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NYC Roads

Started by Mergingtraffic, September 02, 2015, 03:30:46 PM

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bluecountry

Quote from: Plutonic Panda on August 05, 2021, 04:31:48 PM
Well this is certainly welcoming news:

https://www.amny.com/transit/city-rolls-back-fifth-ave-busway/

It's a breath of fresh air in cloud of ridiculously anti car bullshit.
No it's not, that was a good proposal.


crispy93

Quote from: vdeane on October 05, 2021, 02:48:06 PM
The signs saying trucks over a certain height need to exit onto Astoria appear to have been removed.  Is that still there in some regulation even if it's not signed?  Believe it or not, allowing commercial vehicles on select sections of parkways is not completely unprecedented.  The Lake Ontario State Parkway used to allow them in Orleans County, for example, at least until the pavement deteriorated.

I used to go over the Triboro a few times a week both before and after. There is no longer any reference to the parkway's max height until it's too late to exit, though the old pull-throughs had the clearances listed: https://www.google.com/maps/@40.7716522,-73.9190935,3a,24.9y,131.07h,86.19t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sBimcf42zrb2dZwfMv4wQSA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

There's also a VMS on the bridge that says simply, "TRUCKS ALLOWED RFK TO I278/BQE"
Not every speed limit in NY needs to be 30

vdeane

One thing to keep in mind is that there was a project a couple of years ago to increase the clearances under those bridges - hence why they aren't signed anymore.  I'm not sure exactly how they did it, though.
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position of NYSDOT or its affiliates.

NJRoadfan

It doesn't look like they did anything except take down the height limit signs. Streetview comparisons doesn't so any obvious structural changes to the bridges or roadway itself.

Alps

Quote from: NJRoadfan on October 10, 2021, 10:31:47 PM
It doesn't look like they did anything except take down the height limit signs. Streetview comparisons doesn't so any obvious structural changes to the bridges or roadway itself.
Roadway was dug out more.

ixnay

Happy Thanksgiving, American roadgeeks!

Looking at Google Maps traffic, I-278 is closed this morning from the Brooklyn end of the VNB to 7 Av both ways and again from Industry City to the Carey BBT.  Why?
The Washington/Baltimore/Arlington CSA has two Key Bridges, a Minnesota Avenue, and a Mannasota Avenue.

vdeane

Quote from: ixnay on November 25, 2021, 11:15:07 AM
Happy Thanksgiving, American roadgeeks!

Looking at Google Maps traffic, I-278 is closed this morning from the Brooklyn end of the VNB to 7 Av both ways and again from Industry City to the Carey BBT.  Why?
That appears to be the HOV lane, not the I-278 mainline.
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position of NYSDOT or its affiliates.

ixnay

Quote from: vdeane on November 25, 2021, 01:06:14 PM
Quote from: ixnay on November 25, 2021, 11:15:07 AM
Happy Thanksgiving, American roadgeeks!

Looking at Google Maps traffic, I-278 is closed this morning from the Brooklyn end of the VNB to 7 Av both ways and again from Industry City to the Carey BBT.  Why?
That appears to be the HOV lane, not the I-278 mainline.

I should've zoomed in with my mouse roller.  [blush]

A logical closure.
The Washington/Baltimore/Arlington CSA has two Key Bridges, a Minnesota Avenue, and a Mannasota Avenue.

roadman65

Why does the MTA have coverings on all suspender cables for bridges like the Verrazano, the Whitestone, Throgs Neck, and even the RFK? Yet the Verrazano has some suspenders without them.
Every day is a winding road, you just got to get used to it.

Sheryl Crowe

Alps

Quote from: roadman65 on November 27, 2021, 11:45:04 AM
Why does the MTA have coverings on all suspender cables for bridges like the Verrazano, the Whitestone, Throgs Neck, and even the RFK? Yet the Verrazano has some suspenders without them.
Ice protection.

Mergingtraffic

I only take pics of good looking signs. Long live non-reflective button copy!
MergingTraffic https://www.flickr.com/photos/98731835@N05/

Plutonic Panda

Hopefully it's kept and rebuilt.

crispy93

Quote from: Mergingtraffic on November 28, 2021, 05:52:23 PM
Haven't been on the BQE since the narrowing.  It's on GSV in places.
https://www.google.com/maps/@40.6937898,-73.9992358,3a,75y,356.78h,88.02t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sO2Umm2anJUVswuvR1s630Q!2e0!5s20211001T000000!7i16384!8i8192

It's so bizarre seeing proper areas and standard lane widths on this section. I wonder what the before/after crash rate will be
Not every speed limit in NY needs to be 30

