Plans to Change Parkway Exit 168 May Not Alleviate Traffic, Officials Say

Widening a Garden State Parkway off-ramp may not solve some of the traffic issues in the area, officials said during a Washington Township council meeting this week. 

The New Jersey Turnpike Authority is moving forward with a plan to begin widening the ramp at exit 168 after several drivers had trouble making a right turn onto Washington Avenue. 

Included in the proposed project, according to Mayor Janet Sobkowicz, are plans to widen the road to two lanes and replace a stop sign on the off-ramp with a yield sign so that drivers coming off the parkway do not have to come to a complete stop. 

Sobkowicz said she was particularly concerned with the two-lane plan, adding that widening the road to two lanes would simply add another lane of traffic.

“It’s going to be much harder for people coming off making a right to see who is coming from the left,” Sobkowicz said Monday night as council members and residents discussed the safety of the road plan. 

Resident David Snyde said widening the road will not alleviate an overflow of traffic, adding that many people, including himself, often take Exit 165 (Ridgewood/Oradell) and go down Pascack Road to enter Washington Township and Westwood.

“What about all those other people that were taking the other route? Just because they’re widening the road and spending $2 million to do this doesn’t mean it’s going to stop the traffic flow that we’re talking about on Washington Avenue and Pascack Road,” said Snyde.

Gerald Brown, a resident of Jackson Avenue, which is directly off exit 168, said that he has been going down to the end of his block to make a left on to the Parkway for 40 years. 

“In the morning, if you go to the bottom of Jackson to make a left, you may never get out. You have to sneak out and just pray that the guy coming off the parkway will slow down and let you make a left,” said Brown.

Despite their remaining concerns, the mayor and council were pleased with the NJTA’s decision to not install a traffic light at the end of the ramp on Washington Avenue.

“The light was a major issue, but we fought that,” said Councilman Richard Hrbek. 

“What they’re proposing does have some merit in eliminating the problems that we had as far as having accidents at the exit, but it’s something that we will review," he said.

Councilman Joseph D'Urso said there should be further discussion on replacing the stop sign with a yield sign. 

“People don’t stop anyway, people roll,” D’Urso said. “So maybe their concept on yielding might be good or bad, but it’s something to think about.”

Linda Murphy, a township resident, suggested the NJTA paint a crosswalk or place “yield to pedestrians” signs in the street so that commuters can cross in order to reach the New Jersey Transit bus stop near the corner of Jackson Avenue. 

“Nobody can walk across that road,” said resident Linda Murphy. “Maybe then someone would stop and let a person cross.”

 The next council meeting is scheduled for July 25.