New York State Thruway

[froggie]

Can't drive through it, but you can walk or bike.  It's a bike path.

[vdeane]

Yep, just a walking/bike path.  The inside one is a loop; the outside ones just dead end.  They haven't even paved the part connecting the lock to the parking lot yet.

[yanksfan6129]

When did that monotube go up? I didn't notice it the last time I passed through that area.

[cl94]

When did that monotube go up? I didn't notice it the last time I passed through that area.

Couple weeks ago

[Buffaboy]

So I was daydreaming about when/where AET would be coming on the Thruway and did a Google search, and at last check it looks like it's only going downstate. I dug a little deeper and found this page by vdeane that makes the exit 31 interchange look a lot simpler and cost-effective than the one I created in post 242. Of course it's just an abstract idea but it is cohesive nonetheless.

[MASTERNC]

I traveled on the western section of the Thruway last week and noticed the speed limit had been decreased in the past 12 months from 65 MPH to 55 MPH in the section that traverses the Seneca Nation.  Also, the road was fairly rough (with permanent signs warning of such conditions).

Does anyone know if this was due to a dispute with the Senecas regarding road repairs or if the Senecas implemented the speed limit change (since they claim sovereignty in that stretch)?

[cl94]

I traveled on the western section of the Thruway last week and noticed the speed limit had been decreased in the past 12 months from 65 MPH to 55 MPH in the section that traverses the Seneca Nation.  Also, the road was fairly rough (with permanent signs warning of such conditions).

Does anyone know if this was due to a dispute with the Senecas regarding road repairs or if the Senecas implemented the speed limit change (since they claim sovereignty in that stretch)?

Construction. A lot of the area is being redone this year. Conditions are due to the dispute over the casinos that started a long time ago.

[MASTERNC]

I traveled on the western section of the Thruway last week and noticed the speed limit had been decreased in the past 12 months from 65 MPH to 55 MPH in the section that traverses the Seneca Nation.  Also, the road was fairly rough (with permanent signs warning of such conditions).

Does anyone know if this was due to a dispute with the Senecas regarding road repairs or if the Senecas implemented the speed limit change (since they claim sovereignty in that stretch)?

Construction. A lot of the area is being redone this year. Conditions are due to the dispute over the casinos that started a long time ago.

Maybe not this year.  I don't recall mileposts, but if this is correct, those signs (and speed reduction) will remain for the next few years.

East of Silver Creek (MP 451.5) to Silver Creek (Exit 58, MP 455.2): Pavement Rehabilitation

    Location: ML - MP: 451.5 to 455.2
    Estimated Letting Year: 2017
    Approved Construction Amount: $26,000,000.00

[cl94]

I traveled on the western section of the Thruway last week and noticed the speed limit had been decreased in the past 12 months from 65 MPH to 55 MPH in the section that traverses the Seneca Nation.  Also, the road was fairly rough (with permanent signs warning of such conditions).

Does anyone know if this was due to a dispute with the Senecas regarding road repairs or if the Senecas implemented the speed limit change (since they claim sovereignty in that stretch)?

Construction. A lot of the area is being redone this year. Conditions are due to the dispute over the casinos that started a long time ago.

Maybe not this year.  I don't recall mileposts, but if this is correct, those signs (and speed reduction) will remain for the next few years.

East of Silver Creek (MP 451.5) to Silver Creek (Exit 58, MP 455.2): Pavement Rehabilitation

    Location: ML - MP: 451.5 to 455.2
    Estimated Letting Year: 2017
    Approved Construction Amount: $26,000,000.00

Construction is going on right now with bridge replacements. Don't know how long stuff will be going on over there.

[Buffaboy]

I traveled on the western section of the Thruway last week and noticed the speed limit had been decreased in the past 12 months from 65 MPH to 55 MPH in the section that traverses the Seneca Nation.  Also, the road was fairly rough (with permanent signs warning of such conditions).

Does anyone know if this was due to a dispute with the Senecas regarding road repairs or if the Senecas implemented the speed limit change (since they claim sovereignty in that stretch)?

Construction. A lot of the area is being redone this year. Conditions are due to the dispute over the casinos that started a long time ago.

Maybe not this year.  I don't recall mileposts, but if this is correct, those signs (and speed reduction) will remain for the next few years.

East of Silver Creek (MP 451.5) to Silver Creek (Exit 58, MP 455.2): Pavement Rehabilitation

    Location: ML - MP: 451.5 to 455.2
    Estimated Letting Year: 2017
    Approved Construction Amount: $26,000,000.00

Construction is going on right now with bridge replacements. Don't know how long stuff will be going on over there.

One bridge is wrapping up (4 Mile Level Road?), another is just getting started (Milestrip Road maybe?).

Bridges on the Thruway in the area outside the reservation are being completely redone (traffic down to a couple of lanes).

[cl94]

It'll be a couple straight years of projects. I know they're also doing work at the Cattaraugus Creek bridge at some point. Area certainly needs it.

[Buffaboy]

It'll be a couple straight years of projects. I know they're also doing work at the Cattaraugus Creek bridge at some point. Area certainly needs it.

I don't know if it's structurally deficient, but the decking is definitely worn as well as its guardrails.

[Rothman]

In my experience, Seneca Nation - State relations are a bigger deal on I-86 (stay out of the right lane EB if they haven't fixed it yet) and along US 219.   In general, I'd say those relations haven't been the best in recent years, either.

