New Jersey Mileage Signs

[roadman65]

For those of you who live, visit, and that are familiar with the NJDOT ways, you most likely figured out the logic and strategy for the 1998 statewide mileage sign makeover.  It seems that select control cities are used and when each one of them is surpassed another sign is then seen updated with a new control point usually in the middle as the second place one from before moves into the number one spot with number 3 always being the terminating city of the route.

The places chosen are directly on the route and not as per usual where it can have places served by connecting roads or even large cities near the route.  For example on NJ 36 SB in Keyport it has this: HIGHLANDS 11 - EATONTOWN 22 is now used by featuring those two points along NJ 36's alignment where in the past places like Keansburg (not directly on NJ 36) as well as Union Beach (not also directly on it either) and of course Long Branch (which NJ 36 barely enters) that were used and actually the best control points to be used.  Eatontown, which is used now, although on NJ 36 is not a place that someone traveling NJ 36 from its northern terminus and locals entering in Keyport would be tracking.  Eatontown is better served by NJ 35 nearby as it is a more direct route where as NJ 36 is a loop alignment. 

Whatever this reason is, the new versions of MUTCD, or someone thinking that points along the way are better references than indirect places, this kind of way to me is kind of useless considering the placements of signs are at the places mentioned.  For those traveling straight through it is fine, but those using the road locally it stinks.   Plus this method does not allow for the signs to be placed post highway junctions either.  Then also the sign placement people did not use common sense when placing them either!

In Lakewood on NB US 9, if you notice the sign that reads FREEHOLD 8- WOODBRIDGE 22 is at the CR 526 intersection posted on the near corner!  Instead of being posted after the junction it is at the junction not allowing CR 526 motorists to be able to see it, plus it never has been done that way in practice before.  Then also the first mileage sign for I-195 WB is after the diverge point for the NJ 34 SB exit is before the SB NJ 34 ramp merge into I-195.  Whoever saw that should have noticed the ramp configurations and used a little sense and placing it a short distance further so that it would not only be in a safer place, but at a point where all patrons of the interchange can benefit from it.

Then you have some places along a route omited that are principal population centers.  On NJ 31 at its northern terminus you have for the SB motorists a sign for CLINTON 16 - FLEMINGTON 23- TRENTON 47 which are great points to mention, but they left out one location.  One particular place where NJ 31 goes through the heart of its city using its street grid and has a junction with another NJ highway.  That being Washington!  US 202 has many signs along its way even on the county maintained sections too as NJDOT placed them there, but Oakland, Boonton, Wayne, Bernardsville, and even Ringoes are not used and these are great reference points along its 80 miles in the Garden State.

Then see the signs along US 206 southbound leaving out "Hammonton", its southern terminus especially in Princeton where there is a one point sign that reads: TRENTON 9.  The rest of the routes have always a consistent third control city of either a large city or its termination point and in this case they broke the rule of the other sign guidelines almost as if US 206 north of Trenton is a separate route than south of Trenton.  Even US 9 is signed as if it was not concurrent with US 1 for the 30 miles from Woodbridge to Fort Lee as from Cape May northward "WOODBRIDGE" is the final control point. US 46 is also one that considers "Palisades Park" as its termination as if US 46 does not go beyond US 1 & 9 there as well.

Finally you have the construction projects where some of the original 1998 placed signs once stood that were never replaced when the project ended.

US 9 at the GSP/ CR 530 intersection in S. Toms River
US 9 at its split from US 1
NJ 35 at its interchange with US 1 & 9 in Woodbridge
US 130 at its northern terminus with US 1 in North Brunswick

This is another story, but is related as the signing logic is good, it has many flaws.  In my opinion some of the signs placed are tax dollars being wasted.  Having Ewing and Yardley, PA used on I-295 mileage signs for one is a waste of money, as both are not of places of significance along that particular interstate and most likely never heard of by almost 95 percent of its motorists.  Has anyone else though that these newer NJ mileage signs are a bit strange in both signing and placement?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/54480415@N08/8473298981/in/set-72157632768933030 NJ 31 south at its northern terminus omitting Washington.

[J Route Z]

I had no idea that in 1998 these were updated signs. But it makes sense. Was this also the year they added those signs that read "Entering Twp (or Boro or City) of ______" along state highways? Btw, many of these need replacement, since they are faded and worn out.

As for the milage signs, I don't like how inconsistent the destinations are. For instance, on Route 9 in Monmouth County, you have a milage sign reading WOODBRIDGE 8, while the local roads intersecting have guide signs that may have locations not on mileage signs, such as "the Amboys". I never see "the Amboys" as a control destination on a mileage sign, or even New York. Maybe Perth Amboy could suffice. But these exist: http://goo.gl/maps/ccCcB and http://goo.gl/maps/uZzhJ In addition, there are no mileage signs on Route 9 southbound for at least 15 miles, when getting off at exit 123 of the GSP (or the end of the Route 35 concurrency, where Freehold and Atlantic City are control cities on guide signs). I thought this would be a perfect location (near the Exxon in Sayreville, MP 129) to put the following locations on it with distances that I calculated, and in lower case font:

Freehold 15
Lakewood 25
Toms River 30
Atlantic City 92               

Route 70 eastbound in Marlton should also have a mileage sign just past the Route 73 intersection (maybe right here: http://goo.gl/maps/3R1qv), reading:

Medford 3
Lakehurst 34
Point Pleasant 48
Brielle 50

I had to include Point Pleasant, since it is on a large gantry sign near the Route 73 overpass (http://goo.gl/maps/E8RRl). Though Brielle is on a mileage sign at Route 70's western terminus (http://goo.gl/maps/uelq1 Whiting should not be included). Also, I hate large gaps in numbers. I could not find any major locations between Medford and Lakehurst.


