Garden State Parkway

[storm2k]

A correction that I did not realize. They have taken down the Metropark sign at 131 SB (former 131A) and now it's for Wood Ave South, no transit logos on it at all. I think they put up a ground mount sign before 132 (for Rt 27) saying Use next 2 exits for Metropark.

[NJRoadfan]

Have the Exit 132 signs finally been uncovered?

[roadman65]

A correction that I did not realize. They have taken down the Metropark sign at 131 SB (former 131A) and now it's for Wood Ave South, no transit logos on it at all. I think they put up a ground mount sign before 132 (for Rt 27) saying Use next 2 exits for Metropark.

I actually think that is a good move on their part.  As most people who exit at the former 131A trumpet are not destined for the station anyway.  In fact going NB I always saw the sign prior to the defunct Reading Railroad bridge, saying the two exits for Metro Park had 131A for Wood Avenue S. and 131B for the Parking Garage.  So going NB it was indirectly stating that the station proper was 131B.

[Pete from Boston]

What's the reasoning behind the MUTCD disallowing this?

[Roadrunner75]

Speaking of the GSP and logos, was the logo (NJ in the "M") on the right side of the Turnpike exit BGS in this GSV link for the Meadowlands complex?  I think I used to see more of these in the past.  I may have the location wrong, but I think this is the spot where there is a new gantry and signage right in front of (and to replace) the bridge mounted signs.
https://maps.google.com/maps?ll=40.534271,-74.300626&spn=0.000004,0.002615&t=m&z=19&layer=c&cbll=40.534323,-74.301203&panoid=JOlodK3kAUR_fwhkxYreLA&cbp=12,309.47,,0,-3.38

[NJRoadfan]

Yes, the M was for the Meadowlands. That logo was phased out a long time ago, this is the current one: https://goo.gl/maps/aUVGa

[storm2k]

Speaking of the GSP and logos, was the logo (NJ in the "M") on the right side of the Turnpike exit BGS in this GSV link for the Meadowlands complex?  I think I used to see more of these in the past.  I may have the location wrong, but I think this is the spot where there is a new gantry and signage right in front of (and to replace) the bridge mounted signs.
https://maps.google.com/maps?ll=40.534271,-74.300626&spn=0.000004,0.002615&t=m&z=19&layer=c&cbll=40.534323,-74.301203&panoid=JOlodK3kAUR_fwhkxYreLA&cbp=12,309.47,,0,-3.38

It was for the Meadowlands Sports Complex. I believe they're being phased out for a lot of places. They're not on the new signs for 129 anymore. On the Turnpike proper, there are brown signs for MetLife and the Izod Center to use 16W (much more standard MUTCD). 16W always had "Sports Complex" as a destination in text. The random M's never made much sense if you ask me.

[storm2k]

Have the Exit 132 signs finally been uncovered?

The new signs are up and the old ones removed, but the exit tab is still covered. Not sure what they're waiting for, but it hasn't happened yet.

[Mergingtraffic]

have they finished the sign replacement project yet by exit 135 etc?

[storm2k]

have they finished the sign replacement project yet by exit 135 etc?

In short, no.

[roadman65]

The one for Exit 144 is neat as I never saw the northern part of Irvington called N. Irvington.  Now, Newark is not even signed there anymore either as the Parkway just uses CR 510 and South Orange Avenue to sign it and no mention of any part of Irvington as well.

[Don'tKnowYet]

A correction that I did not realize. They have taken down the Metropark sign at 131 SB (former 131A) and now it's for Wood Ave South, no transit logos on it at all. I think they put up a ground mount sign before 132 (for Rt 27) saying Use next 2 exits for Metropark.

I actually think that is a good move on their part.  As most people who exit at the former 131A trumpet are not destined for the station anyway.  In fact going NB I always saw the sign prior to the defunct Reading Railroad bridge, saying the two exits for Metro Park had 131A for Wood Avenue S. and 131B for the Parking Garage.  So going NB it was indirectly stating that the station proper was 131B.

