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The New Jersey Turnpike, or simply "The Turnpike" as it's known to NJ residents, is a Toll Road in New Jersey and is one of the most heavily traveled Highway s in the United States . A majority of the mainline as well as the entirety of both extensions and spurs are part of the Interstate Highway System . Construction of the Turnpike from conceptualization to opening took 23 months, from 1950 to 1952. The Turnpike boasts –wide lanes, –wide shoulders, 13 rest areas named after notable New Jerseyites, and unusual exit signage that was considered the pinnacle of highway building in the 1950s. The Interstate Highway System took some of its design guidelines by copying the Turnpike's design guidelines. ROUTE DESCRIPTION The main trunk of the New Jersey Turnpike runs from Carneys Point Township in the south to Ridgefield in the north. It is designated as unsigned Route 700 from Exit 1 ( Delaware Memorial Bridge ) in Carneys Point Township, through to Exit 6 and as Interstate 95 from Exits 6 ( Mansfield Township ) through 18 ( Secaucus / Carlstadt ). The number of lanes ranges from 4 lanes south of Exit 4 ( Mount Laurel Township ), the interchange with Route 73 , to 14 lanes between Exit 11 ( Woodbridge Township ) and Exit 14 ( Newark ). ]]The main headquarters for the Turnpike was in East Brunswick Township ; however after the New Jersey Turnpike Authority and the New Jersey Highway Authority (former agency that maintains the Garden State Parkway ) merged, the NJTA moved to the NJHA headquarters in Woodbridge Township . There, the New Jersey Turnpike Authority monitors vehicular volume on the entire length on the Turnpike. They operate three AM Radio channels, which broadcast advisories (weather, traffic, events) on the turnpike. Also, the main headquarters operates the VMS ( Variable Message Signs ) on the turnpike, which alerts motorists of poor weather, accidents, or congestion. Speed Limit signs are also VMS. When the main sign flashes “REDUCE SPEED,” the speed limit VMS changes from its usual speed limit to a lowered one. The Authority also has a few closed-circuit TV cameras that show pictures of current traffic conditions. The cameras are located in Newark (2 cameras), Secaucus (1), Elizabeth (2), Jersey City (2), East Brunswick Township (1), Mount Laurel Township (1), and Monroe Township (2). Before the advent of the interstate highways, the whole Turnpike was designated by the New Jersey Department Of Transportation as Route 700, with the Pennsylvania Turnpike Extension being Route 700P and the Newark Bay Extension being '''Route 700N''' at one time. The western spur is officially known as '''Route 95W''' but signed as Interstate 95 (see below). None of these state highway designations have ever been signed. North of Exit 8A, the Turnpike splits into a "dual-dual" configuration, with the outer lanes open to all vehicles and the inner lanes limited to cars only, unless signed otherwise because of unusual conditions. From here to Exit 14 ( Newark ), the interchange with Interstate 78 , the road ranges from 10 to 14 lanes wide. Starting in Monroe Township (going north), the turnpike has a total of 10 lanes, 5 in each direction (2-3-3-2). From East Brunswick Township , the turnpike has a total of 12 lanes, 6 in each direction (3-3-3-3). From Woodbridge Township , the turnpike has a total of 14 lanes, 7 in each direction (4-3-3-4). Between Woodbridge Township and Newark , HOV lanes exist on the outer roadway (outer truck lanes), which is the reason for the extra lane. The HOV lanes are in effect on weekdays, from 6:00-9:00 northbound, and 16:00-19:00 (4pm-7pm) southbound (At times, the Authority might "suspend" the HOV restrictions entirely during peaks hours in case of extra vehicular volume). Between Exits 14 and 18, the Turnpike splits into two spurs, an eastern spur and a western spur. Both spurs are posted as I-95, although technically the eastern spur is I-95 as that was built first. The western spur is posted as I-95 for through traffic on I-95, while traffic entering at the ends of the split is routed via the eastern spur. The New Jersey Department Of Transportation (NJDOT), which calls every class of highway ''Route'', calls the western spur Route 95W. The Turnpike also has two extensions: The first, the Newark Bay Extension, was opened in 1956 and is a part of Interstate 78 . It connects Newark with Lower Manhattan via the Holland Tunnel in Jersey City and intersects the mainline near Newark Liberty International Airport . This extension contains three exits (Exits 14A, 14B, and 14C) and due to its design (four lanes with a shoulderless Jersey Barrier divider), it has a speed limit. The second extension connects the mainline of the New Jersey Turnpike with the Pennsylvania Turnpike at Exit 6. A long six-lane highway, it not only connects the Pennsylvania Turnpike with the mainline, but also has an