What's causing traffic to squeeze in to one lane when entering the Garden State Parkway north near exit 129? Ask @Commuting Larry.
A reader wanted to know what's causing a traffic squeeze getting on the Garden State Parkway north near Route 9 and the New Jersey Turnpike.
Drivers may have noticed they've lost a lane to traffic cones and concrete barriers on the entrance ramp to the Parkway in the last month.
Reader Jeanette DeMartini is one of them and wanted to know why traffic is getting the squeeze. She even e-mailed us a map to make sure there was no confusion in the area she was asking about.
"I get on the Parkway north every day at 129 and need to cross over the Route 9 North traffic to the turnpike," she said. "The state narrowed the lanes from two to one, so now I have to move over into oncoming traffic (coming) off Route 9."
Q: What's going on at Exit 129?
A: You're not the only driver who's noticed the missing lane and earlier merge, Jeanette. We asked Thomas Feeney, New Jersey Turnpike Authority spokesman, for an explanation. The short answer is it is for a project to replace the bridge deck on overpasses crossing the Parkway, he said.
GOT QUESTIONS?
Ticked off about mass transit? Wondering about road construction? E-mail your questions to NJ.com's transportation expert Larry Higgs. He'll answer your questions on Tuesdays and Thursdays on NJ.com. You can also Tweet @CommutingLarry."It's one of six 'non-major' Parkway bridges between mileposts 121 and 131 undergoing deck and superstructure replacement projects under a $40.5 million contract with Northeast Remsco (Construction Company)," Feeney said. "Work on that particular bridge is expected to be completed this summer."
A similar project is underway on Parkway bridges in the northern part of the state as part of a different $45 million contract.
As long as the topic is transportation and commuting, we'll try to get answers to your questions. Past questions asked by drivers include why New Jersey drivers were losing some New York E-Z Pass discounts this month and if drivers are legally required to dim their high beam headlights for on coming traffic.
What's your question?
Larry Higgs may be reached at lhiggs@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @commutinglarry. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
