Interstate 95 in New Jersey

 

I-95 enters New Jersey at the Delaware River–Turnpike Toll Bridge over the Delaware River in Burlington Township, Burlington County, where the road continues west (south) into Pennsylvania as the Pennsylvania Turnpike.^[2][4] From the river, I-95 follows the six-lane Pearl Harbor Memorial Turnpike Extension of the New Jersey Turnpike east into New Jersey. Continuing east through a mix of fields and warehouses into Florence Township, the highway passes over NJ Transit's River Line and has an interchange serving US 130.^[2][5] This interchange has a toll plaza on the ramp to southbound I-95. After this interchange, the road comes to a toll barrier that marks the beginning of the turnpike ticket system northbound and the end of the ticket system southbound.^[5][6] The Pearl Harbor Memorial Turnpike Extension crosses into Mansfield Township and passes under I-295 before merging into the mainline of the New Jersey Turnpike at exit 6.^[2]

 

At this point, I-95 continues northeast on the mainline of the New Jersey Turnpike, with 12 lanes featuring six inner lanes exclusively for cars separated from six outer lanes for cars, trucks, and buses.^[2][7] It soon reaches an exit for US 206 in Bordentown Township. Continuing north through mostly rural areas, the road heads into Mercer County and comes to the I-195 interchange in Robbinsville Township. In East Windsor, I-95 reaches the exit for Route 133/Route 33, located to the east of Hightstown.^[2][5] Heading into Middlesex County, development near the highway increases.^[5][8] At this point, an interchange serves Route 32 in Monroe Township.^[2] Continuing north into more dense suburban development, I-95 intersects Route 18 in East Brunswick near the city of New Brunswick.^[2][5] After crossing the Raritan River, the New Jersey Turnpike heads northeast to the I-287/Route 440 junction in Edison. In Woodbridge Township, the highway comes to a large interchange accessing both the Garden State Parkway and US 9.^[2] From this point, the road enters areas of heavy industry and comes to the County Route 602 (CR 602) exit in Carteret. In Union County, I-95 comes to the I-278 exit on the border of Linden and Elizabeth at the western approach to the Goethals Bridge. In the northern part of Elizabeth, the New Jersey Turnpike comes to Route 81 which provides access to Newark Liberty International Airport before the road runs to the east of the airport. After the airport, I-95 intersects I-78 in Newark, Essex County.^[2][5] At US 1/9 Truck, the New Jersey Turnpike splits into two alignments and enters the New Jersey Meadowlands.^[2][4][5]

 

After both the western and eastern spurs cross the Passaic River on the Harry Laderman and Chaplain Washington Bridges, the mainline of I-95 officially follows the Eastern Spur of the New Jersey Turnpike, which has exits to I-280 in Kearny, Hudson County, and the Secaucus Junction train station and Route 3/Route 495 in Secaucus, where it reaches the end of the ticket system.^[2][6] The Western Spur of the New Jersey Turnpike is also signed as I-95 but is officially known as Route 95W.^[3] This road has interchanges serving I-280 in Kearny and Route 3 in East Rutherford, Bergen County, the latter connecting to Route 120 and CR 503, serving the Meadowlands Sports Complex.^[3][5] The ticket system on the Western Spur ends at a barrier in Carlstadt, following which the road comes to a northbound exit and southbound exit and entrance for the Meadowlands Sports Complex and the American Dream Meadowlands shopping and entertainment complex.^[3][6] In Ridgefield, the two segments of the New Jersey Turnpike merge again, with the road continuing north into Ridgefield Park.^[2][4]

 

 

