New Jersey

[bzakharin]

NJ likes to stick messages on all VMSs when they are too lazy or otherwise unable to show some real information. Though it's usually on holiday weekends an says "click it or ticket". I wonder if there is a statewide outage of some sort that is preventing travel times from being shown like normal.

[jeffandnicole]

I've seen all screens blank some mornings.  And I've also seen cases where, say, there was a major accident the day before, they put up some related message the next morning.

But 'Keep Right Except to Pass' is an unusual message for the morning rush hour. Traffic is generally light in August, so the timed signed probably would mainly show the minimum times anyway, which may have something to do with it. 

The previous two weeks the signs were related to the truck ban in Philly.  It was nice to see the travel times back on Friday!

On the weekends in the summer they've been posted times as well.  I wished they would do it 24/7 like many other states.

[Zeffy]

Seen it on a sign on 95 south right before exit 4 this morning with the same message.

[akotchi]

I saw one on U.S. 1 north of Bakers Basin Road on my way in.

I wonder if it is posted on VMS that are over single-lane roadways (if there is such a condition . . .)   

[bzakharin]

I saw one on U.S. 1 north of Bakers Basin Road on my way in.

I wonder if it is posted on VMS that are over single-lane roadways (if there is such a condition . . .)   

I can't think of any in NJ that are permanent. Temporary ones are usually brought in for a very specific reason and show a single message (like "emergency! road closed ahead" on NJ 47 in Malaga yesterday) for the duration of their stay.

[jeffandnicole]

I saw one on U.S. 1 north of Bakers Basin Road on my way in.

I wonder if it is posted on VMS that are over single-lane roadways (if there is such a condition . . .)   

I can't think of any in NJ that are permanent. Temporary ones are usually brought in for a very specific reason and show a single message (like "emergency! road closed ahead" on NJ 47 in Malaga yesterday) for the duration of their stay.

I glanced at the database on the NJDOT website ( http://www.state.nj.us/transportation/eng/elec/ITS/ITSDB.shtm ) and didn't see any that caught my eye.

That said, I have seen messages that are more of the FYI type, like last week's Philly truck ban on roads leading *away* from Philly (such as on NJ 42 South), and NYC traffic issues on South Jersey VMS signage.  So it wouldn't totally be unusual for them to post KRETP on a one lane road VMS sign (if it existed)...but it would certainly look out of place!

[bzakharin]

Looks like the Atlantic City Expressway put up a 45 MPH speed limit Westbound through the 3 dollar tolls express lanes (and a 15 MPH limit on the local lanes) to match the speed limit on the 75 cent toll plaza. There is no change Eastbound. A 15 MPH ahead sign was posted for the local lanes, but nothing for express lanes. There has not been a noticeable change of speed through the tolls since the change. I wonder what prompted it.

[jeffandnicole]

Looks like the Atlantic City Expressway put up a 45 MPH speed limit Westbound through the 3 dollar tolls express lanes (and a 15 MPH limit on the local lanes) to match the speed limit on the 75 cent toll plaza. There is no change Eastbound. A 15 MPH ahead sign was posted for the local lanes, but nothing for express lanes. There has not been a noticeable change of speed through the tolls since the change. I wonder what prompted it.

Boo!

I've seen the AC Expressway regs in the past, and they said Express lanes were 45 mph.  But as noted, there was no signed speed limit thru the lanes.  In a way it was always odd a reduced limit wasn't signed since the area is kinda tight.  But it's about the same on the EB side as well, if not more so. 

As far as traffic actually slowing down, I always fine it surprising that these motorists have no problem doing 10, 15 mph above the speed limit normally, but feel they must slow down to the limit thru the toll plaza.  I guess they think they'll get a ticket for driving thru too fast (they won't).

[bzakharin]

Looks like the Atlantic City Expressway put up a 45 MPH speed limit Westbound through the 3 dollar tolls express lanes (and a 15 MPH limit on the local lanes) to match the speed limit on the 75 cent toll plaza. There is no change Eastbound. A 15 MPH ahead sign was posted for the local lanes, but nothing for express lanes. There has not been a noticeable change of speed through the tolls since the change. I wonder what prompted it.

Boo!

I've seen the AC Expressway regs in the past, and they said Express lanes were 45 mph.  But as noted, there was no signed speed limit thru the lanes.  In a way it was always odd a reduced limit wasn't signed since the area is kinda tight.  But it's about the same on the EB side as well, if not more so. 

As far as traffic actually slowing down, I always fine it surprising that these motorists have no problem doing 10, 15 mph above the speed limit normally, but feel they must slow down to the limit thru the toll plaza.  I guess they think they'll get a ticket for driving thru too fast (they won't).

