Project from Exit 30 to milepost 35 will take 19 months, include improved Exit 30 interchange
By CRAIG D. SCHENCK/Sentinel staff
SOMERS POINT — Work has begun on an $85 million Garden State Parkway shoulder-widening project from Interchange 30 north to milepost 35.
Trees in the median along the 5-mile path of the project have been felled and construction equipment is in place to perform the work.
The New Jersey Turnpike Authority is undertaking the project to widen both shoulders to 12 feet on the northbound and southbound sides.
In addition, the acceleration and deceleration lanes will be lengthened for the northbound entrance and southbound exit at Interchange 30 in Somers Point. Eight parkway bridges over local roadways will be widened and reconstructed, and the roadway lighting at Interchange 30 will be upgraded to meet current standards. Stormwater-management facilities will also be constructed.
The improvements are part of widening the parkway from exits 30 to 80, which has been ongoing for almost 10 years, and will pave the way for future lane widening.
During this phase of the project, northbound and southbound bridges over the following Atlantic County roadways will be reconstructed: Ocean Heights Avenue, Steelmanville Road, Zion Road and Mill Road.
“The proposed bridge typical section includes a wider left shoulder to accommodate a future roadway widening,” according to documents from the NJTA. “The proposed bridge underclearances will also be raised to meet current standards. The horizontal clearances between abutments will be increased at Ocean Heights Avenue and Mill Road.”
The project has been divided into three work staging areas; two travel lanes will be open except during lane closure hours.
Work area 1 is from Interchange 30 to the Patcong Creek Bridge, work area 2 is from north of the Patcong Creek Bridge to milepost 32.8 and work area 3 is from milepost 32.8 to milepost 35.
Construction was anticipated to begin in July and wrap up by June 2023, but that timeline is now a couple of months behind.
Traffic will be open on the local roads and shifted either north or south into the shoulder as construction progresses.
Short-term (overnight) detours will allow for demolition of existing bridges, girder erection and utility relocation. The left shoulder on the bridges will be widened to 24 feet to allow for future lane expansion,
With the exception of Mill Road, access will be maintained in both directions on all local roads.
“Mill Road has insufficient width between the bridge abutments to maintain two directions of traffic during construction activities. Therefore, Mill Road eastbound will have a long-term detour for approximately 19 months while movement will be maintained on Mill Road westbound,” according to the NJTA.
The NJTA must abide by the New Jersey No Net Loss Reforestation Act, which requires the mitigation of the loss of trees in excess of a half-acre. Reforestation will be about 5.5 acres. The NJTA will mitigate the loss of trees through a payment to the state Department of Environmental Protection. The DEP will use the money to plant new trees in the project area.
NJTA spokesman Tom Feeney ignored multiple calls and emails seeking information about work hours, lane closures and the cause for the delay.
