New York State Thruway

[noelbotevera]

Speaking of AET, turns out the new Tappan Zee Bridge will have it. Also, it seems construction is going a little slow. Considering I haven't been on the Tappan Zee since 2009-2010...eh.

[cpzilliacus]

Speaking of AET, turns out the new Tappan Zee Bridge will have it. Also, it seems construction is going a little slow. Considering I haven't been on the Tappan Zee since 2009-2010...eh.

Have you been over the Tappan Zee Bridge? 

Are you aware how l-o-n-g it is?

Are you aware how much construction progress has been made so far?

[noelbotevera]

Speaking of AET, turns out the new Tappan Zee Bridge will have it. Also, it seems construction is going a little slow. Considering I haven't been on the Tappan Zee since 2009-2010...eh.

Have you been over the Tappan Zee Bridge? 

Are you aware how l-o-n-g it is?

Are you aware how much construction progress has been made so far?

I'm an idiot. Yep, the bridge is a wee over three miles, and they're over halfway done.  Yes, i have been on the bridge before, but again, this was six-seven years ago.

[cl94]

Speaking of AET, turns out the new Tappan Zee Bridge will have it. Also, it seems construction is going a little slow. Considering I haven't been on the Tappan Zee since 2009-2010...eh.

Have you been over the Tappan Zee Bridge? 

Are you aware how l-o-n-g it is?

Are you aware how much construction progress has been made so far?

I'm an idiot. Yep, the bridge is a wee over three miles, and they're over halfway done.  Yes, i have been on the bridge before, but again, this was six-seven years ago.

Built over the widest part of the Hudson River. Furthest south it could be without the Port Authority having control. The work is actually going pretty fast compared to a lot of projects in this state. It's on schedule to be complete in 2018, with the first span open next year.

At least they replaced the deck on the old bridge so there aren't any holes. Around the turn of the century, they had quite a few emergency closures to do patches.

[cl94]

NYSTA is doing a resurfacing project and guardrail replacement between Exits 24 and 25 (link). Sign replacements are minimal and NYSTA is NOT adding an option lane heading EB, at least not as part of this contract. The 2 mile left exit advance is being replaced with an overhead with the new style "left exit" tab. One of the I-87 SB pull-throughs is being replaced and a location is not immediately evident. It might be the button copy one at Exit 24.

[cl94]

NYSTA is doing a resurfacing project and guardrail replacement between Exits 24 and 25 (link). Sign replacements are minimal and NYSTA is NOT adding an option lane heading EB, at least not as part of this contract. The 2 mile left exit advance is being replaced with an overhead with the new style "left exit" tab. One of the I-87 SB pull-throughs is being replaced and a location is not immediately evident. It might be the button copy one at Exit 24.

Major thing I didn't note: Exits 24 and 25 are getting the wrong way detection systems that were installed at I-190 Exit 9. These involve a series of radar guns and other sensors that will activate VMSes signs if a wrong-way vehicle is detected.

[vdeane]

Just thought of something: while not having an option lane at exit 24 has a detrimental effect on traffic trying to get to the exit, what if that's by design?  I wouldn't put it past the Thruway Authority to put their own system before the efficiency of the whole network, and the current situation does leave two dedicated Thruway lanes in the morning rush.

[cl94]

Just thought of something: while not having an option lane at exit 24 has a detrimental effect on traffic trying to get to the exit, what if that's by design?  I wouldn't put it past the Thruway Authority to put their own system before the efficiency of the whole network, and the current situation does leave two dedicated Thruway lanes in the morning rush.

It does, but it also gets slow drivers moving to the left lane back at I-88 thanks to GPS systems that tell people what lane to be in. Granted, I wouldn't put it past NYSTA, either, but they've been putting in option lanes in the Buffalo and New York regions and the positive effects on traffic have been significant.

[Flyer78]

Syracuse Post-Standard opinion piece on freezing tolls, and points out some of the bookkeeping required to earn the credit on tolls as proposed by the Governor.

http://www.syracuse.com/opinion/index.ssf/2016/03/gov_cuomo_freeze_thruway_tolls_and_spend_the_rest_on_fixing_upstate_roads_editor.html

t's not. It's complicated. Drivers of passenger vehicle must purchase the $25 E-Z Pass and pay $50 or more in tolls each year to receive a credit. And they are responsible for entering the toll information on their yearly New York state income tax returns. (That requires some bookkeeping that often escapes people's attention at tax time.)

