Atlantic City-Brigantine Connector
Encyclopedia
The Atlantic City – Brigantine Connector, also known as the Atlantic City Expressway Connector or simply the Brigantine Connector, is a highway connector
in Atlantic City, New Jersey
. It connects the Atlantic City Expressway
with Route 87
, which leads into Brigantine
, a beach resort along the Atlantic Ocean
. The connector is 2.5 miles (4 km) long and is maintained by the South Jersey Transportation Authority
. It is considered to be a state highway
and is assigned the route number Route 446X; however, the route number is unsigned
. The connector consists of lettered exits from A to I in south to north order and features 10 bridges and 15 ramps throughout its length.
The Atlantic City – Brigantine Connector was initially planned in 1995 to provide a direct connection between the Atlantic City Expressway and the Brigantine area. Construction of the road was completed in 2001 at a total cost of $330 million (equivalent to $ in ). Before the Atlantic City – Brigantine Connector was planned, Mirage Resorts
president Steve Wynn
acquired a piece of land near the northern end of the proposed connector and planned for a direct exit ramp to a proposed casino called Le Jardin. Donald Trump
, the chief executive officer of Trump Hotels & Casino Resorts
, who owned the nearby Trump Marina (now Golden Nugget
), took legal action against the state for the proposed ramp to Wynn’s casino. Despite the legal concerns, construction on the connector began in 1998. Wynn’s proposed casino was canceled following the acquisition of Mirage Resorts by MGM Grand Inc.
, which, as the MGM Mirage
company, proposed the Borgata
casino. Meanwhile, Trump’s casino received a direct ramp from the connector.
The Atlantic City – Brigantine Connector begins near the eastern terminus of the Atlantic City Expressway
on the western edge of the Atlantic City coast. The speed limit
is 35 mph (56.3 km/h) for its entire length. The entire route of the Connector is located within the city of Atlantic City, New Jersey
, and features 10 bridges and 15 ramps throughout its duration. Exits are lettered based on their ramp letter designation, which range from Ramps A–I, skipping Ramp C. Ramp D east and west are two entrance-only ramps, and Ramp I is north of the Connector's terminus on Route 87
. Despite its sequential lettering, Ramp H merges from the Connector prior to Ramp G. The Connector is 2.3 mi (3.7 km) long, from the Atlantic City Expressway interchange to the northbound Connector's merge with Route 87 towards Brigantine, New Jersey
. The Atlantic City Expressway is unsigned as Route 446, and the Connector has the route number 446X. According to the New Jersey Department of Transportation
(NJDOT), Route 446X is 1.98 mi (3.2 km) long, measured from the Atlantic City Expressway interchange to the at-grade intersection
with U.S. Route 30
via Ramp E. The remainder of the Connector past Ramp E toward Route 87 is not included by NJDOT as part of the route nor calculated in its total mileage.
The Connector begins from Exit 1 on the Atlantic City Expressway, and heads north along the edge of the coast. In the southbound direction, Ramp A leads towards the Downbeach and Midtown sections of the city via Mississippi Avenue, prior to merging onto the Expressway westbound. The Connector has an at-grade intersection
with the Atlantic City Line
, adjacent to the city's Rail Terminal. Following the railroad, Ramp B west and B south provide access to Bacharach Boulevard and the Atlantic City Convention Center
in both directions on the Connector, prior to a 1957 ft (596.5 m) long tunnel
, which runs parallel to the Penrose Canal. Upon emerging from the tunnel, Ramp D west feeds traffic southbound on the Connector from Route 87 south, and Ramp D east feeds traffic northbound on the Connector from US 30 east. The southbound direction of the Connector begins at the Route 87 crossing, which is followed by Ramp E, a two-way ramp towards US 30 with an intersection at Route 187. The Connector continues northbound with Ramp F, which leads back to Ramp E westbound, acting as a U-turn to the Connector southbound for traffic that entered from Ramp D east. The northbound Connector then branches off with Ramp H towards Renaissance Pointe, Borgata
, and The Water Club
, followed by Ramp G towards Farley Marina and Golden Nugget
(formerly Trump Marina) via Huron Avenue. The Connector merges onto Route 87 northbound toward Brigantine
near milepost 2.3, at which Ramp I provides access to Harrah's from Route 87.
