Residents hoping for a return to normal traffic patterns within the borough this month will have to wait a little longer, according to Sayreville Borough Engineer Jay Cornell.
The Ernston Road and Bordentown Avenue intersection closed April 23 and was scheduled to reopen June 8 after a 45-day construction period. However, the contractor, Green Construction, requested to extend the closure another 30 days.
The intersection closed to allow Middlesex Water Co. to replace its 30-inch water main and Verizon to lower its existing conduits as part of a county project to widen the intersection. The water line is in place, and Verizon is on schedule to have its work completed by the original June 8 date, but additional work requires the closure extension.
The work includes gas line relocation by PSE&G, transferring of aerial lines by JCP&L, relocation work by Cablevision, relocation of the 16-foot Sayreville water line, installation of new storm sewer lines and new curb, sidewalk and driveway aprons, and lowering of the road. These tasks were planned for completion during future road closures but were initiated early due to the convenience of the closure.
Cornell told Mayor Kennedy O’Brien and the Borough Council at the May 29 meeting that the extension would eliminate the need for any other closures until the project is completed this fall.
“We would like to keep it closed for a 30-day period rather than open it and have people get used to that and then close it again,” he said. “The police department was in agreement that this proposal was preferred to a future full closure since vehicles are already following the detours.”
One of the detours directs traffic from Ernston Road onto Villanova Road, causing traffic buildup on many of the roads within the Madison Park section of Old Bridge. Drivers navigate through the development and reach the Cheesequake Road and Bordentown intersection.
Old Bridge officials, including Councilman Reginald Butler, have been receiving complaints from residents, mostly of Madison Park, about the congestion. But some Sayreville residents are appreciative of the heightened police security in the area. One member of the public praised police for their increased traffic patrol on Kendall Drive, which is off Cheesequake Road and, he said, is frequented by speeding vehicles. The work requiring the closing is part of the road-widening project that began last year in an effort to alleviate traffic and safety hazards at the location. Green Construction is widening both Ernston Road and the Conrail bridge that passes over the road.
Currently, only one car in each direction can pass at a time, creating traffic jams as motorists wait for drivers attempting to execute left turns. Accidents have occurred due to poor visibility, and a narrow sidewalk for pedestrians along Ernston Road’s southbound side also creates a safety concern. Once finished, the intersection will include four lanes on either side, with right-turn, straight and left-turn lanes, and a fourth lane in the opposite direction.
Instead of any full closures in the future, Cornell said that possibly one leg of the intersection could close while the other three remain open during other phases of construction, such as the bridge installation or final paving. The bridge is expected to be delivered during the third week of June.
Project completion is scheduled for this fall.
Contact Deanna McLafferty at