New Jersey

[NJRoadfan]

There's very little information out there (other than the signs) on the mandatory court appearances on the GSP.  I had read an article about a change in policy, but I don't know how much discretion the troopers have in checking that box for a speeding ticket alone (unless they added in reckless driving, etc.).  There's certainly a scare tactic element, because the NJSP don't want to be face to face with you in the current conditions anymore than you would want that at any time.  But they may be more likely now to not cut breaks and drop the charge below that check box level if you force them into pulling you over and creating that interaction...

They are likely tacking on a violation of executive order. Speeding under title 39 normally isn't a court appearance unless you are going well above the limit or charged with other offenses. Either way, the threshold seems to be pretty high to actually get pulled over at the moment based on observation. Makes me wonder whats happening in Virginia with all these empty roads, cause they don't tolerate the same amount of speeding NJ does normally.

[hubcity]

There's very little information out there (other than the signs) on the mandatory court appearances on the GSP.  I had read an article about a change in policy, but I don't know how much discretion the troopers have in checking that box for a speeding ticket alone (unless they added in reckless driving, etc.).  There's certainly a scare tactic element, because the NJSP don't want to be face to face with you in the current conditions anymore than you would want that at any time.  But they may be more likely now to not cut breaks and drop the charge below that check box level if you force them into pulling you over and creating that interaction...

They are likely tacking on a violation of executive order. Speeding under title 39 normally isn't a court appearance unless you are going well above the limit or charged with other offenses. Either way, the threshold seems to be pretty high to actually get pulled over at the moment based on observation. Makes me wonder whats happening in Virginia with all these empty roads, cause they don't tolerate the same amount of speeding NJ does normally.

There's another angle that may be at play: Officers' reluctance to face potentially infected speeders. They're guaranteeing a mandatory court appearance because, if you were driving fast enough to cause a policeman to pull you over, you were likely doing something that would draw a mandatory court appearance under normal circumstances. (Note that the signs don't mention *what* infractions you're likely to get pulled over for; they just say "if you get pulled over".)

[Roadrunner75]

There's very little information out there (other than the signs) on the mandatory court appearances on the GSP.  I had read an article about a change in policy, but I don't know how much discretion the troopers have in checking that box for a speeding ticket alone (unless they added in reckless driving, etc.).  There's certainly a scare tactic element, because the NJSP don't want to be face to face with you in the current conditions anymore than you would want that at any time.  But they may be more likely now to not cut breaks and drop the charge below that check box level if you force them into pulling you over and creating that interaction...

They are likely tacking on a violation of executive order. Speeding under title 39 normally isn't a court appearance unless you are going well above the limit or charged with other offenses. Either way, the threshold seems to be pretty high to actually get pulled over at the moment based on observation. Makes me wonder whats happening in Virginia with all these empty roads, cause they don't tolerate the same amount of speeding NJ does normally.

There's another angle that may be at play: Officers' reluctance to face potentially infected speeders. They're guaranteeing a mandatory court appearance because, if you were driving fast enough to cause a policeman to pull you over, you were likely doing something that would draw a mandatory court appearance under normal circumstances. (Note that the signs don't mention *what* infractions you're likely to get pulled over for; they just say "if you get pulled over".)

Yes, that's what I was saying in that they don't want to be face to face with drivers right now and you are not going to get a break if you force them into doing so.  The signs on the GSP do specifically mention speeding for the court appearance, though.  Here's a link to one article with a photo:

https://www.tapinto.net/towns/middletown/sections/law-and-justice/articles/missed-it-mandatory-court-appearance-by-state-police-for-speeding-on-gsp

[hubcity]

My memory failed - thought they said "Pulled over?" Even so, "Caught Speeding" <> "Speeding".

[storm2k]

Drove up 206 through Hillsborough yesterday for the first time in a while. Looks like both ends of the bypass are pretty far along. Northern end was turned into a T with a loop jughandle from the northbound bypass onto southbound 206 so for now traffic has to slow down to about 10mph to make the turn to continue on their trips.

Couple of questions:

1. What's the state's plan for routing once the bypass is complete? In olden times, they would move the US Route off of the bypassed roads and give it a 1xx state route number (e.g., 159, 166, 183, etc.) but I've heard that isn't their procedure anymore? Will they move 206 onto the bypass and then just hand the old road over to Somerset county to sign it as a 6xx county road or nothing at all?

