Hello Everyone,
By now most of you know I have 2 central PA road meets in planning stages, one focusing on the first diverging diamond in central PA along with seeing one of the oldest railroad tunnels still active, they will be in York County and the other is focused on the construction of the Central Susquehanna Valley Transportation Project in the north central part of the state in Selinsgrove. Based on how far along the later of these 2 projects are going it looks like the CSVT road meet is going to be the first of these 2 meets being planned. I am eyeing up late April to early May 2018 for this one, this gives me plenty of time to scout the area on my York\ Harrisburg area visits with family\ friends\ toy shows and speaking of toy show I am aiming at putting this on a Saturday tied in with a toy show the next day or the next weekend or weekend before, this will help with planning vacation time for both Steph and I.
As always one big concern is snow since we had a surprise snow storm hit and even impact some of the attendees last April at my last central PA road meet so that is one reason why I am aiming at late April\ early May this time, my plan at this point is for us to meet for the usual 11am lunch at a local restaurant, probably along 11/15 in Hummels Wharf, several chain sitdown restaurants and local ones in that area and positions us to see most of the corridor starting with the stub end of the 522 interchange north to the Milton area where PA 147 meets I-180. Thanks to the drone fly over footage posted on the Northeast board this gives me a good tool to work with for scouting, there is a few local roads off 15 and 11 that should allow us to see the construction with minimal issues. My next trip to central PA is either mid August or late September and I plan on taking a day to travel to the area and do a good thorough scouting.
This is the long term announcement, just a matter of getting dates nailed down for polling, that will come later this fall. I am open to any and all suggestions especially those who live near that area. :nod:
I live in Harford County, Maryland, which borders York County to the south; is that close enough or does that disqualify me or something?
Quote from: epzik8 on May 15, 2017, 09:20:11 PM
I live in Harford County, Maryland, which borders York County to the south; is that close enough or does that disqualify me or something?
What do you mean exactly? Any one can attend.
The way US 522 ends is certainly odd. Is this project going to extend that route beyond the current stub end?
Quote from: hbelkins on May 16, 2017, 11:57:31 AM
The way US 522 ends is certainly odd. Is this project going to extend that route beyond the current stub end?
Yes it will, extend north from the current stub end with US 522, run west of the current 11-15, new interchange with PA 61 connecter, then cross over US 15 north of where US 11 splits,, new bridge across west branch Susquehanna river (being worked on right now) then tie into the PA 147 expressway south of I-80/ I-180 exit.
Quote from: jpi on May 16, 2017, 12:10:47 PM
Quote from: hbelkins on May 16, 2017, 11:57:31 AM
The way US 522 ends is certainly odd. Is this project going to extend that route beyond the current stub end?
Yes it will, extend north from the current stub end with US 522, run west of the current 11-15, new interchange with PA 61 connecter, then cross over US 15 north of where US 11 splits,, new bridge across west branch Susquehanna river (being worked on right now) then tie into the PA 147 expressway south of I-80/ I-180 exit.
I think he was asking whether the US 522 designation would be extended–is that what you were asking HB?
If so–no, 522 will end at the US 11-15 overpass as it does today. But perhaps surprisingly, this project will
not (as currently planned) result in US 15 being routed along the PA 147 and I-180 freeway. The proposed route designation plan is for US 11 to follow the old road through Shamokin Dam while US 15 is routed on the new freeway bypass. Then US 15 will exit the CSVT freeway and follow the old route through Lewisburg and over Bald Eagle Mountain to Williamsport. PA 147 will "fly solo" across the new Susquehanna River bridge and connect with I-180.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4192/34698428615_d862ea2b39_b.jpg)
But about a meet in this area–I'm definitely interested and will have no trouble making it since I'm essentially local now.
Thanks for the clarification and posting the map, been busy with work so I did not have time to find this map or any other map, like planning other road meets this is a "work in progress" but the end result will be a good and thorough tour of the area along with the fellow ship of everyone attending :biggrin:
As much as I have been looking forward to this meet and would LOVE to attend, I'm afraid I'm almost certainly have to pass given the timing. I have to drive to Florida for a wedding mid-May 2018, so I probably wouldn't be able to do any meet requiring overnight travel next spring (and this meet is just barely out of daytrip range), especially if I used this as an opportunity to drive to Key West.
