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Massachusetts

Started by hotdogPi, October 12, 2013, 04:50:12 PM

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RobbieL2415

Quote from: PHLBOS on July 03, 2018, 04:42:25 PM
Quote from: RobbieL2415 on July 03, 2018, 04:08:25 PMWish they could've kept the old BGSs too. I have a thing for rustic signage.
:confused:  If you're referring to the ones along US 6/Mid-Cape Highway, those were from the 1990s.  Hardly considered rustic IMHO.
Honestly it was just a guess.


5foot14

I drove down I-190 on my way to Foxwoods last weekend and I noticed there are a few sections that are rather oversized, having massive inside and outside paved medians. Looks as though it could accommodate 3-4 lanes, except at the bridges where it narrows down. What's the purpose of this?

The northern stretch, in the vicinity of route 62...
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Worcester,+MA/@42.4352554,-71.7758179,235m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x89e406585a2a8b0d:0x9e137dd87fca4d6d!8m2!3d42.2625932!4d-71.8022934

The southern stretch, just north of exit 4...
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Worcester,+MA/@42.3510972,-71.8089188,617m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x89e406585a2a8b0d:0x9e137dd87fca4d6d!8m2!3d42.2625932!4d-71.8022934

PHLBOS

Quote from: 5foot14 on July 06, 2018, 09:35:56 AMI drove down I-190 on my way to Foxwoods last weekend and I noticed there are a few sections that are rather oversized, having massive inside and outside paved medians. Looks as though it could accommodate 3-4 lanes, except at the bridges where it narrows down.
During that highway's earlier years, those large paved medians were originally painted green.
GPS does NOT equal GOD

5foot14

Quote from: PHLBOS on July 06, 2018, 09:43:53 AM
Quote from: 5foot14 on July 06, 2018, 09:35:56 AMI drove down I-190 on my way to Foxwoods last weekend and I noticed there are a few sections that are rather oversized, having massive inside and outside paved medians. Looks as though it could accommodate 3-4 lanes, except at the bridges where it narrows down.
During that highway's earlier years, those large paved medians were originally painted green.

Did the area ever serve any functional purpose though, or was it just for aesthetics? Seems odd they would pave almost twice the area they needed to just to paint it green.

Roadsguy

Quote from: PHLBOS on July 06, 2018, 09:43:53 AM
Quote from: 5foot14 on July 06, 2018, 09:35:56 AMI drove down I-190 on my way to Foxwoods last weekend and I noticed there are a few sections that are rather oversized, having massive inside and outside paved medians. Looks as though it could accommodate 3-4 lanes, except at the bridges where it narrows down.
During that highway's earlier years, those large paved medians were originally painted green.

In the street view linked there, the inner shoulder is still visibly green. I don't know when the last time was they repainted it, though.
Mileage-based exit numbering implies the existence of mileage-cringe exit numbering.

Beeper1

Those large paved shoulders are for controlling stormwater runoff.  That section of highway passes near the Wachusett Reservoir, which is a major part of the water supply for the Boston area.  When the highway was being built in the late 70s, there was concern about salt and oil runoff from the highway causing issues with water quality in the reservoir, so those stretches had large paved shoulders to funnel all the stormwater into the proper drains to keep it off the surrounding watershed.

empirestate

Quote from: Beeper1 on July 06, 2018, 11:40:42 AM
Those large paved shoulders are for controlling stormwater runoff.  That section of highway passes near the Wachusett Reservoir, which is a major part of the water supply for the Boston area.  When the highway was being built in the late 70s, there was concern about salt and oil runoff from the highway causing issues with water quality in the reservoir, so those stretches had large paved shoulders to funnel all the stormwater into the proper drains to keep it off the surrounding watershed.

But was the greenness part of its functionality? I have a vague recollection that it was, somehow.

DJStephens

Might have been an attempt to keep pull off traffic from parking on it (and potentially leaking oil).  The green appearance would subtly signal to a motorist that it is not a parking pulloff..   The Boston area is well gifted with an excellent source of clean water - from both the Quabbin and Wachusett reservoirs.   An example of excellent advance thinking in that regard.   

empirestate

In other news, I saw today that the well-known highest elevation signage on the Turnpike has been replaced, with new verbiage. Instead of the confusing "next highest elevation" wording, it now says something like "You are at 1724 feet above sea level, the highest elevation on I-90 east of South Dakota."

