New York State Thruway

[baugh17]

Signs in the lower Hudson Valley are still up, but tarped.

Funny how they want you to use the app now, but that's on your phone and that would be against NYS policy on hands free driving.  So there's no legal way to get traffic info if you're a solo driver on the Thruway.

Well, they have been installing the new message boards at the entrances for about the past year or so, though I have yet to catch one in active use outside of the occasional sign test.

[Buffaboy]

I guess with people using apps like Waze, the hazard stations have fallen out of favor. Still, Waze or other apps can be a distraction to anyone driving and having some sort of audio feedback instead would be much safer.

[Snappyjack]

Any word on when the Ripley barrier is going to be coming down? Passed through on Thursday and was surprised to see it still up. I saw Exit 47 was still standing as well, but no others to speak of.

[vdeane]

Everything is here, though it's only updated once a month: https://www.thruway.ny.gov/cashless/demo-schedule.html

It appears Ripley will be removed in July.

[RobbieL2415]

How are they doing AMBER alerts if they took out the traffic info signs? Is NYS doing them over the EAS?

[Rothman]

How are they doing AMBER alerts if they took out the traffic info signs? Is NYS doing them over the EAS?

It's only the radio sign beacons.  Amber Alerts are also done through VMSes.

[RobbieL2415]

How are they doing AMBER alerts if they took out the traffic info signs? Is NYS doing them over the EAS?

It's only the radio sign beacons.  Amber Alerts are also done through VMSes.

I see.
I could've sworn I've seen a second pair of flashing yellows below the "traffic advisory when flashing" that said "AMBER alert when flashing".

[shadyjay]

You have seen that!  The amber alert flashers/placards were below the "URGENT MESSAGE WHEN FLASHING" placard.  For an example, see here:
https://www.google.com/search?q=new+york+thruway+advisory+radio+sign&sxsrf=ALeKk01c5Pyi3nmOj-ISkBmDRhW61xtJ5g:1623877348469&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjGh47Ehp3xAhXvSDABHagPBUkQ_AUoAnoECAEQBA&biw=1920&bih=880

I have (in the past year or so) seen amber alerts on the Thruway posted on the VMSs.  That's probably a better way to get people to keep a look out for a particular vehicle, vs turning to a radio station and waiting for the message.

[Buffaboy]

I drove on I-90 from E.57 to I-490 yesterday, where the I-490 booths are still up.

Also, I-490 could use some TLC in the Rochester area, as well as NY-590 which I also drove on.

[RobbieL2415]

I drove on I-90 from E.57 to I-490 yesterday, where the I-490 booths are still up.

Also, I-490 could use some TLC in the Rochester area, as well as NY-590 which I also drove on.

Yeah, the half of 490 that's east of the Genesee River needs to be rehabbed.

[Plutonic Panda]

Now this is cool. I'm glad to see NY invest in its rest areas. Oklahoma would just opt to close them.

https://www.thruway.ny.gov/travelers/travelplazas/service-area-project/index.html?fbclid=IwAR1fuiL6r9WoDfHpgvUA8Q9qRfwTMLuRkwIldYq79mI9KixKmSZkOsLlFf8

[MASTERNC]

Now this is cool. I'm glad to see NY invest in its rest areas. Oklahoma would just opt to close them.

https://www.thruway.ny.gov/travelers/travelplazas/service-area-project/index.html?fbclid=IwAR1fuiL6r9WoDfHpgvUA8Q9qRfwTMLuRkwIldYq79mI9KixKmSZkOsLlFf8

Makes the PA Turnpike look like a third world operation with only 4-5 repeating brands. I know HMSHost has a Panera franchise, so I'd kill for one or two on that road.

The only downside is a lot of the existing restaurant concepts have permanently closed already in anticipation of the future renovations. You can see a lot of patched over logos on service area signs.

