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NJ 495

Started by CapeCodder, January 20, 2017, 02:46:09 PM

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CapeCodder

Over the holidays I had the pleasure of traversing NJ Route 495 twice. I have a few questions regarding this busy highway.

1.) How old is the road surface? It seems the pavement was pretty roughed up, pretty bumpy.

2.) When will they replace the signage? From what I could see some of those BGS's looked faded, unless it was the salt and crap on the bus windows. The exits, what few of them there are seem to have no decel lanes or acceleration lanes, or if there are they are about on par with our Mid Cape Hwy.

PS driving in that part of NJ is an art form. Saw someone glide all the way from the rightmost lane, cut our bus off and then speed down the fast lane (not too far though, they hit solid traffic getting onto 1-9.)


KEVIN_224

Did you enjoy the view across the Hudson? Of course that's easy for me, as I've always been a passenger when coming down the helix in Weehawken! Were you heading to or from the Lincoln Tunnel? What's really freaky is when you're in that inbound bus lane in the morning! All that's separating you from opposing traffic are tall very-beat-up pegs!

Alps

1) Two years old could still be that bumpy up here.
2) As soon as someone confirms whose jurisdiction the signs are. It's an arrangement between NJDOT but nonzero PANYNJ.

CapeCodder

Quote from: KEVIN_224 on January 20, 2017, 08:37:22 PM
Did you enjoy the view across the Hudson? Of course that's easy for me, as I've always been a passenger when coming down the helix in Weehawken! Were you heading to or from the Lincoln Tunnel? What's really freaky is when you're in that inbound bus lane in the morning! All that's separating you from opposing traffic are tall very-beat-up pegs!

The view was nice. Also enjoy seeing the Weehawken Public Library from the road. Seems to be built straight into the rock.

dgolub

Quote from: CapeCodder on January 20, 2017, 02:46:09 PM
PS driving in that part of NJ is an art form. Saw someone glide all the way from the rightmost lane, cut our bus off and then speed down the fast lane (not too far though, they hit solid traffic getting onto 1-9.)

So you mean I'm not the only roadgeek who takes the bus through the tunnel?

CapeCodder

Quote from: dgolub on January 21, 2017, 09:38:46 AM
Quote from: CapeCodder on January 20, 2017, 02:46:09 PM
PS driving in that part of NJ is an art form. Saw someone glide all the way from the rightmost lane, cut our bus off and then speed down the fast lane (not too far though, they hit solid traffic getting onto 1-9.)

So you mean I'm not the only roadgeek who takes the bus through the tunnel?

Took Greyhound to St. Louis and back for the holidays.

Alps

Quote from: dgolub on January 21, 2017, 09:38:46 AM
Quote from: CapeCodder on January 20, 2017, 02:46:09 PM
PS driving in that part of NJ is an art form. Saw someone glide all the way from the rightmost lane, cut our bus off and then speed down the fast lane (not too far though, they hit solid traffic getting onto 1-9.)

So you mean I'm not the only roadgeek who takes the bus through the tunnel?
If I have to go into the city, especially for a commute, my most convenient option is bus.

D-Dey65

Quote from: KEVIN_224 on January 20, 2017, 08:37:22 PM
Of course that's easy for me, as I've always been a passenger when coming down the helix in Weehawken!
The majority of the time, I've been one too, except for the first time I actually drove from Florida. Of course, I don't necessarily have to be a driver to have an opinion about it.

Quote from: Alps on January 21, 2017, 04:37:07 PM
If I have to go into the city, especially for a commute, my most convenient option is bus.
I've done that, and I found it to be just as much of a pain in the ass as driving that road.


cpzilliacus

#8
Quote from: Alps on January 21, 2017, 04:37:07 PM
If I have to go into the city, especially for a commute, my most convenient option is bus.

The NJ-495 contraflow bus lane (the Port Authority calls it the XBL) is also (by person-carrying metrics I have seen) the most-successful managed lane in the United States (1,700 buses carrying about 62,000 people according to this from 2012).

It carries over twice as many person trips as the I-395 HOV lanes in Northern Virginia (and the 395 HOV lanes are rightly considered a success story).  Of course, the XBL is quite short, at between 2 and 3 miles long.

But the I-395 lanes carry a lot of HOV-3+ car-pool and van-pool vehicles, which may not use the  XBL, and if combined with the 95Express HOV/Toll lanes, are about ten times as long as the XBL.