. The main purpose of the road was to lessen congestion in Midtown Atlantic City, and provide easier access to the uptown and marina districts, as well as the neighboring city of Brigantine, New Jersey
. Due to 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 report by the city's Transportation Executive Council. Following the release of the report, engineering
and planning
for the road began, as well as environmental study by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
, to determine the project's feasibility. A transportation official, at the time, stated that if the project was approved, construction would not begin for at least four to five years.
The following year, a new report was released stating that the Route 30 Connector project was feasible. The proposed Connector was to be one mile (1.3 km) long, and would be constructed as an elevated highway above the wetlands. Construction cost was estimated at $80 million, half of which could be paid for by making the Connector a toll road
. The new report also identified US 30 as an important roadway for reducing city traffic, as it carried the least amount of traffic and had the greatest capacity out of the city's three major entering highways, the other two being the Expressway and the Black Horse Pike
(US 40
/US 322
).
president Steve Wynn proposed a new casino resort in the marina district, and stated that resort would not be built unless there was better access to the site. Additional plans were later researched, and six different plans were proposed. The plans included the tunnel underneath Horace J. Bryant Drive, a tunnel underneath the adjacent Penrose Canal, two alternative tunnel locations, the elevated highway above the wetlands, and the improvement of existing streets to direct traffic through the city. Transportation officials determined all of the plans, except for the first two tunnel proposals, to have significant drawbacks.
After the tunnel proposal was rejected, it was once again proposed in February 1996 after Wynn officially announced plans for the new resort. The City of Atlantic City requested bids for the sale of the property in the northern section of the city near the marina, which at one time served as the city's landfill
. Wynn won the bid against Donald Trump
, chief executive officer
of the Trump Organization
. As disputes over the tunnel construction continued, Mirage Resorts announced they were given the options of purchasing the properties required for building the tunnel. Mirage Resorts deemed building the proposed "off-island connector" as "virtually impossible", stating how permits would be difficult to obtain with a land-based alternative available, and the tunnel was determined to be the best option for construction of the Connector. The tunnel was designed to have as little impact on the surrounding environment as possible, with both portals on opposite ends of the community. The design included both portals on opposite ends of the community, with landscaping
added between the construction site and adjacent homes. Deliveries of raw material
s would take place by barge
and construction vehicles would not be traveling via any local streets. Mirage subsidiary president Richard "Skip" Bronson referred to the project as "the nicest tunnel you've never seen." Some opponents described the project as an effort to destroy a stable, middle-class African-American community, while others supported the project as a means of lessening traffic and creating jobs at the new Mirage casino.
Wynn had intentions of constructing a new casino
project on the property, known as Le Jardin, with an exit ramp from the connector leading directly to his new property. The exit to Le Jardin was referred to as a "driveway" to the casino, which caused Trump to take legal action against the state, as he felt that the easy access to Wynn's new property would create an unfair business advantage against Trump Marina, a Trump-owned property in the same area. The proposal for the grade crossing of New Jersey Transit
's Atlantic City Line
initially drew criticism from both the Delaware Valley Association of Rail Passengers and the Federal Railroad Administration
because of the high amount of road and railroad traffic that would pass through the crossing. However, it was built because it was $24 million cheaper than building a grade-separated crossing and would allow for an interchange with Bacharach Boulevard.
In 1997, Governor Christine Todd Whitman
approved the project, and construction began on November 4, 1998. After construction on the freeway began, Wynn's interests were purchased by MGM Grand Inc.
, thus creating the MGM Mirage
company, and plans for Le Jardin were canceled. Despite the fact that Le Jardin was canceled and MGM Mirage's new casino, Borgata
, was not scheduled to open until 2003, Trump still fought against the project's plans to build the exit directly to the new casino. Eventually, in January 2000, Trump dropped his case after an exit ramp leading to the Trump Marina was added to the project.
Very little land and property was displaced by the project. Following the construction, the land formerly housing nine residential properties displaced during construction were leveled and turned into a park. A warehouse was reduced in size to make was for the project, as well as the relocation of Atlantic City Electric
power lines leading to a substation. A promenade as part of Trump Marina was leveled to make way for new ramps, in which 37 ornamental lampposts which were dismantled were later shipped to the Tuckerton Seaport
in nearby Tuckerton
, which opened in 2000.
