AARoads Forum

This is a thread to reminisce about road things you remember when you were younger that aren't around anymore, either due to technology upgrades, changes to MUTCD requirements, etc...

Growing up in and around NE Ohio in the 70s and 80s, before I could drive, there were so many different types of traffic signals in use from different manufacturers all around the area.  In most cases, there were signals from the 1940s to the then-present day, mostly made out of metal with glass lenses.  I recall most towns/suburbs in my area were not completely "uniform" in the signal brands they hung at the various intersections or assembled for crosswalks.

As roads were widened or intersections that had got busier, many of these municipalities would add an additional (turning arrow) segment to the existing signal making them odd-looking "Frankensignals", or mix brands when adding additional signals due to widenings.

Back in those days in NE Ohio, it was a literal who's who of signal manufacturers and models.

By the time the 90s came about, cities were upgrading their signals en masse, using a single maker/model for all their intersections -- mostly made of non-metal and a plainer looking light than those of the past, with all 12-inch heads.

Thank goodness for all of the online sites that pay tribute to all those signal models of the past and those who took photos of the old-timer lights that are/still in the wild in places.

Other things you miss from the roadgeek past???

The few remaining flashing greens in Massachusetts. That said, they're not quite gone yet...

I-84 going to Providence/I-86 to the Pike.

I-95 dead ending in New Jersey as confusing as it was.

Button copy
I-164
I-265

Virginia used to post the majority of road signs (other than street blades) that weren't on overhead assemblies using spiffy-looking white wooden posts. Those are long gone and I don't remember the last time I saw one actually in use; nowadays they use metal, which is probably better in terms of not unnecessarily cutting down trees but doesn't have the classy look that the white posts did. (Note that there is also a place in Virginia named "White Post," so a Google search would likely turn up a fair amount of irrelevant stuff.)

Cutout route shields are another bygone standard I liked.

The old Mountain Parkway shield with the tree and Bert T. Combs banner.

The colorful US highway shields in Florida.

Concrete highways, incandescent traffic signals, and worded pedestrian signals.

Wooden posts painted black and white by the side of the road, in lieu of guardrails.

When care was taken to make traffic signals look attractive.  Most are now ugly utilitarian clones.

Jokes about the duration of construction of the Union City, TN bypass

The McDonald's in the middle of the Chicago Skyway.

Quote from: Max Rockatansky on February 28, 2024, 05:16:27 PM
The McDonald's in the middle of the Chicago Skyway.

Yes. I once had to call my wife from the outdoor payphone in its parking lot.

The AAA triptik that my parents used to get for long road trips.

Button copy!

Un-neutered shields, and I mean more than just Interstate highway signs.

Quote from: Max Rockatansky on February 28, 2024, 05:16:27 PM
The McDonald's in the middle of the Chicago Skyway.

How about the McDonalds over I-44?

truss bridges

Quote from: Rothman on February 28, 2024, 04:05:54 PM
The old Mountain Parkway shield with the tree and Bert T. Combs banner.

The old Mountain Parkway shield without the Bert T. Combs banner.

The cutout Daniel Boone Parkway signage.

The old Kentucky parkway signs without the politicians' names or the "Unbridled Spirit" logo that were different colors (blue on white for the BG, white on blue for the WK, the oversized P for Purchase (blue) and Pennyrile (green), C for Cumberland (blue), A for Audubon (brown), etc.)

Square signs instead of rectangular ones for three-digit US routes and three- and four-digit Kentucky state routes.

Getting the tickets at the various toll roads.

BUTTON COPY SIGNAGE!

The Georgia welcome signs that mentioned the Olympics

The Old Man of the Mountain (the basis for NH's route marker)

AAA TripTiks on paper

MT Reasonable & Prudent speed limit

Metric specifications in the MUTCD

States that changed from sequential (or no numbering, as in CA) to mile/distance exit numbers non-controversially (once it got to the point where all the sequential states were Northeastern, it seems that whenever that change is proposed in any of the remaining states, it gets political opposition based on it being a "waste" of money)

Clearview font being non-existent

Yellow business route shields in Wisconsin.  Also, wayside rest areas in Wisconsin.  Another is the route shields over distant mileage signs, also route shields over the big black on yellow curve 'arrow' signs in Wisconsin.

Mike

NJ's busy traffic circles, capable of being two or three lanes wide, with no striping whatsoever.

The traffic meters a few hundred feet before reaching the circle, which was simply a standard traffic light that would allow some traffic into the circle, turn yellow, then red, then green again to let more traffic approach the circle.

The Crimefighter streetlights of Chicago. Sure, a few other places also had them, but they set the Windy City apart from every other big city in the nation.

I get why they replaced it, but the elevated I-93 through downtown Boston

The Art Deco Jersey Turnpike gantries...

The various trapezoid signs along various toll roads and bridges.

The various shades of green different states used for their BGSs. 

The Alaskan Way Viaduct.

Quote from: Vaulter on February 28, 2024, 09:56:51 PM
I get why they replaced it, but the elevated I-93 through downtown Boston

Having been stuck on it multiple times and walked under its depressing shadow, I wouldn't say I miss it.  Miss the signage on it, as horrible as it was, though...

The BGS on CT 72 EB in New Britain where an I-291 shield was peeking out (this would have been the SR 506 connector that's now part of CT 9)

All the I-86 signs

I-84 in Willimantic

The cloverleaf (1938 style) at CT 58 on the Merritt Parkway

Quote from: 1 on February 28, 2024, 03:03:12 PM
The few remaining flashing greens in Massachusetts. That said, they're not quite gone yet...

How about the red+yellow combination for pedestrian crossing?

Does the 27.9¢ gas from the local Mutual station in 1971 count?

Quote from: Vaulter on February 28, 2024, 09:56:51 PM
I get why they replaced it, but the elevated I-93 through downtown Boston

I always hated that, but as much of a bottleneck as it was, I liked the Charlestown High Bridge at the north end of it.

Four-way traffic signals, for the win.  Also known as "pagoda" signals, or technically 4-way non-adjustable. Especially those with an audible, electro-mechanical controller. Bonus points if there is a dark half-second between phases.

New York City's 2-section traffic signals.  The yellow phase was denoted by a simultaneous red-green sequence.

Unusual traffic signal sequences and setups found in different states.  Such as an R-Y-G-GA in Indiana where the GA just disappeared, Michigan's flashing reds for left turns, continuously-lit green forward arrows for certain T-intersections (or constant right-turn green arrows), the rare all-forward-arrow R-Y-G signal, Pittsburgh's yellow-green phase, or Delaware's flashing greens. Also, worded ped signals with DONT and WALK in separate windows, in which case WALK changes color from red to lunar white (or in some older installations, green) when the indications cycle.
Even New Jersey's signature double mast-arms are starting to disappear (https://maps.app.goo.gl/PF4cWrSsFYzE8xYWA). Same with the trombone horizontal signals in the northern part of the state.
To be fair, what I don't miss are R-Y-GA installations, other than the PennDOT variety where the red stays lit with the GA.  Also flashing WALKs.

