Maryland

[BrianP]

A drive through of the not yet open exit 12:
https://www.reddit.com/r/MontgomeryCountyMD/comments/h09qpq/driving_the_new_watkins_mill_interchange_bridge/

Now it is expected to open tomorrow.

It's interesting how two of the signals use mast arms and the third uses wire hung.

Aside: The signal at MD 118 and Middlebrook Road is being changed from wire hung to mast arm.

[cpzilliacus]

A drive through of the not yet open exit 12:
https://www.reddit.com/r/MontgomeryCountyMD/comments/h09qpq/driving_the_new_watkins_mill_interchange_bridge/

Now it is expected to open tomorrow.

It's interesting how two of the signals use mast arms and the third uses wire hung.

Aside: The signal at MD 118 and Middlebrook Road is being changed from wire hung to mast arm.

A drive through of the not yet open exit 12:
https://www.reddit.com/r/MontgomeryCountyMD/comments/h09qpq/driving_the_new_watkins_mill_interchange_bridge/

Now it is expected to open tomorrow.

It's interesting how two of the signals use mast arms and the third uses wire hung.

Aside: The signal at MD 118 and Middlebrook Road is being changed from wire hung to mast arm.

Is that span wire install more temporary in anticipation of the P3 managed lanes?  I do not know what the
P3 project might look like here, but that might be the reason.  In general, all new signals on state projects in Maryland are using mast arms.

[BrianP]

I think this application exceeds a mast arm's maximum length. But then you would usually use two mast arms. 

I don't think this interchange was built with future lanes in mind.  After crossing the highway the bridge crosses a creek which is why the bridge is longer on the south side of the highway.  I notice on the streetview for I-270 that the bridge slopes downward after crossing the highway.  So that seems quite possible that if you tried to put lanes under that part of the bridge you would not have sufficient vertical clearance. 
https://goo.gl/maps/72wuckAMtebqW9FK8

[Alps]

I think this application exceeds a mast arm's maximum length. But then you would usually use two mast arms. 

I don't think this interchange was built with future lanes in mind.  After crossing the highway the bridge crosses a creek which is why the bridge is longer on the south side of the highway.  I notice on the streetview for I-270 that the bridge slopes downward after crossing the highway.  So that seems quite possible that if you tried to put lanes under that part of the bridge you would not have sufficient vertical clearance. 
https://goo.gl/maps/72wuckAMtebqW9FK8

I've seen mast arms designed up to 65' and Florida appears to allow up to 78'.

[Mapmikey]

For the first time in over 60 years, a MD 61 shield exists.  I found this yesterday.  It is not in Sept 2019 GMSV so I believe this was installed by a construction contractor who is working on MD 51 at the MD 61 jct and southward.  One could hope that installing 61 shields is a part of the project...?

[cpzilliacus]

For the first time in over 60 years, a MD 61 shield exists.  I found this yesterday.  It is not in Sept 2019 GMSV so I believe this was installed by a construction contractor who is working on MD 51 at the MD 61 jct and southward.  One could hope that installing 61 shields is a part of the project...?

Highway Location Reference says that MD-61 is a little over 1.9 miles long.  From MD-51 to the West Virginia end of the bridge over the North Branch of the Potomac River.

[famartin]

For the first time in over 60 years, a MD 61 shield exists.  I found this yesterday.  It is not in Sept 2019 GMSV so I believe this was installed by a construction contractor who is working on MD 51 at the MD 61 jct and southward.  One could hope that installing 61 shields is a part of the project...?

Woah.  I was just there in May, maybe I missed it. Its not the only route that recently got signed in that area, MD 639 and MD 658 have shields too now.

Also, unrelated, but I still think seeing these signs at the opposite ends of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway (MD 24) is funny.

[cpzilliacus]

Also, unrelated, but I still think seeing these signs at the opposite ends of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway (MD 24) is funny.

