Newark, NJ – Another summer weekend at the Jersey Shore came to a sluggish close Sunday night, with heavy traffic, delays, and a crash clogging major roadways as travelers packed up and headed home.
As of 8:16 p.m., a crash on the New Jersey Turnpike Eastern Spur in Kearny near Interchange 15W blocked the right shoulder, adding to already worsening congestion. EMS activity on I-287 near Exit 21 in Bridgewater Township also forced the closure of the right shoulder on the express lanes around 8:13 p.m.
Motorists returning north from the Shore faced extensive delays on the Garden State Parkway, particularly through Middlesex and Monmouth counties. A five-mile backup was reported between Colonia and Cranford due to sheer volume, while rubbernecking added four more miles of delays near Tinton Falls and Middletown. Additional slowdowns were reported near Old Bridge, Sayreville, and Woodbridge.
The New Jersey Turnpike wasn’t spared either. A two-mile delay was noted near Interchange 14 in Newark, with another two-mile backup on the Western Spur between the Southern Mixing Bowl and Interchange 15E.
Heading into New York, travelers were stuck in long lines on both levels of the George Washington Bridge. Eastbound delays stretched 25 to 35 minutes from Fort Lee to Harlem River Drive. The Outerbridge Crossing saw a 15- to 20-minute delay into Staten Island, with traffic building on Route 440 and NJ 440 through Perth Amboy.
Altogether, the drive home marked another grueling post-shore weekend commute across the Garden State.
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Key Points
- Delays and incidents plagued Garden State Parkway, Turnpike, and key crossings Sunday evening
- Shore traffic caused multi-mile backups across Woodbridge, Tinton Falls, and Newark
- GW Bridge and Outerbridge also saw significant congestion eastbound into New York
Summer’s not over, but Sunday shore traffic sure made it feel that way
