New Jersey Turnpike

[Rothman]

Yeah, I don't see the point.  No need to give the Turnpike a designation between I-95 and I-295.

[bluecountry]

Can you link it then, or just tell me when it says on I-95 exit 72...what is that in reference to...mile 72 on I-95 in NJ OR mile 72 on I-80?

Also, why does 80 co-sign with 95 only to end somewhere on the GWB instead of ending at the junction of I-95?

Huh? regarding your second question.  At MM 67.7 along I-80 eastbound.

FWIW I-80 eastbound MM 68.0 at I-95 split

I-80 eastbound's MM 68.2 is located along the ramp to I-95 northbound.

Beyond the interchange along I-95 northbound, NJTP northbound MM 119.2 approaching Exits 70 A/B

Lastly, along I-95 southbound approaching I-80 interchange/Exit 69

The upshot: given that I-80 mileage ends prior to reaching its MM 69.0, it's a reasonable assumption that Exit 70 A/B and the subsequent interchanges to the GW Bridge were based on I-95's pre-1982 mileage.

Side bar: SignBridge, you beat me to the punch.

Well, after ALL these years, glad to have this finally cleared up.
See I recall hearing traffic reports of 80/95....and then seeing exit 72, I figured it was using I-80s MM since that's roughly the distance of I-80 in NJ.

Wow, that is really convoluted and confusing, they NEED to change it.

[bluecountry]

Now that the decades-long NJTP becoming I-95 is at last accomplished... clearly having an Interstate designation is no longer the issue it was back in the beginning years.  So, just make the southern section I-695 and be done with it.

Doesn't really solve anything.

It would help on the Delaware side of the bridge.  I-695 would be the signed route to New York City, I-295 could be struck back to Exit 1 in NJ and be signed as the route to Camden & Trenton.  Then coming in from Delaware, it would be clearer to have I-95 Wilmington, I-495 Philadelphia, I-695 New York City.  Plus, no one on the lower NJTP would think they were still on I-95 any longer.  Emergency services would appreciate the clarity.

That's a great idea, I like it.
Though to be honest, what I REALLY would like it doing what I-35 does in Dallas.

Have I-95 from the current juncture at I-295, continue as it is as I-95 to Philly
Have I-295 from the juncture at I-95 to exit 6 at the PATP be 'I-95 express'
I-295 would begin at the NJTP.

[storm2k]

Two interesting striping changes I've seen of late, both on the outer roadway. First, at 11, the entrance lane from the ramp still condenses from two lanes to one, but it becomes the right lane of the expanded four lane section for the HOV lane. Likewise, the left lane from the roadway just becomes the HOV lane, it no longer opens up on the left. This layout kind of makes sense, but it surprised me the other day when I was in the left lane going up to that point and suddenly realized I was in the HOV lane without actually actively trying to get into it.

Secondly, it looks like they did a little paving and restriping to make the offramp at 14 be two lanes. One going to 78WB and the other onto the NBHCE. I'm guessing to try and alleviate the traffic backups there, especially with the shoulder not being able to be used as a lane on the NBHCE. I really hope they put that shoulder lane option back after they finish the deck replacements in that stretch, because it certainly has caused traffic to get appreciably worse going NB in the mornings up to that point.

[ixnay]

Now that the decades-long NJTP becoming I-95 is at last accomplished... clearly having an Interstate designation is no longer the issue it was back in the beginning years.  So, just make the southern section I-695 and be done with it.

Doesn't really solve anything.

It would help on the Delaware side of the bridge.  I-695 would be the signed route to New York City, I-295 could be struck back to Exit 1 in NJ and be signed as the route to Camden & Trenton.  Then coming in from Delaware, it would be clearer to have I-95 Wilmington, I-495 Philadelphia, I-695 New York City.  Plus, no one on the lower NJTP would think they were still on I-95 any longer.  Emergency services would appreciate the clarity.

That's a great idea, I like it.
Though to be honest, what I REALLY would like it doing what I-35 does in Dallas.