Connector (road)
A connector is a highway or freeway road that connects to another highway or freeway. It can be part of an interchange such as the MacArthur Maze or a longer roadway such as the 13 mi Interstate 635 ....
in Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States, and a nationally renowned resort city for gambling, shopping and fine dining. The city also served as the inspiration for the American version of the board game Monopoly. Atlantic City is located on Absecon Island on the coast...
. It connects the Atlantic City Expressway
Atlantic City Expressway
The Atlantic City Expressway is a , controlled-access toll road in New Jersey, managed and operated by the South Jersey Transportation Authority...
with Route 87
New Jersey Route 87
Route 87 is a state highway located in Atlantic County in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It runs , heading north from Atlantic City at an intersection with U.S. Route 30 to Brigantine, where it terminates at the end of the Brigantine Bridge over the Absecon Channel, continuing as County Route 638...
, which leads into Brigantine
Brigantine, New Jersey
Brigantine is an island city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 9,450....
, a beach resort along the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
. The connector is 2.5 miles (4 km) long and is maintained by the South Jersey Transportation Authority
South Jersey Transportation Authority
The South Jersey Transportation Authority is a quasi-private agency created by the New Jersey Legislature in 1991 to manage transportation-related services in the six South Jersey counties: Atlantic, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem....
. It is considered to be a state highway
State highway
State highway, state road or state route can refer to one of three related concepts, two of them related to a state or provincial government in a country that is divided into states or provinces :#A...
and is assigned the route number Route 446X; however, the route number is unsigned
Unsigned highway
An unsigned highway is a highway that has been assigned a route number, but does not bear conventional road markings that would normally be used to identify the route with that number...
. The connector consists of lettered exits from A to I in south to north order and features 10 bridges and 15 ramps throughout its length.
The Atlantic City – Brigantine Connector was initially planned in 1995 to provide a direct connection between the Atlantic City Expressway and the Brigantine area. Construction of the road was completed in 2001 at a total cost of $330 million (equivalent to $ in ). Before the Atlantic City – Brigantine Connector was planned, Mirage Resorts
Mirage Resorts
Mirage Resorts was an American corporation that owned and operated hotel-casinos. It was created in 1989, having previously been called Golden Nugget Companies...
president Steve Wynn
Steve Wynn (developer)
Stephen Alan "Steve" Wynn is an American business magnate who played a pivotal role in the 1990s resurgence and expansion of the Las Vegas Strip...
acquired a piece of land near the northern end of the proposed connector and planned for a direct exit ramp to a proposed casino called Le Jardin. Donald Trump
Donald Trump
Donald John Trump, Sr. is an American business magnate, television personality and author. He is the chairman and president of The Trump Organization and the founder of Trump Entertainment Resorts. Trump's extravagant lifestyle, outspoken manner and role on the NBC reality show The Apprentice have...
, the chief executive officer of Trump Hotels & Casino Resorts
Trump Entertainment Resorts
Trump Entertainment Resorts, Inc. is a holding company that owns and manages two casinos/hotels in Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States. Formerly known as Trump Hotels & Casino Resorts, it was founded by Donald J. Trump, who was Chairman of the Board of Directors until his resignation in 2009....
, who owned the nearby Trump Marina (now Golden Nugget
Golden Nugget Atlantic City
The Golden Nugget Atlantic City was a casino from 1980 to 1987 in Atlantic City, New Jersey. It is currently the Atlantic City Hilton.It was built in 1980 by a partnership of Golden Nugget Companies and Michael R. Milken for $140 million....
), took legal action against the state for the proposed ramp to Wynn’s casino. Despite the legal concerns, construction on the connector began in 1998. Wynn’s proposed casino was canceled following the acquisition of Mirage Resorts by MGM Grand Inc.
MGM Grand Inc.
MGM Grand Inc. was formed by Kirk Kerkorian as a casino owner and operator.- History :On October 1, 1998 the company opened a temporary casino in Johannesburg, South Africa. It announced a plan to acquire Primadonna Resorts, Inc. on November 9, 1999...
