Newark, NJ – Wednesday morning commuters faced a messy ride across New Jersey with multiple crashes, breakdowns, and construction tie-ups slowing travel on key highways and river crossings.
The New Jersey Turnpike saw heavy congestion in several stretches, including a tractor trailer rollover north of Interchange 5 in Springfield Township that shut down all lanes and the left shoulder just after 7 a.m. The crash triggered additional backups northbound and southbound near the Pennsylvania Turnpike connector, where delays stretched up to three and a half miles. A disabled bus further clogged traffic on the Eastern Spur near Interchange 15W in Kearny, blocking a right lane.
Other morning hazards included a downed pole on US 206 at I-295 in Lawrence Township that forced a full closure, and a water main break on NJ 120 in East Rutherford that kept one lane shut.
Delays stacked up at Hudson River crossings as well. The George Washington Bridge carried up to 40-minute travel times eastbound from I-80, while the Lincoln Tunnel saw 20-minute waits through both the center and south tubes. Drivers also faced congestion on NJ 3 westbound into Clifton, the Pulaski Skyway northbound into Jersey City, and on US 1&9 corridors around Newark and North Bergen.
Arterial routes like US 22 were slowed by steady volume, with eastbound drivers facing 45-minute stretches from North Gaston Avenue to US 1&9, while westbound commutes near I-287 ran as high as 25 minutes.
With traffic spilling onto secondary highways and several key incidents still under investigation, commuters were urged to allow extra time.
Morning rush moved at a crawl across North Jersey’s busiest roads.
