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South Carolina

Started by wriddle082, January 30, 2011, 07:53:11 PM

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Jim

Driving I-95 in the southernmost few dozen miles of South Carolina this evening was pretty depressing, seeing all the progress on the clear cutting of the median trees.  That was such a distinctive South Carolina thing to me, with an added bonus that when we drove up through here in the middle of the night, it was a nice break from oncoming headlights in your eyes all the time.
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wriddle082

Quote from: Jim on August 15, 2018, 07:47:41 PM
Driving I-95 in the southernmost few dozen miles of South Carolina this evening was pretty depressing, seeing all the progress on the clear cutting of the median trees.  That was such a distinctive South Carolina thing to me, with an added bonus that when we drove up through here in the middle of the night, it was a nice break from oncoming headlights in your eyes all the time.

I enjoy the trees myself, and don't have the "tunnel vision"  issues that many people complain about.  But the removal is for safety, and I completely understabd why.  Just a couple of months ago, a young woman from somewhere in the northeast and her two young children were killed in a freak accident on I-95 northbound a few miles north of I-26 where she ran over an alligator in the middle of the road, swerved into the median, and hit a tree head on.  Apparently preventing head-on collisions with trees is preferred over keeping the trees intact.  They are trying to keep a few of the trees in place to create a "park-like"  landscape.

fillup420

Quote from: WashuOtaku on June 28, 2018, 07:48:24 PM

I believe you are talking about when they place US Highway signs on green signs, where they have a black outline instead of the flush look seen in other states.

Why they do that... dunno.

Yea, the US shields on BGS's have that weird black outline, and the numbers look like a slightly different font. It bears a resemblance to CA signage. This is still practiced with new signs, although the blue SC state hwy signs are making their way onto BGS's.

Beltway

Quote from: wriddle082 on August 16, 2018, 03:43:29 PM
I enjoy the trees myself, and don't have the "tunnel vision"  issues that many people complain about.  But the removal is for safety, and I completely understabd why.  Just a couple of months ago, a young woman from somewhere in the northeast and her two young children were killed in a freak accident on I-95 northbound a few miles north of I-26 where she ran over an alligator in the middle of the road, swerved into the median, and hit a tree head on.  Apparently preventing head-on collisions with trees is preferred over keeping the trees intact.  They are trying to keep a few of the trees in place to create a "park-like"  landscape.

30 feet of clear roadside is fully adequate for safety.  Very rarely will a vehicle hit a tree that is more than 30 feet from the roadway, and given a departure angle of 10 to 15 degrees, there is a lot of distance for the vehicle to slow considerably first.
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bigdave

Quote from: Beltway on August 19, 2018, 11:38:04 PM
30 feet of clear roadside is fully adequate for safety.  Very rarely will a vehicle hit a tree that is more than 30 feet from the roadway, and given a departure angle of 10 to 15 degrees, there is a lot of distance for the vehicle to slow considerably first.

Of course you are correct, but what to do about the poor tree removal contractors?  :hmmm:

Beltway

Quote from: bigdave on August 21, 2018, 01:05:27 PM
Quote from: Beltway on August 19, 2018, 11:38:04 PM
30 feet of clear roadside is fully adequate for safety.  Very rarely will a vehicle hit a tree that is more than 30 feet from the roadway, and given a departure angle of 10 to 15 degrees, there is a lot of distance for the vehicle to slow considerably first.
Of course you are correct, but what to do about the poor tree removal contractors?  :hmmm:

Draw up design plans a segment of the highway for clearing to a 30-foot clear roadside, and let the contracting industry bid on the project.
http://www.roadstothefuture.com
http://www.capital-beltway.com

Baloney is a reserved word on the Internet
    (Robert Coté, 2002)

SCtoKC

https://www.greenvilleonline.com/story/opinion/2018/07/24/state-153-extension-near-easley-under-construction-finally/818446002/

I ran across this article today about the SC 153 extension in Easley.  Easley is my hometown and I grew up just a mile or so from the 123/153 interchange, so I've been trying to follow this one as much as I can.

I don't really see this relieving much of the congestion on 123.  The article mentions that it could help people traveling between Pickens and Powdersville, but it seems to me that the original proposal of extending 153 to SC 183 would have been better for that purpose.

Gnutella

Any progress on I-85 between Spartanburg and the North Carolina state line?

TimQuiQui

I drove through there last month - the first phase (Miles 80 to 98) is well underway with shoulder strengthening, lane closures, etc. The second phase (98 to state line) had not started yet, at least in terms of obvious construction, at that time.

