New Jersey Turnpike

[Alps]

the nj turnpike authority has anounced a plan to raise tolls on GSP and nj tpke and in that plan includes numerous widening of njtpke rehabilitation of bridges in mixing bowl and completion of interchanges along GSP and most of all CASHLESS tolling ON NJ TPKE a big improvment from its 1950s ticket system which has been in use since the turnpike opened in 1951 the plans are on https://www.njta.com/media/5179/proposed-2020-capital-improvement-program.pdf

yes we know

[D-Dey65]

Judging by my experiences with the EZ Pass pay by toll system, that's not a good deal. I still haven't received my bill for crossing the Francis Scott Key Bridge, and that was back in December.

[jeffandnicole]

Judging by my experiences with the EZ Pass pay by toll system, that's not a good deal. I still haven't received my bill for crossing the Francis Scott Key Bridge, and that was back in December.

Experiences, or experience?

[D-Dey65]

Judging by my experiences with the EZ Pass pay by toll system, that's not a good deal. I still haven't received my bill for crossing the Francis Scott Key Bridge, and that was back in December.

Experiences, or experience?

Experiences. The past two times I've used the toll-by-plate payment, I crossed the Triborough Bridge twice but was only billed once, and as I mentioned earlier, still haven't been billed for the Francis Scott Key Bridge. That means the system is missing drivers that pass through those electronic toll plazas, which means they're defective. On the previous times I was billed for what I owed, and I paid what I owed. Now you might be thinking, What's the big deal? You got something for free for a change. And you're right. But somebody else out there is probably thinking, "Who is this bum getting free rides across (take your pick), bridge, while us working schleps who use that bridge every day to get to and from work have to pay full fare? What makes this asshole think he's better than me?" 

More importantly, these glitches cost the various bridge, highway, and transit authorities notable amounts of revenue that would otherwise be used for maintenance and improvement projects.

Besides that, I just like the idea that the toll plaza on the south end of the New Jersey Turnpike is officially unmarked Exit 1. And getting the ticket is easier too.

[bluecountry]

the nj turnpike authority has anounced a plan to raise tolls on GSP and nj tpke and in that plan includes numerous widening of njtpke rehabilitation of bridges in mixing bowl and completion of interchanges along GSP and most of all CASHLESS tolling ON NJ TPKE a big improvment from its 1950s ticket system which has been in use since the turnpike opened in 1951 the plans are on https://www.njta.com/media/5179/proposed-2020-capital-improvement-program.pdf

Well I like a few ideas, along.

I. Like
NA-Cashless
1-project 1, int 17
14-project 14, extend 4th lane
20-LOVE, new DE R bridge to PA
23-Like, widen exit 3-4
TPK Tremley Point Connector at Interchange 12
25 TPK Newark Bay - Hudson County Extension Mainline Widening Between Interchanges 14 - 14A
26 TPK Newark Bay - Hudson County Extension Mainline Widening Between Interchanges 14A - 14C
27 TPK Westerly Alignment Mainline Widening Between Southern Mixing Bowl - 15W and Replacement of Laderman Bridge
28 TPK Westerly Alignment Mainline Widening Between Interchanges 15W - 16W
29 TPK Westerly Alignment Mainline Widening Between 16W
2 Mainline
10
- North Mixing Bowl and Interchange 16W RampsII. Meh

III. Prefer
-Skip 1-2 widening
-Widen 4-6 to 4 lanes


So is the nJTP past 16W going to be 6 lanes now?

[sprjus4]

III. Prefer
-Skip 1-2 widening

No.

[Alps]

III. Prefer
-Skip 1-2 widening

No.

Yes. He does prefer that.

[KEVIN_224]

Apologies for the fuzziness. My cell phone camera does NOT handle close-up/macro stuff at all. I found this along CT Route 372 in Cromwell, CT. Probably a driver at the Super 8 there. Anyways, the ticket lists Exit 1 as the Delaware Memorial Bridge? Shouldn't Exit 1 be the unnumbered exit after the toll plaza in Pennsville?

[Roadrunner75]

Apologies for the fuzziness. My cell phone camera does NOT handle close-up/macro stuff at all. I found this along CT Route 372 in Cromwell, CT. Probably a driver at the Super 8 there. Anyways, the ticket lists Exit 1 as the Delaware Memorial Bridge? Shouldn't Exit 1 be the unnumbered exit after the toll plaza in Pennsville?

"Exit 1" is the toll plaza itself.  The Delaware Memorial Bridge is the primary destination from that plaza. 

[KEVIN_224]

I'm guessing that the driver got onto the Eastern Spur in Secaucus, coming from NJ Route 495. 7:21 PM on Friday evening.

[Roadrunner75]

I'm guessing that the driver got onto the Eastern Spur in Secaucus, coming from NJ Route 495. 7:21 PM on Friday evening.

He came through the same toll plaza, but looks like he was coming down the eastern spur from further north (i.e. the 80/95 interchange or from 46), entering on the "18E" side, rather than from the "16E" side (495).

