shoulder running

[Chris]

Are there many locations that allow shoulder running at peak hours in the U.S.?

It means the shoulder becomes a temporary third (or whatever) lane. They are increasingly common in Europe, the first one opened in 1996 in the Netherlands, and Germany and the UK also introduced shoulder running the 2000's.



We also have left shoulder running, well, not actually a shoulder, they did widen the road for this, but in this stupid country, it's impossible to widen to a normal 6 lane setup, so they construct this kind of crap. Well, better than nothing ofcourse.

[74/171FAN]

I-264 in VA Beach during rush hour has the shoulder open while the HOV restrictions are in effect

[usends]

I recently drove from Dulles airport to downtown Washington DC, and I think what I observed is that the shoulders are open to traffic during certain periods (maybe someone else can elaborate).

[Chris]

That's I-66. Someone told me that was the first introduction of shoulder running in the United States (early 1990's)

[Duke87]

There was a proposal to do this on I-95 in Connecticut (at least in Fairfield County). Nothing ever came of it. Part of the problem being that the shoulders on that highway would need to be widened in many places for that to be viable, including on viaducts and overpasses.

Of course, allowed or not, whenever and wherever there's traffic, some people will do it anyway.

[Bryant5493]

GDOT allows shoulders on Georgia 400 to be used by MARTA buses when speeds drop to 35 m.p.h.


Be well,

Bryant

[Alex]

I've seen signs allowing for use of the shoulder for traffic in the Boston area. In Seattle, some of the HOV lanes run along the right-hand side of the freeway rather than the left.

[florida]

Can't happen here, our shoulders are grooved.

[Chris]

Here are a few pics of Dutch shoulder running along A1. These are officially called "peak hour lanes", and "plus lanes" even more official. They are sometimes as wide as normal lanes, but the complex and over-the-top environmental laws do not easily allow the widening of a freeway over here. So they came up with this solution where the lanes are only opened if traffic congestion appears.


All these setups require constant CCTV controls, and also electronic overhead signage. The operational costs of these setups might eventually exceed that of a regular widening in the long term. Another problem is that these peak hour lanes cannot be opened when there is insufficient visibility to control them with CCTV, so it gets very congested on foggy mornings when there are only 2 lanes.


These pics were actually taken somewhere around lunch time. This freeway averages about 22,000 trucks per day. It's the main road to Poland and Russia. Traffic volumes are now a bit down due to the recession, but I fear the moment the economy starts to grow again... trafficwise ofcourse.

[Ian]

New Hampshire and Vermont's shoulders are also grooved, so it can't also happen there.

I believe off of the New Jersey Turnpike at exit 7A (I-195), they allow traffic on the shoulders at some hours on the ramps. I have also seen on I-95 in some parts of Massachusetts, they allow certain vehicles on the shoulders at some points. Not sure of anywhere else though.

[Truvelo]

Here's a picture I took of the first section of shoulder running to be introduced in the UK. On both sides of the road are emergency refuge areas which are provided in case of breakdowns. These are provided every half mile but of course it's a matter of luck if there happens to be one nearby when your car suddenly dies. Because of this there are cameras every few hundred yards which provide complete cover of the shoulder and will close it if a stalled vehicle is detected. One of these cameras can be seen on the curved pole on the right, there's another behind the gantry in the distance.

The shoulders were closed when this picture was taken as the scheme wasn't yet fully operational. In any case the level of traffic shown doesn't really warrant the extra lane.

Chris raised an important point about the running costs of the electronics. Whilst the setup cost for this is far less than normal widening the cost of all the cameras, computers and electricity all this lot uses could well end up costing as much as conventional widening in the future. I wonder if anyone has the ability to do any calculations?

[vdeane]

In NY it couldn't happen because we also have grooved shoulders.

Interestingly, on the Lake Ontario State Parkway, the acceleration/deceleration lanes are taken from the shoulder (making them narrower than normal lanes and having no shoulder).

[Revive 755]

I-70 east of downtown Columbus allows buses on the shoulders.

[Truvelo]

By grooved shoulders do you mean the pattern in the pavement next to the shoulder line which gives a vibration through the vehicle when driving over it? Over here the grooves are in the paint on the line as shown here. When work takes place to install shoulder running they just remove the paint and restripe it with plain paint.

[mightyace]

By grooved shoulders do you mean the pattern in the pavement next to the shoulder line which gives a vibration through the vehicle when driving over it? Over here the grooves are in the paint on the line as shown here. When work takes place to install shoulder running they just remove the paint and restripe it with plain paint.

I don't think so.  TDOT uses "grooved shoulders" here in Tennessee and they consist of "rumble strips" running across the shoulder not just on the edge.  The reason for them is to make enough noise to "wake up" sleepy drivers.

Also, when I lived in Ohio, commuters often ran on the shoulders on I-77 into Cleveland.  This was not official and actually illegal, though few people were actually caught.  One local radio station made a song "Berm Runner" to the tune of a "Road Runner" from the Looney Tunes

IIRC The some of the  lyrics:
Berm runner, the police are after you.
Berm runner, if they capture you, you're through.

[njroadhorse]

Eh, it still happens everywhere in traffic jams, whether it's allowed or not.

[akotchi]

U.S. 1 in central New Jersey (just north of Trenton) used to have this provision, before it was widened.  Route 29 currently has this between I-195/I-295 and Route 129.

PennDOTFan's recollection is correct on Exit 7A of the Turnpike -- it is also allowed at Exit 8.

As njroadhorse indicates, it must be noted that these restrictions appear to only be guidelines. 

[Alps]

One more from NJ: NJ 3, at least eastbound, off-ramp to the Meadowlands for football games.  The two lanes (exit + shoulder) tend to keep moving nowadays but used to stop way back.

[mapman]

How are the lanes managed during accidents and police pull-overs?  A concern I would have with shoulder running is letting drivers know about damaged cars on the shoulders (when they're put there to clear accidents from the mainline) and Highway Patrolmen ticketing speeders.

[Michael]

In Wilkes-Barre, ramps from exit 168 on I-81 allow traffic to use the shoulder as another lane during events at Wachovia Arena. This aerial photo shows the sign that directs traffic to use the shoulder.

[SidS1045]

I have also seen on I-95 in some parts of Massachusetts, they allow certain vehicles on the shoulders at some points.

Between the MA-9 interchange (exit 20) on I-95/MA-128 and the MA-24 interchange (exit 4) on I-93/US-1, 6-10 AM and 3-7 PM.  Despite the changed route numbers, it's one continuous stretch of highway (and will probably forever be "128" to the locals).  That stretch is being widened from 6 to 8 lanes, and the permitted use of the breakdown lane will be removed once the project is completed.

[Bickendan]

Minneapolis-St.Paul allows busses to shoulder run during rush hour.

[Bickendan]

Remind me never to have a breakdown on I-35W.

[Chris]

Remind me never to have a breakdown on I-35W.

You plan these things? 

[Bickendan]

Yes.