New Jersey

[roadman65]

That means no more RIRO for both roads.  Also NJ 44 and NJ 324 will transform into each other under US 130.

[jeffandnicole]

That means no more RIRO for both roads.  Also NJ 44 and NJ 324 will transform into each other under US 130.

As mentioned, it's not 324 there - Google has it shown incorrectly.  And Rt. 44 doesn't end here either: That route number ends at Springer Rd prior to going thru Logan Twp.  They are both just local township roads without any route numbers.

[roadman65]

Of course google would. 

[storm2k]

I had business at the Federal Courthouse in Trenton last week, and I walked on the State St overpass for the Trenton Fwy. Took a couple of pictures.


Imagine if they had ever routed I-95 on this narrow strip of roadway?


You can practically touch this sign it's so close.


Commemoration plate for the freeway.

[jeffandnicole]

For those of you interested in providing your comments and opinions on future NJDOT, NJ Transit and other New Jersey projects, the official commenting period is now open or will soon be open so you can provide suggestions on transportation-related projects.  Comments during this period are on the record, and are officially responded to.

Generally, those that comment are writing about pedestrian and bicycle issues.  While the overwhelming majority drive, there are very few if any comments about roads and highways.  The second-highest group of commuters - those that take mass transit - are also under-represented.  For the most part, this public commenting period is not known to most people.  At least with the DVRPC, people with a keen interest in bicycling are actually over-represented, so they use their social and online groups to write in letters and such.

Highway users can do the same.  It will be nice to get additional comments in this year, to show that roads and highways do matter as well.  My only suggests:  Be reasonable (the comment period isn't to suggest changes in laws; it's to comment on proposed projects or suggestions for projects), and try to suggest the agency the comment should be sent to; ie: NJDOT.  (A few years back, several of my comments obviously dealing with state roads were sent to county agencies to respond.  Obviously, they came back saying the road wasn't part of their jurisdiction.  Why the DVRPC would send a comment about a state road to a county office is beyond me.)

The TIP comments have been published by the DVRPC.  Clearly, you people that write nonstop about project ideas on these forums never sent anything in to have it officially put on the record!

Also, as expected, the TIP comments were overrun by those promoting pedestrian safety, bicycle lanes and paths, and other non-car modes of transportation.  Many of the comments were nearly identical, regarding support for a 500 - 750 mile network of bicycle paths through a several county area.

Some comments were a little comical.  One had to do with a TIP item regarding additional capacity on US 322.  The commenter disagreed with the project and said it shouldn't be built because they shouldn't add additional capacity to save an estimated 2 minutes of time.  The official responses to that was: The project was built over 5 years ago!  It's saved a LOT of time (in the summer, upwards of a half-hour or more as it's a busy shore route).  The line item only exists because the state is reimbursing the county the money it cost to build the project over 10 years).

137 people commented on a total of 214 issues.  I can tell you that 1 person wrote in regarding suggestions with improving our roads and highways.  The other 136 wrote about peds, bikes, and mass transit, and opposed road projects.

If you want to see road projects regain a priority status, you need to speak up...and not just at aaroads dot com!

[Mr. Matté]

Link to the comments?

[roadman65]

Does NJDOT ever plan to finally erect an overhead sign in Woodbridge, NJ on US 9 N Bound at the left exit for the NB Parkway and the NJ Turnpike Exit 11 ramps?  For years it had substandard signs considering its a left exit stealing one of US 9's lanes with the two right lanes being brand new lanes from the Parkway Exit 127 ramp having a continuous two lanes.

I know that that NJDOT finally replaced the SB New Brunswick Avenue ramp sign that was old and need of replacing for decades on the Parkway service road.  I was wondering if the trend was continuing as that replacement was somewhat of a miracle itself.

[NJRoadfan]

They replaced the northbound New Brunswick Ave. sign on US-9, still nothing for the left exit to the GSP/Turnpike.

[storm2k]

Does NJDOT ever plan to finally erect an overhead sign in Woodbridge, NJ on US 9 N Bound at the left exit for the NB Parkway and the NJ Turnpike Exit 11 ramps?  For years it had substandard signs considering its a left exit stealing one of US 9's lanes with the two right lanes being brand new lanes from the Parkway Exit 127 ramp having a continuous two lanes.

