Garden State Parkway

The Garden State Parkway (GSP) is a controlled-access, tolled highway that stretches the north–south length of eastern New Jersey from the state's southernmost tip near Cape May north to the New York state line at Montvale. Its name refers to New Jersey's nickname, the "Garden State". The parkway has an unsigned reference number of Route 444 by the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT). At its north end, the road becomes the Garden State Parkway Connector, a component of the New York State Thruway system that connects to the Thruway mainline in Ramapo.

The Garden State Parkway is the longest highway in the state at approximately 172 mi, and, according to the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association, was the busiest toll road in the United States in 2006. Most of the highway north of the Raritan River runs through heavily populated areas. Between the Raritan River and the township of Toms River, the highway passes through lighter suburban development, while south of Toms River, the road mostly runs through unspoiled wilderness in the Pine Barrens and swampland, interspersed with small towns and Jersey Shore beach communities. The highway has a posted speed limit of 65 mph for most of its length and is primarily for passenger vehicle use; trucks weighing over 10,000 lb are prohibited north of exit 105.

The parkway was constructed between 1946 and 1957 to connect suburban northern New Jersey with the Jersey Shore resort areas along the Atlantic coast and to alleviate traffic on traditional north–south routes running through each town center, such as U.S. Route 1 (US 1), US 9, and Route 35. During planning and construction of the first segment, the road was to be a toll-free highway designated as the Route 4 Parkway. However, a lack of funding caused the remainder of the parkway to be built as a toll road. The highway has seen many improvements over the years, including the addition and reconstruction of interchanges, bridge replacements, widening of the roadway, and removal of at-grade intersections. Previously, the road had been maintained by an agency known as the New Jersey Highway Authority (NJHA), however in 2003, the agency merged into the New Jersey Turnpike Authority (NJTA), which now maintains the parkway along with the New Jersey Turnpike.

The parkway uses an open system of toll collection with flat-fee tolls collected at 11 toll plazas along the roadway, as well as at several entrances and exits. Tolls can be paid using cash or via the E-ZPass electronic toll collection system. Along the route are 11 service areas, providing food and fuel to travelers. Historically, the road had ten picnic areas along its length, but only one remains open today.

Route description
The Garden State Parkway begins at Route 109 in Cape May County. It runs north along the Jersey Shore, crossing the Great Egg Harbor Bay and passing to the west of Atlantic City. The parkway passes through the sparsely populated Pine Barrens until it reaches the township of Toms River in Ocean County. From here, the road heads into suburban areas. North of Asbury Park, the route splits into a local-express lane configuration, which it maintains through South Amboy. Here, the highway crosses the Raritan River into Woodbridge Township, where it meets the New Jersey Turnpike (Interstate 95 or I-95). North of here, the GSP passes through densely populated communities in Middlesex and Union counties and intersects I-78 near Newark. The parkway eventually passes to the south and east of Paterson and meets I-80 in Saddle Brook. After traversing the suburban northern section of Bergen County, the road enters the state of New York where it becomes the Garden State Parkway Connector, continuing north to the New York State Thruway mainline.

The parkway serves as a major route connecting North Jersey with all of the state's shore points, and as such, is subject to frequent congestion. The number of lanes on the parkway ranges from four in Cape May, Atlantic, and Bergen counties, to 15 on the Driscoll Bridge. Much of the highway runs closely parallel to, or concurrently with US 9. The speed limit on the parkway is 65 mi/h for most of its length. However, it is posted at 55 mi/h on a 5 mi section near Toms River and on a 40 mi section between Sayreville and Paramus. The NJTA may temporarily reduce the speed limit when special hazards exist. Commercial trucks with a registered weight of over 10,000 lbs are not allowed to use the parkway north of exit 105, just past the Asbury Park Toll Plaza. The entire length of the Garden State Parkway carries the unsigned designation of Route 444, and is part of the National Highway System, a network of roads important to the country's economy, defense, and mobility.

Cape May and Atlantic counties
The parkway begins at an at-grade intersection with Route 109 in Lower Township, Cape May County, where Route 109 continues south toward the city of Cape May and west toward US 9 and the Cape May–Lewes Ferry. The GSP runs north as a four-lane freeway on the Cape May peninsula through the Cape Island Wildlife Management Area, running west of swampland, separating the highway from the Jersey Shore communities. Trees occupy the median and the sides of the road for the next several miles. After passing to the east of Cape May National Golf Club, crossing over Jones Creek, and passing a pond in the median, the highway enters Middle Township and has an interchange with Route 47, which serves The Wildwoods resort area and the community of Rio Grande. North of this point, the parkway crosses over the abandoned Wildwood Branch of the Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines (PRSL), and afterwards, the trees in the median disappear and the highway has a partial interchange with Route 147, which provides access to North Wildwood, Whitesboro, and Burleigh. Crossing into the county seat of Cape May Court House, the median narrows and US 9 appears within yards of the southbound lanes of the parkway as it passes west of The Shore Club golf course. The two highways then split apart and the GSP bisects residential areas before reaching an interchange for County Route 657 (CR 657), which serves the Cape Regional Medical Center and the borough of Stone Harbor.

Past this point, the road comes to an interchange for CR 609, which provides access to the Cape May County Park & Zoo and a building complex containing the Cape May County Technical School District. After a southbound entrance ramp from US 9, the parkway leaves Cape May Court House and returns to a desolate wooded setting with a wide tree-filled median. Continuing north, the parkway has an interchange with CR 601, serving the borough of Avalon and Swainton. North of this point, the highway enters Dennis Township and has a partial junction with CR 625, serving Sea Isle City before reaching the Bruce Willis Service Area in the median. Past the service area, the parkway enters Upper Township and reaches the Cape May Toll Plaza northbound immediately before meeting the southern terminus of Route 50, which serves Seaville, at a partial interchange. After passing east of several homes and a golf course, the parkway has the John B. Townsend Shoemaker Holly Picnic Area in the median before it crosses over the abandoned PRSL Ocean City Branch. Continuing north, the highway comes to a diamond interchange with US 9 and CR 623, which serves Ocean City and Marmora. North of this exit, US 9 begins to run concurrently with the GSP, and the two routes run east of the community of Beesleys Point before the median narrows, and they cross the Great Egg Harbor Bay on the Great Egg Harbor Bridge.