Unique signage on the NJ Turnpike, including the neon road-condition assemblies. Which included neon speed-limit signs before they switched to flipboards.

Other nonstandard signage found when traveling.  Such as those blocky fonts found in Pittsburgh, or this RR crossbuck (https://maps.app.goo.gl/PmMAXo8cegkowRH78). Or a holdout "Yield Right of Way".

Old forlorn railroad spurs that wended their way from the main line to serve light industrial customers. Some of these ran in tight labyrinthine routes between small factories and warehouses or through older residential neighborhoods. Often they had quite a bit of weeds, hugged an adjacent road, or even street-ran on the road. (Some are still around, but with de-industrialization and RR deregulation over the past 40 years, most have been ripped out.)

Certain business signs, e.g. the Holiday Inn Great Sign, especially when lit up at night.  And some businesses themselves; Howard Johnson's comes to mind. 

And let's not forget the backlit, hanging blade signs with corporate logos that marked many a mom-and-pop store.  The signs with Coca-Cola and other soft-drink logos were the most common, but there were also appliance-brand signs such as Zenith on repair shops, or beer logo signs on bars (many used soda-pop signs, though, due to local or state ordinances?)  Less common were ice-cream logo signs, though it seems there were an awful lot of Hershey's Ice Cream signs within a good 2 hour radius of Harrisburg, and for all manner of store types.

From my rather long life:

When I was a kid in Massachusetts, I still remember roads that had white lines down the center, rather than yellow.

Then there were the three-lane highways with a shared passing lane down the middle, rather than a shared left turn lane. I was good at those. Some weren't, and paid with their lives.

The sign at the beginning of US-6 in P'town informing us it was 3533 miles to Long Beach.

Service areas with all-night Howard Johnson's restaurants, as mentioned in another thread.

The smell of raw bus exhaust 50 years ago was pretty awful, but every now and then I catch a whiff of that from a clapped-out diesel vehicle, and memories come rushing back.

I remember a couple of parking garages in Boston that took your car away on an elevator in a shaft that moved sideways on a track. Do those exist anywhere in the US any more?

The Mass Pike signs that featured a pilgrim hat with an arrow through it.

In more recent times, the last bit of non-controlled-access road on certain routes. CA-99 lost its last one in 2017 I think, and I-5 in CA lost its last one in 1991 up north of Shasta Lake where there was a stretch with a concrete median and no barrier.

Quote from: Max Rockatansky on February 28, 2024, 10:57:51 PM
The Alaskan Way Viaduct.

And the authentic button-copy US 99 signage that went with it.

Quote from: ozarkman417 on February 29, 2024, 12:22:23 AM

Quote from: Max Rockatansky on February 28, 2024, 10:57:51 PM
The Alaskan Way Viaduct.

And the authentic button-copy US 99 signage that went with it.

Still the cover of our US 99 page.

https://www.gribblenation.org/p/gribblenation-us-route-99-page.html

There are still some around, but I will miss NJ Turnpike squiggly arrows and hate that they're being replaced.  Same with the longer dashes in their pavement markings.

Smudge pots at construction sites.  In the late '60s I was a young boy who saw them as cartoon bombs.

12-8-8 signals.
3M programmable visibility signals.

Quote from: JayhawkCO on February 28, 2024, 05:51:52 PM
How about the McDonalds over I-44?

As far as I know, it's still there.

M.T.R.

Calculating trip distance by adding up the red numbers in Rand McNally.

Estimating how far you can drive in a day by using a compass to draw a large circle on the map.

Quote from: kphoger on February 29, 2024, 01:10:33 PM
Calculating trip distance by adding up the red numbers in Rand McNally.

Estimating how far you can drive in a day by using a compass to draw a large circle on the map.

On that note, using the back page in the atlas to estimate total time between large cities.

Quote from: 1 on February 28, 2024, 03:03:12 PM
The few remaining flashing greens in Massachusetts. That said, they're not quite gone yet...

When I saw those in Danvers about 10 year ago, I thought they were the bee's knees.

Quote from: Great Lakes Roads on February 28, 2024, 08:03:20 PM
Getting the tickets at the various toll roads.

In Maryland, this is about to be tollbooths altogether.

Cutout us and state highway shields.
White on Black signs for distance
Yellow Stop Signs (there was a number of them up at RR crossings in Alabama when i was growing up in the 70s)

Amen to this one.

Quote from: Hot Rod Hootenanny on February 29, 2024, 12:54:26 PM
M.T.R.

I doubt that sentiment about MTR is universal.  It feels like the fondness versus angst ratio towards MTR is at least 50/50. 

MTR was fine. Basically just nostalgia once I found out there were other people like me out there that got nerdy about highways. The amount of spam in there was pretty bad when I frequented.

Moderated discussion groups are way better than USENET. I agree that any fondness now is more nostalgia.

I'd think the way a lot of people talk about Calrog would be enough to knock MTR down a couple pegs.

Quote from: Max Rockatansky on February 29, 2024, 05:43:02 PM
I'd think the way a lot of people talk about Calrog would be enough to knock MTR down a couple pegs.

Right. That's exactly why moderation is a good thing. Imagine Poi Poi being able to post about whatever he wanted without any sanction. Not fun.

Quote from: Rushmeister on February 29, 2024, 09:11:30 AM
Smudge pots at construction sites.  In the late '60s I was a young boy who saw them as cartoon bombs.

I remember these from my childhood, when they were putting in sewers on my street. I'd balance a rock on one, come back the next day, and it would have an inch thick layer of lampblack on it. You could make a real mess with that.

I'll take this in a different direction.

I kind of miss it when I wasn't married yet, and I could just take Amtrak or Greyhound out somewhere on Friday after work, then sleep out under the stars somewhere and hitchhike my way back on Saturday, with no real route planned, but just seeing what the roads are like from standing on the shoulder every so often.

I kind of miss it when we were first dating, and we would kill a weekend afternoon by just driving out into the countryside, turning left or right wherever the whim took us, having no planned route or destination, enjoying the farmscape until we were ready to turn around and head back home.  My favorite memory of this was when we headed roughly west from Wheaton (IL) and only turned back when we encountered the r/o/w fence for I-39.

Quote from: kphoger on March 01, 2024, 09:30:30 AM
I'll take this in a different direction.