Agreed. If i recall correctly, the rumor was that the Hilton and some other big outfit at that exit (Prudential maybe?) complained because for the Hilton rumor, non-familiar users were driving right by the exit because they incorrectly assumed the exit was only for a train station. With the sign now disseminating Wood Avenue South (that's South, not SOUTH by the way), all people seeking a destination with that address can be reassured that is their exit. I think that was the reason for the change. Hilton told NJTA that they were exhausted fielding complaints from hotel patrons when they arrived at the front desk.

Plus, they were misusing blue. The NJHA always overapplied blue.

[roadman65]

I worked at Prudential from 1986 to 1990 and I can tell you that Prudential had some influence with the then NJHA.  The original sign that showed the upcomming split for the two ramps of the Parkway that Wood Avenue defaulted into, was confusing to motorists that the SB Parkway crowd would be riding around Prudential's Parking Lot dumbfounded expecting to be on the Parkway.  The interesting thing is the arrow was not erroneous in anyway.  It was on a LGS post Prudential Driveway with an up and right arrow pointing away from the driveway and at 2 o clock.  How anyone could turn before that sign is beyond me, but we all here are amazed at what non road geeks can do even with idiot proof signing as well.

Nonetheless, the Parkway replaced the sign at Pru's request and featured two up arrows side by side until the NJHA replaced the sign soon afterwards with all text lettering but carbon copied the lane control arrows.

So that theory is valid if the NJTA did go green for that and making it look like a normal street exit instead of it being just a special exit for train commuters.  If they did it then, they could have done it three decades later as well.

[bzakharin]

The existence of Wood Avenue South and the house numbering on it is extremely confusing. First of all, nobody (in New Jersey anyway) cares about the directional suffixes on road names. Secondly, most people assume that within one town the house numbers will not repeat on the same road in the same municipality. I used to work in that Hilton (part of the building is office space) and people would confuse "120 Wood Avenue S" with "120 Wood Avenue" (3 blocks away from each other) all the time, especially since the businesses did not always mention that the building was the Hilton. Why couldn't they pick a different name when that portion was built?

[roadman65]

That is because Woodbridge Township, New Jersey does not use a base line for directional suffixed roads.  One line that the whole community uses that is.

Some towns do pat attention though. For example nearby Scotch Plains has two streets with directional prefixes (the same even though its ahead of the name). One is East Second Street and the other is West Broad Street.   East Second is on the West side of Martine/ Park Avenues and West Broad Street is on the east side of it.  Martine/ Park Avenues are not a regular base line for Scotch Plains, it is just that East Second is considered an extension of Plainfield's East Second Street and West Broad Street is an extension of Westfield's West Broad Street.  All are kept to keep continuity as people who live in Scotch Plains do use the whole name and no one ever says Broad Street.

I think Wood Avenue South is kept with the same name as the road it branches from because of continuity as well, but it ended up being one of those things.  So the address numbers are a bit screwed up, however I have seen worse.

Go to Franklin Township, NJ in Somerset and you will find 11 Campus Drive across a street from 399 Campus Drive.  Now why is a two digit number and a three digit in the same block, is beyond me?  Or better yet why a significant number jump just for crossing the street?  You would never think that 11 Campus and 399 Campus would be that close.

[Roadrunner75]

Star Ledger article on exit number / signage changes at 131, as well as opening of 41 and later, a full interchange at 44.
http://www.nj.com/traffic/index.ssf/2015/03/what_exit_parkway_exit_numbers_officially_change_today_as_new_exit_opens.html#incart_2box_nj-homepage-featured

[Alps]

Star Ledger article on exit number / signage changes at 131, as well as opening of 41 and later, a full interchange at 44.
http://www.nj.com/traffic/index.ssf/2015/03/what_exit_parkway_exit_numbers_officially_change_today_as_new_exit_opens.html#incart_2box_nj-homepage-featured

I went through myself finally. One of the SB Exit 131/132 signs has been uncovered, but all the rest of the exit number panels remain covered for now.

[roadman65]

What about the Exit 143 in Irvington and the NJ 37 and ACE interchanges?

