I-95/Penna Turnpike Interchange

[Roadsguy]

I didn't take pictures of it (shame on me) but I think the pull-throughs at the US 130 exit also have had 95 shields posted on them.

As of this past Saturday; yes for the south/westbound pull-throughs; no for the north/eastbound pull-throughs. 

Descriptions & links merged together in the below-quotes:

Here are the pull-throughs at Exit 6 that I do have before and after's of:

Mainline northbound before

Mainline northbound after

Good to know regarding that one; such hasn't received much press coverage as of late.

Penn Extension northbound before

Penn Extension northbound after

As mentioned in my previous post; I would like to know what the designer/fabricator was thinking when those northbound pull-through signs were made with regards to the centering of the NJTP NORTH legend.  It appears that both signs were designed for only one route shield in mind rather than two.

For comparison purposes regarding the centering for signs with (ultimately) two route shields.

The NJTP shield and word NORTH were definitely put a little too far to the left, but they're still noticeably off-center to the point where if you hadn't mentioned it, I wouldn't have realized that the final setup is slightly to the left of center.

[PHLBOS]

For a recap, the following pull-through NJTP signs still do not yet have I-95 shields placed on them:
Exits 8A, 8, 7A, 7 & US 130 (aka Exit 6A, north/eastbound only)

Ramp signs beyond the toll plazas that currently do not yet have I-95 shields on them:
Exits 7A, 7 & US 130 (aka Exit 6A).

[epzik8]

Did Jim update former I-95 around Trenton, New Jersey/Langhorne, Pennsylvania to I-295?

[odditude]

Additionally & as stated multiple times upthread; NJTA, IMHO, has/had absolutely no excuse not to sign the Turnpike north of Exit 7A as I-95 since the early 90s (when I-195 connected to at least the northern stretch of I-295).  The signs erected during the recent widening (from roughly Exit 8A down to Exit 6) project included blank spaces large enough to accommodate the I-95 shields.  Had NJTA placed shields on all of the applicable signs north of Exit 7A when such were first erected; the number of remaining sign updates & limits of work would've been much smaller (& less costly).

i'm with you 100% there. i'm talking about budgeting / reallocation, though, not common sense - unfortunately, it's pretty easy to argue that they don't always have a lot in common!

[akotchi]

^^As the designer of the Exit 6 pull through signs, I can tell you what I was thinking ... the design plans provided the appropriate spacing for the I-95 shields.  Guessing that it was a fabrication issue, as I did not review the shop drawing submittals.

It's not overly noticeable.  It would have been replaced or overlaid if it were really out of whack.  Shit happens ...

[Hot Rod Hootenanny]

For a recap, the following pull-through NJTP signs still do not yet have I-95 shields placed on them:
Exits 8A, 8, 7A, 7 & US 130 (aka Exit 6A, north/eastbound only)

Ramp signs beyond the toll plazas that currently do not yet have I-95 shields on them:
Exits 7A, 7 & US 130 (aka Exit 6A).

Is anyone going to blame PennDot for this?

[Hot Rod Hootenanny]

Did Jim update former I-95 around Trenton, New Jersey/Langhorne, Pennsylvania to I-295?

Yes.

[jeffandnicole]

For a recap, the following pull-through NJTP signs still do not yet have I-95 shields placed on them:
Exits 8A, 8, 7A, 7 & US 130 (aka Exit 6A, north/eastbound only)

Ramp signs beyond the toll plazas that currently do not yet have I-95 shields on them:
Exits 7A, 7 & US 130 (aka Exit 6A).

Is anyone going to blame PennDot for this?

They were 4 years late in getting their project done, so yeah, why not!

[02 Park Ave]

Google Maps Traffic is currently showing a lengthy southbound back-up on the NJTP approaching Exit 4.  This is quite typical for the night before Thanksgiving Day.

Shouldn't their GPS equipment have directed these drivers to remain on I-95 so as to avoid this delay?

[famartin]

Google Maps Traffic is currently showing a lengthy southbound back-up on the NJTP approaching Exit 4.  This is quite typical for the night before Thanksgiving Day.

Shouldn't their GPS equipment have directed these drivers to remain on I-95 so as to avoid this delay?

My iPhone maps (not google) has shown a stretch of I-95 in Philly closed for weeks. I just checked and it still insists that the turnpike is faster.

[NE2]

Google Maps Traffic is currently showing a lengthy southbound back-up on the NJTP approaching Exit 4.  This is quite typical for the night before Thanksgiving Day.

