PRESS RELEASE
GARDEN STATE PARKWAY INTERCHANGE 10 IMPROVEMENTS
ALTERNATIVE ANALYSES / ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT
The New Jersey Turnpike Authority, is undertaking the Preliminary Design for the Garden State Parkway (GSP) Interchanges 9, 10 & 11 Improvements in the Township of Middle in Cape May County, New Jersey. The improvements anticipate grade separating the GSP and the east-west cross streets including interchange ramps to provide access to the Parkway at certain locations. The Authority conducted an initial Public Information Meeting on June 24, 2004 to discuss improvements at Interchange 10. Subsequently, a comprehensive traffic study was conducted to evaluate the Independent Utility of Interchange 10 at Stone Harbor Boulevard. Based on recommendations of the study and as requested by the environmental regulatory review agencies that have oversight jurisdiction over the project, the Authority expanded the project limits to include Interchanges 9 at Shell Bay Avenue and Interchange 11 at Crest Haven Road. Three (3) additional Public Information Meetings were held on April 21, 2005, June 9, 2005 and January 25, 2006 to introduce the expanded project limits and to present preliminary alternative interchange configurations developed for grade separating Interchange 9 at Shell Bay Avenue, Interchange10 at Stone Harbor Boulevard and Interchange 11 at Crest Haven Road.
The overall purpose of the proposed project is to improve safety and to eliminate traffic congestion at the three (3) interchanges through the removal of the existing at-grade signalized intersections and the introduction of some form of grade separation to facilitate free-flowing traffic movement along the northbound and southbound Garden State Parkway (GSP) and along the east-west cross streets, Shell Bay Avenue, Stone Harbor Boulevard and Crest Haven Road. The existing three intersections are the only remaining at-grade signalized intersection along the entire length of the GSP.
The existing signalized intersections have a crash history throughout the year and severe congestion during the summer months. Based on the recently completed traffic study, the current traffic signals or enhanced traffic signals will not adequately reduce crashes or significantly reduce congestion at these locations. Furthermore, all three (3) signalized intersections presently operate at failing Levels of Service.
Construction of grade separations or grade-separated interchanges would not only eliminate congestion, but also promote safer traffic conditions. Removal of the existing at-grade signalized intersections will increase the capacity of the GSP and create a truly full Access Controlled roadway, as well as increase the capacity of the east-west cross streets.
The Turnpike Authority has retained The Louis Berger Group, Inc. as the engineering consultant to develop and evaluate a range of feasible alternatives; assess environmental, traffic, community and economic impacts; prepare the Feasibility Assessment Report; perform geotechnical and environmental investigations, ROW and environmental documentation and prepare the preliminary design for the Preferred Alternative at each location in preparation of the Final Design. A major component of this effort was the development of an Alternatives Analysis to identify, with local community and agency input, the Initially Preferred Alternative for each of the three signalized intersections for which an Environmental Assessment will be prepared in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
It is presently envisioned that the proposed expanded project will involve potential impacts to freshwater and tidally influenced wetlands, existing land use, sensitive noise and air receptors, archaeological and historic resources and water quality. The project is located within the New Jersey Coastal Zone and therefore, compliance with the Coastal Area Facilities Review Act (N.J.S.A. 13:19-1 et seq) will be required. As a result, it is envisioned that environmental permits and approvals will be required from the U.S Army Corps of Engineers, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection including the NJ Historic Preservation Office as well as coordination that will be required for these permits with the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Marine Fisheries Service, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the South Jersey Transportation Planning Authority.
Because of the potential for impacts to local land use, circulation patterns and noise and air quality, the identification of local stakeholder groups was conducted during the project’s development to insure needed input from the local community. To ensure the project is advanced with public input and that key issues of local community and stakeholder groups are identified and appropriately addressed, the Turnpike Authority will hold a fifth Public Information Meeting on Thursday, November 8, 2007 at the Cape May County Freeholder Meeting Room at the County Administration Building in Cape May Court House between the hours of 4:30 PM and 7:00 PM. At this Public Meeting the Authority will present and discuss the proposed studies performed at Interchange 9, 10 and 11, and will present the Initially Preferred Alternative for grade separated interchanges at the Shell Bay Avenue, Stone Harbor Boulevard and Crest Haven Road intersections. All interested parties are invited to attend and express their comments and views related to the proposed improvements.
July 30, 2010
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