Connecticut News

[PHLBOS]

Just because a highway is toll road and owned by an independent toll road authority does not prevent diversion to non-highway uses (often transit).  It may be a little more difficult, but it does not prevent it.

To add; as seen in other parts of the northeast, creating an independent agency (even without the need for human toll collectors) can be interpreted as or equated with creating another bureaucracy (aka a haven for political hacks) that has the potential for waste, squandering of funds and/or fraud.  While such may not happen right away; it could happen 10 to 20 years down the road (no pun intended).  Let's not forget that tolls were still being collected on the Connecticut Turnpike when the Mainus River Bridge collapsed in 1983; so the notion of tolled roads being in better condition is not always true.

the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission has had to impose huge toll increases in large part so that it can provide cash to PennDOT to spend on projects and subsidize service having nothing to do with the Turnpike.

Monies from those Act 44-initiated tolls & increases are also being diverted to transit projects throughout the state.

[jp the roadgeek]

Looks like a re-signing project on I-84 between I-691 and Hartford could be underway.  CONNDot was putting up a new 1 mi. sign for CT 72 West on I 84 East this morning. It was on a single old-school (non-pipe) gantry with directional tab and a big "LEFT" in yellow above the word  "Exit".  I'll have to see if they turned it into a full gantry when I go through there next.

[PHLBOS]

Looks like a re-signing project on I-84 between I-691 and Hartford could be underway.  CONNDot was putting up a new 1 mi. sign for CT 72 West on I 84 East this morning. It was on a single old-school (non-pipe) gantry with directional tab and a big "LEFT" in yellow above the word  "Exit".  I'll have to see if they turned it into a full gantry when I go through there next.

Weren't most of the signs between I-691 (Exit 27) and CT 72 East (Exit 35) just replaced a few years ago?  IMHO, the signs east of Exit 35 to Hartford would be more likely due for replacement.

[shadyjay]

Not part of a specific route signing project, but instead that gantry/sign was selected as a site in the "Replacement of Overhead Sign Supports On Various Routes Statewide".  This is why you're seeing some new signs with aligned exit tabs and on new pipe gantries at various locations throughout the state, mixed in with button copy Phase III, and whatnot.  (See:  I-91 NB Exit 23, CT 9 NB Exit 30, I-84 EB Exit 38, etc).

[KEVIN_224]

There is no Exit 38 Eastbound from I-84. I know US Route 6 leaves I-84 there westbound.

[shadyjay]

There is no Exit 38 Eastbound from I-84. I know US Route 6 leaves I-84 there westbound.

Sorry - meant Exit 37... Finneman Rd to US 6 West... the Exit 38 equivilent for EB motorists.

[jp the roadgeek]

Most of the signage on I-84 has been changed over from Exit 30 in Southington to the NY State line, and from I-384/I-291 to the Mass line (save for a couple of antiques in Waterbury and Vernon).  From Exit 30-32, it's a mix of new and old; 33 to 35 is new; 36 is old, 37 is new, and 39-59 is old eastbound (51-38 westbound).

[Mergingtraffic]

Also, you'll notice on all recent projects that have been designed in the past year or so do not have pipe gantries anymore.  Look at I-84 in Danbury, it's all non pipe.  I don't think CT prefers them pipe gantries.

However, some projects that are still in the works that were designed at least a couple years earlier still have them such as the Q-Bridge and the Moses Wheeler Bridge.

I like pipe gantries, they're simple and slick, IDK why CTDOT is not using them anymore?

[shadyjay]

Most of the signage on I-84 has been changed over from Exit 30 in Southington to the NY State line, and from I-384/I-291 to the Mass line (save for a couple of antiques in Waterbury and Vernon).  From Exit 30-32, it's a mix of new and old; 33 to 35 is new; 36 is old, 37 is new, and 39-59 is old eastbound (51-38 westbound).