2. Is the southern end of the bypass south of Amwell Road still going to be a divided super 2? That's such a not-Jersey thing. Only other place I know of them really doing that is part of the 33 bypass of Freehold, which always felt like a project wrought with some poorly thought out design choices (as evidenced by it having an exit that was so poorly designed that it never was allowed to open).

[Alps]

Drove up 206 through Hillsborough yesterday for the first time in a while. Looks like both ends of the bypass are pretty far along. Northern end was turned into a T with a loop jughandle from the northbound bypass onto southbound 206 so for now traffic has to slow down to about 10mph to make the turn to continue on their trips.

Couple of questions:

1. What's the state's plan for routing once the bypass is complete? In olden times, they would move the US Route off of the bypassed roads and give it a 1xx state route number (e.g., 159, 166, 183, etc.) but I've heard that isn't their procedure anymore? Will they move 206 onto the bypass and then just hand the old road over to Somerset county to sign it as a 6xx county road or nothing at all?

2. Is the southern end of the bypass south of Amwell Road still going to be a divided super 2? That's such a not-Jersey thing. Only other place I know of them really doing that is part of the 33 bypass of Freehold, which always felt like a project wrought with some poorly thought out design choices (as evidenced by it having an exit that was so poorly designed that it never was allowed to open).

1. Going back to town maintenance.
2. The whole thing is a 2 to 4 lane divided expressway, not really a super 2.

[bzakharin]

Drove the Atlantic City Expressway end to end in both directions today for the first time in a few months. There are two new ACE reassurance assemblies, one Eastbound near MM 31 to match the Westbound one, but with a TOLL banner, and the other Westbound around MM 41 without a TOLL banner. The other thing is the process of upgrading mile markers to the new large-sized ones. Eastbound I didn't notice any old 1/10 mile markers still standing, though about half of the whole mile ones are still the old ones. Westbound the same holds true for the first 20 miles or so (19.2 was the only exception I spotted), but after that it's still hit or miss, though more than half of the markers have been replaced even there.

[odditude]

Some nonstandard 3di-sized shields using Series D were installed as part of the replacement overhead signage at exit 47A (CR 541) on I-295 northbound after the full-depth reconstruction a few years back (GSV); while driving through on Saturday I noticed those shields have been replaced with standard shields using Series B. I didn't notice any other changes - although fixing the abysmal lack of padding would require either new signage or going back to the previous text size.

back in the area for the week, and I noticed that the shields on these signs have been replaced again - this time, as cutouts without the backplate. again, the signs themselves were not touched.

i'm surprised NJDOT would go to the expense to replace them - can anyone shed any light on this, and whether it's also happening elsewhere in the state?

[NJRoadfan]

NJDOT finally got around to replacing the missing Exit 52 BGS last year. That was missing for.... quite a long time.

[jeffandnicole]

NJDOT finally got around to replacing the missing Exit 52 BGS last year. That was missing for.... quite a long time.

The entire structure was replaced as part of a much larger project to replace numerous overhead sign structures.

[famartin]

NJDOT finally got around to replacing the missing Exit 52 BGS last year. That was missing for.... quite a long time.

The entire structure was replaced as part of a much larger project to replace numerous overhead sign structures.

I noticed they did that in quite a few places on I-195 already. They don't seem to have done many on I-295 yet.

[jeffandnicole]

NJDOT finally got around to replacing the missing Exit 52 BGS last year. That was missing for.... quite a long time.

The entire structure was replaced as part of a much larger project to replace numerous overhead sign structures.

I noticed they did that in quite a few places on I-195 already. They don't seem to have done many on I-295 yet.

Depends which ones needed them. A number of structures don't show any metal fatigue, or are newer and don't need to be replaced. Overhead sign structures for interchanges 43, 45, 47 & 52 were the oldest in the system up thru Exit 60 and were recently replaced. A structure on Rt. 55 in Deptford was also replaced as part of this contract, and other sign contracts are replacing other older structures as well.

[storm2k]

NJDOT finally got around to replacing the missing Exit 52 BGS last year. That was missing for.... quite a long time.