This meet will be on my radar.
No, I was asking if the roadway would be extended, not the US 522 designation.
Quote from: vdeane on May 16, 2017, 07:31:23 PM
As much as I have been looking forward to this meet and would LOVE to attend, I'm afraid I'm almost certainly have to pass given the timing. I have to drive to Florida for a wedding mid-May 2018, so I probably wouldn't be able to do any meet requiring overnight travel next spring (and this meet is just barely out of daytrip range), especially if I used this as an opportunity to drive to Key West.
Sorry to hear this but at the same time if this is an opportunity to drive to Key West, I would definetly take it, it's on my personal bucket list for road trips too :bigass:
Quote from: jpi on May 16, 2017, 10:02:15 PM
Quote from: vdeane on May 16, 2017, 07:31:23 PM
As much as I have been looking forward to this meet and would LOVE to attend, I'm afraid I'm almost certainly have to pass given the timing. I have to drive to Florida for a wedding mid-May 2018, so I probably wouldn't be able to do any meet requiring overnight travel next spring (and this meet is just barely out of daytrip range), especially if I used this as an opportunity to drive to Key West.
Sorry to hear this but at the same time if this is an opportunity to drive to Key West, I would definetly take it, it's on my personal bucket list for road trips too :bigass:
Headed down there in August.
Quote from: Rothman on May 16, 2017, 10:06:07 PM
Quote from: jpi on May 16, 2017, 10:02:15 PM
Quote from: vdeane on May 16, 2017, 07:31:23 PM
As much as I have been looking forward to this meet and would LOVE to attend, I'm afraid I'm almost certainly have to pass given the timing. I have to drive to Florida for a wedding mid-May 2018, so I probably wouldn't be able to do any meet requiring overnight travel next spring (and this meet is just barely out of daytrip range), especially if I used this as an opportunity to drive to Key West.
Sorry to hear this but at the same time if this is an opportunity to drive to Key West, I would definetly take it, it's on my personal bucket list for road trips too :bigass:
Headed down there in August.
I know this is not directly related, but I really hope one day I can finally get those final 3 miles of I-95 south of I-395/FL 836 I did not get on a band trip to the Orange Bowl back in 2009.
That was actually my first VT game, which thankfully was a win because otherwise my first VT game would have been an embarrassing loss at Lane Stadium in 2010.
I still have not really gone significantly north or northwest of Harrisburg since I moved to PA (farthest north has been Millersburg, farthest northwest has been Newport) so we will see if I get that way before the meet.
Quote from: hbelkinsNo, I was asking if the roadway would be extended, not the US 522 designation.
It would help if we knew which specific road stub you were referring to. Given that the end of US 522 feeds directly into existing US 11/15 through Shamokin Dam, I'm not sure which roadway you're talking about.
Quote from: froggie on May 17, 2017, 07:30:07 AM
Quote from: hbelkinsNo, I was asking if the roadway would be extended, not the US 522 designation.
It would help if we knew which specific road stub you were referring to. Given that the end of US 522 feeds directly into existing US 11/15 through Shamokin Dam, I'm not sure which roadway you're talking about.
This. https://www.google.com/maps/@40.8195743,-76.8531562,2810m/data=!3m1!1e3
My memory was a bit foggy. It's obvious that US 522 ended at an old routing of US 11/15 and then was extended over that route to the current end. The stub would be a continuation of US 11/15.
I had also forgotten how traffic from northbound 11/15 accessed 522, or 522 traffic accessed southbound 11/15. It does so via a loop around a Sheetz. I'm sure Sheetz won't want to see that interchange at the end of 522 expanded.
Speaking of which, how are they going to avoid tearing down the motels in the northeast quadrant of the incomplete exit? Or will they keep that Sheetz loop-around and not have a ramp directly from extended 11/15 to southbound 522?
If you're referring to the stub roadways extending northwest from that interchange, yes that's where the CSVT will tie in (with some slight realignment of the end of the stubs).