[cl94]

Now this is cool. I'm glad to see NY invest in its rest areas. Oklahoma would just opt to close them.

https://www.thruway.ny.gov/travelers/travelplazas/service-area-project/index.html?fbclid=IwAR1fuiL6r9WoDfHpgvUA8Q9qRfwTMLuRkwIldYq79mI9KixKmSZkOsLlFf8

Makes the PA Turnpike look like a third world operation with only 4-5 repeating brands. I know HMSHost has a Panera franchise, so I'd kill for one or two on that road.

The only downside is a lot of the existing restaurant concepts have permanently closed already in anticipation of the future renovations. You can see a lot of patched over logos on service area signs.

Most of them closed for COVID and never reopened.

Regarding the operations side, Applegreen (apparently the private operator of the new service areas) operates some of the UK's motorway service areas. The renderings/amenities look far more like European offerings than we're used to seeing in the US, which will be a major improvement. I don't like how many Shake Shacks are going in to replace cheaper options, but whatever. Not like I ever buy food on the Thruway anyway.

[Rothman]

Shake Shack isn't the place it used to be.  Sell outs.

[seicer]

I am pretty excited about the showers that are year-round. As someone who remote works (and works from wherever), it's nice to have a reliable place to shower when I am in central New York. Truck stops with showers that are aplenty in the south and midwest are sparse to non-existent in the northeast; and year-round showers are hard to come by, especially from parks that want to charge a full rate to camp when you just want to shower. And Planet Fitness isn't all that available outside of many cities.

[vdeane]

As exciting as it would be to have Panera Bread at some locations, overall I greatly prefer the current (or at least pre-COVID) restaurant offerings to the new ones.  What's with no longer offering pizza on the Thruway?  What genius thought that up?  Sbarro, you will be missed!

[kalvado]

As exciting as it would be to have Panera Bread at some locations, overall I greatly prefer the current (or at least pre-COVID) restaurant offerings to the new ones.  What's with no longer offering pizza on the Thruway?  What genius thought that up?  Sbarro, you will be missed!

Looks to be a trend in travel food - shift towards fancy, expensive and slow service. With options, e.g. in an airport, being limited, audience is pretty captive and has to follow.
Flying J in Batavia was a nice way to deviate from the captive offering. I wonder if Thruway would allow for more services signs...

[Rothman]

As exciting as it would be to have Panera Bread at some locations, overall I greatly prefer the current (or at least pre-COVID) restaurant offerings to the new ones.  What's with no longer offering pizza on the Thruway?  What genius thought that up?  Sbarro, you will be missed!

No, no.  Sbarro will not be missed.  Sbarro is never missed.

[machias]

As exciting as it would be to have Panera Bread at some locations, overall I greatly prefer the current (or at least pre-COVID) restaurant offerings to the new ones.  What's with no longer offering pizza on the Thruway?  What genius thought that up?  Sbarro, you will be missed!

Looks to be a trend in travel food - shift towards fancy, expensive and slow service. With options, e.g. in an airport, being limited, audience is pretty captive and has to follow.
Flying J in Batavia was a nice way to deviate from the captive offering. I wonder if Thruway would allow for more services signs...

I'm pretty certain the Thruway Authority will never put up more service signs. They don't even have service signs westbound after Angola, and there's plenty of services at the remaining interchanges. Service signs are just not their thing.

[vdeane]

The way they bill is also a HUGE disincentive to get off within a virtual ticket system, at least for those of us who actually read our E-ZPass statements and reconcile them with our travels.  What used to be quick and easy is now like piecing together a jigsaw puzzle out of a full length novel (especially as they don't process in order).  Getting off adds yet another line to an already way too long statement.

[Rothman]

I've yet to have a problem with E-ZPass billing.  I am confused by the difficulty vdeane's finding in her statements.

[storm2k]

As exciting as it would be to have Panera Bread at some locations, overall I greatly prefer the current (or at least pre-COVID) restaurant offerings to the new ones.  What's with no longer offering pizza on the Thruway?  What genius thought that up?  Sbarro, you will be missed!

