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Started by hotdogPi, October 12, 2013, 04:50:12 PM

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roadman

Quote from: Pete from Boston on October 05, 2014, 10:28:14 PM
Q1:  is the VMS on 95 South two miles prior to the Mass. border owned and operated by Massachusetts?  It follows the Mass. conventions and today indicated time and distance to Mass. 113.

I will check into that for you and report back here.

Quote
Q2:  Is there a timetable for statewide permanent signs as now exist on the Cape?

Yes.  Bids for Phase II of the project were opened on September 30th.  The project, which encompasses approximately 150 signs and 230 Bluetooth readers across the remainder of the state's Interstates and freeways, is currently scheduled to be completed between late 2015 and early 2016.  see http://www.mhd.state.ma.us//default.asp?pgid=content/projectsRoot&sid=wrapper&iid=http://www.mhd.state.ma.us//ProjectInfo/

Quote

Comment:  A pitfall of the "helpful hint" messages that clutter our VMSes came up the other day entering the Sumner Tunnel.  While the BGSes clearly indicate "93—left lane only" and "Storrow Drive—right lane only," the adjacent VMS uselessly and confusingly says "Left lane travel for passing only."   

$&@%#!!

Groan.
"And ninety-five is the route you were on.  It was not the speed limit sign."  - Jim Croce (from Speedball Tucker)

"My life has been a tapestry
Of years of roads and highway signs" (with apologies to Carole King and Tom Rush)


Pete from Boston


Quote from: roadman on October 06, 2014, 07:34:07 PM
Quote from: Pete from Boston on October 05, 2014, 10:28:14 PMComment:  A pitfall of the "helpful hint" messages that clutter our VMSes came up the other day entering the Sumner Tunnel.  While the BGSes clearly indicate "93—left lane only" and "Storrow Drive—right lane only," the adjacent VMS uselessly and confusingly says "Left lane travel for passing only."   

$&@%#!!

Groan.

The comedians at MassDOT have scored their latest hit with an ad on a bright LED billboard high up and off the side of I-93 south in Medford, urging drivers to end distracted driving and keep their eyes on the road. 

My passenger and I exchanged dumbfounded looks after passing this, further compounding the problem.

spooky

Quote from: Pete from Boston on October 09, 2014, 08:29:53 PM

Quote from: roadman on October 06, 2014, 07:34:07 PM
Quote from: Pete from Boston on October 05, 2014, 10:28:14 PMComment:  A pitfall of the "helpful hint" messages that clutter our VMSes came up the other day entering the Sumner Tunnel.  While the BGSes clearly indicate "93—left lane only" and "Storrow Drive—right lane only," the adjacent VMS uselessly and confusingly says "Left lane travel for passing only."   

$&@%#!!

Groan.

The comedians at MassDOT have scored their latest hit with an ad on a bright LED billboard high up and off the side of I-93 south in Medford, urging drivers to end distracted driving and keep their eyes on the road. 

My passenger and I exchanged dumbfounded looks after passing this, further compounding the problem.

There's one of these on I-95 in Canton approaching I-93 as well. I found myself looking at it one day to figure out what it said, then chuckling to myself when I realized that I took my eyes off the road to take in a message combating distracted driving.

roadman

The 'feel good' public messages you see on digital billboards are often a carrot the ad company will offer to the local community or state DOT to grease the wheels for approval of the display.

My biggest pet peeve with digital billboards is that companies that are allowed to install new digital displays, or convert existing static displays to digital, in an area where they already have a large number of other static billboards (Clear Channel is notorious for this - just count the number of billboards along I-93 between the Zakim Bridge and the Medford/Stoneham line) are not required to remove some of them in exchange for permission to install a digital one.  If a digital display can show between four and six separate ads, then logic dictates that between four and six adjacent static displays should be removed.

Unfortunately, we as a society are so ignorant or uncaring that we are failing to see how the marketing types are truly taking over and invading our privacy and quality of life.  Very unfortunate.
"And ninety-five is the route you were on.  It was not the speed limit sign."  - Jim Croce (from Speedball Tucker)

"My life has been a tapestry
Of years of roads and highway signs" (with apologies to Carole King and Tom Rush)

Pete from Boston

Mass. 110 "television" shield on US 3:

http://goo.gl/maps/kVqpb

This outline catches my eye every time, but I usually forget about it.  I can't imagine what sign format was mistakenly used for this.  It looks like it's from a TV Guide listing.



