Narrative:

Returning to the departure gate, we received taxi instructions from ground control. We were taxiing back on a taxiway which was parallel to the runway and appeared to be a 'no-brainer' to get back to the gate. Ground had issued a clearance to taxi via taxiway south, but hold short of taxiway a. Both the first officer and I could see the black taxiway identify for taxiway a, but it appeared to be down the road a ways. Ground control had even given us a heads up call on the radio as we approached taxiway a, which is where we were supposed to hold short. Shortly thereafter, it was obvious that we were coming nose-to-nose with another scheduled air carrier's aircraft. Ground control rerted the other aircraft. This particular taxiway, while appearing to be a straight shot and parallel to the runway, actually merged onto another taxiway. I have no excuses, and have flown into this airfield at least 20 times in the last 3 yrs. While many great enhancements have been made regarding ground taxiway symbology in the past few yrs, perhaps a taxi instruction of a different type, in regards to the taxiway merger, ought to be given some consideration. Or, perhaps an improved airport diagram which could highlight choke points while taxiing on an airfield.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR GETS NOSE-TO-NOSE WITH ANOTHER ACR AT EWR.

Narrative: RETURNING TO THE DEP GATE, WE RECEIVED TAXI INSTRUCTIONS FROM GND CTL. WE WERE TAXIING BACK ON A TXWY WHICH WAS PARALLEL TO THE RWY AND APPEARED TO BE A 'NO-BRAINER' TO GET BACK TO THE GATE. GND HAD ISSUED A CLRNC TO TAXI VIA TXWY S, BUT HOLD SHORT OF TXWY A. BOTH THE FO AND I COULD SEE THE BLACK TXWY IDENT FOR TXWY A, BUT IT APPEARED TO BE DOWN THE ROAD A WAYS. GND CTL HAD EVEN GIVEN US A HEADS UP CALL ON THE RADIO AS WE APCHED TXWY A, WHICH IS WHERE WE WERE SUPPOSED TO HOLD SHORT. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT WE WERE COMING NOSE-TO-NOSE WITH ANOTHER SCHEDULED ACR'S ACFT. GND CTL RERTED THE OTHER ACFT. THIS PARTICULAR TXWY, WHILE APPEARING TO BE A STRAIGHT SHOT AND PARALLEL TO THE RWY, ACTUALLY MERGED ONTO ANOTHER TXWY. I HAVE NO EXCUSES, AND HAVE FLOWN INTO THIS AIRFIELD AT LEAST 20 TIMES IN THE LAST 3 YRS. WHILE MANY GREAT ENHANCEMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE REGARDING GND TXWY SYMBOLOGY IN THE PAST FEW YRS, PERHAPS A TAXI INSTRUCTION OF A DIFFERENT TYPE, IN REGARDS TO THE TXWY MERGER, OUGHT TO BE GIVEN SOME CONSIDERATION. OR, PERHAPS AN IMPROVED ARPT DIAGRAM WHICH COULD HIGHLIGHT CHOKE POINTS WHILE TAXIING ON AN AIRFIELD.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.