The New Jersey Turnpike Authority took its show on the road to educate Bayonne residents on the four-year Interchange 14A Improvement Project, which has been initiated to improve traffic flow.
The “Public Information Center” was held on Thursday, Nov. 6 at Washington Community School on Avenue B to inform citizens about how the construction will affect them.
Officials from the turnpike and Gannett Fleming Inc. of South Plainfield, a project consultant, spoke at the event and were available for questions.
Municipal Services Director Robert Wondolowski and City Planner Sue Mack were also available for consultation.
City Council President Sharon Nadrowski and Councilmen Sal Gullace and Gary La Pelusa attended.
Residents were able to talk on a one-on-one basis with representatives of both the Turnpike Authority and Gannett Fleming.
“I don’t think it’s going to bother me at all,” said a resident of 56th Street and Kennedy Boulevard who did not give his name.
Dolores Kelly of 42nd Street attended for her civic organization, The Concerned Citizens of Bayonne. She will report back to her group on the project at its next meeting on Nov. 12.
“I think it impacts the whole city,” she said. “I have no problem with the work; the timing is what I have a problem with.”
Kelly was referring to the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey’s “Raise the Roadway” project ongoing at the Bayonne Bridge and the current work on the Pulaski Skyway in Jersey City. The turnpike project will likely start early next year, with completion slated for 2018, meaning all three major endeavors will overlap for a time.
“So far we’re in the phase of explaining to the people what it’s going to look like,” Wondolowski said. “It’s affecting fewer residents in the area [of work] than the Bayonne Bridge project.”
Relatively short-term inconveniences will result in long-term benefits, according to Wondolowski.
“Ultimately it’s going to be really effective,” he said. “It’ll bring people directly into the [former Military Ocean Terminal] base. It’ll widen the toll plaza.”
The meeting room was divided into three sections: Construction Information, Community Coordination, and Proposed Improvements.
Later in the program, a formal presentation was given by Lisa Navarro of the Turnpike Authority and Michael Morgan of Gannett Fleming.
Navarro said that information on project progress will be posted to a dedicated website after work has begun. She also said that all efforts are being made to minimize construction impacts.
Morgan said a major component of the project will be the construction of an Avenue E roundabout, which will funnel motorists to and from the turnpike interchange.
The improvements will add two toll plaza lanes. They will also upgrade the existing connector bridge from one way each way with no road shoulder to two lanes each way and a shoulder.
The turnpike and Gannett Fleming representatives had made an earlier presentation about the project at a Bayonne City Council meeting on Oct. 15.
E-mail joepass@hudsonreporter.com.