I kind of miss it when I wasn't married yet, and I could just take Amtrak or Greyhound out somewhere on Friday after work, then sleep out under the stars somewhere and hitchhike my way back on Saturday, with no real route planned, but just seeing what the roads are like from standing on the shoulder every so often.

I kind of miss it when we were first dating, and we would kill a weekend afternoon by just driving out into the countryside, turning left or right wherever the whim took us, having no planned route or destination, enjoying the farmscape until we were ready to turn around and head back home.  My favorite memory of this was when we headed roughly west from Wheaton (IL) and only turned back when we encountered the r/o/w fence for I-39.

I miss having the energy and lack of adult responsibilities to clinch a nearby freeway in one day.

Quote from: kphoger on March 01, 2024, 09:30:30 AM
I'll take this in a different direction.

I kind of miss it when I wasn't married yet, and I could just take Amtrak or Greyhound out somewhere on Friday after work, then sleep out under the stars somewhere and hitchhike my way back on Saturday, with no real route planned, but just seeing what the roads are like from standing on the shoulder every so often.

I liked picking up hitchhikers back in the day.

Of course, unsubstantiated fear has killed that practice.  I don't remember the last time I saw a hitchhiker.  Home of the brave, indeed.

Quote from: Rothman on March 01, 2024, 09:50:36 AM
I don't remember the last time I saw a hitchhiker.

I saw one six years ago or so. He was standing outside this gas station (https://www.google.com/maps/@42.6842021,-71.1389619,3a,75y,31.55h,90t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sTjYnASThNJ8oBuhHBV0VlQ!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fpanoid%3DTjYnASThNJ8oBuhHBV0VlQ%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D24.292048%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu) holding up a cardboard sign that said "I-95 NORTH".

Quote from: Rothman on March 01, 2024, 09:50:36 AM
I liked picking up hitchhikers back in the day.

Of course, unsubstantiated fear has killed that practice.  I don't remember the last time I saw a hitchhiker.  Home of the brave, indeed.

I started hitchhiking back in about 2002 or so, but had no need anymore once we moved to Wichita in 2008.  But, just from those six years, I'd say a hitchhiker's biggest credible risk is not realizing till it's too late that the driver who picked him up is driving drunk.

Another memory which just popped back into mind from my days in Northern Ohio: 

Crosswalks that were fully painted green across the roadway.  I believe in our area the "fad" of painting crosswalks started in the late 50s and in some burbs, lasted into the early 80s.  Even one larger outdoor shopping center had done it in their parking lots as well.

The temporary north end to the freeway on US 51 at Merrill. It was a half-completed diamond interchange where SB traffic had a little "turbine" ramp to swoop down under the overpass.  It was exciting as a kid because freeways were cool and we didn't have any Up North.  So any time you got to that point, you were going some place interesting.

Fortunately, I can feed my nostalgia at that old freeway end's cousin in Elkhorn:
US 12 & WI 67 south (http://mapper.acme.com/?ll=42.69833,-88.54365&z=16&t=S&marker0=-60.10001%2C-155.40001%2C60.10S%20155.4W)
That one will be around indefinitely. ;)

Quote from: thenetwork on March 01, 2024, 10:54:17 AM
Another memory which just popped back into mind from my days in Northern Ohio: 

Crosswalks that were fully painted green across the roadway.  I believe in our area the "fad" of painting crosswalks started in the late 50s and in some burbs, lasted into the early 80s.  Even one larger outdoor shopping center had done it in their parking lots as well.

We figured out that colored paint was expensive.

Quote from: Rothman on March 01, 2024, 11:22:57 AM

Quote from: thenetwork on March 01, 2024, 10:54:17 AM
Another memory which just popped back into mind from my days in Northern Ohio: 

Crosswalks that were fully painted green across the roadway.  I believe in our area the "fad" of painting crosswalks started in the late 50s and in some burbs, lasted into the early 80s.  Even one larger outdoor shopping center had done it in their parking lots as well.

We figured out that colored paint was expensive.

And slippery when wet!

Looking at a road map, and being able to tell which roads were freeways, and which roads were (at least) 4-lane divided but not limited-access, according to color.

That said, there is a very specific zoom level on Google Maps at which only the freeways are marked.  It's actually pretty neat, where, for example, Indiana, PA has a trefoil, and you can tell how far US-33 west of Columbus has been improved.  (A few routes, like US-30 west of Bucyrus, will appear at that zoom level in grey, presumably because they are freeway-grade with occasional intersections.)

I miss the scavenger hunt of locating old signs, such as cut out shields, state-name shields in places that standardized neutered shields years prior, and porcelain enamel or embossed signs that are no longer the standard. Many of these items were easier to find back in the 1990s when I started looking, but nowadays these sorts of exceptions are much harder to find. I am glad many of these types of items have been documented and posted, but the amount in the wild is much less than it was as jurisdictions move to replace older signs.

Quote from: lepidopteran on March 02, 2024, 08:40:21 PM
Looking at a road map, and being able to tell which roads were freeways, and which roads were (at least) 4-lane divided but not limited-access, according to color.

That said, there is a very specific zoom level on Google Maps at which only the freeways are marked.  It's actually pretty neat, where, for example, Indiana, PA has a trefoil, and you can tell how far US-33 west of Columbus has been improved.  (A few routes, like US-30 west of Bucyrus, will appear at that zoom level in grey, presumably because they are freeway-grade with occasional intersections.)

This zoom level also acknowledges I-595 between New Carrollton and Annapolis.

Quote from: epzik8 on March 03, 2024, 09:04:57 AM

Quote from: lepidopteran on March 02, 2024, 08:40:21 PM
Looking at a road map, and being able to tell which roads were freeways, and which roads were (at least) 4-lane divided but not limited-access, according to color.

That said, there is a very specific zoom level on Google Maps at which only the freeways are marked.  It's actually pretty neat, where, for example, Indiana, PA has a trefoil, and you can tell how far US-33 west of Columbus has been improved.  (A few routes, like US-30 west of Bucyrus, will appear at that zoom level in grey, presumably because they are freeway-grade with occasional intersections.)

This zoom level also acknowledges I-595 between New Carrollton and Annapolis.

That makes sense, since the zoom level shows the roads that are limited-access, of which US-50/John Hanson Hwy is one. (No 595 shield is present at any zoom, at least on Google Maps.)  It's not true Interstate grade, though, since there's a substandard ramp combo at US-50/US-301 WB at MD-2 NB, plus all those RIROs on Kent Island and east to the Queenstown split.

But what does not make sense is that the zoom level doesn't acknowledge the new fully-limited-access toll road built for US-301 in Delaware, between Middletown and DE-1.

This is why I miss a map that specifically distinguishes between freeway and non-freeway.  For instance, I have this 1964 Rand McNally atlas that displays the southern part of I-280 in the Toledo area with the non-limited-access color.  The at-grade intersections on that road were not eliminated until the late 1980s.

