New York State Thruway

[thenetwork]

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...we're probably talking a good 5-10+ years before anything happens to the main system.

Probably the first section of the ticket system to be converted will likely be the Erie Section from Buffalo to PA since they are independent of the Mainline Section east of Buffalo. 

[Flyer78]

Probably the first section of the ticket system to be converted will likely be the Erie Section from Buffalo to PA since they are independent of the Mainline Section east of Buffalo. 

Makes sense, that always seems to be the "beta" test location for the larger ticket-system. They had the mag-stripe on-demand tickets first, then the replacement for those first, as well. I also seem to recall they tested digital (text) signs for E-Zpass before making the decision to select the folding signs.

[cl94]

Probably the first section of the ticket system to be converted will likely be the Erie Section from Buffalo to PA since they are independent of the Mainline Section east of Buffalo. 

Makes sense, that always seems to be the "beta" test location for the larger ticket-system. They had the mag-stripe on-demand tickets first, then the replacement for those first, as well. I also seem to recall they tested digital (text) signs for E-Zpass before making the decision to select the folding signs.

The main ticket system will almost certainly be last

As already stated. Isn't the test location for everything, though. The automatic ticket dispensers have only seen a lot of use east of Syracuse.

[vdeane]

Of course, it's easy to test things like automatic ticket dispensers at a single booth since those don't require the entire system to use them to work... unlike the toll tickets and AET.

[Flyer78]

I had wondered if the dispensers would be making a come-back... was there a version for the mag-stripe era? I assumed the Thruway lacked an auto-vehicle identification system to determine the class, and I know it was simplified in the last decade as well. Prior to that was (still in use, though altered media) sings about Cars Only / Nothing in Tow

[Jim]

Speaking of "Cars Only/Nothing in Tow", the Exit 24 ticket dispenser lane recently added a big white "Cars Only/Nothing in Tow" folding sign atop the toll barrier (like the E-ZPass Only ones) in addition to the electronic sign that's been there as long as I can remember. 

[cl94]

I had wondered if the dispensers would be making a come-back... was there a version for the mag-stripe era? I assumed the Thruway lacked an auto-vehicle identification system to determine the class, and I know it was simplified in the last decade as well. Prior to that was (still in use, though altered media) sings about Cars Only / Nothing in Tow

Of course, there are only 4 locations that I know of (Woodbury, Canaan, 24, 25A). Why they never went in near Buffalo, where most light vehicles don't have E-ZPass out of fear of being tracked by the government (seriously) and the percent of tourists is high, is beyond me, as that section sees the highest percentage of ticket users. The mag stripe, I'm assuming, is why the lanes are only for cars with nothing in tow, as the new tickets are for everything.

[Flyer78]

One of the original benefits to the mag-stripe tickets were they were printed "on demand" so they could show you the tolls for a vehicle class, as well as adjust prices when tolls increased. While they came into existence before the more frequent increases, I thought it was a good way to handle them, other than say, the PA Turnpike's brief experiment with dropping tolls on their tickets. Yes, E-ZPass solves all that.

...where most light vehicles don't have E-ZPass out of fear of being tracked by the government (seriously) ...

I can tell you the same fears existed among people in CNY as well, and they exist here in the Philly area. Start talking about DOT cameras and their head explodes. Then they use the loyalty card on their smart phone for any merchant and charge the transaction... E-ZPass is the least of their geo-location concerns ...

[Buffaboy]

O.K., where did this sign exist?

Interstate 90 - New York by Doug Kerr, on Flickr

[xcellntbuy]

Looks like the Syracuse area, possibly Exit 34A, a long time ago.

[Buffaboy]

Looks like the Syracuse area, possibly Exit 34A, a long time ago.

Judging by the dates on his pictures, looks like 2000-2003. I wonder why they changed the control city.

[machias]

O.K., where did this sign exist?

Interstate 90 - New York by Doug Kerr, on Flickr

It was definitely on the entrance ramp at Collamer (Exit 34A). I was sad when it was replaced with Albany/Buffalo.  I've never been a fan of Albany/Buffalo as the control cities. I guess I'm a cranky old guy but I'd rather see "Utica and East" and "Rochester and West".

