New Jersey Turnpike

[SignBridge]

You have a point about visibility to passing traffic Alps. If I remember right from either actually seeing it myself while driving north or reading something about it, I think a lighted sign is displayed to northbound traffic warning of "police training in progress" or something like that so drivers won't be alarmed by all the activity.

[davewiecking]

I seem to remember reading somewhere that abandoned stretch of road is used for state trooper training and maybe other things. I think they use that roadway to enact real-life scenarios in a realistic environment.

Maybe jeffandnicole could tell us more about that?

Um no... it's mostly taken up by overpasses. Not much you can do on it.

It has been used to test paint and striping on the pavement.  The NJTP is very good at removing old bridges / roadways / materials during re-construction.  This section was definitely intended to be re-used.

I don't see any break in the guardrail/jersey barrier for access, so I imagine any training use was in the past. Unless the training involves jumping over barriers.

[famartin]

I seem to remember reading somewhere that abandoned stretch of road is used for state trooper training and maybe other things. I think they use that roadway to enact real-life scenarios in a realistic environment.

Maybe jeffandnicole could tell us more about that?

Um no... it's mostly taken up by overpasses. Not much you can do on it.

It has been used to test paint and striping on the pavement.  The NJTP is very good at removing old bridges / roadways / materials during re-construction.  This section was definitely intended to be re-used.

I don't see any break in the guardrail/jersey barrier for access, so I imagine any training use was in the past. Unless the training involves jumping over barriers.

Ummm....
https://www.google.com/maps/@40.4191637,-74.4442921,3a,75y,130.66h,77.18t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sH5VHoLQbhJgyz6wM1DUU8w!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

[davewiecking]

I don't see any break in the guardrail/jersey barrier for access, so I imagine any training use was in the past. Unless the training involves jumping over barriers.

Ummm....
https://www.google.com/maps/@40.4191637,-74.4442921,3a,75y,130.66h,77.18t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sH5VHoLQbhJgyz6wM1DUU8w!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

OK, then! I sit corrected...

[jeffandnicole]

You have a point about visibility to passing traffic Alps. If I remember right from either actually seeing it myself while driving north or reading something about it, I think a lighted sign is displayed to northbound traffic warning of "police training in progress" or something like that so drivers won't be alarmed by all the activity.

Oh, yeah, *that* won't cause a distraction...

The police do training all the time, but they wouldn't normally do it in a difficult to access 1/3 mile of highway, where even simulated incidents would be fairly restricted to a small area.

NJ does offer plenty of training for emergency responders at several locations statewide, many of which are at training facilities. Here's one general site showing upcoming trainings: https://nj.gov/njoem/training/schedule.shtml . I've seen a manual online as well regarding how to respond to and set up traffic control at incidents, although I didn't see it now after a brief search.  To sum that up - they try to get the incident out of the travel lanes as quickly as possible, but if they can't, they will set up a closure on one side of the roadway to keep traffic from going by on both sides of the incident.

If NJDOT, NJSP, NJTA or other agencies/authorities wanted to provide significant training on the roadway, Sunday mornings are an opportune time to conduct such training as traffic volumes are generally at their lightest and police need is low.  The Turnpike could have an entire roadway closed in the dual-dual section without affecting traffic flow until at least 10am many Sundays.

[bluecountry]

I seem to remember reading somewhere that abandoned stretch of road is used for state trooper training and maybe other things. I think they use that roadway to enact real-life scenarios in a realistic environment.

Maybe jeffandnicole could tell us more about that?

Um no... it's mostly taken up by overpasses. Not much you can do on it.

It has been used to test paint and striping on the pavement.  The NJTP is very good at removing old bridges / roadways / materials during re-construction.  This section was definitely intended to be re-used.

So it was deliberately kept up for testing, and has been, for decades?  If so I guess they do maintenance.

[dzheng35]

I'm in a tough situation. This summer, my family plans to do a vacation, and part of that trip may involve driving the NJ Turnpike just outside of the Philly area. I want everybody whose a real expert in roads to help me decide which is better. Should I take the NJ Turnpike and pay some tolls and avoid fighting traffic, or should I take I-295 and save some money but fight some heavy traffic along with some trucks? I'm conflicted between the 2 right now. Also, how congested can I-295 get compared to the turnpike? Please also note that my trip may also involve driving the Atlantic City Expressway and part of the PA Turnpike as well which that's going to be some money because I don't have EZ-Pass. Thanks.

