New Jersey

[jeffandnicole]

In a separate project, North of the Brunswick Circle, they're supposed to road diet US 1B to 1 lane per direction. 

Hm. Let's talk more about that one. Are they taking out the median barrier finally or just converting lanes to shoulders? A three lane road with bike lanes might be nice here. I don't know what rush hour volumes look like here though. If directional hourly volumes ever exceed 1,000, I would be opposed.

Here it is: http://www.state.nj.us/transportation/capital/tcp15/sec4/county/mercer.pdf  To be honest, they say reduction of travel lane widths, but they don't say they're reducing it to one lane per direction.  The median will become a grassy median vs. the low, narrow concrete median it is now.

[SteveG1988]

http://www.downbeachexpress.com/

[bzakharin]

http://www.downbeachexpress.com/

Had no idea these tolls even existed until starting to work in the area. I guess they lowered prices (used to be $3 each way). Still a racket when you can take the ACE, a freeway, for 75 cents and the convenience of using the same EZPass transponder most area drivers already have. Or, if you don't mind a slightly circuitous route, you can get there for free. Frankly, the only ones paying these tolls (on purpose, not by accident like I had to once) are those who live on either side of these bridges for short range trips, which makes these tolls even worse on a per mile basis.

[cl94]

http://www.downbeachexpress.com/

Had no idea these tolls even existed until starting to work in the area. I guess they lowered prices (used to be $3 each way). Still a racket when you can take the ACE, a freeway, for 75 cents and the convenience of using the same EZPass transponder most area drivers already have. Or, if you don't mind a slightly circuitous route, you can get there for free. Frankly, the only ones paying these tolls (on purpose, not by accident like I had to once) are those who live on either side of these bridges for short range trips, which makes these tolls even worse on a per mile basis.

Reminds me of the Atlantic Beach Bridge in Nassau County. Insanely expensive and no E-ZPass so they're more difficult to audit.

[jeffandnicole]

http://www.downbeachexpress.com/

Had no idea these tolls even existed until starting to work in the area. I guess they lowered prices (used to be $3 each way). Still a racket when you can take the ACE, a freeway, for 75 cents and the convenience of using the same EZPass transponder most area drivers already have. Or, if you don't mind a slightly circuitous route, you can get there for free. Frankly, the only ones paying these tolls (on purpose, not by accident like I had to once) are those who live on either side of these bridges for short range trips, which makes these tolls even worse on a per mile basis.

Reminds me of the Atlantic Beach Bridge in Nassau County. Insanely expensive and no E-ZPass so they're more difficult to audit.

Toll roads have been around for decades prior to EZ Pass being introduced.  There are many other ways to audit traffic going thru the lanes.

[Roadrunner75]

Article from NJ.com a few days ago with a number of old road photos:
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2016/01/vintage_photos_of_streets_and_roads_in_nj.html#incart_river_home_pop

[jwolfer]

Article from NJ.com a few days ago with a number of old road photos:
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2016/01/vintage_photos_of_streets_and_roads_in_nj.html#incart_river_home_pop

There was a picture with a left turn lane.. A long time ago you could turn left on a multilane divided highway in NJ!!  Sarcasm, I know there still are.

I love the vintage cars

[bzakharin]

Article from NJ.com a few days ago with a number of old road photos:
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2016/01/vintage_photos_of_streets_and_roads_in_nj.html#incart_river_home_pop

There was a picture with a left turn lane.. A long time ago you could turn left on a multilane divided highway in NJ!!  Sarcasm, I know there still are.

I love the vintage cars

Is it really that uncommon? I've seen left turns on divided highways in PA, DE, and OH as well. If anything, it's the jughandles that are more common in NJ, where other states would have a left turn lane more often.

[jeffandnicole]

Article from NJ.com a few days ago with a number of old road photos:
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2016/01/vintage_photos_of_streets_and_roads_in_nj.html#incart_river_home_pop

There was a picture with a left turn lane.. A long time ago you could turn left on a multilane divided highway in NJ!!  Sarcasm, I know there still are.

I love the vintage cars

Is it really that uncommon? I've seen left turns on divided highways in PA, DE, and OH as well. If anything, it's the jughandles that are more common in NJ, where other states would have a left turn lane more often.

The note about sarcasm cannot be stressed enough.

