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[roadman65]

I knew the median breaks were for emergency only, but for the U turn areas, I figured that's just a way for them to charge you an extra toll should you ever have to use them.

They have DO NOT ENTER signs at each one.😩

[lstone19]

I knew the median breaks were for emergency only, but for the U turn areas, I figured that's just a way for them to charge you an extra toll should you ever have to use them.

You never "have to use them." If you need to turn around, you do that at the next exit in a legal manner.

In addition to signs prohibiting using them, there are no acceleration and de-acceleration lanes at them and to reach then, you need to cross a solid line. In short, they are for use by people (police and maintenance) with the training as to how to safely use them or in an emergency under the direction of the police.

[roadman65]

I knew the median breaks were for emergency only, but for the U turn areas, I figured that's just a way for them to charge you an extra toll should you ever have to use them.

You never "have to use them." If you need to turn around, you do that at the next exit in a legal manner.

In addition to signs prohibiting using them, there are no acceleration and de-acceleration lanes at them and to reach then, you need to cross a solid line. In short, they are for use by people (police and maintenance) with the training as to how to safely use them or in an emergency under the direction of the police.

Tow trucks are allowed to use them as well.

[MultiMillionMiler]

Again it's been a while since I was on the Turnpike but I don't remember any signs. In fact, I wasn't even sure if they were even a road or not due to lack of clearly visible signage (from what I remember). Of course I would never use them lol I was just bringing up the point about the tolls. On a road like the Turnpike where everyone is going 75-90 mph, I would never get back on the road without an acceleration lane. I also thought there was a "toll free keep moving" sign at the entrance to the northbound Turnpike from 495, but I can't seem to find that anywhere on Google streets view either.

[zzcarp]

Again it's been a while since I was on the Turnpike but I don't remember any signs. In fact, I wasn't even sure if they were even a road or not due to lack of clearly visible signage (from what I remember). Of course I would never use them lol I was just bringing up the point about the tolls. On a road like the Turnpike where everyone is going 75-90 mph, I would never get back on the road without an acceleration lane. I also thought there was a "toll free keep moving" sign at the entrance to the northbound Turnpike from 495, but I can't seem to find that anywhere on Google streets view either.

Looks like the 2009 (blurry) and 2013 through 2019 ones have those signs. Looks like they're gone by 2020.

[lstone19]

Again it's been a while since I was on the Turnpike but I don't remember any signs.

In the Google Street View pictures, there is a "No Turns" sign at the far side of each U-Turn intersection.

I also thought there was a "toll free keep moving" sign at the entrance to the northbound Turnpike from 495, but I can't seem to find that anywhere on Google streets view either.

There probably was one for a while after they went to one-way tolling there since people would have been used to stopping to pay at that point. Eventually, most people have learned or never knew it was two-way so there's no longer a need for the sign.

(Similar to in Illinois where I lived until just very recently that almost no-one knows that I-90 used to be a ticket section from Elgin to South Beloit (until the late '60s IIRC). The only vestiges left of that is the location of the Elgin and South Beloit mainline tolls and the trumpet interchanges at US20 Marengo/Hampshire and Business US 20 in Rockford (all the other interchanges are new or have been heavily modified and are no longer trumpets).

[Alps]

Yet there's still a sign that says "TOLL FREE KEEP MOVING"

What con-artists lol

It is toll free to enter from 16E (Route 495 west) and continue north on the Easterly Alignment. You are just saying "16" so I'm not sure where you entered from. You should not be billed if you entered that way.

[famartin]

Yet there's still a sign that says "TOLL FREE KEEP MOVING"

What con-artists lol

It is toll free to enter from 16E (Route 495 west) and continue north on the Easterly Alignment. You are just saying "16" so I'm not sure where you entered from. You should not be billed if you entered that way.

You probably have by now, but read thru below that post, it was figured out to be NYST exit 16.

[MultiMillionMiler]

Yes, everyone can forget what I said about the 87c because it was 99% chance that it was the NYS Thruway, because exit 16 is where the electronic tolling starts (aside from one random toll at exit 6-7). I may have confused it with the turnpike because of the authority that sent the invoice, but the toll is 87c between 16 and 17 on the thruway as someone pointed out. That other sign probably was removed within the last 2 years, it was a big yellow sign on the left side of the ramp. I must have missed the signs on the U turn areas because I never actually stopped to ever attempt a U turn, I wasn't even sure if they were roads or not at first because they were so narrow, and it looked more like a parking area for some small construction vehicles, but now I know. I wish they did have some actual safe U turn areas though, or at least ways to switch spurs if the car lanes gets too congested. Getting off the turnpike and back on is especially a pain for some reason compared to other highways, as even the local routes need more U turn areas. The one time I actually seriously got lost while driving was in the Seacaucus/Jersey City/Newark area because the layouts made it impossible to get over a lane in time, and even GPS wasn't helping much. NJ turnpike is an ideal road, but they need to fix their local interchanges!

