I don't expect 9 to be widened from Lakewood to Toms River for a long time if at all. The County brings it up from time to time and complains about it, but I don't see it happening any time soon. To partly compensate, Ocean County has gradually improved the nearby and parallel New Hampshire Ave. (CR 623), with the northern section now mostly 4 lanes, as a bypass of sorts to Route 9. I don't think exit 83 SB will ever happen without widening on 9 north of 571.
Does anybody else read the Asbury Park Press, and if so, does anyone remember the "Joe on the Go" column? Every Sunday he'd answer a reader's questions about the roads in the area, construction, etc. and would reach out to the appropriate agency for an answer. Regarding the GSP, someone complained about the implementation of the northbound Express EZ-Pass lanes at the Asbury Park tolls, and how it created a dangerous weaving situation beyond where express and cash toll users had to cross paths in a very short distance to get into the express and local lanes. I fully agree with the reader, as the Express EZ-Pass users (like me) keeping right for the local lanes have to compete with cash toll users just accelerating from the tolls who want to weave left across two lanes for the express lanes. I've almost been taken out by people on the right on a few occasions (usually with them on a cell phone). The weaving area is dangerously short and should be lengthened by moving the split further north (there is room) or just forcing all the cash toll users to stay in the local lanes. Of course the NJTA responded to Joe on the Go that the design was fine and there wasn't a problem.