Gnutella

Quote from: TimQuiQui on August 23, 2018, 02:11:25 PM
I drove through there last month - the first phase (Miles 80 to 98) is well underway with shoulder strengthening, lane closures, etc. The second phase (98 to state line) had not started yet, at least in terms of obvious construction, at that time.

Sweeet. The segment from Spartanburg to Gaffney is maddening and dangerous.

fillup420

Anyone here know anything about the potential I-526 extension?

Mapmikey

Quote from: fillup420 on October 03, 2018, 10:30:42 PM
Anyone here know anything about the potential I-526 extension?

Latest news...Loan Bank reverses itself and now again supports the extension.  This was possible because the SC governor began supporting it after the 526 bridge over the Wando River had to be closed causing all kinds of traffic problems.

https://www.postandcourier.com/news/interstate-project-revived-months-after-bank-board-voted-to-squash/article_dba9f024-c5bf-11e8-a0dd-7bf3159f5087.html

The next step appears to be the County, the Loan Bank, and SCDOT have 45 days to work out an agreement on finances.  Charleston County voted to continue negotiations on 10/2.

Tom958

So, I was checking out Streetview to see how and when the newest section  of I-385 got to be the way it is: it was built in the early '80's as a four lane asphalt highway with a median of seventy feet or so, then completely rebuilt starting in 2012 or so as six lane concrete highway with a Jersey barrier, full left shoulders, and no more grassed median. That's pretty interesting in itself, but...

I also found this Streetview from September 2011 WTF? OK, I can see what: it looks like a temporary onramp from Bridge Road built in what used to be the westbound side of the grassed median. But why would they do something like that when there's a perfectly good onramp off to the side, where onramps are supposed to go?

Then there's this April 2012 Streetview from the westbound offramp to Bridge Road, overlooking the mainline. There are still temporary Jersey barriers (with paddle-type glare screens) in the median, but no trace of whatever was there in September 2011. Other Streetviews in the vicinity are even less elucidating.

:hmmm:

NE2

Quote from: Tom958 on December 24, 2018, 09:02:18 AM
I also found this Streetview from September 2011 WTF? OK, I can see what: it looks like a temporary onramp from Bridge Road built in what used to be the westbound side of the grassed median. But why would they do something like that when there's a perfectly good onramp off to the side, where onramps are supposed to go?
Looks like construction access. Safer than accessing the site from I-385.
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Tom958

#314
Quote from: NE2 on December 24, 2018, 09:11:48 AMLooks like construction access. Safer than accessing the site from I-385.

Probably! I didn't think of that, probably because I've never seen that done before.

EDIT: Yes, I have: I-85 north of the Yadkin River in NC.  :pan:

hotdogPi

Quote from: NE2 on December 24, 2018, 09:11:48 AM
Safer than accessing the site from I-385.

Internet browsing while driving is worse than texting while driving.
Clinched, minus I-93 (I'm missing a few miles and my file is incorrect)

Traveled, plus US 13, 44, and 50, and several state routes

I will be in Burlington VT for the eclipse.

1995hoo

Driving on I-95 in southern South Carolina tonight (maddening experience due to idiots, which made me glad we turned off at I-26) I noted how a lot of the signs along there are in really bad shape, almost impossible to read because the words aren't properly reflective or have peeled off–and these must be fairly new signs because a lot of them are in Clearview. I viewed it as being sort of symptomatic of how half-arsed this state's approach to roads can be at times.
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adventurernumber1

Quote from: wriddle082 on August 16, 2018, 03:43:29 PM
Quote from: Jim on August 15, 2018, 07:47:41 PM
Driving I-95 in the southernmost few dozen miles of South Carolina this evening was pretty depressing, seeing all the progress on the clear cutting of the median trees.  That was such a distinctive South Carolina thing to me, with an added bonus that when we drove up through here in the middle of the night, it was a nice break from oncoming headlights in your eyes all the time.

I enjoy the trees myself, and don't have the "tunnel vision"  issues that many people complain about.  But the removal is for safety, and I completely understabd why.  Just a couple of months ago, a young woman from somewhere in the northeast and her two young children were killed in a freak accident on I-95 northbound a few miles north of I-26 where she ran over an alligator in the middle of the road, swerved into the median, and hit a tree head on.  Apparently preventing head-on collisions with trees is preferred over keeping the trees intact.  They are trying to keep a few of the trees in place to create a "park-like"  landscape.

