This June Road Project update covers eight different projects that I’ve been writing about, with the intent of giving a high level status and video/images of each project’s core aspects.
First, earlier today I published a 30 minute video with the same theme which includes 99% full-motion drone video, to give you an insight to these projects that you just don’t normally get from the road. Youtube video at bottom of this article, or click here.
In fact, I just watched the video with my wife and even though she’s married to the “42Freeway Guy”… she had no idea the Missing Moves project in Bellmawr was moving as far along as it has!
This article follows along the same pattern of the video but in photo form, without all of the extra commentary.
So to be clear this is a very broad stroke overview of a lot of projects so I really don’t go deep into details on this. I’m sure folks will have many questions about particular aspects of any of the projects but I’ll likely save more details on those for when I loop-back and cover each one in more detail.
Direct Connection Roadway Demolition
The Direct Connection collapsed roadway demolition started two weeks ago and crews are already making fast progress. Crews created a temporary lower-level dirt “shelf” working area to make it easer to access the upper portions of the roadway.
I covered this in May 16, 2023.
The image below shows the roadway just two weeks ago (upper) and on May 31st (lower). Not the significant removal of soil/sand from the bridge as well as most of the front concrete MSE concrete panels are removed.
Direct Connection – Browning Road
The Browning Road bridge remove project is also seeing significant progress, with one of the new bridge abutments completed (not pictured) and one of the support column groups mostly rebuilt
The second abutment (far side) has seen the old structure removed, dug out.. and they are in position to build the new one.
A second row of support columns has not been touched as of yet and will likely start as soon as the initial effort is completed. This will require lane shifts.
I-76 Klemm Avenue Overpass Rebuild
Effort is to rebuild the I-76 overpass which crosses Gloucester City’s Klemm Ave. This project appears to be the biggest factor in traffic slowness through the corridor, which I covered on April 24.
Image immediately below is from several weeks ago, showing the road divided into three sections. Workers removed the decking in the one area.
The massive crane caught the attention of literally every commuter. It’s size was needed to access the entire overpass project area, while being strong enough to lift and install large pre-built decking pieces.
Just weeks later the decking panels for this section are in place.
Rt 130 Bridge Over Big Timber Creek
The Rt 130 Bridge which connects from the Brooklawn Circle (West) to Westville is being rebuilt. This effort will also include a flood management basin to be developed in the cleared land shown in the image below.
It is expected that traffic flow will be maintained in both direction during the rebuild process.
The initial effort was to remove the center dividers on the bridge.
Route 47 Bridge Over Big Timber Creek
While not started yet… the Route 47 Bridge over Timber Creek (parallel to the one mentioned above) is also slated to be demolished and rebuilt.
For an unspecified amount of time both bridges will be underconstruction.
This project will also try to correct flooding areas, in particular at the base of the bridge near the Gateway Diner.
Route 42 Over Blackwood Trail
Project is to remove the old Route 42 overpass bridges which cross over a pedestrian and bike trail.
Initially the bridges were large and high to account for trains. Since they now longer run, a pedestrian tunnel was developed.
The Route 42 roadway above the tunnel will see the bridges removed, dirt backfilled above the tunnel… and the replacement Route 42 segment will be more of a traditional road then a bridge.
The center asphalt shows two things
This was previously an open space in the middle, so we can see they are already filling in the backfill dirt
The asphalt is there because sometime (likely this year) the Northbound traffic will be shifted over to the center so that the first (northbound) bridge can be removed, and rebuilt as a road.
Route 70 Cherry Hill / Evesham Rebuild
Route 70 is undergoing a large rebuild. This image shows a portion of the roadway where the center divider grass has been temporarily paved.
Similar to the Blackwood Trail project above, this center area paving is so traffic can be shifted to the middle as one direction of the road is rebuilt. I believe this shift happens this weekend.
Missing Moves at Route 42
The Gem of the road projects, the Missing Moves project to fully connect Route 42 to the Southern portion of Route 295 is moving along very quickly.
Image below shows how on the Route 42 North side of the road a new exit lane starts… heading into the elevated Missing Moves roadway.
Below shows how Missing Moves crosses over Route 42. Note how the entire road surface is fully concreted.
I am very confident that already someone could drive the entire span from Route 42 to Route 295. Of course it is NOT OPEN to the public, but it’s still an awesome milestone.
The former Bellmawr exit is mostly gone now. What is left is an Emergency Vehicle Only access road, for quicker access to Route 42, 76 and 295.
Missing Moves – Center Landfill
While the entire Missing Moves roadway is raised, not all of it is a constructed bridge.
This section in the center was developed on raised dirt. Note that the center dividers are mostly in, and street lights are in place!
Missing Moves at Route 295 Connection
Where the other side of Missing Moves connects to Route 295… those roadways also appear to be fully paved, well at least to the extent that construction vehicles can utilize.
The Creek Road Bridge (in the distance) was also fully rebuilt, particularly to be higher so that the new Missing Moves ramp could fit underneath
The Creek Road Bridge appears to be construction complete but they have not repainted the lines in the center of the road.
Missing Moves – Route 295 Over Big Timber Creek
I haven’t shown this a lot, but a large effort is also taking place to widen Route 295 where it crosses over the Big Timber Creek.
They are literally doubling the width in this section, all part of the Missing Moves project.
This is necessary as traffic that is moving from Route 295 to 42 (and vice-versa) needs considerable length of dedicated auxiliary shoulder lanes so that highway speeds can be maintained.
Missing Moves – Route 55 to Route 42
The large Route 55 overpass was developed decades ago to support two lanes, but only one has been used.
As part of Missing Move, the bridge will be repainted to support two full lanes all the way through!
To accommodate the extra lanes (without lane merging), the rightmost lane will basically follow all the way through to the start of the Missing Moves ramp!
Video: Road Projects June Mega-Video Road Update
That’s the entire photo post update. All images were captured from the video below. Check the video as I give my rambling commentary, but still manage to keep all of this around 30 minutes!
Direct YouTube link, or embedded below: