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Plan to expand portion of New Jersey Turnpike faces pushback. Why some are against it

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Plan to expand portion of New Jersey Turnpike faces pushback. Why some are against it


JERSEY CITY, N.J. — A plan to expand a portion of the New Jersey Turnpike is getting pushback from the community.

An informational meeting with the New Jersey Turnpike Authority (NJTA) got tense Tuesday night.

$10 billion project planned for New Jersey Turnpike

The $10 billion project is slated to fund 25,000 union jobs, a total of four projects that include a highway expansion between exits 14 and 14A, and replacement of 16 bridges that the Turnpike Authority says can no longer be rehabilitated.

“Their lifespan is 50 years. We’re at 70 years. They have to be replaced,” said Robert Briant Jr., with the Utility and Transportation Contractors Association.

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“Ten billion dollars can go to solve every mass transit issue facing New Jersey today,” Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop said.

Lisa Navarro, NJTA’s supervising engineer, says although the New Jersey Turnpike Authority is giving the Transit Authority a historic $500 million each year, the funds being used on this project are solely from toll revenue meant to maintain highways.

“It’s not as simple as taking this money and giving it to NJ Transit. We must follow the law and our regulations,” Navarro said.

Neighbors concerned about environmental impact of additional New Jersey Turnpike lanes

Some residents are concerned about the environmental detriment additional highway lanes will incur on low-income communities.

“When projects like these are being proposed, it makes [certain] illnesses worse,” Stephanie Martinez, with Hudson County Complete Streets, said.

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“We should be talking about what intentional development is, which is improving walkable communities, improving public transit, talking about bike lanes so that we can have accessible communities as well in our neighborhoods,” said Chloe Desir, with Ironbound Community Corporation.

The NJTA says they’ve held dozens of stakeholder meetings, including Jersey City, Bayonne and Newark, and says answering questions one-on-one has been helpful. But some residents were upset they weren’t given time for public comment.

There will be additional meetings held in the future, and the plan is to start construction in 2026.

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New Jersey

Wrong-way driver charged in I-80 crash that injured N.J. State Police trooper

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Wrong-way driver charged in I-80 crash that injured N.J. State Police trooper


An alleged drunk, wrong-way driver was arrested following a crash on Interstate 80 in Warren County, officials said.

Robert Felegi was driving a pickup truck west in the eastbound lanes in Knowlton when he crashed head-on into a New Jersey State Trooper’s vehicle near milepost 1.4 around midnight Tuesday, State Police said.

The trooper had emergency lights and sirens activated while trying to alert motorists of a hazard ahead, authorities said.

The trooper suffered minor injuries, while Felegi was not hurt.

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Felegi, 67, of Middleport, Pennsylvania, was charged with assault by auto and driving under the influence.

He was brought to the Warren County jail ahead of a detention hearing. An attorney for Felegi is not listed in court records.

investigation, and no additional information is available.



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NJ casino workers continue push to end smoking loophole

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NJ casino workers continue push to end smoking loophole


TRENTON, N.J. (WPVI) — New Jersey casino workers, who are pushing to permanently ban smoking in their workplaces, held a rally in Trenton on Monday.

A hearing was held to discuss a lawsuit that aims to close the smoking loophole in the Garden State.

For years, casino workers have been pursuing protections against secondhand smoke in their workplaces.

RELATED | Judge allows smoking to continue in Atlantic City casinos, dealing blow to workers

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New Jersey’s Smoke-Free Air Act largely bans indoor smoking, but casinos have a long-standing exemption.

The lawsuit filed last April by the United Auto Workers, which represents dealers at the Bally’s, Caesars and Tropicana casinos.

In August 2024, a judge ruled in favor of the casinos to allow smoking to continue.

“Casino workers are expected to clock in to work every day despite inevitably facing a toxic environment that could cause countless health issues, including cancer, heart disease, and asthma,” said Nancy Erika Smith, the lawyer representing Casino Employees Against Smoking Effects (CEASE) and the UAW on Monday.

“We’re asking the court to find the exemption in New Jersey’s Smoke-Free Air Act unconstitutional and void it immediately. We hope this case will serve as a precedent for casinos across the country to close their smoking loopholes and stop poisoning their workers,” added Smith.

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The casinos have warned that thousands of jobs and millions in gambling revenue and taxes could be lost if smoking was banned.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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11-Vehicle Crash Closes Turnpike, College Student Abducted: NJ Weekend

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11-Vehicle Crash Closes Turnpike, College Student Abducted: NJ Weekend


A teenager was shot to death in Jersey City, a woman was killed in a fiery crash with a dump truck in Ocean County, and a man is in critical condition after an SUV hit him in a Princeton crosswalk.

Here are the headlines from the weekend in New Jersey you may have missed.

Teen Shot Dead In Jersey City Apartment, Prosecutor Says

A 16-year-old boy was found shot to death in Jersey City on Friday night, prosecutors said.

Woman Killed In Fiery Head-On Dump Truck Crash In Ocean County

A woman was killed Friday when her van hit a dump truck head-on in Jackson and burst into flames, Jackson police said.

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Evelin Villanueva-Detejeda, 43, of Perth Amboy, was killed in the crash that happened about 2 p.m. on Toms River Road (Route 571) near Osprey Place, Sgt. Edward Travisano said.

Six people sustained minor injuries in the collision late Friday afternoon, according to State Police Tpr. Christopher Postorino.

Read more: 11-Vehicle Crash, Overturned Truck Shut Down Turnpike In South Jersey: Police

NJ College Student Abducted From Campus, Sexually Assaulted By Armed Man, Police Say

A Union County man is facing a slew of charges after kidnapping a woman, according to the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office.

Akram Elsayed, 28, of Roselle, has been arrested after an investigation found that he’d kidnapped a woman and handcuffed her to the door of a car, police said.

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