The anal road enthusiast

[NYYPhil777]

So bugo, this means that multiple anal road enthusiasts were the reason AASHTO re-numbered the satanic US 666 to US 491 because of sign thefts and the high mortality rate?  

[hbelkins]

You do have a point, but as Jeremy said, I-68/I-79 is a decent enough by-pass of Breezewood. The one thing that I disliked about the town was how long the red light was where I-70 met US 30. It was about a 3 minute long wait going east on US 30!

I-68/I-79 is only a bypass for I-70 traffic between Hancock MD and Washington PA.  It's not a bypass for traffic between MD I-70 and I-76 to the west, such as to Pittsburgh, or to I-99 northward (as in the best route between D.C. and Buffalo NY).  Basically including all points needing use of I-76 west of Breezewood.

That wait can be 10 minutes at times.

Using I-79 north to newly-minted I-376 to I-76 would make the I-68/I-79 option viable for traffic bound for Youngstown.

For westbound traffic on I-70, Breezewood isn't bad, You get to make two right turns, from WB I-70 (which is basically heading due north) to EB US 30, then back onto the freeway. Going east on I-70 is the problem, however, as there is a left turn across traffic required.

I've said this before, but I don't mind stopping and patronizing Breezewood businesses. I spent two nights there at a motel a couple of years ago, when I attended the SEPA meet at a restaurant where separate checks apparently requires an advanced accounting degree.

[US71]

I guess I'm an ARE, then. I like photographing sign errors and find them amusing (like MO 71).

Sometimes it's nice if they don't get fixed for a while, but eventually they need to be...but not before I get a photo

Of course, the average driver probably wouldn't know the difference between a State and a US Route, but would simply follow the number.

[Beltway]

I-68/I-79 is only a bypass for I-70 traffic between Hancock MD and Washington PA.  It's not a bypass for traffic between MD I-70 and I-76 to the west, such as to Pittsburgh, or to I-99 northward (as in the best route between D.C. and Buffalo NY).  Basically including all points needing use of I-76 west of Breezewood.

That wait can be 10 minutes at times.

Using I-79 north to newly-minted I-376 to I-76 [1] would make the I-68/I-79 option viable for traffic bound for Youngstown.

That is much longer than using I-70 to I-76 [2], per Google maps (Hancock MD to Youngstown OH) --

[1]  249 mi, 4 hours 23 mins
[2]  207 mi, 3 hours 52 mins

For westbound traffic on I-70, Breezewood isn't bad, You get to make two right turns, from WB I-70 (which is basically heading due north) to EB US 30, then back onto the freeway. Going east on I-70 is the problem, however, as there is a left turn across traffic required.

I've said this before, but I don't mind stopping and patronizing Breezewood businesses. I spent two nights there at a motel a couple of years ago, when I attended the SEPA meet at a restaurant where separate checks apparently requires an advanced accounting degree.

I personally don't stop at Breezewood, and I would prefer the option of having two ramps connecting I-70 to the Turnpike access highway.

[hbelkins]

...I would prefer the option of having two ramps connecting I-70 to the Turnpike access highway.

I think we all would.

[mgk920]

You do have a point, but as Jeremy said, I-68/I-79 is a decent enough by-pass of Breezewood. The one thing that I disliked about the town was how long the red light was where I-70 met US 30. It was about a 3 minute long wait going east on US 30!

I-68/I-79 is only a bypass for I-70 traffic between Hancock MD and Washington PA.  It's not a bypass for traffic between MD I-70 and I-76 to the west, such as to Pittsburgh, or to I-99 northward (as in the best route between D.C. and Buffalo NY).  Basically including all points needing use of I-76 west of Breezewood.

That wait can be 10 minutes at times.

And then there's that little issue of that interchange ramp at Washington, PA for westbound traffic....

Mike


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Oh, that's right, that one's being fixed.

[vdeane]

They fully support the hated MUTCD

While we all have things we dislike about the MUTCD (in my case, the FYA and arrow per lane signs), I don't think anyone other than you and HB hate it.

[DaBigE]

They fully support the hated MUTCD

While we all have things we dislike about the MUTCD (in my case, the FYA and arrow per lane signs), I don't think anyone other than you and HB hate it.

IMHO, uniformity is not a bad thing. Blind acceptance is. One of the phases I despise most is when someone at the DOT says something is changing "because the MUTCD says so" with no other reasoning. There is no MUTCD police (except for lawyers with nothing better to do). Our signal designs were fine (again, IMHO). I can't remember ever hearing anyone being confused as to what signal head was for them.

I know some will say this is an ARE-ist characteristic (and I fully accept it), but what gets me are signs that are produced with text that is off-center, ill-spaced, or with the wrong shield, 99% of the time when the plan sheet showed everything correctly. Yes, it's nit-picky, but as one who puts plans together, I find it to be a slap in the face.

[hbelkins]

They fully support the hated MUTCD

While we all have things we dislike about the MUTCD (in my case, the FYA and arrow per lane signs), I don't think anyone other than you and HB hate it.

I don't hate it. I just think it's too specific and restrictive and yes, anal.

[cpzilliacus]

Breezewood is kind of fun the one time just to say you've been, but I'd like to have the option to not have to drive through it.

I-68/I-79.

Or maybe I-68 to Pa. 43 to I-70?  Obviously there are tolls on Pa. 43, and I don't know how it compares, miles-wise, to I-68 to I-79 to I-70.

