Home > Garden State Parkway
The Garden State Parkway is a 172-mile-long limited-access toll parkway that stretches from the New York Thruway to Cape May, New Jersey. Its name refers to the state nickname, the "Garden State". Along with the New Jersey Turnpike, it is one of two limited access highways closely associated with the suburban highway-centered culture of New Jersey. Within New Jersey, the official designation is New Jersey State Highway 444. All but two miles of the road are within the state of New Jersey. The short segment that is in New York, and connects to the New York State Thruway, is officially designated as New York reference route 982L.The Parkway was constructed between 1946 and 1957. It basically has two sections: the "metropolitan section", north of the Raritan River; and the "shore section", between the Raritan and Cape May. The metropolitan section is like any expressway built in the 1950s through heavily populated areas. The shore section parallels United States Highway 9 and runs through unspoiled wilderness in the Pine Barrens. In Cape May County, the Parkway does have three traffic lights (at exits 8, 10, and 11 respectively), but these may be eliminated in the future.
Whereas the New Jersey Turnpike uses a system of long-distance tickets, obtained once by a motorist upon entering and surrendered upon exiting at toll gates, the Garden State Parkway uses no tickets but collect barrier tolls at regular intervals along its length, as well as at certain exits. Both the Turnpike and the Parkway now allow for payment with the E-ZPass system.
On July 9, 2003 New Jersey Governor James E. McGreevey's plan to merge the Garden State Parkway and the New Jersey Turnpike into one agency was completed.
External links
New Jersey Highways
