New York State Thruway

[Michael]

I just saw this article on Syracuse.com:
Construction on cashless toll system for NYS Thruway has started

Here's a picture of a completed gantry from the article:

[ixnay]

Are the tolltakers on the NYST unionized?  IIRC their counterparts on the PATP are.

I'm surprised that in this EZPass/SunPass/IPass era, tolltakers's unions haven't raised a *major* stink because of the endangerment of their jobs.

ixnay

[PHLBOS]

I'm surprised that in this EZPass/SunPass/IPass era, tolltakers's unions haven't raised a *major* stink because of the endangerment of their jobs.

Not to get into a union and/or political spat here; but it should be noted that the initial plans for many tolled facilities were to have the tolls eliminated when the original bonds that built such were paid off.  Sadly, such never happened at most of these facilities (including the NYS Thruway) for a variety of reasons.  I don't intend to into such in this thread.

That said, many of these toll takers' jobs have been borrowed time for quite a while... even decades.

[cl94]

Are the tolltakers on the NYST unionized?  IIRC their counterparts on the PATP are.

I'm surprised that in this EZPass/SunPass/IPass era, tolltakers's unions haven't raised a *major* stink because of the endangerment of their jobs.

The full-timers were transferred to other positions a year or two ago. Remaining toll takers in NY are temps hired for the transition period.

[hbelkins]

Are the tolltakers on the NYST unionized?  IIRC their counterparts on the PATP are.

Kentucky's weren't unionized, but they were moved into other state jobs when the tolls went away. One former toll plaza employee on the Cumberland Parkway is now my colleague in the Somerset office. One of the Daniel Boone Parkway employees got her CDL and is now an equipment operator in our Perry County garage. And one, since retired, worked in accounting in our district office.

[KEVIN_224]

Are those toll gantries wide enough for 3 lanes, should they ever widen?

[kalvado]

Are those toll gantries wide enough for 3 lanes, should they ever widen?

Judging from image in this article - https://www.syracuse.com/state/2019/11/construction-on-cashless-toll-system-for-nys-thruway-has-started.html - yes.
Then at least in Albany area gantries go onto already 3-laned portion, seems to be the case in other urban areas as well.

[vdeane]

Are those toll gantries wide enough for 3 lanes, should they ever widen?

I don't know if any of the ticket system gantries are up yet.  The one in the article is actually at the North Grand Island Bridge.

[02 Park Ave]

Has the metering of traffic from the Garden State Parkway Connector to the southbound thruway begun?

[vdeane]

I noticed that the Thruway is replacing the pavement under what will be the new gantries with concrete.  Not sure why they're doing that, but I imagine that's why they're only replacing the existing toll barriers in some locations - it would certainly increase the cost.

[Roadsguy]

I noticed that the Thruway is replacing the pavement under what will be the new gantries with concrete.  Not sure why they're doing that, but I imagine that's why they're only replacing the existing toll barriers in some locations - it would certainly increase the cost.

Does NYSTA typically do full-depth reconstructions with a concrete surface like the widening around Albany? Could be so that when those sections eventually get reconstructed, they don't have to mess with the area around the gantries.

[Alps]

Has the metering of traffic from the Garden State Parkway Connector to the southbound thruway begun?

Can vouch I saw traffic being metered after 8 PM on Wednesday. Could not vouch which ramp.

[webny99]

I noticed that the Thruway is replacing the pavement under what will be the new gantries with concrete.  Not sure why they're doing that, but I imagine that's why they're only replacing the existing toll barriers in some locations - it would certainly increase the cost.

Yes, that's what they did on Grand Island, so I was unsurprised to see the same thing on the mainline east of Williamsville.
Maybe it's somehow related to improved readability and/or durability.

[kalvado]

I noticed that the Thruway is replacing the pavement under what will be the new gantries with concrete.  Not sure why they're doing that, but I imagine that's why they're only replacing the existing toll barriers in some locations - it would certainly increase the cost.

Yes, that's what they did on Grand Island, so I was unsurprised to see the same thing on the mainline east of Williamsville.
Maybe it's somehow related to improved readability and/or durability.

