I95 eastbound, Fort Lee, NJ – commuter traffic overview
[Do see diagram please.]
I95 eastbound, Fort Lee, NJ – commuter traffic overview, weekday mornings and other times.
Discussion target: eastbound George Washington Bridge into New York City; upper level = 4 lanes and lower level (no trucks) = 3 lanes.
When: Most weekday mornings, even without any events that adversely affect traffic flow, drivers encounter significant congestion and delays while crossing the bridge.
Approaches: 20 lanes into 7 lanes;from highways & local streets
Route 80 = 6 lanes (local & express)
Route 46 = 2 lanes merging to 1 lane
Route 4 = 2 lanes
Palisades Parkway = 2 lanes merge 1 to upper level only
Local streets (Center Ave. down ramp = 1 lane, Park Ave = 2 lanes, Bridge Plaza South [left & right to upper level] 2 lanes, Fletcher Ave. = 2 lanes [north & south, 1 lane each to lower level]
= = = =
Proximate events:
Accidents just before or just after the toll plazas as unyielding or careless drivers to merge.
Vehicle malfunctions and break-downs mid-span, upper or lower level.
Accidents under the apartments on the NYC side between the Hudson River and the Harlem River.
Emergency roadway repairs mid-span or any east-bound roadway.
Back-ups on the exits to the west side highway.
Accidents on the Cross Bronx virtually anywhere. Likewise, emergency roadway repairs on the east-bound Cross Bronx roadway.
Accidents as trucks move to the right lanes after exiting the roadway beneath the apartments to then descend to the Major Deegan Expressway.
Any event which closes any roadway or even one lane of any roadway, e.g.: truck loses part of its load.
Per the Police Commissioner of Fort Lee, any one event can result in a virtual standstill on the bridge on either or both levels. In turn, the approaches to the bridge stop with no relief for prolonged periods of time. Then, Fort Lee becomes enmeshed in one massive vehicle gridlock.
Several years ago, I took my wife to the Post Office on Main Street and then ran an errand to a store just north of the bridge. But, I could not return to the Post Office to meet my wife. Immobile and sitting in traffic, I called the Mayor’s office to find that the Mayor was out of town. Next, I asked to be transferred to the Police Commissioner. When he answered the phone, I asked “Why couldn’t I return to my wife?” The reply: “There was an accident on the Cross Bronx, and we were not advised in a timely manner and could not get our folks out to control traffic.”
= = = =
When the bridge roads are at a standstill, many driver resort to the use of local streets relying on the prowess of their GPS systems to navigate the local streets. This in turn leads to one monolithic parking lot.
Some years ago, I met with the Police Commissioner and suggested that as networks prevent traffic from entering the networks when there is congestion, Fort Lee, should block/control (actually meter) access to Fort Lee. This was tried and a nearby town sued Fort Lee to restore free access.
The “fear” is that with 100% congestion emergency vehicles cannot traverse the streets to respond to the demands of emergency calls.
= = = =
So when there is a WAZE notice about police in and about the bridge and its approaches, the police are usually on-site to control traffic. [y view: these police vehicles are not "police traps".]
For instance most mornings:
-- There is a police officer who manually controls the traffic light at the intersection of Main Street and Center Avenue.
-- Similarly, there is a police officer at Fletcher Ave. and Bridge Plaza South who controls traffic flowing north on Fletcher, flowing south on Fletcher and that exiting Routes 46-4-80.
-- Just east of Fletcher there is a down ramp to the lower roadway. A police office allows traffic flowing from Fletcher (either direction) to enter the ramp. But, traffic exiting routes 46-4-80 are blocked.
-- Occasionally, there may be a police officer on Route 46 to prevent vehicles from using the shoulders to advance or from exiting Route 46 to use the local streets such as North Avenue.
-- And, when there is a massive backup on the bridge, most often police do not allow east bound traffic on Main St. to turn left onto Center Ave. north; to turn left from Main St. onto Fletcher Ave. north; or to turn right from southbound Linwood Ave. onto Lewis St. west.
= = = =
For the record, the Borough of Fort Lee has a police force of ~100+. This is about 50% greater than other municipalities of equal size in New Jersey. Ostensibly, the massive flow of traffic requires a greater police presence.
By the way, the roads to/from the George Washington Bridge accommodate more daily traffic than any other road system in the United States.
