NYSW Franklin Lakes & I-287

Hello, I was hoping someone on here could provide me with some information regarding the NYS&W and when I-287 was built. Did they relocate the line that ran through Franklin Avenue? I found a photo taken in 1988 that suggests that the line may have been relocated in order to build the highway. I provided the photo for reference, and any explanations on the NYS&W during the building of I-287 is appreciated. Thanks

Sid,

Yes it was moved to the east quite a bit from the point it crosses under Route 208 to the a few hundred feet north of Franklin Avenue. If you look behind the Super Stop and Shop on Franklin Avenue a small portion of the former right of exists just west of Route 287.

Chris

Thanks I will take a look at that. Do you know what year the started construction on relocating that portion of the line? Any idea from which points lies the relocated track?

If anyone has copies of the old local BLOCK LINE magazine, there was quite a bit of coverage, also the reopening of the line past Butler. The late Senator Lautenberg was instrumental in securing funding for most of the NYS&W upgrades in NJ.

I'm going to say 1991-1992....I lived in Wanaque at the time and remember the beam trucks coming up Rt. 23 to build the bridge between Haskell and Oakland. IIRC correctly the section from Montville to 208 was completed first, and 208 to the NY border came last sometime in '94 when they opened the whole thing. The alignment shifted south just east of the 208 OH bridge. Check out Historic Aerials and do a comparison between 1987 and today....

Cobra, that's about right.. one minor tweak, a little piece of 287 between 23 and 208 opened first, then the south end, then north... but I think your time time is dead on.

Thanks so much for the responses, excellent information. Are there any other resources besides Historic Aerials where I can find coverage on either the construction of 287 in Franklin Lakes or the reconstruction of the NYSW line beyond Butler and in Franklin Lakes? I have not been able to come up with really anything on the searches I have done. Would the NYSW book from Carstens be of any good of photos or reference of this from the late 80s and early 90s?