I am aware that the New Jersey Turnpike has HOV lanes from Exit 11 to Exit 14 (about 14 miles long) on the outer roadways that are there in large part to carry buses into the XBL, so in a sense they are part of the XBL.
Opinions expressed here on AAROADS are strictly personal and mine alone, and do not reflect policies or positions of MWCOG, NCRTPB or their member federal, state, county and municipal governments or any other agency.

cl94

The XBL is definitely a success story and, coming from Jersey, is the most-used mass transit corridor. Thing is generally bumper-to-bumper.

The article is misleading when referring to Penn Station commuter rail, as LIRR had 83K morning rush arrivals at Penn in 2015 and rising. Even then, a bus lane nearing rail ridership on the country's busiest commuter rail system is quite impressive.
Please note: All posts represent my personal opinions and do not represent those of my employer or any of its partner agencies.

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cpzilliacus

Quote from: cl94 on January 31, 2017, 01:40:03 PM
The XBL is definitely a success story and, coming from Jersey, is the most-used mass transit corridor. Thing is generally bumper-to-bumper.

Though I presume that the buses get a faster trip with the XBL.  In fact, I would be concerned if they do not.

Quote from: cl94 on January 31, 2017, 01:40:03 PM
The article is misleading when referring to Penn Station commuter rail, as LIRR had 83K morning rush arrivals at Penn in 2015 and rising. Even then, a bus lane nearing rail ridership on the country's busiest commuter rail system is quite impressive.

The person-carrying ability of the XBL is quite impressive.  But I seriously doubt that it could be replicated in metropolitan areas outside of New York City and nearby counties and municipalities.
Opinions expressed here on AAROADS are strictly personal and mine alone, and do not reflect policies or positions of MWCOG, NCRTPB or their member federal, state, county and municipal governments or any other agency.

jeffandnicole

The XBL is incredibly unique.  Not only is the lane unique, but unlike most cities where buses come in and transport their passengers throughout town, I believe all (or most) buses using the XBL must go to the Port Authority Bus Terminal (PABT), where they disembark and continue on to their destination via another bus, subway or walking.

Another advantage of the XBL is the buses don't even use the toll plaza.  They continue in their lane next to the toll plaza, which has its own EZ Pass transponder (obviously, no cash payments are permitted).  The XBL also had the Turnpike's first EZ Pass lane.  It's been many years now, but when EZ Pass was first introduced, Exit 16/18E had a single lane for buses going to the XBL which had an EZ Pass transponder.  Since it was literally the only lane on the entire system, the Turnpike probably had some sort of agreement with the various bus lines as to how they would be charged, since they didn't go thru an EZ Pass lane on entry.

The PABT has plenty of issues though.  It's at peak capacity, and has been for a while.  Buses can't linger...they have to drop and go (or come, pick up and go).  But because of that capacity issue, it can happen where buses in the XBL are going slower than the vehicles in the general use lanes.  For the most part, bus lines instruct their drivers to use the XBL.  It depends on the bus line whether the driver can use or switch over to the general lanes (there's one or two spots where it's possible), or whether that instruction has to come from higher up the chain of command.  They've talked about rebuilding it, but it comes with a nice, $10 BILLION price tag...For a bus depot!



cl94

Not everything through the XBL has to go to PABT. I know that because I was on a tour bus through it a few years ago. We went straight to our destination.
Please note: All posts represent my personal opinions and do not represent those of my employer or any of its partner agencies.

Travel Mapping (updated weekly)

jeffandnicole

OK...I wasn't sure.  Good to know!

cl94

I was actually surprised when we took the XBL ramp and ended up on the thing. Only thought stuff to PABT could use the thing. Evidently not. Quite nice to blow past the backup.
Please note: All posts represent my personal opinions and do not represent those of my employer or any of its partner agencies.

Travel Mapping (updated weekly)

Alps

Quote from: cl94 on February 01, 2017, 01:48:56 PM
I was actually surprised when we took the XBL ramp and ended up on the thing. Only thought stuff to PABT could use the thing. Evidently not. Quite nice to blow past the backup.
Nope, any bus. They have no way to track where it's heading. Yes, I've been on the bus where it's slower than the other lanes. You also wait 10 minutes to get in the queue on the west end, while traffic flies by, so you have to hope the cars are backed up at least to the Kennedy East/Weehawken exit to make it even.



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