Chaos On Washington: Belleville Traffic ‘Nightmare’ Continues

BELLEVILLE, NJ — There’s “chaos” on Washington Avenue in Belleville thanks to ongoing road construction that may last for years. And it’s a traffic “nightmare” that isn’t going anywhere for a while, the town’s mayor says.

The construction project – which is being done by the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) on a state-run section of roadway – has been raising a stink among a growing number of residents and local business owners.

The NJDOT is reconstructing and paving about two miles of roadway on Washington Avenue/Route 7 in Belleville and Nutley. Other work will include intersection improvements, drainage and traffic signal upgrades, and ADA-compliant pedestrian safety upgrades.

The $20 million federally funded project will take place in several phases, and will take about three years to complete, according to the NJDOT.

Belleville township officials and administrators have repeatedly said they have little authority over the project, which is taking place on a state road.

Work kicked off earlier this year, with the NJDOT stating that access will be maintained for residential properties and local businesses during “normal business hours.” Bus stops within the project’s limits will be maintained, officials said.

The latest phase of the project kicked off Monday, with work taking place from Cleveland Street to Rossmore Place.

Currently, residents and visitors who travel down Washington Avenue are encountering long concrete dividers between Cleveland Street and Academy Street, which separate the roadway into one lane each way. It’s a situation that has sparked complaints on social media, with some pundits claiming that parking and traffic has turned into a “nightmare.”

The griping continued at the Belleville Town Council’s meeting on Tuesday (watch the video online here).

“There’s absolutely no way for pedestrians to cross Washington Avenue where they have the construction,” a resident complained during the public comment portion of the meeting.

“I see people hopping the barricades,” she continued. “I mean, I get it – it’s not the town. But is anyone advocating for those pedestrians?”

Belleville Mayor Michael Melham said he shares residents’ frustrations.

“Listen, it’s a nightmare,” Melham said at this week’s council meeting.

“It’s a nightmare for everybody,” he continued. “It’s a nightmare for the workers here. It’s a nightmare for me, who works on Washington Avenue. It’s a nightmare for Councilman [Vincent] Cozzarelli, who lives on Washington Avenue. It’s a nightmare – it’s not going anywhere.”

“It’s already causing some chaos on Washington Avenue for sure,” Melham said.

The mayor said that Belleville did host “at least one or two” public hearings on the matter in the past, and got a “little bit of say” about bump-outs and rain gardens. But he stressed that the project is not Belleville’s plan, strategy or design.

“Nothing about this was ours,” he said.

Melham elaborated on his statement in a social media post on Wednesday. He wrote:

“As your Chief Rumor Squasher (CRS), I want to address a rumor making the rounds on social media: The township is NOT installing train tracks in the center of Washington Avenue! This might be circulating because old train tracks are indeed being removed from beneath the pavement. Fun fact: Washington Avenue once had a trolley running up and down the center of the street, and those tracks were simply covered with asphalt decades ago.”

“Now, on a more serious note—I fully understand that the ongoing reconstruction of Washington Avenue is causing significant disruptions,” Melham continued.

“As someone who works on Washington Avenue, I share your frustrations,” he wrote. “It’s important to remember that Washington Avenue is a state highway, not a township road, and this project was planned before I took office in 2018. Unfortunately, the township had no input on the construction timeline or the final design.”

Melham offered some details about the NJDOT’s plans for the busy stretch of roadway:

“Even after the project is completed, the new design—with one less lane of traffic (the state is reducing the road from four lanes to three, adding a dedicated turning lane in the center, and introducing bike lanes)—will require some adjustment. To be clear, I am NOT a fan of the lane reduction or bike lines.”

“The NJDOT did hold an information session at Town Hall several years ago, inviting all residents to attend,” Melham wrote. “Since then, they’ve maintained regular communication with the Belleville Police Department to keep everyone informed about road closures.”

“I am in ongoing communication with my NJDOT liaison to gather more information to provide increased communications with our community,” the mayor said. “This project is not a quick one, but we are committed to keeping you updated throughout its duration.”

“Thank you for your patience and understanding,” he concluded.

SITE PLAN

Last week, former Belleville Board of Education member and recent town council candidate Michael Sheldon shared a site plan document for the project on social media. View it online here.

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