The intersection of Route 130 and Florence-Columbus Road in Florence is a spot well-known spot for traffic congestion.
Demonstrating their strong commitment to improving transportation infrastructure, the Burlington County Commissioners are advancing a critical project to reconstruct the intersection of Route 130 and Florence-Columbus Road (County Route 656) in partnership with the state of New Jersey.
The intersection is located within Florence Township and is a known spot for traffic congestion due to trucks and shift workers going to and from area warehouses and Interstate 295 and the New Jersey Turnpike’s Exit 6A interchange. More than 12,000 vehicles are estimated to travel on Florence-Columbus Road through that intersection daily.
The proposed improvements include the reconstruction of the intersection and the addition of a new connector roadway and traffic signal. The project has been discussed for several years and is being advanced under a county-led shared service agreement with the state.
Under the agreement, the county engineer’s office will assume responsibility for preliminary engineering with financial support from the state Department of Transportation. The project was first led by the department because Route 130 is a state highway.
State Sen. Troy Singleton was instrumental in getting transportation officials to move forward under the county’s leadership.
“These improvements are vital for the safety and well-being of those of us who live in the area and travel the corridor,” he said.
Florence Mayor Kristan Marter also lobbied to get the project moving, writing to then-Gov. Phil Murphy about its importance.
“Currently, the congestion makes getting into and out of our town nearly impossible, and it’s also dangerous,” she explained. “It’s why we’ve been pushing for this intersection to be improved since 2016. It’s great to see it moving forward.”
Among the planned improvements are widening Route 130 to accommodate dedicated right-turn lanes at the intersection, redesigning the existing Route 130 jughandle and the development of a new connector roadway linking Delaware Avenue.
Plans also call for construction of a roundabout south of Florence-Columbus Road at the intersection of Birch Hollow Drive and improved pedestrian and bicycle accessibility at the intersection and connector.
