The New Jersey Turnpike Authority is launching an 18-month engineering study prior to finalizing a proposed $1.3 billion project to expand the critical toll road in the central part of the state

, which frequently stalls interstate truck traffic.
North of Interchange 8A in Middlesex County, the toll road is divided into separate roadways for cars only and for both cars and trucks. But at that exit, southbound traffic must merge from five lanes to three. Last summer, officials said, the merge left backups of three miles or more on 87 of 90 days. Under the plan, the Turnpike would extend the separate car-only and truck-and-car lanes for an additional 20 miles south to Interchange 6 in Burlington County.
Officials said congestion problems on that stretch of the road would only get worse in 2011, after a planned link between Interstate 95 and the Pennsylvania Turnpike is completed, a project that likely would steer more traffic onto the New Jersey Turnpike.
One watchdog group, the Tri-State Transportation Campaign, said the Turnpike should reconsider whether the widening is needed for the entire 20 miles covered by the proposal.
Coincidentally, the Tri-State Transportation Campaign meeting in Trenton this week heard predictions of increased freight movement and proposals for regional rail shuttles emanating from Port Newark and Port Elizabeth to reduce congestion on major truck routes to help alleviate what the Star-Ledger called “an onslaught of tractor trailers.”