Shouldn't their GPS equipment have directed these drivers to remain on I-95 so as to avoid this delay?

The Goog claims it's still 10 minutes faster (as of 6:20 pm) to take the Turnpoo (there's some orange on I-95 in Philly).

[famartin]

Google Maps Traffic is currently showing a lengthy southbound back-up on the NJTP approaching Exit 4.  This is quite typical for the night before Thanksgiving Day.

Shouldn't their GPS equipment have directed these drivers to remain on I-95 so as to avoid this delay?

The Goog claims it's still 10 minutes faster (as of 6:20 pm) to take the Turnpoo (there's some orange on I-95 in Philly).

Are you using the ap? The web version just sends you down I-95.

[NE2]

Google Maps Traffic is currently showing a lengthy southbound back-up on the NJTP approaching Exit 4.  This is quite typical for the night before Thanksgiving Day.

Shouldn't their GPS equipment have directed these drivers to remain on I-95 so as to avoid this delay?

The Goog claims it's still 10 minutes faster (as of 6:20 pm) to take the Turnpoo (there's some orange on I-95 in Philly).

Are you using the ap? The web version just sends you down I-95.

Nope. Now there's no backup so fuck it.

[jeffandnicole]

Google Maps Traffic is currently showing a lengthy southbound back-up on the NJTP approaching Exit 4.  This is quite typical for the night before Thanksgiving Day.

Shouldn't their GPS equipment have directed these drivers to remain on I-95 so as to avoid this delay?

When traffic is free-flowing, the Turnpike is about 6 minutes or so faster than 95. So if 95 had a delay in PA relatively equivalent to or even slightly less than the one on the NJ Turnpike, the Turnpike would still be the better way to go.

There was definitely orange and red on 95 around the time you looked (because I was checking area traffic in general around the same time), so most likely 95 was still the slower option.

[famartin]

Google Maps Traffic is currently showing a lengthy southbound back-up on the NJTP approaching Exit 4.  This is quite typical for the night before Thanksgiving Day.

Shouldn't their GPS equipment have directed these drivers to remain on I-95 so as to avoid this delay?

When traffic is free-flowing, the Turnpike is about 6 minutes or so faster than 95. So if 95 had a delay in PA relatively equivalent to or even slightly less than the one on the NJ Turnpike, the Turnpike would still be the better way to go.

I don't think that's correct.

[jeffandnicole]

Google Maps Traffic is currently showing a lengthy southbound back-up on the NJTP approaching Exit 4.  This is quite typical for the night before Thanksgiving Day.

Shouldn't their GPS equipment have directed these drivers to remain on I-95 so as to avoid this delay?

When traffic is free-flowing, the Turnpike is about 6 minutes or so faster than 95. So if 95 had a delay in PA relatively equivalent to or even slightly less than the one on the NJ Turnpike, the Turnpike would still be the better way to go.

I don't think that's correct.

What do you think it should be then? 12:40am, and Google is showing no congestion. The time difference is still 6 minutes, with the NJ Turnpike being the faster route.

[famartin]

Google Maps Traffic is currently showing a lengthy southbound back-up on the NJTP approaching Exit 4.  This is quite typical for the night before Thanksgiving Day.

Shouldn't their GPS equipment have directed these drivers to remain on I-95 so as to avoid this delay?

When traffic is free-flowing, the Turnpike is about 6 minutes or so faster than 95. So if 95 had a delay in PA relatively equivalent to or even slightly less than the one on the NJ Turnpike, the Turnpike would still be the better way to go.

I don't think that's correct.

What do you think it should be then? 12:40am, and Google is showing no congestion. The time difference is still 6 minutes, with the NJ Turnpike being the faster route.

Is that an ap?  Web version clearly shows I-95.  If I could figure out how to attach images, I would.

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Philadelphia,+PA/New+York/@40.3404249,-75.145265,9z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x89c6b7d8d4b54beb:0x89f514d88c3e58c1!2m2!1d-75.1652215!2d39.9525839!1m5!1m1!1s0x89c24fa5d33f083b:0xc80b8f06e177fe62!2m2!1d-74.0059728!2d40.7127753!3e0

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/New+York/Philadelphia,+PA/@40.3404249,-75.145265,9z/data=!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x89c24fa5d33f083b:0xc80b8f06e177fe62!2m2!1d-74.0059728!2d40.7127753!1m5!1m1!1s0x89c6b7d8d4b54beb:0x89f514d88c3e58c1!2m2!1d-75.1652215!2d39.9525839!3e0

[roadman65]

Is that first one telling you to use Old York Road (CR 514) and bypass Flemington?

