New York

[seicer]

Massachusetts regulatory speed limits generally leave a lot to be desired. Whereas advisory signs would suffice, there was a road I was on that jumped around so many times that even Waze wasn't able to keep up with. 50 MPH down to 35 MPH? And 15 MPH around a curve? And then to 50 MPH only to drop to 30 MPH? And all without any of the required "Speed Limit XX Ahead" (and related) signs - so those abrupt drops in speed were instantaneous and sometimes enforced.

[cl94]

Massachusetts regulatory speed limits generally leave a lot to be desired. Whereas advisory signs would suffice, there was a road I was on that jumped around so many times that even Waze wasn't able to keep up with. 50 MPH down to 35 MPH? And 15 MPH around a curve? And then to 50 MPH only to drop to 30 MPH? And all without any of the required "Speed Limit XX Ahead" (and related) signs - so those abrupt drops in speed were instantaneous and sometimes enforced.

The enforcement is precisely why it jumps around so much. Someone on here mentioned that they started doing that because somebody fought a ticket they got for exceeding the advisory speed but not the speed limit. So now the state just doesn't do advisory speeds, allowing them to ticket for exceeding what would otherwise be an advisory speed.. Is it annoying? It sure as hell is! MA 2 between the NY line and I-91 has a new speed limit almost every mile. And some of those drops are over 15 MPH with no warning.

[Alps]

New York generally won't sign an advisory speed below 60 MPH on a 65 MPH road outside of an interchange. They won't. Suggesting otherwise strays into fictional territory.

What I did was compare what other states do to New York and voiced my displeasure. So who cares about what you believe? That would run against the purpose of a forum - to exchange new ideas, to voice opinions, and to gather new insights? Fin.

Who cares what you believe? Oh, wait, that's insulting. Do not insult other users.

[seicer]

What is the purpose of this tunnel entrance along the south side of I-95 at Exit 2 under Amsterdam Avenue and West 178 Street?

[J N Winkler]

Steve Anderson has the details:

http://www.nycroads.com/roads/trans-manhattan/

Apparently the two tunnels (there is another at 179th St.) were built as bridge accesses prior to construction of the Trans-Manhattan Expressway.

[BamaZeus]

I believe the tunnels in question are on this old video from the 40's of a GWB crossing.  It starts about the 1:38 mark going westbound toward NJ.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2gWRcqmbrU

[seicer]

Now that's pretty awesome. I passed by them last week - now it makes me wonder how accessible they are

[storm2k]

I believe the tunnels in question are on this old video from the 40's of a GWB crossing.  It starts about the 1:38 mark going westbound toward NJ.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2gWRcqmbrU

Great video! Too bad there wasn't a complete ride that didn't have a break into the tunnel part, but neat to see. Also crazy to see two-way tolling on the Bridge.

[J N Winkler]

Steve Anderson's site says the Port Authority uses the tunnels as storage depots.  They are not suitable for use by traffic since the ventilation stacks have been removed.  The BAN MIS (executive summary still online; full study never placed online because few agencies were doing that back in 2004) mentioned the possibility of repurposing them to provide added capacity along the TME.  I am not sure how recently Anderson's site has been updated, but in the last decade the AHB has undergone major rehabilitation without the tunnels being pressed back into service, so I suspect those ideas have died.

[cl94]

I'm not convinced Anderson's site has been updated in 15 years. A lot of that info is OLD.

[empirestate]

I believe the tunnels in question are on this old video from the 40's of a GWB crossing.  It starts about the 1:38 mark going westbound toward NJ.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2gWRcqmbrU

And here's the topo map from that period, showing the same configuration. Note that it's only the 178th Street tunnel that's in use; it carries two-way traffic to and from the Harlem River Drive.

https://ngmdb.usgs.gov/img4/ht_icons/Browse/NY/NY_Central%20Park_122894_1947_24000.jpg

[D-Dey65]

I'm not convinced Anderson's site has been updated in 15 years. A lot of that info is OLD.

I'd say 10 years, but it's still a shame either way.

[RobbieL2415]

Massachusetts regulatory speed limits generally leave a lot to be desired. Whereas advisory signs would suffice, there was a road I was on that jumped around so many times that even Waze wasn't able to keep up with. 50 MPH down to 35 MPH? And 15 MPH around a curve? And then to 50 MPH only to drop to 30 MPH? And all without any of the required "Speed Limit XX Ahead" (and related) signs - so those abrupt drops in speed were instantaneous and sometimes enforced.

