New York

[Buffaboy]

NY 198 is 30 east of Grant St. Basically the entire thing. Some people are going 30, others 60, so it's very unsafe. Nowhere for a cop to sit, either, so it's the wild west out there. I expect accidents to skyrocket.

Pardon the expression, but do you know what's even more retarded? There are people who insist that they have a DOT planner in their head, saying "the 198 just serves to shave a couple of minutes off of the crosstown commute. They should just rip it up." Where are the traffic counts to back up such a bold statement?

My heart aches for both the boy that was killed and his family. His sister will be scarred for life and we can't imagine the pain they will have to go through. Nobody wants their child to go before them.

At the same time, we have to protect the interests of both pedestrians and commuters, or should I just say law-abiding motor vehicle operators.

[cl94]

If anything, just read the study. Bad things will happen. My bosses don't like how it was done and neither do I. I fully expect the parallel roadways to be much worse and accidents to increase. Part of me is actually hoping for a bunch of accidents caused by the speed differentials to shut people up.

[ARMOURERERIC]

In my late teens I was hanging out in that part of Buffalo and used to ask why 198 was not at least below grade through the park?  Locals always told me that had been the plan but they ran into a high water table aquifer that would have required continuous pumping.  Is that true?

[cl94]

In my late teens I was hanging out in that part of Buffalo and used to ask why 198 was not at least below grade through the park?  Locals always told me that had been the plan but they ran into a high water table aquifer that would have required continuous pumping.  Is that true?

Wouldn't shock me. Light rail has major water problems in the area.

[Snappyjack]

Meanwhile, when a road is dangerously over capacity for the amount of space there is(geographic/physical limitations not withstanding), and major accidents are a common occurrence(US 4/NY 149 to VT come to mind), nothing is done. Not to take away from this tragedy, it is a sad thing that happened for sure. You have to look at the flip side as well.

[Roadgeek Adam]

Meanwhile, when a road is dangerously over capacity for the amount of space there is(geographic/physical limitations not withstanding), and major accidents are a common occurrence(US 4/NY 149 to VT come to mind), nothing is done. Not to take away from this tragedy, it is a sad thing that happened for sure. You have to look at the flip side as well.

I found the news on the 198 last night on WKBW (ABC 7) in Buffalo because I am staying with my parents. Unfortunately, I argue a guard rail could've prevented this accident. There's absolutely no need to reduce the 198 to 30 mph and while this might sound outrageous, I wouldn't mind numerous accidents just to prove to the state that a guard rail was sufficient years ago!

I've biked on the ring road these kids were killed on in Delaware Park. A guard rail would've saved their lives.

[vdeane]

There have been rumors that King Cuomo II is just as interested in low speed limits as his father was.  In fact, after his election there were even conspiracy theories that the speed limit on ALL roads in the state (including rural interstates) would be reduced to 50.

In any case, guiderail isn't sexy, and Cuomo loves publicity.  Why else would he require his office to announce EVERYTHING, even the most mundane, day to day things?  I'm surprised we haven't seen things like "Governor Cuomo announces that your lunch break begins right now".

It's possible that he's trying to make some kind of point about freeway teardowns.  Our new commissioner is the former mayor of Syracuse, and there's been some speculation that this might affect any urban freeway that is under study for removal.

[PHLBOS]

As mentioned in the Speed Limit thread regarding Maryland's recent gubernatorial election (which had a completely different outcome and result than for NYS); elections do have consequences.

[Dougtone]

Billu Joel is getting part of NY 107 in Nassau County named after him.

http://m.nydailynews.com/entertainment/music/pols-vote-rename-part-n-y-highway-billy-joel-article-1.2242177

[Buffaboy]

Billu Joel is getting part of NY 107 in Nassau County named after him.

http://m.nydailynews.com/entertainment/music/pols-vote-rename-part-n-y-highway-billy-joel-article-1.2242177

He is in a New York State of Mind... haha.

Also, could you imagine this being the new NY 198? People actually like this idea, but they just don't get it.

What I want:

30 mph posted speed limit.
One lane in each direction.
Bike lanes in each direction.
Parallel parking on the street, to alleviate parking pressure in the park itself and the frequent illegal parking on the grass along Nottingham.
Sidewalks and pedestrian-scaled streetlights (not highway standards) to really drive home that this is a slow parkway through the park, and NOT meant as a through road connecting 33 and 190.
Build the park right up to the new road so it really feels like the park surrounds the street, rather than being divided by it.

