Massachusetts

[cl94]

The only thing that section needs is a third lane in either direction.

I-91 needs another lane in both directions from I-95 to MA 2 regardless. I have been stuck in horrendous traffic on that road more times than I can count.

[shadyjay]

I-91 needs another lane in both directions from I-95 to MA 2 regardless. I have been stuck in horrendous traffic on that road more times than I can count.

I'm assuming you mean I-90 since I-95 doesn't touch I-91 in Massachusetts. 

I've traveled I-91 in Massachusetts too many times to count over the years, back and forth between CT and VT, at all hours of the day and night.  I don't think a 3rd lane is needed all the way up to MA 2 in Greenfield just yet.  Only times I've been stuck in traffic on that stretch was when they were replacing the bridges in Greenfield at Exit 26 and had it down to one lane.  Other than the usual Sunday afternoon/evening backup during the winter southbound, it's relatively easy going for most of the way.  What I can see is a third lane being added up to Exit 19/Northampton.  A considerable amount of traffic enters/leaves the interstate at that exit heading towards MA 9, UMass, etc.  The median is really wide and variable through the entire area north of Holyoke so widening would be relatively easy.  They've been working for [what seems like] 10 years on the bridges in Holyoke and Northampton so I've grown quite accustomed to lack of shoulders in that area.  Just keep it that way and start bulldozing the median.  You wouldn't need to touch the interchanges at all... except Exit 19. 

And through the Mt Tom curves, I've never encountered any big issue.  The grades aren't steep at all.  Any delay is mostly right around Exit 16-17 where it drops from 3 to 2 lanes and there are some closely-spaced exits and merges. 

[cl94]

No, I mean down to I-95 in New Haven. Counts certainly warrant it south of Northampton and truck traffic can be high north of there.

[Alps]

No, I mean down to I-95 in New Haven. Counts certainly warrant it south of Northampton and truck traffic can be high north of there.

In CT it needs another lane north of I-84 through Springfield, and south of CT 2 through CT 9 to the Wilbur Cross. South of there, CT 15 is the bottleneck, not 91.

[RobbieL2415]

No, I mean down to I-95 in New Haven. Counts certainly warrant it south of Northampton and truck traffic can be high north of there.

In CT it needs another lane north of I-84 through Springfield, and south of CT 2 through CT 9 to the Wilbur Cross. South of there, CT 15 is the bottleneck, not 91.

The CT 15/CT 66/I-691 C/D interchange really just needs a third land thru on I-91.  Well, technically there is a third lane thru but it gets diverted to become Exit 17.

[jp the roadgeek]

The biggest fix had to be adding a lane at the south end of I-91 at the I-95 interchange.  Oh, the horrors of all I-91 traffic having to squeeze into one lane to get on I-95 South.  Had to be the biggest bottleneck known to mankind.  That being said, I-91 in CT and MA should be 10 lanes from I-95 to Exit 10, 8 lanes to Exit 13, 6 lanes from Exit 13-Exit 22 (+1 climbing lane northbound north of Exit 18 and southbound south of Exit 20), 8 lanes from Exit 22-25, 8 lanes from Exit 25 to the Forest Park curve with an HOV lane from Exit 25-40, 10 lanes to I-391, 8 lanes to Exit 17, and 6 lanes (with a climbing lane southbound south of Exit 18) the rest of the way to the VT border.

[kefkafloyd]

The overhead mounted VMSes on US 3 north of Burlington have all disappeared, one by one in the past few weeks. Are we scheduled to be getting new systems?

[roadman]

The overhead mounted VMSes on US 3 north of Burlington have all disappeared, one by one in the past few weeks. Are we scheduled to be getting new systems?

Yes.  There is a contract underway to replace several of the older CMS signs in District 4 and District 6, most of which are the flip disc/fiber optic panels  - including a number of early 1990s vintage Silvia signs - in the I-95/I-93 (MA 128 for you stick in the muds) corridor - with new LED panels.  The intent is to retain the existing support structures, which will be accomplished by ditching the walk-in cabinets for slimmer and lighter boards like those recently installed on I-93 and I-95 north of Boston.

