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Outer Banks / Cumberland Gap -- 6/27 through 7/5

Started by Rothman, July 07, 2015, 12:04:34 PM

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Rothman

Route (from Capital Region of NY):

I-87 to I-287 to NJ 17 to I-80 to NJT to I-295 to I-95 to I-895 to MD 295 (Balt-Wash Pkwy) to DC 295 to I-295 to I-695 to I-395 to I-95 to I-85 to US 1 to NC 39 to NC 56 to NC 58 to US 64 to US 13 to NC 30 to NC 903 to Beargrass Road to Cherry Run Road to US 17 to US 64 to NC 45 to US 17 to US 158 to US 64 (to froggie Tyrrell County) back to NC 12, across ferry to Ocracoke -- a stop off at Portsmouth Island -- and then to Cedar Island to the end of US 70 in Atlantic, NC, turn around and took US 70 to Morehead City -- spent the next day at Cape Lookout Lighthouse and then got to a cabin at Great Island -- US 70 from Davis, NC (ferry from Great Island) to Merrimon Road to Laurel Road to NC 101 to NC 306 across Arapahoe/Havelock Ferry to NC 55 to US 17 to Business US 17 (there was a recent post as to why people do this) to US 17, including I-140, to US 421 to 3rd St (Wilmington, NC) to Market St to I-40 to I-140 to US 421 to NC 210 (Moores Creek Nat'l Battlefield) to NC 11 to US 74/76 (including I-74) to US 52 to NC 742 to NC 24/27 to NC 200 to US 601 to US 29 to Brutton Smith Blvd to I-85 to I-485 (entire ring) to I-85 to US 321 all the way to I-26 to US 23 to US 58 to VA 687 to froggie Hancock County, TN back to US 58 to US 25E (froggie Knox County, KY), back to US 119 to KY 15 (Whitesburg, KY...evidently the renaissance it was purported to be having has already passed it by) to US 119 to KY 805 to KY 317 to KY 7 to KY 1498 to KY 122 to KY 306 (Wheelwright...mother's hometown) to KY 122 to KY 610 to KY 3527 to US 23 to ALT US 58 to US 11 to VA 140 to I-81 to I-78 to I-287 to I-87.

:D :D :D

In terms of roadgeekery, the biggest thing we drove around was the US 119 project in Letcher County, KY.  Reminded me of when "New 80" was put in west of US 23 when I was a kid.  You can see the new bridges and cuts when you travel along the current (old) alignment, but I'm not sure how far along they are from what I saw.  I believe I read somewhere that they're planning on having a major section (to Joe Day Branch?) done by the end of next year.  Have no idea if there are plans to have US 119 better cross Pine Mountain somehow, but I'm sure HB can elaborate much better than me on KY's plans there.

Of course, driving all the way around I-485 was quite something, considering I never thought that last section was ever going to be done.

Also read in a local paper that they're finally replacing Bonner Bridge on NC 12.

One frustration:  Of course, traffic was intolerable on I-95 south of DC.  However, this was because of what looked like to be some sort of ongoing mill-and-fill job...eventually.  It was quite frustrating to see that there were miles and miles of backup due to a work zone that, by the time we reached it, was just a police escort and a pickup moving about half-a-dozen cones around -- it wasn't even clear if they were setting up or breaking it down (one guy was just sort of picking them up and then placing them down over and over)!  Also, I'm sure they had their reasons, but it was also unclear why the HOV (or are they HOT?) lanes were not opened to help alleviate the massive traffic snarl.  Very few vehicles were coming northbound on them.  Anyway, I figured we had 2.5 hours of delay on that first day from NY to NC along I-95.

Another interesting traffic squeeze:  I don't think I've ever been able to travel I-78 along Allentown/Bethlehem without hitting some slow traffic.  Of course, configurations like this (at US 222, I-78 EB), don't help.

Had a great time at the beach; I suppose it was more vacation than roadgeeking!
 
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position(s) of NYSDOT.


Mapmikey

Were there any NC 140 shields on the existing I-140/US 17 bypass of Wilmington?

Mike

Rothman

Quote from: Mapmikey on July 07, 2015, 01:52:42 PM
Were there any NC 140 shields on the existing I-140/US 17 bypass of Wilmington?

