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Garden State Parkway

Started by Roadrunner75, July 30, 2014, 09:53:00 PM

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Roadrunner75

I went to the public info meeting for the new 83 SB exit.  The meeting presentation PDF can be viewed here:
http://gspint83.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Public-Information-Center-0630151.pdf

The preferred alternative is closest to 3A (pages 16 and 17 in the PDF).  Exiting traffic would need to go through the barrier tolls on the right at the Toms River plaza (and not via the Express EZ Pass) to a new light at 571.  Left turns from US 9 NB to CR 571 WB would be eliminated (SB 9 already uses a jughandle), requiring a long jughandle via Lomell Lane east of the GSP in order to make the left onto 571 (and to get to the Home Depot plaza).


roadman65

Does anyone know what the control cities are for Jimmie Leeds Road in Galloway Township now that the exit ramps are open?
Every day is a winding road, you just got to get used to it.

Sheryl Crowe

NJRoadfan


Roadrunner75

It looks like the SB entrance ramps at 89 are now finally open in Brick, finally bringing a full interchange to this area.  Other than some work on adding a third NB EZ Pass lane at the Toms River tolls, the 83-89 segment is complete - even the 65mph speed limit is back...



NJRoadfan

As of Saturday, the northbound lanes were still split with the left lane doing a cattle chute. I was also reminded of how stupid the whole project is without adding a 4th lane.

J Route Z

Is the headache still between 91 and 98?

NJRoadfan

They still have lanes shifted for bridge widening and re-decking there.

J Route Z

So we are looking at, another year or so? Hoping sooner.

NJRoadfan

Looks like to at least the end of the summer.

In other news, the traffic light elimination project appears to be really close to moving northbound traffic to the new overpasses.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10152197655945730.1073741830.62719310729&type=3

Roadrunner75

Quote from: NJRoadfan on July 06, 2015, 10:49:09 PM
As of Saturday, the northbound lanes were still split with the left lane doing a cattle chute. I was also reminded of how stupid the whole project is without adding a 4th lane.
The cattle chute wasn't (isn't) actually that bad in the morning.  Surprisingly, slower traffic generally stayed clear and it made a quick 'bypass' of the 90 exit traffic and regular backups in the right lanes where the bridge work was still ongoing.  I expect the summer vacation crowd to ruin that shortly, so the fun of barreling through there is pretty much done.

Agreed on the 4th lane, but the section that is done south of 89 is a big improvement - finally feels like a modern highway and not the shoehorn job with the narrow lanes and no shoulders.  It looks like the 3rd NB Express EZ-Pass lane in Toms River is just about done, and they are paving the final course now through the plaza.  The cattle chute area between 90 and 91 is close to done, and the section between 91 and the bridge widening work near 98 is just awaiting final paving.  The new ramps at 91 are moving along now too.

noelbotevera

UPDATE!!!!!!!!!
On the 90 mile stretch (where I was on) between exit 38 and exit 127, really the express local setup could be north of Toms River at MM 93 or so. Because between the middle to leftmost cash lane into the express lanes, there is hard weaving to get into the express lanes.
Construction on the 30-80 widening has reached MM 46 or 47 - there is certainly construction going on.
Atlantic City service plaza is almost done with reconstruction!!!
Cheesequake service area entrance from the express lanes is weird - really, make the express lanes enter from the south end of the parking lot rather than having to merge with people from the local lanes.

All of this was during June 25th, of when my family left AC towards NYC.


Roadrunner75

Quote from: noelbotevera on July 07, 2015, 09:36:42 PM
Because between the middle to leftmost cash lane into the express lanes, there is hard weaving to get into the express lanes.
This has always been a problem just north of the Asbury tolls since the addition of the express EZ-Pass lanes.  The weaving area needs to be lengthened considerably, or a divider should be installed preventing cash toll users from weaving over to the express lanes (but continuing to allow the right express EZ-Pass lane to feed into the left local lane).  They can always add a cross-over further north to allow cash users back to the express side.  Very poor design.

