New Jersey

[storm2k]

The HOV lanes on I-287 were added, not taken from existing lanes. The state had to show proof that the HOV lanes were not working as intended in order to keep the federal funding used to widen the highway. After the restrictions were lifted, all NJDOT did was remove the signs listing the restrictions. The diamonds remained on the roadway until they either wore off or the roadway was repaved.

I thought the state still ended up on the hook for at least some of the federal money used to build the lanes.

Also, the rotting bridge mounts and cantilevers stayed up for a very long time after the signs for the lanes were taken down (they had overhead signs every 1-2 miles). You can still see on a few overpasses where supports for bridge mounted signs went. Also, this is why, for example, the sign at Exit 26 going SB is on a full gantry and not either a cantilever, or ground mount.

[Roadgeek Adam]

There was one for a long time on 287 northbound that just stood on its own.

[roadman65]

How much longer till the new Wittpenn Bridge opens up? Or is it suspended due to Covid 19?

[Roadgeek Adam]

2023 is projected.

[famartin]

2023 is projected.

Wasn't it supposed to be this year?

[Alps]

2023 is projected.

Wasn't it supposed to be this year?

At some point it was, or even earlier. That's one area where you never know what you'll find in the ground.

[SignBridge]

Alps, were there unusual issues that came up during the Wittpenn project that caused serious delays? You alluded to finding stuff in the ground......

[Alps]

Alps, were there unusual issues that came up during the Wittpenn project that caused serious delays? You alluded to finding stuff in the ground......

I'm not involved on the project. Just that this area of Hudson County has all sorts of contaminants, all sorts of wetlands, etc.

[SignBridge]

Thanks Alps. I just wondered if there were any specific factors, since as I've noted before on these boards, that project seems to be taking forever.

[famartin]

Thanks Alps. I just wondered if there were any specific factors, since as I've noted before on these boards, *that project seems to be taking forever.*

So does 42/76/295...

[jeffandnicole]

Thanks Alps. I just wondered if there were any specific factors, since as I've noted before on these boards, *that project seems to be taking forever.*

So does 42/76/295...

Well, that project IS taking forever!  Oirignally the project was projected to be completed this year (2021).  Now, one of their website pages references the project will be completed in 2027!  The entire holdup right now is the Browning Road Overpass...they can't seem to get the temp bridge's supports right.

[jeffandnicole]

Some props on the new NJDOT website.  https://www.state.nj.us/transportation/

For regular visitors to the website, the first thing you'll notice is a nice new picture on the page of a relatively empty roadway scene (if you look closely, you'll see a lane is closed in both directions too, along with the jughandle/interchange loop being closed as well.   Quite often, NJ agencies/authorities have pics of congestion, which is what life is like in the Garden State.

Because Covid, NJDOT has moved their meetings to online virtual meetings.  This, personally, has been awesome. I'm able to view these presentation in private, and view presentations I would have otherwise never been able attend meetings.  https://www.state.nj.us/transportation/community/meetings/  .  The current presentations are for a modification of a NJ Traffic Circle (no, not roundabout) with 130.  Being NJ, this circle is really an oval which 130 has the right-of-way thru at all times, with a 55 mph limit.  One of the proposed improvements is to feature NJ's version of traffic metering: It's basically a regular traffic light, that if working right, will stop traffic on 130 before the circle and restrict the flow thru the circle to prevent congestion within the circle.  When traffic is light, the traffic light will remain green.  I'm not sure if NJDOT has any presently; I grew up seeing them on NJ 70 before they got rid of the circles that utilized them.

The other is ped/bike improvements to NJ 73 in the Maple Shade area.  The area has numerous businesses and driveway/parking lot aprons, and lacks sidewalks.  Hiding nothing about the area, the video shows pics of the rutted pathways pedestrians have made behind guardrails and around sign posts.  Improvements are to include a shared Bike/Ped path and better crosswalks and crosswalk signals.

