Roads in Mad-Town 2015: Madison Road Meet - April 18, 2015

Started by SSOWorld, December 22, 2014, 10:09:32 PM

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DaBigE

#25
March 30, 2015, 11:55:12 AM   Last Edit: March 30, 2015, 11:57:53 AM by DaBigE
Quote from: bandit957 on March 30, 2015, 11:02:09 AM
John Nolen Drive actually looks somewhat interesting because it's sort of elaborate. This road seems to have some sort of tunnel near the lakefront. Maybe some generic rural roads west of town might be interesting, but they might be too far out of the way.

I've been looking at Madison on Google Maps, and Madison just doesn't have that many roads that are very elaborate or abandoned, let alone many old signs.

The tunnel is where John Nolen goes under the Monona Terrace Convention Center (design inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright for the architecture buffs). There have been some talks/dreams of making more of John Nolen Dr a subterranean roadway to make the connection to the park more pedestrian-friendly to access from downtown.

I do go by one abandoned road on my daily commute.

As far as corridors go, University Ave from WisDOT headquarters out to Middleton and Northport Dr from Aberg Ave (~ end of WI 30) to the edge of town have merit. It doesn't show up on Google yet, but the intersection of Monona Dr/Buckeye Rd/Lake Edge Blvd has an interesting signalization layout after Monona Dr was reconstructed the other year.
"We gotta find this road, it's like Bob's road!" - Rabbit, Twister

bandit957

#26
March 30, 2015, 12:26:08 PM  
Quote from: DaBigE on March 30, 2015, 11:55:12 AM
I do go by one abandoned road on my daily commute.

This abandoned road is sort of close to the motel I got for this meet, but not horrendously close. Maybe I'll check it out if I have time.
Might as well face it, pooing is cool

bandit957

#27
March 30, 2015, 12:34:20 PM  
I notice on Street View that there's a few places in Madison where the stop sign looms over the intersection on a mast like a streetlight. To me, that just seems hilarious.
Might as well face it, pooing is cool

algorerhythms

#28
March 30, 2015, 12:48:23 PM  
I'll be in Madison when this road meet happens (I start a new job in Madison on the 13th), but I probably won't have time to go to it.

DaBigE

#29
March 30, 2015, 01:28:34 PM  
Quote from: bandit957 on March 30, 2015, 12:34:20 PM
I notice on Street View that there's a few places in Madison where the stop sign looms over the intersection on a mast like a streetlight. To me, that just seems hilarious.

Yeah, there's a few of those around Madison, prevalent at some of the larger all-way stop intersections. Sun Prairie has one too. WisDOT will use these, in addition to a flashing beacon(s), as an interim solution at problematic rural intersections.
"We gotta find this road, it's like Bob's road!" - Rabbit, Twister

bandit957

#30
March 30, 2015, 05:08:55 PM  
Madison appears to be a very compact city. The populated areas don't seem to cover a very big area, and there don't seem to be many suburbs. It seems fairly efficient and easy to get around in.

Contrast this with greater Cincinnati, where every establishment is 10 miles out of town, and every suburban development is rubber-stamped. It takes forever to get across Cincinnati, compared to Madison.
Might as well face it, pooing is cool

DaBigE

#31
March 30, 2015, 05:30:04 PM  
Quote from: bandit957 on March 30, 2015, 05:08:55 PM
Madison appears to be a very compact city. The populated areas don't seem to cover a very big area, and there don't seem to be many suburbs. It seems fairly efficient and easy to get around in.

Contrast this with greater Cincinnati, where every establishment is 10 miles out of town, and every suburban development is rubber-stamped. It takes forever to get across Cincinnati, compared to Madison.

Easy being a relative term. While the isthmus may be picturesque, it's a PITA trying to get from one side to the other. Wisconsin & Southern also likes to run at least one train that crosses the isthmus during the PM rush hour.
"We gotta find this road, it's like Bob's road!" - Rabbit, Twister

SSOWorld

#32
March 30, 2015, 06:18:09 PM   Last Edit: March 30, 2015, 06:20:12 PM by SSOWorld
Quote from: bandit957 on March 30, 2015, 11:02:09 AM
John Nolen Drive actually looks somewhat interesting because it's sort of elaborate. This road seems to have some sort of tunnel near the lakefront. Maybe some generic rural roads west of town might be interesting, but they might be too far out of the way.