[jeffandnicole]

...But if you took 2 hours to drive 3 exits, they would suspect you of making a U turn cause it shouldn't take that long. But then again the rest areas..

I was a part time toll collector on the NJ Turnpike back from 2001-2004. 

As toll collectors, we cared about two things:  Your vehicle classification (car, 2 axle truck, 5 axle truck, etc) and your toll.  We didn't look at the ticket trying to figure out how long you were on the Turnpike, we didn't watch you come off an interchange ramp.  If your toll ticket said $4.15, we cared that you paid that $4.15.  Occasionally I would get a ticket from someone that was over a time limit.  I didn't care.  $4.15 please.   If someone didn't have a toll ticket, they were charged the maximum fare.  That happened relatively often because they went thru an EZ Pass only lane to enter the Turnpike.  At the time max fare was either $5.50 or $6.45. 

The opposite is also true.  Some people believe that if you speed and make it down to the toll plaza too fast, we would somehow know.  We didn't.  Some people drive fast, then pull into a service plaza to spend some time there so they wouldn't get a ticket.  You wouldn't anyway.  Even our machines from one toll lane to the next displayed different times.

You have a vested interest in making u-turns on the road, but it's like every other highway:  U-Turns are prohibited unless very specifically signed for such.  And that signage doesn't exist on the NJ Turnpike.  There is one spot where you could make a legal u-turn:  The Vince Lombardi service plaza, north of Exits 18E/W.  This is by design, as it doubles as a park-and-ride.

[MultiMillionMiler]

Yeah one time the machine didn't give me a ticket so had to pay the maximum, didn't have enough room to back out. Wish they closed those lanes when tickets run out

[jeffandnicole]

Yeah one time the machine didn't give me a ticket so had to pay the maximum, didn't have enough room to back out. Wish they closed those lanes when tickets run out

The machines when emptied are supposed to automatically turn the light red. They could malfunction on occasion, either accidently or by someone jamming it. But what I saw much more often than not: people entered a closed lane, even with the red light lit.  If there wasn't a cone placed to block a lane, motorists would use the lane. Very common issue.

[roadman65]

Yeah one time the machine didn't give me a ticket so had to pay the maximum, didn't have enough room to back out. Wish they closed those lanes when tickets run out

The machines when emptied are supposed to automatically turn the light red. They could malfunction on occasion, either accidently or by someone jamming it. Biy what I saw much more often than not: people entered a closed lane, even with the red light lit.  If there wasn't a cone placed to block a lane, motorists would use the lane. Very common issue.

Agreed, as a toll collector I found motorists ignore the red lane and cones must be placed.

[MultiMillionMiler]

It was green and was lit up with "CASH" or "Full Service" when that happened lol. Don't know if the machine was out or just malfunctioned and didn't dispense it. What they should do is alternate Cash and EZ pass lanes and have an equal number, so you are at most only one lane change away from what you need to use. Some of them have only 2 cash lanes out of 7-8 and have to cut across 3-4 lanes to get to one, very annoying.

[storm2k]

It was green and was lit up with "CASH" or "Full Service" when that happened lol. Don't know if the machine was out or just malfunctioned and didn't dispense it. What they should do is alternate Cash and EZ pass lanes and have an equal number, so you are at most only one lane change away from what you need to use. Some of them have only 2 cash lanes out of 7-8 and have to cut across 3-4 lanes to get to one, very annoying.

AET is coming to the Turnpike and Parkway eventually, so it will all soon be moot.

[kernals12]

Yet there's still a sign that says "TOLL FREE KEEP MOVING"

What con-artists lol

They got it all screwed up. It should say: "TOLL FREE? KEEP MOVING!"

[MultiMillionMiler]

They installed temporary electronic tolling during the first month of the pandemic, but then went back to cash collection. Why didn't they just leave that as is?

[Mr. Matté]

Yet there's still a sign that says "TOLL FREE KEEP MOVING"

What con-artists lol

They got it all screwed up. It should say: "TOLL FREE? KEEP MOVING!"

