The Need for Better Signage

[BrooklynBus]

http://www.sheepsheadbites.com/2013/08/the-need-for-better-signage/

[peacemak3r]

Oh my! YES! Road signage is horrible...in Manhattan mainly.  I don't know much about the Battery tunnel's signage as I am with you with being a cheapskate and rather not pay the $6.50.

 

Brooklyn bridge, I assume you went over at night time?  I can't say for weekdays but I know on weekends the Brooklyn bridge's Brooklyn bound lanes are closed and the Manhattan bound lanes are used to head back into Brooklyn.  There should be signs indicating this in Manhattan and there are definitely signs, if not barricades in Brooklyn letting you know.  Luckily on the Brooklyn side, it's easier to navigate into Manhattan and the signage is a bit better.

 

The LIE traffic problem, in most cases you should avoid it anyway.  Most driven drivers has that keen knowledge that the LIE is packed no matter what time of day/night it is. (Unless it's like 3 to 5 in the morning that is.)  But it does make sense to make the signage better for the non-often drivers to let them know about it rather then the public announcements that people barely even follow.

But the electric signs I've seen on the LIE, GCP and Van Wyck always indicates their traffic patterns and traffic on other highways..maybe it's just my luck.  The signs where I don't see traffic patterns but only public announcements are on the Gowanus, Belt Parkway and the FDR.

 

My thoughts on GPS, I feel they are in partners with gas companies for some reason.  Every time I have the GPS lead me somewhere, I always get routed on the longest damn route.  I don't use GPS systems anymore and just rely on Google maps and keen knowledge of the road.  Traffic situations, I just wing it and see what happens.  If I see a build up, I'll recalculate my route in my mind if I know the area.  If I don't know the area, I just ride with the traffic. (Sucks I know.)  Worse come to worse, I'll pull up Google maps rather than a GPS as they can be outdated and people (like me) just don't update it.

 

All-in-all I agree with the article! 

[BrooklynBus]

Oh my! YES! Road signage is horrible...in Manhattan mainly. I don't know much about the Battery tunnel's signage as I am with you with being a cheapskate and rather not pay the $6.50.

 

Brooklyn bridge, I assume you went over at night time? I can't say for weekdays but I know on weekends the Brooklyn bridge's Brooklyn bound lanes are closed and the Manhattan bound lanes are used to head back into Brooklyn. There should be signs indicating this in Manhattan and there are definitely signs, if not barricades in Brooklyn letting you know. Luckily on the Brooklyn side, it's easier to navigate into Manhattan and the signage is a bit better.

 

The LIE traffic problem, in most cases you should avoid it anyway. Most driven drivers has that keen knowledge that the LIE is packed no matter what time of day/night it is. (Unless it's like 3 to 5 in the morning that is.) But it does make sense to make the signage better for the non-often drivers to let them know about it rather then the public announcements that people barely even follow.

But the electric signs I've seen on the LIE, GCP and Van Wyck always indicates their traffic patterns and traffic on other highways..maybe it's just my luck. The signs where I don't see traffic patterns but only public announcements are on the Gowanus, Belt Parkway and the FDR.

 

My thoughts on GPS, I feel they are in partners with gas companies for some reason. Every time I have the GPS lead me somewhere, I always get routed on the longest damn route. I don't use GPS systems anymore and just rely on Google maps and keen knowledge of the road. Traffic situations, I just wing it and see what happens. If I see a build up, I'll recalculate my route in my mind if I know the area. If I don't know the area, I just ride with the traffic. (Sucks I know.) Worse come to worse, I'll pull up Google maps rather than a GPS as they can be outdated and people (like me) just don't update it.

 

All-in-all I agree with the article!

 

It's an old picture. The toll now is $7.50.

