Camden announces $36 million road improvement project near port
Residents say they've been asking the city to address the problem since the 1980s.
CAMDEN, New Jersey (WPVI) -- A multi-million dollar infrastructure project is about to get underway in South Jersey with a goal of rerouting truck traffic off of neighborhood streets near the Port of Camden.
Residents say they've been asking the city to address the problem since the 1980s. Several people said when the large trucks come down their blocks, their homes will physically shake.
"Oh the roads are terrible, they're terrible," said Norma Johnson, who lives near the Port of Camden. "There are holes, potholes. You can't have a new car in Camden and ride it for a week without it being damaged."
Here's what happens: commercial trucks often need to get from I-676 to the port, and county roads are in bad shape too, so they'll go through the neighborhood.
"That foundation of the home can be affected because of that and then the safety of kids, children, families," said Mayor Victor Carstarphen.
It's a problem Carlos Morales has been dealing with his entire life.
"I was in the classroom above when a truck went down 4th Street and the ceiling below us fell," said Morales of Heart of Camden.
On Monday, the city announced a $36.5 million federally funded infrastructure project to address the issue. They plan on reconstructing three miles of wider county roads that will serve as a truck route.
"We can reroute the traffic out of the community, put it onto I-676, get it down to Atlantic, get it down to the port. We welcome that," said Morales.
The city will also upgrade the stormwater and sanitary sewer system to prevent flooding, and upgrade pedestrian access to the port. It's an investment the city hopes will improve the quality of life.
"Trucks will take shortcuts. This is going to eliminate that," said Congressman Donald Norcross.
The city says the project will take about three years to complete. The first step will be replacing old utility lines underground.
