Route 42 northbound Exit 1B ramp to I-295 northbound to be closed and detoured Saturday night

Overnight lane closures necessary to shift traffic into new covered roadway

Beginning at 10 p.m., Saturday, February 2 until 10 a.m. Sunday, February 3, NJDOT contractor, Conti Enterprises, Inc., is scheduled to close and detour Route 42 northbound Exit 1B to I-295 northbound to allow for paving, restriping and barrier installation to set up the traffic shift. In addition, the I-76 eastbound ramp to I-295 northbound, which will be part of the detour route, will be reduced to one lane during the same time. The following detour will be in place:

Route 42 northbound Exit 1B ramp to I-295 northbound detour:
(10 p.m., Saturday, February 2 until 10 a.m. Sunday, February 3)

• Motorists traveling on Route 42 northbound will be directed to continue onto I-76 westbound
• Take I-76 westbound to Exit 2/I-676 northbound
• Take I-676 northbound to Exit 1/Collings Road
• Turn right onto Collings Road
• Turn left onto I-676 southbound which becomes I-76 eastbound
• Take I-76 eastbound to Exit 1B/I-295 northbound

[note: the I-76 eastbound ramp to I-295 northbound will be reduced to one lane during this time]

The new traffic pattern that will in place by 10 a.m. Sunday February 3 will reduce the Route 42 northbound Exit 1B ramp to I-295 northbound from three lanes to two lanes just past the Browning Road overpass and shift traffic into to a newly constructed covered roadway.

In a few weeks, traffic using the I-76 eastbound ramp to I-295 northbound also will be shifted to the covered roadway. This traffic pattern will remain in place for several years as the mainline I-295 Direct Connection roadway is constructed. When the project is completed, a new Route 42 northbound ramp to I-295 will be opened, and only the traffic coming from I-76 eastbound will utilize the covered roadway.

Traffic signals have been installed prior to the covered roadway as a safety measure, and are not intended to indicate whether a lane is open or not. The signals will display a steady GREEN, unless there is an incident in the covered roadway, at which time the display would be changed to RED to stop traffic and allow emergency responders to clear the incident.

The work is part of the $900 million 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 Direct Connection project has been divided into four construction contracts, with completion expected in the fall of 2024. NJDOT's project website provides construction activity schedules and updates.

Variable message signs are being utilized throughout the project limits to provide advance notification to motorists of traffic pattern changes associated with Direct Connection.