Baltimore

[akotchi]

I'll let you know how this goes.  I am going to Baltimore for a soccer game July 24, two weeks into the new traffic pattern.

[Alex]

I'd like to see pics of the new configuration if anyone is in the area! I'll add them to the Interstate Guide in an upcoming update.

[74/171FAN]

I planned on getting some today but my camera died on the way home from New York

[Alps]

On Friday, I passed a 6-7 mile practically stopped backup leading out of DC at rush hour where an accident took out 2 of 4 lanes.  Pretty bad, huh?  Except on Friday, I exited I-95 SB at MD 43, just shy of the 895 interchange.  Coming back up today, I wasn't really planning to use I-95, but what sealed the deal was another report of backups at Exit 67.  Last thing I wanna do is be part of anything close to what I saw on Friday.

[Alps]

DC didn't really have a rush hour on Friday, since Federal workers (and many normal workers) had the day off.

Exactly.  So I figured on Sunday, with everyone heading back home out of the city, the NB delays must be that much worse.  Of course, more lanes may have been open.  I was not going to be finding out. (:

[Alex]

AARoads...

I'd love to see that picture out of that book you saw in San Diego.

It was in a book store on Adams Avenue in San Diego. Might have been the Adams Avenue Bookstore. It was there in 2004 and still there in 2005. Heck it could still be there now!

[froggie]

This afternoon, I think I found the book Alex was referring to.  It's indeed at the Adams Ave Bookstore (an awesome used-book store, BTW).  The book had one low-altitude photo of I-170 looking west from what is now MLK Blvd (which wasn't built at the time), and if you looked closely you could pick out the I-170 shields on the overhead signage (which looks like this today).

The book's name was "The Baltimore Book", with a secondary title of "New Views of Local History", published by Temple University Press back in 1991.

[MDRoads]

One more BMATS-proposed freeway within the city:  the Northeast Connector.  From the curve on I-83 near Guilford Ave, it would have headed northeastward, meeting what got built as Perring Pkwy (MD 41), which itself would have been freeway inside the Beltway, then at-grade expressway outside the Beltway and extending into Harford County.

Some goodies for the discussion here...

Here's how these looked outside town, from 1968:
http://www.mdroads.com/lostexpwys/1968plan.jpg

And an old roadmap of proposed east side Baltimore freeways in 1961 (it's fragile, torn, and written upon):
http://www.mdroads.com/mapscans/61genbae.jpg
What's weird about this one is the section of Beltway they had as u/c was one that never got built.


I also saw Perring as a dotted line on an SHA plan from 1977. If I remember it correctly, it connected with the Bel Air/Hickory bypasses, and that the new MD 23 corridor was also to be a freeway corridor, Outer Beltway, perhaps?

[Alex]

One more BMATS-proposed freeway within the city:  the Northeast Connector.  From the curve on I-83 near Guilford Ave, it would have headed northeastward, meeting what got built as Perring Pkwy (MD 41), which itself would have been freeway inside the Beltway, then at-grade expressway outside the Beltway and extending into Harford County.

Some goodies for the discussion here...

And an old roadmap of proposed east side Baltimore freeways in 1961 (it's fragile, torn, and written upon):
http://www.mdroads.com/mapscans/61genbae.jpg
What's weird about this one is the section of Beltway they had as u/c was one that never got built

I have this exact same map in my collection, but its location is currently unknown, along with most of my Maryland, VA, NJ maps.

[D-Dey65]

I've got a Baltimore story for you people;

On my recent drive up and down the east coast, I decided that this time I was going to take the Harbor Tunnel Thruway while driving through Baltimore. Once I got out of the tunnel I encountered a traffic jam. As it turns out somebody dropped a wheelbarrel in the northbound left lane right under here.

https://imgur.com/a/YxIKpGA

So I pulled over and called the Baltimore PD hoping they'd get somebody from Maryland DOT to pick it up, but either I got a bad reception on my cell phone or there was too much road noise. Either way I couldn't tell them a thing and hung up. I realized I had to take care of this myself, one way or another.

Less than five minutes later(maybe even two), I finally got all the cars to stop and let me cross the road to pick it up and bring it across to the other shoulder. One woman who was right in front of it gave me a congratulatory thumbs up, and the people of Baltimore were quite pleased.

After I was done, I got a reverse 911 call from the police, and I explained what was going down.  I doubt it's there now, but I would've loved to see a police report on that.

[NJRoadfan]

I'm surprised the 12+ patrol cars that sit on I-895 24/7 running speed traps didn't notice it.

[agentsteel53]

I'm surprised the 12+ patrol cars that sit on I-895 24/7 running speed traps didn't notice it.

Why bother noticing?  Wouldn't be cost-effective.

[froggie]

I'm surprised the 12+ patrol cars that sit on I-895 24/7 running speed traps didn't notice it.

There's 12+ patrol cars on 895?  Most I've ever seen is 2.  And Tuesday heading north, there were none.

