Recent posts

#1

Traffic Control / Re: Department of Redundancy D...

Last post by Hunty2022 - Today at 11:35:01 AM

Two signs for I-295 found in Washington, DC:


4/21/24.

#2

Pacific Southwest / Re: CA 51/I-80 Business Loop

Last post by Max Rockatansky - Today at 11:28:52 AM

I'm just using the names the freeway segments originally had.  I tend to find they are better at describing where things are on CA 51.  But yes, Ben Ali was one of many communities which has been annexed into Sacramento. 

#3

Northeast / Re: General PA Design/Construc...

Last post by 74/171FAN - Today at 11:17:58 AM

(For I-80 and PA 66)  PennDOT - District 10 News: Ramp Closure for Clarion River Bridge Preservation Project in Paint and Monroe Townships, Clarion County

#4

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

Last post by ixnay - Today at 11:11:55 AM

I can't seem to find what the controversy about that verse is though. For example, the Wikipedia article about the song doesn't mention any lyrics being controversial.

Towards the bottom of the wikipedia article there's a Protests section where it's covered in quite a bit of detail.

The name will almost certainly be changed. Francis Scott Key was a slave owner, and he was also a lawyer who fought to preserve slavery in court. On the other side of that, Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglass were both born (as slaves) in Maryland.

There is already a bridge named after Frederick Douglass, not in Maryland though.

There's one a lot closer: the bridge in DC previously known as the South Capital St. Bridge. But still not in MD. Nothing wrong with more than one structure being named after someone.

Besides the Douglass Bridge in DC (and the one in Rochester [shared with Miss Anthony] and the one on MD 528 on the way from Denton to Easton, and the highway MD 33 between Easton and Tilghman Island), the new Amtrak tunnel nw of dt Baltimore (when it eventually happens) will have Fred's name.

#5

Pacific Southwest / Re: CA 51/I-80 Business Loop

Last post by The Ghostbuster - Today at 10:53:47 AM

While Ben Ali is a neighborhood in Sacramento (I just learned that from Wikipedia), I don't remember seeing any of Business 80 being named after the neighborhood. It is likely a moot point since all of Business 80 has been named the Capital City Freeway since 1996.

#6

Off-Topic / Re: My idea for US currency re...

Last post by bmorrill - Today at 10:52:14 AM

Who really wants their currency to look like Monopoly money?

When we were stationed in Germany in the mid-60s, I read an article in Stars and Stripes one morning about a bank in Sweden that had exchanged Monopoly Money for Swedish Krona!

#7

Southeast / Re: Georgia

Last post by The Ghostbuster - Today at 10:44:54 AM

If you hear anything more, like when it happens or if it really is a sequential-to-mileage-based it remembering, keep us posted.

#8

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

Last post by Henry - Today at 10:04:24 AM

It's like the song My Maryland is the tune of the Christmas Carol   O Tannenbaum. They write lyrics and apply them to old songs.

And "The Red Flag" as well, which is the anthem of a political party in the UK.

Then we have My Country, Tis of Thee, which is basically an Americanized version of God Save the King/Queen.

Also, Greensleeves lent its tune to the Christmas carol What Child is This?

I've been hearing stories that the new bridge will not be named the Francis Scott Key Bridge due to a second verse of his poem that became our nation's anthem. Apparently the song we recite at ball games etc, has more lyrics to it that we never sing as well as even know about.

I don't know what they are as it's news to me that the anthem even had another verse. However MD lawmakers are listening to public opinion already not to rename the bridge its existing name.

The name will almost certainly be changed. Francis Scott Key was a slave owner, and he was also a lawyer who fought to preserve slavery in court. On the other side of that, Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglass were both born (as slaves) in Maryland.

If the new bridge won't be called the Francis Scott Key Bridge, what other name could it be? And is there a similar movement in DC to rename its own Key Bridge?

#9

Great Lakes and Ohio Valley / Re: Ohio

Last post by seicer - Today at 09:59:34 AM

I've found nothing about following Lady Bird's aesthetics on ODOT's policy manual (or with WVDOH or KYTC).

ODOT did update its Roadside Safety Landscape Guidelines in January, https://www.transportation.ohio.gov/working/engineering/roadway/manuals-standards/location-design-vol-1/0900/0900, and it states: "The basis for this section stems from the fact that trees are a major cause of injuries and fatalities on the nation's highways. While it is desired to increase the amount of aesthetics on the State highway system, and these guidelines try to encourage that end, it cannot be understated: trees are proven killers when placed by the roadside. Single vehicle crashes with trees account for 3,000 fatalities each year nationwide. Trees are not generally a highway element that engineers have control over, except in landscaping projects where the designer can make decisions to reduce the consequences of vehicles leaving the road."

It does outline where trees and large shrubs can be placed under 905.1.1-905.1.4.

It makes me wonder if liability also plays a part in this. WVDOH was sued over rock fall hazards and tree falls in the past. Did legal action prompt ODOT to do the same?

#10

Weather / Re: Earthquakes and Volcanoes

Last post by bing101 - Today at 09:53:11 AM

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/taiwan-rattled-by-dozens-quakes-no-major-damage-2024-04-23/


https://apnews.com/article/taiwan-earthquake-hualien-usgs-7ac3e6db25489a2da80f3e06ecc61b27


Here is more on the latest Taiwan quake and experts are saying this is an aftershock from the quake from April 3rd.