Atlantic City–Brigantine Connector

File:2020-08-22 18 16 14 View south along New Jersey State Route 446X (Atlantic City-Brigantine Connector) at Exit A (Midtown, Downbeach) in Atlantic City, Atlantic County, New Jersey.jpg

The Atlantic City–Brigantine Connector is a freeway located entirely within Atlantic City, New Jersey, and has a route length of {{convert|2.37|mi|km}}.{{efn

|Sources vary in the total route length from {{convert|2.2|to|2.6|mi|km}}; however, maps and imagery from the state's GIS platform show the connector terminating {{convert|0.07|mi|km}} past mile post 2.3 ({{convert|2.3|mi|km|disp=out}}).{{cite map |url = https://www.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=02251e521d97454aabadfd8cf168e44d&marker=-8285281.755%2C4776498.5452%2C102100%2CMile%20post%202.3%2C%2CMile%20post%202.3&level=18&showLayers=wms_6584%3Bwms_6584_Natural2020 |title = NJ-GeoWeb |publisher = New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection |access-date = June 21, 2022 }} The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) alternatively measures the route length as {{convert|1.98|mi|km}} from its southern terminus to its exit ramp junction with US 30. This method disregards the northbound-only section of the connector.{{cite map |publisher = New Jersey Department of Transportation |url = http://www.state.nj.us/transportation/refdata/sldiag/pdf/00000446X_-.pdf |format = PDF |title = Atlantic City-Brigantine Connector (South to North) |date = March 2019 |access-date = March 17, 2020 |edition = 2019 |series = New Jersey Straight Line Diagrams }}|name=fn1}} It is a toll-free extension of the tolled Atlantic City Expressway (A.C. Expressway) and serves as a connector between the expressway and Route 87 near Brigantine.{{Cite web |url = https://www.sjta.com/exit-1 |title = Atlantic City Expressway: Exit 1 Details |publisher = South Jersey Transportation Authority |access-date = February 8, 2024 }} The connector averages two lanes per direction and has a posted speed limit of {{convert|35|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}.{{sfn|SJTA|2001|p=5}} The northernmost {{convert|0.89|mi|km}} serves northbound traffic only, whereas southbound traffic travels along the parallel Route 87. Exits along the route are designated by letter from A to I.{{cite web |url = https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/breaking/crda-rolling-out-new-color-coded-sign-system-for-atlantic-city/article_0ce971fa-bf80-11e3-9193-001a4bcf887a.html |title = CRDA rolling out new color-coded sign system for Atlantic City |first = Steve |last = Lemongello |date = April 9, 2014 |access-date = September 19, 2022 |work = The Press of Atlantic City |url-access = subscription }} It is owned and operated by the SJTA and is classified by the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) as a state highway, unsigned Route 446X, which is part of the National Highway System.

{{external media |topic=Dashcam videos of the connector

|video1=[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcC5rhlprns Connector northbound]

|video2=[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guOY6EOpyC8 Connector southbound]}}

The route begins near the eastern terminus of the A.C. Expressway with a southbound-only exit to the Midtown and Downbeach districts. It then turns north along the western shore of Atlantic City and comes to a grade crossing with NJ Transit's Atlantic City Line adjacent to the Atlantic City Rail Terminal, followed by an interchange at Bacharach Boulevard. At {{convert|0.87|mi|km}} along the route, the freeway enters a {{convert|1957|ft|m|adj=mid}} tunnel under Horace Bryant Park in the Westside neighborhood.{{cite map |url = https://www.atlantic-county.org/gis/pdfs/MunicipalRoadwayMaps/AtlanticCity.pdf |title = Atlantic City, Atlantic County, New Jersey |publisher = Atlantic County Office of Geographic Information Systems |access-date = June 15, 2022 }} North of the tunnel is a southbound on-ramp from Route 87, followed by an interchange with U.S. Route 30 (US 30) via Route 187. After the US 30 interchange, the freeway continues for northbound traffic only, with an exit that serves as a U-turn to the southbound connector, an exit to Borgata and MGM Tower,{{google maps |SV = yes |url = https://www.google.com/maps/place/MGM+Tower/@39.3750077,-74.4332469,3a,72.1y,32.75h,103.27t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1skCykJbRmPkHPLmnSI6_X-g!2e0!7i16384!8i8192!4m10!3m9!1s0x89c0efb4c01859b7:0x7e4d44d85a4a0f52!5m2!4m1!1i2!8m2!3d39.3788251!4d-74.4335086!10e5!16s%2Fg%2F1hf_9w8r1?entry=ttu |title = Exits H and G, Atlantic City–Brigantine Connector, Atlantic City, New Jersey |date = October 2023 |access-date = May 29, 2024 }} and an exit to the Farley Marina and Golden Nugget Atlantic City. The final exit ramp leads to Harrah's Atlantic City, after which the northbound connector terminates as it merges onto Route 87 northbound, which continues into Brigantine via the Brigantine Bridge.{{cite map |url = http://www.sjta.com/ac%20brig%20connector.pdf |format = PDF |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20040429011822/http://www.sjta.com/ac%20brig%20connector.pdf |title = Atlantic City–Brigantine Connector Mile Post and Ramp Designation |publisher = South Jersey Transportation Authority |year = 2001 |archive-date = April 29, 2004 |access-date = April 13, 2016 }}{{sfn|SJTA|2001|pp=5–6}}

