Goethals Bridge

Love it when I cross this bridge because I know I’m much closer to home. Smooth bridge, not like the outerbridge.

Not ever a problem crossing this bridge to go from NY to NJ. This is one of the easier routes after taking the Verrazano bridge.

This bridge is ver narrow and the traffic leading up to it and after the bridge is horrendous. Also, this bridge needs a major makeover.

If you have ezpass and have more than 3 people. Go to the cash lane and say «carpool»! A good discount.

This is one of a few bridges that connects New York to New Jersey. I’ll rate it 2 stars because in my humble opinion, it beats out the George Washington Bridge, which isn’t saying much, but it’s usually moves a little quicker due to less congestion.

as far as bridges go this is defiantly a really crappy one… lanes are so freaking narrow and each time you drive over it it feels like it is going to clasp. To make matters even worse it connects Elizabeth, NJ to Staten Island, NY, both towns I’d like to avoid. However if you need to get from NJ to Long Island this happens to be one of the fastest routes, so you and I are stuck with it.

This bridge is a dump and can’t be torn down soon enough. The extortionists at the Port Authority have some set charging such high prices to cross this dilapidated joke of a bridge. The lanes are way to narrow, and a slight fender-​bender causes delays that go for miles. If given the option, I’d rather swim across the Kill Van Kull dodging cargo ships then pay a kings ransom to cross this POS bridge.

Whoa, glancing at my old review, I think it’s time for an update in regards to this bridge. The only thing not changing is my rating.
It has been a long time ever since I rode on this bridge. Whenever I have to utilize this bridge, is when I must get to a place in Long Island (like JFK, or relatives in that general area). But this time, it was for visiting an attraction in Staten Island. Based on my current location, this was the closest bridge that I could utilize for entering SI.
Traffic leading up to the bridge from Jersey is usually never an issue (except when there are traffic issues). Being a resident of North Central Jersey, I can enter I-​278 from US — 1 & 9 which would bring me to the bridge. I-​278 can also be approached from I-​95, which would again bring you to the bridge. But traffic coming back to the bridge from SI’s side can be really bad, and today was no different. Traffic towards the Goethal’s Bridge was bad until the NJ-​440 interchange was passed. It was annoying because of the sluggish «stop and go» movements that occurred in that general area.
The bridge itself is really old, as shown from the aging on the «arches» of the bridge. The lanes are really narrow, which is bad because if a car breaks down, one lane gets shutdown, causing traffic issues. But if an accident was to occur on the bridge, then the whole thing gets shut down! I’ll never forget a long time ago when we were coming back to Goethals towards NJ in the night, and saw the other side. An accident was there, close to the end of the bridge in SI, but leading up to it were two extremely long lines of cars at a standstill, and it covered the whole entire length of the bridge! WOW, and we were glad we weren’t involved in that standstill. When we arrived in NJ (still on I-​278), we saw no major traffic on the opposite side, except for one lone car traveling at a high speed. We said to ourselves, «That driver is in for one nasty surprise.»
Speaking of surprises, we were all surprised at the toll rate for crossing the bridge into SI. $ 13 just to crossover! As I said, it has been a really long time ever since we crossed over, but we didn’t think it would be that high. It definitely wasn’t a good surprise, that’s for sure.
Well, we all have to do what we must in order to enter Staten Island and beyond from NJ, despite the negativity that’s associated with this bridge!

Narrow lanes, high tolls, old as a world…
But then again, when it was build in 1928, we did not have obsession with extra-​large luxury SUVs or trucking our wares from state to state. So it was fine back in the days.
Times changed. Cars grew bigger. Traffic went haywire. Tolls skyrocketed. And Bridge supports given in to all that nonsense.
The Goethals Bridge, as you know it, will not see its 100^th Anniversary — the preparations for new construction are on the way. Wider lanes, more money to spend and all the modern conveniences of wider lanes, traffic shoulders and hi-​speed Ez-​pass will be included.
Rejoice.

Why a review for the Goethals Bridge you ask? For me it’s long overdue.
Hopefully you will find it helpful.
It’s old, cramped & supposed to be replaced. But if you are stuck in traffic heading eastbound to S.I., you have an option. Get off the 1^st exit which is Forest Ave. Then local streets to your destination.
Going westbound to Jersey you have at least 3 chances to avoid gridlock.
1. Exit 5. Richmond Ave to Richmond Terrace then a right.
2. Exit 4. South Ave to Richmond Terrace again.
3.Your real close to the bridge now. Exit 3 which is Western Ave to you guessed it, the Terrace yet again. Remember the Bayonne Bridge is only a couple of miles away. Just hope you know the area.
Either way, with all your options that I put out there. Your still screwed.:(

Bridge is too thin, and too many trucks. Traffic leading up to bridge is usually awful.
Two stars because of easy connections to the turnpike and easy access to Newark airport.

