Phase Two of Atlantic City Road Diet Continues Despite Casino Objections

The road diet in Atlantic City has been a hot topic of debate, especially among New Jersey Casino operators. The road diet is set to make changes on Atlantic Avenue in Atlantic City to create better traffic flow, but casinos feel the road work is only impeding upon their customers. The casinos sent an injunction to the local courts late last year to try to stop the roadwork from taking place. Unfortunately, the court did not rule in the casino's favor, and Phase Two is now ready to begin.

On January 26, Judge Michael J. Blee denied an injunction by Atlantic City Casinos to halt road work on Atlantic Avenue. The Superior Court judge ruled that there was no evidence that Phase One of the road project had been an impediment and Phase Two could continue to move forward. The project will rebuild the roadway of Atlantic Avenue and synchronize traffic lights. The goal is to create better traffic flow in the area.

Phase Two consists of the installation of conduit, which is currently underway. Mayor Marty Small has reiterated that Phase Two is taking place, and the phase's paving, striping, and traffic light portion will start in the early fall.

The process must continue for the road work to be completed by Summer 2025. This means that casinos like Caesars and Borgata will need to deal with traffic issues as players try to reach their resorts. Bids for Phase Two will take place this summer, with CTX taking care of the fiber section of the phase.

The paving, striping, and light work that was set under Phase One finished at the end of 2023. Only street lights and GPS units for traffic signals were included.

Mayor Small stated after the ruling was made in the case, pointing out that the project is being done to provide safety measures for residents and visitors to Atlantic City. Taxpayers are not paying anything to have the streets paved and lights synchronized. The mayor says that Atlantic Avenue is one of the most dangerous streets in New Jersey, and the city is making every effort to change that fact.

Casinos were highly critical of the judge’s ruling and reiterated that the roadwork was affecting their business. Resorts Atlantic City President and CEO Mark Giannantonio stated that the casino stands behind its belief that the change in traffic patterns will be a public health, safety, and welfare concern for the city.

The casinos are reportedly considering additional avenues to try and fight the project. The Casino Association of New Jersey is also on board, voicing concern over the traffic pattern changes.

The project is being funded by a federal infrastructure grant that was obtained by Representative Jeff Van Drew. The amount is $10.3 million and the two phase plan will include bike lands and parking. Phase two spans from Tennessee Avenue to Albany Avenue and will begin after Labor Day. It will take some time to complete and will disrupt local traffic in the area.

Atlantic Avenue is a busy area that runs the length of the island. It features convenience stores and other businesses along the length it spans. Many business owners are affected by the road work, making it much more difficult for patrons to reach certain companies.

It will be interesting to see if the casinos continue their fight against the roadwork plan and if any additional businesses get on board to try to stop the next phase.