[jeffandnicole]

Apologies for the fuzziness. My cell phone camera does NOT handle close-up/macro stuff at all. I found this along CT Route 372 in Cromwell, CT. Probably a driver at the Super 8 there. Anyways, the ticket lists Exit 1 as the Delaware Memorial Bridge? Shouldn't Exit 1 be the unnumbered exit after the toll plaza in Pennsville?

"Exit 1" is the toll plaza itself.  The Delaware Memorial Bridge is the primary destination from that plaza. 

Likewise, Exit 6 doesn't immediately put you on the PA Turnpike, 16E for the Lincoln Tunnel, 18E/W for the GWB, etc.

I never liked these all-class tickets anyway. Motorists can't read them, and the ticket dispenser pinfeeds results in spacing issues on the ticket.

[storm2k]

Apologies for the fuzziness. My cell phone camera does NOT handle close-up/macro stuff at all. I found this along CT Route 372 in Cromwell, CT. Probably a driver at the Super 8 there. Anyways, the ticket lists Exit 1 as the Delaware Memorial Bridge? Shouldn't Exit 1 be the unnumbered exit after the toll plaza in Pennsville?

"Exit 1" is the toll plaza itself.  The Delaware Memorial Bridge is the primary destination from that plaza. 

Likewise, Exit 6 doesn't immediately put you on the PA Turnpike, 16E for the Lincoln Tunnel, 18E/W for the GWB, etc.

I never liked these all-class tickets anyway. Motorists can't read them, and the ticket dispenser pinfeeds results in spacing issues on the ticket.

I do miss the classic ones with the cutout corners that mimic the shield (ok I misremembered the cutouts. Doesn't change that they were way easier to read though). They're all going to be relics soon anyway.

[Alps]

Apologies for the fuzziness. My cell phone camera does NOT handle close-up/macro stuff at all. I found this along CT Route 372 in Cromwell, CT. Probably a driver at the Super 8 there. Anyways, the ticket lists Exit 1 as the Delaware Memorial Bridge? Shouldn't Exit 1 be the unnumbered exit after the toll plaza in Pennsville?

"Exit 1" is the toll plaza itself.  The Delaware Memorial Bridge is the primary destination from that plaza. 

Likewise, Exit 6 doesn't immediately put you on the PA Turnpike, 16E for the Lincoln Tunnel, 18E/W for the GWB, etc.

I never liked these all-class tickets anyway. Motorists can't read them, and the ticket dispenser pinfeeds results in spacing issues on the ticket.

I do miss the classic ones with the cutout corners that mimic the shield (ok I misremembered the cutouts. Doesn't change that they were way easier to read though). They're all going to be relics soon anyway.

I have a couple of photos of tickets on my website. https://www.alpsroads.net/roads/nj/i-95

[D-Dey65]

Apologies for the fuzziness. My cell phone camera does NOT handle close-up/macro stuff at all. I found this along CT Route 372 in Cromwell, CT. Probably a driver at the Super 8 there. Anyways, the ticket lists Exit 1 as the Delaware Memorial Bridge? Shouldn't Exit 1 be the unnumbered exit after the toll plaza in Pennsville?

"Exit 1" is the toll plaza itself.  The Delaware Memorial Bridge is the primary destination from that plaza. 

Likewise, Exit 6 doesn't immediately put you on the PA Turnpike, 16E for the Lincoln Tunnel, 18E/W for the GWB, etc.

I never liked these all-class tickets anyway. Motorists can't read them, and the ticket dispenser pinfeeds results in spacing issues on the ticket.

I do miss the classic ones with the cutout corners that mimic the shield (ok I misremembered the cutouts. Doesn't change that they were way easier to read though). They're all going to be relics soon anyway.

I have a couple of photos of tickets on my website. https://www.alpsroads.net/roads/nj/i-95

I like the mechanical VMS signs there too. I always wanted to see every message they had.

[Steve D]

Apologies for the fuzziness. My cell phone camera does NOT handle close-up/macro stuff at all. I found this along CT Route 372 in Cromwell, CT. Probably a driver at the Super 8 there. Anyways, the ticket lists Exit 1 as the Delaware Memorial Bridge? Shouldn't Exit 1 be the unnumbered exit after the toll plaza in Pennsville?

"Exit 1" is the toll plaza itself.  The Delaware Memorial Bridge is the primary destination from that plaza. 

Likewise, Exit 6 doesn't immediately put you on the PA Turnpike, 16E for the Lincoln Tunnel, 18E/W for the GWB, etc.

I never liked these all-class tickets anyway. Motorists can't read them, and the ticket dispenser pinfeeds results in spacing issues on the ticket.

I do miss the classic ones with the cutout corners that mimic the shield (ok I misremembered the cutouts. Doesn't change that they were way easier to read though). They're all going to be relics soon anyway.

The toll tickets in the 1970s did have the corners cut like the turnpike shield.  As a kid I remember seeing next to Exit 7A the words "Not Yet Open" on the ticket (that exit opened in 1974).