[Alps]

I'm in a tough situation. This summer, my family plans to do a vacation, and part of that trip may involve driving the NJ Turnpike just outside of the Philly area. I want everybody whose a real expert in roads to help me decide which is better. Should I take the NJ Turnpike and pay some tolls and avoid fighting traffic, or should I take I-295 and save some money but fight some heavy traffic along with some trucks? I'm conflicted between the 2 right now. Also, how congested can I-295 get compared to the turnpike? Please also note that my trip may also involve driving the Atlantic City Expressway and part of the PA Turnpike as well which that's going to be some money because I don't have EZ-Pass. Thanks.

What day and time?

[dzheng35]

I'm in a tough situation. This summer, my family plans to do a vacation, and part of that trip may involve driving the NJ Turnpike just outside of the Philly area. I want everybody whose a real expert in roads to help me decide which is better. Should I take the NJ Turnpike and pay some tolls and avoid fighting traffic, or should I take I-295 and save some money but fight some heavy traffic along with some trucks? I'm conflicted between the 2 right now. Also, how congested can I-295 get compared to the turnpike? Please also note that my trip may also involve driving the Atlantic City Expressway and part of the PA Turnpike as well which that's going to be some money because I don't have EZ-Pass. Thanks.

What day and time?

IDK yet, that's not happening until July. So give me some examples when taking one way might be better than the other and vice versa depending on time and day because I know nothing about when 295 can get congested nor do I know which way is quicker. All I know is that 295 has frequent exits and you have to drive slow like crawling as 295 has a low speed limit of 55 on a certain stretch (even though people drive faster than that anyways, but I don't know how fast).

[famartin]

I'm in a tough situation. This summer, my family plans to do a vacation, and part of that trip may involve driving the NJ Turnpike just outside of the Philly area. I want everybody whose a real expert in roads to help me decide which is better. Should I take the NJ Turnpike and pay some tolls and avoid fighting traffic, or should I take I-295 and save some money but fight some heavy traffic along with some trucks? I'm conflicted between the 2 right now. Also, how congested can I-295 get compared to the turnpike? Please also note that my trip may also involve driving the Atlantic City Expressway and part of the PA Turnpike as well which that's going to be some money because I don't have EZ-Pass. Thanks.

What day and time?

IDK yet, that's not happening until July. So give me some examples when taking one way might be better than the other and vice versa depending on time and day because I know nothing about when 295 can get congested nor do I know which way is quicker. All I know is that 295 has frequent exits and you have to drive slow like crawling as 295 has a low speed limit of 55 on a certain stretch (even though people drive faster than that anyways, but I don't know how fast).

Both roads can have a lot of trucks. Personally, I will let my phone gps gauge traffic as I approach and decide for me. But as a rule, weekday rush hours are worse on 295 while weekend days are worse on the turnpike. Friday pm rush is often bad on both, but northbound will be better on the turnpike.

[MATraveler128]

I'm in a tough situation. This summer, my family plans to do a vacation, and part of that trip may involve driving the NJ Turnpike just outside of the Philly area. I want everybody whose a real expert in roads to help me decide which is better. Should I take the NJ Turnpike and pay some tolls and avoid fighting traffic, or should I take I-295 and save some money but fight some heavy traffic along with some trucks? I'm conflicted between the 2 right now. Also, how congested can I-295 get compared to the turnpike? Please also note that my trip may also involve driving the Atlantic City Expressway and part of the PA Turnpike as well which that's going to be some money because I don't have EZ-Pass. Thanks.

I have done both. The Turnpike is a good option if you don’t want to deal with the construction in Bellmawr regarding the 295/76/42 mess. It bypasses both Trenton and Camden and is usually what I use. Be warned though that it does get expensive especially if you don’t have EZPass. Before I got one in my own car, it cost me 10 bucks to get off at Exit 7A (I-195) To avoid the trucks, I’d recommend using the cars only lane so you don’t have to deal with that slog.

I-295 is a good choice because there’s no toll. The downside is that it is that main artery for commuters and gets fairly busy down by Bellmawr as stated above.

That being said, I recommend the Turnpike just because it’s a bit less stressful. Just my opinion.

[Ted$8roadFan]

I've done both as well, and it does depend on the time of day. In general, I prefer staying on the Turnpike just for simplicity and continuity, though the southern end can get tricky on weekends. As for the car/truck lanes, I have found based on my own experience that the truckers in the truck lanes are better behaved than the cars in the cars only lanes. That could vary, of course, depending on the time of day.

[Rothman]

I usually just stay on the Turnpike.  South of PA Turnpike, I have rarely had a real traffic issue (relatively speaking).  Tune into the travel alerts.

