New Jersey

[Zeffy]

NJDOT has released a report detailing the worst sections of state maintained roads within New Jersey. The winner? US 9! (Note: winning here is actually not a good distinction)

You can view the full report here: http://www.state.nj.us/transportation/publicat/lmreports/pdf/pavementreport2014.pdf

[J Route Z]

Crazy. I live near 9 in Monmouth County and what a nightmare it is. Thank god they are going to pave the sections they did not get to yet.

[NJRoadfan]

The ugly Clearview has spread east. All the ground mounted signs on NJ-18 northbound south of Exit 12 have been replaced with what looks like the same mess that is on I-295.

[jeffandnicole]

The ugly Clearview has spread east.

And South.

And I spotted one on Rt. 55 North for Exit 53 (Rt. 553).  Sigh.

[NJRoadfan]

At this point is it a rouge/clueless contractor, or does NJDOT actually intend to switch over? If that is the case, at least get the size and kerning right.

[PHLBOS]

At this point is it a rouge/clueless contractor, or does NJDOT actually intend to switch over? If that is the case, at least get the size and kerning right.

If NJDOT's indeed planning on switching over; they are a bit too late.  IIRC, the Feds put the kibosh on expanding the interim-use of the Clearview font to other states that haven't already adopted such not too long ago.

[jeffandnicole]

At this point is it a rouge/clueless contractor, or does NJDOT actually intend to switch over? If that is the case, at least get the size and kerning right.

If NJDOT's indeed planning on switching over; they are a bit too late.  IIRC, the Feds put the kibosh on expanding the interim-use of the Clearview font to other states that haven't already adopted such not too long ago.

That ain't stopping them though.

[PHLBOS]

That ain't stopping them though.

The key word in my earlier post was If

[Alps]

At this point is it a rouge/clueless contractor, or does NJDOT actually intend to switch over? If that is the case, at least get the size and kerning right.

I really can't fathom what's going on. The direction from NJDOT comes centrally - unlike many states, regions don't make design decisions - and there is no direction to use Clearview, I can vouch for that.

[Zeffy]

I didn't see that horrible 1-mile advance sign for US 206 on I-195 yesterday when I passed by. It's possible I could have missed it, but I don't think so, since that sign is always clearly visible to me. Perhaps someone at NJDOT got wind of it and ordered it taken down and remade with FHWA?

[PHLBOS]

I didn't see that horrible 1-mile advance sign for US 206 on I-195 yesterday when I passed by. It's possible I could have missed it, but I don't think so, since that sign is always clearly visible to me. Perhaps someone at NJDOT got wind of it and ordered it taken down and remade with FHWA?

That BGS was there when I saw it two weekends ago.

[Zeffy]

That BGS was there when I saw it two weekends ago.

It was also there the previous weekend. That's why I feel like it was removed. How do I suddenly not see a sign that I've seen every time I've been on the highway?

[PHLBOS]

That BGS was there when I saw it two weekends ago.

It was also there the previous weekend. That's why I feel like it was removed. How do I suddenly not see a sign that I've seen every time I've been on the highway?

Usually, when a sign is being replaced (aside from one being knocked over in an accident); the old one isn't taken down until the new one is erected (or ready to be erected).

Who knows; maybe by the end of the week, there will be a new sign.

[odditude]

That BGS was there when I saw it two weekends ago.

It was also there the previous weekend. That's why I feel like it was removed. How do I suddenly not see a sign that I've seen every time I've been on the highway?

Usually, when a sign is being replaced (aside from one being knocked over in an accident); the old one isn't taken down until the new one is erected (or ready to be erected).

Who knows; maybe by the end of the week, there will be a new sign.

the overhead BGS at the exit itself was down for over a week when it was replaced, so it's not out of the question.

speaking of which, are they ever going to put the gantry at 52 NB back up?

[storm2k]

That BGS was there when I saw it two weekends ago.

It was also there the previous weekend. That's why I feel like it was removed. How do I suddenly not see a sign that I've seen every time I've been on the highway?

Usually, when a sign is being replaced (aside from one being knocked over in an accident); the old one isn't taken down until the new one is erected (or ready to be erected).

Who knows; maybe by the end of the week, there will be a new sign.

the overhead BGS at the exit itself was down for over a week when it was replaced, so it's not out of the question.

speaking of which, are they ever going to put the gantry at 52 NB back up?

I've gotten the feeling that NJDOT is content to leave ground mounted signage for several of the exits in that area. They've taken down a couple of gantries and not replaced them.

[storm2k]

Drove down US-22 from Bridgewater to the Union area the other day, which means I drove through several of the new traffic lights they've installed as part of the ITS/coordinated signals project they're doing throughout Somerset and western Union Counties. The fonts and shields for the overhead street signs (I'm not actually sure what the technical name for those is in NJ) do not look to be spaced out correctly at all. It looks like the contractor blew them up in odd proportions to make the lettering as large as possible on the sign. I guess it might be easier to see, but it looks terrible if you ask me:




I don't know how well you can see it on these pictures (I grabbed these with my iPhone quickly while I was stopped at the light), but the 22 shield is not well done. It's not even a 3di shield. Just a standard 2di that was horizontally stretched it looks like.