[1995hoo]

Apologies for the fuzziness. My cell phone camera does NOT handle close-up/macro stuff at all. I found this along CT Route 372 in Cromwell, CT. Probably a driver at the Super 8 there. Anyways, the ticket lists Exit 1 as the Delaware Memorial Bridge? Shouldn't Exit 1 be the unnumbered exit after the toll plaza in Pennsville?

"Exit 1" is the toll plaza itself.  The Delaware Memorial Bridge is the primary destination from that plaza. 

Likewise, Exit 6 doesn't immediately put you on the PA Turnpike, 16E for the Lincoln Tunnel, 18E/W for the GWB, etc.

I never liked these all-class tickets anyway. Motorists can't read them, and the ticket dispenser pinfeeds results in spacing issues on the ticket.

I do miss the classic ones with the cutout corners that mimic the shield (ok I misremembered the cutouts. Doesn't change that they were way easier to read though). They're all going to be relics soon anyway.

I have a couple of photos of tickets on my website. https://www.alpsroads.net/roads/nj/i-95

I like the mechanical VMS signs there too. I always wanted to see every message they had.

I've always had this mental image of those signs making a "clang" noise when they rotate because they remind me of the board on the original Family Feud, where you heard that sound when the answers were displayed.

[D-Dey65]

I've always had this mental image of those signs making a "clang" noise when they rotate because they remind me of the board on the original Family Feud, where you heard that sound when the answers were displayed.

Oh, that'd be funny. Now I'm starting to wish that were true.

   

[storm2k]

Apologies for the fuzziness. My cell phone camera does NOT handle close-up/macro stuff at all. I found this along CT Route 372 in Cromwell, CT. Probably a driver at the Super 8 there. Anyways, the ticket lists Exit 1 as the Delaware Memorial Bridge? Shouldn't Exit 1 be the unnumbered exit after the toll plaza in Pennsville?

"Exit 1" is the toll plaza itself.  The Delaware Memorial Bridge is the primary destination from that plaza. 

Likewise, Exit 6 doesn't immediately put you on the PA Turnpike, 16E for the Lincoln Tunnel, 18E/W for the GWB, etc.

I never liked these all-class tickets anyway. Motorists can't read them, and the ticket dispenser pinfeeds results in spacing issues on the ticket.

I do miss the classic ones with the cutout corners that mimic the shield (ok I misremembered the cutouts. Doesn't change that they were way easier to read though). They're all going to be relics soon anyway.

The toll tickets in the 1970s did have the corners cut like the turnpike shield.  As a kid I remember seeing next to Exit 7A the words "Not Yet Open" on the ticket (that exit opened in 1974).

Others can probably answer this better, but I would assume they had to stop the cutouts when they went to the magstripe tickets since the corners would probably increase the likelihood of a jam in the machine when the toll collector fed the ticket into the machine to be read.

[cpzilliacus]

Others can probably answer this better, but I would assume they had to stop the cutouts when they went to the magstripe tickets since the corners would probably increase the likelihood of a jam in the machine when the toll collector fed the ticket into the machine to be read.

Originally, I think  NJTA (and probably the other pre-Interstate ticket toll roads in the U.S.) used the IBM card as a blank, with whatever information that the toll road agency wanted printed on them, and the entry date and time, class information and entry interchange encoded as punches in the ticket, just like any other IBM card. 

The punches in the ticket served the same purpose as the information that was encouded in the mag stripe cards.

[NJRoadfan]

New Jersey government has a long history of using IBM hardware for various tasks, even to this day. So I wouldn't be surprised at IBM punch cards being used.

[cpzilliacus]

New Jersey government has a long history of using IBM hardware for various tasks, even to this day. So I wouldn't be surprised at IBM punch cards being used.

There was another reason why they used IBM cards.  At least in the early days of ticket toll roads, IBM was the only company that was in the business of providing toll tickets (IBM cards) customized for the task and the readers for same, as well as back-office analysis (using electro-mechanical accounting machines, not computers).   I think IBM provided a turnkey solution to the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission when the original Penn Pike opened in 1940, and was able to sell that same solution to many of the other ticket toll roads.

[cpzilliacus]

New Jersey government has a long history of using IBM hardware for various tasks, even to this day. So I wouldn't be surprised at IBM punch cards being used.

New Jersey is not alone in that.  A state government in most ways a very large business when it comes to information systems, and that means there is a need for lots of business-type computing power.   Now that most or all of the plug-compatible mainframe manufacturers (Amdahl, NAS, Itel, CDC and others) are out of business, IBM effectively has that business to itself, and in spite of claims to the contrary, there is plenty of demand for such systems.

[D-Dey65]

Yet another nostalgic post for those neon VMS signs that used to grace the New Jersey Turnpike.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Njtp_vms_cropped.jpg

Many of us are familiar with them, and some of us are fond of them, despite the undisputed fact that their replacements can do better jobs of delivering messages to motorists. But my question is, where else in the world did such signs exist?

[bluecountry]

So after the final toll plaza Northbound on the NJTP, 18, what do the exits on I-95 between the exit 18 and the GWB correspond to?

Is it I-95 mileage in NJ or I-80?