Quote from: lepidopteran on March 02, 2024, 08:40:21 PM
Looking at a road map, and being able to tell which roads were freeways, and which roads were (at least) 4-lane divided but not limited-access, according to color.

That would have been nice if that feature was accurate, but it isn't always. In particular, different states treat 4 lane undivided, or 5 lane undivided with center TWLTL, differently.

Quote from: lepidopteran on March 02, 2024, 08:40:21 PM
That said, there is a very specific zoom level on Google Maps at which only the freeways are marked.  It's actually pretty neat, where, for example, Indiana, PA has a trefoil, and you can tell how far US-33 west of Columbus has been improved.  (A few routes, like US-30 west of Bucyrus, will appear at that zoom level in grey, presumably because they are freeway-grade with occasional intersections.)

With the traffic layer it is zoom level 9; with the regular map layer it is zoom level 6 (looking at the "9z", "6z", etc part of the url [next to the latitude/longitude values]).

What I actually want from Google Maps is more prominent indication of exit numbers similar to Rand McNally print atlases. Of course, with Google being from California and that state only having implemented exit numbers 2 decades ago, it's understandable why they don't give them as much prominence. But I don't like having to zoom in so far on Google just to find exit numbers.

Don't think I've see any personally, but I liked the white poles California used to use, with black bases. They were originally wood, later metal. Seems almost everything was mounted to them, but I particularly liked them with the old bear spades. I've seen some footage from as late as the 1970s where they can still be seen, so I'm not sure when they stopped getting made, but they had a nice look to them.

I also liked the guy wire traffic signals. They used to be common in the S.F. Valley, but they've been gradually replaced over the years by larger signals that can hold left turn lights. These are no doubt better in every way, but again, there was a nice look to the old style. Although they could only hold one signal light, so they were limited.

Beyond that, not too much. I'm probably one of the who never really cared for button copy. I was happy to see retroreflective signage replace it. Most of things I miss were more just due to aesthetic value, and not that I felt they were actually better.

Quote from: Max Rockatansky on February 28, 2024, 05:16:27 PM
The McDonald's in the middle of the Chicago Skyway.

Hell yeah I loved that McDonald's.

Quote from: JayhawkCO on February 28, 2024, 05:51:52 PM

Quote from: Max Rockatansky on February 28, 2024, 05:16:27 PM
The McDonald's in the middle of the Chicago Skyway.

How about the McDonalds over I-44?

That isn't like this McDonald's was. The Skyway McDonalds was right in the middle of the highway, the one over I-44 is in an oasis over the freeway.

Tollbooths on the Illinois tollway system, where you just chucked some change into a basket.

Hennepin County roads 18 and 62 and Minnesota Highway 110, amongst many other decommissioned highways.

• The unique signage style of the New Jersey Turnpike Authority
• The wildly non-standard signage of the southern half of the Garden State Parkway
• The color-coded street-name blades in NYC
• Toll booths instead of AET (I know this one doesn't make sense -- don't ask me why, just nostalgia, I guess...)

Definitely some of the nonstandard signage I have seen all over my home state of New Jersey. Along the NJ Turnpike, Garden State Parkway, and the Atlantic City Expressway (though the Expressway still has some nonstandard signage, even giant blocks of text for the Garden State Parkway exit).

I miss some of the nonstandard County Route signs in New Jersey that have been taken down. Examples are signs that read out ALTERNATE instead of ALT (although some signs that fully read out ALTERNATE still exist).

I also miss the NJ 157 NB sign that was taken down and never replaced because of intersection construction.

Quote from: boilerup25 on March 05, 2024, 09:54:07 AM
I miss some of the nonstandard County Route signs in New Jersey that have been taken down. Examples are signs that read out ALTERNATE instead of ALT (although some signs that fully read out ALTERNATE still exist).

Amusingly, ALTERNATE is still used as the banner for Alt. US 72 here in Alabama.

The blue legend on white background of road signs placed in autovías.

I miss the old exit number tabs on the Garden  State Parkway just number only. No EXIT in the tab.

Plus the old exit number gore points on the GSP as well. The arrow used on the exit departure used to be in a circle on the top right corner of the sign extending out of the sign.

Quote from: boilerup25 on March 05, 2024, 09:54:07 AM
I miss some of the nonstandard County Route signs in New Jersey that have been taken down. Examples are signs that read out ALTERNATE instead of ALT (although some signs that fully read out ALTERNATE still exist).

Quote from: freebrickproductions on March 05, 2024, 04:01:43 PM
Amusingly, ALTERNATE is still used as the banner for Alt. US 72 here in Alabama.

It isn't nonstandard.

Quote from: MUTCD, 11th Edition

I miss NY using text guides on I-84 and Route x on the Thruway.

I miss the old traffic circles on NJ 23 despite the safety concerns. There used to be only one stoplight NB from Packanack Lake in Wayne to CR 511 in Butler.

Only two stoplights on the two lane NJ 23 in Sussex County. One in Hamburg and the other in Sussex.

NJ 94 had no stoplights west of Newton into Columbia.  No stoplights either from NJ 23 to the New York State Line I remember well. The CR 515 intersection in Vernon had a flasher with NJ 94 stopping for CR 515.
McAffee at CR 517 had no flasher even, but SB 94 stopped at CR 517 where the light is now.

Quote from: lepidopteran on March 02, 2024, 08:40:21 PM
Looking at a road map, and being able to tell which roads were freeways [...] according to color.

*cough* (https://www.aaroads.com/aamaps/)

Quote from: Scott5114 on March 05, 2024, 04:46:49 PM

Quote from: lepidopteran on March 02, 2024, 08:40:21 PM
Looking at a road map, and being able to tell which roads were freeways [...] according to color.

*cough* (https://www.aaroads.com/aamaps/)

I am...

Extremely impressed, especially after being used to the standard OpenStreetMap where route shields aren't a thing.  This is particularly notable when I check the Philippines using AARoads Maps and easily identify Manila's emerging toll expressway system from there!

(I also wonder what determines which little stubs get to be "freeway" marked vs. marked as expressway in here, I'm thinking of how Route 1 in SF between Font and I-280 is not shown as freeway, and neither is former US 101 (Pacific Highway) near San Diego International Airport, or former US 395/I-15 at Miramar...but then the former Route 134/US 6/US 99 stub off I-5 in Glendale is given the blue mark, as is the teeny Route 77 freeway in Oakland)

--

Also really enjoying the historic US route shields that show up (i.e. US 80 and US 66!)  I wonder how far mapping that will go, i.e. I noticed the Colorado Freeway near Pasadena is not given a Historic US 66A shield for instance, and I-110 isn't co-labeled with Historic US 6 (though Figueroa nearby is).

