New Jersey Turnpike

[PHLBOS]

Page 21: GSP - Eliminating Exit 30; Full interchange at Exit 29

Interesting Project to eliminate Exit 30 in favor of Exit 29.  I think a lot of people on Laurel Drive will appreciate that, and there's no businesses in that immediate vicinity that would be impacted. However, it's noted that CR 559 will probably need upgrading and the new double left turn lane coming off the Causeway onto 559 may become a bit overloaded during prime travel periods.

Along Laurel Drive, there is one local gas station (US Gas) that would sure lose revenue from summer Shore traffic if that partial GSP interchange is eliminated.  I've used Exit 30 many times for my trips to Ocean City.

There's also a grilled cheese place on that stretch we've been to that made it on Diners Drive-ins and Dives.  I'm sure that won't help their business either, assuming they can get through our current crisis.

Additionally, and looking through Historic Aerials for the area (1956 is the earliest that shows the interchange & GSP), Exit 30 was originally a full-movement trumpet interchange and Laurel Drive featured few or no residences along it. 

The interchanges conversion to its current partial southbound exit/northbound entrance configuration as well as residential development along Laurel Drive occurred sometime between the 1963 & 1970 Historic Aerial photos of the area.

Upshoot: For this location, such was not the typical, usual shoehorning of a highway & interchange in an already-developed area; and, hence, ticking off NIMBYs.  In this case, the highway & interchange was present prior to such (i.e. such was there first).

That said, the blame for the seasonal Shore traffic along Laurel Drive lies squarely on the town itself.  Somers Point could've very easily zoned the corridor for either businesses only or even prohibited development along it and/or had such the street constructed as a 4-laner to US 9 when the GSP interchange was first built.

Every resident that decided to reside along Laurel Drive should've known that the road was going to have seasonal congestion prior to purchasing their homes.

[Roadrunner75]

Page 21: GSP - Eliminating Exit 30; Full interchange at Exit 29

Interesting Project to eliminate Exit 30 in favor of Exit 29.  I think a lot of people on Laurel Drive will appreciate that, and there's no businesses in that immediate vicinity that would be impacted. However, it's noted that CR 559 will probably need upgrading and the new double left turn lane coming off the Causeway onto 559 may become a bit overloaded during prime travel periods.

Along Laurel Drive, there is one local gas station (US Gas) that would sure lose revenue from summer Shore traffic if that partial GSP interchange is eliminated.  I've used Exit 30 many times for my trips to Ocean City.

There's also a grilled cheese place on that stretch we've been to that made it on Diners Drive-ins and Dives.  I'm sure that won't help their business either, assuming they can get through our current crisis.

Additionally, and looking through Historic Aerials for the area (1956 is the earliest that shows the interchange & GSP), Exit 30 was originally a full-movement trumpet interchange and Laurel Drive featured few or no residences along it. 

The interchanges conversion to its current partial southbound exit/northbound entrance configuration as well as residential development along Laurel Drive occurred sometime between the 1963 & 1970 Historic Aerial photos of the area.

Upshoot: For this location, such was not the typical, usual shoehorning of a highway & interchange in an already-developed area; and, hence, ticking off NIMBYs.  In this case, the highway & interchange was present prior to such (i.e. such was there first).

That said, the blame for the seasonal Shore traffic along Laurel Drive lies squarely on the town itself.  Somers Point could've very easily zoned the corridor for either businesses only or even prohibited development along it and/or had such the street constructed as a 4-laner to US 9 when the GSP interchange was first built.

Every resident that decided to reside along Laurel Drive should've known that the road was going to have seasonal congestion prior to purchasing their homes.

Wow - I'm surprised by both the full movement interchange and the fact that it predates most of the houses along Laurel Drive.  I just always assumed that the interchange came later, and that it was too late to zone that properly to avoid having Ocean City's main gateway on a residential street.  There really needs to be a four lane corridor from the Parkway to the 9th Street Bridge, and I was disappointed that they didn't widen Route 52 to four lanes to Route 9 when they had the opportunity a few years ago (they may have already had this project in mind...)

[jeffandnicole]

https://www.nj.com/coronavirus/2020/04/were-saving-money-by-not-driving-but-its-costing-nj-23m-in-lost-toll-revenue.html

The turnpike saw a 29% traffic decline and a 23% drop in toll collections last month, however commercial traffic only declined 3% and revenues from trucks and other non-passenger vehicles increased 2.1%, Manuelli said.

[sprjus4]

https://www.nj.com/coronavirus/2020/04/were-saving-money-by-not-driving-but-its-costing-nj-23m-in-lost-toll-revenue.html

The turnpike saw a 29% traffic decline and a 23% drop in toll collections last month, however commercial traffic only declined 3% and revenues from trucks and other non-passenger vehicles increased 2.1%, Manuelli said.