Some slow down, but not to 45, not even to 55. They slow down to 70 or so, at both plazas, maybe 65 on the 75 cent one.

[roadman65]

Why is it they need the 45 mph speed zone?  In Florida its the posted speed limit throughout.  Heck when they go through the regular lanes with Sunpass, some do 50 mph and shake the hell out of the booth.  Heck that we are in it, and most of all heck that we could walk out from behind it while crossing.

[jeffandnicole]

Why is it they need the 45 mph speed zone?

Most likely because of how narrow the lanes are.  2 lanes, no shoulder whatsoever.  The barrier length separating the Express lanes from the traditional toll booth lanes, including people slowing down approaching the toll booths, is only about 700 feet in total:   https://goo.gl/maps/bQ8czWQzyZE2 .  And that's the longer out of the 2.  The Pleasantville Toll Plaza closer to Atlantic City is even tighter!

Compare that to one of your toll plaza examples in Florida:  3 lanes with full shoulders, and a barrier well over 1/2 mile in length:  https://goo.gl/maps/Gdc7yGvEM3v

[Rothman]

  I guess they think they'll get a ticket for driving thru too fast (they won't).

NYSTA hands out tickets for going too fast through their toll lanes.

[jeffandnicole]

  I guess they think they'll get a ticket for driving thru too fast (they won't).

NYSTA hands out tickets for going too fast through their toll lanes.

Right, but this is in reference to NJ toll roads.

[bzakharin]

Looks like the Atlantic City Expressway put up a 45 MPH speed limit Westbound through the 3 dollar tolls express lanes (and a 15 MPH limit on the local lanes) to match the speed limit on the 75 cent toll plaza. There is no change Eastbound. A 15 MPH ahead sign was posted for the local lanes, but nothing for express lanes. There has not been a noticeable change of speed through the tolls since the change. I wonder what prompted it.

Boo!

I've seen the AC Expressway regs in the past, and they said Express lanes were 45 mph.  But as noted, there was no signed speed limit thru the lanes.  In a way it was always odd a reduced limit wasn't signed since the area is kinda tight.  But it's about the same on the EB side as well, if not more so. 

A "45 MPH ahead" just went up this morning Eastbound. There is no actual Speed Limit sign yet, but it appears both directions on both toll plazas will be signed 45 MPH now.

[ekt8750]

Some sign work has happened on I-76 W approaching the 76/676 split. They're replacing the classic button copy diagramic signs that were there. The advanced sign assembly also adds a separate points of interest sign for I-676, listing the Aquarium, the Battleship New Jersey and the "Entertainment Center" (something that venue hasn't been called in almost 20 years now).

[PHLBOS]

Some sign work has happened on I-76 W approaching the 76/676 split. They're replacing the classic button copy diagramic signs that were there. The advanced sign assembly also adds a separate points of interest sign for I-676, listing the Aquarium, the Battleship New Jersey and the "Entertainment Center" (something that venue hasn't been called in almost 20 years now).

How very 1992 of NJDOT. 
I would expect PennDOT to make that kind of a mistake moreso than NJDOT.

[jeffandnicole]

Some sign work has happened on I-76 W approaching the 76/676 split. They're replacing the classic button copy diagramic signs that were there. The advanced sign assembly also adds a separate points of interest sign for I-676, listing the Aquarium, the Battleship New Jersey and the "Entertainment Center" (something that venue hasn't been called in almost 20 years now).

How very 1992 of NJDOT. 
I would expect PennDOT to make that kind of a mistake moreso than NJDOT.

I think they are limited in their choices.  You can't 'advertise' BB&T on the sign as that's a business name.  So what else do you call it?  Heck, I still call it the Tweeter Center!

What's sad is that there's so few things in Camden that it even gets onto a BGS!

That is a relatively new sign (although we're probably talking 20+ years now), and probably was one of the final button copy signs put into use.  They were installed when 76 West was converted from a express/local lane setup at 130 to a 6 lane single carriageway.  Previously, the left 2 Express lanes continued up to the Walt Whitman Bridge approach.  The left-most local lane merged in as the right lane on that approach.

Personally, while the 'wow' factor was there for the large sign, it was a bit tough to know if you were in the proper lane, especially if you were in the middle two lanes.  I always thought they should paint the interstate shield on the highway itself to assist knowing what lane you were in.  NJDOT does this a lot for construction projects (using the white outline version, not the full color version), but rarely uses them on a permanent basis.

[PHLBOS]

Some sign work has happened on I-76 W approaching the 76/676 split. They're replacing the classic button copy diagramic signs that were there. The advanced sign assembly also adds a separate points of interest sign for I-676, listing the Aquarium, the Battleship New Jersey and the "Entertainment Center" (something that venue hasn't been called in almost 20 years now).

