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Florida

Started by FLRoads, January 21, 2009, 12:31:13 AM

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roadman65

Quote from: Plutonic Panda on May 12, 2023, 01:45:40 PM
Florida will build its first wildlife bridges over I-4 in Polk County.

https://www.abcactionnews.com/news/region-polk/fdot-plans-states-first-wildlife-crossing-overpass-across-i-4-in-polk-county

Already has to some degree. The Exit 48 project addresses that already.
Every day is a winding road, you just got to get used to it.

Sheryl Crowe


D-Dey65


Ted$8roadFan

Quote from: D-Dey65 on May 20, 2023, 07:11:08 AM
What railroad uses this crossing of US 19-98-Alt. 27 in Perry?
https://www.google.com/maps/@30.106714,-83.5891702,3a,90y,354.45h,79.45t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s9uf6mOFvixG2B6H-rl4Tkw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?hl=en
I know it leads to some kind of saw mill.

Looks like it's the Florida-Georgia Railway. The paper mill was (or is) owned by Georgia-Pacific or one of its subsidiaries.

roadman65

https://www.abcactionnews.com/news/region-pinellas/changes-coming-to-portion-of-us-19-in-pinellas-county

https://www.fdottampabay.com/project/285/256774-3-52-01

Improvements coming to US 19 to extend its controlled access further north. Presently it ends at CR 580, but now it will go further to help improve heavy traffic along the congested artery.
Every day is a winding road, you just got to get used to it.

Sheryl Crowe

D-Dey65

Okay. I have another question; Georgia-Pacific donated some land in Gulf Hammock, Florida for a wayside park in 1969, as you can see in this image.

They bought out the Patterson-Mcinnis Sawmill in 1940, and have and old P&M steam locomotive on display there. Was this in conjunction with the widening of US 19 and 98, or did that project occur at some other time in Florida history?



74/171FAN

I am now a PennDOT employee.  My opinions/views do not necessarily reflect the opinions/views of PennDOT.

D-Dey65

Yes, I posted some pictures of it myself. But it still doesn't answer my question about whether the wayside park was installed at the time US 19-98 was being converted into the four-lane divided highway with the tree-lined median that we know it to be today, or whether that widening took place at another period in time.


ElishaGOtis

Florida just enacted a number of laws involving roadway safety this legislative session. Some of these include
- HB 657 - Allows municipalities to install speed cameras within school zones ($100 fine, no points nor insurance increase, 10 MPH threshold)
- SB 766 - Allows school districts to make school bus stop signs photo enforced ($200 fine, no points nor insurance increase)
- HB 425 - Transportation package, including autonomous vehicles, corridor funding, and expanding the Move Over law to include all vehicles on shoulder

I wonder how these will be indicated on signage, especially the large number of signs currently stating "Move over for stopped emergency vehicles." I believe TN passed a similar law this year. :hmmm:

(still hoping for 75 MPH here... :crazy:)
When there are Teslas, there are Toll Roads

vdeane

#3633
All vehicles?  I can get the safety aspect, but emergency vehicles have flashing lights that enable them to be seen from a distance.  You're much more likely to not notice a regular car until you're right on top of them, at which point it could be too late to move over (especially if there's traffic).
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position of NYSDOT or its affiliates.

sprjus4

Quote from: vdeane on June 10, 2023, 08:27:46 PM
All vehicles?  I can get the safety aspect, but emergency vehicles have flashing lights that enable them to be seen from a distance.  You're much more likely to not notice a regular car until you're right on top of them, at which point it could be too late to move over (especially if there's traffic).
Virginia is doing the same as well... I usually move over for all stopped vehicles if I'm able, and usually I have ample opportunity to see their hazards in the distance, but I could see this being an issue in heavier traffic conditions. As it stands now, if on a 4 lane highway with dense moving traffic at 70 mph, if there's a police vehicle pulled over, it creates a ripple effect of braking and a mini traffic jam just to move over. I couldn't imagine this being for every stopped vehicle. Then again, I don't expect high compliance in those situations.