Rothman

Quote from: empirestate on July 10, 2018, 10:59:22 PM
In other news, I saw today that the well-known highest elevation signage on the Turnpike has been replaced, with new verbiage. Instead of the confusing "next highest elevation" wording, it now says something like "You are at 1724 feet above sea level, the highest elevation on I-90 east of South Dakota."
Crap.  I didn't notice the sign change last week.  I will be back through there on Thursday and will check it out.
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position(s) of NYSDOT.

roadman

#935
Quote from: empirestate on July 10, 2018, 10:59:22 PM
In other news, I saw today that the well-known highest elevation signage on the Turnpike has been replaced, with new verbiage. Instead of the confusing "next highest elevation" wording, it now says something like "You are at 1724 feet above sea level, the highest elevation on I-90 east of South Dakota."

The new sign legend reads:

You Are At 1724 Feet
Highest Elevation on I-90
East of South Dakota

The previous sign legend read:

Highest Turnpike
Elevation 1724 Feet
____________________

Last Highest Elevation
On I-90
Oacoma, South Dakota
1729 Feet

Oddly enough, both the eastbound and westbound signs read "Last", where one would think the westbound sign should have read "Next".  And while the sign legends were changed principally for brevity and simplicity, there had also been some debate about the accuracy of the "last" location and elevation that was displayed on the previous signs.
"And ninety-five is the route you were on.  It was not the speed limit sign."  - Jim Croce (from Speedball Tucker)

"My life has been a tapestry
Of years of roads and highway signs" (with apologies to Carole King and Tom Rush)

Jim

For those who haven't seen it and are interested, here's one view of the old EB sign:



Taken August 30, 2007.

I have three EB pictures, but it looks like I never took a WB picture.

I always wondered about that South Dakota elevation number.  I have driven I-90 in South Dakota a few times and never noticed that 5'+ cliff that prevents any part of I-90 there from having elevations between 1724 and 1729.
Photos I post are my own unless otherwise noted.
Signs: https://www.teresco.org/pics/signs/
Travel Mapping: https://travelmapping.net/user/?u=terescoj
Counties: http://www.mob-rule.com/user/terescoj
Twitter @JimTeresco (roads, travel, skiing, weather, sports)

bob7374

Quote from: roadman on July 11, 2018, 09:15:05 AM
Quote from: empirestate on July 10, 2018, 10:59:22 PM
In other news, I saw today that the well-known highest elevation signage on the Turnpike has been replaced, with new verbiage. Instead of the confusing "next highest elevation" wording, it now says something like "You are at 1724 feet above sea level, the highest elevation on I-90 east of South Dakota."
The new sign legend reads:

You Are At 1724 Feet
Highest Elevation on I-90
East of South Dakota

The previous sign legend read:

Highest Turnpike
Elevation 1724 Feet
____________________

Last Highest Elevation
On I-90
Oacoma, South Dakota
1729 Feet

Oddly enough, both the eastbound and westbound signs read "Last", where one would think the westbound sign should have read "Next".  And while the sign legends were changed principally for brevity and simplicity, there had also been some debate about the accuracy of the "last" location and elevation that was displayed on the previous signs.
Here's the MassDOT sign plan with the text indicated by Roadman:

Jim

To me, it's just a little sad that Mass Pike travelers will no longer become familiar with Oacoma.  Maybe it's just me and a handful of other people who frequent this forum, but there was something exciting about seeing the actual Oacoma for the first time after knowing about it from the Mass Pike signage.
Photos I post are my own unless otherwise noted.
Signs: https://www.teresco.org/pics/signs/
Travel Mapping: https://travelmapping.net/user/?u=terescoj
Counties: http://www.mob-rule.com/user/terescoj
Twitter @JimTeresco (roads, travel, skiing, weather, sports)

bob7374

MassDOT has announced both spans of the Whittier Bridge over the Merrimack River are open as of tonight and four lanes are open now in both directions north and south of the bridge on I-95:
http://blog.mass.gov/transportation/massdot-highway/whittier-bridgei-95-improvement-project-opening-to-four-lanes-in-each-direction-today/

WR of USA

Glad the bridge has finally been widened to four lanes. Now NH needs to make their Hampton AET four lanes wide to serve the heavy tourist traffic bound for the Maine coast.
Traffic? No problem, enjoy the scenery!

