Atlanta

[Tom958]

If we must continue with the "all signs the same height" thing, okay, fine. But could we at least vertically center the destination text? Then it would actually look intentional and not like a manufacturing error.

Agreed. TxDOT Houston is doing the same thing nowadays. Seems like such a waste to have a massive sign display one line of text, only for the sake of having it be the same height as its neighbor. I actually think it looks worse having them be the same height.

Except Georgia doesn't do it consistently, as you can see by scrolling through afone's photos on this page. 

Who knows? In that particular location maybe they left room for route shields. Believe it or not, Ashford Dunwoody Road is an NHS corridor of some sort.

Nobody said anything about the APL sign photos I posted. My heart is broken. Here's a different view, c/o mundohispanico.com this afternoon:


Actually, at this point the sign you can't see is more interesting to me, since I'm getting bored with rogue APL's.

[Eth]

Who knows? In that particular location maybe they left room for route shields. Believe it or not, Ashford Dunwoody Road is an NHS corridor of some sort.

I look forward to the impending re-extension of SR 260.

Actually, at this point the sign you can't see is more interesting to me, since I'm getting bored with rogue APL's.

I think it's pretty much a full-scale addiction for GDOT at this point.

[Alex]

Nobody said anything about the APL sign photos I posted. My heart is broken.

Eh, I could have posted.  I thought "yet another improper use of an APL by GDOT", and also thought "the first time some nasty straight line winds from a thunderstorm topples one of those monstrous APL gantries, they better start rethinking how large they need to be". Third thing I thought "great...more for me to rephotograph in Atlanta for a future AARoads update."

[Tom958]

Updated renderings of the 285-400 project, once more via an article in Curbed c/o a post at skyscrapercity.com, where they display better. Neither the Curbed writer nor most of the commenters seem to have noticed that the project adds no more than incidental capacity. Admittedly, in light of the $1 billion cost they could be forgiven for the oversight. 

The first plate actually includes three of the changes I noticed, the most significant of which is the split in the ramp from westbound 285 to southbound 400 to provide an early  entry to the mainline rather than putting all the traffic on the CD as before.

[Tomahawkin]

It Looks like putting a Band-aid on a Bullet wound? It looks like they didn't consider at all if future Toll Lanes or a transit system could be added to that corridor...We All know how FUBAR Roswell Rd, and All the other interchange exits between I-H 285 between 400 and 75 are during a 7 day basis. All of it needs to be redone. That 4-5 year construction plan (Im Including the Cobb Cloverleaf interchange as it will correlate with the Braves stadium) will frustrate drivers on a daily basis to no end especially when Construction is in progress. Glad I don't live up there after I considered moving to Sandy Springs a year ago....

Furthernote. I was hoping that they would could consider doing elevated toll lanes on the Top end perimeter between 400-75, But that's decades away probably. I wish Atlanta would emulate Dallas in fixing their traffic issues...SMFH

[Tom958]

It Looks like putting a Band-aid on a Bullet wound? It looks like they didn't consider at all if future Toll Lanes or a transit system could be added to that corridor...We All know how FUBAR Roswell Rd, and All the other interchange exits between I-H 285 between 400 and 75 are during a 7 day basis. All of it needs to be redone. That 4-5 year construction plan (Im Including the Cobb Cloverleaf interchange as it will correlate with the Braves stadium) will frustrate drivers on a daily basis to no end especially when Construction is in progress. Glad I don't live up there after I considered moving to Sandy Springs a year ago....

Furthernote. I was hoping that they would could consider doing elevated toll lanes on the Top end perimeter between 400-75, But that's decades away probably. I wish Atlanta would emulate Dallas in fixing their traffic issues...SMFH

Revive 285 was/is a multiyear effort to consider all of these options, and it built upon work stretching back to the '90's. Their website is high-quality road porn, too, I might add.  The problem with implementing the most aggressive options is, of course, funding. Georgia is a cheapskate state, and nothing will change about that in the foreseeable  future.

That said, I was told that the current concept is configured so as not to preclude the installation of HOT lanes, presumably elevated, at a later time.

[Tomahawkin]

I was up in SW Gwinnett earlier today and noticed they Bumped the Speed limit up to 70 past Pleasantdale Road. It seems like they are increasing the speed limits on most metro interstates? Its about time! Also I think The New Braves Stadium will be open before the DDI interchange @I-85 and Jimmy Carter Blvd is completed? I honestly think they should've just redone the whole Bridge like they did the Memorial Dr Bridge @ I-285, 5 years ago...

