Florida

[realjd]

The Google van was turned around at the NASA Parkway gate but, for whatever reason, allowed to continue through on Kennedy Parkway. It seems that they went to the end of Saturn Causeway (one would assume they had an area permit to pass here) and turned around (based on photos from both sides of the centerline) but perhaps only southbound on what Google calls Crawlerway.

They couldn't go too far east because it becomes Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. It's a shame because I'd love to see some of those roads by the abandoned pads. I need to break down and take the pay tour at the KSC visitor center of the historic pads.

[realjd]

How's the speed enforcement there? Ive heard rumors of FHP clocking folks on the wide, too-slow Disney freeways, but I can't imagine Disney would be very happy about that.

I've seen OSCO (Orange County Sheriff's Office, but never FHP) out there on occasion, almost always at the SR 536 / Epcot Center Dr entrance. I've seen maybe one or two cars pulled over from all the times I've driven onto property. Max speed limit on Disney property is 50, but the speed is higher once on SR 536 (55 mph there). I frequently go 60 and even as fast as 70, but I do realize why the speed limit is lower: almost no one knows where they're going! And Disney isn't the best at signing destinations or directions.

It's always frustrating how slow people drive there, even if I do understand why. And I'll admit it's one of the few places where I end up driving like a dick, weaving through the sea of rental cars and out of state minivans.

[codyg1985]

I've always wondered how Google got permission to do StreetView on KSC property. Just like on a military base, you'd think they wouldn't allow it due to security concerns or something.

It was probably arranged through the public affairs office, which probably also detailed someone to ride in the camera car.  When I worked at Goddard Space Flight Center it was perfectly possible for members of the general public to take tours but casual visitors had to enter at the main entrance on Greenbelt Road (not through, e.g., the employees-only entrance which has its own exit off the Baltimore-Washington Parkway) and wait for someone to show them around.  At other entrances there is a badge check and everyone in a car seeking entry has to show a badge.

Military bases work a little differently.  In my experience they control by the vehicle, not the occupant.  If you are regularly on a military base (e.g. as a soldier, a civilian DOD employee, or a retiree with commissary privileges), then you can get a windshield sticker which allows you to drive on the base.  The basic sticker has the DOD seal and a six-character code (three letters and three digits).  Officers (both serving and retired) also get a blue sticker with their rank insignia in white--eagle for a full colonel, star for a brigadier general, and so on.

For civilians without a DOD connection entry is not so straightforward, but bases in general are not as buttoned-down now as they were in the immediate aftermath of 9/11.  When I visited Fort Huachuca in Arizona about eighteen months ago, I was in a borrowed car and had to stop just outside the base entrance to obtain a vehicle permit.  To do this I had to show both my driver's license and the vehicle registration.

The decal requirement is being waived in lieu of badges for DoD installations (at least here on Redstone Arsenal here in Huntsville). NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center is entirely within the Army's Redstone Arsenal, so security and access onto MSFC is governed by DoD. There isn't any Google Street View on Redstone or MSFC.

The Google van was turned around at the NASA Parkway gate but, for whatever reason, allowed to continue through on Kennedy Parkway. It seems that they went to the end of Saturn Causeway (one would assume they had an area permit to pass here) and turned around (based on photos from both sides of the centerline) but perhaps only southbound on what Google calls Crawlerway.

They couldn't go too far east because it becomes Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. It's a shame because I'd love to see some of those roads by the abandoned pads. I need to break down and take the pay tour at the KSC visitor center of the historic pads.

I think if you gain access to KSC with a regular NASA badge then you can drive onto the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. There isn't a gate separating the two. I assume that if you get a badge at the KSC Badging Center then you could get onto the air force station.

[realjd]

I think if you gain access to KSC with a regular NASA badge then you can drive onto the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. There isn't a gate separating the two. I assume that if you get a badge at the KSC Badging Center then you could get onto the air force station.

No gate doesn't necessarily mean access isn't restricted. There are many places on Air Force bases where you can drive right onto the flight line, but they tend to frown on that. They will often just restrict it with a sign. Regardless, as an active Air Force installation, I'm not surprised that Google didn't get permission to film on CCAFS land.

I've been to Redstone. For obvious reasons, it has one of the more restrictive access policies I've encountered.

Still, that place looks awesome:
http://www.16streets.com/MacLaren/Travel%20and%20Surfing/CapeCanaveralAugust2010/AbandonInPlaceContents.html

[codyg1985]

I think if you gain access to KSC with a regular NASA badge then you can drive onto the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. There isn't a gate separating the two. I assume that if you get a badge at the KSC Badging Center then you could get onto the air force station.

No gate doesn't necessarily mean access isn't restricted. There are many places on Air Force bases where you can drive right onto the flight line, but they tend to frown on that. They will often just restrict it with a sign. Regardless, as an active Air Force installation, I'm not surprised that Google didn't get permission to film on CCAFS land.

I've been to Redstone. For obvious reasons, it has one of the more restrictive access policies I've encountered.

Still, that place looks awesome:
http://www.16streets.com/MacLaren/Travel%20and%20Surfing/CapeCanaveralAugust2010/AbandonInPlaceContents.html

One time when I had a training class at KSC and we stayed in Cocoa Beach it was more convenient to drive through CCAFS to get to Cocoa Beach via FL 401. This route took us right through the center of CCAFS.

It is surprising to me that KSC allowed the Google Maps people to get street view leading up to the pads. Even if you have a badge to get onto a NASA center access to the roads leading to the pads are limited. They probably had an escort.

Apparently they even allowed them close to the pad when a shuttle was on the pad! http://maps.google.com/?ll=28.604203,-80.60397&spn=0.015127,0.01929&t=h&z=16&vpsrc=6&layer=c&cbll=28.604203,-80.60397&panoid=9MlssYBqGKhghrT4c29jdg&cbp=12,16.12,,0,3.1

[Ace10]

Thanks NE2 and JN for all that useful information. Greatly appreciated!

[DeaconG]

I think if you gain access to KSC with a regular NASA badge then you can drive onto the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. There isn't a gate separating the two. I assume that if you get a badge at the KSC Badging Center then you could get onto the air force station.

Yes, you can.  I've done it more than a few times.  Most of the areas inside CCAFS also have their own security around certain areas (pads 17/40/41, Titan Assembly, etc.)

[rickmastfan67]

Has anybody heard anything about US-90 Alt being extended along Atlantic Blvd (FL-10) in Jacksonville all the way over to FL-A1A?

I just downloaded the most recent GIS data from FDOT (10-01-11), and they showed it extended all the way to A1A and back to US-90 and extended farther South.

I'm thinking this is an error, but just wanted to put this out there in case it's true.

[formulanone]

The button copy BGS for Yamato Road on I-95 north has been replaced with a new one. All they needed to do was to patch the faded state route shield, but they took the more expensive way out...double-plus uncool.

Edit: here's the photo.

[jwolfer]

Has anybody heard anything about US-90 Alt being extended along Atlantic Blvd (FL-10) in Jacksonville all the way over to FL-A1A?

I just downloaded the most recent GIS data from FDOT (10-01-11), and they showed it extended all the way to A1A and back to US-90 and extended farther South.

I'm thinking this is an error, but just wanted to put this out there in case it's true.

It is not signed that way... ALT 90 is inconsistently signed from along Southside Blvd and Atlantic Blvd(SR 10) but not east of SR115 on Atlantic Blvd.. some maps have ALT 90 along the Arlington Expressway over the Matthews Bridge into downtown Jax... and there are random signs at different locations supporting this.

Fixed quote. - rmf67

[NE2]

It is not signed that way... ALT 90 is inconsistently signed from along Southside Blvd and Atlantic Blvd(SR 10) but not east of SR115 on Atlantic Blvd.. some maps have ALT 90 along the Arlington Expressway over the Matthews Bridge into downtown Jax... and there are random signs at different locations supporting this.

Has signage become inconsistent in recent years? I remember it being signed consistently along SR 10 and SR 115, with both ends at US 90 (SR 212).

[formulanone]

I was on SR 10 a couple times back in July;  from 9A to A1A, it was strictly signed as SR 10.

