Post Reply

Garden State Pkwy at I-78

Post by PhantomSoul
I got this strange routing scenario at this junction, described in the conversation of the UR at the middle of the screen here:

https://www.waze.com/editor/?zoom=5&lat ... 61&env=usa

Waze wanted the driver to go east on I-78 and make a U-Turn at the next exit, as you once had to do before the direct ramp to I-78 west from the Parkway was built a few years ago. On quick initial inspection, everything looks ok. I realize that both possible routes involves overshooting what would actually be the turn, had it been an at-grade junction, but the I-78 E U turn is way farther out of the way than the exit ramp going directly to I-78 west.

Aside from the direct I-78 west ramp being reported closed because of a wreck or something, what would cause this kind of routing? And more importantly, what if anything can be done to prevent it?
PhantomSoul
Local Champ Mentor
Local Champ Mentor
Posts: 1757
Has thanked: 311 times
Been thanked: 512 times

POSTER_ID:11269522

1

Send a message

Post by PhantomSoul
I think I may have answered my own question:

https://www.waze.com/editor/?lon=-74.24 ... 18&env=usa

This crossover segment (from I-78 W Local to I-78 W Express) cannot be accessed if you enter I-78 W Local from the direct ramp from Garden State Pkwy N. From experimenting with some routing tests in the area, Waze expects the eastbound U Turn at Paine Ave to take less than 2 minutes extra, so if Waze thinks traffic in the I-78 W Local lanes to the SR-24 split in Springfield is at least 2 minutes slower than the express lanes, it will prefer the U Turn at Paine Ave so you can access this crossover and the "faster" Express lanes.

The caveat here is that the measured speed accuracy of the Local vs Express lanes is limited because they may be too close together for GPS to tell which one you're actually in, corrupting the data if you're in the Express lanes while Waze thinks you're in the Local lanes or vice versa.

What do the routing experts here think?
PhantomSoul
Local Champ Mentor
Local Champ Mentor
Posts: 1757
Has thanked: 311 times
Been thanked: 512 times
Send a message