New Jersey Turnpike

[Alps]

Well, that's not right!!   

https://goo.gl/maps/eMTUsefdwMr

Please. That stretch of 495 has alternating green arrows and red X's all the time.

[SignBridge]

Yeah really; that's a pretty serious error..........

[jeffandnicole]

Well, that's not right!!   

https://goo.gl/maps/eMTUsefdwMr

Please. That stretch of 495 has alternating green arrows and red X's all the time.

But the green xbl arrow when it's clearly not during the morning rush hour?

Granted...there would be no buses even entering the contraflow lanes during this time, and I believe the gate was shut anyway. It was just a odd site I came across.  If it was green WB when the xbl was open EB, it would be a much more serious issue!

[cl94]

Well, that's not right!!   

https://goo.gl/maps/eMTUsefdwMr

Please. That stretch of 495 has alternating green arrows and red X's all the time.

But the green xbl arrow when it's clearly not during the morning rush hour?

Granted...there would be no buses even entering the contraflow lanes during this time, and I believe the gate was shut anyway. It was just a odd site I came across.  If it was green WB when the xbl was open EB, it would be a much more serious issue!

Except when the XBL is open, the lane is typically coned off (and you won't be able to get into that lane with the constant stream of buses, anyway).

[Alps]

Well, that's not right!!   

https://goo.gl/maps/eMTUsefdwMr

Please. That stretch of 495 has alternating green arrows and red X's all the time.

But the green xbl arrow when it's clearly not during the morning rush hour?

Granted...there would be no buses even entering the contraflow lanes during this time, and I believe the gate was shut anyway. It was just a odd site I came across.  If it was green WB when the xbl was open EB, it would be a much more serious issue!

At any time of day, any lane may display a conflicting indication from the indications immediately before and after. It's so common, I have to think it's SOP.

[roadman65]

Well maybe someday, the PANYNJ will install a zipper barrier and end that

[ixnay]

Well maybe someday, the PANYNJ will install a zipper barrier and end that

I guess the PANYNJ has jurisdiction over the helix, but doesn't NJDOT own the rest of NJ 495?

ixnay

[jeffandnicole]

Well maybe someday, the PANYNJ will install a zipper barrier and end that

I guess the PANYNJ has jurisdiction over the helix, but doesn't NJDOT own the rest of NJ 495?

ixnay

Per the Straight line diagrams, the NJTA has authority from the Turnpike Mainline to NJ 3 (MP 0.0 - 0.8).  NJDOT's authority is between NJ 3 & Park Ave (MP 0.8 & 1.8), and the PANYNJ has everything east of Park Ave. http://www.state.nj.us/transportation/refdata/sldiag/00000495__-.pdf

While I like the SLDs, I also take them with a grain of salt sometimes.  Per them, the 1.8 mile stretch of highway has 5 speed limit changes, including a 50 mph limit that runs for barely 1/4 mile between two 40 mph stretches!  I think the actual signed conditions are 50 mph under NJTA/NJDOT jurisdiction, and 35 mph where it becomes PANYNJ responsibility. Conditions permitting, of course.

At any time of day, any lane may display a conflicting indication from the indications immediately before and after. It's so common, I have to think it's SOP.

LOL

[Alps]

Well maybe someday, the PANYNJ will install a zipper barrier and end that

I guess the PANYNJ has jurisdiction over the helix, but doesn't NJDOT own the rest of NJ 495?

ixnay

PANYNJ has jurisdiction over the lane-use control signals, IIRC. They would have to enter into a tripartite agreement to operate a movable barrier system, but to me the bigger issue is roadway width, as to why it will never happen. Every bridge would have to be replaced with a single span, eliminating all median piers and light poles, before a movable barrier can be brought in. It has to replace the median entirely because there's not room for two barriers that would create a cattle chute situation.
Anyway, I really haven't heard of XBL crashes. People somehow do really well with it. It's the bus breakdowns that hurt the most, because then the other buses can't get around until it's towed.

[cl94]

Well maybe someday, the PANYNJ will install a zipper barrier and end that

I guess the PANYNJ has jurisdiction over the helix, but doesn't NJDOT own the rest of NJ 495?

ixnay

PANYNJ has jurisdiction over the lane-use control signals, IIRC. They would have to enter into a tripartite agreement to operate a movable barrier system, but to me the bigger issue is roadway width, as to why it will never happen. Every bridge would have to be replaced with a single span, eliminating all median piers and light poles, before a movable barrier can be brought in. It has to replace the median entirely because there's not room for two barriers that would create a cattle chute situation.

Those bridges will never be replaced unless they literally fall down. It's not going to happen.