, which, as the MGM Mirage
MGM Mirage
Not to be confused with the Las Vegas, Nevada based casino/resort operator Resorts International Holdings.MGM Resorts International is a Paradise, Nevada based corporation that brands itself as a global hospitality company. It is the second largest gaming company in the world by revenue - about...
company, proposed the Borgata
Borgata
The Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa is a luxury hotel, casino, and spa in Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States. It is owned by Marina District Development, a joint venture between Boyd Gaming and a divesture trust established by MGM Resorts International...
casino. Meanwhile, Trump’s casino received a direct ramp from the connector.
Route description
Atlantic City Expressway
The Atlantic City Expressway is a , controlled-access toll road in New Jersey, managed and operated by the South Jersey Transportation Authority...
on the western edge of the Atlantic City coast. The speed limit
Speed limit
Road speed limits are used in most countries to regulate the speed of road vehicles. Speed limits may define maximum , minimum or no speed limit and are normally indicated using a traffic sign...
is 35 mph (56.3 km/h) for its entire length. The entire route of the Connector is located within the city of Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States, and a nationally renowned resort city for gambling, shopping and fine dining. The city also served as the inspiration for the American version of the board game Monopoly. Atlantic City is located on Absecon Island on the coast...
, and features 10 bridges and 15 ramps throughout its duration. Exits are lettered based on their ramp letter designation, which range from Ramps A–I, skipping Ramp C. Ramp D east and west are two entrance-only ramps, and Ramp I is north of the Connector's terminus on Route 87
New Jersey Route 87
Route 87 is a state highway located in Atlantic County in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It runs , heading north from Atlantic City at an intersection with U.S. Route 30 to Brigantine, where it terminates at the end of the Brigantine Bridge over the Absecon Channel, continuing as County Route 638...
. Despite its sequential lettering, Ramp H merges from the Connector prior to Ramp G. The Connector is 2.3 mi (3.7 km) long, from the Atlantic City Expressway interchange to the northbound Connector's merge with Route 87 towards Brigantine, New Jersey
Brigantine, New Jersey
Brigantine is an island city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 9,450....
. The Atlantic City Expressway is unsigned as Route 446, and the Connector has the route number 446X. According to the New Jersey Department of Transportation
New Jersey Department of Transportation
The New Jersey Department of Transportation is the agency responsible for transportation issues and policy in New Jersey. It is headed by the Commissioner of Transportation...
(NJDOT), Route 446X is 1.98 mi (3.2 km) long, measured from the Atlantic City Expressway interchange to the at-grade intersection
At-grade intersection
An at-grade intersection is a junction at which two or more transport axes cross at the same level .-Traffic management:With areas of high or fast traffic, an at-grade intersection normally requires a traffic control device such as a stop sign, traffic light or railway signal to manage conflicting...
with U.S. Route 30
U.S. Route 30 in New Jersey
U.S. Route 30 is a U.S. highway running from Astoria, Oregon east to Atlantic City, New Jersey. In the U.S. state of New Jersey, US 30 runs from the Benjamin Franklin Bridge at the Delaware River in Camden, Camden County while concurrent with Interstate 676 southeast to Virginia...
via Ramp E. The remainder of the Connector past Ramp E toward Route 87 is not included by NJDOT as part of the route nor calculated in its total mileage.
The Connector begins from Exit 1 on the Atlantic City Expressway, and heads north along the edge of the coast. In the southbound direction, Ramp A leads towards the Downbeach and Midtown sections of the city via Mississippi Avenue, prior to merging onto the Expressway westbound. The Connector has an at-grade intersection
At-grade intersection
An at-grade intersection is a junction at which two or more transport axes cross at the same level .-Traffic management:With areas of high or fast traffic, an at-grade intersection normally requires a traffic control device such as a stop sign, traffic light or railway signal to manage conflicting...
with the Atlantic City Line
Atlantic City Line
The Atlantic City Line is a rail line operated by New Jersey Transit between Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Atlantic City, New Jersey, operating along the corridor of the White Horse Pike. It runs over trackage that was controlled by both the Pennsylvania Railroad and the Pennsylvania-Reading...
