NJ Turnpike Construction rolls on

[SignBridge]

I drove the NJT and the east end of the Penn. Turnpike this week. It's interesting that the new southbound Exit-7 signs have a blank space to eventually put a "95" shield. They might as well not have bothered. Pennsylvania appears not to have even started construction on their new bridge or the 95/276 interchange yet. At the snail's pace they're moving it'll be time to replace the NJT signs before Pennsylvania gets this job done! I'm wondering if I will actually live long enough to see it completed and drive on it.

Penna. is about 35 years behind the times to begin with. I still remember the first time I ever drove to Philadelphia circa 1976, and was in disbelief as I drove west on the Pennsy Pike through the I-95 underpasses not understanding how there was not an interchange between those 2 major highways, considering that the New York Thruway has interchanges with toll-free interstates all along its length.

[Alps]

I drove the NJT and the east end of the Penn. Turnpike this week. It's interesting that the new southbound Exit-7 signs have a blank space to eventually put a "95" shield. They might as well not have bothered. Pennsylvania appears not to have even started construction on their new bridge or the 95/276 interchange yet. At the snail's pace they're moving it'll be time to replace the NJT signs before Pennsylvania gets this job done! I'm wondering if I will actually live long enough to see it completed and drive on it.

2018 is the current plan. We'll see.

[SignBridge]

I'll believe it when construction starts! LOL

[roadman65]

I'll believe it when construction starts! LOL

Look how long it took for them to get I-676 done in Philadelphia.

[cpzilliacus]

I drove the NJT and the east end of the Penn. Turnpike this week. It's interesting that the new southbound Exit-7 signs have a blank space to eventually put a "95" shield. They might as well not have bothered. Pennsylvania appears not to have even started construction on their new bridge or the 95/276 interchange yet. At the snail's pace they're moving it'll be time to replace the NJT signs before Pennsylvania gets this job done! I'm wondering if I will actually live long enough to see it completed and drive on it.

2018 is the current plan. We'll see.

PTC appears to claim 2017 for "Stage 1" of the project here, but probably a good idea to assume an extra year, given the slow pace of this project.

[Roadsguy]

I drove the NJT and the east end of the Penn. Turnpike this week. It's interesting that the new southbound Exit-7 signs have a blank space to eventually put a "95" shield. They might as well not have bothered. Pennsylvania appears not to have even started construction on their new bridge or the 95/276 interchange yet. At the snail's pace they're moving it'll be time to replace the NJT signs before Pennsylvania gets this job done! I'm wondering if I will actually live long enough to see it completed and drive on it.

2018 is the current plan. We'll see.

The PTC's projected start dates are like speed limits: Take what they say, add 10, and that's what they mean.

[Stephane Dumas]

The PTC is almost as slow as Quebec's MTQ.  How long we had waited for the missing gaps of A-50, A-30 and A-25 to be opened.

From what I see on Google maps aerial pics, 2 overpasses had been replaced as an anticipating of the upcoming interchange. One at Galloway road and the other at Bristol-Oxford Valley road.

[jeffandnicole]

I drove the NJT and the east end of the Penn. Turnpike this week. It's interesting that the new southbound Exit-7 signs have a blank space to eventually put a "95" shield. They might as well not have bothered.

It's there.  It's just covered.

For fun, on the back of the greenout, they should have written their names and the dates when they think the greenout would be removed.

Otherwise, I'm surprised no one is kicking PA's roadass to get that project moving.  With all the seemingly needless construction on the PA Turnpike (really...how many times do they need to rebuild the center median wall?), that they can't get them to put the workers to work on this project?

[ATLRedSoxFan]

Isn't there a video on YouTube out with a simulation of the completed I-95/Penna Turnpike interchange out there? I know I've seen one, but each time I do a search, I come up empty.

[KEVIN_224]

There was definitely greenout on the I-195 sign when I went to Trenton on July 26, 2012. Sorry that I posted this before I saw the link earlier in the thread. 

