Is more to the answer of about eliminating two notorious merges on Route 24 that constantly back-up traffic than what NJDOT officials initially gave? Ask @CommutingLarry
A question answered earlier this month about doing away with two notorious merges on Route 24 in Union County on the border of Essex and Morris Counties prompted more questions about the answer given by state transportation officials.
Specifically, the DOT's response that NJDOT "has not received any requests to look into road widening or traffic flow improvements in the area" brought a typically Jerseyesque reply from commuters along the order of "you've got to be kidding me."
"Why they are waiting for us poor saps to tell them about bottlenecks? How come the NJDOT is not utilizing the available tools in the (not so new) world of computerized mapping and traffic?" asked NJ.com user JoeyJoe, who suggested the DOT look at traffic volume data from traffic applications.
"I find it a slap in face that the inaction is because NJDOT 'has not been made aware' of traffic problems," he wrote. "Even if NJDOT didn't want to spend our tax dollars on purchasing the data, they could have some intern look at Google Maps every 15 minutes for a period of time to view the traffic."
Q: So, is the DOT looking at some relief for the Route 24 merges?
A: The answer is, sort of.
The DOT backed off it's original statement after the reader who initially asked the question about the two merges wrote to the Morris County Freeholder Board and was told that county officials have asked for improvements on Route 24.
"NJDOT is working with Morris County on a potential project to improve the operational performance of the Columbia Pike/Park Avenue intersection, including expanding the nearby ramps to and from Route 24 to improve traffic flow," said Stephen Schapiro, an NJDOT spokesman. "The project is in concept development, and as part of the process the department will investigate the feasibility of widening Route 24."
GOT QUESTIONS?
Ticked off about mass transit? Wondering about road construction? E-mail your questions to NJ.com's transportation expert Larry Higgs. He'll answer your questions on Tuesdays and Thursdays on NJ.com. You can also Tweet @CommutingLarry.Widening Route 24 through Morris County would address one of the bottlenecks on the county border where westbound Route 24 narrows from three to two lanes after the Short Hills mall.
As several readers pointed out, the overpasses appear to be wide enough to allow construction of a third lane without having to replace or alter them.
Officials at the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority, which is where major projects are studied for possible federal funding, said they're aware of local traffic concerns about Route 24.
"I know that Morris County has more than once raised the issue," said David Behrend, an NJTPA spokesman.
If improvements to the the Columbia Pike/Park Avenue intersection or a project to widen Route 24 were pursued, the process starts at the NJTPA to begin the federal funding process. The state would also have to provide funding based on a formula to be eligible for federal money.
Where the state will get that money is an unanswered question, Schapiro said.
"Addressing congestion on highways such as Route 24 underscores the need to identify a dedicated revenue source for the Transportation Trust Fund," he said. "
We're happy to get the conversation started and let officials know that people are concerned about the transportation issues they face daily. Whether it's answering a big question about the Pulaski Skyway project or a small question about a big annoyance, such as who cleans up dead birds and their droppings at Metropark station.
Tell us your issue and we'll see if there are answers.
Larry Higgs may be reached at lhiggs@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @commutinglarry. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
