New Jersey Turnpike Authority Garden State Parkway Interchange 145 Improvements Design Services

GPI led the $78.3 million New Jersey Turnpike Authority (NJTA) Interchange 145 Improvements project (OPS P3367) in East Orange, Essex County, NJ, delivering comprehensive design services for the NJTA from 2011 to 2022. This critical infrastructure project addressed persistent safety and operational deficiencies at the Garden State Parkway (GSP) and I-280 interchange, including high accident rates, congestion, and substandard roadway conditions. Our designs included replacing and lengthening the Central Avenue Bridge, widening the northbound exit ramp to provide two deceleration lanes, and expanding the southbound entrance ramp (Ramp G) to feature two acceleration lanes. The project required innovative design solutions to overcome complex structural constraints, particularly along Ramp G. Challenges included accommodating the existing mainline bridge outrigger support system and navigating the cantilevered configuration of Ramp K. The Central Avenue Bridge replacement presented additional difficulties, requiring highly coordinated staging and traffic control measures due to closely spaced intersections adjacent to the abutments. Through a rigorous alternatives analysis, the design team identified optimal strategies to improve safety while minimizing environmental and community impacts.

As required under New Jersey Executive Order 215, GPI conducted a full Environmental Assessment, including air quality and noise impact analyses aligned with the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments. Public outreach played a vital role in promoting transparency and fostering community involvement throughout the planning process. Bilingual communication efforts ensured accessibility for a diverse audience, culminating in a formally recorded public hearing where community input was documented and incorporated into the final project development. GPI’s technical execution encompassed constructability reviews, traffic studies, detour route analysis, field surveys, aerial mapping utilizing LiDAR technology, utility relocations, and traffic signal design. These efforts ensured technical accuracy and feasibility at every stage of development, and resulted in a safer, more efficient interchange. The successful delivery of the improved Interchange 145 earned industry recognition, including the 2023 American Society of Highway Engineers NJ Project of the Year and the 2023 American Council of Engineering Companies NJ Honor Award for Large Projects. The project balanced engineering challenges, environmental compliance, and community engagement to deliver significant safety and operational improvements in a complex urban setting.