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Atlantic City–Brigantine Connector

The Atlantic City–Brigantine Connector (officially the Atlantic City Expressway Connector; also known as the Atlantic City Connector or Brigantine Connector)[1] is a freeway in Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States. It is a 2.37-mile (3.81 km) spur of the Atlantic City Expressway, connecting it to New Jersey Route 87, which leads into Brigantine via the Marina district of Atlantic City. Locally, the freeway is known as "the Tunnel", due to the tunnel along its route that passes underneath the Westside neighborhood. The connector is a state highway owned and operated by the South Jersey Transportation Authority (SJTA); it has an unsigned designation of Route 446X.

Atlantic City–Brigantine Connector

Atlantic City Expressway Connector
Atlantic City–Brigantine Connector highlighted in red; alternate routing per NJDOT in blue
Route information
Auxiliary route of A.C. Expressway
Maintained by SJTA
Length2.37 mi[a] (3.81 km)
Existed2001–present
Component
highways
Route 446X (unsigned)
NHSEntire route
Major junctions
South end
A.C. Expressway in Atlantic City
Major intersections US 30 in Atlantic City
North end Route 87 in Atlantic City
Location
CountryUnited States
StateNew Jersey
CountiesAtlantic
Highway system

Proposals for a similar connector road in Atlantic City date to 1964; planning began in 1995 after businessman Steve Wynn proposed a new casino in the Marina district. The goals were to reduce traffic on Atlantic City streets and improve access to the Marina district and Brigantine. It was supported by Governor Christine Todd Whitman and Mayor Jim Whelan, but faced major opposition during its planning. Residents whose homes were to be destroyed for the tunnel construction fought the project, and competing casino owner Donald Trump filed lawsuits to prevent its construction.

Construction took almost three years and opened in July 2001 at a total cost of $330 million. Since its opening, the connector has served up to 30,000 vehicles daily, and affected the city's economy by bringing business to the casinos in the Marina district.

Route description edit

 
The connector's southern terminus near the Atlantic City Expressway and exit A

The Atlantic City–Brigantine Connector is a freeway located entirely within Atlantic City, New Jersey, and has a route length of 2.37 miles (3.81 km).[a] It is a toll-free extension of the tolled Atlantic City Expressway (A.C. Expressway) and serves as a connector between the expressway and Route 87 near Brigantine.[1] The connector averages two lanes per direction and has a posted speed limit of 35 mph (56 km/h).[7] The northernmost 0.89 miles (1.43 km) serves northbound traffic only, whereas southbound traffic travels along the parallel Route 87. Exits along the route are designated by letter from A to I.[4][8] It is owned and operated by the SJTA and is classified by the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) as a state highway, unsigned Route 446X, which is part of the National Highway System.[6]

External videos
Dashcam videos of the connector
  Connector northbound
  Connector southbound

The route begins near the eastern terminus of the A.C. Expressway with a southbound-only exit to the Midtown and Downbeach districts. It then turns north along the western shore of Atlantic City and comes to a railroad grade crossing with NJ Transit's Atlantic City Line adjacent to the Atlantic City Rail Terminal, followed by an interchange at Bacharach Boulevard. At 0.87 miles (1.40 km) along the route, the freeway enters a 1,957-foot (596 m) tunnel under Horace Bryant Park in the Westside neighborhood.[9] North of the tunnel is a southbound on-ramp from Route 87, followed by an interchange with U.S. Route 30 (US 30) via Route 187. After the US 30 interchange, the freeway continues for northbound traffic only, with an exit that serves as a U-turn to the southbound connector, an exit to Renaissance Pointe, Borgata, and MGM Tower, and an exit to the Farley Marina and Golden Nugget Atlantic City. The final exit ramp leads to Harrah's Atlantic City, after which the northbound connector terminates as it merges onto Route 87 northbound, which continues into Brigantine via the Brigantine Bridge.[4][10]

History edit

Initial proposals edit

The 44-mile (71 km) A.C. Expressway was built from 1962 to 1965, connecting the Philadelphia metropolitan area with the coastal resort city of Atlantic City.[11] During construction in 1964, the Atlantic City Planning Board proposed the Route 30 Connector, a connector road linking the end of the expressway in Midtown Atlantic City with US 30. The purpose of the connector was to reduce traffic congestion and improve access to the Marina district and the neighboring city of Brigantine. Because of a lack of funds and environmental concerns about construction near the adjacent wetlands, the connector project remained dormant until 1990 when plans for the road were included in a report by the city's Transportation Executive Council.[12] A 1991 study found the project was environmentally feasible, and a route was proposed with a one-mile (1.6 km) elevated highway over the wetlands. Construction costs were estimated at $80 million,[13] but due to a continuing lack of funds and the complexity of constructing above the wetlands, the project was again postponed.[14]

Planning edit

 
Construction of the tunnel under the Westside neighborhood required the demolition of nine homes.

Plans for the connector reemerged in 1995 following a proposal from real estate businessman and Mirage Resorts president Steve Wynn. The city of Atlantic City issued requests for proposals to developers interested in developing the H-Tract, a former landfill site in the Marina district.[15] Wynn obtained the property from the city following his proposal to construct Le Jardin, a $1 billion casino resort.[16][17] He said he would only build if better road access was provided directly to the site, which prompted state officials to revive the connector plans.[14]

Governor Christine Todd Whitman created a transportation task force in September 1995 to consider options.[18] It studied 11 alternative routes, including elevated highways, tunnels, and improvements to existing streets.[19] In March 1996, the task force determined that the best alternative was the Westside Bypass route, which included a highway along the western shore of the city with a tunnel under the Westside neighborhood. Whitman formally adopted the task force's recommendation in July 1996, which ensured that the alternative would be built.[18]

The goals of the project were to improve access to the Atlantic City Convention Center, the Marina district, and Brigantine, and to improve traffic flow along the city's streets.[20] It was expected to accommodate 14,000 to 17,000 vehicles per day.[21] The tunnel was designed to have as little impact on the surrounding environment as possible; its design included both portals on opposite ends of the community, with landscaping added between the construction site and adjacent homes.[22] Nine existing homes along Horace J. Bryant Jr. Drive would be demolished for the construction of the tunnel.[23] Funding for the project, formally known as the Atlantic City–Brigantine Connector,[20] was approved in January 1997.[24] The total cost of the project was $330 million (equivalent to $582 million in 2023).[25] To fund the project, Mirage Resorts paid $110 million, with the remainder coming from state funds from the SJTA ($60 million), the Transportation Trust Fund ($95 million), and the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority ($65 million).[26]

Controversies edit

 
The connector includes a railroad at-grade crossing near the Atlantic City Rail Terminal, which was criticized for safety concerns.

