The entire Atlantic City Expressway will have three lanes in each direction with a $400 million project that broke ground today, a long-awaited fix for one of South Jersey’s biggest traffic bottlenecks.
After years of planning, the South Jersey Transportation Authority is set to begin its biggest-ever capital project. The SJTA initially estimated the cost of the widening at about $180 million before studies and planning began. Officials say the project will alleviate congestion, particularly during the peak summer and weekday commuting periods.
“When the project is complete, South Jersey will have an expressway that is better equipped to move people and commerce, support continued economic growth, and meet the transportation needs of our region for decades to come,” SJTA Executive Director Stephen Dougherty said during the ceremonial groundbreaking along the Expressway in Sicklerville.
The work calls for adding a third lane in each direction from interchange 31 to 44 in Gloucester and Camden counties. It also includes the improvement of two bridges over Route 42 and two over the Great Egg Harbor River, and the widening of the Route 42 Bridge over Sicklerville Road.
The SJTA issued Transportation System Revenue bonds to fund the project in 2020, when it instituted toll increases tied to inflation. Beyond those, Dougherty said there are no plans for fare increases.
Congressman Donald Norcross praised the “long-overdue” project. A lifelong Camden County resident, Norcross described how it’s commonplace for him and his constituents to avoid the expressway on Friday and Sunday afternoons because of chronic delays. The investment is not only about increasing capacity and providing motorists with a safer and more reliable trip. It’s also about finally giving South Jersey the transportation investment it needs to support its economy, Norcross said.
“We often hear about the neglect in southern New Jersey; well, this is starting to right some of those wrongs,” Norcross said.
