NEWARK, NJ – Rush-hour traffic across New Jersey slowed to a crawl Friday morning as wet conditions, construction zones, and several early crashes combined to jam major routes heading toward New York and Philadelphia.
Drivers reported stop-and-go congestion on the New Jersey Turnpike northbound from Interchange 8A in Monroe through the merge with the eastern spur near Secaucus.
The Garden State Parkway also saw heavy delays in both directions, with the northbound stretch between exits 135 and 151 moving well below posted limits.
Route 3 backed up approaching the Lincoln Tunnel, where travel times into Midtown Manhattan exceeded 45 minutes by 8:30 a.m.
In South Jersey, a multi-vehicle crash near Exit 4 of I-295 northbound in Mount Laurel caused lane closures and brief standstills extending toward the Route 73 interchange.
Commuters face slow roll into metro areas
Traffic built steadily through the early morning as commuters navigated slick roadways following overnight rain. NJ Transit buses experienced moderate delays inbound to the Port Authority Bus Terminal, while trains on the Northeast Corridor and Morris & Essex lines ran mostly on time with minor crowding.
Drivers heading toward the George Washington Bridge encountered 30-minute delays at the upper level and 20-minute waits at the lower. The Holland Tunnel remained the least congested Hudson River crossing, though westbound traffic into Jersey City was sluggish.
Weekend outlook improves
Transportation officials said congestion should ease by midday, with clearer skies and lighter volumes expected through the weekend. However, intermittent maintenance work will continue on sections of the Turnpike and Parkway through Sunday morning.
Motorists are urged to allow extra travel time, keep headlights on in rain, and monitor 511NJ for real-time updates before heading out.
Key Points
- Heavy delays Friday morning on Turnpike, Parkway, and Route 3 toward NYC.
- Crashes and wet roads worsened commute; some Hudson crossings backed up 30–45 minutes.
- Traffic expected to ease by midday with better travel conditions into the weekend.
