Hoboken Truck Crash Caused Red Light Increase, Significant Traffic On Observer Highway: City

Hoboken, NJ – It’s not your imagination, Hoboken motorists. There have been an unusual amount of red light signals on the Observer Highway lately.

According to city officials, an above average frequency of red lights at the recently renovated roadway was due to damage from a Jan. 26 motor vehicle accident.

“Late in the evening, a dump truck hauling snow to Observer Highway as part of the snow removal operation hit and damaged the traffic signal at Observer Highway and Willow Avenue,” city officials stated on Friday. “As a result of the damage, the signal timing sequence was affected, leading to very frequent red lights along Observer Highway, causing significant traffic congestion issues in southern Hoboken since Wednesday. A second repair attempt this morning was successful, and the signal is now functioning properly. During the three weeks prior to the damage to the signal, there had been no observed deterioration in traffic conditions due to the roadway reconfiguration.”

The roadway – one of the busiest in Hoboken – is undergoing a $2.7 million facelift spurred by concerns about safety and traffic delays.

• See related article: Observer Highway Gets a $2.7 Million Facelift

City officials stated on Friday that as a precaution, the Hoboken Police Department will be stationed at Observer Highway and Willow Avenue during morning and evening rush hour periods to monitor traffic conditions and direct traffic if needed.

“Progress has proceeded on the installation and activation of the new traffic signals,” city administrators added. “Power is on to all control boxes, however due to the blizzard and damage to the new signal from the dump truck, the timing for the activation has been slightly delayed. It is currently expected that the new signals will be activated in approximately two weeks, following three days when the signals will be set to a flashing mode.”

• See related article: Work Progressing On One Of Hoboken’s ‘Most Dangerous Roads’

Photo: City of Hoboken

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