NJDOT and Residents to Meet, Discuss I-80 Construction Project

New Jersey Department of Transportation officials will face concerned Littleton Road corridor residents at a special meeting Monday at 7 p.m. at Town Hall.

The meeting, to which media are not invited, regards the department's $73 million rehabilitation for Interstate 80.

Residents have stated concerns and fears about safety in the wake of a construction staging area on state-owned land right at heavily trafficked Littleton Road/Route 202 between Kingston and Marcella roads.

"We've heard and are addressing many of the residents' requests," said NJDOT spokesperson Timothy Greeley. "I'm sure we'll hear it directly from their mouths tonight."

Those requests include creating an entrance and exit to the staging site that won't involve residential streets, perhaps rebuilding a shoulder removed from Route 202 and reducing the speed limit in the area.

NJDOT officials met with township administration in a meeting last Wednesday that Greeley said "was very productive."

Mayor James Barberio and representatives from Parsippany Police and the town's business and engineering offices are expected to take part in the meeting.

"We hope to mitigate the residents' concerns regarding adding striping and signals," said Greeley. "We are preparing to ramp up construction after Labor Day. Traffic pattern changes will go in, electrical wiring is underway and barriers are being built."

He added that new "intermittent staging sites" may be created near the Interstate 287 interchange itself, to alleviate some of the noise for residents.

The project us slated to take the better part of 2 1/2 years to complete. 

Another public meeting on the project is scheduled for Sept. 13.