Connecticut News

[RobbieL2415]

Isn't it about time to put the Merritt parkway conservancy and nimbyism below safety on the priority list and cut some goddam trees down? Every single windy day in recent years results in at least one death from a fallen tree. There is no excuse for trees being able to fall on a high speed controlled access highway at this day in age. Another one got it in the nor'easter yesterday.

http://www.wfsb.com/story/37634809/police-identify-victim-killed-by-fallen-tree-on-route-15-in-stamford

Perhaps they should make the Merritt parkway conservancy a defendant in a wrongful death suit and we'll see how long this shit continues. Their open and obvious blocking of resolving the dangerous trees is well documented.

I believe the Conservancy is a State agency, which means you'd need permission from Superior Court to sue them.

[shadyjay]

In other, more positive, news....

The latest plan to get rid of the traffic lights on Route 9 in Middletown:
http://www.ct.gov/dot/cwp/view.asp?A=2135&Q=601040

Who knows if this latest "fix" will get off the drawing board, given the state's current fiscal state.  I like this plan a lot better than the previous one, which involved elevating CT 9 SB twice, in between passing over a railroad bridge, closing access to Hartford Ave (Exit 16) from 9NB, and retaining access to Washington St (Exit 15) from 9NB, but with a rotary.  This latest plan eliminates all access between CT 9 and Washington Street (except the Washington St to 9SB ramp) and constructs a new NB offramp flying over SB traffic just south of the railroad bridge to Portland, emptying onto Rapallo Ave.  At Hartford Ave, 9SB would fly over the Hartford Ave to 9NB ramp and the present 9SB to Hartford Ave ramp would be maintained. 

There's some images and better descriptions on ConnDOT's Route 9 Middletown Projects page:
http://www.ct.gov/dot/cwp/view.asp?a=4109&q=582016

[Mergingtraffic]

New foundations going up on CT-8 SB in Seymour near the Exit 22 1/2 mile sign. The signing project has started.



and



are now endagnered.

[RobbieL2415]

They were out a couple nights ago inspecting sign supports on I-84 EB at the Forbes Street overpass in East Hartford.  Me thinks they're getting ready to replace the BGSs there.

[jp the roadgeek]

There are now a total of 4 erroneous I-84 shields with the white West directional plate.  In addition to the ones pictured above, there is now one west of Exit 33 and another west of Exit 32. Gotta love how this state can't get anything right, it seems.

[Mergingtraffic]

There are now a total of 4 erroneous I-84 shields with the white West directional plate.  In addition to the ones pictured above, there is now one west of Exit 33 and another west of Exit 32. Gotta love how this state can't get anything right, it seems.

A lot of errors in this project. The LEFT Exit 39A UCONN Health aux sign really bugs me with a right aligned exit tab. Plus they removed an Exit 34 1 Mile or 1/2 Mile sign in favor of an aux sign eastbound.

[shadyjay]

Sometimes it's a contractor error, sometimes its an error that was in the plans issued by ConnDOT.  In this case, the Exit 39-UCONN Health sign shows up as a right-aligned exit tab in the contract plans, with no "LEFT".  The I-84 shields don't delineate color in the plans, so I can't tell whose at fault there.  The earlier-in-the-project exit tab issues (Exits 31,32) look to be a contractor error, as the plans show the correct exit tabs for each sign.

This reminds me of the CT 8 Thomaston to Winsted signing project, where the contract plans showed a square shield for US 202 and that's what was installed.  It's been almost a year since I've traveled that segment, so I'm not sure if it was changed to a US shield, or not. 

[RobbieL2415]

There's also an error on the SB BGS for CT 20 on I-91.  Should be a green pull-through tab on the left-exiting lane instead of a yellow Exit Only one.

[KEVIN_224]

http://fox61.com/2018/03/22/proposal-to-add-tolls-in-connecticut-clears-its-first-hurdle/

A story on the toll saga for the state, from WTIC-TV (FOX) channel 61 of Hartford. Of course they use a now-dated (and no longer standing) toll plaza photo from the Massachusetts Turnpike (I-90). Open road tolling is never mentioned.

[SectorZ]

http://fox61.com/2018/03/22/proposal-to-add-tolls-in-connecticut-clears-its-first-hurdle/

A story on the toll saga for the state, from WTIC-TV (FOX) channel 61 of Hartford. Of course they use a now-dated (and no longer standing) toll plaza photo from the Massachusetts Turnpike (I-90). Open road tolling is never mentioned.

Can't understand why a state with such high taxes can't fund these items. Imagine if they actually built out what they intended? They'd need a $1/gallon gas tax to pay for it.

[PHLBOS]

http://fox61.com/2018/03/22/proposal-to-add-tolls-in-connecticut-clears-its-first-hurdle/

A story on the toll saga for the state, from WTIC-TV (FOX) channel 61 of Hartford.

Can't understand why a state with such high taxes can't fund these items. Imagine if they actually built out what they intended? They'd need a $1/gallon gas tax to pay for it.

At present, their gas tax goes to a general fund; not a highway or transportation-specific fund.  IMHO, that needs to be addressed/fixed first before anything else.

HARTFORD --  The transportation committee Thursday voted for the first step towards adding tolls to Interstates 95, 91, and 84.

This has been mentioned multiple times before in this thread and is worth repeating again: current federal law prohibits the blanket implementation of tolls along existing free Interstates.  In short, the state can approve this 'til the cows come home; but federal approval will still need to be required.  I guess the transportation committee in CT forgot that the Interstate Highway System is a federal system.

[seicer]

How would open road tolling work on I-95? There are so many exits. Would there just be mainline "gates" and some consolidation of exits?

[vdeane]

Well, you can put up a zillion gantries.  Or work it however the barrier tolls worked.