[Eth]

I was up in SW Gwinnett earlier today and noticed they Bumped the Speed limit up to 70 past Pleasantdale Road. It seems like they are increasing the speed limits on most metro interstates? Its about time!

Yep, that's right. We touched on this a couple weeks back:

Many of the speed limit changes were in the process of being upgraded in metro Atlanta, as well.

Here is an article and video on the Atlanta area speed limit changes:
http://www.11alive.com/story/news/traffic/commuter-dude/2015/01/20/faster-speed-limits-in-place-across-metro-atlanta/22062903/

That link also has county-by-county details on the increased limits.

[MarcusDoT]

Kudos to afone for uploading those pictures to this forum! 

Since I'm learning how to recreate these signs [Amateurishly], I'll try to recreate all those signs, probably one or two per day. 

I'll start that tomorrow since I already did my daily one.     

[Tom958]

I noticed a little something yesterday. See anything wrong with one of these signs?




Hint: Look at the exit number tabs. There seems to be a glut of exit 31B's.    Since afone took these photos, the next sign assembly has also been replaced, and the sign for exit 31A had the same issue, though the B- has now been taken down. Here's the old one, just because:





I think it hasn't been mentioned yet, but in addition to replacing signs GDOT is also replacing a high proportion of gantries. That includes providing new footings and anchor bolts, which requires off-peak lane closures for work on the median barriers. I've also noticed the GDOT is very much undecided on the question of whether yellow exit only tabs should have a black or white border.  See apone's post for examples.

[afone]

Does anyone know the history behind those ghost bridge supports at I-285 and Old Dixie Highway. They've always intrigued me. 
https://www.google.com/maps/@33.631458,-84.38884,3a,75y,44.47h,75.49t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sO1g7XihJpfI8LsEEAjiCnw!2e0

[Henry]

Does anyone know the history behind those ghost bridge supports at I-285 and Old Dixie Highway. They've always intrigued me. 
https://www.google.com/maps/@33.631458,-84.38884,3a,75y,44.47h,75.49t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sO1g7XihJpfI8LsEEAjiCnw!2e0

Wild guess, but my thought is that they were going to twin up the crossing road and then abandoned that plan.

[alex5793]

I was up in SW Gwinnett earlier today and noticed they Bumped the Speed limit up to 70 past Pleasantdale Road. It seems like they are increasing the speed limits on most metro interstates? Its about time! Also I think The New Braves Stadium will be open before the DDI interchange @I-85 and Jimmy Carter Blvd is completed? I honestly think they should've just redone the whole Bridge like they did the Memorial Dr Bridge @ I-285, 5 years ago...

I think the facade they are putting on the existing bridge is very heavy and my guess is that they stopped that work until they were sure the bridge could handle the extra loads.  They should have gone with a form liner or something more similar to the one at Pleasant Hill.

[afone]

Another DDI is coming to Georgia, this time at I-285 and Camp Creek Pkwy in SW Atlanta....

Representatives from the Georgia Department of Transportation, city of East Point and Airport West Community Improvement District will discuss plans for a diverging diamond interchange coming to the Interstate 285 bridge over Camp Creek Parkway. Stakeholders can join in a public meeting 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. March 25 at the Courtyard Atlanta Airport West, 2400 Creek Point Dr., East Point.

DDIs are already successfully alleviating congestion in Gwinnett and north Fulton. The unique travel pattern shifts traffic to opposing sides as they cross over expressways, making it faster and easier to complete left turns to access interstates.

The Camp Creek Parkway DDI is expected to cost an estimated $8 million, and construction could begin as early as 2017.

http://www.ajc.com/news/news/local/diverging-diamond-coming-to-airport-area/nkWFF/?ecmp=ajc_social_twitter_2014_sfp

[Tom958]

Portable signs announce that the Jimmy Carter-I-85 interchange will be closed next weekend. Could it be that the DDI crossover will happen then? The new traffic signals have been up on mast arms for a while, and the decorative metal thingie seems to be fully erected. Hopefully the long-awaited day will soon be here. 