The project was controversial, as tunnel construction would displace homes in the Westside neighborhood, and residents vowed to fight it.[23] Its opponents described the project as an effort to destroy a community, while supporters claimed it was necessary to reduce traffic and create new jobs at the planned casino.[27] Atlantic City Mayor Jim Whelan, a supporter, felt the project would benefit the city.[28] Mirage offered each affected property owner on Horace J. Bryant Jr. Drive $200,000 for their homes, an offer five of the nine accepted. A group of 92 Westside homeowners filed a lawsuit against the company and the city claiming the tunnel construction would require the demolition of "their stable, black neighborhood" and create health concerns, thus violating their rights.[23][29][30]

Donald Trump, the chairman of Trump Hotels & Casino Resorts at the time, was also opposed to the connector, and paid the Westside residents' legal bills.[31] Knowing that Wynn's casino would not be built without the connector, Trump also filed lawsuits against the use of state funds for the project.[32] According to Whelan, Trump "didn't want the competition" with his three existing Atlantic City casinos,[28] including Trump Marina, next to the site of Wynn's future casino at the H-Tract.[16] Trump criticized the connector as a state-funded "private driveway" to Wynn's casino, and denounced the funding as "corporate welfare" that unfairly favored an out-of-state company (Mirage) over those that had previously made business investments in the city.[28][33][34] He claimed that the tunnel would have "immense environmental impacts",[23] and urged the state's Department of Environmental Protection to deny construction permits.[35] Mirage and Wynn retaliated by filing an antitrust lawsuit against Trump Hotels alleging that the company's only goal was to prevent the Mirage resort from being built.[31] The feud between Trump and Wynn over the connector was later the subject of the 2012 book The War at the Shore: Donald Trump, Steve Wynn, and the Epic Battle to Save Atlantic City, by former Mirage director Richard "Skip" Bronson.[32]

According to the Las Vegas Sun, "more than a dozen" lawsuits were filed over the connector project.[33] The lawsuit by the Westside homeowners was eventually dismissed by a federal judge in February 1998.[23] Trump's legal battles against the project lasted four years; he dropped them in February 2001 in exchange for a settlement that would include a new ramp to provide access from the future H-Tract casino to Trump Marina. Trump agreed to pay half the ramp's $12 million cost.[36] A group of New Jersey mayors who also opposed the project filed suit to block "an inappropriate use of state funds".[33] Their lawsuit was also dismissed; the court found the construction of the connector necessary whether the casino was built or not.[16]

Aside from the tunnel, the project was criticized for including a railroad grade crossing on a freeway. The design was opposed by the Federal Railroad Administration and rail advocacy groups for safety concerns; however, the SJTA said the design was a compromise to allow for a full interchange at Bacharach Boulevard and provide access to the convention center.[21][37]

Construction edit

Construction bids for the design–build contract of the Atlantic City–Brigantine Connector were submitted to the SJTA in July 1997.[26] The contract was awarded to the joint venture of Yonkers Contracting Company and Granite Construction who served as the general contractors.[38][39] At the time of inception, the connector was the largest design–build project performed by the State of New Jersey.[40] Permits were granted in October 1998,[35] and the groundbreaking ceremony took place on November 4.[41] Completion was originally scheduled for May 2001.[23]

Excavation of the tunnel began in May 1999; the cut and cover method was used.[23] The nine homes were demolished and a 2,900-foot (880 m) trench was dug down to 35 feet (11 m) deep.[42] A total 160,000 cubic yards (120,000 m3) of dirt were removed,[23] most of which was reused to construct ramps at other sites on the connector.[43] For the tunnel walls, 100,000 cubic yards (76,000 m3) of reinforced concrete were poured,[43] and a five-foot-thick (1.5 m) concrete roof was constructed on top of the tunnel where the homes once stood; the site was later turned into a neighborhood park.[2][44] Since the tunnel runs adjacent to the Penrose Canal, groundwater was present five feet (1.5 m) below the bottom of the trench, requiring a dewatering process to complete the construction.[42] Technology was installed to monitor traffic flow and control the tunnel ventilation, which automatically triggers jet fans if carbon monoxide levels become too high.[44] The tunnel is 14.5 feet (4.4 m) high, but is restricted to vehicles with a maximum clearance of 14 feet (4.3 m).[45]

In addition to the tunnel, the project included the construction of 16 overpasses, 15 ramps, and 23 retaining walls, plus landscaping, drainage, and the installation of variable-message signs.[3] Workers also relocated public utility infrastructure, shifted 2,000 feet (610 m) of railroad tracks, rebuilt 3,680 feet (1,120 m) of bulkhead, and demolished a pumping station, a warehouse, and portions of a power station.[37][40] A promenade at Trump Marina was leveled to make way for new ramps, and 37 ornamental lampposts were dismantled and later shipped to the nearby Tuckerton Seaport, which opened in 2000.[46] To avoid disruptions in the neighborhood, construction materials were delivered by barge, and construction vehicles did not travel along any local streets.[22]

During construction, Wynn sold Mirage Resorts to MGM Grand Inc. in 2000, forming the MGM Mirage company. Wynn's plans for his Atlantic City casino resort were cancelled.[23] MGM Mirage took over the H-Tract site and renamed it Renaissance Pointe,[47] and developed plans for Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa, which opened in 2003 after three years of construction.[48]

Opening edit

 
The opening of the connector helped establish Borgata, which opened in 2003. The connector's ramps are visible in the background.

