I-86 Current Progress

[vdeane]

Does anyone know what the current progress is on the I-86 upgrade of NY 17 in Chemung county east of Elmira?  The project website only lists it as "under construction".  Also, does anyone know where "Reed's Crossing" is?  The site mentions a new interchange there, but no map has that location.

Also, does anyone know why the eastern segment of I-86 ends at NY 79?  I don't see any reason that it's not interstate standard between there and the at-grade intersections at Hale Eddy.  The NYSDOT page on the I-86 conversion doesn't list any projects in that area either.

[froggie]

For your first question, check out page 7.

[vdeane]

Ah, that's where I assumed it would be, given the area.  Great to know for sure.  Thanks, it didn't occur to me to look through the really old newsletters.  I imagine there isn't much to see from NY 17, given that most of the work would be on CR 60.

[vdeane]

From a post on northeastroads, it looks like the work between Elmira and Lowman (exits 56-58) is done.  I've included that post below:

just a quick update.

the road is finished from Elmira to the Lowman exit. It is concrete. and the west bound lanes are slightly higher (ave 10 feet) than the east bound lanes. no new exits. heading east, beyond Lowman, it looks like the two motels have been razed(pitch black, but didn't seem to see any buildings)

[vdeane]

Looks like the person who posted to northeastroads only went eastbound.  Here's a current construction photo:


Here's future exit 58A (Reed's Crossing):

[WNYroadgeek]

Here's future exit 58A (Reed's Crossing):

Why 58A? Unless it's after exit 58 (going east), wouldn't 57 (which, of course, was freed up when it and exit 56 were combined into a single exit, retaining the latter number) make more sense?

[froggie]

A situation where milepost-based exit numbering would avoid having to ask the question to begin with...

[vdeane]

Why 58A? Unless it's after exit 58 (going east), wouldn't 57 (which, of course, was freed up when it and exit 56 were combined into a single exit, retaining the latter number) make more sense?

It's after exit 58.  Reed's Crossing is the last at-grade before the Chemung River crossing, and one of two at-grades east of exit 58.

[Buummu]

Do you guys happen to have any information or links on I-86 Current progress, or is the NYSDOT website the only link I can look for?

[vdeane]

As far as I know just the NYSDOT site, which is a shame - region 6 doesn't seem to have their act together when it comes to PR anymore (they used to do a very good job, at least on I-86 projects).  For that matter, all of NYSDOT seems to have gone downhill since the new site.  You used to get a lot of information about every project; now for most projects all you get can be summed up as "well, DUH".

[HighwayMaster]

Wikipedia says that a 3rd section exists near Middletown. Between what exits is this?

[Duke87]

When I was by a couple months ago, there were a bunch of covered up I-86 shields between I-84 and some point to the west I forget exactly where (probably Monticello). Have they been revealed now?

[HighwayMaster]

When I was by a couple months ago, there were a bunch of covered up I-86 shields between I-84 and some point to the west I forget exactly where (probably Monticello). Have they been revealed now?

No, they have not. I passed by the new signs yesterday, and they are still covered up.

[Snappyjack]

When I was by a couple months ago, there were a bunch of covered up I-86 shields between I-84 and some point to the west I forget exactly where (probably Monticello). Have they been revealed now?

No, they have not. I passed by the new signs yesterday, and they are still covered up.

They were uncovered for about a couple months after they were first put up, I'd say back around Spring 2010. They were covered back up fairly quickly. The section in question was between I-84 and the Orange/Sullivan County line.

[agentsteel53]

They were uncovered for about a couple months after they were first put up, I'd say back around Spring 2010. They were covered back up fairly quickly. The section in question was between I-84 and the Orange/Sullivan County line.

is this a different batch than what I photographed in April '07?

[HighwayMaster]

They were uncovered for about a couple months after they were first put up, I'd say back around Spring 2010. They were covered back up fairly quickly. The section in question was between I-84 and the Orange/Sullivan County line.

is this a different batch than what I photographed in April '07?

That's probably a mistake, because Wiki said it opened in '09.

[vdeane]

Someone probably saw the shields and added it to Wikipedia erroneously.  I-86 hasn't had new sections added by AASHTO.  I don't know why they don't do what used to be done: approve the entire route and allow signing as soon as a sections is up to interstate standards.  Most of I-86 would be signed now if they did that.

[agentsteel53]

in fact, if you want to do what used to be done - sign incomplete segments of it as "TEMPORARY I-86".

[newyorker478]

Wikipedia says that a 3rd section exists near Middletown. Between what exits is this?

Don't think this exists, however there is one shield in Monticello for an onramp [see above]

[Michael in Philly]

I just drove 81 south through Binghamton yesterday, and 86/17 east is still just posted as 17.

[vdeane]

It's posted I-86, but the DOT has yet to update the signs on I-81 south.  Northbound signage for I-86 has existed for years.

Coincidentally, I also drove I-81 south in that area and I-86/NY 17 to the east yesterday.

[TwinsMetsFan]

Wikipedia says that a 3rd section exists near Middletown. Between what exits is this?

I have no idea what article you're referring to as the I-86 and NY 17 articles don't make that claim as far as I can tell. There was once a claim similar to that in one of the two articles, but I tossed it out when I rewrote both of them some time ago. If there is an article that claims that, it's wrong; as far as I'm aware, I-86 currently exists only between I-90 in Pennsylvania and NY 352 east of Elmira, and from I-81 east to NY 79.

[vdeane]

Sometime in the last week NYSDOT removed the last at-grade in Chemung county.  It presently has a temp jersey barrier and a road closed sign.  It will probably be dug up when NYSDOT gets around to starting reconstruction of NY 17 east of Lowman (looks like it could start any day now).

Also, the reconstructed part between Jerusalem Hill and Lowman has I-86 mile markers in the new region 6 style (it's like the ones on I-81, but much smaller; pretty much just the old style with an interstate shield on top; part of I-390 south of Cohocton uses this style as well).

[vdeane]

Got some photos of the Parksville construction:





Also some kind of I-86 shield a few miles east of NY 206 (before Parksville):

[vdeane]

Figured that I should mention that the eastbound lanes are now closed between Lowman and Chemung for reconstruction.