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Author Topic: Del. I-495 emergency closure  (Read 82212 times)

cpzilliacus

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Re: Del. I-495 emergency closure
« Reply #125 on: July 08, 2014, 12:31:54 PM »

14' 0" exceeds the permitted maximum height for trucks of 13' 6", so no alternate route is necessary.  Why that special, unnecessary signage is even there at the 95/495 split in the first place is questionable.  Anything greater than 13' 6" would require a oversized permit, and detailed routing would need to be declared at that time to DelDOT, which would warn the trucking company of any issues.

14' 0", while rare, isn't all that unusual on an interstate highway.  I-295 in NJ has several overpasses at 14' or less, for example.

I thought some of the bridges over I-95 through Wilmington were less than 13' 6" (13' 0"?), but that may defective memory on my part.
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jeffandnicole

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Re: Del. I-495 emergency closure
« Reply #126 on: July 08, 2014, 12:39:20 PM »

I don't think it would be permitted to be an interstate highway if the overpasses were that low. 
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cpzilliacus

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Re: Del. I-495 emergency closure
« Reply #127 on: July 08, 2014, 01:36:13 PM »

I don't think it would be permitted to be an interstate highway if the overpasses were that low. 

Third Street Tunnel in the District of Columbia (I-395) is posted 13' 0" (GSV sign from westbound U.S. 50 (New York Avenue, N.W.) to tunnel entrance).

Note that I believe that 13" 0' is false, for I have followed what appear to be full-height tractor-trailer combinations through the tunnel (carefully) to see if the trailer strikes anything, and they have not).
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MASTERNC

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Re: Del. I-495 emergency closure
« Reply #128 on: July 08, 2014, 09:32:46 PM »

14' 0" exceeds the permitted maximum height for trucks of 13' 6", so no alternate route is necessary.  Why that special, unnecessary signage is even there at the 95/495 split in the first place is questionable.  Anything greater than 13' 6" would require a oversized permit, and detailed routing would need to be declared at that time to DelDOT, which would warn the trucking company of any issues.

14' 0", while rare, isn't all that unusual on an interstate highway.  I-295 in NJ has several overpasses at 14' or less, for example.

I thought some of the bridges over I-95 through Wilmington were less than 13' 6" (13' 0"?), but that may defective memory on my part.

I remember that being an issue northbound.  There are warning signs that are activated by taller trucks that direct them to use I-495.  There is also a clearance warning in yellow on the signs for I-95 North.

I don't recall ever seeing such a warning going southbound.
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Alps

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Re: Del. I-495 emergency closure
« Reply #129 on: July 09, 2014, 12:36:29 AM »

The gore point signs for the 95/495 split have temporary overlays.  The 495 sign now says "Local Traffic Only" while the 95 sign says "thru traffic" (between the arrows).
How times have changed.

KEVIN_224

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Re: Del. I-495 emergency closure
« Reply #130 on: July 09, 2014, 09:58:49 AM »

The yellow rectangles were gone went I took this on Tuesday, June 17th:

Come to think of it, this might have been the BGS before that one. Shoot!  :pan:
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hbelkins

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Re: Del. I-495 emergency closure
« Reply #131 on: July 09, 2014, 12:34:03 PM »

That bridge behind the sign looks like it's on aa painful and frustrating road to drive on.  :bigass:
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jeffandnicole

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Re: Del. I-495 emergency closure
« Reply #132 on: July 09, 2014, 12:43:40 PM »

That bridge behind the sign looks like it's on aa painful and frustrating road to drive on.  :bigass:

That's the traditional upkeep method of PA overpasses.  I remember a story a long time ago how PA tends to lack in normal care and maintenance of their overpasses.  While most other states will repaint their overpasses from time to time, PA tends to let them rust out long after they should have been taken care of.  One can travel almost any highway and find that same rusted condition on many of the overpasses.

