Recent posts

#91

Great Lakes and Ohio Valley / Re: Minnesota Notes

Last post by froggie - Today at 09:30:21 AM

Both were originally replaced.  It wasn't until sign replacements the past few years that MnDOT started doing right-justified exit tabs.

#92

Mid-Atlantic / Re: Francis Scott Key Bridge (...

Last post by 1995hoo - Today at 09:23:25 AM

^^^^

The old bridge in DC was also known as the Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge; it received that name in 1965. As you note, when it opened in 1950 it was the South Capitol Street Bridge.

#93

Mid-Atlantic / Re: Francis Scott Key Bridge (...

Last post by davewiecking - Today at 09:06:46 AM

I can't seem to find what the controversy about that verse is though. For example, the Wikipedia article about the song doesn't mention any lyrics being controversial.

Towards the bottom of the wikipedia article there's a Protests section where it's covered in quite a bit of detail.

The name will almost certainly be changed. Francis Scott Key was a slave owner, and he was also a lawyer who fought to preserve slavery in court. On the other side of that, Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglass were both born (as slaves) in Maryland.

There is already a bridge named after Frederick Douglass, not in Maryland though.

There's one a lot closer: the bridge in DC previously known as the South Capital St. Bridge. But still not in MD. Nothing wrong with more than one structure being named after someone.

#94

Mid-Atlantic / Re: Francis Scott Key Bridge (...

Last post by webny99 - Today at 08:57:52 AM

I can't seem to find what the controversy about that verse is though. For example, the Wikipedia article about the song doesn't mention any lyrics being controversial.

Towards the bottom of the wikipedia article there's a Protests section where it's covered in quite a bit of detail.

The name will almost certainly be changed. Francis Scott Key was a slave owner, and he was also a lawyer who fought to preserve slavery in court. On the other side of that, Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglass were both born (as slaves) in Maryland.

There is already a bridge named after Frederick Douglass, not in Maryland though.

#95

Southeast / Re: I-40 in North Carolina

Last post by cowboy_wilhelm - Today at 08:46:27 AM

The six through lanes on I-40 are a bit of overkill with the collector lanes. No one seems to be utilizing the third right lane since it ends up exiting or ending after a couple of miles, especially the tractor-trailers. I wish they'd gone ahead and widened a couple more miles west to Exit 148 and rebuilt the two sub-standard interchanges/bridges at 148 and 150.

I wouldn't say it's overkill... building for the future. It allows traffic to have more merging space and to un-choke traffic a little bit through that interchange area.

Which is the purpose of the C/D lanes. I wouldn't be surprised if a similar amount of traffic use the C/D lanes as the through lanes. Sure, better to widen with the rest of the project and future-proof it, but it's not really where the additional lanes are needed since so much traffic exits the I-40 main line. It's still overkill for such a short distance and lower volume when everything bottlenecks back to two sub-standard lanes after the C/D lanes merge. Like why not add 1000 feet of auxiliary lane eastbound to connect exits 150 and 151? Oh well, maybe one of these decades.

It's kind of funny how much conversation there is on here about future interstate upgrades in North Carolina when there are still so many miles of existing interstate highway in North Carolina that don't even meet modern interstate standards.

#96

Northeast / Re: Massachusetts

Last post by SectorZ - Today at 08:42:18 AM

What does Governor Sequential (Sununu) have to say about the proposal?

I'd imagine he'd be vociferously opposed to it.

Got a link for that, too.

https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/a-toll-for-driving-into-mass-nh-gov-says-not-so-fast/3345545/

#97

Off-Topic / Re: New Oklahoma City Skyscrap...

Last post by GaryV - Today at 07:54:21 AM

I think it would be a monstrosity that would be better suited for being built in Chicago, Los Angeles or New York City.

Because those cities need or deserve monstrosities?

I agree with other posts, that unless OKC is vastly different from other cities, large office or residential buildings are seldom needed any more. GM is moving out of the RenCen in Detroit, and they don't know what the future will hold for those buildings. Just that it won't likely be office space, and they don't know if residential would be viable.

#98

Traffic Control / Re: Active highway shields tha...

Last post by epzik8 - Today at 07:41:50 AM

I don't know why but I've slapped the US 1 Mile Marker 0 shield several times.

That shield is legendary and thus very slap-worthy.

#99

Mid-Atlantic / Re: Francis Scott Key Bridge (...

Last post by 1995hoo - Today at 07:40:08 AM

I've been hearing stories that the new bridge will not be named the Francis Scott Key Bridge due to a second verse of his poem that became our nation's anthem. Apparently the song we recite at ball games etc, has more lyrics to it that we never sing as well as even know about.

I don't know what they are as it's news to me that the anthem even had another verse. However MD lawmakers are listening to public opinion already not to rename the bridge its existing name.

I doubt it'll surprise anyone to hear that I know the words to all four verses.

If you've never heard the whole anthem performed and you have eleven minutes, here you go.

[April 2024 Detailed Schedule Changes]

#100

Southeast / Re: The "Future" I-26 is arriv...

Last post by Rothman - Today at 07:01:30 AM

The I-26/I-240 widening between the I-40 interchange and Patton Ave. has been delayed from November 2024 to November 2025.

April 2024 Detailed Schedule Changes

What?  I am shocked!

(i.e., get prepared for another move next year)