The {{convert|44|mi|km|adj=mid}} A.C. Expressway was built from 1962 to 1965, connecting the Philadelphia metropolitan area with the coastal resort city of Atlantic City.{{cite web |url = https://www.sjta.com/acexpressway |title = Atlantic City Expressway |publisher = South Jersey Transportation Authority |access-date = February 8, 2024 }} During construction in 1964, the Atlantic City Planning Board proposed the Route 30 Connector, a connector road linking the end of the expressway in Midtown Atlantic City with US 30. The purpose of the connector was to reduce traffic congestion and improve access to the Marina district and the neighboring city of Brigantine. Because of a lack of funds and environmental concerns about construction near the adjacent wetlands, the connector project remained dormant until 1990 when plans for the road were included in a report by the city's Transportation Executive Council.{{cite news |last = Wittkowski |first = Donald |date = October 13, 1990 |title = Expressway, Rte. 30 Link Resurrected |work = The Press of Atlantic City |page = B1 |url = https://pressofatlanticcity.newsbank.com/search?text=Expressway%2C+Rte.+30+Link+Resurrected&content_added=&date_from=&date_to=&pub%5B%5D=PACB |access-date = June 14, 2022 |url-access = subscription |via = NewsBank }} A 1991 study found the project was environmentally feasible, and a route was proposed with a {{convert|1|mi|km|adj=on|spell=in}} elevated highway over the wetlands. Construction costs were estimated at $80 million,{{cite news |last = Wittkowski |first = Donald |date = June 14, 1991 |title = Transit Plan Says Route 30 Link Will Ease Atlantic City Traffic |work = The Press of Atlantic City |page = C1 |url = https://pressofatlanticcity.newsbank.com/search?text=%22Transit+Plan+Says+Route+30+Link+Will+Ease+Atlantic+City+Traffic%22&content_added=&date_from=&date_to=&pub%5B%5D=PACB |access-date = June 14, 2022 |url-access = subscription |via = NewsBank }} but due to a continuing lack of funds and the complexity of constructing above the wetlands, the project was again postponed.

File:2018-09-16 14 16 51 View north along New Jersey State Route 446X (Atlantic City–Brigantine Connector) inside the tunnel in Atlantic City, Atlantic County, New Jersey.jpg

Plans for the connector reemerged in 1995 following a proposal from real estate businessman and Mirage Resorts president Steve Wynn. The city of Atlantic City issued requests for proposals to developers interested in developing the H-Tract, a former landfill site in the Marina district.{{cite news |url = https://atlanticcityweekly.com/archive/steve-wynn-coming-back-to-atlantic-city/article_0c4bda4d-ff5d-510c-9217-b4f6a3985389.html |title = Steve Wynn Coming Back to Atlantic City? |first = Pinky |last = Kravitz |work = Atlantic City Weekly |date = August 5, 2004 |access-date = December 8, 2022 }} Wynn obtained the property from the city following his proposal to construct Le Jardin, a $1 billion casino resort.{{cite book |url = https://archive.org/details/sopranostatenewj0000ingl |url-access = registration |title = The Soprano State: New Jersey's Culture of Corruption |first1 = Sandy |last1 = McClure |first2 = Bob |last2 = Ingle |date = 2008 |publisher = St. Martin's Press |isbn = 978-1429925730 |pages = [https://archive.org/details/sopranostatenewj0000ingl/page/267 267]–269 |via = Internet Archive }}{{cite news |url = https://www.nytimes.com/1996/06/29/nyregion/as-atlantic-city-thrives-whitman-may-call-a-casino-bluff.html |title = As Atlantic City Thrives, Whitman May Call a Casino Bluff |first = Brett |last = Pulley |date = June 29, 1996 |work = The New York Times |access-date = December 12, 2022 |url-access = limited }} He said he would only build if better road access was provided directly to the site, which prompted state officials to revive the connector plans.{{cite news |last = Wittkowski |first = Donald |date = December 9, 1995 |title = Link Between Expressway and Route 30 Proposed |work = The Press of Atlantic City |page = A1 |url = https://pressofatlanticcity.newsbank.com/search?text=%22Link+Between+Expressway+and+Route+30+Proposed%22&content_added=&date_from=&date_to=&pub%5B%5D=PACB |access-date = December 25, 2019 |url-access = subscription |via = NewsBank }}

