I wonder if NJ 60 would have served the purpose instead.
NJ 60 would have served only a fraction of the purpose. That route would not work for people who are destined for some place along I-295 or NJ 42/ACE. Like I use the Blackwood exit off of NJ 42 to get to my parents house. So NJ 60 wouldn't work for me when I'm going between there and the Del Mem Br.
Agreed. That road might've been useful for people going to/from Delaware and points south, but this new ramp will prove extremely useful for those already in the region near 295 and 42.
Heck, where I live along 295, I can get to many areas along Route 42 faster via 295 (compared to taking the local roads) by taking 295 North to 76 West, making the U-turn at Market Street and taking 76 East to 42 South. This new ramp will cut out about 5 minutes of that drive alone, making the local drives much, much quicker for me!
With all the road diets, bicycle lanes, and broken traffic light sensors in the area, it would seem that they are trying to push traffic to the highways rather than using the local roads.