Don't they usually make over a billion annually, close to $1.5 billion including the Garden State? $23 million isn't much.

[Alps]

https://www.nj.com/coronavirus/2020/04/were-saving-money-by-not-driving-but-its-costing-nj-23m-in-lost-toll-revenue.html

The turnpike saw a 29% traffic decline and a 23% drop in toll collections last month, however commercial traffic only declined 3% and revenues from trucks and other non-passenger vehicles increased 2.1%, Manuelli said.

Don't they usually make over a billion annually, close to $1.5 billion including the Garden State? $23 million isn't much.

Over 12 months, were the trend to continue, you would lose nearly $300 million, or about 20% of the $1.5 billion total. I have not tried to vet your numbers, just doing the math. 20% of revenue - not profit - is huge.

[jeffandnicole]

https://www.nj.com/coronavirus/2020/04/were-saving-money-by-not-driving-but-its-costing-nj-23m-in-lost-toll-revenue.html

The turnpike saw a 29% traffic decline and a 23% drop in toll collections last month, however commercial traffic only declined 3% and revenues from trucks and other non-passenger vehicles increased 2.1%, Manuelli said.

Don't they usually make over a billion annually, close to $1.5 billion including the Garden State? $23 million isn't much.

When compared to the overall revenue over an entire year, it's not much.  When you look at these numbers over projected revenues for a single month, it's huge.  This is still a very significant amount when you look at projects that need to be funded, pavement that needs to be repaved, etc.

Also, these are March numbers. The economy didn't take a big nosedive until the middle of the month.  So if we were to approximate these numbers for a full month, such as April, now you're talking a $46 million reduction in revenues that won't be made public until late May.  There will roughly be about a $70 million loss of revenue over two months, with a projected slow increase as the economy opens.  Most people still won't be travelling on vacations.  Many people are going to continue to work from home. So the actual revenues will continue to be well below projections for many months to come.

If you're looking at 1 month and saying "it's not that bad", you're ignoring the significance of how these numbers represent the foreseeable future.

[jeffandnicole]

https://www.nj.com/coronavirus/2020/04/coronavirus-ended-cash-collection-your-toll-bills-are-now-in-the-mail.html

To avoid the dreaded and pricy $50 administrative fee — pay the bill by the due date. A second notice will include the administrative fee, the same as a violation notice. They first notice only has a charge for the tolls, the same rate you'd pay in cash.

"The due date is on the invoice. If it's paid by that date, there is no administrative fee,"  Feeney said. "If it's paid after that date, the administrative fee applies. The due date is 30 calendar days after the date of the invoice."

[sprjus4]

New Jersey bill would set "˜fact-based' speed limits

One New Jersey Senate bill calls for overhauling how speed limits are set on the state's busiest roadways.

Sen. Declan O'Scanlon, R-Monmouth, has renewed his pursuit to change the formula for setting speed limits. Specifically, he wants limits on limited-access highways that include the New Jersey Turnpike and Garden State Parkway to be set using the 85th percentile formula.

The formula bases speed limits on the rate at or below which 85% of drivers are traveling.

"Right now virtually 100% of drivers on our underposted limited-access highways are breaking the law,"  O'Scanlon said in previous remarks. "Either they/we are all reckless, homicidal maniacs, or our method of setting speed limits is seriously flawed."

If approved, the New Jersey Department of Transportation and other state traffic agencies would use 85th percentile studies to set speed limits. State agencies would reevaluate speed limits at least every decade, or when a road is substantially changed.

O'Scanlon says adopting the formula is a better option for setting top speeds than relying on politicians and officials to make the correct decision.

"My position is that we need to remove legislators and bureaucrats from the speed limit setting process and empower highway traffic safety engineers to do their jobs unencumbered by political influence,"  O'Scanlon has stated.

Critics say drivers face multiple distractions while behind the wheel. They voice concerns that decreased reaction times due to distractions and possible faster speeds would make wrecks more devastating.

O'Scanlon says he is not looking to change how fast people drive.

"We are talking about having speed limits reflect the speeds people are already driving so that we have a better, more uniform flow of traffic."

He adds that the change would result in "the smoothest, safest level of traffic flow and inflict the least amount of arbitrary punishment on people behaving reasonably."

Also included in the bill is a provision to limit fines for speeding violations. Citations handed out for speeding on a roadway where a traffic study has not been completed would be limited to $20.

The bill, S608, awaits consideration in the Senate Transportation Committee. O'Scanlon offered the same bill during the previous two-year session, but it did not come up for a vote.

[storm2k]

New Jersey bill would set "˜fact-based' speed limits

One New Jersey Senate bill calls for overhauling how speed limits are set on the state's busiest roadways.

Sen. Declan O'Scanlon, R-Monmouth, has renewed his pursuit to change the formula for setting speed limits. Specifically, he wants limits on limited-access highways that include the New Jersey Turnpike and Garden State Parkway to be set using the 85th percentile formula.

