is there anything good in new jersey?

[gotsmack]

1. NJ has some of the cheapest gas in the nation despite being full service. They used to advertise the cost of premium on the big boards, until a few years ago when gas prices shot up like crazy.
2. When you have such a high population density and old width restricted roads, the only way to correctly make a left turn is with a jug handle. If you make a left turn lane that removes 1 lane of traffic and holds up everyone with a non-sense left turn light.
3. There is no tax on clothing or unprepared foods in NJ.
4. All of the stores you are used to are MUCH bigger in NJ. Whole Foods, Ikea, supermarkets... You name it and there is most likely a bigger version of it in NJ.

5. The NW NJ is kinds like the mid west in that there is more open spaces, but it isn't as flat. NE NJ is all about proximity to NYC and is densely populated. SE NJ is the shore and SW NJ is filled with Philly sports loving fanatics.

6. NJ has awesome pizza, bagels, delis, and diners.

7. Property taxes are crazy in NJ, but you gotta pay the cost to be the boss.

I'm from NE NJ and I moved to Minneapolis last month. I say I miss NJ, but I miss going out to NYC on the weekends and having an abundance of entertainment.

 

[lothar]

In my experience...no. Everyone in public office is also so fucking corrupt/inept it's unbelievable and all the urban areas are beyond terrible (I'll make limited exceptions for Hoboken, parts of JC, and some of the communities along the palisades ). Worst state we've ever done business in by a wide margin.

NJ is nothing compared to IL on the corruption scale.

 

[K1052]

NJ is nothing compared to IL on the corruption scale.

We are based in IL and have been for over 100 years. NJ is much worse and also carries our highest tax burden to operate in.

 

[IronWing]

NJ was/is known for its confusing traffic circles. I haven't been back there in awhile but my brother, who unfortunately because of his job still lives there, told me they were slowly eliminating them. http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/06/njs_oldest_traffic_circle_cele.html

That's too bad. Traffic circles work great, much better than lights, as long as people aren't morons. Here in my fair city there are a bunch of new traffic circles except that the city chickened out and added stop signs, ruining the functionality of the circles.

 

[DrunkenSano]

Jug handles are a good thing, especially with how many cars are on the road. Not sure what kind of drivers people are if they don't understand jug handles...

 

[Vdubchaos]

I think North West NJ is really nice, kind of like remote parts of CT. Lots of farms/lands/state parks etc.

Especially High Point area, just beautiful.

As for the rest.....everyone else already covered it.

 

[iRONic]

Jersey walls?!

These;

Jersey barriers?

I used to have to go to Teterboro and Newark airports for work a lot. Ugh... The only thing that made those trips bearable was eating lunch here;

http://newyork.citysearch.com/profile/6631018/carlstadt_nj/steve_s_sizzling_steaks.html

 

[mugs]

New York is the biggest city in the country. Philadelphia is fifth. The turnpike connects them. Everywhere along that line is densely populated because of easy access to transportation. Densely populated areas support a lot of retail, so the highways are lined with stores. Left turns impede traffic, so we use jughandles to combine left turning traffic with cross traffic. It works really well in most places.

Other than the areas immediately surrounding New York and Philadelphia and the Turnpike corridor, New Jersey is actually really nice.

 

[Markbnj]

New York is the biggest city in the country. Philadelphia is fifth. The turnpike connects them.

The bizarre thing about the turnpike is that it is not I95. Nor does it actually connect NY and Philly (although your overall point is true). The turnpike connects I95 just west of the George Washington Bridge near Manhattan with the Delaware Memorial Bridge at the southern tip of the state. On the other side of the Delaware Memorial Bridge you find I95 again, which runs in unbroken asphalt majesty all the way to Florida. If you want to get to Philly from the turnpike you have to exit and cross the Delaware River.

So where is I95? It runs from the Delaware Memorial Bridge up the other side of the river, north through Philly to a point about 30 miles north, where it crosses the Delaware near New Hope, and then does a literal U-turn and becomes I295 south. So from roughly the NJ/Penna. border to the George Washington Bridge I95 does not exist. I don't know all the history of how this happened, but it had something to do with Penna. not being able to get its act together, leaving I95 undone north of the city, and allowing NJ to step in and grab the lion's share of the traffic between Baltimore and NYC. If they had gotten the road done then Philly could be a much different place, sitting right off the main run between Maine and Florida, rather than being basically like the town that missed the railroad.

