Route 3 East reopens in Clifton, New Jersey after grease spill cleanup

Route 3 reopened Friday morning in Clifton, New Jersey after crews spent two days cleaning up a grease spill. 

All three eastbound lanes were closed for the early morning commute, and only the left shoulder was open. Traffic was backed up in the area, with delays for about two miles. 

All the lanes reopened around 9:30 a.m. Friday, and the delays started to ease. 

Back-to-back spills on Route 3 in Clifton, N.J.

The half-mile section of Route 3 was shut down after a tanker truck spilled cooking grease on the roadway Wednesday. Then on Thursday, a dump truck filled with dirt overturned near the work zone, causing further delays. 

Crews worked around the clock to make repairs between Passaic and Main avenues. First, they tried to power wash the spill, but that wasn't enough. So the roadway needed to be milled and resurfaced. 

Route 3 East feeds into the Lincoln Tunnel for commuters from Hudson, Essex and Morris counties heading into New York City. Drivers were urged to use Route 46 or Route 80 for alternate routes.

The eastbound traffic also caused delays on the westbound side and onto the Garden State Parkway.