New York

[roadman65]

What is the official name for I-290.  I have two maps that show two completely different names, even though Youngman is used on both.

My old Exxon Map shows it as "Youngman Memorial Highway" and my Rand McNally shows it as the "Youngman Expressway."  Which one of them is the official name?

[cl94]

What is the official name for I-290.  I have two maps that show two completely different names, even though Youngman is used on both.

My old Exxon Map shows it as "Youngman Memorial Highway" and my Rand McNally shows it as the "Youngman Expressway."  Which one of them is the official name?

Officially, "Youngmann Memorial Highway", yet in the increasingly rare case it is referred to by name, people use the latter.

[machias]

So I took a look at what was going on with the closed ramp from NY 8/12 NB to NY 49 WB/I-790/NY 5 EB in Utica.  As reported in the Utica OD, apparently three sign gantries didn't pass inspection due to cracks in the structures and had to come down immediately.  They are:

1.  At the ramp split for NY 49 WB and I-790/NY 5 EB
2.  Following ramp for NY 49 WB, first gantry indicating NY 49 WEST Rome / River Rd EAST NEXT RIGHT
3.  After the pedestrian bridge over the same ramp, indicating lanes for NY 49 WEST ROME / River Rd EAST (down arrow).

The signs on the second and third gantry were still button copy and original to the construction of the ramp in '88 or '89. The first gantry is the same age but the signs were replaced around '08 or so.

The River Rd button copy signs have been ground mounted on the right side of the ramp, crews were in the process of installing standalone markers with up arrows to the left for NY 49 WB on the left side of the ramp.  When I drove through, one River Rd button copy sign still had the down arrow showing even though it's now a ground mounted sign.

The River Rd gantries have been completely removed, including the supporting posts. 

Crews are still working on the first gantry at the ramp split for 49/790/5. The supporting posts are still up (they have extraneous markers on them for ramp speed, SUNY POLY (which shouldn't be there) and a Thruway trailblazer (which shouldn't be there either).  There's not enough room on the supporting posts for the number of route markers they'll have to install there while keeping the other signs, so I'll be curious to see how their makeshift information installation goes.  There's quite a few folks working on the crews in the pouring rain so I'm guessing they want to get the ramp open by the end of the day.

It remains to be seen how long it will take for NYSDOT R2 to replace the gantries properly, if I were a betting man I'd guess at least a year and probably not until spring '17.

[Sam]

What is the official name for I-290.  I have two maps that show two completely different names, even though Youngman is used on both.

My old Exxon Map shows it as "Youngman Memorial Highway" and my Rand McNally shows it as the "Youngman Expressway."  Which one of them is the official name?

Officially, "Youngmann Memorial Highway", yet in the increasingly rare case it is referred to by name, people use the latter.

When I lived in Buffalo about a million years ago, there was a sign on the east end that said "Elmer G. H. Youngmann Memorial Highway." My parents are the only people I ever heard call it "the Youngmann" and not "the 290".

[machias]

Temporary signs are up in Utica for the gantries that were removed and I only mention this again because as of tonight, officially:

Interstate 790 has its first ground mounted route marker actually on the route in over 25 years.  It has a black-on-white EAST banner to go with it, but hey, it's a start.

It's on the post that used to hold the overhead signs for the ramp split 49 WEST/790 & 5 EAST.

[route17fan]

Interstate 790 has its first ground mounted route marker actually on the route in over 25 years.  It has a black-on-white EAST banner to go with it, but hey, it's a start.

That is phenomenal!

[Buffaboy]

Temporary signs are up in Utica for the gantries that were removed and I only mention this again because as of tonight, officially:

Interstate 790 has its first ground mounted route marker actually on the route in over 25 years.  It has a black-on-white EAST banner to go with it, but hey, it's a start.

It's on the post that used to hold the overhead signs for the ramp split 49 WEST/790 & 5 EAST.

Do you have a picture?

[Mergingtraffic]

I drove by NY-17 on I-84 and was surprised to see some of the I-86 shields now showing.  I'm not sure if they fell off or the DOT took them down.  However, some are still covered up.  Also, a check of the DOT site says the section from I-84 westward is "designated to become I-86." according to their map. 
https://www.dot.ny.gov/regional-offices/multi/i-86/repository/11BDEE3265DB006AE0530A3DFC05006A

A lot of road work at I-84 is now finished. I didn't actually get off the exit tho.