In Ridgefield Park, I-95 continues north as a toll-free highway cosigned with the New Jersey Turnpike and maintained by the NJTA.^[2][9] This section of the Turnpike from this point to the George Washington Bridge approach is designated the “I-95 Extension” of the Turnpike.^[10] It has a large interchange serving US 46, part of which was the original northern terminus of the turnpike before it was extended.^[2] From this point, it has the appearance of a local–express lane configuration carrying three local lanes and two express lanes (3–2–2–3) in each direction, but the northbound "express" lane only leads exclusively to I-80 west while the northbound local lanes continues as the main trunk of I-95. (On the southbound side, the "express" lanes function as the main trunk of I-95 south while the southbound local lanes lead exclusively from I-80 east.) The road runs near suburban neighborhoods before entering Teaneck and intersecting with the eastern terminus of I-80. From here, I-95 turns northeast and splits into an actual local–express lane configuration with a 3–2–2–3 lane count, soon interchanging with CR 56 as it passes northwest of Overpeck County Park. The highway turns east as it skirts the border between Englewood to the north and Leonia to the south. After crossing CSX Transportation's Northern Branch, the highway enters inhabited areas as it passes over Route 93/CR 501 (Grand Avenue) and has a northbound exit and southbound entrance serving Broad Avenue.^[2][5] I-95 forms a hairpin turn around Leonia to the southeast into Fort Lee and heads due south to Route 4. I-95 runs under the Edgewood Road Bridge here, an overpass that runs high above the highway, and is considered an iconic view for drivers entering New Jersey from the George Washington Bridge. After the overpass, I-95 runs in between the travel lanes of Route 4 as the freeway comes to a large interchange with southbound exits and northbound entrances for Route 4, US 1/9, US 46, and a full interchange with the southern terminus of US 9W (Fletcher Avenue). At this location, the New Jersey Turnpike officially ends and the jurisdiction changes from the NJTA to the PANYNJ.^[2]

 

Here, US 1/9/US 46 all join I-95 and the road continues southeast containing four local lanes and four express lanes in each direction, passing numerous highrise buildings through Fort Lee.^[2][5] The road has a southbound exit and northbound entrance to Route 67 from the express lanes before coming to the northbound-only toll plaza for the George Washington Bridge. Past the toll plaza, there is a southbound exit and northbound entrance for the Palisades Interstate Parkway, also from the express lanes. After the Palisades Interstate Parkway, the road crosses high over Henry Hudson Drive, then the Hudson River on the George Washington Bridge, which has eight lanes total on the upper deck (the express lanes) and six lanes total on the lower deck (the local lanes).^[2] US 46 terminates at the state border between New Jersey and New York, while I-95 and US 1-9 continue into upper Manhattan.

 

What became I-95 and I-295 around the northern part of Trenton was first legislated as part of Route 39, a route that was to run from the Yardley–Wilburtha Bridge around Trenton south to Hammonton.^[11][12] Seven northeastern states from Virginia to Massachusetts including New Jersey proposed a limited-access highway in 1942 called the 7-State Highway; this was never built.^[13] The New Jersey State Highway Department proposed Federal Aid Interstate Route 103 in 1956, and it was approved in 1957 by the Bureau of Public Roads (BPR).^[14] At that time, the New Jersey Turnpike (mainline and Pennsylvania Extension) and George Washington Bridge had been completed; US 46 connected the north end of the New Jersey Turnpike to the bridge.^[15][16][17] The BPR approved the planned alignment north of the Trenton area, which would have run generally northeast to exit 9 (Route 18) of the New Jersey Turnpike. From there, it would use the New Jersey Turnpike to its north end (exit 18, US 46) and a proposed freeway north to the planned I-80, then head east to the George Washington Bridge. The road was designated as part of I-95 in 1958.^[14]

In the 1960s, the I-95 approach to the George Washington Bridge was completed, connecting to I-80 in Teaneck.^[18] The portion of I-95 between the north end of the New Jersey Turnpike and I-80 opened in 1971.^[19] Originally maintained by NJDOT, ownership of I-95 north of US 46 in Ridgefield Park was transferred to the NJTA in 1992 in order to balance the state budget, thus incorporating it as an extension of the turnpike.^[9][20]

 

The location of I-95 in the Trenton area had not been finalized when the route was first designated. The BPR preferred using the Trenton Freeway (US 1 and Route 174), which was completed to Whitehead Road, but New Jersey and Pennsylvania proposed using the Scudder Falls Bridge and its approach (Route 129), opened in 1961 to Scotch Road, due in part to low design standards of the Trenton Freeway. As a result, I-95 was routed to use the Scudder Falls Bridge approach.^[18][21] The approach to the Scudder Falls Bridge was extended in 1974, northeast to the planned interchange with the new I-95 freeway, and then east to US 1 as I-295.^[21]

