Buckled Pavement Brings Parkway Commute To Standstill In Toms River

TOMS RIVER, NJ — Buckled pavement caused a 10-mile backup on the Garden State Parkway on Tuesday night, turning the drive into a test of patience for motorists heading home from work and for those making an early escape for the July 4th holiday.

New Jersey State Police said a crack in the asphalt in the right lane was reported at 3:12 p.m. at milepost 82.8 southbound. There were no crashes or injuries reported, State Police Sgt. Jeffrey Lebron said.

Traffic was backed up to exit 98 in Wall Township for several hours, according to 511nj.org, the state Department of Transportation's website, and alternate routes jammed as well as people tried to escape the Parkway.

Drivers who traveled through the area on the Parkway commented on social media that the pavement had buckled and was sticking up noticeably. A photo taken from the shoulder of the Parkway and shared in multiple Facebook groups showed the pavement lifting up across the right lane, with large cracks visible.

"The road raised up about 3 feet," said Brian Hughes, who lives in Berkeley Township. He said his two-hour commute took four hours.

Others commenting on social media spoke of doubled commute times that extended well into the evening as the NJDOT performed emergency road work to repair the pavement.

The right lane was reopened sometime after 10 p.m.