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Author Topic: U.S. 301 Governor Harry W. Nice Memorial Bridge  (Read 99108 times)

jmacswimmer

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Re: U.S. 301 Governor Harry W. Nice Memorial Bridge
« Reply #250 on: July 29, 2020, 09:40:29 AM »

MDTA posted a short video on their twitter showing, among other things, early mobilization efforts by the contractor:

https://twitter.com/TheMDTA/status/1288444160052203522
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Plutonic Panda

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Re: U.S. 301 Governor Harry W. Nice Memorial Bridge
« Reply #251 on: May 05, 2021, 03:34:34 PM »

Update on this project from a very good publication BTW

Quote
Chesapeake Bay Magazine reported May 3 that a new six-knot speed limit is now being enforced for a half-nautical mile north and south of the new bridge, designed to connect southern Maryland and northeastern Virginia. It is methodically being built close to the existing bridge linking Charles County, Md., and King George County, Va.

Maryland transportation officials told the magazine that calm river waters are essential to keeping construction workers safe and operations on track.

In mid-February, construction crews began lifting and placing massive footing forms to build the new bridge's foundations. Weighing as much as 195 tons, the forms measure 30 ft. wide and up to 52 ft. long, according to engineers with the MDTA.

Read more here: https://www.constructionequipmentguide.com/marylands-nice-middleton-bridge-project-reaches-sensitive-work-stage/52081
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jmacswimmer

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"Now, what if da Bearss were to enter the Indianapolis 5-hunnert?"
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74/171FAN

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Re: U.S. 301 Governor Harry W. Nice Memorial Bridge
« Reply #253 on: November 29, 2021, 10:18:58 AM »

I drove through this project yesterday, and the construction of the bridge is flying certainly on the northern portion of the bridge.
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jmacswimmer

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Re: U.S. 301 Governor Harry W. Nice Memorial Bridge
« Reply #254 on: December 10, 2021, 11:52:33 AM »

Streetview on US 301 in the area has been updated with imagery from November, showing substantial progress as well.  Here's one example.
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BrianP

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Re: U.S. 301 Governor Harry W. Nice Memorial Bridge
« Reply #255 on: December 10, 2021, 02:40:13 PM »

Federal funding for Nice/Middleton Bridge in ”˜jeopardy’
Quote
A federal loan that Maryland was counting on to finance construction of the new Nice/Middleton Bridge is in “significant jeopardy,”  a top Maryland Transportation Authority
official said on Tuesday.
Quote
Garman said the holdup with the loan is related to bike and pedestrian safety concerns.

“They showed us one of our press releases when our board decided to not build a separate lane for pedestrians and bicycles,”  he said.
The loan, through the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) program, was slated to cover about a third of the cost of the new span.
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NJRoadfan

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Re: U.S. 301 Governor Harry W. Nice Memorial Bridge
« Reply #256 on: December 10, 2021, 03:05:10 PM »

Weren't the pedestrian and bike lane concerns brought up on this very thread? MdTA could have done this job correctly, but chose not to.
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DJStephens

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Re: U.S. 301 Governor Harry W. Nice Memorial Bridge
« Reply #257 on: December 11, 2021, 12:54:48 PM »

Sounds like a final Pete Rahn bungle/screw up before his retirement. 
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seicer

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Re: U.S. 301 Governor Harry W. Nice Memorial Bridge
« Reply #258 on: December 13, 2021, 09:18:25 AM »

Weren't the pedestrian and bike lane concerns brought up on this very thread? MdTA could have done this job correctly, but chose not to.

"“We are providing cycling accommodations on the Nice/Middleton Bridge,”  he said. “We’ve made considerable investments to that end.” "

That's bull****. What investments? Joints where tires don't get stuck in? Commonplace. "Intelligent" signage? What, "Share the Road" signs that light up?

sprjus4

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Re: U.S. 301 Governor Harry W. Nice Memorial Bridge
« Reply #259 on: December 13, 2021, 09:44:49 AM »

^ They didn’t even provide more than a 2 foot shoulder. There’s a lot of design flaws in the bridge, including bicycle / pedestrian accommodation along with basic safety features.
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vdeane

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Re: U.S. 301 Governor Harry W. Nice Memorial Bridge
« Reply #260 on: December 13, 2021, 12:58:25 PM »

^ They didn’t even provide more than a 2 foot shoulder. There’s a lot of design flaws in the bridge, including bicycle / pedestrian accommodation along with basic safety features.
It feels a lot more like a bridge from the 1940s or 1950s than something that would be built today.
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ixnay

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Re: U.S. 301 Governor Harry W. Nice Memorial Bridge
« Reply #261 on: December 25, 2021, 09:21:49 AM »

Will the Nice and Middleton names be transferred to the new bridge, or will a new name go on the new bridge?