[kefkafloyd]

Rad. Thanks for the info, Roadman.

[Pete from Boston]

Boston Globe: "Rotaries disappear in favor of roundabouts"

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2017/10/08/rotaries-disappear-favor-roundabouts/g8Znfv4XSyUokBSpEAyKaJ/amp.html

Am I the only one that thinks these are not good examples of roundabouts?  Their primary example here is the mess where 129 meets 128 in Wakefield.  I find that intersection to now be poorly signed, confusing, and poorly functioning because no one can figure out what to do in the time that they have to figure out to do it.

[PHLBOS]

Boston Globe: "Rotaries disappear in favor of roundabouts"

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2017/10/08/rotaries-disappear-favor-roundabouts/g8Znfv4XSyUokBSpEAyKaJ/amp.html

Am I the only one that thinks these are not good examples of roundabouts?  Their primary example here is the mess where 129 meets 128 in Wakefield.  I find that intersection to now be poorly signed, confusing, and poorly functioning because no one can figure out what to do in the time that they have to figure out to do it.

Two other rotaries in the Bay State that I'm aware of were also restriped to a roundabout (based on the article) fashion: Goodwin's Circle (MA 129/Salem St./connector to I-95/MA 128 & US 1) in S. Lynnfield, and MA 1A at the Wonderland Blue Line T station in Revere.

It's interesting that the Globe did not comment at all about the newly-constructed roundabouts at the Brimbal Ave./Sohier Road interchange w/128 (Exit 19) in Beverly.  Such are true roundabouts IMHO.

With regards to the Wakefield example; maybe MassDOT should take note of how roundabouts are signed in Ohio (I saw some examples during the recent Columbus Road Meet) and erect more advance (& overhead) diagrammatic signage along 129 prior to one entering the interchange/roundabout.

[bob7374]

MassDOT has posted sign drawings and location plans for the upcoming Division 2 Retroflective Sign Replacement project. The 4 sign drawing files include plans for the new type of paddle/guide signs with mixed case lettering (and they seem to have all the shields on signs related to US 202 correct). The files can be accessed here:
https://www.commbuys.com/bso/external/bidDetail.sdo?docId=BD-18-1030-0H100-0H002-19388&external=true&parentUrl=bid

[Beeper1]

Looking through those bid sheets.    Where is MA-21A?

[SectorZ]

Looking through those bid sheets.    Where is MA-21A?

That's a hell of a question, because it's either a figment of their imagination or something new. I found what you were talking about in the bid sheets, so the state thinks something exists there.

[PHLBOS]

MassDOT has posted sign drawings and location plans for the upcoming Division 2 Retroflective Sign Replacement project. The 4 sign drawing files include plans for the new type of paddle/guide signs with mixed case lettering (and they seem to have all the shields on signs related to US 202 correct). The files can be accessed here:
https://www.commbuys.com/bso/external/bidDetail.sdo?docId=BD-18-1030-0H100-0H002-19388&external=true&parentUrl=bid

Page 3, sheet 14 shows a listing of route shields.  Being a North Shore native (such was MassDPW District 5, not sure what MassDOT district it is now); the listing of the MA 114 shield literally jumped out at me.  Am I missing something?  MA 114 is nowhere near western MA.

[NE2]

The "Sign Action Plan" shows where the signs will be posted. 21A is on Main Street in Hardwick. In other words, it's a typo for 32A (or 32?). 114 isn't even in the drawings, so it was probably an error by whoever compiled the drawings.

[SectorZ]

The "Sign Action Plan" shows where the signs will be posted. 21A is on Main Street in Hardwick. In other words, it's a typo for 32A (or 32?). 114 isn't even in the drawings, so it was probably an error by whoever compiled the drawings.

