Updated: Russell Ave. Sewer Work to Start Tuesday

Update, 3:45 p.m.: Sewer work will begin next Tuesday, Sept. 7, the first day of school.

However, the necessary closure of Russell Avenue will not affect those heading to Sicomac Elementary School. Committeeman Kevin Rooney, whose home is among those being connected to the sewer main, said the thoroughfare will be closed from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. that day—after school starts and before kids are let out.

Wednesday could see limited road closures, concentrated near the area between Stonybrook Lane and Helena Avenue. Work will continue Thursday and Friday but should not necessitate much traffic interruption. Administrator Robert Shannon said at least one lane of travel will be open to motorists.

Unless bad weather delays the project, it will continue into the following week with minimal disruptions to traffic as crews work to get those five residents off septic systems. However, Shannon said there could be at least one day the following week where the road is totally closed, depending on the work's progression.

"The intent is not to impact those residents heading to school or going to the temple (for Rosh Hashanah)," Rooney said.

Sewer work scheduled to begin today on Russell Avenue has been delayed, and the township administration is currently working to set a new date for work.

Signs posted at the intersection of Wyckoff and Russell avenues say work will begin on Sept. 7, the first day of school for the local and regional districts and two days prior to the start of Rosh Hashanah. However, the township is mindful of the impact a road closure would have on traffic heading to both Sicomac Elementary School and Temple Beth Rishon and are trying to set a date sooner than Sept. 7.

Meanwhile, Cedar Hill Avenue remains closed to motorists from its intersection with Wyckoff Avenue, down to Newtown Road. Crews have been installing a safety-grip surface, similar to what can be observed on Russell Avenue, as a traffic calming device.

Only residents can access Cedar Hill until approximately 6 p.m. today, when work is scheduled to end. Motorists are detoured from Wyckoff Avenue down to Goffle Road; Goffle to Godwin Avenue, ending at Godwin and Central avenues in Midland Park. The route is reversed for those heading from Midland Park to Wyckoff.

The Russell Avenue work is scheduled to last seven business days and will close the thoroughfare from approximately the Route 208 interchange to Wyckoff Avenue. Privately-funded work to extend the sewer main to five homes will be concentrated from Stonybrook Lane to Helena Avenue, from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Work on Russell is not expected on evenings or weekends unless an emergency warrants it.

Police Chief Benjamin Fox has said motorists will be directed to follow posted detours to navigate around the Russell closure. Residents and emergency vehicles will have access to the road.

Patch will publish news of the Russell start date when it is set.

Additionally, motorists will face a closure from 9 a.m. to noon Thursday on Newtown Road to allow PSE&G to remove a tree limb hanging over power lines at the corner of Newtown Road and Wilson Place.

Traffic will be detoured to Cedar Hill Avenue. Access for residents living on Newtown Road or adjacent streets will be available from Wyckoff Avenue or Cedar Hill Avenue, but not from both streets.