FLORENCE — This winter will mark a traffic shift by the New Jersey Department of Transportation as a new phase of the Route 130-Hornberger Avenue Bridge project begins.
The Route 130 shift will occur over Craft’s Creek.
On Wednesday, the NJDOT said it is replacing the bridge in stages so that at least one travel lane on Route 130 in both directions will remain open to traffic at all times. The contractor has completed the first stage of construction — replacing the outside (eastern) third of the bridge on Route 130 northbound.
Florence Mayor Craig Wilkie addressed the impending traffic shift in an open letter to residents posted on the township website marked Dec. 28.
Mayor Wilkie stated, “Florence Township will do its part by trying to keep you informed of any changes in traffic patterns. As always the safety of our residents, especially the children is our main concern.”
By Jan. 5, Mayor Wilkie said folks would no longer be able to make left turns from Hornberger Avenue onto Route 130 North. Left turns from Route 130 North onto Hornberger Avenue will also be prohibited.
Tim Greeley, of the NJDOT, said on Wednesday that the left-turn movement from Hornberger to Route 130 northbound has been restricted to trucks and buses since construction began in June. The NJDOT announced late this week that the first stage of the bridge replacement project was complete.
”As we know, the state identified the need to replace the bridge a number of years ago because of safety concerns,” Mayor Wilkie said. “Everyone’s cooperation will be necessary to minimize the disruption caused by this road closure.”
”On Saturday morning, Jan. 5, NJDOT’s contractor, South State Inc., is scheduled to implement a traffic pattern change to set up the new construction zone in the center portion of the bridge. To accommodate that work NJDOT will close the left travel lane in each direction, reducing Route 130 from two travel lanes to one travel,” the release said.
This work, and the corresponding traffic impacts, were coordinated with officials from both municipalities, Mr. Greeley told the Register-News.
”We were clear that these restrictions would be necessary during certain stages of the project,” Mr. Greeley stated.
This work, and the corresponding traffic impacts, were coordinated with officials from both municipalities, he said.
The left turn movements will be restricted between Hornberger Avenue and Route 130 northbound, the NJDOT announced. Motorists will be directed to use Delaware Avenue to connect with Route 130 northbound from Hornberger Avenue and vice versa.
The $5.1 million federally-funded project began preliminary construction operations in April. NJDOT is replacing the existing, structurally deficient at-grade bridge with a new wider structure complete with new sidewalks and concrete parapets that will be modeled after the current ones, according to the NJDOT.
The existing bridge was built in 1920 and has deteriorated over time requiring replacement. The wider structure will allow for the addition of a new dedicated right-turn lane from Route 130 southbound to Hornberger Avenue. Approximately 22,500 vehicles use this bridge every day to cross Craft’s Creek located at milepost 51.6, approximately half-way between Burlington City and Bordentown on heavily-traveled Route 130, according to the NJDOT.
The bridge over Craft’s Creek connects Mansfield and Florence townships.
NJDOT anticipates the project being completed in early-summer 2014. The precise timing of the work is subject to change due to weather or other factors, the release said.
Motorists are encouraged to check NJDOT’s traffic information website www.511nj.org real-time travel information.

