Atlantic City Expressway
Route information | ||
---|---|---|
Maintained by SJTA | ||
Length | 44.19 mi[1] (71.12 km) | |
Existed | 1964–present | |
Component highways | Route 446 (unsigned) | |
Major junctions | ||
West end | Route 42 in Washington Township | |
| ||
East end | Baltic Avenue / Fairmount Avenue in Atlantic City | |
Location | ||
Country | United States | |
State | New Jersey | |
Counties | Gloucester, Camden, Atlantic | |
Highway system | ||
|
The Atlantic City Expressway, officially numbered, but
The Atlantic City Expressway uses a barrier toll system, with two mainline toll plazas (Egg Harbor in Hamilton Township and Pleasantville) and ramp tolls at seven interchanges. Tolls can be paid using cash or the E-ZPass electronic toll collection system. The total cost to travel the length of the Atlantic City Expressway for passenger vehicles is currently $5.90. The expressway features one service plaza, the Frank S. Farley Service Plaza, in Hamilton Township a short distance west of the Egg Harbor Toll Plaza, as well as a gas station and mini-mart in Pleasantville.
Plans for the highway began in the 1930s when a parkway was proposed between Camden and Atlantic City that was never built. Plans resurfaced for the road in the 1950s when a group of officials led by State Senator Frank S. Farley pushed for a road to help the area economy. The New Jersey Expressway Authority was created in 1962, tasked with building an expressway. The Atlantic City Expressway was built between 1962 and 1965 at a total cost of $48.2 million. The SJTA assumed control of the road in 1991 from the New Jersey Expressway Authority.
Route description
The Atlantic City Expressway begins at an interchange with
The expressway crosses into the town of
The expressway then enters
The expressway then continues to the Pleasantville Toll Plaza. Past the toll plaza, the travel lanes separate and a
In 2019, the Atlantic City Expressway counted over 54 million toll-paying vehicles.[9] The speed limit on the Atlantic City Expressway is 65 miles per hour (105 km/h) for most of the route. The Emergency Services Patrol provides motorist assistance along the expressway. Motorists needing assistance can dial #ACE or 609-965-7200 on their mobile phones.[10] The entire length of the highway is part of the National Highway System,[11] a network of roads important to the country's economy, defense, and mobility.[12]
Tolls
The Atlantic City Expressway uses a barrier toll system, with mainline toll plazas and ramp tolls. As of January 1, 2024, all passenger vehicles currently must pay a $4.70 toll at the Egg Harbor Toll Plaza, which is located east of the Farley Service Plaza at milepost 17.5, and a $1.40 toll near Pleasantville. Both mainline toll plazas have Express E-ZPass lanes through the center of the plaza. Tolls are also collected at seven entrances and exits. A $1.40 toll for cars is charged at the eastbound exits and westbound entrances at exits 5, 28, and 33, the westbound exit and eastbound entrance at exit 12, and all ramps at exit 9; in addition, a $0.75 toll for cars is charged at the eastbound exits and westbound entrances at exits 38 and 41.[13]
Every year since 2013, with the exception of 2020 and 2021, eastbound tolls are waived at the Egg Harbor Toll Plaza between 5:00 and 6:00 pm on Friday before Memorial Day to promote the unofficial beginning of the summer tourist season at the Jersey Shore. Chickie's & Pete's, a local sports bar chain, pays for the tolls collected during this hour.[14][15] In October 2014, eastbound tolls were waived at the Egg Harbor and Pleasantville toll plazas on Tuesdays between noon and midnight to encourage midweek tourism to Atlantic City.[16]
History
The road was planned as a
Construction of the Atlantic City Expressway started in the middle of 1962. The design was to feature a 300- to 400-foot-wide roadway with 12-foot-wide travel lanes and right shoulders as well as 3-foot-wide left shoulders. The part between Route 42 in Turnersville and the Garden State Parkway in Egg Harbor Township was completed on July 31, 1964, and the part between the Garden State Parkway and Atlantic City was finished in July 1965. Construction of the Atlantic City Expressway cost a total of $48.2 million.