The highway surfaces into the city of Somers Point, Atlantic County, where the southbound roadway has the Great Egg Toll Plaza before US 9 leaves the parkway at a partial junction. Past this point, the median widens and the parkway passes west of the Greate Bay Country Club and some homes before a partial interchange with Laurel Drive, which provides access to Somers Point and Ocean City. After passing to the west of more residences, the median briefly becomes a Jersey barrier as the route crosses the Patcong Creek into Egg Harbor Township, where developments begin to appear on the west side of the highway. Eventually, the parkway crosses into uninhabited areas again before heading into a commercial area and widening to six lanes. Here, the road has a junction with US 40/US 322 and CR 563, marking the first of three interchanges with roads that serve Atlantic City, located to the east. The median then transitions to a Jersey barrier and the parkway passes over the abandoned PRSL Newfield Branch before a partial junction with CR 608 and a cloverleaf interchange with the controlled-access Atlantic City Expressway (which heads west toward Philadelphia), where the northbound and southbound roadways split apart again. Upon leaving the commercial area, the highway passes to the east of Atlantic City International Airport and crosses over a flume of the Atlantic City Reservoir, which has a basin on each side of the highway. Continuing north, the highway enters Galloway Township and passes over NJ Transit's Atlantic City Line before it comes to a partial interchange with US 30, serving the city of Absecon. North of this exit, the median is home to the Frank Sinatra Service Area, which also has a barrack of the New Jersey State Police. Immediately north of the service plaza, the parkway has an interchange with CR 561, serving the community of Pomona. The parkway then enters the sparsely populated Pine Barrens, passing to the east of Stockton University and reaching a junction with CR 575/CR 561 Alt. Past this point, the road turns northeast and crosses into the city of Port Republic as it winds north into the uninhabited Port Republic Wildlife Management Area. With some occasional development appearing along the sides of the road, the median narrows to a Jersey barrier as US 9 merges back onto the parkway, along with the Pine Barrens Byway, and the three routes cross the Mullica River.

Burlington and Ocean counties
The highway surfaces into Bass River Township, Burlington County, and US 9 and the Pine Barrens Byway depart at a partial interchange. Continuing northeast past the community of New Gretna, the parkway passes over US 9 with no access before crossing the Bass River and the median widens and contains a maintenance yard. Past this point, the median temporarily narrows again as the northbound lanes have the New Gretna Toll Plaza. Crossing northward through Bass River State Forest, the six-lane highway becomes desolate as it enters Little Egg Harbor Township, Ocean County. Here, the GSP interchanges with CR 539, which serves Tuckerton, before entering Eagleswood Township, where it crosses over Westecunk Creek and passes to the west of Eagles Nest Airport. Afterwards, the parkway enters Stafford Township where development along the road begins to increase. Here, the highway has an interchange with Route 72, which provides access to Manahawkin and Long Beach Island. The parkway then forms a border between residential neighborhoods to the west and forest to the east before passing to the east of a golf course and entering Barnegat Township, where the concentration of houses shifts to the east. After an interchange with CR 554, the parkway passes by residential neighborhoods on both sides of the highway before the median shortly narrows and the southbound roadway has the Barnegat Toll Plaza. Now in Ocean Township, the parkway meets CR 532 and crosses over Oyster Creek before entering Lacey Township, where it crosses the south, middle, and north branches of the Forked River before reaching an interchange with CR 614, serving the community of Forked River, and the Celia Cruz Service Area in the median.

Father north, the road crosses over Cedar Creek and enters Berkeley Township, passing west of a golf course and Central Regional High School while traversing Double Trouble State Park. The route then crosses into the borough of Beachwood and passes west of several homes before entering the borough of South Toms River, where the median narrows and the parkway becomes concurrent with US 9 once again at a junction with CR 530. After crossing the Toms River and entering the township of Toms River, the highway passes west of the Toms River Bus Terminal serving NJ Transit buses. Past this point, the road crosses the abandoned Conrail Barnegat Branch and reaches an exit for CR 527 before passing trees and reaching a cloverleaf interchange with Route 37, which provides access to Lakehurst, Seaside Heights, and Island Beach State Park. After heading northwest between trees on the west and neighborhoods on the east, the GSP turns northeast as the median widens and contains a maintenance yard, and US 9 leaves the parkway at a junction with Route 166. Past the interchange, the parkway reaches the bi-directional Toms River Toll Plaza and passes by lighter suburban development in addition to parkland, with Ocean County College to the east. Upon entering Lakewood Township, the parkway has an interchange with Route 70, serving Brick Township and Point Pleasant Beach to the east; this interchange also serves CR 528. Running along the border of Lakewood and Brick townships, the route has an interchange with CR 549 before crossing the South Branch Metedeconk River and passing over Route 88 with no access. Now entirely within Brick Township, the route crosses the North Branch Metedeconk River and reaches a second exit for CR 549, where a pedestrian bridge for the Brick Park and Ride, located to the east, passes over the parkway. North of this interchange, the road widens to eight lanes and passes west of a solar farm.

Monmouth and Middlesex counties
Upon entering Wall Township, Monmouth County, the southbound lanes have a truck inspection area and the parkway passes west of Brick Township Reservoir through woods. The parkway crosses the Manasquan River and passes under the Capital to Coast Trail before reaching a large interchange near Allaire State Park. The interchange includes a pair of collector-distributor roads and serves the eastern terminus of I-195 (which runs west across Central Jersey toward Trenton), Route 34 (which runs southeast toward Point Pleasant Beach), and Route 138 (which runs east toward Belmar). A park and ride is present in the southeastern cloverleaf with Route 138. Passing to the west of Shark River Park, the median contains the Judy Blume Service Area, which provides a park and ride for commuters and access to CR 18. The parkway then enters Tinton Falls and has exits for Route 33, which runs east toward Bradley Beach and west towards Freehold Township, and Route 66, which heads east towards Asbury Park. Soon afterwards, the parkway passes to the west of the Jersey Shore Premium Outlets and has a partial exit for CR 16, where the road widens to ten lanes. North of this point, the parkway reaches the northbound Asbury Park Toll Plaza.

Immediately north of the toll barrier, the road divides into a local-express lane configuration with two express and three local lanes in each direction. The parkway passes to the east of a solar farm before reaching an interchange with the Route 18 freeway and Route 36, which head north toward New Brunswick and east toward Long Branch, respectively. The connector road from the parkway to the terminus of Route 36 and CR 51 is designated by NJDOT as Route 444S. North of the interchange, the GSP passes over the Southern Secondary railroad line operated by the Delaware and Raritan River Railroad and bisects residential neighborhoods before crossing the Swimming River into Middletown, where the road has an interchange with CR 520, which contains a park and ride and serves Red Bank and Lincroft. The parkway then passes over Normandy Road, which serves as a road and railroad link between the two sections of Naval Weapons Station Earle. Continuing northwest past houses and parks, the route has an interchange with CR 52 as it enters Holmdel Township, where it serves the PNC Bank Arts Center and the New Jersey Vietnam Veterans' Memorial. Upon entering Hazlet, the parkway crosses NJ Transit's North Jersey Coast Line before reaching an interchange for Route 35 and Route 36, which serves Keyport. At this point, the express roadway in each direction gains a third lane. Immediately north of here is a southbound exit and entrance at CR 3, where the parkway briefly enters Aberdeen Township and passes over the Matawan Creek before crossing the North Jersey Coast Line for a second time. Upon entering Old Bridge Township, Middlesex County, and reaching an interchange for CR 689 serving Matawan, the highway enters Cheesequake State Park.

