View source for Atlantic City–Brigantine Connector

{{Short description|Highway in Atlantic City, New Jersey, US}}
{{Use American English|date=March 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Featured article}}
{{Infobox road
|state=NJ
|type=ACBC
|alternate_name=Atlantic City Expressway Connector
|map={{maplink-road|from=Atlantic City–Brigantine Connector.map}}
|map_custom=yes
|map_notes=Atlantic City–Brigantine Connector highlighted in red; alternate routing per NJDOT highlighted in blue
|length_mi=2.37
|length_ref={{efn|name=fn1}}
|direction_a=South
|terminus_a={{jct|state=NJ|ACE2}} in [[Atlantic City, New Jersey|Atlantic City]]
|junction={{jct|state=NJ|US|30}} in Atlantic City
|direction_b=North
|terminus_b={{jct|state=NJ|NJ|87}} in Atlantic City
|established=2001
|nhs=Entire route
|allocation= {{Jct|state=NJ|NJ|446X|nolink=yes|noshield1=yes}} (unsigned; entire route)
|spur_type=ACE
|spur_of=446 (A.C. Expressway)
|counties=[[Atlantic County, New Jersey|Atlantic]]
|previous_type=NJ
|previous_route=446
|browse_route=446X
|next_type=NJ
|next_route=495
}}

The '''Atlantic City–Brigantine Connector''' ('''A.C.–Brigantine Connector'''), officially the '''Atlantic City Expressway Connector''',{{efn|Also known as the '''Atlantic City Connector''' or '''Brigantine Connector'''.<ref name="exit1"/>}} is a [[Connector (road)|connector]] [[freeway]] in [[Atlantic City, New Jersey]], United States. It is a {{convert|2.37|mi|km|adj=on}} extension of the [[Atlantic City Expressway]], connecting it to [[New Jersey Route 87]], which leads into [[Brigantine, New Jersey|Brigantine]] via the Marina district of Atlantic City. Locally, the freeway is known as "the Tunnel", due to the [[tunnel]] along its route that passes underneath the Westside neighborhood. The freeway is owned and operated by the [[South Jersey Transportation Authority]] (SJTA); it has an [[unsigned highway|unsigned]] [[State highways in New Jersey|state highway]] designation of '''Route 446X'''.

Proposals for a similar connector road in Atlantic City date to 1964; planning began in 1995 after businessman [[Steve Wynn]] proposed a new [[casino]] in the Marina district. The goals were to reduce traffic on Atlantic City streets and improve access to the Marina district and Brigantine. It was supported by Governor [[Christine Todd Whitman]] and Mayor [[Jim Whelan]], but faced major opposition during its planning. Residents whose homes were to be destroyed for the tunnel construction fought the project, and competing casino owner [[Donald Trump]] filed lawsuits to prevent its construction.

Construction took almost three years and opened in July 2001 at a total cost of $330&nbsp;million. Since its opening, the connector has served up to 30,000 vehicles daily, and affected the city's economy by bringing business to the casinos in the Marina district.

== Route description ==
[[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|thumb|left|The connector's southern terminus near the Atlantic City Expressway and exit&nbsp;A|alt=A three-lane freeway at an exit junction, with two green highway directional signs in the foreground and a skyline of hotels in the background.]]

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}};<ref name="views"/><ref name="fhwa"/> however, images from the [[New Jersey Department of Transportation]]'s (NJDOT) road database show the connector terminating {{convert|0.07|mi|km}} past [[milepost]] 2.3 ({{convert|2.3|mi|km|disp=out}}).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://njsld.org/NJDOT/SLD/VideoLog/00000087__/0.868/P |title=Route 87, Milepost 0.868 |publisher=[[New Jersey Department of Transportation]] |access-date=July 8, 2025 |series=NJDOT Video Log}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://njsld.org/NJDOT/SLD/VideoLog/00000087__/0.942/P |title=Route 87, Milepost 0.942 |publisher=New Jersey Department of Transportation |access-date=July 8, 2025 |series=NJDOT Video Log}}</ref> NJDOT alternatively measures the route length as {{convert|1.98|mi|km}} from its southern terminus to its ramp intersection with US&nbsp;30; this method disregards the northbound-only section of the connector.<ref name="njdot">{{cite web |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 = NJDOT Straight Line Diagrams |type=[[Straight-line diagram]]}}</ref>|name=fn1}}  It is a toll-free extension of the [[toll road|tolled]] [[Atlantic City Expressway]] (A.C. Expressway) and serves as a [[connector (road)|connector]] between the expressway and [[New Jersey Route 87|Route&nbsp;87]] near [[Brigantine, New Jersey|Brigantine]].<ref name="exit1">{{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 }}</ref>  The connector averages two [[lane]]s 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&nbsp;87.  Exits along the route are [[exit number|assigned by letter]] from A&nbsp;to&nbsp;I.<ref name="milepost"/><ref>{{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 }}</ref> It is designated by the [[New Jersey Department of Transportation]] (NJDOT) as an [[unsigned highway|unsigned]] [[State highways in New Jersey|state highway]], Route&nbsp;446X, which is part of the [[National Highway System (United States)|National Highway System]].  The freeway is owned and operated by the [[South Jersey Transportation Authority|SJTA]].<ref name="njdot"/>