[famartin]

Some props on the new NJDOT website.  https://www.state.nj.us/transportation/

For regular visitors to the website, the first thing you'll notice is a nice new picture on the page of a relatively empty roadway scene (if you look closely, you'll see a lane is closed in both directions too, along with the jughandle/interchange loop being closed as well.   Quite often, NJ agencies/authorities have pics of congestion, which is what life is like in the Garden State.

Because Covid, NJDOT has moved their meetings to online virtual meetings.  This, personally, has been awesome. I'm able to view these presentation in private, and view presentations I would have otherwise never been able attend meetings.  https://www.state.nj.us/transportation/community/meetings/  .  The current presentations are for a modification of a NJ Traffic Circle (no, not roundabout) with 130.  Being NJ, this circle is really an oval which 130 has the right-of-way thru at all times, with a 55 mph limit.  One of the proposed improvements is to feature NJ's version of traffic metering: It's basically a regular traffic light, that if working right, will stop traffic on 130 before the circle and restrict the flow thru the circle to prevent congestion within the circle.  When traffic is light, the traffic light will remain green.  I'm not sure if NJDOT has any presently; I grew up seeing them on NJ 70 before they got rid of the circles that utilized them.

The other is ped/bike improvements to NJ 73 in the Maple Shade area.  The area has numerous businesses and driveway/parking lot aprons, and lacks sidewalks.  Hiding nothing about the area, the video shows pics of the rutted pathways pedestrians have made behind guardrails and around sign posts.  Improvements are to include a shared Bike/Ped path and better crosswalks and crosswalk signals.

If anyone's curious, the new NJDOT picture Jeff mentions above taken was taken approximately here, looking approximately in this direction (though several hundred feet up, of course)
https://www.google.com/maps/@40.4669097,-74.4403779,3a,75y,231.36h,89.34t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sgzIIEPvil5vED-yGK-h8nw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

[BrianP]

The current presentations are for a modification of a NJ Traffic Circle (no, not roundabout) with 130.  Being NJ, this circle is really an oval which 130 has the right-of-way thru at all times, with a 55 mph limit.  One of the proposed improvements is to feature NJ's version of traffic metering: It's basically a regular traffic light, that if working right, will stop traffic on 130 before the circle and restrict the flow thru the circle to prevent congestion within the circle.  When traffic is light, the traffic light will remain green.  I'm not sure if NJDOT has any presently; I grew up seeing them on NJ 70 before they got rid of the circles that utilized them.

Doc! Doc! We made it back to 1985!

I'm trying to remember if the Berlin Circle (NJ 73) had this too.  I think so.  Does that mean we have another decade before they consider removing the circle?  I'm a rusty on the NJ circle life cycle. 

[jeffandnicole]

The current presentations are for a modification of a NJ Traffic Circle (no, not roundabout) with 130.  Being NJ, this circle is really an oval which 130 has the right-of-way thru at all times, with a 55 mph limit.  One of the proposed improvements is to feature NJ's version of traffic metering: It's basically a regular traffic light, that if working right, will stop traffic on 130 before the circle and restrict the flow thru the circle to prevent congestion within the circle.  When traffic is light, the traffic light will remain green.  I'm not sure if NJDOT has any presently; I grew up seeing them on NJ 70 before they got rid of the circles that utilized them.

Doc! Doc! We made it back to 1985!

I'm trying to remember if the Berlin Circle (NJ 73) had this too.  I think so.  Does that mean we have another decade before they consider removing the circle?  I'm a rusty on the NJ circle life cycle. 

Using historicaerials dot com, it appears you are correct!  There does appear to be a traffic circle meter on 73 North about 1/4 mile prior to the circle, which is indicated by the stop line and solid line between lanes in a random area without any other intersecting road there.  On 73 South, there's a standard signalized intersection about 1/2 mile prior to the circle, which would help meter traffic on its own.  Can't tell for the other intersecting roads if signal meters are present on those roads.

[Mr. Matté]

Some props on the new NJDOT website.  https://www.state.nj.us/transportation/

For regular visitors to the website, the first thing you'll notice is a nice new picture on the page of a relatively empty roadway scene (if you look closely, you'll see a lane is closed in both directions too, along with the jughandle/interchange loop being closed as well.   Quite often, NJ agencies/authorities have pics of congestion, which is what life is like in the Garden State.