Quote
Cheesequake service area entrance from the express lanes is weird - really, make the express lanes enter from the south end of the parking lot rather than having to merge with people from the local lanes.
If you want weird, check out the SB entrance to the same service area from the local lanes.  Until a few years ago, the plaza could be accessed only from the express lanes.  With the addition of the Express EZ-Pass lanes at the Raritan tolls, they added a ramp from the local lanes, a signal, and sent entering traffic through some bad geometry into the narrow underpass formerly just used for traffic exiting the rest area.


NJRoadfan

Rumor has it that next Tuesday the GSP will officially be free of all traffic lights. I'll try and get confirmation.

Roadrunner75

Quote from: NJRoadfan on July 08, 2015, 10:11:12 PM
Rumor has it that next Tuesday the GSP will officially be free of all traffic lights. I'll try and get confirmation.
Nice...another thing to look forward to on our next Cape May day trip.

I took a short diversion tonight to check out the new SB onramps at 89.  Both ramps from 70 are now open, with some nice advance overhead BGSs at the entrances (unlike the small, blink and you missed it, traditional ground mount GSP entrance signs).  70 under the new overpasses has some work to complete, but at least the ramps are open.  The third new SB on-ramp from Airport Road is not open yet, however, but it looks like that's gonna happen any day now.  I don't think too many people have figured out they have some new options with the ramps yet - until today I haven't seen a single car using them as I pass by, and I was the only car entering from an otherwise typically congested 70 tonight.

civilmaher

Quote from: NJRoadfan on July 08, 2015, 10:11:12 PM
Rumor has it that next Tuesday the GSP will officially be free of all traffic lights. I'll try and get confirmation.

...except for that interesting signal at the Cheesequake Service Area :D
Opinions represent mine and no other organization that I am associated with.

roadman65

Quote from: civilmaher on July 10, 2015, 01:21:18 PM
Quote from: NJRoadfan on July 08, 2015, 10:11:12 PM
Rumor has it that next Tuesday the GSP will officially be free of all traffic lights. I'll try and get confirmation.

...except for that interesting signal at the Cheesequake Service Area :D
That is off the road itself.  Although on the system its not on the GSP proper.
Every day is a winding road, you just got to get used to it.

Sheryl Crowe

Roadrunner75

Quote from: roadman65 on July 10, 2015, 02:09:02 PM
Quote from: civilmaher on July 10, 2015, 01:21:18 PM
Quote from: NJRoadfan on July 08, 2015, 10:11:12 PM
Rumor has it that next Tuesday the GSP will officially be free of all traffic lights. I'll try and get confirmation.

...except for that interesting signal at the Cheesequake Service Area :D
That is off the road itself.  Although on the system its not on the GSP proper.
What about this one:
https://www.google.com/maps/@38.961899,-74.90352,3a,66.8y,182.46h,89.73t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1s5G7mHudM-mInTpailbyxyQ!2e0

Alps

Quote from: Roadrunner75 on July 10, 2015, 08:49:21 PM
Quote from: roadman65 on July 10, 2015, 02:09:02 PM
Quote from: civilmaher on July 10, 2015, 01:21:18 PM
Quote from: NJRoadfan on July 08, 2015, 10:11:12 PM
Rumor has it that next Tuesday the GSP will officially be free of all traffic lights. I'll try and get confirmation.

...except for that interesting signal at the Cheesequake Service Area :D
That is off the road itself.  Although on the system its not on the GSP proper.
What about this one:
https://www.google.com/maps/@38.961899,-74.90352,3a,66.8y,182.46h,89.73t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1s5G7mHudM-mInTpailbyxyQ!2e0

Yep, technically Mile 0 is south of the light at the 109 SB merge. I'll also note that there is a project in the works to improve the signal, but it's not going anywhere. I drew up a sketch on the side that easily gets rid of this and the next light (Shore Drive) with a single interchange. Shore Drive ties into the old road into Cape May (originally US 9's southern extension) and no one loses a house.

