Circle work nearly finished

Construction at the Collingswood Circle, seen in 2006, is expected to be complete in less than three weeks. (Photo by JOSE F. MORENO/Courier-Post)

After nearly four years of orange cones, lane closures and traffic jams, construction at the Collingswood Circle is finally coming to an end.

Final milling and paving will start on Monday with single and double lane closures on Route 130 at the Collingswood Circle from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m., New Jersey Department of Transportation spokeswoman Erin Phalon said.

At least one lane in each direction will remain open at all times, Phalon said.

The work is expected to take two weeks.

"This work will complete the project," Phalon said in an e-mail.

The $35 million circle replacement has been under way since 2005.

The project has involved replacing the five-leg Collingswood Circle at the intersection of routes 30 and 130. Route 130 was also widened to three lanes in both directions from milepost 29.0 to 29.4.

The project also includes new traffic signals, a concrete median barrier and a pedestrian overpass.

Woodlynne Mayor Jeraldo Fuentes said he wishes the DOT had not abandoned its initial plans to install a left turn signal on Woodlynne Avenue near the Collingswood Diner, but he's glad the overpass is completed.

"Our kids walk to Collingswood schools, so that overpass mean a lot to them," Fuentes said. "It's a lot safer now."