Vermont

[seicer]

Thought this might be of interest: the original end to I-189 in Burlington.



It looks like from a USGS topo that the trumpet was constructed but later extended?

(Image from http://glcp.uvm.edu/landscape/search/details.php?ls=41648&sequence=000&set_seq=61&imageSet=1494249901-591071ad954fb&AddRel=0)

--

Other nice photos:



Today: https://goo.gl/maps/djhte8Ri5K32

--



Today: https://goo.gl/maps/Z4goKcqV5QH2

--

1964:


2005:


From: http://glcp.uvm.edu/landscape/search/details.php?ls=07898&sequence=000&set_seq=86&imageSet=1494249901-591071ad954fb&AddRel=0

--

1960:


2009:


From: http://glcp.uvm.edu/landscape/search/details.php?ls=06694&sequence=000&set_seq=126&imageSet=1494249901-591071ad954fb&AddRel=0

[froggie]

Don't suppose you could redo those photos to shrink them down before posting them?  They're taking up a lot of bandwidth.

[seicer]

I'll look into it later, but the link towards the top has the full set. There isn't an option to capture the images at any other resolution than thumbnail.

[SectorZ]

So 189 used to go over 7 before going under it?

[amroad17]

^ This was discussed in a thread nearly seven years ago--Interstate 189 Crossing Over US 7 in Burlington?

[Alps]

^ This was discussed in a thread nearly seven years ago--Interstate 189 Crossing Over US 7 in Burlington?

https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=3202

[KEVIN_224]

I saw these highway features today (May 11, 2017) while staying overnight in White River Junction, VT:

US Route 5 South, with the off ramp from Exit 11 of I-91 North on the left. Around here is where you first see Saint Johnsbury as a control city.


I'm now wondering how I didn't see the grading from an obvious former on-ramp here before!


This sign is brand new, as it wasn't there when I was here last July. I love how the Man Of The Mountain more or less takes the place of Vermont up top!  (P.S. They're fully done with the Connecticut River bridge here, signals and all.)


One sees this as VT Route 14 is ending, merging onto US Route 4 East.


Just how OLD is this one? WOW! You see it as you're on US Route 4 East, making the right turn to head into New Hampshire.

[froggie]

I'm now wondering how I didn't see the grading from an obvious former on-ramp here before!

That ramp was just taken out last year when they did the bridge replacement project on the I-91 bridges over US 5 that are in your first photo.

This sign is brand new, as it wasn't there when I was here last July. I love how the Man Of The Mountain more or less takes the place of Vermont up top!  (P.S. They're fully done with the Connecticut River bridge here, signals and all.)

Might be because that stretch of the Connecticut River is owned by New Hampshire (state line is generally defined as the mean low water mark on the Vermont side).  Might also be because NHDOT owns the bridge and not VTrans or the Town of Hartford.

Just how OLD is this one? WOW! You see it as you're on US Route 4 East, making the right turn to head into New Hampshire.

Technically, you're not on US 4 here but are instead on Bridge St.

They're definitely old.  Vermont hasn't used a square shield in decades.

[jp the roadgeek]

What I find fascinating is that in 1960, Vermont was using the same signage that CT started implementing around 1985 or so.  It's as if ConnDOT went to Big Lots to buy its new signage

[mariethefoxy]

that old US 2 - VT 100 sign looks like something out of Connecticut

[shadyjay]

Further south along I-91....

Crews are already starting to replace signs between (north of) Exit 6 and Exit 10.  The project is starting with replacement of reflectors, guardrail markers, and mini-mileage signs (the very small green on white ones).  Also saw some support foundations installed between Exits 6 & 8.  Wonder if the signs at Exit 9 will be replaced, as they were redone a couple years ago. 

And on I-89 North in White River Jct, signs were never replaced, between the NH border and I-91.  I'm still going on the assumption that those will get replaced when the Connecticut River Bridge rehab project starts.  At least there's a full-size (non-postage-stamp-sized) Welcome to Vermont sign there as well, the same style as on I-91 at the Mass. state line. 

