# musings on the NJ Turnpike

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musings-on-the-nj-turnpike/123543>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [August 12, 2002, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musings-on-the-nj-turnpike/123543 "2002-08-12T15:22:37Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Knighted\_Vorpal\_Sword](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ac91a4/32.png) [@Knighted\_Vorpal\_Sword](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knighted_Vorpal_Sword)\
**Post date:** [August 12, 2002, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musings-on-the-nj-turnpike/123543/1 "2002-08-12T15:22:37Z")

</div>

While spending an inordinate amount of time on the NJ Turnpike yesterday, I began to wonder about the mileage markers. I can understand putting them every tenth of a mile, but why does every bridge over the turnpike need to be marked, down to the hundreth of a mile?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![mazzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eada6e/32.png) [@mazzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mazzer)\
**Post date:** [August 12, 2002, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musings-on-the-nj-turnpike/123543/2 "2002-08-12T15:43:55Z")

</div>

Maybe for repairs. Some turnpike guy drives along making a note of stuff that needs attention, and hundredth-mile markers let him be accurate in his notations.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Keeve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@Keeve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keeve)\
**Post date:** [August 12, 2002, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musings-on-the-nj-turnpike/123543/3 "2002-08-12T17:28:59Z")

</div>

My WAG same as chriszarate’s.

Note that sometimes, instead of making one wide overpass, they make two narrower ones. The marker might be used to distinguish them.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\
**Post date:** [August 12, 2002, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musings-on-the-nj-turnpike/123543/4 "2002-08-12T18:03:07Z")

</div>

> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Knighted Vorpal Sword \*  
> \*\*While spending an inordinate amount of time on the NJ Turnpike yesterday, I began to wonder about the mileage markers. I can understand putting them every tenth of a mile, but why does every bridge over the turnpike need to be marked, down to the hundreth of a mile? \*\*

Accurate clocking of vehicle speed…a la VASCAR. ???

(Police can use bridges/underpasses as good reference for clocking vehicle speeds)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![VOW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vow/32/3043_2.png) [@VOW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VOW)\
**Post date:** [August 12, 2002, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musings-on-the-nj-turnpike/123543/5 "2002-08-12T18:31:31Z")

</div>

I dunno about NJ, but in CA, the milemarkers have decimal miles to mark something: a culvert, a pullbox, beginning or ending of the CL curve…

Out here, bridges also have identifying NUMBERS as well, prefaced by the year built.  
~VOW