"Traffic is bad right now. I can imagine when they do that, it will be worse," said Freddie Semidey, a driver.
Drivers can't believe it, but state transportation officials say it is the only way to repair this 80-year-old structure that handles 67,000 crossings a day.
"We have an opportunity to replace the entire deck of a three and half mile causeway and get that done in two years," said Rick Hammer, NYDOT Asst. Commissioner.
Compared to five or six years, officials say, using other methods.
"We want to mitigate peoples overall travel time. We figure if you are leaving the city we want you to have free flow," said James Simpson, NJDOT Commissioner.
To do that while two lanes on one side of the skyway are completely replaced, traffic will continue to flow out from New York City into New Jersey on the other side.
After that side is finished, traffic is shifted to the other side again continuing to flow out from the city while the decking on the other side is replaced.
"Kind of hard. Because you would have to go all the way back around to the 1 & 9 taking the truck route which is a little crazy," said Satesh Jaggernath, a driver.
To ease that New York City bound flow of traffic a third lane is being added to the turnpike extension between Exit 14 and 14 c which then sends you into the Holland Tunnel.
"The north bound shoulder lane does a lot for us and allows us to reduce come of the congestion that will be diverted to other roadways," said Tony DeJohn, area manager, Pasons Brinckerhoff.
Drivers have 13 months and a DOT website to help them plan alternative routes.
"Jump on the turnpike. Or take Liberty Science Center, back and forth but for other commuters, that's a tough one," said Leo Seickendick, a driver.
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