Route 47 Bridge over I-295 replacement project begins in Gloucester County

One lane on Route 47 in both directions will remain open for the duration of this project stage

(Trenton) -New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) officials today announced the start of the Route 47 Bridge over I-295 bridge replacement project in Westville, Gloucester County.

The project will replace the existing concrete deck, parapets and superstructure, which is in poor condition. It also will bring the vertical clearance of the bridge up from 14 feet 4 inches, to meet current standards of 16 feet 6 inches. Utility work is required prior to the construction phase of the project.  

Beginning at 6 a.m., Saturday, January 26 until 3 p.m., NJDOT’s contractor, South State., will shift the northbound traffic toward the northbound curb line and shift the southbound traffic toward the southbound curb line to create a center work area to allow the utility company to work on the gas main.

Utility work will continue Monday through Friday, from 7 a.m. until 3 p.m., for several weeks. One lane of traffic will be maintained in each direction throughout the process.  

Upon completion of the utility work, construction will begin. The project will be completed in two stages. Some construction activities will be performed at night to reduce the impact to the public.  

At that time, traffic will be shifted to the east side of the bridge to demolish and reconstruct the west side of the bridge. Once the west side is completed, traffic will be shifted onto the newly completed bridge deck to allow work to be done on the east side of the bridge. Motorists will be advised of any traffic shifts in advance.

The $7.7 million federally-funded project will replace the bridge that is located between Westville and Deptford in Gloucester County. The bridge was constructed in 1960 and is approximately 181-feet long. Route 47 has one lane and an eight-foot shoulder in each direction. The bridge carries an average of 12,310 vehicles daily. The project is expected to be completed in late 2020.

Portable variable message signs are being utilized to provide advance notification to the motoring public of all traffic pattern changes associated with the work. The precise timing of the work is subject to change due to weather or other factors. Motorists are encouraged to check NJDOT's traffic information website www.511nj.org for real-time travel information and for NJDOT news and updates follow us on the NJDOT Facebook page or on Twitter @NJDOT_info.