I-95 and New Jersey Turnpike 1964

[ssummers72]

Hello Everyone,

I am looking for the study for the "North Jersey Expressway" from 1964 from the New Jersey Highway Dept. and the Turnpike Authority from the following website:

http://www.raymondcmartinjr.com/njfreeways/Interstate_95_Gap_Map0.html

A pdf version of the study that would be great.

Thanks again.
Stephan

[The Ghostbuster]

Could anyone imagine what New Jersey would be like if even a small portion of what was proposed had been constructed? Would the Interstate 95 alignments have relieved congestion on surrounding roads if any of them had been built?

[jeffandnicole]

Could anyone imagine what New Jersey would be like if even a small portion of what was proposed had been constructed? Would the Interstate 95 alignments have relieved congestion on surrounding roads if any of them had been built?

Could it have enticed more to live in the area, adding to the congestion on local roads?

[Mr. Matté]

Could anyone imagine what New Jersey would be like if even a small portion of what was proposed had been constructed? Would the Interstate 95 alignments have relieved congestion on surrounding roads if any of them had been built?

Part of the US 206 Bypass of Hillsborough is on old Somerset Freeway ROW, doesn't seem to have done a whole lot.

[storm2k]

Could anyone imagine what New Jersey would be like if even a small portion of what was proposed had been constructed? Would the Interstate 95 alignments have relieved congestion on surrounding roads if any of them had been built?

Part of the US 206 Bypass of Hillsborough is on old Somerset Freeway ROW, doesn't seem to have done a whole lot.

Because for now, it's worthless. You go back to two laned roads north and south of there. Hopefully if they ever get all the construction from Brown Ave to the bypass done and it's four lanes all the way from the circle to there, it might help. Whole roadway needs to be 4-laned down to Princeton, and never will be.

[froggie]

Could anyone imagine what New Jersey would be like if even a small portion of what was proposed had been constructed? Would the Interstate 95 alignments have relieved congestion on surrounding roads if any of them had been built?

Part of the US 206 Bypass of Hillsborough is on old Somerset Freeway ROW, doesn't seem to have done a whole lot.

Because for now, it's worthless. You go back to two laned roads north and south of there. Hopefully if they ever get all the construction from Brown Ave to the bypass done and it's four lanes all the way from the circle to there, it might help. Whole roadway needs to be 4-laned down to Princeton, and never will be.

I'd disagree on it being worthless.  I've found it useful to avoid the bulk of Hillsborough when heading to my cousin's in Hopewell.  And only 2 intermediate signals vice 7 along the old route.

[Alex]

Ray is on the forum, but has not logged in for awhile. I'll message him about that document.

[famartin]

Hello Everyone,

I am looking for the study for the "North Jersey Expressway" from 1964 from the New Jersey Highway Dept. and the Turnpike Authority from the following website:

http://www.raymondcmartinjr.com/njfreeways/Interstate_95_Gap_Map0.html

A pdf version of the study that would be great.

Thanks again.
Stephan

Hi,

Alex Nitzman, the admin, alerted me to this thread since I haven't been visiting the forums lately.

The document was found within the DEIS for the "Somerset Freeway" portion, published around 1979 I believe. The copy I had access too was found at the Library of Science and Medicine at Rutgers University. I was still a student at the time, so I don't know how much public access exists as I haven't visited the library in over 20 years. Do keep in mind that the portion I had dubbed the "North Jersey Expressway" was never anything more than a line on a map, as were most of those. Basically, ideas tossed around for a bit. I don't think much ever came of it, and it was abandoned pretty quickly after it was suggested.

[storm2k]

Hello Everyone,

I am looking for the study for the "North Jersey Expressway" from 1964 from the New Jersey Highway Dept. and the Turnpike Authority from the following website:

http://www.raymondcmartinjr.com/njfreeways/Interstate_95_Gap_Map0.html

A pdf version of the study that would be great.

Thanks again.
Stephan

Hi,

Alex Nitzman, the admin, alerted me to this thread since I haven't been visiting the forums lately.

The document was found within the DEIS for the "Somerset Freeway" portion, published around 1979 I believe. The copy I had access too was found at the Library of Science and Medicine at Rutgers University. I was still a student at the time, so I don't know how much public access exists as I haven't visited the library in over 20 years. Do keep in mind that the portion I had dubbed the "North Jersey Expressway" was never anything more than a line on a map, as were most of those. Basically, ideas tossed around for a bit. I don't think much ever came of it, and it was abandoned pretty quickly after it was suggested.

I have alumni access to Rutgers Libraries. If I have a chance, I may try and find it.

[ssummers72]

Thanks for all of the feedback on the study. Storm2k, let me know if you have any luck at Rutgers University Library (if you have a chance) for the Somerset Freeway DEIS.

[DJStephens]

Hello Everyone,

I am looking for the study for the "North Jersey Expressway" from 1964 from the New Jersey Highway Dept. and the Turnpike Authority from the following website:

http://www.raymondcmartinjr.com/njfreeways/Interstate_95_Gap_Map0.html

One of the first two scenarios is what should have been built.  A straight shot, going straight through Levittown and Trenton.  Direct and efficient.  The Scudders Falls alignment, and the Somerset proposals were neither.    The former US - 1 sunken alignment in Trenton could have been widened, straightened, and improved, for eight lanes.  Meaning back then, not now.  Real estate was incredibly cheap back then.  A straight shot, following the RR to meet the NJT at New Brunswick.   Would have made it a W branch of the turnpike, so toll revenue could have actually increased for the authority.   Would never have attempted to propose, or construct any new terrain 95 alignment north of New Brunswick.  The NJT was already in place.
Have to wonder, why that was never considered, simply making the I-95 alignment, south of New Brunswick,  a West Branch of the turnpike.   

