Two-Year Road Project to Drastically Alter Ramps on Routes 287, 78, 206

If you don’t like traffic, you won’t like what you’re about to read.

The New Jersey Department of Transportation is moving forward with a large scale project that will significantly alter how drivers navigate the Route 287 and Route 78 interchange in Bedminster Township, a crossroads that impacts thousands of drivers daily traveling in northwestern New Jersey.

The DOT says the overall purpose of the project is to enhance safety and improve traffic operations within the existing interchanges of the two roadways as well as Route 202/206.

The changes include:

• Relocating the existing ramp from Rt. 78 eastbound to Rt. 287 northbound from a left side entry to a right side entry, to eliminate the downstream weave condition and “reduce vehicle conflicts and driver decisions on I-287 northbound between Interchanges 21 and 22.”
• Realigning the existing ramp from Rt. 287 northbound to Route 202/206 southbound and eliminating a stop condition at the ramp terminal to provide for continuous flow of ramp traffic onto Route 202/206 southbound while reducing potential queuing of traffic on the ramp (and onto Rt. 287), and to reduce vehicle conflicts and maneuvering upon joining the Route 202/206 south lanes.

So, how will this be solved? A lot of construction, including:

• A new flyover ramp from Rt. 78 east bound which connects with a right side entry to Rt. 287 northbound “by means of a new loop.” The new ramp will eliminate the existing ramp along with its left side entry to Rt. 287 northbound.
• Existing ramp from Rt. 287 north to Rt. 78 east will be shifted further to the south to provide room to construct the new loop ramp.
• Mainline lanes of Rt. 287 north will be realigned within the existing highway so the fourth northbound lane originates on the right side of the roadway at the new loop ramp entry.
• Realignment of the existing Rt. 287 north ramp to Route 202/206 south and provision of an auxiliary lane along Route 202/206 south.

The changes do come with their environmental setbacks, according to the state. Some 11.72 acres of trees will be deforested as a result of the changes. The project is expected to cost $27.5 million.

The project is estimated to begin in the spring of 2016 and end in the spring of 2018.