I have some photos, too. This one came out better than it had any right to. You have to figure out where it is:



Here's another variation on how GDOT is signing two lane service interchange offramps these days. Lately it seems that GDOT has simply given up on signing said optional lanes at all, but this sign is offset oddly to the left, as though there was to be an arrow to the optional lane but then they chickened out:

Wow, the coloring is weird! I'm far too lazy to have photoshopped it, too. WTF?


Finally, I'd thought that white arrows on the side of lane drop exit signs were being done away with, but here's a newish one. Admittedly, it's a bit older than the new wave of replaced signage, being installed as part of the Hammond Drive interchange addition, but it's still part of the current generation:

[Big John]

I have some photos, too. This one came out better than it had any right to. You have to figure out where it is:

I-75 and I-285 (north) interchange?

[Tom958]

I-75 and I-285 (north) interchange?

Yes, from the old loop ramp that still provides access from Windy Hill Road to 285 eastbound.

[Eth]

Finally, I'd thought that white arrows on the side of lane drop exit signs were being done away with, but here's a newish one. Admittedly, it's a bit older than the new wave of replaced signage, being installed as part of the Hammond Drive interchange addition, but it's still part of the current generation:

The most recent version of the Signing and Marking Guidelines I've seen calls for it to be this way (though I think with a black border around the EXIT ONLY panel). Unfortunately, I can't verify that right now because it's buried in an appendix to the guidelines and the link to the appendix was recently broken.

[Tomahawkin]

Those Northside Drive and New Northside Drive Interchanges need a makeover! And has needed a makeover for 20+ years. WTF is the GDOT On, Obviously they don't commute in that area. That area is hell during both Rush Hours. GDOT Is a Effing Joke as well as our Governor. Penny Pitching S.O.B.

[Tomahawkin]

They have raised the Speed limit on 400 ITP (South of IH-285) to 65 from 55... Does anyone know why they are raising the Speed limits across the Metro Area? The Public has not been informed about this? What Gives?

[lordsutch]

They have raised the Speed limit on 400 ITP (South of IH-285) to 65 from 55... Does anyone know why they are raising the Speed limits across the Metro Area? The Public has not been informed about this? What Gives?

Already discussed; see http://www.11alive.com/story/news/traffic/commuter-dude/2015/01/20/faster-speed-limits-in-place-across-metro-atlanta/22062903/ for ATL-area details.

The short answer is the legislature passed a law a couple of years ago that allowed GDOT to increase freeway speed limits in metropolitan areas, where it's safe to do so, bringing them more into line with practices in other states.

[Tom958]

https://www.gwinnettcounty.com/portal/gwinnett/Departments/Transportation/DivergingDiamondInterchanges

The Gwinnett County Department of Transportation will close the I-85 at Jimmy Carter Boulevard bridge for the Diverging Diamond Interchange (DDI) crossover. The closure will begin at 9:00pm on Friday, March 20, weather and conditioins permitting. The bridge will open to traffic by 5:00am on Monday, March 23 with the new DDI configuration.

During the weekend construction, drivers should take Jimmy Carter Boulevard to Brook Hollow Parkway to Indian Trail Road to Singleton Road to Jimmy Carter Boulevard and the reverse as their detour.

[Tomahawkin]

In Regards to the Camp Creek Pkwy DDI. That is another example of putting a Band-aid on a Bullet-Wound. There is a Hell of a lot of truck traffic that takes Camp Creek Pkwy West as a short cut to IH-20 going west and Vice Versa. That Should've been made an Interchange with flyovers 20 years ago. Truck Drivers take Camp Creek to avoid the 40 year old Outdated Interchange of IH 285 and IH 20 and will Eff up a DDI with the wide turns (Especially the ones who have never seen a DDI, and don't get me started about the Pedrestrians) . Gotta Love Georgia and the Bass Ackward Planning of Interstates by Those overpaid ####'s at GDOT and in the government. Its On the Level of Arkansas mindset #BackwardBa$$Turds

[6a]

I have looked without much luck other than some mentions in other articles...is there online somewhere a guide to exactly what was done during the Freeing the Freeways campaign?

[Alex]

I have looked without much luck other than some mentions in other articles...is there online somewhere a guide to exactly what was done during the Freeing the Freeways campaign?

I did some research on the Freeing the Freeways projects through searches in Newsbank and added some stuff on the pages for Interstate 20, 75 and 85.