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#91
Mid-Atlantic / Re: VA I-81 Corridor Improveme...
Last post by sprjus4 - May 14, 2024, 09:45:58 AMFrom my understanding, here's a recap of all the sections of I-81 that will be six lanes by 2035. This list does not include sections that will be widened in a single direction only. Sections italicized are already 6 lanes at the time of this posting.
Both directions:
MM 0 to MM 8 (Bristol)
MM 73 to MM 82 (I-77 overlap)
MM 116 to MM 150 (Christiansburg to Roanoke)
MM 221 to MM 226 (Staunton)
MM 234 to MM 238 (Weyers Cave)
MM 242 to MM 249 (Harrisonburg)
MM 314 to MM 318 (Winchester)
That comes out to 71 miles, or roughly 22% of the interstate's total length through Virginia.
By far the biggest project in this list is the widening of I-81 between Christiansburg and Roanoke to six lanes. This portion carries the highest volumes of I-81 and features significant elevation change which causes frequent rolling slowdowns with trucks.
Currently, only some portions of this section has been improved, while the majority remains only 4 lanes. MM 141 to MM 143 was widened to six lanes a few years back, and MM 137 to MM 141 is currently under construction to extend that six lanes a few more miles south. Closer to Christiansburg, MM 128 to MM 119 has been fully widened to three lanes in the southbound direction. Around the US-460 bypass interchange (118), a roughly 3.5 mile portion was reconstructed in the early 2000s and can fully accommodate a six-lane cross section with a simple restriping.
Over the next 10 years, two major projects will widen the remainder of this corridor to six lanes, beginning south/west of US-460 in Christiansburg, along with a third project that will widen 7 miles north of I-581 to US-220 Alt (MM 150) to six lanes. The I-581 interchange itself though will remain 2 through lanes in each direction and not be modified.
Outside of the proposed complete 6 lane portions by 2035, two more sections are already being discussed which would add roughly 7-8 more miles of 6 lanes. These would be MM 195 to MM 200 in both directions, and MM 298 to MM 300 northbound - which would supplement the currently under construction southbound widening in that area and complete that section to 6 lanes. No word for when those projects may be funded or constructed, but schematics can be found under the October 2, 2023 in person meeting: https://improve81.vdot.virginia.gov/advisory/
Well seeing progress on all these portions is great, especially that Christiansburg to Roanoke project, which might be the largest single grouping of projects the I-81 corridor in Virginia has ever seen, outside of its initial construction, it's still important to realize I-81 is 325 miles long in Virginia, and the vast majority still remains 4 lanes and will continue to do so for the next 20+ years unless VDOT accelerates these projects and becomes willing to widen sections in 10-20 mile increments as opposed to a massive construction zone for 5 years just to finish some 3 mile stretch in various areas. Their slow pace with this, along with recent bridge reconstructions such as Exit 114 in Christiansburg that leave no room for expansion, tells me VDOT is content with a 4 lane interstate for 80% of the corridor.
Both directions:
MM 0 to MM 8 (Bristol)
MM 73 to MM 82 (I-77 overlap)
MM 116 to MM 150 (Christiansburg to Roanoke)
MM 221 to MM 226 (Staunton)
MM 234 to MM 238 (Weyers Cave)
MM 242 to MM 249 (Harrisonburg)
MM 314 to MM 318 (Winchester)
That comes out to 71 miles, or roughly 22% of the interstate's total length through Virginia.
By far the biggest project in this list is the widening of I-81 between Christiansburg and Roanoke to six lanes. This portion carries the highest volumes of I-81 and features significant elevation change which causes frequent rolling slowdowns with trucks.
Currently, only some portions of this section has been improved, while the majority remains only 4 lanes. MM 141 to MM 143 was widened to six lanes a few years back, and MM 137 to MM 141 is currently under construction to extend that six lanes a few more miles south. Closer to Christiansburg, MM 128 to MM 119 has been fully widened to three lanes in the southbound direction. Around the US-460 bypass interchange (118), a roughly 3.5 mile portion was reconstructed in the early 2000s and can fully accommodate a six-lane cross section with a simple restriping.
Over the next 10 years, two major projects will widen the remainder of this corridor to six lanes, beginning south/west of US-460 in Christiansburg, along with a third project that will widen 7 miles north of I-581 to US-220 Alt (MM 150) to six lanes. The I-581 interchange itself though will remain 2 through lanes in each direction and not be modified.
Outside of the proposed complete 6 lane portions by 2035, two more sections are already being discussed which would add roughly 7-8 more miles of 6 lanes. These would be MM 195 to MM 200 in both directions, and MM 298 to MM 300 northbound - which would supplement the currently under construction southbound widening in that area and complete that section to 6 lanes. No word for when those projects may be funded or constructed, but schematics can be found under the October 2, 2023 in person meeting: https://improve81.vdot.virginia.gov/advisory/
Well seeing progress on all these portions is great, especially that Christiansburg to Roanoke project, which might be the largest single grouping of projects the I-81 corridor in Virginia has ever seen, outside of its initial construction, it's still important to realize I-81 is 325 miles long in Virginia, and the vast majority still remains 4 lanes and will continue to do so for the next 20+ years unless VDOT accelerates these projects and becomes willing to widen sections in 10-20 mile increments as opposed to a massive construction zone for 5 years just to finish some 3 mile stretch in various areas. Their slow pace with this, along with recent bridge reconstructions such as Exit 114 in Christiansburg that leave no room for expansion, tells me VDOT is content with a 4 lane interstate for 80% of the corridor.