exit to U.S. Route 130 near Florence . It was formerly designated as Route 700P, but is currently designated I-95 in preparation for when the Pennsylvania Turnpike/Interstate 95 Interchange Project is completed in 2009. A stretch of I-95 north of U.S. Route 46 came under Turnpike Authority jurisdiction in 1992, as the NJDOT "sold" the road in order to balance the state budget. This section of the road is also "dual-dual", split into local and express lanes. This portion of the turnpike connects to the George Washington Bridge . On July 9 , 2003 , Governor Of New Jersey James McGreevey 's plan to merge the New Jersey Turnpike Authority and the New Jersey Highway Authority (which had operated the Garden State Parkway ) into one agency was completed. from the New Jersey Turnpike]] A section of the Turnpike and the surrounding land in Elizabeth and Newark, New Jersey has been called "the most dangerous two miles in America" by New Jersey Homeland Security officials due to the high volume of traffic in conjunction with the density of potential terrorist targets in the surrounding area.5 Bridges A number of bridges are included as part of the New Jersey Turnpike:
Rest areas The New Jersey Turnpike is noted for naming its Rest Area s after people who lived or worked in New Jersey. From south to north, the rest areas are:
Even long-time local motorists frequently do not know who some of these people were, or in the case of Kilmer, even what gender they were. (Kilmer's full name is Alfred Joyce Kilmer.) Several of the northbound rest stops are named after people better known by their middle names, rather than first names, these including Thomas Woodrow Wilson, the aforementioned Alfred Joyce Kilmer, and Stephen Grover Cleveland. "Molly Pitcher" is a name given to a woman (reportedly a water-bearer who helped cannoneers during a New Jersey battle during the American Revolutionary War ) who may or may not have existed. Contemporary New Jersey writers such as Calvin Trillin and Philip Roth have ruefully commented that they hope they do not get a rest stop named after them once they die. Perhaps surprisingly, the ''Looking for America'' book describes the Edison, Lombardi, and Kilmer rest stops as possible hot spots for Heterosexual , Homosexual , and Prostitution activities respectively. Turnpike rest areas comprise mostly Burger King and Roy Rogers Fast-food Restaurant locations. Most rest stops also include a Sunoco , with gas price signs posted about half a mile before reaching the rest stop. Toll collection ]] The New Jersey Turnpike is a closed-system Toll Road , using a system of long-distance tickets, obtained once by a motorist upon entering and surrendered upon exiting at toll gates. The toll gates exist at all exits and entrances (except for the Meadowlands Sports Complex ) and also at the highway extension toward the Hudson River. The toll fee depends on the distance traveled between entrance and exit, and longer distances result in higher tolls. As Of 2004 , the automobile toll from Exit 1 to Exit 18 is $6.45. If the ticket is lost, one must pay the highest toll fee upon exiting. Discounts were available to users of the E-ZPass Electronic Toll Collection system until 2004. Since then, the costly implementation of the E-ZPass system forced the Turnpike Authority to eliminate the discounts, and instead impose a $1 per month E-ZPass fee to their account holders, causing many New Jersey E-ZPass holders to obtain transponders through other toll authorities which do not impose the fee. Express E-ZPass implementation is underway, allowing E-ZPass customers at some of the toll plazas to travel through toll areas at highway speeds, via the addition of E-ZPass sensors on an overhead gantry. One of these high-speed toll gates is located at the northern terminus of the road, as southbound Interstate 95 traffic enters the turnpike. The newest one is located at the southern terminus in Carneys Point Township . There is also a high-speed E-ZPass entry point on the Pennsylvania Turnpike Extension. At each location, traditional E-ZPass and cash lanes are also available. When travelling from the North, users who exit at the Meadowlands Sports Complex pay no toll, but the Turnpike Authority counts cars electronically and is paid a fee for each vehicle by the New Jersey Sports And Exposition Authority . The non-tolled Interstate 295 , which parallels the Turnpike for much of its southern length, is often used as an alternate route for Shunpiking by locals and through travelers alike; prior to the expansion of the Exit 1 toll plaza, this route was promoted through signage and radio announcements from the New Jersey State Police as a bypass of summer congestion at the plaza. HISTORY According to a letter to the editor written by the daughter of Paul L. Troast , the one of the first chaiman of the NJ Turnpike Authority, Kathleen Troast Pitney: A brochure "Interesting Facts about