The entire structure was replaced as part of a much larger project to replace numerous overhead sign structures.

Any info on where they were replacing said structures and what routes we can expect it on? For example, will they finally replace the overhead at 5B on 280 WB?

[storm2k]

This structure on 78WB got replaced recently. The 525 shield is now backless as is the newer standard. Using wooden signposts instead of metal. Guessing this was a replacement of a strike that knocked this sign down? If it was, surprised NJDOT didn't just put the original one back up, like the 1 1/2 mile approach for Exit 10 on 287 that's been knocked down at least three or four times that I can think of since it was erected in 1998 (it's not in great shape and they haven't bothered to put the exit tab back onto it). All of the other signage for this interchange remains the same, including a rare remaining "Next Right" approach sign.

[storm2k]

Also, is this classic gantry still up? This is, what, 1975-80 vintage?

[jeffandnicole]

NJDOT finally got around to replacing the missing Exit 52 BGS last year. That was missing for.... quite a long time.

The entire structure was replaced as part of a much larger project to replace numerous overhead sign structures.

Any info on where they were replacing said structures and what routes we can expect it on? For example, will they finally replace the overhead at 5B on 280 WB?

If you look thru here, https://www.state.nj.us/transportation/business/procurement/ConstrServ/awards20.shtm , you can find project descriptions that begin with 'Sign Structure Replacement...', which will give a general description of the locations. Some of these reports are better than others - some may clearly pinpoint the location; others may send you on a mission to figure it out.  Clicking on the Bid Tabulations and scrolling down will give the structure numbers, but you may need to know the structure coding or look it up in the Straight Line Diagrams to figure out the exact locations. 

Other areas of the NJDOT website will tell you upcoming projects or projects out to bid, some of which may include signage projects.

[famartin]

Also, is this classic gantry still up? This is, what, 1975-80 vintage?

The one heading WB is gone. I'm gonna head EB thru there at some point in the next few days.

[roadman65]

Speaking of signs on I-295 and the ones on NJ 55 as part of that particular project, does Millville still have the non freeway guides on Route 55 that are the small one's on the slotted poles and the same designs as off freeway routes?

[famartin]

Speaking of signs on I-295 and the ones on NJ 55 as part of that particular project, does Millville still have the non freeway guides on Route 55 that are the small one's on the slotted poles and the same designs as off freeway routes?

Yup.

[storm2k]

Also, is this classic gantry still up? This is, what, 1975-80 vintage?

The one heading WB is gone. I'm gonna head EB thru there at some point in the next few days.

That's a bummer. That style of non-reflective button copy is like quintessential NJDOT signage to me. Large shields, clear messaging, big dimensions on signs. I get that the structures they're on have likely reached the end of service life being 40-45 years old, but it really represents the end of an era.

[roadman65]

Speaking of signs on I-295 and the ones on NJ 55 as part of that particular project, does Millville still have the non freeway guides on Route 55 that are the small one's on the slotted poles and the same designs as off freeway routes?

Yup.

Figures.



Most likely when these signs wear out no doubt they will replace them with new ones exactly like these.

[NJRoadfan]

They replaced Exit 26 with mixed case versions already.

[famartin]

Moved from NJ Turnpike thread (had a brain fart and put this there first)

Well, I suppose I should share some of this years round of photos, tho it's far from over... adding more as we speak. My new ones are in the main cat here so scroll down past the subcats (format of my new ones is date-time-placeholder for now)
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Roads_in_New_Jersey
I have many more I plan to take... a welcome distraction from real life right now

[famartin]

Also, is this classic gantry still up? This is, what, 1975-80 vintage?

Drove thru today, it is indeed gone. Will upload photo of the replacement in a few hours.

[storm2k]

I wonder if we'll start seeing structure replacements on 287 in the next couple of years. Most everything north of 80 is from when it opened in 1993 (the Boonton to Mahwah missing section). From 80 southward to Exit 14 (at least SB) was replaced between 1994 and 1997 (mostly when they built the HOV lanes) and south of there in 1998-99 (replaced the experimental diagramatic signage and other random signage that was erected over the years). Plus there's 440, which got new signs in the early 90s, but they went on existing structures from when the road opened in the 70s with few exceptions. These have to be starting to near the end of their service lives.