Also of note in the article is the "File Photo" which features cars at a toll plaza with the old Liberty plates. Of course, it was also apparently pre EZ Pass installation, which sort of goes with the theme of the editorial of discounts for all... but I am not sure I can give them that much credit.

[xcellntbuy]

Gimmicks, just like his daddy did from 1983-1995.

[Buffaboy]

That is a cool photo.

[vdeane]

Syracuse Post-Standard opinion piece on freezing tolls, and points out some of the bookkeeping required to earn the credit on tolls as proposed by the Governor.

http://www.syracuse.com/opinion/index.ssf/2016/03/gov_cuomo_freeze_thruway_tolls_and_spend_the_rest_on_fixing_upstate_roads_editor.html

t's not. It's complicated. Drivers of passenger vehicle must purchase the $25 E-Z Pass and pay $50 or more in tolls each year to receive a credit. And they are responsible for entering the toll information on their yearly New York state income tax returns. (That requires some bookkeeping that often escapes people's attention at tax time.)

Also of note in the article is the "File Photo" which features cars at a toll plaza with the old Liberty plates. Of course, it was also apparently pre EZ Pass installation, which sort of goes with the theme of the editorial of discounts for all... but I am not sure I can give them that much credit.

That photo is not necessarily pre-E-ZPass.  The liberty plates were in use through 2001.  E-ZPass with along the entire Thruway by February 1997.  Further, the photo has no date and depicts the middle of the plaza; E-ZPass lanes are typically on the sides, so they wouldn't be visible here.

[Duke87]

I still think it's ridiculous that NY has a state toll road which is cheaper per mile than any of its peers, and we're talking about finding some way to directly or indirectly reduce the tolls further.

[vdeane]

FYI: The assembly version of the budget doesn't include the toll discount; the senate's version does.  It will be interesting to see how this shakes out.

[Flyer78]

That photo is not necessarily pre-E-ZPass.  The liberty plates were in use through 2001.  E-ZPass with along the entire Thruway by February 1997.  Further, the photo has no date and depicts the middle of the plaza; E-ZPass lanes are typically on the sides, so they wouldn't be visible here.

Entirely possible, the Liberty Plates caught my eye first, but my logic was there does not appear to be antennae nor feedback displays that were installed with E-ZPass -- of course they could be obscured. I guess the antennae could be as well, though in most car-level photos, you can see them hanging down. At its youngest, it is still likely a 15 year old photo...

At least it is the correct toll agency. The paper here in Philly uses a NJ Turnpike picture for anything toll related -- even if it is the DRPA bridges, Pa Turnpike, etc.


Edit, I was bored and tried to search around more to see if the picture had been used before or identify the plaza. (Not on the E-ZPass point, just something better to do than my taxes) http://media.syracuse.com/news/photo/2010/01/2001-03-13-sdc-thruwayjpg-3ef1b84d02584d74_large.jpg ... Based on the file name, that could be from March 13, 2001. Happy Birthday.

[cl94]

NYSTA has signed a set of emergency detour routes along much of the mainline west of Utica. I know the detours near Utica have already been mentioned, but there is a long-distance signed detour from Exit 51 to Exit 45 or somewhere east of that point. This detour uses a combination of NY 33, NY 77, NY 5, I-490, and possibly other routes. The detour is signed prominently along these roads, while the connection from each exit along the stretch to the detour is signed very clearly beginning at the gore points. "Emergency Detour E" runs west, while "Emergency Detour F" runs east. All of the signs are all-caps Clearview. I think there is a similar detour west of Exit 55. Similar to the color detours in PA, I'm assuming that the NYSTA detours are intended to be used in the event of a full closure.