Today EB:



Photo EB taken last winter but the I-86 shield IS STILL covered up today.

[shadyjay]

Still confused by this... isn't I-86 supposed to (eventually) extend east of I-84 to the Thruway, and eventually replace NY 17?  If so, why bother with the dual "I-86 West NY 17 West" signage?  Just a slap of an I-86 shield alongside the NY 17 shield, or just replace the NY 17 with I-86 when the redesignation time comes. 

Or maybe, at the rate the I-86 signing/upgrading is progressing, the I-84 signs will be due for replacement when I-86 makes it from I-84 to the Thruway!

[cl94]

Still confused by this... isn't I-86 supposed to (eventually) extend east of I-84 to the Thruway, and eventually replace NY 17?  If so, why bother with the dual "I-86 West NY 17 West" signage?  Just a slap of an I-86 shield alongside the NY 17 shield, or just replace the NY 17 with I-86 when the redesignation time comes. 

Or maybe, at the rate the I-86 signing/upgrading is progressing, the I-84 signs will be due for replacement when I-86 makes it from I-84 to the Thruway!

The latter is likely. The remaining stages have been dropped from the plan due to lack of funds. As far as operations are concerned, the most important stuff is done or is under construction. No signalized intersections remain.

I will note that the one remaining at-grade section is the busiest segment between NY 79 and the formerly infamous Exit 98 if using AADT as the metric.

[NYhwyfan]

What is the official name for I-290.  I have two maps that show two completely different names, even though Youngman is used on both.

My old Exxon Map shows it as "Youngman Memorial Highway" and my Rand McNally shows it as the "Youngman Expressway."  Which one of them is the official name?

Officially, "Youngmann Memorial Highway", yet in the increasingly rare case it is referred to by name, people use the latter.

When I lived in Buffalo about a million years ago, there was a sign on the east end that said "Elmer G. H. Youngmann Memorial Highway." My parents are the only people I ever heard call it "the Youngmann" and not "the 290".

Most people I know, including myself, call I-290 either "The Youngmann" or "The 290."

[Buffaboy]

What is the official name for I-290.  I have two maps that show two completely different names, even though Youngman is used on both.

My old Exxon Map shows it as "Youngman Memorial Highway" and my Rand McNally shows it as the "Youngman Expressway."  Which one of them is the official name?

Officially, "Youngmann Memorial Highway", yet in the increasingly rare case it is referred to by name, people use the latter.

When I lived in Buffalo about a million years ago, there was a sign on the east end that said "Elmer G. H. Youngmann Memorial Highway." My parents are the only people I ever heard call it "the Youngmann" and not "the 290".

Most people I know, including myself, call I-290 either "The Youngmann" or "The 290."

I don't know where, but I saw somewhere in the news today they called it "The Youngmann." Me and my family have always called it the 290, and the Scajacquada the 198, and NY 5 south of Buffalo "the Skyway," or "Route 5."

One restaurant capitalized on the "Rt 5" moniker, called Root Five in Hamburg. The food was good, but it's since switched hands and changed names.

[Buffaboy]

How many lanes can fit under here?



Also, is a pier going underneath or no?

[cl94]

No pier. Single span. I'm thinking 5 lanes if they tried hard enough. An Exit 50 reconfiguration is at least a decade out, but they're planning ahead.

[ixnay]

What is the official name for I-290.  I have two maps that show two completely different names, even though Youngman is used on both.

My old Exxon Map shows it as "Youngman Memorial Highway" and my Rand McNally shows it as the "Youngman Expressway."  Which one of them is the official name?

Officially, "Youngmann Memorial Highway", yet in the increasingly rare case it is referred to by name, people use the latter.

When I lived in Buffalo about a million years ago, there was a sign on the east end that said "Elmer G. H. Youngmann Memorial Highway." My parents are the only people I ever heard call it "the Youngmann" and not "the 290".

Most people I know, including myself, call I-290 either "The Youngmann" or "The 290."