Outside of heavy traffic though, if a vehicle has ample opportunity to move over, I support that 100% being legally required. It amazes me when people blow right by a stopped vehicle when the left lane is wide open for miles. There's no consideration or paying attention on that drivers part. As someone who has driven on long segments of I-81 during lighter traffic conditions (it's notorious during peak weekends for congestion, but is actually a nice congestion free drive during the right times if you're lucky), I've seen this all the time.

ElishaGOtis

Quote from: vdeane on June 10, 2023, 08:27:46 PM
All vehicles?  I can get the safety aspect, but emergency vehicles have flashing lights that enable them to be seen from a distance.  You're much more likely to not notice a regular car until you're right on top of them, at which point it could be too late to move over (especially if there's traffic).

From what I read, the new law will apply if:
- The disabled vehicle is flashing hazard lights
- There are cones or other similar devices near the vehicle (trucks sometimes do this)
- There are pedestrians near the vehicle
When there are Teslas, there are Toll Roads

vdeane

Quote from: sprjus4 on June 11, 2023, 02:46:53 AM
Quote from: vdeane on June 10, 2023, 08:27:46 PM
All vehicles?  I can get the safety aspect, but emergency vehicles have flashing lights that enable them to be seen from a distance.  You're much more likely to not notice a regular car until you're right on top of them, at which point it could be too late to move over (especially if there's traffic).
Virginia is doing the same as well... I usually move over for all stopped vehicles if I'm able, and usually I have ample opportunity to see their hazards in the distance, but I could see this being an issue in heavier traffic conditions. As it stands now, if on a 4 lane highway with dense moving traffic at 70 mph, if there's a police vehicle pulled over, it creates a ripple effect of braking and a mini traffic jam just to move over. I couldn't imagine this being for every stopped vehicle. Then again, I don't expect high compliance in those situations.

Outside of heavy traffic though, if a vehicle has ample opportunity to move over, I support that 100% being legally required. It amazes me when people blow right by a stopped vehicle when the left lane is wide open for miles. There's no consideration or paying attention on that drivers part. As someone who has driven on long segments of I-81 during lighter traffic conditions (it's notorious during peak weekends for congestion, but is actually a nice congestion free drive during the right times if you're lucky), I've seen this all the time.
I move over for all vehicles on freeway shoulders where possible as well, but given NY's stance on widening, the scenario where traffic makes it difficult to move over does happen fairly often.  There's a certain amount of strategic timing when it comes to making lane changes on the Thruway, and traffic can make it harder to see ahead as well (especially as I drive a sedan).  NY's law is all vehicles with flashing lights (and garbage trucks - since our law is "slow down or move over", it applies on surface roads as well; from what I've heard, the safe amount for slowing down to avoid a ticket is ~20 mph below the speed limit), and those are easy enough to see from half a mile away absent curves (maybe MMM was on to something after all...), but I feel like I only have half that warning (or less) with other vehicles unless traffic is light enough that I don't need advance warning in the first place.

We do get that congestion whenever a police officer is on the shoulder for most of the Thruway and pretty much all urban/suburban freeways.  Less so for other vehicles since compliance is lower for tow trucks and DOT vehicles (especially on the Thruway, probably because many states only have the law for emergency vehicles).
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position of NYSDOT or its affiliates.

MASTERNC

Curious if people with non-Florida transponders have issues with CFX tolls. 

Just rented a car in Orlando using NC Quick Pass and registered it as a temporary vehicle.  Used FTE and CFX toll roads while there.  The Florida Turnpike tolls posted next day.  The FTE Beachline tolls posted days later (one was associated with my transponder and the other, oddly, seemed to look up the rental plate but posted).  The CFX tolls have not posted almost a week after the first toll.  I assume they will see that the plate was registered to a transponder at the time of the toll, but I am concerned they will be processed late and the vehicle won't associate with my account.

NJRoadfan

CFX takes a while to post tolls to E-ZPass accounts too. FTE was pretty quick. Next time you are down there, you might want to give this a shot if renting out of MCO: https://visitortollpass.com/

CFX runs the program and seems like a good way to avoid overcharging rental car toll "services".

MASTERNC

Quote from: NJRoadfan on June 16, 2023, 04:16:26 PM
CFX takes a while to post tolls to E-ZPass accounts too. FTE was pretty quick. Next time you are down there, you might want to give this a shot if renting out of MCO: https://visitortollpass.com/

CFX runs the program and seems like a good way to avoid overcharging rental car toll "services".

