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[jp the roadgeek]

Took a ride a couple days ago on CT 2 and CT 11, then came back on CT 9.  Not much doing on CT 2 save for a couple spot in-kind replacements in the Colchester area.  CT 11 was totally untouched.  As for CT 9, I did see the smaller standard town line signs, auxiliary signs, and only the whole mile enhanced markers (no 1/5 mile supplemental markers yet).  One thing that drove me nuts is that the old 16 MP is about a quarter mile south of the new 16 MP, which is much closer to the CT 81 exit.  None of the new BGS or gantries have been erected.  As for CT 72: everything west of I-84 with the exception of a single exit now BGS westbound for CT 372 (on a single tube gantry) has been updated, as well as westbound signage east of I-84 (the old 1/2 mile gantry for the 84 split has yet to be removed.  Meanwhile eastbound, the button copy Exit Now for Corbin Ave remains, as well as the 1/2 mile Exit 8/1 mi Exit 9 gantry. 

[shadyjay]

All of the new mile markers on CT 9 are off.  What really is amazing is the new MILE 2 southbound comes a couple feet after the old MILE 1.  The old "Essex/Next 2 Exits/Town Line" sign is still up with no smaller sign yet.  I'm guessing this is because the contract plans showed a "Old Saybrook Town Line" sign to be put up at that location, which obviously is not correct. 

The new town line signs are totally unreadable at speed... the "town" and "town line" are just way too small.  Do motorists on a limited access highway traveling 70 MPH really need to know when a town was incorporated?  They really should've made the "town" and "town line" bigger.  And when a particular town has multiple exits, they should have kept a "TOWN/NEXT # EXITS" sign.  For example, Haddam, Middletown, and New Britain. 

[shadyjay]

CT 9/72 update:

Southern contract:  Not much new to report.

Middle contract:  The Exit 25 1/2 mile overhead signs have been replaced, after the old ones were moved to the new gantry.  New gantry parts are laying alongside the lanes awaiting installation SB approaching I-91 Jct (monotube).  NB at Exit 21, the 4-chord gantry supports are still up with no "span" or new signs yet.  SB at Exit 22, the new ground mounts are up, awaiting signs. 

Northern contract:  Nothing new thru New Britain.  On CT 72, many signs new, including for I-84 East and I-84 West exits.  There are still a few overheads yet to be replaced, along with sheet aluminum signs. 

A few pics:

DSC03682 by Jay Hogan, on Flickr

DSC03690 by Jay Hogan, on Flickr

DSC03693 by Jay Hogan, on Flickr

DSC03704 by Jay Hogan, on Flickr

[abqtraveler]

CT 9/72 update:

Southern contract:  Not much new to report.

Middle contract:  The Exit 25 1/2 mile overhead signs have been replaced, after the old ones were moved to the new gantry.  New gantry parts are laying alongside the lanes awaiting installation SB approaching I-91 Jct (monotube).  NB at Exit 21, the 4-chord gantry supports are still up with no "span" or new signs yet.  SB at Exit 22, the new ground mounts are up, awaiting signs. 

Northern contract:  Nothing new thru New Britain.  On CT 72, many signs new, including for I-84 East and I-84 West exits.  There are still a few overheads yet to be replaced, along with sheet aluminum signs. 

Have they switched over to the new exit numbers on Rt 72, or are they still using the old ones?

[jp the roadgeek]

CT 9/72 update:

Southern contract:  Not much new to report.

Middle contract:  The Exit 25 1/2 mile overhead signs have been replaced, after the old ones were moved to the new gantry.  New gantry parts are laying alongside the lanes awaiting installation SB approaching I-91 Jct (monotube).  NB at Exit 21, the 4-chord gantry supports are still up with no "span" or new signs yet.  SB at Exit 22, the new ground mounts are up, awaiting signs. 

Northern contract:  Nothing new thru New Britain.  On CT 72, many signs new, including for I-84 East and I-84 West exits.  There are still a few overheads yet to be replaced, along with sheet aluminum signs. 

Have they switched over to the new exit numbers on Rt 72, or are they still using the old ones?

Not yet.  I drive through there often and other than that free preview a few months ago, the old numbers are still there.  There’s still quite a bit of old signage eastbound east of I-84, including a single button copy relic for Corbin Ave.  Guessing the number changes will happen upon completion of the replacement.

[shadyjay]

One thing I did notice, at least on Rt 9 with the new signs, is that the present numbers are overlayed on.  This makes a lot more sense, as the southern contract (I-95 to Exit 16) originally had new exit tabs being installed on the middle/northern contract signs.  That seems like an incredible waste of time and money, so the fact that the numbers are overlayed with (presumably) the new numbers underneath makes more sense. 

One other southern contract note:  the "exit now" sign for Exit 11, SB, has finally been removed.  It was marked as "to be removed ASAP" on the contract plans, and a temporary sheet aluminum sign has been up for a few months now at that location.  My guess is that it was the worst-off gantry and that if it wasn't due to be replaced in this blanket project, it would've been replaced in a spot project.  The temporary sheet sign says "EXIT 11/TO 17/Durham/->". 

