The New Jersey Turnpike (NJTP) is a system of controlled-access highways in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The turnpike is maintained by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority.[a] The 117.2-mile (188.6 km) mainline's southern terminus is at the Delaware Memorial Bridge on I-295 in Pennsville. Its northern terminus is at an interchange with I-80 and US 46 in Ridgefield Park. Construction of the mainline, from concept to completion, took a total of 22 months between 1950 and 1951. It was opened to traffic on November 5, 1951, between its southern terminus and exit 10.[5]
The turnpike is a major thoroughfare providing access to various localities in New Jersey,[6] and the toll road provides a direct bypass southeast of Philadelphia for long-distance travelers between New York City and Washington, D.C. According to the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association, the turnpike is the nation's sixth-busiest toll road, and one of the most heavily traveled highways in the nation.[7]
The northern part of the mainline turnpike, along with the entirety of its extensions and spurs, is a part of the Interstate Highway System designated as I-95 between exit 6 in Mansfield Township, and its northern end near New York City. South of exit 6, it has the unsigned Route 700 designation. There are three extensions and two spurs, including the Newark Bay Extension at exit 14, which carries I-78; the Pennsylvania Turnpike Extension, officially known as the Pearl Harbor Memorial Turnpike Extension, at exit 6, which carries I-95 off the mainline turnpike; the Eastern Spur and the Western Spur, which split traffic between Newark and Ridgefield; and the I-95 Extension, which continues the mainline to the George Washington Bridge in Fort Lee. All segments (excluding the I-95 Extension) are toll roads.
The route is divided into four roadways between exit 6 and exit 14. The inner lanes are generally restricted to cars, while the outer lanes are open to cars, trucks, and buses. The turnpike has 12-foot-wide (3.7 m) lanes, 10-foot-wide (3.0 m) shoulders, and 13 of the highway's service areas are named after notable New Jersey residents. The Interstate Highway System took some of its design guidelines from those of the turnpike.[8] The turnpike has been referenced many times in music, film, and television.
The mainline of the New Jersey Turnpike splits from I-295 in Pennsville Township and runs along a north-northeast route to I-80 and US 46 in Ridgefield Park, where it continues north as I-95. It is designated Route 700, an unsigned route, from exit 1 (Delaware Memorial Bridge) to exit 6, and as I-95 from exit 6 (Mansfield Township) to exit 18 (Secaucus–Carlstadt). The number of lanes ranges from four lanes south of exit 4 (Mount Laurel), six lanes between exit 4 and exit 6 (Mansfield Township), 12 lanes between exit 6 and exit 11 (Woodbridge Township), and 14 lanes between exit 11 and exit 14 (Newark).[9] The default speed limit is 65 miles per hour (105 km/h) between the southern terminus and milepost 97, and 55 miles per hour (89 km/h) from there to the northern terminus.[1][2] The Newark Bay Extension carries a 50-mile-per-hour (80 km/h) limit.[4] The turnpike has variable speed limit signs allowing for the limit to be lowered temporarily during unusual road conditions.[10]
Before the advent of the Interstate Highway System, the entire Turnpike was designated by the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) as Route 700. The Pearl Harbor Memorial Turnpike Extension was Route 700P, and the Newark Bay Extension was Route 700N. None of these state highway designations have been signed. The entire length of the New Jersey Turnpike is part of the National Highway System,[11] a network of roads important to the country's economy, defense, and mobility.[12]
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The turnpike's southern terminus lies at the Delaware Memorial Bridge in Pennsville Township, running concurrently with I-295 and US 40. Immediately after an interchange that provides access to Route 49 and US 130, US 40 and the turnpike split from I-295. A short distance later, in Carneys Point Township, the turnpike enters an interchange with Route 140 and County Route 540 (CR 540). Through this section, the turnpike has three northbound lanes and two southbound lanes. The turnpike loses its third northbound lane, and continues on with two lanes in each direction and a 65 mph (105 km/h) speed limit. After crossing over Game Creek, the turnpike reaches the exit 1 toll plaza, where northbound drivers must obtain a ticket, and southbound drivers must surrender their ticket and pay the proper toll. Two Express E-ZPass lanes are provided in each direction. Paralleling I-295, the turnpike continues east-northeast through rural Salem County with two lanes in each direction. After passing under Route 48, the turnpike enters Oldmans Township, where it has the John Fenwick Service Area northbound and the Clara Barton Service Area southbound. The turnpike then briefly enters Pilesgrove Township before crossing the Oldmans Creek into Woolwich Township.[2][9]
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Continuing northeast, the turnpike crosses the SMS Rail Lines' Salem Branch before passing to the south of Swedesboro. After crossing the Raccoon Creek, the highway reaches an interchange for US 322. A maintenance yard is present on the northbound side of the turnpike immediately north of the interchange into Harrison Township. The route heads northeast into East Greenwich Township past farmland before crossing Edwards Creek. Here, the turnpike passes by residential developments and soon crosses the Mantua Creek into West Deptford Township, where it passes through parkland before development near the route increases substantially. After passing under Mantua Pike (Route 45), the turnpike enters Woodbury Heights, where it passes by homes before crossing Conrail Shared Assets Operations' (CSAO) Vineland Secondary and entering Deptford Township. Here, the turnpike passes under Route 47 before crossing the Big Timber Creek. Immediately northeast of this point, the turnpike passes under the Route 42 freeway and enters the Camden County borough of Bellmawr. After passing to the south of an industrial park, the turnpike enters Runnemede and comes to an exit for Black Horse Pike (Route 168), serving the city of Camden to the north and providing access to the Atlantic City Expressway to the south. Immediately after the interchange, the turnpike crosses back into Bellmawr before entering Barrington, where it passes under Route 41/CR 573. The turnpike then passes near packaging plants before entering Lawnside and crossing over White Horse Pike (US 30).[2][9]
Still two lanes in each direction, the turnpike continues northeast past a warehouse and eventually comes within yards of I-295. Upon entering Cherry Hill, the turnpike passes over tracks carrying the PATCO Speedline and NJ Transit's Atlantic City Line before reaching the Walt Whitman Service Area along the southbound lanes. Continuing northeast, the turnpike passes under Route 70 before crossing the Pennsauken Creek into Mount Laurel, Burlington County, where it has an exit for Route 73. North of this point, the turnpike has three lanes in each direction. Still running within close proximity of I-295, the turnpike comes to a New Jersey State Police station and passes under Route 38 before crossing CSAO's Pemberton Industrial Track. After the northbound James Fenimore Cooper Service Area, the road crosses over Rancocas Creek and passes to the northwest of Rancocas State Park. Now in Westampton Township, the distance between I-295 and the turnpike increases, and the turnpike reaches an exit for Burlington-Mount Holly Road (CR 541). Northeast of this point, the turnpike continues as a six-lane highway into Burlington Township, where it passes by houses and the Burlington Country Club before entering Springfield Township. Here, the turnpike passes by agricultural areas before crossing Assiscunk Creek.[2][9]
