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I know, I know, there are a lot of them in NJ, as well as everywhere in the entire tri state area. The headache I am referring to is the one that commuters get as they commute through Morris Co on Rts 80, 287, 24, 280, and 80 daily. From the latest press release from the DOT is seems as the construction will continue well into 2015. Report: Big construction on Route 80, 287 will continue into 2015 | NJ.com
I have lived in this area for a long, long time and in fact I cannot recall a time when there was not some construction on either 80, 287 or 280 in Morris Co. Often there was construction on more than one highway at once, and several times it was occurring on all three at once. I probably should not admit this on a public forum, but I remember when they got the section of 287 to Montville completed and opened in 1973, (as a kid, I am not that old!) I remember what a fiasco the interchange of 287 and Rte 80 was at first, and the weekly horrible accidents where semi's kept jackknifing on the ramps. Shortly after the interchange was opened, they set about making changes and improvements to try to correct things. As it turned out these revisions were to happen over and over again, each as an attempt to finally correct the problems. How many time has the intersection been re-vamped now, is it 5 or 6 now? The interchange still stinks, and there are still semi's jackknifing, although thank god not nearly as often as they used to. As I write they are STILL re constructing the interchange trying to get it right, and making deck repairs in the area. I also remember when they finally completed the northernmost section connecting 287 all the way up past the NY state line in 1994. I remember 1989 when rte 78 finally opened to many promises that this would cure the east/west commuter woes. Clearly that cure never materialized. I also remember 1992 when rt 24 first opened. I remember it well because on my way home the first week the road was open, a deer ran into the side of my (then) new car and flipped up onto the hood/windshield nearly totaling the car and me in one fell swoop. We all were told rt 24 would make our commutes so much easier for all in Morris and Essex Counties and alleviate all that traffic congestion. Well, that certainly never happened. Anyone who drives these roads knows that these roads simply do not have the capacity needed for all that must use the roads daily. It is also clear that there is no land realistically available to build more infrastructure bisecting Northern NJ.
I guess we just have to accept that, sadly, no the construction will never end, and yes we will always have horrible traffic congestion.
Many times almost daily I used to sneak on the partially built sections of NJ 24 before it was opened. You had to know where the pavement ended and hop over to the other side.
I remember there's a front page pic of me and my two then very young sons standing on the overpass while Gov Kean cut the ribbons to open I 78.
Many memories and while today the roads get filled during rush hours pretty much every day, that capacity just wasn't there before they were built.
Problem too is all the people who moved out to the Pocono's for cheaper housing and taxes but can't find decent paying jobs out there clog 80, 280 and 287 commuting to jobs in Morris and Essex counties.
Could never figure that out...cheaper houses and taxes but what is the commute costing them in gas, wear and tear on the cars plus wear and tear on themselves as I think that is an awful commute.
I use 80 every day and there is plenty of PA plates whizzing by me.
I live in this area too. (Been here for about 4 years.)
Let's just put it this way--I found driving from Essex County into midtown everyday via the Lincoln Tunnel, more pleasant and orderly than dealing with the CLOWN CONVENTION they've got going on with 287/80 in Morris County.
The driving I have to do right now in/around Jersey City is less of a headache and a risk to life, than 287/80 in Morris County.
If I had been more aware of what a giant PITA it is to get anywhere from here, it definitely would have factored into my decision to move here. I don't think it would have been a deal breaker, and I probably would have moved here anyway, but it also definitely would have been near the top of the CONS side of my list.
I live in this area too. (Been here for about 4 years.)
Let's just put it this way--I found driving from Essex County into midtown everyday via the Lincoln Tunnel, more pleasant and orderly than dealing with the CLOWN CONVENTION they've got going on with 287/80 in Morris County.
The driving I have to do right now in/around Jersey City is less of a headache and a risk to life, than 287/80 in Morris County.
If I had been more aware of what a giant PITA it is to get anywhere from here, it definitely would have factored into my decision to move here. I don't think it would have been a deal breaker, and I probably would have moved here anyway, but it also definitely would have been near the top of the CONS side of my list.
I agree completely. My commute went from an easy 35 minutes to 60-75 minutes Its completely out of hand. Had I known how crappy this commute would get, I would have thought twice about accepting this job.
The whole project was not even necessary in the first place and only got going because they got "free" money from the federal government.
The blatant disregard for the average persons time is disgusting. Millions and millions of man hours must have been lost from people sitting in this traffic by now.
... The whole project was not even necessary in the first place and only got going because they got "free" money from the federal government.
The blatant disregard for the average persons time is disgusting. Millions and millions of man hours must have been lost from people sitting in this traffic by now.
