From the February - March 2001 Edition 

NJ Transit Press Release on New Bus Service   Because of the two-year New Jersey Department of Transportation construction project to replace and improve the overpass at the Route 4 and Route 208 interchange in Fair Lawn, NJ Transit has altered bus service for the Fair Lawn area.   The changes affect Routes 144, 164 and 175, and include the creation of a new Route 145 bus   Route 144, Fair Lawn-Hackensack-New York The No. 144 route will now begin and end trips in Elmwood Park on Broadway (NJ Route 4) at the Boulevard. It will operate via Broadway (Route 4) and continue on the regular route to New York at Saddle River Road.   In Fair Lawn all 144 service along River Road, Fair Lawn Avenue and Plaza Road will be transferred to a newly created No. 145 bus. To do this, two morning and two evening peak-period trips were eliminated from the No. 144 route.   Route 164, Midland Park-New York Saddle River Road Express Morning Peak-Period Inbound: All morning peak trips currently noted with an (S) on the route timetable will be rerouted to operate via Saddle River Road, Century Road, Paramus Road and Passaic Street to the Garden State Parkway interchange in Paramus. This express bus will no longer make stops on Saddle River Road, south of Century Road. The new timetable will designate express service with the letters (SX). Service will operate every 12 to 20 minutes during most of the morning peak-period.   Saddle River Road Express Evening Peak-Period Outbound from New York: All evening peak period trips currently noted with an (S) on the timetable will be rerouted to operate from the Garden State Parkway interchange in Paramus via Passaic Street, Paramus Road, and Century Road to Saddle River Road in Fair Lawn. This express bus will no longer make stops on Saddle River Road, south of Century Road. On the timetable, this service will be designated with letters (SX). Service will operate every 12 to 20 minutes during the evening peak period. Because of the decrease in Fair Lawn passengers using this route, and to accommodate the creation of Route 145, eight morning peak period and five evening peak period trips will be eliminated. Check schedules closely for service adjustments.   Fair Lawn and Saddle River Road Express Early and Late Evening Outbound from New York. Two early evening peak-period Saddle River Road Express trips at 3:50 p.m. and 4:15 p.m. and two later evening peak trips at 7:15 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. will now operate express from New York to the Garden State Parkway interchange in Paramus, then via Passaic Street, Paramus Road, NJ Route 4 West, Plaza Road, and Morlot Avenue to Saddle River Road in Fair Lawn. On the outbound trips, the first discharge of passengers will be at NJ Route 4 (Broadway) and Virginia Drive. Once on Saddle River Road, buses will follow the existing No. 164 bus route to Midland Park. On the timetable, these trips will be noted with the letters (SXB). Essex Street Express(E) Evening Peak-Period Weekdays and Weekends: All No. 164 bus trips noted with an (E) on the schedule will continue to operate express from New York to Polifly Road in Hackensack. These trips will join with the existing No. 164 local route at Essex Street in Hackensack.   Midland Park - NY Local Service Off-Peak Weekdays and Weekends: All local bus service will continue to operate along Saddle River Road as far as Morlot Avenue in Fair Lawn. Service will then operate via Morlot Avenue, Plaza Road, and Broadway (NJ Route 4), to or from lower Saddle River Road in Fair Lawn. These trips will no longer serve Saddle River Road, south of Morlot Avenue.   Route 145, Fair Lawn-New York This new route will serve Fair Lawn, with 10 morning and eight evening peak period trips operating every 15 to 25 minutes. It will operate along River Road, Fair Lawn Avenue, Morlot Avenue, and Saddle River Road, to and from Century Road in Fair Lawn, and operate as an express into Port Authority Bus Terminal. During the off-peak hours and on weekends, when Route 145 will not operate, riders can take the local Route 164 bus. The Route 145 will depart from Gate 54 on the lower level at Port Authority Bus Terminal.   Route 175, Ridgewood-New York All service will continue to operate along the existing route from Ridgewood to the Saddle River and Century roads intersection. The bus will then proceed via Century Road to Paramus Road, to Passaic Street and then follow the existing route to the George Washington Bridge. This bus will no longer serve Saddle River Road between Century Road and NJ Route 4 in Fair Lawn. Out of New York, the bus will operate along the existing route to the intersection of Passaic Street and Paramus Road, then operate via Paramus Road, Century Road to the intersection of Saddle River Road, and then will rejoin the existing route to Ridgewood. Riders on Saddle River Road between Century and Route 4 in Fair Lawn may use the new Route 145 or the local Route 164 as alternates, or transfer from the Route 164 bus to the Route 175 bus to complete their trip.   Anyone who needs assistance choosing a travel route can call the NJ TRANSIT Information Center at (800) 772-2222 or see www.njtransit.org.  New timetables are available at the Port Authority Bus Terminal Ticket Windows and on-board buses. What do you think?  Send e- mail to to the Editor