I've been looking at Madison on Google Maps, and Madison just doesn't have that many roads that are very elaborate or abandoned, let alone many old signs.
I agree - I did a drive along historic state routes and found nothing of any value along them.

Quote from: DaBigE on March 30, 2015, 09:10:52 AM
If you do want to stop along the University Ave corridor, there is free parking available at a couple UW ramps on weekends, especially near the old button copy signs near the Engineering campus. Unless there is some big event, Lots 20 and 17 are generally ones I use on the weekends if I'm in the area. There are a couple in a lot behind the chemistry building off of Charter St, but usually that's only one or two spaces.
We better hope there are no events then :D

I'll calculate that in somehow.

Alps is checking out some stubs in Baraboo (If my guess is right, they are along the Ho-Chunk bypass among other places.)
Scott O.

Not all who wander are lost...
Ah, the open skies, wind at my back, warm sun on my... wait, where the hell am I?!
As a matter of fact, I do own the road.
Raise your what?

Wisconsin - out-multiplexing your state since 1918.

Alps

#33
March 30, 2015, 06:39:41 PM  
Quote from: SSOWorld on March 30, 2015, 06:18:09 PM

Alps is checking out some stubs in Baraboo (If my guess is right, they are along the Ho-Chunk bypass among other places.)
All I know is they're where 12 transitions from freeway to surface road, and you have double stubs of future freeway and former mainline next to each other. I'm also taking the state's only trunkline highway ferry to get there. If anyone wants to come along, the Alps Train leaves at 6 AM Saturday morning (crack of predawn).

DaBigE

#34
March 30, 2015, 07:03:24 PM  
Quote from: SSOWorld on March 30, 2015, 06:18:09 PM
Quote from: DaBigE on March 30, 2015, 09:10:52 AM
If you do want to stop along the University Ave corridor, there is free parking available at a couple UW ramps on weekends, especially near the old button copy signs near the Engineering campus. Unless there is some big event, Lots 20 and 17 are generally ones I use on the weekends if I'm in the area. There are a couple in a lot behind the chemistry building off of Charter St, but usually that's only one or two spaces.
We better hope there are no events then :D

I'll calculate that in somehow.

Looks like this is also the same weekend as the UW Engineering Expo. Lots 17 and 20 will more than likely not be free (UW Transportation Services likes to make any excuse to make a buck), at least in the morning. It only lasts until 2 pm, so based on your rough timeline, we should be in good shape. If anyone is in the area either Friday noon/early afternoon, or Saturday morning, I'd recommend going to it, as they usually have the traffic lab open as well as the vehicle simulator.
"We gotta find this road, it's like Bob's road!" - Rabbit, Twister

SSOWorld

#35
April 03, 2015, 06:57:53 PM  
Hey all, For all the "Maybe"s on the list, please make a decision one way or the other by 11:59 pm on April 7 (next Thursday) so i can give the lunch venue a count for a reservation. I will not be waiting any longer since I will have to travel for work the week before the meet. Thanks in advance and see you in Mad-town!. -sso
Scott O.

Not all who wander are lost...
Ah, the open skies, wind at my back, warm sun on my... wait, where the hell am I?!
As a matter of fact, I do own the road.
Raise your what?

Wisconsin - out-multiplexing your state since 1918.

JREwing78

#36
April 04, 2015, 02:51:04 AM  
Quote from: Alps on March 30, 2015, 06:39:41 PM
I'm also taking the state's only trunkline highway ferry to get there.

The Merrimac Ferry! Definitely worth a side trip!

SSOWorld

#37
April 11, 2015, 01:36:20 PM  
A note about the lunch venue - they a one-check policy. However, we can make multiple payments on it so this will save us from having to figure out cash handover and avoid ATM fees.  That said, The reservation has been made.
Scott O.

Not all who wander are lost...
Ah, the open skies, wind at my back, warm sun on my... wait, where the hell am I?!
As a matter of fact, I do own the road.
Raise your what?

Wisconsin - out-multiplexing your state since 1918.

SSOWorld

#38
April 11, 2015, 01:48:43 PM  
http://roads.ssoworld.org/blog/madison-best-of-the-rest/

Updated to indicate some more places further away from Madison such as the Merrimac Ferry and the U.S. 12 "Ho-Chunk" bypass stubs.
Scott O.

Not all who wander are lost...
Ah, the open skies, wind at my back, warm sun on my... wait, where the hell am I?!
As a matter of fact, I do own the road.
Raise your what?