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Now in Mansfield Township, the turnpike splits into a "dual-dual" configuration similar to a local-express configuration. The outer lanes are open to all vehicles and the inner lanes are limited to cars only, unless signed otherwise because of unusual conditions. The turnpike now has a total of 12 lanes, six in each direction (3-3-3-3). Just north of the split is an interchange with the Pearl Harbor Memorial Turnpike Extension, where the turnpike mainline becomes concurrent with I-95.[2][9] North of this point, the turnpike enters Bordentown Township and has an exit for US 206. Continuing northeast, the turnpike passes by a mix of residential neighborhoods and farmland and enters Chesterfield Township before passing over Crosswicks Creek and entering Hamilton Township in Mercer County. The highway then reaches the Woodrow Wilson and Richard Stockton service areas on the southbound and northbound sides, respectively. After the service areas, the turnpike enters Robbinsville Township and reaches an exit for I-195, an east–west freeway connecting the state capital of Trenton with the Jersey Shore. North of I-195, the turnpike passes to the west of several warehouses and traverses numerous parks and wooded areas. After crossing Assunpink Creek, the turnpike enters East Windsor Township, where the road changes its course to a slightly more northerly path. Near Hightstown is an exit for Route 133, which connects the turnpike with and provides a bypass for Route 33 in the area. North of here, the turnpike crosses the Millstone River into Cranbury Township, Middlesex County, and passes more warehouses on both sides of the road in addition to the southbound Molly Pitcher Service Area. After entering Monroe Township, the turnpike has a modified trumpet interchange with Route 32 serving Jamesburg. The interchange has a ramp for traffic seeking Route 32 eastbound forming an "S" shape, taking traffic to Cranbury South River Road. Upon crossing into South Brunswick, the turnpike crosses CSAO's Amboy Secondary and passes by more industrial parks. The highway then enters East Brunswick, where suburban development along the corridor greatly increases, indicating the entrance to the built-up portion of the New York metropolitan area. Continuing north, the turnpike passes to the east of a golf course and has the northbound Joyce Kilmer Service Area. The route briefly enters Milltown before crossing back into East Brunswick, where it passes by many homes before reaching an exit for Route 18 serving the county seat of New Brunswick. After Route 18, the turnpike enters New Brunswick and crosses over the Raritan River on the Basilone Memorial Bridge into Edison.[1][9] The structure honors John Basilone, a Raritan resident who is the only United States Marine to be honored with the Medal of Honor, the Navy Cross and the Purple Heart. He died in the Battle of Iwo Jima in 1945.[13]
After crossing the Raritan River, the turnpike passes by several warehouses and industrial parks before crossing CSAO's Bonhamtown Industrial Track line and reaching an exit serving I-287 and Route 440. Soon afterwards, the turnpike passes over the Middlesex Greenway and enters Woodbridge Township, where it reaches an exit serving the Garden State Parkway and US 9. North of this interchange is the headquarters of the NJTA. From Woodbridge Township to Newark, high-occupancy vehicle lanes (HOV lanes) exist on the outer roadway (truck lanes), thereby making it seven lanes in each direction (4-3-3-4). The HOV restrictions are in effect on weekdays, from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. northbound, and 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. southbound (at times, the NJTA might suspend the HOV restrictions entirely during peak hours in case of unusual conditions).[14] Continuing northeast, the turnpike passes under Amboy Avenue (Route 35) and crosses NJ Transit's North Jersey Coast Line. Past this point, the turnpike crosses the Woodbridge River and reaches the Grover Cleveland Service Area northbound and the Thomas Edison Service Area southbound. After passing over CSAO's Port Reading Secondary line, the turnpike enters Carteret and begins to run parallel to CSAO's Chemical Coast Secondary line, which is located east of the turnpike. In Carteret, the highway comes to an interchange serving the borough in addition to Rahway. Immediately north of the interchange, the Wallberg-Lovely Memorial Bridge carries the turnpike over the Rahway River. The bridge is dedicated to Private Martin Wallberg from Westfield, and Private Luke Lovely from, South Amboy, the first soldiers from New Jersey to die in World War I.[15] In Linden, the turnpike passes to the east of a large industrial park before reaching an exit for I-278, which traverses the nearby Goethals Bridge. North of this point, the speed limit drops to 55 mph (89 km/h), and the turnpike crosses the Elizabeth River into the city of Elizabeth. After bisecting residential areas, the route comes to an exit for the Route 81 freeway, providing access to Newark Liberty International Airport. While passing to the east of the airport and Brewster Road, the turnpike also passes to the west of the Elizabeth Center big-box center and the Port Newark–Elizabeth Marine Terminal upon entering Newark.[1][9] A section of the turnpike and the surrounding land in Elizabeth and Newark has been called "the most dangerous two miles in America" by New Jersey Homeland Security officials due to the high volume of traffic and the density of potential terrorist targets in the surrounding area.[16]
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After reaching the north end of the airport, the HOV lanes end, and the turnpike comes to an interchange with I-78, which is also the Newark Bay Extension of the turnpike east of the mainline. North of I-78, the turnpike passes over CSAO's Chemical Coast Secondary, Greenville Running Track, and National Docks Branch at the Oak Island Yard. At this point, the car-truck lane configuration ends, and the turnpike splits into two spurs: the Eastern Spur (the original roadway) and the Western Spur (opened in 1970). Both are signed as I-95. The Western Spur is posted for through traffic on I-95 seeking I-280 and the George Washington Bridge, while traffic seeking US 46, I-80, and the Lincoln Tunnel is routed via the Eastern Spur. NJDOT, which calls every class of highway "Route", calls the Western Spur "Route 95W". The NJTA refers to the complex series of roadways and ramps linking the car–truck lanes, the two spurs, as well as traffic heading to and from I-78 as the "Southern Mixing Bowl".[17] Both spurs have an exit for US 1/9 Truck and pass under the Pulaski Skyway (US 1/9) at this point before crossing over CSAO's Passaic and Harsimus Line,[1][9] and will meet up at US 46 and I-80 to continue to the George Washington Bridge where the Turnpike will eventually end.
