Latest news with #NewJerseyTurnpike
New York Times
08-07-2025
- New York Times
What's to Love About the New Jersey Turnpike? Everything.
Like many who grew up in the Northeast, I rarely thought about the New Jersey Turnpike, other than to joke about its ugliness. When I was a kid, the turnpike felt synonymous with the nothingness and boredom of New Jersey — a 'nonsite,' as the artist Robert Smithson once called it. The turnpike, an express toll road covering 117 miles, connects some of the state's suburbs to New York, Philadelphia and other major cities on a gargantuan concrete highway. When completed in 1951, it was celebrated as a marvel of engineering, the third-longest of its kind in the United States, and academics called it 'the embodiment of American pragmatism.' This pragmatism can end up having comic effects. What is one supposed to make of a rest stop populated by a Starbucks and Popeyes and named for Walt Whitman? Why is the road managed by an entity ominously named 'the authority,' as if it were an alien or a paramilitary organization? I remember an urban legend going around my high school, that the New Jersey Turnpike Authority was a secret government plot to turn all of New Jersey into turnpike. But the more time you spend on this highway, the more otherworldly it does feel. The turnpike's tollbooths heighten your expectations from the start. Payment of the fee then grants you access to a long, flat amusement park, which funnels you into a dizzying number of random worlds along its spine. I've taken wrong turns and ended up wandering through Little India, on Oak Tree Road off Exit 11, or Newark's Brazilian neighborhood off Exit 15E. These immigrant enclaves are not far from the ludicrously named American Dream Mall, off Exit 16W. All roads go from one place to another, but some do much more, transforming riders as well as transporting them. As a kid, I most dreaded taking Exit 8 to Manalapan. At home in Richboro, I was a regular American teenager, but after just 40 minutes on the highway, I was a Burmese child at the Manalapan Buddhist Temple, being poked and prodded by my relatives, sneaking glances at the clock in meditation sessions. When I graduated from college in Princeton, we took Exit 9 and ate at Wonder Seafood in Edison, and it was like taking a portal to the south of China. Though college was supposed to be a melting pot, it was the turnpike that flung me into true diversity. Now, when I go from my parents' home to mine in Brooklyn, I travel through its most famously hideous portion: a 33-mile strip flanked by the flames of oil refineries on one side and giant shipping crates on another. The ugly, raw vistas usher me out of suburbia, quickly turning me from my parents' baby into a taxpaying adult — as if the refineries also refine me. Could Robert Smithson's 'nonsite' have been a compliment rather than a criticism? In 1951, the sculptor and painter Tony Smith took a joyride down the not-yet-completed turnpike, and as he flew down the dark, abstract asphalt, that liminal road 'did something for me that art had never done,' he later told Artforum. 'Its effect was to liberate me from many of the views I had about art.' Afterward, he began making the terse metal sculptures for which he's best known, beginning the North American minimalism movement. The highway's ability to warp and transform people has even been honored in fiction: In the cult-classic movie 'Being John Malkovich,' the main character continually tumbles through Malkovich's brain, spat out afterward into a ditch along the turnpike — a detail that inspired the real-life town of Elizabeth to proudly erect a tourist destination near its Exit 13A off-ramp. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Yahoo
27-06-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Transit authorities make surprising decision that will have big impact on Tesla drivers: 'Clearly a step in the wrong direction'
The New Jersey Turnpike Authority's decision to remove Tesla Superchargers from its service plazas means commuters could pay more for charging sessions or be unable to power up. Electric vehicle owners are decrying the move — whether they own a Tesla or not. On May 30, Tesla Charging (@TeslaCharging) announced on the social platform X that the NJTA requested the removal and decommissioning of all 64 Supercharger stalls on the New Jersey Turnpike even though the company said it offered "above-market commercial terms." Tesla has had Superchargers on the turnpike since 2014, according to Not a Tesla App, offering EV drivers 99.9% uptime (representing impressive availability and functionality) and 30% lower charging costs than those of competitors. However, as Electrek noted, Tesla's 2020 agreement with the NJTA has expired, and the transit authority has bestowed exclusive charging rights to Applegreen Electric. According to The New York Times, Applegreen already manages restaurants and stores along the turnpike. Tesla has struggled with volatile stock and declining sales this year, with CEO Elon Musk's involvement with the U.S. government and public rift with President Donald Trump key factors, worrying investors and polarizing consumers who view support for Tesla as a political statement. While Musk alleged that the NJTA's deal with Applegreen and refusal to allow Tesla to relocate its chargers on the turnpike was due to "corruption," he did not provide any evidence to support those claims. NJTA