They must be set that way so they can enforce them under actual speeding statues versus the basic speed law.  MA also has weird laws concerning authority to set speed limits.  In some cases local municipalities can set their own speed limits on SRs.

[D-Dey65]

I said "generally only accessible by automobile." Unless you live near the LIRR (which has a bus connection to Jones and Long - and I think another?), it's an extensive venture just to get down there.

While Moses didn't -create- the slums, he helped turn what were working class neighborhoods and ghettos (minority heavy area) into derelict districts.

Again, I cite Throgs Neck, which also had the Cross Bronx built through it, and remained a working class neighborhood.

New topic; Does this map deceive me, or was there once an NY 276 along County Line Road between NY 27 and Merrick Road decades ago?

http://www.nycroads.com/history/1941_metro-6/

[Roadgeek Adam]

Carmans Mill Road. This is known, but for Wikipedia purposes, we're still working out the details.

[SignBridge]

Might be 27A, not 276. Maybe it's a typo on that map?

[SectorZ]

Might be 27A, not 276. Maybe it's a typo on that map?

I think the map definitely says 276, especially since all the alphanumeric route numbers have the letter stacked under the number. Don't have any idea if it's correct, but my eyes see the same thing.

[SignBridge]

I saw it too, but I think it's a mistake or a typo.

[cl94]

I saw it too, but I think it's a mistake or a typo.

Not necessarily a typo. On multiple maps.

Carmans Mill Road. This is known, but for Wikipedia purposes, we're still working out the details.

[Buffaboy]

Why, with AADT of 15k, is Alternative 2 a good idea here?

[cl94]

They've already settled on a diet, IINM. It's happening.

[froggie]

Why, with AADT of 15k, is Alternative 2 a good idea here?

Because, depending on side street/driveway frequency, you can have adequate operations for a 3-lane urban section up to a traffic level of around 20K vpd.  And that stretch of Route 20 does not have a whole lot of such frequency.

[roadman]

Massachusetts regulatory speed limits generally leave a lot to be desired. Whereas advisory signs would suffice, there was a road I was on that jumped around so many times that even Waze wasn't able to keep up with. 50 MPH down to 35 MPH? And 15 MPH around a curve? And then to 50 MPH only to drop to 30 MPH? And all without any of the required "Speed Limit XX Ahead" (and related) signs - so those abrupt drops in speed were instantaneous and sometimes enforced.

They must be set that way so they can enforce them under actual speeding statues versus the basic speed law.  MA also has weird laws concerning authority to set speed limits.  In some cases local municipalities can set their own speed limits on SRs.

It has largely to do with the Massachusetts system of what I call "musical jurisdiction."  In short, a state (or US) number on a secondary roadway in Massachusetts does not automatically mean it's under state jurisdiction.  Many secondary numbered routes, even in isolated rural areas, are under local jurisdiction, and not MassDOT.   

In general, a posted regulatory speed limit, regardless of the jurisdiction of the road, must be reviewed by MassDOT and approved by both MassDOT and the Registry of Motor Vehicles - it's known as a special speed regulation (SSR).  The principal exception to this, which was recently enacted into law by the Legislature, is that a city or town can establish a city or town wide prima facie speed limit of 25 mph that applies to all local road within their jurisdiction that are not otherwise posted under a SSR.  As a condition of posting a blanket speed limit under this law, the city or town must install signs at the borders informing drivers of this blanket speed limit.  No MassDOT approval is required to adopt this regulation, however, MassDOT must be informed by the city or town that the regulation is in place.

A good summary of current Massachusetts speed regulations and speed zoning practices can be found at:

http://www.massdot.state.ma.us/highway/Departments/TrafficandSafetyEngineering/SpeedLimits/FrequentlyAskedQuestions.aspx

[Beltway]

Why, with AADT of 15k, is Alternative 2 a good idea here?

Because, depending on side street/driveway frequency, you can have adequate operations for a 3-lane urban section up to a traffic level of around 20K vpd.  And that stretch of Route 20 does not have a whole lot of such frequency.

Where is it, is it a local arterial?  If it is and it has a low large truck percentage, then that could be an appropriate design.

[dgolub]

Might be 27A, not 276. Maybe it's a typo on that map?

I think the map definitely says 276, especially since all the alphanumeric route numbers have the letter stacked under the number. Don't have any idea if it's correct, but my eyes see the same thing.

My understanding is that it was the designation of Carman Mill Road back when NY 27A used to extend down Merrick Road to Rockville Centre (and even earlier into Queens and Brooklyn to the Williamsburg Bridge!).