Anyway, I really haven't heard of XBL crashes. People somehow do really well with it. It's the bus breakdowns that hurt the most, because then the other buses can't get around until it's towed.

How often does that happen? I never see it on the traffic reports, so I'm assuming not too often.

[Alps]

Well maybe someday, the PANYNJ will install a zipper barrier and end that

I guess the PANYNJ has jurisdiction over the helix, but doesn't NJDOT own the rest of NJ 495?

ixnay

PANYNJ has jurisdiction over the lane-use control signals, IIRC. They would have to enter into a tripartite agreement to operate a movable barrier system, but to me the bigger issue is roadway width, as to why it will never happen. Every bridge would have to be replaced with a single span, eliminating all median piers and light poles, before a movable barrier can be brought in. It has to replace the median entirely because there's not room for two barriers that would create a cattle chute situation.

Those bridges will never be replaced unless they literally fall down. It's not going to happen.

Anyway, I really haven't heard of XBL crashes. People somehow do really well with it. It's the bus breakdowns that hurt the most, because then the other buses can't get around until it's towed.

How often does that happen? I never see it on the traffic reports, so I'm assuming not too often.

Those bridges are coming due for replacement, believe it or not. Questions are the five W's and How as to the money to fund this project, and Whether (sixth W) the roadway will be widened at all for safety (shoulders or wider lanes).
As for buses stalling - hell, it's happened to me once, and I've only gone into the city by bus about 20 times. So anecdotally, 5% of the time. Realistically, every couple of weeks.

[ixnay]

Those bridges are coming due for replacement, believe it or not. Questions are the five W's and How as to the money to fund this project, and Whether (sixth W) the roadway will be widened at all for safety (shoulders or wider lanes).

Got a link?  I googled "NJ 495 bridges" and found nothing.  nycroads.com wasn't helpful either.

ixnay

[jeffandnicole]

Those bridges are coming due for replacement, believe it or not. Questions are the five W's and How as to the money to fund this project, and Whether (sixth W) the roadway will be widened at all for safety (shoulders or wider lanes).

Got a link?  I googled "NJ 495 bridges" and found nothing.  nycroads.com wasn't helpful either.

ixnay

www.state.nj.us/transportation should be your Number 1 source for anything road construction related (at least to get you started)!!

http://www.state.nj.us/transportation/capital/tcp17/sec5/route/rt495.pdf  will reveal two projects: One project which should go to construction next year will replace the 495 overpasses over 1/9.  Another project several years away will replace the overpasses related to Rt. 3. 

There are also several web links which show the helix is due to be widened as well, although that construction is several years away.

There are several other overpasses under PANYNJ jurisdiction which I can't find addressed anywhere, at least on a quick search.  Depending on the agency, projects not going into construction phases in the next year or so may be hard to find documentation for.  It could be mentioned in their minutes of their meetings if you wanted to look thru them.

[cl94]

Those bridges are coming due for replacement, believe it or not. Questions are the five W's and How as to the money to fund this project, and Whether (sixth W) the roadway will be widened at all for safety (shoulders or wider lanes).

Got a link?  I googled "NJ 495 bridges" and found nothing.  nycroads.com wasn't helpful either.

ixnay

www.state.nj.us/transportation should be your Number 1 source for anything road construction related (at least to get you started)!!

http://www.state.nj.us/transportation/capital/tcp17/sec5/route/rt495.pdf  will reveal two projects: One project which should go to construction next year will replace the 495 overpasses over 1/9.  Another project several years away will replace the overpasses related to Rt. 3. 

There are also several web links which show the helix is due to be widened as well, although that construction is several years away.

There are several other overpasses under PANYNJ jurisdiction which I can't find addressed anywhere, at least on a quick search.  Depending on the agency, projects not going into construction phases in the next year or so may be hard to find documentation for.  It could be mentioned in their minutes of their meetings if you wanted to look thru them.

Color me shocked. I knew that work was coming up at the helix, but I didn't know the bridges were going to be replaced. That'll be a nightmare.

[Alps]

Those bridges are coming due for replacement, believe it or not. Questions are the five W's and How as to the money to fund this project, and Whether (sixth W) the roadway will be widened at all for safety (shoulders or wider lanes).

Got a link?  I googled "NJ 495 bridges" and found nothing.  nycroads.com wasn't helpful either.

ixnay

Not a project yet. Just noting the bridges' age and condition.

[cpzilliacus]

Anyway, I really haven't heard of XBL crashes. People somehow do really well with it. It's the bus breakdowns that hurt the most, because then the other buses can't get around until it's towed.

Given how heavy the flow of bus traffic is there, it would seem worthwhile to pay to have a heavy-duty wrecker on standby when the XBL is running.

