Police traffic incident - new jersey - file photo — Police traffic incident - New Jersey - File Photo

Morning gridlock hits North Jersey as crashes and disabled vehicles jam key routes

NEWARK, NJ – Tuesday’s morning rush turned sluggish across North Jersey, with disabled vehicles, crashes, and lingering congestion causing widespread delays from the Turnpike to the bridges.

A disabled tractor-trailer blocked the right lane on the New Jersey Turnpike’s outer roadway northbound near Interchange 14 in Newark shortly after 8:30 a.m., slowing traffic for several miles.

Minutes earlier, a separate disabled vehicle on NJ 495 eastbound near Boulevard East in Weehawken clogged the left lane, backing up commuters bound for the Lincoln Tunnel.

In Woodbridge Township, a crash on US 9 northbound near Green Street shut down one of two lanes, creating a heavy bottleneck through the area.

Delays ripple across major crossings and highways
The Lincoln Tunnel saw 30-minute waits in both the center and south tubes as traffic built eastbound toward New York. The George Washington Bridge fared no better—travel times stretched to 40 minutes on the upper level and 30 on the lower, with congestion on I-95 back to I-80.

Turnpike drivers also faced an eight-mile delay northbound between Carteret-Rahway and Newark, with volume compounded by the disabled truck near Interchange 14.

Road hazards add to commuter strain
Farther south, a vehicle went off the roadway on the Garden State Parkway near Exit 67 in Barnegat, blocking the right shoulder but not causing major slowdowns. In West Amwell Township, downed wires closed NJ 179 in both directions north of Mount Airy Village Road.

Other slow-moving stretches were reported on US 1 through Lawrence and West Windsor, NJ 23 in Totowa, and I-287 south through Bridgewater and Franklin.

Traffic eases slowly through midmorning
By 9 a.m., conditions had begun to improve on I-280 in Parsippany, where an earlier crash cleared without lasting impact. Officials urged drivers to allow extra time and remain alert for unexpected lane closures as residual delays clear through late morning.

Phil Stilton Latest posts

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.