Recent posts

#1

Off-Topic / Re: Minor things that bother y...

Last post by thenetwork - Today at 09:17:35 PM

Businesses that require one to create an account in order to do things like order food or book an appointment.  Sure, offer the option for those who would rather create a username/password and save things like payment/contact information, but there needs to be an option to do these things without creating an account.  I have no desire to create an account for, say, a once a year eye exam or if I'm trying out a new place to get my hair cut, and I definitely won't if I'm just ordering food while I'm traveling, so this degrades my experience by forcing me to downgrade to a phone call (which is both more annoying and more likely to lead to errors; plus there likely won't be an email confirmation).

It has to have been mentioned somewhere in the 338 pages prior, but businesses that require one to register/login to an account, or at least select delivery/pickup options, before allowing one to just look at the damn menu.  Maybe I'm not having it brought home, but instead plan to actually sit down and eat there.  If I have to go through a hassle just to see your offerings, I'll go elsewhere.  :grumble:

Or the ones that will post the menu, but either omit the prices altogether, or never update the prices.  I decided to hit a restaurant whose menu I liked online, only to find out that the prices for many of the appetizers and entrees went up by $3-$5. 

#2

Mountain West / Re: New Mexico

Last post by thenetwork - Today at 09:12:15 PM

NMDOT'S Philosphy on Road Work:

1) Work when you feel like it.
2) If you don't want to do work today, don't worry -- it will be there tomorrow.
3) The nicer you build it initially, the longer you let it go bad over time until you touch it again.
4) Preventive Maintenance...what's that???

#3

Southeast / Re: I-55 Bridge in Memphis

Last post by Great Lakes Roads - Today at 09:05:18 PM

I-55 Mississippi River Bridge replacement project (or as TDOT is calling it, "The America's River Crossing").

All options are in the cable-stayed bridge design, but it's on the number of spans and towers.

1. Two towers with four spans
2. Three towers with four spans
3. Two towers with three spans

The new bridge will have four 12-foot travel lanes with two 12-foot auxiliary lanes and 12-foot shoulders on both sides.

#4

Great Lakes and Ohio Valley / Re: Wisconsin notes

Last post by JMAN_WiS&S - Today at 09:00:54 PM

Drove the new Wis 15 Hortonville Bypass. It was painted with black/white striping which I've never seen used in Wisconsin in recent years. Pictures in the Wisconsin Roads Facebook group.

Are you talking about the white-black alternating striping? I don't go on Facebook often, would you mind sharing a photo or a specific link?

There's a member of this forum who works for WisDOT, I don't recall his name off the top of my head. He mentioned that Wisconsin is moving away from the "Oreo cookie" in favor of the alternating pattern.

That is me! Glad to see some pictures finally. We are just getting ready to start painting in the next week or two up here and I'm eager to see how it comes out. Spent some time in Iowa last weekend and really liked seeing the white black lag contrast.

Thanks for quoting, sorry I didn't mention your account!

I think I'm fairly neutral on the Oreo cookie versus the white-black alternating patterns. Have studies shown the latter to be more effective?

Either way, it's better than IDOT, still using 4" and 5" lines with rare contrasting. Heck, on some expressways, the striping's just gone entirely anyway. Gotta use the unraveled joints to figure out where the lanes are.

The biggest reason is that by moving to 6 and 10 inch lane and channelization lines, having an inch of oreo on either side of that would make the new wider lines even wider. I guess they've found the other states that use them find them more effective.

#5

Road Enthusiasts Meetings / 25th Anniversary Road Meet His...

Last post by CanesFan27 - Today at 09:00:18 PM

It's the 25th anniversary of the first road meet - Greensburg, PA in February 1999.  On the latest Junction Roadcast - I sit down with Jeff Kitsko of Pennsylvania Highways and Bruce Cridlebaugh of pghbriges.com to talk about that first meet 25 years ago and a preview of Jeff's upcoming 25th Anniversary Meet on May 4.

Then - Jeff, our own Doug Kerr, and Steve Alpert of Alps' Roads join me for a roundtable discussion on roadmeets past, present, and future.

Come give it a listen on your next drive in to work or roadtrip!


https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gribblenation/episodes/Junction-Episode-2---Road-Meets-e2ija4o

#6

Mountain West / Re: New Mexico

Last post by Max Rockatansky - Today at 08:56:47 PM

I used to work in the state for several years.  If you are just blasting through on I-40 you are missing out on some really good scenery along the US Routes.

#7

General Highway Talk / Re: Roads that you have been o...

Last post by gonealookin - Today at 08:51:56 PM

I lived in Hayward, CA when the quake hit the Bay Area in October 1989, and lived in Alameda before that, so I was on the Cypress Viaduct (CA 17, then I-880) a fair amount before that thing came down in the quake.  Also the old Embarcadero Freeway in S.F. (didn't actually collapse in the quake but was damaged to the point it had to be closed, and never reopened before being torn down).

When I was first driving, Carquinez Scenic Drive (briefly US 40 way back when) between Martinez and Port Costa was still open to vehicular traffic, so I drove that once or twice.  Not quite a "disaster" but it closed due to landslides around 1982 and was never reopened.  It's now a multi-use recreational path within an East Bay regional park.

#8

Mountain West / Re: New Mexico

Last post by Plutonic Panda - Today at 08:42:00 PM

I'll tell you this. I'm always on high alert when going through. New Mexico cause. Sometimes you can save time by going. D*** near a 100 Miles out of the way versus taking the interstate. Because of some stupid thing, they do that causes insane traffic backups. It probably happens in other states, but I don't notice it as often.

#9

Suggestions and Questions / Re: Can someone fill me in on ...

Last post by 1995hoo - Today at 08:29:44 PM

...

I'm "1". ...

One of the more underrated tracks on Quadrophenia, IMO.

#10

Mountain West / US 50 Bridge Failure Between G...

Last post by thenetwork - Today at 08:19:02 PM

https://maps.app.goo.gl/2egZ9qEM852YaE3k6

The US-50 Bridge over Blue Mesa Reservoir is now closed "until further notice" due to a routine inspection which found "multiple cracks" in the bridge structure.

This is the only road that connects Gunnison and Montrose.

At this time the only way around this is either via US-285/US-24/I-70 to the north or CO-149/US-160/US-550 to the south.  Either detour will add "multiple hours" to drive time, depending on one's destination.

As it is early spring, the handful of local dirt roads are either still closed for the season or are still impassable for most vehicles (mud season).