Quote from: Scott5114 on March 05, 2024, 04:46:49 PM

Quote from: lepidopteran on March 02, 2024, 08:40:21 PM
Looking at a road map, and being able to tell which roads were freeways [...] according to color.

*cough* (https://www.aaroads.com/aamaps/)

How, after all these years, did I not know that existed?

Toll designations don't seem to be reliable in Mexico on that map, unfortunately.

Then again who really does have a good and fully accurate account of what is going with Mexican Federal Highway?  I have to look at actual logs from Secretary of Transportation to interpret what is going on.

Quote from: Max Rockatansky on March 06, 2024, 10:47:30 AM
Then again who really does have a good and fully accurate account of what is going with Mexican Federal Highway?  I have to look at actual logs from Secretary of Transportation to interpret what is going on.

To be fair, it's mostly accurate from what I'm seeing.

↓  But how in the world did the portion highlighted in yellow (western start here (https://maps.app.goo.gl/EQpq1mUXodgXzAzw6)) end up designated as a toll road?  ↓

(https://i.imgur.com/neMYKiq.jpg)

↓  Or then there's stuff like this, where a random stretch of toll road with no exits gets designated as non-tolled.  wtf?  ↓

(https://i.imgur.com/wUDVFHa.jpg)

Quote from: Scott5114 on March 05, 2024, 04:46:49 PM

Quote from: lepidopteran on March 02, 2024, 08:40:21 PM
Looking at a road map, and being able to tell which roads were freeways [...] according to color.

*cough* (https://www.aaroads.com/aamaps/)

This is neat!

Waze also does something similar. In the app, if you have "map editor" colors enabled, different roads not only match with what is/isn't a freeway, but are supposed to match with the official FHWA Functional Classification. "Road types" tend to follow such official maps for FC more strictly than OSM does. Also, you do not have to be a map editor to see the colors in the app. Waze's Live map online also lets you differentiate these road types, but not to the extent that the app or editor tools show.

If you're curious, take a look at this: https://www.waze.com//wiki/USA/Road_types

Quote from: ElishaGOtis on March 06, 2024, 01:17:10 PM

Quote from: Scott5114 on March 05, 2024, 04:46:49 PM

Quote from: lepidopteran on March 02, 2024, 08:40:21 PM
Looking at a road map, and being able to tell which roads were freeways [...] according to color.

*cough* (https://www.aaroads.com/aamaps/)

This is neat!

Waze also does something similar. In the app, if you have "map editor" colors enabled, different roads not only match with what is/isn't a freeway, but are supposed to match with the official FHWA Functional Classification. "Road types" tend to follow such official maps for FC more strictly than OSM does. Also, you do not have to be a map editor to see the colors in the app. Waze's Live map online also lets you differentiate these road types, but not to the extent that the app or editor tools show.

If you're curious, take a look at this: https://www.waze.com//wiki/USA/Road_types

Interestingly I checked out Waze's map to see these color delineations (not bad!) and looked at Manila and they already had an under-construction freeway marked as open, even though it is months away from being operational (the last mile section of the NLEX Connector between the Pandacan district and Magsaysay Boulevard).

It is nice to see that they, like the AAroads map, have the new ramp from Tramo Street (Aurora Boulevard) to NAIAX in Pasay that just opened up a few days ago.

---

Interestingly the Waze map shows that section of Route 1 between I-280 and Font Boulevard as full freeway (which AAroads map doesn't yet), but doesn't show the section of Route 35/Skyline Boulevard between Eastmoor Avenue in Daly City and Hickey Boulevard in Pacifica as freeway even though it is officially one according to signage in the area.

In Houston, Memorial Drive is shown as freeway on Waze but not on AAroads map.

Neither service shows the former I-15/US 395 alignment in Miramar as a freeway, or former US 101 (Pacific Highway) near San Diego International Airport.

Quote from: Rothman on March 06, 2024, 06:44:48 AM

Quote from: Scott5114 on March 05, 2024, 04:46:49 PM

Quote from: lepidopteran on March 02, 2024, 08:40:21 PM
Looking at a road map, and being able to tell which roads were freeways [...] according to color.

*cough* (https://www.aaroads.com/aamaps/)

How, after all these years, did I not know that existed?

The wiki folks made it as part of their coming over from Wikipedia, since the Wikipedia maps always annoyed them. (Shout out to Minh Nguyễn, our friend in the OSM community, who did most of the heavy lifting.)

Quote from: kphoger on March 06, 2024, 10:14:45 AM
Toll designations don't seem to be reliable in Mexico on that map, unfortunately.

It uses the data from OpenStreetMap (https://www.openstreetmap.org), so any changes made to OSM will propagate to this map eventually. (I forget how long the refresh cycle is.)

Quote from: kphoger on March 06, 2024, 10:14:45 AM
Toll designations don't seem to be reliable in Mexico on that map, unfortunately.

Quote from: kphoger on March 06, 2024, 11:20:38 AM

Quote from: Max Rockatansky on March 06, 2024, 10:47:30 AM
Then again who really does have a good and fully accurate account of what is going with Mexican Federal Highway?  I have to look at actual logs from Secretary of Transportation to interpret what is going on.

To be fair, it's mostly accurate from what I'm seeing.

↓  But how in the world did the portion highlighted in yellow (western start here (https://maps.app.goo.gl/EQpq1mUXodgXzAzw6)) end up designated as a toll road?  ↓

(https://i.imgur.com/neMYKiq.jpg)

↓  Or then there's stuff like this, where a random stretch of toll road with no exits gets designated as non-tolled.  wtf?  ↓

(https://i.imgur.com/wUDVFHa.jpg)

Quote from: Scott5114 on March 06, 2024, 01:47:27 PM
It uses the data from OpenStreetMap (https://www.openstreetmap.org), so any changes made to OSM will propagate to this map eventually. (I forget how long the refresh cycle is.)

Neither of the two examples I provided show up incorrectly on the OSM map.  I seriously doubt that the OSM data for both examples have (1) changed since AARoads Maps launched and (2) not yet propagated over to AARoads Maps.

That's because the OSM default renderer doesn't actually use the "toll=yes" flag to make any decisions on how to render a road visually. One thing that has been interesting about putting this map style together is how many OSM data errors it exposes, because we asked for it to render things that aren't normally rendered. (The OSM folks have found the project pretty fascinating because of that.)

I've noticed a few inconsistencies in what is marked as a US or state route around here.  Reference routes seem kinda random (Washington Ave Ext. is marked as a state route, Wolf Road is not), but numbered routes can be too (parts of US 9/20 around the Dunn are not marked, for instance, while a couple county roads near Troy are).