A shortage of materials and delivery issues in late 2000 delayed the connector's opening from May to July 2001.[49] The grand opening ceremony took place on July 27, with festivities including a pedestrian tunnel walk.[50] The connector was expected to open to traffic that evening, but due to last-minute malfunctions with the tunnel's emergency communication system, it did not open to vehicles until July 31.[51] Upon opening, the freeway was formally named the Atlantic City Expressway Connector,[24] although it is called "the Tunnel" by locals.[52] The ramp from Borgata to Trump Marina opened in 2003, which marked the completion of the connector project.[53]

Once the connector opened, travel times between the Midtown and the Marina districts fell from fifteen minutes to four.[54] Initial traffic volume was lower than expected; the connector served only 11,000 to 12,000 vehicles per day during its first several months, which was attributed to a decline in travel following the September 11 terrorist attacks.[55] However, traffic increased the following year, and the connector served up to 20,000 vehicles daily by July 2002, significantly higher than the original projections.[56] Due to the opening of Borgata in 2003, annual traffic volume increased by 25 percent that year, serving 30,000 vehicles daily.[53] Whelan said "the impact of the [connector] project is undeniable" in improving traffic flow in the city and access to Brigantine.[23] Traffic data from 2013 shows that the connector was used by 24,590 vehicles daily, including 1,229 trucks.[57]

The connector also affected the city's economy and casino industry. Whelan credited the project for bringing Borgata, which has since become the city's top-grossing casino.[23] Joe Kelly, executive director of the Greater Atlantic City Chamber of Commerce, said "the Connector has been vitally important to furthering Atlantic City's economic development objectives" by improving access to the Marina district and making it more "economically viable".[58] State records from 2016 showed that the three casinos in the Marina district had an average annual gross revenue of $134 million, compared to $70 million for the casinos along the Atlantic City Boardwalk. Transportation analyst and former SJTA executive Anthony Marino cited the connector's ease of access to the Marina district casinos as a factor in their success and a challenge for boardwalk casinos; Whelan said it forced boardwalk casinos to reevaluate their business models.[23]

The tunnel was used as a filming location in 2018 for the TV series Succession; the series portrayed the location as the Brooklyn–Battery Tunnel in New York City.[59][60]

Exit list edit

The entire route is in Atlantic City, Atlantic County.

mi[4][61]kmExitDestinationsNotes
0.000.00 
 
 
 
A.C. Expressway west to G.S. Parkway
Southern terminus; exit 1 on A.C. Expressway
0.310.50AMidtown, DownbeachSouthbound exit and northbound entrance; access via Mississippi Avenue
0.550.89BBacharach Boulevard – Convention Center
0.87–
1.24
1.40–
2.00
Tunnel below Horace Bryant Park
1.482.38E  US 30 – Uptown, Hard Rock Beach, Resorts, Ocean BeachNo southbound exit; northern terminus of southbound lanes; ramp intersects with Route 187
1.662.67F 
 
To A.C. Expressway – Convention Center, Midtown, Downbeach
Northbound exit only; U-turn ramp to southbound connector
1.772.85HRenaissance Pointe, Borgata, MGM TowerNorthbound exit only
1.832.95GFarley Marina, Golden NuggetNorthbound exit only; access via Route 87
2.333.75IHarrah'sNorthbound exit only
2.373.81 
 
Route 87 north (Brigantine Boulevard) – Brigantine
Northbound exit only; northern terminus
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

See also edit

References edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ a b Sources vary in the total route length from 2.2 to 2.6 miles (3.5 to 4.2 km);[2][3] however, maps and imagery from the state's GIS platform show the connector terminating 0.07 miles (0.11 km) past mile post 2.3 (3.7 km).[4][5] The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) alternatively measures the route length as 1.98 miles (3.19 km) from its southern terminus to its exit ramp junction with US 30. This method disregards the northbound-only section of the connector.[6]

