Garden State Parkway

Considering the fact that the Garden State Parkway is such an iconic landmark of our State, I find it a bit bewildering that it has escaped Unilocal reviewers until today. Congrats to Donna P. for «breaking the ice.»
Having lived in NJ for all but five years of my life, the GSP aligns with decades of memories, as well as current experiences. Years of job commutes to Holmdel and Toms River just tip the iceberg. From the time I received my drivers license, knowing that when Exit 153 popped-​up, no matter where I was traveling from, I was almost home. Later came the move to the Exit 139 interchange, but the basics of the plot never changed. Whether traveling for business, entertainment or just enjoying the open road, the GSP has always been there.
Yes, the GSP is expensive, and the long ago twenty-​five cent tolls have multiplied– despite the fact that the road’s 1950’s bond issue was fully paid decades ago. The «Parkway Authority» has always had its own agenda, one which simply doesn’t overlap with the realities of day-​to-​day life in our State. In return for these excessive and frequent tolls, however, the road is generally well-​maintained– more so in the context of such major arterials as the PA Turnpike and I-​80. Maintenance closures of selected lanes seems to be less common than on roads of similar traffic volume; vehicle breakdowns and accidents– which can happen anywhere– are usually at the root of most inconvenience and delay.
Although scofflaws aren’t uncommon, the absence of commercial truck traffic at least conveys the impression of the road being safer. All things considered, the bazillions of traffic lights and high-​speed stop-​and-​go of its primary alternative– US-​1– just aren’t as «scenic» or enjoyable a drive.
On the topic of safety, the GSP has always been a road where the posted speed limit is more of a suggestion, than an absolute– although clearly less so than the NJ Turnpike or I-​78. Speeding lane-​weavers, cars attempting to pass in congested exit lanes and vehicles traveling 45 mph on clear pavement speaks to the idiocy of drivers, rather than any inadequacies of the Parkway itself. When a Unilocal page is created for «GSP Drivers» I’m certain that the comments will make for adults-​only reading.
Road congestion, particularly when driving in «the wrong direction» during rush hour, but even more so on a sunny weekend day when the lure of the Jersey Shore brings «everybody» out, is cause for planning non-​essential Parkway travel. Other than to note that the general utility of the Parkway makes it a popular means of getting from here-​to-​there, traffic has always been a Parkway fixture.
Where a three-​star Unilocal review equates with an average experience, I see the GSP as being above average. .. not all the time, but certainly the norm over decades of driving.