Quote from: Scott5114 on March 06, 2024, 01:47:27 PM

Quote from: Rothman on March 06, 2024, 06:44:48 AM

Quote from: Scott5114 on March 05, 2024, 04:46:49 PM

Quote from: lepidopteran on March 02, 2024, 08:40:21 PM
Looking at a road map, and being able to tell which roads were freeways [...] according to color.

*cough* (https://www.aaroads.com/aamaps/)

How, after all these years, did I not know that existed?

The wiki folks made it as part of their coming over from Wikipedia, since the Wikipedia maps always annoyed them. (Shout out to Minh Nguyễn, our friend in the OSM community, who did most of the heavy lifting.)

Most excellent.  Haven't checked if the one way tolling marked on the GSP is accurate (i.e., when its marked as toll in only one direction).

Quote from: SEWIGuy on February 29, 2024, 05:47:14 PM

Quote from: Max Rockatansky on February 29, 2024, 05:43:02 PM
I'd think the way a lot of people talk about Calrog would be enough to knock MTR down a couple pegs.

Right. That's exactly why moderation is a good thing. Imagine Poi Poi being able to post about whatever he wanted without any sanction. Not fun.

That's what killfiles are for. Plonk and forget.

Quote from: hbelkins on March 06, 2024, 10:21:10 PM

Quote from: SEWIGuy on February 29, 2024, 05:47:14 PM

Quote from: Max Rockatansky on February 29, 2024, 05:43:02 PM
I'd think the way a lot of people talk about Calrog would be enough to knock MTR down a couple pegs.

Right. That's exactly why moderation is a good thing. Imagine Poi Poi being able to post about whatever he wanted without any sanction. Not fun.

That's what killfiles are for. Plonk and forget.

Problem with that is that not everyone had a means to access Usenet that provided a killfile. If you accessed it through Google Groups, for instance, there was no such facility. And MTR never meant enough to me, personally, to justify paying for a service solely for the privilege of hiding Carl logs.  (And my understanding is that plonking did no good if someone else decided they'd like to feed the troll.)

Quote from: Scott5114 on March 07, 2024, 12:07:36 AM

Quote from: hbelkins on March 06, 2024, 10:21:10 PM

Quote from: SEWIGuy on February 29, 2024, 05:47:14 PM

Quote from: Max Rockatansky on February 29, 2024, 05:43:02 PM
I'd think the way a lot of people talk about Calrog would be enough to knock MTR down a couple pegs.

Right. That's exactly why moderation is a good thing. Imagine Poi Poi being able to post about whatever he wanted without any sanction. Not fun.

That's what killfiles are for. Plonk and forget.

Problem with that is that not everyone had a means to access Usenet that provided a killfile. If you accessed it through Google Groups, for instance, there was no such facility. And MTR never meant enough to me, personally, to justify paying for a service solely for the privilege of hiding Carl logs. (And my understanding is that plonking did no good if someone else decided they'd like to feed the troll.)

The boldfaced is a major reason why the "Ignore" function on a forum like this one is imperfect—when someone else quotes the ignored user's comment, you see it. Quoting is rather easier to read here than it was on any USENET reader I ever used, of course, but the principle is largely the same.

Quote from: 1995hoo on March 07, 2024, 09:45:37 AM

Quote from: Scott5114 on March 07, 2024, 12:07:36 AM

Quote from: hbelkins on March 06, 2024, 10:21:10 PM

Quote from: SEWIGuy on February 29, 2024, 05:47:14 PM

Quote from: Max Rockatansky on February 29, 2024, 05:43:02 PM
I'd think the way a lot of people talk about Calrog would be enough to knock MTR down a couple pegs.

Right. That's exactly why moderation is a good thing. Imagine Poi Poi being able to post about whatever he wanted without any sanction. Not fun.

That's what killfiles are for. Plonk and forget.

Problem with that is that not everyone had a means to access Usenet that provided a killfile. If you accessed it through Google Groups, for instance, there was no such facility. And MTR never meant enough to me, personally, to justify paying for a service solely for the privilege of hiding Carl logs. (And my understanding is that plonking did no good if someone else decided they'd like to feed the troll.)

The boldfaced is a major reason why the "Ignore" function on a forum like this one is imperfect—when someone else quotes the ignored user's comment, you see it. Quoting is rather easier to read here than it was on any USENET reader I ever used, of course, but the principle is largely the same.

Not to mention that most of the problem with PoiPoi wasn't the man himself, it was the 20+ people responding to him every time he made an inane post.  It's one thing if someone posts something inane and then fades into the ether; it's another to have it trigger "discussions" that proceed to clog up half the forum.

Quote from: vdeane on March 07, 2024, 12:41:12 PM

Quote from: 1995hoo on March 07, 2024, 09:45:37 AM

Quote from: Scott5114 on March 07, 2024, 12:07:36 AM

Quote from: hbelkins on March 06, 2024, 10:21:10 PM

Quote from: SEWIGuy on February 29, 2024, 05:47:14 PM

Quote from: Max Rockatansky on February 29, 2024, 05:43:02 PM
I'd think the way a lot of people talk about Calrog would be enough to knock MTR down a couple pegs.

Right. That's exactly why moderation is a good thing. Imagine Poi Poi being able to post about whatever he wanted without any sanction. Not fun.

That's what killfiles are for. Plonk and forget.

Problem with that is that not everyone had a means to access Usenet that provided a killfile. If you accessed it through Google Groups, for instance, there was no such facility. And MTR never meant enough to me, personally, to justify paying for a service solely for the privilege of hiding Carl logs. (And my understanding is that plonking did no good if someone else decided they'd like to feed the troll.)

The boldfaced is a major reason why the "Ignore" function on a forum like this one is imperfect—when someone else quotes the ignored user's comment, you see it. Quoting is rather easier to read here than it was on any USENET reader I ever used, of course, but the principle is largely the same.

Not to mention that most of the problem with PoiPoi wasn't the man himself, it was the 20+ people responding to him every time he made an inane post.  It's one thing if someone posts something inane and then fades into the ether; it's another to have it trigger "discussions" that proceed to clog up half the forum.

^This.  Troll feeders abound and just exacerbate the problem.  I also think continuing to bring P13 up shows that he won in the end.

Quote from: Rothman on March 07, 2024, 01:07:03 PM
I also think continuing to bring P13 up shows that he won in the end.

Sharing a commonly hated person among members of a community seems to serve as a bond between them.  So, in a sense, I suppose he won by bringing us all closer together.

Quote from: kphoger on March 07, 2024, 01:13:59 PM

Quote from: Rothman on March 07, 2024, 01:07:03 PM
I also think continuing to bring P13 up shows that he won in the end.

