On April 27, 2011, the American Society of Highway Engineers at the University of Delaware took a trip to explore the ongoing New Jersey Turnpike Expansion Project. Construction has been taking place on Interchanges 6 to 9 since mid-2009, spanning 35 miles of roadway. The existing 3 northbound and 3 southbound lanes are being expanded into 6 lanes in each direction. ASHE was given a tour of this estimated $2.5 billion project that will continue into mid-2014. Bridges need to be rebuilt or lengthened, nearby pipelines need to be redirected, and tollbooths, walls, and other buildings need to be constructed in addition to miles of new asphalt. Workers and field officers walked us out to a variety of things, including a new bridge being reinforced with plenty of rebar, an exit ramp being filled with concrete, and a tollbooth office in its early construction stages. It’s an enormous project and should have great long-term effects for travel through the Garden State.
-Jason Neff