NJRoadfan

They moved Milepost 0 for some reason. I have a 2001 photo showing it right at the light as opposed to being after it.

ixnay

Quote from: roadman65 on July 10, 2015, 02:09:02 PM
Quote from: civilmaher on July 10, 2015, 01:21:18 PM
Quote from: NJRoadfan on July 08, 2015, 10:11:12 PM
Rumor has it that next Tuesday the GSP will officially be free of all traffic lights. I'll try and get confirmation.

...except for that interesting signal at the Cheesequake Service Area :D
That is off the road itself.  Although on the system its not on the GSP proper.

Either you have that wrinkle or users of the GSP outer sb roadway are denied access to Cheesequake.  OTOH users of the SB inner roadway can enter Cheesequake without a stoplight, but everyone resuming their southbound drive have to put up with the aforementioned stoplight before choosing which roadway to use.

ixnay
The Washington/Baltimore/Arlington CSA has two Key Bridges, a Minnesota Avenue, and a Mannasota Avenue.

roadman65

Quote from: ixnay on July 11, 2015, 07:53:26 PM
Quote from: roadman65 on July 10, 2015, 02:09:02 PM
Quote from: civilmaher on July 10, 2015, 01:21:18 PM
Quote from: NJRoadfan on July 08, 2015, 10:11:12 PM
Rumor has it that next Tuesday the GSP will officially be free of all traffic lights. I'll try and get confirmation.

...except for that interesting signal at the Cheesequake Service Area :D
That is off the road itself.  Although on the system its not on the GSP proper.

Either you have that wrinkle or users of the GSP outer sb roadway are denied access to Cheesequake.  OTOH users of the SB inner roadway can enter Cheesequake without a stoplight, but everyone resuming their southbound drive have to put up with the aforementioned stoplight before choosing which roadway to use.

ixnay
Yes but it is not on the freeway itself.  Yes it does effect you if you leave the Service Area going SB, but it is on ramps so therefore you cannot say that The Parkway now has stoplights anymore.  Its no different then the other ramp signals coming from adjacent roads to have to put up with.
Every day is a winding road, you just got to get used to it.

Sheryl Crowe

njunderground

I am not sure if this has been mentioned before, but what exactly was the purpose of the Local/Express lanes located where they are? It seems like they would have been in the middle of nowhere when they were built. It would seem more logical for them to be located in a more urban section. Was this a test area for future implementation elsewhere on the GSP? I am curious about the history of this configuration.

Mike, (Home exit 117 GSP)

SignBridge

I would guess they were built to handle the huge amount of traffic to/from the New Jersey Turnpike and  the shore communities and Atlantic City.

roadman65

The Express lanes were added in the early 70's.  I think it has to do with the amount of commuters going between Monmouth and Ocean Counties to Newark/ New York. 

They had a wide enough median to do it, unlike from Exit 129 to Exit 165 where there is not much room to add an express lane setup might also be a reason.

I do remember in 1980, when they added the fourth lane between 129 and 140, it was needed and since they did that it improved traffic flow so much since that project took place.  Basically adding the express lanes added a total of four more lanes to an existing three lane freeway, only two more than the 129-140 did in 1980. 
Every day is a winding road, you just got to get used to it.

Sheryl Crowe

jeffandnicole

Quote from: SignBridge on July 16, 2015, 10:22:35 PM
I would guess they were built to handle the huge amount of traffic to/from the New Jersey Turnpike and  the shore communities and Atlantic City.

Below the Express/Local setup, the GSP dwindled down to 2 lanes per direction, so you can take Atlantic City out of that reasoning.  Only today are they finally getting to widening the highway in the south, and it's really for the benefit of the entire shore region, not just Atlantic City.



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