New Jersey

[J Route Z]

I'm not sure if anyone uses the DOT online maintenance form to fix potholes and things, but it doesn't seem to work. I have reported several issues to them and they have not been fixed after months. A while back, I have seen them respond quicker. Also calling dispatch doesn't seem to help much either.

[jeffandnicole]

I'm not sure if anyone uses the DOT online maintenance form to fix potholes and things, but it doesn't seem to work. I have reported several issues to them and they have not been fixed after months. A while back, I have seen them respond quicker. Also calling dispatch doesn't seem to help much either.

I've used it to report traffic light issues.  Pretty much see the same results.  Eventually they do get fixed, but after a few months I'm thinking me filling out the form really didn't have much of an effect on the results.   

DOT crews & supervisors travel these sections of roads daily, so they should be pretty aware of the conditions and what needs fixing.

I assume they are state highways you are referring to, correct.

[J Route Z]

I'm not sure if anyone uses the DOT online maintenance form to fix potholes and things, but it doesn't seem to work. I have reported several issues to them and they have not been fixed after months. A while back, I have seen them respond quicker. Also calling dispatch doesn't seem to help much either.

I've used it to report traffic light issues.  Pretty much see the same results.  Eventually they do get fixed, but after a few months I'm thinking me filling out the form really didn't have much of an effect on the results.   

DOT crews & supervisors travel these sections of roads daily, so they should be pretty aware of the conditions and what needs fixing.

I assume they are state highways you are referring to, correct.

Yes state highways. Route 33 specifically. I also report traffic and street light problems. I suppose time will tell when they get fixed. 

[Mr. Matté]

You're not alone with regards to pothole/other road issues. Today, it's probably going to end up being fixed a lot slower due to a certain fat guy but it's been ongoing problem for a while.

I've told my story on here before about how a guiderail was bent onto the sidewalk adjacent to NJ 64, a road that only the state and roadgeeks know about. They took no action after months of me submitting that form over and over, but the day after I wrote my state senator about it, it was fixed.

[NJRoadfan]

Don't expect the grass to be cut on any state maintained ROW anytime soon.

[jeffandnicole]

Don't expect the grass to be cut on any state maintained ROW anytime soon.

Actually, that stuff probably will continue to be done.  They're stopping road projects which are often done by consultants and contractors, not routine maintenance done by DOT staff. They aren't getting laid off. In fact, today I saw some mowing getting done on 195 and bridge deck work on the 29/295 ramp by DOT.

[jeffandnicole]

From someone's Facebook feed...

[Zeffy]

At least in my opinion, some jughandles are better than trying to turn left directly at a light.

[roadman65]

From someone's Facebook feed...

It is not that bad.  In the worst case scenario, you make two loops at some intersections.

On NJ 10, there was the intersection of Ridgedale Avenue in Hanover, where you had to go past the actual intersection if you were going WB.  Then go around one loop and cross under the highway and the loop again through another loop of a trumpet interchange to return back to NJ 10 EB.  Then travel back to the intersection to make the intended turn.  That was the worst I have seen, as I once stayed at the Howard Johnson Hotel that required me to use that set up as well as the hotel is to the east of that intersection.

[jwolfer]

From someone's Facebook feed...

It is not that bad.  In the worst case scenario, you make two loops at some intersections.

On NJ 10, there was the intersection of Ridgedale Avenue in Hanover, where you had to go past the actual intersection if you were going WB.  Then go around one loop and cross under the highway and the loop again through another loop of a trumpet interchange to return back to NJ 10 EB.  Then travel back to the intersection to make the intended turn.  That was the worst I have seen, as I once stayed at the Howard Johnson Hotel that required me to use that set up as well as the hotel is to the east of that intersection.

I DESPISE jughandles, there are some places where they are best.  But in my mind, as a non-engineer i am a Chiropractor- --my brother and his wife are civil engineers, my granddaddy's brother and sister were electrical engineers--- a modem incarnation of left turn lane(s) with good signal timing etc work as well or better. And it's more intuitive for drivers

Now the jughandlephiles will chime in how NJ has high population density etc. Places like Los Angeles and Miami have drivers who negotiate even triple left turns and can handle pumping gas

[Alps]

Wolfer and others - I'll use Route 10 at Ridgedale as a perfect example. Right now it is a 2 phase signal. There is heavy traffic during commuter peak periods. Terrible backups at 202 (particularly westbound), and eastbound at 287. But the signal itself does not back up. If there were no jughandle and just a direct left turn here, it would have to be a three phase signal. Moreover, if we assume Ridgedale Avenue southbound also enters the intersection, it conflicts with the NB left turn and may require yet another phase. You wanna bet how quickly this becomes a bigger bottleneck than those other intersections? Jughandles help minimize traffic phases at congested intersections to maximize throughput.