Citations edit

  1. ^ a b "Atlantic City Expressway: Exit 1 Details". South Jersey Transportation Authority. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
  2. ^ a b "Views; Light at the End of the Tunnel Is Brigantine". The New York Times. January 1, 2001. Retrieved July 20, 2019.
  3. ^ a b "Project Profile: Atlantic City-Brigantine Connector". Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
  4. ^ a b c d (PDF) (Map). South Jersey Transportation Authority. 2001. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 29, 2004. Retrieved April 13, 2016.
  5. ^ NJ-GeoWeb (Map). New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. Retrieved June 21, 2022.
  6. ^ a b Atlantic City-Brigantine Connector (South to North) (PDF) (Map) (2019 ed.). New Jersey Straight Line Diagrams. New Jersey Department of Transportation. March 2019. Retrieved March 17, 2020.
  7. ^ SJTA 2001, p. 5.
  8. ^ Lemongello, Steve (April 9, 2014). "CRDA rolling out new color-coded sign system for Atlantic City". The Press of Atlantic City. Retrieved September 19, 2022.
  9. ^ Atlantic City, Atlantic County, New Jersey (PDF) (Map). Atlantic County Office of Geographic Information Systems. Retrieved June 15, 2022.
  10. ^ SJTA 2001, pp. 5–6.
  11. ^ "Atlantic City Expressway". South Jersey Transportation Authority. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
  12. ^ Wittkowski, Donald (October 13, 1990). "Expressway, Rte. 30 Link Resurrected". The Press of Atlantic City. p. B1. Retrieved June 14, 2022 – via NewsBank.
  13. ^ Wittkowski, Donald (June 14, 1991). "Transit Plan Says Route 30 Link Will Ease Atlantic City Traffic". The Press of Atlantic City. p. C1. Retrieved June 14, 2022 – via NewsBank.
  14. ^ Kravitz, Pinky (August 5, 2004). "Steve Wynn Coming Back to Atlantic City?". Atlantic City Weekly. Retrieved December 8, 2022.
  15. ^ a b c McClure, Sandy; Ingle, Bob (2008). The Soprano State: New Jersey's Culture of Corruption. St. Martin's Press. pp. 267–269. ISBN 978-1429925730 – via Internet Archive.
  16. ^ Pulley, Brett (June 29, 1996). "As Atlantic City Thrives, Whitman May Call a Casino Bluff". The New York Times. Retrieved December 12, 2022.
  17. ^ a b Lillian E. Bryant, et al., vs. The City of Atlantic City, et al., 309 N.J. Super. 596 (N.J. Super. App. Div. 1998).
  18. ^ DeAngelis, Martin (February 2, 1996). "Creativity, Cooperation, Construction". The Press of Atlantic City. p. C1. Retrieved June 14, 2022 – via NewsBank.
  19. ^ a b "Atlantic City tunnel construction begins". The Press of Atlantic City. November 4, 1998. Retrieved December 23, 2019.
  20. ^ a b Rosenberg, Amy S. (July 22, 2001). "A.C. tunnel bears a human cost". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. B1+. Retrieved June 14, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  21. ^ a b Heneghan, Daniel (February 10, 1996). "Mirage: Options Bought on Most Tunnel Homes". The Press of Atlantic City. p. D5. Retrieved June 14, 2022 – via NewsBank.
  22. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Huba, Nicholas (July 31, 2017). "How the Expressway Connector rewrote Atlantic City". The Press of Atlantic City. Retrieved July 20, 2019.
  23. ^ a b SJTA 2001, p. 2.
  24. ^ Johnston, Louis; Williamson, Samuel H. (2023). "What Was the U.S. GDP Then?". MeasuringWorth. Retrieved November 30, 2023. United States Gross Domestic Product deflator figures follow the MeasuringWorth series.
  25. ^ a b "Bids received on A.C./Brigantine Connector project" (Press release). South Jersey Transportation Authority. July 8, 1997. Retrieved July 16, 2019.
  26. ^ Wittkowski, Donald; Peele, Thomas (February 21, 1996). "The Mirage Casino Tunnel Controversy". The Press of Atlantic City. p. A1. Retrieved June 14, 2022 – via NewsBank.
  27. ^ a b c Brunetti Post, Michelle (June 26, 2016). "Trump v. Wynn, and Other Atlantic City Battles". The Press of Atlantic City. Retrieved July 24, 2019.
  28. ^ Roura, Phil (November 3, 1996). "To Stop Tunnel, Foes Dig In". New York Daily News. Retrieved July 20, 2019.
  29. ^ Karmel, James R. (2015). Gambling on the American Dream: Atlantic City and the Casino Era. Routledge. p. 169. ISBN 978-1-317-31462-2. Retrieved August 4, 2019 – via Google Books.
  30. ^ a b Wagner, Angie (February 24, 2000). "Mirage, Trump agree to dismissal of lawsuits". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved December 15, 2019.
  31. ^ a b "The War at the Shore: Kirkus Review". Kirkus Reviews. May 16, 2012. Retrieved December 15, 2019.
  32. ^ a b c Curran, John (July 26, 2001). "Casino tunnel opening as debate continues". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved July 24, 2019.
  33. ^ Curran, John (April 23, 1997). "Trump–Wynn feud leads to call for probe". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved July 24, 2019.
  34. ^ a b "Atlantic City Tunnel Clears Final State Hurdle". The Press of Atlantic City. October 27, 1998. Retrieved August 4, 2019.
  35. ^ "Trump Agrees to Tunnel Settlement". The Press of Atlantic City. February 22, 2001. Retrieved July 24, 2019.
  36. ^ a b Cho, Aileen (June 18, 2001). "Making the Right Cut on Atlantic City Route". Engineering News-Record. 246 (24): 42–44.
  37. ^ SJTA 2001, p. 3.
  38. ^ "Granite, Yonkers Win $190.6-Million Project". Los Angeles Times. Bloomberg News. October 17, 1997. Retrieved July 16, 2019.
  39. ^ a b Delaney, Joseph (2016). Construction Program Management. CRC Press. pp. 108–109. ISBN 978-1466575059.
  40. ^ . South Jersey Transportation Authority. Archived from the original on September 23, 2023. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
  41. ^ a b . Moretrench. Archived from the original on July 20, 2019. Retrieved June 19, 2022.
  42. ^ a b "Workers begin digging actual Atlantic City tunnel". The Press of Atlantic City. May 18, 1999. Retrieved July 24, 2019.
  43. ^ a b Sokolic, William H. (July 19, 2001). . Courier-Post. Archived from the original on July 20, 2019. Retrieved June 19, 2022.
  44. ^ SJTA 2001, p. 9.
  45. ^ Volpe, Gregory J. (January 20, 2000). "A Bit of A.C. Night Life Comes to Tuckerton Seaport". The Press of Atlantic City. Retrieved June 14, 2022 – via NewsBank.
  46. ^ Warner, Susan (February 10, 2002). "Again, a Time of Uncertainty in Atlantic City". The New York Times. Retrieved December 14, 2019.
  47. ^ "A Whole Lotta Borgata". Forbes. July 24, 2003. Retrieved June 15, 2022.
  48. ^ "Tunnel grand opening now delayed until July". The Press of Atlantic City. December 15, 2001. Retrieved July 24, 2019.
  49. ^ Peterson, Iver (July 28, 2001). "Atlantic City Car Tunnel Opens Briefly, for Pedestrians". The New York Times. Retrieved July 24, 2019.
  50. ^ Wittkowski, Donald (July 31, 2001). "Atlantic City Expressway Connector opens". The Press of Atlantic City. Retrieved July 24, 2019.
  51. ^ "City of Brigantine: 2016 Master Plan Re-examination Report" (PDF). City of Brigantine. August 22, 2016. p. 2. Retrieved October 24, 2022.
  52. ^ a b "South Jersey Transportation Authority 2003 Annual Report" (PDF). South Jersey Transportation Authority. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
  53. ^ Legato, Frank; Shermer Pack, Jennifer; Verdini, David (2005). Atlantic City: In Living Color. Indigo Custom Publishing. p. 96. ISBN 978-0-9725951-6-2. Retrieved August 4, 2019 – via Google Books.
  54. ^ Wittkowski, Donald (August 6, 2002). "Tunnel traffic less than expected". The Press of Atlantic City. Retrieved July 25, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  55. ^ "A.C.'s tunnel: Improve signage". The Press of Atlantic City. August 6, 2002. Retrieved July 25, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  56. ^ "National Tunnel Inventory: 2022 Data" (XLSX). Federal Highway Administration. October 11, 2022. Retrieved January 12, 2023.
  57. ^ (PDF). South Jersey Transportation Authority. p. 21. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 18, 2022. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
  58. ^ Goldman, Jeff (February 22, 2018). "HBO filming to close part of Atlantic City-Brigantine tunnel Thursday". NJ.com. Retrieved January 1, 2023.
  59. ^ "South Jersey Transportation Authority 2018 Annual Report" (PDF). South Jersey Transportation Authority. p. 9. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
  60. ^ SJTA 2001, pp. 5–6, 8.