Thought about that, except for the fact our flight and car weren't in Terminal A, which is the only location with a vending machine

D-Dey65

I'm posting my 3400th post right now. I could celebrate it with a number 34 route shield that has some significance to me (as I've done for routes like NY 24, NY 25, and NY 27), but I don't know of any.

What I do have is a question about this three level destination sign in Lakeland Florida along US 92;

Regarding the distance for Plant City and Tampa, would those distances be accurate for I-4, or US 92, or both?

Keep in mind, this segment is also hidden SR 546, which becomes a separate and open route when US 92 turns south at Wabash Avenue.



edwaleni

Quote from: Ted$8roadFan on May 20, 2023, 07:34:17 AM
Quote from: D-Dey65 on May 20, 2023, 07:11:08 AM
What railroad uses this crossing of US 19-98-Alt. 27 in Perry?
https://www.google.com/maps/@30.106714,-83.5891702,3a,90y,354.45h,79.45t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s9uf6mOFvixG2B6H-rl4Tkw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?hl=en
I know it leads to some kind of saw mill.

Looks like it's the Florida-Georgia Railway. The paper mill was (or is) owned by Georgia-Pacific or one of its subsidiaries.

This is what is left of the old Hampton Springs branch line.  This line had 2 purposes, it brought tourists out to the Hampton Springs Resort and north of the resort was where all the lumber narrow gauges brought their logs in and they were transferred to the pulp plant in Perry,.

roadman65

Quote from: D-Dey65 on June 28, 2023, 11:35:55 PM
I'm posting my 3400th post right now. I could celebrate it with a number 34 route shield that has some significance to me (as I've done for routes like NY 24, NY 25, and NY 27), but I don't know of any.

What I do have is a question about this three level destination sign in Lakeland Florida along US 92;

Regarding the distance for Plant City and Tampa, would those distances be accurate for I-4, or US 92, or both?

Keep in mind, this segment is also hidden SR 546, which becomes a separate and open route when US 92 turns south at Wabash Avenue.




I would say neither. I-4 meets in five miles which is I-4 Exit 28, located 28 miles from Downtown Tampa.  It should read 33 miles as well as Plant City being 13 miles.

True this engineer figure the city limits over the Downtowns, but in other cases Florida measures mileage to the Downtown areas over exits or city limits.
Every day is a winding road, you just got to get used to it.

Sheryl Crowe

D-Dey65

I need some native Floridians for this; Where was Noxon, Florida? The reason I ask is because of this Wikipedia article;
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida_Western_and_Northern_Railroad

I'm convinced that it may have been acquired by Auburndale, so I've considered extending Auburndale as the location on that list.

However, I've found no old maps showing the existence of the station or the community. Most of the old maps I've found of Polk County don't even have the line that became the Seaboard Air Line Miami Subdivision, despite the fact that it was made decades before 1932;
http://fcit.usf.edu/florida/maps/galleries/County/Polk/index.php

http://fcit.usf.edu/florida/maps/pages/10800/f10839/f10839.htm

BTW, Open Railway Map and mileage markers in the article aren't telling me anything;
https://www.openrailwaymap.org/?lang=en&lat=28.096111&lon=-81.801111&zoom=12&style=standard





NE2

Quote from: D-Dey65 on July 07, 2023, 07:46:01 PM
I need some native Floridians for this;
I guess I can't help.

Quote from: D-Dey65 on July 07, 2023, 07:46:01 PM
Where was Noxon, Florida? The reason I ask is because of this Wikipedia article;
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida_Western_and_Northern_Railroad

I'm convinced that it may have been acquired by Auburndale, so I've considered extending Auburndale as the location on that list.

However, I've found no old maps showing the existence of the station or the community. Most of the old maps I've found of Polk County don't even have the line that became the Seaboard Air Line Miami Subdivision, despite the fact that it was made decades before 1932;
0.7 decades to be precise...