The signs from Exit 57 to 63 on I-84 most likely were among the last Phase II installations in the state, in the early/mid 1980s, once I-384 was completed.  All direct-applied text.  All button copy (including route markers) came out in the mid 80s.  Not sure of the year installed of the signs from Exit 64 to the Mass line, but I believe they were among the first Phase IV installations, most likely at about the same time those on I-91 between I-95 and Exit 20 were installed.  Exit tabs are centered and exit services were still all-text (before the service bar was introduced c 2000). 

Some of the oldest signs in the state still exist on I-84 in the Waterbury area, plus the first overhead after Exit 57-WB for Route 2. 

[shadyjay]

Always funny when I see a press release like this:

" Bridge Maintenance, I-684 Northbound, in Greenwich "

http://www.ct.gov/dot/cwp/view.asp?A=2135&Q=524008

I always thought the I-684 section in CT was under NYSDOT maintenance.  Seeing as this is a ConnDOT project on a bridge overhead, would the crews performing the work on I-684 be from ConnDOT? 

[Duke87]

As did I. It has NYSDOT reference markers and signage, after all.

But I suppose this one of those things where the responsibility is shared. That, or New York is paying for this but letting Connecticut actually handle the dirty work.

[kurumi]

Suppose you were trying to sensationalize a bit of roadgeek knowledge, to attract the casual web surfer and drive some ad impressions. You might do something like this:

8 Highways Connecticut Wanted to Get Rid Of But Couldn't

• 125, Cornwall
• 151, East Hampton - East Haddam
• 152, Orange
• 166, Westbrook - Old Saybrook
• 174, Newington - New Britain
• 176, Newington
• 186, Somers
• 305, Bloomfield - Windsor

[shadyjay]

Same with 217

[source:  well, I think you know]

[Pete from Boston]

Also, you'll notice on all recent projects that have been designed in the past year or so do not have pipe gantries anymore.  Look at I-84 in Danbury, it's all non pipe.  I don't think CT prefers them pipe gantries.

However, some projects that are still in the works that were designed at least a couple years earlier still have them such as the Q-Bridge and the Moses Wheeler Bridge.

I like pipe gantries, they're simple and slick, IDK why CTDOT is not using them anymore?

You're talking, I'm guessing, about the kind Massachusetts put in on the Big Dig?  Single curved pipe from end to end?

I have always liked the unique CT-style thin gantries that have been up since the 80s, the yellow ones that look like they taper up and have some kind of complicated cross-section.  I saw one of those at the start of I-91 in New Haven being replaced with one on a typical truss type a few weeks ago and it made me feel like a bit of CT tradition was lost in the process.

[roadman]

Also, you'll notice on all recent projects that have been designed in the past year or so do not have pipe gantries anymore.  Look at I-84 in Danbury, it's all non pipe.  I don't think CT prefers them pipe gantries.

However, some projects that are still in the works that were designed at least a couple years earlier still have them such as the Q-Bridge and the Moses Wheeler Bridge.

I like pipe gantries, they're simple and slick, IDK why CTDOT is not using them anymore?

You're talking, I'm guessing, about the kind Massachusetts put in on the Big Dig?  Single curved pipe from end to end?

I have always liked the unique CT-style thin gantries that have been up since the 80s, the yellow ones that look like they taper up and have some kind of complicated cross-section.  I saw one of those at the start of I-91 in New Haven being replaced with one on a typical truss type a few weeks ago and it made me feel like a bit of CT tradition was lost in the process.

I would suspect that large pipe gantries are no longer specfied for cost and design reasons.  Also, unlike trichoird and box truss structures, there's no redundancy if the signs and structure are hit.

[Mergingtraffic]

Another ROAD DIET for "non-motorized users" aka bikes.  It seems the DOT quickly revises the lane markings to take away lanes with no problem......but to add lanes, it never happens. 

When I say add lanes I mean revising the markings using the pavement that is already there. 