Bibliography edit

  • (PDF) (Press release). South Jersey Transportation Authority. July 19, 2001. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 15, 2004. Retrieved April 13, 2016.

External links edit

KML is from Wikidata
  • Atlantic City Expressway
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atlantic, city, brigantine, connector, officially, atlantic, city, expressway, connector, also, known, atlantic, city, connector, brigantine, connector, freeway, atlantic, city, jersey, united, states, mile, spur, atlantic, city, expressway, connecting, jersey. The Atlantic City Brigantine Connector officially the Atlantic City Expressway Connector also known as the Atlantic City Connector or Brigantine Connector 1 is a freeway in Atlantic City New Jersey United States It is a 2 37 mile 3 81 km spur of the Atlantic City Expressway connecting it to New Jersey Route 87 which leads into Brigantine via the Marina district of Atlantic City Locally the freeway is known as the Tunnel due to the tunnel along its route that passes underneath the Westside neighborhood The connector is a state highway owned and operated by the South Jersey Transportation Authority SJTA it has an unsigned designation of Route 446X Atlantic City Brigantine ConnectorAtlantic City Expressway ConnectorAtlantic City Brigantine Connector highlighted in red alternate routing per NJDOT in blueRoute informationAuxiliary route of A C ExpresswayMaintained by SJTALength2 37 mi a 3 81 km Existed2001 presentComponenthighwaysRoute 446X unsigned NHSEntire routeMajor junctionsSouth endA C Expressway in Atlantic CityMajor intersectionsUS 30 in Atlantic CityNorth endRoute 87 in Atlantic CityLocationCountryUnited StatesStateNew JerseyCountiesAtlanticHighway systemNew Jersey State Highway Routes Interstate US State Scenic Byways Route 446446X Route 495 Proposals for a similar connector road in Atlantic City date to 1964 planning began in 1995 after businessman Steve Wynn proposed a new casino in the Marina district The goals were to reduce traffic on Atlantic City streets and improve access to the Marina district and Brigantine It was supported by Governor Christine Todd Whitman and Mayor Jim Whelan but faced major opposition during its planning Residents whose homes were to be destroyed for the tunnel construction fought the project and competing casino owner Donald Trump filed lawsuits to prevent its construction Construction took almost three years and opened in July 2001 at a total cost of 330 million Since its opening the connector has served up to 30 000 vehicles daily and affected the city s economy by bringing business to the casinos in the Marina district Contents 1 Route description 2 History 2 1 Initial proposals 2 2 Planning 2 3 Controversies 2 4 Construction 2 5 Opening 3 Exit list 4 See also 5 References 5 1 Notes 5 2 Citations 5 3 Bibliography 6 External linksRoute description edit nbsp The connector s southern terminus near the Atlantic City Expressway and exit A The Atlantic City Brigantine Connector is a freeway located entirely within Atlantic City New Jersey and has a route length of 2 37 miles 3 81 km a It is a toll free extension of the tolled Atlantic City Expressway A C Expressway and serves as a connector between the expressway and Route 87 near Brigantine 1 The connector averages two lanes per direction and has a posted speed limit of 35 mph 56 km h 7 The northernmost 0 89 miles 1 43 km serves northbound traffic only whereas southbound traffic travels along the parallel Route 87 Exits along the route are designated by letter from A to I 4 8 It is owned and operated by the SJTA and is classified by the New Jersey Department of Transportation NJDOT as a state highway unsigned Route 446X which is part of the National Highway System 6 External videosDashcam videos of the connector nbsp Connector northbound nbsp Connector southbound The route begins near the eastern terminus of the A C Expressway with a southbound only exit to the Midtown and Downbeach districts It then turns north along the western shore of Atlantic City and comes to a railroad grade crossing with NJ Transit s Atlantic City Line adjacent to the Atlantic City Rail Terminal followed by an interchange at Bacharach Boulevard At 0 87 miles 1 40 km along the route the freeway enters a 1 957 foot 596 m tunnel under Horace Bryant Park in the Westside neighborhood 9 North of the tunnel is a southbound on ramp from Route 87 followed by an interchange with U S Route 30 US 30 via Route 187 After the US 30 interchange the freeway continues for northbound traffic only with an exit that serves as a U turn to the southbound connector an exit to Renaissance Pointe Borgata and MGM Tower and an exit to the Farley Marina and Golden Nugget Atlantic City The final exit ramp leads to Harrah s Atlantic City after which the northbound connector terminates as it merges onto Route 87 northbound which continues into Brigantine via the Brigantine Bridge 4 10 History editInitial proposals edit The 44 mile 71 km A C Expressway was built from 1962 to 1965 connecting the Philadelphia metropolitan area with the coastal resort city of Atlantic City 11 During construction in 1964 the Atlantic City Planning Board proposed the Route 30 Connector a connector road linking the end of the expressway in Midtown Atlantic City with US 30 The purpose of the connector was to reduce traffic congestion and improve access to the Marina district and the neighboring city of Brigantine Because of a lack of funds and environmental concerns about construction near the adjacent wetlands the connector project remained dormant until 1990 when plans for the road were included in a report by the city s Transportation Executive Council 12 A 1991 study found the project was environmentally feasible and a route was proposed with a one mile 1 6 km elevated highway over the wetlands Construction costs were estimated at 80 million 13 but due to a continuing lack of funds and the complexity of constructing above the wetlands the project was again postponed 14 Planning edit nbsp Construction of the tunnel under the Westside neighborhood required the demolition of nine homes Plans for the connector reemerged in 1995 following a proposal from real estate businessman and Mirage Resorts president Steve Wynn The city of Atlantic City issued requests for proposals to developers interested in developing the H Tract a former landfill site in the Marina district 15 Wynn obtained the property from the city following his proposal to construct Le Jardin a 1 billion casino resort 16 17 He said he would only build if better road access was provided directly to the site which