The mileage signs on I-295 northbound should not have Yardley, PA and Ewing.

[roadman65]

Agreed, the mileage signs should be also placed after major route junctions and more meaningful places should be used.

Perth Amboy or The Amboys is used on side streets facing US 9 and not included on mileage signs, however Woodbridge now is either the third or fourth largest city (although officially a township) in New Jersey.  It is also the crossroads between major highways as well.  You have the NJ Turnpike, Garden State Parkway, and NJ 440 converge at a large tangle there which makes it now notable than before.  When the side road signs were first erected, Woodbridge was minus the Sprawl and the Amboys were used because the Raritan River was an excellent reference point.  As you realize that both Amboys are on each side of where US 9 crosses that waterway which is still a major focal point of its own.

Then you have "Trenton" used on I-295 signs such as pull through and ramp signing for much of I-295 NB.  Ewing and Yardley are most likely used because they originally anticipated for I-295 to be extended into PA, until the FHWA forced them to extend I-195 instead.  However, they are just suburbs of a bigger city where many out of state motorists never heard of either whether it is a terminating point of a road or not.

Then Bedminster on I-78 is another one that makes me want to scream.  First of all there are no exits for Bedminster (or at least signed anyway) on I-78.  You have to exit on to I-287 NB and then later exit at US 202 & 206 NB just to get to its street grid.  Then you have the interstate itself that is the perfect control point as many exit there and it is the almost halfway point between the Delaware and Hudson Rivers, but the exact half way between PA and the NJ Turnpike.  Plus NJDOT uses it WB on the CR 577 overpass in Millburn that has a mileage sign placed there.

No they definitely need to be placed in better locations with better control points.

Yes they did erect the Twp of or City of signs in 98 also as well as the overhead street signs on the signal mast arms along with it.

[NJRoadfan]

NJDOT tends to use major junctions as locations on their mileage signs regardless of how populated or important the city actually is. That explains Bedminster and Clinton on I-78 (any mileage shown is to the I-287 interchange and NJ-31 interchange respectively). You will occasionally get a single destination sign that shows the distance to the route's endpoint as well. NJ-23 has one for Verona even though the rest of the signs use Newark.

[roadman65]

NJ 23 also uses Montague as control point NB even though its mainly Butler, Sussex, and Port Jervis.  Interestingly enough, Montague is shown on all maps as a community along nearby US 206 and not along NJ 23.  However, it is the last community along its route before ending at the NY State Line as it is more than just a dot on US 206, and just like Verona going SB its the terminating point.

[J Route Z]

Yeah that sure is annoying that example you gave for Bedminster on I-78. How ridiculous is that?
I hope they add mileage signs to the Turnpike and GSP. I have seen one picture from the GSP. 

[roadman65]

I-78 seems to copy what is for nearby US 22.  I-78 bypasses Somerville so it has to use the point nearby that is parallel with it.  Bedminster fits the bill, but like you and I noticed that its a bad reference point.  I-287 itself should be instead. Watchung is because North Plainfield is used on US 22, which are both located at CR 531. 

Also look at US 22's old verses new signs.  The mileage sign on US 22 WB at the US 202 & 206 interchange has Clinton at 16, Phillipsburg at 32, and Easton at 34.  One mile before there is a sign at North Bridge Street that reads Flemington 14, Lambertville 29, and Easton 36.  You gain two whole miles traveling just one.  Then it gets even better as two miles further on US 22 just past NJ 28 there is another mileage sign that reads Whitehouse 6, Clinton 16, and Phillipsburg 32.  This one you travel two whole miles and do not get any closer.  Whoever placed them was just as careless with not only figuring ideal places of reference, but was careless with math as well.

The Parkway and Turnpike will never put up mileage signs unfortunately, as they are so hard up on parting with money.  If the NJTA would spend less on pavement striping they could maybe come up with the money to install these.  As you know, the NJT has more than what the feds require for lane striping as far as the length and width of each stripe.  Also, the NJT from beginning had mileage signs for New York going northbound every 10 miles on the tenth mile.  Going south it was three places: Trenton, Camden, and the Delaware Memorial Bridge every 10 on the ten as well.  Those got removed slowly over time and never though of for replacement either.

[Steve D]

The Parkway and Turnpike will never put up mileage signs unfortunately, as they are so hard up on parting with money. 

I thought they were putting these up:

https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=9440.msg220850#msg220850

[roadman65]

I was noticing on GSV that the mileage sign on US 202 SB in Towaco that once listed Morristown- Somerville- Lambertville is missing, but its moorings are still up as of October 2013 when Google captured the moment.

I was curious to know what was on it as the old 2009 caption featured it blurry to say the least, and I doubt that it ever will be replaced as that part is county maintained where even keeping the much needed US 202 shields is difficult for Morris County to do.  It is interesting to see that sight as usually signs get knocked down completely.  However this one only the panel got removed either by high winds or vandals.

I also found it interesting to see Lambertville that far away from itself as its really not that big of a place and no major happening there roadwise, however, because NJDOT preferred to use state line border communities or terminuses as final control points it was interesting that it got a mention there at that location.