New Jersey Turnpike

[jeffandnicole]

The second one is the CAMERA problem, not the VMS.

I hate to say this, but I've seen that without any cameras too.

There are occasional issues with anything electronic: VMSs, Billboards, etc. But the pic on that website is someone overanxiously wanting to contribute something, rather than taking a GOOD pic and posting it.

For what it's worth, the actual image on each of those boards are 3 white arrows pointing down; you can see them by zooming in. Otherwise, the rest of the space is black. The only other thing I've seen is 3 red Xs on those boards. On the ramp entrances, the bottom will say "AND CARS", as the flip panel above it only says TRUCKS - BUSES". On some of the tighter ramps they add a yellow warning ramp speed message:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/aSYSCGFY9tmU6ppJ8 . But on any of these boards I've never seen any other one-time message.

[storm2k]

From nj.com: Brace yourself, drivers. Turnpike and Parkway tolls are going up for the 3rd year in a row.

The New Jersey Turnpike Authority, which runs both highways, adopted a $2.5 billion 2023 budget – which calls for a 3% toll increase starting Jan. 1 in a budget that increased by 7.4% over 2022.

Officials blamed the increase on "pressures on discretionary travel and costs due to an inflation rate of 8.3%, a level not seen in 40 years."

On the flip, the NJTA has a pretty ambitious 10 year capital plan so the money is going into improvements and projects to keep the roadways going.

[kernals12]

Wow over a million posts.
I heard on the radio today that tolls would increase another 3% by 2023. That means definitely over $20 EACH WAY to go from end to end. Let's not forget the tolls on the bridges at both ends as well. Add on congestion pricing...a trip from Baltimore to NYC will cost close to $100 in tolls alone.

You can save some money by taking 295 and using local roads to avoid the tolls in Delaware

[kernals12]

From nj.com: Brace yourself, drivers. Turnpike and Parkway tolls are going up for the 3rd year in a row.

The New Jersey Turnpike Authority, which runs both highways, adopted a $2.5 billion 2023 budget – which calls for a 3% toll increase starting Jan. 1 in a budget that increased by 7.4% over 2022.

Officials blamed the increase on "pressures on discretionary travel and costs due to an inflation rate of 8.3%, a level not seen in 40 years."

On the flip, the NJTA has a pretty ambitious 10 year capital plan so the money is going into improvements and projects to keep the roadways going.

After inflation,tolls are actually falling

[MultiMillionMiler]

Wow over a million posts.
I heard on the radio today that tolls would increase another 3% by 2023. That means definitely over $20 EACH WAY to go from end to end. Let's not forget the tolls on the bridges at both ends as well. Add on congestion pricing...a trip from Baltimore to NYC will cost close to $100 in tolls alone.

You can save some money by taking 295 and using local roads to avoid the tolls in Delaware

295 only goes up to a point, these rest of the Turnpike is still enormously expensive

[Rothman]

Wow over a million posts.
I heard on the radio today that tolls would increase another 3% by 2023. That means definitely over $20 EACH WAY to go from end to end. Let's not forget the tolls on the bridges at both ends as well. Add on congestion pricing...a trip from Baltimore to NYC will cost close to $100 in tolls alone.

You can save some money by taking 295 and using local roads to avoid the tolls in Delaware

295 only goes up to a point, these rest of the Turnpike is still enormously expensive

Enormously?  Not really.

[MultiMillionMiler]

Most of the toll is on the northern half, so 295 cutting off some of the southern end doesn't help much.

[roadman65]

When I lived in NJ, the tolls from Exits 9-18 were higher than from 1-9.  It's been 30 plus years, but from the Garden State Parkway to the GWB was $1.30 and from the Garden State Parkway to the Delaware Memorial Bridge was $1.40.  Only ten cents diffeeence with the mileages being sparse from each other.

Than exiting at Exit 6 cost more than Exit 4 from all points north of Exit 6.  I'm guessing the Exit 6 toll factored in the Delaware River Bridge which at the same time PA factored in the same bridge in their former Exit 30 toll.