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The Eastern Spur crosses the Passaic River on the Chaplain Washington Bridge, which honors Rev. John P. Washington who gave up his life jacket and died as the SS Dorchester sank on February 3, 1943.[18] After crossing over tracks carrying PATH's Newark–World Trade Center line, NJ Transit's Morris & Essex Lines, and Amtrak's Northeast Corridor, the spur surfaces into Kearny, Hudson County, as a six-lane highway, and has a partial interchange with I-280, containing only a southbound exit and northbound entrance. Past this point, the spur passes over Route 7 and crosses the Hackensack River on the Lewandowski Hackensack River Bridge. The bridge was named in honor of the three Lewandowski brothers, Army Private Alexander, Marine Sergeant Walter and Air Force Lieutenant William, who were killed in action during World War II within 18 months of each other.[19] The turnpike then enters Secaucus and crosses the railroad right-of-way of the future Essex-Hudson Greenway and runs along the east side of Snake Hill. It then passes over NJ Transit's Main Line at Secaucus Junction station, which serves NJ Transit trains running along the Northeast Corridor and the Main Line. After the southbound lanes have the Alexander Hamilton Service Area, the turnpike reaches the exit 18E toll plaza, serving as the northern end of the ticket system. Immediately afterwards is an interchange with Route 495 and Route 3, providing access to the Lincoln Tunnel. After passing through swampland in the Meadowlands, the spur crosses into Ridgefield, Bergen County. Here, the Eastern Spur comes to the northernmost service area on the turnpike, the Vince Lombardi Service Area. After passing over the New York, Susquehanna and Western Railway's New Jersey Subdivision line and CSX's River Subdivision line, the highway merges back together with the Western Spur as it passes east of PSE&G's Bergen Generating Station and crosses Overpeck Creek into Ridgefield Park, where the turnpike comes to its original northern terminus at US 46.[20][1][9]
The Harry Laderman Bridge, named after the first turnpike employee killed on the job,[19] carries the Western Spur over the Passaic River and then tracks carrying PATH's Newark–World Trade Center line, NJ Transit's Morris & Essex Lines, and Amtrak's Northeast Corridor. Running north with six lanes, the Western Spur has a full interchange with I-280 before crossing over Route 7 and the former Boonton Line. The spur then enters Lyndhurst and crosses NJ Transit's Main Line and Berrys Creek before passing over NJ Transit's Bergen County Line and entering East Rutherford. Here, the Western Spur has a junction with Route 3, where it loses a lane in each direction. The highway reaches the exit 18W toll plaza before passing by the Meadowlands Sports Complex and the American Dream shopping and entertainment complex, which are served by a southbound exit and northbound entrance with connections to Route 120 and CR 503 via Route 3. After crossing the Hackensack River, the Western Spur has access to the Vince Lombardi Service Area before crossing the New York, Susquehanna and Western Railway's New Jersey Subdivision line and CSX's River Subdivision line and merging with the Eastern Spur.[3][21]
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The turnpike has three extensions; the first, the 8.2-mile (13.2 km)-long Newark Bay Extension, opened in 1956,[22] and is part of Interstate 78. It connects Newark with Lower Manhattan via the Holland Tunnel in Jersey City and intersects the mainline near Newark Liberty International Airport. This extension has three exits (exits 14A, 14B, and 14C), and due to its design (four lanes with a shoulderless Jersey barrier divider), has a 50-mile-per-hour (80 km/h) speed limit. The extension traverses the Newark Bay Bridge (officially the Vincent R. Casciano Memorial Bridge), which is a steel cantilever bridge spanning Newark Bay and connecting Newark and Bayonne. Dubbed the "world's most expensive road" by The Jersey Journal, it was completed April 4, 1956. Casciano was a state assemblyman and a lifetime resident of Bayonne.[23]
The second extension, known as the Pearl Harbor Memorial Turnpike Extension (or Pennsylvania Turnpike Connector), carries I-95 off the mainline of the New Jersey Turnpike at exit 6 and connects to the Pennsylvania Turnpike via the Delaware River–Turnpike Toll Bridge, a continuous truss bridge spanning the Delaware River. This extension, and the Delaware River Bridge, were opened to traffic on May 25, 1956.[24] A six-mile-long (9.7 km), six-lane highway, it has an exit, designated as 6A, to US 130 near Florence. The extension was formerly designated as Route 700P, but was officially designated as I-95 after the Somerset Freeway was cancelled, and was signed as such when the first components of the Pennsylvania Turnpike/Interstate 95 Interchange Project were completed on September 22, 2018.[25]
The third extension, the four-mile (6.4 km) stretch of I-95 north of US 46 came under NJTA jurisdiction in 1992, as NJDOT sold the road to balance the state budget, and it is not tolled. This section of the road – known as the I-95 Extension – extends the mainline to travel past the interchange for I-80 in Teaneck where the original terminus was, and through a cut in the Hudson Palisades to the George Washington Bridge Plaza in Fort Lee. The NJDOT originally built a "missing link" in between U.S. 46 and I-80, then a connector highway from I-80 to the George Washington Bridge, prior to being sold to the NJTA. Even though it was not constructed when the Turnpike first opened, the I-95 Extension is still considered to be a part of the mainline, not just a spur like the Newark Bay or Pennsylvania Turnpike extensions are, despite it not being tolled. It also passes under the Edgewood Road Bridge in Leonia, a high overpass known for its scenery for long-distance travelers entering New Jersey.[26] The turnpike terminates at US 9W (exit 72), with the final approaches to the George Washington Bridge along I-95 maintained by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Signs saying "Turnpike Entrance" southbound past I-80 mean entering the tolled parts of the Turnpike. Exit numbers along this section follow the mile markers I-95 would have had if the Somerset Freeway was built.[20]
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Along with the Garden State Parkway, the New Jersey Turnpike is noted for naming its service areas after notable New Jersey residents.[27]
Turnpike service areas consist mostly of fast-food restaurants operated by Iris Buyer LLC (Applegreen). Each rest area also includes restrooms, water fountains, a Sunoco gas station with a small convenience store, with gas price signs posted about half a mile (0.8 km) before reaching the rest area, and a separate parking area for cars and trucks. Some have a dedicated bus parking area, Wi-Fi, and a gift shop as well.[28]
Before 1982, there was a service area on the northbound side named for Admiral William Halsey.[29] However, in 1982, exit 13A was created, which caused the obscuring of the rest area, as they both overlapped with each other. Anyone who wanted to get to the service area missed exiting at exit 13A, and (northbound) drivers who took that exit missed that service area. The service area closed permanently on June 4, 1994.[30] Today, it can be seen by motorists when exiting 13A from the northbound car lanes, where a temporary concrete barrier obstructs an open asphalt lot.[31]
Two service areas were located on the Newark Bay Extension (one eastbound and one westbound) located west of exit 14B. These were closed in the early 1970s. The eastbound service area was named for John Stevens, the westbound service area for Peter Stuyvesant.[32]
In late March 2010, it was revealed that the state Transportation Commissioner was considering selling the naming rights of the rest areas to help address a budget shortfall.[33]
The Grover Cleveland Service Area in Woodbridge was temporarily closed because of storm damage from Hurricane Sandy in October 2012, with only fuel available. It was rebuilt and fully reopened on November 23, 2015.[34][35] In 2015, the NJTA installed Tesla Supercharger stations in the Molly Pitcher and Joyce Kilmer service areas to allow Tesla car owners to charge their vehicles. A proposal to offer charging stations for non-Tesla vehicles is also under consideration.[36]
The NJTA offers 12-foot-wide (3.7 m) shoulders wherever possible, and disabled vehicle service may be obtained by dialing #95 on a cellular phone. Towing and roadside assistance are provided from authorized garages. The New Jersey State Police is the primary police agency that handles calls for service on the turnpike.[37] New Jersey State Police Troop D serves the New Jersey Turnpike, with stations in Cranbury, Moorestown, and Newark.[38] Other emergency services such as fire and first aid are usually handled by the jurisdictions in which that section of the turnpike passes.[37]
Route 100 and Route 300 were two state highways proposed in the 1930s by the New Jersey State Highway Department as precursors to the New Jersey Turnpike.
