Why New Jersey drivers turn right to go left at busy road intersections

Countries & Cities · Published 15 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: The jughandle is a unique traffic engineering solution that forces motorists to exit from the right lane to complete a left turn. While it effectively removes turning vehicles from high-speed lanes, it remains a source of confusion for outsiders and a subject of debate among urban planners.

A jughandle is a specialized ramp designed to manage left-turning traffic at at-grade intersections. In regions where vehicles drive on the right, standard left turns are typically made from the leftmost lane. Jughandles invert this expectation by directing left-turning traffic onto a ramp on the right side of the road. These configurations are categorized into three types by the New Jersey Department of Transportation: Type A, the standard forward jughandle; Type B, a specialized variant often used for U-turns or at T-intersections; and Type C, the reverse jughandle, which loops traffic around to merge with the crossroad before the intersection.

The concept gained significant traction in the mid-20th century. By the start of 1960, New Jersey had already constructed 160 such intersections, with early implementations appearing on routes like U.S. Route 46 and Route 35. Proponents argue that the design improves safety and efficiency by removing turning vehicles from the primary flow of traffic, reducing the number of conflict points, and shortening pedestrian crossing distances across the main road. It can also be a space-saving measure in highly developed areas where adding a dedicated left-turn lane would require significant land acquisition.

Despite these benefits, the design is not without drawbacks. The primary criticism involves driver confusion, as the unconventional maneuver can be counterintuitive for those unfamiliar with the layout. Inconsistent signage—which can appear haphazard on locally maintained roads—further compounds these expectancy issues. Furthermore, while the design reduces conflicts at the main intersection, it can create new hazards, such as higher-speed interactions between vehicles and pedestrians at the ramp's divergence point. Some studies suggest that reverse jughandles may even increase travel time, as motorists are forced to navigate through the intersection multiple times to complete their intended movement.

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