[mariethefoxy]

Was in CT over the weekend, some observations

The old button copy Exit 2 Delevan Ave sign is gone replaced with a ground mounted modern reflective one.

Route 8/25 in Bridgeport going northbound is missing the Col Henry Mucci Highway sign, its something I noticed since a friend of mine is related to him. Newer reassurance shields on that section are in the Massachusetts style not the thick border Connecticut style.

Some of the remaining button copy on I-91 is in terrible shape, especially the signs for Exit 20 ([372] Cromwell Berlin) are unreadable at night the inlaid buttons are in such bad shape. A handful of signs in the North of Hartford section are missing the bottom half of the sign.

They must be doing a better job of graffiti removal, I saw far less of that random triangle, lines, circle graffiti tags that used to be literally EVERYWHERE on the 91 corridor and in Hartford.

[Mergingtraffic]

CT 9/72 update:

Southern contract:  Not much new to report.

Middle contract:  The Exit 25 1/2 mile overhead signs have been replaced, after the old ones were moved to the new gantry.  New gantry parts are laying alongside the lanes awaiting installation SB approaching I-91 Jct (monotube).  NB at Exit 21, the 4-chord gantry supports are still up with no "span" or new signs yet.  SB at Exit 22, the new ground mounts are up, awaiting signs. 

Northern contract:  Nothing new thru New Britain.  On CT 72, many signs new, including for I-84 East and I-84 West exits.  There are still a few overheads yet to be replaced, along with sheet aluminum signs. 

A few pics:

DSC03682 by Jay Hogan, on Flickr

DSC03690 by Jay Hogan, on Flickr

DSC03693 by Jay Hogan, on Flickr

DSC03704 by Jay Hogan, on Flickr

Why are route numbers so hard to do nowadays?  They're all off.  Also, why are the ramp BGSs all using that smaller font??  The new on-ramp to the I-84 Exit 11 connector in Newtown will also be getting new signs when the ramp is completed and open.  (It's opening from CT-34 West to the connector NB) Those signs also have the small font according to the plans. 

[Mergingtraffic]

ALSO.......whyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy

Why is CT so stingy on extruded aluminum signs??  There use to be an "Expressway Ahead" sign on CT-66 just before I-691 that's gone and prob will never be replaced.  New projects are  cheapening out the signs in favor of sheet metal.  I know it's cost savings but there should be other things to save money on.  Plus will it really make a big difference in the bottom line?

Why is CT so stingy on passing zones. I drove US-44 between Taunton and RI and there were stores and interesections and US-44 had passing zones.  I was amazed and not to mention a 50mph speed limit in that area.  In CT it would be 40mph and a double yellow line.  I've also noticed several passing zones being eliminated over the years too.

Slow Vehicle Lanes seem to be shortened too.  They begin the taper ends a lot earlier after a repaving and sometimes even go out to restripe it in between repaving projects. 

[Rothman]

Heh.  I heard a NYSDOT construction engineer bemoan the fact that both shortages in steel and paint make sign projects impossible...

[Alps]

Heh.  I heard a NYSDOT construction engineer bemoan the fact that both shortages in steel and paint make sign projects impossible...

YES. It takes months of preorder now.

[kurumi]

A new entrance ramp -- I-95 NB, exit 33 in Stratford -- is opening today. This was originally a partial interchange (access to and from the south only) to make it more difficult for motorists to shunpike the Stratford toll booths, which used to exist a short distance to the south.

The entire project should be done in mid-2022.

ConnDOT Press Release

Article with photo of planned ramps: https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/DOT-plans-hearing-on-new-I-95-ramps-in-Stratford-7942255.php

[abqtraveler]

A new entrance ramp -- I-95 NB, exit 33 in Stratford -- is opening today. This was originally a partial interchange (access to and from the south only) to make it more difficult for motorists to shunpike the Stratford toll booths, which used to exist a short distance to the south.

The entire project should be done in mid-2022.

ConnDOT Press Release

Article with photo of planned ramps: https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/DOT-plans-hearing-on-new-I-95-ramps-in-Stratford-7942255.php

And a little bit of history as to why Exit 33 was originally constructed as a partial interchange. It goes back to when the Connecticut Turnpike was originally built. Just west of Exit33 used to be the Stratford toll plaza. Ramps from and to points north (east) were deliberately omitted to prevent motorists from exiting before the toll plaza, using surface streets to bypass the toll, and re-enter the Turnpike at Exit 32, and vice versa.

[kernals12]

A new entrance ramp -- I-95 NB, exit 33 in Stratford -- is opening today. This was originally a partial interchange (access to and from the south only) to make it more difficult for motorists to shunpike the Stratford toll booths, which used to exist a short distance to the south.

The entire project should be done in mid-2022.

