Atlantic City Expressway

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Atlantic City Expressway
Maintained by South Jersey Transportation Authority
Length: 44.19 mi[1] (71.12 km)
Formed: 1964
North end: NJ 42 in Washington Twp
Major
junctions:		 NJ 73 in Winslow
NJ 54 in Hammonton
NJ 50 in Hamilton Twp
GSP in Egg Harbor Twp
US 9 in Pleasantville
ACE Conn in Atlantic City
South end: Christopher Columbus Blvd in Atlantic City
System: South Jersey Transportation Authority
New Jersey State Highway Routes
< NJ 445 446 NJ 446X >

The Atlantic City Expressway (officially numbered, but unsigned, as Route 446) is a controlled-access toll road in New Jersey, managed and operated by the South Jersey Transportation Authority, The Roadway is privately owned. It is a 44.19 mile toll highway, running as an extension of Route 42 in Turnersville to Atlantic City.

Contents

[edit] History

Construction of the Atlantic City Expressway began in the summer of 1962. The expressway was completed between the western terminus in Turnersville and the Garden State Parkway in July 1964, and east to downtown Atlantic City in July 1965. It was constructed as a better alternative to U.S. Route 30, commonly known as the White Horse Pike, U.S. Route 40, and U.S. Route 322, commonly known as the Black Horse Pike, for travelers going to Atlantic City. Exits 5, 7, 9, 12, 28, 38, and 41 are full interchanges. Exit 7 connects with the Garden State Parkway. Exit 9 gives access to Atlantic City International Airport. The speed limit on the Atlantic City Expressway is 65 miles per hour with "conditions permitting" on the posted sign for most of the route.

[edit] Toll plazas and rest area

Automobiles must pay a $2.00 toll at the Egg Harbor Toll Plaza which is located at milepost 17.5, east of the Farley Service Plaza and a $0.50 toll near Pleasantville. The Pleasantville Toll Plaza has Express EZpass lanes through the center of the plaza. Exits between the two toll plazas may also charge a small fee, depending on the distance. After the Pleasantville tolls, the median widens to make room for the parking lots for workers in casinos and a visitor welcome center. Call boxes are located every mile on either side. Farley Plaza, the only service area on the route, has a building containing several fast food restaurants and a gas station. It is located in between the two sides of the road to service traffic coming in either direction. A few years ago, an additional gas station and mini-mart were opened in the narrow center median behind the Atlantic City Visitors Center by Exit 2.

On January 8, 2008, Governor Jon Corzine proposed a 50 percent increase in tolls on New Jersey's three toll roads in 2010, with increases of a similar percentage every four years after that, in order to help pay state debt. Each times tolls increased, there would be an additional increase for inflation since the last toll increase (for the first, since 2006). The roads would be maintained by a nonprofit "public benefit corporation" which would pay back bonds to the state. Under this plan, without considering inflation, tolls on the Atlantic City Expressway would rise from the current $2.50 to $16.59 in 2022.[2] It is possible that commuters will receive discounts from the higher toll rates.[3]

[edit] Exit list

County Location Mile # Destinations Notes
Western terminus of Atlantic City Expressway.
Expressway defaults onto NJ 42 northbound.
Gloucester Washington Twp. 44.2 NJ 42 north – Camden, Philadelphia
44.0 44 NJ 168 – Sicklerville Westbound exit
Camden Winslow Twp. 40.7 41 CR 689 – Berlin, Cross Keys, Gloucester Township, Winslow Township $0.25 toll on ramp
38.4 38
CR 536 Spur to US 322 – Williamstown, Berlin		 $0.25 toll on ramp
32.7 33 Winslow, Blue Anchor Westbound exit, $0.50 toll on ramp
31.4 31 NJ 73 – Winslow, Blue Anchor Eastbound exit
Atlantic Hammonton 27.8 28 NJ 54 – Hammonton, Vineland, Trenton $0.50 toll on ramp
Hamilton Twp. Farley Service Plaza
Egg Harbor Toll Plaza - Cars $2.00
16.8 17 NJ 50 – Egg Harbor, Mays Landing Eastbound exit
13.5 14 Atlantic City Race Track Eastbound exit
12 CR 575 to US 40 / US 322 – Mays Landing, Smithville $0.50 toll on ramp
Egg Harbor Twp. 9.5 9 CR 646 – Absecon, Brigantine, A.C. International Airport $0.50 toll on ramp
7.2 7N GSP north – New York
7S GSP south – Cape May
Pleasantville 5.4 US 9 – Northfield, Smithville
4.8 4 Absecon, Pleasantville Westbound exit, $0.50 toll on ramp
Pleasantville Toll Plaza - Cars $0.50
Atlantic City Welcome Center and Service Plaza
Atlantic City 2 US 40 / US 322 – Atlantic City via Black Horse Pike Eastbound exit
Atlantic City–Brigantine Connector – Convention Center, Marina, Brigantine Eastbound exit
0.0 Christopher Columbus Boulevard – Midtown, Uptown, Downbeach
Eastern terminus of Atlantic City Expressway

[edit] Future developments

 This section contains information about a planned or expected future road.
It may contain information of a speculative nature and the content may change as the road's construction or completion approaches and more information becomes available.
  • The mainline Expressway from milepost 7.0 - 31.0 will be widened in the westbound direction to accommodate a 3rd lane from just north of the GSP to Route 73.
  • At the same time the widening will occur, the Egg Harbor Toll Plaza will receive Express EZpass lanes to maintain highway speed.
  • The Pleasantville Toll Plaza will be reconstructed, replacing the older cash booths with newer technology.
  • Interchange 17 (Route 50) will be reconstructed to form a full movement interchange.

Typical signage for the A.C. Expressway

Eastbound on the A.C. Expressway approaching the G.S. Parkway

[edit] References

  1. ^ New Jersey Department of Transportation. Route 446 straight line diagram. Retrieved on 2008-03-25.
  2. ^ McCoy, Craig R. (January 9, 2008). Corzine calls for 50% toll increase. The Philadelphia Inquirer.
  3. ^ Nussbaum, Paul (January 11, 2008). Corzine: Toll-hike breaks are likely. The Philadelphia Inquirer.

[edit] External links

v • d • e
Expressways in New Jersey
Interstate Highways
I-76 • I-78 • I-80 • I-95 • I-195 • I-278 • I-280 • I-287 • I-295 • I-676
U.S. and state highways
US 1/9 • NJ 18 • NJ 19 • NJ 21 • NJ 24 • NJ 33 • NJ 42 • NJ 55 • NJ 133 • NJ 208 • NJ 440 • NJ 495
Toll roads and other highways