the New Jersey Turnpike", dating from soon after the road's opening, states that when the Turnpike's bonds are paid off, "The law provides that the Turnpike be turned over to the State for inclusion in the public highway system." Due to new construction, and the expectation that the Turnpike pay for policing and maintenance, this has never come to pass. The task of building the turnpike was not an easy one. One major problem was the construction in the city of Elizabeth , where either 450 homes or 32 businesses would be destroyed, depending on the chosen route. The builders decided to go through the residential area, considering it the grittiest and the closest route to both Newark Airport and the Port Newark-Elizabeth Marine Terminal seaport. When construction finally got to Newark, there was a new challenge; Deciding to build either over or under the Pulaski Skyway . If construction went above the skyway, the costs would be much higher. If they went under, the costs would be lower, but the roadway would be very close to the Passaic River , making it harder for ships to pass through. The engineers chose to go under. While continuing up to the New Jersey Meadowlands , the crossings were harder because of the fertile marsh land of silt and mud. Near the shallow mud, engineers filled the mud with crushed stone, and built the roadway above the water table. In the deeper mud, engineers sank Caissons down to a firm stratum, filled the caissons with sand, then both the caissons, and the surrounding areas were covered with blankets of sand. Gradually, the water was brought up, and drained into adjacent meadows. Then, the construction of the two major bridges over the Passaic River and Hackensack River were completed. The bridges were built to give motorists a clear view of the New York City skyline, but with high retaining walls to make it seem as if you are not even crossing a river. The 6,955 ft. Passaic River (Chaplain Washington) Bridge cost $13.7 million to construct and the 5,623 ft. Hackensack River Bridge cost $9.5 million. A controversial project through the East Brunswick area involved a proposed widening from six to twelve lanes. Analysis of noise (Shadely, 1973) and air quality impacts were made in a lawsuit decided in New Jersey Superior Court . This case in the early 1970s was one of the early U.S. examples of Environmental Scientist s playing a role in the design of a major highway. The Computer Model s allowed the court to understand the effects of roadway geometry (width in this case), vehicle speeds, proposed Noise Barrier s, Residential setback and pavement types. The outcome was a compromise that involved substantial mitigation of Noise Pollution and Air Pollution impacts. FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS
Proposed widening between Interchanges 6 and 8A http://www.njturnpikewidening.com/community.asp In November 2004, New Jersey Governor '', December 1 , 2004 The NJTA is also planning to expand the turnpike between Exit 9 in East Brunswick to Exit 8A in Monroe Township . This would change the current dual-dual configuration (2-3-3-2) to "3-3-3-3." This would require little construction as the overpasses were built with future expansion and would only require the outer lanes to be repaved and restriped to accommodate the extra lane. The dual-dual configuration (between 6 and 8A) was thought to have been "2-3-3-2." However, according to Turnpike documentation, the turnpike would feature six lanes in each direction (3-3-3-3). Turnpike authory to hold public information centers regarding widening project , ), Exit 7 ( Bordentown Twp ), Exit 7A ( Washington Township ), Exit 8 ( East Windsor Township ), and Exit 8A ( Monroe Township ). On January 1 , 2007 , the Turnpike was facing opposition in East Windsor Township with an upgrade of Exit 8. The current Interchange 8 will be demolished and replaced with a new interchange. Prior to this plan being released, some thought that the new Exit 8 would connect directly with the Hightstown Bypass . There seems to be ample space (between mile markers 67.89 and 68.12) to build a new interchange, a toll gate and ramps for 133. The NJTA's plan was to re-route the new Exit 8 to the intersection with Route 33 , Milford Road, and the Hightstown Bypass (on the east side of the expressway in lieu of the west). This new 8 would grant direct access to the bypass (without going through any traffic lights), as well as to 33, using grade separated interchanges. The new toll gate would also feature a total of 12 booths at the gate. However, the interchange and the toll gate would run near some residential houses located right off of 33, and would disturb Twin Rivers . The Authority released 3 configuration options at the intersection of Milford, 33, and the bypass.
POP CULTURE REFERENCES
EXIT LIST SEE ALSO FURTHER READING
REFERENCES EXTERNAL LINKS
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