I do not personally agree with MDTA's excessive devotion to New York as the control city for northbound I-95 between Baltimore and the Delaware border.  Now that I-95 is complete, those signs can (and should) mention not just New York, but also Wilmington, Delaware and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

[sprjus4]

Philadelphia and New York together would be the way to go IMO.

Those two destinations are where the majority of drivers are likely bound.

Not sure if Wilmington is a major destination worthy of signing when compared to the other two. Perhaps as a secondary control city.

[mrsman]

Philadelphia and New York together would be the way to go IMO.

Those two destinations are where the majority of drivers are likely bound.

Not sure if Wilmington is a major destination worthy of signing when compared to the other two. Perhaps as a secondary control city.

Unlike other parts of I-95, where US 1 is the old main road that parallels the freeway, in this part of MD the old road that parallels the interstate is US 40.  So US 40 goes through many of the smaller towns that line the main old road between Baltimore and Philadelphia, so it would be a better case to use some intermediate towns as controls.  It doesnt' seem that controls get used too much on US 40, but at MD 24, I'd use Baltimore and Aberdeen.

For US 1, Bel Air is an appropriate sized city to be a control between Baltimore and Philadelphia.  But MD 24 meets US 1 just outside of Bel Air, so Baltimore and Philadelphia are appropriate for it.  (But a little south of there the appropriate controls for US 1 should be Baltimore and Bel Air.)

Generally, the local road should have more local controls and the interstate should have national oriented controls.  I-95's control in MD, north of Baltimore, should be Philadelphia not New York.  This was even true before the completion of I-95.  At the time of the construction of I-95, Philadelphia was the nation's fourth largest city and should not have been ignored, despite the fact that you can take NJTP to bypass Philadelphia on the way to New York.

Wilmington is too small of a city in comparison to Philadelphia, so in MD it should only be used as a secondary control.

[Stephane Dumas]

Generally, the local road should have more local controls and the interstate should have national oriented controls.  I-95's control in MD, north of Baltimore, should be Philadelphia not New York.  This was even true before the completion of I-95.  At the time of the construction of I-95, Philadelphia was the nation's fourth largest city and should not have been ignored, despite the fact that you can take NJTP to bypass Philadelphia on the way to New York.

I guess some people still think then Philadelphia is the "Sixth Borough" of New York despite movies, tv shows set in Philadelphia as well as various songs about Philly.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4z2DtNW79sQ

[TheOneKEA]

Generally, the local road should have more local controls and the interstate should have national oriented controls.  I-95's control in MD, north of Baltimore, should be Philadelphia not New York.  This was even true before the completion of I-95.  At the time of the construction of I-95, Philadelphia was the nation's fourth largest city and should not have been ignored, despite the fact that you can take NJTP to bypass Philadelphia on the way to New York.

I guess some people still think then Philadelphia is the "Sixth Borough" of New York despite movies, tv shows set in Philadelphia as well as various songs about Philly.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4z2DtNW79sQ

I always assumed that the choice of New York as the control city for I-95 north is purely down to institutional inertia on the part of the MDTA, and I would expect to see signage changes at some point this decade now that the I-95/I-276 interchange is open.

[jeffandnicole]

Since a lot of these signs are new, MD won't be spending money to fix something that wasn't their problem to begin with.

[cpzilliacus]

I always assumed that the choice of New York as the control city for I-95 north is purely down to institutional inertia on the part of the MDTA, and I would expect to see signage changes at some point this decade now that the I-95/I-276 interchange is open.

I can remember a time when the "control city" on northbound I-95 in Maryland between White Marsh and the Delaware border was usually "N J Turnpike."  And that made some sense as long as I-95 was not completed between Philadelphia and Edison, N.J. (New Jersey Turnpike Exit 10).

Now with I-95 complete, IMO there should be mention of Wilmington, Philadelphia and New York.

[MASTERNC]

Given Maryland is still running cashless tolling, there are indications they have made the same move as PA and made it permanent.