After crossing the Cheesequake Creek near a marina and leaving the park, the road enters Sayreville and has the Jon Bon Jovi Service Area in the median, with access to both the express and local lanes of the highway. Passing to the southwest of South Amboy, the parkway has a partial interchange with US 9 and passes over Conrail Shared Assets Operations' (CSAO) Amboy Secondary line. After a northbound entrance and southbound exit at CR 670, the lanes, now as a 4-3-3-4 configuration, merge as they cross the abandoned Raritan River Railroad and reach the Raritan Toll Plaza southbound. North of the toll barrier is an exit for Chevalier Avenue; all southbound vehicles exiting here must have an E-ZPass transponder. Paralleling US 9 and Route 35, the parkway becomes 15 lanes as it crosses the Raritan River on the Driscoll Bridge, the widest motor vehicle bridge in the world. On the bridge, the northbound lanes are divided into two roadways; only the eastern roadway has access to exit 127, an interchange for US 9 and the Route 440 freeway, providing access to the Outerbridge Crossing to Staten Island. Just north of exit 127 in Woodbridge Township, the parkway runs in between the northbound and southbound lanes of US 9. After passing under CSAO's Perth Amboy Running Track, US 9 splits off to the east and the parkway reaches an interchange with the New Jersey Turnpike (I-95). Running northwest through Woodbridge Township as a ten-lane roadway, the highway has a junction with US 1 and crosses under CSAO's Port Reading Secondary line as it enters the community of Iselin, passing to the east of several corporate offices. Immediately after passing under Amtrak's Northeast Corridor east of the Metropark station serving Amtrak and NJ Transit's Northeast Corridor Line, the GSP has an interchange with Route 27 (Lincoln Highway), which serves Rahway to the northeast. North of this point, the parkway curves northeast through densely populated neighborhoods, passing the Colonia South and Colonia North service areas.

Union and Essex counties
Crossing into Clark, Union County, the highway continues to pass through dense neighborhoods as a ten-lane roadway with a Jersey barrier. After crossing the Robinson's Branch Reservoir and passing an interchange with CR 613, the southbound lanes have access to a maintenance yard. The highway then passes west of a park and Winfield Township before crossing the Rahway River into Cranford, where there is a junction with CR 607 and CR 615. After passing west of a business park and over CSAO's Lehigh Line and the inactive Rahway Valley Railroad, the parkway crosses NJ Transit's Raritan Valley Line and reaches a junction with Route 28, which serves Roselle Park to the east. Upon entering Kenilworth, the highway passes many businesses before the road meets CR 509, passes to the east of Galloping Hill Golf Course, and enters Union Township, where the parkway has a junction with CR 619. Immediately afterwards, the road comes to an interchange with US 22 and Route 82 serving Hillside, where the GSP briefly runs in between the carriageways of US 22 and the Union Watersphere appears on the east side of the parkway. Here, the parkway narrows to eight lanes, and the northbound lanes have access to the Whitney Houston Service Area. After the service area, the road crosses the Elizabeth River and briefly enters Hillside, where it reaches the northbound Union Toll Plaza before an interchange with I-78.

Running northeast into Irvington, Essex County, the highway passes west of a park and east of many houses before reaching a pair of interchanges for local roads and passing through a short tunnel underneath a parking lot for Irvington Bus Terminal, serving NJ Transit buses. North of this point, the parkway gains frontage roads in each direction, which are mostly lined by residences. The frontage road for the northbound lanes is called Eastern Parkway, and the frontage road for the southbound lanes is called Western Parkway. After an interchange with CR 510, the frontage roads end, and the parkway briefly enters the city of Newark where it bisects Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, the northern end of which is in East Orange. After leaving the cemetery, the highway regains frontage roads which are known as Oraton Parkway. After passing East Orange General Hospital's Eastern Pavilion, the parkway comes to an interchange with I-280 and CR 508, which serve Downtown Newark. At the interchange, the GSP loses a lane in each direction and passes under NJ Transit's Morris & Essex Lines near East Orange station. The parkway continues to run in between frontage roads containing many houses before passing west of several apartment buildings and hospitals and crossing the abandoned Orange Branch of the New York and Greenwood Lake Railway. Winding into Bloomfield as a six-lane roadway, the GSP crosses NJ Transit's Montclair-Boonton Line and has an interchange with the Newark-Pompton Turnpike (CR 506 Spur), where the frontage roads end. After passing under Norfolk Southern's Boonton Line and reaching an exit for CR 506, the parkway enters a more suburban area and the southbound parkway has the Essex Toll Plaza. The highway then briefly enters Nutley before crossing back into Bloomfield, where the Jersey barrier becomes a grassy median and the parkway reaches a diamond interchange for CR 655 serving Montclair and passing the Larry Doby and Connie Chung service areas, serving northbound and southbound traffic respectively, to the west of the Upper Montclair Country Club.

Passaic and Bergen counties
The parkway then crosses into Passaic County and the city of Clifton, where it reaches an interchange with Route 3. At this point, the space between the northbound and southbound roadways contains the Allwood Road Park and Ride serving NJ Transit buses. After passing under a set of power lines and bisecting a residential area, the route has an incomplete interchange with US 46. Immediately north, the parkway meets the southern terminus of the Route 19 freeway, which heads north toward the city of Paterson. Past this point, the highway curves northeast and passes over NJ Transit's Main Line before the median transitions to a Jersey barrier and the highway has a northbound exit and southbound entrance at CR 702, serving the city of Passaic. The parkway heads northeast past many homes before heading into a business district and crossing Norfolk Southern's Passaic Spur line. After passing many more residences near the route, the parkway reaches a partial interchange with the southern terminus of Route 20. Immediately afterwards, the parkway crosses the Passaic River and enters Elmwood Park, Bergen County, where it comes to a second interchange with US 46, serving Garfield. Passing more homes, followed by several businesses, the highway then passes over the New York, Susquehanna and Western Railway's New Jersey Subdivision line and under NJ Transit's Bergen County Line before reaching an interchange with I-80 and the northbound Bergen Toll Plaza in Saddle Brook.

Continuing northeast, the road passes through Saddle River County Park and crosses the Saddle River tributary into Rochelle Park. After leaving the park, it crosses a pair of interchanges for Route 208 and Route 4 as it enters Paramus near the Westfield Garden State Plaza shopping mall. North of Route 4, the parkway passes east of the Arcola Country Club and runs closely parallel with Route 17 before interchanging with it. Past this interchange, the median becomes grass-filled. After passing east of businesses and west of homes, the parkway passes in between the Paramus Park shopping mall and New Bridge Medical Center before reaching a junction with CR 80, which serves Oradell and has a park and ride. After bisecting residential neighborhoods, the parkway has a partial junction with CR 110 before entering Washington Township where the southbound lanes have the Pascack Valley Toll Plaza – the northernmost toll plaza on the highway. North of the toll plaza, the median becomes substantially wider and trees begin to appear within it. The Garden State Parkway finally narrows from six to four lanes at the exit for CR 502, serving Westwood and Emerson. Winding through the Pascack Valley region of Bergen County past many homes and woodland, the parkway briefly enters Hillsdale before entering Woodcliff Lake, where there is a northbound exit and southbound entrance for Chestnut Ridge Road, which is accessed via CR S73 and serves the borough of Saddle River. The parkway then enters Montvale, where it reaches the James Gandolfini Service Area, the northernmost service area on the road. Immediately north is an exit for CR 94 serving Park Ridge; this is the northernmost exit of the Garden State Parkway, which crosses into the state of New York soon afterwards. From there, the route becomes the Garden State Parkway Connector, a component of the New York State Thruway system, which heads north toward the Thruway mainline (I-87/I-287) in Nanuet.

