New Jersey

[roadman65]

https://goo.gl/maps/YK2tCCENBHNFDTui7
There is one sign along I-287 in Pompton Lakes that acknowledges Suffern.

[SignBridge]

I advocate using Suffern instead of Mahwah, because it's where the Thruway interchange is located and therefore might be better known and recognized by drivers.

I assume that's why on I-95 going into Connecticut that New Haven is used instead of Bridgeport for instance. Because New Haven is where the interchange with I-91 is located. Bridgeport does not have any Interstate Highway interchanges, but it is a larger city with a higher population, so arguably should be the control city in that region instead of New Haven. But the city with an Interstate interchange seems to be considered the higher priority in that case.

Same might apply with Suffern vs. Mahwah even if those are smaller cities/villages, whatever.  But I think the real reasoning by NJDOT is they want to use a place name in their state which I think is foolish politics.

[famartin]

Same might apply with Suffern vs. Mahwah even if those are smaller cities/villages, whatever.  But I think the real reasoning by NJDOT is they want to use a place name in their state which I think is foolish politics.

I think that is the main driver. They are not the only guilty party - other states do it too. That doesn't make it right, though.

[Alps]

I advocate using Suffern instead of Mahwah, because it's where the Thruway interchange is located and therefore might be better known and recognized by drivers.

I assume that's why on I-95 going into Connecticut that New Haven is used instead of Bridgeport for instance. Because New Haven is where the interchange with I-91 is located. Bridgeport does not have any Interstate Highway interchanges, but it is a larger city with a higher population, so arguably should be the control city in that region instead of New Haven. But the city with an Interstate interchange seems to be considered the higher priority in that case.

Same might apply with Suffern vs. Mahwah even if those are smaller cities/villages, whatever.  But I think the real reasoning by NJDOT is they want to use a place name in their state which I think is foolish politics.

No one knows "you meet the Thruway in Suffern." No one knows what Suffern is except locals. You meet the Thruway at the NY border. New Haven is more recognizable than Bridgeport, historically more important, has more destinations (such as Yale), etc.

[storm2k]

I advocate using Suffern instead of Mahwah, because it's where the Thruway interchange is located and therefore might be better known and recognized by drivers.

I assume that's why on I-95 going into Connecticut that New Haven is used instead of Bridgeport for instance. Because New Haven is where the interchange with I-91 is located. Bridgeport does not have any Interstate Highway interchanges, but it is a larger city with a higher population, so arguably should be the control city in that region instead of New Haven. But the city with an Interstate interchange seems to be considered the higher priority in that case.

Same might apply with Suffern vs. Mahwah even if those are smaller cities/villages, whatever.  But I think the real reasoning by NJDOT is they want to use a place name in their state which I think is foolish politics.

New Jersey isn't PA. Hell, for a lot of routes, they prefer to sign New York over the state's biggest city (Newark) because it's assumed more traffic is heading to the City.

[SignBridge]

Thanks Alps and storm2k. You both make interesting points.

[roadman65]

Usually how it goes.  The big attraction is the city nearby.  Never understood why Carlisle is signed on I-81 from Chambersburg and north when Harrisburg is the larger city and state capital.    However, both PA and LA are like that signing small towns over larger ones. 

NJ sort of going west on I-78 with Clinton, but recently they opted more for Easton, even though Allentown is most appropriate being PA's third largest city.

[famartin]

Usually how it goes.  The big attraction is the city nearby.  Never understood why Carlisle is signed on I-81 from Chambersburg and north when Harrisburg is the larger city and state capital.    However, both PA and LA are like that signing small towns over larger ones. 

NJ sort of going west on I-78 with Clinton, but recently they opted more for Easton, even though Allentown is most appropriate being PA's third largest city.

I do believe I saw a mileage sign on the westbound Newark Bay extension listing both Allentown and Harrisburg...

[interstate73]

If I may make a modest proposal for the signage at the 10/287 interchange:



Then at the 80/287 interchange I would change to control cities to something like:

[mvak36]

If I may make a modest proposal for the signage at the 10/287 interchange:



Then at the 80/287 interchange I would change to control cities to something like:

I like it (especially the plane on the signs) 

[bluecountry]

Exit 43B, get rid of White Plains.  If somebody wants to go there, best to take 80 to either the GSP N to 287/87 or the Palisades.

For 80W, get rid of Del Water Gap, I hate that as a control city.  Just use WB/Scranton, PA.

[famartin]

Exit 43B, get rid of White Plains.  If somebody wants to go there, best to take 80 to either the GSP N to 287/87 or the Palisades.

No its not. 287 is the best way.
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/40.8675012,-74.4528731/41.0345777,-73.7623831/@40.9605018,-74.2231406,11.38z/data=!4m2!4m1!3e0

[sprjus4]

^ Not to mention, the I-80 routing is longer distance by a couple miles.

[jp the roadgeek]

Exit 43B, get rid of White Plains.  If somebody wants to go there, best to take 80 to either the GSP N to 287/87 or the Palisades.

