5-Mile Parkway Backup, Traffic Snarled In Toms River After 2 Crashes

TOMS RIVER, NJ — Three crashes on the northbound Garden State Parkway led to traffic snarls in much of Toms River on Monday, authorities said.

A multi-vehicle crash that caused a diesel fuel spill was reported at 5:56 a.m. at milepost 89 in Lakewood, New Jersey State Police Sgt. Alejandro Goez said.

There were no serious injuries in the crash, Goez said, and the diesel spill was cleaned up. That crash was cleared about 7:40 a.m.

That crash, however, backed up traffic for 12 miles, the state Department of Transportation said. It was compounded by a crash near milepost 77 in Berkeley where a vehicle hit a deer, Goez said.

A third crash at milemarker 90 near the exit for Chambers Bridge Road in Brick added to the congestion as it shut down two lanes, the state DOT said.

Complicating matters, the traffic signal at Cox Cro Road and Route 571 was not working, according to the Ocean County Sheriff's Office.

The backup prompted drivers to exit the Parkway at exit 83 northbound in Toms River, causing delays as motorists tried to head north through Brick. Several roads in northern Toms River were bumper to bumper, a witness said.

The Toms River schools issued an alert to parents that buses would be late because of the delays.

Delays and backups continued until about 10 a.m. when they finally cleared.