NJ - 295/76/42 Construction Projects

[jeffandnicole]

A few photos I took over the past few days:

A new bridge pier sprouting up right alongside I-295 North in the median of Rt. 42.  This pier will serve the 2 lane ramp from 295 North to 76 West.  In order to put this pier in, 295 North is tightly shifted to the left.  The right shoulder and maybe a foot or so of the former right lane of 295 was removed in order to get this pier in there.  And yes, everyone's favorite flashing left arrow was in this area.  Yes, it's gone.



A far shot of the replacement Bell Rd overpass over 295.  The narrow lane serves both directions. 



A closer shot.  To the right at the light is a small side street.  You can't see it in this shot due to the trees and brush (although you can see it better in my June 29 posting from 295), there is a separate light cycle to serve that side street.  Roadrunner made reference to that traffic light there.



Crossing the single lane overpass:



Exiting the single lane overpass:

[jeffandnicole]

Looking back, I may have never posted any pics from when the new lane of the Bell Rd overpass was under construction.  Here's a pic from several months ago.  If it appears the new overpass is higher, it is.  It's approximately 5 feet higher at the midpoint; a foot or two at the edge.  The new overpass has one pier in the middle, not two, and sits further back from the right shoulder as well.  295 should only be 4 lanes (maybe 5, I can't find the image showing the proposed lanes right now) under Bell Rd when reconstructed, but should be able to have full shoulders and maybe room for another lane expansion.

[Roadrunner75]

Is the flashing arrow still in place on the Aljo curve SB?  Who do I need to talk to at NJDOT to get that for my yard once they remove it?   
Or will the new alignments still warrant the reinstallation of the arrows?

[jeffandnicole]

The SB arrow is still there.  And the new alignments better not require an arrow!  The design speeds will be higher for each of the ramps, and the mainline should have sweeping, not sharp, curves over 42/76.

[danlb_2000]

A few photos I took over the past few days:

A new bridge pier sprouting up right alongside I-295 North in the median of Rt. 42.  This pier will serve the 2 lane ramp from 295 North to 76 West.  In order to put this pier in, 295 North is tightly shifted to the left.  The right shoulder and maybe a foot or so of the former right lane of 295 was removed in order to get this pier in there.  And yes, everyone's favorite flashing left arrow was in this area.  Yes, it's gone.



A far shot of the replacement Bell Rd overpass over 295.  The narrow lane serves both directions. 



A closer shot.  To the right at the light is a small side street.  You can't see it in this shot due to the trees and brush (although you can see it better in my June 29 posting from 295), there is a separate light cycle to serve that side street.  Roadrunner made reference to that traffic light there.



Crossing the single lane overpass:



Exiting the single lane overpass:

Good pictures. I see they have also cleared some land on the other side of 42S from where you show the bridge support to start on the next support for the ramp.

[Roadrunner75]

The SB arrow is still there.  And the new alignments better not require an arrow!  The design speeds will be higher for each of the ramps, and the mainline should have sweeping, not sharp, curves over 42/76.

They should reinstall the arrows for nostalgia purposes, and if not, Jose Tejas should buy one to supplement their sign here:
https://maps.google.com/maps?ll=40.561902,-74.300542&spn=0.000004,0.002674&t=m&z=19&layer=c&cbll=40.561901,-74.301056&panoid=4RDx83G4AOmki45XIEt-kQ&cbp=12,197.56,,0,-2.09

Have they started any work on the 'direct connection' project linking 42 and 295 to the SW of the interchange?

[jeffandnicole]

The signs themselves are very basic technology: just a big arrow with lights on it, set to flash in a 5 stage order (dot, 2 dots, 3 dots, 4 dots, all, off, all, off, repeat). Heck, today solar panels could supply the electricity to run the LEDs!

The 'missing moves' between 295 & 42 are a separate project, set to start in 2016 I believe.

[danlb_2000]

I was just browsing through the original alternatives for this project and was surprised by this one. Did they really think this idea would have had a chance?

[Roadrunner75]

I was just browsing through the original alternatives for this project and was surprised by this one. Did they really think this idea would have had a chance?

This appears to be a prank by the preliminary design team.  We do stupid things with Microsoft Paint at work too...

[jeffandnicole]

I was just browsing through the original alternatives for this project and was surprised by this one. Did they really think this idea would have had a chance?