prompted state officials to revive the connector plans 14 Governor Christine Todd Whitman created a transportation task force in September 1995 to consider options 18 It studied 11 alternative routes including elevated highways tunnels and improvements to existing streets 19 In March 1996 the task force determined that the best alternative was the Westside Bypass route which included a highway along the western shore of the city with a tunnel under the Westside neighborhood Whitman formally adopted the task force s recommendation in July 1996 which ensured that the alternative would be built 18 The goals of the project were to improve access to the Atlantic City Convention Center the Marina district and Brigantine and to improve traffic flow along the city s streets 20 It was expected to accommodate 14 000 to 17 000 vehicles per day 21 The tunnel was designed to have as little impact on the surrounding environment as possible its design included both portals on opposite ends of the community with landscaping added between the construction site and adjacent homes 22 Nine existing homes along Horace J Bryant Jr Drive would be demolished for the construction of the tunnel 23 Funding for the project formally known as the Atlantic City Brigantine Connector 20 was approved in January 1997 24 The total cost of the project was 330 million equivalent to 582 million in 2023 25 To fund the project Mirage Resorts paid 110 million with the remainder coming from state funds from the SJTA 60 million the Transportation Trust Fund 95 million and the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority 65 million 26 Controversies edit nbsp The connector includes a railroad at grade crossing near the Atlantic City Rail Terminal which was criticized for safety concerns The project was controversial as tunnel construction would displace homes in the Westside neighborhood and residents vowed to fight it 23 Its opponents described the project as an effort to destroy a community while supporters claimed it was necessary to reduce traffic and create new jobs at the planned casino 27 Atlantic City Mayor Jim Whelan a supporter felt the project would benefit the city 28 Mirage offered each affected property owner on Horace J Bryant Jr Drive 200 000 for their homes an offer five of the nine accepted A group of 92 Westside homeowners filed a lawsuit against the company and the city claiming the tunnel construction would require the demolition of their stable black neighborhood and create health concerns thus violating their rights 23 29 30 Donald Trump the chairman of Trump Hotels amp Casino Resorts at the time was also opposed to the connector and paid the Westside residents legal bills 31 Knowing that Wynn s casino would not be built without the connector Trump also filed lawsuits against the use of state funds for the project 32 According to Whelan Trump didn t want the competition with his three existing Atlantic City casinos 28 including Trump Marina next to the site of Wynn s future casino at the H Tract 16 Trump criticized the connector as a state funded private driveway to Wynn s casino and denounced the funding as corporate welfare that unfairly favored an out of state company Mirage over those that had previously made business investments in the city 28 33 34 He claimed that the tunnel would have immense environmental impacts 23 and urged the state s Department of Environmental Protection to deny construction permits 35 Mirage and Wynn retaliated by filing an antitrust lawsuit against Trump Hotels alleging that the company s only goal was to prevent the Mirage resort from being built 31 The feud between Trump and Wynn over the connector was later the subject of the 2012 book The War at the Shore Donald Trump Steve Wynn and the Epic Battle to Save Atlantic City by former Mirage director Richard Skip Bronson 32 According to the Las Vegas Sun more than a dozen lawsuits were filed over the connector project 33 The lawsuit by the Westside homeowners was eventually dismissed by a federal judge in February 1998 23 Trump s legal battles against the project lasted four years he dropped them in February 2001 in exchange for a settlement that would include a new ramp to provide access from the future H Tract casino to Trump Marina Trump agreed to pay half the ramp s 12 million cost 36 A group of New Jersey mayors who also opposed the project filed suit to block an inappropriate use of state funds 33 Their lawsuit was also dismissed the court found the construction of the connector necessary whether the casino was built or not 16 Aside from the tunnel the project was criticized for including a railroad grade crossing on a freeway The design was opposed by the Federal Railroad Administration and rail advocacy groups for safety concerns however the SJTA said the design was a compromise to allow for a full interchange at Bacharach Boulevard and provide access to the convention center 21 37 Construction edit Construction bids for the design build contract of the Atlantic City Brigantine Connector were submitted to the SJTA in July 1997 26 The contract was awarded to the joint venture of Yonkers Contracting Company and Granite Construction who served as the general contractors 38 39 At the time of inception the connector was the largest design build project performed by the State of New Jersey 40 Permits were granted in October 1998 35 and the groundbreaking ceremony took place on November 4 41 Completion was originally scheduled for May 2001 23 Excavation of the tunnel began in May 1999 the cut and cover method was used 23 The nine homes were demolished and a 2 900 foot 880 m trench was dug down to 35 feet 11 m deep 42 A total 160 000 cubic yards 120 000 m3 of dirt were removed 23 most of which was reused to construct ramps at other sites on the connector 43 For the tunnel walls 100 000 cubic yards 76 000 m3 of reinforced concrete were poured 43 and a five foot thick 1 5 m concrete roof was constructed on top of the tunnel where the homes once stood the site was later turned into a neighborhood park 2 44 Since the tunnel runs adjacent to the Penrose Canal groundwater was present five feet 1 5 m below the bottom of the trench requiring a dewatering process to complete the construction 42 Technology was installed to monitor traffic flow and control the tunnel ventilation which automatically triggers jet fans if carbon monoxide levels become too high 44 The tunnel is 14 5 feet 4 4 m high but is restricted to vehicles with a maximum clearance of 14 feet 4 3 m 45 In addition to the tunnel the project included the construction of 16 overpasses 15 ramps and 23 retaining walls