Governor Christine Todd Whitman created a transportation task force in September 1995 to consider options.{{cite court |litigants = Lillian E. Bryant, et al., vs. The City of Atlantic City, et al. |vol = 309 |reporter = N.J. Super. |opinion = 596 |court = N.J. Super. App. Div. |date = 1998 |url = https://law.justia.com/cases/new-jersey/appellate-division-published/1998/a3438-96-opn.html }} It studied 11 alternative routes, including elevated highways, tunnels, and improvements to existing streets.{{cite news |last = DeAngelis |first = Martin |date = February 2, 1996 |title = Creativity, Cooperation, Construction |work = The Press of Atlantic City |page = C1 |url = https://pressofatlanticcity.newsbank.com/search?text=%22Creativity%2C+Cooperation%2C+Construction%22&content_added=&date_from=&date_to=&pub%5B%5D=PACB |access-date = June 14, 2022 |url-access = subscription |via = NewsBank }} In March 1996, the task force determined that the best alternative was the Westside Bypass route, which included a highway along the western shore of the city with a tunnel under the Westside neighborhood. Whitman formally adopted the task force's recommendation in July 1996, which ensured that the alternative would be built.

The goals of the project were to improve access to the Atlantic City Convention Center, the Marina district, and Brigantine, and to improve traffic flow along the city's streets. It was expected to accommodate 14,000 to 17,000 vehicles per day. The tunnel was designed to have as little impact on the surrounding environment as possible; its design included both portals on opposite ends of the community, with landscaping added between the construction site and adjacent homes.{{cite news |last = Heneghan |first = Daniel |date = February 10, 1996 |title = Mirage: Options Bought on Most Tunnel Homes |work = The Press of Atlantic City |page = D5 |access-date = June 14, 2022 |url-access = subscription |via = NewsBank |url = https://pressofatlanticcity.newsbank.com/search?text=Mirage%3A+Options+Bought+on+Most+Tunnel+Homes&content_added=&date_from=&date_to=&pub%5B%5D=PACB }} Nine existing homes along Horace J. Bryant Jr. Drive would be demolished for the construction of the tunnel. Funding for the project, formally known as the Atlantic City–Brigantine Connector,{{cite web |url = https://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/archive/atlantic-city-tunnel-construction-begins/article_9a141de6-33eb-11e6-923f-fb1efa68847a.html |title = Atlantic City tunnel construction begins |date = November 4, 1998 |access-date = December 23, 2019 |work = The Press of Atlantic City |url-access = subscription }} was approved in January 1997.{{sfn|SJTA|2001|p=2}} The total cost of the project was $330 million (equivalent to ${{Inflation|US-GDP|330|1997}} million in {{Inflation/year|US-GDP}}).{{inflation-fn|US-GDP}} To fund the project, Mirage Resorts paid $110 million, with the remainder coming from state funds from the SJTA ($60 million), the Transportation Trust Fund ($95 million), and the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority ($65 million).

File:2021-09-21 11 34 22 View north along New Jersey State Route 446X (Atlantic City–Brigantine Connector) from the overpass for New Jersey State Route 446 (Atlantic City Expressway) in Atlantic City, Atlantic County, New Jersey.jpg near the Atlantic City Rail Terminal, which was criticized for safety concerns.|alt=A six-lane urban highway with a railroad grade crossing under a blue sky.]]

