Opinion: Suspend Atlantic City Expressway Tolls During Big Coastal Storms
When the Black Horse Pike/Albany Avenue and the White Horse Pike/Absecon Boulevard are both underwater during a coastal storm, there is one major road left in or out of Atlantic City: the Atlantic City Expressway.
As we've seen with this current storm, both roadways have been closed for several hours at a time, forcing drivers onto the Expressway, where they still paid a toll to use it.
That really needs to change.
When the Governor declares a state of emergency and both U.S. 30 and U.S. 40 are closed due to flooding, the Atlantic City Expressway becomes critical public infrastructure. It stops being a high-speed convenience.
Regardless of the weather, residents still need to safely get on and off of the island, and casino workers and small business owners still need to make a living.
Because the wheels of the World's Play Ground never stop spinning, people are forced onto the tolled Expressway because it's pretty much the only option left. Charging a toll during a declared state of emergency becomes a financial barrier to public safety. And that's a problem.
Sure, it's only a couple of bucks. But that's not the point.
Here's a simple proposal: in a situation like this weekend's, simply suspend tolls on the Expressway only from Exit 5 (Route 9 in Pleasantville) to the end of the road at the Atlantic City Convention Center.
That's it.
There's no need to make the entire road toll-free. Just give people a safe and efficient way to get from Atlantic City, Brigantine, Ventnor, Margate, and Longport to Route 9 in Pleasantville, past the stretch of the Black Horse Pike that floods in West Atlantic City.
This isn't about eliminating tolls on a sunny Thursday afternoon in July. It's about removing a financial obstacle during a real emergency when people have no other choice.
And it isn't unprecedented. New Jersey has suspended tolls during past emergencies, including major storms.
If we're not going to address the chronic flooding on Routes 30 and 40 (which, honestly, would take years of planning and hundreds of millions of dollars), then we need a simple plan B. This is it.
Atlantic City is one of the most economically vulnerable communities in New Jersey. The surrounding municipalities of P'ville, Absecon, EHT, Northfield, and others, are home to working families who don't need an added financial burden when a storm has already upended their daily routine.
When Atlantic City is effectively cut off from the mainland during an emergency, the last thing residents should be worrying about is whether they have enough money on their E-ZPass.
Coastal flooding isn't getting better. South Jersey's road infrastructure isn't getting better either. The least we can do is make sure the one road that stays open during a crisis is free to use.
First fall storm slams New Jersey
Gallery Credit: Erin Vogt
Chris Coleman is a South Jersey native and has been a cornerstone of the Atlantic City radio market since 1998. He serves as the afternoon on-air personality for WPUR Cat Country 107.3. A five-time President's Circle award winner and Townsquare Media's 2024 Content Creator of the Year, Chris covers news, events, and stories of interest across Southern New Jersey. Story tips: chris.coleman@townsquaremedia.com
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