Two indications besides the fact they have not resumed cash collection like other states:

1.  Maryland will be launching a new electronic tolling website in 39 days, https://driveezmaryland.com.  Right now, the preview page says "All Electronic Tolling will be statewide in the near future."

2.  A Washington Post article on toll revenue quotes that MDTA moved to an all-electronic tolling system during the pandemic but did not say it was done "temporarily"

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trafficandcommuting/people-are-driving-less-and-skipping-the-toll-roads-leaving-less-money-for-local-projects/2020/07/04/76e15ef2-ba0f-11ea-8cf5-9c1b8d7f84c6_story.html

[Alex]

I always assumed that the choice of New York as the control city for I-95 north is purely down to institutional inertia on the part of the MDTA, and I would expect to see signage changes at some point this decade now that the I-95/I-276 interchange is open.

I can remember a time when the "control city" on northbound I-95 in Maryland between White Marsh and the Delaware border was usually "N J Turnpike."  And that made some sense as long as I-95 was not completed between Philadelphia and Edison, N.J. (New Jersey Turnpike Exit 10).

Now with I-95 complete, IMO there should be mention of Wilmington, Philadelphia and New York.

N.J Turnpike was still displayed on I-95 signs on MD 279 until late 1994.

[TheOneKEA]

Given Maryland is still running cashless tolling, there are indications they have made the same move as PA and made it permanent.

Two indications besides the fact they have not resumed cash collection like other states:

1.  Maryland will be launching a new electronic tolling website in 39 days, https://driveezmaryland.com.  Right now, the preview page says "All Electronic Tolling will be statewide in the near future."

2.  A Washington Post article on toll revenue quotes that MDTA moved to an all-electronic tolling system during the pandemic but did not say it was done "temporarily"

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trafficandcommuting/people-are-driving-less-and-skipping-the-toll-roads-leaving-less-money-for-local-projects/2020/07/04/76e15ef2-ba0f-11ea-8cf5-9c1b8d7f84c6_story.html

The ongoing removal of the toll plazas at the Key Bridge and the Bay Bridge and the plans to remove the plaza at the Governor Nice Bridge strongly imply that the MDTA has permanently switched to all-electronic tolling. I suspect that the pandemic provided a convenient opportunity to implement a plan that the MDTA already had and was already intending to execute.

[famartin]

Drove by Watkins Mill today and noticed that the signs on I-270 distinctly suggest that its going to get a state route number. Any idea as to what?  The space on the signs left of the road name is identical to that on adjacent signs (which are similarly designed and have the "Route Number" (left) "Name" (right) format).

[cpzilliacus]

Drove by Watkins Mill today and noticed that the signs on I-270 distinctly suggest that its going to get a state route number. Any idea as to what?  The space on the signs left of the road name is identical to that on adjacent signs (which are similarly designed and have the "Route Number" (left) "Name" (right) format).

No inside information, but yes, those signs do look like there is an intent to put Watkins Mill Road under state maintenance, at least from MD-117 (Clopper Road) across I-270 to MD-355.  All of Watkins Mill is within the corporate limits of Gaithersburg (though not all of the interchange ramps), so presumably the agreement to transfer it to state maintenance is between the city and MDOT/SHA, with no Montgomery County involvement.

Looking at MDRoads, there are some possibilities in terms of available route numbers in the Montgomery County cluster of currently decommissioned route numbers.

114, 116, and 120 are all available.

[Alps]

Drove by Watkins Mill today and noticed that the signs on I-270 distinctly suggest that its going to get a state route number. Any idea as to what?  The space on the signs left of the road name is identical to that on adjacent signs (which are similarly designed and have the "Route Number" (left) "Name" (right) format).

No inside information, but yes, those signs do look like there is an intent to put Watkins Mill Road under state maintenance, at least from MD-117 (Clopper Road) across I-270 to MD-355.  All of Watkins Mill is within the corporate limits of Gaithersburg (though not all of the interchange ramps), so presumably the agreement to transfer it to state maintenance is between the city and MDOT/SHA, with no Montgomery County involvement.