If the former is true, I can envision a sign the MdTA can erect (at least on the Maryland approach where something doesn't have to be worked out with VA) ...

"A NICE-er BRIDGE IS COMING, MAC!"   :) :-/

Merry Christmas.
« Last Edit: January 01, 2022, 08:47:31 AM by ixnay »
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bluecountry

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Re: U.S. 301 Governor Harry W. Nice Memorial Bridge
« Reply #262 on: December 25, 2021, 08:04:38 PM »

^ They didn’t even provide more than a 2 foot shoulder. There’s a lot of design flaws in the bridge, including bicycle / pedestrian accommodation along with basic safety features.
It feels a lot more like a bridge from the 1940s or 1950s than something that would be built today.

Why?  It's got 4 lanes, shoulders, and bike accommodations.
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sprjus4

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Re: U.S. 301 Governor Harry W. Nice Memorial Bridge
« Reply #263 on: December 25, 2021, 08:40:58 PM »

^ They didn’t even provide more than a 2 foot shoulder. There’s a lot of design flaws in the bridge, including bicycle / pedestrian accommodation along with basic safety features.
It feels a lot more like a bridge from the 1940s or 1950s than something that would be built today.
Why?  It's got 4 lanes, shoulders, and bike accommodations.
What? A 2 ft shoulder is hardly anything of modern design, which would call for a minimum of 10 ft.

And there’s zero bicycle or pedestrian accommodations, a modern design would call for a barrier separated path from traffic.

The bridge will function effectively as a 65-70 mph freeway, it should be built as such.
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vdeane

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Re: U.S. 301 Governor Harry W. Nice Memorial Bridge
« Reply #264 on: December 25, 2021, 08:42:38 PM »

^ They didn’t even provide more than a 2 foot shoulder. There’s a lot of design flaws in the bridge, including bicycle / pedestrian accommodation along with basic safety features.
It feels a lot more like a bridge from the 1940s or 1950s than something that would be built today.

Why?  It's got 4 lanes, shoulders, and bike accommodations.
1. Lots of things built in the 40s or 50s had 4 lanes.
2. A 2' shoulder hardly qualifies.
3. The "bike accommodations" are a joke.  Glorified sharrows on a 55 mph road?  What were they thinking?
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seicer

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Re: U.S. 301 Governor Harry W. Nice Memorial Bridge
« Reply #265 on: December 25, 2021, 10:23:32 PM »

^ They didn’t even provide more than a 2 foot shoulder. There’s a lot of design flaws in the bridge, including bicycle / pedestrian accommodation along with basic safety features.
It feels a lot more like a bridge from the 1940s or 1950s than something that would be built today.

Why?  It's got 4 lanes, shoulders, and bike accommodations.

Four lanes (12') but 2' shoulders when modern design standards call for at least 4', but realistically, 10' would be better for a span of this length. Heaven forbid anyone break down - and then have to wait outside their vehicle on the narrow 2' shoulder.

And I love that they ask you call before crossing the bridge, yet their map shows it being prohibited. I wonder if their official maps will be updated to reflect the status change or if it will be status-quo. But as having crossed other bridges in Maryland with similar "accommodations" - the Harve De Grace Bridge being a similar example, it can be harrowing and death-defying with no alternatives around. The fact that they requested federal funds on the basis of providing shoulders/bike paths and then building something without it to save money is coming back to bite them.

epzik8

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Re: U.S. 301 Governor Harry W. Nice Memorial Bridge
« Reply #266 on: December 26, 2021, 09:30:51 AM »

^ They didn’t even provide more than a 2 foot shoulder. There’s a lot of design flaws in the bridge, including bicycle / pedestrian accommodation along with basic safety features.
It feels a lot more like a bridge from the 1940s or 1950s than something that would be built today.

Why?  It's got 4 lanes, shoulders, and bike accommodations.

Four lanes (12') but 2' shoulders when modern design standards call for at least 4', but realistically, 10' would be better for a span of this length. Heaven forbid anyone break down - and then have to wait outside their vehicle on the narrow 2' shoulder.