KEVIN_224

R.I.P. former Boston Mayor Thomas Menino 1942-2014. Damn! :(

To keep this with transit, was the Big Dig entirely during his time as mayor or most of it? I know he took over as mayor on an interim basis in 1993.

SidS1045

Work on the Big Dig began in 1982 and opened to traffic in 2002.

He was never an "interim" mayor.  He became mayor when his predecessor, Ray Flynn, was named ambassador to the Vatican.  Per the city charter, when the mayor resigns or dies in office, the City Council president becomes mayor, and that's the office Menino held at the time.
"A nation of sheep will beget a government of wolves." - Edward R. Murrow

PHLBOS

#157
Quote from: SidS1045 on October 30, 2014, 10:56:13 PM
Work on the Big Dig began in 1982
Maybe for design but not construction.  IIRC, ground wasn't broken for that project until Mayor Flynn's 2nd term (late 80s/early 90s); the first phase of construction being utility relocations.
GPS does NOT equal GOD

mass_citizen

Quote from: SidS1045 on October 30, 2014, 10:56:13 PM

He was never an "interim" mayor.  He became mayor when his predecessor, Ray Flynn, was named ambassador to the Vatican.  Per the city charter, when the mayor resigns or dies in office, the City Council president becomes mayor, and that's the office Menino held at the time.

Most people would consider an unelected official as holding an "interim" or "acting" position, whether that is the formal title or not. A google search of various articles also refers to interim/acting mayor Menino as winning 64% of the vote in his first election.

http://www.wbur.org/2014/10/30/menino-remembrance-boeri


http://www.wcvb.com/chronicle/the-death-of-thomas-menino/29446318
In this chronicle interview, Menino himself says  "I became acting mayor on June 12 at 5:00, can't forget that date"

roadman

Quote from: PHLBOS on October 31, 2014, 10:59:37 AM
Quote from: SidS1045 on October 30, 2014, 10:56:13 PM
Work on the Big Dig began in 1982
Maybe for design but not construction.  IIRC, ground wasn't broken for that project until Mayor Flynn's 2nd term (late 80s/early 90s); the first phase of construction being utility relocations.
Construction began on the Central Artery North Area (CANA) phase of the Big Dig (Charlestown City Square) in March of 1987.  Construction on the remaining portions of the project began in early 1989.
"And ninety-five is the route you were on.  It was not the speed limit sign."  - Jim Croce (from Speedball Tucker)

"My life has been a tapestry
Of years of roads and highway signs" (with apologies to Carole King and Tom Rush)

PHLBOS

Quote from: roadman on October 31, 2014, 05:08:05 PM
Quote from: PHLBOS on October 31, 2014, 10:59:37 AM
Quote from: SidS1045 on October 30, 2014, 10:56:13 PM
Work on the Big Dig began in 1982
Maybe for design but not construction.  IIRC, ground wasn't broken for that project until Mayor Flynn's 2nd term (late 80s/early 90s); the first phase of construction being utility relocations.
Construction began on the Central Artery North Area (CANA) phase of the Big Dig (Charlestown City Square) in March of 1987.  Construction on the remaining portions of the project began in early 1989.
Thanks for the info. 

Nonetheless while the CANA & Big Dig projects were be ultimately connected; the two were still considered to be separate projects.  The fore-mentioned utility relocations were in reference to the main Big Dig project and not the earlier CANA project.
GPS does NOT equal GOD

bob7374

Drove to Newport for a meeting yesterday via MA 24. I haven't driven the whole length of 24 for awhile, and noticed a few new things. (Was not able to take any photos due to the rainy and windy weather):
They've placed a permanent 'real time' to 3 destinations sign southbound after the merge with MA 79. It had the distances to MA 79 South, US 6 and I-195. Northbound still used the temporary VMS to convey traffic times.
New style exit signage was put up for the Innovation Way Exit 8B opened in 2012, as well as advance signs for former Exit 8, now Exit 8A. Under milepost based numbering Exit 8B would be Exit 9 and Exit 8A Exit 8, so the exit will go from 8 to 8A back to 8 sometime in the near future.
No new overhead signage seen from the short drive along I-195/MA 24.
There were several orange ground mounted and VMS signs southbound discouraging people to take MA 79 to I-195 due to the reconstruction project in Fall River.
There was a newish looking South MA 24 reassurance shield with a heavy black border after leaving I-195 East toward the RI border. You could call it a CT style sign, but the numbers were in the standard MA font (a check on StreetView showed a traditional MA 24 sign there in the summer of 2012 with construction going on, so a poor contractor replacement?). As for getting to Newport, glad I didn't have to pay the 10 cent toll crossing the new bridge on RI 24.

