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Pennsylvania

Started by Alex, March 07, 2009, 07:01:05 PM

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Roadsguy



New FYA signal in Pennsylvania, this one at the US 422/Ramona Road intersection near Myerstown. The picture turned out surprisingly well despite me only just barely pulling out my phone to get it after seeing it. (I wasn't driving.)
Mileage-based exit numbering implies the existence of mileage-cringe exit numbering.


MASTERNC

Quote from: Roadsguy on September 24, 2017, 01:18:34 PM


New FYA signal in Pennsylvania, this one at the US 422/Ramona Road intersection near Myerstown. The picture turned out surprisingly well despite me only just barely pulling out my phone to get it after seeing it. (I wasn't driving.)

Was wondering when we'd start to see more than the 2 or 3 we know have been installed in the state (plus one in the York area forthcoming).

02 Park Ave

I drove half way across the Commonwealth from Ohio today on the Keystone Shortway.  The only active construction project I encountered was at Snow Shoe.  All other eastbound projects appear to have been completed or are otherwise inactive.
C-o-H

Alps

Quote from: 02 Park Ave on September 26, 2017, 08:55:20 PM
I drove half way across the Commonwealth from Ohio today on the Keystone Shortway.
My condolences.

Roadsguy

What exactly are the point of these light-up Do Not Enter signs in Pittsburgh? They're installed above permanent signs, and there doesn't seem to be any purpose for allowing traffic to go the wrong way up that off ramp.
Mileage-based exit numbering implies the existence of mileage-cringe exit numbering.

thenetwork

Quote from: Roadsguy on October 08, 2017, 08:46:46 PM
What exactly are the point of these light-up Do Not Enter signs in Pittsburgh? They're installed above permanent signs, and there doesn't seem to be any purpose for allowing traffic to go the wrong way up that off ramp.

My guess is there is an EXIT ONLY BGS overhead for PA-51 South right above those lit DNE signs.  That curved off-ramp looks like an on-ramp (and the angle is pretty much the same as the on-ramps on either side) and I'm sure there have been a fair share of people that mistook that wrong-way ramp for PA-51 over the years.

Chalk it up to poor intersection design.  But given the limited space, and the fact they were helping in smoothing out the left turns toward the Liberty Tunnels in order to get more traffic thru each green light cycle, they have done a pretty good job in saying "Hey dummy -- DON'T turn here".

Also looks like there are flashing red lights above the lit DNE signs as well.

VTGoose

Quote from: Roadsguy on October 08, 2017, 08:46:46 PM
What exactly are the point of these light-up Do Not Enter signs in Pittsburgh? They're installed above permanent signs, and there doesn't seem to be any purpose for allowing traffic to go the wrong way up that off ramp.

Given that the signs are in the dark under the bridge, they give an extra indication to not go that way. In an ensuing collision, the at-fault driver really can't say "I didn't see the 'Do Not Enter' sign" when it is lit up.
"Get in the fast lane, grandma!  The bingo game is ready to roll!"

rickmastfan67

Quote from: VTGoose on October 09, 2017, 11:22:21 AM
Quote from: Roadsguy on October 08, 2017, 08:46:46 PM
What exactly are the point of these light-up Do Not Enter signs in Pittsburgh? They're installed above permanent signs, and there doesn't seem to be any purpose for allowing traffic to go the wrong way up that off ramp.

Given that the signs are in the dark under the bridge, they give an extra indication to not go that way. In an ensuing collision, the at-fault driver really can't say "I didn't see the 'Do Not Enter' sign" when it is lit up.

Oh, the idiots out there will still try to say it.  But it will just make them look even stupider. lol.

Roadsguy

Got a better picture of the new FYA signal near Myerstown on US 422 at Ramona Road:



I also noticed they removed the 55 mph zone between Prescott Road/Drive and just east of this intersection. It's now all 45, but I think it could stand 50. They also didn't "center" 422 here where the directions used to split. There's now a weird jog as the whole road realigns along where the north shoulder always was.
Mileage-based exit numbering implies the existence of mileage-cringe exit numbering.

jeffandnicole

Quote from: Roadsguy on November 04, 2017, 04:10:55 PM
Got a better picture of the new FYA signal near Myerstown on US 422 at Ramona Road:



I also noticed they removed the 55 mph zone between Prescott Road/Drive and just east of this intersection. It's now all 45, but I think it could stand 50. They also didn't "center" 422 here where the directions used to split. There's now a weird jog as the whole road realigns along where the north shoulder always was.

PA likes x5 speed limits. There aren't a whole lot of 50 mph limits.

cpzilliacus

#685
Quote from: Alps on October 13, 2017, 06:10:36 PM
It's PA, so I can believe it. No money for anything anywhere.

There's been some money for the PennDOT way of doing Interstate reconstruction, but not nearly enough.  There has even been some (modest) progress on remediating two of the most awful Interstates in the nation (I-70 west of New Stanton and I-83 around York).