If anyone's curious, the new NJDOT picture Jeff mentions above taken was taken approximately here, looking approximately in this direction (though several hundred feet up, of course)
https://www.google.com/maps/@40.4669097,-74.4403779,3a,75y,231.36h,89.34t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sgzIIEPvil5vED-yGK-h8nw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

Knowing from having done some design work in the former railroad right-of-way just off the image in the past few years, the tool tip of "Route 1 - Princeton" is wrong. Why they chose an aerial by the parking lot of a lame for-profit higher educational facility when there is a much better state school (totally not biased for that place despite having gone there) just a little bit north, beats me.

Speaking of NJDOT, I happened to walk through the print room of my work and saw this ALTA survey (not done by my company) around everyone's favorite abandoned section of US 322. What really caught my eye is that the portion of 324 with the houses says it's under [Logan] township jurisdiction (ref. plan 7 being the jurisdictional map for US 130) and the "Road Closed" part and Springer Road intersection being private land now. The SLDs still say it's NJDOT jurisdiction and of course the milemarkers that were put up not too long ago (at least I'm assuming that all of them are still up and not taken down by anyone). The state's online parcel search still basically has it as public ROW unless there's a lag on the parcel data there.

[DrSmith]

The current presentations are for a modification of a NJ Traffic Circle (no, not roundabout) with 130.  Being NJ, this circle is really an oval which 130 has the right-of-way thru at all times, with a 55 mph limit.  One of the proposed improvements is to feature NJ's version of traffic metering: It's basically a regular traffic light, that if working right, will stop traffic on 130 before the circle and restrict the flow thru the circle to prevent congestion within the circle.  When traffic is light, the traffic light will remain green.  I'm not sure if NJDOT has any presently; I grew up seeing them on NJ 70 before they got rid of the circles that utilized them.

Doc! Doc! We made it back to 1985!

I'm trying to remember if the Berlin Circle (NJ 73) had this too.  I think so.  Does that mean we have another decade before they consider removing the circle?  I'm a rusty on the NJ circle life cycle. 

Using historicaerials dot com, it appears you are correct!  There does appear to be a traffic circle meter on 73 North about 1/4 mile prior to the circle, which is indicated by the stop line and solid line between lanes in a random area without any other intersecting road there.  On 73 South, there's a standard signalized intersection about 1/2 mile prior to the circle, which would help meter traffic on its own.  Can't tell for the other intersecting roads if signal meters are present on those roads.

There was a metering signal on the northbound side. Another contributing factor to adding that may have been the circle geometry. North 73 cut lightly across the top if I remember correctly so traffic rolled through it at 55 mph. Southbound 73 definitely had to slow down and go through the curves of the circle.

The Pole Tavern Circle definitely had that issue. Route 40 West cuts across the top and can go through at 40 mph. The eastbound direction has to go around the circle and it's a small circle with a tight radius. It was very common to go through there and see where all the arrows/chevrons in the center had been knocked down by a truck that hadn't slowed enough for the tight radius and ran through the middle of the circle.
https://goo.gl/maps/Jveor1H5RYHYqtjW6

[lepidopteran]

The current presentations are for a modification of a NJ Traffic Circle (no, not roundabout) with 130.  Being NJ, this circle is really an oval which 130 has the right-of-way thru at all times, with a 55 mph limit.  One of the proposed improvements is to feature NJ's version of traffic metering: It's basically a regular traffic light, that if working right, will stop traffic on 130 before the circle and restrict the flow thru the circle to prevent congestion within the circle.

When you mentioned an oval shape, I checked to see if it was what I thought: Cranbury Circle.  This is actually a more unusual specimen; while most NJ circles are at the intersection of divided highways, this has only one divided highway and one through road at a skewed angle, plus one T-intersecting road.

