New Jersey

[famartin]

As a curiosity, does the Garden State Parkway have control cities? I know of ones at the Local-Express split, but I'm unsure of any at major interchanges, with the GSP merely signed as "Parkway North" or "Parkway South". I'm not even sure if control cities are used at the entrances. For what it's worth, here's what I think control cities could look like:

South of Exit 38: Atlantic City (NB), Cape May (SB)
38 - 80: Toms River (NB), Atlantic City (SB)
80 - MP 104 (Local - Express split): Wall (maybe Asbury Park?) (NB), Toms River (SB)
Local - Express: New York or NJ Turnpike (NB Express), Middletown (NB Local, 104-114), The Amboys (114-125); Wall (SB Express), Middletown (SB Local, 125-114), Asbury Park (114-105)
125 - 145: Newark or The Oranges (NB), NJ Turnpike or New York (SB)
145 - NY Line (172): Albany or NY Thruway (NB), Newark or The Oranges (SB)

No reason to sign the Thruway for New York, so I chose Albany. I could probably have better choice for Local - Express, as the Parkway doesn't go through some of these cities (namely Asbury Park). Finally, I wasn't sure if I-195 or Wall was more recognizable, but Wall won in the end; it felt more recognizable than just I-195. I'm aware the Turnpike is I-95, but it's recognizable enough that it does make sense as a destination instead of I-195.

Not sure about if any cities are signed on interchanging roads (except the AC Expressway, see first photo below), but on the mainline, a variety of cities are indeed used:

[NJRoadfan]

The last one with Paramus was already taken down and replaced with a full width BGS using Paterson and 3 down arrows (like at 105), likely for the construction at Exit 145. Using Paramus was a suggestion I made years ago here because the GSP actually goes there and have major junctions with other roadways...... unlike Paterson. Somebody clearly listened.

Apparently north of there the GSP can use Albany, but it hasn't been signed yet.

[PHLBOS]

Is it me or does the control city lettering on that Exit 98 BGS appear to be Series E rather than E-Modified?  If so, such would be a better choice than E-Modified IMHO.  Such addresses any readability issues with mixed-case E-Modified without using Clearview. 

I know, different topic for a different thread. 

[Mergingtraffic]

Old sign in East Orange hangs on.  This could date to when I-280 opened thru here.

[Alps]

Is it me or does the control city lettering on that Exit 98 BGS appear to be Series E rather than E-Modified?  If so, such would be a better choice than E-Modified IMHO.  Such addresses any readability issues with mixed-case E-Modified without using Clearview. 

I know, different topic for a different thread. 

No, that's E(M).

Old sign in East Orange hangs on.  This coulddoes date to when I-280 opened thru here.

[PHLBOS]

Is it me or does the control city lettering on that Exit 98 BGS appear to be Series E rather than E-Modified?  If so, such would be a better choice than E-Modified IMHO.  Such addresses any readability issues with mixed-case E-Modified without using Clearview. 

I know, different topic for a different thread. 

No, that's E(M).

Using the lower-case os for comparison among those two panels; why does the stroke-width on the pull-through BGS for Toms River appear wider than the stroke-width for the o for the Trenton legend?

[ekt8750]

Is it me or does the control city lettering on that Exit 98 BGS appear to be Series E rather than E-Modified?  If so, such would be a better choice than E-Modified IMHO.  Such addresses any readability issues with mixed-case E-Modified without using Clearview. 

I know, different topic for a different thread. 

No, that's E(M).

Using the lower-case os for comparison among those two panels; why does the stroke-width on the pull-through BGS for Toms River appear wider than the stroke-width for the o for the Trenton legend?

They look the same to me. Could be the angle playing tricks on your eyes.

[PHLBOS]

They look the same to me. Could be the angle playing tricks on your eyes.

Maybe, maybe not.  I'm only asking because such wouldn't be the first time a different FHWA font was selected/fabricated for control city listings on NJ highway signage... regardless of what the plans spec'd.

Some of the first post-button-copy signs (90s vintage) along I-295 between Exits 28 and 56 used Series E lettering and some of the newly-installed signs along the NJ Turnpike between Exits 8A and 6 alternate between using E-Modified and Series F (?).  Heck, one even sees two identical signs in terms of messages/legends near each other but using different fonts.

Exhibit A along northbound I-95/NJ Turnpike at Exit 7

Exhibit B along southbound I-95/NJ Turnpike at Exit 7; note that one will need to zoom in on the individual gantries to compare.

[storm2k]

The last one with Paramus was already taken down and replaced with a full width BGS using Paterson and 3 down arrows (like at 105), likely for the construction at Exit 145. Using Paramus was a suggestion I made years ago here because the GSP actually goes there and have major junctions with other roadways...... unlike Paterson. Somebody clearly listened.

Apparently north of there the GSP can use Albany, but it hasn't been signed yet.

And I think the gantry it's on dates back to the 1970s. I wonder if they'll finally replace it with one of the newer pre-rusted box gantries they are so fond of now as part of the Exit 145 roadwork.

[storm2k]

New I-78 eastbound ramp to I-287 northbound to open this weekend in Somerset County

The main piece of this project finally opens this weekend. No more lefthand merge for all the traffic coming from 78 EB to 287 NB. No more trucks having to merge over when traffic is heavy. No more Jersey sweeps for traffic trying to get from 78 to 202-206 in Pluckemin.