Quote from: D-Dey65 on July 07, 2023, 07:46:01 PM
http://fcit.usf.edu/florida/maps/galleries/County/Polk/index.php

http://fcit.usf.edu/florida/maps/pages/10800/f10839/f10839.htm

BTW, Open Railway Map and mileage markers in the article aren't telling me anything;
https://www.openrailwaymap.org/?lang=en&lat=28.096111&lon=-81.801111&zoom=12&style=standard
pre-1945 Florida route log

I accept and respect your identity as long as it's not dumb shit like "identifying as a vaccinated attack helicopter".

Dirt Roads

Quote from: D-Dey65 on July 07, 2023, 07:46:01 PM
I need some native Floridians for this; Where was Noxon, Florida? The reason I ask is because of this Wikipedia article;
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida_Western_and_Northern_Railroad

Perhaps you need help from a railroader.  It looks like Noxon was located near the Auburndale Youth Baseball complex at Lake Myrtle.  The term station on the railroad doesn't necessarily mean a passenger station or freight station, but rather any location that needs a name.  Given that Noxon was 5.2 miles from the Polk City passenger station and 3.3 miles from Auburndale passenger station, it was probably a "distant" railway signal location (ergo, two signals out from the interlocker at Auburndale).  It could have also been an industrial siding.  I can find any timetables from back in those days, but I have a few old timetables out in the shed that might have the answer.  Here's the general location, just north of Braddock Road.

Max Rockatansky

Quote from: Dirt Roads on July 08, 2023, 08:58:10 PM
Quote from: D-Dey65 on July 07, 2023, 07:46:01 PM
I need some native Floridians for this; Where was Noxon, Florida? The reason I ask is because of this Wikipedia article;
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida_Western_and_Northern_Railroad

Perhaps you need help from a railroader.  It looks like Noxon was located near the Auburndale Youth Baseball complex at Lake Myrtle.  The term station on the railroad doesn't necessarily mean a passenger station or freight station, but rather any location that needs a name.  Given that Noxon was 5.2 miles from the Polk City passenger station and 3.3 miles from Auburndale passenger station, it was probably a "distant" railway signal location (ergo, two signals out from the interlocker at Auburndale).  It could have also been an industrial siding.  I can find any timetables from back in those days, but I have a few old timetables out in the shed that might have the answer.  Here's the general location, just north of Braddock Road.

Had a look on some older USGS maps in that area, I'm not seeing Noxon.  I've never seen a siding facility by that name associated with the Seaboard line through the Green Swamp.  None of my old ghost town resources are coming up with anything either. 

Mapmikey

Noxon appears on this 1948 map

Max Rockatansky

Quote from: Mapmikey on July 08, 2023, 10:27:45 PM
Noxon appears on this 1948 map

For clarity you're referring to the C.S. Hammond 1948 map of Florida?  That has Noxon on it, unfortunately the link to David Rumsey was pulling up 120,000 plus results.  And yes, Noxon is shown on the Seaboard line where it was suspected to be above.  Likely Noxon was nothing much more than a siding that never took off.

Mapmikey

Quote from: Max Rockatansky on July 08, 2023, 10:42:32 PM
Quote from: Mapmikey on July 08, 2023, 10:27:45 PM
Noxon appears on this 1948 map



For clarity you're referring to the C.S. Hammond 1948 map of Florida?  That has Noxon on it, unfortunately the link to David Rumsey was pulling up 120,000 plus results.  And yes, Noxon is shown on the Seaboard line where it was suspected to be above.  Likely Noxon was nothing much more than a siding that never took off.


Correct...weird...the link goes directly to the map on both my laptop and PC but does what you described on my iPhone.

Anyway, I found it on another map (1978) that pinpoints its location a little better:
https://ufdc.ufl.edu/uf90000337/00001

This in turn allowed me to find it on historicaerials.  The best view is 1958, directly west of Kristina Ct (https://goo.gl/maps/Y1Ap7sZTcPgggvgaA)

Here is a picture of part of that siding from vintageaerials, 1983:
https://vintageaerial.com/photos/florida/polk/1983/RPO/29/12

But the distance to Auburndale doesn't match the RR mileage in the Wiki article.  The siding may have been further south, which is shown on the 1944 topo where the distance from Auburndale seems correct.  The 1952 aerial seems to show it gone by then with a new siding built further north as described above.



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