Then again, there was that time in 1992 where they dropped burning tire barricades onto the Thruway...

[cl94]

In my experience, Seneca Nation - State relations are a bigger deal on I-86 (stay out of the right lane EB if they haven't fixed it yet) and along US 219.   In general, I'd say those relations haven't been the best in recent years, either.

Then again, there was that time in 1992 where they dropped burning tire barricades onto the Thruway...

They supposedly fixed I-86. Was closed all last summer for reconstruction.

[route17fan]

In my experience, Seneca Nation - State relations are a bigger deal on I-86 (stay out of the right lane EB if they haven't fixed it yet) and along US 219.   In general, I'd say those relations haven't been the best in recent years, either.

Then again, there was that time in 1992 where they dropped burning tire barricades onto the Thruway...

I remember that! It made it to CNN at the time and my family and I were going back and forth to Olean on - back then NY 17 - and you're right, that section near Seneca Junction will make your teeth rattle.

[Buffaboy]

I read that in 2009 the Seneca Nation considered installing toll booths on the Thruway in the reservation. That would have been a bureaucratic nightmare.

[Rothman]

In my experience, Seneca Nation - State relations are a bigger deal on I-86 (stay out of the right lane EB if they haven't fixed it yet) and along US 219.   In general, I'd say those relations haven't been the best in recent years, either.

Then again, there was that time in 1992 where they dropped burning tire barricades onto the Thruway...

They supposedly fixed I-86. Was closed all last summer for reconstruction.

This wasn't the project that went right up to the western boundary, right?  If it was actually done through the SNI land, that's great and quite long overdue (as I think everyone involved -- NYSDOT and SNI -- would admit).  I remember the back-and-forth with SNI and supposedly everyone just saying, "Let's just get this done now since it's so horrible" at some point, but I wasn't sure if the project actually got authorized (and, obviously, I haven't been out there for over a year or so).

[cl94]

In my experience, Seneca Nation - State relations are a bigger deal on I-86 (stay out of the right lane EB if they haven't fixed it yet) and along US 219.   In general, I'd say those relations haven't been the best in recent years, either.

Then again, there was that time in 1992 where they dropped burning tire barricades onto the Thruway...

They supposedly fixed I-86. Was closed all last summer for reconstruction.

This wasn't the project that went right up to the western boundary, right?  If it was actually done through the SNI land, that's great and quite long overdue (as I think everyone involved -- NYSDOT and SNI -- would admit).  I remember the back-and-forth with SNI and supposedly everyone just saying, "Let's just get this done now since it's so horrible" at some point, but I wasn't sure if the project actually got authorized (and, obviously, I haven't been out there for over a year or so).

I know the section on Seneca land was closed for several months last year. I'm assuming that it was fixed. I'll try and get down there at some point to see.

[vdeane]

I recall reading several news articles about how I-86 between exits 21 and 23 was closed for reconstruction last year.

[Sam]

A couple of random Thruway-related observations from the past few weeks (no pics as I was driving):

Lighting has been added to a few BGSes and gore signs. At Batavia and Pembroke there are arms mounted to the tops of the signs. East of Syracuse there are work lights on wooden posts with solar panels nearby.

Lighted ramps leading to and from the canal locks near Fonda are under construction. Another heritage area, perhaps?

There are TOLL auxiliary signs on the route sign assemblies on NY 77. Those are the first of those I've seen anywhere.  (https://goo.gl/maps/J5Rvf, https://goo.gl/maps/ijXjd)

Also on the mainline at Pembroke are the comically boldface *DO* *NOT* STOP IN LANE signs. I'm sure those are for Darien Lake concert traffic, but they are so adamant it makes me chuckle. (https://goo.gl/maps/NaMrK)

[Buffaboy]

Lighted BGSes? That's odd.

[machias]

Lighted BGSes? That's odd.

Yeah, there are solar panels provided the juice for the lights that have been put up over the past year or so. The Thruway Authority did the same thing for one of the WB panels for Exit 32. I don't know if this is a way around reflectivity requirements or what's going on. I don't recall the lit panels being that old. I'm hoping they don't get replaced because then we'll be stuck with Clearview and if the new signs in Buffalo are any indication, they'll be less readable than the older lit up signs at night.

[Buffaboy]

Lighted BGSes? That's odd.

Yeah, there are solar panels provided the juice for the lights that have been put up over the past year or so. The Thruway Authority did the same thing for one of the WB panels for Exit 32. I don't know if this is a way around reflectivity requirements or what's going on. I don't recall the lit panels being that old. I'm hoping they don't get replaced because then we'll be stuck with Clearview and if the new signs in Buffalo are any indication, they'll be less readable than the older lit up signs at night.

Do you think they will come to the Ontario section, or is this just one of those trial things?

[cl94]

The lights have been in place west of Buffalo in several locations for over a year. I know this has been mentioned several times before. "Toll" assemblies on NY 77 went up no later than 2013, probably earlier.

[vdeane]

There are TOLL auxiliary signs on the route sign assemblies on NY 77. Those are the first of those I've seen anywhere.  (https://goo.gl/maps/J5Rvf, https://goo.gl/maps/ijXjd)

Not the only ones around.  I've seen them on Fuller Rd at I-90 (pictured) and at the NY 31F/I-490 interchange.