New York

[crispy93]

Having driven all of US 11 through Syracuse last month, at least where the random turns are (Raynor Avenue, Salina Street, Wolf Street) and some of the other state highway intersections, the route is signed. Per NYSDOT GIS data I downloaded last year, it's all city-maintained.

The city did put up the relatively-neat-for-NY signal street sign blades with route shields at NY 173 though:

I noticed 1-2 of these last weekend on US 6 in Brewster: https://goo.gl/maps/nGL6VhYKo26BXt1d7
There's also one on NY-376 in Wappinger/Hopewell at Lake Walton Rd though I think the sign for 376 says "NY 376" instead of the 376 shield

[RobbieL2415]

When did the Shenandoah Service Area close? I assume it was a gas station-only service area.

1999, maybe?

[NoGoodNamesAvailable]

I see a large cluster of spotlight trailers gathered around the former Shenandoah Service Area on the Taconic State Parkway.
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.5467322,-73.7747536,3a,75y,1.63h,95.48t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sFiBnJzmn149A4_km3FP1-w!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?hl=en&entry=ttu
NYSDOT Region 8 isn't planning to demolish the remains of the place, are they?

I think that's just for the resurfacing they've been doing in that area.

[kalvado]

Not totally a road project, but there was a minor glitch with replacement project for rail trail bridge over NY85.
Bridge did sag a little bit while concrete deck was getting poured

A follow up: a preliminary engineering report says that whoever designed the bridge basically didn't realize girders are not straight but have a step "to mimic previous 3-span structure"
Nice to see that design firm also does consulting for NYSDOT...

[Roadgeek Adam]

When did the Shenandoah Service Area close? I assume it was a gas station-only service area.

1999, maybe?

Tanks were removed in 2004.

[Alps]

Not totally a road project, but there was a minor glitch with replacement project for rail trail bridge over NY85.
Bridge did sag a little bit while concrete deck was getting poured

A follow up: a preliminary engineering report says that whoever designed the bridge basically didn't realize girders are not straight but have a step "to mimic previous 3-span structure"
Nice to see that design firm also does consulting for NYSDOT...

link

[kalvado]

Not totally a road project, but there was a minor glitch with replacement project for rail trail bridge over NY85.
Bridge did sag a little bit while concrete deck was getting poured

A follow up: a preliminary engineering report says that whoever designed the bridge basically didn't realize girders are not straight but have a step "to mimic previous 3-span structure"
Nice to see that design firm also does consulting for NYSDOT...

link

https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/albany-county-releases-report-rail-trail-bridge-18353527.php?IPID=Times-Union-Capital-Region-spotlight
Cannot make standalone scribd link to work.
Fun fact: this is not the first bridge collapse from the same designer:
https://www.dot.ny.gov/news/press-releases/2003/2003204

[D-Dey65]

Does anybody see this New York State Department of Public Works plaque at the Bellerose Long Island Rail Road station?

These also used to be located at various bridges over roads in New York State, including this one covered by Steve Alps on the former NY 113 in Quogue.

I've even seen them on NY 27 east of East Patchogue, Sometime around the turn of the millennium, most of them were removed.

[Alps]

Not totally a road project, but there was a minor glitch with replacement project for rail trail bridge over NY85.
Bridge did sag a little bit while concrete deck was getting poured

A follow up: a preliminary engineering report says that whoever designed the bridge basically didn't realize girders are not straight but have a step "to mimic previous 3-span structure"
Nice to see that design firm also does consulting for NYSDOT...

link

https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/albany-county-releases-report-rail-trail-bridge-18353527.php?IPID=Times-Union-Capital-Region-spotlight
Cannot make standalone scribd link to work.
Fun fact: this is not the first bridge collapse from the same designer:
https://www.dot.ny.gov/news/press-releases/2003/2003204

Me neither, but this suffices. Thank you.

[seicer]

Someone was remarking in a thread I came across (local newspaper) about how the old bridge was still in good condition. Could it have been raised on new abutments or the roadway lowered to provide the clearance needed? Could an "off the shelf" bridge from someplace like the Bridge Brothers saved taxpayers a lot of money versus trying to mimic the old design of the bridge? (Which really wasn't that special.)

[kalvado]

Someone was remarking in a thread I came across (local newspaper) about how the old bridge was still in good condition. Could it have been raised on new abutments or the roadway lowered to provide the clearance needed? Could an "off the shelf" bridge from someplace like the Bridge Brothers saved taxpayers a lot of money versus trying to mimic the old design of the bridge? (Which really wasn't that special.)

It was an old railroad bridge, raising it would be difficult due to design I would imagine. A very narrow roadway under the bridge was a bigger problem.
Off the shelf bridge... One of stated goals I heard is that bridge should be passable for emergency vehicles.  Similarity....  Well, compare for yourself: https://www.google.com/maps/@42.6296033,-73.8638858,3a,75y,250.6h,76.55t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sxjW17LNx8Ndi35nlAmtzuA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu

[seicer]

Ah - thanks for the GSV. It still makes me wonder if just lifting the old superstructure out of there, replacing the abutments, and raising the bridge would have been sufficient. It probably wouldn't have widened the roadway as the supports would need to be reinstalled in the same location.

