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#91

Southeast / Re: Mississippi

Last post by HemiCRZ - May 12, 2024, 12:11:54 AM

The saddest part was that Jackson had the worst roads by far. We went up US 61 at Vicksburg and MS 1 around Greenville and you get the idea... the roads in the delta were fine... in Jackson though the westbound roadway of I-20 is some of the worst road I've ever been on.

There's some really odd dips and camber changes in the road around Jackson which I suppose is attributable to the Yazoo Clay soil? Seems to be a problem unique to the area; there's localized places in the US with just plain bad roads or a lack of immediate maintenance, but nothing quite like that.

The clay is a factor, but the more attributable answer is simply forced neglect. Jackson and surrounding Hinds County is a deep blue pocket of Democratic voters, with leadership of both of those jurisdictions regularly clashing with the deep red state government. Mississippi's state government commonly paints fabricated conditions within Jackson as justification for state takeover of various things (see the JXN water crisis).

The conditions of roads within Jackson and Hinds County are another way that state government can paint the view that Jackson leadership lacks the ability to lead. The State of Mississippi owns over half of the property within Jackson, but it is all tax-except and the state refuses to negotiate a payment-in-lieu of taxes model that most other state governments do to help support Jackson's administration of city services.

Go look at the amount of money that MDOT spends in the Jackson suburbs to the north in Madison County and Rankin County, vs. what MDOT does in Hinds County.

It's all about controlling the public and the voter's perception of Jackson, and how to make the quality of life in Jackson seem worse compared to the wealthier suburbs (Madison, Brandon, Flowood, etc.)

#92

General Highway Talk / Re: Reaching the End (or Begin...

Last post by LilianaUwU - May 11, 2024, 11:34:07 PM

I end up on the west end of QC 360 almost daily, and it doesn't feel very special. I think the special feeling is when you've completed your clinch, such as when I finished my clinch of A-40 at its west end.

#93

Great Lakes and Ohio Valley / Re: Illinois interesting bid a...

Last post by Revive 755 - May 11, 2024, 11:28:02 PM

There's a few studies of note in the most recent notice for consultant services:  https://idot.illinois.gov/content/dam/soi/en/web/idot/documents/doing-business/bulletins-and-circulars/highways/design-and-environment/ptb-212/PTB%20212.pdf

• Item 41 (Page 121/227) seems to be for a study of improving either IL 15 between I-255 and I-55 or Bond Avenue (old IL 13) between IL 163 and 8th Street (no Queeny Avenue/Curtis-Steinberg Road/Sauget Business Boulevard option?)
  
• Item 45 (Page 132/227) is construction engineering for more work on I-24 over the Ohio River
• Item 47 (Page 138/227) is for a NEPA study of the Southwest Illinois Connector (listed as IL 3, IL 154, and IL 13/IL 127)

#94

Northwest / Re: What the hell is this?

Last post by pderocco - May 11, 2024, 11:11:31 PM

I see. So they show up with a little wrench, remove the nuts, turn the sign 90 degrees, put the nuts back, and then go to work? Sounds reasonable. Thanks for the quick answer.

#95

General Highway Talk / Re: Reaching the End (or Begin...

Last post by pderocco - May 11, 2024, 11:05:43 PM

Back in the nineties, I drove all of I-70 from I-15 in Utah to I-695 west of Baltimore. Well, almost all. Last fall, I drove the last two miles out to the park-n-ride.

If, like many folks around here, you're interesting in clinching roads, you'll note that it often happens at one end of the road or another. But not always. In that same cross-country trip, I drove I-15 from Butte MT to Canada, clinching it. I also drove US-95 from Canada down to Fallon NV, clinching it. The satisfaction comes more from the clinching than from being at the end of it.

Heck, I can't count the number of times I've driven to the end of US-6 in Provincetown MA, the second longest highway in the country, without the fact crossing my mind. Of course, I've nowhere near clinched it.

#96

Central States / Re: Missouri

Last post by Revive 755 - May 11, 2024, 11:04:44 PM

Improvements to the first DDI interchange? What kind of improvements are they proposing?

Based on https://www.modot.org/media/46859 from https://www.modot.org/interstate-44-corridor-upgrades-greene

• A SB MO 13 to EB I-44 flyover
• The north outer road for I-44 gets connected under MO 13 adjacent to I-44.  Access to the outer road is from a right in/right out where the existing signalized intersection is for NB MO 13, with a SB right in/right out closer to where Smith Road cuvers away from MO 13.

There should be a link to a previous study with more alternatives somewhere on the forum already.  Improvements are needed with SB MO 13 getting long backups prior to the interchange in the afternoon.

As much traffic as MO 13 gets north of I-44 IMHO there should at least be a feasibility/early stage planning study for bringing it up to a freeway probably to Bolivar.

#97

Central States / Re: Missouri

Last post by m2tbone - May 11, 2024, 10:57:18 PM

^^The Warren County interchange on I-70 is likely for Stracks Church Road which is located between Warrenton and Wright City and currently contains an overpass only.


iPad Pro

#98

General Highway Talk / Re: What's the Closest Interst...

Last post by dlsterner - May 11, 2024, 10:51:07 PM

From home base in Maryland, distance approximated as the crow flies:

2di:  I-86 (eastern), ~240 miles
3di:  I-676 (PA/NJ), ~110 miles

D'oh!!  Silly me, it slipped my mind that the eastern I-86 has a brief concurrency with I-81 near Binghamton NY.  So I've been on that stretch.  So here is the correct answer (as of now).

From home base in Maryland, approximate driving distance:

2di:  I-16 (Georgia), ~600 miles
3di:  I-676 (PA/NJ),  ~120 miles

#99

Northwest / Re: What the hell is this?

Last post by xonhulu - May 11, 2024, 10:29:56 PM

Bickendan's right.  If you navigate down the on-ramp in your image, turn around and zoom in, you can see the back side of your sign:

https://maps.app.goo.gl/J7bnnBZ37qxjyPeP9

This is a pretty common practice for detour signage in Oregon, when the road closures are ongoing & intermittent because work is only done nights/weekends/other selected times.

#100

Southeast / Re: US 74 in Shelby NC

Last post by ARMOURERERIC - May 11, 2024, 09:42:06 PM

Drove on down to look at progress today.  Switching to the new 180 alignment  is imminent, the south temporary tie in is fully paved and the north temporary tie is is 3/4 paved, through traffic on 150 travels the curved part of the 180/150 roundabout going both directions.  The Bidwell machine is gone from the Airport Road bridge and the temporary support brackets for the side jersey wall is in place, but no evidence of any forming yet.  There was aflat truck trailer on the westbound ramp to 18 that looked like it might be loaded with BGS'.