The project was controversial, as tunnel construction would displace homes in the Westside neighborhood, and residents vowed to fight it.{{cite news |url = https://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/how-the-expressway-connector-rewrote-atlantic-city/article_3e0d3094-38e3-11e6-bced-13103cb210a5.html |title = How the Expressway Connector rewrote Atlantic City |date = July 31, 2017 |work = The Press of Atlantic City |first = Nicholas |last = Huba |access-date = July 20, 2019 |url-access = subscription }} Its opponents described the project as an effort to destroy a community, while supporters claimed it was necessary to reduce traffic and create new jobs at the planned casino.{{cite news |last1 = Wittkowski |first1 = Donald |first2 = Thomas |last2 = Peele |date = February 21, 1996 |title = The Mirage Casino Tunnel Controversy |work = The Press of Atlantic City |page = A1 |url = https://pressofatlanticcity.newsbank.com/search?text=%22The+Mirage+Casino+Tunnel+Controversy%22&content_added=&date_from=&date_to=&pub%5B%5D=PACB |url-access = subscription |via = NewsBank |access-date = June 14, 2022 }} Atlantic City Mayor Jim Whelan, a supporter, felt the project would benefit the city. Mirage offered each affected property owner on Horace J. Bryant Jr. Drive $200,000 for their homes, an offer five of the nine accepted. A group of 92 Westside homeowners filed a lawsuit against the company and the city claiming the tunnel construction would require the demolition of "their stable, black neighborhood" and create health concerns, thus violating their rights.{{cite news |url = https://www.nydailynews.com/stop-tunnel-foes-dig-article-1.734210 |title = To Stop Tunnel, Foes Dig In |first = Phil |last = Roura |date = November 3, 1996 |work = New York Daily News |access-date = July 20, 2019 }}{{cite book |last = Karmel |first = James R. |title = Gambling on the American Dream: Atlantic City and the Casino Era |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=POcvCgAAQBAJ&pg=PA169 |access-date = August 4, 2019 |year = 2015 |publisher = Routledge |isbn = 978-1-317-31462-2 |page = 169 |via = Google Books }}

Donald Trump, the chairman of Trump Hotels & Casino Resorts at the time, was also opposed to the connector, and paid the Westside residents' legal bills.{{cite web |url = https://lasvegassun.com/news/2000/feb/24/mirage-trump-agree-to-dismissal-of-lawsuits/ |title = Mirage, Trump agree to dismissal of lawsuits |first = Angie |last = Wagner |date = February 24, 2000 |access-date = December 15, 2019 |work = Las Vegas Sun }} Knowing that Wynn's casino would not be built without the connector, Trump also filed lawsuits against the use of state funds for the project.{{cite web |url = https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/richard-d-bronson/war-shore/ |title = The War at the Shore: Kirkus Review |date = May 16, 2012 |work = Kirkus Reviews |access-date = December 15, 2019 }} According to Whelan, Trump "didn't want the competition" with his three existing Atlantic City casinos, including Trump Marina, next to the site of Wynn's future casino at the H-Tract. Trump criticized the connector as a state-funded "private driveway" to Wynn's casino, and denounced the funding as "corporate welfare" that unfairly favored an out-of-state company (Mirage) over those that had previously made business investments in the city.{{cite news |url = https://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/trump/trump-v-wynn-and-other-atlantic-city-battles/article_8c6f8d6e-38e7-11e6-830f-9baf784b4d3a.html |title = Trump v. Wynn, and Other Atlantic City Battles |first = Michelle |last = Brunetti Post |date = June 26, 2016 |access-date = July 24, 2019 |work = The Press of Atlantic City |url-access = subscription }}{{cite news |url = https://lasvegassun.com/news/1997/apr/23/trump-wynn-feud-leads-to-call-for-probe/ |title = Trump–Wynn feud leads to call for probe |first = John |last = Curran |date = April 23, 1997 |access-date = July 24, 2019 |work = Las Vegas Sun }} He claimed that the tunnel would have "immense environmental impacts", and urged the state's Department of Environmental Protection to deny construction permits.{{cite news |url = https://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/archive/atlantic-city-tunnel-clears-final-state-hurdle/article_59089f52-33eb-11e6-8301-ff356be5eb52.html |title = Atlantic City Tunnel Clears Final State Hurdle |date = October 27, 1998 |access-date = August 4, 2019 |work = The Press of Atlantic City |url-access = subscription }} Mirage and Wynn retaliated by filing an antitrust lawsuit against Trump Hotels alleging that the company's only goal was to prevent the Mirage resort from being built. The feud between Trump and Wynn over the connector was later the subject of the 2012 book The War at the Shore: Donald Trump, Steve Wynn, and the Epic Battle to Save Atlantic City, by former Mirage director Richard "Skip" Bronson.