In any case, all CT needs to do is pass this, put up gantries, and wait for Congress to allow tolling, which is likely given Trump's infrastructure bill and the current political climate.

[jp the roadgeek]

Not very often something makes my day on the road, but it seems ConnDOT has FINALLY raised the speed limit to 65 on I-84 in Southington.  Saw new 65 MPH signs from Exit 31-33.  It's now 55 through the CT 72 interchange and I saw 65 signs between Exits 36 and 37.  Day=made

[PHLBOS]

CT's tolled roads prior to the 1985 had the barriers along the mainline corridors; not at the interchanges.
Now that implementation of AET has expanded to other existing toll facilities (the Tappan Zee Bridge and the Mass Pike being two examples from neighboring states); I don't see ConnDOT deviating from such (if approved by the feds).  Placing tolls along the mainline makes more logical sense and is more cost effective.

[RobbieL2415]

Not very often something makes my day on the road, but it seems ConnDOT has FINALLY raised the speed limit to 65 on I-84 in Southington.  Saw new 65 MPH signs from Exit 31-33.  It's now 55 through the CT 72 interchange and I saw 65 signs between Exits 36 and 37.  Day=made

I think it's going to be 65 all the way up to Farmington. New stakes have been driven in at the width for limit signs.

[RobbieL2415]

CT's tolled roads prior to the 1985 had the barriers along the mainline corridors; not at the interchanges.
Now that implementation of AET has expanded to other existing toll facilities (the Tappan Zee Bridge and the Mass Pike being two examples from neighboring states); I don't see ConnDOT deviating from such (if approved by the feds).  Placing tolls along the mainline makes more logical sense and is more cost effective.

Personally I like the toll setup on the Everett Turnpike. No barriers, tolls collected at the exit/entrance ramps.

[jp the roadgeek]

Just took a ride, and it starts eastbound just before Exit 30.  They've done up to the Farmington line, but haven't started WB.  Wouldn't be surprised if it's eventually extended to 691 or the Waterbury city line once the widening in Waterbury is completed.

[shadyjay]

Wow - can't believe ConnDOT raised it!  Honestly, I was shocked when the section through Southington didn't go to 65 back in '98, considering some of the sections that did go to 65 (I-691 through Meriden, CT 9 through New Britain).  Now just waiting for the eastern leg of the 'turnpike to go to 65 (SSR 695).

Let's just hope this isn't another contractor error.  The contract plan PDF I have show 55 mph signs.   Maybe an addendum was issued.

[jp the roadgeek]

65 was approved on 10/25/17 for two stretches: Waterbury/Cheshire TL to just before the 72 interchange, and Slater Rd to Route 9.  Page 130-131 of this PDF shows it. 

http://dot.si.ct.gov/dotsi/lib/dotsi/statetrafficcommission/postedspeeds.pdf

No such luck for SR 695,  CT 25 north of the 8/25 split, US 7 on the Brookfield bypass, or CT 8 between the split and Naugatuck.

One thing I find fascinating: the speed limit on the I-684 Greenwich jog is 55, but is 65 on either side in NY. 

[KEVIN_224]

I-84 in Waterbury is more of a straightening of the overall road, rather than a widening. At least they're getting rid of the bottleneck with the last bridge westbound before you'd see the mall on the right.

Walking under CT Route 9 on Webster Square Road in Berlin most days...I noticed that it's 65 MPH northbound there. Considering the curve you get after that before passing under Christian Lane (Exit 23 SB-off NB-on).

[PHLBOS]

CT's tolled roads prior to the 1985 had the barriers along the mainline corridors; not at the interchanges.
Now that implementation of AET has expanded to other existing toll facilities (the Tappan Zee Bridge and the Mass Pike being two examples from neighboring states); I don't see ConnDOT deviating from such (if approved by the feds).  Placing tolls along the mainline makes more logical sense and is more cost effective.

Personally I like the toll setup on the Everett Turnpike. No barriers, tolls collected at the exit/entrance ramps.

There are two toll barriers/plazas along the mainline corridor: one at Hooksett (within Exit 11 off I-93), the other at Bedford (within Exit 13 off the unnumbered portion of the Everett Turnpike).

Unlike the highways in CT, the interchanges along all three of NH's tollways are fewer and more spread out.

[roadman]

CT's tolled roads prior to the 1985 had the barriers along the mainline corridors; not at the interchanges.
Now that implementation of AET has expanded to other existing toll facilities (the Tappan Zee Bridge and the Mass Pike being two examples from neighboring states); I don't see ConnDOT deviating from such (if approved by the feds).  Placing tolls along the mainline makes more logical sense and is more cost effective.

Until people demand that gantries not be placed at certain locations so they can travel between local interchanges without being charged a toll.  This is currently the case on sections of the MassPike in the Springfield and Worcester areas.

[shadyjay]

Walking under CT Route 9 on Webster Square Road in Berlin most days...I noticed that it's 65 MPH northbound there. Considering the curve you get after that before passing under Christian Lane (Exit 23 SB-off NB-on).

There is an advisory speed limit (yellow) of 55 mph on CT 9 SB 1 mile before Christian Lane when it passes over the "Willow Brook Connector" (NB Exit 24 offramp) and curves to meet the original CT 72 expressway alignment.

[RobbieL2415]

Walking under CT Route 9 on Webster Square Road in Berlin most days...I noticed that it's 65 MPH northbound there. Considering the curve you get after that before passing under Christian Lane (Exit 23 SB-off NB-on).

There is an advisory speed limit (yellow) of 55 mph on CT 9 SB 1 mile before Christian Lane when it passes over the "Willow Brook Connector" (NB Exit 24 offramp) and curves to meet the original CT 72 expressway alignment.

Which basically means its unenforceable except under the basic speed law.