Tolls on the Atlantic City Expressway initially cost $0.75 at the Egg Harbor Toll Plaza and $0.15 at the Pleasantville Toll Plaza.[20] In 1969, tolls increased to $1.00 at the Egg Harbor Toll Plaza and to $0.25 at the Pleasantville Toll Plaza.[21] In 1991, the SJTA was created by the New Jersey Legislature to operate the Atlantic City Expressway, the Atlantic City International Airport, and operations of the Atlantic County Transportation Authority.[7] On November 11, 1998, the Atlantic City Expressway started accepting E-ZPass for the payment of tolls; the expressway was the first toll road in New Jersey to use the electronic toll collection system.[20] Tolls along the expressway increased on November 30, 1998, in order to fund a capital improvements plan, with the Egg Harbor Toll Plaza increasing to $2.00.[20][21]
In 2000, the Atlantic City Visitor Welcome Center opened in the median of the expressway near Atlantic City. Construction of the welcome center cost $3.5 million. The welcome center offered amenities including tourist information, T-shirts, restrooms, and E-ZPass sales. The Atlantic City Visitor Welcome Center closed on May 1, 2019, due to a lack of visitors.[22]
Many improvements have been made to the Atlantic City Expressway over the years. In the 1980s, a third eastbound lane was added between the Route 73 interchange and the Pleasantville Toll Plaza, while the number of lanes was increased at both the Egg Harbor and Pleasantville toll plazas.[20] A new interchange with CR 689 on the border of Gloucester Township and Winslow Township was completed in 2000 for $5 million. The completion of this interchange led to the increase of adjacent retail development.[21] The Atlantic City–Brigantine Connector was completed on July 31, 2001, to connect the Atlantic City Expressway to the Marina district and Brigantine.[20] Traffic along the expressway peaked in 2008 with over 66.9 million vehicles; however, traffic volumes started to decline as Atlantic City was affected by the Great Recession and increased competition following the legalization of casino gambling in Pennsylvania. Tolls along the Atlantic City Expressway increased in 2009, with the Egg Harbor Toll Plaza toll increasing to $3.00.[21]
On November 21, 2008, work began on the reconstruction of Interchange 17, with completion on June 18, 2010.[23][24][25] As a result of reconstructing this interchange, the SJTA approved raising the interchange toll to $3.00. This new rate is charged to motorists heading to or from the east along the Atlantic City Expressway at Route 50.[26] The proposal drew opposition from area officials who felt the proposed rate was too high.[27] The westbound exit and eastbound entrance at Interchange 17 were designed to be E-ZPass only, the first such interchange on the Atlantic City Expressway.[4]
In 2007, it was announced that the Atlantic City Expressway from milepost 7.0–31.0 would be widened in the westbound direction to accommodate a third lane from north of the Garden State Parkway to Route 73. Interchange 17 (Route 50) would be reconstructed to form a full movement interchange (completed June 18, 2010), and the Egg Harbor Toll Plaza would receive Express E-ZPass lanes to allow traffic to maintain highway speed. Construction on these three projects was financed by a $25 million bond.[23] The first phase was completed in the middle of 2010 and the Express E-ZPass was completed in May 2011.[28][29]
The work under the widening project also included improvements to bridges, lighting, and guide signs. Also,
On March 24, 2020, the SJTA suspended cash tolls along the Atlantic City Expressway due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with all tolls collected either electronically or by using coins in exact change lanes.[32][33] Collection of cash tolls along the expressway resumed on May 19, 2020.[34] On September 13, 2020, tolls at the Egg Harbor Toll Plaza increased from $3.00 to $4.25 and the $0.75 tolls at the Pleasantville Toll Plaza and several interchanges increased to $1.25.[35] On January 1, 2022, tolls along the Atlantic City Expressway increased 3 percent, with the Egg Harbor Toll Plaza increasing to $4.40 and the Pleasantville Toll Plaza and several interchanges increasing to $1.30.[36] Another toll hike occurred on January 1, 2023, which increased tolls to $4.55 at the Egg Harbor Toll Plaza and to $1.35 at the Pleasantville Toll Plaza and several interchanges.[37] On January 1, 2024, tolls increased to $4.70 at the Egg Harbor Toll Plaza and to $1.40 at the Pleasantville Toll Plaza and several interchanges.[38]