[cl94]

Wolfer and others - I'll use Route 10 at Ridgedale as a perfect example. Right now it is a 2 phase signal. There is heavy traffic during commuter peak periods. Terrible backups at 202 (particularly westbound), and eastbound at 287. But the signal itself does not back up. If there were no jughandle and just a direct left turn here, it would have to be a three phase signal. Moreover, if we assume Ridgedale Avenue southbound also enters the intersection, it conflicts with the NB left turn and may require yet another phase. You wanna bet how quickly this becomes a bigger bottleneck than those other intersections? Jughandles help minimize traffic phases at congested intersections to maximize throughput.

New Jersey also has limited space to add turn lanes and widen intersections. Jughandles are pushed through where space exists and many of them are so old that stuff has filled in the space around them. As a (provisionally) licensed civil engineer with a specialization in transportation, I can say that minimizing phases by adding jughandles is often a cheaper solution as well, even if it makes out-of-towners confused. Jughandles aren't unheard of in New England and eastern New York, either, for the same reason.

California and other places, with much newer infrastructure, have the room to add turn lanes. They also don't know how to navigate complex intersections, as jughandles are a northeast thing.

As far as the gas, that's more of a way to preserve minimum-wage jobs. Heck, until they raise the gas tax, paying 30 cents/gallon less while being able to stay in the car makes getting gas in Jersey more than worth it.

[jwolfer]

Jughandles take up space as well. If a road was being widened new ROW was purchased/condemned.

As far as jughandles helping traffic flow, if there is enough congestion to make sitting through multiple cycles, there is still congestion with jughandles; Granted it's not on the main higway but on the side street. As I remember Route 37 and 166 in Toms River, had lots of problems not so much on 37 but on 166.  It just moves the problem area and creates others.

Other "old" states such as Maryland Delaware and Pennsylvania use left turn lanes in nearly all settings. Yes I know there are a handful of jughandles(there is a jughandle on Riverside Ave, SR 211 near downtown Jacksonville, FL) but it's not the norm.

Route 138 in Wall Township has a wide median .. no reason for jug handles. Route 70 in Brick had plenty of ROW put aside for widening, the portion west of Route 88 ,widened in 1965 if I recall from the plaque on the bridges, even has left turn lanes at Brick Blvd and Chambers Bridge Rd. And yet still the hideous jughandles came with widening in the 1990s

Jughandles need to go the way of the traffic circle!

As you can tell i have probably borderline irrational hatred of jughandles, the vitriol and bile some hold for clearview font or I-99, i reserve for the abomination known as jughandles. I am glad I no longer live in NJ and do not have see jughandles on my daily drive

[jwolfer]

As far as the gas, that's more of a way to preserve minimum-wage jobs. Heck, until they raise the gas tax, paying 30 cents/gallon less while being able to stay in the car makes getting gas in Jersey more than worth it.

And the joy of waiting 10 minutes for.the one gas jocky to pump everyone else's gas at 11pm before coming back with your credit card. Because the pump  card readers and new fangled pumps are just so complicated to use.   There are times when staying in the car would be nice, like when alone with little kids or really stormy, but not to often do I find myself pining for someone else to pump my gas. Pumping gas is pretty damned easy. Having an attendant to pump gas reminds me of.the.bathroom attendants giving out soap in some bathrooms.

[amroad17]

From someone's Facebook feed...

Shouldn't it say 48 states?  Michigan doesn't make left turns that way. 

[jeffandnicole]

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/new_jersey/20160720_FBI_conducting_search_in_bay_at_Ocean_City.html

For the purposes of this forum, story isn't important.  I'm only posting it for the picture!  This is on the fishing pier accessed in the middle of the NJ 52 Causeway between Somers Point and Ocean City.

[jeffandnicole]

Probably not the best article to have written...

http://www.nj.com/traffic/index.ssf/2016/07/is_it_illegal_for_motorcycles_to_ride_in_between_l.html#incart_river_home

Q: Is it legal for motorcycles to "lane split" or ride in between lanes of traffic?

A: The answer is somewhat unclear. While New Jersey doesn't have a law on the books forbidding it, the practice isn't encouraged.

[BrianP]

Probably not the best article to have written...

http://www.nj.com/traffic/index.ssf/2016/07/is_it_illegal_for_motorcycles_to_ride_in_between_l.html#incart_river_home

Q: Is it legal for motorcycles to "lane split" or ride in between lanes of traffic?

A: The answer is somewhat unclear. While New Jersey doesn't have a law on the books forbidding it, the practice isn't encouraged.

I'd say it's unclear because couldn't another moving violation be used for this practice? like reckless driving?

[jeffandnicole]

Probably not the best article to have written...

http://www.nj.com/traffic/index.ssf/2016/07/is_it_illegal_for_motorcycles_to_ride_in_between_l.html#incart_river_home

Q: Is it legal for motorcycles to "lane split" or ride in between lanes of traffic?