[jeffandnicole]

I'm in a tough situation. This summer, my family plans to do a vacation, and part of that trip may involve driving the NJ Turnpike just outside of the Philly area. I want everybody whose a real expert in roads to help me decide which is better. Should I take the NJ Turnpike and pay some tolls and avoid fighting traffic, or should I take I-295 and save some money but fight some heavy traffic along with some trucks? I'm conflicted between the 2 right now. Also, how congested can I-295 get compared to the turnpike? Please also note that my trip may also involve driving the Atlantic City Expressway and part of the PA Turnpike as well which that's going to be some money because I don't have EZ-Pass. Thanks.

I'll start with this:  You are way overthinking this, because it's easy to overthink it.  It's rare to have 2 highways right next to each other to provide you options.  What I wrote below is extensive...

I'll also give you some food for thought, based on your assumptions:  The Turnpike can get congested in the Philly area. Very congested.  There is a LOT of trucks on the Turnpike.  Just yesterday, a crash had traffic delayed on the Turnpike between Interchanges 3 & 4.  It looked like the Turnpike was a truck-only route with all the trucks stuck in that jam. 

You mentioned the speed limit in your response.  295 has a 55 mph speed limit only between Exits 28 & 34.  In my travels, I've determined that as long as you keep it at 74 mph or below, you're fine.  That said, at the speed limit, the difference in time compared to the 65 mph zone on the Turnpike would be about 59 seconds lost.  But...the Turnpike has a 55 mph construction zone between Exits 3 & 4 for a mile or so.  Plus, depending where you enter and exit the Turnpike, you may encounter more local roads and traffic lights.  The point here will be...don't let that 55 mph limit factor in, because guaranteed you'll gain or lose time elsewhere on your route.

The first question posed is the most important question: What day and time.  I'll break down the common traffic patterns and issues here...

I-295:

Monday thru Thursday: Traffic is generally light to moderate in both directions of 295 until 1pm, then after 6:30pm.  The morning rush hour is lighter than it traditionally has been due to people working from home.  There's been a few slowdowns during the morning rush with sun glare, but I don't think this will be an issue in the summer when people are on vacation and work traffic is lighter anyway.  Between 1pm and 6:30pm, traffic is heavier, especially on 295 South.  It'll be heaviest earliest after Exit 28 (NJ 168) as you approach Exit 26 (I-76/NJ 42) and the 295/76/42 construction projects.  At its worst, it'll jam from Exit 36 (NJ 73) or even Exit 40 (NJ 38) down to Exit 26, which will add about 15 - 20 minutes travel time. While there's fewer people working in the office, there's a lot more people out and about shopping and doing other errands, so the afternoon rush hour's congestion is very similar to pre-pandemic congestion.

Friday:  Same as above, but extend the afternoon rush hour a bit.  To be conservative, consider the Friday rush hour from 11:00am to 7:00pm, mainly due to shore traffic and early weekend getaway traffic.  Yes, it can get heavy before lunch.

Saturday and Sunday:  I-295 traffic generally isn't too bad until you get close to the 295/76/42 interchange.  Unlike the weekdays, the weekends features a lot of traffic involving vacationing families and road-trippers that aren't used to the area, which can be confusing, and they tend to drive slower than commuters who drive the highway 5 days a week. 

The NJ Turnpike:

Monday thru Thursday:  Traffic is very light in the morning both directions, however as mentioned earlier, there's probably more truck traffic than you thought taking this road, if that matters to you.  In the afternoon traffic is heavier, but other than that one construction zone where they're replacing an overpass, there hasn't seemed to be any congestion along this stretch most days.  Where that construction zone it, it's usually just a reduction in speed without any real loss of time.

Friday:  Morning is fine, but afternoon traffic, like on 295, sees a lot of weekend getaway traffic.  There can be a LOT of congestion on the Turnpike South approaching Interchange 4, where it narrows from 3 lanes to 2.  And then it will continue to be congested thru much of the 8 miles between Interchanges 4 & 3, where enough traffic tends to leave the Turnpike to allow congestion to decrease.

Saturday and Sunday:  Similar to Friday, traffic in the morning is usually free-flowing, but by late morning and thru the afternoon, there is a lot of vacationing traffic, and there can be an amazing amount of congestion, especially in the section of highway with 2 lanes per direction.

It sounds like you'll be going straight from 295 or the Turnpike to NJ 42 and the AC Expressway.  If that assumption is true, then factor in how you're doing that route. Taking 295 will be a direct connection to 42.  Taking the Turnpike will involve driving on NJ 168 North or South, along with possible other roads, depending on your exact routing to 42.  They will be slower than simply taking 295 to 42. 

