New York State Thruway

[webny99]

^ I left the "qualifier" out because it doesn't matter...pickups are no better or worse than passenger vehicles or SUVs in this.  The only ones who are halfways decent about lane discipline south of Albany are the big rig truckers.

South of Albany, I'm sure that's true; I have no experience to speak of between Albany and NY 17. I can't disagree with the premise that downstate has more left-lane hogs.

My point was that while there may be less left-lane hogging overall in Western NY/upstate, seven times out of ten it's a pickup truck doing it, and they're doing it at speeds that are much lower than you'd get downstate, simply because traffic overall tends to move slower further away from the east coast.

At least if you're cruising in the left lane at 75 or 80 mph, you're not obstructing flow that much, and are guaranteed to be passing trucks and other traffic at a reasonable speed differential. Which I guess is why seicer can maintain a higher speed downstate than upstate, despite more left-lane hogs.

[kalvado]

Thirded, especially on the Hamburg-to-Verona argument. That entire stretch can be miserable at times, especially when the right lane moves at 62mph and the left moves at 82.

I have to ask.. Is 82 too fast or too slow for you?

[Buffaboy]

Thirded, especially on the Hamburg-to-Verona argument. That entire stretch can be miserable at times, especially when the right lane moves at 62mph and the left moves at 82.

I have to ask.. Is 82 too fast or too slow for you?

I drive an SUV from 2003, I would rather not find out.

In other words it's definitely too fast. I'll go up to 78-79.

[amroad17]

Straight trucks seem to be the worst.

Most straight trucks (and some semis) are governed at 62 or 65 mph.  It is very rare a straight truck will top out at 70 mph.
I once drove for a dispatch company out of Cincinnati.  My truck topped out at 65 mph.  It was real fun going out west where the speed limit was 75 (now 80 in some places).  I just camped in the right lane, shook my hand at passing vehicles and said, "You dang whippersnappers are driving too fast!!!".
Anyway, my son drove for TMC out of Des Moines.  Fortunately, he could park his truck at a plant in Silver Grove, KY.  His truck was goverened at 62 mph, because TMC did this to save $$$ on fuel.  He now drives for First Fleet and has a 65 mph truck.
A driver of a governed truck needs to be aware that he is limited on passing ability, yet some have a selfish attitude and will try to do it anyway.  It will not work in hilly terrain as this type of truck will not keep its speed uphill.  I have seen it too many times.  A Swift truck going 63 will try to pass a Werner truck going 62.  Then there will be the proverbial two mile slowdown of traffic behind them because it has taken the Swift driver 5-8 minutes to pass the Werner driver.  A driver needs to pick his spots or just realize that they will be driving in the right lane for miles and/or hours.  I did it for eight years.

[Brandon]

^^ The governing of any vehicle below the top freeway speed for such vehicle in the country should, IMHO, be banned.  There is no excuse to govern these trucks at 57 or 62 when the speeds they can legally go can be as high as 75, 80, or on one Texas tollway, 85.

[RobbieL2415]

^^ The governing of any vehicle below the top freeway speed for such vehicle in the country should, IMHO, be banned.  There is no excuse to govern these trucks at 57 or 62 when the speeds they can legally go can be as high as 75, 80, or on one Texas tollway, 85.

Come to CT where school busses are governed to 50!

[shadyjay]

So.... surprised this hasn't been brought up yet:

https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-cuomo-announces-all-new-york-state-thruway-toll-barriers-lower-hudson-valley-will

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced cashless tolling will begin on the Thruway Authority's remaining fixed toll barriers in the lower Hudson Valley by the end of 2018.

Haven't seen any plans or heard anything about the plan for the lower Hudson Valley barriers.  Spring Valley should be simple... the gantry is already there.  Guessing gantries would go up at some point near the existing Yonkers and New Rochelle barriers.  Given the wide berth to accomodate the New Rochelle plaza, wonder if they would straighten I-95 South with all the free'd up space.  Is New Rochelle going to stay one-way or become a two-way gantry? 

As announced by Governor Cuomo in his 2018 State of the State address, the entire New York State Thruway will be converted cashless by the end of 2020.

Okay, by the end of 2020.  Sure.  So what's the plan here?  Gantries at each existing interchange?  Or do what the MassPike did and install gantries between interchanges over the mainline, permitting free travel between select interchanges?  And this is all going to happen in 2 1/2 years?  Has this gone out to bid yet?  Public meetings about it?  Anything? 

And without the tickets to worry about, could we be looking at a conversion to distance-based exits here?  Yes, new mileposts would be required but if they're going to put up some 50 gantries with tolling equipment and necessary hardware, what's a few hundred mileposts? 

[NoGoodNamesAvailable]

And without the tickets to worry about, could we be looking at a conversion to distance-based exits here?  Yes, new mileposts would be required but if they're going to put up some 50 gantries with tolling equipment and necessary hardware, what's a few hundred mileposts?

Doubt it. The thruway is not getting renumbered until:

(1) The FWHA forces them to, or

(2) They resign the whole thing.