{{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 Rail Operations|NJ Transit]]'s [[Atlantic City Line]] adjacent to the [[Beach Bridge]] and the [[Atlantic City Rail Terminal]], followed by an [[interchange (road)|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.<ref>{{cite map |url = https://www.atlantic-county.org/gis/pdfs/MunicipalRoadwayMaps/AtlanticCity.pdf |title = Atlantic City, Atlantic County, New Jersey |publisher = [[Atlantic County, New Jersey|Atlantic County]] Office of Geographic Information Systems |access-date = June 15, 2022 }}</ref> North of the tunnel is a southbound on-ramp from Route 87, followed by an interchange with [[U.S. Route 30 in New Jersey|U.S. Route&nbsp;30]] (US&nbsp;30) via [[New Jersey Route 187|Route&nbsp;187]]. After the US&nbsp;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 [[Borgata#MGM Tower|MGM Tower]],<ref>{{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 }}</ref> 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&nbsp;87 northbound, which continues into Brigantine via the [[Brigantine Bridge]].<ref name="milepost">{{cite web|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 |type=[[Site plan|Highway plan]]}}</ref>{{sfn|SJTA|2001|pp=5–6}}

== History ==
=== Initial proposals ===
The {{convert|44|mi|km|adj=mid}} A.C. Expressway was built from 1962 to 1965, connecting the [[Philadelphia metropolitan area]] with the [[Jersey Shore]] [[resort city]] of Atlantic City.<ref name="safe">{{cite web |url = https://www.sjta.com/acexpressway |title = Atlantic City Expressway |publisher = South Jersey Transportation Authority |access-date = February 8, 2024 }}</ref>  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 [[wetland]]s, the connector project remained dormant until 1990 when plans for the road were included in a report by the city's Transportation Executive Council.<ref name="resurrected">{{cite news |last = Wittkowski |first = Donald |date = October 13, 1990 |title = Expressway, Rte.&nbsp;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]] }}</ref> 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&nbsp;million,<ref name="ease">{{cite news |last = Wittkowski |first = Donald |date = June 14, 1991 |title = Transit Plan Says Route&nbsp;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 }}</ref> but due to a continuing lack of funds and the complexity of constructing above the wetlands, the project was again postponed.<ref name="link"/>

=== Planning ===
[[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|thumb|Construction of the tunnel under the Westside neighborhood required the demolition of nine homes.|alt=A two-lane highway running through a tunnel.  A green mile marker sign in the foreground reads NORTH / MILE 0.9]]

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 a [[request for proposal]]s to developers interested in developing the H-Tract, a former [[landfill]] site in the Marina district.<ref>{{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 }}</ref>  Wynn obtained the property from the city following his proposal to construct [[List of Atlantic City casinos that never opened#Le Jardin|Le Jardin]], a $1&nbsp;billion [[casino]] resort.<ref name="soprano">{{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]] }}</ref><ref>{{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 }}</ref> 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.<ref name="link">{{cite news |last = Wittkowski |first = Donald |date = December 9, 1995 |title = Link Between Expressway and Route&nbsp;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 }}</ref>

Governor [[Christine Todd Whitman]] created a transportation [[task force]] in September 1995 to consider options.<ref name="case">{{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 = [[New Jersey Superior Court, Appellate Division|N.J. Super. App. Div.]] |date = 1998 |url = https://law.justia.com/cases/new-jersey/appellate-division-published/1998/a3438-96-opn.html }}</ref> It studied 11 alternative routes, including elevated highways, tunnels, and improvements to existing streets.<ref>{{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 }}</ref> 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.<ref name="case"/>

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.<ref name="begins"/>  It was expected to accommodate 14,000 to 17,000 [[annual average daily traffic|vehicles per day]].<ref name="inquirer"/>  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.<ref name="bought">{{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 }}</ref> Nine existing homes along Horace J. Bryant Jr. Drive would be demolished for the construction of the tunnel.<ref name="rewrote"/> Funding for the project, formally known as the Atlantic City–Brigantine Connector,<ref name="begins">{{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 }}</ref> was approved in January 1997.{{sfn|SJTA|2001|p=2}}  The total cost of the project was $330&nbsp;million (equivalent to ${{Inflation|US-GDP|330|1997}}&nbsp;million in {{Inflation/year|US-GDP}}).{{inflation-fn|US-GDP}}  To fund the project, Mirage Resorts paid $110&nbsp;million, with the remainder coming from state funds from the SJTA ($60&nbsp;million), the Transportation Trust Fund ($95&nbsp;million), and the [[Casino Reinvestment Development Authority]] ($65&nbsp;million).<ref name="bids"/>