How very 1992 of NJDOT. 
I would expect PennDOT to make that kind of a mistake moreso than NJDOT.

I think they are limited in their choices.  You can't 'advertise' BB&T on the sign as that's a business name.  So what else do you call it?  Heck, I still call it the Tweeter Center!

IMHO, that prohibition of a business name on a guide/information sign might need to be revisited.  Given that so many entertainment centers, parks, arenas, etc. are now corporately named (we won't get into merger/acquisition-induced name changes that have occurred); it's getting harder to mention the facility (on a sign) without using the business name.

[ekt8750]

Some sign work has happened on I-76 W approaching the 76/676 split. They're replacing the classic button copy diagramic signs that were there. The advanced sign assembly also adds a separate points of interest sign for I-676, listing the Aquarium, the Battleship New Jersey and the "Entertainment Center" (something that venue hasn't been called in almost 20 years now).

How very 1992 of NJDOT. 
I would expect PennDOT to make that kind of a mistake moreso than NJDOT.

I think they are limited in their choices.  You can't 'advertise' BB&T on the sign as that's a business name.  So what else do you call it?  Heck, I still call it the Tweeter Center!

IMHO, that prohibition of a business name on a guide/information sign might need to be revisited.  Given that so many entertainment centers, parks, arenas, etc. are now corporately named (we won't get into merger/acquisition-induced name changes that have occurred); it's getting harder to mention the facility (on a sign) without using the business name.

Maryland doesn't seem to care. Hell they have a full FedEx Field logo on this BGS: https://www.google.com/maps/@38.8771329,-76.843619,3a,20y,352.2h,106.42t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sAOHC56-lTVHMPL5-4TeemQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

[Alps]

Some sign work has happened on I-76 W approaching the 76/676 split. They're replacing the classic button copy diagramic signs that were there. The advanced sign assembly also adds a separate points of interest sign for I-676, listing the Aquarium, the Battleship New Jersey and the "Entertainment Center" (something that venue hasn't been called in almost 20 years now).

How very 1992 of NJDOT. 
I would expect PennDOT to make that kind of a mistake moreso than NJDOT.

I think they are limited in their choices.  You can't 'advertise' BB&T on the sign as that's a business name.  So what else do you call it?  Heck, I still call it the Tweeter Center!

It's not a business name. It's an arena name. It's allowed. It just happens to be the same as a business name.

[jeffandnicole]

Here's the new "Entertainment Ctr/State Aquarium/Use 676" sign in the 295/76/42 construction project.  They just used a small green sign, rather than the more colorful brown/blue/green sign.

[storm2k]

Some sign work has happened on I-76 W approaching the 76/676 split. They're replacing the classic button copy diagramic signs that were there. The advanced sign assembly also adds a separate points of interest sign for I-676, listing the Aquarium, the Battleship New Jersey and the "Entertainment Center" (something that venue hasn't been called in almost 20 years now).

How very 1992 of NJDOT. 
I would expect PennDOT to make that kind of a mistake moreso than NJDOT.

I think they are limited in their choices.  You can't 'advertise' BB&T on the sign as that's a business name.  So what else do you call it?  Heck, I still call it the Tweeter Center!

It's not a business name. It's an arena name. It's allowed. It just happens to be the same as a business name.

I've seen it called a number of things on those signs over the years. It was E-Center for a long time due to some name it had in the late 90s. it stayed around long after the place wasn't called that.

Still, this is pretty standard for NJDOT. Follow signs to the Sports Complex and Soccer Arena! The Prudential Center at least gets mentioned by name on a couple of small LGS's that aren't that easy to read at highway speeds (there are comparable signs on 280 as well). You'll see NJPAC on a few green signs with its logo. In fact, I can only think of one place on the NJDOT network that references a sports or cultural venue witha  brown sign and the logo: TD Bank Park on 287. There's a sign in both directions.

The Turnpike Authority is getting better with this, they have big brown signs for MetLife Stadium, Prudential Center, and RedBull Arena now.

[bzakharin]

NJ is littered with Camden's State Aquarium signs, mostly with the old logo before it was re-branded "adventure". I'm pretty sure at least a few of them made it to BGSs

[NJRoadfan]

The arena in Trenton had logo signs posted on NJ-129 at one point. That might have changed since I was there last due to bank mergers .

[storm2k]

NJ-18 shields have been added to the signs for Exit 8 on 287. It only took 22 years. i assume that this sign will need to be replaced. it was replaced in the early aughts after the original from 1994 (with space for the shield) was knocked down several times over the years. much like the replacement signs for Exit 9, they spaced out the words on a full sized BGS instead of either a smaller sign or leaving the space.