New Jersey Turnpike

[roadman65]

The Turnpike and Parkway users ways used numbers over names. The CB era of users always used them and it was the way in NJ for a long time.

[storm2k]

Signage update. This beauty of a sign is gone as of last night. GSP sign now shows a GSP logo. No more US-1 shield on the righthand sign. Shows US-9 to NJ-440/I-287 instead. I'll try to grab new pictures when I have a chance.

[SignBridge]

Much as I approve of standardization, I'm already starting to miss the NJTA's unique sign system. Among other things, I always liked the large upper case lettering they used for "Garden State PARKWAY". 

[Mr. Matté]

Signage update. This beauty of a sign is gone as of last night. GSP sign now shows a GSP logo. No more US-1 shield on the righthand sign. Shows US-9 to NJ-440/I-287 instead. I'll try to grab new pictures when I have a chance.

Probably a bit too blurry but this is what I took this morning:

[roadman65]

Bout time they use the GSP logo, however sad to see the uppercase PARKWAY go.  I still would have love to see control cities for the Parkway like Shore Points (SB) and Newark (NB) instead the department of redundancy department here.  I will give the NJTA credit, though, for not using the G.S. Parkway like NJDOT does on I-78 in Union.

US 1 should have never been used here anyway, but believe it or not back in the mid 70's it did have trailblazing along the GSP service road and NJ 184 to US 9 North.  Since the shields "TO US 1" were removed along the way it was useless to sign as it was to originally trailblaze.  Also I see "The Amboys" is now just one Amboy, that is "Perth Amboy" is used as well.

[storm2k]

Bout time they use the GSP logo, however sad to see the uppercase PARKWAY go.  I still would have love to see control cities for the Parkway like Shore Points (SB) and Newark (NB) instead the department of redundancy department here.  I will give the NJTA credit, though, for not using the G.S. Parkway like NJDOT does on I-78 in Union.

US 1 should have never been used here anyway, but believe it or not back in the mid 70's it did have trailblazing along the GSP service road and NJ 184 to US 9 North.  Since the shields "TO US 1" were removed along the way it was useless to sign as it was to originally trailblaze.  Also I see "The Amboys" is now just one Amboy, that is "Perth Amboy" is used as well.

That's to stay more consistent with how NJDOT signs 440, as Perth Amboy is its NJ destination.

[NJRoadfan]

No control cities for the GSP though. Oh well, can't win them all

[storm2k]

No control cities for the GSP though. Oh well, can't win them all

Honestly, I don't get that rationale either, other than that's how NJDOT always signs Parkway entrances. I would like to have seen them actually adopt the control cities they have in place.

[roadman65]

At least on NJ 70 in Bricktown they have Toms River and Woodbridge used at the new Exit 89 interchange.  So, I have to give em credit there.

[storm2k]

Seen at Exit 11:



So the new signs at 10 say New York. This sign at 11 says New York City. New sign at 12 doesn't even put space for a control city. I wish they'd just standardize it. Use New York for everything south of 16E/W and GWB for north of there, that's how I see it.

[PHLBOS]

Seen at Exit 11:



So the new signs at 10 say New York. This sign at 11 says New York City. New sign at 12 doesn't even put space for a control city. I wish they'd just standardize it. Use New York for everything south of 16E/W and GWB for north of there, that's how I see it.

That's a very recent replacement.  This past Memorial Day; the old BGS for I-95 North was still there.

BTW, I do agree w/you that NJTA needs to be consistent with the way it signs I-95 Northbound.  Although I think I would only use NYC south of Exit 14 and GWB for Exit 14 & northward.  MUTCD prohibition of using bridges & tunnel for control destinations be damned.

[SignBridge]

In that new overhead set, the downward/left pointing arrow is non-MUTCD practice and is very Massachusetts-like. Should point up/left. And on the northbound sign, the "New York City" legend appears too small.

I absolutely agree that NJTA should standardize on this stuff.

[roadman65]

I hope the SB sign gets changed out.  Looks odd with a control city for NB and none for SB.  Plus the shield denotes NB while all caps denote SB.

In addition the Parkway uses Trenton and Camden on 129 guides.  So it should be consistent.

[Alps]

In that new overhead set, the downward/left pointing arrow is non-MUTCD practice and is very Massachusetts-like. Should point up/left. And on the northbound sign, the "New York City" legend appears too small.

I absolutely agree that NJTA should standardize on this stuff.