[jeffandnicole]

Wow over a million posts.
I heard on the radio today that tolls would increase another 3% by 2023. That means definitely over $20 EACH WAY to go from end to end. Let's not forget the tolls on the bridges at both ends as well. Add on congestion pricing...a trip from Baltimore to NYC will cost close to $100 in tolls alone.

You can save some money by taking 295 and using local roads to avoid the tolls in Delaware

295 only goes up to a point, these rest of the Turnpike is still enormously expensive

Enormously?  Not really.

Well, you may be in for a shock.  It's actually more expensive on the NJ Turnpike than the PA Turnpike, especially when comparing EZ Pass rates.

Currently, from Exit 7A (where it's the northern-most easiest access point to 295) to Exit 18E/W, that 57 mile trip will cost you $10.05 Off-Peak (17.6 cents per mile), or $13.39 Peak (23.5 cents per mile).

On the PA Turnpike, an equivalent 57 mile trip is generally about $6.20 to $8.90 (10.9 to 15.6 cents per mile) with EZ Pass.

If you think of the price to drive the entire PA Turnpike, or the price someone would pay using the Toll-by-Plate option, the PA Turnpike is much more expensive than the entire length of the NJ Turnpike.  But the PA Turnpike is also 3 times as long as the NJ Turnpike, so that makes sense.

But on a per-mile basis, the NJ Turnpike is actually considerably more expensive than the PA Turnpike. It's actually a bit surprising the NJ Turnpike has been able to hide that from the media and the public.

Now, is $10 or $13 enormously expensive?  For someone on a lower income, or someone that drives it every day (and in that case, probably twice a day), it adds up considerably.

[roadman65]

I'm guessing that the rates per mile jump north of Route 18 like they've always been.

[Alps]

I'm guessing that the rates per mile jump north of Route 18 like they've always been.

there's an app for that
https://www.njta.com/media/6376/tpk-toll-schedule-class-1-cars.pdf

[vdeane]

Wow over a million posts.
I heard on the radio today that tolls would increase another 3% by 2023. That means definitely over $20 EACH WAY to go from end to end. Let's not forget the tolls on the bridges at both ends as well. Add on congestion pricing...a trip from Baltimore to NYC will cost close to $100 in tolls alone.

You can save some money by taking 295 and using local roads to avoid the tolls in Delaware

295 only goes up to a point, these rest of the Turnpike is still enormously expensive

Enormously?  Not really.

Well, you may be in for a shock.  It's actually more expensive on the NJ Turnpike than the PA Turnpike, especially when comparing EZ Pass rates.

Currently, from Exit 7A (where it's the northern-most easiest access point to 295) to Exit 18E/W, that 57 mile trip will cost you $10.05 Off-Peak (17.6 cents per mile), or $13.39 Peak (23.5 cents per mile).

On the PA Turnpike, an equivalent 57 mile trip is generally about $6.20 to $8.90 (10.9 to 15.6 cents per mile) with EZ Pass.

If you think of the price to drive the entire PA Turnpike, or the price someone would pay using the Toll-by-Plate option, the PA Turnpike is much more expensive than the entire length of the NJ Turnpike.  But the PA Turnpike is also 3 times as long as the NJ Turnpike, so that makes sense.

But on a per-mile basis, the NJ Turnpike is actually considerably more expensive than the PA Turnpike. It's actually a bit surprising the NJ Turnpike has been able to hide that from the media and the public.

Now, is $10 or $13 enormously expensive?  For someone on a lower income, or someone that drives it every day (and in that case, probably twice a day), it adds up considerably.

Of course, the NJ Turnpike is still cheaper if factoring the cost per lane miles rather than centerline miles.  Much cheaper south of NJ 18.

[famartin]

PA Turnpike is almost $100 each way, and it's not even as good of a road as the Jersey Turnpike. 70 mph speed limit and some curves can barely handle 70. Jersey Turnpike however, is straighter. It should be 70 while the PENN Turnpike should be lowered to 65.

I'm surprised 276 is mostly 70. Doesn't seem quite built for it, especially with the missing shoulders under most overpasses.