[jeffandnicole]

Hello Everyone,

I am looking for the study for the "North Jersey Expressway" from 1964 from the New Jersey Highway Dept. and the Turnpike Authority from the following website:

http://www.raymondcmartinjr.com/njfreeways/Interstate_95_Gap_Map0.html

One of the first two scenarios is what should have been built.  A straight shot, going straight through Levittown and Trenton.  Direct and efficient.  The Scudders Falls alignment, and the Somerset proposals were neither.    The former US - 1 sunken alignment in Trenton could have been widened, straightened, and improved, for eight lanes.  Meaning back then, not now.  Real estate was incredibly cheap back then...

Back then when this was proposed, very few Interstates had 6 lanes or were proposed to be 6 lanes wide. They would have had no foresight to make this 8 lanes thru the area, especially considering PA'S section of 95 was only 4 lanes, and even the NJ Turnpike was no more than 4 or 6 lanes wide at this time.

[NJRoadfan]

It still amazes me that PA built part of I-95 as only 4 lanes. Its one of the busiest transportation corridors in the world (NYC<->Philly), eh, 4 lanes is enough! Maybe they knew I-95 wasn't going to be completed as planned.

[jeffandnicole]

It still amazes me that PA built part of I-95 as only 4 lanes. Its one of the busiest transportation corridors in the world (NYC<->Philly), eh, 4 lanes is enough! Maybe they knew I-95 wasn't going to be completed as planned.

It's hard to comprehend, but much of 95's original build was 4 lanes system-wide!

If you scroll thru here: https://www.northjersey.com/picture-gallery/news/2023/12/19/new-jersey-turnpike-construction-see-photos-from-the-1950s/71883622007/ you'll find pictures of the original NJ Turnpike. At Exit 11, there's a pic of the Turnpike...with only 2 lanes per direction. It's now 14 lanes wide there.

Using historicaerials.com is fascinating as well. While the images are a bit blurry several decades ago, you can make out how narrow the highway originally were before expansions. 95 in Georgia was 4 lanes when first constructed. In the mid 1960s: 95 in Delaware in the Churchmans Marsh area was 4 lanes; today there's 10 lanes there. 95 in MD was 4 lanes. Even 95 in VA just south of the Capital Beltway, which is now roughly 22 lanes wide with the various options and ramps - was just 4 lanes!

So, any theory that PA could crystal ball the future isn't true. Along with NJ's missing segment, they just happened to have the NJ Turnpike to its east, and to a smaller extent, I-295, take the traffic burden off of 95 in PA. While the rebuild of the Scudders Falls Bridges added a 3rd lane down to Rt. 332, there isn't the traffic volume to warrant widening of 95 in the southern Bucks County area.

[DJStephens]

It is kind of a head scratcher.  Even though cities in the NE corridor were large then (circa 1950), there was not expansive suburbanization then, nor large traffic passenger car demands between NYC and Philly possibly then.   Straight shot US - 1 may have been largely rural then, as well.  95 could have directly overlaid it.   Most likely though, the existence of the NJT (opened early 50's) diluted the "percieved need" for a later parallel route next to it.   Although I-295 exists, alongside the NJT, for a significant portion of it's length.  That's another head scratcher.  Why did they (meaning the turnpike authority) allow the seemingly diplicitous 295 corridor to be built out?!   Meaning that if 295 had never existed, beyond being a strictly Trenton loop, all the traffic, on it's southern length, would have been on the NJT, fattening their coffers even more.   

[epzik8]

It still amazes me that PA built part of I-95 as only 4 lanes. Its one of the busiest transportation corridors in the world (NYC<->Philly), eh, 4 lanes is enough! Maybe they knew I-95 wasn't going to be completed as planned.

Or at least had tentative arrangements to make it at least six-wide before the New Jersey situation.

[jeffandnicole]

It is kind of a head scratcher.  Even though cities in the NE corridor were large then (circa 1950), there was not expansive suburbanization then, nor large traffic passenger car demands between NYC and Philly possibly then.   Straight shot US - 1 may have been largely rural then, as well.  95 could have directly overlaid it.   Most likely though, the existence of the NJT (opened early 50's) diluted the "percieved need" for a later parallel route next to it.   Although I-295 exists, alongside the NJT, for a significant portion of it's length.  That's another head scratcher.  Why did they (meaning the turnpike authority) allow the seemingly diplicitous 295 corridor to be built out?!   Meaning that if 295 had never existed, beyond being a strictly Trenton loop, all the traffic, on it's southern length, would have been on the NJT, fattening their coffers even more.   

In a way, 295 & the NJ Turnpike basically serves two different markets, but complements each other nicely.  If there was no 295, with all other things being equal, the Turnpike would need to be 4 - 6 lanes wide in each direction to serve the area, with the interchanges being greatly overrun with heavy traffic.  Would we have seen more interchanges on the Turnpike, or an interchange with 42 long ago if 295 never existed?  Hard to say. 

The Turnpike was always quick to shut down its road at Interchange 4 when backups at Interchange 1 South exceeded about 10 miles before the new plaza was built, and encourage traffic to use 295 instead.

Up north, more than many realize take I-287 to bypass the heavier Turnpike region and the congested GWB. 

Unlike many states, the Turnpike doesn't have a no-compete or no-widening clause, so NJDOT can do what they want to do.

[Chris19001]

Let's not forget that the Pennsylvania Railroad also still held a decent amount of sway back in the early 50's.  That additional approachment along the route 1 corridor would have likely run into headlong opposition from their interests in preserving a NYC to/from Philly market.  With that said, the PRR didn't employ nearly as many as it once did, and wasn't headquartered in Jersey.