Parkway exit numbers officially change next week

Commuters who travel the Garden State Parkway on a regular basis may be wondering why the signs at some exits have changed. The answer will be officially unveiled next week when new exit numbers are assigned, particularly in the Middlesex County Area.

New signs went up in the Woodbridge area designating exit 131 as 132 on the northbound side. In addition, exit 131A on the southbound side simply became 131 late last week, and the exit name was changed from Metro Park to Wood Avenue South.

New Jersey Fast Traffic's Tom Rivers believes the exit numbers on the southbound side have reverted back to their original designation.

Turnpike spokesman Thomas Feeney said the exit number are not scheduled to officially change until next week.

At some exits, the new signs have been erected, but the new exit numbers still remain covered.

"At the gore (or lined area) at the off ramp for southbound exit 131A, the (NJ Turnpike's) contractor installed the new sign for 131 last week and added a temporary 'A' that was supposed to remain in place until the new exit designations become effective next week," Feeney said. "The temporary fix didn’t meet our standards, mostly because it wasn’t sufficiently reflective, so our sign shop made a temporary 131A sign."

According to Feeney, the temporary sign was installed over the new exit 131 sign and will remain there until the renumbering takes effect.

Further to the south,the new exit 41 in Galloway has become a full exit with access on-and-off the Parkway, leading to Jimmie Lees Road.