I know that that NJDOT finally replaced the SB New Brunswick Avenue ramp sign that was old and need of replacing for decades on the Parkway service road.  I was wondering if the trend was continuing as that replacement was somewhat of a miracle itself.

I've never understood why they never had one to begin with after all these years. It's a fairly major split there. Especially because they have this sign which is plain out wrong. Then there's only one other tiny sign which is super easy to miss, and then these mostly MUTCD compliant shields at the gore point.

[NJRoadfan]

This used to be where the shields were

[roadman65]

This used to be where the shields were

I remember these signs.  Similar ones used to exist on CR 501 as well.

[noelbotevera]

This used to be where the shields were

I remember these signs.  Similar ones used to exist on CR 501 as well.

Shouldn't that be TO Turnpike North & South / Parkway North?

[Alps]

This used to be where the shields were

I remember these signs.  Similar ones used to exist on CR 501 as well.

Shouldn't that be TO Turnpike North & South / Parkway North?

No. That ramp leads to those roads.

[jeffandnicole]

As the NJ Red Light Camera Program ended one year ago today (Dec 16, 2014), it was expected NJDOT would release a report on the effectiveness of those cameras, and a suggestion as to whether red light cameras should remain permanent or be eliminated entirely.

That report isn't coming for the foreseeable future however.

http://www.nj.com/traffic/index.ssf/2015/12/one_year_after_red_light_cameras_went_dark_no_repo.html#incart_river_home

[roadman65]

I was noticing on GSV the results of the US 206 widening project, now completed in Byram Township, NJ just north of NJ 183 where the road would narrow to two lanes.  Now the road is 5 lanes with a center turn lane instead of the usual continuous jersey barrier in the middle prohibiting median crossovers between major intersections that NJ always implements.

They even allow left turns onto Southbound Waterloo Road from NB US 206 instead of using the traditional NJ jug handle or reverse jug handle.

[jeffandnicole]

I was noticing on GSV the results of the US 206 widening project, now completed in Byram Township, NJ just north of NJ 183 where the road would narrow to two lanes.  Now the road is 5 lanes with a center turn lane instead of the usual continuous jersey barrier in the middle prohibiting median crossovers between major intersections that NJ always implements.

They even allow left turns onto Southbound Waterloo Road from NB US 206 instead of using the traditional NJ jug handle or reverse jug handle.

That's certainly not a 'always' by a long shot.

[roadman65]

As far as I have seen and even after I have left, the very little widening projects that have taken place since, have the NJ state routes and US routes widen with the typical jersey barrier and jug handles.  Even some county roads in Ocean County, copy NJDOT protocol, as you can look at CR 549 from the GSP to NJ 37 pretty much.

Center Turn Lanes, are pretty much being phased out due to the misuse of the actual turn lane and the results of many accidents, hence the name "Suicide Lane."  Yet, NJDOT in this case anyway did the different thing and allowed for a typical arterial set up instead of the usual limited turn control like many other expansions or practices on state highways that are non freeway grade.

[jeffandnicole]

As far as I have seen and even after I have left, the very little widening projects that have taken place since, have the NJ state routes and US routes widen with the typical jersey barrier and jug handles.  Even some county roads in Ocean County, copy NJDOT protocol, as you can look at CR 549 from the GSP to NJ 37 pretty much.

Center Turn Lanes, are pretty much being phased out due to the misuse of the actual turn lane and the results of many accidents, hence the name "Suicide Lane."  Yet, NJDOT in this case anyway did the different thing and allowed for a typical arterial set up instead of the usual limited turn control like many other expansions or practices on state highways that are non freeway grade.

Actually, you are misusing the term 'suicide lane'.   A suicide lane is meant for passing in either direction, and are generally only found in rural areas.  A Center-Turn lane is not a suicide lane.  In suicide lanes, people are travelling at a high rate of speed.  In Center-Turn lanes, people are driving at slower speeds or stopped, so when accidents do occur people generally have minor injuries at most.