Sharing a commonly hated person among members of a community seems to serve as a bond between them.  So, in a sense, I suppose he won by bringing us all closer together.

Maybe the real Poiponen13 was the friends we made along the way...

Quote from: freebrickproductions on March 07, 2024, 03:49:33 PM

Quote from: kphoger on March 07, 2024, 01:13:59 PM

Quote from: Rothman on March 07, 2024, 01:07:03 PM
I also think continuing to bring P13 up shows that he won in the end.

Sharing a commonly hated person among members of a community seems to serve as a bond between them.  So, in a sense, I suppose he won by bringing us all closer together.

Maybe the real Poiponen13 was the friends we made along the way...

There's a little bit of the Finn inside each of us! ™

Quote from: kphoger on March 07, 2024, 03:52:48 PM
There's a little bit of the Finn inside each of us! ™

Now I'm imagining a demonic fish.

Quote from: ElishaGOtis on March 06, 2024, 01:17:10 PM

Quote from: Scott5114 on March 05, 2024, 04:46:49 PM

Quote from: lepidopteran on March 02, 2024, 08:40:21 PM
Looking at a road map, and being able to tell which roads were freeways [...] according to color.

*cough* (https://www.aaroads.com/aamaps/)

This is neat!

Waze also does something similar. In the app, if you have "map editor" colors enabled, different roads not only match with what is/isn't a freeway, but are supposed to match with the official FHWA Functional Classification. "Road types" tend to follow such official maps for FC more strictly than OSM does. Also, you do not have to be a map editor to see the colors in the app. Waze's Live map online also lets you differentiate these road types, but not to the extent that the app or editor tools show.

If you're curious, take a look at this: https://www.waze.com//wiki/USA/Road_types

I've used Waze Map Editor colors, but the main issue I have with them is that the red/orange used for functional classification are similar to the red/orange used to indicate congestion. Since the latter feature is more important to me, I end up not using Map Editor colors in the waze app

I guess I missed that guy getting banned, what did he get banned for?

Quote from: ran4sh on March 07, 2024, 10:37:58 PM
I guess I missed that guy getting banned, what did he get banned for?

He has an "in one" thread where the answer lies.

Quote from: Rothman on March 06, 2024, 06:44:48 AM

Quote from: Scott5114 on March 05, 2024, 04:46:49 PM

Quote from: lepidopteran on March 02, 2024, 08:40:21 PM
Looking at a road map, and being able to tell which roads were freeways [...] according to color.

*cough* (https://www.aaroads.com/aamaps/)

How, after all these years, did I not know that existed?

Hopfully, someoen can add a link to this from the aaroads homepage.

Quote from: kphoger on March 07, 2024, 01:13:59 PM

Quote from: Rothman on March 07, 2024, 01:07:03 PM
I also think continuing to bring P13 up shows that he won in the end.

Sharing a commonly hated person among members of a community seems to serve as a bond between them.  So, in a sense, I suppose he won by bringing us all closer together.

So did Ethanman. He's been gone for well over a decade now and we still bring him up.

Quote from: vdeane on March 07, 2024, 08:25:07 PM

Quote from: kphoger on March 07, 2024, 03:52:48 PM
There's a little bit of the Finn inside each of us! ™

Now I'm imagining a demonic fish.

Or a fictional "Law & Order: SVU" detective.

Quote from: Takumi on March 10, 2024, 11:41:26 AM

Quote from: kphoger on March 07, 2024, 01:13:59 PM

Quote from: Rothman on March 07, 2024, 01:07:03 PMI also think continuing to bring P13 up shows that he won in the end.

Sharing a commonly hated person among members of a community seems to serve as a bond between them.  So, in a sense, I suppose he won by bringing us all closer together.

So did Ethanman. He's been gone for well over a decade now and we still bring him up.

Just based on those two sentences, I really regret missing this fellow.

Quote from: epzik8 on April 23, 2024, 09:08:34 PM

Quote from: Takumi on March 10, 2024, 11:41:26 AM

Quote from: kphoger on March 07, 2024, 01:13:59 PM

Quote from: Rothman on March 07, 2024, 01:07:03 PMI also think continuing to bring P13 up shows that he won in the end.

Sharing a commonly hated person among members of a community seems to serve as a bond between them.  So, in a sense, I suppose he won by bringing us all closer together.

So did Ethanman. He's been gone for well over a decade now and we still bring him up.

Just based on those two sentences, I really regret missing this fellow.

Consider how much Calrog is brought up still.  The theory that having a common "enemy" brings the road community together seems to have time tested merit.

If you want to see what P13 is up to...

https://www.nonleaguematters.co.uk/forums/threads/the-poiponen13-thread.12558/

They even created his own topic! It all reads very familiar.

Quote from: SEWIGuy on April 23, 2024, 09:57:07 PMIf you want to see what P13 is up to...

https://www.nonleaguematters.co.uk/forums/threads/the-poiponen13-thread.12558/

They even created his own topic! It all reads very familiar.

Interesting that when P13 was on this board, they branched off into football and "floorball" scheduling -- but on that board, P13 never branched off into road geek stuff  :hmmm:   (I will admit that I didn't read every post)

Quote from: SEWIGuy on April 23, 2024, 09:57:07 PMIf you want to see what P13 is up to...

https://www.nonleaguematters.co.uk/forums/threads/the-poiponen13-thread.12558/

They even created his own topic! It all reads very familiar.

Quote from: Ellisref at NonLeagueMattersI think he's a politician as he never answers a direct question :(

Quote from: dlsterner on April 24, 2024, 01:18:02 AM

Quote from: SEWIGuy on April 23, 2024, 09:57:07 PMIf you want to see what P13 is up to...

https://www.nonleaguematters.co.uk/forums/threads/the-poiponen13-thread.12558/

They even created his own topic! It all reads very familiar.

Interesting that when P13 was on this board, they branched off into football and "floorball" scheduling -- but on that board, P13 never branched off into road geek stuff  :hmmm:   (I will admit that I didn't read every post)

Oh but he did.  His insights into the use of toilets largely contributed to his downfall.

Quote from: Max Rockatansky on April 23, 2024, 09:15:30 PMConsider how much Calrog is brought up still.  The theory that having a common "enemy" brings the viatology community together seems to have time tested merit.

FTFY

Quote from: SEWIGuy on April 23, 2024, 09:57:07 PMIf you want to see what P13 is up to...

https://www.nonleaguematters.co.uk/forums/threads/the-poiponen13-thread.12558/

They even created his own topic! It all reads very familiar.

It's like Calvinball, but with 99% less fun and enthusiasm.

Dropping Banknotes that were entered at www(dot)wheresgeorge(dot)com at tollgates during road trips and seeing where they report back from.   :cool:

Mike

Where's George is still up and running.