I know that they are to have number changes as well, but the Star Ledger did not mention those changes as they focused just on the 131-131A thing only.  Have they done them yet?

[Alps]

What about the Exit 143 in Irvington and the NJ 37 and ACE interchanges?

I know that they are to have number changes as well, but the Star Ledger did not mention those changes as they focused just on the 131-131A thing only.  Have they done them yet?

In what world do you believe those are changing? Wait, I forgot, not ours.

[roadman65]

What about the Exit 143 in Irvington and the NJ 37 and ACE interchanges?

I know that they are to have number changes as well, but the Star Ledger did not mention those changes as they focused just on the 131-131A thing only.  Have they done them yet?

In what world do you believe those are changing? Wait, I forgot, not ours.

Ha Ha Steve.  You mean yours and NE 2's world.  Anyway did not we discuss here the MUTCD having effect on the Parkway now with so far the change at 142 going A and B from the 140, it was in fact mentioned that eventually all those including 38-38A going 38A-38B? 

I just asked the status of the other interchanges with some numbering offs as the article seemed to focus on the 131 issue.  There is nothing spacy about that.  What is more spacy is you going out of your way to protect an insane user on here that you only knew in person years ago when you were in college. 

[NE2]

What does this have to do with me?

[storm2k]

Rode up the Parkway NB from 131 thru 163 today. Couple of notes:
-137 and 138 are losing some control cities. 137 had 3, which is more frowned upon, so now it will only have Roselle Pk and Cranford I believe. I think 138 will just be Kenilworth.
-139AB will soon be ditching any mention of Chestnut St or NJ-82.
-140 is going to be be signed for US-22 and NJ-82 (not just 82 East). Makes sense to do this and have traffic access 82 WB via the U-turn. The way you would go via Chestnut St off 139B was always quite out of the way. And in one of the best things to happen with this project, they're finally taking Holland Tunnel off as the destination for 140. It never made any sense. It's going to be Hillside, even though I think Newark is still a better control city (since 22 ends at 1-9 and also has a ramp directly to NJ-21, which takes you into downtown Newark proper). It would have been nice to see Elizabeth as a control city also (as exists on the SB signs for 140 that were installed with the 142 work a few years back) since NJ-82 takes you straight into Elizabeth's central business district.
-163 has temp ground mounted signage while they work on that area. The temp signs are done in the current NJTP-MUTCD style, including shields with no black backing.

[spooky]

What does this have to do with me?

It's your world.

[Alps]

Rode up the Parkway NB from 131 thru 163 today. Couple of notes:
-137 and 138 are losing some control cities. 137 had 3, which is more frowned upon, so now it will only have Roselle Pk and Cranford I believe. I think 138 will just be Kenilworth.
-139AB will soon be ditching any mention of Chestnut St or NJ-82.
-140 is going to be be signed for US-22 and NJ-82 (not just 82 East). Makes sense to do this and have traffic access 82 WB via the U-turn. The way you would go via Chestnut St off 139B was always quite out of the way. And in one of the best things to happen with this project, they're finally taking Holland Tunnel off as the destination for 140. It never made any sense. It's going to be Hillside, even though I think Newark is still a better control city (since 22 ends at 1-9 and also has a ramp directly to NJ-21, which takes you into downtown Newark proper). It would have been nice to see Elizabeth as a control city also (as exists on the SB signs for 140 that were installed with the 142 work a few years back) since NJ-82 takes you straight into Elizabeth's central business district.
-163 has temp ground mounted signage while they work on that area. The temp signs are done in the current NJTP-MUTCD style, including shields with no black backing.

Disagree with most of your commentary.
* 139B always made sense to head west on 82. 140 adds distance and time and takes you through Union instead of around the downtown.
* 140 makes more sense for Holland Tunnel than 142. Not only is it a shorter distance, but it's TOLL FREE. Hey, I like that. Parkway is all cars, so everyone can use the Skyway.

[NJRoadfan]

Pretty sure the Holland Tunnel destination is from an era before I-78 was built.