Now, with the highest per-gallon state motor fuel tax rates (both gasoline (58.2¢) and Diesel fuel (74.7¢)) in the coterminous 48 states plus D.C., PennDOT does have a pretty good bridge repair, redecking or replacement program up and running (but given how many structurally deficient bridges there are in Penn's Woods, that is going to consume dollars for quite a few years).
Opinions expressed here on AAROADS are strictly personal and mine alone, and do not reflect policies or positions of MWCOG, NCRTPB or their member federal, state, county and municipal governments or any other agency.

Beltway

#686
Quote from: cpzilliacus on November 05, 2017, 08:03:16 PM
Quote from: Alps on October 13, 2017, 06:10:36 PM
It's PA, so I can believe it. No money for anything anywhere.
There's been some money for the PennDOT way of doing Interstate reconstruction, but not nearly enough.  There has even been some (modest) progress on remediating two of the most awful Interstates in the nation (I-70 west of New Stanton and I-83 around York).
Now, with the highest per-gallon state motor fuel tax rates (both gasoline (58.2¢) and Diesel fuel (74.7¢)) in the coterminous 48 states plus D.C., PennDOT does have a pretty good bridge repair, redecking or replacement program up and running (but given how many structurally deficient bridges there are in Penn's Woods, that is going to consume dollars for quite a few years).

PennDOT has a $5.7 billion annual budget for highways, including $2.9 billion for improvements and $1.7 billion for maintenance and $0.8 billion in transfers to local governments.  Their program funding is greatly improved from when I lived there in the 1970s.

They also annually allocate $2.2 billion to multimodal (transit, rail and aviation) and $1.1 billion to debt service and other agencies.

These were the figures for FY 2016.
http://www.roadstothefuture.com
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    (Robert Coté, 2002)

Roadsguy

Something weird I noticed in the old Street View in Lancaster, particularly at the old US 222/Lititz Pike railroad bridge that was replaced a few years ago: https://goo.gl/maps/DdmJydPMWaF2

The sign for PA 72 North has a space missing that appears to be for an extra shield. Judging by the position of the "North" heading, it would likely also apply to the mystery route, meaning it's not a "To US 30" or "To PA 283". There's no other north-south routes in that direction, though. Did Fruitville Pike once have a number, or were they planning on giving it one? Or is this just a weird goof by whoever made the sign, which appears to be no more than 25 years old, depending on when exactly PennDOT stopped using button copy, since these signs are newer than that.
Mileage-based exit numbering implies the existence of mileage-cringe exit numbering.

jeffandnicole

Quote from: Roadsguy on November 14, 2017, 09:26:02 PM
Something weird I noticed in the old Street View in Lancaster, particularly at the old US 222/Lititz Pike railroad bridge that was replaced a few years ago: https://goo.gl/maps/DdmJydPMWaF2

The sign for PA 72 North has a space missing that appears to be for an extra shield. Judging by the position of the "North" heading, it would likely also apply to the mystery route, meaning it's not a "To US 30" or "To PA 283". There's no other north-south routes in that direction, though. Did Fruitville Pike once have a number, or were they planning on giving it one? Or is this just a weird goof by whoever made the sign, which appears to be no more than 25 years old, depending on when exactly PennDOT stopped using button copy, since these signs are newer than that.

They could've simply right-justified both the shield and the city, rather than centering the shield.

roadman65

https://www.google.com/maps/@41.3359135,-74.8422578,3a,75y,90h,90t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1spPbPsENf-OSEGuCaQqm2og!2e0!7i13312!8i6656 What is up with the orange Exit 44 sign?  I know from the photo PennDOT is got the WB Lanes closed due to construction and pavement rehabilitation as per usual PennDOT style by closing a whole carriageway and placing the other one in two way mode with jerseybarrier, but why the need for a temporary orange construction sign when the permanent one right behind it is still doing its job?
Every day is a winding road, you just got to get used to it.

Sheryl Crowe

PHLBOS

Quote from: roadman65 on November 20, 2017, 05:43:07 PM
That's nothing.  This temporary orange sign for Exits 9A-B off I-95 (the original overhead BGS was either damaged or vandalized) has been around for nearly 4 years.  No sign (no pun intended) of a permanent replacement as of yet.
GPS does NOT equal GOD

roadman65

Quote from: PHLBOS on November 21, 2017, 09:54:59 AM
Quote from: roadman65 on November 20, 2017, 05:43:07 PM
That's nothing.  This temporary orange sign for Exits 9A-B off I-95 (the original overhead BGS was either damaged or vandalized) has been around for nearly 4 years.  No sign (no pun intended) of a permanent replacement as of yet.
Not surprising as PennDOT took almost five years to add US 1 to the Oxford Valley Cloverleaf after the freeway was completed in 1987 to Morrisville.  In the same note US 1 Business was still signed as the mainline as well.

Remember we are talking about a state that has traffic lights on interstates too, so why should this MUTCD violation stop them as the signals are non interstate standards.
Every day is a winding road, you just got to get used to it.