From the I-95/I-295 loop around Trenton, the free routing of I-95 in New Jersey, was to divert from the loop between the Route 31 and Federal City Road exits in Hopewell Township. Then, the highway was to intersect CR 546 and US 206 before coming to I-287 in Piscataway.^[18] There was also meant to be a small connector roughly one mile (1.6 km) in length connecting I-95 with I-287 from the north and designated Interstate 695 (I-695).^[22] (The I-695 designation, along with I-95's alignment in Piscataway, was dropped when I-695's own alignment became the preferred routing for I-95 to a full three-way interchange with I-287 in Franklin Township.^[23][24])

At this point, the freeway would have continued northeastward through the western parts of Elizabeth and Newark, then terminate at the northern terminus of the New Jersey Turnpike at Ridgefield, but it was instead decided to route I-95 along the New Jersey Turnpike through North Jersey.^[18][25]

 

The truncated route, known as the Somerset Freeway, was intended to terminate in Piscataway at I-287, and I-95 would have continued east along present day I-287 until it intersected with the New Jersey Turnpike in Edison Township.^[18] The I-287 designation would probably have been truncated to begin at the junction with the Somerset Freeway. Both the Somerset Freeway and I-695 were projected to cost $55 million (equivalent to $384 million in 2023^[26]) in 1967, with the cost increasing to $375 million (equivalent to $1.27 billion in 2023^[26]) in 1979.^[22][27] At this point, residents in Hopewell Township, Princeton, and Montgomery Township raised opposition out of the fear the Somerset Freeway would bring unwanted development to area farmland. The NJTA joined environmental and community groups in opposing the Somerset Freeway, as it would provide a toll-free alternative to the New Jersey Turnpike.^[28][29] Due to this opposition, New Jersey Governor Brendan Byrne announced in 1980 that the state would not build the Somerset Freeway.^[30] The US Congress officially canceled the Somerset Freeway by way of the Surface Transportation Assistance Act of 1982, rerouting I-95 south on the New Jersey Turnpike to exit 6, and onto its Pennsylvania Extension to end at the state line on the Delaware River–Turnpike Toll Bridge, pending the construction of an interchange where the Pennsylvania Turnpike crossed existing I-95 in Pennsylvania.^[31] As a result of this cancelation, the federal government gave New Jersey $246 million (equivalent to $657 million in 2023^[26]) for road projects in the area where the Somerset Freeway was to be built.^[29]

In 1995, increasing truck traffic on US 206 and Route 31 motivated officials in Mercer County to have the state reconsider building the Somerset Freeway as a way to alleviate traffic on area roads. This option was ruled out due to a $700-million (equivalent to $1.28 billion in 2023^[26]) pricetag.^[32] Also around this time, I-95 was extended east along I-295 between the site of the Somerset Freeway interchange and US 1 in Lawrence Township.^[33]

 

Due to the cancelation of the Somerset Freeway in 1983, a gap existed on I-95 within New Jersey for roughly 35 years.^[13] Northbound I-95 ended at US 1 in Lawrence Township where the road became I-295.^[34] Meanwhile, southbound I-95 entered New Jersey on the George Washington Bridge and continued along its present-day routing down the New Jersey Turnpike and across the Delaware River–Turnpike Toll Bridge, where the road became I-276 at the Pennsylvania state line.^[2] Until this gap was filled, traffic from Pennsylvania was directed along I-95 northbound (to the Scudder Falls Bridge), then on its continuation as I-295 southbound until its interchange at I-195, which leads eastward to the New Jersey Turnpike.^[35]

