A half-mile long ramp developed five years ago as part of the Direct Connection project in Bellmawr is finally expected to see car traffic starting this weekend.
UPDATE! Rainy weather this week has impacted this timeline and it is likely the ramp is not in use until mid-week.
Once the switch over is completed early Saturday morning, cars traveling down 295 South (from Cherry Hill) looking to pass-thru Bellmawr and continue on 295 southbound towards Delaware… will be using a new long ramp that starts just past the Browning Road overpass. Weather can impact timeline
More simply this traffic pattern shift most impacts those driving on Route 295 Southbound coming out of the Al-Jo’s sharp curve and then continuing down 295 southbound.
Effectively the new traffic pattern for opening this section is somewhat parallel to what we’ve been driving for years, just shifted over to the right with a long ramp which lifts cars out of the lower level bowl sooner.
So for vehicles on Route 295 southbound and continuing on, as they exit the Al-Jo’s curve sharp bend and approach the Browning Road overpass they will be shifted over to the far right where the roadway runs along the sound wall and starts to rise up from below grade, and a half-mile later cars are up on the surface grade again and traveling down 295 southbound.
Cars who are coming down to 295 southbound and looking to move on to 42 southbound will be able to shift over to the left as they pass under the Browning Road overpass… and continue down Route 42.
The final switchover to utilize the new ramp is expected to take place early Saturday morning. Ahead of that, crews this week are preparing for the opening of the new ramp which will require overnight closures for roads and lanes within the project area, particularly in the area of Al-Jo’s Curve (295 South)
Those details for the temporary road changes are provided by NJDOT at the bottom of this article.
NJDOT contractors are working on this Southern portion of the Direct Connection project area to develop columns which will support to the final overheard Route 295 roadway. While the recent NJDOT press releases do not clarify why the lane shifts to the previously unused ramp are taking place, its likely to clear out the construction area for additional support column development.
While this new traffic pattern coming this weekend to utilize the long ramp is an improvement for traffic flow… it is not the final traffic pattern for Route 295 southbound traffic passing through the area. Later stages of the project will develop a massive overhead roadway which will lift Route 295 up overtop of all of the roadways…. traveling in a much straighter path.
I expect to have a new Direct Connection video in the next few days but in the meantime you can also check out my March 18th article update, and Feb 13th YouTube video update
NJDOT Update
I-76 eastbound Exit 1A closed and detoured tonight (Tuesday April 8th) and Thursday night in Bellmawr, Camden County
I-295 southbound Al-Jo’s curve lane closures Tuesday and Wednesday nights
(Trenton) – The I-76 eastbound Exit 1A ramp to I-295 southbound is scheduled to be closed and detoured tonight and Thursday night in preparation for a traffic shift onto a new ramp, which will take place later this week, as the Direct Connection project advances in Bellmawr, Camden County.
This work is in addition to the previously scheduled lane closure tonight on the I-295 southbound ramp to Route 42 southbound and I-295 southbound, also known as Al-Jo’s Curve. The rest of the lane and ramp closures scheduled for this week announced yesterday remain unchanged. All work is weather sensitive and subject to change depending on overnight weather conditions.
Tuesday, April 8 and Wednesday, April 9
Beginning at 9 p.m. tonight, Tuesday, April 8 until 5 a.m. Wednesday, April 9, and again Wednesday, April 9 at the same time, the right lane on the I-295 southbound ramp to Route 42 southbound and I-295 southbound, also known as Al-Jo’s Curve, is scheduled to be closed. The ramps to I-295 southbound and Route 42 southbound will remain open. The closure is necessary to prepare for an upcoming traffic shift. Motorists are advised to use caution, slow down and expect delays.
In addition, beginning at 10 p.m. tonight, Tuesday, April 8 until 6 a.m., Wednesday, April 9, the left lane on I-76 eastbound before the Browning Road Bridge and the I-76 eastbound Exit 1A ramp to
I-295 southbound are scheduled to be closed. The closures are necessary for an upcoming traffic shift. The following detour will be in place:
I-76 eastbound Exit 1A ramp to I-295 southbound Detour:
- Motorists traveling on I-76 eastbound to I-295 southbound will be directed to take Exit 1B to I-295 northbound, which is before Exit 1A
- Take Exit 28/Route 168
- Turn left at the end of the ramp onto Route 168
- Take the ramp to I-295 southbound
Thursday, April 10
Beginning at 10 p.m. Thursday, April 10 until 6 a.m., Friday, April 11, the left lane on I-76 eastbound before the Browning Road Bridge and the I-76 eastbound Exit 1A ramp to I-295 southbound are scheduled to be closed. The closures are necessary for an upcoming traffic shift. The following detour will be in place:
I-76 eastbound Exit 1A ramp to I-295 southbound Detour:
- Motorists traveling on I-76 eastbound to I-295 southbound will be directed to take Exit 1B to I-295 northbound, which is before Exit 1A
- Take Exit 28/Route 168
- Turn left at the end of the ramp onto Route 168
- Take the ramp to I-295 southbound
Friday, April 11
Beginning at 10 p.m. Friday, April 11 until 6 a.m. Saturday, April 12, the I-295 southbound ramp to Route 42 southbound and I-295 southbound, also known as Al-Jo’s Curve, is scheduled to be closed and detoured. The right lane on I-295 southbound also will be closed just after Exit 28/Route 168. The closures are necessary to shift traffic onto a new ramp. All motorists traveling on I-295 southbound will be directed to stay left onto Exit 26. The following detour will be in place:
I-295 southbound to Route 42 southbound/I-295 southbound Detour:
- Motorists traveling on I-295 southbound wishing to continue onto Route 42 southbound will be directed to exit left at Exit 26/I-76 westbound
- Take I-76 westbound to Exit 2/I-676 northbound
- Take I-676 northbound to Exit 1/Collings Avenue
- Turn right onto Collings Avenue
- Turn left onto I-676 southbound, which becomes I-76 eastbound
- Take I-76 eastbound to Exit 1A/I-295 southbound
By 6 a.m. Saturday, April 12, traffic using the I-295 southbound ramp to Route 42 southbound and I-295 southbound, also known as Al-Jo’s Curve will be shifted onto a new ramp to I-295 southbound. The two right lanes will continue onto I-295 southbound, and the left lane will follow the current configuration and go to Route 42 southbound.
The work is part of the Direct Connection project that will provide a seamless route for I-295 motorists traveling through the interchange of I-295, I-76, and Route 42. To sign up for I-295 Direct Connect project updates go to 295DirectConnect.com or text CONNECT to 1-844-844-3681.
Portable variable message signs are being used to provide advance notification of 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 follow us on X (Twitter) @NewJerseyDOT, on the NJDOT Facebook page, or Instagram @NewJersey.DOT.