I can take or leave the roundabouts and medians.

iPhone

[hotdogPi]

What I want:

30 mph posted speed limit.
One lane in each direction.
Bike lanes in each direction.
Parallel parking on the street, to alleviate parking pressure in the park itself and the frequent illegal parking on the grass along Nottingham.
Sidewalks and pedestrian-scaled streetlights (not highway standards) to really drive home that this is a slow parkway through the park, and NOT meant as a through road connecting 33 and 190.
Build the park right up to the new road so it really feels like the park surrounds the street, rather than being divided by it.

I can take or leave the roundabouts and medians.

Therefore, no car lanes in either direction.

[vdeane]

Where do those people want the traffic to go?  I doubt they're interested in the state demolishing homes and spending a ton of money it doesn't have to built another freeway around the park.

[Buffaboy]

I don't know, but I think it's unfortunate that it takes a deadly accident to act as the match that lights the tinderbox for a road diet.

One thing I do know is that the 198 will look weird transitioning from Main St. and east of Grant St., from a 4 lane elevated expressway interchange to a 2 lane street.

[cl94]

Region 5 has eliminated any alternative containing fewer than four lanes. Less than 4 and the model shows that most of the surrounding streets are at LOS F. I saw the model myself. It isn't pretty. Imagine the George Washington Bridge on a weekday morning if a deck was closed and that's kind of what it looked like. Traffic much worse than anything you'd ever see in Buffalo.

These people might want 2 lanes, but I'd expect hell to freeze over before Region 5 builds it and the money has to come from somewhere.

[Buffaboy]

Region 5 has eliminated any alternative containing fewer than four lanes. Less than 4 and the model shows that most of the surrounding streets are at LOS F. I saw the model myself. It isn't pretty. Imagine the George Washington Bridge on a weekday morning if a deck was closed and that's kind of what it looked like. Traffic much worse than anything you'd ever see in Buffalo.

These people might want 2 lanes, but I'd expect hell to freeze over before Region 5 builds it and the money has to come from somewhere.

I haven't studied highway capacity yet, but I can imagine that if the 198 looks jammed have the time at 50 MPH and 4 lanes, it would be backed up to Fillmore during rush hour with 2 lanes at 30 MPH.


iPhone

[froggie]

How much of a traffic reduction are they modeling with the reduction to 2 lanes?

[cpzilliacus]

N.Y. Post: Suit calls out car service pocketing E-ZPass discounts

A city resident wants to slam the brakes on car services that charge passengers the full toll for bridges and tunnels – even though their drivers get E-ZPass discounts.

Ralph Gemelli, a retired criminal investigator for the state Department of Taxation and Finance, says in a Manhattan lawsuit that he hired Carmel Car and Limousine Service four times between October and March.

On each trip, the Queens man noticed his driver using a windshield-mounted E-ZPass device to pay the toll, the suit says.

But when Gemelli received an itemized bill for the trips, he discovered that he had been charged the full toll price.

[machias]

It looks like the Utica area is getting the "Highway Info" signs along some of the expressways over the next couple of weeks.  I noticed that NY 49 EB between NY 291 and Cavanaugh Rd, NY 840 EB between NY 5A and NY 5/8/12 and a couple of other places now have empty sign posts near some ground work that looks like electrical work was done. The mounts are definitely not for VMSes but they look to be the right size for the Highway Info signs, like as found on the Thruway. I haven't found any plans online but when the installations are complete I'll snap a photo.

I'm curious if they'll be "Highway Info" / "Traffic Advisory When Flashing" or "Urgent Message When Flashing", as I've seen both variations in the Empire State.

[Buffaboy]

It looks like the Utica area is getting the "Highway Info" signs along some of the expressways over the next couple of weeks.  I noticed that NY 49 EB between NY 291 and Cavanaugh Rd, NY 840 EB between NY 5A and NY 5/8/12 and a couple of other places now have empty sign posts near some ground work that looks like electrical work was done. The mounts are definitely not for VMSes but they look to be the right size for the Highway Info signs, like as found on the Thruway. I haven't found any plans online but when the installations are complete I'll snap a photo.

I'm curious if they'll be "Highway Info" / "Traffic Advisory When Flashing" or "Urgent Message When Flashing", as I've seen both variations in the Empire State.

Do you mean electronic billboards or flashers (e.g. Tune to 1610 AM)?

Also, how is the Arterial doing?

