Community Corner

Bell Road Bridge Over 295 to Close for Construction

The bridge closes at 10 p.m. Friday and reopens Monday morning.

Bell Road Bridge over Route 295 will be closed this weekend as construction continues in the Direct Connection project in Bellmawr and Mount Ephraim.

Bell Road Bridge will close Friday night at 10 p.m. and reopen Monday at 5 a.m. to repave the approaches to the newly built northern half of the bridge and shift traffic onto the new structure.

“Motorists traveling between Bellmawr and Mt. Ephraim need to be aware of this weekend’s closure of the Bell Road Bridge,” Camden County Freeholder Ian Leonard, liaison to the Camden County Department of Public Works, said. “Throughout the 295 construction, please stay prepared for traffic pattern changes and be observant of instructions on the electronic message boards.”

Browning Road and the Black Horse Pike will be used for the detour. Emergency personnel will not be able to use the Bell Road Bridge while it is closed.

The Bell Road bridge has been restricted to a single travel lane on the southbound side serving both directions since July with traffic being controlled by two temporary traffic signals positioned at each end of the bridge.

Once the approaches are paved on the northbound side of the bridge, the new portion of the structure will open with the single lane traffic operation shifted to the northbound side.

Work will then begin to replace the southbound half of the Bell Road Bridge.  This phase of the project is expected to be completed in this summer.

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Overnight lane closures are permitted as necessary on I-295 underneath the bridge during construction.

This 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. 

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“The traffic delays caused by the merging of these roadways are a daily nightmare for motorists each rush hour,” Leonard said.  “The state is undertaking a monumental change to this highway interchange by creating a substantial upgrade to the current configuration.  It is also has a significant impact on Camden County motorists and several municipalities.”

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.



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