=== Controversies ===
[[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|thumb|The connector includes a railroad [[grade crossing]] 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.<ref name="rewrote">{{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 }}</ref> 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.<ref name="controversy">{{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 }}</ref> Atlantic City Mayor [[Jim Whelan]], a supporter, felt the project would benefit the city.<ref name="trumpvswynn"/> 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.<ref name="rewrote"/><ref>{{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 }}</ref><ref>{{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]] }}</ref>

[[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.<ref name="dismiss">{{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]] }}</ref>  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.<ref name="kirkus">{{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 }}</ref> According to Whelan, Trump "didn't want the competition" with his three existing Atlantic City casinos,<ref name="trumpvswynn"/> including [[Trump Marina]], next to the site of Wynn's future casino at the H-Tract.<ref name="soprano"/> Trump criticized the connector as a state-funded "private driveway" to Wynn's casino, and denounced the funding as "[[corporate welfare]]" that unfairly favored Mirage, an out-of-state company, over those that had previously made business investments in the city.<ref name="trumpvswynn">{{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 }}</ref><ref name="vegas"/><ref name="trumpwynnfeud">{{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 }}</ref> He claimed that the tunnel would have "immense environmental impacts",<ref name="rewrote"/> and urged the state's [[New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection|Department of Environmental Protection]] to deny [[construction permit]]s.<ref name="hurdle">{{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 }}</ref> 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.<ref name="dismiss"/> 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]].<ref name="kirkus"/>

According to the ''[[Las Vegas Sun]]'', "more than a dozen" lawsuits were filed over the connector project.<ref name="vegas"/> The lawsuit by the Westside homeowners was eventually dismissed by a [[United States federal judge|federal judge]] in February 1998.<ref name="rewrote"/> Trump's legal battles against the project lasted four years; he dropped them in February 2001 in exchange for a [[settlement (litigation)|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&nbsp;million cost.<ref name="settlement">{{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 }}</ref> A group of New Jersey mayors who also opposed the project filed suit to block "an inappropriate use of state funds".<ref name="vegas">{{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 }}</ref> Their lawsuit was also dismissed; the court found the construction of the connector necessary whether the casino was built or not.<ref name="soprano"/>

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.<ref name="inquirer">{{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 }}</ref><ref name="cut">{{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 }}</ref>

=== Construction ===
[[Construction bidding|Construction bids]] for the [[design–build]] contract of the Atlantic City–Brigantine Connector were submitted to the SJTA in July 1997.<ref name="bids">{{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 }}</ref> The contract was awarded to the [[joint venture]] of Yonkers Contracting Company and [[Granite Construction]] who served as the [[general contractor]]s.{{sfn|SJTA|2001|p=3}}<ref>{{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 }}</ref>  At the time of inception, the connector was the largest design–build project performed by the State of New Jersey.<ref name="cpm"/> Permits were granted in October 1998,<ref name="hurdle"/> and the [[groundbreaking]] ceremony took place on November&nbsp;4.<ref name="history">{{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 }}</ref> Completion was originally scheduled for May 2001.<ref name="rewrote"/>

Excavation of the tunnel began in May 1999; the [[cut and cover]] method was used.<ref name="rewrote"/> The nine homes were demolished and a {{convert|2900|ft|m|adj=mid}} [[trench]] was dug down to {{convert|35|ft|m}} deep.<ref name="moretrench"/> A total {{convert|160000|cuyd|m3}} of dirt were removed,<ref name="rewrote"/> most of which [[cut and fill|was reused]] to construct ramps at other sites on the connector.<ref name="tunnel"/> For the tunnel walls, {{convert|100000|cuyd|m3}} of [[reinforced concrete]] were poured,<ref name="tunnel">{{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 }}</ref> 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.<ref name="views">{{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 }}</ref><ref name="toopen">{{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 }}</ref> 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.<ref name="moretrench">{{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 }}</ref> Technology was installed to monitor traffic flow and control the tunnel ventilation, which automatically triggers jet fans if [[carbon monoxide]] levels become too high.<ref name="toopen"/>  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 [[bridge]]s, 15 ramps, and 23 [[retaining wall]]s, plus [[landscaping]], [[drainage]], and the installation of [[variable-message sign]]s.<ref name="fhwa">{{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 }}</ref> Workers also relocated [[public utility]] infrastructure, shifted {{convert|2000|ft|m}} of railroad tracks, rebuilt {{convert|3680|ft|m}} of [[bulkhead (barrier)|bulkhead]], and demolished a [[pumping station]], a warehouse, and portions of a [[power station]].<ref name="cut"/><ref name="cpm">{{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 }}</ref> 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.<ref>{{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 }}</ref> To avoid disruptions in the neighborhood, construction materials were delivered by [[barge]], and construction vehicles did not travel along any local streets.<ref name="bought"/>

