New Jersey Turnpike

[storm2k]

So after the final toll plaza Northbound on the NJTP, 18, what do the exits on I-95 between the exit 18 and the GWB correspond to?

Is it I-95 mileage in NJ or I-80?

It's the original I-95 mileage corresponding to its original route over Scudders Falls, up the Somerset Freeway, then the seven miles or so of 287 it was going to take over, and finally up the rest of the Turnpike. It's just coincidence that it lines up with 80's mileage so closely.

[bluecountry]

So after the final toll plaza Northbound on the NJTP, 18, what do the exits on I-95 between the exit 18 and the GWB correspond to?

Is it I-95 mileage in NJ or I-80?

It's the original I-95 mileage corresponding to its original route over Scudders Falls, up the Somerset Freeway, then the seven miles or so of 287 it was going to take over, and finally up the rest of the Turnpike. It's just coincidence that it lines up with 80's mileage so closely.

They GOT to redo that.

[storm2k]

So after the final toll plaza Northbound on the NJTP, 18, what do the exits on I-95 between the exit 18 and the GWB correspond to?

Is it I-95 mileage in NJ or I-80?

It's the original I-95 mileage corresponding to its original route over Scudders Falls, up the Somerset Freeway, then the seven miles or so of 287 it was going to take over, and finally up the rest of the Turnpike. It's just coincidence that it lines up with 80's mileage so closely.

They GOT to redo that.

No they don't. Doesn't cause that much confusion right now. Most people think it's just a continuation of 80's numbering. Only way I think it ever gets renumbered is if they ever switch the Turnpike to mileage based numbering, and I don't see that happening any time soon.

[Ned Weasel]

So after the final toll plaza Northbound on the NJTP, 18, what do the exits on I-95 between the exit 18 and the GWB correspond to?

Is it I-95 mileage in NJ or I-80?

From what I remember reading, it's fictional I-95 mileage based on the fictional highway known as the Somerset Freeway.  However, it might be close enough to the actual I-95 mileage resulting from the PA Turnpike interchange that they could leave those numbers alone.  Does anyone know for sure?

I'm also curious how or if the New Jersey Turnpike's exits are going to be re-numbered according to the MUTCD-mandated mileage-based numbering.  I still have mixed opinions on the MUTCD standardization there.  On the one hand, it would ruin the famous and historic exit numbers, but on the other hand, you'd no longer have the "[X], [X+1], [X+1]A, [X+2], [X+2]A, etc." sort of sequence that has long plagued sequential exit numbering and made it bad idea.

Update:  Other people already answered your question while I was typing my rambling response.

[NJRoadfan]

The new alignment of I-95 would add approximately 4 miles to the exit numbers north of exit 18.

[Ned Weasel]

The new alignment of I-95 would add approximately 4 miles to the exit numbers north of exit 18.

Yeah, I just looked it up and noticed that.  But, as mentioned, you could still keep the exit numbers on the I-80/95 concurrency as slightly fudged I-80 mileage-based numbers.

Here's a pertinent question, though:  What should the US 46 exit be numbered?

https://goo.gl/maps/RMiRmHawn7CfSbF68

It would be nice if it had a signed exit number!  Wikipedia says it's Exit 68 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Jersey_Turnpike), but that wouldn't work with the existing I-95 mileage, and since that part doesn't run concurrently with I-80, it should probably have a different number, unless you want to fudge those four or so miles off of the I-95 mileage.

[NJRoadfan]

US-46 is the historic northern terminus of the NJ Turnpike, its technically Exit 18E. Exit 68 is assigned to Challenger Rd.

[storm2k]

So after the final toll plaza Northbound on the NJTP, 18, what do the exits on I-95 between the exit 18 and the GWB correspond to?

Is it I-95 mileage in NJ or I-80?

From what I remember reading, it's fictional I-95 mileage based on the fictional highway known as the Somerset Freeway.  However, it might be close enough to the actual I-95 mileage resulting from the PA Turnpike interchange that they could leave those numbers alone.  Does anyone know for sure?

