NJDOT to accelerate I-295
reconstruction project in Burlington County

(Trenton) - The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) today announced that the project to reconstruct a 12-mile stretch of I-295 in Burlington County is being accelerated with the goal of completely rebuilding all lanes in both directions by the end of the year.

The original construction schedule called for the project to be carried out in two phases, reconstructing I-295 northbound this year and southbound in 2011.

“The continuing deterioration of the roadway was a prime factor in our decision to accelerate this project,” said NJDOT Commissioner Jim Simpson. “The aggressive construction schedule involves short-term pain for motorists but eliminates approximately nine months of construction-related delays, and ensures that motorists will have a safe and smooth driving surface for the upcoming winter and for years to come.”

Starting on the morning of Monday, June 7 and continuing for approximately five days, NJDOT will close one southbound lane of the highway, reducing capacity from three lanes to two. This will significantly affect evening peak-period traffic.

For one week, from Monday, June 14 to Friday, June 18, motorists will have the full complement of three lanes available to them for peak-period, peak-direction travel.

On Friday, June 18, the project enters a new phase with significant traffic shifts and capacity reduction in peak and non-peak hours. After the morning peak period, and continuing through August, the three lanes of northbound traffic will be funneled to two lanes and shifted to the southbound side of the highway. Northbound and southbound traffic will share four lanes, two lanes for northbound traffic and two for southbound traffic, separated by concrete barriers.

Numerous detours will be employed at interchanges. Details are available on the NJDOT project webpage.

Speed limits will be reduced to 50 miles per hour throughout the construction zone to promote safety.

NJDOT anticipates peak-period, peak-direction congestion. Variable Message Signs will provide actual travel times through the construction zone and will also post suggested alternate routes, such as Route 206, Route 130 or the New Jersey Turnpike. The signs have been positioned to give motorists the opportunity to act on current information and adjust their route.

Motorists are encouraged to call 511 or visit www.511nj.org for up-to-the-minute travel information. NJDOT recently posted new ‘widgets’ on the 511 homepage that simplify the process of getting real-time traffic information in major construction zones – including this I-295 rehabilitation project in Burlington County. The widget provides visitors with a snapshot of travel times through the construction zone as well as a graphic display of active incidents, congestion, or construction within the project limits. In addition, site visitors can view traffic camera images.

Once the northbound lanes are rebuilt, traffic will be shifted to them to allow us to start the reconstruction of the southbound lanes. All lanes in both directions should be rebuilt and open to traffic by the end of the year.

The project is being built through an $82.3 million contract awarded through a competitive bid process to the joint venture of InterCounty Paving Associates of Hackettstown and Haines and Kibblehouse Inc. of Bellmawr.