TRENTON, N.J. — Traffic across New Jersey saw unusually smooth movement during Friday morning’s commute, with several key highways and bridges reporting minimal delays compared to typical peak hours. While congestion persisted at some expected bottlenecks, drivers experienced reduced travel times along major routes.
Data from the state’s traffic monitoring system, 511NJ, showed free-flowing conditions on Interstate 78, Route 22, and portions of the New Jersey Turnpike. Travel from the George Washington Bridge to Interchange 18W via express lanes was reported at just 10 minutes, with local lanes matching that time. Travel times between Interchange 6 and Interchange 1 on the Turnpike were also steady at 47 minutes.
However, minor delays were recorded at key entry points into New York City. At 8:23 a.m., a one-mile delay was reported on the Hudson County Extension eastbound approaching the Newark Bay Bridge due to high volume. Travel through the Holland Tunnel eastbound remained manageable, with a 15-minute delay from Exit 14C on the Turnpike and 20 minutes from New Jersey 139 at Tonnelle Circle.
Other congestion hot spots included the Lincoln Tunnel and George Washington Bridge. Travel times through the Lincoln Tunnel eastbound from Exit 16E were 25 minutes, while delays on the George Washington Bridge ranged between 20 to 25 minutes for upper and lower levels heading eastbound.
Minor incidents also impacted traffic flows. At 8:09 a.m., a crash on the Turnpike’s inner roadway northbound near the Molly Pitcher Service Area in Cranbury Township had all lanes cleared quickly, minimizing disruption. Similarly, a crash on the US 1&9 Truck Route at Charlotte Circle in Jersey City temporarily closed a northbound lane but caused only slight slowdowns.
Despite some pockets of congestion, drivers across much of the state experienced quicker-than-average commutes. Conditions were aided by reduced volumes in some areas, with traffic on Route 22 and parts of I-80 flowing freely in both directions.