spokesperson Thomas Feeney told the Times that the move was intended to expand charging access to non-Tesla EV drivers. However, EV owners have been overwhelmingly united in their disdain for the NJTA's decision, arguing that the transit authority is making EV ownership more difficult, according to Not a Tesla App, which pointed out that Tesla's Supercharger network "is becoming the de facto fast-charging standard for a growing number of non-Tesla EVs." Drivers report that Applegreen's chargers, which feature only CCS1 cables, offer a worse charging experience or don't work at all, giving the company's iOS app a 1.9 rating out of 5. "This is clearly a step in the wrong direction that will hurt all EV owners," the publication wrote, also pointing to the millions of dollars of charging infrastructure that would be taken away without immediate replacement. In its statement on X, Tesla indicated that it would like to maintain its presence on the New Jersey Turnpike, saying it supports the addition of third-party chargers because it "drives down costs through optionality and accelerates EV adoption by having sufficient capacity to shoulder peaks." When you think about owning an EV, what concerns you most about public charging stations? Chargers not working Chargers not being available Charging being too expensive Charging taking too long Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. While boosting profitability is surely a major motivating factor for Tesla, having more EVs on roads would also benefit communities, reducing asthma-linked heat-trapping pollution from transportation. EV drivers also spend less money on energy and maintenance. In the meantime, Tesla says it will continue expanding its Supercharger network off the turnpike in New Jersey. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
New York Times
05-06-2025
- Automotive
- New York Times
Tesla's Troubles
Elon Musk says he is stepping away from politics to care for his businesses, particularly Tesla. It needs the help. Tesla drove the electric-car revolution, and Musk spent nearly two decades making his image inseparable from the company. For years, Tesla seemed like a window into the future as it grew larger than the Big Three automakers in Detroit. But during — and partly because of — Musk's stint slashing government programs and laying off workers, Tesla has withered. Its stock has tumbled since President Trump's inauguration. Global sales have cratered. One blue state is nixing contracts. In Los Angeles, where I live, sheepish Tesla owners place 'Bought Before the Plot Twist' stickers on their bumpers. Today's newsletter is about how one of America's great avatars of futurism broke. A decline Tesla had a few troubles before Musk jumped into politics. The company was losing market share around the world to Chinese electric automakers like BYD, and it had abandoned plans to manufacture a completely new and cheaper model. Instead, Musk was hyping humanoid robots and self-driving taxis, technologies that seem a long way off from mainstream use. But Musk's sojourn in politics extracted a steep cost, partly by polarizing Tesla's clients. The stock price is down more than 17 percent since the start of the year, and profit fell 71 percent in the first three months of 2025. Protesters have picketed Tesla showrooms around the world. They say they intend to expand their demonstrations. People have vandalized Tesla vehicles and charging stations. A Colorado resident spray-painted 'Nazi' onto a dealership sign. In Germany (where Musk backed a far-right party) and Britain (where he said a civil war driven by migration was 'inevitable'), registrations in April of new Teslas fell to their lowest points in more than two years. Elsewhere in Europe, the story is the same. Last Friday, the agency that runs the New Jersey Turnpike said it would replace more than 60 Tesla-made electric vehicle chargers with another company's chargers. Signs of distraction abound: Musk waited for months after the Trump administration imposed tariffs to ask for a briefing at Tesla about their impact on the firm, worrying some executives. In recent months, a board member has stepped in to fill him in on day-to-day operations. Back to business Musk says he's entering a new phase. He posted on X last month that he's back to 'spending 24/7 at work.' One sign of distance from Trump: He flayed the Republicans' deficit-fattening policy bill as a 'disgusting abomination' this week. (The current proposal would end financial perks for people who buy electric cars.) Musk, who has a Forbes-estimated net worth of $415 billion, is arguably the most successful businessman of his generation. He has spent his career overcoming obstacles (few took Tesla seriously as a competitor for the Big Three when he first invested in the company in 2004) and proving doubters wrong (SpaceX invented reusable rockets). Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Auto Blog
04-06-2025
- Automotive
- Auto Blog
Elon Musk Cries ‘Corruption' as Tesla Superchargers Disappear from Key US Route