plus landscaping drainage and the installation of variable message signs 3 Workers also relocated public utility infrastructure shifted 2 000 feet 610 m of railroad tracks rebuilt 3 680 feet 1 120 m of bulkhead and demolished a pumping station a warehouse and portions of a power station 37 40 A promenade at Trump Marina was leveled to make way for new ramps and 37 ornamental lampposts were dismantled and later shipped to the nearby Tuckerton Seaport which opened in 2000 46 To avoid disruptions in the neighborhood construction materials were delivered by barge and construction vehicles did not travel along any local streets 22 During construction Wynn sold Mirage Resorts to MGM Grand Inc in 2000 forming the MGM Mirage company Wynn s plans for his Atlantic City casino resort were cancelled 23 MGM Mirage took over the H Tract site and renamed it Renaissance Pointe 47 and developed plans for Borgata Hotel Casino amp Spa which opened in 2003 after three years of construction 48 Opening edit nbsp The opening of the connector helped establish Borgata which opened in 2003 The connector s ramps are visible in the background A shortage of materials and delivery issues in late 2000 delayed the connector s opening from May to July 2001 49 The grand opening ceremony took place on July 27 with festivities including a pedestrian tunnel walk 50 The connector was expected to open to traffic that evening but due to last minute malfunctions with the tunnel s emergency communication system it did not open to vehicles until July 31 51 Upon opening the freeway was formally named the Atlantic City Expressway Connector 24 although it is called the Tunnel by locals 52 The ramp from Borgata to Trump Marina opened in 2003 which marked the completion of the connector project 53 Once the connector opened travel times between the Midtown and the Marina districts fell from fifteen minutes to four 54 Initial traffic volume was lower than expected the connector served only 11 000 to 12 000 vehicles per day during its first several months which was attributed to a decline in travel following the September 11 terrorist attacks 55 However traffic increased the following year and the connector served up to 20 000 vehicles daily by July 2002 significantly higher than the original projections 56 Due to the opening of Borgata in 2003 annual traffic volume increased by 25 percent that year serving 30 000 vehicles daily 53 Whelan said the impact of the connector project is undeniable in improving traffic flow in the city and access to Brigantine 23 Traffic data from 2013 shows that the connector was used by 24 590 vehicles daily including 1 229 trucks 57 The connector also affected the city s economy and casino industry Whelan credited the project for bringing Borgata which has since become the city s top grossing casino 23 Joe Kelly executive director of the Greater Atlantic City Chamber of Commerce said the Connector has been vitally important to furthering Atlantic City s economic development objectives by improving access to the Marina district and making it more economically viable 58 State records from 2016 showed that the three casinos in the Marina district had an average annual gross revenue of 134 million compared to 70 million for the casinos along the Atlantic City Boardwalk Transportation analyst and former SJTA executive Anthony Marino cited the connector s ease of access to the Marina district casinos as a factor in their success and a challenge for boardwalk casinos Whelan said it forced boardwalk casinos to reevaluate their business models 23 The tunnel was used as a filming location in 2018 for the TV series Succession the series portrayed the location as the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel in New York City 59 60 Exit list editThe entire route is in Atlantic City Atlantic County mi 4 61 kmExitDestinationsNotes 0 000 00 nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp A C Expressway west to G S ParkwaySouthern terminus exit 1 on A C Expressway 0 310 50AMidtown DownbeachSouthbound exit and northbound entrance access via Mississippi Avenue 0 550 89BBacharach Boulevard Convention Center 0 87 1 241 40 2 00Tunnel below Horace Bryant Park 1 482 38E nbsp US 30 Uptown Hard Rock Beach Resorts Ocean BeachNo southbound exit northern terminus of southbound lanes ramp intersects with Route 187 1 662 67F nbsp nbsp To A C Expressway Convention Center Midtown DownbeachNorthbound exit only U turn ramp to southbound connector 1 772 85HRenaissance Pointe Borgata MGM TowerNorthbound exit only 1 832 95GFarley Marina Golden NuggetNorthbound exit only access via Route 87 2 333 75IHarrah sNorthbound exit only 2 373 81 nbsp nbsp Route 87 north Brigantine Boulevard BrigantineNorthbound exit only northern terminus 1 000 mi 1 609 km 1 000 km 0 621 mi Incomplete access TolledSee also edit nbsp U S Roads portal nbsp New Jersey portalReferences editNotes edit a b Sources vary in the total route length from 2 2 to 2 6 miles 3 5 to 4 2 km 2 3 however maps and imagery from the state s GIS platform show the connector terminating 0 07 miles 0 11 km past mile post 2 3 3 7 km 4 5 The New Jersey Department of Transportation NJDOT alternatively measures the route length as 1 98 miles 3 19 km from its southern terminus to its exit ramp junction with US 30 This method disregards the northbound only section of the connector 6 Citations edit a b Atlantic City Expressway Exit 1 Details South Jersey Transportation Authority Retrieved February 8 2024 a b Views Light at the End of the Tunnel Is Brigantine The New York Times January 1 2001 Retrieved July 20 2019 a b Project Profile Atlantic City Brigantine Connector Federal Highway Administration Retrieved July 23 2019 a b c d Atlantic City Brigantine Connector Mile Post and Ramp Designation PDF Map South Jersey Transportation Authority 2001 Archived from the original PDF on April 29 2004 Retrieved April 13 2016 NJ GeoWeb Map New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Retrieved June 21 2022 a b Atlantic City Brigantine Connector South to North PDF Map 2019 ed New Jersey Straight Line Diagrams New Jersey Department of Transportation March 2019 Retrieved March 17 2020 SJTA 2001 p 5 Lemongello Steve April 9 2014 CRDA rolling out new color coded sign system for Atlantic City The Press of Atlantic City Retrieved September 19 2022 Atlantic City Atlantic County New Jersey PDF Map Atlantic County Office of Geographic Information Systems Retrieved June 15 2022 SJTA 2001 pp 5 6 Atlantic City Expressway South Jersey Transportation Authority Retrieved February 8 2024 Wittkowski Donald October 13 1990 Expressway Rte 30 Link Resurrected