Ramsey Main Street Rail Crossing To Close Starting Wednesday

RAMSEY, NJ — The Main Street train station railroad crossing will close for for nine days starting Wednesday so new safety equipment can be installed there.

A few people have died at or near the crossing recently. The deaths have prompted discussions regarding making the improvements.

Tommy Ryan was struck and killed by a train at the Main Street station in June. He was killed after he walked under the gate and crossed over the tracks to get to the other side. Another man committed suicide near the station in September, officials said.

The state Department of Transportation, in conjunction with NJ Transit Rail Operations, will make the improvements. The crossing will be closed until Aug. 10, according to the announcement.

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Richard Hammer, commissioner of the state Department of Transportation, ordered March 8 that several improvements be made to the crossing. These include installing the following items at and around the crossing:

• A new concrete crossing and extend nearby sidewalks to the crossing from the street
• New signs
• Flashing LED lights
• A pedestrian gate with a skirt that spans the sidewalk

The Main Street station and commuter parking lots will be open. Trains will operate on normal schedules.

Parking will be prohibited on Church Street from Main Street to Gertzen Plaza.

Around-the-clock detours will be set up on Main Street for vehicles traveling west and east. Vehicles heading east will be directed onto North Central Avenue. Vehicles going west will be detoured to Church Street.

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A photo of the train tracks at the railroad crossing near the Main Street station. — Courtesy of Jamie Ryan