 

[purbeast0]

^^^

i took 95 to 495 back to 95, then to route 1, then that took me to 278 which brought me right into ny. the route is basically parallel to the turnpike, which i'm sure you already know about though.

and i have to say this is the first time i've ever seen pennsylvania abbreviated as penna...

 

[Markbnj]

^^^

i took 95 to 495 back to 95, then to route 1, then that took me to 278 which brought me right into ny. the route is basically parallel to the turnpike, which i'm sure you already know about though.

and i have to say this is the first time i've ever seen pennsylvania abbreviated as penna...

According to Wikipedia the mess is due to be "remedied" in 2017 or 18 by completing a section of 95 and "re-badging" a chunk of the turnpike to call it 95. Somehow I doubt that will make all the traffic veer west, but if NJ keeps raising the turnpike tolls it just might.

Note sure where I picked up "penna." as an abbreviation.

 

[lxskllr]

Note sure where I picked up "penna." as an abbreviation.

"Regulated by the Penna Dept of Agriculture"

It was probably more common years ago.

 

[Blackjack200]

I-95 runs along the coast. The Eastern border of Pennsylvania turns West after you get much North of Philly, while the coast turns East, it really wouldn't make any sense for 95 to stay in Pennsylvania.

Also, the Turnpike is considered to be I-95. Look at a map. Yes, it's discontinuous near Trenton, but it's still 95.

I really don't mind paying a couple bucks to drive 30 miles on what will soon be a twelve lane-truck segregated road. The volume on that road is just astounding. I have a friend that actually designed a bunch of the ramps for the new interchanges on the Turnpike.

 

[Markbnj]

"Regulated by the Penna Dept of Agriculture"

It was probably more common years ago.

Yeah I was thinking about it, and stuff like milk cartons and road signs came to mind .

 

[Markbnj]

Also, the Turnpike is considered to be I-95. Look at a map. Yes, it's discontinuous near Trenton, but it's still 95.

Well, the signs on the turnpike don't say "I95" they say "To I95."

I really don't mind paying a couple bucks to drive 30 miles on what will soon be a twelve lane-truck segregated road. The volume on that road is just astounding. I have a friend that actually designed a bunch of the ramps for the new interchanges on the Turnpike.

I stay off of it just because of the congestion between exits 10 and 7. When they get that part expanded so it can handle the volume I'll start using it again. You never know when you'll run into an hour's delay headed south on that road. North between exits 4 and 7 is just about as bad. If I need to travel to Philly or South Jersey I take Route 31 south to 95, and then either go left for 295S and South Jersey, or right for 95S and Philly.

 

[Blackjack200]

Well, the signs on the turnpike don't say "I95" they say "To I95."



I stay off of it just because of the congestion between exits 10 and 7. When they get that part expanded so it can handle the volume I'll start using it again. You never know when you'll run into an hour's delay headed south on that road. North between exits 4 and 7 is just about as bad. If I need to travel to Philly or South Jersey I take Route 31 south to 95, and then either go left for 295S and South Jersey, or right for 95S and Philly.

That's true, I imagine because of the little dog leg you mentioned before, of I-95 in Ewing that crosses into NJ, heads East, and then South to 295. They don't want to sign two roads as 95 and confuse people.

But I still think it is considered 95.

http://www.state.nj.us/transportation/refdata/sldiag/00000095__-.pdf

 

[Blackjack200]

Is there anything more Jersey than arguing about highways?

 

[Markbnj]

Is there anything more Jersey than arguing about highways?

Probably the only place that would be more typical is California.

 

[mugs]

Probably the only place that would be more typical is California.

At least we have the good sense not to put "the" before all of our numbered highways.

 

[WT]

Travelling down the Turnpike
heading for the shore
A thought just then occurred to me
I never thought before
I've been a lot of places
Seen pictures of the rest
But of all the places I can think of
I like Jersey best.

Betting halls, shopping malls,
good old Rutgers U,
47 shoes stores line Route 22
The Meadowlands, the root beer stands
Main Street Hackensack;
I may leave for a week or two
But I'm always coming back.