Believe it or not, this was a required Alternative.  Since the maximum speed limit was 65 mph in the state for highways during the design phase, they were required to produce a design that would permit a 70 mph design speed...and basically this is what you see.  I forget the exact numbers, but it would've wiped out over 100 homes and businesses.  It was probably presented at an early meeting with the other designs, quickly rejected by the public and public officials, and never advanced.  I doubt NJDOT took it very seriously either - if you look carefully, you'll see the ramps seem to have been borrowed from other designs, this may have been the only design where the 42/76 'bump out' at the location of the express ramps from 295 remained, and the location of the ramp tie-in is prohibitively close to the ramps for NJ 168.

Since you brought it up, here are the other designs that NJDOT created: http://www.state.nj.us/transportation/commuter/roads/rt295/history.shtm .  Personally, I liked some of the double-decker ideas the best.

[jeffandnicole]

Some random updates...

Old vs. New Overhead signage on Rt. 42 approaching Creek Rd & 295:



This was done before the project: NJDOT took out the traditional "Exit 14" sign and put in this modified version with the state police logos.  The State Police barracks are about 1/10th of a mile off this ramp.



3 shots of a new pier tower being built where the former 295 North shoulder was located above Rt. 42:







Land clearing and tree removal along the 295 North curve leaving 42/76:



Another image from about a month ago, taken across the highway:



2 images of the Bell Rd Overpass over 295 being reconstructed.  Next will be adding the bridge beams over the highway:





Sound Barrier removal along 295 North, approaching Exit 28 (NJ 168):

[danlb_2000]

Good photos! I have also added some recent photos to my blog:

http://i295directconnection.blogspot.com/

The scale of the excavation at the cemetery is pretty impressive.

[jeffandnicole]

Yes it is. I rode back there one day but for all the work going on up there, there's very little to be seen (my grandparents are buried in there too).

[jeffandnicole]

http://www.state.nj.us/transportation/about/press/2014/081414a.shtm

Several new traffic patterns taking place.  To summarize:

I-76 EB will be split into 3 roadways; left lane, left center & right center, and right lane.  For those accessing I-295 North, they *must* be in the right lane in this area, otherwise they'll bypass the exit.  For those accessing I-295 South, they can be in any lane, although life is easier when using the left lane thru the construction zone.  For Rt. 42 South, any lane can be used, although they will need to merge out of the far left lane, which is an Exit Only lane for 295 South.

I-295 North will completely switch over to the new overpass in the median of 295 North and South.  Notice in the press release they use the street name (near the Delsea Drive exit), rather than use the interchange number or NJ Route number (NJ 47).  There's no exit anyway for NB traffic...there's only on-ramps.

And finally, the traffic alert for the new bridge beams to be added to the Bell Rd Overpass.  Note, as we've discussed in other threads, that NJDOT elects to go with stopping traffic for 15 minutes or so at a time, rather than shut the entire highway down, resulting in a more lengthy detour for everyone.

[jeffandnicole]

Some pics of this weekends traffic shift:

295 north approaching 76:



Notice the slope here: That's not the camera. Because 295 will be curving to the left here, it's sloped for that curve. Until next summer though, traffic will have to go thru here at an unnatural angle...then quickly curve right and drop.





Here is the traffic pattern for the next few weeks on 76 East: From right to left (which on 76 would be left to right: Contraflow single lane which is practically empty in this photo, 2 lanes, work zone, single right lane which widens to 2 lanes as traffic merges from the US 130 South/Market St ramp.

[jeffandnicole]

Some more pics, as of today (9/6/14):

Apparently reusing the former sound wall, they are now placing them on the vertical walls...





Placing the jersey barrier-type barrier along 295 South, south of Bell Rd, approaching the exit for 76/676.





Bell Rd Overpass construction continues...

[Alps]

Just passed through tonight for the first time since initial work on Bell Rd. commenced. Not a lot of change from the perspective of I-295 travelers, though with all the work Dead Man's Curve looks nothing like it used to, NB.

[jeffandnicole]

Over the weekend, the ramp from 130 South to 76/42 South was closed.  In the span of about 48-55 hours, they had to wipe out a chunk of that ramp, install the drainage piping and other underground work that they've been doing across 76 in that area for the majority of the summer, and re-install the roadbed (basically, the entire roadbed...12" plus inches of asphalt).

