May 07, 2026
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The New Jersey Department of Transportation seeks to ban bicyclists from riding on Route 55 in Cumberland, Salem and Gloucester counties.
New Jersey is seeking to ban bicycle riders from using Route 55, which stretches 40 1/2 miles across South Jersey, citing the safety of bicyclists and other non-motorized travelers.
Route 55, also known as Veterans Memorial Highway, runs through parts of Cumberland, Salem and Gloucester Counties. The speed limit is 50-65 mph along most of the four-lane freeway, which has consistently ranked among the state's most dangerous roads.
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The regulations that permit bicycles on Route 55 have been in place since 1995. All of New Jersey's other limited access highways — those that control entry and exit through interchanges — prohibit bikes and other non-motorized modes of travel.
The state Department of Transportation completed a safety review of Route 55 to present to the 12 municipalities that would be impacted by the bicycle restriction. The state needs each of those communities to pass supporting resolutions to move forward with the ban.
Vineland is among five municipalities that already have approved resolutions for the restriction, noting safety concerns about continued use of the highway by cyclists. The city's resolution references limited or absent shoulder width for cyclists and says emergency service response times may be slower due to few access points on the highway.
"City Council finds it to be in the best interest to prohibit bicycle traffic along Route NJ 55," the resolution says.
Millville and Maurice River Township, both in Cumberland County, also are among the municipalities that have passed supporting resolutions.
NJDOT expects it will be several months before all resolutions are passed and new signage is installed along the freeway. The proposed regulation does not include fines or penalties for violations.
"Fines and penalties for violation of the proposed order would be enforced by the New Jersey State Police and other law enforcement agencies," NJDOT spokesperson Elizabeth Galamba said.
Route 55 runs from Maurice River Township, at the intersection of Route 47, north to Deptford Township in Gloucester County before merging with Route 42.
South Jersey Wheelmen, a club that organizes rides and advocates for cyclists in South Jersey, has long called for keeping the freeway open to cyclists. Club spokesperson Tom Garrett said Thursday the freeway has bigger and wider shoulders than some interstates, and while he doesn't recommend cyclists use it over safer alternatives, he's opposed to excluding bike riders.
"We stood strong advocating this," Garrett said. "It's not the best place to ride but access can't be denied."
A number of routes run roughly parallel to Route 55, including Route 47 (Delsea Drive) and County Routes 538, 540, 553 and 555.