southshore720

Slightly off-topic and probably for the RI 24 thread...but curious...Bob, did they remove the toll gantry yet?

bob7374

Quote from: southshore720 on November 03, 2014, 01:08:22 PM
Slightly off-topic and probably for the RI 24 thread...but curious...Bob, did they remove the toll gantry yet?
To be honest, with the rain and wind on the bridge I was concentrating on staying in my lane. However, I do not remember a gantry over the highway, just the interesting light fixtures that were there.

The Nature Boy

I'm in Boston right now and I have one question............

Do you get a special prize for dragging out the green and white plate the longest? There are some rough looking ones out there. At what point does it just make more sense to get a "Spirit of America" plate?

Pete from Boston


Quote from: The Nature Boy on November 23, 2014, 04:08:35 PM
I'm in Boston right now and I have one question............

Do you get a special prize for dragging out the green and white plate the longest? There are some rough looking ones out there. At what point does it just make more sense to get a "Spirit of America" plate?

Welcome.

You have to understand that in an area settled since 1630 that has a very high number of transplants (hand raised), you get an awful lot of pissing contests over "trust me, I been here a long time."  Just go into a bar and talk about the weather being exceptionally warm/cold/snowy/wet/odd.  Watch as several people pull out a weather event far enough back that you don't remember and say "This is nothin'." 

This is also a place where people periodically try to end arguments with "Are you from here?" because obviously if you're not originally, your opinion is worthless.

In other words, it's a badge of longevity and deep roots.  You can't get them anymore, you can't sell them, and you had to have been here 25 years ago to have them.  To some people this is a status symbol.


roadman

Quote from: The Nature Boy on November 23, 2014, 04:08:35 PM
I'm in Boston right now and I have one question............

Do you get a special prize for dragging out the green and white plate the longest? There are some rough looking ones out there. At what point does it just make more sense to get a "Spirit of America" plate?
Many people (like one of my co-workers) don't like the idea that you are FORCED to give up your registration number for another one when you "upgrade" general issue red on white plates.  Additionally, there are many people out there who also object to the requirement of putting a plate on the front of their car, which wasn't necessary with the single green on white plates.

I know some of this may sound very silly.  But people in Massachusetts have always had a strange obsession with license plates.  This is why, in large part due to the local media that can't be bothered with dealing with REAL issues instead, the Registry of Motor Vehicles (Massachusetts' version of the DMV) now wastes their time and the taxpayer's money every year holding a "low number license plate lottery'.
"And ninety-five is the route you were on.  It was not the speed limit sign."  - Jim Croce (from Speedball Tucker)

"My life has been a tapestry
Of years of roads and highway signs" (with apologies to Carole King and Tom Rush)

cl94

Quote from: Pete from Boston on November 23, 2014, 05:07:03 PM

Quote from: The Nature Boy on November 23, 2014, 04:08:35 PM
I'm in Boston right now and I have one question............

Do you get a special prize for dragging out the green and white plate the longest? There are some rough looking ones out there. At what point does it just make more sense to get a "Spirit of America" plate?

Welcome.

You have to understand that in an area settled since 1630 that has a very high number of transplants (hand raised), you get an awful lot of pissing contests over "trust me, I been here a long time."  Just go into a bar and talk about the weather being exceptionally warm/cold/snowy/wet/odd.  Watch as several people pull out a weather event far enough back that you don't remember and say "This is nothin'." 

This is also a place where people periodically try to end arguments with "Are you from here?" because obviously if you're not originally, your opinion is worthless.

In other words, it's a badge of longevity and deep roots.  You can't get them anymore, you can't sell them, and you had to have been here 25 years ago to have them.  To some people this is a status symbol.

