New York State Thruway

[route17fan]

Speaking of the toll tickets, what does "breakdown ticket" mean? I understand the words, just not the context. Does that mean the machine dispensing the tickets broke down? (which is my interpretation)

[roadman]

Speaking of the toll tickets, what does "breakdown ticket" mean? I understand the words, just not the context. Does that mean the machine dispensing the tickets broke down? (which is my interpretation)

As I recall, at one point the Thruway had a regulation which established a maximum time frame that a person could be within the System upon receiving a toll ticket.  If you exceeded that time, you were then assessed an additional fee or fine.  I believe a 'breakdown ticket' was used to waive this additional fee or fine in situations where, due to mechanical problems, you ended up exceeding that time limit.  It would have been issued by the State Police upon responding to your vehicle.

[SectorZ]

Speaking of the toll tickets, what does "breakdown ticket" mean? I understand the words, just not the context. Does that mean the machine dispensing the tickets broke down? (which is my interpretation)

As I recall, at one point the Thruway had a regulation which established a maximum time frame that a person could be within the System upon receiving a toll ticket.  If you exceeded that time, you were then assessed an additional fee or fine.  I believe a 'breakdown ticket' was used to waive this additional fee or fine in situations where, due to mechanical problems, you ended up exceeding that time limit.  It would have been issued by the State Police upon responding to your vehicle.

Nothing like rubbing in the fact that you were stuck due to a breakdown, but let's charge you more for the privilege of being stuck. I'm surprised they actually made a waiver for it.

[thenetwork]

As I recall, at one point the Thruway had a regulation which established a maximum time frame that a person could be within the System upon receiving a toll ticket.  If you exceeded that time, you were then assessed an additional fee or fine.  I believe a 'breakdown ticket' was used to waive this additional fee or fine in situations where, due to mechanical problems, you ended up exceeding that time limit.  It would have been issued by the State Police upon responding to your vehicle.

What about in situations such as last year when hundreds of vehicles were stranded on the Thruway south & west of Buffalo due to 7 feet of snow?   Is that situation addressed in a regulation?

[cl94]

As I recall, at one point the Thruway had a regulation which established a maximum time frame that a person could be within the System upon receiving a toll ticket.  If you exceeded that time, you were then assessed an additional fee or fine.  I believe a 'breakdown ticket' was used to waive this additional fee or fine in situations where, due to mechanical problems, you ended up exceeding that time limit.  It would have been issued by the State Police upon responding to your vehicle.

What about in situations such as last year when hundreds of vehicles were stranded on the Thruway south & west of Buffalo due to 7 feet of snow?   Is that situation addressed in a regulation?

You mean the storm where Cuomo blamed everyone stuck in it for entering the Thruway, even though it was open at the time each vehicle entered?

[thenetwork]

As I recall, at one point the Thruway had a regulation which established a maximum time frame that a person could be within the System upon receiving a toll ticket.  If you exceeded that time, you were then assessed an additional fee or fine.  I believe a 'breakdown ticket' was used to waive this additional fee or fine in situations where, due to mechanical problems, you ended up exceeding that time limit.  It would have been issued by the State Police upon responding to your vehicle.

What about in situations such as last year when hundreds of vehicles were stranded on the Thruway south & west of Buffalo due to 7 feet of snow?   Is that situation addressed in a regulation?

You mean the storm where Cuomo blamed everyone stuck in it for entering the Thruway, even though it was open at the time each vehicle entered?

Yep.  That's the one where they issued the breakdown tickets to all the NYSTA snowplows that couldn't plow the Thruway anymore.

[SignBridge]

If you read Roadman's post above, he says the breakdown ticket was used to waive the extra toll for being on the system too long.

I know on the Thruway and some other toll roads, when a trooper calls a tow truck for a disabled car, they issue a ticket certifying that the tow was called at a certain time, etc. and it explains the Toll Road's towing policies and procedures. Someone showed me such a Thruway ticket many years ago. The Thruway Authority treats its users as paying customers or "patrons" in their parlance.

[machias]

The NYS Thruway Authority has been installing signs along NYSDOT routes in the Syracuse and Utica area marking "emergency detours". These signs are smaller, but identical in design to the Emergency Detour signs used in conjunction with the Utica North-South Arterial Project and, unfortunately, they are in all caps Clearview (the NYSTA just doesn't get the proper use of Clearview). Many of the signs are installed on single posts, which probably won't survive a typical Central New York winter very well.