Today, there are numerous overpasses throughout the state that are weight-limited to trucks, and on occasion, closed to all traffic.  It makes one wonder if PA kept up their bridges doing very ordinary painting work every 20 - 30 years or so, if their bridges wouldn't be in such bad shape today.
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froggie

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Re: Del. I-495 emergency closure
« Reply #133 on: July 09, 2014, 01:50:28 PM »

I think HB was referring more to the name of the road on the overpass…
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PHLBOS

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Re: Del. I-495 emergency closure
« Reply #134 on: July 09, 2014, 02:00:25 PM »

The yellow rectangles were gone went I took this on Tuesday, June 17th:

Come to think of it, this might have been the BGS before that one. Shoot!  :pan:
If PennDOT actually took the time to remove those yellow rectangles at the diagrammatic BGS located at the actual split; one would've hoped that they would've also removed that "temporary" City/Port of patch.  But then again, PennDOT and logic don't usually mix.  :sombrero:
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jeffandnicole

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Re: Del. I-495 emergency closure
« Reply #135 on: July 09, 2014, 02:02:12 PM »

I think HB was referring more to the name of the road on the overpassÂ…


Oh. LOL  (I see it there...along with hearing the similiar town names in PA...so often I completely forgot about that unusual street name!)
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KEVIN_224

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Re: Del. I-495 emergency closure
« Reply #136 on: July 09, 2014, 10:06:03 PM »

Yes friends...that IS indeed what the street blade said on the bridge! I only noticed that after I got to our hotel in Elkton, MD and checked the pics on my laptop screen!  :-D
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mtantillo

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Re: Del. I-495 emergency closure
« Reply #137 on: July 10, 2014, 09:01:20 PM »

The yellow rectangles were gone went I took this on Tuesday, June 17th:

Come to think of it, this might have been the BGS before that one. Shoot!  :pan:
If PennDOT actually took the time to remove those yellow rectangles at the diagrammatic BGS located at the actual split; one would've hoped that they would've also removed that "temporary" City/Port of patch.  But then again, PennDOT and logic don't usually mix.  :sombrero:

Never really understood the differentiation between "City of Wilmington" and "Wilmington". They really should just say "Port of Wilmington/Baltimore" and "Downtown Wilmington" as the two destinations.
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MASTERNC

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Re: Del. I-495 emergency closure
« Reply #138 on: July 10, 2014, 10:15:36 PM »

DelDOT noted the repairs are ahead of schedule now and the SB lanes may open "several weeks" before Labor Day.

http://www.deldot.gov/home/newsroom/release.shtml?id=5209
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ixnay

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Re: Del. I-495 emergency closure
« Reply #139 on: July 12, 2014, 09:07:54 AM »

I'm not surprised that both directions won't be reopened at the same time.  I wonder, though, what determined which direction is getting priority?  Traffic volume?  Politics?  A coin toss?

ixnay
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Alps

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Re: Del. I-495 emergency closure
« Reply #140 on: July 12, 2014, 11:04:30 AM »

I'm not surprised that both directions won't be reopened at the same time.  I wonder, though, what determined which direction is getting priority?  Traffic volume?  Politics?  A coin toss?

ixnay
I thought southbound was the affected direction. If that's the case, then northbound can open whenever southbound does, presuming they're testing to make sure that nothing happened NB.

ixnay

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Re: Del. I-495 emergency closure
« Reply #141 on: July 12, 2014, 12:28:33 PM »

I'm not surprised that both directions won't be reopened at the same time.  I wonder, though, what determined which direction is getting priority?  Traffic volume?  Politics?  A coin toss?

ixnay
I thought southbound was the affected direction. If that's the case, then northbound can open whenever southbound does, presuming they're testing to make sure that nothing happened NB.

In the photos it looked like SB was indeed affected.  Maybe they do need to do tests on NB.  Best to make this bridge safe or Mid-Atlanticans* will forget the I-35W tragedy.

