Heavy delays clog nj highways as friday morning commute hits full stride

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.

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.