Have I-95 from the current juncture at I-295, continue as it is as I-95 to Philly
Have I-295 from the juncture at I-95 to exit 6 at the PATP be 'I-95 express'
I-295 would begin at the NJTP.

"I-95 express could be signed "I-95E" (or "I-95X").

ixnay

[jeffandnicole]

Well, after ALL these years, glad to have this finally cleared up.
See I recall hearing traffic reports of 80/95....and then seeing exit 72, I figured it was using I-80s MM since that's roughly the distance of I-80 in NJ.

Wow, that is really convoluted and confusing, they NEED to change it.

If you never noticed an issue, how was it confusing?

Now that the decades-long NJTP becoming I-95 is at last accomplished... clearly having an Interstate designation is no longer the issue it was back in the beginning years.  So, just make the southern section I-695 and be done with it.

Doesn't really solve anything.

It would help on the Delaware side of the bridge.  I-695 would be the signed route to New York City, I-295 could be struck back to Exit 1 in NJ and be signed as the route to Camden & Trenton.  Then coming in from Delaware, it would be clearer to have I-95 Wilmington, I-495 Philadelphia, I-695 New York City.  Plus, no one on the lower NJTP would think they were still on I-95 any longer.  Emergency services would appreciate the clarity.

That's a great idea, I like it.
Though to be honest, what I REALLY would like it doing what I-35 does in Dallas.

Have I-95 from the current juncture at I-295, continue as it is as I-95 to Philly
Have I-295 from the juncture at I-95 to exit 6 at the PATP be 'I-95 express'
I-295 would begin at the NJTP.

"I-95 express could be signed "I-95E" (or "I-95X").

ixnay

Or, and I'm just throwing this out there, it could be signed "NJ Turnpike".  All you're doing is changing one label to another.

[storm2k]

I dunno. I'm fine with the Turnpike Authority signing the eastern and western spurs with mileage based numbers based on their existing mileage and just appending E or W like they are now. It works fine. The two alignments are basically designed to be able to shunt traffic from one to the other if needed for major road work, accidents, etc. Why mess with that? People get too hung up on the semantics of the rules while sometimes we should just focus on the bigger picture of what makes it easier for the average driver to find their way to their destinations.

[Rothman]

The only confusion I've ever had on the Turnpike was over how to figure out which side of it I wanted to end up on where it splits in the Secaucus/Meadowlands area.

[cpzilliacus]

Now that the decades-long NJTP becoming I-95 is at last accomplished... clearly having an Interstate designation is no longer the issue it was back in the beginning years.  So, just make the southern section I-695 and be done with it.

Doesn't really solve anything.

It would help on the Delaware side of the bridge.  I-695 would be the signed route to New York City, I-295 could be struck back to Exit 1 in NJ and be signed as the route to Camden & Trenton.  Then coming in from Delaware, it would be clearer to have I-95 Wilmington, I-495 Philadelphia, I-695 New York City.  Plus, no one on the lower NJTP would think they were still on I-95 any longer.  Emergency services would appreciate the clarity.

As the turnpike alignment would be the more important road, I would suggest signing the turnpike I-295 and changing existing I-295 north of the turnpike to I-695, but I suppose the number recognition and signing costs would make that the less attractive option.

Please...for the love of god, don't do this. We've just had to do a exit number and interstate number change already, 95 north of trenton being 295 now, with "old exit" signs, same with 95 in PA north of the turnpike.

I would sign the New Jersey Turnpike from Exit 1 to Exit 6 as I-895.   No change to I-295 that way, and it lets drivers know that they can stay on the Turnpike secure in the knowledge that they will return to I-95 at either end.

[SignBridge]

Why would that stretch of NJT need a route number at all? It seems to me the Turnpike logo is sufficient. So why add another Interstate number to the already confusing mix of Interstate numbers in the Phila-Trenton area when it's not needed?