The road that is now the New Jersey Turnpike was first planned by the State Highway Department as two freeways in 1938. Route 100 was the route from New Brunswick to the George Washington Bridge, plus a spur to the Holland Tunnel, now the Newark Bay Extension of the Turnpike. Route 300 was the southern part of the turnpike from the Delaware Memorial Bridge to New Brunswick. However, the State Highway Department did not have the funds to complete the two freeways, and very little of the road was built under its auspices.[39][40] Instead, in 1948, the NJTA was created to build the road, and the two freeways were built as a single toll road.
Route S100 was a proposed spur of Route 100 in Elizabeth. It was never built, although Route 81 follows a similar alignment.
According to a letter to the editor written by Kathleen Troast Pitney, the daughter of Paul L. Troast, the first chairman of the NJTA:
Governor Driscoll appointed three men to the turnpike authority in the late 1940s—Maxwell Lester, George Smith and Paul Troast, my father, as chairman. They had no enabling legislation and no funding. They were able to open more than two-thirds of the road in 11 months, completing the whole (project) in less than two years ... When the commissioners broached the subject of landscaping the road ... the governor told them he wanted a road to take the interstate traffic ... off New Jersey's existing roads. Since 85 percent of the traffic at that time was estimated to be from out of state, why spend additional funds on landscaping?[41]
The construction of the highway is notable for reducing the quality of life in Elizabeth.[42]
The brochure "Interesting Facts about the New Jersey Turnpike", dating from soon after the road's opening, says that when the turnpike's bonds are paid off, "the law provides that the turnpike be turned over to the state for inclusion in the public highway system". Due to new construction, and the expectation that the turnpike pays for policing and maintenance, this has never come to pass.
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The project of building the turnpike had its challenges. One major problem was the construction in the city of Elizabeth, where either 450 homes or 32 businesses would be destroyed, depending on the chosen route. The engineers decided to go through the residential area, since they considered it the grittiest[citation needed] and the closest route to both Newark Airport and the Port Newark–Elizabeth Marine Terminal seaport.
When construction finally got to Newark, there was the new challenge of deciding to build either over or under the Pulaski Skyway. If construction went above the skyway, the costs would be much higher. If they went under, the costs would be lower, but the roadway would be very close to the Passaic River, making it harder for ships to pass through. The turnpike was ultimately built to pass under.[43][44] As part of a 2005 seismic retrofit project, the NJTA lowered its roadway to increase vertical clearance and allow for full-width shoulders, which had been constrained by the location of the skyway supports.[45] Engineers replaced the bearings and lowered the bridge by four feet (1.2 m), without shutting down traffic. The work was carried out by Koch Skanska in 2004, under a $35 million contract (equivalent to $56 million in 2023). The project's engineers were from a joint venture of Dewberry Goodkind Inc. and HNTB Corp. Temporary towers supported the bridge while bearings were removed from the 150 piers and the concrete replaced on the pier tops. The lowering process for an 800-foot (240 m) section of the bridge was done over 56 increments, during five weeks of work.[46]
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While continuing up to the Meadowlands, the crossings were harder because of the fertile marsh land of silt and mud. Near the shallow mud, the mud was filled with crushed stone, and the roadway was built above the water table. In the deeper mud, caissons were sunk down to a firm stratum and filled with sand, then both the caissons and the surrounding areas were covered with blankets of sand. Gradually, the water was brought up, and drained into adjacent meadows. Then, construction of the two major bridges over the Passaic and Hackensack Rivers was completed. The bridges were built to give motorists a clear view of the New York City skyline, but with high retaining walls to create the illusion of not being on a river crossing.[47] The 6,955 ft (2,120 m) Passaic River (Chaplain Washington) Bridge cost $13.7 million to build; the 5,623 ft (1,714 m) Hackensack River Bridge cost $9.5 million.
The entire 118-mile (190 km) length of the New Jersey Turnpike took 25 months to construct, at a total cost of $255 million. The first 44-mile-long (71 km) stretch, from exit 1 in Carneys Point Township north to exit 5 in Westampton Township, opened on November 5, 1951. A second 49-mile-long (79 km) stretch from exit 5 north to exit 11 in Woodbridge opened on November 30, 1951, followed by a third 16-mile-long (26 km) stretch from exit 11 north to exit 15E in Newark on December 20, 1951. The fourth and final nine-mile-long (14 km) stretch, from exit 15E north to exit 18 in Ridgefield, opened on January 15, 1952, completing the turnpike.[47]
After the turnpike was competed in 1952, the NJTA and the New York State Thruway Authority (NYSTA) proposed a 13-mile (21 km) extension of the New Jersey Turnpike that would run from its end (at US 46 in Ridgefield Park at the time) up to West Nyack, New York, at I-87 (New York State Thruway). The section through New Jersey was to be constructed and maintained by the NJTA, while the section in New York was to be built and maintained by the NYSTA. The purpose of this extension was to give motorists a "more direct bypass of the New York City area" to New England, by using the Tappan Zee Bridge. The extension was to parallel New York State Route 303 (NY 303) and the present-day CSX River Subdivision, and have limited interchanges. It was to have an interchange with the Palisades Interstate Parkway and at I-87 (New York State Thruway) in West Nyack. This project did not survive; by 1970, it became too expensive to buy right-of-way access, and community opposition was fierce. Therefore, the NJTA and the NYSTA canceled the project.[47]
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In 1954, construction began on an extension to the Holland Tunnel.[48] They also began construction on an extension to the Pennsylvania Turnpike.[49] As part of this, a widening project to widen the mainline in March 1955. It would expand the segment of roadway and from four lanes to eight lanes between exits 14 and 10. There would be four separate carriageways, two in each direction, the center two were “express” and the outer two were “local”.[50]They also planned to widen the stretch between exits 10 to from four to six lanes. On April 4, 1956, the widening between exit 10 and exit 14 was competed, also as part of this project, exit 14 was rebuilt from a standard trumpet interchange that served only US 1-9 into the 8.2-mile-long (13.2 km) Newark Bay Extension, though only the stretch between exit 14 on the mainline and exit 14A.[51] On May 25 of that year, the widening between exit 4 and exit 10 was competed,along with this came the six-mile (9.7 km) Pearl Harbor Memorial extension and exit 6 on the mainline.[24] Then on September 15, 1956, theNewark Bay Extension was opened between exit 14A and exit 14C, finally providing access to the Holland Tunnel from a grade separated highway.[52][53]
In 1958, the part of the turnpike between exit 10 and the exit 18 was designated as part of I-95. The entire Newark Bay Extension was also around this time designated part of I-78.[54][55]