I have to be up this way later today so I will try to grab a couple of pictures if I can.

[storm2k]

Old sign in East Orange hangs on.  This could date to when I-280 opened thru here.

And given that NJDOT replaced most of the signage here back in 2011 and didn't touch this one, it will probably hang on for a lot longer.

[famartin]

The rate of speeding is staggering 
https://expo.nj.com/news/g66l-2019/06/f847f653978638/we-know-youre-speeding-jersey-so-we-bought-a-radar-gun-to-see-just-how-fast.html?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_content=nj_facebook_njcom&utm_campaign=njcom_sf&fbclid=IwAR2VM1BPcfwZ5sQxs9ceEr0Bf6f9LWftNpfPMF1dLrN11gnKv-7-YvhUi_M

[Plutonic Panda]

I'm surprised they didn't see anyone going over 100.

[jeffandnicole]

I was going to say they did the same thing last year...only to see it's simply a reprint of last year's story! Lol

NJDOT is pretty open about actual speeds anyway...they still publish yearly reports showing speeds at monitoring locations on their roads. Currently it's updated thru 2017: https://www.state.nj.us/transportation/refdata/roadway/speed.shtm

[storm2k]

as promised, i drove on the new 78 to 287 ramp. some new pictures here. also includes new signs on 287 nb at exits 21 a-b.

[Tonytone]

I'm surprised they didn't see anyone going over 100.

Im shocked, did they go on a bad day? When you hit that 3-3-3-3 Config you can easily go 100MPH for short bursts. 85 is the max speed they found? Must have been calibrated wrong.


iPhone

[roadman65]

NJDOT going with borderlesss shields is odd to see.  Did they yet remove the left exit for US 202/206 going SB in Bridgewater yet?

[akotchi]

Nope.  It is still there.

[storm2k]

NJDOT going with borderlesss shields is odd to see.  Did they yet remove the left exit for US 202/206 going SB in Bridgewater yet?

That's likely never going to be replaced. It's not so bad over there because it's at the bottom of the dual-dual stretch where the traffic from 78WB feeds into the inner roadway and the traffic from 78EB feeds into the outer roadway and there are exits to 202-206 from both roadways. There isn't room to rebuild the two lane ramp and overpass to realign it to be a righthand exit without a massive undertaking to fix something that doesn't entirely need to be fixed.

The lefthand exit that could really stand to be changed is Exit 14A to 22WB. Both having the exit and entrance ramps be on the lefthand side causes problems on both 287 and 22. I almost got into a serious accident turning onto 22 from the Finderne exit once because of some ahole flying off that ramp and doing the ole Jersey Sweep over to the right lane as I was trying to merge in coming off that turn without even thinking about looking but again, there's no real place to put a proper two lane ramp to have a RH to RH connection there.

[roadman65]

The left ramp for 202 & 206 needs to not steel all the through lanes (or is that changed at least?) as two lanes for the exit and only a single lane for the main line.  A lot of folks who drove that for the first time got confused and thought it was unusual to say the least.

The right exit for I-287 SB to US 22 EB can be done as both roads run parallel to each other there and before Foothill Road just have it depart cross over US 22 WB and its wide median to cross the EB lanes and merge from the right into a c/d roadway for the Finderne Avenue exit to stop weaving.  Though the overpass over US 22 EB for the SB I-287 would need to be widened and replaced as like you said that left EB US 22 exit for I-287 is a problem and needs a lot to fix it to put it on the right. 

The big thing is now the weave to Chimney Rock Road as the ramp departs US 22 EB right after the merge from 287 SB there.  IMO it should have a curb on both sides of US 22 there to defer it.

[artmalk]

So now we have the first signs in NJ besides the Parkway and Turnpike without the black backplate.  Anyone know if this is an aberration or if all new signs going forward will omit the backplate?  Is this done to confirm to MUTCD mandates?  Will NJ be replacing more BGS's?

[Roadgeek Adam]

I don't know why the MUTCD bans black/all backplates, but that's the case. No more. (Backplateless shields look incredibly tacky)

[MNHighwayMan]

I don't know why the MUTCD bans black/all backplates, but that's the case. No more. (Backplateless shields look incredibly tacky)

It doesn't. That paragraph of the MUTCD is only guidance, meaning that it is not mandatory.

[jeffandnicole]

So now we have the first signs in NJ besides the Parkway and Turnpike without the black backplate.  Anyone know if this is an aberration or if all new signs going forward will omit the backplate?  Is this done to confirm to MUTCD mandates?  Will NJ be replacing more BGS's?

Actually, NJDOT has gone backplate-less for a few years now on nearly all BGSs, as evidenced by this GSV from 2016. https://goo.gl/maps/1VMMZxTD3cdEnVt58 .  They've done a state-wide milepost installation on state roads, and they are without backplates as well.

All new signs are backplate-less, and the trend will continue.  There was a small green sign near me I noticed was replaced in this same manner just within the past month.

[vdeane]

I don't know why the MUTCD bans black/all backplates, but that's the case. No more. (Backplateless shields look incredibly tacky)

Meanwhile, I feel the opposite (at least with respect to guide signs).