The left turn lane I think he was referring to in those pictures is on US 30, which allows traffic to turn left to access I-295.  That left turn lane still exists - with the same concrete curbing - although there's been a traffic light there for at least a few decades now. 

[Zeffy]

Appropriate and something I never knew about.
http://www.nj.com/traffic/index.ssf/2016/02/the_mystery_behind_i-287s_vanishing_streetlights.html?ath=dddcd23b247ba6071fddc0507d83743f#cmpid=nsltr_strybutton

[Roadgeek Adam]

Appropriate and something I never knew about.
http://www.nj.com/traffic/index.ssf/2016/02/the_mystery_behind_i-287s_vanishing_streetlights.html?ath=dddcd23b247ba6071fddc0507d83743f#cmpid=nsltr_strybutton

Those HOV lanes were fun. And by fun, I mean terrible.

[noelbotevera]

Appropriate and something I never knew about.
http://www.nj.com/traffic/index.ssf/2016/02/the_mystery_behind_i-287s_vanishing_streetlights.html?ath=dddcd23b247ba6071fddc0507d83743f#cmpid=nsltr_strybutton

Those HOV lanes were fun. And by fun, I mean terrible.

Wait, what? Since when did NJ ever have HOV lanes...

[Alps]

Appropriate and something I never knew about.
http://www.nj.com/traffic/index.ssf/2016/02/the_mystery_behind_i-287s_vanishing_streetlights.html?ath=dddcd23b247ba6071fddc0507d83743f#cmpid=nsltr_strybutton

Those HOV lanes were fun. And by fun, I mean terrible.

Wait, what? Since when did NJ ever have HOV lanes...

Before your time.

[cl94]

Appropriate and something I never knew about.
http://www.nj.com/traffic/index.ssf/2016/02/the_mystery_behind_i-287s_vanishing_streetlights.html?ath=dddcd23b247ba6071fddc0507d83743f#cmpid=nsltr_strybutton

Those HOV lanes were fun. And by fun, I mean terrible.

Wait, what? Since when did NJ ever have HOV lanes...

Before your time.

They were gone well before you were born. 1998. I barely remember them from a trip to PA when I was 3.

[jeffandnicole]

NJ still has HOV lanes. 

https://goo.gl/maps/M6Co2Tpxqzy

[Roadgeek Adam]

Appropriate and something I never knew about.
http://www.nj.com/traffic/index.ssf/2016/02/the_mystery_behind_i-287s_vanishing_streetlights.html?ath=dddcd23b247ba6071fddc0507d83743f#cmpid=nsltr_strybutton

Those HOV lanes were fun. And by fun, I mean terrible.

Wait, what? Since when did NJ ever have HOV lanes...

Before your time.

They were gone well before you were born. 1998. I barely remember them from a trip to PA when I was 3.

Let's put it this way: The abandoned gantries have lasted 7.5x longer than the program. The HOV lanes caused such gridlock that they were totally antithetical to the purpose they served.

This press release gives you a better idea what the state had in mind.

[jeffandnicole]

Appropriate and something I never knew about.
http://www.nj.com/traffic/index.ssf/2016/02/the_mystery_behind_i-287s_vanishing_streetlights.html?ath=dddcd23b247ba6071fddc0507d83743f#cmpid=nsltr_strybutton

Those HOV lanes were fun. And by fun, I mean terrible.

Wait, what? Since when did NJ ever have HOV lanes...

Before your time.

They were gone well before you were born. 1998. I barely remember them from a trip to PA when I was 3.

Let's put it this way: The abandoned gantries have lasted 7.5x longer than the program. The HOV lanes caused such gridlock that they were totally antithetical to the purpose they served.

This press release gives you a better idea what the state had in mind.

Its gonna be a cold day in climate change hell before NJDOT uses HOV lanes again.  When they studied possible alternatives for the Rt. 42 widening between 55 & 295 (from 3 to 4 lanes) in the 90's, HOV lanes received a lower ranking and were eliminated first, scoring even lower than the 'Do nothing' option.

[Buffaboy]

Does anybody know what this ramp is for? https://www.google.com/maps/@40.7556464,-74.1171611,152m/data=!3m1!1e3

[cl94]

Does anybody know what this ramp is for? https://www.google.com/maps/@40.7556464,-74.1171611,152m/data=!3m1!1e3

Emergency vehicle access between the spurs.

