Recent posts

#11

General Highway Talk / Re: Beltways That Work, and Be...

Last post by Revive 755 - May 10, 2024, 11:28:14 PM

Oh I-255 is always faster than I-55 thru St. Louis.

It comes down to time of day and construction.  I-255 can get really congested or completely closed for construction sometimes.  Google has I-255 as 23 min/25.4 miles versus 26 min/24.9 miles for I-55.  Maybe it's just due to the amount of interesting things on I-55, but I-55 usually feels faster unless there's a problem with the PSB.

#12

Off-Topic / Re: Random Thoughts

Last post by Scott5114 - May 10, 2024, 11:14:50 PM

Much of what zoning does could be done by covenants instead, but a sudden decision eliminating zoning would cause a crisis, because a restrictive covenant would probably have to be purchased by the city, county, or state, rather than just imposed.

Covenants kind of ick me, since at least if you don't like your zoning you can apply to get it changed, or apply for a variance. I don't know what, if any, recourse there is against a covenant on your property that you don't like.

#13

Great Lakes and Ohio Valley / Re: Illinois interesting bid a...

Last post by Revive 755 - May 10, 2024, 11:06:28 PM

List of projects for the June 14, 2024 Letting is up.

• Item 1 replaces the Foster Avenue Bridge over I-90
• Item 2 seems to be resurfacing and bridge work on Ashland Avenue at I-290
• Item 4 seems to be a fiber and camera/ITS installation in northern Cook and in Lake County
• Item 10 is a signal modernization with pavement marking work somewhere on US 34/Ogden in Western Springs
• Item 12:  "House and garage demolition at William Dr 3.2 mi S of Galena and Lust cleanup at IL 35: SE of 4th St in East Dubuque"
• Item 21 is an advance tree removal contract for I-39 between Mulford Road and north of the US 20/Harrison Street interchange
• Items 31 and 32 are flashing beacon installations in District 3. Itm 31 is focused on IL 23 south of DeKalb.
• Item 33 is patching and ADA work for the rest area on NB I-55 just south of Pontiac
• Item 34 is joint replacement for the I-39 bridge over the Illinois River (at the same time I-55 over the Des Plaines near Joliet is scheduled for work?)
• Item 35:  "Class A pavement patching on FAI 57 beginning at MM 285.5, 2.5 miles north of US 24 (Gilman Interchange) and ending at MM 293.5, 0.64 mile north of IL 116 (Ashkum Interchange)"
• Item 42 is a various location traffic signal equipment replacement contract for District 4
• Item 44 is lighting upgrades for the I-74/I-155 interchange
• Item 49 is for signal modernization at the IL 9 intersection with Towanda Barnes Road
• Item 83:  "Bridge demolition on Old US 51 over East Fork Kaskaskia Overflow, 5 miles north of Sandoval"
• Item 87 is improvements for the IL 3/IL 157 intersection
• Item 105 is something with intersection improvements on East Avenue in Brookfield, LaGrange, and McCook
• Item 107 is rehabiliation work for the Cass Avenue Des Plaines River Bridge in Joliet
• Item 109 is joint work and an overlay for the IL 126 bridge over the DuPage River
• Item 111 is something with signal work and left turn lanes for the IL 7/Renwick Road/IL 53 intersection
• Item 113 is 695 feet of patching and resurfacing for various locations in Schaumburg along I-290
• Item 114 is intersection improvements for Roberts Road at 111th Street in Palos Hills
• Item 115 is a repost of the Randall Road improvements between Ackman Road and Polaris Drive in McHerny County
• Item 123 is a various location trombone mast arm replacement project for District 1
• Item 126 is for work on the Kankakee River bridges on IL 1/IL 17 in Momence
• Item 140 seems to be a repost for the I-55 Sangamon River bridges
• Item 191 is resurfacing with lots of other work for I-255 between IL 157 and IL 15
• Item 192 is signal moderinzation along IL 159 in Swansea and Farview Heights with some work along I-64
• Item 193 widens around 6 miles of I-57 south of the southern I-64 interchange
• Item 205 converts the US 20/Reinking Road intersection around Pingree Grove into a roundabout
• Item 212 converts the Lucinda Avenue/Normal Road intersection in DeKalb into a roundabout
• Item 223 seems to be a repost for improvements to the IL 83/Bluff Road intersection
• Item 229 is some sort of improvements with bridge work on US 20 between Shales Parkway and Grace Street in Elgin
• Item 230 is signal improvements, ADA improvements, and changeable message sign installation on IL 64 between York Road and IL 50
• Item 231 is signal improvements, ADA improvements, and changeable message sign installation on IL 56 between IL 59 and York Road

#14

Great Lakes and Ohio Valley / Re: Champaign newspaper articl...

