It's a mess out there today as bridge backups and crashes snarl new jersey's morning commute

It’s a mess out there today as bridge backups and crashes snarl New Jersey’s morning commute

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1 min read
August 5, 2025

Newark, NJ — It was a rough start for thousands of New Jersey drivers Tuesday morning as crashes, police activity, and volume-packed highways jammed up major routes heading into New York City.

One of the biggest headaches began on the George Washington Bridge upper level eastbound in Fort Lee, where police activity blocked a right lane, causing delays that stretched travel times to 20 minutes from I-80 to the Alexander Hamilton Bridge. The lower level was also congested, with 15-minute backups.

Meanwhile, the Lincoln Tunnel saw 15-minute delays from the Turnpike’s Exit 16E to the New York side across both center and south tunnels, despite all lanes remaining open.

A crash on I-80 westbound near Exit 47B in Parsippany-Troy Hills closed a lane, further contributing to backups. Another crash on the Turnpike’s Eastern Spur near Interchange 17E in Secaucus blocked the left lane and slowed traffic in the already heavy morning push.

In Old Bridge Township, a downed utility pole on NJ 35 southbound shut a lane near Lawrence Parkway, adding to local congestion. And a disabled tractor-trailer in Elizabeth clogged McLester Street near Lyle King Street, closing the left lane.

Even without incidents, several highways were slammed by volume alone. Garden State Parkway delays stacked up southbound between Bloomfield and East Orange and again near the US 1 exit in Woodbridge. I-78 westbound express lanes through Hillside and Springfield were crawling, as were sections of I-280, NJ 29 in Trenton, US 1 in Lawrence, and NJ 3 in Clifton.

Popular shore routes remained mostly steady with modest times southbound: 25 minutes from the Raritan Toll Plaza to Belmar via both express and local lanes; just under two hours to Wildwood.

But commuters heading into New York had to pack patience—and maybe a podcast—as traffic brought a slow and frustrating morning for thousands across the region.


Key Points

  • Police activity and multiple crashes slowed traffic on the GWB, Turnpike, and I-80
  • Major Hudson River crossings into NYC saw 15- to 20-minute delays

Tuesday morning traffic brought delays, crashes, and bridge backups for New Jersey commuters trying to enter the city.

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.

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