This happened last night on a stretch of road we travel on alot. There's always construction going on and many times these raised edges are hard to see. I know the article claims the area was well marked but from my own experience I know of times these aren't marked well and at night they're near invisible. So be watchful for them and remember if you have to go up on them always do it at more than a 45 degree angle.


Trentonian Online News Team

BORDENTOWN — A Motorcyclist striking a 2-inch ridge created by construction repaving on I-295 died early this morning when he slid into the other lanes and was run over by two other cars.

Jude Bihari, 52, of Birch Hollow Drive, Bordentown, was pronounced dead at the scene northbound on 295 at mile marker 57.3, said the N.J. State Police spokesman, Sgt. Stephen Jones. The accident happened at 4:11 a.m.

“The lanes in that area are still under construction, and the right lane is milled and about 2 inches lower than the center lane,” Sgt. Jones said. “There was a solid painted line there to prevent traffic from exiting that lane. The roadway was marked with construction signs indicating there was a bump and uneven pavement.

“Construction had ceased about 3 a.m.,” Jones said. “Bihari was driving a 2007 Harley-Davidson motorcycle northbound in the right lane of travel. He attempted to move over into the center lane of travel, and lost control,” after getting caught on the lip.

“The bike fell onto its right side,” Jones said. “He slid into the center lane of travel, where he was struck by a 2001 BMW 525i operated by a New Jersey woman driver. Then he was struck a second time by a 2001 Hyundai Sonata driven by a man from Virginia.”

 

Sad may he rest in peace.

 

Construction. Necessary but I hate it.
RIP.
MikeM

 

I know exactly what you are describing here. On a construction zone on I-55 North near Chicago, there was a section where new payment was being added and it was several inches higher than the existing payment. I was in the right lane, going about 25, well below the 45 limit on the old (lower) section of payment. As it ran out, at an angle, the new (raised section) began. There was no marking for the transition. Luckily I saw it and was able to change the angle of approach to 90 degrees and was able to pull it off with a little wobble. If you rode the angle, so to speak, it lead to the edge of the road, putting you in the ditch.

 

Can anyone confirm this? I doubt this very much. I ride in NNJ frequently and have NEVER seen this "solid painted line" the trooper claims there to be in any of the myriad endless construction projects that litter the state. New Jersey also has the worst signage (or lack thereof) that I've ever seen. How many times have you seen the right 2 lanes merge into 1 without any warning? Routes 80 and 3 are big offenders but I'm sure it exists all over NJ.

 

BORDENTOWN TOWNSHIP: Two die in separate motorcycle crashes

03 September 2009 | Uncategorized
By Geoffrey Wertime, Staff Writer
BORDENTOWN TOWNSHIP — Two nearly identical motorcycle accidents on the same stretch of I-295 killed two men within about eight hours Wednesday, State Police said.
Ronald Ross, 42, of Macungie, Pa., was driving north in the right lane when he attempted to change lanes at about 12:23 p.m., according to Detective Brian Polite.
”As a result of that, the driver was ejected from the motorcycle, and sustained serious head and chest injuries,” Detective Polite said.
The State Police Fatal Accident and Crime Scene Unit responded to the scene, he said, and Mr. Ross was transported to Capital Health Center — Fuld Campus, where he was pronounced dead around 3 p.m..
Detective Polite referred questions about the cause of the accident to the state Department of Transportation, which did not immediately return calls today, Thursday.
However, a very similar incident Wednesday morning, which Detective Polite confirmed took place “in the same approximate area,” could shed some light on Mr. Ross’ accident.
At about 4:11 a.m. that same day, 52-year-old Jude Bihari of Birch Hollow Drive, Florence, fell off his motorcycle while attempting to change lanes near Exit 57, Sgt. Stephen Jones said Wednesday, before information on Mr. Ross’ crash was available.
He said Mr. Bihari was driving a 2007 Harley-Davidson motorcycle in the right lane, but lost control when trying to switch to the center lane. He fell off his bike and was struck by two cars, a 2001 BMW 525 driven by a New Jersey woman and a 2001 Hyundai Sonata driven by a Virginia man. Sgt. Jones said neither of the drivers would be charged in the incident.
The top layer of pavement in the right lane of the road had been removed due to construction, creating a 2-inch dip below the middle lane, but Sgt. Jones said signage there warns motorists and a solid white line is painted to keep people from crossing out of the right lane in that area. The road was reopened after the first accident at 5:13 a.m.
Construction had ended at 3 a.m. but all signs remained in place at the time of the first accident. Sgt. Jones said.
gwertime@centraljersey.com

 

I almost wiped out coming through Kanas City in 1993 because of the same kind of deal. Sux bigtime!

 

Wow, we have tons of this construction going on around here with those lips between lanes. I've never tried to change lanes fearing this exact situation and always wondered if I was just being overly cautious and paranoid. Guess I wasn't.

 

I-295 is terrible to ride on, any time of the day. Haven't been on the section mentioned in the news articles lately but I believe the story. Don't know where the federal highway funds are really being spent, but if you are traveling either north or south and you need to use a toilet, the rest area buildings are closed. Have been for the last 3 years. Oh, but they did place port-a-potty's for your use. Don't know if they have ever been cleaned since they were placed.

 

Sorry to hear about this ... Hopefully better warnings can be posted...