According to the Las Vegas Sun, "more than a dozen" lawsuits were filed over the connector project. The lawsuit by the Westside homeowners was eventually dismissed by a federal judge in February 1998. Trump's legal battles against the project lasted four years; he dropped them in February 2001 in exchange for a settlement that would include a new ramp to provide access from the future H-Tract casino to Trump Marina. Trump agreed to pay half the ramp's $12 million cost.{{cite news |url = https://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/archive/trump-agrees-to-tunnel-settlement/article_10b33e76-33ee-11e6-8952-9304aec207ae.html |title = Trump Agrees to Tunnel Settlement |date = February 22, 2001 |access-date = July 24, 2019 |work = The Press of Atlantic City |url-access = subscription }} A group of New Jersey mayors who also opposed the project filed suit to block "an inappropriate use of state funds".{{cite news |url = https://lasvegassun.com/news/2001/jul/26/casino-tunnel-opening-as-debate-continues/ |title = Casino tunnel opening as debate continues |work = Las Vegas Sun |date = July 26, 2001 |first = John |last = Curran |access-date = July 24, 2019 }} Their lawsuit was also dismissed; the court found the construction of the connector necessary whether the casino was built or not.

Aside from the tunnel, the project was criticized for including a railroad grade crossing on a freeway. The design was opposed by the Federal Railroad Administration and rail advocacy groups for safety concerns; however, the SJTA said the design was a compromise to allow for a full interchange at Bacharach Boulevard and provide access to the convention center.{{cite news |title = A.C. tunnel bears a human cost |work = The Philadelphia Inquirer |first = Amy S. |last = Rosenberg |date = July 22, 2001 |page = B1+ |url = https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/179085995/ |via = Newspapers.com |access-date = June 14, 2022 |url-access = subscription }}{{cite magazine |title = Making the Right Cut on Atlantic City Route |first = Aileen |last = Cho |date = June 18, 2001 |magazine = Engineering News-Record |volume = 246 |issue = 24 |pages = 42–44 }}

Construction bids for the design–build contract of the Atlantic City–Brigantine Connector were submitted to the SJTA in July 1997.{{cite press release |url = https://www.state.nj.us/transportation/about/press/1997/070897.shtm |title = Bids received on A.C./Brigantine Connector project |date = July 8, 1997 |access-date = July 16, 2019 |publisher = South Jersey Transportation Authority }} The contract was awarded to the joint venture of Yonkers Contracting Company and Granite Construction who served as the general contractors.{{sfn|SJTA|2001|p=3}}{{cite news |url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-oct-17-fi-43600-story.html |title = Granite, Yonkers Win $190.6-Million Project |work = Los Angeles Times |agency = Bloomberg News |date = October 17, 1997 |access-date = July 16, 2019 }} At the time of inception, the connector was the largest design–build project performed by the State of New Jersey. Permits were granted in October 1998, and the groundbreaking ceremony took place on November 4.{{cite web |url = https://www.sjta.com/ACEXPRESSWAY/history.asp |title = Atlantic City Expressway: History & Milestones |publisher = South Jersey Transportation Authority |access-date = February 8, 2024 |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20230923050909/https://www.sjta.com/ACEXPRESSWAY/history.asp |archivedate = September 23, 2023 }} Completion was originally scheduled for May 2001.

Excavation of the tunnel began in May 1999; the cut and cover method was used. The nine homes were demolished and a {{convert|2900|ft|m|adj=mid}} trench was dug down to {{convert|35|ft|m}} deep. A total {{convert|160000|cuyd|m3}} of dirt were removed, most of which was reused to construct ramps at other sites on the connector. For the tunnel walls, {{convert|100000|cuyd|m3}} of reinforced concrete were poured,{{cite web |url = https://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/archive/workers-begin-digging-actual-atlantic-city-tunnel/article_f467734c-33eb-11e6-b7aa-1b2cfcb4fdd3.html |title = Workers begin digging actual Atlantic City tunnel |date = May 18, 1999 |access-date = July 24, 2019 |work = The Press of Atlantic City |url-access = subscription }} and a {{convert|5|ft|m|spell=in|adj=mid|-thick}} concrete roof was constructed on top of the tunnel where the homes once stood; the site was later turned into a neighborhood park.{{cite web |url = https://www.nytimes.com/2001/01/07/nyregion/views-light-at-end-of-tunnel-is-brigantine.html |title = Views; Light at the End of the Tunnel Is Brigantine |date = January 1, 2001 |work = The New York Times |access-date = July 20, 2019 |url-access = limited }}{{cite web |url = http://www.southjerseynews.com/shore/m071901a.htm |title = A.C. tunnel to open next week |work = Courier-Post |first = William H. |last = Sokolic |date = July 19, 2001 |access-date = June 19, 2022 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190720140458/http://www.southjerseynews.com/shore/m071901a.htm |url-status = dead |archive-date = July 20, 2019 }} Since the tunnel runs adjacent to the Penrose Canal, groundwater was present {{convert|5|ft|m|spell=in}} below the bottom of the trench, requiring a dewatering process to complete the construction.{{cite web |url = https://www.moretrench.com/our-work/atlantic-city-brigantine-connector/ |title = Case Studies: Atlantic City-Brigantine Connector |publisher = Moretrench |access-date = June 19, 2022 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190720140458/https://www.moretrench.com/our-work/atlantic-city-brigantine-connector/ |archive-date = July 20, 2019 |url-status = dead }} Technology was installed to monitor traffic flow and control the tunnel ventilation, which automatically triggers jet fans if carbon monoxide levels become too high. The tunnel is {{convert|14.5|ft|m}} high, but is restricted to vehicles with a maximum clearance of {{convert|14|ft|m}}.{{sfn|SJTA|2001|p=9}}