The formula bases speed limits on the rate at or below which 85% of drivers are traveling.

"Right now virtually 100% of drivers on our underposted limited-access highways are breaking the law,"  O'Scanlon said in previous remarks. "Either they/we are all reckless, homicidal maniacs, or our method of setting speed limits is seriously flawed."

If approved, the New Jersey Department of Transportation and other state traffic agencies would use 85th percentile studies to set speed limits. State agencies would reevaluate speed limits at least every decade, or when a road is substantially changed.

O'Scanlon says adopting the formula is a better option for setting top speeds than relying on politicians and officials to make the correct decision.

"My position is that we need to remove legislators and bureaucrats from the speed limit setting process and empower highway traffic safety engineers to do their jobs unencumbered by political influence,"  O'Scanlon has stated.

Critics say drivers face multiple distractions while behind the wheel. They voice concerns that decreased reaction times due to distractions and possible faster speeds would make wrecks more devastating.

O'Scanlon says he is not looking to change how fast people drive.

"We are talking about having speed limits reflect the speeds people are already driving so that we have a better, more uniform flow of traffic."

He adds that the change would result in "the smoothest, safest level of traffic flow and inflict the least amount of arbitrary punishment on people behaving reasonably."

Also included in the bill is a provision to limit fines for speeding violations. Citations handed out for speeding on a roadway where a traffic study has not been completed would be limited to $20.

The bill, S608, awaits consideration in the Senate Transportation Committee. O'Scanlon offered the same bill during the previous two-year session, but it did not come up for a vote.

This has approximately 0% chance of becoming law. Getting the 65MPH zones in 1998 was a teeth-pull of the ultimate degree. This is just a thorn in the side politician saying he put a plan out there.

[SignBridge]

Amen to Senator O'Scanlon for proposing a bill that is actually realistic instead of the usual hypocritical crap.

[sprjus4]

Amen to Senator O'Scanlon for proposing a bill that is actually realistic instead of the usual hypocritical crap.

Unfortunately, reality will likely get shot down for something in fantasy land.

[02 Park Ave]

It has been announced that the Kresson Road overpass over the Turnpike in Cherry Hill Township will be rebuilt.  It was not stated whether it will be lengthened to accomodate six lanes beneath it however.

[jeffandnicole]

It has been announced that the Kresson Road overpass over the Turnpike in Cherry Hill Township will be rebuilt.  It was not stated whether it will be lengthened to accomodate six lanes beneath it however.

It will be built for future Turnpike widening.

[cpzilliacus]

It has been announced that the Kresson Road overpass over the Turnpike in Cherry Hill Township will be rebuilt.  It was not stated whether it will be lengthened to accomodate six lanes beneath it however.

It will be built for future Turnpike widening.

All of the bridge replacement work on the southern part (Exit 1 to Exit 6) of the New Jersey Turnpike (especially structures that carry other roads over the Turnpike) appear to have been built to accommodate 6 or even 8 lanes of Turnpike.

[Alps]

It has been announced that the Kresson Road overpass over the Turnpike in Cherry Hill Township will be rebuilt.  It was not stated whether it will be lengthened to accomodate six lanes beneath it however.

It will be built for future Turnpike widening.

All of the bridge replacement work on the southern part (Exit 1 to Exit 6) of the New Jersey Turnpike (especially structures that carry other roads over the Turnpike) appear to have been built to accommodate 6 or even 8 lanes of Turnpike.

Probably 6 with left and right shoulders and clearance to the edge of traveled way.

[bluecountry]

Any reason why the northbound cars only section of the NJTP was closed from exit 6 to exit 10 or so?
Is this to keep people from speeding?

[Alps]

Any reason why the northbound cars only section of the NJTP was closed from exit 6 to exit 10 or so?
Is this to keep people from speeding?

Work. It'll reopen.

[cpzilliacus]

All of the bridge replacement work on the southern part (Exit 1 to Exit 6) of the New Jersey Turnpike (especially structures that carry other roads over the Turnpike) appear to have been built to accommodate 6 or even 8 lanes of Turnpike.

Probably 6 with left and right shoulders and clearance to the edge of traveled way.

That would be consistent with the design of the Exit 6 to Exit 8A widening project, and even then, it looks like another lane or two could be added each way without having to modify the bridges - excepting the flyover ramps leading in and out of the service plazas to the inner roadways, where the horizontal clearance appears to be less generous where they cross the outer roadways. 

[Mr. Matté]

Any reason why the northbound cars only section of the NJTP was closed from exit 6 to exit 10 or so?
Is this to keep people from speeding?

They would have to shut down the entire state to keep people from speeding. And if the last 2 months have shown me anything, that surely wouldn't work either.

