route 3 eastbound.
Route 46 will be realigned
to converge with Route 3 from
the right (not from the left
as currently exists) Additional
roadway improvements include:
- construction of a new two-way
service road (Great Notch
Road) on the north side
of Route 46 connecting
Notch Road to Valley
Road to remove traffic
and reduce weaving on
Route 46 westbound
- widening of Route 46 westbound
to provide an auxiliary
lane between Rock Hill
Road and Valley Road
- the realignment of the Route
46 eastbound exit and
entrance ramps and the
construction of a modern
roundabout at Clove Road
- design of architectural screening
to mitigate the proximity
of residences to the
highways
Expected traffic impacts
Improvements to Route 46 and Route
3 will improve the level of
service. During
construction, traffic will
be
maintained to provide uninterrupted
service for the main roadways
during peak hours.
Environmental considerations
- Air and noise studies will concentrate on sensitive receptors where noise levels need to be addressed.
- Feasibility studies and public meetings have resulted in consideration of architectural enhancement screens.
- The Third River, which meanders
across Route 46 via a series
of culverts, will be realigned,
only as needed, to accommodate
the new and widened roadways.
Improvements
will focus on providing
a watercourse that yields
both flood and environmental
benefits.
- A comprehensive public involvement
program will provide the
opportunity for input from
the three affected
communities located along
this section of roadway.
Geotechnical and utility considerations
During Final
Design all underground and
aerial utilities that are
impacted by the project will
be identified and relocated
as needed.
Both geotechnical and
pavement assessments will
be
performed and subsurface information
will be gathered. A Geotechnical
Rock Engineering Report will
provide rock cut slope
recommendations for the widened
Route 46 corridor.
Construction costs
The estimated construction cost
of this project is over $150 million.
Federal and state funds are being
used for this project.
Design Consultants:
- Stantec Consulting Services,
Inc. (Rochelle
Park)
- TranSystems Corp. (Paramus)
- Amercom Corp.
(Parsippany)
- Haley and Aldrich,
Inc. (Dover)
- Paul Carpenter
Associates, Inc. (Florham Park)
- InfraMap, Corp. (Windsor)
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