And I love that they ask you call before crossing the bridge, yet their map shows it being prohibited. I wonder if their official maps will be updated to reflect the status change or if it will be status-quo. But as having crossed other bridges in Maryland with similar "accommodations" - the Harve De Grace Bridge being a similar example, it can be harrowing and death-defying with no alternatives around. The fact that they requested federal funds on the basis of providing shoulders/bike paths and then building something without it to save money is coming back to bite them.
I love the Havre de Grace Bridge. I live just a few miles from that bridge.
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seicer

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Re: U.S. 301 Governor Harry W. Nice Memorial Bridge
« Reply #267 on: December 26, 2021, 10:47:46 AM »

I wonder if the outcome of this will be that the bridge operator will be required to provide transport/shuttle for cyclists and pedestrians.

chrisdiaz

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Re: U.S. 301 Governor Harry W. Nice Memorial Bridge
« Reply #268 on: January 05, 2022, 01:49:41 AM »

Throughout the day today I had been continually checking google maps traffic conditions at the bridge. At one point, there was a 5 mile long dark red traffic jam on the Virginia side heading north, presumably in an attempt to avoid the mess that was I-95. I'm glad that the new bridge is adding lanes because there needs to be more redundancy in Potomac River crossings outside the DC metro.

RoadPelican

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Re: U.S. 301 Governor Harry W. Nice Memorial Bridge
« Reply #269 on: January 06, 2022, 08:59:39 AM »

Throughout the day today I had been continually checking google maps traffic conditions at the bridge. At one point, there was a 5 mile long dark red traffic jam on the Virginia side heading north, presumably in an attempt to avoid the mess that was I-95. I'm glad that the new bridge is adding lanes because there needs to be more redundancy in Potomac River crossings outside the DC metro.

I remember about 15 years ago I was traveling north on I-95 on a Sunday afternoon in the Summer (big mistake!).  I got into congestion somewhere between Richmond and Fredericksburg on I-95 so I took VA Route 3 to US 301 and thought I had effectively bypassed the congestion but then I got into backup on US 301 right before the Potomac River (4 lanes merge into 2).  It was pretty long at least 2 miles, but 5 is pretty bad in the winter.  It shows you how much Northern VA and Southern MD has grown in 15 years.  A US 301 freeway upgrade would be GREAT!  But at least they are addressing that merge bottleneck.
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jmacswimmer

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Re: U.S. 301 Governor Harry W. Nice Memorial Bridge
« Reply #270 on: February 07, 2022, 09:31:49 AM »

Some photos I took yesterday morning at the Nice Bridge - looks mostly the same as the Nov/Dec 2021 streetview, but one major difference is the new toll gantry is now installed (but not active yet).






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Alex

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Re: U.S. 301 Governor Harry W. Nice Memorial Bridge
« Reply #271 on: February 07, 2022, 11:04:00 PM »

Some photos I took yesterday morning at the Nice Bridge - looks mostly the same as the Nov/Dec 2021 streetview, but one major difference is the new toll gantry is now installed (but not active yet).

Thanks for posting the update.

Would rather see your photos then defaulting to GSV and mindlessly panning around.  :thumbsup:

ixnay

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Re: U.S. 301 Governor Harry W. Nice Memorial Bridge
« Reply #272 on: February 08, 2022, 07:32:46 AM »

Any target date for the activation of the toll arch?
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jmacswimmer

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Re: U.S. 301 Governor Harry W. Nice Memorial Bridge
« Reply #273 on: February 08, 2022, 09:19:25 AM »

Any target date for the activation of the toll arch?

IIRC "Spring 2022" has been referenced in previous MDTA press releases & tweets, but I haven't seen anything more specific than that.

With the way toll lane 4 was closed off with barrels & a crash attenuator, I wonder if they'll begin removing that booth soon (presumably in order to then route traffic thru there once the gantry is activated).
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"Now, what if da Bearss were to enter the Indianapolis 5-hunnert?"
"How would they compete?"
"Let's say they rode together in a big buss."
"Is Ditka driving?"
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"DA BEARSSS BUSSSS"

jmacswimmer

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Re: U.S. 301 Governor Harry W. Nice Memorial Bridge
« Reply #274 on: March 08, 2022, 08:42:46 AM »

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"Now, what if da Bearss were to enter the Indianapolis 5-hunnert?"
"How would they compete?"
"Let's say they rode together in a big buss."
"Is Ditka driving?"
"Of course!"
"Then I like da Bear buss."
"DA BEARSSS BUSSSS"

 


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