Cherry Hill Mayor Blasts State's Handling Of Route 70 Reconstruction

CHERRY HILL, NJ — The mayor of Cherry Hill re-iterated his frustrations with the state's handling of the Route 70 project, claiming the New Jersey Department of Transportation hasn't properly communicated road closures and other updates with the community.

During the state-funded, $153 million project, NJDOT will reconstruct nearly 9 miles of Route 70 between Route 38 in Pennsauken and Cooper Avenue in Evesham. Much of the impacted roadway runs through the heart of Cherry Hill, requiring temporary road closures and traffic shifts that have impacted nearby businesses and residents.

Construction began in September 2021 and is expected to last until early 2027.

At Feb. 12's Township Council meeting, Cherry Hill Mayor Dave Fleisher criticized NJDOT's management of the project.

"As I've stated publicly," Fleisher said, "I am dissatisfied with the state's handling of the project so far, particularly with communication to local small businesses and the adjoining neighborhoods, whenever there are lane closures, lane shifts or closures to entrances to any of those buildings."

Fleisher said that local officials would "continue advocating for our residents" and have another meeting with NJDOT.

NJDOT says that residents and stakeholders can keep up with traffic updates through public advisories, social media and real-time alerts. (See more details below.)

The state agency met with Cherry Hill officials a couple days after the council meeting, said an NJDOT spokesperson, who gave Patch the following statement:

"NJDOT met with local officials in Cherry Hill to discuss stage changes and signage concerns related to Route 70, Route 38 to Cooper Avenue, most recently on Wednesday, February 14, 2024. At this meeting, we discussed different ways in which we can continue improving the existing communication between the Department and Cherry Hill, specifically regarding the project impacts of businesses and side street closures.

We will continue to remain in close contact with Cherry Hill officials, and the project team is working quickly to address concerns regarding business impacts.

NJDOT is always willing to meet with local officials to discuss any potential impacts that may be caused by a project, both before and after the impacts occur."

Patch contacted a township spokesperson for comment about the township's recent conversations with NJDOT but did not hear back as of this writing.

Much of Route 70 in Cherry Hill is lined with stores, restaurants and other businesses, providing a well-traveled pathway into and around South Jersey's retail hub. Many residents live in neighborhoods just off the roadway.

Construction has required intermittent lane closures and shifts in traffic patterns, which can make it harder for drivers to access businesses while adding detoured traffic to residential side streets.

Last month, the owner of Lynch-Wood Opticians claimed the construction has made his older patients nervous about visiting the Route 70 office, leading to a 2o-25 percent reduction in business.

"We don't really get a lot of updates," Paul DiGiovanni told CBS News Philadelphia. "We have gotten some, but it's very vague."

How To Get Project Updates

The community can stay up-to-date on Route 70 construction by visiting the project's webpage and following NJDOT on Facebook and Twitter. The state agency also issues construction notices and traffic advisories that are also shared with local officials in impacted municipalities.

The precise timing of the work can change because of weather and other factors, NJDOT says. The agency encourages drivers to check its traffic-information website — 511nj.org — for construction updates and real-time travel information.