You know how most NJ circles have diners on or near them?  This one used to have the Cranbury Grill on the north end, right where the Valero/7-11 is now.  I distinctly remember it having the word GRILL in (neon?) lighted letters.

Looking at the PDF link, I notice that the header lists Wyckoff Mill Rd. as the one of the intersecting roads.  But in the details, it uses the correct name, Brick Yard Rd.  Now there is a Wyckoff Mills Rd. (note the added S) at the opposite end of Brick Yard Rd., and that same road T-intersects with Main St. about a mile south of the circle.  Perhaps Wyckoff Mills Rd. made a complete arc once upon a time, and they were looking at some older maps.

[famartin]

The SLDs still say it's NJDOT jurisdiction and of course the milemarkers that were put up not too long ago (at least I'm assuming that all of them are still up and not taken down by anyone).

The ones on the closed section were removed, but the rest were still there as of August.

[jeffandnicole]

Some props on the new NJDOT website.  https://www.state.nj.us/transportation/

For regular visitors to the website, the first thing you'll notice is a nice new picture on the page of a relatively empty roadway scene (if you look closely, you'll see a lane is closed in both directions too, along with the jughandle/interchange loop being closed as well.   Quite often, NJ agencies/authorities have pics of congestion, which is what life is like in the Garden State.

If anyone's curious, the new NJDOT picture Jeff mentions above taken was taken approximately here, looking approximately in this direction (though several hundred feet up, of course)
https://www.google.com/maps/@40.4669097,-74.4403779,3a,75y,231.36h,89.34t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sgzIIEPvil5vED-yGK-h8nw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

Knowing from having done some design work in the former railroad right-of-way just off the image in the past few years, the tool tip of "Route 1 - Princeton" is wrong. Why they chose an aerial by the parking lot of a lame for-profit higher educational facility when there is a much better state school (totally not biased for that place despite having gone there) just a little bit north, beats me.

Speaking of NJDOT, I happened to walk through the print room of my work and saw this ALTA survey (not done by my company) around everyone's favorite abandoned section of US 322. What really caught my eye is that the portion of 324 with the houses says it's under [Logan] township jurisdiction (ref. plan 7 being the jurisdictional map for US 130) and the "Road Closed" part and Springer Road intersection being private land now. The SLDs still say it's NJDOT jurisdiction and of course the milemarkers that were put up not too long ago (at least I'm assuming that all of them are still up and not taken down by anyone). The state's online parcel search still basically has it as public ROW unless there's a lag on the parcel data there.

Generally, treat the SLDs as "For your entertainment". While they are a great resource and good reference material,, they're not official in any way, and often have numerous errors.

[NJRoadfan]

NJ-28 still has a metering light before the Flemington Circle. https://goo.gl/maps/KXbsaAydoN7GbLiC9

NJ-52 used to have one on the old causeway approaching the Somer's Point circle as well.

[famartin]

NJ-28 still has a metering light before the *Flemington Circle.* https://goo.gl/maps/KXbsaAydoN7GbLiC9

NJ-52 used to have one on the old causeway approaching the Somer's Point circle as well.

I know you know the real name so guess you just fat-fingered that in your mind

[Alps]

NJ-28 still has a metering light before the Flemington Circle. https://goo.gl/maps/KXbsaAydoN7GbLiC9

NJ-52 used to have one on the old causeway approaching the Somer's Point circle as well.

NJ 31 before Pennington Circle is another.

[famartin]

NJ 31 before Pennington Circle is another.

I want to say that one is pretty new (within the last 10 years, maybe the last 5) but not sure.

[storm2k]

NJ-28 still has a metering light before the Flemington Circle. https://goo.gl/maps/KXbsaAydoN7GbLiC9

NJ-52 used to have one on the old causeway approaching the Somer's Point circle as well.

That and the 202-206 south are the only legs that have direct traffic metering lights. The one from the 202 leg disappeared when they built the overpass and there isn't one from 206 north leg anymore either. There's the light at the shopping center light on 28 eastbound from the west leg, but it's not really close enough to effectively meter traffic into the circle. I'm not really sure why the left the other one that's still there.