Atlantic City-Brigantine Connector
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| Atlantic City-Brigantine Connector |
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| Length: | 2.37 mi (3.81 km) | ||||||||
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| Formed: | 2001 | ||||||||
| West end: |  ACE in Atlantic City, NJ |
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| East end: |  NJ 87 near Brigantine, NJ |
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| System: | South Jersey Transportation Authority | ||||||||
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The Atlantic City-Brigantine Connector, numbered (and unsigned) as Route 446X, is a state highway in Atlantic City, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is maintained by the South Jersey Transportation Authority, as a 2.37-mile spur of the Atlantic City Expressway (Route 446), hence the number. At its north end, it feeds into Route 87 towards Brigantine. The Connector suffers from not having an actual signed number along the route. The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) put in the majority of the highway's construction cost, so it is not certain why they did not simply extend the Route 87 designation along the freeway spur for better recognition.
Because the highway has many exits within the 2.3 miles, the exit tabs are lettered A through H instead of numbered. However, for some reason Exit C & D are missing. The roadway tunnels under and connects to U.S. Route 30 at exit E. The connector was very controversial and was opposed heavily by residents of Atlantic City. It was viewed as a personal driveway to the busy casinos along the waterfront. The highway has proven itself much more important than that, by providing Brigantine with direct access to the Atlantic City Expressway.
Plans for a connection between the Atlantic City Expressway and the island community of Brigantine have been discussed since the expressway opened in 1965. For many years, only one link - Route 87, Brigantine Boulevard, provided access between Brigantine and the New Jersey mainland. With the legalization of casino gambling in the late 1970's, heavy traffic has clogged the Brigantine Bridge.
Steve Wynn, a major casino developer, decided to continue the project in the late 1990's, and to promote The Mirage, a new casino to open in Atlantic City (later renamed the Borgata).
This caused major controversy, as it would go through a middle-class African American neighborhood. Competitor Donald Trump sued Wynn for it because it was a "driveway" to his new casino.
On July 27, 2001, the Atlantic City-Brigantine Connector had its grand opening celebration. The opening ceremonies included a tunnel walk and festivities that were open to the public. However, the opening of the tunnel was delayed by four days because of a last-minute failure of the tunnel communications system.
[edit] Exit ramps
- Atlantic City Expressway
- Exit A - Mississippi Avenue / Fairmount Avenue ("Midtown")
- Exit B - Bacharach Boulevard / Atlantic City Convention Center
- Exit E - US 30 (White Horse Pike) / NJ 187 (Brigantine Boulevard)
- Exit F - U-turn ramp provided at this location
- Exit H - (Borgata casino-hotel)
- Exit G - Huron Avenue (Trump Marina casino-hotel)
- NJ 87 (Brigantine Boulevard / Harrah's casino-hotel)
 Shield signage for the AC Connector, which may be confused for the AC Expressway |
 Only sign that refers to the highway by its real name |
 The AC Connector northbound as it approaches the tunnel (note the narrow shoulders) |
 Exit E for U.S. Route 30 |
 Exit F for the U-turn to head towards the A.C. Expressway and the Atlantic City Convention Center |
 Exits for the Borgata and Trump Casinos, here drivers may get confused as the sign for Exit G is also for the mainline of the Connector |
 The AC Connector southbound with the Exit B ramp to the right (notice the narrow shoulders and train signal) |
 Southern Terminus of the Connector at the A.C. Expressway, also Exit A |