The Ghostbuster

Has anyone noticed an increase in congestion since the right lane on the BQE has been converted into a shoulder lane? I would expect a freeway being narrowed from six to four lanes would see a significant increase in congestion, especially in a place like New York City.

vdeane

Quote from: The Ghostbuster on December 29, 2021, 02:57:11 PM
Has anyone noticed an increase in congestion since the right lane on the BQE has been converted into a shoulder lane? I would expect a freeway being narrowed from six to four lanes would see a significant increase in congestion, especially in a place like New York City.
From what I've heard, that area is quite congested, and Google Maps certainly shows this.  Stop and go at all hours of the day.  I went through there at 9 AM on a Sunday morning (on a holiday weekend, so probably even less traffic than normal) and it was already stop and go, just from congestion.  It's basically an area to avoid at all times, even when the rest of the city (yes, including the Cross-Bronx) is at free flow.

Honestly, as much as I don't want to see the freeway removed, it might actually move better if it were, if only because that might convince people to not go there.
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position of NYSDOT or its affiliates.

Plutonic Panda

#1040
Quote from: vdeane on December 29, 2021, 09:20:25 PM
Quote from: The Ghostbuster on December 29, 2021, 02:57:11 PM
Has anyone noticed an increase in congestion since the right lane on the BQE has been converted into a shoulder lane? I would expect a freeway being narrowed from six to four lanes would see a significant increase in congestion, especially in a place like New York City.
From what I've heard, that area is quite congested, and Google Maps certainly shows this.  Stop and go at all hours of the day.  I went through there at 9 AM on a Sunday morning (on a holiday weekend, so probably even less traffic than normal) and it was already stop and go, just from congestion.  It's basically an area to avoid at all times, even when the rest of the city (yes, including the Cross-Bronx) is at free flow.

Honestly, as much as I don't want to see the freeway removed, it might actually move better if it were, if only because that might convince people to not go there.
Remove an already super congested freeway? I'll counter that nonsense with the same saying we should widen the thing to ten lanes each way.

NoGoodNamesAvailable

Quote from: The Ghostbuster on December 29, 2021, 02:57:11 PM
Has anyone noticed an increase in congestion since the right lane on the BQE has been converted into a shoulder lane? I would expect a freeway being narrowed from six to four lanes would see a significant increase in congestion, especially in a place like New York City.

Yeah, it's really bad, and the traffic impact goes back as far as the Staten Island Expressway. People are also clogging up local streets like Smith Street.

vdeane

Quote from: Plutonic Panda on December 29, 2021, 10:02:23 PM
Quote from: vdeane on December 29, 2021, 09:20:25 PM
Quote from: The Ghostbuster on December 29, 2021, 02:57:11 PM
Has anyone noticed an increase in congestion since the right lane on the BQE has been converted into a shoulder lane? I would expect a freeway being narrowed from six to four lanes would see a significant increase in congestion, especially in a place like New York City.
From what I've heard, that area is quite congested, and Google Maps certainly shows this.  Stop and go at all hours of the day.  I went through there at 9 AM on a Sunday morning (on a holiday weekend, so probably even less traffic than normal) and it was already stop and go, just from congestion.  It's basically an area to avoid at all times, even when the rest of the city (yes, including the Cross-Bronx) is at free flow.

Honestly, as much as I don't want to see the freeway removed, it might actually move better if it were, if only because that might convince people to not go there.
Remove an already super congested freeway? I'll counter that nonsense with the same saying we should widen the thing to ten lanes each way.
Realistically, that corridor isn't going to be solved without convincing at least half the cars on it to either shift to other modes, drive to different destinations or via a significantly different route, or to stay home entirely, especially given the NIMBYs and BANANAs in the area.  I think the only option retaining anything resembling a freeway that the locals and the Vision Zero/climate activists were happy with was the one where it would be a four-lane (total), truck-only tunnel with passenger cars forced on a boulevard.

I don't support a removal of the BQE myself, but clearly what's there is horrifically congested, and I put the chances of a new or expanded facility as iffy at best.  It would be very expensive and it the political support would seem to not be there.
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position of NYSDOT or its affiliates.

Plutonic Panda

Quote from: vdeane on December 30, 2021, 12:47:22 PM
Quote from: Plutonic Panda on December 29, 2021, 10:02:23 PM
Quote from: vdeane on December 29, 2021, 09:20:25 PM
Quote from: The Ghostbuster on December 29, 2021, 02:57:11 PM
Has anyone noticed an increase in congestion since the right lane on the BQE has been converted into a shoulder lane? I would expect a freeway being narrowed from six to four lanes would see a significant increase in congestion, especially in a place like New York City.
From what I've heard, that area is quite congested, and Google Maps certainly shows this.  Stop and go at all hours of the day.  I went through there at 9 AM on a Sunday morning (on a holiday weekend, so probably even less traffic than normal) and it was already stop and go, just from congestion.  It's basically an area to avoid at all times, even when the rest of the city (yes, including the Cross-Bronx) is at free flow.