Sheryl Crowe

jeffandnicole

Quote from: roadman65 on November 21, 2017, 05:27:40 PM
Quote from: PHLBOS on November 21, 2017, 09:54:59 AM
Quote from: roadman65 on November 20, 2017, 05:43:07 PM
That's nothing.  This temporary orange sign for Exits 9A-B off I-95 (the original overhead BGS was either damaged or vandalized) has been around for nearly 4 years.  No sign (no pun intended) of a permanent replacement as of yet.
Not surprising as PennDOT took almost five years to add US 1 to the Oxford Valley Cloverleaf after the freeway was completed in 1987 to Morrisville.  In the same note US 1 Business was still signed as the mainline as well.

Remember we are talking about a state that has traffic lights on interstates too, so why should this MUTCD violation stop them as the signals are non interstate standards.

Since the Feds funded that project, they approved the traffic lights.  More like an exception in this case.

74/171FAN

I am now a PennDOT employee.  My opinions/views do not necessarily reflect the opinions/views of PennDOT.

02 Park Ave

In addition to Breezewood, we also have I-676 in Philadelphia.  Westbound, there are two traffic signals between the Ben Franklin Bridge and Vine Street Expressway portions of the Interstate; eastbound there is one.

A simple, albeit inadequate, solution would be to close off the local cross-streets and eliminate the traffic signals.
C-o-H

Roadsguy

Quote from: Roadsguy on July 10, 2017, 05:02:20 PM
I noticed a mystery ramp from I-79 north of Mt. Morris. It appears to have been a temporary connection to Davistown Rd, with all movements except a southbound exit from 79. It even featured an at-grade left turn onto 79 south. From Historic Aerials, it appears to have been upgraded from some local driveway between 2004 and 2006. It sat there for years, blocked off at both ends from traffic, until the part directly connecting to 79 was removed in 2010 or 2011. The bulk of it still remains. What was this for?

Coming back to this, apparently the abandoned northern counterparts to these ramps are still in PennDOT's records as SR 9400, which can be seen on their Type 10 map for Greene County. However, while these ramps are still mostly present and striped, any of those tiny LRS markers are long gone judging by the Street View.
Mileage-based exit numbering implies the existence of mileage-cringe exit numbering.

Mergingtraffic

What's the link for the PENN DOT project list where you can see upcoming plans?  I saw the "public" page where the average joe can look.


I'm taking my first trip to Breezewood sometime this month or next. I'm hoping to snap pics of the button copy signs when I go.

I'll be going I-80-I-81 to I-76 to I-70 from CT.

Any non-reflective button copy anywhere along the corridor?
Any button copy signs left on the Doylestown bypass area (a different trip I plan on taking)?
I only take pics of good looking signs. Long live non-reflective button copy!
MergingTraffic https://www.flickr.com/photos/98731835@N05/

Bitmapped

Quote from: Roadsguy on November 23, 2017, 11:08:04 PM
Quote from: Roadsguy on July 10, 2017, 05:02:20 PM
I noticed a mystery ramp from I-79 north of Mt. Morris. It appears to have been a temporary connection to Davistown Rd, with all movements except a southbound exit from 79. It even featured an at-grade left turn onto 79 south. From Historic Aerials, it appears to have been upgraded from some local driveway between 2004 and 2006. It sat there for years, blocked off at both ends from traffic, until the part directly connecting to 79 was removed in 2010 or 2011. The bulk of it still remains. What was this for?

Coming back to this, apparently the abandoned northern counterparts to these ramps are still in PennDOT's records as SR 9400, which can be seen on their Type 10 map for Greene County. However, while these ramps are still mostly present and striped, any of those tiny LRS markers are long gone judging by the Street View.

For both ramps, they removed the pavement from the ramps that was within the I-79 ROW and abandoned the rest in-place as-is. I don't recall there ever being little white signs posted along either I-79 or the side roads.

jeffandnicole

Quote from: Mergingtraffic on November 24, 2017, 11:34:19 PM
What's the link for the PENN DOT project list where you can see upcoming plans?  I saw the "public" page where the average joe can look.


I'm taking my first trip to Breezewood sometime this month or next. I'm hoping to snap pics of the button copy signs when I go.

I'll be going I-80-I-81 to I-76 to I-70 from CT.

Any non-reflective button copy anywhere along the corridor?
Any button copy signs left on the Doylestown bypass area (a different trip I plan on taking)?


You can look on bidx where they may have posted some plans, usually in supplemental adgenda postings, but the full plans aren't usual found online anywhere. Even contractors have to actually purchase them.

Roadsguy

When exactly did PennDOT and the PTC stop using button copy, and were they at the same time or separate dates?

Also, PennDOT seems to have decisively switched back to FHWA series from Clearview, but has the PTC shown any sign (no pun intended) of doing so?

Quote from: Mergingtraffic on November 24, 2017, 11:34:19 PM
PENN DOT
*PennDOT
Mileage-based exit numbering implies the existence of mileage-cringe exit numbering.



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