[WNYroadgeek]

NYSTA has signed a set of emergency detour routes along much of the mainline west of Utica. I know the detours near Utica have already been mentioned, but there is a long-distance signed detour from Exit 51 to Exit 45 or somewhere east of that point. This detour uses a combination of NY 33, NY 77, NY 5, I-490, and possibly other routes. The detour is signed prominently along these roads, while the connection from each exit along the stretch to the detour is signed very clearly beginning at the gore points. "Emergency Detour E" runs west, while "Emergency Detour F" runs east. All of the signs are all-caps Clearview. I think there is a similar detour west of Exit 55. Similar to the color detours in PA, I'm assuming that the NYSTA detours are intended to be used in the event of a full closure.

Here are all of them:

Central NY: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=898042593643990&id=529852543796332
Western NY: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=896876750427241&id=529852543796332

[machias]

NYSTA has signed a set of emergency detour routes along much of the mainline west of Utica. I know the detours near Utica have already been mentioned, but there is a long-distance signed detour from Exit 51 to Exit 45 or somewhere east of that point. This detour uses a combination of NY 33, NY 77, NY 5, I-490, and possibly other routes. The detour is signed prominently along these roads, while the connection from each exit along the stretch to the detour is signed very clearly beginning at the gore points. "Emergency Detour E" runs west, while "Emergency Detour F" runs east. All of the signs are all-caps Clearview. I think there is a similar detour west of Exit 55. Similar to the color detours in PA, I'm assuming that the NYSTA detours are intended to be used in the event of a full closure.

I've noticed one or two of the Emergency detour signs along NY Route 49 have already fallen down. I was surprised that the NYSTA put many of the signs up on a single post, especially along the freeways and expressways.  NYSDOT R2 is really big on using single posts for everything, so the detour signs don't look out of place, just equally unwieldy. 

Do the detour signs elsewhere in the state have the non-reflective letter designator as well? At night you can see "EMERGENCY DETOUR" from much farther away than the non-reflective letter.

[cl94]

I've noticed one or two of the Emergency detour signs along NY Route 49 have already fallen down. I was surprised that the NYSTA put many of the signs up on a single post, especially along the freeways and expressways.  NYSDOT R2 is really big on using single posts for everything, so the detour signs don't look out of place, just equally unwieldy. 

Do the detour signs elsewhere in the state have the non-reflective letter designator as well? At night you can see "EMERGENCY DETOUR" from much farther away than the non-reflective letter.

NYSDOT has been cutting back on the dual posts lately. I've seen very few large-sized speed limit signs that require two posts, with many, at least in R5, being replaced by smaller signs that only require one post.

Non-reflective lettering is the case on every sign I have seen.

Here are all of them:

Central NY: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=898042593643990&id=529852543796332
Western NY: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=896876750427241&id=529852543796332

Missing are the other A and B, which were designated earlier and run along US 62 and I-290 to bypass the Grand Island bridges.

[cl94]

NYSTA Facebook: Tappan Zee AET goes live April 23

[Alps]

NYSTA Facebook: Tappan Zee AET goes live April 23

Can't find what the relative prices will be for "toll by Internet" vs. E-ZPass.

[dgolub]

Anyone know anything about when AET at Yonkers and Harriman is happening?

[Buffaboy]

Anyone know anything about when AET at Yonkers and Harriman is happening?

Will the AET efforts be moving north and west from there?

[cl94]

Anyone know anything about when AET at Yonkers and Harriman is happening?

Will the AET efforts be moving north and west from there?

No clue about Yonkers and Harriman. I expect they'll wait a month or two before doing anything else to work out any issues with Tappan Zee.

As far as moving Upstate, nothing other than Yonkers, Harriman, and New Rochelle has been made public. I expect the first "Upstate" locations to be Grand Island, as they're the only 2 barrier tolls that haven't been announced. The main ticket system will almost certainly be last due to the expense and time required to install all of the equipment and nobody who can say so publicly has any idea about how NYSTA will do the two ticket systems (keep "collection points" at exits, do like MassDOT and put a "barrier" between each exit pair, or some combination of the two). Being as NYSTA is midway through a project that adds an E-ZPass lane to the Williamsville barrier, we're probably talking a good 5-10+ years before anything happens to the main system. They wouldn't have done the project, which involves building a new facilities building for the toll plaza, if they were expecting a conversion anytime soon.

[Buffaboy]

If NYSTA does plan to do the GI bridge, they better hurry up because I saw a news story a week or two ago suggesting that some want the booths eliminated entirely.