[cpzilliacus]

An unending and virulent hatred of Breezewood and every breezewood everywhere.

Isn't that a strawman?  An "unending and virulent hatred" is certainly an overreaction, but they deserve criticism on a regular basis as long as they stand uncorrected.

The language was meant (somewhat) tongue-in-cheek, though perhaps not to the hundreds (or maybe thousands at this point) of drivers who have been in needless wrecks on westbound (compass north) I-70 approaching the at-grade signalized intersection of I-70 and U.S. 30 in Breezewood.  All to support the financial interests of a few commercial property owners and their tenants.

[cpzilliacus]

For westbound traffic on I-70, Breezewood isn't bad, You get to make two right turns, from WB I-70 (which is basically heading due north) to EB US 30, then back onto the freeway. Going east on I-70 is the problem, however, as there is a left turn across traffic required.

I disagree.  The "westbound" movement through Breezewood is far, far worse, because traffic has to come to an "unnatural" stop at the at-grade signalized intersection of I-70 and U.S. 30 (and this is after a reasonably long descent on westbound I-70 down from the crest of Sidling Hill at Pa. 915 (Crystal Spring, Exit 151)).

[triplemultiplex]

As the great Walter Sobchak once said, "Am I the only one who cares about the fucking rules!?"

Why have a numbering system at all if it's just going to be violated at will?  Why must I accept incompetence from people who can't understand the simple difference between state and US Highways?  It's not that difficult.

There's a time and a place to take a little license and get creative and set apart from the rest.  A national highway system is not one of them.  What makes you so special that you get to have an odd numbered loop or a even numbered spur?  How come we can eviscerate the numbering conventions for one ridiculous interstate when everything else has to follow them?  No special treatment. Everyone gets the same rules.  That's what's fair.  Order is fairness.

[agentsteel53]

you're conflating two different problems: incompetence (mixing up state and US routes) vs violations of design principles.

design principles should be upheld, and if there are violations, they should be fairly minor (US-6 is south of US-20 in its entirety in Nebraska, etc) as opposed to wholesale ones (US-412 is ... US-412).

incompetence is grand old fun!

[agentsteel53]

Breezewood is kind of fun the one time just to say you've been, but I'd like to have the option to not have to drive through it.

it's kind of jarring when you don't know about it before hand, and you're like "why the Hell is I-70 making a left turn at this traffic light?"

first time I drove it, I hadn't been paying careful attention to the map, and I thought I had made a wrong turn as I exited the turnpike.

[NYYPhil777]

you're conflating two different problems: incompetence (mixing up state and US routes) vs violations of design principles.

design principles should be upheld, and if there are violations, they should be fairly minor (US-6 is south of US-20 in its entirety in Nebraska, etc) as opposed to wholesale ones (US-412 is ... US-412).

incompetence is grand old fun!

That sign is too funny! 
Well, I hate intrastate interstate highways (primary interstates that only serve one state like I-97 in Maryland or I-17 and I-19 in Arizona), so that might make me an anal road enthusiast.

[achilles765]

Here is a pet peeve of mine because I am anal about... almost everything...
Here in Houston, local news reports and the general population refer to US 90 Alternate as just Highway 90, which bothers me.    It doesn't get confusing since US 90 is multiplexed with IH 10 except for the far east side of town, but it bothers me because it's technicaly incorrect, and because I have a weird affinity for US 90 Alternate, and for using it's full name like that.

[NE2]

using it's full name like that.

Speaking of anal...

[achilles765]

using it's full name like that.

Speaking of anal...

I am very anal about alot of things and many of them are really minor or unusual.  My family and friends like to tease me about it. 

[ctsignguy]

Here is a pet peeve of mine because I am anal about... almost everything...
Here in Houston, local news reports and the general population refer to US 90 Alternate as just Highway 90, which bothers me.    It doesn't get confusing since US 90 is multiplexed with IH 10 except for the far east side of town, but it bothers me because it's technicaly incorrect, and because I have a weird affinity for US 90 Alternate, and for using it's full name like that.

Just call it '90A' and be done with it......

[achilles765]

Here is a pet peeve of mine because I am anal about... almost everything...
Here in Houston, local news reports and the general population refer to US 90 Alternate as just Highway 90, which bothers me.    It doesn't get confusing since US 90 is multiplexed with IH 10 except for the far east side of town, but it bothers me because it's technicaly incorrect, and because I have a weird affinity for US 90 Alternate, and for using it's full name like that.

Just call it '90A' and be done with it......

Alot of non-sheild street signs do refer to it as that.  Alot of people call it Alt 90

[agentsteel53]

Alot of non-sheild street signs do refer to it as that.  Alot of people call it Alt 90

are there any "90A" shields?  I could've sworn I saw one once in 2005 but I didn't get a photo.  It might have just been a "90A" street blade.

this sign is still around, I believe.

[signalman]

Alot of non-sheild street signs do refer to it as that.  Alot of people call it Alt 90

Since you're anal about many things, I'd like to be anal about something that annoys me...
It's 'a lot', not alot.

[NE2]

Yep, and 'its', not 'it's'. Unless it's a thing called It, in which case It's is correct for the possessive.

One of the sillier rules of English, but whatever.

[agentsteel53]

Yep, and 'its', not 'it's'. Unless it's a thing called It, in which case It's is correct for the possessive.

One of the sillier rules of English, but whatever.

the way I remember it is that no possessive pronoun has an apostrophe.

are there any contractions that omit the apostrophe?