I find that odd that it did not choose US 1 as the first alternate.

[NE2]

[directions to Philly]

That's the problem. The majority of Turnpike travelers are going beyond into Delaware, so that's what we all set our destination to.

[bluecountry]

I took I-95 instead of the NJTP just to see it.
I wouldn't do it again, the NJTP is definitely easier (wider lanes, fewer traffic).

[bluecountry]

Until a few weeks ago I-95 was not complete between Philadelphia/SE PA and the GW Bridge (or to the north).  Not appropriate for control city signing until that was completed.  I-95 passes thru New Haven and is completed between the GW Bridge and Canada, and has been since the 1970s.  Make sense to use New Haven as a control city.

Its doubtful the NJ Turnpike Authority is going to change the southbound control cites on all their signs from Trenton/Camden to Philadelphia. They were all recently replaced and no provision was made to change the control city after the interchange opened.

Based on the NJTA sign plans, the only control cities used on the SB Turnpike are Newark, Trenton, Camden, and Wilmington. Once you're at exit 6, I-95 SB is signed "Penn Turnpike - Philadelphia" on the Pearl Harbor Extension.

I don't see much signage changing within New York City either. Most of the signage refers to "Newark NJ". Older signs use "Trenton", and one or two say "New Jersey".

So maybe once the signs need replaced, Philadelphia will be used as the control city?

[bluecountry]

I'd like to re-ask:

I have thought, if the NJTP/I-95 was conceived 20 years later or nowadays, would we have gotten three parallel northbound interstates in the Philly area or would we have all been stuck on either I-95 going through Philly or I-295 would have been shared like I-495 in MD/VA is between local and long distance traffic?
It would have made the trip from NY south so much worse.
Anybody else ever think that?

[jeffandnicole]

Google Maps Traffic is currently showing a lengthy southbound back-up on the NJTP approaching Exit 4.  This is quite typical for the night before Thanksgiving Day.

Shouldn't their GPS equipment have directed these drivers to remain on I-95 so as to avoid this delay?

When traffic is free-flowing, the Turnpike is about 6 minutes or so faster than 95. So if 95 had a delay in PA relatively equivalent to or even slightly less than the one on the NJ Turnpike, the Turnpike would still be the better way to go.

I don't think that's correct.

What do you think it should be then? 12:40am, and Google is showing no congestion. The time difference is still 6 minutes, with the NJ Turnpike being the faster route.

Is that an ap?  Web version clearly shows I-95.  If I could figure out how to attach images, I would.

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Philadelphia,+PA/New+York/@40.3404249,-75.145265,9z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x89c6b7d8d4b54beb:0x89f514d88c3e58c1!2m2!1d-75.1652215!2d39.9525839!1m5!1m1!1s0x89c24fa5d33f083b:0xc80b8f06e177fe62!2m2!1d-74.0059728!2d40.7127753!3e0

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/New+York/Philadelphia,+PA/@40.3404249,-75.145265,9z/data=!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x89c24fa5d33f083b:0xc80b8f06e177fe62!2m2!1d-74.0059728!2d40.7127753!1m5!1m1!1s0x89c6b7d8d4b54beb:0x89f514d88c3e58c1!2m2!1d-75.1652215!2d39.9525839!3e0

As NE2 said, we're considering what most of the traffic is doing: going from points North of North Jersey to Delaware and points South (and vice versa).  Choosing a destination inbetween dramatically alters the results.

I'd like to re-ask:

I have thought, if the NJTP/I-95 was conceived 20 years later or nowadays, would we have gotten three parallel northbound interstates in the Philly area or would we have all been stuck on either I-95 going through Philly or I-295 would have been shared like I-495 in MD/VA is between local and long distance traffic?
It would have made the trip from NY south so much worse.
Anybody else ever think that?

We don't have 3 interstates. We have one: I-95. I-295 is a bypass of 95, found around most major cities. NJ Turnpike is essentially a private roadway.

295 definitely still would exist. The Turnpike served as a great bypass also in a congested region, so no reason it wouldn't exist as well. Much like the Balt-Wash Parkway.

[roadman65]

If I-95 got routed on the whole NJ Turnpike would I-295 ever been built or even the Delaware Expressway in DE in PA is a better question?

[jeffandnicole]

If I-95 got routed on the whole NJ Turnpike would I-295 ever been built or even the Delaware Expressway in DE in PA is a better question?

And no north-south interstate thru Philly at all?  Highly doubtful.