Atlantic City–Brigantine Connector
The Atlantic City–Brigantine Connector (officially the Atlantic City Expressway Connector; also known as the Atlantic City Connector or Brigantine Connector) is a connector freeway in Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States. It is a 2.37-mile (3.81 km) extension of the Atlantic City Expressway, connecting it to New Jersey Route 87, which leads into Brigantine via the Marina district of Atlantic City. Locally, the freeway is known as "the Tunnel", due to the tunnel along its route that passes underneath the Westside neighborhood. The connector is a state highway owned and operated by the South Jersey Transportation Authority (SJTA); it has an unsigned designation of Route 446X.
Atlantic City–Brigantine Connector | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlantic City Expressway Connector | ||||
Atlantic City–Brigantine Connector highlighted in red; alternate routing per NJDOT in blue | ||||
| Route information | ||||
| Auxiliary route of A.C. Expressway | ||||
| Maintained by SJTA | ||||
| Length | 2.37 mi (3.81 km) | |||
| Existed | 2001–present | |||
| Component highways | Route 446X (unsigned) | |||
| NHS | Entire route | |||
| Major junctions | ||||
| South end | A.C. Expressway in Atlantic City | |||
| US 30 in Atlantic City | ||||
| North end | Route 87 in Atlantic City | |||
| Location | ||||
| Country | United States | |||
| State | New Jersey | |||
| Counties | Atlantic | |||
| Highway system | ||||
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Proposals for a similar connector road in Atlantic City date to 1964; planning began in 1995 after businessman Steve Wynn proposed a new casino in the Marina district. The goals were to reduce traffic on Atlantic City streets and improve access to the Marina district and Brigantine. It was supported by Governor Christine Todd Whitman and Mayor Jim Whelan, but faced major opposition during its planning. Residents whose homes were to be destroyed for the tunnel construction fought the project, and competing casino owner Donald Trump filed lawsuits to prevent its construction.
Construction took almost three years and opened in July 2001 at a total cost of $330 million. Since its opening, the connector has served up to 30,000 vehicles daily, and affected the city's economy by bringing business to the casinos in the Marina district.