Quote from: hbelkins on May 17, 2017, 11:09:51 AM
My memory was a bit foggy...
Speaking of which, how are they going to avoid tearing down the motels in the northeast quadrant of the incomplete exit?
The CSVT will extend the existing freeway from the current stub end–essentially picking up where the construction was halted in the '70s. There will be a slight realignment of the carriageways north of the US 11-15/US 522 overpass, but for all intents and purposes, it will look as if the new freeway picks up where the old one left off.
The interchange as well will be completed in much the same form as the existing grading suggests. The only addition will be a ramp from the current US 11-15 southbound onto the CSVT freeway headed north. This doesn't appear to impact the Comfort Inn or Holiday Inn Express in that NE quadrant. The plans do not appear to provide any improved access for US 11-15 northbound to US 522.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4171/34586706161_5e30a9a4b5_b.jpg)
Anyway we can get a closeup like this from the rest of the new alignment? Thanks for posting this.
I'll just leave this here: http://www.csvt.com/ (http://www.csvt.com/)
Quote from: jemacedo9 on May 17, 2017, 02:54:45 PM
I'll just leave this here: http://www.csvt.com/ (http://www.csvt.com/)
Thanks for posting the link! :biggrin:
Definitely a possibility for me, depends entirely on class schedule for next spring. Close enough that I'd hate to miss it.
This is a certainty for me, considering I LIVE in the Susquehanna Valley (I'm not exactly sure how you would define Franklin County though - maybe Appalachia?). Expect to see my dad and moà here, just a BIT older (I was 10 or 11 at the last meet).
Should note: I'd appreciate if it was a weekend (my dad is off). These areas are 1.5 to 2 hours away from me (which is a bit of a stretch). This also gives me a reason to visit Williamsport to see my dead cat's ashes.
Quote from: noelbotevera on May 21, 2017, 01:16:21 PM
Should note: I'd appreciate if it was a weekend (my dad is off). These areas are 1.5 to 2 hours away from me (which is a bit of a stretch). This also gives me a reason to visit Williamsport to see my dead cat's ashes.
I do not think I have ever seen a road meet happen on a weekday yet. :-D (I am not counting gatherings such as the one in upstate New York back in March.)
Quote from: 74/171FAN on May 21, 2017, 01:42:39 PM
I do not think I have ever seen a road meet happen on a weekday yet. :-D (I am not counting gatherings such as the one in upstate New York back in March.)
Some of the multi-day meets have involved Thursday and/or Friday events.
Quote from: hbelkins on May 21, 2017, 03:33:06 PM
Quote from: 74/171FAN on May 21, 2017, 01:42:39 PM
I do not think I have ever seen a road meet happen on a weekday yet. :-D (I am not counting gatherings such as the one in upstate New York back in March.)
Some of the multi-day meets have involved Thursday and/or Friday events.
I am sure of that, but were any of those events part of the main meet?
Quote from: 74/171FAN on May 21, 2017, 04:16:15 PM
Quote from: hbelkins on May 21, 2017, 03:33:06 PM
Quote from: 74/171FAN on May 21, 2017, 01:42:39 PM
I do not think I have ever seen a road meet happen on a weekday yet. :-D (I am not counting gatherings such as the one in upstate New York back in March.)
Some of the multi-day meets have involved Thursday and/or Friday events.
I am sure of that, but were any of those events part of the main meet?
The Tulsa meet was on a Monday.
Quote from: 74/171FANI am sure of that, but were any of those events part of the main meet?
Some Friday events have, yes.
Quote from: noelbotevera on May 21, 2017, 01:16:21 PM
This is a certainty for me, considering I LIVE in the Susquehanna Valley (I'm not exactly sure how you would define Franklin County though - maybe Appalachia?). Expect to see my dad and moà here, just a BIT older (I was 10 or 11 at the last meet).
Should note: I'd appreciate if it was a weekend (my dad is off). These areas are 1.5 to 2 hours away from me (which is a bit of a stretch). This also gives me a reason to visit Williamsport to see my dead cat's ashes.