In order to close the gap, an interchange was constructed between I-95 and the Pennsylvania Turnpike in Bristol Township, Pennsylvania. The interchange was first planned in the 1980s after the Somerset Freeway's cancelation.^[36] As a result of this project, I-95 was rerouted from its former alignment in Pennsylvania and New Jersey to the easternmost part of the Pennsylvania Turnpike, replacing I-276 between the interchange and the Delaware River. In addition, I-295 was extended from its former northern terminus at US 1 westward (highway north) to the Scudder Falls Bridge and southward (highway west) through Pennsylvania to the new interchange. I-295 was initially chosen to be extended in this manner, but, in 2005, the plans were modified to extend I-195 from its current western terminus at I-295 and then north along I-295 and I-95 (bypassing Trenton) to the Scudder Falls Bridge and the new interchange.^[37] On May 20, 2015, the plans were reverted to extend I-295 to the interchange.^[38] The multiphased construction began in late 2010, and the approved design called for Stage 1 to tentatively end in 2020.^[39] Groundbreaking for the interchange took place on July 30, 2013, with Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett in attendance.^[40] In March 2018, I-95 was renumbered to I-295 between US 1 in Lawrence Township, New Jersey, and Taylorsville Road in Lower Makefield Township, Pennsylvania.^[41] The redesignation that officially bridged the I-95 gap was made official on September 22, 2018, before the completion of Stage 1.^[42][43]