I don't know where, but I saw somewhere in the news today they called it "The Youngmann." Me and my family have always called it the 290, and the Scajacquada the 198, and NY 5 south of Buffalo "the Skyway," or "Route 5."

One restaurant capitalized on the "Rt 5" moniker, called Root Five in Hamburg. The food was good, but it's since switched hands and changed names.

Is it still a restaurant?  What's its current name?  Or does the building still stand at least.  I want to look it up on Google Maps/GSV.

ixnay

[Buffaboy]

It's now called "The Public House on the Lake," and it's still open. Good views of the lake and what I would call decent food.

[Buffaboy]

Interesting article about NYC's $8bn MTA deal http://www.buffalonews.com/city-region/state/will-upstate-roads-get-parity-with-mtas-8-billion-20151017

[cl94]

Interesting article about NYC's $8bn MTA deal http://www.buffalonews.com/city-region/state/will-upstate-roads-get-parity-with-mtas-8-billion-20151017

Sounds like a typical Buffalo person who hates downstate. Honestly, the MTA has been getting shorted for quite a while. Thanks to Joe Bruno, Upstate got a lot of money it probably didn't deserve during the 90s and early 2000s. The $8B doesn't even cover the entire amount they were shorted by the state earlier this year. If the MTA can't run, NYC dies and if NYC dies, the state dies. Simple as that. Buffalo is getting plenty of money in the form of the Buffalo Billion. If you go on a per-person basis, the Buffalo Billion is more than what the MTA is getting, as the MTA service area covers at least 12-13 million people in New York and a good portion of Connecticut.

[ixnay]

It's now called "The Public House on the Lake," and it's still open. Good views of the lake and what I would call decent food.

The GSV picture was taken in October 2013 before the renaming (I thought it'd been sold earlier than that).  The Root Five logo was pretty cool (a fish shaped like a 5).  Although if a deal could've been worked out with Peanuts Worldwide they could've used the crewcut, seldom seen (since the '60s) character "5".  (I hope Charles Schulz is smiling at that somewhere - after all, it's a pun, Charlie Brown!)

ixnay

[Buffaboy]

Interesting article about NYC's $8bn MTA deal http://www.buffalonews.com/city-region/state/will-upstate-roads-get-parity-with-mtas-8-billion-20151017

Sounds like a typical Buffalo person who hates downstate. Honestly, the MTA has been getting shorted for quite a while. Thanks to Joe Bruno, Upstate got a lot of money it probably didn't deserve during the 90s and early 2000s. The $8B doesn't even cover the entire amount they were shorted by the state earlier this year. If the MTA can't run, NYC dies and if NYC dies, the state dies. Simple as that. Buffalo is getting plenty of money in the form of the Buffalo Billion. If you go on a per-person basis, the Buffalo Billion is more than what the MTA is getting, as the MTA service area covers at least 12-13 million people in New York and a good portion of Connecticut.

Of major metropolitan areas, Buffalo has among the better road conditions, TRIP said. About 12 percent of the Buffalo area's roads are in poor condition, compared with 43 percent in New York City, 28 percent in Syracuse and 21 percent in Rochester.

When I read this, I said well there you go. A city with 11-13M people with 43% poor roads has wayyy more infrastructure needs than a city of 251K, or combined upstate region of likely under 5M.

The author is likely a member of the "secession" party.

[Rothman]

Interesting article about NYC's $8bn MTA deal http://www.buffalonews.com/city-region/state/will-upstate-roads-get-parity-with-mtas-8-billion-20151017

I think it's safe to say that NYSDOT has never had parity with MTA's budget.  NYSDOT goes through this exercise every time MTA's budget is discussed, where NYSDOT proves that it could use up just as much money as the MTA.  It never works out.

(personal opinion emphasized)

[vdeane]

I'm wondering where that money is going to come from.  It's not just going to poof into thin air, and this governor will NOT raise taxes or cut his pet projects (ex: Taste NY, rebuilding LaGuardia because Biden didn't like it, etc.).  That leaves the agencies, whose operations are already being bled dry.  So if you can't take money from any of those sources, where do you get it?  Payroll.  I will NOT be surprised in any way if we see layoffs over this (the union would never accept a pay cut, and I can't afford one anyways), and I do NOT want to lose my job so the state can funnel more money into the MTA black hole.