In addition to the tunnel, the project included the construction of 16 overpasses, 15 ramps, and 23 retaining walls, plus landscaping, drainage, and the installation of variable-message signs.{{cite web |url = https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/ipd/project_profiles/nj_atlantic_city_connector.aspx |title = Project Profile: Atlantic City-Brigantine Connector |publisher = Federal Highway Administration |access-date = July 23, 2019 }} Workers also relocated public utility infrastructure, shifted {{convert|2000|ft|m}} of railroad tracks, rebuilt {{convert|3680|ft|m}} of bulkhead, and demolished a pumping station, a warehouse, and portions of a power station.{{cite book |title = Construction Program Management |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=NmHSBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA108 |first = Joseph |last = Delaney |publisher = CRC Press |date = 2016 |pages = 108–109 |isbn = 978-1466575059 }} A promenade at Trump Marina was leveled to make way for new ramps, and 37 ornamental lampposts were dismantled and later shipped to the nearby Tuckerton Seaport, which opened in 2000.{{cite news |url = https://pressofatlanticcity.newsbank.com/search?text=A+Bit+of+A.C.+Night+Life+Comes+to+Tuckerton+Seaport&content_added=&date_from=&date_to=&pub%5B%5D=PACB |title = A Bit of A.C. Night Life Comes to Tuckerton Seaport |work = The Press of Atlantic City |first = Gregory J. |last = Volpe |date = January 20, 2000 |access-date = June 14, 2022 |url-access = subscription |via = NewsBank }} To avoid disruptions in the neighborhood, construction materials were delivered by barge, and construction vehicles did not travel along any local streets.

During construction, Wynn sold Mirage Resorts to MGM Grand Inc. in 2000, forming the MGM Mirage company. Wynn's plans for his Atlantic City casino resort were cancelled. MGM Mirage took over the H-Tract site and renamed it Renaissance Pointe,{{cite web |url = https://www.nytimes.com/2002/02/10/nyregion/again-a-time-of-uncertainty-in-atlantic-city.html |title = Again, a Time of Uncertainty in Atlantic City |first = Susan |last = Warner |work = The New York Times |url-access = limited |date = February 10, 2002 |access-date = December 14, 2019 }} and developed plans for Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa, which opened in 2003 after three years of construction.{{cite web |url = https://www.forbes.com/2003/07/24/cx_aw_0724dow.html?sh=6650a7bd6a04 |title = A Whole Lotta Borgata |work = Forbes |date = July 24, 2003 |access-date = June 15, 2022 |url-access = limited }}

File:Borgata.jpg, which opened in 2003. The connector's ramps are visible in the background.|alt=A tall, reflective, bronze-colored hotel tower sits atop a smaller structure, next to a parking garage. A highway and city streets are visible in the background.]]