The rebuilt section west of Harrisburg, as well as the widened section of the Northeast Extension, are more than capable of 70, however.

[MultiMillionMiler]

Yes 76 west of Harrisburg and I-81 is as good as the Jersey turnpike, but then it becomes very curvy again and only 2 lanes near the mountains and through-terrain tunnels. I-78 is straighter through eastern PA, but from what I can remember none of that is even 70. Jersey Turnpike should definitely be 70 and maybe even a bump to 75-80.

[famartin]

Yes 76 west of Harrisburg and I-81 is as good as the Jersey turnpike, but then it becomes very curvy again and only 2 lanes near the mountains and through-terrain tunnels. I-78 is straighter through eastern PA, but from what I can remember none of that is even 70. Jersey Turnpike should definitely be 70 and maybe even a bump to 75-80.

NJ doesn't allow 70. If it did, large sections of the Turnpike would be, no doubt.

[MultiMillionMiler]

Probably, or maybe not. Washington State allows for 75 mph but no road is posted above 70. Mississippi allows 80 mph on toll roads, but no toll roads were ever built. The entire turnpike should be 65 at least then, even the section north of I-278 can easily handle it.

[famartin]

Probably, or maybe not. Washington State allows for 75 mph but no road is posted above 70. Mississippi allows 80 mph on toll roads, but no toll roads were ever built. The entire turnpike should be 65 at least then, even the section north of I-278 can easily handle it.

I think parts of the turnpike north of 278 can handle it, but there are complex interchanges such as the Eastern Spur/Western Spur split and merge where lower speed limits should prevail, as well as a lot of bridge decks which are not quite ideal for a 65 mph road. Not to mention that traffic levels make it hard to justify in some sections, especially along the spurs and beyond.

[Alps]

Yes 76 west of Harrisburg and I-81 is as good as the Jersey turnpike, but then it becomes very curvy again and only 2 lanes near the mountains and through-terrain tunnels. I-78 is straighter through eastern PA, but from what I can remember none of that is even 70. Jersey Turnpike should definitely be 70 and maybe even a bump to 75-80.

NJ doesn't allow 70. If it did, large sections of the Turnpike would be, no doubt.

They allow 80 before they start to ticket you. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[famartin]

Yes 76 west of Harrisburg and I-81 is as good as the Jersey turnpike, but then it becomes very curvy again and only 2 lanes near the mountains and through-terrain tunnels. I-78 is straighter through eastern PA, but from what I can remember none of that is even 70. Jersey Turnpike should definitely be 70 and maybe even a bump to 75-80.

NJ doesn't allow 70. If it did, large sections of the Turnpike would be, no doubt.

They allow 80 before they start to ticket you. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Yeah I knew that 😉

[MultiMillionMiler]

At 80, or 81?

[jeffandnicole]

At 80, or 81?

Best guess appears to be 80.

[MultiMillionMiler]

It seems the truck spur is always faster for some reason

[famartin]

It seems the truck spur is always faster for some reason

On weekends, truck lanes are often faster because weekenders are scared of the trucks. Weekdays are a different story because of heavy traffic to/from Port Newark.

[MultiMillionMiler]

Wonder if they will ever build that 3rd lane from the Delaware Bridge to Exit 4.

[roadman65]

Wonder if they will ever build that 3rd lane from the Delaware Bridge to Exit 4.

Good question, but it's a popular one.  So you may agitate some, on here just like proposing I-76 to go to Atlantic City is so old that users become weary.

The answer is on the website https://www.njta.com/media/6542/2022-03-07-2022-2026_capital-projects-list_v06.pdf go to page 7 under capital
plan.

https://www.njta.com/media/6542/2022-03-07-2022-2026_capital-projects-list_v06.pdf if that don't work.



On another note, to respond to previous posts. The toll calculator reveals $ 19.35 to pay cash the entire length. 

Then over 9 bucks for the Parkway to the GWB. 

Outrageous!  So yes the tolls north of Exit 9 jump per mile still.