No its not. 287 is the best way.
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/40.8675012,-74.4528731/41.0345777,-73.7623831/@40.9605018,-74.2231406,11.38z/data=!4m2!4m1!3e0

Plus trucks are prohibited on the GSP and the Palisades.  However, not much traffic from there is specifically headed to White Plains, but Albany definitely fits the bill

As for 80W, I would love to use SWB (although it requires the use of 380 or 81), as Stroudsburg is just too small.  Of course, you could make like ODOT and just skip over PA and use Cleveland

[SignBridge]

I too dislike the use of Delaware Water Gap. Problem is that I-80 doesn't go to Scranton or Wilkes-Barre. I was gonna suggest State College but I see that 80 doesn't actually go there either, LOL. Yeah, maybe Cleveland. There really just is no satisfactory control city on I-80 in Pa. What does Pa. actually use after you pass I-380?

[jp the roadgeek]

I too dislike the use of Delaware Water Gap. Problem is that I-80 doesn't go to Scranton or Wilkes-Barre. I was gonna suggest State College but I see that 80 doesn't actually go there either, LOL. Yeah, maybe Cleveland. There really just is no satisfactory control city on I-80 in Pa. What does Pa. actually use after you pass I-380?

Hazleton

[Alps]

Del Water Gap made more sense when the plan was to turn the whole thing into an amusement park (Tocks Island)

[Rothman]

Del Water Gap made more sense when the plan was to turn the whole thing into an amusement park (Tocks Island)

The gap's been a notable natural landmark that's been used for navigation for centuries.  It being used as a destination on BGSes really isn't a problem.

[roadman65]

The Gap is no different than using Bear Mountain on the Palisades Parkway in New York.


Also there is a village called Delaware Water Gap on the PA side of the I-80 toll bridge. Unlike Bear Mountain in Upstate NY that has no community, the Water Gap does.

[storm2k]

Mahwah and White Plains make the most sense for control cities north of Morristown.

Mahwah is the posted destination of Rt 17 at Exit 66, the last exit in NJ. White Plains is where 287 goes once it's in NY. I've personally never understood why they insisted on continuing it and having it share a decently long concurrency with its parent route instead of just having the piece east of the Narcissist Memorial Bridge be a spur route (looks like 187 and 387 were never used for interstates) since the most logical thing that should have happened never did and never will (the entire 287 loop should have been an x95 since whether you consider its original planned start at the canceled Somerset Freeway or its current start at the Turnpike, 287 is a long bypass of 95 through New York City but it got to be 287 instead).

[famartin]

Mahwah and White Plains make the most sense for control cities north of Morristown.

Mahwah is the posted destination of Rt 17 at Exit 66, the last exit in NJ. White Plains is where 287 goes once it's in NY. I've personally never understood why they insisted on continuing it and having it share a decently long concurrency with its parent route instead of just having the piece east of the Narcissist Memorial Bridge be a spur route (looks like 187 and 387 were never used for interstates) since the most logical thing that should have happened never did and never will (the entire 287 loop should have been an x95 since whether you consider its original planned start at the canceled Somerset Freeway or its current start at the Turnpike, 287 is a long bypass of 95 through New York City but it got to be 287 instead).

Well remember, they had other plans for the whole system and 295, 495, 695 and 895 were used. The way things turned out suggests using 87 and 287 along existing 278, 187 along existing 495, and 495 along existing 287. But now we're edging into fake roads, not real roads.

[SignBridge]

There is already an I-295 in Southern New Jersey, so better that I-287 was used to avoid confusion by not having two different roads with the same Interstate number in different parts of the same state. 

[famartin]

There is already an I-295 in Southern New Jersey, so better that I-287 was used to avoid confusion by not having two different roads with the same Interstate number in different parts of the same state.

That's not legal. I-495 would work if they renumbered I-495 on LI to an X87.

[vdeane]

NYSDOT originally proposed the eastern piece of I-287 as I-187, which FHWA changed to I-487 before merging it in to I-287 (this predated the other concept for I-487).
http://www.kurumi.com/roads/3di/ix87.html

An I-x87 number for the LIE would not make any more sense than I-287 does now due to the history of the route (in fact, it makes even less, as it does not intersect I-87 or an I-x87 route anywhere).  NJ 495 was originally I-495 and was intended to cross Manhattan to connect to the part that is still I-495.

[famartin]

NYSDOT originally proposed the eastern piece of I-287 as I-187, which FHWA changed to I-487 before merging it in to I-287 (this predated the other concept for I-487).
http://www.kurumi.com/roads/3di/ix87.html

An I-x87 number for the LIE would not make any more sense than I-287 does now due to the history of the route (in fact, it makes even less, as it does not intersect I-87 or an I-x87 route anywhere).  NJ 495 was originally I-495 and was intended to cross Manhattan to connect to the part that is still I-495.

x87 would work for the LIE if you extended 87 down 278, and changed the northern Bruckner section of 278 to 287. I mentioned this above already.