Mike

I don't believe so.
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position(s) of NYSDOT.

hbelkins

Quote from: Rothman on July 07, 2015, 12:04:34 PM

In terms of roadgeekery, the biggest thing we drove around was the US 119 project in Letcher County, KY.  Reminded me of when "New 80" was put in west of US 23 when I was a kid.  You can see the new bridges and cuts when you travel along the current (old) alignment, but I'm not sure how far along they are from what I saw.  I believe I read somewhere that they're planning on having a major section (to Joe Day Branch?) done by the end of next year.  Have no idea if there are plans to have US 119 better cross Pine Mountain somehow, but I'm sure HB can elaborate much better than me on KY's plans there.


The idea is to tunnel through (under) the mountain, but I'm doubting it'll ever be done in any of our lifetimes. They made some spot improvements to the existing US 119 crossing about 10 years ago to better accommodate trucks (widening out the hairpin turns and adding passing lanes) as a stopgap, but I'm guessing that this link is going to remain unfinished for decades. It's an ARC corridor, but I'd guess that Corridor H in Virginia is finished before this section of Corridor (mumble) is even under preliminary design.


Government would be tolerable if not for politicians and bureaucrats.

Rothman

#4
Oh, and another thing:

What genius decided to route a U.S Bicycle Route along KY 1091 and KY 122?  Can't believe KYTC actually signed it!  Talk about taking one's life in their hands...heck, used to be that a lot of kids died just driving across Abner Mountain like it was "the Monte Carlo" (my grandfather's comparison, not mine).

Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position(s) of NYSDOT.

Rothman

Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position(s) of NYSDOT.

hbelkins

Quote from: Rothman on July 08, 2015, 09:21:22 PM
Oh, and another thing:

What genius decided to route a U.S Bicycle Route along KY 1091 and KY 122?

Someone at AASHTO. Some of the routes it uses in Virginia are just as bad.

QuoteCan't believe KYTC actually signed it!  Talk about taking one's life in their hands...heck, used to be that a lot of kids died just driving across Abner Mountain like it was "the Monte Carlo" (my grandfather's comparison, not mine).



That USBR is signed only in District 12. It's been a few years, but I read something about the route being signed there. The signage disappears when the route enters District 10 (my district), as there's never been a push or request to sign it here. The USBR is noted on the official Kentucky maps, though.


Government would be tolerable if not for politicians and bureaucrats.

Rothman

Makes me wonder who in Floyd County and environs would have been behind a push to get it signed there.
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position(s) of NYSDOT.

froggie

Those who support longer-distance bicycling, which IS resulting in an increase in tourism dollars in some areas. God knows southeastern Kentucky could use all the outside dollars it can get...

Rothman

Quote from: froggie on July 11, 2015, 07:47:37 AM
Those who support longer-distance bicycling, which IS resulting in an increase in tourism dollars in some areas. God knows southeastern Kentucky could use all the outside dollars it can get...


I'd understand if the route ran through Prestonsburg, but along the coal camps of KY 122 is totally befuddling.  I've never seen someone riding a bicycle down in there on those roads and I've been visiting the area since the mid-'70s.
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position(s) of NYSDOT.

hbelkins

Quote from: Rothman on July 11, 2015, 12:09:59 AM
Makes me wonder who in Floyd County and environs would have been behind a push to get it signed there.

Quote from: froggie on July 11, 2015, 07:47:37 AM
Those who support longer-distance bicycling, which IS resulting in an increase in tourism dollars in some areas. God knows southeastern Kentucky could use all the outside dollars it can get...


Quote from: Rothman on July 11, 2015, 10:26:13 AM

I'd understand if the route ran through Prestonsburg, but along the coal camps of KY 122 is totally befuddling.  I've never seen someone riding a bicycle down in there on those roads and I've been visiting the area since the mid-'70s.

This is one of the two original US bicycle routes that were established way back in 1976. There's an old-style green and white "76" sign posted in Owsley County at the intersection of KY 30 and KY 399, but for some reason the new signs are posted only in District 12 (Pike, Floyd and Knott counties). The route comes into Kentucky on KY 80, then follows KY 197 and another state route over to a short concurrency with US 23, then down to KY 610  (old US 23) and then KY 122 and the route over the mountain to KY 7 in Knott County. It uses KY 899 to KY 160, and I think then KY 550 into Perry County.

There was a story online several years ago about the signage effort in District 12, but I can't find it and Google hasn't helped.


Government would be tolerable if not for politicians and bureaucrats.



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