[SignBridge]

I stand corrected. As Stephane pointed out, technically construction has begun on the Pa. Tpk. I did see those two new, wider overpasses at the locations mentioned. But at the point where I-95 crosses over the Turnpike there is no evidence that I could see of any beginning of construction of an interchange. And that's what's annoying after all these years........

[swbrotha100]

Isn't there a video on YouTube out with a simulation of the completed I-95/Penna Turnpike interchange out there? I know I've seen one, but each time I do a search, I come up empty.

I don't know about YouTube, but there are video simulations here:

http://www.paturnpikei95.com/visualizations.htm

[swbrotha100]

I drove the NJT and the east end of the Penn. Turnpike this week. It's interesting that the new southbound Exit-7 signs have a blank space to eventually put a "95" shield. They might as well not have bothered. Pennsylvania appears not to have even started construction on their new bridge or the 95/276 interchange yet. At the snail's pace they're moving it'll be time to replace the NJT signs before Pennsylvania gets this job done! I'm wondering if I will actually live long enough to see it completed and drive on it.

Penna. is about 35 years behind the times to begin with. I still remember the first time I ever drove to Philadelphia circa 1976, and was in disbelief as I drove west on the Pennsy Pike through the I-95 underpasses not understanding how there was not an interchange between those 2 major highways, considering that the New York Thruway has interchanges with toll-free interstates all along its length.

It seems to me that PA and the PA Turnpike seem to have been the most reluctant to connect their toll roads to toll-free interstate highways.

[cpzilliacus]

It seems to me that PA and the PA Turnpike seem to have been the most reluctant to connect their toll roads to toll-free interstate highways.

From the state that invented the breezewood.

[NE2]

From the state that invented the breezewood.

New Jersey? The Pulaski Skyway non-connection predates any such gaps in Pennsylvania.

[SignBridge]

Funny, I've been using the NJT and the Skyway for a lifetime and never even thought of that.......LOL. I guess I'm too used to it. You just took the Turnpike or the Skyway.

Another similar location in Penna. is at Bedford where the Pa. Tpk. and I-99 meet. It's obvious both there and Breezewood, that supporting the local economy is the issue. If interchanges were built, all those restaurants and motels would lose some of their business.

[Alps]

From the state that invented the breezewood.

New Jersey? The Pulaski Skyway non-connection predates any such gaps in Pennsylvania.

Long Island Motor Parkway and anything without an interchange.

[Duke87]

From the state that invented the breezewood.

New Jersey? The Pulaski Skyway non-connection predates any such gaps in Pennsylvania.

Long Island Motor Parkway and anything without an interchange.

Neither of those are quite the same thing since the missing direct connection is not a through movement for any given route.

It's one thing to say you have to use a surface street to go between the route 1 freeway and the route 2 freeway for some or all movements. There are countless examples of this all over the place (New York City is notorious for them). It's another thing entirely to say that, in order to continue following route 1, you must get off of one freeway and then use a surface street to get to another one.

[NE2]

Neither of those are quite the same thing since the missing direct connection is not a through movement for any given route.

Neither is the interchange we're talking about, currently, at I-95 and the PA Turnpike.

It's one thing to say you have to use a surface street to go between the route 1 freeway and the route 2 freeway for some or all movements. There are countless examples of this all over the place (New York City is notorious for them). It's another thing entirely to say that, in order to continue following route 1, you must get off of one freeway and then use a surface street to get to another one.

Nobody would complain about Breezewood if I-70 had been routed to Philly and instead an I-68 went from Breezewood to Baltimore. Riiiight.

[PHLBOS]

There was definitely greenout on the I-195 sign when I went to Trenton on July 26, 2012. Sorry that I posted this before I saw the link earlier in the thread. 

That green-out's on the I-195 West BGS have been there for a few years.  The original message (w/button-copy, text, arrow & I-shield) simply read 195 WEST Trenton with a downward arrow located bottom-center (oriented like a single-lane pull-through BGS).  The green-outs and newer I-shields were erected at/around the same time.

