New Jersey

[EricJV95]

NJDOT did a pretty good job on Rt. 3 over the Passaic River Bridge at Rt. 21 in Clifton. Seen the new signs for Rt. 3 East for the Lincoln Tunnel. Anyone have pics for Rt. 3 EAST between the GSP and Rt. 495 U.S. 1-9 ?

[Zeffy]

Pennington Circle residents oppose DOT plan for metering signals
http://www.nj.com/mercer/index.ssf/2015/08/residents_near_pennington_circle_oppose_njdot_plan.html#incart_river

HOPEWELL TOWNSHIP - A few residents who live near the Pennington Circle have concerns with the state's $1 million plan to ease traffic issues, which is already underway.

The state Department of Transportation (DOT) plans to install flashing metering signals on the circle, but what residents want is a full stoplight by Ingleside Avenue.

That circle, while not as bad as the Flemington or Somerville Circles, is pretty bad. It's especially annoying if you're on CR 546 and you have to go through it to get to the opposite side of CR 546. What I don't see is how installing a signal at Ingleside Avenue will do anything for the circle. Also, by metering signals - are they talking about the ones that were used on the Atlantic City Expressway years ago?

[jeffandnicole]

Pennington Circle residents oppose DOT plan for metering signals
http://www.nj.com/mercer/index.ssf/2015/08/residents_near_pennington_circle_oppose_njdot_plan.html#incart_river

HOPEWELL TOWNSHIP - A few residents who live near the Pennington Circle have concerns with the state's $1 million plan to ease traffic issues, which is already underway.

The state Department of Transportation (DOT) plans to install flashing metering signals on the circle, but what residents want is a full stoplight by Ingleside Avenue.

That circle, while not as bad as the Flemington or Somerville Circles, is pretty bad. It's especially annoying if you're on CR 546 and you have to go through it to get to the opposite side of CR 546. What I don't see is how installing a signal at Ingleside Avenue will do anything for the circle. Also, by metering signals - are they talking about the ones that were used on the Atlantic City Expressway years ago?

Metering traffic lights will be the standard red/yellow/green light, which will cycle thru every once in a while. The purpose is to clear out the circle and create gaps to give traffic on those side roads a chance to enter the circle.

Back when the Garden State Park Circle and Ellisburg Circle existed on NJ 70, there were traffic light meters for those circles as well. 

[storm2k]

Pennington Circle residents oppose DOT plan for metering signals
http://www.nj.com/mercer/index.ssf/2015/08/residents_near_pennington_circle_oppose_njdot_plan.html#incart_river

HOPEWELL TOWNSHIP - A few residents who live near the Pennington Circle have concerns with the state's $1 million plan to ease traffic issues, which is already underway.

The state Department of Transportation (DOT) plans to install flashing metering signals on the circle, but what residents want is a full stoplight by Ingleside Avenue.

That circle, while not as bad as the Flemington or Somerville Circles, is pretty bad. It's especially annoying if you're on CR 546 and you have to go through it to get to the opposite side of CR 546. What I don't see is how installing a signal at Ingleside Avenue will do anything for the circle. Also, by metering signals - are they talking about the ones that were used on the Atlantic City Expressway years ago?

Metering traffic lights will be the standard red/yellow/green light, which will cycle thru every once in a while. The purpose is to clear out the circle and create gaps to give traffic on those side roads a chance to enter the circle.

Back when the Garden State Park Circle and Ellisburg Circle existed on NJ 70, there were traffic light meters for those circles as well. 

The Somerville Circle still has them, but not for all movements. They exist for 28WB (West End Ave), 206SB. 28EB has a light at the shopping center entrance a few hundred feet back, but it's not really a metering light. Same for 206NB which has a light at Bell Ave, which helps slow some traffic into the circle but is not a true metering light. The light on West End Ave still has the old metering traffic signal sign from the 80s before the 202 flyover was constructed and all sides had metering lights into the circle to try and control traffic.