, adjacent to the city's Rail Terminal. Following the railroad, Ramp B west and B south provide access to Bacharach Boulevard and the Atlantic City Convention Center
Atlantic City Convention Center
The Atlantic City Convention Center is a large convention center located in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Opened in 1997, the center includes of showroom space, 5 exhibit halls, 45 meeting rooms with of space, a garage with 1,400 parking spaces, and an adjacent Sheraton hotel.-History:The Center was...
in both directions on the Connector, prior to a 1957 ft (596.5 m) long tunnel
Tunnel
A tunnel is an underground passageway, completely enclosed except for openings for egress, commonly at each end.A tunnel may be for foot or vehicular road traffic, for rail traffic, or for a canal. Some tunnels are aqueducts to supply water for consumption or for hydroelectric stations or are sewers...
, which runs parallel to the Penrose Canal. Upon emerging from the tunnel, Ramp D west feeds traffic southbound on the Connector from Route 87 south, and Ramp D east feeds traffic northbound on the Connector from US 30 east. The southbound direction of the Connector begins at the Route 87 crossing, which is followed by Ramp E, a two-way ramp towards US 30 with an intersection at Route 187. The Connector continues northbound with Ramp F, which leads back to Ramp E westbound, acting as a U-turn to the Connector southbound for traffic that entered from Ramp D east. The northbound Connector then branches off with Ramp H towards Renaissance Pointe, Borgata
Borgata
The Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa is a luxury hotel, casino, and spa in Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States. It is owned by Marina District Development, a joint venture between Boyd Gaming and a divesture trust established by MGM Resorts International...
, and The Water Club
The Water Club
The Water Club is a hotel that is connected to the Borgata and is located in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The $400 million Water Club was Atlantic City's first boutique-lifestyle hotel when it opened in June 2008. Its opening date was delayed by a September 2007 fire that damaged portions of its...
, followed by Ramp G towards Farley Marina and Golden Nugget
Golden Nugget Atlantic City
The Golden Nugget Atlantic City was a casino from 1980 to 1987 in Atlantic City, New Jersey. It is currently the Atlantic City Hilton.It was built in 1980 by a partnership of Golden Nugget Companies and Michael R. Milken for $140 million....
(formerly Trump Marina) via Huron Avenue. The Connector merges onto Route 87 northbound toward Brigantine
Brigantine, New Jersey
Brigantine is an island city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 9,450....
near milepost 2.3, at which Ramp I provides access to Harrah's from Route 87.
Background
The connector road between the Atlantic City Expressway and the marina district was first proposed in 1964 by the Atlantic City Planning Board. The project was called the "Route 30 Connector" and was to connect the end of the Expressway with U.S. Route 30U.S. Route 30
U.S. Route 30 is an east–west main route of the system of United States Numbered Highways, with the highway traveling across the northern tier of the country. It is the third longest U.S. route, after U.S. Route 20 and U.S. Route 6. The western end of the highway is at Astoria, Oregon; the...
. The main purpose of the road was to lessen congestion in Midtown Atlantic City, and provide easier access to the uptown and marina districts, as well as the neighboring city of Brigantine, New Jersey
Brigantine, New Jersey
Brigantine is an island city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 9,450....
. Due to a lack of funds and environmental concerns about construction near the adjacent wetland
Wetland
A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....
s, the connector project remained dormant until 1990 when plans for the road were included report by the city's Transportation Executive Council. Following the release of the report, engineering
Transport engineering
Transportation engineering is the application of technology and scientific principles to the planning, functional design, operation and management of facilities for any mode of transportation in order to provide for the safe, rapid, comfortable, convenient, economical, and environmentally...
and planning
Transportation planning
Transportation planning is a field involved with the evaluation, assessment, design and siting of transportation facilities .-Models and Sustainability :...
for the road began, as well as environmental study by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection is a government agency in the U.S. state of New Jersey that is responsible for managing the state's natural resources and addressing issues related to pollution...
, to determine the project's feasibility. A transportation official, at the time, stated that if the project was approved, construction would not begin for at least four to five years.
The following year, a new report was released stating that the Route 30 Connector project was feasible. The proposed Connector was to be one mile (1.3 km) long, and would be constructed as an elevated highway above the wetlands. Construction cost was estimated at $80 million, half of which could be paid for by making the Connector a toll road
Toll road
A toll road is a privately or publicly built road for which a driver pays a toll for use. Structures for which tolls are charged include toll bridges and toll tunnels. Non-toll roads are financed using other sources of revenue, most typically fuel tax or general tax funds...
