Newark, NJ – New Jersey commuters faced a rough start Tuesday morning as crashes, a vehicle fire, and heavy congestion created delays across several key roadways during peak travel hours.
A crash on US 9 southbound in South Amboy just north of NJ 35 around 8:40 a.m. closed one of two lanes, slowing traffic significantly through the area. Meanwhile, a separate crash on I-287 southbound near Exit 44 for US 202 in Boonton led to the closure of the right shoulder shortly after 8:35 a.m.
Just minutes earlier, at around 8:33 a.m., a vehicle fire broke out on I-280 eastbound at Exit 11 for Freeway Drive East/West in Orange, forcing the closure of the ramp lane and right shoulder, contributing to heavy backups in the area.
On the Garden State Parkway, a crash on the northbound side just past Exit 142 for I-78 in Irvington Township was still blocking the left lane as of 7:58 a.m. Further north, volume-related congestion was reported from north of Exit 144 in Newark to just past the Essex Toll Plaza in Bloomfield, causing a five-mile delay despite all lanes remaining open.
The George Washington Bridge also saw heavy volume on both levels. As of 8:26 a.m., delays were reported on the lower level eastbound from the New Jersey side in Fort Lee, with a 20-minute travel time on I-95 from I-80 to the Alexander Hamilton Bridge. The upper level eastbound also saw delays with a 25-minute travel time over the same stretch. Westbound traffic from the New York side was slow as well, with 15-minute delays on both the upper and lower levels along the Cross Bronx Expressway from Jerome Avenue to I-95 at I-80.
Additional delays were also noted on the New Jersey Turnpike – Hudson County Extension eastbound near Interchange 14 (I-78) in Newark. Although all lanes were open, volume continued to cause slowdowns as of 8:23 a.m.
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Key Points
- Crashes on US 9, I-287, and the Garden State Parkway disrupted traffic during peak hours
- A vehicle fire on I-280 added to widespread delays across Essex County
- Delays also hit the George Washington Bridge and NJ Turnpike due to volume