The only detour thanks outer bridge for closing at 9 bastards!

This is hysterical. Let’s review the Goethals Bridge.
First, it gets FIVE STARS because I got across the river without plunging into it, in what could easily be a catastrophic disaster. Since that did not happen, FIVE STARS.
Price — it was $ 12 to ride across it, but well worth it since I didn’t plunge to my death on some rickety crossing. It was a quality ride across a world class engineering marvel. FIVE STARS
Service — I didn’t need any service while crossing. It’s sort of a self service sort of thing and I like self-​serving bridges. FIVE STARS.
Overall, I think that largely due to the fact their are no open holes in the road, the railings all appear secure and properly guided me as to prevent me from careening off into a watery grave, and lastly, I didn’t notice any rusting that would give me cause for concern to race across recklessly in an effort to avoid a tragic and painful death… FIVE STARS.
It’s a bridge. It did what I expected it to do. FIVE STARS.
(Borrowed)

Driving on this bridge is a pain in the ass. You have to really be carefully since everybody drive so reckless. Why are u rushing like its the dame bridge no need to cut off people … When paying toll asked for car pool and they were like ok and i couldn’t really hear her so i said what causes i couldn’t hear her… she ignored and just said have a good day bye… Ok be rude… ughh

Oh, God help you if you take this one. Too many people, too expensive & tiny. Once on it, we had to ask ourselves «Was it worth this heartache to get out of New Jersey faster?»
Judge for yourself. Avoid it at night.

Worst bridge in the tri-​state area. Do I need to explain why? Really, ok, here we go…
Narrow, overcrowded and overpriced. That about does it.

I almost feel bad giving this bridge a low star rating. Over the years, it has served me faithfully getting me to and from the boroughs of New York City with ease (at least, early enough in the morning it does). The bridge is dependable, I’ve never experienced it being shut down or anything during peak hours and it never seems to be ultra crowded when I take it (which I grant is generally on weekends in the early morning or late night).
However, it cannot be ignored that this bridge is outdated and was meant to accommodate a world with smaller cars and less vehicles. Getting on the bridge and staying in lane is a bit of an adventure and not ideal for nervous drivers. The lanes are simply super close to each other, making for a relatively nerve wracking call at times.
I also have to concur that the toll is a a bit high all things considered. I have heard tell that there is a ;projec tin the development stages to build a new bridge to take its place, but for now this is a servicable but not really spectacular bridge.

Dear Port Authority of NY & NJ,
Hi!
Fellow tax-​payer here…
LMAO just kidding… everyone in New York & New Jersey know for a fact you fix your books more than the Kennedy Family. Thank God for corrupt, spineless politicians who do absolutely NOTHING about it, aye, comrades?
I only have a few questions:
1) Is there some kind of financing or layaway plan I could participate in to afford your toll for this bridge? It really is such a nice 2-​lane death trap that hasn’t seen any updates or modernization since President Woodrow Wilson dropped his spectacles in his brandy glass. Oh don’t get me wrong… I really don’t mind paying the ridiculously over-​priced toll to sit in traffic for an hour, it’s just that I really like buying food too. And eating it.
2) Do you do gift cards? I have a few friends that live in New Jersey, you see, and Christmas is right around the corner. I figure, what better way to celebrate the holidays than to make the Port Authority richer and myself more destitute? Forget Target & Toys R’ Us. I’m getting my 2 year-​old nephew an E-​Z Pass!
3) If I was to hire an army of beavers to build me a new bridge made of matchsticks & chewing gum, and I charged commuters 50 cents to cross it, would you take me to court for a frivolous lawsuit with ridiculous reasons, mainly being that you just can’t stand the fact that it would hit you in your wallets?
Thanks in advance for your time!
Sincerely,
A New York Tax-​Payer
(a.k.a. Your Boss)

Probably the most narrow bridge in the tri-​state area, if you have trouble keeping your wheel steady i highly suggest you avoid the Goethals. The bridge does not uphold the requirement of 12 foot wide lanes and will eventually be overhauled.
You basically have no choice using this bridge if you want to get directly to the SI expressway, so you just have to live with the crawling merges when going from NJ to NY, it’s often times not as bad going from NY to NJ.
There’s going to be huge renovations and even possibly a complete repacement of the bridge coming, so be ready for massive closures for years to come!

Little room for a mistake on this bridge. Very narrow and no breakdown lanes. The Eastbound lanes feed into the chronically congested Staten Island Expressway.
Supposed to be replaced… But when? And do they have the money to do it?