On May 15, 1962, a $3,500,000 (equivalent to $27 million 2023[56]) replacement exit 12 opened in Cartret. Unlike the original exits 12, the new trumpet interchange had a southbound exit and northbound entrance.[57]
On January 1, 1964, trucks and buses were officially barred from using the leftmost lane between exits 1 and 9.[58] In addition, exit 6A on the Pennsylvania Turnpike Extension gained a westbound and eastbound entrance.[59]
On August 7, 1962, the NJTA announced plans for a project to improve the flow of exits 17 and 18. They planned to replace exit 18 in Ridgefield and exit 17 in Secucus with new exits 18 and 17 in Secucus, with the latter being replaced by a new exit of the same number to serve as a southbound exit and northbound entrance that which connect to the preexisting exits 16, adding missing links to the former and making the latter fully grade-separated . They would also close exit 16's dual toll plazas and construct a new 24-lane exit 18 where they once stood, effectively relocating the northern end of the ticket system from Ridgefeild to Secucus and making the northern terminus free of tolls. These improvements would be done in order to end the bottleneck at NJ 3, upgrade the newly signed New Jersey Ruote 495 to Interstate Highway standards, as well as to prepare the turnpike for expected traffic level increases caused by the 1964 World's Fair.[60] This work also came at the same time as the replacement of the underpass with Route 495 to allow for its widening to three lanes. The winning bidder was awarded a contract to widen the roadway in February 1963.[61] Construction on the new exits 17 and 18 began when the original exits 17 had its northbound entrance and exit permanently closed on June 16, 1963.[62] On September 19, at 3:30 Pm, the new exit 17 was opened to traffic. Unlike any other interchange on the turnpike (including the original one), it operates on a coin drop system, in addition, trucks, buses, and trailers are charged based on their weight. Due to this, the old exit 18, which had been a standard ticket based plaza, was demolished.[63] The newly rebuilt and renumbered exit 18 opened to traffic on February 25, 1964. This interchange was the first on the turnpike to be equipped with the automatic ticket dispenser, allowing motorists to receive tickets quicker than toll takers could before. Throughout the year, these were also installed at exits 6, 9, 11, 14, 14A, and 14C.[64]
In 1965, construction began on exit 8A, a new interchange with the under-construction Route 32. As its number suggests, it would be located between exits 8 and 7.[65] On February 14, 1966, this interchange, numbered as exit 8A was opened to traffic, though only partially;[66] the connection to Route 32 westbound opened on November 5 at noon.[65]
In July of 1967, a tolling system was added for use by buses at exits 15, 17 and 18, where a magnetic strip could be attached to their windshield and scanned quickly.Cite error: The <ref> tag has too many names (see the help page).
In 1964, the NJTA began study potential ways to alleviate traffic at the northern stretch of roadway. At the completion of this, in November 1966, thy announced plans for a major widening the turnpike between exits 10 and the northern terminus from eight to at maximum twelve lanes. Along with this widening, the old express-local roadway system would be replaced by a new car-truck system, with the outer (truck) roadway usable for all vehicles, and the inner (car) only usable by cars. In order to decrease the work required in one go, the widening would be split into multiple phases, with the first being the already dualized stretch between exits 10 and 14.[67] This first phase of widening would also include constructing a new exit 10 in Edison Township, closeting the old exits 10 in Woodbirdge, rebuilding exits 11 to provide access to the Garden State Parkway, reversing the trumpet at exit 12, opening a new exit 13 in Elizebeth to provide direct access to the Goethals Bridge and I-278, and replacing exit 14's old one lane wide ramps with new longer and wider structures.[68] The new exit 11 was completed on September 18, 1969,[69] at which point the original exit 10 was closed. The new exit 10 was opened on January 13, 1970,[70] with the dual roadway opened a day later.[71] Originally, the NJTA planned to widen the stretch of roadway in Seacacus like the rest, tough NJDOT requested they build a bypass of it instead in order to avoid overcapacitating the Lincoln Tunnel and Route 495. This was what the NJTA ultimately chose, and the new Western Spur was opened to traffic on September 3, 1970. The new roadway was six lanes wide from Newark to exit 16W and four lanes wide from exit 16W to RIdgefild.[72] The opening also marked the completion of reconstruction of both exit 14 to exit 15, with the latter having new to lane ramps bult to replace the old one lane wide structures and the former being rebuilt to add ramps onto the new spur. Exit 15W also had its southbound exit and northbound entrance opened on the original (eastern) spur, new bus ramps built at at exits 16E[58] With the Bergen-Passaic Expressway completed in Ridgefield park in 1964, this left a mile long gap between I-95's turnpike concurrency and the expressway approaches onto the George Washington Bridge. Concurrent with the widening to 12 lanes between the Western Spurs northern and original mainline northern terminus, a new northern terminus consisting of a complex array of ramps was opened to traffic on October 20, 1971, resulting in replacement of existing trumpet interchange onto US 46.[73] This newly expanded stretch of roadway officially marked the completion of the expansion as originally, and made it so that the entire stretch of roadway (if Western spur is included) between exits 4 and exits 17/16W at least six lanes wide.
In 1970, the ban of heavy vehicles on the left lane extended from In 1970, the ban of heavy vehicles on the left lane extended from exits 9 to 4. Bus lanes were also built at exits 16E.[58]
In 1971, exits 1 was expanded.Cite error: The <ref> tag has too many names (see the help page).
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The New Jersey Turnpike smog accident occurred in the town of Kearny, on October 23 and 24, 1973. The first collision occurred at 11:20 p.m. EDT on the 23rd. Further accidents continued to occur until 2:45 a.m. the next day as cars plowed into the unseen accident ahead of them. Sixty-six vehicles were involved, and nine people died as a result. Thirty-nine suffered non-fatal injuries. The primary cause of the accident was related to a fire consisting of burning garbage, aggravated by foggy conditions.[74] This produced an area of extremely poor visibility.
In 1971, the authority announced plans to extend the dual-dual setup from exit 10 in Woodbridge to exit 9 in East Brunswick.Cite error: The <ref> tag has too many names (see the help page). Construction began immediately, and was completed on November 14, 1973,[75] at this point, the existing lanes were closed to be converted into the new southbound lanes, this was finished on January 13, 1974.[76] The project also involved constructing a ramp onto the car lanes from exit 10, and replacing the underpass on the mainline at exit 9 with an overpass as well as constructing a wider toll plaza to replace the existing one.[77]
In 1973, construction began on exit 7A, which would serve I-195.[77] connecting to I-195, it was in part constructed to serve the nearby Great Adventure amusement park, which opened later that year.[citation needed] On May 30, 1974, this new exit was opened to traffic.[78]
In May of 1975, the ability to pay tolls with credit cards was introduced.Cite error: The <ref> tag has too many names (see the help page).