. The new report also identified US 30 as an important roadway for reducing city traffic, as it carried the least amount of traffic and had the greatest capacity out of the city's three major entering highways, the other two being the Expressway and the Black Horse Pike
Black Horse Pike
The Black Horse Pike is a designation used for a number of different roadways that had been part of a historic route connecting the Camden area to the area of Atlantic City, New Jersey. Roadways now bearing the Black Horse Pike designation include portions of New Jersey Route 168, New Jersey Route...
(US 40
U.S. Route 40
U.S. Route 40 is an east–west United States highway. As with most routes whose numbers end in a zero, U.S. 40 once traversed the entire United States. It is one of the original 1920s U.S. Highways, and its first termini were San Francisco, California, and Atlantic City, New Jersey...
/US 322
U.S. Route 322
U.S. Route 322 is a long, east–west United States Highway, traversing Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. The road is a spur of U.S. Route 22 and one of the original highways from 1926...
).
Planning and construction
In 1995, a tunnel was proposed as part of the Connector, traveling underneath Horace J. Bryant Drive; however, the idea was rejected by Mayor James Whelan and the City Council as it would have displaced many homes in the area. The same year, Mirage ResortsMirage Resorts
Mirage Resorts was an American corporation that owned and operated hotel-casinos. It was created in 1989, having previously been called Golden Nugget Companies...
president Steve Wynn proposed a new casino resort in the marina district, and stated that resort would not be built unless there was better access to the site. Additional plans were later researched, and six different plans were proposed. The plans included the tunnel underneath Horace J. Bryant Drive, a tunnel underneath the adjacent Penrose Canal, two alternative tunnel locations, the elevated highway above the wetlands, and the improvement of existing streets to direct traffic through the city. Transportation officials determined all of the plans, except for the first two tunnel proposals, to have significant drawbacks.
Landfill
A landfill site , is a site for the disposal of waste materials by burial and is the oldest form of waste treatment...
. Wynn won the bid against Donald Trump
Donald Trump
Donald John Trump, Sr. is an American business magnate, television personality and author. He is the chairman and president of The Trump Organization and the founder of Trump Entertainment Resorts. Trump's extravagant lifestyle, outspoken manner and role on the NBC reality show The Apprentice have...
, chief executive officer
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
of the Trump Organization
Trump Organization
The Trump Organization is a limited liability corporation conglomerate based in Trump Tower in Manhattan, New York. The organization owns, operates, and develops hotels, resorts, residential towers, and golf courses in different countries, as well as owning several pieces of high-end real estate in...
. As disputes over the tunnel construction continued, Mirage Resorts announced they were given the options of purchasing the properties required for building the tunnel. Mirage Resorts deemed building the proposed "off-island connector" as "virtually impossible", stating how permits would be difficult to obtain with a land-based alternative available, and the tunnel was determined to be the best option for construction of the Connector. The tunnel was designed to have as little impact on the surrounding environment as possible, with both portals on opposite ends of the community. The design included both portals on opposite ends of the community, with landscaping
Landscaping
Landscaping refers to any activity that modifies the visible features of an area of land, including:# living elements, such as flora or fauna; or what is commonly referred to as gardening, the art and craft of growing plants with a goal of creating a beautiful environment within the landscape.#...
added between the construction site and adjacent homes. Deliveries of raw material
Raw material
A raw material or feedstock is the basic material from which a product is manufactured or made, frequently used with an extended meaning. For example, the term is used to denote material that came from nature and is in an unprocessed or minimally processed state. Latex, iron ore, logs, and crude...
s would take place by barge
Barge
A barge is a flat-bottomed boat, built mainly for river and canal transport of heavy goods. Some barges are not self-propelled and need to be towed by tugboats or pushed by towboats...
and construction vehicles would not be traveling via any local streets. Mirage subsidiary president Richard "Skip" Bronson referred to the project as "the nicest tunnel you've never seen." Some opponents described the project as an effort to destroy a stable, middle-class African-American community, while others supported the project as a means of lessening traffic and creating jobs at the new Mirage casino.