I'm also curious how or if the New Jersey Turnpike's exits are going to be re-numbered according to the MUTCD-mandated mileage-based numbering.  I still have mixed opinions on the MUTCD standardization there.  On the one hand, it would ruin the famous and historic exit numbers, but on the other hand, you'd no longer have the "[X], [X+1], [X+1]A, [X+2], [X+2]A, etc." sort of sequence that has long plagued sequential exit numbering and made it bad idea.

Update:  Other people already answered your question while I was typing my rambling response.

The Somerset Freeway isn't fictional. It's just canceled. Rich Somerset and Mercer County NIMBY's got it wiped off the map because they didn't want a freeway near their homes. Don't call it fictional.

[vdeane]

The new alignment of I-95 would add approximately 4 miles to the exit numbers north of exit 18.

Yeah, I just looked it up and noticed that.  But, as mentioned, you could still keep the exit numbers on the I-80/95 concurrency as slightly fudged I-80 mileage-based numbers.

Here's a pertinent question, though:  What should the US 46 exit be numbered?

https://goo.gl/maps/RMiRmHawn7CfSbF68

It would be nice if it had a signed exit number!  Wikipedia says it's Exit 68 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Jersey_Turnpike), but that wouldn't work with the existing I-95 mileage, and since that part doesn't run concurrently with I-80, it should probably have a different number, unless you want to fudge those four or so miles off of the I-95 mileage.

It is 68, at least southbound.

There is no concurrency with I-80.  I-80 ends at I-95, and the fact that the numbers are only off by 1 or 2 from I-80's mileage is completely coincidental.

[roadman65]

US-46 is the historic northern terminus of the NJ Turnpike, its technically Exit 18E. Exit 68 is assigned to Challenger Rd.

Actually 18E is the toll plaza in Secaucus shared with 16E.  It was 18 in the beginning, but got moved back later on.  When the western spur got built, it became 18E as the counterpart became 18W. BTW, 18W is the plaza near the Meadowlands Sports Complex.

[lstone19]

US-46 is the historic northern terminus of the NJ Turnpike, its technically Exit 18E. Exit 68 is assigned to Challenger Rd.

Actually 18E is the toll plaza in Secaucus shared with 16E.  It was 18 in the beginning, but got moved back later on.  When the western spur got built, it became 18E as the counterpart became 18W. BTW, 18W is the plaza near the Meadowlands Sports Complex.

You're mixing toll plazas and exits. Toll plaza 18E is in Secaucus shared with 16E but Exit 18 (no E or W needed) has historically been at U.S. 46.

The difference between plazas and exits is no different than on the NY Thruway where Plaza 15 is Woodbury in the middle of the Harriman interchange but Exit 15 is I-287/NY-17/NJ-17 at Suffern or at the other end, Plaza 50 is the Williamsville plaza but Exit 50 is I-290. Usually the plaza and its like-numbered exit are close, sometimes they aren't.

[vdeane]

US-46 is the historic northern terminus of the NJ Turnpike, its technically Exit 18E. Exit 68 is assigned to Challenger Rd.

Actually 18E is the toll plaza in Secaucus shared with 16E.  It was 18 in the beginning, but got moved back later on.  When the western spur got built, it became 18E as the counterpart became 18W. BTW, 18W is the plaza near the Meadowlands Sports Complex.

You're mixing toll plazas and exits. Toll plaza 18E is in Secaucus shared with 16E but Exit 18 (no E or W needed) has historically been at U.S. 46.

The difference between plazas and exits is no different than on the NY Thruway where Plaza 15 is Woodbury in the middle of the Harriman interchange but Exit 15 is I-287/NY-17/NJ-17 at Suffern or at the other end, Plaza 50 is the Williamsville plaza but Exit 50 is I-290. Usually the plaza and its like-numbered exit are close, sometimes they aren't.