So, after reading all of that:  there's a lot of variables here in play.  Don't overthink it.  As mentioned, your best bet is probably to use GPS and let it route you the best way depending on the exact time you're traveling.  If you can, get an EZ Pass before your trip - it should save you money in the long run.  And if toll money is a big concern, set your GPS to avoid toll roads - you may be surprised the time lost isn't really all that significant.

[02 Park Ave]

I avoid the truck lanes on the Turnpike on weekdays before 5:00 pm but use them at all other times.  They are usually less congested than the car lanes then.

[dzheng35]

Should I just use my GPS and go where it tells me to go if I can't decide whether to take the turnpike or I-295?

[jeffandnicole]

Should I just use my GPS and go where it tells me to go if I can't decide whether to take the turnpike or I-295?

Yes

[dzheng35]

Should I just use my GPS and go where it tells me to go if I can't decide whether to take the turnpike or I-295?

Yes

About the 55 mph section on 295, you're saying that people still drive as fast as 70 and cops don't mess with them right? How fast do you take that 55 mph section if you didn't get a ticket?

[jeffandnicole]

Should I just use my GPS and go where it tells me to go if I can't decide whether to take the turnpike or I-295?

Yes

About the 55 mph section on 295, you're saying that people still drive as fast as 70 and cops don't mess with them right? How fast do you take that 55 mph section if you didn't get a ticket?

It appears they allow a 20 mph leeway in many 55 mph zones on highways, so 74 and under in a 55 is usually safe.  More often than not, the limiting factor is heavy traffic on the road preventing overly fast speeds anyway.  The only place I've commonly seen a state trooper in that stretch is at a u-turn area about a mile south of Exit 34, and even then it seems like they're on the lookout for truckers for some reason.  I watched one get pulled over that was in the right lane and definitely not the fastest guy on the road.

Obviously, there's nothing official to the above, and your mileage may vary.  But this is generally what I've observed.

[dzheng35]

I was thinking about this and I was wondering, instead of building the interchange at I-276, why couldn't they just close the gap by rerouting I-95 onto the Turnpike and extending I-295 down along the I-95 corridor stands through the Philly area instead of spending all that money to build that interchange?

[jeffandnicole]

I was thinking about this and I was wondering, instead of building the interchange at I-276, why couldn't they just close the gap by rerouting I-95 onto the Turnpike and extending I-295 down along the I-95 corridor stands through the Philly area instead of spending all that money to build that interchange?

Been discussed many times.  No one has interest in doing so, and it still leaves a bunch of missing moves between two interstate highways.

[ilpt4u]

Please also note that my trip may also involve driving the Atlantic City Expressway and part of the PA Turnpike as well which that's going to be some money because I don't have EZ-Pass. Thanks.

Why not sign up for and take delivery of an EZ-Pass well before the trip date? Pick an IAG agency, any IAG agency, and get one. There are agencies that don't have monthly fees and have fully refundable Toll deposits and device deposits upon cancellation of account and return of transponder

[dzheng35]

Please also note that my trip may also involve driving the Atlantic City Expressway and part of the PA Turnpike as well which that's going to be some money because I don't have EZ-Pass. Thanks.

Why not sign up for and take delivery of an EZ-Pass well before the trip date? Pick an IAG agency, any IAG agency, and get one. There are agencies that don't have monthly fees and have fully refundable Toll deposits and device deposits upon cancellation of account and return of transponder

The thing is that this is a one time thing so IDK if EZ-pass is worth it for a one-time trip because we don't travel toll roads that often.

[ilpt4u]

Please also note that my trip may also involve driving the Atlantic City Expressway and part of the PA Turnpike as well which that's going to be some money because I don't have EZ-Pass. Thanks.

Why not sign up for and take delivery of an EZ-Pass well before the trip date? Pick an IAG agency, any IAG agency, and get one. There are agencies that don't have monthly fees and have fully refundable Toll deposits and device deposits upon cancellation of account and return of transponder

The thing is that this is a one time thing so IDK if EZ-pass is worth it for a one-time trip because we don't travel toll roads that often.

If the amount of extra Tolls paid is beyond the Return Postage to close your account and send back the transponder to the issuing agency, then the answer is YES, It IS worth it, assuming you get the transponder from an agency with refundable unused Toll Deposits and refundable Transponder deposit

[dzheng35]

Okay. I've been thinking, about the stand alone portion of the turnpike, the section that doesn't have a route number signed concurrent with it. If they wanted to, could they sign that southern portion of the turnpike as another auxiliary route of I-95 like I-395 or I-X95?