Wisconsin - out-multiplexing your state since 1918.

bandit957

#39
April 11, 2015, 02:41:20 PM  
Quote from: SSOWorld on April 11, 2015, 01:48:43 PM
http://roads.ssoworld.org/blog/madison-best-of-the-rest/

Updated to indicate some more places further away from Madison such as the Merrimac Ferry and the U.S. 12 "Ho-Chunk" bypass stubs.

Another thing that might be mildly interesting is the abandoned stretch of Burke Road betwixt Crossroads Drive and City View Drive.
Might as well face it, pooing is cool

bandit957

#40
April 11, 2015, 02:44:21 PM  
Also, what's the deal with that area just north of Lien Road east of I-90? It looks like an entire street grid that was abandoned completely. It appears to not be publicly accessible though.
Might as well face it, pooing is cool

SSOWorld

#41
April 11, 2015, 02:51:04 PM  
Quote from: bandit957 on April 11, 2015, 02:41:20 PM
Quote from: SSOWorld on April 11, 2015, 01:48:43 PM
http://roads.ssoworld.org/blog/madison-best-of-the-rest/

Updated to indicate some more places further away from Madison such as the Merrimac Ferry and the U.S. 12 "Ho-Chunk" bypass stubs.

Another thing that might be mildly interesting is the abandoned stretch of Burke Road betwixt Crossroads Drive and City View Drive.
Ooo nice - and it's just off the tour route (How could I have missed that :banghead: .  We could squeeze that in.  Otherwise that can be an "after-meet" activity.

The Lien Road area might draw suspicion if we did attempt it.
Scott O.

Not all who wander are lost...
Ah, the open skies, wind at my back, warm sun on my... wait, where the hell am I?!
As a matter of fact, I do own the road.
Raise your what?

Wisconsin - out-multiplexing your state since 1918.

DaBigE

#42
April 11, 2015, 08:15:01 PM  
Quote from: bandit957 on April 11, 2015, 02:44:21 PM
Also, what's the deal with that area just north of Lien Road east of I-90? It looks like an entire street grid that was abandoned completely. It appears to not be publicly accessible though.

This Madison construction map may shed some light on it: Madison 2015-2021 Project Map (3.25 MB). Basically, the area was being prepped for development expansion when the economy tanked. If you go down Lien Rd past the interstate, there's a lot of future roadway stubs built for whenever a developer decides to pick that area up again.

If anyone is looking to kill time before the meet, here's a link to Madison's traffic cam system

And if anyone wants to relive any childhood memories of the Wienermobile, Oscar Mayer has recently placed one on permanent display at their headquarters (it doesn't show up on the satellite photo yet, but it's near the circular landscaping in their parking lot to the west of Wis 113).

If there are any roadgeeks into LED street lighting and are staying overnight, the following corridors would be of interest: Packers Ave/Northport Dr (Wis 113) from approx. International Ln to the city limits; Mineral Point Rd near Whitney Way (sorry, my memory is kind of sketchy on the limits there); University Ave from Frances St to Park St and Sheboygan Ave to Allen Blvd; E Johnson St from approx. Pickney St to Baldwin St. Also of interest would be the new jug handle at Mineral Point and Junction Rd (also home to one of Wisconsin's few single indication signals (a green up arrow on a mast arm - median mounted).
"We gotta find this road, it's like Bob's road!" - Rabbit, Twister

SSOWorld

#43
April 11, 2015, 10:41:20 PM  
The Beltline crossing of the Yahara River also has LED streetlights (City of Monona)
Scott O.

Not all who wander are lost...
Ah, the open skies, wind at my back, warm sun on my... wait, where the hell am I?!
As a matter of fact, I do own the road.
Raise your what?

Wisconsin - out-multiplexing your state since 1918.

DaBigE

#44
April 16, 2015, 06:47:32 PM  
Travel note for those coming to the road meet:

The Midwest Horse Fair is going on at the Alliant Energy Center, so traffic will be heavier on the beltline, especially around John Nolen Dr and Rimrock Rd. Road work has also commenced on US 51 as part of the upgrades to the Cottage Grove Rd interchange.
"We gotta find this road, it's like Bob's road!" - Rabbit, Twister

JREwing78

#45
April 17, 2015, 04:58:56 PM  
Is the reservation still for 11:30am tomorrow? The only time I found for it was on the Facebook page.

