New Jersey Turnpike

[lepidopteran]

- All new overpasses for local roads over the mainline between exit 6 and 8a

With the notable exception of NJ-133, since someone had the foresight to build that with two additional spans suitable for truck lanes.  Methinks the widening plan was already on the drawing board when it was built in the late 1990s.

With the inner lanes up for reconstruction, I wonder how many, if any, of the bridges will be rebuilt where the Turnpike does the crossing.

On GMSV, I looked at the bridge for Monmouth St., which is near Interchange 8.  I noticed that while the bridge for the original inner lanes have support columns on both side of the road, the new outer lane bridges have no columns at all.  The beams are thicker, of course, to compensate.  Also, there is a wide gap between the old and new bridges, while the inner lanes are practically a continuous structure.  (I say "practically" because, as a child, when riding under the NJ-33 bridge, I made a point of noticing a tiny sliver of daylight coming through at the median, about halfway through.  Yes, I had some odd interests back then )

The bridges for NJ-33 have no columns, new or old.  But the new bridges are set back from NJ-33 on the north side while flush on the south side.  While this is probably in anticipation of a NJ-33 widening or adding sidewalks, I noticed that the old bridge was widened as part of the project, apparently to add accel/decel lanes for the exit.  As such, I think that overpass will remain as is for a while.

[SteveG1988]

- All new overpasses for local roads over the mainline between exit 6 and 8a

With the notable exception of NJ-133, since someone had the foresight to build that with two additional spans suitable for truck lanes.  Methinks the widening plan was already on the drawing board when it was built in the late 1990s.

With the inner lanes up for reconstruction, I wonder how many, if any, of the bridges will be rebuilt where the Turnpike does the crossing.

On GMSV, I looked at the bridge for Monmouth St., which is near Interchange 8.  I noticed that while the bridge for the original inner lanes have support columns on both side of the road, the new outer lane bridges have no columns at all.  The beams are thicker, of course, to compensate.  Also, there is a wide gap between the old and new bridges, while the inner lanes are practically a continuous structure.  (I say "practically" because, as a child, when riding under the NJ-33 bridge, I made a point of noticing a tiny sliver of daylight coming through at the median, about halfway through.  Yes, I had some odd interests back then )

The bridges for NJ-33 have no columns, new or old.  But the new bridges are set back from NJ-33 on the north side while flush on the south side.  While this is probably in anticipation of a NJ-33 widening or adding sidewalks, I noticed that the old bridge was widened as part of the project, apparently to add accel/decel lanes for the exit.  As such, I think that overpass will remain as is for a while.

The turnpike at exit 7 for US206 has a similar column arrangement. Just inner ones for the new bridges, and on either side for the originals.

http://goo.gl/maps/WPnHa

[vdeane]

What's there that's really changed?  It's still three lanes, the exits/entrances are identical, etc.  It's as if someone picked up a lego set and moved it over a few feet.  It's not as if lanes were added or exit ramps rearranged or anything like that.

How about:

- Exit 8 was totally re-built on the other side of the Turnpike with all new ramps, a new toll plaza, a new connection to NJ 133 over the first full SPUI in NJ
- Exit 7A has a totally new trumpet (opposite direction of old one) with ramps going over I-195, plus other new ramps to/from the inner lanes
- Exit 7 has massive viaducts that carry the outer roadways over the existing ramps as well as long ramps going up/down two levels to connect the outer roadway to exit 7
- Exit 6 has many new ramps in the Y-style interchange
- Exit 8A has a new flyover ramp
- Two service areas have new ramps to/from the inner lanes (the ones at the area between 7 and 7a are very long)
- All new overpasses for local roads over the mainline between exit 6 and 8a
- New overhead signs at all exits and service areas - some unique with new information
- Brand new hybrid VMS for inner/outer roadways at every entrance
- Retirement of the funky art-deco Exit 6 sign on it's way to a museum apparently

None of which is cause for a "NEW TRAFFIC PATTERNS" sign. The Turnpike Authority was correct not to use it. Drivers will notice they're on the new outer lanes, but it's not going to affect their decision-making.

And additionally, most/all of those were already open before the shift to the outer lanes occurred... exits 7 and 8 and the flyovers for 8A and the service areas especially (being pre-requisites to finish the outer lanes in the first place).

[jeffandnicole]

- All new overpasses for local roads over the mainline between exit 6 and 8a

With the notable exception of NJ-133, since someone had the foresight to build that with two additional spans suitable for truck lanes.  Methinks the widening plan was already on the drawing board when it was built in the late 1990s.

If it wasn't officially on the books, it was definitely getting a look.  Before they decided to go with the dual-dual design, the Turnpike did say they looked at alternatives, such as just going 4 or 5 lanes wide on a single roadway.