If it's the latter, I hope to god they don't try to use up their current NON-REFLECTIVE sheeting stock. All the Clearview and post-Clearview signage on the Thruway is basically unreadable at night.

[kalvado]

Okay, by the end of 2020.  Sure.  So what's the plan here?  Gantries at each existing interchange?  Or do what the MassPike did and install gantries between interchanges over the mainline, permitting free travel between select interchanges?  And this is all going to happen in 2 1/2 years?  Has this gone out to bid yet?  Public meetings about it?  Anything? 

we'll worry about that after the reelection of governor

And without the tickets to worry about, could we be looking at a conversion to distance-based exits here?  Yes, new mileposts would be required but if they're going to put up some 50 gantries with tolling equipment and necessary hardware, what's a few hundred mileposts?

No.

[D-Dey65]

So.... surprised this hasn't been brought up yet:

https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-cuomo-announces-all-new-york-state-thruway-toll-barriers-lower-hudson-valley-will

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced cashless tolling will begin on the Thruway Authority's remaining fixed toll barriers in the lower Hudson Valley by the end of 2018.

Haven't seen any plans or heard anything about the plan for the lower Hudson Valley barriers.  Spring Valley should be simple... the gantry is already there.  Guessing gantries would go up at some point near the existing Yonkers and New Rochelle barriers.  Given the wide berth to accomodate the New Rochelle plaza, wonder if they would straighten I-95 South with all the free'd up space.  Is New Rochelle going to stay one-way or become a two-way gantry? 

Somebody had better take a picture of the toll plaza and post it in Wikimedia Commons before the Thruway Authority tears it down.

[Buffaboy]

If the Thruway goes to AET, I wonder what happens to the luxury toll booths at I-84.

[kalvado]

If the Thruway goes to AET, I wonder what happens to the luxury toll booths at I-84.

Sold as high end suburban condos?

[Buffaboy]

If the Thruway goes to AET, I wonder what happens to the luxury toll booths at I-84.

Sold as high end suburban condos?

Perhaps. With a scenic view of course.

[webny99]

I wonder how many interchanges would be worth redesigning. Perhaps some new interchanges would be considered, too.

[MikeCL]

^^ The governing of any vehicle below the top freeway speed for such vehicle in the country should, IMHO, be banned.  There is no excuse to govern these trucks at 57 or 62 when the speeds they can legally go can be as high as 75, 80, or on one Texas tollway, 85.

Come to CT where school busses are governed to 50!

I drive for UPS most trucks have governors set ay 70 MPH.. but I've seen some as low as 65 (it sucks big time) and I've seen some at 75.. I remember one Diesel we had the governor was broken

[ipeters61]

I drive for UPS most trucks have governors set ay 70 MPH.. but I've seen some as low as 65 (it sucks big time) and I've seen some at 75.. I remember one Diesel we had the governor was broken

I know the Delaware state vehicles are limited to somewhere between 5-10mph over, so effectively our limit is up to 75mph north of Dover and 65mph south of Dover (70mph within Dover).

However, it's not a hard limit, you're sent an email about it.  I was told that for a while, the GPS didn't recognize the difference between EzPass toll lanes and regular toll lanes, so it would get annoying as you drove through the EzPass lanes on DE-1 (65 MPH when GPS thinks you're supposed to go 5 MPH).

[Buffaboy]

For the past year or so, every time I go through an E-ZPass lane the display warns that I have a low balance; this happens no matter how much money I have.

Normally I don't keep more than $25 in my account, but I don't see why the reader considers that a low balance?

Because of this I don't even pay attention to my account because I don't have a need to use the Thruway that much. However this problem is particularly insidious because I just looked and saw my account had a -$0.03 balance.

[MikeCL]

For the past year or so, every time I go through an E-ZPass lane the display warns that I have a low balance; this happens no matter how much money I have.

Normally I don't keep more than $25 in my account, but I don't see why the reader considers that a low balance?

Because of this I don't even pay attention to my account because I don't have a need to use the Thruway that much. However this problem is particularly insidious because I just looked and saw my account had a -$0.03 balance.

That's how they like to make money off those admin fees.. I still can't see much of a valve in EZ pass.. ok I pass the Toll booth what used to be a $38 replenishing rate jumps up to say $239 the problem is the replenish rate also goes up not staying at $10 or $20 it jumps up to like $30 or $40 I forget

[PHLBOS]

For the past year or so, every time I go through an E-ZPass lane the display warns that I have a low balance; this happens no matter how much money I have.

Normally I don't keep more than $25 in my account, but I don't see why the reader considers that a low balance?

Because of this I don't even pay attention to my account because I don't have a need to use the Thruway that much. However this problem is particularly insidious because I just looked and saw my account had a -$0.03 balance.

Not sure how old your transponder but maybe it's starting to wear out.  Transponders don't last forever. 

When my PA/PTC-issued E-ZPass transponder was mysteriously not registering at various toll booths several years ago; I called the PTC to ask about such and they stated that my transponder was old and overdue for a replacement.  They sent me a new one free of charge but on the condition that I mail back the old one in a timely manner.

