After years of lane shifts, construction barrels and traffic headaches, the massive Route 70 reconstruction project is finally nearing completion. But this wasn't simply a repaving job. Here's what has changed and why it matters to Cherry Hill homeowners, buyers and businesses.
If you live in Cherry Hill, there's a pretty good chance you've had a few choice words about Route 70 during the last several years.
Construction barrels. Lane shifts. Detours. Rough pavement. Difficult business entrances. Traffic that seemed to crawl at exactly the moment you were already running late.
There is finally some very good news.
The massive $155.1 million Route 70 reconstruction project is expected to be completed by winter 2026, according to Camden County and the New Jersey Department of Transportation. The project covers roughly nine miles between Route 38 in Pennsauken and Cooper Avenue in Evesham Township and carries more than 40,000 vehicles a day through this important South Jersey corridor. Camden County, NJ
But here's what I think homeowners should know:
This project was much bigger than putting down fresh asphalt.
What actually changed on Route 70?
NJDOT essentially rebuilt a major section of one of South Jersey's most heavily traveled roads.
The improvements include resurfacing approximately nine miles of Route 70, upgrading traffic signals at 27 intersections, replacing or installing four electronic message signs, improving drainage and sidewalks, and repaving several ramps, including the Route 70 and Route 73 interchange. Earlier phases also included gas and water main work. Camden County, NJ
Those improvements aren't particularly glamorous when you're sitting in construction traffic.
But they're important.
Road condition, drainage, pedestrian access, intersection design and traffic flow are all part of the infrastructure that helps a community function.
And now there is another piece being added that people will actually be able to see.
Route 70 is about to get a lot prettier
Camden County and NJDOT have announced a new beautification effort for the corridor.
The Route 70 median is expected to receive native and salt-tolerant flowers, shrubs and grasses, including black-eyed Susan, aster, daylilies, gaillardia, allium, inkberry, Eastern red cedar and switchgrass.
Plans also call for new “Welcome to Cherry Hill” signage with brick columns. The landscaping is designed to introduce purple, pink, red and yellow throughout the corridor while being hardy enough to survive conditions along a major highway. Inquirer.com
Some people might wonder why landscaping in the middle of Route 70 matters.
From a real estate perspective, I think it does.
Not because planting flowers suddenly increases everyone's property value. Real estate doesn't work that way.
It matters because the appearance of the roads, commercial corridors and public spaces people experience every day contributes to their perception of a community.
First impressions don't stop at your front door.
What does this mean for Cherry Hill real estate?
Route 70 is one of Cherry Hill's defining corridors.
It connects neighborhoods to shopping, restaurants, medical offices, Route 295, Philadelphia-area commuting routes and neighboring South Jersey communities.
When I work with someone who is considering moving to Cherry Hill, we aren't just talking about bedrooms, bathrooms and square footage.
We're talking about how they are going to live here.
How quickly can they get to Philadelphia?
How close are they to Route 295?
Where do they shop?
How easy is it to get to restaurants, healthcare and recreation?
What is the commute going to feel like?
Those things matter to buyers.
And when an infrastructure project improves a major transportation corridor, that's worth paying attention to.
There's another real estate lesson here
Anyone who lives near Route 70 knows something else very well:
Major infrastructure projects can be painfully inconvenient while they're happening.
That matters when buying a house.
One of the things an experienced Realtor should be looking at isn't simply what a neighborhood looks like today. We should also be asking what's planned nearby.
Is a road being widened?
Is there vacant land nearby?
Is a large development proposed?
Are utilities being replaced?
Is a commercial property being redeveloped?
Those things can affect a homeowner's experience for months or even years.
The flip side is that when the construction finally ends, the community receives the benefit of that investment.
Cherry Hill itself is continuing to change
The completion of Route 70 doesn't mean development along the corridor stops.
Far from it.
Commercial properties continue to be redeveloped. A new Subaru dealership is planned for Route 70 on the former Subaru corporate headquarters property, and other sites along the corridor continue to evolve. 70and73
That is one reason I pay close attention to planning, redevelopment and infrastructure throughout South Jersey.
Real estate values aren't determined only by what is happening inside the house.
The roads, businesses, parks, schools, open spaces and future development surrounding that house all become part of the story.
After more than three decades helping buyers and sellers throughout South Jersey, I've learned that understanding those details can be just as important as knowing the latest comparable sale.
So after years of construction, I think we can all agree on one thing:
We're ready to see Route 70 without the orange barrels.
And hopefully, by next spring, we'll also be seeing a much greener and more attractive entrance to many of Cherry Hill's neighborhoods and businesses.
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