Hoboken permits Suez water project to resume work

HOBOKEN — Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla announced his decision to allow SUEZ Water to resume its work in southwest Hoboken after they turned in a revised plan to update an underground water meter.
The project was halted after the work caused severe traffic congestion in Hoboken’s southwest.
“The first weekend of their scheduled work was a disaster,” said Bhalla. “They were not prepared to hold everyone accountable on their traffic control responsibilities, making everything fall on Hoboken’s shoulders and causing traffic problems far worse than anyone anticipated. I’m cautiously optimistic their revised plan will be better, but I will be keeping a close eye on its impact. I am prepared to suspend their project again if need be.”
The plan involves a contractual obligation from New Jersey State Police to have 12 traffic control officers on the scene at all times with six directing traffic from the Hoboken side and six directing traffic from the Jersey City side.
Due to construction work being done to upgrade the underground water meter facility, several roads in southwest Hoboken will be closed this weekend beginning 8 p.m. Friday and reopening 5 a.m. Monday.
Harrison Street will be closed at Paterson Avenue, not allowing southbound traffic from Paterson Avenue to Observer Highway. Harrison Street will be closed at Observer Highway, not allowing southbound traffic from Observer Highway to Newark Street. Newark Street from Monroe to Harrison streets will be closed to both east and west bound traffic.
The westbound lane of Newark, between Madison and Monroe streets, will be tapered, with traffic cones to provide for two left-turn only lanes onto Grove Street.
NJ Transit buses will be allowed to travel to Jackson Street to complete their route.