"Emergency Detour B" takes motorists from Thruway Exit 33 to Thruway Exit 31 via the NY 365/49/5/I-790 corridor in the Utica-Rome area. (I contacted NYSDOT as this is another reason we should just have NY 790).

"Emergency Detour C" takes motorists from Thruway Exit 34A to Thruway Exit 39 via I-481 and I-690.

While I am not a fan of the Thruway closing during snowstorms, since it essentially just dumps traffic onto local roads and makes NYSDOT and/or local municipalities deal with the issue, I like the idea of signed emergency detours. However, I am becoming concerned about motorist information overload with the growing number of signs turning up at every single interchange along these detour routes, especially in the Utica-Rome area where they sign every park, tennis court, airport, state police barracks, scenic route and information stop on small, separate signs at every freeway interchange (in clear violation of MUTCD Chapter 2H).

[cl94]

The NYS Thruway Authority has been installing signs along NYSDOT routes in the Syracuse and Utica area marking "emergency detours". These signs are smaller, but identical in design to the Emergency Detour signs used in conjunction with the Utica North-South Arterial Project and, unfortunately, they are in all caps Clearview (the NYSTA just doesn't get the proper use of Clearview). Many of the signs are installed on single posts, which probably won't survive a typical Central New York winter very well.

"Emergency Detour B" takes motorists from Thruway Exit 33 to Thruway Exit 31 via the NY 365/49/5/I-790 corridor in the Utica-Rome area. (I contacted NYSDOT as this is another reason we should just have NY 790).

"Emergency Detour C" takes motorists from Thruway Exit 34A to Thruway Exit 39 via I-481 and I-690.

While I am not a fan of the Thruway closing during snowstorms, since it essentially just dumps traffic onto local roads and makes NYSDOT and/or local municipalities deal with the issue, I like the idea of signed emergency detours. However, I am becoming concerned about motorist information overload with the growing number of signs turning up at every single interchange along these detour routes, especially in the Utica-Rome area where they sign every park, tennis court, airport, state police barracks, scenic route and information stop on small, separate signs at every freeway interchange (in clear violation of MUTCD Chapter 2H).

They installed some around Buffalo last year along US 62 and I-290 for issues at the Grand Island Bridges. A is northbound and B is southbound.

[WNYroadgeek]

The Cleveland Drive (Exit 50A) overpass project is now complete:

Governor Cuomo announced the completion of a major Thruway Authority construction project in Cheektowaga. The $11.3 million Cleveland Drive Overpass project includes several renovations that will alleviate congestion and improve traffic flow along one of the busiest stretches of the New York State Thruway (I-90). View a photograph here.

"This new construction will decrease traffic and congestion on one of the busiest parts of the Thruway and improve the experience for the thousands of Western New York residents who depend on this vital part of the region's transportation system,"  Governor Cuomo said. "The completion of this project, which was finished on time and on-budget, is one more example of this administration's commitment to investing and improving infrastructure across New York State."  

In addition to replacing the overpass, work included the realignment of the Cleveland Drive on-ramp to I-90 westbound and a lane extension from I-290 eastbound to NY Route 33 in efforts to alleviate further traffic concerns. The design of the new overpass also creates wider roadway shoulders by not requiring a center pier support.

https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-cuomo-announces-completion-113-million-thruway-infrastructure-project-western-new-york

[Buffaboy]

The Cleveland Drive (Exit 50A) overpass project is now complete:

Governor Cuomo announced the completion of a major Thruway Authority construction project in Cheektowaga. The $11.3 million Cleveland Drive Overpass project includes several renovations that will alleviate congestion and improve traffic flow along one of the busiest stretches of the New York State Thruway (I-90). View a photograph here.

"This new construction will decrease traffic and congestion on one of the busiest parts of the Thruway and improve the experience for the thousands of Western New York residents who depend on this vital part of the region’s transportation system,” Governor Cuomo said. "The completion of this project, which was finished on time and on-budget, is one more example of this administration’s commitment to investing and improving infrastructure across New York State.”

In addition to replacing the overpass, work included the realignment of the Cleveland Drive on-ramp to I-90 westbound and a lane extension from I-290 eastbound to NY Route 33 in efforts to alleviate further traffic concerns. The design of the new overpass also creates wider roadway shoulders by not requiring a center pier support.

https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-cuomo-announces-completion-113-million-thruway-infrastructure-project-western-new-york

You beat me to it! I had it in my clipboard too...



I see they have backplates there. A nice touch (though I know it is standard).

[machias]

I confirmed today that the Thruway Authority is reevaluating the use of Clearview and specifying FHWA Highway Gothic in future signing projects. The decreased legibility of the overhead signs in Buffalo was a contributing factor.