The detour was fairly straight forward: Go 1/4 Mile, turn left onto Market St, go straight for a mile , make a soft left onto Kings Hwy, go another 1/2 mile, turn right onto 168, and it'll lead you to 295 South, to 76/42.  The different: The ramp is a easy movement. The detour route involved several traffic lights, along with normal local traffic. 

By my estimation, the detour route was congested the entire distance, and would probably take an hour or more to travel.  Normally, to travel from 130 South to 76/42, would take a minute.

There were definitely other ways to get around the congestion which started on 130 well before the ramp; but for whatever reason people decided to follow the detour.  I guess not too many people had their GPSs help guide them around the congestion.

[Roadrunner75]

Over the weekend, the ramp from 130 South to 76/42 South was closed.  In the span of about 48-55 hours, they had to wipe out a chunk of that ramp, install the drainage piping and other underground work that they've been doing across 76 in that area for the majority of the summer, and re-install the roadbed (basically, the entire roadbed...12" plus inches of asphalt).

The detour was fairly straight forward: Go 1/4 Mile, turn left onto Market St, go straight for a mile , make a soft left onto Kings Hwy, go another 1/2 mile, turn right onto 168, and it'll lead you to 295 South, to 76/42.  The different: The ramp is a easy movement. The detour route involved several traffic lights, along with normal local traffic. 

By my estimation, the detour route was congested the entire distance, and would probably take an hour or more to travel.  Normally, to travel from 130 South to 76/42, would take a minute.

There were definitely other ways to get around the congestion which started on 130 well before the ramp; but for whatever reason people decided to follow the detour.  I guess not too many people had their GPSs help guide them around the congestion.

I'm sure Mt. Ephraim was pleased with that detour.  For 42 south/295 north, it is what it is, and there's no other easy-to-sign direct way.  For 295 South, I hope they signed the detour as straight down 130 through Westville, if they signed it for 295 at all.

[jeffandnicole]

Over the weekend, the ramp from 130 South to 76/42 South was closed.  In the span of about 48-55 hours, they had to wipe out a chunk of that ramp, install the drainage piping and other underground work that they've been doing across 76 in that area for the majority of the summer, and re-install the roadbed (basically, the entire roadbed...12" plus inches of asphalt).

The detour was fairly straight forward: Go 1/4 Mile, turn left onto Market St, go straight for a mile , make a soft left onto Kings Hwy, go another 1/2 mile, turn right onto 168, and it'll lead you to 295 South, to 76/42.  The different: The ramp is a easy movement. The detour route involved several traffic lights, along with normal local traffic. 

By my estimation, the detour route was congested the entire distance, and would probably take an hour or more to travel.  Normally, to travel from 130 South to 76/42, would take a minute.

There were definitely other ways to get around the congestion which started on 130 well before the ramp; but for whatever reason people decided to follow the detour.  I guess not too many people had their GPSs help guide them around the congestion.

For 295 South, I hope they signed the detour as straight down 130 through Westville, if they signed it for 295 at all.

It was not.

[danlb_2000]

The Bing maps aerial images (not the bird's eye) have been updated recently with more recent images of the construction area. Appears to have been taken right as the second contract started ramping up.

[lepidopteran]

And yes, everyone's favorite flashing left arrow was in this area.

As a child, I remember seeing a giant arrow with that exact same flashing algorithm at the Freehold traffic circle, now long-gone of course.  I distinctly remember it on the inside of the circle facing the approaching traffic on NB US-9.

[BrianP]

Realignment of 295/42 connection shakes residents — literally

Home sweet home has become bittersweet for Bellmawr's Barbara Ferrara and Joe Sears.

Their ranch house literally trembles from construction at their street's dead-end along Route 42. The shaking causes cracks and objects falling off walls.

[danlb_2000]

Realignment of 295/42 connection shakes residents — literally

Home sweet home has become bittersweet for Bellmawr's Barbara Ferrara and Joe Sears.

Their ranch house literally trembles from construction at their street's dead-end along Route 42. The shaking causes cracks and objects falling off walls.

Second picture in the article is captioned wrong, that is Bell Road not Creek Road.

[02 Park Ave]

Has the advertising for bids for the Missing Movesproject been pushed back to 2017-18?  That would be a two year delay.