SSOWorld

#46
April 17, 2015, 05:26:44 PM  
Quote from: JREwing78 on April 17, 2015, 04:58:56 PM
Is the reservation still for 11:30am tomorrow? The only time I found for it was on the Facebook page.
It is still on for 11:30am
Scott O.

Not all who wander are lost...
Ah, the open skies, wind at my back, warm sun on my... wait, where the hell am I?!
As a matter of fact, I do own the road.
Raise your what?

Wisconsin - out-multiplexing your state since 1918.

SSOWorld

#47
April 19, 2015, 09:58:13 AM   Last Edit: April 20, 2015, 08:48:29 PM by SSOWorld
Attendance was 22 strong (23 if you count the little Grumpy Cat, - no not Maya, her stuffed grumpy cat - oh and HE HATED IT).

Thanks everyone for coming in to Madtown.  Things went good minus the hiccups at the end.  I diverted to the abandoned Burke Road instead of taking Stoughton Road (US 51) south after the blank Interstate trailblazer. However, I forgot to mention it to two cars - one of which managed to find their way there after the driver kept going the wrong way, the other of which followed the rest of the itinerary I planned.  That car did have an occupant with my phone # so we did hook back up again at the lunch venue.  Note to self: tell everyone!

Special Thanks to DaBigE for giving me inside tips and info regarding happenings in the area to avoid or divert to.

Post-tour: those that remained got a taste of one of Chris Tarr's radio studios for the company he works for.  Thanks for the tour Chris!

Post-meet photos

Madison Road Meet by ssoworld, on Flickr

Front: Brian Rawson-Ketchum (rawmustard), Scott Onson (SSOWorld),
Standing front: Patrick Lilja (TheHighwayMan394 - MN), Chris Tarr (GeekJedi - WI), Michael Koerner (mgk920 - WI), A. J. Bertin (A. J. Bertin - MI), Brandon Gorte (Brandon - IL), Kim Harvey (kharvey10 - IL), Michael Gronseth (bulldog1979 - MI), Gene VanDusseldorp (MO), Maya Lokken (and Grumpy Cat), John Hansen (Big John - WI)
Standing back: Sam Scholtens (getmngo  - MI), David Feryance (WI), Nathan Tarr, Jeff Morrison (Jeff Morrison - IA), Eric Frailing (DaBigE - WI), Tim Brown (bandit957- OH), Chris Kalina (I94RoadRunner - MN), Jason Risner (JREwing78 - WI), Steve Alpert (alps - NJ), Chris Lokken (catofdar - WI)

The rest:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/ssoworld/sets/72157652060220005/

I didn't take too many since I was a driver.  Others will have their fair share.

Added Chris K's forum name. - Alex
Scott O.

Not all who wander are lost...
Ah, the open skies, wind at my back, warm sun on my... wait, where the hell am I?!
As a matter of fact, I do own the road.
Raise your what?

Wisconsin - out-multiplexing your state since 1918.

Big John

#48
April 19, 2015, 10:56:48 AM  
Only in Madison, when we were on the bridge over the Beltline, several cars under us were honking at us thinking we were up there protesting something.

Alps

#49
April 19, 2015, 11:32:00 PM  
Quote from: SSOWorld on April 19, 2015, 09:58:13 AM
Front: Brian Rawson-Ketchum (rawmustard), Scott Onson (SSOWorld),
Standing front: Patrick Lijia (TheHighwayMan394 - MN), Chris Tarr (GeekJedi - WI), Michael Koerner (mgk920 - WI), A. J. Bertin (A. J. Bertin - MI), Brandon Gorte (Brandon - IL), Kim Harvey (kharvey10 - IL), Michael Gronseth (bulldog1979 - MI), Gene VanDusseldorp (MO), Maya Lokken (and Grumpy Cat), John Hansen (Big John - WI)
Standing back: Sam Scholtens (getmngo  - MI), David Feryance (WI), ____?, Jeff Morrison (IA), Eric Frailing (DaBigE - WI), Tim Brown (bandit957- OH), Chris Kalina (MN), Jason Risner (JREwing78 - WI), Steve Alpert (alps - NJ), Chris Lokken (catofdar - WI)

The rest:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/ssoworld/sets/72157652060220005/

I didn't take too many since I was a driver.  Others will have their fair share.

Lilja, not Lijia.
The _____? is Chris Tarr's son.
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