"The blatant disregard for the average persons time is disgusting."
There you have it... and the aristocracy doesn't give a damn because we little people keep re-electing them regardless. Maybe more Morris County mayors should have endorsed Christie for reelection! Highway-gate?
It's also worth noting that part of the traffic issues on a lot of NJ Highways are because a lot of the planned highways they were supposed to link with got killed or truncated.
NJ-24 has awful traffic because the highway that actually got built is missing much of what was supposed to be there. It wasn't supposed to dump entirely into I-287. It was supposed to keep going in a bypass around Morristown. It didn't get built, and so I-287 & NJ-24 are disasters around Morristown because of it.
NJ-24 was supposed to connect with the Eisenhower Parkway, which would have been a large interchange capable of handling a lot of traffic. It got partially built and then canceled, so instead everyone on NJ-24 jams up the JFK Parkway and interchanges never meant for the load they have to take, while there is a large right of way to the Parkway that goes unused.
Quote:
Originally Posted by KoalaNJ
I remember 1989 when rte 78 finally opened to many promises that this would cure the east/west commuter woes.
The Eastern portions somewhat did that. It's smooth sailing from the 287 interchange (exit 29) all the way to Newark most of the time. The Western portion is bogged down with traffic going to/from 287.
And why are there so many people on 287? Because the Somerset Freeway never got built and 202/206 are disasters as a result.
It's also worth noting that part of the traffic issues on a lot of NJ Highways are because a lot of the planned highways they were supposed to link with got killed or truncated.
And why are there so many people on 287? Because the Somerset Freeway never got built and 202/206 are disasters as a result.
Definitely right about the unbuilt I-95. That would have made a day and night difference,,,but it was dropped so long ago,,,I remember hearings about which routes it was going to take in the area around Mt Rose or Hopewell,,,that was back about 1974 or so. Nothing ever got built. Many people died on the backroads since then,,,,but oh well. With today's atmosphere and financials I doubt anything substantial will ever get built in many decades.
I know, I know, there are a lot of them in NJ, as well as everywhere in the entire tri state area. The headache I am referring to is the one that commuters get as they commute through Morris Co on Rts 80, 287, 24, 280, and 80 daily. From the latest press release from the DOT is seems as the construction will continue well into 2015. Report: Big construction on Route 80, 287 will continue into 2015 | NJ.com
I have lived in this area for a long, long time and in fact I cannot recall a time when there was not some construction on either 80, 287 or 280 in Morris Co. Often there was construction on more than one highway at once, and several times it was occurring on all three at once. I probably should not admit this on a public forum, but I remember when they got the section of 287 to Montville completed and opened in 1973, (as a kid, I am not that old!) I remember what a fiasco the interchange of 287 and Rte 80 was at first, and the weekly horrible accidents where semi's kept jackknifing on the ramps. Shortly after the interchange was opened, they set about making changes and improvements to try to correct things. As it turned out these revisions were to happen over and over again, each as an attempt to finally correct the problems. How many time has the intersection been re-vamped now, is it 5 or 6 now? The interchange still stinks, and there are still semi's jackknifing, although thank god not nearly as often as they used to. As I write they are STILL re constructing the interchange trying to get it right, and making deck repairs in the area. I also remember when they finally completed the northernmost section connecting 287 all the way up past the NY state line in 1994. I remember 1989 when rte 78 finally opened to many promises that this would cure the east/west commuter woes. Clearly that cure never materialized. I also remember 1992 when rt 24 first opened. I remember it well because on my way home the first week the road was open, a deer ran into the side of my (then) new car and flipped up onto the hood/windshield nearly totaling the car and me in one fell swoop. We all were told rt 24 would make our commutes so much easier for all in Morris and Essex Counties and alleviate all that traffic congestion. Well, that certainly never happened. Anyone who drives these roads knows that these roads simply do not have the capacity needed for all that must use the roads daily. It is also clear that there is no land realistically available to build more infrastructure bisecting Northern NJ.
I guess we just have to accept that, sadly, no the construction will never end, and yes we will always have horrible traffic congestion.
KoalaNJ
(mini rant over, I promise)
What did you expect when they built all those roads out to the boondocks of NJ, nobody was going to use them?
Before I78 very few commuted from Hunterdon or Warren co. or Eastern PA into NJ or NYC.
NJ does not have a too few roads problem it has a too many people problem.
There are no solutions to NJ's overcrowded highways, you either put up with it or you move out of NJ.
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Maybe more Morris County mayors should have endorsed Christie for reelection! Highway-gate? 