Looks to be a trend in travel food - shift towards fancy, expensive and slow service. With options, e.g. in an airport, being limited, audience is pretty captive and has to follow.
Flying J in Batavia was a nice way to deviate from the captive offering. I wonder if Thruway would allow for more services signs...

I'm pretty certain the Thruway Authority will never put up more service signs. They don't even have service signs westbound after Angola, and there's plenty of services at the remaining interchanges. Service signs are just not their thing.

No toll authority generally endorses service signs since their goal is to keep you on their toll road until you reach your destination. The NJ Turnpike only puts up lodging signs, and that's only from Exit 8 southward. The PA Turnpike only has some lodging and attraction signs ahead of their various exits. Posting food or gas service signs would be more of an encouragement to get off the toll road to seek services instead of spending your money at the service areas.

[Jim]

I've yet to have a problem with E-ZPass billing.  I am confused by the difficulty vdeane's finding in her statements.

For myself, the initial glitches with lengthy delays in things showing up after the conversion were a little annoying but that seems to have cleared up.  My statements are longer with some trips that were previously a single entry still being split.  Commuter plan trips between 27 and 24 show up as single $0.00 entries, but trips on our tag not on a plan break that trip down into what is charged in each segment, 27-25A, 25A-25, and 25-24.  Since I'm not getting these in hard copy or printing them, if the statement spills onto an extra page or two, it doesn't bother me.

[kalvado]

I've yet to have a problem with E-ZPass billing.  I am confused by the difficulty vdeane's finding in her statements.

For myself, the initial glitches with lengthy delays in things showing up after the conversion were a little annoying but that seems to have cleared up.  My statements are longer with some trips that were previously a single entry still being split.  Commuter plan trips between 27 and 24 show up as single $0.00 entries, but trips on our tag not on a plan break that trip down into what is charged in each segment, 27-25A, 25A-25, and 25-24.  Since I'm not getting these in hard copy or printing them, if the statement spills onto an extra page or two, it doesn't bother me.

Taking not bothering to a whole new level:
I am not using Thruway too much (despite driving through I-87 - I-90 interchange on a daily basis). My personal EZpass accounting is pretty much limited to occasional "Account replenished" text. As long as it doesn't happen too often (which it doesn't), it just goes into  "general cost of living" category. 

[vdeane]

I've yet to have a problem with E-ZPass billing.  I am confused by the difficulty vdeane's finding in her statements.

For myself, the initial glitches with lengthy delays in things showing up after the conversion were a little annoying but that seems to have cleared up.  My statements are longer with some trips that were previously a single entry still being split.  Commuter plan trips between 27 and 24 show up as single $0.00 entries, but trips on our tag not on a plan break that trip down into what is charged in each segment, 27-25A, 25A-25, and 25-24.  Since I'm not getting these in hard copy or printing them, if the statement spills onto an extra page or two, it doesn't bother me.

Yes, that.  Take my typical drive from Albany to Rochester, which I take many times per year.  It used to appear on the statement like this:
24-45

Now it appears like this, usually in approximately this order:
34A-35
35-36
44-45
36-39
39-44
25A-34A
25-25A
24-25

This is VERY annoying, especially when you factor in that this is only one way - the same thing happens going the other way.  The formula is basically mainline tolls Syracuse west, then virtual ticket tolls Syracuse west, Albany-Syracuse virtual ticket tolls, then finally the Albany-Schenectady mainline tolls (the ones affected by the I-88 free zone).  South and east of Albany bill like west of Syracuse.  MassDOT got it right and amalgamates the gantries together into a virtual virtual ticket system (double word intended), but the Thruway doesn't.

Note that they did not name the gantries like they did for the former barrier tolls downstate, so these don't even stand out on the statement.  They're billed as if you got on at one interchange on the former ticket system, got off at the next, and then got back on again, multiple times.