The Pinelands and the Vinelands
Seaside Heights Margate
You can have Miami
I love the Garden State
I've been a lot of places
Seen pictures of the rest
But of all the places I can think of
I like Jersey best.

We have horses, Princeton courses,
Gas stations we have scores
Trenton, Hopewell, Lake Hopatcong,
Mantoloking Shores;
Some states have their rock stars,
But Springsteen beats them all --
And our beautiful arena has
Brendan Byrne carved on the wall.

Lots of dineries, oil refineries,
Our highways make you cough,
But Spring Lake Heights and Belmar
Are places to get off.
Drinking spots and used car lots
Make the place just grand,
If you want to pay a visit,
Newark Airport's where you land.

The Pinelands and the Vinelands
Seaside Heights Margate
You can have Miami
I love the Garden State
I've been a lot of places
Seen pictures of the rest
But of all the places I can think of
I like Jersey best.

Philly dogs like Chili dogs
They eat in Cherry Hill
Woodbridge they make Haagen Dazs
I can't get my fill
Saddle River ain't chopped liver
Nor is Lavallette
There are no Jersey strangers,
Just friends we haven't met.

The Jersey Nets went thataway, Piscataway
No more, had another winning season
And next year they'll win more;
Our Giants could go all the way
If they could win just one,
But the parties in the lots
Before the games are really fun.

The Pinelands and the Vinelands
Seaside Heights Margate
You can have Miami
I love the Garden State
I've been a lot of places
Seen pictures of the rest
But of all the places I can think of
I like Jersey best.

Our famous Parkway is the darkway
Home from Manasquan
You'd think for all those quarters
They'd turn the road lights on
And have no pity, Jersey City
Once again will shine,
With Holmdel, Cape May, Highland Park
I like our state just fine.

The Pinelands and the Vinelands
Seaside Heights Margate
You can have Miami
I love the Garden State
I've seen a lot of places
Seen pictures of the rest
But of all the places
I can think of, I like Jersey Best!

 

[zinfamous]

I've heard that the parts of the state where the Appalaichan trail continue through are quite lovely.

At least we have the good sense not to put "the" before all of our numbered highways.

Oh, I hate that! D:

 

[blackdogdeek]

I've heard that the parts of the state where the Appalaichan trail continue through are quite lovely.

Indeed. We used to go backpacking for 3 or 4 day trips in the Delaware Water Gap. Beautiful.

I personally love New Jersey. Within 1 hour of me (07003) there is farmland, shoreline, skiing, Appalachian trail and New York City.

 

[blackdogdeek]

I stay off of it just because of the congestion between exits 10 and 7. When they get that part expanded so it can handle the volume I'll start using it again. You never know when you'll run into an hour's delay headed south on that road. North between exits 4 and 7 is just about as bad. If I need to travel to Philly or South Jersey I take Route 31 south to 95, and then either go left for 295S and South Jersey, or right for 95S and Philly.

I take 11 (GSP interchange) down to 8A everyday and haven't had any issues. Only once did I see issues in the southbound truck lanes and one time I heard about a problem at 8A so I took Rt 1 that day.

 

[Markbnj]

At least we have the good sense not to put "the" before all of our numbered highways.

Ha! I was thinking that exact thing when I read your original comment. I have a friend in South Jersey who used to get so irritated with me when I was living in CA and would refer to "the 405" or "the 5." He's like "it's a road, not a goddamn national monument!"

 

[Markbnj]

Indeed. We used to go backpacking for 3 or 4 day trips in the Delaware Water Gap. Beautiful.

I personally love New Jersey. Within 1 hour of me (07003) there is farmland, shoreline, skiing, Appalachian trail and New York City.

I've spent a ton of time hiking in and photographing the water gap. It's worth a thread by itself. To most people now it just looks like a rugged park. Few are aware of the history, the '55 flood, the Tock Island dam project that led to the eminent domain seizure of hundreds of farms and properties that had, in a lot of cases, been in the same family for hundreds of years. It's a strange and melancholy tale. If you go off the beaten path in the DWGNRA, the Stokes, or Worthington State Forests today, you can still stumble on abandoned farms, old stone houses, barns with hand-hewn pegged beams, rotting away in the woods.