Family of teen with terminal cancer upset over road construction

BELLMAWR, N.J. -- A major construction project in Camden County that hopes to ease congestion for millions of drivers has brought nothing but headaches and sleepless nights for the family of a teenager with terminal cancer.

"The whole house shakes, my dishes, everything in the house shakes," resident Barbara Ferrara said.

A video from inside Barbara's home shows a water bottle shaking on a table. She says that shaking is because of the construction.

The construction is due to the second largest road project ever in New Jersey.

The $900-million project started in late 2013 and hopes to eventually ease traffic backups in the area by creating a direct connection between I-295, Route 42, and I-76.

The family says the vibration from the work is so bad it's cracked their driveway, the floor of their garage, and even their chimney.

But their real concern is the toll it's taking on their son, 21-year-old Cody Sears, who just came home from Cooper University Hospital with terminal cancer.

"In between medicines, he needs proper sleep or the medicine doesn't work," Cody's father Joseph Sears said.

Cody came home hoping for peace, but his bedroom backs up to the construction.

Making matters worse, the Ferrara-Sears home is right in the middle of two of the projects construction sites, Route 42 at the end of their street and the Creek Road overpass just around the corner.

The family says the noise never stops with crews at one of the two sites working around the clock.

"I'd like to see him up and about if possible, but it just puts him down a little bit more," Sears said.

The family says while they don't expect the construction to stop, they hope for a respite.

"I would like to see a couple of grace hours at night like maybe 6 to 8 hours," Sears said. "My son doesn't get quality sleep. It's rough for him."

The New Jersey Department of Transportation says it has been in contact with the family and has provided them a construction schedule.

They say the majority of the work that is taking place in that area is during the daytime hours.