Parkway exits in Toms River set for safety-related, $500M overhaul
Short merges and sharp curves are set to be redesigned by 2034.
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Several exits along the Garden State Parkway in Ocean County will soon undergo major upgrades aimed at improving safety for drivers.
Take exit 81 southbound. It is a steep, sharp exit ramp with a posted 15 mph speed limit. Most drivers go much faster.
"It is a nightmare," said Dave Nevins, of Seaside Heights. "The traffic is not getting any better. It is getting worse every day"
Other exits along this three-mile stretch between Exits 80 and 83 have their own problems, including short merges.
"People are going 60 mmh, you're doing 25 mph, 15 mph, trying to get over, and these other cars are just speeding past you, not letting you get over," said Dante Powell, of Barnegat.
"People drive so fast," said Kim Felicie, of Lakehurst. "For whatever reason, it's so much faster down here than it is further up north."
"The design was optimal for the 1950s," said NJ Turnpike Authority Executive Director Kris Kolluri. "It's certainly not for 2026."
Southbound exit 81 will be replaced with a new ramp and traffic signal. Between Exits 81 and 82, auxiliary lanes will be added to give merging traffic more room to get up to speed and reduce weaving.
"From 2023 to 2025, we've had five fatalities and over 300 injuries," Kolluri said. "From a safety perspective, this is something that we have to do."
Construction is expected to begin in 2027 and wrap up in 2034. That could mean eight summers of traffic impacts at some of the Shore's busiest exits. But Kolluri says much of the work can be done overnight, and most of the construction will take place off the main highway.
As for the half-a-billion-dollar cost?
"The tolls that they are paying for are going to make their lives safer and better," said Kolluri.
"The way it is right now, something needs to be done," said Nevins.