In 1971, the NJTA proposed building the Alfred E. Driscoll Expressway and an interchange with the Turnpike to serve it. This was to start at the Garden State Parkway south of exit 80 in Dover Township (now Toms River) and end at the turnpike approximately three miles (4.8 km) north of exit 8A in South Brunswick. As a proposed part of the turnpike system, its seven interchanges would have included toll plazas except at the northern end of the turnpike. The proposed road met fierce opposition from Ocean, Monmouth, and Middlesex counties with quality of life being the main concern. The NJTA proceeded anyway and began selling bonds. But by December 1973, Governor-elect Brendan Byrne decided to stop the project altogether. Despite this, the authority continued with its plan. It was not until February 1977 that the authority abandoned its plan to build the road.[79] The rights-of-way were sold in 1979, shelving the project indefinitely.[80]
In 1973, the NJTA made plans to construct a new exit 13A. The interchange was to provide direct connections to the nearby Newark Liberty International Airport, which had previously having required taking convoluted routes via exit 13 or 14.[77] On June 10, 1982, this exit was opened to traffic.[81]
In July 1988, plans for a project to expand exit 7 were announced. This was deemed necessary due to an increase in the amount of truck traffic in the area due to the construction of I-295.[82] As part of this, a new 12-lane toll plaza and trumpet interchange located 1⁄2 mile (0.80 km) away from the original ramps were to be constructed, and the existing toll plaza was demolished,[47] though the old overpass would be left intact as a U-turn ramp.[citation needed] Construction began almost immediately, and was completed in 1990, costing $30 million.[47]
On May 11, 1985, the authority announced plans to widen the segment from exit 9 in East Brunswick to exit 8A in Monroe Township from six to twelve lanes. They also announced plans to widen the Western Spur from four and six lanes to twelve lanes for its entire length. [83] They also announced plans to erect a median barrier across the entire length of the turnpike.[84] Groundbreaking for this project was held on June 23, 1987.[85] By this point, the plans had been changed from widening the mainline from twelve lanes to ten lanes,Cite error: A <ref> tag is missing the closing </ref> (see the help page). with the rebuilding of exit 8A from a trumpet interchange that fed into T-intersection into a dual trumpet interchange completed in May 1991.[86]
In January 1992, the turnpike's northern terminus was extended by four miles (6.4 km). This was when the section of I-95 between exits 68 to 72B were sold by NJDOT, they did this in order to had balance the state's transportation budget.[87]
In 1992, the NJTA began a improvement project between exits 11 and exits 15E. The work constructed a HOV lane from exits 11 and exits 14 on the truck lanes, this was completed in 1996. The cost of this part of the project was $361 million. This was followed up by the completion another minor project 1.5-mile (2.4 km) stretch between exits 14 and exits 15E in Newark in 1997. This part of the project cost $148 million.[47]
On September 24, 1997, the Pennsylvania Turnpike Extension was officially rededicated as the Pearl Harbor Memorial extension, this was done in remembrance of the Americans who died because of the Attack on Pearl Harbor.[88]
On May 19, 1998, the speed limit was increased from 55 to 65 miles per hour (89 to 105 km/h) between exits 1 and exits 13 as part of a trail.[89] When this trail was later competed, the speed limit increase became permanent.
In the late 1990s, a project to improve exit 13A in Elizabeth was started with new ramps onto Jersey Gardens Boulevard being built and widening the toll plaza. It was completed in October 1999,[89] at the cost of $140 million. It was funded by the developers of Jersey Gardens, its construction was why the upgrade was carried out.[90]
In 1999, a bill to rename the mainline as the New Jersey Veterans Turnpike was proposed by the New Jersey General Assembly member Jack Collins. If passed, this memorial would have resulted in $500,000 worth of signage replacement. Despite passing the assembly, it was never signed into law.[47]
In October 1997, work began on a project to replace both exits 6 and 6A on the Pear Harbor Memorial Extension. As part of this, exit 6A was replaced by a new trumpet interchange that connected directly with US 130, and exit 6. was replaced by a new plaza just west of the new interchange, thereby allowing it to be a coin-drop plaza.[88] The new interchange with US 130 was opened on December 17, 1999; with it came the permanent closure of the old slip ramp in the area that had fed traffic onto poorly maintained local roads, and did not contain a westbound exit.[49] The new exit 6 toll plaza was completed in February 2000. Unlike the old plaza, it was equipped with E-ZPass, and had two express E-ZPass lanes, one in each direction.[91]
On September 30, 2000, the NJTA activated E-ZPass on the mainline.[92]
On July 14, 2001, the NJTA celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of the turnpike. Over 70 antique New Jersey police cruisers were driven from exit 8A in Cranbury to the NJHA’s headquarters, where they were judged and other events were held.Cite error: The <ref> tag has too many names (see the help page).
In 2002, Governor James E. McGreevey proposed constructing E-ZPass express lanes at the both exit 18W in Carlstadt or exit 18E is Secaucus. Work would require demolition of part of the existing plazas in the process.[93] Ultimately, exit 18E was dropped from this proposal, and construction lanes began on September 10,[94] 2003.[95] The four lane wide express lanes officially opened in January 2004, making it so that E-ZPass drivers could travel at speeds of up to 45 mph (72 km/h), rather than 15 mph (24 km/h) like before.[47]
By the 1990s, exit 1 in Carneys Point had become a chronic bottleneck, due in part to the fact it had not been significantly improved since its construction in 1951.[47] Relocation of the roadway to allow for the replacement plazas began in the summer of 2000, with the plaza itself not under construction until 2002.[93] The $44 million plaza, witch was approximately 1.2 miles (1.9 km) north of the original toll gate and featured four express E-ZPass lanes, opened to traffic in July 2004, at which point the old exit 1 was closed.[47]
In 2005, New Jersey legislator announced plans to potentially lease the turnpike to private investors.[47] This never occurred.
