If you’ve driven the 44-mile stretch of the Atlantic City Expressway lately, you’ve probably noticed things look... different. The old concrete islands and toll booths that used to define the Egg Harbor and Pleasantville plazas are effectively ghosts.
Basically, the era of fumbling for quarters or waiting for a receipt is dead.
As of January 4, 2026, the South Jersey Transportation Authority (SJTA) officially flipped the switch on an all-electronic, cashless system. It was a $30 million gamble to fix the legendary atlantic city expressway traffic jams that used to back up for miles every Friday in July.
But did it actually work? Or did we just trade physical idling for a more expensive digital headache?
The New Reality of Atlantic City Expressway Traffic
For decades, the "Egg Harbor crawl" was a rite of passage. You’d hit that toll plaza and everything would grind to a halt. Now, overhead gantries at 11 different locations track your move without you even tapping the brakes.
The goal was simple: keep the wheels moving.
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Honestly, the flow of traffic has improved at the major choke points. You aren't seeing the same stop-and-go friction that occurred when a tourist from out of state couldn't find their wallet at the exact moment they reached the window. However, "cashless" doesn't mean "traffic-free." The road is still a funnel.
If you're heading toward the Borgata or Ocean on a Saturday morning, the volume is still the volume. You’ve still got two lanes in the northwestern section (mileposts 31 to 44) that are struggling to handle the modern load.
Why Your Toll Just Doubled (Sorta)
Here is the part that’s catching people off guard. If you don't have E-ZPass in 2026, you're getting hit with a massive "Toll-By-Plate" surcharge.
The SJTA isn't being subtle about this. They want everyone on the electronic tag. If you're a casual driver without a transponder, your toll for the full length of the road is now $13.60. For the E-ZPass crowd? It’s only $6.30.
That is more than double.
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Plus, there is a $1.00 invoice fee just for the privilege of receiving that bill in the mail. If you forget to pay it within 30 days, they tack on a $5.00 late fee. It adds up fast. Most people think they’re being scammed, but the SJTA argues the surcharge covers the cost of high-speed cameras, license plate processing, and mailing the actual bills.
The Construction Bottlenecks Nobody Mentions
While the tolls are moving faster, the actual pavement is a work in progress. The "Third Lane Widening Project" is the current elephant in the room.
The SJTA is currently pushing through the final design and early construction phases to add a third lane from Milepost 31.6 down to the western end at Route 42. Until that is finished, the atlantic city expressway traffic will always have a physical limit.
- Bridge Maintenance: Watch out for the spans over the Great Egg Harbor River.
- Lane Closures: Typically, the right shoulders and lanes near the old Egg Harbor (MP 17.6) and Pleasantville (MP 4.3) plazas are still seeing intermittent closures as they finalize the removal of the old structures.
- Night Work: Most milling and paving is happening between 9:00 PM and 5:00 AM.
If you’re driving at 2:00 AM thinking you’ve got the road to yourself, you might find yourself merged into a single lane behind a line of orange cones. It’s a mess, but it’s a temporary one.
Avoiding the Friday Night Trap
If you leave Philly at 4:30 PM on a Friday in the summer, you’ve already lost.
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The peak hours haven't changed just because the tolls did. You’re looking at heavy volume starting around 3:00 PM on Fridays and lingering until 8:00 PM. On the flip side, Sunday afternoon westbound traffic starts building as early as noon.
You’ve gotta be smarter than the GPS.
I’ve found that the "sweet spot" for travel is either before 9:00 AM or after 7:00 PM. Anything in between is a roll of the dice. If the Expressway is red on the map, don't ignore it. Sometimes cutting over to Route 40 (the Black Horse Pike) or Route 30 (the White Horse Pike) actually helps, though they have their own traffic light nightmares to deal with.
Real Tips for Navigating the ACE in 2026
- Get the Tag: Seriously. Even if you only go to AC once a year, the $6.30 vs $13.60 difference pays for the account almost immediately.
- The Farley Service Plaza: It’s at Milepost 21.3. It is still the only real oasis on the road. If you see the traffic getting heavy ahead on your app, pull in there, grab a coffee, and wait 20 minutes. Sometimes that’s all it takes for an accident to clear up.
- Watch the Gantries: Don't brake under the metal frames over the road. They are designed to catch your tag at 75 MPH. Sudden braking causes accidents, which are the #1 cause of non-commuter traffic on the Expressway.
- The "Connector" Factor: Remember that the Brigantine Connector (Exit 1) is its own beast. If there is a big concert at Harrah’s or the Borgata, that tunnel will back up onto the main Expressway lanes.
The Atlantic City Expressway is finally catching up to the 21st century. The removal of cash lanes is a huge step, even if the price hike stings. Just keep an eye on the mile markers and remember that the road is essentially a giant bridge between the city and the shore—treat it with a little patience.
Next Steps for Your Trip
To make sure you aren't surprised by a bill in the mail next month, log into your E-ZPass account today and ensure your license plate is correctly linked. If you're planning a weekend trip, check the SJTA "Travel Advisory" page 30 minutes before you leave for any last-minute lane closures near the Pleasantville gantries.