[jwolfer]

I was on SR 10 a couple times back in July;  from 9A to A1A, it was strictly signed as SR 10.

90ALT was signed on Atlantic and Soutside Blvds... at the itnersections its signed but not on the main part of Soutside Blvd( SR 115)

[NE2]

I was on SR 10 a couple times back in July;  from 9A to A1A, it was strictly signed as SR 10.

90ALT was signed on Atlantic and Soutside Blvds... at the itnersections its signed but not on the main part of Soutside Blvd( SR 115)

Has this sign been removed?

[formulanone]

Some photos from a recent trip to Lake Placid and thereabouts...(maybe you've seen some of these before).





Got off at Gateway Boulevard and took this one from the ramp:


The gantry offered a nice bit of symmetry:


...Louder!


An odd, one-piece county road sign. (Medium Green Sign?)


Cracker Trail:


Shortly west of the junction of CR 721 and US 98, there's an old State Road Department Right-of-Way marker off the northern shoulder:


I wonder how old this one is? It's alongside a nature preserve, so hopefully it won't be disturbed.


Still here since 1978...


...and 1981 for this assembly (minus the arrows).


Further up the road couple of miles is this shiny example (I'm partially reflected in the divided highway arrows) with an interesting golden patina (forgot to check the date on this one):


This was definitely a city-installed job...Bauhaus font and lime green!


I've seen C-prefixed, and CR-prefixed county route signs, but this might be the first E-prefixed one. Probably to denote that CR 833 is changing from north/south to east/west for a few miles, and then returning back to its regular orientation.


Nobody knows what to do with CR 880, since it stopped being SR 80...

[realjd]

Sweet pictures, thanks for sharing!

[agentsteel53]

I believe the missing sign on the US-27 gantry is a state route 17.

for a while, it was the shield gallery's 404 page.

[formulanone]

You could put an SR or CR 17 sign any where in Polk or Highlands County, and you'll eventually find the road in 5 minutes or less...   

[florida]

That E-833 sign is nuts [I've always wanted to explore down there]. Guess it's the counterpart to Citrus County's 44W. Nice to see Palm Beach County is getting its ideas from Walton County.

[formulanone]

That E-833 county shield was also signed for reassurance on that stretch. Unfortunately, I didn't think to check for a W-833 sign going the other way.



It's not the prettiest nor most entertaining area of the state, but it makes up for it in weirdness and desolation. And agriculture.

[florida]

I like how those roads are in the desolation down there, as if there was meant to be more.

[roadman65]

Is US 27 still the main non tolled Truck Route for Truckers heading to South Florida?

I remember back in the 90s truckers would exit the FL Turnpike near Clermont and follow US 27 all the way down to Miami to avoid the tolls.  I-95 can get too congested, and I-75 heads way out to the west, so this is the logical way considering that US 27 is four lanes, and has many cities with full service facilities.

I was wondering if that still is the case nowadays? Since 2000 many traffic signals and speed reductions have take place along US 27 between Lake Wales and Leesburg.  Back in 2000 there were NO LIGHTS from I-4 to the Florida Turnpike!  Now 11 years later, I cannot even count how many signals there are on that stretch, plus places that were once 65 mph are now 45 mph.

Do truckers still use that part of US 27, or are they caving it to using I-75  or I-95 because the results are the same?

[NE2]

Back in 2000 there were NO LIGHTS from I-4 to the Florida Turnpike!

There were several at Mineola-Clermont even then.

[roadman65]

Maybe, I could be off by a few years!  I know for sure a lot were added since the 21st century started.  Most due to widening of US 27 that took place rather recent.

Minneola and Clermont started with transforming flashing beacons to signals.  Washington and Hook Streets were the first and CR 561 soon followed as being the first newly constructed signal.  It may have been in 98.

[NE2]

It appears that the two-lane portion of SR 570 is gone (unless there are temporary ramps at the new Pace Road interchange): http://www.floridasturnpike.com/downloads/ConstructionUpdates/Updates%202011/110411%20Weekly%20Advisory%20C%20FL.pdf