In 1992, NJTA began planning for a new interchange on the Eastern Spur in Secaucus, which, in addition to serving as a future connector to the proposed Allied Junction, was to improve truck access to a nearby warehouse, as well as to reduce congestion on local roads.[95] In December 1997, permits were given to construct the interchange, which would be located between exit 15W and exit 18E.[89] However, it was discovered early on during evaluation that the interchange site was located on the of the “Hudson County Graveyard for the Indigent”, a graveyard from the 19th century where many sub poverty line families had buried their dead. Because of this, in February 2003, thousands of buried bodies began to be relocated off of the work site by 60 archaeologists. With this completed, work began on the actual interchange in Fall 2003. While initially planned to open in fall 2005,[95] exit 15X was not opened to traffic until December 1.[47] Despite their hopes, an October 2007 report found it to be the least utilized interchange of the entire turnpike, in part due to the lack of parking at the station.[96]
In order to address chronic congestion, the authority opened a new two lane ramp at exit 8A to carry traffic onto the newly extended CR 535 in February 2006. The ramp that allowed traffic onto Route 32 westbound was then closed (though not demolished); despite redundancy, the eastbound ramp was left intact.[97]
In May 2006, the NJTA permitted hybrid vehicles to use the HOV lanes between exit 10 and exit 13. Like with other vehicles, they were prohibited from using the lanes during non-peak hours.[47]
The NJHA once planned to build Route 92, an east–west spur from US 1 and Ridge Road in the township of South Brunswick to the mainline of the turnpike at exit 8A in Monroe Township. This proposition was canceled on December 1, 2006.[97]
In early 2007, the NJTA ceased toll collection at exit 17s off ramp.[98]
In 2005, the authority began to lower the Eastern Spur (between mileposts 107.3 and 107.5) in Newark.[47] This project, competed in 2008, made it so that the spur consisted of a minimum 15-foot (4.6 m) vertical clearance and 12-foot (3.7 m) horizontal clearance on the shoulders underneath the Pulaski Skyway (US 1/9).
In March 2010, the authority completed a project that rebuilt exit 16W in East Rutherford to reduce weaving movements. Several new ramps were built, and old ones were demolished. One major modification was demolishing the old ramp from the tollgate to Route 3 west and constructing a new elevated ramp that swings swing around in the opposite direction to merge with Route 3 west, thereby completing the dual trumpet interchange.[99]
In April 2010, the authority completed a project that rebuilt exit 12 in the Borough of Carteret. The project, carried out in order to reduce truck traffic, involved a new grade seprated ramp from Roosevelt Avenue east to the toll gate, as replacing what was previously a fully an at-grade intersection with a one that only let traffic exit. In addition, the seven-lane toll booth was demolished, and a new seventeen-lane one was constructed in its place. While it initially planned to be completed in November or December 2009, though was delayed five to six months behind schedule.[100]
The NJTA began accepting E-ZPass on all lanes on March 5, 2011, previously only marked lanes allowed for such.[101]
In mid 2011, a reconstruction of the westbound Route 495 overpass across the turnpike at exit 16E in Secaucus was completed, the ramp was severely deteriorated.[102]
In late 2012, a project to make minor safety improvements was completed at exit 2 in Woolwich Township. A traffic signal at the T-intersection with US 322 was installed, turn lanes were added, and a park-and-ride was constructed.[103][104]
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In November 2004, Governor Richard Codey advocated a plan to widen a 20.1 miles (32.3 km) stretch of turnpike from exit 8A in Monroe Township to exit 6 in Mansfield Township. This was to be completed by 2014 when Pennsylvania was supposed to finish an interchange that would connect the Pennsylvania Turnpike to the I-95 in Bristol Township. In 2006,[97] finances were supplied by rerouting money from the planned Route 92 Turnpike extension, as had been planned since 2004.[105] On January 1, 2007, the NJTA released its plan for exit 8 in East Windsor Township. The old interchange, located west of the turnpike, would be demolished and replaced with a new one located to the east of the turnpike.[106] Other interchanges were also to be upgraded with this widening project. exit 6 in Mansfield Township would have its dual two laned ramps replaced by multiple pairs of single lane ramps, exit 7 in Bordentown Township would have new depressed ramps added, exit 7A in Robbinsville Township would have three extra collection lanes added to its gate, and exit 8A in Monroe Township would have a new ramp added.[107] The NJTA would also add a third truck lane between exit 9 in East Brunswick Township and exit 8A in Monroe Township. No overpass replacement was needed since overpasses were already designed with future expansion in mind. Only final preparation and paving of an outer lane in the outer roadways were required to accommodate the extra lane. New signage and lighting was installed as part of the widening project. It was thought that some transmission towers that ran near the turnpike would have to be replaced to make room for the newly constructed roadways. However, this idea was dismissed because it would have been cost prohibitive, and the towers, in fact, did not need to be.[108] The widened turnpike features six lanes in each direction, double the previous capacity.[109][110] The new exit 8 opened in January 2013, featuring a new toll plaza consisting of 10 lanes, with direct access to Route 133 (Hightstown Bypass) without going through any traffic lights, as well as to Route 33 by using a grade-separated interchange.[106] Construction of a realigned Milford Road, near the interchange, was open to traffic in October 2011.[111] Milford Road was converted into an overpass crossing over the new interchange 8 ramp. The junction with the realigned Milford Road, Route 33 and Monmouth Street was also modified.[112] On July 2, 2009, a ceremonial groundbreaking took place near exit 8 to initiate the widening of the turnpike.[113] On January 28, 2014, the last two of the project's 31 construction contracts was awarded.[114] On May 17–18, 2014, the NJTA switched traffic from the inner roadway for the new outer roadway to do repairs and resurfacing of the inner roadway.[115] The rehabilitated northbound lanes opened on October 26, 2014, while the southbound lanes opened a week later on November 3, 2014. The final cost reported to be $2.3 billion.[116][117] The project employed 1,000 workers a day, and at one point was the largest active road construction project in the Western Hemisphere.[118]
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In 2015, a project to replace all of the turnpike's original variable-message signs (VMS) was completed, at the same time, many new signs were added. The replacement signs, which feature full graphic color matrix technology, are more up-to-date and feature travel times to major routes when not otherwise in use.[10]
In late October 2015, the southbound exit ramp on the car lanes at exit 7A was closed. Steel plates beneath the deck of the exit ramp overpass "were not built to specification" when constructed a year before, and to avoid premature replacement in the future, the ramps were repaired. These repairs were completed in late November 2015.[119]
To reduce congestion, the NJTA widened all ramps at exit 9, except the ramp to Route 18 north, though it was still improved. This was done as part of the larger project to rebuild Route 18 through East Brunswick. Construction commenced in late 2012, and was completed by mid-2016.[120][121][122][123]
Plans were made to reconstruct exit 14A on the Newark Bay Extension in Jersey City and its connectors in Bayonne as the original interchange was in "poor condition" and had become a chronic bottleneck. This was part of a bigger project to prepare for future traffic volume along Route 440. Official groundbreaking occurred on March 11, 2015, with an expanded toll plaza and replaced connector bridges targeted for a late 2018 completion date, at the cost of $310 million.[124][125] The expanded exit 14A opened to traffic in May 2018, months ahead of schedule.[126]
Signage for I-95 was extended from I-195 in Robbinsville Township to exit 6 in September 2018, the Pearl Harbor Memorial Extension was also signed.[127]
In conjunction with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey's replacement of the Goethals Bridge, improvements were being studied at exit 13 in Elizabeth.[128] However, the interchange was ultimately left as is, with no improvements being made.
