Mahwah December 19, 2012 THE VILLADOM TIMES IV • Page 5 Bridge traffic control will extend construction time by Frank J. McMahon The New Jersey Department of Transportation’s plan to control vehicular traffic during the complete deck replacement project at the Macarthur Boulevard Bridge will extend the construction by about six months to a period of 18 to 20 months. Work on the bridge, which extends over Route 17 in Mahwah, is due to begin in the spring. A similar deck replacement was completed at the West Ramapo Avenue Bridge between June and September of 2009, but that bridge was completely closed during the construction. Mahwah Township Engineer Michael Kelly recently explained to the township council that he attended a meeting with the NJDOT that was also attended by officials of the Borough of Ramsey. He explained that the NJDOT decided at that meeting to keep one narrow lane of the bridge open in both directions during construction after it was learned that the original plans to divert traffic from the bridge north or south on Route 17 did not meet with the approval of Novel experience Mahwah novelist A. J. Colucci recently discussed her book, ‘The Colony,’ a thriller about a super-colony of ants. Colucci will devote a portion of the proceeds of the book to environmental groups. Pictured with the author are Mahwah students Kim Shepitka, Rachel Colucci, Michelle Park, and Carolyn Meli. Mahwah and Ramsey officials. He emphasized that the decision will delay the completion of the project. According to Kelly, the NJDOT’s original plan was to close the westbound side of the bridge and have northbound traffic on Route 17 travel to the West Ramapo Avenue exit to make a U-turn to travel back to Macarthur Boulevard. However, Kelly and township officials were concerned that such a plan would not work because the traffic traveling north to West Ramapo Avenue would interfere with the peak traffic already traveling along West Ramapo Avenue to get to the schools on Ridge Road. Kelly said he originally told the NJDOT that the township wanted the westbound traffic lane from Island Road to remain open to serve traffic heading up the hill of Macarthur Boulevard. Under that plan, the eastbound traffic lane over the bridge would have been closed. Eastbound traffic coming down the hill of Macarthur Boulevard with the intention of traveling north on Route 17 would have been detoured to travel south (continued on page 17)