Honestly, as much as I don't want to see the freeway removed, it might actually move better if it were, if only because that might convince people to not go there.
Remove an already super congested freeway? I'll counter that nonsense with the same saying we should widen the thing to ten lanes each way.
Realistically, that corridor isn't going to be solved without convincing at least half the cars on it to either shift to other modes, drive to different destinations or via a significantly different route, or to stay home entirely, especially given the NIMBYs and BANANAs in the area.  I think the only option retaining anything resembling a freeway that the locals and the Vision Zero/climate activists were happy with was the one where it would be a four-lane (total), truck-only tunnel with passenger cars forced on a boulevard.

I don't support a removal of the BQE myself, but clearly what's there is horrifically congested, and I put the chances of a new or expanded facility as iffy at best.  It would be very expensive and it the political support would seem to not be there.
I would support an expansion but yeah I doubt that happens in the current political climate if ever. I'd like to see a study if this made the freeway safer. If it didn't do much than re-stripe it back to 3 lanes each way. Removing the freeway seems like an awful idea.

vdeane

Quote from: Plutonic Panda on December 30, 2021, 12:55:31 PM
I would support an expansion but yeah I doubt that happens in the current political climate if ever. I'd like to see a study if this made the freeway safer. If it didn't do much than re-stripe it back to 3 lanes each way. Removing the freeway seems like an awful idea.
It's worth noting that the re-striping wasn't about crashes on the freeway.  It was about the weight of traffic making it so it was due to collapse within five years if they didn't do the re-striping.  The re-striping, combined with better enforcement on overweight trucks, should allow it to last for 20.  That road isn't going back to three lanes each way without a complete rebuild.
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position of NYSDOT or its affiliates.

Plutonic Panda

Quote from: vdeane on December 30, 2021, 09:23:27 PM
Quote from: Plutonic Panda on December 30, 2021, 12:55:31 PM
I would support an expansion but yeah I doubt that happens in the current political climate if ever. I'd like to see a study if this made the freeway safer. If it didn't do much than re-stripe it back to 3 lanes each way. Removing the freeway seems like an awful idea.
It's worth noting that the re-striping wasn't about crashes on the freeway.  It was about the weight of traffic making it so it was due to collapse within five years if they didn't do the re-striping.  The re-striping, combined with better enforcement on overweight trucks, should allow it to last for 20.  That road isn't going back to three lanes each way without a complete rebuild.
Oh, good to know. I don't know much about transit patterns in NYC so if there isn't already a transit line that would alleviate traffic off of this freeway it could be done in 20 years. Hopefully the road gets rebuilt. It would be nice to see 8 lanes but at least six is preferable.

SignBridge

PlutonicPanda, there are plenty of criss-crossing NYC subway train lines in that area, but that doesn't alleviate traffic on this Expwy. Much of it is heavy-truck traffic and through traffic traveling from Long Island, Queens, Brooklyn to/from Staten Island and New Jersey. Not the kind of commuting served by local subway lines.

The Ghostbuster

I'm sure that in 20 years' time, if they ever come up with a plan to reconstruct the BQE in any shape or form, the neighborhoods will be screaming "bloody murder" against anything that is proposed. I'm sure that's why they deferred doing anything about the BQE for two decades.

Rothman

Quote from: The Ghostbuster on December 31, 2021, 08:40:44 PM
I'm sure that in 20 years' time, if they ever come up with a plan to reconstruct the BQE in any shape or form, the neighborhoods will be screaming "bloody murder" against anything that is proposed. I'm sure that's why they deferred doing anything about the BQE for two decades.
It's more about the ridiculous price, from what I heard in meetings.
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position(s) of NYSDOT.

storm2k

Quote from: Rothman on January 01, 2022, 01:30:59 AM
Quote from: The Ghostbuster on December 31, 2021, 08:40:44 PM
I'm sure that in 20 years' time, if they ever come up with a plan to reconstruct the BQE in any shape or form, the neighborhoods will be screaming "bloody murder" against anything that is proposed. I'm sure that's why they deferred doing anything about the BQE for two decades.
It's more about the ridiculous price, from what I heard in meetings.

Basically, any plan that will make Brooklyn Heights residents happy at this point is going to cost a small fortune. And this is on top of what it would cost for just a more straightforward reconstruction of this area. Same kinds of battles that plagued the Gowanus construction plans some time ago.



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