Planning and construction
Following World War II, traffic increased substantially on highways along the New Jersey coast. Due to the high traffic volume and presence of numerous traffic lights, it took motorists over three hours to travel between Paterson and Atlantic City. In 1946, plans were made to construct a high-speed parkway to provide a bypass of Route 4, which, prior to 1953, ran from Cape May north to the George Washington Bridge by way of Paterson, largely following present-day US 1, US 9, and Route 35. This parkway would be constructed using state funds and be known as the Route 4 Parkway. In 1947, construction began on the Route 4 parkway. The landscape architect and engineer in charge of the newly named Garden State Parkway was Gilmore David Clarke of the engineering firm Parsons Brinckerhoff, who had worked with Robert Moses on the parkway systems around New York City. Clarke's design prototypes for the parkway combined the example of the Pennsylvania Turnpike, a model of efficiency with parallels in the German Autobahn routes of the 1930s, with the Merritt Parkway model that stressed a planted "green belt" for beauty. Both design models featured wide planted medians to prevent head-on collisions and mask the glare of oncoming headlights. The Garden State Parkway was designed to have a natural feel. Many trees were planted, and the only signs were those for exits—there were no distracting billboards. Most of the signs were constructed from wood, or a dark-brown metal, instead of the chrome bars used on most other highways. The guardrails were also made from wood and dark metal. Most early overpasses were stone, but were later changed to concrete, with green rails and retro etchings, popular around the 1950s and 1960s. The parkway was designed to curve gently throughout its length so that drivers would remain alert and not fall asleep at the wheel.

The first section to open ran from Route 27 north to Cranford and opened on June 29, 1950. The highway was extended south to New Brunswick Avenue in Woodbridge Township, Middlesex County, on November 1 that year, This segment, which now runs between exits 129 and 140, can be distinguished from the rest of the GSP by the stone facing on the overpasses.

In Cape May County, a four-mile bypass of Cape May Court House opened on July 29, 1951.

On July 3, 1952, the bypass of Toms River was opened.

Due to a lack of funds, construction of the Route 4 Parkway stalled past 1952. The solution was for the state to establish the New Jersey Highway Authority (NJHA) in 1952 to oversee construction and operation of the remainder of the parkway as a self-liquidating toll road from Cape May to the New York state line. Literature from the time indicates that the parkway would become toll-free once bonds used for its construction were paid off. However, this speculation never became a reality.

A northern extension to Union Township was opened on July 16, 1953.

Much of the parkway opened in 1954, these were the first parts to be tolled. On January 13, 1954, the parkway from US 22 to Mill Road, was opened, by January 15, it began tolling drivers. The Toms River bypass was extended south to Manahawkin on July 15, and north to the Eatontown Spur (now Route 36) on July 30, 1954. The Driscoll Bridge, which carries the parkway over the Raritan River was also opened to northbound traffic on this day, extending the highway south to US 9 in Sayreville. The southbound lanes were opened on the bridge south to Eatontown on August 4, and an extension to New Gretna opened the day after. Closing the northbound gap from Eatontown to Sayreville on August 7 provided for 90 miles of unbroken highway. Within Atlantic County, a large section from Tilton Road in Egg Harbor Township to the south bank of the Mullica River opened on August 11, though north of the White Horse Pike the road initially operated as a temporary super two on the southbound lanes until August 21. This was extended south to Somers Point on August 27, and was temporarily a super-two before the northbound lanes opened on September 22. ), then connected across the Mullica River to the existing section on August 28 over a temporary super-two, with the other lanes opened a few weeks later. The Cape May section of highway was also extended north to Route 50 at Seaville that day, which then was extended south to Route 47 on September 4, and north to Beesley's Point Bridge on October 6. The entire highway south of Irvington was declared finished on October 9, 1954.

The bridge over the Passaic River opened on May 26, 1955. This extended the parkway's northern terminus to US 46 in present-day Elmwood Park. On July 1 of that year, the portion of the highway from US 46 to Route 17 in Paramus opened, completing the Parkway.

The Great Egg Harbor Bridge was completed on June 16, 1956, a temporary part of the parkway that carried traffic to the Beesley's Point Bridge alongside US 9 was then bypassed and permanently closed.

Mid-1950s–1990s
In spring 1955, a widening project began between US 22 and the Raritan River bridge; this would expand the roadway from four to six lanes. It was completed on July 9 of that year.

In late 1955, a project to construct a second roadway began in Cape May. The new roadbed was opened north of Seaville by October 17, south of Cape May Court House by October 25, and fully by October 28.

In 1956, the parkway adopted its current shield.

In June 1957, the road was widened from four lanes to six lanes between the Raritan River and exit 117.

Soon after the parkway's opening, congestion on Route 17 increased substantially, prompting an extension of the parkway to Montvale, connecting to the newly-built New York State Thruway. By November 30, 1955, it had been determined that this extension was financially feasible. On January 18, 1956, the NJHA entered into an agreement with the New York State Thruway Authority (NYSTA) for the prompt, coordinated construction of connecting links. The agreement was formally signed on February 1 by NJHA Chairwoman Katharine E. White and NYSTA Chairman Bertram D. Tallamy. Groundbreaking for this extension began on May 1, 1956. It was originally proposed as part of a northern extension of the unbuilt Route 101, a highway that was intended to run from Kearny to Hackensack. The extension, Route S101, would have continued northward from Hackensack to the state line via Paramus. Approximately 9 mi in length, the extension was planned to run north through the Bergen County municipalities of Paramus, Washington Township, Hillsdale, Woodcliff Lake, and Montvale to the state line, where the parkway would meet with a connecting spur from the mainline of the New York State Thruway. Part of the extension to Chestnut Ridge opened on July 3, 1957, and the Thruway's Garden State Parkway Connector opened on August 29 that year. In only 36 hours, the extension reported 8,000 drivers.

On February 8, 1958, U-turning was banned in order to increase safety.

In June 1958, the southbound road between the exit 117 and the Asbury Park Toll Plaza was widened from two lanes to three lanes.

By the time the parkway had been extended to the New York State Thruway, the need for a complete interchange at the exit 154 was noted. Following the recommendation of a survey to do so, D. Louis Tonti, the executive director of the New Jersey Highway Authority, announced plans in December 1957 to construct two new overpasses at exit 154 in Clifton. These ramps would connect drivers from US 46 eastbound to the parkway northbound, and from the parkway southbound to US 46 westbound. In May 1958, a bid of the project went to Thomas Nichol Company, Inc. of Farmingdale, and construction began immediately. The new ramps opened in December, and the toll booths on the ramps opened the following month, replacing the toll booths on the grounded ramps, which had been razed as part of the project. The total cost of the project was $2.25 million, which was half a million higher than the original estimate. During 1959, traffic counts noted 1.5 million cars used the new ramps at exit 154.

On June 19, 1959, a project to widen the northbound roadway from two to four lanes between exit 117 and the Asbury Park Toll Plaza was completed.

On December 30, 1959, exit 139B was opened, serving the missing movements exit 139 lacked. Construction on these ramps costed NJDOT $108,487 in state funds.

Throughout 1959 and 1960, signage was modified, lighting increased at toll plazas, guardrails installed in areas previously not protected, and drainage upgraded.