[Buffaboy]

For the past year or so, every time I go through an E-ZPass lane the display warns that I have a low balance; this happens no matter how much money I have.

Normally I don't keep more than $25 in my account, but I don't see why the reader considers that a low balance?

Because of this I don't even pay attention to my account because I don't have a need to use the Thruway that much. However this problem is particularly insidious because I just looked and saw my account had a -$0.03 balance.

Not sure how old your transponder but maybe it's starting to wear out.  Transponders don't last forever. 

When my PA/PTC-issued E-ZPass transponder was mysteriously not registering at various toll booths several years ago; I called the PTC to ask about such and they stated that my transponder was old and overdue for a replacement.  They sent me a new one free of charge but on the condition that I mail back the old one in a timely manner.

Interesting, because my transponder is only about a year old now.

[PHLBOS]

Interesting, because my transponder is only about a year old now.

That being the case, your transponder might be defective.  In my case, the transponder I was using/had replaced was about 10 years old.  I've been told that the typical service life of a transponder is usually 7 years & subject to usage.

Either way and/or if you haven't already done so, I would contact your provider (NYSTA I'm assuming in your case) & explain to them what's happening; then go from there.

[kalvado]

For the past year or so, every time I go through an E-ZPass lane the display warns that I have a low balance; this happens no matter how much money I have.

Normally I don't keep more than $25 in my account, but I don't see why the reader considers that a low balance?

Because of this I don't even pay attention to my account because I don't have a need to use the Thruway that much. However this problem is particularly insidious because I just looked and saw my account had a -$0.03 balance.

Not sure how old your transponder but maybe it's starting to wear out.  Transponders don't last forever. 

When my PA/PTC-issued E-ZPass transponder was mysteriously not registering at various toll booths several years ago; I called the PTC to ask about such and they stated that my transponder was old and overdue for a replacement.  They sent me a new one free of charge but on the condition that I mail back the old one in a timely manner.

Transporders - at least old ones - have a huge Lithium battery on board, which is supposed to last 10 years. I got a replacement mailed with pre-paid envelope for an old one once it hit 10 year mark without asking. That is for Thruway authority tag.
Interestingly enough, same transponder started to get problems about 2 years before that.  I took it to service center; they measured it on some machine and told that the tag is fine - but I probably mounted it incorrectly. However I didn't get any problems after that test (and no, I didn't change much on my side)

[webny99]

Normally I don't keep more than $25 in my account, but I don't see why the reader considers that a low balance?
Because of this I don't even pay attention to my account because I don't have a need to use the Thruway that much. However this problem is particularly insidious because I just looked and saw my account had a -$0.03 balance.

My personal recommendation would be to keep more than $25 in the account (you'd probably avoid the "Balance Low" message) but each to their own.

[ipeters61]

For the past year or so, every time I go through an E-ZPass lane the display warns that I have a low balance; this happens no matter how much money I have.

Normally I don't keep more than $25 in my account, but I don't see why the reader considers that a low balance?

Because of this I don't even pay attention to my account because I don't have a need to use the Thruway that much. However this problem is particularly insidious because I just looked and saw my account had a -$0.03 balance.

That's how they like to make money off those admin fees.. I still can't see much of a valve in EZ pass.. ok I pass the Toll booth what used to be a $38 replenishing rate jumps up to say $239 the problem is the replenish rate also goes up not staying at $10 or $20 it jumps up to like $30 or $40 I forget

If you're saying "can't see much of a value in EzPass," there was a time when my grandfather and I were stuck waiting 30 minutes to pay a cash toll at the Throgs Neck Bridge.  EzPass lanes were moving nice and smooth.

For the past year or so, every time I go through an E-ZPass lane the display warns that I have a low balance; this happens no matter how much money I have.

Normally I don't keep more than $25 in my account, but I don't see why the reader considers that a low balance?

Because of this I don't even pay attention to my account because I don't have a need to use the Thruway that much. However this problem is particularly insidious because I just looked and saw my account had a -$0.03 balance.

I remember I drove on the Pennsylvania Turnpike the day they started to disable the stoplights for the EzPass (the one that says "Paid - Go"/"Low Balance"/whatever the other one is) and I was at the first interchange where they were doing it (Exit 242/I-83 Harrisburg West) and was so confused by it.  It took me a minute to see if it went through.

[Roadwarriors79]

And without the tickets to worry about, could we be looking at a conversion to distance-based exits here?  Yes, new mileposts would be required but if they're going to put up some 50 gantries with tolling equipment and necessary hardware, what's a few hundred mileposts?

Doubt it. The thruway is not getting renumbered until:

(1) The FWHA forces them to, or

(2) They resign the whole thing.

If it's the latter, I hope to god they don't try to use up their current NON-REFLECTIVE sheeting stock. All the Clearview and post-Clearview signage on the Thruway is basically unreadable at night.

Yes to the unreadable at night signs. Could it hurt to have lighting at interchanges as well?

As much as I would love to see new mileposts and exit numbers on the Thruway, I don't think it would happen any time soon. Even if it was the case, I believe that I-90 and I-87 would be the last interstates in NY to get resigned.