Last I checked, the US 46 exit doesn't have a number northbound.

[lstone19]

Last I checked, the US 46 exit doesn't have a number northbound.

As I said, it was historically exit 18. Some of us are old enough to remember when the NJ Turnpike ended at US 46 with I-95 unconstructed between there and I-80. The bridge used by northbound Turnpike to westbound U.S. 46 traffic is, I believe, the bridge used as part of the trumpet interchange that was the north end of the Turnpike before the western alignment and the extension to I-80 was built (the bridge was bi-directional back then - note the unused west half of that bridge).

Although I have to admit looking at the Turnpike website, they have apparently decided "interchange" is a synonym for "toll plaza". It's not.

[SignBridge]

Istone19, I also remember that history of the Turnpike ending at US 46 with the original toll plaza located just before the interchange. The toll plaza was relocated to the Secaucus complex circa 1964, but the Turnpike still ended at US 46 'til about 1971 when the "missing mile" to I-80 was finally built along with the Western Leg of the Turnpike. Great old stuff from when I was a kid traveling with my parents.

[jeffandnicole]

Although I have to admit looking at the Turnpike website, they have apparently decided "interchange" is a synonym for "toll plaza". It's not.

Well, it is. Of the complaints people have about the Turnpike, and there are a lot of them, this is one that has never been an issue.

[SignBridge]

J&N, what are some of the common complaints people have about the NJT? It's always been my favorite highway to drive.

[lstone19]

lstone19, I also remember that history of the Turnpike ending at US 46 with the original toll plaza located just before the interchange. The toll plaza was relocated to the Secaucus complex circa 1964, but the Turnpike still ended at US 46 'til about 1971 when the "missing mile" to I-80 was finally built along with the Western Leg of the Turnpike. Great old stuff from when I was a kid traveling with my parents.

We moved to NJ in 1967 when I was 9 (and always watching as we drove) so missed the original 18 Toll Plaza but was in awe of the 16/18 (now 16E/18E) Plaza. We frequently traveled to Connecticut via the GWB and I remember my father frequently stopped on 46 for gas, something that had to stop once the "missing mile" was built. If we were to make that trip today, so much has changed: I-78 instead of US 22, west alignment instead of east (only) alignment of the Turnpike, I-95 (north of Turnpike) instead of US46, and I-95 through the Bronx instead of shortcutting on the Hutch which became basically not an option when the Bruckner traffic circle (I think somewhat still there beneath the I-95/I-295/I-278/I-678 interchange) could not be easily reached from the Cross-Bronx.

One thing that impressed me about the Turnpike was how they built the "missing mile" and the west alignment so that the two major traffic flows never share roadway. Traffic from the south heading to the GWB is encouraged to use the west alignment which the configuration of the "missing mile" keeps completely separate from traffic coming from the Lincoln Tunnel up the east alignment and heading to I-80 west (and likewise for southbound moves). The same thing was done by NJDOT at the I-287/I-78 interchange where I-78 East to I-287 South traffic is kept separate from I-287 South to US202/206 South traffic.

We lived in Berkeley Heights, 10 miles east of the I-287/I-78 interchange where for many years before I-78 was completed through the Watchung Reservation, the signs that would have said I-78 East cryptically just said "Local Traffic Only". As we were "local traffic", it was nice having our "private" freeway.

[jeffandnicole]

J&N, what are some of the common complaints people have about the NJT? It's always been my favorite highway to drive.

The tolls. The price of the tolls. The other drivers. Conditions of the service areas. Congestion.

[jeffandnicole]

The fact that it's sequential based exiting vs. mileage based really isn't mentioned either. Theres a lot of people that don't understand how mileage-based exiting works.

[Pete from Boston]

Last I checked, the US 46 exit doesn't have a number northbound.