On February 1, 1961, the NJHA banned motorcycles, scooters, and bicycles from the entire length of the parkway. The ban was enacted after a year involving 20 motorcycle accidents and two fatalities. Motorists who were caught using these modes of transportation on the parkway faced a fine of $200 or 30-day jail sentence.

Throughout 1961 and 1962, safety improvements were made to many of the overpasses carrying parkway traffic.

On December 5, 1962, exit 120 opened to traffic, it was constructed to serve as a direct connection to Cheesequake State Park.

In June 1961, the Highway Authority announced plans to construct exit 114 to serve Holmdel and Middletown, it would replace exit 116, which had become congested. Exit 114 would help relieve local congestion that traveled to the at the time new Bell Labs and other industrial parks operating in the area. On December 14, the Highway Authority made an appropriation of $50,000 for the engineering work for the new interchange. Construction began on the exit 114 ramps in July 1962. Exit 114 was opened to traffic five days later on December 20, 1962. with two toll facilities also being constructed. The ramp at exit 116 was restricted to emergency traffic only, this was received negatively by locals.

On June 18, 1963, a meeting was held between the NJHA board and senator Charles W. Sandman Jr. They discussed the problems associated with exit 12, a northbound-only ramp that traveled at-grade across the southbound lanes; it had been referred to as a “serious hazard” by the committee. After an agreement had been settled on, it was permanently closed on July 2 of that year, with all traffic that previously utilized it being redirected to exit 13, only 0.5 mi to the north.

On September 2, 1963, a project to lengthen the southbound dealcreation lane at exit 109 began, the lighting at the toll plaza was also improved and ramps reconstructed. It was completed by the end of the year.

In May 1962, construction started on a widening from exit 154 to just near exit 158. As part of this, the Passaic River Bridge was also reconstructed with a wider superstructure and piers, and the Bergen Toll plaza was also reconstructed to have dedicated canopies in each direction. The project was completed by the end of 1963.

On July 31, 1964, two related projects were completed on the parkway. A $800,000,000 project to construct exit 38 was completed, it served as a connection to the Atlantic City Expressway. The Delaware River and Bay Authority also completed a $420,000 project to reconstruct exit 0, with the intersecting roadway being widened from two lanes to four lanes, as such, all of the other ramps in the area were widened to match.

In May 1962, plans were announced for construction of a new exit 159. This interchange would serve I-80 with direct connections, as well as Midland Avenue with indirect connections. In preparation of this, exit 158 was permanently closed in early 1963. On December 23 of that year, the ramps onto Midland avenue from exit 159 was opened to traffic, at the cost of $4,500,000. Tolling of the interchange began immediately. However, the ramps not I-80 would not open until October 20, 1964. By November 1964, the northbound exit ramp and southbound entrance ramp at exit 157 had been permanently closed to encourage use of the interchange.

On March 8, 1965, exit 30 was closed for an extensive rebuild. Also as part of this project, the Great Egg Toll Plaza and Cape May toll plazas were reconstructed to have dedicated canopy's for each direction. Work on this project was competed by on July 15, exit 30 reopened as a southbound entrance and northbound exit; the lanes that were not closed had also been made wider. Immediately after this, work then began on reconstructing exit 29 into a incomplete grade-separated interchange, it reopened later that year, at which point tolls were instated on exit 30.

On January 1, 1966, a project was completed that constructed longer deceleration lanes and widened the exit and entrance ramps of exits 148 and 144. By January 10, tolling had begun on exit 148, it had previously been toll free.

In December 1965, a project began to construct exits 143 and 143A. exits 143 would contain a collector distributor roadway and more ramps, and exits 143A would reduce congestion. The project was completed on April 12, 1966, exit 142 was then permanently closed.

In May 1966, the borough of Paramus and the New Jersey Highway Authority agreed to reconstruct the interchange with Ridgewood Avenue into a collector distributor roadway; additionally, the two-ramp interchange to was also expanded to a totall of eight ramps. Costing $3.7 million (equivalent to $ in ), Construction on the new interchange began almost immediately, with the new southbound ramps opening on November 30, 1966, On December 29, the dual ramps on the northbound direction opened. On February 13, tolls went into effect on the Ridgewood Avenue intersection.

In early 1967, the parkway was widened from four lanes to six lanes between the Bergen Toll Plaza and exit 161 in Paramus. The Bergen Toll Plaza was also rebuilt to give each direction dedicated toll canopies instead of all traffic merging into a single canopy like previously.

On January 6, 1967, exit 166 was closed to prevent traffic from traveling through them. The reasoning for this was that traffic heading onto them congested many of the local roads. By September, it had been forcibly reopened after a gag order was secured to prevent local authorities from affecting parkway operations. A park and ride lot was constructed there that year.

In December 1965, plans were announced to construct a slip ramp at exits 144, this would provide access to I-280. Also as part of this project, exit 146 would be demolished, it was permanently closed to traffic in late 1965. On January 12, 1966, the local ramps onto the exit 144 were opened to traffic, though the ramps onto I-280 remained barricaded off while the highway was still under construction. On October 13, 1967, the I-280 segment and its ramps were partially opened, completing the project.

In early 1968, the road was widened from four lanes to six lanes between exit 163 and exit 165.

In March 1968, construction began on a new access road to the Garden State Arts Center at exit 116. It was completed in June of that year, and on August 8, exit 116 was reopened.

In early 1969, the roadway was widened between exit 163 and exit 161. This upgrade made the entire 80 mi stretch from Ocean County to Paramus at least six lanes wide.

On May 24, 1969, exit 4 was opened, along with this came a new toll facility.

When the parkway was opened through Clifton in 1955, a spur was supposed to open south of its exit to Broad Street as exit 155P. However, by 1965, no other construction had occurred, and the parkway's spur had been canceled. Because of this, in 1967, work began on a project to construct the remaining ramps at exit 155P (now exit 155A); instead of serving as a spur of the parkway, they would serve Route 20 (now Route 19) instead. The ramps were opened to traffic on October 20, 1969.

On September 18, 1969, new ramps at exit 129 were opened, the remaining ramps were opened to traffic by early 1970. This project made it so that the turnpike had direct connections to both directions and vice versa.

On November 24, 1970, southbound parkway traffic from there south to the Raritan River was redirected onto a new roadway that lied in the median of the old one, the old were not demolished however, but rather became an exit onto US 9, effectively creating a collector distributor road. This bypass effectively eliminated the two former exits, while these still exist, they are now Route 9 exits. On August 17, 1971, the same switch occurred to the northbound roadway, the old one also became a collector distributor road, though it rather served as a US 9 ramp to connect to the northbound GSP as well as the New Jersey Turnpike.

An expansion of the Driscoll Bridge across the Raritan River was completed on September 2, 1971. Work then began on widening the Sayerville side, reconstructing exit 125 from the left to the right, and repairing and widening the existing part of the bridge deck, work was completed by beginning of 1972.

In 1972, the dualization of the Great Egg Harbor Bridge and related reconstruction of the surrounding roadway eliminated the final two lane segment of the parkway.

In Spring of 1973, exit 131A (now simply exit 131) was opened southbound.

On January 17, 1973, exit 127 was opened to I-287. By June, the NJ route 440 link had opened as well.

