Caution Urged at Service Areas as Motorists Line Up for Fuel

TRENTON – The New Jersey Turnpike Authority is asking motorists to use extra caution as they travel on the Turnpike and Garden State Parkway because long lines for fuel are stretching from the service area lots onto the roadways.
Most of the 21 service areas owned by the Turnpike Authority are fully open for business today, but motorists should expect to wait on line as the demand for fuel and food is high.
The only storm-related disruptions are at the Grover Cleveland Service Area on the northbound Turnpike between Interchanges 11 and 12 in Woodbridge Township and at the Vaux Hall Service Area at milepost 145 on the northbound Garden State Parkway in Irvington. The Grover Cleveland Service Area is completely closed because of flooding. The Vaux Hall Service Area remains open for rest rooms and water, but fuel and food services are not available because of power issues.
No fuel is available at the Cheesequake Service Area at milepost 124 in Sayreville because of a maintenance project that was started on Oct. 1 and is scheduled to continue until Nov. 8. Food service and rest rooms remain available at Cheesequake.
There are privately operated Shell and Exxon stations on both sides of the Garden State Parkway at milepost 133 in Colonia. Motorists should contact the owners for information on the status of fuel sales at those locations.
The Turnpike Authority has contracts with Sunoco to provide fuel at the 21 Authority-owned service areas on the Turnpike and Parkway. Under those contracts, Sunoco is permitted to change gas prices once a week on Friday mornings. The prices are based on a weekly survey of gas stations across New Jersey. A gallon of regular gasoline is currently selling for $3.599.
The Turnpike and Parkway have been operating normally since late Tues. afternoon. The only remaining weather-related impact is the closure of a ramp at Interchange 15W that provides access to Route 280 from the southbound Eastern Spur of the Turnpike. Access to 280 from the Western Spur is not affected. Repairs to the ramp are expected to take about a week.