The left sign is not new. As for standardizing, they HAVE. I don't know why it's not coming out that way.

[NJRoadfan]

The southbound sign hasn't been replaced yet, thats why. Note that it still has the lights mounted underneath it. Also note that when the PA interchange is finished that Philly is likely going to get snubbed again as a control city southbound as Maryland already ignores it northbound.

[cpzilliacus]

The southbound sign hasn't been replaced yet, thats why. Note that it still has the lights mounted underneath it. Also note that when the PA interchange is finished that Philly is likely going to get snubbed again as a control city southbound as Maryland already ignores it northbound.

I really hope that MDTA will treat Philadelphia and Wilmington better in Maryland once Bristol is done sometime within the  next 10 years.

[PHLBOS]

It is my guess that either Trenton or Camden will be the likely candidate for the control city on that replacement southbound ramp sign.  The question is which one will be used?  Brand new southbound pull-through signage along the Turnpike, south of Exit 11 (see new signage at Exits 10 & 9) uses Trenton (note: the predecessor to the older southbound ramp sign used Trenton) as well as the newer northbound Parkway Exit 129 ramp signage but its similar-vintage Exit 129 ramp signage along its southbound counterpart uses Camden for a southbound Turnpike/I-95 destination. 

The likely reasoning for jumping the gun and using Camden on the southbound Parkway Exit 129 signage is due to Trenton being already used for Exit 130B (US 1 South).

That said & IMHO, using both Trenton & Camden for this one particular BGS (past the Turnpike toll plaza) would be logical & justified.

As for standardizing, they HAVE. I don't know why it's not coming out that way.

Is it possible that somebody on the construction side be it the contractor or the resident engineer is overanalyzing MUTCD regarding what should be considered a control city and making on-the-spot changes out in the field.  Such would explain the blank spaces underneath the I-95 & NJTP shields on the new northbound pull-through signage.

[roadman65]

It would not be the first time that happened where the contractor took it upon himself to assign the control destinations.

I wonder if Paramus on the pull through GSP sign in East Orange was just that as Paterson is supposed to be used as one user here found a link to the GSP list naming what was to come at the time of the publication.  Plus why that anyhow?  Yes Paramus is the retail capital of NJ, but its only that with no significant meaning, and not enough to fulfill a requirement.  Heck  Saddle Brook would be more appropriate as that is where a major east-west interstate junctions.

[NJRoadfan]

They already slipped on the "official" control cities by using "Shore Points" at Exit 129 southbound. That isn't even MUTCD kosher these days as they want a city. A new pull-thru at Exit 123 uses Toms River.

[roadman65]

Yeah but NYCDOT or NYSDOT ( I'll have to check on that one to please the bipolar dude) removed "Perth Amboy" off NY 440 signs on Staten Island. So the NJTA is not only guilty of that one.

Plus the new NJ 495 guides at I-95 in Secaucus use the George Washington Bridge now to go north, so a double whammy here for the NJTA.

[NJRoadfan]

Every Rest Stop on the Turnpike, Ranked
https://www.eater.com/2017/6/13/15783216/best-new-jersey-turnpike-rest-stop-service-plaza

[jeffandnicole]

Every Rest Stop on the Turnpike, Ranked
https://www.eater.com/2017/6/13/15783216/best-new-jersey-turnpike-rest-stop-service-plaza

OMG...talk about an article that has no connection with an audience. Do they really think that the most important thing is salad shaming?  They barely even mentioned the food in some service areas!  And rating one based on a side of green beans...really?

[SignBridge]

I like driving the NJTP and stopping at its service areas, but with only one exception, they all seem pretty similar to me. The Vince Lombardi is different from all the others mainly because it's such a time-consuming pain to drive in and out of, with that dizzy circular pattern of roadways.

[storm2k]

I like driving the NJTP and stopping at its service areas, but with only one exception, they all seem pretty similar to me. The Vince Lombardi is different from all the others mainly because it's such a time-consuming pain to drive in and out of, with that dizzy circular pattern of roadways.

Most of them were rebuilt in the early aughts (00-02) and more or less designed identically. The Thomas Edison one is the newest one, rebuilt after Sandy.

[1995hoo]

Every Rest Stop on the Turnpike, Ranked
https://www.eater.com/2017/6/13/15783216/best-new-jersey-turnpike-rest-stop-service-plaza

The writer loses all credibility by saying the Turnpike's signage is atrocious. Had he limited that comment to the unfortunate new MUTCD-style signs, I'd agree with him.