Not sure why NJTA modified the BGS as such?  OTOH, replacing the old, faded button-copy shields (1971 1974 vintage) I can see.  The red part of the shields looked more like rust orange/brown when they were finally replaced.

Found an old photo of the original 195 WEST TRENTON BGS message layout but with the current shields.

[Flyer78]

Is the Shore Points legend also an addition on the Eastbound sign, or was it just mounted that way...

[PHLBOS]

Is the Shore Points legend also an addition on the Eastbound sign, or was it just mounted that way...

Judging by the photo, it looks like it was an addition or replacement for another destination.  Given the fact that most of the lettering is button-copy; it was likley added when the BGS was only a few years old (someone else here can confirm).  The first time I saw that BGS in 1985 (while heading the then-Great Adventure); I believe the Shore Points lettering was already there.

[Steve D]

Is the Shore Points legend also an addition on the Eastbound sign, or was it just mounted that way...

Judging by the photo, it looks like it was an addition or replacement for another destination.  Given the fact that most of the lettering is button-copy; it was likley added when the BGS was only a few years old (someone else here can confirm).  The first time I saw that BGS in 1985 (while heading the then-Great Adventure); I believe the Shore Points lettering was already there.

I remember when exit 7A opened in 1974, I-195 originally went only a few exits eastbound (i.e., not opened westbound) past the Turnpike.  The mainline Turnpike BGS listed Allentown (NJ) which was then quickly greened-over for Hamilton as new exits on 195 (both west and east) opened.  It's very strange that Lakewood is on the directional sign after the toll as it is not on the mainline signs.  There are a few other examples of this on other exits (Highland Park off exit 10, Princeton off exit 8, etc..)

[roadman65]

Is the Shore Points legend also an addition on the Eastbound sign, or was it just mounted that way...

Judging by the photo, it looks like it was an addition or replacement for another destination.  Given the fact that most of the lettering is button-copy; it was likley added when the BGS was only a few years old (someone else here can confirm).  The first time I saw that BGS in 1985 (while heading the then-Great Adventure); I believe the Shore Points lettering was already there.

I remember when exit 7A opened in 1974, I-195 originally went only a few exits eastbound (i.e., not opened westbound) past the Turnpike.  The mainline Turnpike BGS listed Allentown (NJ) which was then quickly greened-over for Hamilton as new exits on 195 (both west and east) opened.  It's very strange that Lakewood is on the directional sign after the toll as it is not on the mainline signs.  There are a few other examples of this on other exits (Highland Park off exit 10, Princeton off exit 8, etc..)

Its not strange that Lakewood is on the sign at all.  Years ago, the I-195 EB ramp from CR 537 near Great Adventure had Lakewood instead of Shore Points back in the 80's.  It was because I-195, like you said was opened eastward in segments and there was a time when I-195 ended at CR 527 ( I think) and later on US 9 in Howell.  In fact I remember in the late 80's when the current cloverleaf was the eastern terminus  for a long time.  When the segment from US 9 to NJ 34 did finally open, I was of driving age of course and drove that section just days after its initial opening that had to be in the mid or late 80's.

What you see is reminants of the old days.  By the way, you have a good memory as I remember Allentown once being used at Exit 7A as a kid and did not know then that NJ also had an Allentown as well as PA.  So, I actually thought it was referring to Allentown, PA and that I-195 somehow went there, until I learned otherwise as I got older.

[Mr_Northside]

Another similar location in Penna. is at Bedford where the Pa. Tpk. and I-99 meet. It's obvious both there and Breezewood, that supporting the local economy is the issue. If interchanges were built, all those restaurants and motels would lose some of their business.

While I can agree with that statement for Breezewood, I think cost vs. traffic counts is probably the primary reason Bedford hasn't changed. 
Breezewood only needs 2 ramps that would seem relatively simple and not *too* expensive, but the topography of where the current Bedford interchange, I-99 crosses the TPK, and the I-99 trumpet with Bus-220 seems like it would be pretty expensive to weave together.