Nj 18 @ south of hoes lane west
NJ 18 @ South of Hoes Lane West

New Jersey Thursday Morning Rush Hour Commuter Traffic Report

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1 min read
December 4, 2025

NEWARK, NJ – Thursday’s morning commute across New Jersey brought a mix of crashes, lane closures, and long delays at Hudson River crossings, according to state traffic officials.

By 8:30 a.m., multiple incidents were slowing drivers on major highways including Routes 18, I-295, and U.S. 202, with added congestion along both the eastern and western spurs of the New Jersey Turnpike.

Motorists heading toward New York City faced the longest waits, with travel times topping 40 minutes at key tunnels and bridges.

Crashes reported on Route 18 and I-295

Emergency crews were on the scene of a crash on Route 18 northbound in East Brunswick near U.S. 1, where one right lane remained closed. A separate EMS incident on Route 18 southbound near Morris Avenue in Piscataway closed one of two lanes and the right shoulder.

Farther south, a crash on I-295 northbound in Mount Laurel just past Exit 36 closed the left shoulder, causing additional delays.

In Somerset County, a malfunctioning traffic light continued to affect both directions of U.S. 202 at River Road in Branchburg, where one left lane remained blocked.

Turnpike traffic heavy across both spurs

Northbound commuters encountered four miles of congestion on the inner and outer roadways of the New Jersey Turnpike between Interchange 13 in Linden and 13A near Newark Liberty International Airport. Additional slowdowns were reported along the Western Spur near Interchange 15W and the Eastern Spur between Newark and Kearny, with volume-related delays extending for several miles.

The eastbound ramp to Interchange 16E in North Bergen also experienced slow-moving traffic due to volume heading toward the Lincoln Tunnel.

Bridge and tunnel travel times climbing

At the Hudson River crossings, the George Washington Bridge’s upper level posted a 35-minute travel time from I-80 to the Alexander Hamilton Bridge, while the lower level averaged 30 minutes.

The Lincoln Tunnel saw the heaviest congestion, with both the center and south tunnels reporting 40-minute eastbound travel times from Turnpike Exit 16E. The Holland Tunnel remained slower than normal, with 30-minute waits from Exit 14C and 25 minutes from New Jersey 139 at Tonnelle Circle.

Drivers were advised to allow extra time for their morning commute or consider alternate routes.

Phil Stilton

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.

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