[dgolub]

Does anybody know what this ramp is for? https://www.google.com/maps/@40.7556464,-74.1171611,152m/data=!3m1!1e3

Emergency vehicle access between the spurs.

I wonder if they'd give you a ticket if you used it.  I don't see any "Do Not Enter" sign in Street View.

[cl94]

Does anybody know what this ramp is for? https://www.google.com/maps/@40.7556464,-74.1171611,152m/data=!3m1!1e3

Emergency vehicle access between the spurs.

I wonder if they'd give you a ticket if you used it.  I don't see any "Do Not Enter" sign in Street View.

That's a good question. What would they do if you entered at 15X or 16E and exited at 16W? Anyone in the region want to try it?

[roadman65]

Does anybody know what this ramp is for? https://www.google.com/maps/@40.7556464,-74.1171611,152m/data=!3m1!1e3

Emergency vehicle access between the spurs.

I wonder if they'd give you a ticket if you used it.  I don't see any "Do Not Enter" sign in Street View.

That's a good question. What would they do if you entered at 15X or 16E and exited at 16W? Anyone in the region want to try it?

After collecting tolls here in Florida I have heard some of the things that people do when they come to a plaza.  Having no money and then blaming us for inventing toll roads or not putting up signs at the ramp, especially since Florida signs its toll roads with TOLL above the route numbers.

I have seen once when traveling in NJ, someone once pulling into the ticket dispensing machine lane and not take a ticket.  My dad honked the horn for the driver to get his ticket, but the guy pulled out without his ticket.  If some of the morons I get coming through my lanes are passing through those lanes in NJ, I am sure they are doing that one too.    Some of these people I am sure would be wondering to themselves, what is this?  Then not take the ticket and pay the highest fare on the road and probable bitch to the collector that instructions should come with the automatic lanes upon entry.

I even met one person years ago when the Florida Turnpike used tickets in Orlando, where guests I waited on inside the old Sonesta Resort told me that they got off I-4 to make a u turn at Exit 31, the number for present day exit 77 for the toll road, got the ticket to enter, and then used a cop turn around to get back off at the same plaza they entered.  They told me they had to pay over 15 bucks at the time as exiting at the same exit you entered also calls for the highest toll per class just like the lost ticket.

I am sure you will have an idiot do that and use that ramp and exit at 16W or 18W.

[Alps]

Does anybody know what this ramp is for? https://www.google.com/maps/@40.7556464,-74.1171611,152m/data=!3m1!1e3

Emergency vehicle access between the spurs.

I wonder if they'd give you a ticket if you used it.  I don't see any "Do Not Enter" sign in Street View.

That's a good question. What would they do if you entered at 15X or 16E and exited at 16W? Anyone in the region want to try it?

*grabs his 16W ticket* It says NO U-TURN for both 16E and 16W. I imagine that a newer ticket with 15X would say the same.

[cl94]

Does anybody know what this ramp is for? https://www.google.com/maps/@40.7556464,-74.1171611,152m/data=!3m1!1e3

Emergency vehicle access between the spurs.

I wonder if they'd give you a ticket if you used it.  I don't see any "Do Not Enter" sign in Street View.

That's a good question. What would they do if you entered at 15X or 16E and exited at 16W? Anyone in the region want to try it?

*grabs his 16W ticket* It says NO U-TURN for both 16E and 16W. I imagine that a newer ticket with 15X would say the same.

There we go. I've only seen a ticket for any system in person once, and that was on the Ohio Turnpike before E-ZPass.

[bzakharin]

Does anybody know what this ramp is for? https://www.google.com/maps/@40.7556464,-74.1171611,152m/data=!3m1!1e3

Emergency vehicle access between the spurs.

I wonder if they'd give you a ticket if you used it.  I don't see any "Do Not Enter" sign in Street View.

That's a good question. What would they do if you entered at 15X or 16E and exited at 16W? Anyone in the region want to try it?

*grabs his 16W ticket* It says NO U-TURN for both 16E and 16W. I imagine that a newer ticket with 15X would say the same.

There we go. I've only seen a ticket for any system in person once, and that was on the Ohio Turnpike before E-ZPass.

The online toll calculator says "no U-turn" only if you enter the same entrance and exit. 15X to 16E says $0.00