[cl94]

I was visiting my parents in Buffalo last month and decided to check out the recently-completed South Newstead Road bridge replacement over the Thruway. Interestingly, NYSTA decided to surface the bridge with asphalt instead of the typical concrete.

[Buffaboy]

If I go 80 on the Thruway mainline will I typically get pulled over?

Everyone does it.

[kalvado]

If I go 80 on the Thruway mainline will I typically get pulled over?

Everyone does it.

As far as I remember, NYS has +15 MPH and above as a top tier speeding violation. So 80 maybe a gray area, but I got pulled over for 81 in 65 zone...

[Buffaboy]

If I go 80 on the Thruway mainline will I typically get pulled over?

Everyone does it.

As far as I remember, NYS has +15 MPH and above as a top tier speeding violation. So 80 maybe a gray area, but I got pulled over for 81 in 65 zone...

80 is a bit high for regular travel, but 65 also isn't the fastest for a road of its class.

Somebody needs to introduce legislation to bump it up to 70-75.

[vdeane]

There was a bill to raise NY's maximum speed limit to 75 a couple years ago.  It didn't go anywhere.  Heck, Long Island still doesn't have 65!

[Buffaboy]

There was a bill to raise NY's maximum speed limit to 75 a couple years ago.  It didn't go anywhere.  Heck, Long Island still doesn't have 65!

Haven't been to LI yet, but I hear the speed limits are perpetually stuck at 50 and below.

[dgolub]

There was a bill to raise NY's maximum speed limit to 75 a couple years ago.  It didn't go anywhere.  Heck, Long Island still doesn't have 65!

Haven't been to LI yet, but I hear the speed limits are perpetually stuck at 50 and below.

Not true.  The expressways and parkways are all 55 MPH.  There are also a batch of surface roads that are 55 MPH, although some of those that used to have been lowered to 50 MPH.  It used to be that parts of NY 25 and NY 25A in Nassau County were 55 MPH, but they lowered them to 50 MPH.  I'm pretty sure that that leaves no surface roads with a speed limit over 50 MPH in Nassau, but there are still some in Suffolk, including some county routes like CR 97.

[roadman65]

There was a bill to raise NY's maximum speed limit to 75 a couple years ago.  It didn't go anywhere.  Heck, Long Island still doesn't have 65!

I cannot see why the LIE cannot be 65 mph at least in Suffolk, or even the easternmost section near Riverhead.

[SignBridge]

You're right about the eastern L.I.E. Roadman. Originally it was 65mph "out east" before the "double-nickel".  The road was designed for it and NYSDOT should restore it.

[Alps]

If I go 80 on the Thruway mainline will I typically get pulled over?

Everyone does it.

If you do what other people are doing, you will be fine. Don't do 80 when everyone else is doing 70. I just did 77 in a 50 (work zone) in Texas. Everyone else was doing it, and a cop even came and passed us all by (we slowed down to about 59 for a bit).

[Buffaboy]

If I go 80 on the Thruway mainline will I typically get pulled over?

Everyone does it.

If you do what other people are doing, you will be fine. Don't do 80 when everyone else is doing 70. I just did 77 in a 50 (work zone) in Texas. Everyone else was doing it, and a cop even came and passed us all by (we slowed down to about 59 for a bit).

I mean it's not the greatest thing to do, BUT I'm pretty sure cops don't pull over a guy going 78 in a 65 when someone else is also going 80.

I'm usually a vigilant driver and keep my eyes on my mirrors and U-Turns for Ford Crown Victorias and Mustangs.

[dgolub]

You're right about the eastern L.I.E. Roadman. Originally it was 65mph "out east" before the "double-nickel".  The road was designed for it and NYSDOT should restore it.

Agreed.  There's no good reason not to.  It just contributes to people viewing speed limits as a joke, since most people are doing something like 65 MPH anyway out there.

[PHLBOS]

I'm usually a vigilant driver and keep my eyes on my mirrors and U-Turns for Ford Crown Victorias and Mustangs.

Are highway patrols still even using Mustangs?  The last official Police-Packaged (as opposed to a retail model in police colors) Mustangs were the 1993 models.