JACKSON – An all too familiar traffic jam around entry points to Six Flags Great Adventure on Route 537 returned during the holiday weekend.
Gridlock was observed in the Jackson/Upper Freehold area requiring Jackson Police to issue a traffic advisory. Township police closed jug handles at intersections and traffic lights to try and help keep the traffic flowing.
Google Traffic revealed backups on County Road 537 West Bound 2 miles from Holmson to Great Adventure Gate. A backup by County Route 537 East Bound was over two miles from past Hawkin Road to the Great Adventure Gate. Interstate I-195 East bound was backed up at times over four or five miles from the Great Adventure Gate.
Area roads were also backed up as people tried to locate other routes into Great Adventure attractions.
Problems were reported on Emely’s Hill Road, Millers Mill Road, Pine Drive and others. Residents reported being blocked in their own driveways by the traffic and gridlock conditions.
Members of the New Jersey Department of Transportation tweeted over the weekend concerning the traffic problem around Six Flags Great Adventure
Residents to that vicinity took to social media to vent their frustration about the Great Adventure traffic which had “bled over onto Pine Drive. Our driveways are blocked by cars, in gridlock, looking for a way to shortcut into GA. There is no shortcut through this neighborhood!!! No one answers the traffic line at the Jackson State Police location,” one person posted.
That post added that “we are all stuck at home. This is ridiculous. Great Adventure needs to fund/supply additional police so that this does NOT happen. Very frustrated and it is getting worse by the week.
Jackson Police’s traffic advisory stated “Rt. 537/Monmouth Road is experiencing a high volume of traffic heading in to Six Flags and Hurricane Harbor. Our Officers and NJSP are in the area monitoring the situation and also dealing with multiple minor motor vehicle accidents.”
“We have just been advised that the majority of the traffic appears to be heading to Hurricane Harbor and as a result the water park has just reached its attendance capacity and it has been closed to further entry. As a result, the traffic backup will likely get worse. Please use caution if you need to travel through the area,” the advisory added.
