As you know, I've been traveling the state up and down for the past year and I can tell you there are some places where they can be avoided. When I opened up the phone lines we were flooded with calls about the worst spots in Jersey.

One of the things that really stood out is how important it is to have local leadership when trying to make the commute a little better. Mayor Mark Taylor from Florham Park called in to discuss the overpass he fought for to replace the area of Route 24 where you have to cross three lanes to get the one-lane exit at 2A.

He stayed strong despite the fact that surrounding towns pushed back and petitioned the federal government to not proceed with the project. Here we are years later and Mark is at it again, this time with the support of the surrounding towns who now "get it". The fight is far from over, but with leaders like Mark Taylor on the case, eventually, Route 24 will be safer and easier to travel.

Listen to my conversation with Mayor Taylor here:

Here's a list of some other tricky roads around the Garden State:

Mike on Route 80 had three for us!

After Short Hills Mall, the center lane exit. The right lane ends getting from 24 onto 287.

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Then he mentioned Route 280 past GSP. If you're in the left three lanes, you end up in Newark so traffic fights to get into the right lane.

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He also mentioned the exit off Route 80 East onto 287 South. Another one-lane exit that causes backups.

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Anna in Old Bridge works in Bayonne/Jersey City for Global Terminal, where container ships come in at Port Jersey Boulevard. Just getting out of the parking lot takes 30 minutes. There are 8 toll booths merging into one lane at the entrance ramp. And the 14A entrance to Turnpike South.

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Gary in Colts Neck says the worst area is between exits 13 and 13A North and Southbound on the Turnpike. The potholes and roads are rough. Trucks can't go slow enough and when you own your own truck, you're paying for the repairs.

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Also, Route 70 crossing over 73 heading to 295. Endless construction in the Cherry Hill area.

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It seems the roads are simply not designed to handle the amount of traffic we are seeing every day in the Garden State. From my experience, we need a transportation overhaul in New Jersey.

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Stacker used the Federal Highway Administration's 2020 Highway Statistics report to rank states by the fatalities per billion miles traveled. 

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Bill Spadea. Any opinions expressed are Bill's own. Bill Spadea is on the air weekdays from 6 to 10 a.m., talkin’ Jersey, taking your calls at 1-800-283-1015.

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