 

I was there at 11PM as I stated in the article. It was a weeknight. For like a four year closure is it to much trouble to put up a sign at e Manattan Bridge exit of the BQE southbound that states "Use Manhattan Bridge. Brooklyn Bridge closed 11PM to 6 AM"? Instead you are allowed to get off at the Brooklyn Bridge Cadman Plaza exit only to find out te Bridge is closed when you get there. There is one electronic sign advising of the closure around Queens Blvd, but what if on get on the highway after that point? The sign also says "Plan Alternate Route". That is useless information. How about "Use W'msburg or Man. Br."

 

The LIE is not bad all the time.

 

I think GPS is in cahoots with toll bridges. They seem to advise toll bridges even if it takes you out of the way. I was on the Grand Central Parkway near the Worlds Fair and wanted to go to Long Beach. The GPS wanted me to take the Jackie Robinson back to Woodhaven to te Cross Bay Bridge to the Atlantic Bridge or whatever it's called to get to Long Beach. That's two toll bridges. All I had to do was stay on the GCP to Cross Island to Southern State to Peninusula Blvd and get to Long Beach without any tolls and I doubt if that's any longer. Another time it advised a toll route to save one minute.

[peacemak3r]

It's an old picture. The toll now is $7.50.

 

I was there at 11PM as I stated in the article. It was a weeknight. For like a four year closure is it to much trouble to put up a sign at e Manattan Bridge exit of the BQE southbound that states "Use Manhattan Bridge. Brooklyn Bridge closed 11PM to 6 AM"? Instead you are allowed to get off at the Brooklyn Bridge Cadman Plaza exit only to find out te Bridge is closed when you get there. There is one electronic sign advising of the closure around Queens Blvd, but what if on get on the highway after that point? The sign also says "Plan Alternate Route". That is useless information. How about "Use W'msburg or Man. Br."

 

The LIE is not bad all the time.

 

I think GPS is in cahoots with toll bridges. They seem to advise toll bridges even if it takes you out of the way. I was on the Grand Central Parkway near the Worlds Fair and wanted to go to Long Beach. The GPS wanted me to take the Jackie Robinson back to Woodhaven to te Cross Bay Bridge to the Atlantic Bridge or whatever it's called to get to Long Beach. That's two toll bridges. All I had to do was stay on the GCP to Cross Island to Southern State to Peninusula Blvd and get to Long Beach without any tolls and I doubt if that's any longer. Another time it advised a toll route to save one minute.

 

I know the toll is $7.50, I meant for the closures of the tunnel and such.

 

I know heading up on the BQE there is an electronic sign that does stay the Brooklyn bridge would be closed. (This is of course from 6 PM to 10 PM.) And the alternate routes would be listed, mainly Manhattan bridge and Williamsburg.  There is also a sign that states to use Manhattan bridge, but it's literally right before the closed ramp of the Brooklyn bridge and people would usually not notice that sign. (Of course unless they took that sign down.)

 

Yeah, the LIE is not as bad as the Van Wyck at most times, but I consider bad as you can't maintain speed limit for more than 2 miles.  So with that, my experience with the LIE (between the Midtown tunnel and Utopia), it's pretty bad. [Midday though, night time is obviously not as bad unless there are random DOT vehicles picking up cones or placing cones.

 

That's what I'm saying with the GPS's! They are evil! LOL.  I seriously rely on Google maps if I'm absolutely that lost and just plan my route accordingly.

[BrooklynBus]

I think the worst part of the LIE is west of 108th Street which is the section I rarely use.

 

My old GPS tried to kill me several times, first by insisting I immediately make a left turn on the FDR into a concrete wall. When I refused, she ten tod me to make a sharp right directly into the East River. She also told me to turn not the FDR Doctor because we all know that DR means doctor, not to mention make a u turn into oncoming traffic on Emmons Avenue.

[peacemak3r]

Yes, west of 108 is horrible in the morning through to evening. 60% of the time, it's bumper to bumper, 5MPH traffic. Rest is usually under speed limit.  Night time, it isn't that bad.  Of course peak hours are 100% the worst on the LIE in that section.