And another one:
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.3098652,-74.1242151,137m/data=!3m1!1e3
Actually it can easily be due to different RF properties of concrete vs asphalt.
For whatever reason, this one seems to be different: https://www.google.com/maps/@42.2973755,-73.2447227,3a,60y,60.6h,87.7t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sXE3QJo3AW9nTurnKwAYQdg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
But with some loops in the pavement.
I wonder if there is more than one type of reading equipment..

[cl94]

I wouldn't be surprised if the concrete is so they won't need to redo the equipment the next time the road gets resurfaced. NYSTA resurfaces relatively frequently.

[vdeane]

The era of non-reflective lettering would appear to be over.  Within the past couple months, the Thruway replaced the EB 1 mile advance sign for exit 25A.  Driving back home from Thanksgiving, I noticed that the lettering was reflective.  This was a one-off sign replacement and not part of any other job, so I'm inclined to think that this is the first sign with reflective letters out of the Thruway's sign shop in a long time.

[SignBridge]

Does NYSTA have their own sign shop for the BGS's or do they contract it out? If they're doing it themselves, it might explain why Thruway signs often seem a little different than NYSDOT's signs. 

[PHLBOS]

Has the metering of traffic from the Garden State Parkway Connector to the southbound thruway begun?

No, at least as of this past Wednesday Nov. 27 between 1-1:30 PM.  That ramp was/is still in the process of being worked on/revamped.

[cl94]

Does NYSTA have their own sign shop for the BGS's or do they contract it out? If they're doing it themselves, it might explain why Thruway signs often seem a little different than NYSDOT's signs.

NYSTA has their own sign shop. Their standards are slightly different.

[vdeane]

Does NYSTA have their own sign shop for the BGS's or do they contract it out? If they're doing it themselves, it might explain why Thruway signs often seem a little different than NYSDOT's signs. 

They do most signs themselves, but some do get replaced by contractors as part of other projects (such as this sign that was done as part of a paving contract).

[SignBridge]

Thanks cl94 and vdeane. You can tell that one sign for Exit-24 is not a NYSTA built sign because it looks "normal"!

[RestrictOnTheHanger]

Speaking of thruway signs, why are there a bunch of signs that appear washed out at night? They are almost unreadable.

I have seen them south of exit 17 and on the i95 extension north of the Bruckner/I678/I278 interchange. Some have clearview, some are FHWA font, but that doesnt make a difference.

Some examples

I95 at the Hutch
https://maps.app.goo.gl/wZWDuVi9JN68WVmb6

Junction with I287. Interestingly, the new name for the Tappan Zee has been patched over with a FHWA font label that is as reflective as a normal sign, the rest is washed out

https://maps.app.goo.gl/Mn86XpY62bNbAC349

[vdeane]

NYSTA ordered non-reflective lettering for their sign shop by mistake many years ago.  Rather than order the correct stuff, they continued to use it for all their new signs until it ran out.  It's only this year that signage with the correct lettering has begun appearing again (with the exception of signs placed by contractors on larger projects).

[RestrictOnTheHanger]

NYSTA ordered non-reflective lettering for their sign shop by mistake many years ago.  Rather than order the correct stuff, they continued to use it for all their new signs until it ran out.  It's only this year that signage with the correct lettering has begun appearing again (with the exception of signs placed by contractors on larger projects).

That would explain it and your post above. Are there any plans to fix any of those signs? Its quite dangerous at night

[seicer]

Video: Does the new Gov. Mario M. Cuomo Bridge alleviate traffic?

"So while the new bridge is a smooth ride with four lanes over two spans and offers a majestic view of the Hudson River between Westchester and Rockland counties, it hasn't alleviated traffic in one of the busiest stretches in the metropolitan area."

Long story short: truck traffic counts are spiking because the new Cuomo Bridge offers a far cheaper drive over the Hudson (approximately $31 round-trip) than the George Washington Bridge (approximately $100 round-trip), and the roadways on both sides of the bridge can't handle the traffic.