= = = =
I95 eastbound, Fort Lee, NJ – commuter traffic overview, weekday mornings and other times.Discussion target: eastbound George Washington Bridge into New York City; upper level = 4 lanes and lower level (no trucks) = 3 lanes.
When: Most weekday mornings, even without any events that adversely affect traffic flow, drivers encounter significant congestion and delays while crossing the bridge.
Approaches: 20 lanes into 7 lanes;from highways & local streets
Route 80 = 6 lanes (local & express)
Route 46 = 2 lanes merging to 1 lane
Route 4 = 2 lanes
Palisades Parkway = 2 lanes merge 1 to upper level only
Local streets (Center Ave. down ramp = 1 lane, Park Ave = 2 lanes, Bridge Plaza South [left & right to upper level] 2 lanes, Fletcher Ave. = 2 lanes [north & south, 1 lane each to lower level]
= = = =
Proximate events:
Accidents just before or just after the toll plazas as unyielding or careless drivers to merge.
Vehicle malfunctions and break-downs mid-span, upper or lower level.
Accidents under the apartments on the NYC side between the Hudson River and the Harlem River.
Emergency roadway repairs mid-span or any east-bound roadway.
Back-ups on the exits to the west side highway.
Accidents on the Cross Bronx virtually anywhere. Likewise, emergency roadway repairs on the east-bound Cross Bronx roadway.
Accidents as trucks move to the right lanes after exiting the roadway beneath the apartments to then descend to the Major Deegan Expressway.
Any event which closes any roadway or even one lane of any roadway, e.g.: truck loses part of its load.
Per the Police Commissioner of Fort Lee, any one event can result in a virtual standstill on the bridge on either or both levels. In turn, the approaches to the bridge stop with no relief for prolonged periods of time. Then, Fort Lee becomes enmeshed in one massive vehicle gridlock.
Several years ago, I took my wife to the Post Office on Main Street and then ran an errand to a store just north of the bridge. But, I could not return to the Post Office to meet my wife. Immobile and sitting in traffic, I called the Mayor’s office to find that the Mayor was out of town. Next, I asked to be transferred to the Police Commissioner. When he answered the phone, I asked “Why couldn’t I return to my wife?” The reply: “There was an accident on the Cross Bronx, and we were not advised in a timely manner and could not get our folks out to control traffic.”
= = = =
When the bridge roads are at a standstill, many driver resort to the use of local streets relying on the prowess of their GPS systems to navigate the local streets. This in turn leads to one monolithic parking lot.
Some years ago, I met with the Police Commissioner and suggested that as networks prevent traffic from entering the networks when there is congestion, Fort Lee, should block/control (actually meter) access to Fort Lee. This was tried and a nearby town sued Fort Lee to restore free access.
The “fear” is that with 100% congestion emergency vehicles cannot traverse the streets to respond to the demands of emergency calls.
= = = =
So when there is a WAZE notice about police in and about the bridge and its approaches, the police are usually on-site to control traffic. [y view: these police vehicles are not "police traps".]
For instance most mornings:
-- There is a police officer who manually controls the traffic light at the intersection of Main Street and Center Avenue.
-- Similarly, there is a police officer at Fletcher Ave. and Bridge Plaza South who controls traffic flowing north on Fletcher, flowing south on Fletcher and that exiting Routes 46-4-80.
-- Just east of Fletcher there is a down ramp to the lower roadway. A police office allows traffic flowing from Fletcher (either direction) to enter the ramp. But, traffic exiting routes 46-4-80 are blocked.
-- Occasionally, there may be a police officer on Route 46 to prevent vehicles from using the shoulders to advance or from exiting Route 46 to use the local streets such as North Avenue.
-- And, when there is a massive backup on the bridge, most often police do not allow east bound traffic on Main St. to turn left onto Center Ave. north; to turn left from Main St. onto Fletcher Ave. north; or to turn right from southbound Linwood Ave. onto Lewis St. west.
= = = =
For the record, the Borough of Fort Lee has a police force of ~100+. This is about 50% greater than other municipalities of equal size in New Jersey. Ostensibly, the massive flow of traffic requires a greater police presence.
By the way, the roads to/from the George Washington Bridge accommodate more daily traffic than any other road system in the United States.
= = = =
Re: I95 eastbound, Fort Lee, NJ – commuter traffic overview