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.<ref name="rewrote"/> MGM Mirage took over the H-Tract site and renamed it Renaissance Pointe,<ref>{{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 }}</ref> and developed plans for [[Borgata|Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa]], which opened in 2003 after three years of construction.<ref>{{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 }}</ref>

=== Opening ===
[[File:Borgata.jpg|thumb|The opening of the connector helped establish [[Borgata]], 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.<ref name="delayed">{{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 }}</ref>  The [[grand opening]] ceremony took place on July 27, with festivities including a pedestrian tunnel walk.<ref name="opens">{{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 }}</ref> 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.<ref name="opensac">{{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 }}</ref>  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.<ref>{{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 = [[Brigantine, New Jersey|City of Brigantine]] |section=1.2 Economic Background}}</ref> The ramp across Huron Avenue (Route 87) connecting Borgata to Trump Marina opened in 2003, which marked the completion of the connector project.<ref>{{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}}</ref>

Once the connector opened, travel times between the Midtown and the Marina districts fell from fifteen minutes to four.<ref>{{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 }}</ref>  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 attacks|September 11 terrorist attacks]].<ref>{{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 }}</ref>  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.<ref>{{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 }}</ref>   Due to the opening of Borgata in 2003, annual traffic volume increased by 25 percent that year, serving 30,000 vehicles daily.<ref name="2003report">{{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}}</ref>  Whelan said "the impact of the [connector] project is undeniable" in improving traffic flow in the city and access to Brigantine.<ref name="rewrote"/> Traffic data from 2013 shows that the connector was used by 24,590 vehicles daily, including 1,229 trucks.<ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/bridge/inspection/tunnel/inventory/download/2024NTI.xlsx |title = 2024 National Tunnel Inventory |publisher = Federal Highway Administration |access-date = August 24, 2025 |date = July 9, 2024 |format = XLSX }}</ref>

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.<ref name="rewrote"/>  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".<ref>{{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 }}</ref>  State records from 2016 showed that the three casinos in the Marina district had an average annual gross revenue of $134&nbsp;million, compared to $70&nbsp;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 model]]s.<ref name="rewrote"/>

The tunnel was used as a [[location shooting|filming location]] in 2018 for the TV series ''[[Succession (TV series)|Succession]]''; the series portrayed the location as the [[Brooklyn–Battery Tunnel]] in [[New York City]].<ref>{{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 }}</ref><ref>{{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}}</ref>

== Exit list ==
{{jcttop|exit|state=NJ|location=Atlantic City|county=Atlantic|length_ref=<ref name="milepost"/>{{sfn|SJTA|2001|pp=5–6, 8}}}}
{{NJint|exit
|mile=0.00
|exit=–
|type=toll
|road={{jct|state=NJ|ACE2|dir1=west||to2=to|GSP}}
|notes=Southern terminus}}
{{NJint|exit
|mile=0.31
|type=incomplete
|exit=A
|road=Midtown, Downbeach
|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=[[Atlantic City Convention Center|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 Hotel & Casino Atlantic City|Hard Rock Beach]]|location3=[[Resorts Casino Hotel|Resorts]]|location4=[[Ocean Casino Resort|Ocean Beach]]}}
|notes=Northbound left exit; northbound and southbound entrance; northern terminus of southbound lanes; ramp intersects with [[New Jersey Route 187|Route 187]] (Brigantine Boulevard)}}
{{NJint|exit
|mile=1.66
|exit=F
|type=incomplete
|road={{jct|state=NJ|to1=To|ACE2||dir1=west|location1=[[Atlantic City Convention Center|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]], [[Borgata#MGM Tower|MGM Tower]]
|notes=Northbound left exit only}}
{{NJint|exit
|mile=1.83
|exit=G<!--Exit G comes after Exit H -->
|type=incomplete
|road=Farley Marina, [[Golden Nugget Atlantic City|Golden Nugget]]
|notes=Northbound exit only; access via [[New Jersey Route 87|Route 87]] (Huron Avenue)}}
{{NJint|exit
|mile=2.33
|exit=I
|type=incomplete
|road=[[Harrah's Atlantic City|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}}

== See also ==
* {{Portal-inline|U.S. Roads}}
* {{Portal-inline|New Jersey}}

== References ==
===Notes===
{{notelist}}

=== Citations ===
{{reflist}}

=== Bibliography ===
{{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}}

== External links ==
{{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}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Atlantic City-Brigantine Connector}}
[[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]]