New Jersey's roads aren't making it any easier for truckers to get where they need to during the holiday season and beyond.

In a new report that notes vehicle travel is approaching pre-pandemic levels, a spot in New Jersey is called out as the No. 1 truck bottleneck in the United States, and a major highway that cuts right through the Garden State ranks as the country's least reliable for freight.

The report from TRIP, a Washington, D.C-based transportation research nonprofit, suggests that states make additional investments beyond federal funding in order to minimize supply chain disruptions and improve the efficiency of America's freight network.

"Mobility — particularly for freight — is the lifeblood of economic growth and progress," said Jerry Keenan, president of New Jersey Alliance for Action. "Investing in New Jersey's transportation infrastructure will help ease bottlenecks while improving efficiency and conditions."

Congestion for trucks can impact delivery times and increase the cost of goods and services, the report notes. In New Jersey, the freight system moves $972 billion worth of goods annually, and 73% of that is on trucks.

The No. 1 truck bottleneck in the U.S. is in Fort Lee, NJ. (TRIP)
The No. 1 truck bottleneck in the U.S. is in Fort Lee, NJ, according to a new report. (TRIP)
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Clocking in at an average motorist speed of 36.5 mph, the joining of I-95 and Route 4 in Fort Lee, approaching the George Washington Bridge, presents the worst traffic congestion for truck-borne freight, according to the report.

"That's not a surprise because the No. 1 least reliable freight corridor is I-95 and it travels through New Jersey," said Rocky Moretti, director of policy and research for TRIP.

Along I-95 from Virginia to Connecticut, according to the report, travel times are 75% longer on heavy travel days, compared to normal traffic days.

"Highway bottlenecks cost the trucking industry more than $75 billion each year, contributing to the recent surge in inflation and driving down supply chain efficiencies," said Bill Sullivan, executive vice president of the advocacy for the American Trucking Associations.

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act signed into law in November will provide $304 billion nationwide for highways, roads and bridges over the next five years. Federal funding in New Jersey for highway improvement is set to increase by 41%.

Contact reporter Dino Flammia at dino.flammia@townsquaremedia.com.

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