New Jersey Turnpike

[SignBridge]

I believe NJDOT hasn't added I-95 either coming from I-280 in Kearny to this day.  That's an interstate to interstate junction and should have never been signed without back in 1980 when that part of 280 opened.

You mean this? It was added back between '09 and '12.

They should really get on it soon, cause signs like this just look goofy with the Lincoln tunnel as the control and just blank space all over. Note the sign to the right saying the speed limit is strictly enforced. The 45 mph work zones are not 'strictly enforced' lol

That first photo of Exits 17A-B on eastbound I-280 is the infamous unsigned lane-drop. Up 'til those overhead signs at the split, the exit to Jersey City is signed as a standard exit and the deceleration lane begins and then if you're in what appears to be the right thru lane suddenly you find yourself going down the exit without having intended to because up to that point you assumed that all three lanes were thru lanes, since the signs didn't say otherwise. I can't understand why NJDOT doesn't sign that lane-drop using the standard configuration specified in the MUTCD. 

[jeffandnicole]

...The 45 mph work zones are not 'strictly enforced' lol

And I think they use Laser also now in addition to radar.

[NoGoodNamesAvailable]

I believe NJDOT hasn't added I-95 either coming from I-280 in Kearny to this day.  That's an interstate to interstate junction and should have never been signed without back in 1980 when that part of 280 opened.

You mean this? It was added back between '09 and '12.

They should really get on it soon, cause signs like this just look goofy with the Lincoln tunnel as the control and just blank space all over. Note the sign to the right saying the speed limit is strictly enforced. The 45 mph work zones are not 'strictly enforced' lol

That first photo of Exits 17A-B on eastbound I-280 is the infamous unsigned lane-drop. Up 'til those overhead signs at the split, the exit to Jersey City is signed as a standard exit and the deceleration lane begins and then if you're in what appears to be the right thru lane suddenly you find yourself going down the exit without having intended to because up to that point you assumed that all three lanes were thru lanes, since the signs didn't say otherwise. I can't understand why NJDOT doesn't sign that lane-drop using the standard configuration specified in the MUTCD. 

There are dozens of example of this all over NJ. NJDOT feels that signing lane drops from expressways and freeways is optional.

[vdeane]

There are dozens of example of this all over NJ. NJDOT feels that signing lane drops from expressways and freeways is optional.

It's ironic... they have all those "keep right except to pass" signs and yet they're the state where I'm least likely to do so because I can never tell if a lane is going to stick around or not.

[SignBridge]

Okay, so I'm not the only one who's noticed this about New Jersey DOT. Ya' really have to wonder what they are thinking when they design these signs. After all, they are alleged to be professional engineers following a professional engineering manual published by the Federal Highway Administration. So what the heck ? ...........

[jeffandnicole]

Okay, so I'm not the only one who's noticed this about New Jersey DOT. Ya' really have to wonder what they are thinking when they design these signs. After all, they are alleged to be professional engineers following a professional engineering manual published by the Federal Highway Administration. So what the heck ? ...........

One of my theories is NJDOT engineers are looking at old data.  Much of this signage was installed back in the 1960's and 1970's. In some cases, road construction took place or signage was improved upon in the 1980's or 1990's (depending on when the signage was replaced).  When they go to replace it again, they look at the original as-built plans back in the 60's or 70's, not the most recent as-built plans, and not what is currently in the field.

1 example of this (although I could name more):

Originally, I-295 South at Exit 13 had 3 lanes approaching a split:  2 lanes for I-295 South to the left; 2 lanes for US 130 to the right, with the center lane being an option lane.  When Exit 14 was reconstructed, they redid the lanes in this area by introducing a 4th lane, now with the right and right center lanes going to US 130, and the left, left center and right center lanes curving for I-295 South, so the right-center lane is now the option lane. Signage was installed denoting this:  https://www.okroads.com/031903/i295njappexit13_14mi.JPG (thanks to Eric Stuve's okroads.com site for have this pic).

When NJDOT did a large signage replacement project years later, they didn't use what was currently in the field; they went back to the *original* signage diagrams, and for the past 15+ years, have used this incorrect signage, showing only 3 lanes:  https://maps.app.goo.gl/yU5c9UvzRbJaFaC9A . The result has been many last minute lane changes and an often-hit and replaced barrier at the exit.  How some lawyer hasn't been able to pin a crash on the incorrect signage to get NJDOT to replace it makes me wonder if they just look for a quick buck from accident victims.

[NJRoadfan]

They don't send anyone out into the field to evaluate current conditions when doing a sign replacement? I can see not doing it to replace one sign that was knocked down in a car accident, but a large project to replace an entire section of roadway merits a field trip.

[jeffandnicole]

They don't send anyone out into the field to evaluate current conditions when doing a sign replacement? I can see not doing it to replace one sign that was knocked down in a car accident, but a large project to replace an entire section of roadway merits a field trip.