A: The answer is somewhat unclear. While New Jersey doesn't have a law on the books forbidding it, the practice isn't encouraged.

I'd say it's unclear because couldn't another moving violation be used for this practice? like reckless driving?

Yep.  Failing to maintain a lane, etc.  (Although technically, in this state, Careless Driving would be another violation.  Reckless driving has a very high standard to prove.  Lane splitting itself is Careless Driving.  Weaving in and out of traffic at high speeds while lane splitting and driving on the shoulder is more along the lines of Reckless Driving in NJ). 

I think the article failed in this respect.  It's like asking "Can I drive across people's backyards?  There's no law on the books forbidding it..."  The practice is already illegal based on numerous other laws already on the books.

[Roadrunner75]

Probably not the best article to have written...

http://www.nj.com/traffic/index.ssf/2016/07/is_it_illegal_for_motorcycles_to_ride_in_between_l.html#incart_river_home

Q: Is it legal for motorcycles to "lane split" or ride in between lanes of traffic?

A: The answer is somewhat unclear. While New Jersey doesn't have a law on the books forbidding it, the practice isn't encouraged.

I saw that article and thought about posting it, but I didn't want to start another argument...

[jeffandnicole]

Apparently the state's political leaders have come to an agreement regarding raising the state's fuel tax.  Nothing is concrete though, as they still have to meet next week, and the Governor still has to sign off on it.

http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2016/07/assembly_senate_reach_deal_on_gas_tax_road_funding.html#incart_2box_nj-homepage-featured

Still happening: Gas Tax to rise 23 cents, most likely immediately after the Governor signs off on it.

Not happening: Any reduction in the sales tax.

What's happening instead, as reprinted from the article: "The joint proposal would gradually eliminate the estate tax, increase a popular tax credit for the working poor, raise the tax exemption for retirement and pension income, provide a small tax deduction for spending on gas taxes and create a tax exemption for veterans."

[roadman65]

One thing that always amazed me is why the Green Street intersection in Iselin does not allow left turns there when the median is wide and both US 1 NB and US 1 SB have separate traffic signals.  There is plenty of room for stacking in between the two carriageways and the inside median signals could be timed to turn green later to clear out the area in between to allow for left turn stacking.

The same in Laurence Harbor where left turns onto NJ 35 from Laurence Parkway, where you must continue straight across NJ 35 in both directions, and then go one block and turn left and double back to the highway and turn right.  I do not see why that is an issue there.  Again there are two separate signals and you must stop at the opposing Laurence Parkway signal anyway.

[storm2k]

One thing that always amazed me is why the Green Street intersection in Iselin does not allow left turns there when the median is wide and both US 1 NB and US 1 SB have separate traffic signals.  There is plenty of room for stacking in between the two carriageways and the inside median signals could be timed to turn green later to clear out the area in between to allow for left turn stacking.

The same in Laurence Harbor where left turns onto NJ 35 from Laurence Parkway, where you must continue straight across NJ 35 in both directions, and then go one block and turn left and double back to the highway and turn right.  I do not see why that is an issue there.  Again there are two separate signals and you must stop at the opposing Laurence Parkway signal anyway.

Based on the sheer volume of traffic going through that intersection and the backups that already exist on Green Street, this is for the best. To have left hand turns would require protected left turns and another phase on the traffic signals. That would likely just make backups and traffic worse than it already is, which is why the left turn prohibitions exist already.

[roadman65]

From Green Street yes, but from US 1 no.  There is enough stacking room to handle the left turning traffic.  Two lanes each way to handle it plus the clear out delay.  Just like with freeway overpasses on The Parkway with the urban service roads.  18th Avenue in Irvington used to have the two lights at Eastern and Western Parkways operate together, however the signals would turn red going EB on 18th Avenue at Western Pky. while the WB 18th Avenue turns red simultaneously first.  The signals then would still be green on the opposing sides for a few seconds longer before turning red and let the flow go on the Parkway frontage roads.

This would clear out the inbetween area so that turning vehicles from Eastern and Western Parkways could have plenty of room in between.  I am guessing in the road world that is called a clear out phase.  We have one on Orange Blossom Trail at the two SR 408 service roads where the permissive arrow is at the end of the cycle so that the area under the underpass could clear out and allow 408 service road vehicles a place to go.

Of course my example is from way back, so if any of you live in Irvington and do not see that at the said intersection in your lifetime, it might of been changed since then as it was back in the early 80's I have been to that specific location, but the point is that many freeway service road intersections still do that which is why the SPUI is being built now to avoid that clear out phase thing and second signal.

[jeffandnicole]

This was nice to see on every BGS I passed by this morning (at least on 295):