[jeffandnicole]

Any reason why the northbound cars only section of the NJTP was closed from exit 6 to exit 10 or so?
Is this to keep people from speeding?

They would have to shut down the entire state to keep people from speeding. And if the last 2 months have shown me anything, that surely wouldn't work either.

I'm amazed at how much people read into these roadway closures. The Turnpike builds their roadway for exactly what they're doing. Pre-Covid19,  a roadway closure wasn't given a 2nd thought.  Today, people assume there's some sort of hidden agenda.

Maybe the only difference is they're doing more daytime road closures than before, but the closures in general really aren't that unusual.

[bluecountry]

Any reason why the northbound cars only section of the NJTP was closed from exit 6 to exit 10 or so?
Is this to keep people from speeding?

They would have to shut down the entire state to keep people from speeding. And if the last 2 months have shown me anything, that surely wouldn't work either.

I'm amazed at how much people read into these roadway closures. The Turnpike builds their roadway for exactly what they're doing. Pre-Covid19,  a roadway closure wasn't given a 2nd thought.  Today, people assume there's some sort of hidden agenda.

Maybe the only difference is they're doing more daytime road closures than before, but the closures in general really aren't that unusual.

From my observation:

-It wasn't work for the whole 30 miles, it was just a few touch up spots, hardly needing a full 30 mile closure
-This section was just built, doesn't/shouldn't need major work

To me, it seems like a kill two birds with one stone, get some minor construction done and funnel all traffic to one section, reducing wear/tear and self-regulating through volume speeding.

[sprjus4]

From my observation:

-It wasn't work for the whole 30 miles, it was just a few touch up spots, hardly needing a full 30 mile closure

Is there enough traffic on the road that funneling the traffic into 3 lanes one way is causing delay? If not, it may not be "needed" for the entire length, but it makes any work easier because of not having to deal with traffic.

-This section was just built, doesn't/shouldn't need major work

Routine maintenance, etc. Every road has this, just because it's "new" (almost 6 years old), doesn't mean it isn't getting routine maintenance, bridge inspections, etc. It also carries a very busy traffic load, so that just adds wear and tear that needs to be dealt with. Give it a few years, the Turnpike will eventually need a resurfacing project if it hasn't already gotten one.

Nobody said it was "major work". It's just easier to work without traffic, and if volumes are light enough, they can do that.

[Alps]

From my observation:

-It wasn't work for the whole 30 miles, it was just a few touch up spots, hardly needing a full 30 mile closure

Is there enough traffic on the road that funneling the traffic into 3 lanes one way is causing delay? If not, it may not be "needed" for the entire length, but it makes any work easier because of not having to deal with traffic.

-This section was just built, doesn't/shouldn't need major work

Routine maintenance, etc. Every road has this, just because it's "new" (almost 6 years old), doesn't mean it isn't getting routine maintenance, bridge inspections, etc. It also carries a very busy traffic load, so that just adds wear and tear that needs to be dealt with. Give it a few years, the Turnpike will eventually need a resurfacing project if it hasn't already gotten one.

Nobody said it was "major work". It's just easier to work without traffic, and if volumes are light enough, they can do that.

Simplest explanation is the correct one

[jeffandnicole]

From my observation:

-It wasn't work for the whole 30 miles, it was just a few touch up spots, hardly needing a full 30 mile closure

Is there enough traffic on the road that funneling the traffic into 3 lanes one way is causing delay? If not, it may not be "needed" for the entire length, but it makes any work easier because of not having to deal with traffic.

-This section was just built, doesn't/shouldn't need major work

Routine maintenance, etc. Every road has this, just because it's "new" (almost 6 years old), doesn't mean it isn't getting routine maintenance, bridge inspections, etc. It also carries a very busy traffic load, so that just adds wear and tear that needs to be dealt with. Give it a few years, the Turnpike will eventually need a resurfacing project if it hasn't already gotten one.

Nobody said it was "major work". It's just easier to work without traffic, and if volumes are light enough, they can do that.

One morning, the outer roadway was closed due to a major accident.  Easier to close the roadway approaching Interchange 6 than put people in that roadway only to delay them.  After the accident was cleared, there may have been some repairs to be done.  A motorist going past at this point may not have been aware of the accident, and only sees a roadway closed because of what appears to be minor guardrail repairs.

Point being, there's always a point in closing a roadway, regardless if the reason is readily apparent.  Those points are almost always going to be maintenance/crash related.  Never to purposely congest the open roadway.  And if that roadway is congested...it could be due to the gaper delays from looking at the accident that has since been cleared.

[J Route Z]

Regarding the proposed 2020 capital plan, next to each project is a schedule without an actual date, only a number of months. Does this indicate the number of months from when this plan was released, for example, one project says 6 months for designing and planning while construction states 18 months. Does this mean it will be completed sometime in 2022? I imagine we will start seeing these projects pop up during this decade ahead.