A shortage of materials and delivery issues in late 2000 delayed the connector's opening from May to July 2001.{{cite web |url = https://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/archive/tunnel-grand-opening-now-delayed-until-july/article_e40bcc6c-33ed-11e6-a45c-bf1804e90dc8.html |title = Tunnel grand opening now delayed until July |work = The Press of Atlantic City |date = December 15, 2001 |access-date = July 24, 2019 |url-access = subscription }} The grand opening ceremony took place on July 27, with festivities including a pedestrian tunnel walk.{{cite web |url = https://www.nytimes.com/2001/07/28/nyregion/atlantic-city-car-tunnel-opens-briefly-for-pedestrians.html |title = Atlantic City Car Tunnel Opens Briefly, for Pedestrians |first = Iver |last = Peterson |date = July 28, 2001 |access-date = July 24, 2019 |work = The New York Times |url-access = limited }} The connector was expected to open to traffic that evening, but due to last-minute malfunctions with the tunnel's emergency communication system, it did not open to vehicles until July 31.{{cite web |url = https://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/atlantic-city-expressway-connector-opens/article_aa7786d6-1e9a-11e4-9e29-0019bb2963f4.html |title = Atlantic City Expressway Connector opens |first = Donald |last = Wittkowski |date = July 31, 2001 |access-date = July 24, 2019 |work = The Press of Atlantic City }} Upon opening, the freeway was formally named the Atlantic City Expressway Connector,{{sfn|SJTA|2001|p=2}} although it is called "the Tunnel" by locals.{{cite report|url = https://brigantinebeach.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/2016-Master-Plan-Re-examination-Report.pdf |title = City of Brigantine: 2016 Master Plan Re-examination Report |date = August 22, 2016 |access-date = October 24, 2022 |page = 2 |publisher = City of Brigantine |section=1.2 Economic Background}} The ramp from Borgata to Trump Marina opened in 2003, which marked the completion of the connector project.{{cite report|url = https://irp.cdn-website.com/fbd4c0ac/files/uploaded/2003.pdf |title = South Jersey Transportation Authority 2003 Annual Report |publisher = South Jersey Transportation Authority |access-date = February 8, 2024 |section=Huron Avenue Ramp}}

Once the connector opened, travel times between the Midtown and the Marina districts fell from fifteen minutes to four.{{cite book |last1 = Legato |first1 = Frank |last2 = Shermer Pack |first2 = Jennifer |last3 = Verdini |first3 = David |title = Atlantic City: In Living Color |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=qx23EmhPMqYC&pg=PA96 |access-date = August 4, 2019 |year = 2005 |publisher = Indigo Custom Publishing |isbn = 978-0-9725951-6-2 |page = 96 |via = Google Books }} Initial traffic volume was lower than expected; the connector served only 11,000 to 12,000 vehicles per day during its first several months, which was attributed to a decline in travel following the September 11 terrorist attacks.{{cite news |url = https://www.newspapers.com/image/926502433/ |title = Tunnel traffic less than expected |date = August 6, 2002 |access-date = July 25, 2023 |work = The Press of Atlantic City |via = Newspapers.com |url-access = subscription |first = Donald |last = Wittkowski }} However, traffic increased the following year, and the connector served up to 20,000 vehicles daily by July 2002, significantly higher than the original projections.{{cite news |url = https://www.newspapers.com/image/924871522 |title = A.C.'s tunnel: Improve signage |date = August 6, 2002 |access-date = July 25, 2023 |work = The Press of Atlantic City |via = Newspapers.com |url-access = subscription }} Due to the opening of Borgata in 2003, annual traffic volume increased by 25 percent that year, serving 30,000 vehicles daily.{{cite report|url = https://irp.cdn-website.com/fbd4c0ac/files/uploaded/2003.pdf |title = South Jersey Transportation Authority 2003 Annual Report |publisher = South Jersey Transportation Authority |access-date = February 8, 2024 |section=Atlantic City Expressway Connector}} Whelan said "the impact of the [connector] project is undeniable" in improving traffic flow in the city and access to Brigantine. Traffic data from 2013 shows that the connector was used by 24,590 vehicles daily, including 1,229 trucks.{{cite web |url = https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/bridge/inspection/tunnel/inventory/download/2022NTI.xlsx |title = National Tunnel Inventory: 2022 Data |publisher = Federal Highway Administration |access-date = January 12, 2023 |date = October 11, 2022 |format = XLSX }}

The connector also affected the city's economy and casino industry. Whelan credited the project for bringing Borgata, which has since become the city's top-grossing casino. Joe Kelly, executive director of the Greater Atlantic City Chamber of Commerce, said "the Connector has been vitally important to furthering Atlantic City's economic development objectives" by improving access to the Marina district and making it more "economically viable".{{cite web |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20220818142107/https://www.sjta.com/acexpressway/time_capsule_items/Celebrating%2050%20Years%20-%20The%20Regional%20Economic%20Impact%20of%20the%20ACE%201964-2014.pdf |archivedate = August 18, 2022 |url = https://www.sjta.com/acexpressway/time_capsule_items/Celebrating%2050%20Years%20-%20The%20Regional%20Economic%20Impact%20of%20the%20ACE%201964-2014.pdf |title = The Regional Economic Impact of the Atlantic City Expressway: 1964–2014 |publisher = South Jersey Transportation Authority |access-date = February 8, 2024 |page = 21 }} State records from 2016 showed that the three casinos in the Marina district had an average annual gross revenue of $134 million, compared to $70 million for the casinos along the Atlantic City Boardwalk. Transportation analyst and former SJTA executive Anthony Marino cited the connector's ease of access to the Marina district casinos as a factor in their success and a challenge for boardwalk casinos; Whelan said it forced boardwalk casinos to reevaluate their business models.