With the inner lanes up for reconstruction, I wonder how many, if any, of the bridges will be rebuilt where the Turnpike does the crossing.

None.  Some will be repaired as necessary, but none will be rebuilt. If any overpasses needed to be reconstructed, that was done during the previous 4 years (I know of one between Interchange 8 & 8A that was done...there may have been another one or two reconstructed as well).

Per the minutes of the August 20, 2013 NJ Turnpike meeting:

Two new construction contracts will rehabilitate the roadways and the
work will consist of: milling and resurfacing; reconstruction ofthe northbound and southbound left
shoulders; repair of approximately 24 miles of median barrier; construction of a new median
barrier to close off the existing median U-Turn openings; perform select bridge deck and
substructure repairs, drainage system repairs and other miscellaneous items of work.

On GMSV, I looked at the bridge for Monmouth St., which is near Interchange 8.  I noticed that while the bridge for the original inner lanes have support columns on both side of the road, the new outer lane bridges have no columns at all.  The beams are thicker, of course, to compensate.

Unlike in the past when each span just went over one roadway, there are numerous casesin this widening project where a single span will go over two roadways.  In some cases, the double span goes over the inner lanes of both directions; in other cases the support is between the inner lanes, and the double span goes over the inner/outer roadways.  Guess it's due to better steel/concrete uses...and a decision not to be too anal about a uniform look up and down the entire dual-dual zone.

As the turnpike goes over roadways, such as in the NJ 33 & US 206 examples, similiar differences can be found as well.  Honestly though, the chances of those roads being widened are probably extremely nill.

[jeffandnicole]

Not your normal test sign...especially when you have a full-color VMS at your disposal.

[cpzilliacus]

Not your normal test sign...especially when you have a full-color VMS at your disposal.

Looks to between between the south end of the New Jersey Turnpike and Exit 4, since that is the only part of the "original" four-lane Turnpike that is left.

[jeffandnicole]

Not your normal test sign...especially when you have a full-color VMS at your disposal.

Looks to between between the south end of the New Jersey Turnpike and Exit 4, since that is the only part of the "original" four-lane Turnpike that is left.

SB between 4 & 3.  The overpass beyond the sign is NJ 70.

[Zeffy]

Are those NJTP and GSP markers actually part of the display? That's awesome. Interesting to see what that can be used for...

[NJRoadfan]

They use shields on the signs when they are showing travel times. Usually they are interstate and state routes though.

[Alps]

Are those NJTP and GSP markers actually part of the display? That's awesome. Interesting to see what that can be used for...

Any sign can be reproduced. Think super-large screen TV.

[Pete from Boston]

The great thing about those signs is that they can just plop a BGS with all the usual fonts, logos, etc. on them as needed.  I wish we had them here, but mostly because they look cool, which probably doesn't justify the expense.

[storm2k]

The Turnpike Authority is starting to make more and more use of the higher end graphics capability of the VMS's they've installed on both the Turnpike and the Parkway. For example, going southbound past exit 12, they have a VMS showing the time to Exit 6 and they include a I-276 shield in it. I also saw one around exit 11 for time to I-195, both going via the Turnpike to 7A and the Parkway to 98, although I'm not sure how useful that really is, because the part of 195 you end up on will really depend on where you're heading. If you're going to the Trenton area, going down the Parkway to Exit 98 and then taking 195 would be very out of the way since you'd have to travel the entire length of 195 just to get back. Although, if traffic is **really** bad through the Merge, maybe it's still faster (though I'd probably take 1 to 295 at that point).

[jeffandnicole]

Six Flags Great Adventure (exit 16) will advise motorists to use either highway to 195. Otherwise, probably just a guideline of the time it'll take to 195, which is pretty much the midpoint of the state.

[J Route Z]

I hate how some bridges have one side with this pavement (but the shoulder is different): http://goo.gl/maps/vrJbr

and the other side has this (with a high pitched sound when driving over it): http://goo.gl/maps/tTXeq

as well as between exits 13 and 13A, the "cars only" lanes both NB and SB have the concrete bridges, but the outer lanes are just like the first link I gave. When you are driving the inner lanes between these exits, you are riding over various streets in Elizabeth, and you keep hearing the high pitched noise. They should repair all of the bridges this way.

[PHLBOS]

Using that stretch of the NJTP this past weekend, I noticed something different signage-wise.  The Z 1000 signs that one sees roughly 1000 ft. before the median opening between the inner & outer corridors are now black lettering/numerals on a white background rather than the traditional white on green background.

Is such an application (the black-on-white) an intentional design change (new standard) or a design/fabricator mistake?