The Press of Atlantic City p B1 Retrieved June 14 2022 via NewsBank Wittkowski Donald June 14 1991 Transit Plan Says Route 30 Link Will Ease Atlantic City Traffic The Press of Atlantic City p C1 Retrieved June 14 2022 via NewsBank a b Wittkowski Donald December 9 1995 Link Between Expressway and Route 30 Proposed The Press of Atlantic City p A1 Retrieved December 25 2019 via NewsBank Kravitz Pinky August 5 2004 Steve Wynn Coming Back to Atlantic City Atlantic City Weekly Retrieved December 8 2022 a b c McClure Sandy Ingle Bob 2008 The Soprano State New Jersey s Culture of Corruption St Martin s Press pp 267 269 ISBN 978 1429925730 via Internet Archive Pulley Brett June 29 1996 As Atlantic City Thrives Whitman May Call a Casino Bluff The New York Times Retrieved December 12 2022 a b Lillian E Bryant et al vs The City of Atlantic City et al 309 N J Super 596 N J Super App Div 1998 DeAngelis Martin February 2 1996 Creativity Cooperation Construction The Press of Atlantic City p C1 Retrieved June 14 2022 via NewsBank a b Atlantic City tunnel construction begins The Press of Atlantic City November 4 1998 Retrieved December 23 2019 a b Rosenberg Amy S July 22 2001 A C tunnel bears a human cost The Philadelphia Inquirer p B1 Retrieved June 14 2022 via Newspapers com a b Heneghan Daniel February 10 1996 Mirage Options Bought on Most Tunnel Homes The Press of Atlantic City p D5 Retrieved June 14 2022 via NewsBank a b c d e f g h i j k l Huba Nicholas July 31 2017 How the Expressway Connector rewrote Atlantic City The Press of Atlantic City Retrieved July 20 2019 a b SJTA 2001 p 2 Johnston Louis Williamson Samuel H 2023 What Was the U S GDP Then MeasuringWorth Retrieved November 30 2023 United States Gross Domestic Product deflator figures follow the MeasuringWorth series a b Bids received on A C Brigantine Connector project Press release South Jersey Transportation Authority July 8 1997 Retrieved July 16 2019 Wittkowski Donald Peele Thomas February 21 1996 The Mirage Casino Tunnel Controversy The Press of Atlantic City p A1 Retrieved June 14 2022 via NewsBank a b c Brunetti Post Michelle June 26 2016 Trump v Wynn and Other Atlantic City Battles The Press of Atlantic City Retrieved July 24 2019 Roura Phil November 3 1996 To Stop Tunnel Foes Dig In New York Daily News Retrieved July 20 2019 Karmel James R 2015 Gambling on the American Dream Atlantic City and the Casino Era Routledge p 169 ISBN 978 1 317 31462 2 Retrieved August 4 2019 via Google Books a b Wagner Angie February 24 2000 Mirage Trump agree to dismissal of lawsuits Las Vegas Sun Retrieved December 15 2019 a b The War at the Shore Kirkus Review Kirkus Reviews May 16 2012 Retrieved December 15 2019 a b c Curran John July 26 2001 Casino tunnel opening as debate continues Las Vegas Sun Retrieved July 24 2019 Curran John April 23 1997 Trump Wynn feud leads to call for probe Las Vegas Sun Retrieved July 24 2019 a b Atlantic City Tunnel Clears Final State Hurdle The Press of Atlantic City October 27 1998 Retrieved August 4 2019 Trump Agrees to Tunnel Settlement The Press of Atlantic City February 22 2001 Retrieved July 24 2019 a b Cho Aileen June 18 2001 Making the Right Cut on Atlantic City Route Engineering News Record 246 24 42 44 SJTA 2001 p 3 Granite Yonkers Win 190 6 Million Project Los Angeles Times Bloomberg News October 17 1997 Retrieved July 16 2019 a b Delaney Joseph 2016 Construction Program Management CRC Press pp 108 109 ISBN 978 1466575059 Atlantic City Expressway History amp Milestones South Jersey Transportation Authority Archived from the original on September 23 2023 Retrieved February 8 2024 a b Case Studies Atlantic City Brigantine Connector Moretrench Archived from the original on July 20 2019 Retrieved June 19 2022 a b Workers begin digging actual Atlantic City tunnel The Press of Atlantic City May 18 1999 Retrieved July 24 2019 a b Sokolic William H July 19 2001 A C tunnel to open next week Courier Post Archived from the original on July 20 2019 Retrieved June 19 2022 SJTA 2001 p 9 Volpe Gregory J January 20 2000 A Bit of A C Night Life Comes to Tuckerton Seaport The Press of Atlantic City Retrieved June 14 2022 via NewsBank Warner Susan February 10 2002 Again a Time of Uncertainty in Atlantic City The New York Times Retrieved December 14 2019 A Whole Lotta Borgata Forbes July 24 2003 Retrieved June 15 2022 Tunnel grand opening now delayed until July The Press of Atlantic City December 15 2001 Retrieved July 24 2019 Peterson Iver July 28 2001 Atlantic City Car Tunnel Opens Briefly for Pedestrians The New York Times Retrieved July 24 2019 Wittkowski Donald July 31 2001 Atlantic City Expressway Connector opens The Press of Atlantic City Retrieved July 24 2019 City of Brigantine 2016 Master Plan Re examination Report PDF City of Brigantine August 22 2016 p 2 Retrieved October 24 2022 a b South Jersey Transportation Authority 2003 Annual Report PDF South Jersey Transportation Authority Retrieved February 8 2024 Legato Frank Shermer Pack Jennifer Verdini David 2005 Atlantic City In Living Color Indigo Custom Publishing p 96 ISBN 978 0 9725951 6 2 Retrieved August 4 2019 via Google Books Wittkowski Donald August 6 2002 Tunnel traffic less than expected The Press of Atlantic City Retrieved July 25 2023 via Newspapers com A C s tunnel Improve signage The Press of Atlantic City August 6 2002 Retrieved July 25 2023 via Newspapers com National Tunnel Inventory 2022 Data XLSX Federal Highway Administration October 11 2022 Retrieved January 12 2023 The Regional Economic Impact of the Atlantic City Expressway 1964 2014 PDF South Jersey Transportation Authority p 21 Archived from the original PDF on August 18 2022 Retrieved February 8 2024 Goldman Jeff February 22 2018 HBO filming to close part of Atlantic City Brigantine tunnel Thursday NJ com Retrieved January 1 2023 South Jersey Transportation Authority 2018 Annual Report PDF South Jersey Transportation Authority p 9 Retrieved February 8 2024 SJTA 2001 pp 5 6 8 Bibliography edit Atlantic City Brigantine Connector Grand Opening July 27 2001 PDF Press release South Jersey Transportation Authority July 19 2001 Archived from the original PDF on July 15 2004 Retrieved April 13 2016 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Atlantic City Brigantine Connector KML file edit help Template Attached KML Atlantic City Brigantine ConnectorKML is from Wikidata Atlantic City Expressway Listen to this article 18 minutes source source nbsp This audio file was created from a revision of this article dated 25 July 2023 2023 07 25 and does not reflect subsequent edits Audio help More 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