County	Location	mi[2][3]	km	Exit	Destinations	Notes
Delaware River		0.00	0.00		I-95 south (Penn Turnpike west) to I-276 west – Philadelphia     Pearl Harbor Extension begins	Continuation into Pennsylvania; western terminus of Pearl Harbor Extension
				Delaware River–Turnpike Toll Bridge (southbound toll in Pennsylvania)
Burlington	Florence Township	2.61	4.20	6A	US 130 – Florence, Burlington	Tolled southbound entrance; exit number not signed
		3.17	5.10	Exit 6 Toll Plaza (southern end of ticket system)
	Mansfield Township	5.33– 6.50	8.58– 10.46	6	N.J. Turnpike south – Camden, Wilmington     Pearl Harbor Extension ends	South end of NJ Turnpike overlap; eastern terminus of Pearl Harbor Extension; exit number not signed southbound
		6.50	10.46	Southern end of dual carriageways (inner roadway for cars only and outer roadway for cars, trucks, and buses)
	Bordentown Township	7.95	12.79	7	US 206 – Bordentown, Trenton
Mercer	Robbinsville Township	15.15	24.38	7A	I-195 – Trenton, Shore Points	Exit 6 on I-195
	East Windsor Township	22.12	35.60	8	Route 33 / Route 133 – Hightstown, Freehold	Eastern terminus of Route 133
Middlesex	Monroe Township	28.51	45.88	8A	Route 32 west / CR 535 / CR 612 east to US 130 – Jamesburg, Cranbury	CR 612 not signed; eastern terminus of Route 32
	East Brunswick Township	38.07	61.27	9	Route 18 / CR 527 to US 1 – New Brunswick	CR 527 not signed (concurrent with Route 18)
	Raritan River	38.89	62.59	Basilone Bridge
	Edison Township	42.73	68.77	10	I-287 north / Route 440 north / CR 514 – Metuchen, Perth Amboy	Southern termini of I-287 and Route 440; CR 514 not signed
	Woodbridge Township	45.65	73.47	11	G.S. Parkway to US 9 – Woodbridge, Shore Points	Exit 129 on Garden State Parkway
	Carteret	50.53	81.32	12	CR 602 – Carteret, Rahway	Access via Roosevelt Avenue (CR 602); CR 602 not signed
Union	Elizabeth	53.75	86.50	13	I-278 / Route 439 north – Elizabeth, Staten Island	Exit 3A on I-278; Route 439 not signed
		56.33	90.65	13A	Newark Airport, Elizabeth Seaport	Access via Route 81
Essex	Newark	59.19	95.26	14-14C	I-78 / Newark Bay Extension east / US 1-9 – Newark Airport, Bayonne, Jersey City, Holland Tunnel	Signed as exits 14 (west) and 14A-C (east)
		61.10– 61.30	98.33– 98.65	–	I-95 north / N.J. Turnpike north (Route 95W north) to I-280 west / Route 3 – Meadowlands Sports Complex, George Washington Bridge	Southern terminus of Route 95W (Western Spur); northbound exit and southbound entrance
		61.52	99.01	15E	US 1-9 south / US 1-9 Truck north – Newark, Jersey City	Signed for US 1-9 southbound, US 1-9 Truck northbound
Hudson	Kearny	63.18	101.68	15W	I-280 west – Newark, Kearny	Southbound exit and northbound entrance; eastern terminus of I-280
	Secaucus	65.30	105.09	15X	Secaucus	Access via Seaview Drive
		67.23	108.20	16E	Route 495 east – Lincoln Tunnel	Northbound exit and southbound entrance; western terminus of Route 495
				Exit 18E Toll Plaza (northern end of ticket system)
		67.64	108.86	17	Route 3 / Route 495 east – Lincoln Tunnel, Secaucus	Tolled southbound exit; no northbound access to Route 495; exit number not signed northbound
Bergen	Ridgefield	70.98	114.23	–	Vince Lombardi Service Area
		71.33	114.79	–	To I-80 west – Paterson	Northbound left exit and southbound entrance
				–	I-95 south / N.J. Turnpike south (Route 95W south) to Route 3	Northern terminus of Route 95W (Western Spur); southbound exit and northbound entrance
	Ridgefield Park	72.31	116.37	68	US 46 – The Ridgefields, Palisades Park	No northbound entrance; exit number not signed northbound
		72.48	116.65		Challenger Road	Northbound exit and entrance
	Ridgefield Park–Teaneck Township line	73.07	117.59	–	I-95 north (Express Lanes) – George Washington Bridge Upper Level	Southern terminus of Express lanes; left exit and entrance; all trucks to New York
	Teaneck Township	73.59	118.43	69	I-80 west to G.S. Parkway – Hackensack, Paterson	Southbound exit and northbound entrance; eastern terminus and exit 68B on I-80
		74.10	119.25	70	Leonia, Teaneck	Via local lanes only; signed as exits 70A (Leonia) and 70B (Teaneck) northbound; access via CR 56
	Englewood	75.58	121.63	71	Englewood	Via local lanes only; northbound exit and southbound entrance; access via Broad Avenue
	Fort Lee			–	I-95 north (Express Lanes) – George Washington Bridge Upper Level	Northbound exit only; all trucks to New York
				–	I-95 south / N.J. Turnpike south / I-80 west / G.S. Parkway – Paterson	Southern terminus of Upper Level lanes, northern terminus of southbound Express Lanes; southbound exit only
		76.2– 76.53	122.6– 123.16	72A	Route 4 west – Paramus	Eastern terminus of Route 4; southbound exit and northbound entrance
		76.62– 76.66	123.31– 123.37	72B	US 1-9 south / US 46 west – Palisades Park     N.J. Turnpike ends	South end of US 1-9 / US 46 overlap; northern terminus of N.J. Turnpike; southbound exit and northbound entrance
		76.66	123.37	South end of PANYNJ jurisdiction
		77.02	123.95	72	US 1-9 south / US 46 west / US 9W north to Palisades Parkway north – Fort Lee	No southbound exit; US 1-9/US 46 not signed
		Module:Jctint/USA warning: Unused argument(s): state
		77.18	124.21	73	US 9W north to Route 67 (Lemoine Avenue) / Palisades Parkway – Fort Lee	Signed only as "Route 67 (Lemoine Avenue) – Fort Lee" northbound; signed as exits 73-74 southbound
–	US 9 north to Upper Level			North end of US 9 overlap; northbound exit only; northern terminus of Express Lanes, southern terminus of northbound Upper Level lanes; all trucks must exit
Hudson River		77.96	125.46	George Washington Bridge (northbound toll; E-ZPass or Toll by Mail)
					I-95 north / US 1-9 north to I-87 – New England, Long Island     US 46 ends	Continuation into New York at the river's center; eastern terminus of US 46
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Concurrency terminus       Incomplete access        Tolled

