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Train crossings unbearable
With the additional trains coming through the Pascack Valley, traffic at major intersections can back up quickly.
While this used to only be a problem during rush hour, it’s now a problem throughout the day and into the evening.
Traffic in the area is continually increasing, and for the most part, it’s something we’re all just going to have to get used to.
But in this case, the cause should not have come as a surprise. The discussion to add rail sidings, which enabled New Jersey Transit to add trains to the schedule, goes back several years. The train crossings are all on county roads, so it’s the county’s responsibility to fix the problem.
Additionally, Westwood and Hillsdale have asked the county to change the signalization at these intersections, to no avail.
There’s nothing more frustrating than sitting at a traffic light at the intersection of Broadway and Hillsdale Avenue or Broadway and Irvington when the train is coming through and traffic is stopped in all directions. Cars that could continue riding on Broadway, which runs parallel to the tracks, sit along with everyone else, the drivers helplessly staring back at the foreboding red signal.
Even cars who want drive away from the tracks cannot do so at the intersection of Hillsdale and Broadway, as a “No Turn On Red” sign mocks them.
The problem at the intersection of Broadway and Irvington is more complicated, as turn lanes with individual signalization would have to be added before traffic running parallel to the tracks would be permitted to proceed. However, the problem in Hillsdale is a simple one of signalization. The turn lanes are there. The signals are just red.
This problem should not have surprised anyone. It’s time for the county to act.
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