Good catch.

[bob7374]

Based on my experience with the District 5 project, unless someone makes an effort to let the district engineer know about the errors, they probably will end up being signed, as was the case with the unneeded Route 228 sign replacements in Hingham.

[Route99]

The 2 remaining Kendrick Street ramps on I-95 / 128 in Needham opened this evening.  Kendrick St to I-95 N and I-95 S to Kendrick St.

http://blog.mass.gov/transportation/massdot-highway/needham-i-95-north-south-new-ramps-opening-friday-december-1/

[hotdogPi]

I have another question.






link to Google Maps here

(Same place, one zoom level apart.)

MA 31 turns here, even though the road continues straight unnumbered and then becomes MA 31 again. Why isn't MA 31 along the straight road (which Google even considers more important than actual MA 31)?

Side note 1: Google Maps API hasn't switched its color scheme yet!
Side note 2: I feel that Stafford St. should be MA 169, but that's a different discussion and belongs in Fictional.

[jp the roadgeek]

It probably bends off the main road so that it can pass through the center of Charlton, rather than staying on the periphery of the central business district (which, btw, seems now to be dominated by Treehouse).  It's kind of like what happens with CT 10 in the map below by bending off path to go to the village of Plantsville, only to return to the same route (occupied by Old Turnpike Rd, about 3 miles later. 

[SectorZ]

I have another question.






link to Google Maps here

(Same place, one zoom level apart.)

MA 31 turns here, even though the road continues straight unnumbered and then becomes MA 31 again. Why isn't MA 31 along the straight road (which Google even considers more important than actual MA 31)?

Side note 1: Google Maps API hasn't switched its color scheme yet!
Side note 2: I feel that Stafford St. should be MA 169, but that's a different discussion and belongs in Fictional.

As JP stated and I agree, probably to serve Charlton Depot, Charlton City, and the town center of Charlton all on one route.

Also side note 2 well taken. Stafford St deserves a number.

[SidS1045]

The "Sign Action Plan" shows where the signs will be posted. 21A is on Main Street in Hardwick. In other words, it's a typo for 32A (or 32?). 114 isn't even in the drawings, so it was probably an error by whoever compiled the drawings.

A typo for the infamous MA-141, which was erroneously signed as an Alabama state highway some years back?

[bob7374]

The next MassDOT District up for Retroreflective Sign Replacement is 3, west of Boston to be let Jan. 17. The Sign Action Plan and Sign Drawings and Details are available at the bidding page at: https://www.commbuys.com/bso/external/bidDetail.sdo?docId=BD-18-1030-0H100-0H002-19846&external=true&parentUrl=bid

The most interesting find so far in the Action Plan is that they list a County Route 27 marker at MA 27 NB mile marker 62.3 that is due to be replaced (p. 58) with a North directional banner and a MA 27 shield (so those who haven't gotten photos, your time is running out).

Meanwhile the District 6 contract, Boston and surrounding suburbs, letting was postponed 2 weeks until Jan. 24. That page does not have sign related files posted at this time. I'll post any links should they appear.

[AMLNet49]

The next MassDOT District up for Retroreflective Sign Replacement is 3, west of Boston to be let Jan. 17. The Sign Action Plan and Sign Drawings and Details are available at the bidding page at: https://www.commbuys.com/bso/external/bidDetail.sdo?docId=BD-18-1030-0H100-0H002-19846&external=true&parentUrl=bid

The most interesting find so far in the Action Plan is that they list a County Route 27 marker at MA 27 NB mile marker 62.3 that is due to be replaced (p. 58) with a North directional banner and a MA 27 shield (so those who haven't gotten photos, your time is running out).

Meanwhile the District 6 contract, Boston and surrounding suburbs, letting was postponed 2 weeks until Jan. 24. That page does not have sign related files posted at this time. I'll post any links should they appear.

Never heard of this