[machias]

It looks like the Utica area is getting the "Highway Info" signs along some of the expressways over the next couple of weeks.  I noticed that NY 49 EB between NY 291 and Cavanaugh Rd, NY 840 EB between NY 5A and NY 5/8/12 and a couple of other places now have empty sign posts near some ground work that looks like electrical work was done. The mounts are definitely not for VMSes but they look to be the right size for the Highway Info signs, like as found on the Thruway. I haven't found any plans online but when the installations are complete I'll snap a photo.

I'm curious if they'll be "Highway Info" / "Traffic Advisory When Flashing" or "Urgent Message When Flashing", as I've seen both variations in the Empire State.

Do you mean electronic billboards or flashers (e.g. Tune to 1610 AM)?

Also, how is the Arterial doing?

I believe they'll be the flasher type (tune to 540 AM) and probably be in conjunction with the Thruway system, if my suspicions are right.

Work continues on the Court Street bridge approaches on the Arterial. Cement has been poured on the span over NY 5A/5S (Oriskany St).  The northbound lanes leading up to the Court Street bridge are being poured as well, with current traffic NB reduced to one lane between Noyes and the old Warren Street intersection.

NYSDOT originally required the Court Street/Arterial at-grade intersection to be re-opened during the July 4th and Boilermaker Road race weekends, but they have since changed their minds and they no longer require the contractor to do that.  There was also an article in the newspaper (http://www.uticaod.com/article/20150524/NEWS/150529643/11669/NEWS) about the fact that the City of Utica is going to have a hard time maintaining the pedestrian bridge landscaping and snow removal when the state turns it over at the end of the construction project.

[Buffaboy]

I read about the inability of the City to pay for the landscaping, I thought they just had their credit rating improved? Certainly you would think that could attract businesses to the city.


iPhone

[Buffaboy]

Bridge replacement project on I-290 at NY 265/384 is making progress. Exit 1 (NY 384) has been converted to a partial diamond for the duration of construction and no entrance is provided to WB I-290, requiring a 10 minute detour to access I-190 from NY 384. 4 lanes total through the site. NYSDOT borrowed something I've only seen in Ohio- instead of running all lanes over one span or building a temporary span to keep all lanes together, one EB lane runs contraflow through the site and the other runs on the EB side.

Needless to say, the area is quite a mess right now and US 62 and NY 384 are clogged as a result. If you're going to Niagara Falls and don't want to get stuck in it, I'd recommend using I-190 or NY 33 and NY 198 to bypass it.

I wasted a shytton of gas today taking care of some errands up north and came across this construction. Is the bridge slated to be 8 lanes or still 6?

[Buffaboy]

More 198 stuff...

Traffic lights, crosswalks and speed bumps will be installed along the Scajaquada Expressway/Route 198 in the next few months, with the ultimate goal of turning its full length into a parkway.

Assemblyman Sean Ryan outlined those plans during a news conference Thursday near the pedestrian overpass of Route 198.

Since the death of three-year-old Maksym Sugorovskiy Saturday when he was hit by a car that veered off the expressway and into Delaware Park, Ryan has led the charge to implement long-talked-about changes along the road.

"One thing we know for sure: 30 miles an hour will be the speed limit,"  Ryan said.

The day after the fatal incident, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo directed state Transportation Commissioner Joan McDonald to immediately lower the speed limit, from 50 to 30 mph, and install "park-appropriate"  guard rails where the expressway passes through the park.

Though numerous signs and message boards alerting motorists to the new speed limit also were installed, many vehicles still exceed that limit, according to roadside signs that record oncoming vehicle speed.

http://www.buffalonews.com/city-region/scajaquada-to-become-parkway-with-crosswalks-and-speed-bumps-ryan-says-20150604

[Mergingtraffic]

More 198 stuff...

http://www.buffalonews.com/city-region/scajaquada-to-become-parkway-with-crosswalks-and-speed-bumps-ryan-says-20150604

I know it's tragic when someone gets killed but why is there so much "action" to reduce the express of the expressway?!  Or are they using this incident to finally get what they want?  Politicians are jumping in and if they don't revolt the highway they'd be considered not politically correct. 

So if a train or bicyclist ran off and struck somebody would they want to reduce the bike lane or train track?!

Usually it's driver error that causes this and not the road itself.  In CT, a passing zone was removed b/c somebody was drunk and weaving in/out of traffic and killed a child.  It was tragic but it's the driver and not the passing zone that was the problem.

[cl94]

They're trying to buy votes. District is very wealthy and they want the traffic to be routed through poor neighborhoods. That's what it boils down to. people in that neighborhood want it gone and everyone else wants it to stay, but money talks.