Accident turns Turnpike into parking lot
I had the misfortune of sitting in traffic for more than an hour on the New Jersey Turnpike Sunday after a tractor-trailer jackknifed just south of Exit 9 in the southbound cars-only lanes. It gave me plenty of time to reflect on what a lousy job the Turnpike did of adequately warning traffic approaching the accident site of the problem and of getting traffic moving in the accident's aftermath.
The electronic message boards gave no information other than the fact there was an accident ahead. Not whether one could expect major or minor delays, or where the accident occurred. Those two pieces of information would allow motorists to make a reasoned decision about whether to get off the Turnpike at the next opportunity or to ride it out.
It also took the Turnpike more than a half hour after the accident occurred to close the cars-only lane off to traffic and divert motorists to the trucks/cars lanes, which were moving relatively smoothly throughout. That slow response needlessly inconvenienced thousands of additional people.
There also should be a protocol that allows State Police to reroute those who are backed up in traffic from the lanes that are blocked to those that are not. If the cars-only lanes are closed, why not allow them to cross into the trucks/cars lanes at openings in the median. It could be done safely with proper supervision.
The Turnpike needs to do a much better job of keeping traffic flowing when an accident occurs.
The electronic message boards gave no information other than the fact there was an accident ahead. Not whether one could expect major or minor delays, or where the accident occurred. Those two pieces of information would allow motorists to make a reasoned decision about whether to get off the Turnpike at the next opportunity or to ride it out.
It also took the Turnpike more than a half hour after the accident occurred to close the cars-only lane off to traffic and divert motorists to the trucks/cars lanes, which were moving relatively smoothly throughout. That slow response needlessly inconvenienced thousands of additional people.
There also should be a protocol that allows State Police to reroute those who are backed up in traffic from the lanes that are blocked to those that are not. If the cars-only lanes are closed, why not allow them to cross into the trucks/cars lanes at openings in the median. It could be done safely with proper supervision.
The Turnpike needs to do a much better job of keeping traffic flowing when an accident occurs.
posted by Randy Bergmann at 1:47 PM
2 Comments:
You're right. They even have a turnpike authority, whose only function is to manage that road. I've experienced many delays on return trips from Washington. All they do is broadcast a jargon-laced, garbled message on the radio that ultimately suggests that we seek an alternative route.
you see it all depends on when the accident occurs if it is between 7:30 to 9:15 breakfast break...between 90:30-10;00 pottie break....10;15;11:00 reading break 11:45-1;30 lunch break 2:00-3;00 siesta break 3:30 TOOT...time to go home
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