[cpzilliacus]

Why would that stretch of NJT need a route number at all? It seems to me the Turnpike logo is sufficient. So why add another Interstate number to the already confusing mix of Interstate numbers in the Phila-Trenton area when it's not needed?

Because the de-facto standard for freeways is (now) that they are all (or very nearly all) signed with a route number.  If NJTA does not want I-895, then they could sign with NJ-700, which is probably even more confusing to the motoring public.

[famartin]

Why would that stretch of NJT need a route number at all? It seems to me the Turnpike logo is sufficient. So why add another Interstate number to the already confusing mix of Interstate numbers in the Phila-Trenton area when it's not needed?

Because the de-facto standard for freeways is (now) that they are all (or very nearly all) signed with a route number.  If NJTA does not want I-895, then they could sign with NJ-700, which is probably even more confusing to the motoring public.

While you are right of course, the fact remains that NJ is an enigma in this regard, with no less than 4 major highways without signed route numbers... The turnpike, GS Parkway, AC Expressway and Palisades Parkway (though calling that last one major is a bit of a stretch, I know).  That said, NY also has plenty of parkways without signed numbers...

[1995hoo]

I dunno. I'm fine with the Turnpike Authority signing the eastern and western spurs with mileage based numbers based on their existing mileage and just appending E or W like they are now. It works fine. The two alignments are basically designed to be able to shunt traffic from one to the other if needed for major road work, accidents, etc. Why mess with that? People get too hung up on the semantics of the rules while sometimes we should just focus on the bigger picture of what makes it easier for the average driver to find their way to their destinations.

[Roadwarriors79]

How often does one state use the highway logo of another state? Other than maybe using the state route symbol of another state? Both DE and PA use the NJ Turnpike logo a lot to point drivers in that direction. Most states would just spell out "NJ Turnpike" on their signage.

[storm2k]

So, to switch gears back to useful things for people who travel on this road, there are now reassurance markers just south of Exit 11 showing both the 95 and Turnpike shields. Turnpike Authority had just completed some Jersey Barrier and guardrail repair in that area and these signs look to be added as part of that. I would assume we'll slowly see more reassurance markers added in this fashion, as part of other smaller maintenance and reconstruction projects. As with a lot of newer reassurance markers that the TA has been putting up, they are on wooden posts and not steel ones. That's one of those Parkway things that has been quietly moving onto the Turnpike in recent years (a lot of the newer keep right except to pass signs erected in the past couple of years are on wooden posts as well).

[Beltway]

How often does one state use the highway logo of another state? Other than maybe using the state route symbol of another state? Both DE and PA use the NJ Turnpike logo a lot to point drivers in that direction. Most states would just spell out "NJ Turnpike" on their signage.

I have said in the past how in some respects the "NJTP logo" carries even more authority than the Interstate shield.

[SignBridge]

I agree with Beltway and Roadwarriors79. Most drivers will recognize NJ Turnpike (or its logo) as the road they're looking for. But if they see only a NJ 700 or I-895 shield, how will they know that is the NJ Turnpike?

[Roadsguy]

I agree with Beltway and Roadwarriors79. Most drivers will recognize NJ Turnpike (or its logo) as the road they're looking for. But if they see only a NJ 700 or I-895 shield, how will they know that is the NJ Turnpike?

Was anyone actually suggesting removing NJTP shields? The ideal way to designate an Interstate along the southern section would be to sign it with NJTP shields and I-695/895 shields, just like the section carrying I-95. (I'd prefer 695, since 895 is for the Burlington-Bristol Bridge replacement, darnit!)

Honestly, I wish the PTC did the same with PA Turnpike shields on the mainline and Northeast Extension, signing them alongside the I-76/276/476 shields. They did once on a single sign eastbound at the Willow Grove interchange put up in late 2018, but this was probably by accident since the diagrammatics before it lack the Turnpike shield.

[Rothman]

Seem to be getting into fictional territory here.

