Kinnelon Road to Open Friday

After more than three months of closure, the section of Kinnelon Road near Lake Rickabear will be open to traffic beginning at 3:30 p.m. Friday.

Mayor Bob Collins said two lanes will be open during heavy rush hour traffic and one lane will be open during other times so that workers can continue with construction and installation of a new culvert on the roadway. Collins said construction is expected to be complete by the middle of December.

"During the day, people with flags, when there's work going on, will basically be directing traffic," he said.

The Morris County-owned road was closed after and left a hole in the roadway during the in August. A few Kinnelon residents were blocked off from Kinnelon due to the closure and have been in effect since then.

Collins said the detour signs would also be removed as soon as early next week, despite the county contractor originally requesting the signs remain in place until construction is complete. He said he and agreed that residents should know that they will be able to use the road again.

In October, to the county asking them to prioritize the project as the road is an important accessway for Kinnelon residents. The detour was in effect during , held at Lake Rickabear. to have the construction expedited.

The county classified the project as "emergent" and selected three approved contractors to provide bids.

"The construction went on longer than I would have liked to have seen but the county did make an effort to move the project along," said Collins Tuesday.