Quote from: dlsterner on April 24, 2024, 01:18:02 AM

Quote from: SEWIGuy on April 23, 2024, 09:57:07 PMIf you want to see what P13 is up to...

https://www.nonleaguematters.co.uk/forums/threads/the-poiponen13-thread.12558/

They even created his own topic! It all reads very familiar.

Interesting that when P13 was on this board, they branched off into football and "floorball" scheduling -- but on that board, P13 never branched off into road geek stuff  :hmmm:   (I will admit that I didn't read every post)

TBF, I seem to recall him mentioning (just before his ban here) that he wasn't "as interested in roads anymore" or something like that.

Quote from: Rothman on April 24, 2024, 07:27:28 PMWhere's George is still up and running.

But cash payments at tollgates are not so much.  :no:

Mike

I miss the Union 76 Clock Tower between former Highway 480 at I-80 Bay Bridge in San Francisco. I remember this as a kid when I lived in the city. It was a roadgeek favorite.

That location is now One Rincon Hill towers in San Francisco that took the spot of the former CA-480 ramp and former Union 76 Tower.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_Rincon_Hill

(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/3c/3c/c6/3c3cc608789f481702e6ac2250cf99c9.jpg)

(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/43/b6/16/43b61639a0313f0468019488ef697035.jpg)

As much as a LOVE panning around on Google Earth and the like and enjoy it when there is new imagery to browse, I have a pang of nostalgia for the days before the ubiquity of such online resources and my efforts to keep our copy of the Delorme atlas for Wisconsin updated amid a flurry of rural expressway/freeway construction in the state.

The only method at my disposal from the back seat was to have a pencil and lightly make notes as we were driving a new alignment approximating where we were based on the landmarks I could see.  Then I'd go back with whiteout and pen once we got home and make the changes permanent.  The pencil was crucial because I could erase my crude sketch before committing it to pen with a nice flat desk to work on.

I drew many a new bypass fairly accurately in this manner, particularly along WI 29 and US 10.  I want to say I got really close with my rendering of the WI 29 bypass of Shawano and Bonduel when I compared it to aerials years later.  This was also how I tracked the freeway conversion of US 41 between Milwaukee and Oshkosh throughout the 90s.

I still use pen and whiteout to keep my old Delorme atlas current.  (I really like the cartography in those old atlases.)  But it's so much easier to do it with aerials on a screen in front of me.  Still, I admire the ambition I had and the tinge of excitement when the annual Thanksgiving trip to Milwaukee neared.  Because I knew I would see what progress had been made that summer.

Quote from: triplemultiplex on April 26, 2024, 11:09:32 AMAs much as a LOVE panning around on Google Earth and the like and enjoy it when there is new imagery to browse, I have a pang of nostalgia for the days before the ubiquity of such online resources and my efforts to keep our copy of the Delorme atlas for Wisconsin updated amid a flurry of rural expressway/freeway construction in the state.

The only method at my disposal from the back seat was to have a pencil and lightly make notes as we were driving a new alignment approximating where we were based on the landmarks I could see.  Then I'd go back with whiteout and pen once we got home and make the changes permanent.  The pencil was crucial because I could erase my crude sketch before committing it to pen with a nice flat desk to work on.

I drew many a new bypass fairly accurately in this manner, particularly along WI 29 and US 10.  I want to say I got really close with my rendering of the WI 29 bypass of Shawano and Bonduel when I compared it to aerials years later.  This was also how I tracked the freeway conversion of US 41 between Milwaukee and Oshkosh throughout the 90s.

I still use pen and whiteout to keep my old Delorme atlas current.  (I really like the cartography in those old atlases.)  But it's so much easier to do it with aerials on a screen in front of me.  Still, I admire the ambition I had and the tinge of excitement when the annual Thanksgiving trip to Milwaukee neared.  Because I knew I would see what progress had been made that summer.

That's made me smile, it's pretty heartwarming. I remember when I also drew on my maps, but instead of drawing newly built roads, I drew traced over routes that I wanted to drive on. The fact that you still draw on that old map, I really like that dedication, heheh!

Quote from: mgk920 on April 24, 2024, 06:45:27 PMDropping Banknotes that were entered at www(dot)wheresgeorge(dot)com at tollgates during road trips and seeing where they report back from.   :cool:

Mike

Haha I remember getting one of those as change in Florida one time, filling out the report online and then spending it.

Quote from: triplemultiplex on April 26, 2024, 11:09:32 AMAs much as a LOVE panning around on Google Earth and the like and enjoy it when there is new imagery to browse, I have a pang of nostalgia for the days before the ubiquity of such online resources and my efforts to keep our copy of the Delorme atlas for Wisconsin updated amid a flurry of rural expressway/freeway construction in the state.

I tend to be more averse to GSV spoilers of upcoming road trips than I am spoilers of TV shows and such. (Mostly because I kind of like knowing the plot of a show going into it because it helps you spot foreshadowing and such, but there's no real benefit to knowing what a scenic view looks like ahead of time.)

The travel sized games that my sister and I used to play in the car!

Small, compact versions of games like Life, Monopoloy, and Sorry!

Quote from: OCGuy81 on April 29, 2024, 10:26:50 AMSmall, compact versions of games

Sometimes magnetic so you didn't lose pieces.

Quote from: OCGuy81 on April 29, 2024, 10:26:50 AMThe travel sized games that my sister and I used to play in the car!

Small, compact versions of games like Life, Monopoloy, and Sorry!

Oh, now we're talking.

Quote from: GaryV on April 29, 2024, 02:22:39 PM

Quote from: OCGuy81 on April 29, 2024, 10:26:50 AMSmall, compact versions of games

Sometimes magnetic so you didn't lose pieces.

I seem to recall we had a Scrabble game that was not magnetic but instead used some sort of plastic such that the letters stuck to the board but were easily removable when the game was over. That was useful when we passed the board around (my mom, sitting in the front passenger seat, always played).

Stuckey's!

MassHighway's Project CLEAN.

You could call *321 where you saw trash on the side of a surface road or freeway and they would come out an clean it.

Howard Johnsons at every service plaza along the Ohio Turnpike...

...and just off of damn near every exit off the Turnpike as well (at least between Toledo and Youngstown)!!!

Quote from: thenetwork on April 30, 2024, 09:38:21 PMHoward Johnsons at every service plaza along the Ohio Turnpike...

...and just off of damn near every exit off the Turnpike as well (at least between Toledo and Youngstown)!!!

The NJ Turnpike was mostly HJs as well. The evidence they left behind includes street names leading to the rear of the plazas for employees and deliveries.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/9NCAJRLuUWkUfYW66