This week the massive Direct Connection Road project centered in Bellmawr NJ appears to have entered two major phases, with indications that the core wall rebuild (concrete pour) has started AND large steel beams and cranes have arrived at the site of the Browning Road bridge rebuild.
I’ve stopped by a few times at the Direct Connection project over the last week or so and captured drone images of the progress.
Things are moving fast right now as each time I stopped and took photos, a day later something else started to take place at the site before I could get an article online… and I had to stop back again for updated photos!
And even yesterday when I thought I was ready to put the article online, I heard that the large steel beams arrived at the Browning Road Bridge build site… I unfortunately did not have my drone with me at that time but I was able to grab an image or two of the beams!
So this is a quick look at the progress taking place at the two current core focus areas of the $900+ Million Dollar Roadway project. I have not spoken to the NDOT media team about these two phases of the development just yet but will be reaching out after the publication of this article.
For those that are not aware, the quick project summary is that the key goal of Direct Connection is to streamline (and straighten) movements of Route 295 in this area by raising it up over the other roadways.
During the construction phases, in March of 2021 the large raised ramp of the upcoming Route 295 roadway experienced a significant collapse which pushed out the tall retaining wall. For more details see my 42Freeway Transportation Primer page.
Additionally my July article update includes a video which shows construction progress that took place for the first six months of the year. I had visited the site multiple times over 2024 and was able to piece together the footage to show the progress. The latest project completion date I’ve seen is 2032.
Direct Connection Wall Rebuild
Back in May of 2023 crews started the effort to demolish the damaged portion of the raised roadway which will eventually become the new Route 295 through Bellmawr.
Later that same summer they started the effort to build up the lower foundation for what will become a new solid concrete front retaining wall.
The new foundation that was developed below the wall area included hundreds of steel pilings driven deep into the ground, which will support the weight of the concrete retaining wall as well as hold back pressure from the raised earth and roadway.
More recently, just a few weeks ago large sections of steel rebar where installed at the project site running along the entire base area of where the front concrete wall will be constructed.
And then just a week ago the first segment of a massive approximately 70-foot tall steel form was erected at the wall rebuild site, ahead of the start of pouring concrete.
The placement of this steel form is situated so that the angled steel rebar coming out of the lower foundation… will end up being encased within the newly concrete wall.
While I’m not a concrete professional, that steel rebar offers additional structural integrity to the concrete pour as well as will help tie the raised wall to the lower foundation elements.
The general concept here is that while the visibly exposed portion of the wall above ground is very significant in its own right, the connected foundation below the wall extends deep into the underground… making it one massive connected support structure that will both hold up the raised roadway and earth.
During my visit last week construction crews were working on the steel form (for the wall’s poured concrete), and it appeared at the time they were finalizing it’s construction ahead of the concrete pour.
Driving by yesterday I did notice a large concrete pump truck was on site.
Browning Road Bridge Rebuild
As part of the Direct Connection project the Bellmawr Browning Road bridge (which supports local traffic in town) is being rebuilt both longer and slightly taller, to support upgrades that will take place on the Rt 42/76 highway which travels underneath it.
During the new Browning Road Bridge build process (at the same location), local traffic has been supported by the installation of a significant temporary bridge that is positioned off to the side.
This has been a long running facet of the project, with crews most recently working on rebuilding the second (and final) center concrete support pier which will hold the new bridge.
It was expected that once the two lower-level concrete support structures were developed, that crews would move quickly into the core development of the bridge span and roadway surface.
In my visit yesterday I could see that the second set of lower support columns have been developed including the top concrete “header”.
And it seems the construction crews are fully diving into the next aspects!
First off, last week two cranes arrived on site… which was a safe assumption that they were there to lift the bridge span construction components into place. At that time though there was no bridge span materials on site.
But then just within the last two days large steel beams arrived! It appears those beams are the core support steel beams which will be positioned across the columns (likely in three sections).
Additionally a temporary steel support structure is on site, likely to assist when installing the large steel bridge span beams.
Once those beams are in place, the construction team can start the effort to develop the roadway decking.
When it comes time for the cranes to start placing those beams in place, I would imagine there would be some overnight traffic impacts… but at this time I have not asked NJDOT for any timelines, but I will be following up with them after this article is published.
