Hoboken Traffic Feels Pain From Weehawken Water Main Break

HUDSON COUNTY, NJ — A water main break created a tough morning commute for many drivers in Hoboken and Weehawken on Wednesday, Nov. 12, authorities said.

Just before the morning rush hours kicked off, Suez Water sent out the following advisory about the break: “Suez crews are investigating a leak at 14th and Park in Weehawken. Please plan an alternative route this morning for your commute. We apologize for the inconvenience.”

Weehawken town officials posted an alert about the situation soon afterward:

“Crews are responding to a water main break at 19th Street & Park Avenue. Heavy traffic is expected in the area while repairs are being made. Residents in the area may experience a reduction in water pressure.”

The Weehawken main break also slammed traffic in Hoboken, city officials reported at 6:18 a.m.:

“There is a water main break on the Weehawken side of the Park Avenue Bridge. Hoboken Police and OEM are on the scene to help mitigate the traffic build up. Due to the location of the break and high volume of cars traveling in that direction, please plan an alternate route when entering or exiting Hoboken.”

Hoboken police asked drivers to avoid the “northern end” of the city.

“A water main break in Weehawken has shut down the Park Avenue viaduct,” police said. “Heavy delays due to volume... and today is a gridlock alert day for the region.”

NJ Transit reported that bus service traveling in the Weehawken and Hoboken area was subject to 30-minute delays due to the water main break.

"NJ Transit bus tickets/passes will be accepted on PATH at HOB and NY Waterway at Hoboken, 14th Street, Port Imperial and Lincoln Harbor Terminals," the agency wrote.

Hoboken city officials released the following update at 1:23 p.m.:

“Due to a water main break on the Weehawken side of the Park Avenue Bridge, traffic delays are anticipated as work is planned to continue into the beginning of the evening rush hour. Hoboken police and OEM are assisting Weehawken to direct any traffic in the area.”

City officials offered the following recommendations on how to minimize delays on Wednesday’s commute home:

• Use the ferry or PATH to get back into to Hoboken (New York Waterway and the PATH will be cross-honoring NJ Transit bus tickets).
• If driving, avoid entering Hoboken from the North as the Park Ave. Bridge is still closed. If possible, please enter from the south.

Hoboken Councilwoman Tiffanie Fisher described the commuting chaos on Wednesday in an email:

“At 6:15 I got the call from the mayor's office. It is going to be one of those commuting mornings... There is a water main break just over the Park Avenue Bridge in Weehawken, just before the intersection. Traffic heading north out of Hoboken is all being routed to Willow Ave. At 7:05 a.m. the traffic was already significantly backed up. I walked over to see how bad it is, and the water is seeping through multiple breaks in the road as you can see in the picture. Suez is onsite, but it doesn't look like this will be fixed anytime soon and may need road repairs.”

Fisher continued:

“So plan accordingly. Stay home if you have the flexibility to do so. Or head to the ferry and/or path. If you have flexibility, avoid the 8:20 and 8:40 ferries as the lines will be extremely long. If you take any of the uptown building shuttles to the PATH, be mindful that they may also be affected as well just due to the congestion on the roads. Hope your day only gets better from here.”

Fisher posted the below video on her Facebook page taken at the scene of the main break.

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Photo: Hoboken Police Department