Future
The SJTA revealed plans for a major road improvement project that would link the Atlantic City International Airport to the Atlantic City Expressway, with construction beginning as early as 2013. The plan includes new ramps with two overpasses over the expressway. The road would connect Amelia Earhart Boulevard with an overpass above
The 2019 Statewide Transportation Improvement Plan included a project that would add a flyover ramp from the Garden State Parkway northbound to the Atlantic City Expressway westbound. Construction was estimated to cost $20 million.[41]
In April 2020, as part of a plan to raise tolls by 37% on the Atlantic City Expressway, the SJTA announced a $150 million plan to widen the expressway to three lanes in each direction from Exit 31 to the western terminus with Route 42. The project would also replace the current tolling system with an
Exit list
Mileposts run from east to west.
County | Location | mi[1] | km | Exit | Destinations | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
I-76 west – Camden, Philadelphia | Western terminus | |||||
44.00 | 70.81 | 44 | Westbound exit only; feeds into Route 42 exit 7 | |||
CR 689 (Berlin-Cross Keys Road) – Gloucester Township, Winslow Township | Tolled eastbound exit and westbound entrance[13] | |||||
CR 536 Spur (Williamstown Road) – Sicklerville, Williamstown | Tolled eastbound exit and westbound entrance[13] | |||||
32.70 | 52.63 | 33 | Winslow, Williamstown | Eastbound exit and westbound entrance[13] | ||
31.40 | 50.53 | 31 | Blue Anchor | Westbound exit and eastbound entrance | ||
Atlantic | Hammonton | 27.80 | 44.74 | 28 | Route 54 – Hammonton, Vineland | Tolled eastbound exit and westbound entrance[13] |
Hamilton Township | 21.50 | 34.60 | Frank S. Farley Service Plaza | |||
17.40 | 28.00 | Egg Harbor Toll Plaza[13] | ||||
16.80 | 27.04 | 17 | Route 50 – Egg Harbor, Mays Landing | E-ZPass-only toll on westbound exit and eastbound entrance[4] | ||
13.50 | 21.73 | 14 | CR 670 – Hamilton Township, Galloway Township | Eastbound exit and westbound entrance | ||
12.30 | 19.79 | 12 | US 40 (US 322 / CR 575) – Mays Landing, Smithville | Tolled westbound exit and eastbound entrance;[13] Smithville signed eastbound | ||
CR 646 (Delilah Road) – Atlantic City International Airport, FAA Technical Center | FAA Technical Center signed westbound | |||||
7.20 | 11.59 | 7 | G.S. Parkway – Cape May, New York | Signed as exits 7N (north) and 7S (south); eastbound exit also connects directly to G.S. Parkway exit 37 | ||
Pleasantville | 5.40 | 8.69 | 5 | US 9 – Pleasantville, Northfield, Smithville | Tolled eastbound exit and westbound entrance;[13] Pleasantville signed eastbound; Northfield and Smithville signed westbound | |
4.80 | 7.72 | 4 | Franklin Boulevard – Pleasantville, Absecon | Westbound exit and eastbound entrance | ||
4.40 | 7.08 | Pleasantville Toll Plaza[13] | ||||
3.00 | 4.83 | Gas station/mini-mart | ||||
Atlantic City | 2.17 | 3.49 | 2 | US 40 / US 322 (Black Horse Pike) – Atlantic City | Eastbound exit and westbound entrance | |
0.14 | 0.23 | 1 | Convention Center, Marina, Brigantine | Access via A.C.–Brigantine Connector; eastbound exit and westbound entrance | ||
0.00 | 0.00 | – | Baltic Avenue / Fairmount Avenue | At-grade intersection | ||
Christopher Columbus Boulevard ( CR 694 west) | One-way pair; continuation east | |||||
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi |
See also
- New Jersey portal
- U.S. Roads portal
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Staff (January 1997). "Route 446" (PDF). Straight Line Diagrams. New Jersey Department of Transportation. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 March 2008. Retrieved March 17, 2020.
