my favorite new highway

Since 1997 [the year I got my driver’s license], I have pledged my allegiance to the Garden State Parkway ]. Living in “south Jersey,” the Parkway was a necessity. Nothing fun existed in Bayille so you always had to drive places. Also- the Parkway was the only big highway nearby. The idea of being able to drive 70mph on a roadway was fascinating to me-- and the parkway allowed me to experience that fascination. Sometimes I’d drive on the parkway "just because", to pass the time. This preference for the Parkway was temporarily suppressed during the months of late-June, July, and August – when the bennies would take over the parkway.

When I came up to North Jersey to go to college, I somehow managed to go 3 full years without ever actually driving on 287…this seems like an impossibility since 287 links to so many places, but somehow I achieved this 287-avoidance accomplishment. Eventually, I “Had” to go onto 287… thus breaing the 3 year boycott.

I felt indifferent to 287...it was convenient...it was fast... but the little "287" icon always appeared on the TV news; there was always an accident somewhere.

Some roadways did not just provoke indifference; some highways made hatred surge. For example, I hate route 22 [it’s crazy!!!!! cars are going by so quickly… they should incorporate route 22 into some type of Survivor TV show]. Also-- route 46 [I like 46, in general…but right past the willowbrook mall is where my hatred begins…they’ve had the same construction going on for 4 years…plus, no one understands the concept of yielding…]. i also dislike route 10-- i think it is the state's goal to make certain that every piece of land on route 10 is covered...theyre even building a housing development in the whippany area...whoever would move into a complex off of route 10 would have to be a hermit and never leave their house...EVER.

Now I have been in the north Jersey area for a total of 8 years…wow, about 1/3 of my life- hard to believe time has passed so quickly. I have since experienced other highways and have a new favorite.

Drumroll, please...

I now pledge my allegiance to route 280. I love it! first off, I have yet to be on it when there was an accident. 2ndly, I rarely see police cars patrolling that highway…this leads me to force my Corolla to speed. And lastly, there’s this part of 280 that is really steep, moving downhill--it's somewhere around the exits for the Oranges. They even have a sign posted that trucks should shift to lower gears. My intense love for route 280 was reached about 3 weeks ago. I drove on 280 east, had gotten to the downhill/steep point, and had elvis costello’s my aim is true playing…I think the track was “Welcome to the Working Week.” My foot didn’t even have to touch the gas pedal…the car just drove itself down the highway… the music was blasting and the window was open. A/C never fits the moment when you’re speeding down a highway and blasting music.

Since that moment, I have decided that route 280 is my new favorite.

To end on a cheesy note, [i read this somewhere]: Ever wonder why you park on a driveway and drive on a parkway????