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Celebrating America's 250th

Shore traffic builds early as Fourth of July travelers head to the Jersey Shore

Drivers hoping to beat the holiday rush found congestion already building on the Garden State Parkway.

Christine Queally

Jul 2, 2026, 6:16 AM

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Traffic heading to the Jersey Shore was already building Thursday as travelers got an early start on their Fourth of July holiday weekend plans.

Many drivers said they chose to leave a day early in hopes of avoiding the expected rush on Friday. Instead, they found heavy traffic on the Garden State Parkway, a main route to the Shore.

"A lot of people are probably thinking like I'm thinking. It's going to be bad, let's leave early. Well...car after car after car, it's just backed up. It's really backed up, some places more than others," said Gloria Fay of Cranford.

Several drivers also said the hot weather made them even more eager to get through the bumper-to-bumper traffic and reach the ocean.

With millions expected to travel to the Jersey Shore over the holiday weekend, motorists should plan for extra travel time if heading to the coast.

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