[Alps]

Anyway, I really haven't heard of XBL crashes. People somehow do really well with it. It's the bus breakdowns that hurt the most, because then the other buses can't get around until it's towed.

Given how heavy the flow of bus traffic is there, it would seem worthwhile to pay to have a heavy-duty wrecker on standby when the XBL is running.

How do you get the wrecker to the bus? Gotta wait fo the XBL to clear in front of the stall, then back the wrecker all the way up.

[cl94]

Anyway, I really haven't heard of XBL crashes. People somehow do really well with it. It's the bus breakdowns that hurt the most, because then the other buses can't get around until it's towed.

Given how heavy the flow of bus traffic is there, it would seem worthwhile to pay to have a heavy-duty wrecker on standby when the XBL is running.

How do you get the wrecker to the bus? Gotta wait for the XBL to clear in front of the stall, then back the wrecker all the way up.

Yep. Have to place it at the toll plaza and back it up, or put it somewhere else and shut down WB while it gets in position. Either way, not pretty.

[cpzilliacus]

How do you get the wrecker to the bus? Gotta wait fo the XBL to clear in front of the stall, then back the wrecker all the way up.

Excellent question. 

I suppose my solution would be to station the wrecker at the point where the XBL begins, in the Turnpike's 16E interchange.  Assuming the bus still still has brakes, use the wrecker to push the bus to the helix area.  If the bus has to be hooked-up, stop the westbound lanes of N.J. 495 so the wrecker can get in front of the bus  and hooked-up.

[cl94]

How do you get the wrecker to the bus? Gotta wait fo the XBL to clear in front of the stall, then back the wrecker all the way up.

Excellent question. 

I suppose my solution would be to station the wrecker at the point where the XBL begins, in the 16E interchange.  Assuming the bus still still has brakes, use the wrecker to push the bus to the helix area.  If the bus has to be hooked-up, stop the westbound lanes of N.J. 495 so the wrecker can get in front of the bus.

But what about the buses that are stuck behind the dead bus?

[cpzilliacus]

How do you get the wrecker to the bus? Gotta wait fo the XBL to clear in front of the stall, then back the wrecker all the way up.

Excellent question. 

I suppose my solution would be to station the wrecker at the point where the XBL begins, in the 16E interchange.  Assuming the bus still still has brakes, use the wrecker to push the bus to the helix area.  If the bus has to be hooked-up, stop the westbound lanes of N.J. 495 so the wrecker can get in front of the bus.

But what about the buses that are stuck behind the dead bus?

That is a good question. I suppose provision for stopping westbound N.J. 495 traffic has to be part of the plan, so the wrecker can get to the disabled, and in that case, probably better to just hook-up the bus and get it to the helix area.

[jeffandnicole]

The XBL opened in 1970.  Again, we're finding solutions to problems that haven't existed for 46 years. 

In the event of a breakdown or crash, it would be like any other highway incident...see where the crash is located, and figure out the best way to deal with it.  There's also the matter of jurisdiction...if it occurs where the Turnpike, DOT or PA has jurisdiction, different towing companies may need to be called. And none of this reflects if there's an issue within the tunnel.

BTW, the rate for those large wreckers is something like $400 an hour.  If they utilized a standby for 4 or so hours every morning, That's a very expensive person just sitting there in case something happens.

[jeffandnicole]

It's several years old, but NJ.com had an article regarding the day in a life of working at and near the Lincoln Tunnel.  Basically, "organized chaos" that deals with anything from pedestrians and birds in the tunnel to accidents.  According to one person interviewed, it takes a year, but you get used to the noises from the skidding and sudden braking. 

Definitely not a day in the life of working the Blue Ridge Parkway!

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2009/12/traffic_team_based_in_weehawke.html

And when a large vehicle needs towing, the PANYNJ has that taken care of as well.  They have tow trucks that can make a complete U-turn within the 2 lane tunnel, and can pull out buses that get disabled within them. https://www.google.com/search?q=LINCOLN+TUNNel+TOW+TRUCKS&biw=1536&bih=674&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiSz-a9spPNAhUFyj4KHY8cBGYQ_AUICCgD&dpr=1.25#imgrc=X0OSAgLRlANakM%3A

[Mergingtraffic]

Got some sign updates today:

the NJ Tpke maintained signage is basically all gone in I-280.
This one remains and that's all I saw.


and this is due to be gone soon as the foundations are settling.


and how old is this?  Yes the shield is an old spec shield...but is it really THAT old?


This is new on I-280.

[storm2k]

This is new on I-280.

Why couldn't they have gotten the shield right like this at Exit 10 (for CR-514)?