XBL Saga, continued

[Silk City Transit]

http://www.streetsblog.org/2014/07/25/what-buzzfeed-missed-about-how-people-get-around-new-york/#more-329264

 

Probably not that surprising that far more people travel through the Lincoln Tunnel by bus rather than car.  So how long before we see restrictions on single-occupant vehicles during peak hours (6-10 AM and 4-7 PM)?  Whereby those hours would be restricted to commercial vehicles only - buses, taxis, limos, and trucks.  

 

I can definitely see that happening over the next 5-10 years.  And before anybody calls me crazy, allow me to point out what the city of New York did with Times Square and Broadway.  If ten years ago anybody had said the city would shut down half of Times Square to traffic and turn it into a pedestrian plaza in addition to long stretches of Broadway, they'd be called crazy.  But that's exactly what happened.

 

The only issue I can think of is the logistics of enforcing such a policy - the XBL is easy because it is only one lane with restricted access guarded by a cop, with a "mercy exit" right there.  All of 495 would be a bit more tricky but could probably be done with a few physical adjustments.

 

In addition, is there any real reason why the XBL cannot be activated during times of heavy inbound traffic on weekends?  Not sure if it would make that much of an adverse effect on outbound traffic - certainly can't be any worse than weekday mornings outbound, especially around 7-9 AM.  

[BZGuy]

I don't think the have the manpower to set up and monitor the XBL on the weekends. We need it though....especially during the afternoon on the weekends.

 

It was hellish this morning..... 25min delay just to get into the lane and another 20 mins just to get into the Port. I fought the car lanes and cut through Weehawken and only lost 10mins, a couple of NJT guys were behind me but they stayed on the helix instead of jumping off for Weehawken (which kinda defeats the purpose!)

[161 New York]

Enforcement would be easy, Hurricane Sandy is our best example when such restrictions were enforced.

 

However, this leads to another question:

 

What do we do about the traffic that is heading into Hudson County from points west (mainly Bergen & Passaic Counties) in the morning between 06-09h ? Particularly Route 3, NJTP/80/46? The JFK Blvd exit can barely handle the existing traffic and Route 1/9 is always a standstill to get anywhere useful.

I cannot even think about that.

 

Then we still have the issue of the Route 3 approach to the XBL.  As we know it is highly inefficient, though the PA made it a little easier in recent years. The NJTP Authority, NJDOT and PANYNJ should rethink the NJTP & Route 3 access.

 

My proposal would be to make an HOV/Bus Only lane on Route 3 East immediately after the Secaucus Service Road (Local/Express Lanes) split and this will have positive effects on other approaches too. See below.

 

Again, the proposed Route 3 East XBL will begin immediately after the Secaucus Service Road (Local/Express Lane) split:

 

 

 

The "Route 3 XBL" continues to where the present day exit is for Harmon Meadow exit and run it down (via relatively minor modifications - noted in the notes below) to the existing NJTP exit for Route 3 to the existing XBL:
 

There, Route 3 buses (161, 163, Lakeland, DeCamp etc.,)  will simply alternate merge with the NJTP XBL traffic coming from the south (MTA x17J/x21/x22, Academy x23/x24, NJT 115,116,139 etc) and from the north (151, 165-T/167Q and other Turnpike flavors/CoachUSA etc). This will negate buses from having to go onto 495 W/B towards NJTP South and onto the XBL as is currently being done, if I am not mistaken.

 

Sources: Google Images with Wikipedia Interstate/State Highway Shields.
 

- The "Route 3 XBL" proposal from Route 3 E/B to the reversed NJTP Route 3 exit may require ramp modifications to the Exit 17 NJTP N/B ramp from 495 W/B as well as a new ramp over Paterson Plank Road will be required to remove the at-grade intersection,

 

- The NJTP Route 3 exit could be moved further north OR traffic to Route 3 from the Eastern Spur of the NJTP would have to exit at 15X, with better signage.

 

- NJT will have to reconfigure the 190 and possibly the 122/124 for this.

 

- Buses coming N/B from the south to the XBL will benefit as they can queue up further south along the Turnpike as the left lane of 16E could become a defacto XBL on the Turnpike itself.

 

- The PAPD, NYPD and PABT management will need to monitor and adjust traffic flow as necessary.

[161 New York]

Duplicate.

[SirJokaPlaya]

I wonder something else. What is stopping PA from making a 4th tunnel? Then they would have 3 tunnels heading into NYC on weekdays mornings, and 2 on all other times. Have the current tunnel that leaves NY to NJ be the XBL tunnel to get into PABT only and convert the exit ramp as the primary entrance only ramp. Build a 4th tunnel to the left of the tunnel that enters NJ from NY (from PABT) and build it coming from the Javits center. Would help with traffic flow, especially at 11pm at night with all the massive traffic leaving NY

[pjbr40]

i don't think there room on nj side to have the fourth tunnel. i think there houses behind that wall( the wall when you come out of the tunnel from nyc on your right)