Oops, shouldn't have this DOT logo either.

[Roadgeek Adam]

Yet there's still a sign that says "TOLL FREE KEEP MOVING"

What con-artists lol

They got it all screwed up. It should say: "TOLL FREE? KEEP MOVING!"

Oops, shouldn't have this DOT logo either.

*watches random NJTA worker eat the part of the sign*

[SignBridge]

Yeah one time the machine didn't give me a ticket so had to pay the maximum, didn't have enough room to back out. Wish they closed those lanes when tickets run out

The machines when emptied are supposed to automatically turn the light red. They could malfunction on occasion, either accidently or by someone jamming it. Biy what I saw much more often than not: people entered a closed lane, even with the red light lit.  If there wasn't a cone placed to block a lane, motorists would use the lane. Very common issue.

Agreed, as a toll collector I found motorists ignore the red lane and cones must be placed.

Back in the 1950's and 60's, some if not all toll barriers at the NYC area bridges and tunnels had a swing-gate (looked like a railroad gate) across the lane when the toll booth was not open, in addition to the red light.

[jeffandnicole]

They installed temporary electronic tolling during the first month of the pandemic, but then went back to cash collection. Why didn't they just leave that as is?

Probably several reasons, including that they have union agreements in place for toll collection, but the biggest reason may be what's happened with the PA Turnpike collecting of money from non-EZ pass tagholders.

[MultiMillionMiler]

What? People evading tolls?

Can't blame them. Tolls in those states are extortion.

Suppose you are taking a trip from the Delaware/Maryland border to Brooklyn, NYC, and back.

Delaware Turnpike: $4 each way = $8 total
Delaware Bridge: $5
Jersey Turnpike: $15 each way= $30 total
Goethals Bridge: $16
Verrazzano Bridge: $20.34 total for both ways

$60+ dollars in tolls just to go 130 miles and back. That's just beyond reason.

Any route that involves both the Pennsylvania Turnpike and jersey turnpike or Atlantic city expressway would be all tolls. Tolls should be reserves for bridges/tunnels only, not select highways that theybchoose.

[1]

$60+ dollars in tolls just to go 130 miles and back. That's just beyond reason.

Even at $60, that's not your main cost. 260 miles × 59¢ per mile = $153 just for driving. Maybe a bit less if it's not backed up because you're driving more efficiently than most travels, but still.

[1995hoo]

Yeah one time the machine didn't give me a ticket so had to pay the maximum, didn't have enough room to back out. Wish they closed those lanes when tickets run out

The machines when emptied are supposed to automatically turn the light red. They could malfunction on occasion, either accidently or by someone jamming it. Biy what I saw much more often than not: people entered a closed lane, even with the red light lit.  If there wasn't a cone placed to block a lane, motorists would use the lane. Very common issue.

Agreed, as a toll collector I found motorists ignore the red lane and cones must be placed.

Back in the 1950's and 60's, some if not all toll barriers at the NYC area bridges and tunnels had a swing-gate (looked like a railroad gate) across the lane when the toll booth was not open, in addition to the red light.

I seem to recall those from my youth, especially on the "Toll Machine" lanes (NYC's old term for "Exact Change" lanes*) when they weren't open. I was born in the 1970s, so that would mean those swinging gates were around into the 1980s.

*The "Toll Machine" lanes used orange signs. At some point in the 1980s, the Verrazano had an "Exact Cash" (not "Exact Change") lane indicated with a green sign and green striping; the idea was that they would accept cash (or a token) but wouldn't give you change, so as to expedite traffic flow. Didn't always work; I remember once going through there when the toll was $7 and the guy in front of us tried to give the toll-taker a $50.

[Alps]

What? People evading tolls?

Can't blame them. Tolls in those states are extortion.

Suppose you are taking a trip from the Delaware/Maryland border to Brooklyn, NYC, and back.

Delaware Turnpike: $4 each way = $8 total
Delaware Bridge: $5
Jersey Turnpike: $15 each way= $30 total
Goethals Bridge: $16
Verrazzano Bridge: $20.34 total for both ways

$60+ dollars in tolls just to go 130 miles and back. That's just beyond reason.

Any route that involves both the Pennsylvania Turnpike and jersey turnpike or Atlantic city expressway would be all tolls. Tolls should be reserves for bridges/tunnels only, not select highways that theybchoose.

then go take a back road and this is unrelated to this topic so please don't post this