[KEVIN_224]

I was on I-91 in Vermont recently in stages:

Thursday, May 11th - From the MA border to Exit 3 in Brattleboro. I see the northbound side of the West River Bridge replacement is done and fully open. The bus I was on went east on to NH Route 9 to service Keene, NH, then making a long ride northwest up NH Route 12 to Walpole. It crossed the Connecticut River to serve Bellows Falls, VT. Soon after we rejoined I-91 at Exit 6. I got off the interstate at Exit 11 in White River Junction.

Friday, May 12. Reverse the above until Keene, NH. From there we went west on NH Route 9 and rejoined I-91 at the rotary for Exit 3 in Brattleboro. As the blurry picture shows, at least one lane was open for the new Brattleboro bridge southbound.

These pics were taken with my cell phone. I should go back to my "dinosaur" Sony digital camera (20 MP) from 2014 or my Samsung camera (14.1 MP) from 2012! 

Exit 6 in Rockingham, which I believe Bellows Falls is actually part of?


Leaving Bellows Falls, VT, crossing the Connecticut River into Walpole, NH.


Say! I know those bridges! Crossed them on foot many times...but no further than where this pic was taken.


I-91 South at the new bridge in Brattleboro.


A random shot at Exit 2 southbound in Brattleboro. The gantry above on VT 9 West was the same ancient signs like before.


As Larry King might say: "Bernardston, Massachusetts? Hello!"

[shadyjay]

The southbound bridge in Brattleboro still needs some work to the approaches to accommodate two lanes.  They're making progress, but not there yet.  Still it's better than what we've been dealing with for the past 2-3 years.

The Rockingham Bridge project is slowly starting (at Exit 6).  No crossovers built yet but I saw crews uncovering the "semi-permanent" "LEFT LANE CLOSED" signs.  I forsee this particular project being less of a traffic headache since its past the diversion-point for a lot of traffic.  At Brattleboro, traffic heads east to NH or west/northwest to the mountains, or continues north.  For the Rockingham project, there is less traffic (not sure the actual volume) and is past more diversion points.  Northbound traffic heading for Okemo/Killington/Rutland would take Exit 6 and exit before the bridge.  The only issue will be those trying to enter northbound, as I have a feeling the NB onramp will be closed for a duration of the project. 

[cl94]

The Rockingham Bridge project is slowly starting (at Exit 6).  No crossovers built yet but I saw crews uncovering the "semi-permanent" "LEFT LANE CLOSED" signs.  I forsee this particular project being less of a traffic headache since its past the diversion-point for a lot of traffic.  At Brattleboro, traffic heads east to NH or west/northwest to the mountains, or continues north.  For the Rockingham project, there is less traffic (not sure the actual volume) and is past more diversion points.  Northbound traffic heading for Okemo/Killington/Rutland would take Exit 6 and exit before the bridge.  The only issue will be those trying to enter northbound, as I have a feeling the NB onramp will be closed for a duration of the project.

Isn't the NB onramp closed already? It was closed semi-permanently when I was through there on US 5 back in January.

[cl94]

When was VT 100 moved back onto its old alignment through Morrisville, with the bypass becoming ALT VT 100? I was up there today and was surprised to see that everything was changed.

[froggie]

Sometime last year.  Locals wanted the old route through the village to remain the "mainline" and convinced VTrans to do so.

[cl94]

Sometime last year.  Locals wanted the old route through the village to remain the "mainline" and convinced VTrans to do so.

Thanks. It was definitely signed as "historic" in March 2016 and I think it was the last time I was up that way in June.

Are the FYAs and the signal at the south end relatively new as well? I know those weren't there when the bypass opened.

[froggie]

Yes, that is new...built late last summer.  Should have been built with the bypass, but I digress...

[shadyjay]

Dropped a friend of mine off in North Adams to hike the Long Trail.  We went down Rt 4 / 7 and I came back via MA 2, I-91, and I-89. 

Brattleboro Bridge project is wrapping up, though its still posted at 50 MPH.  They're working to demo the rest of the old bridge.  They still have some sign replacement to do along the southbound lanes, as the bridge project was going on when signs were replaced from the state line up to ~ MM 35.  There's still an old Exit 3 sign, an old speed limit sign, reassurance shield, etc.  The ITS for the project is gone, relocated up to the Williams River.

The crossovers for the Williams River project are completed, but traffic is still on the existing span in both directions, 2 lanes each way.  The onramp from VT 103 to 91NB at Exit 6 is still open, but has STOP signs where it meets 91NB.  Perhaps work will start after the holiday.  ITS components are up as well, as is a reduced speed of 55 mph.

