Route 3 East in Clifton, N.J., partially closed for days following grease spill

Editor's Note: All eastbound lanes of Route 3 reopened around 9:30 a.m. Friday. Read more here.

Route 3 East in Clifton, New Jersey, will be partially closed for days as crews work to clean up a cooking grease spill, city officials say. Drivers should expect delays around the area.

The spill happened Wednesday night in the eastbound lanes between Bloomfield and Main avenues. It's not clear what caused the spill, but no crashes or injuries were reported. 

Clifton officials posted on social media Thursday morning saying the lanes will remain closed for repaving until Friday night, but the shoulder will be open.

"New Jersey Department of Transportation has notified the City of Clifton that previous power washing efforts were unsuccessful, and as a result, motorists will only be able to pass through using the far-left shoulder," officials wrote.

They did not give an exact time for when the eastbound lanes would reopen. The exit ramp to Route 7 is also closed.

Traffic is backed up again for the Friday morning commute, with delays for about two miles. 

Dump truck crash impacts Thursday morning commute

A separate incident was reported early Thursday morning when a dump truck full of dirt overturned at the Main Avenue exit. 

Chopper 2 flew over that scene, where drivers were being detoured at Passaic Avenue onto local roads. 

The delays stretched roughly three miles, past the Garden State Parkway. Traffic was also backed up on the westbound side and on the northbound GSP.   

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