Looking at MDRoads, there are some possibilities in terms of available route numbers in the Montgomery County cluster of currently decommissioned route numbers.

114, 116, 120 and 122 are all available.

I'm pretty sure 122 exists...

[cpzilliacus]

Drove by Watkins Mill today and noticed that the signs on I-270 distinctly suggest that its going to get a state route number. Any idea as to what?  The space on the signs left of the road name is identical to that on adjacent signs (which are similarly designed and have the "Route Number" (left) "Name" (right) format).

No inside information, but yes, those signs do look like there is an intent to put Watkins Mill Road under state maintenance, at least from MD-117 (Clopper Road) across I-270 to MD-355.  All of Watkins Mill is within the corporate limits of Gaithersburg (though not all of the interchange ramps), so presumably the agreement to transfer it to state maintenance is between the city and MDOT/SHA, with no Montgomery County involvement.

Looking at MDRoads, there are some possibilities in terms of available route numbers in the Montgomery County cluster of currently decommissioned route numbers.

114, 116, 120 and 122 are all available.

I'm pretty sure 122 exists...

You are correct.  I did not look outside Montgomery County for a 122, but yes, it is Security Boulevard in Baltimore County.  Have removed it from the list above.

[BrianP]

All of Watkins Mill is within the corporate limits of Gaithersburg (though not all of the interchange ramps), so presumably the agreement to transfer it to state maintenance is between the city and MDOT/SHA, with no Montgomery County involvement.

The county did contribute to the construction of parts of Watkins Mill Road that are adjacent to the interchange.
https://apps.montgomerycountymd.gov/BASISCAPITAL/Common/Project.aspx?ID=P500724

Here's the pertinent part:

The County will assume ownership and maintenance of the road, except that the City will be responsible for snow removal for a period of ten years or until such time as the road is turned over to SHA, whichever is less.

[cpzilliacus]

Not that this is big news, as it is not.

WTOP Radio:  Md. ranked No. 2 for busiest urban interstates; Beltway bottlenecks cited by truckers

[Tonytone]

I always assumed that the choice of New York as the control city for I-95 north is purely down to institutional inertia on the part of the MDTA, and I would expect to see signage changes at some point this decade now that the I-95/I-276 interchange is open.

I can remember a time when the "control city" on northbound I-95 in Maryland between White Marsh and the Delaware border was usually "N J Turnpike."  And that made some sense as long as I-95 was not completed between Philadelphia and Edison, N.J. (New Jersey Turnpike Exit 10).

Now with I-95 complete, IMO there should be mention of Wilmington, Philadelphia and New York.

N.J Turnpike was still displayed on I-95 signs on MD 279 until late 1994.

Crazy for MDDOT to sign 95 like this, I never understood why MD does this since you have multiple cities before NY. That's like being in Florida and having a sign for NC on I-95 North.

Yea that's where you're going if you are heading north, but they should have the next state on the current state your in BGS.

[dlsterner]

I always assumed that the choice of New York as the control city for I-95 north is purely down to institutional inertia on the part of the MDTA, and I would expect to see signage changes at some point this decade now that the I-95/I-276 interchange is open.

I can remember a time when the "control city" on northbound I-95 in Maryland between White Marsh and the Delaware border was usually "N J Turnpike."  And that made some sense as long as I-95 was not completed between Philadelphia and Edison, N.J. (New Jersey Turnpike Exit 10).

Now with I-95 complete, IMO there should be mention of Wilmington, Philadelphia and New York.

N.J Turnpike was still displayed on I-95 signs on MD 279 until late 1994.

Crazy for MDDOT to sign 95 like this, I need understood why MD does this since you have multiple cities before NY. That's like being in Florida and having a sign for NC for I-95 North.

Yea that's where you're going if you are heading north, but they should have the next state on the current state your in BGS.

To be fair, the picture above is an old one - the sign on MD 279 now says "New York" rather than "N.J. Turnpike".  Although I would have considered "Philadelphia" either before "New York", or instead of "New York".