Welcome to the northeast. New York is the same way. Yes, many people use that question to try and end arguments. Unfortunately, that's part of the culture. People use being here forever as a status symbol, partially because there are many transplants who come in and outside influences trying to change the way things are.
Please note: All posts represent my personal opinions and do not represent those of my employer or any of its partner agencies.

Travel Mapping (updated weekly)

Pete from Boston

#168
Perhaps worse here than New York, since that city is viewed as the taker and the ruiner of all that is pure and good in Deare Olde Boston.  It did not endear young me to the locals to show up here and remark regularly how things are not like New York, from whose environs I came.

The low number plate lottery was in response to the cultish coveting of said numbers and their provision mainly to the well connected.  I was tempted to enter because they invited all participants to a breakfast drawing and I wanted to see what oddballs are drawn to such a thing (plus: breakfast!) but I never did, and they moved it to Dan Rea's radio show, and I lost interest.

02 Park Ave

In New Jersey one does not have to replace one's license plate (tag).  There are still some around from the sixties when they had three letters and three numbers separated be a dash (AAA-123) on them.  Now there are all sorts of letter/number combinations grouped in threes separated by the outline of the state.

At one time there were plates with seven letters/numbers on them.  They stopped issuing them when the state police said they were too hard to read.  However, some of them are still around.

Also, for a while their colour was changed from "straw" to blue.  They were eventually changed back to "straw".  There are still blue coloured plates being used.
C-o-H

cl94

Quote from: Pete from Boston on November 23, 2014, 06:18:18 PM
Perhaps worse here than New York, since that city is viewed as the taker and the ruiner of all that is pure and good in Deare Olde Boston.  It did not endear young me to the locals to show up here and remark regularly how things are not like New York, from whose environs I came.

Can't be worse than Buffalo. They want all of New England and eastern New York to burn in hell.
Please note: All posts represent my personal opinions and do not represent those of my employer or any of its partner agencies.

Travel Mapping (updated weekly)

Pete from Boston

Quote from: cl94 on November 23, 2014, 06:54:09 PM
Quote from: Pete from Boston on November 23, 2014, 06:18:18 PM
Perhaps worse here than New York, since that city is viewed as the taker and the ruiner of all that is pure and good in Deare Olde Boston.  It did not endear young me to the locals to show up here and remark regularly how things are not like New York, from whose environs I came.

Can't be worse than Buffalo. They want all of New England and eastern New York to burn in hell.

Why?

cl94

Quote from: Pete from Boston on November 23, 2014, 07:45:56 PM
Quote from: cl94 on November 23, 2014, 06:54:09 PM
Quote from: Pete from Boston on November 23, 2014, 06:18:18 PM
Perhaps worse here than New York, since that city is viewed as the taker and the ruiner of all that is pure and good in Deare Olde Boston.  It did not endear young me to the locals to show up here and remark regularly how things are not like New York, from whose environs I came.

Can't be worse than Buffalo. They want all of New England and eastern New York to burn in hell.

Why?

Good flipping question. I think they have envy. First day of school after I moved here, a teacher went on a rant about how the region and people from it to be cast out of this country. While not everyone hates the east coast, politicians often win elections on a strictly anti-downstate/Albany/eastern NY platform around here. I don't get it, because NYC tax dollars pay for everything up here, but they make Boston seem like somewhere that loves other cities.
Please note: All posts represent my personal opinions and do not represent those of my employer or any of its partner agencies.

Travel Mapping (updated weekly)

Pete from Boston

Clarifying, I get the loathing for downstate (always been that way), but New England? Aside from hardcore Patriots fans, I don't think people here have any animosity (or feelings whatsoever) toward Buffalo.

The Nature Boy

This is probably a good time to mention what the point of my trip is. I'll be joining the ranks of Massachusetts transplants and am in town apartment hunting. I still have to finish school first so I won't be here permanently for at least another 6 months but I wanted a head start (and an excuse to use my school vacation to road geek). Got a gig lined up with a flexible start date that I literally just found out about.

I briefly considered joining the ranks of New Hampshire residents who commute to Boston but I simulated that commute and even with little traffic hated everyone around me.

I'm looking forward to joining the pissing contest of "I've been here longer than you."




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