I, too, thought those numerous stretches of I-95 in South Carolina with all the trees in the median looked and felt pretty cool - however, as noted, I definitely see why safety concerns would easily prompt this tree removal. Also, IIRC, I-95 through both of the Carolinas is very notorious for some of those trees often falling down onto the road (which definitely wreaks some havoc to say the least). While the trees looked nice, hopefully with this underway (along with possible future projects such as widening through the states), I-95 through the Carolinas can become a safer and smoother ride.
Now alternating between different highway shields for my avatar - my previous highway shield avatar for the last few years was US 76.

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orulz

Quote from: adventurernumber1 on January 08, 2019, 08:08:41 PM
Quote from: wriddle082 on August 16, 2018, 03:43:29 PM
Quote from: Jim on August 15, 2018, 07:47:41 PM
Driving I-95 in the southernmost few dozen miles of South Carolina this evening was pretty depressing, seeing all the progress on the clear cutting of the median trees.  That was such a distinctive South Carolina thing to me, with an added bonus that when we drove up through here in the middle of the night, it was a nice break from oncoming headlights in your eyes all the time.

I enjoy the trees myself, and don't have the "tunnel vision"  issues that many people complain about.  But the removal is for safety, and I completely understabd why.  Just a couple of months ago, a young woman from somewhere in the northeast and her two young children were killed in a freak accident on I-95 northbound a few miles north of I-26 where she ran over an alligator in the middle of the road, swerved into the median, and hit a tree head on.  Apparently preventing head-on collisions with trees is preferred over keeping the trees intact.  They are trying to keep a few of the trees in place to create a "park-like"  landscape.

I, too, thought those numerous stretches of I-95 in South Carolina with all the trees in the median looked and felt pretty cool - however, as noted, I definitely see why safety concerns would easily prompt this tree removal. Also, IIRC, I-95 through both of the Carolinas is very notorious for some of those trees often falling down onto the road (which definitely wreaks some havoc to say the least). While the trees looked nice, hopefully with this underway (along with possible future projects such as widening through the states), I-95 through the Carolinas can become a safer and smoother ride.
Why not put up guard rails or cables instead? Certainly it must cost more in labor to cut the trees down, there were a LOT of them! The only justification I can think of is that when you chop the trees down, you get to sell them for timber and pulp and get some of the money back... so the project is sort of "self financing" in a way. But that just seems so cynical, to go to all of the trouble and expense to build I-95 that way in the first place, only to sell all the trees for timber in the end.

adventurernumber1

Quote from: orulz on January 10, 2019, 03:02:31 PM
Quote from: adventurernumber1 on January 08, 2019, 08:08:41 PM
Quote from: wriddle082 on August 16, 2018, 03:43:29 PM
Quote from: Jim on August 15, 2018, 07:47:41 PM
Driving I-95 in the southernmost few dozen miles of South Carolina this evening was pretty depressing, seeing all the progress on the clear cutting of the median trees.  That was such a distinctive South Carolina thing to me, with an added bonus that when we drove up through here in the middle of the night, it was a nice break from oncoming headlights in your eyes all the time.

I enjoy the trees myself, and don't have the "tunnel vision"  issues that many people complain about.  But the removal is for safety, and I completely understabd why.  Just a couple of months ago, a young woman from somewhere in the northeast and her two young children were killed in a freak accident on I-95 northbound a few miles north of I-26 where she ran over an alligator in the middle of the road, swerved into the median, and hit a tree head on.  Apparently preventing head-on collisions with trees is preferred over keeping the trees intact.  They are trying to keep a few of the trees in place to create a "park-like"  landscape.

I, too, thought those numerous stretches of I-95 in South Carolina with all the trees in the median looked and felt pretty cool - however, as noted, I definitely see why safety concerns would easily prompt this tree removal. Also, IIRC, I-95 through both of the Carolinas is very notorious for some of those trees often falling down onto the road (which definitely wreaks some havoc to say the least). While the trees looked nice, hopefully with this underway (along with possible future projects such as widening through the states), I-95 through the Carolinas can become a safer and smoother ride.
Why not put up guard rails or cables instead? Certainly it must cost more in labor to cut the trees down, there were a LOT of them! The only justification I can think of is that when you chop the trees down, you get to sell them for timber and pulp and get some of the money back... so the project is sort of "self financing" in a way. But that just seems so cynical, to go to all of the trouble and expense to build I-95 that way in the first place, only to sell all the trees for timber in the end.

