Creek Road Bridge repairs move
forward to allow reopening on Monday morning
I-295 Southbound to close temporarily
(Bellmawr) – Transportation Commissioner Jamie Fox today announced NJDOT is “making substantial headway” in its emergency repairs to the Creek Road bridge over Interstate 295, and remains on schedule to complete the repairs and re-open the structure by the morning rush hour on Monday, June 10.
Due to these repairs, I-295 southbound will be closed from 8 pm, Friday evening, June 7, to Saturday evening, June 8.
The repairs will consist of removing one of the bridge's sidewalks and the associated fascia beam. The sidewalk already is stranded at both ends of the bridge. The sidewalk section of the bridge sustained the heaviest damage in the accident.
The bridge was closed to traffic after sustaining damage on Thursday, May 30 when a tractor-trailer carrying an oversized piece of earth-moving equipment struck it, in violation of posted height and load requirements.
On Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of this week, the bridge will be strengthened with a new, reinforced beam that will be installed from the top of the bridge deck. Concrete barriers and signage will protect the beam, which will protrude by 36 inches. Options to repair the bridge from under the deck were evaluated, but ultimately rejected, because they would have further restricted the bridge’s maximum height safety requirements.
“These emergency repairs will not be the prettiest ones in the world, but they certainly will be the safest,” said Fox. “By working around the clock since last Thursday, NJDOT will be able to complete the repairs and reopen the bridge on Monday morning -- which is not an insignificant accomplishment.”
Drivers should avoid the section of I-295 South between Routes 42 and 47 from Friday night until Monday morning by exiting the highway either at Route 73 (exit 36) or Route 168 (exit 28), both of which lead to the New Jersey Turnpike. Drivers on the Walt Whitman Bridge should use Route 130 South.
Detours will direct remaining traffic from Route 42 South to Route 55 South to Route 47 North to Route130 South. NJDOT has worked in cooperation with PENNDOT and other agencies to ensure that variable message signs provide detailed, up-to-the-minute detour information at all bridges and roadways.
"Local officials have been extremely supportive of NJDOT and our efforts to repair and reopen the bridge, and deserve part of the credit for getting the job done," said Fox.
Fox said the state will seek to recover the cost of clean-up and repairs from the insurance company of the tractor-trailer's owner-operator.
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