On March 24, 2020, the New Jersey Turnpike Authority temporarily suspended cash toll collection due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Drivers without E-ZPass transponders had their license plates photographed at the toll plazas and were sent bills in the mail. Cash collection resumed on May 19 of that year.[129]
In 2021, a project was completed to widen the E-ZPass express lanes at exit 6 from two to four collection lanes, as the original configuration had become a bottleneck with the completion of the I-95 interchange in Pennsylvania.[130]
In January 2020, the NJTA announced plans to construct E-ZPass express lanes at exit 18E.[131] As part of the project, in April 2021, the ramp at exit 16E onto the Paterson Plank Road was closed permanently in order to reduce delays caused by a mix of buses and cars.[132] The new lanes were opened in November 2021,[133] concurrently, a new ramp from exits 18E onto Paterson Plank Road was opened.[132]
From late April to May 2022, exit 7 was temporarily closed so the overpass over US 206 could be repaired.[134]
On June 9, 2023, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials approved redesignation the Eastern Spur as I-695 and official designation of the Western Spur as I-95.[135]
The NJHA is planning a 1.1-mile (1.8 km) extension called the "Tremley Point Road Connector" from Industrial Highway in the Borough of Carteret to Tremley Point Road in the City of Linden. The purpose of this extension is to increase truck access to the Tremley Point industrial area in Linden while moving trucks off local streets in residential neighborhoods. The authority chose this access road rather than a full interchange with Tremley Point Road from the turnpike mainline because of its proximity to both exits 12 and 13.[136] The estimated completion date of the connector has yet to be determined,[137] but as of October 2019, a construction contract has been awarded.[138]
The NJTA plans to widen the segment of roadway between exits 1 through 4 to six lanes. Construction is planned to begin in 2025 and be completed in 2032.[139] The widening, which has been in the planning stage since 1992, will also involve the replacement or rehabilitation of 55 overpasses, as well as improvements to exits 1 through 4. In addition to this, residents and legislators are lobbying for the authority and NJDOT to construct a long-anticipated interchange between the turnpike with Route 42. This interchange would relieve tractor trailer traffic on exit 3 (Route 168), which creates massive backups as it is the only exit to Camden, Philadelphia, and southward. This proposed interchange would have a direct connection to the Atlantic City Expressway, I-76, and I-676. It would remove the requirement to travel through long suburban avenues with many traffic signals.[140]
The NJTA plans to widen the Newark Bay Extension from four lanes to six lanes. This would involve replacing 29 bridge structures, including the Newark Bay Bridge, as they are in poor condition, functionally obsolete, and not designed to be widened. Construction on the first phase of the project is expected to begin in 2026 and to be completed sometime between 2032 and 2034, with the other 3 phases currently undetermined.[141]
The NJTA plans for an expansion of the Western Spur from four lanes and six lanes with minimal shoulders to a consistent six lanes with standard width shoulders. This would require the replacement of many bridge structures, including the harry Laderman Bridge.[141]
The NJTA has long-term plans for conversion of the entire road to all electronic tolling. This system would retain support of E-ZPass, though cash payments would be replaced by a toll by mail system where a transponder would take a photo of the vehicle's license plate and use that information to bill the driver in the mail. This would require demolition of the conventional toll lanes in the process.[141]
The NJTA plans to extend the HOV lanes past exit 13. This would require further reconstruction of many underpasses in the area.[141]
The NJTA plans to replace one of the overpasses carrying traffic at exit 17, as it is deteriorated.[141]
The NJTA plans to build new crossover ramps between the car roadway and truck roadway between exit 9 and exit 8A, which will allow for increased ability to shut the roadway in the case of irregular occurrences.[141]
The NJTA plans to replace the four-lane-wide Delaware River Bridge on the Pearl Harbor Memorial extension with a six-lane Cable-stayed bridge. Construction on this project is expected to begin sometime after 2030.[141]
The New Jersey Turnpike is a closed-system toll road, using a system of long-distance tickets, obtained once by the motorist upon entering and surrendered upon exiting at toll gates. The toll fee depends on the distance traveled—longer distances result in higher tolls. As of January 1, 2023[update], the automobile toll from exit 1 to exit 18 is $20.05 using cash and $20.01 using E-ZPass electronic toll collection.[142] If the ticket is lost, the driver must pay the highest toll fee upon exiting. In September 2000, the turnpike introduced E-ZPass electronic toll collection.[143] Discounts were available to all users of the E-ZPass system until 2002. The cost to implement the E-ZPass system forced the NJTA to eliminate the discounts during peak hours and instead impose a $1 per month E-ZPass fee to account holders. E-ZPass customers with NJ accounts still receive a discount during off-peak hours,[144] when the automobile toll from exit 1 to exit 18 is $14.15. Cash customers do not receive this discount.[145] Four toll plazas on the turnpike have Express E-ZPass lanes, allowing E-ZPass customers to travel through toll areas at highway speeds, thanks to the addition of E-ZPass sensors on an overhead gantry. These high-speed toll gates are located at the northern terminus of the road on both the Western Spur and the Eastern Spur, the southern terminus in Carneys Point Township, and on the Pennsylvania Turnpike Extension. At each location, traditional E-ZPass and cash lanes are also available.[146] Every toll lane on the turnpike accepts E-ZPass.
The non-tolled I-295, which parallels the turnpike for much of its southern length, is often used as an alternate route for shunpiking by locals and through travelers alike; before the replacement of the exit 1 toll plaza, this route was promoted through signage and radio announcements from the New Jersey State Police as a bypass of summer congestion at the plaza.[citation needed]
On March 24, 2020, the NJTA temporarily suspended cash toll collection because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Drivers without E-ZPass transponders had their license plates photographed at the toll plazas and were sent bills in the mail. Cash collection resumed on May 19 of that year.[129]
The turnpike and the Garden State Parkway raised tolls in 2020 and 2021 and, in its 2023 budget, called for another toll increase of 7.4% in 2023. The NJTA said the increase was due to "pressures on discretionary travel and costs due to an inflation rate of 8.3%".[147]
As it was planed for from the start, the Eastern Spur is considered part of the mainline.
The entire route is in Burlington County.
The entire route is in Bergen County.
The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable cause of this series of multivehicle collisions was the penetration of vehicles into areas of severely reduced visibility due to fog and smoke, the latter occasioned by fires adjacent to the turnpike which had not been promptly extinguished. The delay in closing the affected roadways by the New Jersey State Police contributed to the number of accidents.
The Widening Program created a three-lane Outer Roadway in each direction over the 25 miles between Interchange 6 in Mansfield Township, Burlington County, and Interchange 8A in Monroe Township, Middlesex County.