As I said, it was historically exit 18. Some of us are old enough to remember when the NJ Turnpike ended at US 46 with I-95 unconstructed between there and I-80. The bridge used by northbound Turnpike to westbound U.S. 46 traffic is, I believe, the bridge used as part of the trumpet interchange that was the north end of the Turnpike before the western alignment and the extension to I-80 was built (the bridge was bi-directional back then - note the unused west half of that bridge).

Although I have to admit looking at the Turnpike website, they have apparently decided "interchange" is a synonym for "toll plaza". It's not.

Growing up with that interchange not far away, I always considered that it was the Turnpike's "interchange"  with the free road system. Never really gave it much more thought than that.

[Ned Weasel]

There is no concurrency with I-80.  I-80 ends at I-95, and the fact that the numbers are only off by 1 or 2 from I-80's mileage is completely coincidental.

Well, that is a fact, and I'll admit I goofed on that one!

Calling the Somerset Freeway "fictional" is a figure of speech.  The existence of the proposal is non-fictional, but the existence of the physical object is not actual, and "actual" is an antonym of "fictional" (https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fictional).

[lstone19]

As I said, it was historically exit 18. Some of us are old enough to remember when the NJ Turnpike ended at US 46 with I-95 unconstructed between there and I-80. The bridge used by northbound Turnpike to westbound U.S. 46 traffic is, I believe, the bridge used as part of the trumpet interchange that was the north end of the Turnpike before the western alignment and the extension to I-80 was built (the bridge was bi-directional back then - note the unused west half of that bridge).

Although I have to admit looking at the Turnpike website, they have apparently decided "interchange" is a synonym for "toll plaza". It's not.

Growing up with that interchange not far away, I always considered that it was the Turnpike's "interchange"  with the free road system. Never really gave it much more thought than that.

My issue is that the turnpike's map on their website shows the site of "interchanges" 18E and 18W as being at the toll plazas, not the physical set of ramps that make up the interchange. The location of the toll plaza doesn't mark the change from toll to free - you still need to get to a place where you can enter or exit without paying a toll for it to be free. If the road was free beyond the 18E plaza, then the 16E and 18E tolls would be the same. But you can't get on to the stretch of the Turnpike north of the 16E/18E plaza up to US46 without either paying the higher 18E toll or paying the ramp toll at 17 so it's not free until you get north of US46.

[Alps]

US-46 is the historic northern terminus of the NJ Turnpike, its technically Exit 18E. Exit 68 is assigned to Challenger Rd.

Actually 18E is the toll plaza in Secaucus shared with 16E.  It was 18 in the beginning, but got moved back later on.  When the western spur got built, it became 18E as the counterpart became 18W. BTW, 18W is the plaza near the Meadowlands Sports Complex.

You're mixing toll plazas and exits. Toll plaza 18E is in Secaucus shared with 16E but Exit 18 (no E or W needed) has historically been at U.S. 46.

The difference between plazas and exits is no different than on the NY Thruway where Plaza 15 is Woodbury in the middle of the Harriman interchange but Exit 15 is I-287/NY-17/NJ-17 at Suffern or at the other end, Plaza 50 is the Williamsville plaza but Exit 50 is I-290. Usually the plaza and its like-numbered exit are close, sometimes they aren't.

It is different. The NY Thruway signs Exit 15 as I-287/17. The NJ Turnpike specifically does not sign an Exit 1 or Exit 18W/E because those are the mainline. (In fact, I think 18E is signed along the mainline heading north.)

[lstone19]

Calling the Somerset Freeway "fictional" is a figure of speech.  The existence of the proposal is non-fictional, but the existence of the physical object is not actual, and "actual" is an antonym of "fictional" (https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fictional).

Besides, a few feet of it were built - the ghost ramps on I-295 east of NJ31 (looking at Google Earth, it appears Mother Nature is doing her best to reclaim them).

[Ned Weasel]

Theres a lot of people that don't understand how mileage-based exiting works.

Funny, because it's easier to understand than sequential-based exit numbering in practice.