Major Road Work At Port Newark Will Impact Traffic For A Year (UPDATE)

NEWARK, NJ — It may look like “traffic,” but the construction work that will be taking place at a busy ramp near Port Newark over the next year is an encouraging sign of progress, officials say.

According to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the ramp leading from eastbound Port Street to southbound Corbin Street will be closed for demolition and reconstruction at 8 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 16.

The port complex will remain fully operational during the closure, which is expected to last for about a year, officials said.

A detour has been rebuilt to accommodate the additional traffic. Here’s what to know if you’ll be driving through the area, according to the Port Authority:

“The Corbin Street ramp closure will begin on Monday, Sept. 16, and is expected to last approximately one year, during which time all vehicular traffic will be detoured via Marlin and Kellogg streets. Detoured traffic will continue past the existing ramp on Port Street, turning right on Marlin Street and following a newly redesigned curve to Kellogg Street. Drivers can then proceed left onto Corbin Street to continue south toward the complex’s container terminals.”

The construction work is part of a larger, $220 million infrastructure plan that has been dubbed the Port Street Corridor Improvement project. It will rebuild the northern roadway access point into Port Newark and the Elizabeth Port Authority Marine Terminal.

Other work planned as part of the project includes:

• Relocation and widening of Kellogg and Marlin streets to allow for two inbound lanes from Port Street and one outbound lane from Corbin Street with dedicated left turn lanes
• Reconstruction of Outer Port Street with a wider turning radius to Port Street
• Installation of a new traffic signal at the intersection of Port and Marlin streets, and improvement of existing traffic signals at the intersections of Corbin and Kellogg streets, and of Port Street and Doremus Avenue
• Raising the main interchange area to a higher elevation to alleviate flooding
• Construction of a new storm drainage system connecting the improved roadways to a new storm water discharge point in the Port Newark Channel
• Realignment of the grade-level railroad tracks to a safer, more visible pathway as they intersect with the street
• Construction/addition of street lighting along Kellogg and Marlin streets

The project received a $44 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) program in July 2021. Read More: $44M Upgrade For Busy Roadway Between Port Newark, Elizabeth

According to the Port Authority, the project is expected to generate 260 additional direct jobs during construction with a priority placed on working with local, minority, and women contractors. The work is also expected to generate $25 million in direct wages and $171 million in regional economic activity.

Work is scheduled to be completed on the Port Street Corridor Improvement project in 2028 (article continues below).

WHY IS IT NEEDED?

According to the Port Authority, the interchange serves as a crucial link to the New Jersey Turnpike and Interstate 78, and a roadway section for both U.S. routes 1 and 9. The current configuration includes a series of hairpin turns with reduced sightlines, which are often challenging for truck drivers to navigate safely. More than 700 crashes were reported on the roadway between 2005 and 2022, a number that Port Authority officials are hoping to reduce by 37 percent.

It’s a bottleneck that has the potential to throw a big monkey wrench into a trucker’s already tight schedule, officials said. The ramp from Port Street to Corbin Street alone serves about 3,600 vehicles during a typical peak hour – nearly 40 percent of which is truck traffic.

Port Authority officials said the redesign will include wider turning capabilities, which will make it easier and safer for truckers to get in and out of the port. The enhancements will save an estimated 700,000 hours of travel time for vehicles accessing the complex in the first full year following project completion.

Not impressed yet? Here’s something to consider: about a third of all the shipping containers on the east coast of North America – carrying more than $275 billion in cargo – made their way through the waters near Port Newark and the Elizabeth Port Authority Marine Terminal last year.

Things are only expected to get bigger at the port, with cargo volume predicted to double – or even triple – by 2050. See Related: Port Authority Proposes $1 Billion Budget Hike In NJ, NY

In addition to reinforcing a supply chain that showcased its fragility during the coronavirus pandemic, the project will also reduce carbon emissions at the port by nearly 750 tons per year, officials added.

Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton said this week’s announcement marks a “significant milestone” in the effort to modernize a major access point at the East Coast’s busiest port complex.

Port Authority Chairman Kevin O’Toole agreed, calling the seaport “the beating heart of our region’s economy.”

“The Corbin Street ramp closure marks an important step in our investment in the port’s roadway network, as we rebuild these arteries to modern standards and set up the seaport for success as cargo demand grows in the years to come,” O’Toole said.

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