On July 2, 1973, southbound traffic heading onto exit 105 was redirected onto a new right hand ramp, and the left hand ramp was permanently closed.

In May 1973, exit 98 was opened to northbound traffic. On July 3, 1973, the southbound exit 98 opened, completing the project. this exit replaced the existing exits 96, 97, and 97A, with the numbering difference being ue to the new exit featuring a right hand collecotr distributor roadway racing the tightly spaced cloverleafs that existed before. These new ramps served what's now I-195 and NJ 138 and used safer right hand collector distributor roads to carry traffic onto the link that had always existed to NJ 34.

In early 1974, exit 91 was rebuilt to increase safety.

On February 27, 1974, a southbound exit 117A (now exit 118) opened to the public; the old northbound ramp was left open temporarily while exit 117 was reconstructed into a right side exit. This was completed later that year, the new exit 117 as well as the southbound exit 117A were tolled, unlike their original equivalents.

In mid 1974, construction began on new express roadways in the median thorough Monmouth County; it was only two lanes wide in each direction, and had much fewer exits than the local roadway. The segment from Sayerville to Keyport was opened on July 3. Alongside this project came new ramps onto exit 105. The segment of roadway from Keyport to the Tinton Falls toll plaza was opened on August 2 of that year. Alongside this segment came new ramps at exit 117.

In 1973, plans were made to construct a collector distributor at exits in Toms River. This major reconstruction was completed by 1975.

On November 1, 1975, motorcycles were relegalized after over 14 years of protest from motorcyclists such as Malcolm Forbes; all of the other restrictions remained.

On April 14, 1976, exits 142 (now 142B), 142B (now 142C), 143A and 143B were opened. These replaced the original exits 142 with Chancellor Avenue and exits 142B with Lyons Avenue.

The parkway was planned to be the southern terminus of the unbuilt Driscoll Expressway, a 38 mi toll road that was planned in the early 1970s to run from Toms River to the New Jersey Turnpike in South Brunswick; this plan was abandoned in 1977. The parkway was also planned to be the southern terminus for Route 55 at milepost 19. This was canceled after the conclusion that the highway ran through too many wetland areas. The idea has since been revisited after frequent traffic jams on Route 47.

In 1978, a 3.1 mile segment of the roadway in Bergen county was widened.

In 1979, the parkway was widened from two to four lanes between the Asbury Park toll plaza and exit 100, as well as from two lanes to three lanes in Lakewood.

In November 1980, the road was widened from three to four lanes between exits 129 and exits 141. These new lanes were HOV lanes that were restricted to vehicles with three or more occupants, though this was later lowered to two or more occupants in June 1981. They were converted into general use lanes in 1982 after almost universal criticism.

In 1979, proposals for an exit at milepost 124 were proposed; in 1980 construction of this interchange became a priority. In March o that year, a from had been hired to construct this new interchange. On October 23, 1982, this exit, numbered as exit 142, was partially opened to traffic. Later, on November 19, the final part of the ramp was completed.

In late 1983 and 1984, various improvements were made to the congested parts of the roadway.

In 1983, plans to construct a toll plaza at exit 116 were made, however, they ended up unsuccessful after protest from Homdel officials.

In 1980, plans were made to construct a new interchange at milepost 171. On July 25, 1985, this exit, signed as exit 171, was opened to the public.

On November 20, 1986, the exit 131B was opened to northbound traffic, completing the trumpet interchange onto Wood Avenue.

From 1986 to 1987, missing southbound connections were constructed at exit 67.

In 1987, the NJHA purchased the 19 mi of road that had been constructed by what is now the New Jersey Department of Transportation. These state maintained segments were located in Cape May County between exits 6 and exits 12, Ocean County between exit 80 and exit 83, and between exit 129 and exit 140. NJDOT sold the sections for one dollar with the requirement that tolls were never to be charged on them.

In 1987, the roadway between mileposts 99.5 and 83.5 was restriped from two lanes with a shoulder to three lanes with no shoulder.

In December 1986, an new right handed exit 100 was opened, replacing the previous left handed one. Work also began in March 1987, to construct new overpasses, make lighting and signage improvements to the unaltered exits, and widening the parkway from four lanes to six lanes. It was completed in December 1987.

In 1988, the northbound exit 105 ramp was reconstructed father to the south, the old ramp was closed and demolished, and a two lane ramp was built the feed into the existing ramp and a new loop ramp that was constructed to allow vehicles onto northbound Route 18. Also, an on-ramp was built that allows southbound Route 18 traffic to enter the southbound local roadway.

In 1990, new branch toll lanes were constructed at the Bergen Toll Plaza.

In 1991, exit 74 was opened to traffic, while intended to have toll plazas, these were never constucted.

On May 1, 1993, a travel center was opened at the Montvale Service Area, replacing the one that burned down in 1991.

In 1996, new signs were posted with the goal of increasing safety.

In 1997, the eastbound ramp onto I-80 and overpass carrying Midland avenue traffic over the parkway were reconstructed.

On April 1, 1998, a project to construct a new northbound ramp to Lomell lane at exit 83 was completed, the original ramps deceleration lane was also reconstructed to be longer. Later that year, a traffic signal was installed at exit 81, in addition to other safety improvements.

In 1998, large portions of the roadway had their speed limit increased to 65 mph.

In June 1999, the Barneget toll plaza was demolished and replaced, this eliminated the final of the single canopied mainline plazas.

2000s–present
E-ZPass was first installed at the Pascack Valley Toll Plaza in December 1999, and the system was expanded across the entire road by August 2000.

In 2000, a traffic signal was installed at exit 0.

In April 2001, a project to reconstruct exit 80 was competed. Also as part of this project, the overpass carrying traffic over Dover Road was widened.

In 2001, a law was passed that required tolls to be kept as long as their are construction projects ocurrring.

On July 9, 2003, Governor Jim McGreevey's plan to disband the New Jersey Highway Authority and give control of the parkway to the New Jersey Turnpike Authority (NJTA) was completed.

In November 2003, construction was completed on the $16.23 million exit 89, a southbound exit and northbound entrance in Lakewood. This new exit featured a toll facility, and was located in the same general area as exit 88. Due to featuring collector distributor lanes, overpasses in the direct area had to be reconstructed with wider superstructures.

In 2005, the entrance and exit at exit 123 were both widened from one lane to two lanes, a southbound entrance was constructed at exit 131, and missing links were constructed at exit 114 as well as exit 13.

In 2006, exit 77 was opened. Alongside the new exit came two new toll facilities.

In late 2006, a project was completed that rebuilt the overpass carrying NJ 138 over the Parkway. This allowed the roadway underneath it to be widened from three to four lanes.

In March 2007, exit 69 was reconstructed, new ramps were built with toll plazas, and the existing ones razed. This new ramps had two toll plazas on each side.

In November 2007, a project which extended and widened the ramps at exit 145 and built new EZ-Pass lanes at the ramps toll plaza was completed. This project ultimately costed $11 million, and was completed three years earlier than planned.

In October 2007, a project to improve exit 135 began. It was completed in May 2008.

In 2008, the speed limit was reverted to 55 mph between mileposts 80 and 100 in order to reduce accidents.