[kalvado]

Ah - thanks for the GSV. It still makes me wonder if just lifting the old superstructure out of there, replacing the abutments, and raising the bridge would have been sufficient. It probably wouldn't have widened the roadway as the supports would need to be reinstalled in the same location.

Pedestrian/bicycle access is a big thing these days, so some widening was probably a must.
On a personal level, that thing felt scary to drive under.  Dark and narrow...

[Alps]

Rather than mimic 3 spans of different heights, they could have done something like a trapezoid that wouldn't buckle.

[kalvado]

Rather than mimic 3 spans of different heights, they could have done something like a trapezoid that wouldn't buckle.

I suspect this is the problem with engineers' perception of structural FEA. There was a pretty high profile (as in billions lost) similar case in Boeing 787 program.
And I am afraid even to think of how many things end up deep into their safety margins in similar scenarios.

[Alps]

Rather than mimic 3 spans of different heights, they could have done something like a trapezoid that wouldn't buckle.

I suspect this is the problem with engineers' perception of structural FEA. There was a pretty high profile (as in billions lost) similar case in Boeing 787 program.
And I am afraid even to think of how many things end up deep into their safety margins in similar scenarios.

Engineers are responsible for structural feasibility. The structural engineers should have been the ones to decide design.

[D-Dey65]

Does everybody here see these traffic signals?

That's Adirondack Drive at the north end with NY 25 in Selden. I took that picture in November 2021. The latest GSV view (October 2019) still has a stop sign there. So, the simple question is, when were they installed?

[kalvado]

Rather than mimic 3 spans of different heights, they could have done something like a trapezoid that wouldn't buckle.

I suspect this is the problem with engineers' perception of structural FEA. There was a pretty high profile (as in billions lost) similar case in Boeing 787 program.
And I am afraid even to think of how many things end up deep into their safety margins in similar scenarios.

Engineers are responsible for structural feasibility. The structural engineers should have been the ones to decide design.

Well, the buck (I mean DA) stops at PE stamp on the design. Those working for the firm without PE doing actual FEA and design also didn't do well.
Overall, I am not going to apportion the responsibility - there is always many things to consider and multiple people to blame. But I hope you're not going to deny responsibility of design team?

[SignBridge]

Does everybody here see these traffic signals?

That's Adirondack Drive at the north end with NY 25 in Selden. I took that picture in November 2021. The latest GSV view (October 2019) still has a stop sign there. So, the simple question is, when were they installed?

Well LOL, obviously sometime between Oct. 2019 and Nov. 2021. This is very typical example of NYSDOT Region-10's current installation practices. Long curving mast-arms in a diagonal-span configuration. Good to see all heads with 12-inch lenses. Mounting brackets that extend up above the signal heads giving a very sloppy appearance. And back plates that will probably break and fall off in a few years going by the history of recent NYSDOT installations. 

[Roadgeek Adam]

The back plates are flimsy as crap. The ones at US 20A and South Taylor Road in Orchard Park and US 62/NY 179 in Hamburg are already missing parts of their backplates.

[Rothman]

The back plates are flimsy as crap. The ones at US 20A and South Taylor Road in Orchard Park and US 62/NY 179 in Hamburg are already missing parts of their backplates.

And prices for signal replacements are skyrocketing due to material costs...

[webny99]

The back plates are flimsy as crap.

Concur. I've seen more than a few that are broken or missing pieces despite being relatively new. 

[Roadgeek Adam]

The one at US 20A and South Taylor looks like the backplate was chewed by an alligator because one has an entire corner missing.

[SignBridge]

So how is it that in California and Illinois their backplates don't break and fall off?

The funny thing is that NYS DOT went through exactly this same circus thirty years ago on Long Island and all the backplates from back then are long gone. NYS DOT obviously didn't learn from the experience as now they seem to be re-inventing the wheel.

[Alps]

Rather than mimic 3 spans of different heights, they could have done something like a trapezoid that wouldn't buckle.

I suspect this is the problem with engineers' perception of structural FEA. There was a pretty high profile (as in billions lost) similar case in Boeing 787 program.
And I am afraid even to think of how many things end up deep into their safety margins in similar scenarios.

Engineers are responsible for structural feasibility. The structural engineers should have been the ones to decide design.

Well, the buck (I mean DA) stops at PE stamp on the design. Those working for the firm without PE doing actual FEA and design also didn't do well.
Overall, I am not going to apportion the responsibility - there is always many things to consider and multiple people to blame. But I hope you're not going to deny responsibility of design team?

You are missing the fact that the design is done by engineers.