How many times do you come accross an intersection with room for a turn lane and one isn't striped!??!  ALOT in this state.

http://www.ct.gov/dot/cwp/view.asp?A=2135&Q=524500

[relaxok]

Does anybody have photos of I-84 around exits 10-17 since the new gantries were installed?

[PHLBOS]

Update along I-84 westbound in the Waterbury area, in case this wasn't already posted/commented on:

The one-off Clearview BGS' for Exits 22 & 21 have since been replaced with newer BGS' featuring all-FHWA Gothic fonts and larger EXIT tabs (right-hand-side mounted).

[shadyjay]

Does anybody have photos of I-84 around exits 10-17 since the new gantries were installed?

No gantries exist between Exits 13 & 17 - that was a signing project from a few years back.  The latest project is Exit 1-11 (there is no longer an Exit 12).  Only a select few gantries were replaced.  I found a link to some new sign shots but all gantries on it were pre-existing:  http://www.billburmaster.com/rmsandw/connecticut/interstate/84ct.html.

There is one new gantry (pipe style) for Exit 11 - 1/2 mile IIRC, that was replaced, though not linked on that site.  Gantries on the Exit 1-11 stretch vary:  pipe style, lattice, and I-beam (dark green). 

I have seen at least one picture of a new sign in Danbury that went from mounted on a gantry to now mounted on ground-based posts.  I wonder why that was done.  I wonder if there's any standards as to when to mount signs overhead vs on the ground/side of the highway.  Around CT, they pretty much post everything on a 3+ lane highway overhead, except I-84 from Vernon out to Union and on I-91 in Middletown/Cromwell.  I can't see why I-91 in Wallingford and North Haven can't be mounted on the ground.  NH goes ahead and mounts signs on the ground on I-95 where its 4 lanes each way.  MA went ahead and mounted a whole slew of overhead signs on 2-lane-each-way roads. 

[jp the roadgeek]

Just did the drive on I-84 west out to the NY state line yesterday (and sat in the same spot for 45 minutes between exit 16-17).  Here is what I gathered:

All the signage in Danbury has replaced "NY State" with "Newburgh" on the 84W signage.  Only one sign (the westbound entrance from Federal Rd, used NY after Newburgh.

All signage in Fairfield County has directional exit sign tabs, and the left exits for US 7 have the "Left" above Exit rather than in the bar underneath, similar to the isolated one for CT 72 West in Plainville on 84 east.  No major gantry replacement, and no real rhyme or reason to gantry vs ground signs. The first sign of any button copy that I saw eastbound was Exit 21.  Also, I updated a couple of exit numbers on my 84 mileage based exits in the other thread.  I'll actually be doing the ride up to Sturbridge on Friday, so I can update the other end.

[KEVIN_224]

Please confirm that 97 is still the last Connecticut mile marker, just before Exit 74 in Union.

[Duke87]

I was through there a couple weeks ago (got on at exit 74 heading east), and definitely did not see a MM 98.

Not that Google Maps can be relied upon for this sort of thing, but they measure the distance from the location of MM 97 to the state line as 0.9 miles.

[PHLBOS]

Please confirm that 97 is still the last Connecticut mile marker, just before Exit 74 in Union.

Confirmed.  I drove past there last Thursday night.

[shadyjay]

So I spent some time today to cruise around Bing maps and see if they drove I-84 in the Danbury area since the Exit 1-11 sign replacement project began.  Turns out they have, and managed to get several screen captures of the new signage:

https://picasaweb.google.com/108118189767835080687/CTSignage02

As far as new gantries, it appears that the only new ones I spotted are for Exit 4 - one EB and one WB.  Both are heavy duty "lattice/girder style", and the one for Exit 4 EB used to span all lanes, but now only spans the rightmost 2 lanes. 

UPDATE:
Link above now includes some Bing images of the Bradley Field Connector signing project.

[OracleUsr]

Hey, pretty cool.  Yeah, the pull through on the Exit 3 diagrammatical sign for US 7 not including a control city for I-84 West is a bit disconcerting, but the signage replacement looks like it's coming along quite well.