I-295 in Lawrence, Mercer County, will undergo overnight lane and ramp closures next week as work continues on the Princeton Pike Bridge replacement project. The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) announced that beginning at 7 p.m. Monday, December 1 until 6 a.m. Tuesday, December 2, and continuing on Tuesday and Wednesday nights at the same times, up to two lanes in both directions of I-295 will be closed. At least one lane will remain open during these periods.
Drivers are advised to slow down, use caution, and expect delays while traveling through the work zone. Temporary traffic slowdowns are also expected overnight in both directions on I-295.
Additionally, the I-295 southbound Exit 68A ramp to Princeton Pike northbound will be closed from 10 p.m. Monday until 6 a.m. Tuesday and during the same hours on subsequent nights. The closures are necessary for ongoing construction on the new bridge over I-295.
A detour for motorists wishing to take Exit 68A to Princeton Pike northbound has been established: drivers should continue southbound on I-295, take Exit 67 to Route 1 southbound, turn right onto Franklin Corner Road/CR 546, then turn right onto Princeton Pike northbound.
The $19.7 million federally funded project aims to replace the existing bridge carrying Princeton Pike over I-295 due to its poor condition. Construction is being completed in stages with work taking place on one side of the bridge at a time. The new structure will feature a reinforced concrete deck while maintaining its current configuration: a 12-foot through lane, a 12-foot auxiliary lane, a 12-foot outside shoulder, a two-foot inside shoulder, and six-foot-wide sidewalks in each direction separated by a six-foot raised median. The minimum vertical under clearance over I-295 will increase from just over fourteen feet to sixteen feet six inches.
The project is scheduled for completion by summer 2027.
According to NJDOT officials, “Safety is everyone’s responsibility. Watch NJDOT Commissioner Fran O’Connor’s message about making roadway safety a way of life.”
NJDOT advises motorists that schedules may change due to weather or other factors and recommends checking their traffic information website www.511nj.org for updates and real-time travel information.