[storm2k]

So, to switch gears back to useful things for people who travel on this road, there are now reassurance markers just south of Exit 11 showing both the 95 and Turnpike shields. Turnpike Authority had just completed some Jersey Barrier and guardrail repair in that area and these signs look to be added as part of that. I would assume we'll slowly see more reassurance markers added in this fashion, as part of other smaller maintenance and reconstruction projects. As with a lot of newer reassurance markers that the TA has been putting up, they are on wooden posts and not steel ones. That's one of those Parkway things that has been quietly moving onto the Turnpike in recent years (a lot of the newer keep right except to pass signs erected in the past couple of years are on wooden posts as well).

There are also reassurance markers just past Exit 10 and Exit 11 going NB. Assuming that we'll soon see these beyond every entrance in the not too distant future.

[famartin]

So, to switch gears back to useful things for people who travel on this road, there are now reassurance markers just south of Exit 11 showing both the 95 and Turnpike shields. Turnpike Authority had just completed some Jersey Barrier and guardrail repair in that area and these signs look to be added as part of that. I would assume we'll slowly see more reassurance markers added in this fashion, as part of other smaller maintenance and reconstruction projects. As with a lot of newer reassurance markers that the TA has been putting up, they are on wooden posts and not steel ones. That's one of those Parkway things that has been quietly moving onto the Turnpike in recent years (a lot of the newer keep right except to pass signs erected in the past couple of years are on wooden posts as well).

There are also reassurance markers just past Exit 10 and Exit 11 going NB.

You mean like this one just north of 6?

[PHLBOS]

You mean like this one just north of 6?

I meant to comment on such in the Turnpike/I-95 interchange thread but I'll do such here since you posted the above-pic.  When I last drove along that stretch the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, it appeared that that particular assembly wasn't there anymore.  I'm guessing that its absence was the result of such being struck by an errant vehicle.  Either that or I missed seeing it that time due to checking the traffic prior to changing lanes; note: I was traveling in the outer lanes.

[bluecountry]

No, keep the NJTP shield, but simply do this:

1) From the I-95 junction in DE, make I-95 north local from there until it meets the NJTP at exit 6.

2) Make I-295 from the I-95 junction in DE to the junction with the NJTP I-95 express until exit 6 when it becomes I-95/NJTP

3) I-295 then begins at the junction of the NJTP

4) Re-label the I-95/NJTP exits from exit 18 to the GWB as:
-Exit 19/20/21/22 and so fourth

OR
-Have them correspond to the mileage on I-95, following the mileage from I-95 express in the south.

[bluecountry]

Also, how come they are NOW adding signs indicatin miles to Philly (mile 81) and Wil/Bal/DC (mile 29)?

What brought this on and is there more to go?

Personally I'd like to see the directional city changed for I-95 from 'Trenton' to Philadelphia.
Then at exit 6 I want to see the NJTP south having Wilmington/Bal/DC as the directional.

[Alps]

Now that the decades-long NJTP becoming I-95 is at last accomplished... clearly having an Interstate designation is no longer the issue it was back in the beginning years.  So, just make the southern section I-695 and be done with it.

Doesn't really solve anything.

It would help on the Delaware side of the bridge.  I-695 would be the signed route to New York City, I-295 could be struck back to Exit 1 in NJ and be signed as the route to Camden & Trenton.  Then coming in from Delaware, it would be clearer to have I-95 Wilmington, I-495 Philadelphia, I-695 New York City.  Plus, no one on the lower NJTP would think they were still on I-95 any longer.  Emergency services would appreciate the clarity.

Based on traffic flow for the past 40 years, it's quite clear which way to go if people want to get to New York from Delaware.

While you must think EMS, police, and fire fighters have a combined IQ of a rock and that every day brings a new team of responders that have never set foot in NJ to the area much less ever heard of the Turnpike, emergency responders that work incidents on the Turnpike are very familiar the Turnpike, much more so than those that occasionally travel the Turnpike, and know that road like the back of their hands. They are able to quickly interpret a caller's location and get the proper responders there.

Concur. NJTP is shielded like a normal route, referred to like a normal route, and therefore can be followed.