In May 2009, guardrails were installed in between the northbound and southbound lanes from mile markers 7 to 11.5, due to the previous year's many crashes casued by cars crossing the median.

On September 25, 2002, construction began on a new span of the Driscoll Bridge just west of the original spans, consisting of seven lanes and emergency shoulders. On May 3, 2006, all traffic was shifted onto the new span, and the original was closed for superstructure replacement. On May 20, 2009, all northbound traffic was shifted back onto the original spans, and the new one was made exclusively for southbound traffic.

Starting in 2008, plans were announced to construct missing links at exit 67. A new southbound entrance and a northbound exit would be added. By March 27 of that year, it was revealed that the new ramps would not have toll gates. Construction began in the summer of 2008 and the new ramps were opened opened on May 20, 2009.

To reduce congestion, 10 of the 11 toll plazas on the roadway were converted into one-way plazas between 2004 and 2010. The Cape May (in Upper Township), Great Egg (in Somers Point), New Gretna (in Bass River Township), Barnegat (in Barnegat Township), Asbury Park (in Tinton Falls), Raritan (in Sayreville), Union (in Hillside), Essex (in Bloomfield), Bergen (in Saddle Brook), and Pascack Valley (in Washington Township) toll plazas were among these. The tolls at these plazas were doubled upon conversion. The Toms River Toll Plaza (in Toms River) is the only location on the parkway mainline where a toll is still collected in both directions.

In 2001, plans to reconstruct exit 63 and add missing connections was announced. Work began in 2007, and was completed in October 2010.

In 2008, a $150 million project began to add new ramps at the interchange with I-78, supplying the missing movements between the two highways. Previously, the parkway northbound did not have an exit to I-78 westbound, and the parkway southbound did not have an exit to I-78 eastbound. The lack of connections was due to the cancellation of the extension of I-278 (which would have connected northbound parkway traffic with I-78 westbound) and Route 75 (which would have connected southbound parkway traffic with I-78 eastbound via I-280) in the 1980s. In April 2008, the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) awarded the project contract to the engineering firm Gannett Fleming for the design, and to Union Paving & Construction Company for building the ramps. The ramp connecting the parkway northbound with I-78 westbound opened on September 16, 2009, with a ribbon cutting ceremony led by Governor Jon Corzine, and the ramp connecting the parkway southbound with I-78 eastbound opened on December 10, 2010.

In April 2011, New Jersey Transportation Commissioner James Simpson announced the NJTA was considering allowing trucks on the northern portion of the Garden State Parkway. However, the idea was quickly abandoned after the agency found the road had engineering concerns that would not accommodate trucks on this segment.

In May 2011, a widening from exits 80 to 63 was completed.

In 2013, a project that rebuilt the Watchung Avenue overpass near exit 151 in order to add shoulders to the parkway segment underneath was completed. Additionally, both existing ramps were widened from two lanes to three lanes, and both of the entrance ramps onto the Parkway were entirely relocated.

In November 2014, a widening project was completed between exits 63 and 48.

By the end of 2014, a project that rebuilt the overpass carrying traffic over Route 34 was completed, this was done in order to add shoulders to this segment.

Exit 41 was opened on March 13, 2015. Previously, drivers who wanted to go to Jimmie Leeds Road had to cut through the parking lot of the Atlantic City Service area, though they still can, however the traffic light that previously existed was elimniated.

On July 22, 2014, the NJTA filed a federal lawsuit against Jersey Boardwalk Pizza, a pizza chain in Florida, for using a logo too similar to the Garden State Parkway's signs and iconography. Federal Judge William Martini dismissed the suit on March 26, 2015.

On November 9, 2014, exit 88 was permanently closed. On June 11, 2015, the northbound replacement exit 89 were opened to traffic.

In August 2015, a project which constructed missing movements at exits 44 was completed.

As originally built, in Cape May County, the parkway had three at-grade intersections (at exits 9, 10, and 11), but a project to eliminate began in early 2013, when construction began on three overpasses in Cape May Court House. The plan was delayed because it had not been approved by the federal government. The $125 million project was completed by September 2015.

On September 5, 2016, a project to rebuild exit 0 was completed.

In May 2017, a project that built the missing movements with exits 91 was completed.

In June 2017, three projects to improve exits 36, 37, and 38 were completed. A new ramp was built at exit 38 order to reduce unsafe weaving, exit 37 had its deacalrtion lane reconstructed to be longer, and exit 36 was rebuilt to eliminate its stop-and-go pattern.

In 2012, the improvement of exit 105 southbound at the intersection with NJ route 36 on the local lanes was proposed. It involved replacing the single laned ramp which provided access to Route 36 with a new one. This ramp would have two lanes and a wider shoulder, and would also provide access to Route 18 via Wayside road. Additionally, the northbound ramp onto route 36 would be constructed, as opposed to locating traffic onto route 36, it would instead carry traffic not an intersection with Wayside Road. Also, in both directions, the deceleration lanes were increased in length and widened to two lanes, in addition to lighting improvements and replacing the underhead signage southbound with new overhead ones, and replacing the sign heads northbound. Construction began in 2013, and was completed by November 2017.

In June 2014, a $68 million project to eliminate the left hand ramps at exit 163 began. Due to this, a half mile stretch of the GSP mainline was shifted towards the median, with the existing ramps retained but now passing under the Parkway and joining it from the right. This major project was completed by 2017.

In 2018, a widening from exits 48 to milepost 30 was completed, it included reconstruction of overpasses, and the opening of new bridges across the Mullica River from the city of Port Republic to Bass River, after which point the older ones had their superstructures replaced.

The southbound bridge over the Great Egg Harbor Bay was replaced with a wider span parallel to the older span as part of a $79.3 million project. Construction began in 2013. The new bridge was opened in 2016, the old one was then permanently closed. While the northbound bridge was kept open briefly, all traffic was moved onto it in 2017 so the old bridge could be demolished and the northbound span could undergo strengthening and a superstructure replacement. Work on the project was considered mostly complete by October 2019.

In May 2019, a project which reconstructed the exits 17 on-ramp was completed.

In April 2016, a project to reconstruct exit 125 into a full interchange commenced. A new southbound exit would be tolled and made exclusively for E-ZPass users; no toll would be added to the new northbound entrance. Also involved in this project was the replacement of the bridge that carried the parkway over Chevalier Avenue with a wider structure, improving the northbound exit ramp with a new alternate ramp onto Main Street, and constructing a new southbound entrance ramp and demolishing the existing one–this would provide greater access to a new shopping mall in the vicinity that is yet to be completed. This project was completed in February 2020. In 2018, an improvement project began at exit 109 northbound at the interchange with CR 520 (Newman Springs Road). The project involved partly winding the ramp and constructing a new ramp to directly allow access to the Lincroft park and ride from the parkway and to allow easier access to Newman Spring Road eastbound. Improvements were also made to the ramps onto the parkway from County Route 520. These include a ramp and overpass being built on Newman Spring Road eastbound, the addition of a traffic signal at Schulz Dr, the removal of the U-turn ramp to Half Mile Road and the addition of a left turn signal at the junction to compassionate. This project was completed in May 2020.