[roadman65]

Depends on who you ask Jeff.  Yes the two way passing lanes were the original suicide lanes back in the day, but now most road agencies 86th them years ago.  Now the term shifted over the course of time with the center turn lane becoming popular.   Now most people coin the term "suicide lane for the annoying turn lanes.

Just like the word gay, which we all regard as same sex relationships these days used to mean happy at one time.  When the song Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas mentions "We'll make the Yultide gay" it does not mean that they are planning on promoting same sex relationships, but that they are making the season happy.  So is the same with the term "Suicide."

[jeffandnicole]

Depends on who you ask Jeff.  Yes the two way passing lanes were the original suicide lanes back in the day, but now most road agencies 86th them years ago.  Now the term shifted over the course of time with the center turn lane becoming popular.   Now most people coin the term "suicide lane for the annoying turn lanes.

Just like the word gay, which we all regard as same sex relationships these days used to mean happy at one time.  When the song Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas mentions "We'll make the Yultide gay" it does not mean that they are planning on promoting same sex relationships, but that they are making the season happy.  So is the same with the term "Suicide."

While the term shifted, it's because people misunderstand the term...and the reasoning behind it.  A crash with two cars with a combined speed of 100 - 150 mph will almost always be fatal...especially in vehicles without the modern safety equipment we now have.  Center Turn lane crashes are almost at much lower speeds, and rarely is there a fatality.  In reality, there ain't much suicide going on in the so-called suicide lanes.

[Alps]

Depends on who you ask Jeff.  Yes the two way passing lanes were the original suicide lanes back in the day, but now most road agencies 86th them years ago.  Now the term shifted over the course of time with the center turn lane becoming popular.   Now most people coin the term "suicide lane for the annoying turn lanes.

Just like the word gay, which we all regard as same sex relationships these days used to mean happy at one time.  When the song Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas mentions "We'll make the Yultide gay" it does not mean that they are planning on promoting same sex relationships, but that they are making the season happy.  So is the same with the term "Suicide."

You are wrong. Wrong wrong WRONG wrong WRONG wrong wrong. No one calls TWLTL's "suicide lanes" except YOU. You always manage to insist that your opinions are facts. Stay on Fictional Highways and leave highway discussions alone.

[jeffandnicole]

There's a guy in my carpool that calls them suicide lanes also. I've tried correcting him to no avail. He also believes accidents only happen in New Jersey.  He justifies this because when he went on vacation to Delmarva one weekend, he didn't see an accident.

Sigh.

[NE2]

You are wrong. Wrong wrong WRONG wrong WRONG wrong wrong. No one calls TWLTL's "suicide lanes" except YOU. You always manage to insist that your opinions are facts. Stay on Fictional Highways and leave highway discussions alone.

53 no ones here: http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=suicide+lane

http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2010/09/21/suicide-lane-abuse-falls-within-columbus.html
http://connect.ncdot.gov/projects/Roadway/Lists/Definitions/DispForm.aspx?ID=31

[Zeffy]

New GMSV shows the lack of black backgrounds on shields on new guide signs for the Turnpike / NJ 18 interchange reconstruction:
https://www.google.com/maps/@40.478701,-74.4104604,3a,46.9y,343.87h,92.96t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sSdzvDUl6FjQI5Lanz1IiAQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

[roadman65]

Depends on who you ask Jeff.  Yes the two way passing lanes were the original suicide lanes back in the day, but now most road agencies 86th them years ago.  Now the term shifted over the course of time with the center turn lane becoming popular.   Now most people coin the term "suicide lane for the annoying turn lanes.

Just like the word gay, which we all regard as same sex relationships these days used to mean happy at one time.  When the song Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas mentions "We'll make the Yultide gay" it does not mean that they are planning on promoting same sex relationships, but that they are making the season happy.  So is the same with the term "Suicide."

While the term shifted, it's because people misunderstand the term...and the reasoning behind it.  A crash with two cars with a combined speed of 100 - 150 mph will almost always be fatal...especially in vehicles without the modern safety equipment we now have.  Center Turn lane crashes are almost at much lower speeds, and rarely is there a fatality.  In reality, there ain't much suicide going on in the so-called suicide lanes.

Tell that to the non road geeks.  It coined the term regardless.  Yes you would not have a fatal crash, yet anyway on a center turn lane head on, but that is the way it is.