My guess is because it may also be a part of a broader trend in the Interstate Highway System.

I read about this trend in another thread recently. See here:

Quote from: Beltway on January 04, 2019, 10:49:47 PM
Quote from: sprjus4 on January 04, 2019, 05:08:05 PM
Question (if you know) - why did they build highways like that in the past, lined w/ trees & over 100 ft wide, and why do they use consistent and smaller medians now? Does it have something to do w/ cost or something?

Obvious cost savings, plus environmental impacts.  Medians on new highways got wider and wider from the 1950s to the 1970s, and they started getting narrower and narrower.

If the trend lately in the Interstate system has been to have smaller medians, with less trees in them, then I can see why they might be doing this. And as noted, there are definitely benefits to it.

While adding a guard-rail or fence could help curb the problem of cars swerving into the median and crashing, there is still what I believe may be a prominent problem of trees falling down onto the road. While roadside trees are very good at absorbing carbon dioxide, we do have to look at everything else (including the other environmental effects being caused by the trees being in the median) - and the safety of everyone on the road. People crashing into trees, and trees falling down onto the road, is indeed incredibly dangerous. While in some cases it may be best for the median trees to go (except maybe a few as is planned, as has been noted upthread), and sometimes trees on the outer edges of the roads (right next to it) may need to be cleared - perhaps a solution is to still have a good layer of trees, just far out from the road itself - although several factors may not permit this in many cases.

But it is definitely good to get some money back from the trees, so there could indeed be a partial form of self-financing.
Now alternating between different highway shields for my avatar - my previous highway shield avatar for the last few years was US 76.

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Mapmikey

SC Transportation Infrastructure Bank and Charleston County Couincil both voted today to approve a new agreement for funding the I-526 extension southwest of Charleston.  The State Bank will put up $420M and the county is responsible for the rest (last estimate is $300M or so)

https://www.postandcourier.com/politics/state-bank-approves-new-deal-to-extend-i--in/article_4e04aa38-14e9-11e9-aba5-63f8d3549f74.html

Gnutella

Quote from: Mapmikey on January 10, 2019, 08:54:42 PM
SC Transportation Infrastructure Bank and Charleston County Couincil both voted today to approve a new agreement for funding the I-526 extension southwest of Charleston.  The State Bank will put up $420M and the county is responsible for the rest (last estimate is $300M or so)

https://www.postandcourier.com/politics/state-bank-approves-new-deal-to-extend-i--in/article_4e04aa38-14e9-11e9-aba5-63f8d3549f74.html

Duuude... :colorful:

D-Dey65

Quote from: adventurernumber1 on January 08, 2019, 08:08:41 PM
I, too, thought those numerous stretches of I-95 in South Carolina with all the trees in the median looked and felt pretty cool - however, as noted, I definitely see why safety concerns would easily prompt this tree removal. Also, IIRC, I-95 through both of the Carolinas is very notorious for some of those trees often falling down onto the road (which definitely wreaks some havoc to say the least). While the trees looked nice, hopefully with this underway (along with possible future projects such as widening through the states), I-95 through the Carolinas can become a safer and smoother ride.
I saw plenty of fallen trees throughout I-95 when I drove up north and back in October, and not just in the medians and not just in South Carolina. Of course this was just after Hurricanes Florence and Michael trashed the southeast.  Personally though, I don't see this as just a South Carolina thing.


CanesFan27

The next time you drive between Exits 95 and 96 along Interstate 85 near Gaffney, SC take a look at the center median.  You'll be passing by an old family cemetery that dates to the mid-1800s.

https://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2019/01/the-cemetery-inside-interstate-85-median.html

D-Dey65

In March 2017, I started taking Wikipedia pictures of the old Sinclair Gas Station in Ridgeland, SC, and the Tillman School in Tillman, SC; the last two sites on the National Register of Historic Places in Jasper County not to have images. Both sites are owned by the Morris Center for Lowcountry Heritage, but the gas station is the headquarters for the organization, and is used as a museum. This morning, I thought I'd take another random peek at their website, hoping to find something about their exhibits at the museum I saw at the time. I didn't but I did stumble upon some links promising a bit of history about US 17.

http://www.morrisheritagecenter.org/education/


The specific link was given the title "US 17: A Road Side Story — Transportation History," but it sure doesn't look like it has anything on the history of US 17 to me.
http://www.morrisheritagecenter.org/wp-content/uploads/Transportation-Lesson-Plan.pdf





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