Some progress being made on the MM 36-71 (Springfield-Hartford) sign replacement project.  Small mileage reference markers and colored guardrail start/end reflectors are installed.  Some foundations for new signs also installed... no posts yet.  Will be interesting to see how they resign the I-91NB jct with I-89. 

There's a detour of VT 110 on I-89 between Exits 3 & 6.  There's a detour VT 110 reassurance sign after each exit in that area. 

Also, driving around on the non-interstates, a lot of roads took a beating from a weekend/week of heavy rain.  Lots of fields washed out.  Roads that were closed are mostly open but you can see some damage around.

Had the camera on standby but nothing was really photo-worthy, except the VT 110 Detour reassurance shield on I-89NB:

20170702_195102 by Jay Hogan, on Flickr

[froggie]

Regarding 89/91, I noticed last week that southbound 89 signage at the junction has been replaced, but northbound 89 signage hasn't.  I believe you'd made a comment on this at some point in the past.

Also noticed those VT 110 detour signs.  Given the timeframe for the VT 110 closure (fairly short), I believe it's for an accelerated bridge replacement in Chelsea.

Lastly, sounds like you just missed the sinkhole on I-89.  For those of you who hadn't heard, a major sinkhole opened up on northbound I-89 Monday afternoon near Mile 8.  Traffic was detoured Monday evening and through most of the night between Exit 1 (US 4/Quechee) and Exit 2 (VT 132/Sharon).  By early Tuesday morning, enough had been patched to open up one lane.  Repaving was supposed to happen yesterday, but I haven't seen or heard the results of that.

http://www.wcax.com/story/35808974/i-89-sinkhole-patched-up

[shadyjay]

I guess they're holding out for the rebuild of the Conn River Bridge before replacing the 91 jct signs, NB.  They have replaced the "postage stamp" welcome to VT sign with a larger one, just like on 91NB at the Mass border.  Interesting that there is now less signage for the 91SB jct, with the removal of the bridge-mounted signs and the 91SB/Brattleboro" sign.  Now, past the 91NB exit gantry, there's just a small "SOUTH I-91" sign in the gore at the exit.

[shadyjay]

This evening's update, all reported in the southbound direction:

Sign replacement contract from Hartford to Rockingham: 
Foundations installed and ready for posts to support new signs for Exits 8 & 7.  For Exit 9, only one or two foundations spotted.  Exit 9 signs were replaced as part of a spot project a few years back and feature traditional fonts (highway gothic), unlike Clearview on all other new signage in recent years.  Maybe they'll replace the signs but use the same supports.  For Exit 8, it looks like they put in a foundation for supports for an "exit now" BGS.  Presently, there's just a "RIGHT LANE" sign about 1/8 mile before the exit.

Williams River/Rockingham Bridge project:
I-91 is now reduced to a single lane in each direction.  The northbound bridge will be closed first, and the southbound bridge is presently set up with a jersey barrier median, prepared to offer two-way traffic.  Crossovers are largely built but not yet striped. 

Misc,
It looks like some clearing is taking place at the on-again/off-again/back-on-again weigh station northbound in Putney.  Not sure what's going on here.  Personally, I see no reason for a weigh station here.  In the 70+ miles between the Mass. state line and White River Jct, there are no fewer than 4 weigh stations.  The only one that gets any regular use is the one at the state line.  The Springfield one is a former parking area and the Hartford one was once shared with a rest area and is nowadays a staging site for the sign project.

West River/Brattleboro Bridge project:
New foundations installed to support the remainder of the signage from the Guilford-to-Rockingham project that was not installed southbound due to the bridge project.  There's a new "BRIDGE ICES BEFORE ROAD" sign, mounted adjacent to an older "BRIDGE FREEZES BEFORE ROADWAY" sign that is now oriented on the former southbound roadway.

Next update (for me) coming most likely in mid-August. 

[F350]

Search wouldn't accept "route 7s" so I'm hoping I'd get an answer.

Whatever happened to Route 7 S? I cinched it...mid 2000s?

[froggie]

I've never heard of a Route 7 S.  Sure you don't mean Route 7 South?

[F350]

Yeah. Same thing. Between Colchester and I-89.