Garden State Parkway - Future Developments

Future Developments

• Eight new Variable Message Signs will be installed in parts of Cape May County. The locations include mile markers 5.7, 13, and 19.7, southbound and mile markers 6, 11.7, 17.9, 23.9, and 27.1 northbound. Construction is expected to be completed in December 2012.
• In Cape May County, the Parkway will be grade separated from interchanges 9, 10 and 11 and the existing traffic lights are to be removed. The Authority estimates awarding a construction contract in June 2012 with construction starting in September 2012. The project was originally planned to start in fall 2011 but was delayed because a wetland mitigation plan has not been approved by the federal government. The project will cost $125 million and be completed in 2015.
• The 55-year-old southbound bridge and the 36-year-old northbound bridge over Great Egg Harbor Bay, Drag Channel, and Harbor Road in Atlantic and Cape May Counties will receive repairs to steel and concrete superstructure and pile deterioration and substructure concrete spalls. Construction is set to begin in the summer of 2011 and be completed in the fall of 2012.
• The southbound bridge over the Great Egg Harbor is set be replaced sometime in the future. Construction could begin in 2014 and continue into 2016. The new southbound bridge will be built to carry both northbound and southbound traffic so the northbound bridge can receive new decking and strengthening. Design services for the new northbound bridge would be awarded in 2014 with construction starting in 2017. Alternative methods are being explored to possibly complete the project by 2016. Funding is not yet in place.
• A $25 million interchange will be built as Exit 41 at Jimmie Leeds Road, north of the Atlantic City service area. An access road currently connects the service area to Jimmie Leeds Road, which will be demolished and will be the future location of a new State Police facility. The project is expected to be completed in 2014.
• Interchange 44 will be converted to a full interchange in Galloway Township.
• In May 2005, then Governor Codey announced a widening of the Parkway between exit 63 in Stafford Township to exit 80 in the borough of South Toms River. The new Parkway setup would have three lanes in each direction, an upgrade from the current two. However, the Turnpike Authority is now planning to widen the parkway from exit 80 all the way south to exit 30 in the city of Somers Point.
• New bridges have been proposed across the Mullica River from the city of Port Republic to Bass River Township. Construction began in 2009 as part of the Parkway widening project.
• Exit 83 (in Toms River Township) will see improvements, notably a southbound exit ramp and all improvements to make it a full interchange. In addition, a new connector road would be built from just south of Exit 83 to the intersection of Indian Head Road and Intermediate Way North, which motorists would have to use for most northbound parkway movements.
• Exits 88 and 89 would have major work done to them, especially at Exit 88 which would have a major redesign. New collector/distributor lanes would be built between the two interchanges that would strictly grant access to both exits. In addition, the toll gates at Exit 88 would be demolished and the toll gates at Exit 89 would instead be used for both exits. Furthermore, both exits would add missing movements for southbound parkway access.
• Exits 89 and 90 in Lakewood will construct continuous auxiliary lanes. In the northbound direction, the on ramp from Interchange 89 will be continuous to the off ramp at Interchange 90 and in the southbound direction, the on ramp from Interchange 90 will be continuous to the off ramp at Interchange 89. Overhead signing will be installed and the ground mounted signing will be removed.
• Exit 91 (in Brick Township) will also be upgraded to a full interchange starting sometime around 2009 or 2010.
• Exit 131A in Woodbridge Township will be upgraded with new ramps.
• Exit 151 in Bloomfield Township will completely replace the Watchung Avenue overpass structure and the Parkway will receive full shoulders underneath the new structure.