I would say RT-42 needs HOV lanes up to the RT-55 Interchange since NJ Transit plans a Camden to Rowan University (Glassboro) bus line and also a NJDOT draft shows HOV lanes through the I-295/76 and RT-42 interchange http://www.nj.gov/transportation/works/studies/rt295/pdf/DraftStatementofPurpose.pdf
I recall seeing a list somewhere of the possible alternatives and/or additions to a revised interchange or traffic pattern.
HOV lanes were the first thing eliminated. This was also at a time when the HOV lanes on I-80 in North Jersey were failing bigtime, so I think NJDOT was a bit hesitant to include them in another large scale project. And EZ Pass was just ramping up. A lot of congestion at that time was due to the toll plaza 4 miles ahead at the Walt Whitman Bridge. With EZ Pass usage so great now, it's eliminated the bridge congestion and the resulting advantage HOV lanes would provide. (Having said that, I take a carpool where most days 4 people are in the car. They would sometimes prove very valuable if my route had them installed.)
As far as that rail line is concerned, NJDOT/NJ Transit is heavily considering Exclusive Bus Lanes along Rt. 42 rather than a HOV lane. The rail line will use existing Conrail tracks thru several small towns kinda/sorta parallel to NJ 45.
Do you know if there are plans to post travel times on these? That has been rather useful at for some projects in PA along the Turnpike...
What NJDOT has done in the past is use the portable VMS signs with mobile dopplar radar units. I believe they are utilizing these again for the project. The permanent ones I mentioned above will be used for specific messages. BUT...
Even better...
NJDOT has started posting travel times on many of their VMS's along 295! Currently, they appear to be doing it during rush hours in the main direction of travel. They have been very convenient and accurate so far. The message is very simple (maybe even a little too abbreviated, actually). A few typical signs I see in the morning are as follows:
On 295 North after Exit 23 (US 130):
WALT 9 MIN
BEN 13 MIN
NJ70 14 MIN
And further north, say, between NJ Routes 70 & 73, the sign will show
NJ38 5 MIN
EX47 11 MIN
29/195 24 MIN
For the normal traffic, they would know the WALT to be the Walt Whitman Bridge, BEN to be the Ben Franklin Bridge, and the normal traffic would know those are destinations not reached on 295 alone. Notice the use of both route numbers and exit numbers...I guess based on what they feel people would recognize the most. Notice too they eliminate the "Travel Times" line, mileage, etc. From what I've seen, traffic tends to move smoothly approachign the signs, so people aren't slowing down to try to understand them.
I wished they would put a space between NJ38 (NJ 38), and there's enough room to write out EXIT 47, rather than EX47. Signs further North will show the time to Route 1, written as US-1.
The longest line I've seen is DEL MEM BR 38 MIN, so there's about enough room for 10 characters before the time. And on the signs on 295 South near Exit 24A & Exit 15, they take 2 lines to write the following. No message is on the 3rd line.
COMMODORE
BARRY BR 15 MIN
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Topic: NJ - 295/76/42 Construction Projects (Read 210363 times)