County	Location	mi[3]	km	Exit	Destinations	Notes
Essex	Newark	0.000	0.000		I-95 south / N.J. Turnpike south – Trenton	Southern terminus of the Western Spur (Route 95W)
		0.70	1.13	14-14C	I-78 / Newark Bay Extension east / US 1-9 – Newark Airport, Bayonne, Jersey City, Holland Tunnel	Southbound exit and northbound entrance; signed as exits 14 (west) and 14A-C (east)
		1.15	1.85	15E	US 1-9 south / US 1-9 Truck north – Newark, Jersey City	Southbound exit and northbound entrance; US 1-9 Truck not signed
Hudson	Kearny	3.08	4.96	15W	I-280 west – Newark, Kearny	Eastern terminus of I-280
Bergen	East Rutherford	7.02	11.30	16W	Route 3 / Route 120 north – Secaucus, Rutherford	Access to MetLife Stadium; Route 120 not signed
	Carlstadt	7.18	11.56	Exit 16W Toll Plaza (northern end of ticket system)
		8.47– 8.95	13.63– 14.40	19W	Meadowlands Complex, American Dream	No northbound exit; E-ZPass-only toll on southbound exit and northbound entrance
	Ridgefield	10.13– 10.43	16.30– 16.79	—	Vince Lombardi Service Area
		11.01	17.72	—	To I-80 west – Paterson	Northbound left exit and southbound entrance
		11.26	18.12		I-95 north / N.J. Turnpike north to US 46 – George Washington Bridge	Northern terminus of the Western Spur (Route 95W)
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Concurrency terminus       Incomplete access        Tolled

The entire route is in Bergen County.

Location	mi[2]	km	Exit	Destinations	Notes
Ridgefield Park–Teaneck Township line	73.07	117.59		I-95 south / N.J. Turnpike south to US 46 – Newark	Southern terminus of Express lanes
Teaneck Township	73.59	118.43	69	I-80 west (Express Lanes) to G.S. Parkway – Paterson	Eastern terminus of I-80 Express; southbound exit and northbound entrance
Fort Lee	76.2– 76.53	122.6– 123.16	72A	Route 4 west – Paramus        I-95 south (Local Lanes) / N.J. Turnpike south          To I-80 west / G.S. Parkway – Hackensack	Southern terminus of Upper Level lanes, northern terminus of southbound Express Lanes; southbound exit and northbound entrance
	76.62– 76.66	123.31– 123.37	72B	US 1-9 south / US 46 west – Palisades Park     N.J. Turnpike ends	South end of US 1-9 / US 46 overlap southbound and US 1 / US 46 overlap northbound; southbound exit and northbound entrance
	76.66	123.37	South end of PANYNJ jurisdiction
	77.18	124.21	73	Route 67 (Lemoine Avenue) to US 9W / Palisades Parkway north – Fort Lee	Signed for US 9W southbound, Lemoine/Palisades northbound; last eastbound exit before toll
				US 9 north	Northbound entrance only; south end of US 9 overlap northbound; northern terminus of Express Lanes, southern terminus of northbound Upper Level lanes
	77.53	124.77	74	Palisades Parkway north	Southbound exit and northbound entrance from express lanes
Hudson River	77.96	125.46	George Washington Bridge (northbound toll; E-ZPass or Toll by Mail)
				I-95 north / US 1-9 north to I-87     US 46 ends	Continuation into New York at the river's center; eastern terminus of US 46
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Concurrency terminus       Electronic toll collection       Incomplete access       Route transition

•   U.S. Roads portal
•   New Jersey portal

 

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Interstate 95 in New Jersey.

• I-95, N.J. Turnpike - West Alignment straight line diagram (PDF)
  • An enlarged view of road jurisdiction at the Fort Lee approaches to the George Washington Bridge
  • An enlarged view of road jurisdiction at the confluence of 95M, NJ 29 and NJ 175 in Ewing Township
• Rose, Joel. "At Last, I-95's Missing Link Hits The Road". NPR, 2010-08-21.
• History of the Interstate 95 "Missing Link" of central New Jersey
• The Roads of Metro New York - New Jersey Turnpike (I-95)
• The Roads of Metro New York - Interstate 95 (Trenton Section)
• Speed Limits for New Jersey State Roads: Interstate 95

Interstate 95
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