The tunnel was used as a filming location in 2018 for the TV series Succession; the series portrayed the location as the Brooklyn–Battery Tunnel in New York City.{{cite web |url = https://www.nj.com/atlantic/2018/02/hbo_filming_to_close_atlantic_city_tunnel_thursday.html |title = HBO filming to close part of Atlantic City-Brigantine tunnel Thursday |work = NJ.com |date = February 22, 2018 |access-date = January 1, 2023 |first = Jeff |last = Goldman }}{{cite report|url = https://irp.cdn-website.com/fbd4c0ac/files/uploaded/2018.pdf |title = South Jersey Transportation Authority 2018 Annual Report |publisher = South Jersey Transportation Authority |access-date = February 8, 2024 |page = 9 |section=AC–BC Tunnel Transformed into Brooklyn–Battery Tunnel for HBO TV Drama}}

{{jcttop|exit|state=NJ|location=Atlantic City|county=Atlantic|length_ref={{sfn|SJTA|2001|pp=5–6, 8}}}}

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|notes=Southern terminus}}

{{NJint|exit

|mile=0.31

|type=incomplete

|exit=A

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|notes=Southbound exit and northbound left entrance; access via Mississippi Avenue}}

{{NJint|exit

|mile=0.55

|exit=B

|road={{jct|state=NJ|road|Bacharach Boulevard|location1=Convention Center}}

|notes=}}

{{jcttunnel|exit

|mile=0.87

|mile2=1.24

|tunnel=Tunnel below Horace Bryant Park}}

{{NJint|exit

|mile=1.48

|exit=E

|type=incomplete

|road={{jct|state=NJ|US|30|location1=Uptown|location2=Hard Rock Beach|location3=Resorts|location4=Ocean Beach}}

|notes=Northbound left exit; northbound and southbound entrance; northern terminus of southbound lanes; ramp intersects with Route 187 (Brigantine Boulevard)}}

{{NJint|exit

|mile=1.66

|exit=F

|type=incomplete

|road={{jct|state=NJ|to1=To|ACE2||dir1=west|location1=Convention Center|location2=Midtown|location3=Downbeach}}

|notes=Northbound exit only; U-turn ramp to southbound connector}}

{{NJint|exit

|mile=1.77

|exit=H

|type=incomplete

|road=Borgata, MGM Tower

|notes=Northbound left exit only}}

{{NJint|exit

|mile=1.83

|exit=G

|type=incomplete

|road=Farley Marina, Golden Nugget

|notes=Northbound exit only; access via Route 87 (Huron Avenue)}}

{{NJint|exit

|mile=2.33

|exit=I

|type=incomplete

|road=Harrah's

|notes=Northbound exit only}}

{{NJint|exit

|mile=2.37

|exit=–

|type=incomplete

|road={{jct|state=NJ|NJ|87|name1=Brigantine Boulevard|dir1=north|city1=Brigantine}}

|notes=Northbound exit only; northern terminus}}

{{jctbtm|keys=incomplete,toll}}

• {{Portal-inline|U.S. Roads}}
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{{notelist}}

{{reflist}}

{{refbegin}}

• {{cite press release |title = Atlantic City–Brigantine Connector Grand Opening July 27, 2001 |publisher = South Jersey Transportation Authority |access-date = April 13, 2016 |url = http://www.acexpressway.com:80/AC-BC%20BACKGROUND%20WEBPAGE%207-19-01.pdf |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20040715170656/http://www.acexpressway.com/AC-BC%20BACKGROUND%20WEBPAGE%207-19-01.pdf |archive-date = July 15, 2004 |date = July 19, 2001 |ref={{sfnref|SJTA|2001}}}}

{{refend}}

{{commons category}}

{{Attached KML}}

• [https://www.sjta.com/acexpressway/ Atlantic City Expressway]

{{Spoken Wikipedia|date=2023-07-25| Spoken_Wikipedia_-_Atlantic_City—Brigantine_Connector.ogg}}

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Category:Atlantic City, New Jersey

Category:Road tunnels in New Jersey

Category:State highways in New Jersey

Category:Transportation in Atlantic County, New Jersey

Category:Tunnels completed in 2001

Category:Limited-access roads in New Jersey