[Alex]

I'm surprised the 12+ patrol cars that sit on I-895 24/7 running speed traps didn't notice it.

There's 12+ patrol cars on 895?  Most I've ever seen is 2.  And Tuesday heading north, there were none.

Noted one yesterday, and did not see any the other couple of trips along I-895 this time. They used to hang out near the merge/split with I-95 at the north end, but with all of that construction there, their original hiding spot is gone.

Also noted that the speed limit along the southern stretch was bumped up to 65 mph. This was a definitely plus.

[MDRoads]

Four main spots where I've noticed patrol cars over the years:

1. Up by the northern end (transition to speed limit 50)... turnaround is gone, though sometimes appear near the Moravia Road salt pyramid.
2. Southbound by the northern tube entrance (MdTA HQ--adjacent to the I-95 toll plaza)
3. At the 895 toll plaza itself.
4. North of Exit 4 (BW Parkway), near MP 5, there's a turnaround hidden from the southbound lanes.

[Alex]

U.S. 140 died in part because of the Northwest Expressway (Interstate 795).

"Route 140 May Change to Rt. 97"

The notice from the Maryland Department of Transportation states that construction of the new Northwest Freeway which will parallel U.S. Route 140 from Baltimore to Reistertown makes necessary a change. The present U.S. Route 140 would then revert to state designation.

There were still U.S. 140 shields at the end of the Beltway off-ramp to MD-140 in 1988...

[agentsteel53]

"American Association of Highway Traveler Association"?    

how does this correlate with the creation of an interstate 97 (in almost, but not quite, the same area) several years later?

[froggie]

It doesn't, since Maryland has no qualms duplicating route numbers between state routes and Interstates.  Besides MD 97, there are MD 68, MD 70, MD 195, MD 270, MD 370, and MD 495 that all exist.

[Alex]

Replaced: https://www.aaroads.com/mid-atlantic/maryland700/i-795_sb_exit_001b_02.jpg
Replaced: https://www.aaroads.com/mid-atlantic/maryland700/i-795_nb_exit_004_02.jpg
Replaced: https://www.aaroads.com/mid-atlantic/maryland700/i-795_sb_exit_007_01.jpg

So Interstate 795 is entirely neutered?...

[mefailenglish]

So Interstate 795 is entirely neutered?...

I believe so, but as a consolation prize, the I-695 Maryland shield still stands on the outer loop just south of 795.

[Alex]

[click for larger .png]
Light gray shields are for unsigned routes, dark gray are for decommissioned U.S. highways.

Practicing with GIS, and adding to my renewed interest in Baltimore area roads, I started working on a new Baltimore map for the web site. Additionally for fun I plan on adding some of the dead freeway proposals, since I now have my Maryland map collection again.

[agentsteel53]

bah, use '61 spec interstate and US shields.   

[Alex]

bah, use '61 spec interstate and US shields.   

Send me the vector based version of the classic MD spec US shield and I will put it in place! The PNG from the shield generator does not work as an .EMF file.

What would you rather for the Ishields? Having "INTERSTATE" in them is impractical at this scale, though having "MARYLAND" in them is just as impractical, but   

[agentsteel53]

Send me the vector based version of the classic MD spec US shield and I will put it in place! The PNG from the shield generator does not work as an .EMF file.

I thought I have.  Not the Maryland funny shape, but a standard federal shield shape, which was retained until 1961.  I'll send it tonight.

What would you rather for the Ishields? Having "INTERSTATE" in them is impractical at this scale, though having "MARYLAND" in them is just as impractical, but   

No state name needed; I mean the wide margins and taller crown - i.e. the better-proportioned shield.  See shield generator for "'61 generic" and eliminate the word "interstate" while keeping the 10" number on a 24" blank.  I'll send you that layout as vector tonight as well.

down with bloated, ugly '70 spec shields! 

[Alex]

Send me the vector based version of the classic MD spec US shield and I will put it in place! The PNG from the shield generator does not work as an .EMF file.

I thought I have.  Not the Maryland funny shape, but a standard federal shield shape, which was retained until 1961.  I'll send it tonight.

What would you rather for the Ishields? Having "INTERSTATE" in them is impractical at this scale, though having "MARYLAND" in them is just as impractical, but   

No state name needed; I mean the wide margins and taller crown - i.e. the better-proportioned shield.  See shield generator for "'61 generic" and eliminate the word "interstate" while keeping the 10" number on a 24" blank.  I'll send you that layout as vector tonight as well.

down with bloated, ugly '70 spec shields! 

I'll implement them as .EMF's in my style file and see how they come out. I'm developing my own shield set for use as I get more projects at work.

For this map, I hope the motivation keeps me going through adding photos of all of the surface route state highways I drove earlier this month. The gray shields are for unsigned routes, based upon what I noted from driving around. I have a 1960s city map that has I-70N proposed all the way to I-95, dunno if that was the intended path, but I may add to a shape file of "dead freeways".