[roadman65]

The Somerville Circle, according to my late Aunt who lived nearby in Bridgewater, during the period after the US 202 flyover was opened to traffic several decades ago, that more accidents occurred after the modification than before it.  In fact the YIELD signs were installed after these accidents post flyover addition happened.  Still it did not deter any other accidents after the extra traffic control devices were added.

I imagine that that situation has not changed even over 20 years afterwards.  So the only way to improve safety and operational efficiency of the circle is to completely remove it and install an at grade intersection beneath the flyover there similar to the Victory Circle in Sayreville, NJ which also had a five way intersection.

[storm2k]

The Somerville Circle, according to my late Aunt who lived nearby in Bridgewater, during the period after the US 202 flyover was opened to traffic several decades ago, that more accidents occurred after the modification than before it.  In fact the YIELD signs were installed after these accidents post flyover addition happened.  Still it did not deter any other accidents after the extra traffic control devices were added.

I imagine that that situation has not changed even over 20 years afterwards.  So the only way to improve safety and operational efficiency of the circle is to completely remove it and install an at grade intersection beneath the flyover there similar to the Victory Circle in Sayreville, NJ which also had a five way intersection.

Having grown up in Bridgewater and still in the area frequently, I can tell you that the flyover did little to improve things. I agree that a direct intersection might help, but the roadway geometry would be tricky I think.

[Zeffy]

Having grown up in Bridgewater and still in the area frequently, I can tell you that the flyover did little to improve things. I agree that a direct intersection might help, but the roadway geometry would be tricky I think.

The strip mall makes it nearly impossible to build anything to solve the Somerville Circle's issues. If you can somehow replace the circle with perhaps 2 traffic signals, it may be beneficial than trying to navigate the death trap. The issue is that you have to not only yield in the circle, but if you are going around it, you have to STOP for US 202/206 traffic coming down the ramp.

[02 Park Ave]

The I-676 will be closed "north" of Morgan Blvd. in Camden over the last weekend in September.

[roadman65]

The I-676 will be closed "north" of Morgan Blvd. in Camden over the last weekend in September.

I take your from California with using "the" in referencing highway numbers.

[odditude]

The I-676 will be closed "north" of Morgan Blvd. in Camden over the last weekend in September.

I take your from California with using "the" in referencing highway numbers.

no, the 02 Park Ave is just stubborn and/or trolling.

[Alps]

Having grown up in Bridgewater and still in the area frequently, I can tell you that the flyover did little to improve things. I agree that a direct intersection might help, but the roadway geometry would be tricky I think.

The strip mall makes it nearly impossible to build anything to solve the Somerville Circle's issues. If you can somehow replace the circle with perhaps 2 traffic signals, it may be beneficial than trying to navigate the death trap. The issue is that you have to not only yield in the circle, but if you are going around it, you have to STOP for US 202/206 traffic coming down the ramp.

My best thought was to turn 206 into a through road with 28 crossing. The southern ramps to/from 202 would have to come in somewhere else to keep the intersection simple (and green time similar to the mall and Bell Ave.). That would probably require knocking down the buildings in the southwest quadrant, or a giant jughandle through the AutoZone at Bell (if you keep the ramps where they are and force right turns only).

[ekt8750]

The I-676 will be closed "north" of Morgan Blvd. in Camden over the last weekend in September.

I take your from California with using "the" in referencing highway numbers.

no, the 02 Park Ave is just stubborn and/or trolling.

I lean towards trolling just by how he keeps referencing the Papal visit as merely "the last weekend in September" as if all of these road closures are just for shits and giggles. 

[NE2]

I lean towards trolling just by how he keeps referencing the Papal visit as merely "the last weekend in September" as if all of these road closures are just for shits and giggles. 

The Pope isn't there for shitting and giggling? Does the Pope shit in Penn's Woods?