ConnDOT Press Release

Article with photo of planned ramps: https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/DOT-plans-hearing-on-new-I-95-ramps-in-Stratford-7942255.php

And a little bit of history as to why Exit 33 was originally constructed as a partial interchange. It goes back to when the Connecticut Turnpike was originally built. Just west of Exit33 used to be the Stratford toll plaza. Ramps from and to points north (east) were deliberately omitted to prevent motorists from exiting before the toll plaza, using surface streets to bypass the toll, and re-enter the Turnpike at Exit 32, and vice versa.

Location of the gruesome accident that caused Connecticut to get rid of tolls.

[kernals12]

I can't get over the fact that 1983 saw the Mianus River Bridge collapse and the Stratford Toll Plaza crash. What a grisly 6 months.

[Mergingtraffic]

The Maritime Aquarium BGSs have all been replaced on US-7 SB in Norwalk. The new BGS just says SOUTH NORWALK. it’s about time as earlier just one was replaced leaving a mix match of signs and messages.

[yakra]

Are there plans for CT15's US5 / Broad St exit in Meriden to get an exit number when the sequential->mileage conversion happens?

[jp the roadgeek]

Are there plans for CT15's US5 / Broad St exit in Meriden to get an exit number when the sequential->mileage conversion happens?

I really don’t think it would, given that it’s a mainline split/TOTSO for US 5.  If they ever did that, then the CT 9/372, CT 175, and northbound CT 314 connections would need numbers too.

[shadyjay]

Are there plans for CT15's US5 / Broad St exit in Meriden to get an exit number when the sequential->mileage conversion happens?

Ahhh... unofficial Exit 69.  Some CT maps in the past have marked it as "Exit 69".   
I would hope that in an all-mileage CT 15, it would get a #, as would the CT 9, CT 175 interchanges as well.  Then again, something like that would be contingent upon the Berlin Tpke getting MUTCD-compliant mile markers.  I don't believe the current sign replacement project in Berlin (tied in with CT 9's middle sign contract) is adding markers.  So that means posting exit numbers, even at interchanges, is kind of pointless.  However, mile markers I'm sure are going to have to go in on the Hartford-E Hartford section when that portion eventually gets renumbered exits.  So what better way to connect the two sections than with mile markers on the Berlin Tpke?

[shadyjay]

CT 9 resigning update:

Some new sheet aluminum signs are up, Exits 2-3, including exit services and Park & Ride signs.  The new "Essex Town Line" sign is up.  Also, at least for Exits 2 and 3, the off-ramp guide signs that were missing directional arrows now have arrows. 

Will update further north as time permits. 

[jp the roadgeek]

CT 9 resigning update:

Some new sheet aluminum signs are up, Exits 2-3, including exit services and Park & Ride signs.  The new "Essex Town Line" sign is up.  Also, at least for Exits 2 and 3, the off-ramp guide signs that were missing directional arrows now have arrows. 

Will update further north as time permits.

Nothing new at the north end, other than a new VMB northbound just past Ellis St, as well as one on 72 West just before Corbin Ave. 

[shadyjay]

Travelled up to Middletown today.  There's a new exit services sheet aluminum sign for Exit 5, NB, which has the new exit number, 7, shown (no overlay).  Signs which were missing arrows have had arrows installed up to either Exit 4 or 5. 

Update 12/21 ... arrows are now up to Exit 6 (at least).

[seicer]

Why is CT so stingy on extruded aluminum signs??  There use to be an "Expressway Ahead" sign on CT-66 just before I-691 that's gone and prob will never be replaced.  New projects are  cheapening out the signs in favor of sheet metal.  I know it's cost savings but there should be other things to save money on.  Plus will it really make a big difference in the bottom line?

I am assuming the cost for the steel and for the supports needed. Kentucky does sheet metal signs quite well in certain districts (a more recent change) and ... quite badly in other areas where the memo hasn't been passed down yet on the new guidelines.

Good:
- Larger panel sizes, consistent fonts: https://goo.gl/maps/hm4Mupfp1Mv8gvpZ8
- Larger route shields, concrete footers: https://goo.gl/maps/a3TXRsgVsBdWEkTq9
- Extruded panels but this is probably over-kill for a roadway of this type: https://goo.gl/maps/mR1fJkgH5sCnJEst9

Bad:
- All sorts of issues: https://goo.gl/maps/zK9f5vjqCVy3gCa48

[seicer]

Arkansas says hello: https://goo.gl/maps/qc7NqqzBWqMuktkt6
But these look to be half way decent installations - I just remember seeing some of the sloppiest installations in Connecticut before the mass sign replacement project.

[storm2k]

NJDOT sends its regards

This is to say nothing of the ridiculously tiny crappy signs that existed on 287 at the Easton Ave exit for many decades before they were finally replaced with proper signage in 1998 when NJDOT did away with the experimental diagramatic signage from the 1970s and put in proper MUTCD-compliant signs (and fixed all the exit numbering to be consistent on 287 since it was clear by that point that the Somerset Freeway was never happening and that the lower end of 287 would never become 95).