Southern GS Parkway obsevations

[NJRoadfan]

Made a trip to the shore via the Garden State Parkway.

-Widening work is well underway between Exit 80 to just south of Exit 63. Mostly tree clearing on this stretch.

-They seem to be very busy building a parallel span to the Mullica River bridge to the east of the existing bridge. I'm guessing they are timing this with the widening of this section of the GSP in the future.

-Exit 36 southbound (Tilton Rd.) on the GSP backs up bad during rush hour. This must be an everyday thing because drivers are smart enough to queue up in the shoulder. Why everyone gets off here when Exit 37 (US-40/322) gets you to the same general location is beyond me.

-The end of the GSP is actually signed with END GSP/JCT NJ-109 signs. Also NJ-109 North is now officially signed as Exit 0 complete with gore sign!

-I'll have to check, but I think the actual milepost 0 was moved in that intersection. If I recall my photos from 2001, it was at the traffic light where NJ-109 north crossed the GSP south roadway. Its now at where the GSP south merges into NJ-109 south.

[Chris]

Also NJ-109 North is now officially signed as Exit 0 complete with gore sign!

How often does an Exit 0 happens? I remember a few, like Exit 0 on I-10 in Texas and Exit 0 near Sioux Falls on I-229.
[Discussion on this topic has been split to a new thread. -S.]

As you can see on Google Earth, the Garden State Parkways mostly serves coastal communities along the New Jersey shoreline. Is it also a commuter route to New York or Newark, or is this too far away / a retirement area?

[njroadhorse]

-Exit 36 southbound (Tilton Rd.) on the GSP backs up bad during rush hour. This must be an everyday thing because drivers are smart enough to queue up in the shoulder. Why everyone gets off here when Exit 37 (US-40/322) gets you to the same general location is beyond me.

It backs up so badly southbound because there's nowhere for the traffic to move to get onto 563.  Exit 36 northbound pulls double duty, carrying the traffic for US 40/322 and for CR 563.  Because there's traffic going to two different places, CR 563 is over-capacity with twice the traffic flow.

Also, anyone realize that there are so many more exits on the GSP southbound than northbound?  Definitely some of them, like Exits 6, 17, 40, and 44 can be full diamonds.

[signalman]

Well, this is true.  But don't forget that the GSP's original intention was to provide a limited access highway from North Jersey and NYC to the Jersey Shore.  So, likewise, there are more northbound entrances than southbound. 

[NJRoadfan]

The partial interchanges are for tolling reasons. A similar situation exists north of the old Hillsdale Toll Plaza. Every exit is southbound on/northbound off. They want to force traffic through the barrier toll plazas. Now that some barriers are one way, they are building out some partial ramps to fully directional interchanges without the added expense of ramp tolls.

And to add to the above. I got a good look at the Beesley's Point Bridge. Its decayed alot in the past few years, I'm surprised they aren't planning on completely knocking down and rebuilding it.

[NJRoadfan]

Some pictures, the Exit 0 signing is pretty recent as Google Streetview doesn't even show it. I also confirmed they moved Milepost 0 since 2001 from the traffic light down to where the GSP merges into NJ-109 south.


Approaching Exit 0


First END GSP sign.


Almost there.....


Exit 0 gore sign. Originally Milepost 0 was attached to the No Turns sign on the right, you can barely see the new one in the distance.


My failed attempted at getting the new Mile 0 sign, the pickup blocked it.


Interesting left exit signing for NJ-50.

[Alex]

Is that ugly U.S. 9 shield the standard U.S. highway shield for the GSP now, or is that for the entire state?

[NJRoadfan]

Thats wonderful GSP signing, at least on the southern end. Up north its signed with proper shields.

[Roadgeek Adam]

The 9 shields make no sense, and up north that pertains to 22 and 46

[roadman65]

Is it true that the GSP is going to combine Exits 88 and 89 to be one interchange?  I heard that  service roads are to be built between NJ 70 and CR 528 and also allow a NB movement to both directions of NJ 70 as well as SB exiting at present Exit 89 and using this service road to NJ 70.

[Alps]

Is it true that the GSP is going to combine Exits 88 and 89 to be one interchange?  I heard that  service roads are to be built between NJ 70 and CR 528 and also allow a NB movement to both directions of NJ 70 as well as SB exiting at present Exit 89 and using this service road to NJ 70.

Absolutely true, all of it.