[Zeffy]

Using that stretch of the NJTP this past weekend, I noticed something different signage-wise.  The Z 1000 signs that one sees roughly 1000 ft. before the median opening between the inner & outer corridors are now black lettering/numerals on a white background rather than the traditional white on green background.

Is such an application (the black-on-white) an intentional design change (new standard) or a design/fabricator mistake?

While the NJTA Standard Drawings don't explicitly list the Z XXXX signs, I did find that mileage signs are still supposed to be white on green.

[PHLBOS]

While the NJTA Standard Drawings don't explicitly list the Z XXXX signs, I did find that mileage signs are still supposed to be white on green.

If you're referring to mile marker signs, the Z 1000 and its >< 1000 companion (for openings between northbound & southbound lanes or full-overpass cross-overs) are totally different animals and are only intended for police and emergency vehicle reference & usage. 

It's possible that somebody down the line reinterpreted those signs to be more of regulatory nature rather than a guidance nature.  Who that somebody is remains to be the question and whether or not those new white signs were indeed a fluke.

[jeffandnicole]

Taking a long, hard look at the standard drawings and other info the NJ Turnpike makes public, it is interesting that the U 1000 & Z 1000 signs are nowhere to be found.  They are referenced numerous times for one reason or another, but the actual drawing or description of such signs seem to be omitted...at least online.

[Zeffy]

Taking a long, hard look at the standard drawings and other info the NJ Turnpike makes public, it is interesting that the U 1000 & Z 1000 signs are nowhere to be found.  They are referenced numerous times for one reason or another, but the actual drawing or description of such signs seem to be omitted...at least online.

Come to think of it, which other signs has the Turnpike Authority not put online (excluding overhead guide signs, though the ones I have in my Standard Drawings are NOT the older-style ones, and are much more MUTCD oriented) in some way or another?

[Alps]

Taking a long, hard look at the standard drawings and other info the NJ Turnpike makes public, it is interesting that the U 1000 & Z 1000 signs are nowhere to be found.  They are referenced numerous times for one reason or another, but the actual drawing or description of such signs seem to be omitted...at least online.

They're not in the Standard Drawings, and it was a conscious decision to exclude them. It's possible that they won't be using them anymore, although that would surprise me because they do reference them so often. That said, they are supposed to be white on green - someone was probably looking at a black/white plan and messed up.

[ixnay]

I'll miss those variable speed limit signs that had italicized numerals made up of flippable panels.

Same for the neon sign "REDUCE SPEED" signs announcing hazardous conditions.

They were so NJ Turnpikeish. 

ixnay

[PHLBOS]

I'll miss those variable speed limit signs that had italicized numerals made up of flippable panels.

Same for the neon sign "REDUCE SPEED" signs announcing hazardous conditions.

They were so NJ Turnpikeish.

Back in the 70s & early 80s, speed limit signs along the NJTP used to have a red/orange neon 55 for normal conditions and white digital readout (w/incandescent bulbs) for reduced speeds due to construction, accident, weather conditions, etc. on the same sign.

[cpzilliacus]

I'll miss those variable speed limit signs that had italicized numerals made up of flippable panels.

Same for the neon sign "REDUCE SPEED" signs announcing hazardous conditions.

They were so NJ Turnpikeish.

Back in the 70s & early 80s, speed limit signs along the NJTP used to have a red/orange neon 55 for normal conditions and white digital readout (w/incandescent bulbs) for reduced speeds due to construction, accident, weather conditions, etc. on the same sign.

I recall (and this might have been prior to the NMSL) that the "normal" limit was in white (with "scoreboard-style" incandescents), and the "slow down" limit was in red/orange neon.

[PHLBOS]

Back in the 70s & early 80s, speed limit signs along the NJTP used to have a red/orange neon 55 for normal conditions and white digital readout (w/incandescent bulbs) for reduced speeds due to construction, accident, weather conditions, etc. on the same sign.

I recall (and this might have been prior to the NMSL) that the "normal" limit was in white (with "scoreboard-style" incandescents), and the "slow down" limit was in red/orange neon.

While I wasn't on the NJTP at all until 1981; I do know that the opposite set-up was indeed the case: red/orange neon for the normal speed limit and white scoreboard incandescents for the slower speeds. 

From a constructability & maintenance standpoint, such would make sense because having different numerals in neon would require separate elements (bulbs) for each different numeral whereas the scoreboard layout utilized the same standard 88 setup for all numerals (key bulbs would light up as appropriate).

[Pete from Boston]

Seen on VMS in Edison: "MAJOR DELAYS SOUTH OF TOLL 9."

Toll 9? 

Also, the interchanges on the new dual-dual section feel so much... beefier than the older ones.  Though I know it wasn't dual-dual before, the new Interchange 6 makes the old one seem bucolic by comparison. 

Is the new lighting LED?