Direct Connection Project Continues This Weekend in South Jersey

All local traffic across the Creek Road Bridge over Route 42 will be closed Saturday night as work on the Creek Road Bridge over Route 42 advances, the New Jersey Department of Transportation announced on Friday.

The bridge will be closed from 10 p.m. Saturday night through 7 a.m. Sunday morning to perform utility work.

The following detours will be in place:

Car Detour

Creek Road westbound

• Motorists will be directed to Edgewood Avenue to Leaf Avenue and onto Route 42 northbound to the Market Street exit. Motorists will travel westbound on Market Street to Route 42 southbound to the Leaf Avenue exit to Coolidge Avenue and back onto Creek Road.

I-76 eastbound/Route 42 southbound to Creek Road eastbound

• Motorists will be directed to the Leaf Avenue exit to Coolidge Avenue to Creek Road westbound to the Brooklawn Traffic Circle to Route 130/Crescent Boulevard to Browning Road to Creek Road

Route 42 northbound to Creek Road westbound

• Motorists will be directed to the Leaf Avenue exit to Edgewood Avenue to Creek Road eastbound to Browning Road westbound to Route 130/Crescent Boulevard to the Brooklawn Traffic Circle to Creek Road

Truck Detour

I-76 eastbound/Route 42 southbound to Creek Road eastbound

• Motorists will be directed to Route 55 southbound to Deptford Center Road exit to Route 41/Hurffville Road to Route 42 northbound to Leaf Avenue exit to Edgewood Avenue to Creek Road eastbound

I-76 eastbound/Route 42 southbound to Creek Road westbound

• Motorists will be directed to Route 55 southbound to Deptford Center Road exit to CR 621/Almonesson Road to Route 47/Delsea Drive to Route 130 to Creek Road

• Emergency personnel will not be able to cross the Creek Road Bridge during the weekend closure.

• Area residents may consider using local routes

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. The Creek Road Bridge improvements are part of the $160 million Contract 1, which includes work along I-295 south of Essex Avenue, along I-76 in the Market Street area, and along two Route 42 ramps.

The Creek Road and Bell Road bridges will be replaced and several stretches of roadways will be temporarily widened to accommodate work under future contracts. Work under this first contract is expected to be completed in the fall of 2015.

The Direct Connection project has been divided into four separate construction contracts, with completion of the fourth and final contract in the fall of 2021. NJDOT’s project website provides construction activity schedules and updates.

Additional portable variable message signs are being utilized throughout the project limits to provide advance notification to the motoring public of all traffic pattern changes associated with Direct Connection.

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.