Can't promise anything for that but chances are it will be one of 3 weekends toward the end of April\ 1st weekend of May 2018, I am going to schedule this around another event that I participate in with my other hobby, by around Christmas time I should have dates set and a poll for which dates would work out best for everyone, including me. :nod:
I'm definitely interested, and by then I should in theory be moved out of Manhattan and have my own vehicle, so I won't be dependent on a carpool to get to meets anymore.
The bulk of Dan Garnell's Indianapolis meet a few years ago was on Friday. Saturday was only a half-day.
Here is an updated link, looks like the final alignment will be picked this fall for the "southern" section, the northern section is well under way with construction
http://www.pennlive.com/news/2017/05/revised_thruway_location_in_sn.html
Also one restaurant I am considering for the meet is Hoss's Steak and Sea House in Shamokin Dam, it is half way between the end of the Selinsgrove by-pass and where the new alignment will cross US 15 north of the US 11 split, it is a regional chain mostly in Pennsylvania and has a meeting room that could accomadate us if we have the same # of attendees as my meet last year. Also after lunch we can drive to the Susquehanna Valley Mall and park vehicles there, I plan on having a mini van (rental with stow and go seating) that will help with car pooling.
I am thinking we check out what will be the southern alignment at different vantage points then move on to the northern alignment and it's vantage points. I am thinking the tour may not be much longer then what Brandon had with his meet this past weekend, one possible "add on" I am thinking is a drive up US 15 (future I-99) to the Corning, NY area, this would add roughly 3 hours to the tour but again I am open for any and all suggestions. :nod:
Hi everyone,
It has been a while since I posted any updates on this, I am going to be in central PA (Harrisburg\ York area) the last week of this month for the annual Hershey toy show, I will also be taking a day and scouting in the area of this construction project for some vantage points and to see how the progress is coming along. Also I plan on checking out the new US 322\ PA 144 interchange construction near Center Hall, I am thinking of tying these 2 together in the same meet, they are roughly 40 miles apart from each other. Any feedback would be great, will keep you all posted.
I'd suggest 322/144 as an optional post-meet item instead of part of the same meet.
Quote from: jpi on September 13, 2017, 11:24:14 AM
Hi everyone,
It has been a while since I posted any updates on this, I am going to be in central PA (Harrisburg\ York area) the last week of this month for the annual Hershey toy show, I will also be taking a day and scouting in the area of this construction project for some vantage points and to see how the progress is coming along. Also I plan on checking out the new US 322\ PA 144 interchange construction near Center Hall, I am thinking of tying these 2 together in the same meet, they are roughly 40 miles apart from each other. Any feedback would be great, will keep you all posted.
Are there things to see between the two sites? 40 miles each way has definitely been done before at several meets, but if both directions are just driving, it's not worth it. If at least one direction has some diversions, go for it.
I've deliberately decided to wait for updates, or else I'd ask earlier. Is it still planned for a weekend in April or May, or has anything changed in the following months?
Also, is any sort of itinerary planned? I'm indifferent if it's some sort of rough draft or unpolished version.
Quote from: Alps on September 13, 2017, 08:13:28 PM
Quote from: jpi on September 13, 2017, 11:24:14 AM
Hi everyone,
It has been a while since I posted any updates on this, I am going to be in central PA (Harrisburg\ York area) the last week of this month for the annual Hershey toy show, I will also be taking a day and scouting in the area of this construction project for some vantage points and to see how the progress is coming along. Also I plan on checking out the new US 322\ PA 144 interchange construction near Center Hall, I am thinking of tying these 2 together in the same meet, they are roughly 40 miles apart from each other. Any feedback would be great, will keep you all posted.
Are there things to see between the two sites? 40 miles each way has definitely been done before at several meets, but if both directions are just driving, it's not worth it. If at least one direction has some diversions, go for it.
It's rural PA. There almost certainly is stuff to check out in the middle. And yeah, I'd definitely be down for it (being as I'd probably check it out on my own if it's not part of the meet).
