Reason for swapping of GSP Exits 4A and 4B

As previously noted, the southbound exits 4A and 4B on the Garden State Parkway have been switched, a matter sure to cause some confusion in the short term.

We contacted the NJ Turnpike Authority to inquire as to why this change was made. Here is the response we received:

The southbound suffixes A and B at Interchange 4 were indeed swapped. The NJ Turnpike Authority is currently in a systematic program to replace its Guide and Information signs on the Parkway. This program when designed was to conform to requirements set forth by the Federal Highway Administration. These provisions require the interchange exit numbering system to count down in the southbound direction. This includes the suffixes if and when they are applied.

To understand why this is done, you first have to assume that the northbound direction at Interchange 4 also has two separate exits - one to southbound NJ 47 and the other subsequently to northbound NJ 47. In this hypothetical scenario, the previous Parkway practice of “counting up” the suffixes regardless of direction would misalign all suffixes at the same exiting direction on the intersecting highway. Thus, northbound Exit 4A would be to southbound NJ 47 whereas southbound Exit 4A (as previously posted) would be to northbound NJ 47.

When this occurs - and does at other Parkway interchanges - it has a high potential to disorient the motorist, and also is problematic for persons and businesses in providing directions from the multiple approaches. Although this scenario does not exist at Interchange 4, the suffixes were swapped anyway to both conform to the FHWA requirements and to establish uniformity with the suffixes system-wide on the Parkway.

It is unclear why the Parkway always “counted up” with its suffixes regardless of direction. Before the sign upgrade program began, we were unsuccessful in our research in determining the answer -there is an obvious loss of institutional knowledge and some loss of record keeping.