*A crumulent word I know, and I consider eastern PA, south NJ, and metro NYC [sans SE CT]) to be part of the Mid-Atlantic, based on what I grew up reading (sorry, AARoads).
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jeffandnicole

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Re: Del. I-495 emergency closure
« Reply #142 on: July 12, 2014, 12:49:51 PM »

Both directions were affected.  I *thought* NB was where the dirt was laid and was the most affected side, but regardless the piers from both roadways were found to be leaning.
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mrsman

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Re: Del. I-495 emergency closure
« Reply #143 on: July 13, 2014, 06:28:34 PM »



*A crumulent word I know, and I consider eastern PA, south NJ, and metro NYC [sans SE CT]) to be part of the Mid-Atlantic, based on what I grew up reading (sorry, AARoads).

I agree.  I know that on the Suggestions forum, I and others have commented on whether the regional forums should be divided in a different way.  I believe that ideally they should have been divided on state lines and not have one state in two separate regions.

As far as the different groupings of states that I learned in grade school:

New England, Mid-Atlantic, Southeastern, Southwestern, Midwestern, Plains, Rocky Mountain, and Pacific Coast states.  And yes, Mid-Atlantic states were: NY, NJ, PA, MD, and DE.  (VA and WV were part of the Southeastern states.
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PHLBOS

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Re: Del. I-495 emergency closure
« Reply #144 on: July 15, 2014, 11:58:57 AM »

The yellow rectangles were gone went I took this on Tuesday, June 17th:

Come to think of it, this might have been the BGS before that one. Shoot!  :pan:
If PennDOT actually took the time to remove those yellow rectangles at the diagrammatic BGS located at the actual split; one would've hoped that they would've also removed that "temporary" City/Port of patch.  But then again, PennDOT and logic don't usually mix.  :sombrero:

Never really understood the differentiation between "City of Wilmington" and "Wilmington". They really should just say "Port of Wilmington/Baltimore" and "Downtown Wilmington" as the two destinations.
Again, to be clear; the City/Port of patch was placed over the original Port of patch during a reconstruction of I-95 that took place in the late 90s/early 2000s.  That patch was supposed to be removed when the project was completed.  The original distinction was just Wilmington for I-95 South and Port of Wilmington for I-495 South.
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jeffandnicole

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Re: Del. I-495 emergency closure
« Reply #145 on: July 17, 2014, 09:03:52 AM »

President Obama to visit the Port of Wilmington today to announce a transportation infrastructure plan, using the 495 Bridge Closure as a backdrop.

Some stories in the Wilmington DE News Journal:

http://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/traffic/2014/07/16/visit-obama-announce-infrastructure-plan/12768219/  One of the interesting comments within the article is that "Compared to national averages, roads and bridges maintained by DelDOT are in relatively decent shape. Last year, the agency reported 99 percent of its pavement and 94 percent of its bridges are in good or fair condition."  But when a bridge fails...it fails badly! :-)  (And actually, that's not even the case with 495.  It was outside conditions - the dirt dumping - that caused it to fail)

http://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/local/2014/07/15/obama-visit-expected-snarl-traffic/12705091/ .  Sounds like he will be flying in to the New Castle Airport.  If via plane, it's possible those on 13/40 at 273 can witness Airforce 1 Flying just a few feet above their heads!
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froggie

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Re: Del. I-495 emergency closure
« Reply #146 on: July 17, 2014, 09:57:27 AM »

Quote
If via plane, it's possible those on 13/40 at 273 can witness Airforce 1 Flying just a few feet above their heads!

If it's that low, they will probably temporarily stop traffic on 13/40 when the plane is flying overhead.  They do this on the Andrews AFB perimeter road when Air Force 1 flies in or out.
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SteveG1988

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Re: Del. I-495 emergency closure
« Reply #147 on: July 31, 2014, 05:51:07 PM »

http://6abc.cm/1uLUl2p

Southbound lanes reopened
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mtantillo

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Re: Del. I-495 emergency closure
« Reply #148 on: July 31, 2014, 07:29:40 PM »

Woah, that was quick...
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