- ^ a b Staff. "Frank S. Farley Service Plaza". Atlantic City Expressway. South Jersey Transportation Authority. Retrieved June 15, 2017.
- ^ Brunetti Post, Michelle (August 4, 2022). "Electric vehicle fast-charging station open on AC Expressway". Press of Atlantic City. Retrieved November 19, 2022.
- ^ a b c "No cash at EZ Pass only exit on AC Expressway". Philadelphia, PA: WHYY-TV. June 18, 2010. Archived from the original on 2012-03-07. Retrieved October 7, 2010.
- Press of Atlantic City. Retrieved August 9, 2012.
- ^ a b c d e Google (April 1, 2009). "Overview of the Atlantic City Expressway" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved April 1, 2009.
- ^ a b Staff. "About the AC Expressway". Atlantic City Expressway. South Jersey Transportation Authority. Retrieved June 15, 2017.
- ^ Staff (August 2001). "County Route 692" (PDF). Straight Line Diagrams. New Jersey Department of Transportation. Retrieved October 3, 2008.
- ^ Staff (2019). "Annual Report" (PDF). South Jersey Transportation Authority. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
- ^ Staff. "Emergency Services". Atlantic City Expressway. South Jersey Transportation Authority. Retrieved June 15, 2017.
- ^ "National Highway System: New Jersey" (PDF). Retrieved August 29, 2019.
- ^ Natzke, Stefan; Neathery, Mike & Adderly, Kevin (June 20, 2012). "What is the National Highway System?". National Highway System. Federal Highway Administration. Archived from the original on September 24, 2012. Retrieved July 1, 2012.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Staff. "Toll Schedule". Atlantic City Expressway. South Jersey Transportation Authority. Retrieved January 8, 2024.
- ^ "Chickie's And Pete's Offering Toll-Free Rides To Jersey Shore On Friday". Philadelphia, PA: KYW-TV. May 22, 2014. Retrieved May 23, 2014.
- ^ Klein, Michael (May 23, 2023). "Free tolls and food on the Atlantic City Expressway from Chickie's & Pete's to start Memorial Day weekend". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved May 23, 2023.
- WCAU-TV. September 29, 2014. Retrieved May 25, 2016.
- OCLC 1847779.
- OCLC 454541.
- OCLC 23458518.
- ^ a b c d e f Staff. "History & Milestones". Atlantic City Expressway. South Jersey Transportation Authority. Retrieved June 15, 2017.
- ^ a b c d e Sokolic, William (July 3, 2014). "A.C. Expressway alters landscape in half-century". Courier-Post. Cherry Hill, NJ. Retrieved January 23, 2023.
- ^ Shaw, Colt (April 30, 2019). "Little-used Atlantic City Visitor Welcome Center set to close Wednesday". Press of Atlantic City. Retrieved August 24, 2020.
- ^ a b Staff (June 18, 2010). "AC Expressway exit 17 new full interchange provides access to economic growth in Atlantic County" (Press release). South Jersey Transportation Authority. Archived from the original on June 12, 2011. Retrieved June 19, 2010.
- ^ Staff (November 21, 2008). "SJTA begins construction of Atlantic City Expressway Interchange 17" (Press release). South Jersey Transportation Authority. Archived from the original on June 12, 2011. Retrieved April 8, 2009.