One of the busiest highways between New York and Philly is losing Tesla Supercharger service. A step backwards for EV adoption A common dealbreaker that new car buyers say steers them out of electric vehicles is the sheer state of the charging infrastructure compared to gas-powered cars. Although manufacturers like Ford, Hyundai, Genesis, and Honda offer new owners the opportunity to install a free home charging unit, this is not an entirely 'one-size-fits-all' solution for all owners for various reasons. 0:05 / 0:09 Thinking about buying a Toyota RAV4? These 5 rivals might change your mind Watch More However, as public EV charging appears in more public places and heavily trafficked corridors for the general public's use, one of America's busiest highways has taken a massive chunk of its EV charging offline. Vehicles travel on the New Jersey Turnpike at exit 14 on March 1, 2025 No more Supercharging on the Jersey Turnpike According to a new report by NJ Advance Media and , the New Jersey Turnpike Authority has ordered Tesla to decommission and remove 64 Superchargers at rest stops along the New Jersey Turnpike, the stretch of I-95 spanning northern and southern New Jersey. Per a May 30 statement from the New Jersey Turnpike Authority (NJTA), the state agency responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of the New Jersey Turnpike and the Garden State Parkway, the move comes as the agency decided to transition to what it calls 'Universal Open Access EV chargers' starting on June 6. These chargers, which are provided by Applegreen Electric (an arm of Irish company Applegreen, who operates NJTA's service areas), are said to be compatible 'with all makes and models of EVs' and will be available on June 6 at various service areas across the Turnpike including the Vince Lombardi, Woodrow Wilson, Richard Stockton, James Fenimore Cooper, Joyce Kilmer, and Walt Whitman Service Areas, with additional chargers at the Molly Pitcher Service Area in July and the Clara Barton and John Fenwick Service Areas in Fall 2025. According to early user-reported data from Plugshare, these chargers are capable of up to 400 kW charging and are usually located next to Tesla Superchargers at select service areas. Autoblog Newsletter Autoblog brings you car news; expert reviews and exciting pictures and video. Research and compare vehicles, too. Sign up or sign in with Google Facebook Microsoft Apple By signing up I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy . You may unsubscribe from email communication at anytime. A Tesla supercharger is seen on May 10, 2025 in Buttonwillow, California. Tesla responds to the decision However, this move is not without conflict. In a lengthy post on X (formerly known as Twitter) on May 30, the official account for Tesla Charging wrote that the Turnpike Authority's order came after it rejected any requests to coexist with the Applegreen chargers on the Turnpike, adding that it had been 'preparing for 3 years for this potential outcome by building 116 stalls off the New Jersey Turnpike' in certain high-traffic areas. Tesla says that it offered the NJTA 'above-market commercial terms' to sweeten the deal, including offering its NJ Turnpike Superchargers with 'screens and NACS with CCS1 'magic docks.'' Ultimately, Tesla called the NJTA's decision to decommission its Superchargers a step back for all EV users who use the Turnpike. 'Tesla always advocates for more infrastructure and co-location with additional third-party charging providers. This drives down costs through optionality and accelerates EV adoption by having sufficient capacity to shoulder peaks,' the automaker said on X. Vehicles travel on the New Jersey Turnpike in front of the skyline of New York City on March 1, 2025 Despite reaching out to invest in the state, Tesla claims that the NJTA's decision to remove Tesla superchargers is a setback for EV drivers. 'We expect that ~30 times more fast-charging capacity is needed to get to full EV adoption,' it said on X. 'NJTA's decision to remove, rather than add, critical charging infrastructure is a setback for New Jersey's EV adoption goals of 100% Zero-Emission New Car Sales by 2035. It removes Turnpike access to the most reliable (99.9% uptime), least congested (<1% waiters), and cost-effective (~30% lower $/kWh) charging.' In a May 30 post responding to a quote tweet from Tesla fan and Model Y owner Sawyer Merritt, Tesla CEO Elon Musk said that the NJTA's decision 'sounds like corruption.' Final thoughts I do not own an EV, but I live in New Jersey, and while I observe that EV charging is very prevalent in many convenient places adjacent to major highways, including shopping malls like the infamous American Dream mall, large retail centers where Walmarts and Targets are located, and non-service-area roadside stops like Wawas, I view the loss of Superchargers on the Turnpike as a bit of a disservice to EV owners. The New Jersey Turnpike is a major thoroughfare connecting two major Northeastern cities, New York and Philadelphia. Many drivers who travel on it pass through with a further destination in mind, and the faster out of Jersey, the better. Tesla local Indianapolis store — Source: JayIt's not just Teslas that charge at Superchargers. So far, Ford, GM, Rivian, Volvo, Polestar, Hyundai, and Genesis are just some of the manufacturers that support it, with others like Honda and Acura soon to have that capability. Though one may view Tesla Supercharging as anything but universal, as someone who has had to wait upwards of hours in line to charge non-Tesla EVs at 'universal stations,' keeping the Superchargers where they were would help ease any potential congestion these Applegreen chargers will have. Trust me, there will be congestion. The service areas on the Turnpike have Shake Shacks, Dunkins, and Popeyes now.
