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Captain Stemmy
Citizen
Username: Lapnlu
Post Number: 48
Registered: 10-2004
| | Posted on Monday, May 22, 2006 - 10:09 am: | 
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Hello everyone, I've got a quick question and would be grateful for anyone who could help. What's the easiest way to get to Maplewood coming from the South?
My brother is driving up from North Carolina and will be on the NJ Turnpike North. We always send people via exit 50B on Route 78 when they are coming out from the city etc.., but I'm pretty sure that exit 50B doesn't exist when you are coming up from the south. |
Jelly
Citizen
Username: Jelly
Post Number: 30
Registered: 10-2005
| | Posted on Monday, May 22, 2006 - 10:40 am: |
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Had these handy from directions I sent to a friend. There are many different ways. This might not be the best, but it works. Also, I'm not sure if the toll booths are there anymore.
I prefer to take the Turnpike to the Parkway to back roads. Exit the Parkway at the rest area after exit 140. It is about 7/10 or 8/10 of a mile after exit 140 and before the Union Toll Plaza (exit 142). Before Exit 140, you will see signs for the rest area (McDonald's and a gas station) at 5 miles and at 1½ miles. Go between the McDonald's building and the gas station, bearing right. Turn right, following signs to the Garden State Parkway Southbound. This will lead you out of the rest area and on to Vauxhaull Road. Turn right onto Vauxhaull (after that, don't follow the Parkway signs anymore) and stay on Vauxhall for 2 to 3 miles. There is one tricky intersection where there is a clear right, a clear left and a less clear strait. Go strait. Soon after that you will cross over Route 78. Stay on Vauxhall. After you cross over Route 78, take Vauxhall three more lights to Valley Street. Turn right off of Vauxhall and on to Valley Street. Not sure where you are going, but this leads you towards town hall.
If you miss the Rest area
Exit the Parkway at exit 142. At the toll booths stay all the way to the right and follow signs to 78 East. You want to go 78 West, but you can't go from the Parkway North to 78 West. Take 78 East 1 exit. Turn around and get on 78 West. Take Route 78 West one exit to exit 50 B which is marked "Millburn," "Maplewood" and "Springfield." The exit is a forced turn to the right at the top of a hill at a light on to Vauxhall Road.
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greenetree
Supporter
Username: Greenetree
Post Number: 7765
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, May 22, 2006 - 10:48 am: |
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Whether someone is coming from N or S on the turnpike, the exit is still 14 onto 78 West. So, if they are taking 95 directly, they will be fine with your usual directions.
The unclear intersection that Jelly refers to is Burnett, if you need a street name. Jelly, is that faster than getting off Exit 142 onto Mill Rd & Boyden, do you think?
A version of Jelly's direction (more direct than 95 - 78) for the squeamish is:
At the Essex tolls, stay to the extreme right. Immediately after the toll booth, there is an exit for Maplewood (142). Take that exit and turn left at the end of the ramp. That road will end very quickly. Take another left onto Mill Road. Follow Mill for about a mile to the intersection of Mill & Stuyvesant. There will be a Dunkin' Donuts on the far left corner. Go thru that light; Mill turns into Boyden. They'll pass the recycling center and follow Boyden all the way around to Springgfield. It's near the pool/bus terminal, so take it from there. |
Bob K
Supporter
Username: Bobk
Post Number: 11598
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, May 22, 2006 - 11:09 am: |
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While longer I would suggest your brother stay on the Turnpike and exit at 14A which is clearly marked for 78West. Follow 78W to 50B.
All the shortcuts tend to be confusing, as does taking 78E off the Parkway and doing the Uturn bit at Hillside to get on 78W. Heck I am getting confused just typing this.  |
Wendy
Supporter
Username: Wendy
Post Number: 2488
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, May 22, 2006 - 11:16 am: |
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I agree with Bob K. If you're only doing it once, going via the turnpike is the best - although it's 14 not 14A. I understand that the McDonalds off the parkway exit (which is how I always go because it's quicker and cheaper than greenetree's way) was closed last week - not sure if that was temporary or not. |
MeAndTheBoys
Citizen
Username: Meandtheboys
Post Number: 3789
Registered: 12-2004
| | Posted on Monday, May 22, 2006 - 11:18 am: |
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I'm with Bob K. The back roads are great for folks who are familiar with the area, but I wouldn't try sending someone that way blind. It can be too confusing. The best, most direct, most well marked route would be to stay on the NJ Turnpike to 14A, follow sings to 78 west and do the usual 50B. |
Captain Stemmy
Citizen
Username: Lapnlu
Post Number: 49
Registered: 10-2004
| | Posted on Monday, May 22, 2006 - 11:33 am: |
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Thanks everyone for the help. One of my biggest complaints about driving around here is that there aren't reciprocal exits on each side of the highway. This has caused me to utter a few bad words from time to time. |
greenetree
Supporter
Username: Greenetree
Post Number: 7767
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, May 22, 2006 - 12:14 pm: |
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It's a state law that signs must either be missing, misplaced or too small to read. It is also illegal for any major roadway to have entrance/exits in the same place going in opposite directions. The GSP has its own set of laws which require that signs to any entrance can be no closer than 5 miles away, preferably with an arrow pointing in a direction you cannot go, until you get right on top of the entrance.
It's not the "What Exit?" state for nuthin'. |
MeAndTheBoys
Citizen
Username: Meandtheboys
Post Number: 3791
Registered: 12-2004
| | Posted on Monday, May 22, 2006 - 1:00 pm: |
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Oh, and I believe "what exit" comes from the fact that when you try to tell someone where you live in Jersey (or more precisely, when one Jersey resident is telling another Jersey redsident where they live), it is most common to refer to "what exit" off the Garden State is closest to where you live, because it is the one state highway that runs the entire length of the state. I used to live off exit 176, now it's 142, and a friend who lives in south Jersey lives off exit 17, while Cape May is, obviously exit 1.
So it's a matter of asking "what exit" as a way of locating yourself geographically, not a matter of asking "what exit" as a result of confusion.
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greenetree
Supporter
Username: Greenetree
Post Number: 7770
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, May 22, 2006 - 1:04 pm: |
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I knew that; it just seemed like a good ending......
Of course, the reason could actually be that "what exit?" is short for "What the F??? Where's the g-d exit?" |
Fabulouswalls
Citizen
Username: Fabulouswalls
Post Number: 74
Registered: 10-2005
| | Posted on Monday, May 22, 2006 - 4:12 pm: |
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http://www.njmonthly.com/issues/dec05/comedy.html
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Suzanne Ng
Citizen
Username: Suzanneng
Post Number: 756
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Monday, May 22, 2006 - 4:38 pm: |
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MeAnd -- that's why my email's domain is Whatexit.com .
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Tom Reingold
Supporter
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 14392
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Monday, May 22, 2006 - 10:34 pm: |
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Funny. Mine is whatexit.org
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Suzanne Ng
Citizen
Username: Suzanneng
Post Number: 757
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 23, 2006 - 7:32 am: |
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Yes, Tom, but aren't you affiliated with the theater group? We've had our for almost 12 years now... it was a joke because my roommates at the time (that we set up the domain) were not native New Jerseyans... and they didn't really get the whole " you live in NJ, what exit?" thing |
Tom Reingold
Supporter
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 14397
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 23, 2006 - 7:51 am: |
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No affiliation with the theater group. I thought whatexit.com was their domain. I guess not?
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