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PA Color Detours

Started by andrewkbrown, February 16, 2010, 08:38:28 PM

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andrewkbrown

I've missed it if it has been discussed before, but in my back and forth travels between Washington, DC, and Wilmington, Ohio, I have noticed signs on I-70 and I-79 marking colored detours (Red Detour, Blue Detour, Black Detour, etc.) What do they detour and when would they use them?

I've also noticed folded rectangular signs with only directional tabs (North, South) showing. I assume these are related to the detours, yes?
Firefighter/Paramedic
Washington DC Fire & EMS


mightyace

I've also seen them along I-80 in PA and along some of the parallel routes.

I'm not sure, but I think that they are detours already set up for closures due to accidents, weather and possibly construction.
My Flickr Photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mightyace

I'm out of this F***KING PLACE!

J N Winkler

#2
Yes, they are pre-agreed permanent diversions.  The signs are distinctive not just for the color coding, but also for using FHWA alphabet series without the standard filled-barb arrows.  Design details for the signs (unfortunately not pattern-accurate) can be found in PennDOT Publication 236M.
"It is necessary to spend a hundred lire now to save a thousand lire later."--Piero Puricelli, explaining the need for a first-class road system to Benito Mussolini

Chris

That links redirects to some other site

Is this similar to the permanent detours/diversions you can see in some European countries? If there is a road closure or severe congestion, permanently signed detours can be used.

J N Winkler

Yes, the color detours are conceptually similar to the yellow-and-black shape diversions used in Britain and indicated on fixed permanent direction signs.
"It is necessary to spend a hundred lire now to save a thousand lire later."--Piero Puricelli, explaining the need for a first-class road system to Benito Mussolini

PAHighways

Quote from: andrewkbrown on February 16, 2010, 08:38:28 PM
I've missed it if it has been discussed before, but in my back and forth travels between Washington, DC, and Wilmington, Ohio, I have noticed signs on I-70 and I-79 marking colored detours (Red Detour, Blue Detour, Black Detour, etc.) What do they detour and when would they use them?

There are five different colors for use in varying lengths of a detour which I describe on my MUTCD site.

Quote from: andrewkbrown on February 16, 2010, 08:38:28 PMI've also noticed folded rectangular signs with only directional tabs (North, South) showing. I assume these are related to the detours, yes?

Yes, those are used in traffic control during a detour.

J N Winkler

Quote from: Chris on February 17, 2010, 07:44:00 AM
That links redirects to some other site

It wouldn't if the forum software handled FTP URLs correctly.  Here is the correct URL:

ftp://ftp.dot.state.pa.us/public/PubsForms/Publications/PUB%20236M/236M%20Cover.pdf

This design lapse is inexcusable.  FTP URLs are URLs, just like HTTP URLs, Telnet URLs, and Gopher URLs.

Publication 236M is PennDOT's Handbook of Approved Signs.
"It is necessary to spend a hundred lire now to save a thousand lire later."--Piero Puricelli, explaining the need for a first-class road system to Benito Mussolini

vdeane

The problem is that some people feel that the http://www. part of urls should be dropped and some software supports this (some even require it!).
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position of NYSDOT or its affiliates.

hbelkins

Quote from: deanej on February 17, 2010, 03:44:56 PM
The problem is that some people feel that the http://www. part of urls should be dropped and some software supports this (some even require it!).

Straying off topic...

I can see getting rid of the "www" part of the name, since the Worldwide Web (WWW) is where you find hypertext. But the protocol part of the URL ought to remain to let the user and the software know if you are trying to access a hypertext page (hypertext transfer protocol) or download a file (file transfer protocol).

You can't omit the "www" from all URLs and reach the intended site, but on some (like Twitter) you can. Twitter specifically omits the "www" part of the address from its URLs.


Government would be tolerable if not for politicians and bureaucrats.

Alex

I have several old gas station maps that both explain the purpose of the Color Detours and include a map with all of the beltways highlighted.

PAHighways

#10
Quote from: AARoads on February 19, 2010, 11:21:33 AMI have several old gas station maps that both explain the purpose of the Color Detours and include a map with all of the beltways highlighted.

I think you have the emergency detours routes and the Allegheny County Belt System confused.  I did the same thing back in 1989 when I saw my first "Orange Detour" up in Butler County.

Alex

Quote from: PAHighways on February 19, 2010, 02:34:29 PM
Quote from: AARoads on February 19, 2010, 11:21:33 AMI have several old gas station maps that both explain the purpose of the Color Detours and include a map with all of the beltways highlighted.

I think you have the emergency detours routes and the Allegheny County Belt System confused.  I did the same thing back in 1989 when I saw my first "Orange Detour" up in Butler County.

Ah yes, the maps reference the colored belt routes, not the colored detours...



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