Trip Planner

New Jersey Department of Transportation’s rehabilitation of the Route 495 Bridge over Route 1&9 and Paterson Plank Road in North Bergen will begin on or about Friday, August 17 and continue for approximately two-and-a-half years.

Construction will close the westbound ramp from 31st Street in Union City to 495 West, directly affecting NJ TRANSIT’s local service on 19 bus routes and requiring implementation of detour routings.  The detour phase is anticipated to last approximately two and a half years.

The following bus routes will be detoured during construction:

No. 87 Jersey City-Hoboken	No. 163 Ridgewood-New York
No. 107 South Orange-New York	No. 167 Harrington Park-Teaneck-New York
No. 108 Newark-New York	No. 190X Paterson-Rutherford-New York
No. 111 New York-IKEA-Jersey Gardens	No. 190 (local) Paterson-Rutherford-New York
No. 124 Secaucus-New York	No. 191 Willowbrook-Montclair-New York
No. 127S Ridgefield-Union City-New York	No. 192 Clifton-New York
No. 129 Secaucus-Union City-New York	No. 195 Willowbrook-Cedar Grove-New York
No. 144 Elmwood Park-Hackensack-New York	No. 199 Clifton-Lyndhurst-New York
No. 160 Elmwood Park-Wallington-New York	No. 320 Mill Creek-North Bergen P&R-New York
No. 161 Paterson-Passaic-New York

The following bus routes do not require a detour, but will be impacted by delays due to increased traffic congestion:

• No. 83 Hackensack-Jersey City-Journal Square           

• No. 85 Mill Creek-Harmon Meadow-Hoboken

• No. 127 (regular) Ridgefield-Union City-New York

Buses will operate their regular routing westbound along 31st Street through Union City the entire span of the day.  Between 6 a.m. and 1 p.m. on weekdays, all trips using the 31st Street ramp will bear left at the bottom ofthe ramp and access 495 westbound.  All trips after 1 p.m. and up until 6 a.m. the next morning will continue to use the 31st Street ramp but will bear right at the bottom using the exit for 1&9 northbound (Tonnelle Avenue) to access Paterson PlankRoad.  

• All current Union City bus stops on 31st Street will be served, including both Bergenline Avenue and Kennedy Boulevard.

• Delays through Union City are still anticipated due to increased traffic volume and customers should plan accordingly for these delays.

• Until the exit ramp to access 1&9 southbound is closed for construction, the No. 320 line will not need to be detoured under any scenario and will continue along its regular routing.  

• Important Note: The Exclusive Bus Lane (XBL) will be maintained weekday mornings (6 a.m. -10 a.m.).

• Buses may encounter conditions that result in significant delays in the outbound direction during both the morning and evening peak periods.

The NJDOT has created a project-specific website – RestoreNJ495.com – which contains a wealth of information about the Route 495 Bridge rehabilitation. This site will be updated with relevant new information as work progresses.

Commuting Alternatives
In addition to rail and busservice on NJ TRANSIT, several alternate routes and public transportation options are available for commuters including:

• Hudson-Bergen Light Rail

• Ferries

• PATH

Hudson County:

• NJ TRANSIT's Hudson-Bergen Light Rail service to and from Hoboken, Weehawken or Jersey City where commuters can use PATH trains or NY Waterway ferry service to Manhattan. This helps reduce the number of cars heading toward the Tunnel.

Monmouth County:

• Seastreak Ferry Terminal with service from Atlantic Highlands, Belford, and Highlands to New York (Wall Street and East 35th Street).

Other driving alternatives:

• Join a carpool or vanpool

• Adjust travel times to leave before or after the peak morning and evening travel periods

• Telecommuteor work at other sites that your employer may have available

• Use alternate crossings

• George Washington Bridge

• Holland Tunnel

• Goethals Bridge across Staten Island to Battery Tunnel (includes 12 miles of HOV Lanes).