Wynn had intentions of constructing a new casino
Casino
In modern English, a casino is a facility which houses and accommodates certain types of gambling activities. Casinos are most commonly built near or combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shopping, cruise ships or other tourist attractions...
project on the property, known as Le Jardin, with an exit ramp from the connector leading directly to his new property. The exit to Le Jardin was referred to as a "driveway" to the casino, which caused Trump to take legal action against the state, as he felt that the easy access to Wynn's new property would create an unfair business advantage against Trump Marina, a Trump-owned property in the same area. The proposal for the grade crossing of New Jersey Transit
New Jersey Transit
The New Jersey Transit Corporation is a statewide public transportation system serving the United States state of New Jersey, and New York, Orange, and Rockland counties in New York State...
's Atlantic City Line
Atlantic City Line
The Atlantic City Line is a rail line operated by New Jersey Transit between Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Atlantic City, New Jersey, operating along the corridor of the White Horse Pike. It runs over trackage that was controlled by both the Pennsylvania Railroad and the Pennsylvania-Reading...
initially drew criticism from both the Delaware Valley Association of Rail Passengers and the Federal Railroad Administration
Federal Railroad Administration
The Federal Railroad Administration is an agency in the United States Department of Transportation. The agency was created by the Department of Transportation Act of 1966...
because of the high amount of road and railroad traffic that would pass through the crossing. However, it was built because it was $24 million cheaper than building a grade-separated crossing and would allow for an interchange with Bacharach Boulevard.
In 1997, Governor Christine Todd Whitman
Christine Todd Whitman
Christine Todd "Christie" Whitman is an American Republican politician and author who served as the 50th Governor of New Jersey from 1994 to 2001, and was the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency in the administration of President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2003. She was New...
approved the project, and construction began on November 4, 1998. After construction on the freeway began, Wynn's interests were purchased by MGM Grand Inc.
MGM Grand Inc.
MGM Grand Inc. was formed by Kirk Kerkorian as a casino owner and operator.- History :On October 1, 1998 the company opened a temporary casino in Johannesburg, South Africa. It announced a plan to acquire Primadonna Resorts, Inc. on November 9, 1999...
, thus creating the MGM Mirage
MGM Mirage
Not to be confused with the Las Vegas, Nevada based casino/resort operator Resorts International Holdings.MGM Resorts International is a Paradise, Nevada based corporation that brands itself as a global hospitality company. It is the second largest gaming company in the world by revenue - about...
company, and plans for Le Jardin were canceled. Despite the fact that Le Jardin was canceled and MGM Mirage's new casino, Borgata
Borgata
The Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa is a luxury hotel, casino, and spa in Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States. It is owned by Marina District Development, a joint venture between Boyd Gaming and a divesture trust established by MGM Resorts International...
, was not scheduled to open until 2003, Trump still fought against the project's plans to build the exit directly to the new casino. Eventually, in January 2000, Trump dropped his case after an exit ramp leading to the Trump Marina was added to the project.
Very little land and property was displaced by the project. Following the construction, the land formerly housing nine residential properties displaced during construction were leveled and turned into a park. A warehouse was reduced in size to make was for the project, as well as the relocation of Atlantic City Electric
Pepco Holdings
Pepco Holdings, Inc. is a holding company incorporated in February of 2001 for the purpose of effecting the acquisition of Conectiv Power Delivery by Potomac Electric Power Company . The acquisition was completed on August 1, 2002 at which time Pepco and Conectiv became wholly owned subsidiaries...
power lines leading to a substation. A promenade as part of Trump Marina was leveled to make way for new ramps, in which 37 ornamental lampposts which were dismantled were later shipped to the Tuckerton Seaport
Tuckerton Seaport
The Tuckerton Seaport is a working maritime village and museum located in Tuckerton, New Jersey, United States. The site, which opened in May 2000, features 17 historic and recreated buildings connected by a boardwalk, a maritime forest and wetlands nature trail...
in nearby Tuckerton
Tuckerton, New Jersey
Tuckerton is a Borough in Ocean County, New Jersey, named for founder Ebenezer Tucker , and was a port of entry, but not the third Port of Entry as commonly believed, in the United States As of the 2000 United States Census, the borough population was 3,517.Tuckerton was incorporated as a borough...
, which opened in 2000.