[SignBridge]

Nice that they came to their senses.

[cl94]

I confirmed today that the Thruway Authority is reevaluating the use of Clearview and specifying FHWA Highway Gothic in future signing projects. The decreased legibility of the overhead signs in Buffalo was a contributing factor.

About flipping time. The Buffalo signs are a bunch of crap.

[PHLBOS]

I confirmed today that the Thruway Authority is reevaluating the use of Clearview and specifying FHWA Highway Gothic in future signing projects. The decreased legibility of the overhead signs in Buffalo was a contributing factor.

I have to wonder if those signs in Buffalo had the same issues as the Thruway Clearview signs had further south (along the I-87/287 duo-plex); the lettering was not reflectorized and such resulted in being impossible to read at night.  Of course, that's more of a reflectivity issue than a Clearview vs. FHWA Highway Gothic scenario.

[cl94]

I confirmed today that the Thruway Authority is reevaluating the use of Clearview and specifying FHWA Highway Gothic in future signing projects. The decreased legibility of the overhead signs in Buffalo was a contributing factor.

I have to wonder if those signs in Buffalo had the same issues as the Thruway Clearview signs had further south (along the I-87/287 duo-plex); the lettering was not reflectorized and such resulted in being impossible to read at night.  Of course, that's more of a reflectivity issue than a Clearview vs. FHWA Highway Gothic scenario.

They probably are, but the Buffalo signs also had the issue of using Clearview for negative contrast. Heck, on some of the signs, even the shields were Clearview.

[SignBridge]

I'm surprised that a toll-road agency that runs such an excellent radio network (frequencies 453.425 and 453.525 on your scanners) would be so ignorant when it comes to signing. But I guess different people are in charge of each.

[cl94]

I'm surprised that a toll-road agency that runs such an excellent radio network (frequencies 453.425 and 453.525 on your scanners) would be so ignorant when it comes to signing. But I guess different people are in charge of each.

NYSTA is usually really good about signage. That is what made it odd. There was a year or two that had bad signage.

[Zeffy]

They probably are, but the Buffalo signs also had the issue of using Clearview for negative contrast. Heck, on some of the signs, even the shields were Clearview.

I've seen some advance street name warning signs in Bucks County, PA use negative contrast Clearview, and at night (which now hits when I get out of work), I can barely read them without squinting. I don't know what about it makes it impossible to read, but it's not just an appearance thing - I can barely read any form of negative contrast Clearview when at night unless I try really hard or I am right on top of the sign.

[vdeane]

I suspect the non-reflective lettering is the key to why the Thruway signs weren't visible at night, not the clearview.  So, in the end, the roadgeeks will be happy, but the signs will still be unreadable at night.

[PHLBOS]

I suspect the non-reflective lettering is the key to why the Thruway signs weren't visible at night, not the clearview.  So, in the end, the roadgeeks will be happy, but the signs will still be unreadable at night.

The funny thing is that the older (25+ year old) signs actually used reflectorized lettering and the majority of them are still in decent shape as well as readable.

[SignBridge]

Amazing how a well designed and built, good quality installation will last a long time.

[roadman65]

Correct me if I am wrong, but I distinctly remember them erecting all overhead signs in Rockland County back in circa 1988-89 to replace ground signs at the time.  I remember that was the last of the "ROUTE 59- Spring Valley" sign going NB with "Nanuet" on another plate below it as that also was the last of the mohicans for old Thruway signage.  I kind of liked the new ones going all shield and leaving out the text, even though history is now gone both simultaneously.

Anyway, are these the signs being referred to as being 25 years old?

[cl94]

I suspect the non-reflective lettering is the key to why the Thruway signs weren't visible at night, not the clearview.  So, in the end, the roadgeeks will be happy, but the signs will still be unreadable at night.

The funny thing is that the older (25+ year old) signs actually used reflectorized lettering and the majority of them are still in decent shape as well as readable.

Not the ones in Buffalo. The unreadable Clearview signs replaced signs that were unreadable at night. The reflectivity was mediocre at best. Not in great shape, either.

[SignBridge]

That Exit-54 photo in cl94's above post is typical of Thruway signing. They use the wrong size arrow for the sign format. When the arrow is to the side of the legend the long-stem arrow should be used. The short-stem arrow is intended for signs where the arrow is placed below the legend, where vertical space is limited. When it comes to signing, the Thruway Authority just doesn't "get it"! They should take lessons from NYSDOT who mostly gets it right.