[Zeffy]

Interestingly enough, they aren't Clearview either - which Somerset (and I think Union as well) uses for their street signs. With Clearview getting the boot, perhaps they are reverting back to FHWA? I can only hope for Manville's sake...

I don't know how well you can see it on these pictures (I grabbed these with my iPhone quickly while I was stopped at the light), but the 22 shield is not well done. It's not even a 3di shield. Just a standard 2di that was horizontally stretched it looks like.

Why would it need to be a 3dus shield? It looks like it's using Series B numerals, which is wrong, but the shield itself looks (from my POV) to be the correct size.

[storm2k]

Interestingly enough, they aren't Clearview either - which Somerset (and I think Union as well) uses for their street signs. With Clearview getting the boot, perhaps they are reverting back to FHWA? I can only hope for Manville's sake...

I don't know how well you can see it on these pictures (I grabbed these with my iPhone quickly while I was stopped at the light), but the 22 shield is not well done. It's not even a 3di shield. Just a standard 2di that was horizontally stretched it looks like.

Why would it need to be a 3dus shield? It looks like it's using Series B numerals, which is wrong, but the shield itself looks (from my POV) to be the correct size.

It's definitely Highway Gothic, just the wrong proportions. Also, the shield is stretched out. Can't tell very well from that picture.

[roadman65]

That BGS was there when I saw it two weekends ago.

It was also there the previous weekend. That's why I feel like it was removed. How do I suddenly not see a sign that I've seen every time I've been on the highway?

Usually, when a sign is being replaced (aside from one being knocked over in an accident); the old one isn't taken down until the new one is erected (or ready to be erected).

Who knows; maybe by the end of the week, there will be a new sign.

the overhead BGS at the exit itself was down for over a week when it was replaced, so it's not out of the question.

speaking of which, are they ever going to put the gantry at 52 NB back up?

I've gotten the feeling that NJDOT is content to leave ground mounted signage for several of the exits in that area. They've taken down a couple of gantries and not replaced them.

For those of you who were around in the 70's and  80's, remember how long it took for NJDOT to replace the overhead sign on then westbound I-495 for the US 1 & 9 SB exit on the black viaduct leading down from the Bergen Hill.  The supports were there without the truss for many years before they replaced that in the mid to late 80's when all of NJ 495 got a complete sign overhall.

Then you cannot forget how long the original Wilson Avenue exit ramp (the one that was in the middle of the Express and Local lanes before the current viaduct was constructed) lacked its overheads.  That one there left Wilson Avenue unsigned for years until NJDOT rebuilt the SB roadway from Wilson Avenue to I-78 in the mid 90's which now has only a local exit from the right side instead of the middle.

[Mergingtraffic]

That BGS was there when I saw it two weekends ago.

It was also there the previous weekend. That's why I feel like it was removed. How do I suddenly not see a sign that I've seen every time I've been on the highway?

Usually, when a sign is being replaced (aside from one being knocked over in an accident); the old one isn't taken down until the new one is erected (or ready to be erected).

Who knows; maybe by the end of the week, there will be a new sign.

the overhead BGS at the exit itself was down for over a week when it was replaced, so it's not out of the question.

speaking of which, are they ever going to put the gantry at 52 NB back up?

I've gotten the feeling that NJDOT is content to leave ground mounted signage for several of the exits in that area. They've taken down a couple of gantries and not replaced them.

For those of you who were around in the 70's and  80's, remember how long it took for NJDOT to replace the overhead sign on then westbound I-495 for the US 1 & 9 SB exit on the black viaduct leading down from the Bergen Hill.  The supports were there without the truss for many years before they replaced that in the mid to late 80's when all of NJ 495 got a complete sign overhall.

Was that when this sign was covered up?

[PHLBOS]

Was that when this sign was covered up?

Note: that one can still see portions of the 2di-sized shield for I-495 underneath the NJ 495 shield.  I'm surprised that the old shield wasn't removed first; most BGS items (including shields) were demountable back then.

[jeffandnicole]

Looks like it's new sign day.  Quick: Identify all the issues with this sign that should've been corrected before it even got on the truck:

[Zeffy]

What the fuck is up with NJDOT and screwing up signs lately? Everything BUT the shield numerals is in Arial/Helvetica!

[Alex]

Was that when this sign was covered up?

Note: that one can still see portions of the 2di-sized shield for I-495 underneath the NJ 495 shield.  I'm surprised that the old shield wasn't removed first; most BGS items (including shields) were demountable back then.

1998:


2000:

[jeffandnicole]

What the fuck is up with NJDOT and screwing up signs lately? Everything BUT the shield numerals is in Arial/Helvetica!

Notice it's WEST, not WEST.

Notice MILE is not center justified, but rather 3/4 top justified.