Aided by a presidential extension of Build America Bonds—and, somewhat ironically, by the recession—the $2.5-billion widening of the New Jersey Turnpike in the middle of the Garden State has reached its halfway point, with an average $1 million worth of construction occurring every day.
The 35-mile-long program includes widening the turnpike to 12 lanes from six, starting two miles south of Interchange 6 to the existing 10-lane roadway south of Interchange 8A. Then, a new lane is added in each direction until Interchange 9.