- ^ Staff (March 16, 2009). "New traffic pattern until July 2009" (Press release). South Jersey Transportation Authority. Archived from the original on June 12, 2011. Retrieved April 8, 2009.
- Press of Atlantic City. April 21, 2010. Retrieved April 27, 2010.
- ^ Ortiz, Erik (April 20, 2010). "SJTA to review plans for $3 toll at Atlantic City Expressway interchange at Route 50". Press of Atlantic City. Retrieved April 27, 2010.
- ^ Rao, Maya (September 4, 2010). "Atlantic City Expressway plans all-electronic tolling". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on 10 September 2010. Retrieved October 7, 2010.
- ^ Nussbaum, Paul (May 21, 2011). "E-ZPass lanes open at Egg Harbor toll plaza of Atlantic City Expressway". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved May 28, 2011.
- ^ a b Staff. "Third Lane Widening Westbound Atlantic City Expressway". Atlantic City Expressway. South Jersey Transportation Authority. Archived from the original on March 14, 2012. Retrieved February 24, 2011.
- ^ Wittkowski, Donald (May 14, 2014). "Widening of westbound expressway expected to be complete for Memorial Day". Press of Atlantic City. Retrieved July 3, 2014.
- ^ "Coronavirus Latest: Atlantic City Expressway Cash Tolls Suspended Due To COVID-19 Pandemic". Philadelphia, PA: KYW-TV. March 25, 2020. Retrieved January 23, 2023.
- ^ Higgs, Larry (March 25, 2020). "Coronavirus eliminated cash tolls. Here are the highways, bridges, and tunnels where you can't use money". NJ.com. Retrieved January 23, 2023.
- ^ Alexander, Dan (May 18, 2020). "AC Expressway, Delaware Memorial Bridge Start Taking Cash Again". Trenton, NJ: WKXW. Retrieved January 23, 2023.
- ^ Brunetti Post, Michelle (May 27, 2020). "Toll hikes start Sept. 13 on Atlantic City Expressway, parkway, turnpike". The Press of Atlantic City. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
- ^ Higgs, Larry (December 8, 2021). "A.C. Expressway follows Turnpike, Parkway with a toll increase". NJ.com. Retrieved January 23, 2023.
- ^ Higgs, Larry (November 17, 2022). "Tolls along major N.J. highway are going up again". NJ.com. Retrieved January 23, 2023.
- ^ Higgs, Larry (November 15, 2023). "Toll hikes looming for N.J. bridges and tunnels, and the AC Expressway". NJ.com. Retrieved January 8, 2024.
- ^ Watson, Sarah (April 14, 2011). "Project would link Atlantic City International Airport directly to the Atlantic City Expressway by 2013". Press of Atlantic City. Retrieved April 17, 2011.
- ^ a b Brunetti Post, Michelle (April 18, 2020). "What the Atlantic City Expressway toll hikes would fund". The Press of Atlantic City. Retrieved August 14, 2020.
- ^ "Fiscal Years 2020-2029 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) - Appendix E: Transportation Authorities and Eastern Federal Lands Projects" (PDF). South Jersey Transportation Planning Organization. September 23, 2019. Retrieved February 7, 2020.
- ^ MacDonald, Tom (February 5, 2022). "Cashless tolls pilot coming to the Atlantic City Expressway". Philadelphia, PA: WHYY-TV. Retrieved February 7, 2022.
- ^ Staff (October 30, 2023). "Atlantic City Expressway transitioning to all-electronic, cashless tolls regardless of EZ Pass". Philadelphia, PA: WPVI-TV. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
- ^ Connors, Rosemary; Chang, David (October 19, 2022). "Planned Construction Project to Widen Atlantic City Expressway". Philadelphia, PA: WCAU-TV. Retrieved October 19, 2022.