Northbound Maple Avenue traffic was backed up approaching the intersection of West Front Street Tuesday afternoon.
More than two months later than expected, work got underway this week on an effort to smooth the flow of traffic past a key Red Bank bottleneck.
Looking south along Maple Avenue toward Monmouth Street.
A $1.54 million job to install a traffic light at the intersection of Maple Avenue/Route 35 North at Water and White Streets is expected to result in lane closures on Maple between 10a and 2p for the next few months.
At times, the block between that intersection and West Front Street will be reduced to one lane of traffic from the current three, according to the state Department of Transportation, which is paying for the work.
The project will also delay east and westbound traffic along West Front Street.
Back in March, the DOT anticipated the job it would take four months to complete.
The DOT says “it is anticipated that there will be no lane closures during scheduled local special events.”