Quote from: noelbotevera on September 13, 2017, 08:39:54 PM
I've deliberately decided to wait for updates, or else I'd ask earlier. Is it still planned for a weekend in April or May, or has anything changed in the following months?
Also, is any sort of itinerary planned? I'm indifferent if it's some sort of rough draft or unpolished version.
Yes this is still planned for a weekend in either April to very early May, I am trying to tie this in with one of the toy shows I do in the region to help minimize my vacation time, as for itinerary once I am done with the scouting I plan on doing in 2 weeks then I will have a pretty good idea for a "rough draft" keep in mind this meet is several months out and I have at least 2 more PA visits planned between 9/30 and April to shore up those plans.
Quote from: cl94 on September 13, 2017, 08:54:52 PM
Quote from: Alps on September 13, 2017, 08:13:28 PM
Quote from: jpi on September 13, 2017, 11:24:14 AM
Hi everyone,
It has been a while since I posted any updates on this, I am going to be in central PA (Harrisburg\ York area) the last week of this month for the annual Hershey toy show, I will also be taking a day and scouting in the area of this construction project for some vantage points and to see how the progress is coming along. Also I plan on checking out the new US 322\ PA 144 interchange construction near Center Hall, I am thinking of tying these 2 together in the same meet, they are roughly 40 miles apart from each other. Any feedback would be great, will keep you all posted.
Are there things to see between the two sites? 40 miles each way has definitely been done before at several meets, but if both directions are just driving, it's not worth it. If at least one direction has some diversions, go for it.
It's rural PA. There almost certainly is stuff to check out in the middle. And yeah, I'd definitely be down for it (being as I'd probably check it out on my own if it's not part of the meet).
Agreed, there may be a covered bridge or 2 since there is some amish in this part of PA, my plan is to either drive along PA 45or even run I-80 to I-99 to PA 144 south and over Nitany Mountain so again thanks for the feedback guys, keep it coming! :nod:
Interested. By then, I should in theory own a car, so transportation logistics will be much less of an issue for me.
Interested. By then my financial situation ought to have improved considerably.
Quote from: hbelkins on May 22, 2017, 01:38:13 PM
The bulk of Dan Garnell's Indianapolis meet a few years ago was on Friday. Saturday was only a half-day.
It's hard to believe that was eight years ago already!
As long as it doesn't fall on a weekend that I'm either away or have other plans/commitments; I'm interested in attending. Depending on the exact location of this meet; I'm about 1-1/2 to 2 hours away.
I'm interested in this meet, moreso than the Harrisburg/York one.
I'd keep the US 322/PA 144 interchange as optional rather than part of the core meet. There's not much going on along US 522 and PA 45 between the US 15 corridor and the US 322 corridor, so it'd be a bit of driving just to see the interchange. You could theoretically wrap in Lewistown with the 522 bypass, freeway at-grade railroad crossing, and Charles Street connector ramp if you wanted to expand but that stuff has been open for years/decades so I'm not sure how much interest it would have.
Today my nephew and I ventured up to the Shamokin Dam area and scouted out the construction, lots of earth moved and several bridge piers are in place for the West Branch Susquehanna River bridge, we checked out area near the US 15 side and the PA 147 side along with some great vantage points at a state park with awesome overlooks of Sunbury and Northumberland. At one vantage point you can make out the construction on the PA 147 side. I have taken several pics of the construction and will post on facebook in the next week.
From there we headed west on PA 192 from Lewisburg to Center Hall and south on PA 144 to US 322. No construction in Potters Mill proper but there is construction with the new "local" interchange and a rebuild of the east bound carriage way of the current 4-lane 322 on the north side of Seven Mountains. Also discovered an old abandoned rail road bridge in Lewisburg that I may incorporate into this meet.
So overall I think I will postpone the 322 part of this meet for another time but really focus on the Central Susquehanna Valley Expressway section and maybe wrap up in downtown Williamsport. It was a nice unusually warm late September day so my pics came out good and again the area is heavy with construction activity so by the end of April there should be some good progress. :nod: Agan stay tuned for more updates! :sombrero:
Here is a link for the official announcement and to vote on which date in late April is best for the meet.
https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=21795.0