TRENTON, N.J. – Wednesday’s morning rush hour brought typical congestion across major New Jersey highways, with long delays reported at Hudson River crossings and pockets of heavy volume on the Turnpike and Garden State Parkway.
By 9 a.m., travel times into New York City were stretching well beyond the morning average.
The heaviest backups were reported on the George Washington Bridge, Lincoln Tunnel, and Garden State Parkway northbound through Essex and Union counties.
Key Points
- George Washington Bridge eastbound delays reached 35 to 40 minutes from I-80 to the Alexander Hamilton Bridge.
- Lincoln and Holland tunnel trips averaged 20–30 minutes into Manhattan.
- Volume caused multi-mile slowdowns on the Garden State Parkway and New Jersey Turnpike near Newark.
Turnpike traffic sluggish through Newark corridor
Turnpike drivers faced delays northbound near Interchange 14 due to volume and a disabled vehicle blocking a center lane on the inner roadway by I-78 in Newark. Outer roadway congestion extended about 1½ miles approaching the Southern Mixing Bowl. Southbound flow was steady, with typical drive times—about 10 minutes from the George Washington Bridge to Interchange 18W via either express or local lanes, and 33 minutes from Interchange 14 to 8A.
Parkway congestion slows Essex and Union counties
Northbound traffic on the Garden State Parkway was moving slowly through several stretches, including a nine-mile delay from Irvington to Bloomfield and another four-mile slowdown between Woodbridge and Cranford. Southbound delays ran about five miles from Bloomfield to Newark due to heavy commuter volume.
Hudson crossings remain packed
Drivers heading into Manhattan faced the steepest waits at the Lincoln Tunnel, with 30-minute delays through both the center and south tubes. The Holland Tunnel was somewhat lighter but still running 20-minute crossings from the Turnpike Exit 14C and NJ-139 approaches. At the George Washington Bridge, lower-level eastbound traffic clocked in at 35 minutes, while upper-level drivers faced a 40-minute trip.
South Jersey routes mostly clear
South of Trenton, conditions were smoother. I-295 northbound saw minor slowdowns between Bellmawr and Cherry Hill, while a downed utility pole continued to close one lane on US-130 northbound in Pennsauken near Browning Road. No significant backups were reported on the Atlantic City Expressway or Route 55.
Motorists are advised to allow extra travel time through North Jersey’s main arteries and to monitor 511nj.org for updates throughout the day.