Car driving through flooded road.
Car driving through flooded road.

Flooding shuts US 40 in Atlantic County as crashes and delays snarl New Jersey commute

by
August 18, 2025
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ATLANTIC CITY, NJ – A wave of severe traffic disruptions swept across New Jersey on Monday evening, with flooding closing down a major highway in Egg Harbor Township and crashes clogging up key routes from the Turnpike to the George Washington Bridge during the height of rush hour.

All lanes of US Route 40 west of the Atlantic City Expressway were shut down as of 5:48 p.m. due to heavy flooding, making the road completely impassable in both directions. The closure left drivers stranded and forced major detours just as commuter volume hit its peak.

Compounding the chaos, a crash at 5:51 p.m. on NJ Route 3 eastbound near the Garden State Parkway in Clifton blocked two of four lanes, intensifying delays in the already congested corridor.

Further south, a crash on NJ Route 42 northbound near Exit 10B in Gloucester Township caused more backups, with the left shoulder blocked as emergency responders worked the scene. Around the same time, another crash partially closed the northbound entrance ramp to the New Jersey Turnpike Eastern Spur at Interchange 15E in Newark.

In Manhattan, eastbound traffic on the George Washington Bridge upper level slowed due to a crash on the Upper Trans Manhattan Expressway. One center lane was blocked, adding to bridge travel times that already hovered around 25 minutes from I-80 to the Alexander Hamilton Bridge.

A disabled truck on the Western Spur of the New Jersey Turnpike also contributed to delays near Interchange 15E in Newark, with the right lane blocked.

Meanwhile, heavy volume alone was enough to cause miles-long delays on the Garden State Parkway, Pulaski Skyway, I-280, and both the Eastern and Western Spurs of the Turnpike. Some stretches saw congestion as long as six miles.

The combined impact of weather-related road closures and accident-related lane blockages created one of the most difficult evening commutes of the summer so far.

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Key Points

  • Flooding shut down all lanes of US Route 40 in Egg Harbor Township Monday evening
  • Crashes and disabled vehicles snarled multiple routes including NJ 3, NJ 42, the Turnpike, and GWB
  • Delays stretched for miles across major highways statewide during peak evening commute

Storm runoff and wrecks collided to create traffic gridlock across New Jersey just in time for rush hour.

Phil Stilton

Phil Stilton

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital news organization covering New Jersey, national politics, public policy, public safety, and community affairs. With years of experience reporting on local government, elections, law enforcement, and issues impacting residents throughout New Jersey, Stilton has built a reputation for delivering timely news, in-depth reporting, and accountability journalism.

As the founder of Shore News Network, Stilton oversees editorial operations, investigative reporting, and breaking news coverage while working closely with journalists, public officials, and community leaders. His reporting has covered municipal government, state politics, federal policy, public records investigations, emergency management, and major news events affecting local communities.

Stilton is committed to factual reporting, source verification, transparency, and providing readers with accessible, accurate information that helps them better understand the issues shaping their communities. Through Shore News Network, he continues to focus on delivering trusted news coverage and original reporting to audiences across New Jersey and beyond.

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