Last post by Henry - May 10, 2024, 10:43:12 PM

I hate IDiOT for constructing those damn cloverleafs at all-Interstate junctions. Here's hoping more replacements will come in the future.

#15

Off-Topic / Re: Random Thoughts

Last post by vdeane - May 10, 2024, 10:30:24 PM

There are other planning tools - site plan review, form-based code, etc.  Even Houston isn't a free for all.

#16

Off-Topic / Re: San Antonio now home to so...

Last post by vdeane - May 10, 2024, 10:25:38 PM

McDonald's only allowed locations to do drive-thru only (owned and franchised), no lobby open at all, so in that specific case they were fully shutdown until they allowed lobbies to reopen.

Well, that's stupid.  It's also a major reason why I haven't been to a McDonald's even once post-pandemic, even though they used to be a semi-regular lunch option pre-pandemic.  Even now that the lobbies are open again, they emphasize drive-thru so much, they're not really a great option for those of us who prefer to eat our food at a table and not in a car (and to not have to wait an hour while all the drive-thru orders are fulfilled).

Heck, my local sub place (DiBella's) doesn't even have drive-thru, and their increased emphasis on phone/online orders since the pandemic is a major reason why I'm considering going there less often from now on.  Used to be you'd order and they would make the sub right in front of you and hand it to you when done before you paid.  Now, you take a number, they write your order on a piece of paper, and they might get around to it after all the phone/online orders are fulfilled (and paying is on the honor system, as there's no way to verify that what you told the cashier you're getting is what you're actually getting).  It feels like the wait time has doubled.

#17

Mid-Atlantic / Re: Francis Scott Key Bridge (...

Last post by Henry - May 10, 2024, 10:21:30 PM

Not sure it's enough but the MDTA is changing traffic patterns around the Harbor Tunnel tolls to improve merging into the tunnel.

https://www.cbsnews.com/baltimore/news/key-bridge-collapse-causes-traffic-headaches-theres-a-plan-to-alleviate-congestion-baltimore-mdta-toll-county-patapsco-river/

It also looks like Exit 44 on I-695 will reopen, along with the U-turn ramp, and it's going to be toll-free, since the bridge is no longer there but will be rebuilt in four years, if the timeline holds up.

#18

Traffic Control / Re: US/State mixup shield erro...

Last post by Scott5114 - May 10, 2024, 10:18:09 PM

Massachusetts MA 66:

How to increase the resale value of your sign with one easy trick.

#19

Southeast / Re: Interstate 42

Last post by Henry - May 10, 2024, 10:17:42 PM

I still cringe every time I see I 40 take the south turn to Wilmington and think that NC has received approval for I-87 from Norfolk/Virginia Beach to Raleigh. An east/west interstate runs south for over 100 miles just to get to the Atlantic, where as another interstate comes from the Atlantic and travels over 100 miles mostly east/west and is numbered north/south.   
 

Methinks you wouldn't like the routings of I-26 or I-85, either. But they've been so well-established for decades that there'd be no use in changing them now.

#20

Great Lakes and Ohio Valley / Re: Michigan Notes

Last post by vdeane - May 10, 2024, 10:07:50 PM

With more fuel-efficient vehicles built over the last few decades, the federal gas tax not being increased in 30 years, and with gas taxes frequently being diverted to non-transportation uses, maybe it is time for Michigan (and other states) to find alternative methods for funding transportation improvements. This pilot program may be successful, and if not, something else will likely come out of the woodwork.

Politicians: It's infeasible to raise this tax that inflation and other factors have reduced the value of due to politics.
Also politicians: Establishing a totally new tax that will be more of a burden to collect and force our citizens to face trade-offs in the form of privacy or paying for things out of state?  Perfectly fine.