Three Bellmawr motels located along the Black Horse Pike near New Jersey Turnpike Exit 3 are expected to be demolished as part of a significant reconfiguration of the interchange, which will redirect exiting Turnpike traffic to a nearby traffic signal.
In a surprising development, residents at two of the motels were notified just days ago that they have approximately one week to find another place to live, as both properties are expected to close by November 15.
I stopped at the properties Sunday morning and confirmed with employees at both the Travelodge and Red Carpet Inn that the motels are closing within a week.
A third motel, the Red Roof Inn, also appears to be slated for demolition based on the publicly available New Jersey Turnpike Authority (NJTA) project plans, although employees there could not confirm a closing date. (NJTA Widening Website)
This is a breaking news story, and I will be following up for additional details.
New Jersey Turnpike Exit 3 Reconfiguration
About six weeks ago, I stumbled upon the New Jersey Turnpike Authority’s plans for a significant reconfiguration of Exit 3 in Bellmawr, which are publicly available online.
The proposed changes are part of the NJTA’s multibillion-dollar project to widen the southern portion of the New Jersey Turnpike between Exits 1 and 4, increasing the roadway from two lanes to three lanes in each direction.
While the widening project has received significant attention, the Turnpike Authority has also been evaluating opportunities to improve traffic flow at interchanges along the corridor.
Exit 3 in Bellmawr is one of the locations identified for a major upgrade.
For decades, the current Exit 3 configuration has been a challenging and potentially dangerous interchange for drivers.
Traffic exiting the Turnpike onto the Black Horse Pike must merge into an already busy roadway with very limited acceleration space. The configuration has contributed to significant traffic backups and accidents over the years.
The proposed solution is to completely reconfigure portions of the exit roadway, creating a much longer access road that will direct traffic to an existing traffic signal on the Black Horse Pike.
That traffic signal is located near the Dunkin’ and Wendy’s restaurants, just west of the current Turnpike exit.
Looking at the NJTA plans, the new exit roadway will travel through the back of the properties currently occupied by the Travelodge and Red Carpet Inn motels, continue behind the nearby Economy Inn (which appears to remain in place) and then turn toward the existing traffic signal.
The plans also appear to show the removal of the Red Roof Inn, located nearby. In my visit this morning that aspect has not been 100% confirmed.
Another interesting aspect of the proposed design is that by routing the new exit roadway through the rear portions of these motel properties, it appears the land directly fronting the Black Horse Pike could remain available for future commercial development.
Overall, it is expected the new configuration should provide a much safer and more controlled way for drivers to exit the Turnpike onto the Black Horse Pike, eliminating the current short merge into moving traffic.
Travelodge and Red Carpet Inn Closing Within a Week
While I first noticed these plans several weeks ago (and reached out to NJTA), the immediate impact of the project became apparent this weekend when I learned that a resident of the Travelodge had received a notice on Friday informing her that she could no longer remain at the property beyond November 15.
The opening sentence of the notice clearly states that the New Jersey Turnpike Authority is taking over the Travelodge property in Bellmawr.
I visited the Travelodge Sunday morning, where an employee confirmed that the motel would be closing within a week.
I then walked over to the adjacent Red Carpet Inn, where an employee also confirmed that their motel was closing within the same timeframe.
It’s important to clarify that when I say “residents,” I am not simply referring to travelers staying at these properties for a night or two.
As many South Jersey residents are aware, several of the older motels along this stretch of the Black Horse Pike have increasingly become longer-term housing for people who may have limited financial resources or difficulty finding traditional housing.
For some, these motel rooms are their permanent homes.
That makes the sudden notification particularly significant, as some residents are now faced with finding a new place to live in approximately one week.
I also visited the nearby Red Roof Inn, which appears to be impacted by the proposed roadway configuration.
The employee I spoke with said he had heard that there were plans involving the property, but that ownership had not shared any specific details about a potential closing.
Interestingly, he also told me that over the last several days, multiple people had stopped into the Red Roof Inn looking for long-term accommodations because they were being forced to leave the other two motels.
At this time, I have not independently confirmed whether relocation assistance is being offered to affected residents.
A Surprising Start to the Turnpike Project
One aspect of this story that caught me off guard is the timing.
While the New Jersey Turnpike Authority has publicly announced its major southern widening initiative, there has not yet been a widely publicized groundbreaking or construction kickoff for this portion of the project.
And from what I have seen, there has been no recent media announcement indicating that property acquisitions and motel closings in Bellmawr were about to take place.
When I first discovered the interchange reconfiguration plans online about six weeks ago, I reached out to the NJTA media team requesting additional information about Exit 3, along with a broader overview of the entire widening project.
I did not receive a response at that time, and admittedly I have not followed up yet.
So learning that two of the motels are now closing, with residents being given just days to relocate, came as a surprise. It would seem something that has been in the works for years would not lead to residents needing to find new homes in a week?
To be clear, the NJTA plans show the future roadway configuration and the apparent removal of the motel buildings, but I have not yet confirmed the actual demolition schedule or when roadway construction will begin.
A Little Bellmawr History: Monticello Motor Lodge and Coral Reef
For longtime South Jersey residents, the Travelodge and Red Carpet Inn properties may be more recognizable by their earlier identity as the Monticello Motor Lodge.
At one time, the Monticello was considered one of South Jersey’s premier motel destinations, featuring multiple buildings, a swimming pool and other amenities.
The property even had a separate building in front of what is now the Travelodge that served as the main lobby with striking two story glass walls surrounding the space.
But perhaps even more famous was the Coral Reef Restaurant, which was located on the left side of the property.
Through the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, the Coral Reef was one of South Jersey’s best-known destinations for dining, nightlife and disco dancing.
For many area residents, the Coral Reef was a major part of the South Jersey social scene.
The restaurant was destroyed by fire 22 years ago, and the property was never redeveloped into another restaurant.
Interestingly, the former Coral Reef liquor license has remained available over the years.
Now, with the planned Turnpike interchange reconfiguration, the remaining motel buildings associated with that earlier era of Bellmawr history are also expected to disappear.
More Information to Come
This is a developing story with several important unanswered questions, particularly regarding the timing of property acquisitions, demolition and the start of actual interchange construction.
There is also the more immediate concern for the people who have been living in these motels and are now being told they must leave within days.
While my primary focus for 42Freeway is the development and roadway project itself, I recognize that the housing situation is a significant part of this story.
I have reached out to other major media outlets in hopes that they can more fully investigate the impact on the residents who are losing their homes.
I will also be following up with the New Jersey Turnpike Authority to learn more about the Exit 3 reconfiguration, the motel property acquisitions and the overall project timeline.
More to come.
Links and Location
Travel Lodge an Red Carpet Inn
Black Horse Pike
Bellmawr NJ
