I-95 to be redesignated as I-295 in Mercer County starting in 2018

Redesignation part of the Pennsylvania Turnpike/I-95 interchange project

This change is part of a larger project in which a new interchange is being constructed to connect I-95 to I-276/Pennsylvania Turnpike in Bristol Township, Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania Turnpike connects to the New Jersey Turnpike at Interchange 6 via the New Jersey Turnpike Pearl Harbor Memorial Turnpike Extension in Florence, New Jersey. When the new I-95/Pennsylvania Turnpike interchange is completed in Bristol, these highways will be redesignated as I-95, which will create a continuous I-95 from Pennsylvania through New Jersey.

Currently, I-95 runs from Philadelphia north across the Delaware River at the Scudders Fall Bridge into New Jersey and ends at the Route 1 Interchange, where the roadway becomes I-295. This creates a gap in I-95, which picks up again as part of the New Jersey Turnpike at Interchange 7A in Robbinsville, New Jersey.

The section of what is now I-95 in New Jersey will become I-295 by extending the existing I-295 from the Route 1 Interchange to the Delaware River. Concurrently, the I-95 section in Pennsylvania, from the Delaware River south to the new interchange will be redesignated as I-295.

Seven interchanges to get new exit numbers

As a result of this change, there are seven interchanges in New Jersey and four interchanges in Pennsylvania that will be renumbered. Additionally, four exits on I-195 in Hamilton will be renumbered to match the I-195 milepost numbering. See the attached Project Overview for the old and new exit numbers, which also is available on NJDOT’s project website.

Beginning in January, highway signs, as well as mile markers, will be replaced on the mainline and approaches of I-95 and I-295 in New Jersey to reflect the redesignation of the interstate and exit numbers. The new exit numbers will correspond to new milepost markers as a continuation of the existing I-295. The former exit numbers will be displayed along with the new exit numbers.

The redesignation program to replace signs will consist of three phases. Phase 1 consists of replacing signs in New Jersey and is scheduled between January 2018 and March 2018 starting with existing I-95 Interchange 8/Princeton Pike and moving west toward the Delaware River. NJDOT will provide more information on the new highway designation and exit numbers as the project progresses, including the use of Portable Variable Message Signs during sign installation to inform motorists of the redesignation and exit renumbering process.

Phase 2, which will start in the spring 2018, will replace signs on both sides of the Delaware River within the Scudders Fall Bridge project limits (former I-95 Exit 1 in New Jersey and Exits 51 and 49 in Pennsylvania). Phase 3 will begin in late spring 2018 and replace signs at the remaining interchanges in Pennsylvania through the new interchange in Bristol.

NJDOT is working with the New Jersey Turnpike Authority, Pennsylvania Turnpike Authority, PENNDOT, and the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission on this project. Public outreach is on-going and additional information can be found on NJDOT’s project website.