Clifton officials, residents not fans of Passaic County's safety fix for Allwood Road

Passaic County's plan to improve safety along several miles of Allwood Road in Clifton was not well received by residents who attended a special presentation.

The county's plan seeks to slow speeders along the accident-prone county road by cutting its existing four lanes, two in each direction, down to one in each direction with a dedicated turning lane in between. The plan also calls for bike lanes and other improvements.

Residents were asked to give their input on the plan. Hundreds showed up at Wednesday night's Clifton Council meeting and did just that.

"This plan has bad written all over it," said Henry Cholewczynski, a retired Clifton Fire Department deputy chief.

Many said they disliked going from two lanes of traffic in each direction down to one, even with the center turning lane and wider lanes overall. Some opposed the removal of dozens of the cherry blossom trees that line the roadway.

Allwood Road reconfiguration plan in Clifton gets pushback

Members of the Traffic Safety Committee were not adequately consulted in the formulation of the plan, said Chair Larry Waxman. Other members said the plan to reduce the number of lanes defies common sense as fewer lanes will exacerbate traffic.

The plan, which was initiated in 2018 as part of a larger county traffic safety effort funded by a federal grant, is already out of date, said some residents and officials. The opening of the new Trader Joe's, Stew Leonard's and the redevelopment of the former Roche Property, now ON3, has greatly added to local traffic.

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Some comments focused on Route 3 traffic. Some speakers said if there is no plan to first deal with the larger traffic issue of Route 3 that empties or is rerouted to Allwood Road, the safety plan is a waste of time and resources.

The plan to fix Allwood Road in Clifton

A $6.7 million grant was announced in the spring of 2018 and called for reworking sections of Market Street in Paterson, Clifton Avenue and Allwood Road in Clifton.

Clifton's portion has since been modified. Jurisdictional problems involving the state's Department of Transportation truncated the plan to just Allwood Road.

Traffic consultants for the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority, a federally funded autonomous entity, said studies show Allwood Road warranted plans to improve safety along the 2.25 miles between Clifton and Main avenues.

About 20,000 vehicles utilize the roadway daily and three locations are targeted for the NJTPA's plan for improvement: the curve by Dwasline Road, the Allwood Circle and where Clifton Avenue comes to an end at Allwood Road.

Proposed Allwood Road improvements

The plan calls for the following Allwood Road improvements:

• Traffic signal upgrades
• Right turn lanes from both sides of Bloomfield Avenue before motorists reach the traffic circle to allow easy right-hand turns onto Allwood Road

• High visibility crosswalk markings
• Improved street lighting
• Replacement of sidewalks and bump outs for curves at several intersections such as Clifton Avenue
• Road diets, which in traffic safety parlance means the reduction in the number of through lanes while adding left-hand turn lanes and in Allwood's case, the addition of a dedicated bike lane.

Clifton Allwood Road improvements timeline

Jacquelyn Lawson, one of the consultants working for the county and the NJTPA, said the process is still in its preliminary stage.

Public input will be accepted at www.allwoodroadsafety.com until the end of July. By late summer preliminary plans will be formulated and final plans may start by the end of the year. The timeline has construction starting in 2027 and completed in 2029.

In making her presentation, Lawson noted the plan to cut back on lanes while adding a dedicated center turning lane is not new to Passaic County. Union Valley Road in West Milford and Berdan Avenue, Ratzer and Valley roads and Hamburg Turnpike in Wayne have seen "successful road diets," she said

While it may seem counterintuitive, she said the reconfigured roads work because people trying to make left-hand turns often block traffic. This often causes drivers seeking to pass them to get involved in sideswipes or rear-end accidents.

Objections to the Allwood Road plan

About an hour into the hearing, the city's council members resolved that they are opposed to the project as currently conceived. By a 4-0-1 vote they let the county know that.

Even though Allwood Road falls under the county's jurisdiction, which is responsible for its upkeep, the Clifton governing body wanted to send a clear message that it vehemently opposes the safety improvements.

Council members said the county is ignoring problems such as those trying to make a left turn off Allwood Road to get into the Trader Joe's parking lot.

Others said because of Allwood Road's proximity to Route 3, which frequently floods or is closed after serious accidents, Allwood is nothing like the other county roadways that have undergone similar reconfigurations given the potential for heavy diverted traffic.

Clifton Mayor Ray Grabowski, who initially agreed with the council's resolution to scrap the plan, said that after he spoke with the city's traffic safety officer, Mohammad Droubi, he found some positive parts in the county's plans. He encouraged the county to consider the citizens' concerns and come back before the city council.

Allwood Circle reconfiguration

Doubi and several residents said they approve of plans for the traffic rotary.

Allowing cars to make right turns before entering the circle from either direction on Bloomfield Avenue makes sense. The county did so before when it created separate right turn lanes from Allwood on Bloomfield.

Droubi also said the curb bump-outs, where the curbs are widened a few feet on each side of the various intersections, make a lot of sense. People generally travel about 1.5 feet per second. Gaining even 3 feet for the bump-outs saves two seconds for anyone trying to cross.

The bump-outs and enhanced crosswalk painting will also greatly increase pedestrian safety. He urged the city not to nix the plan altogether.

"What's the saying? Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good?" Droubi said after the meeting.

What's next?

Grabowski at the end of the meeting encouraged the county to hold a second meeting. He agreed with some residents who said holding a public hearing in summer precludes many from giving input.

County and NJPTA officials seemed lukewarm on the idea. Passaic County Commissioner John Bartlett told residents he initially was skeptical of road diets. However, he said he saw it work elsewhere in the county and remains convinced that they are a good idea.

After the meeting, Bartlett said the residents' concerns about road diets had not necessarily changed his mind but will be taken into consideration.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Clifton officials, residents not fans of Passaic County's safety fix for Allwood Road