The New Jersey Turnpike Authority kicked off the largest infrastructure project in its history, a $6.7 billion reconstruction of the 8.1-mile extension between Newark and Hudson County.
The Newark Bay-Hudson County Extension, which opened to traffic in 1956, consists primarily of 29 bridges. Most are at the end of their service life and must be replaced. The first part of the program, the highest priority, will replace the Newark Bay Bridge between Interchanges 14 in Newark and 14A in Bayonne with a modern cable stay bridge.
The Turnpike Authority first proposed the project in 2024. In March, Governor Mikie Sherrill recommended a four-lane bridge, paring back an eight-lane, $10.7 billion recommendation from the Murphy administration. Sherrill said the program will support 19,000 jobs, including thousands of union construction jobs, and create opportunities for small and minority-owned businesses.
“We will finally fix this vital artery and ensure it serves our state for the next century,” Sherrill said. “We’re building the resilient infrastructure New Jersey needs.”
The extension carries an average of 97,000 vehicles per day, and the communities and port facilities adjacent to it are growing. Hudson County is projected to get an additional 80,000 residential units, 15 million square feet of office space, and nearly 4 million square feet of retail over the next decade, according to Turnpike estimates.
The project is being funded with toll revenue. The existing Newark Bay Bridge will remain in service until 2031 while the new bridge is being built. All traffic will then be shifted onto the new bridge and the existing one will be demolished.
“The Newark Bay Bridge is a structurally deficient and functionally obsolete bridge. We’ve made a commitment to replace it by 2031,” said Kris Kolluri, executive director of the Turnpike Authority. “This Newark Bay – Hudson County Extension Program will ensure the safety of our drivers and allow us to develop a new structure that will serve our region for the next 100 years.”