Another reason I support my theory:  Over the years I've learned that some of the NJDOT officials at public meetings are there not because they have great knowledge of the project - they're there to answer very basic questions most attendees have. During a 295/76/42 meeting, I was asking about the Creek Road exit: https://maps.app.goo.gl/GD1C4pcpqCxN1xVM6 (2019 image; exit since revised)  The NJDOT rep said, no, that's Leaf Ave.  Me: OK, yes, but it's the Creek Road exit.  Him: No it's not.  Me: The sign say "Creek Road". Him: No, it's Leaf Ave.

I could not get my question asked because he was more focused on me believing I'm calling the exit by the wrong name.  A simple field check, which was a mile away from the meeting spot, would've clearly shown why it's called the Creek Road exit.

[NoGoodNamesAvailable]

They don't send anyone out into the field to evaluate current conditions when doing a sign replacement? I can see not doing it to replace one sign that was knocked down in a car accident, but a large project to replace an entire section of roadway merits a field trip.

I doubt NJDOT designs any sign replacement projects in-house. My experience with them is they can hardly pave a road without getting a design consultant involved.

I think it's matter of the design firms recycling and being as lazy as possible, and bad oversight from NJDOT.

[jeffandnicole]

They don't send anyone out into the field to evaluate current conditions when doing a sign replacement? I can see not doing it to replace one sign that was knocked down in a car accident, but a large project to replace an entire section of roadway merits a field trip.

I doubt NJDOT designs any sign replacement projects in-house. My experience with them is they can hardly pave a road without getting a design consultant involved.

I think it's matter of the design firms recycling and being as lazy as possible, and bad oversight from NJDOT.

The bids that go out (on bidx.com, aome viewable to the public if you obtain a free access login) do use original plans quite often as supporting documentation, which is what bidders often rely on.

[roadman65]

https://maps.app.goo.gl/HyqVko6b4pnrCrnj9
Found this New York City mileage sign north of 7A. No other city but New York.

[Rothman]

https://maps.app.goo.gl/HyqVko6b4pnrCrnj9
Found this New York City mileage sign north of 7A. No other city but New York.

Wasn't the only one on the Turnpike like that, if memory serves.

[jeffandnicole]

https://maps.app.goo.gl/HyqVko6b4pnrCrnj9
Found this New York City mileage sign north of 7A. No other city but New York.

Wasn't the only one on the Turnpike like that, if memory serves.

There's a few now, although that may be the only single city mileage sign.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/yGPi8zVSRr1Te2KfA on the SB side.

[roadman65]

The Turnpike used to have single destination mileage signs for New York every ten miles on the ten. 

However this one is off as Exit 7A is not 60 miles from New York.  I believe it's ,50 to the GWB from that point but only 30 to the Outer bridge Crossing from I-195.

[vdeane]

The Turnpike used to have single destination mileage signs for New York every ten miles on the ten. 

However this one is off as Exit 7A is not 60 miles from New York.  I believe it's ,50 to the GWB from that point but only 30 to the Outer bridge Crossing from I-195.

It's 60 miles from exit 7A to the George Washington Bridge if you follow I-95 the whole way.

[lepidopteran]

The Turnpike used to have single destination mileage signs for New York every ten miles on the ten.

And there were two generations of these signs over the years.

The first version of the signs were low to the ground and had smaller text.  In fact one example of these survived until the mid-new-10s, albeit looking SB toward Trenton.

Not sure when gen-2 took over, but these signs were higher up and had a larger font. They used a style that I'm not sure was used much elsewhere on the NJTP, if at all.  I think these vanished in the early 2000s at the latest.

[Rothman]

The Turnpike used to have single destination mileage signs for New York every ten miles on the ten.

And there were two generations of these signs over the years.

The first version of the signs were low to the ground and had smaller text.  In fact one example of these survived until the mid-new-10s, albeit looking SB toward Trenton.

Not sure when gen-2 took over, but these signs were higher up and had a larger font. They used a style that I'm not sure was used much elsewhere on the NJTP, if at all.  I think these vanished in the early 2000s at the latest.

Wow.  Those first generation signs take me back.

[ixnay]

The Turnpike used to have single destination mileage signs for New York every ten miles on the ten.

And there were two generations of these signs over the years.

The first version of the signs were low to the ground and had smaller text.  In fact one example of these survived until the mid-new-10s, albeit looking SB toward Trenton.

Not sure when gen-2 took over, but these signs were higher up and had a larger font. They used a style that I'm not sure was used much elsewhere on the NJTP, if at all.  I think these vanished in the early 2000s at the latest.

Wow.  Those first generation signs take me back.

They take me back, too.

[roadman65]

The Turnpike used to have single destination mileage signs for New York every ten miles on the ten.

And there were two generations of these signs over the years.

The first version of the signs were low to the ground and had smaller text.  In fact one example of these survived until the mid-new-10s, albeit looking SB toward Trenton.

Not sure when gen-2 took over, but these signs were higher up and had a larger font. They used a style that I'm not sure was used much elsewhere on the NJTP, if at all.  I think these vanished in the early 2000s at the latest.

Wow.  Those first generation signs take me back.

They take me back, too.

There were even signs when I was young that read " MI" for " MILES" and were common as the two mile guides were exit number only with distance to the next following exits before they got modernized with Exit Number - Miles- Route Number- Control City.