Remember when the residents of Rockland and Westchester Counties were in an uproar over the possibilities of $14 tolls to cross the Tappan Zee?  The amount Cuomo wants to send to the MTA is DOUBLE the cost of that project (and the LaGuardia project is just as expensive as the Tappan Zee).

The MTA has numerous problems, and shoveling more money at them won't solve them.  If they went bankrupt, maybe then they would solve their corruption issues.  Besides, authorities are supposed to be self-sufficient anyways.

(personal opinion emphasized)

[noelbotevera]

I'm wondering where that money is going to come from.  It's not just going to poof into thin air, and this governor will NOT raise taxes or cut his pet projects (ex: Taste NY, rebuilding LaGuardia because Biden didn't like it, etc.).  That leaves the agencies, whose operations are already being bled dry.  So if you can't take money from any of those sources, where do you get it?  Payroll.  I will NOT be surprised in any way if we see layoffs over this (the union would never accept a pay cut, and I can't afford one anyways), and I do NOT want to lose my job so the state can funnel more money into the MTA black hole.

Remember when the residents of Rockland and Westchester Counties were in an uproar over the possibilities of $14 tolls to cross the Tappan Zee?  The amount Cuomo wants to send to the MTA is DOUBLE the cost of that project (and the LaGuardia project is just as expensive as the Tappan Zee).

The MTA has numerous problems, and shoveling more money at them won't solve them.  If they went bankrupt, maybe then they would solve their corruption issues.  Besides, authorities are supposed to be self-sufficient anyways.

(personal opinion emphasized)

In 2009 the MTA went bankrupt. They cut the V line, truncated the G line to Court Square in 2010, and changed the M line. What next, intentionally try and kill MTA by sucking all of their money out?

[cl94]

I'm wondering where that money is going to come from.  It's not just going to poof into thin air, and this governor will NOT raise taxes or cut his pet projects (ex: Taste NY, rebuilding LaGuardia because Biden didn't like it, etc.).  That leaves the agencies, whose operations are already being bled dry.  So if you can't take money from any of those sources, where do you get it?  Payroll.  I will NOT be surprised in any way if we see layoffs over this (the union would never accept a pay cut, and I can't afford one anyways), and I do NOT want to lose my job so the state can funnel more money into the MTA black hole.

Remember when the residents of Rockland and Westchester Counties were in an uproar over the possibilities of $14 tolls to cross the Tappan Zee?  The amount Cuomo wants to send to the MTA is DOUBLE the cost of that project (and the LaGuardia project is just as expensive as the Tappan Zee).

The MTA has numerous problems, and shoveling more money at them won't solve them.  If they went bankrupt, maybe then they would solve their corruption issues.  Besides, authorities are supposed to be self-sufficient anyways.

(personal opinion emphasized)

In 2009 the MTA went bankrupt. They cut the V line, truncated the G line to Court Square in 2010, and changed the M line. What next, intentionally try and kill MTA by sucking all of their money out?

That's my thought. The MTA has been facing cuts from the state for quite some time while ridership has never been higher. You'll never convince people Upstate about this, but the MTA is what keeps the state economy (and as a result, the national economy) moving. Many lines are crush-loaded even on weekends because state funding cuts have reduced frequencies. 6 trains per hour isn't enough on most lines, yet that's what they're forced to run. Cut funding so wage increases can't happen and then we'll have a transit strike. Back in 2005, the City economy lost $1 BILLION during the 3 day strike.

Even with the MTA getting $8 billion, the NYC metro area still gets a smaller percentage of its state taxes back than most parts of Upstate. And don't act like Upstate gets no love. The Buffalo Billion is going to provide 1,000 jobs. Joe Bruno's 15 years diverted tons of money to the Albany area.

Tappan Zee tolls will increase. There's no question about that. Even if they increase for inflation, it's still an increase.

[Buffaboy]

(ex: Taste NY,

Hmm. I've seen signs in my school's dining hall about "Taste NY" or Taste of NY or something. Quite honestly whenever they bring local food onto our campus, it makes my day. Sodexplosion is awful.

That being said, NYS has a multitude of bloated projects and agencies that just suck up a ton of money for no good reason.