[odditude]

I lean towards trolling just by how he keeps referencing the Papal visit as merely "the last weekend in September" as if all of these road closures are just for shits and giggles. 

The Pope isn't there for shitting and giggling? Does the Pope shit in Penn's Woods?

if not, he's gonna be mighty uncomfortable by that Monday...

[Zeffy]

No one mentioned this yet, but the Exit 7 signs on I-195 now say Robbinsville instead of Washington Township. NJ.com has more about it here: http://www.nj.com/mercer/index.ssf/2015/08/robbinsville_is_no_longer_referred_to_as_washinton.html#incart_river

And here's what the signs now look like (it's better for a greenout then a Clearview remake...):

[roadman65]

It originally said "Robbinsville" back in the 70's and 80's, but was changed later on to "Washington" for whatever reason.  Technically Robbinsville always existed but like Toms River where it was an unincorporated section of Dover it never had a proper government identity.

Now to see it go back all because the proper township was changed is still a good reason.  I do not know what changed it to be Washington, but I always thought it was cause the MUTCD did something as I noticed that NJ has done that in other places using the proper municipal name instead of the unincorporated areas as well.   Whatever, its interesting to see a change as for me changes in road signs always fascinated me since I could remember.

[SteveG1988]

Work to begin on NJ37 East Bound Bridge to seaside heights:

http://www.nj.gov/transportation/commuter/roads/rte37mathisbridge/

Will start this november, and will continue through winter until 2018.

[roadman65]

Wow, I never knew that US 9 between the GSP and NJ 166 in Beachwood was built over an old railroad grade.

The map on the link above has the old NY & LB Railroad Crossing the Barnegate Bay from Seaside Park to Berkley running through Pine Beach and directly into what is now US 9 after its split from NJ 166.

Furthermore old RR maps show that as well, as I had to research it in more detail and found it all out.

[NJRoadfan]

That same map claims that Toms River has a "Cactus Island Park" too. Way to go NJDOT. (Its actually Cattus Island)

[roadman65]

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Wayne,+NJ/@40.944279,-74.272129,3a,66.8y,357.82h,85.22t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sy1-zRjex3FReNM374GudKA!2e0!4m2!3m1!1s0x89c30260113c84d3:0xe654539a1cb20344

What is up with the placement of this here sign?  Yes its located on US 202 proper and that route goes to both towns, and the NB NJ 23/US 202 Service Road is technically the NB alignment for US 202 at this point, but why here?   You have the actually split for US 202 from NJ 23 still ahead, and you also have the junction with County Route 504 1000 feet ahead of the sign.  Would not this assembly be much better service to motorists north of CR 504, or even after the NJ 23 to US 202 connector one half mile further.  The latter would be best as vehicles from SB NJ 23 would also see the distances to both Mahwah and Ramapo as generally mileage signs are to be post highway junctions.

Also why is Ramapo the control city and not Suffern?  Does not US 202 enter Suffern after crossing the NY State Line?  Also more people are most familiar with Suffern over Ramapo anyway, as I am sure not many people are familar with Ramapo, NY.

[Rothman]

Everyone knows the Ramapo Service Plaza on the Thruway.

[cl94]

Everyone knows the Ramapo Service Plaza on the Thruway.

If only because it's the last one, undersized, and insanely busy.

[NJRoadfan]

Suffern is a village within the Town of Ramapo. Technically it is correct.

[Pete from Boston]

"Ramapo" here is really not useful.  No person refers to Ramapo as a destination in either New York or New Jersey because it is a comparatively vast place that has many more specific locales within it.

What puzzles me is the six-mile difference between Ramapo and Mahwah, which abut one another.  The town center of Mahwah is a mile off 17 and 202.  I don't know that there even is a town center of Ramapo.

[NJRoadfan]

According to the US-202 SLD, the mileages are actually correct. NJDOT seems to sign mileages to the municipal/state border. The Mahwah border is at MP74 and the state line is MP80.