In June 2018, an improvement project began at the interchange with I-280 and CR 508 (Central Avenue). The project involved widening the entrance ramp to the parkway southbound from one to two lanes and adding a second deceleration lane on the parkway northbound. Due to the addition of the deacceleration lane to South Grove St, the northbound toll plaza on the exit was completely removed starting on July 26, 2018, at 10 pm. To accommodate the wider roadway, the overpass carrying Central Avenue over the parkway was also rebuilt. Five nearby bridges were also rehabilitated as part of the project. The project cost approximately $63 million and was completed in August 2022.

In 2020, a project that involved making multiple improvements between mileposts 140 and 143 was commenced. It involves repaving the road, adding new lighting, and adding new median barriers. It also retrofits multiple bridges in between the mile markers, including two that carry traffic over US 22 and one that carries traffic over NJ 82.

In 2020, the NJTA announced plans to reconstruct exit 29 into a full interchange. This was due to the fact that exit 30, which carries traffic onto the residential street West Laurel Drive, sees chronic congestion during the summer tourist season as it connects to the Ninth Street Bridge via an intersection with US 9. If this plan where to go thorough, then the exit 30 would have been permanently closed, meaning that summer traffic would have had to travel to CR 559 via US 9 to reach the bridge. This proposition was heavily crititsed by officials and residents in Somers Point and Ocean City, fearing that traffic congestion would simply be relocated rather than eliminated.

On March 24, 2020, the NJTA temporarily suspended cash toll collection due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Drivers without E-ZPass transponders had their license plates photographed at the toll plazas and were sent bills in the mail. Cash collection resumed on May 19 of that year.

In March 2022, exit 105 was closed in multiple stages so that five bridges over the northbound lanes, built in the 1970s, could be replaced. The project was completed in late 2023.

Future
There are plans to upgrade exits 80, 81, 82, and 83. There are also plans to widen the parkway between exit 98 and exit 125, as well as exit 142 and 154.

Tolls
The Garden State Parkway uses an open system of tolling in which flat-rate tolls are collected at numerous toll plazas placed along the mainline and at certain interchanges. This contrasts with the New Jersey Turnpike, which uses a closed system in which a motorist receives a ticket with the toll rates at the highway's entrance, and turns in the ticket along with the toll upon exiting at toll gates. Tolls can be paid by using cash or the E-ZPass electronic toll collection system.

As of March 1, 2024, the standard car toll is $1.10 for cash and $1.05 for E-ZPass on the main road at two-way toll plazas and $2.20 for cash and $2.09 for E-ZPass at one-way toll plazas. Some entrances and exits require a toll of either $0.80, $1.10, $1.55, or $2.20 for cash and $0.73, $1.05, $1.45, or $2.09 for E-ZPass. Additional E-ZPass discounts are available for off-peak travel, senior citizens, drivers of green vehicles, and trailers.

There are three different lane types at the toll plazas. However, not all plazas have every type of lane at all times.

The first type is full-service lanes. These lanes are staffed and toll collectors can provide change and receipts to drivers.

The second type is exact-change lanes. In these lanes, motorists deposit coins in a toll basket and each coin is mechanically counted; historically, these lanes also accepted tokens. Payment of tolls in exact-change lanes has been enforced by photo since 2011. The Union Toll Plaza was the first to use an automated toll-collection machine; a plaque commemorating this event includes the first quarter collected at its toll booths. As of 2018, exact-change lanes are only used for exit and entrance ramp toll plazas.

The third type of lane is dedicated for vehicles with E-ZPass tags. Some plazas also feature Express E-ZPass lanes, allowing drivers to bypass the toll plaza at highway speeds. E-ZPass is also accepted in full-service lanes. Express E-ZPass lanes operate at the Pascack Valley, Raritan, Asbury Park, Toms River, Barnegat, New Gretna and Cape May Toll Plazas.

Tokens, available for purchase at full-service toll plaza lanes, were introduced in 1981 at a price of $10 for a roll of 40 tokens; as the toll was $0.25 at the time, most drivers continued to use quarters. However, when the toll was increased to $0.35 in 1989, rolls were priced at 30 tokens for $10; between the slight discount and the convenience of using a single coin, tokens gained in popularity. There were also larger bus tokens, primarily for use by Atlantic City-bound buses. As E-ZPass became more widespread, tokens were phased out. Token sales were discontinued on January 1, 2002, and they were no longer accepted effective January 1, 2009.

On September 27, 2022, the NJTA awarded a $914 million contract to TransCore to convert the parkway into an all-electronic toll road, eliminating the toll booths in the process. Although the agreement has been made, the Turnpike Authority has no set date on when the conversion will be completed.

Service areas
All service areas are located in the center median, unless otherwise noted.

In the 1950s, four petroleum companies were hired to provide gasoline and vehicular necessities—Esso, Texaco, Atlantic, and Cities Service. The Cities Service company was the petroleum provider at Monmouth, Forked River, Atlantic City (Absecon at the time) and Ocean View (Seaville at the time) and offered a service where female employees were hired for those service area showrooms, wore uniforms and were known as the Park-ettes. Their duties included providing directions and other information to motorists as well as rendering odd bits of service such as sewing a missing button on a patron's coat.

On July 27, 2021, the New Jersey Turnpike Authority unanimously voted in favor of renaming the service areas along the Garden State Parkway after New Jerseyans who were inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame. The Ocean View service area was originally slated to be named after Toni Morrison, but the NJTA never received written consents and releases; this prompted the New Jersey Hall of Fame to request the service area be named after Bruce Willis instead.

On January 2, 2022, two service areas that were operated by McDonald's in Brookdale and Union were closed after their contract expired in 2021. These services areas were replaced by 2023.

Picnic areas
One of the objectives of the parkway was to become a state park its entire length, and its users would enjoy park-like aesthetics with minimal intrusion of urban scenery. Along the ride, users were permitted to stop and picnic along the roadway to further enjoy the relaxation qualities the parkway had to offer. All picnic areas had tall trees that provided shade and visual isolation from the roadway. Grills, benches, running water, and restrooms were provided. Over time as the parkway transformed into a road of commerce, the picnic areas were closed for a variety of reasons. Their ramp terminals became insufficient to accommodate the high-speed mainline traffic and in addition to the decreasing number of users, the picnic areas were becoming more effective as maintenance yards and were converted as such or closed altogether.

The one remaining picnic area, John B. Townsend Shoemaker Holly in Upper Township, is closed from dusk to dawn. Posted signs within the picnic area prohibit fires and camping.

There were ten operational picnic areas:

Emergency assistance
On the Garden State Parkway, the emergency assistance number is #GSP, which is #477 in number form. Towing and roadside assistance are provided from authorized garages. The New Jersey State Police is the primary police agency that handles calls for service on the parkway. New Jersey State Police Troop D serves the Garden State Parkway, with stations in Galloway, Holmdel, and Bloomfield. Other emergency services such as fire and first aid are usually handled by the jurisdictions in which that section of the parkway passes.

Exit list
The parkway was the first highway in the United States to use mileage-based exit numbers. Historically, the exit numbers on the northbound and southbound roadways were not symmetrical. The New Jersey Highway Authority considered each as a separate road and as a result, many exits had non-matching numbers.