#92
Great Lakes and Ohio Valley / Re: Illinois notes
Last post by paulthemapguy - May 14, 2024, 09:42:14 AMQuote from: captkirk_4 on May 14, 2024, 09:10:45 AMQuote from: paulthemapguy on May 13, 2024, 10:31:33 AMI was thinking that the 57/74 interchange would be done by late 2024, but even the project website now says the project will continue into 2026.
That highway work in Effingham seemed to be torn up for a decade and Kankakee seems to be always under construction. I remember going to that Eclipse in 2017 and last year when I drove the same stretch they had only been able to six lane another 10 miles or so. No rush to get anything done anymore.
The only piece they were planning to widen was the six-mile section concurrent with I-70. No other piece of I-57 in central Illinois needs to be six-laned.
#93
Traffic Control / Re: Unique, Odd, or Interestin...
Last post by 74/171FAN - May 14, 2024, 09:29:31 AMEntering Mount Airy, MD, on MD 27. (https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10220308905633281&set=a.10220308987635331)
#94
Traffic Control / Re: Erroneous road signs
Last post by hotdogPi - May 14, 2024, 09:28:22 AMSomeone confused Oxford, Mississippi and Oxford, Massachusetts by putting MS 12 signs in the latter. My own photo was very poor quality (and it's a good thing I didn't get a better one because I was on a bus and a good quality photo would have been directly in the path of someone who told me not to take a photo of her), so here's a GSV.
https://www.google.com/maps/@42.1170405,-71.8644519,3a,22.2y,278.74h,90.23t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sYmuFXfCixkPVQac0H3bDXQ!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fpanoid%3DYmuFXfCixkPVQac0H3bDXQ%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D186.09193%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu
https://www.google.com/maps/@42.1170405,-71.8644519,3a,22.2y,278.74h,90.23t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sYmuFXfCixkPVQac0H3bDXQ!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fpanoid%3DYmuFXfCixkPVQac0H3bDXQ%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D186.09193%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu
#95
Off-Topic / Re: Changing one letter of a t...
Last post by hotdogPi - May 14, 2024, 09:10:54 AMQuote from: hbelkins on May 13, 2024, 03:30:18 PMCuddle House No Longer A Southern Chain
That's basically what that thread is by now...
#96
Great Lakes and Ohio Valley / Re: Illinois notes
Last post by captkirk_4 - May 14, 2024, 09:10:45 AMQuote from: paulthemapguy on May 13, 2024, 10:31:33 AMI was thinking that the 57/74 interchange would be done by late 2024, but even the project website now says the project will continue into 2026.
That highway work in Effingham seemed to be torn up for a decade and Kankakee seems to be always under construction. I remember going to that Eclipse in 2017 and last year when I drove the same stretch they had only been able to six lane another 10 miles or so. No rush to get anything done anymore.
#97
Off-Topic / Re: Ideal test toponyms
Last post by CNGL-Leudimin - May 14, 2024, 09:03:24 AMNot only I use the set for road-related fictional things, but also for many other things, for example I have them set as additional places on the weather app 
. However a recent event has seen me replacing one of them with the result they are now all geographically in Europe, although I'm not sure if the new entry will stick around.
. However a recent event has seen me replacing one of them with the result they are now all geographically in Europe, although I'm not sure if the new entry will stick around. #98
Mid-Atlantic / Re: Francis Scott Key Bridge (...
Last post by kalvado - May 14, 2024, 09:00:17 AMQuote from: epzik8 on May 14, 2024, 07:29:12 AMMost likely they don't even have the paperwork to get ashore in US for extended period of timeQuote from: Henry on May 13, 2024, 10:32:24 PMThe largest truss section of the bridge has been detonated by controlled demolition:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/controlled-demolition-baltimore-bridge-collapse-173332066.html
As a result, the Dali is finally cleared of the debris that had been resting on its damaged area for about a month and a half.
Did not know the ship's crew was still on board over a month later.
#99
Traffic Control / Re: Unique, Odd, or Interestin...
Last post by roadman65 - May 14, 2024, 08:44:16 AMhttps://maps.app.goo.gl/vW3ykCpxS5hXqosH8
Lane Only on the bottom right sign should have a yellow bar across the bottom and say ONLY.
Lane Only on the bottom right sign should have a yellow bar across the bottom and say ONLY.
#100
Off-Topic / Re: RIP David Sanborn
Last post by SEWIGuy - May 14, 2024, 08:43:28 AMMy first thought: "Man he was so young!"
<looks up to see that he was 78>
Yikes.
<looks up to see that he was 78>
Yikes.