Patch Jersey Shore Traffic Report Summer 2021: July 2-5

JERSEY SHORE, NJ — The 4th of July weekend is upon us, and that means lots of people will be hitting the roads.

Traffic heading south and east was still moving along as of noon Friday, but that will likely change quickly as people drive to the Shore for the long weekend.

Traffic on Route 72 east heading to Long Beach Island already was heavy at noon, with a steady stream of vehicles seen on the camera at Route 9 and Route 72 on the state Department of Transportation website 511nj.org.

The Garden State Parkway was showing heavier traffic from the Driscoll Bridge on south through the Toms River tolls, though it was moving at normal speeds still. Drive times from the bridge to points south were still normal, with the trip from the Raritan River bridge south to exit 63 for Long Beach Island taking just under an hour, as of noon.

Traffic on the Atlantic City Expressway and Interstate 195 east was moving along at normal speeds as well.

Though the Accuweather forecast calls for a 60 percent chance of storms on Saturday, Sunday and Monday are expected to be mostly sunny and warm, with highs in the upper 70s on Monday. That likely will bring large numbers of daytrippers, particularly on Sunday for the fireworks displays.

Expect heavy traffic on local routes — Route 36 heading to Sandy Hook, Route 35 heading south through Point Pleasant Beach to Seaside Heights and Seaside Park, Route 37 heading east, and parts of other nearby roads all weekend.

Route 9 from South Toms River through Berkeley Township will be heavily jammed with traffic on Sunday evening before and after the fireworks over the Toms River, so plan accordingly.

Because Monday is a federal holiday, that's when the heaviest traffic returning north and west will be, instead of Sunday evening.

As a reminder, Sandy Hook and Island Beach State Park generally reach capacity early in the day for several hours, and reopen as early beachgoers depart. Check the parks' Facebook pages for updates.

Lifeguards are on duty throughout the shore. Need information on beach badges? Check out Patch's 2021 Jersey Shore Beach Guide: What To Know.

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