Short Answer
New Jersey traffic patterns vary by time of day and route. The worst congestion is during weekday rush hours, roughly 7 to 9 AM and 4 to 7 PM, on major commuter routes like I-295, Route 73, Route 38, and the bridges to Philadelphia. Summer weekends see heavy traffic heading to the Jersey Shore. Friday afternoons are particularly congested on routes to the shore. Major construction projects can cause delays on specific highways. Plan your commute and travel accordingly. Using traffic apps like Waze or Google Maps can help you avoid delays.
Understanding traffic patterns is essential for anyone living in South Jersey, whether you commute daily or just travel around the region. The worst traffic is on weekdays during rush hours. I-295, the primary north-south highway through Burlington County, can be heavily congested between exits 36 and 47 during peak hours. Route 73 between Mount Laurel and the Tacony-Palmyra Bridge is another congestion hotspot. Route 38 and Route 70 also see heavy traffic during rush hours. The bridges to Philadelphia, especially the Ben Franklin and Walt Whitman, experience significant backups during rush hours, particularly in the morning from New Jersey to Pennsylvania and in the evening in the reverse direction. Summer weekends bring another traffic pattern: the shore exodus. On Friday afternoons and Saturday mornings, traffic on routes to the Jersey Shore, including the Garden State Parkway and Route 72, can be gridlocked. Sunday afternoons and evenings see heavy return traffic. Major construction projects can cause unexpected delays. Check NJDOT and 511NJ for real-time construction and incident information. Using traffic apps like Waze, Google Maps, or Apple Maps can help you find the fastest route and avoid delays.
Bob's Advice
Redfin Senior Agent · AI Certified Agent
I have been driving these roads my whole life, and I know the traffic patterns like the back of my hand. When I help clients choose a home, I always consider how traffic will affect their daily life. A home that is 15 minutes from work on a Sunday can be 45 minutes on a Tuesday morning. I will give you honest advice about traffic from any neighborhood. If you are considering a move to South Jersey, let us talk about the traffic reality for your daily commute.
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