Long live the lovely Sagamore and Bourne bridges and their welcoming traffic bottlenecks for the tourists!

DJStephens

Quote from: bob7374 on July 13, 2018, 11:22:55 PM
MassDOT has announced both spans of the Whittier Bridge over the Merrimack River are open as of tonight and four lanes are open now in both directions north and south of the bridge on I-95:
http://blog.mass.gov/transportation/massdot-highway/whittier-bridgei-95-improvement-project-opening-to-four-lanes-in-each-direction-today/

Years if not decades overdue, it is good to see that slight capacity improvements are being made to the Boston metro area's highway network.  Others being the US 3 reconstruction, the Route 128 add a lane (forty to forty five years in the making) and this Merrimack River crossing.  A Route 128 / I-93 fully directional stack sure would be nice to see, but that might be too much to hope for.   

PHLBOS

Quote from: DJStephens on July 14, 2018, 02:49:05 PM
Quote from: bob7374 on July 13, 2018, 11:22:55 PM
MassDOT has announced both spans of the Whittier Bridge over the Merrimack River are open as of tonight and four lanes are open now in both directions north and south of the bridge on I-95:
http://blog.mass.gov/transportation/massdot-highway/whittier-bridgei-95-improvement-project-opening-to-four-lanes-in-each-direction-today/

Years if not decades overdue, it is good to see that slight capacity improvements are being made to the Boston metro area's highway network.  Others being the US 3 reconstruction, the Route 128 add a lane (forty to forty five years in the making) and this Merrimack River crossing.  A Route 128 / I-93 fully directional stack sure would be nice to see, but that might be too much to hope for.   
A northern Add-A-Lane along I-95/MA 128 would be nice as well.  Heck, from the MA 28 to the Walnut St. interchanges, most if not all of the overpasses/underpasses were originally constructed to accommodate a future 7th & 8th lane. 

Why such wasn't done when that stretch was overhauled in 1982 (128 had already received the I-95 designation at the time) boggles the mind.  Yes, the northern I-95/MA 128 interchange was still year away at the time but that widening would move the Woburn/Reading bottleneck away from MA 28 & I-93 and would have been able to handle the additional traffic spurned by development that has taken place along the corridor since then.
GPS does NOT equal GOD

5foot14

Speaking of the I-93/I-95 interchange in Woburn, has that project been canned for the time being? It used to have its own project website, but the domain has since expired and the website is no longer available. It also was removed from the MassDOT highlighted projects page, though the project info page is still up.

SM-G900P


spooky

Quote from: 5foot14 on July 16, 2018, 02:39:13 PM
Speaking of the I-93/I-95 interchange in Woburn, has that project been canned for the time being? It used to have its own project website, but the domain has since expired and the website is no longer available. It also was removed from the MassDOT highlighted projects page, though the project info page is still up.

I believe the cost and the NIMBYism put that project on infinite hold. 

RobbieL2415

Seriously, can't we ever just tell the NIMBYs to go f*** themselves?

hotdogPi

Quote from: RobbieL2415 on July 17, 2018, 11:01:50 PM
Seriously, can't we ever just tell the NIMBYs to go f*** themselves?

I don't see why we would have to listen to NIMBYs. The DOT is not part of the state legislature, so there's no risk of being voted out of office.
Clinched, minus I-93 (I'm missing a few miles and my file is incorrect)

Traveled, plus US 13, 44, and 50, and several state routes

I will be in Burlington VT for the eclipse.

PHLBOS

Quote from: 1 on July 18, 2018, 07:51:14 AM
Quote from: RobbieL2415 on July 17, 2018, 11:01:50 PM
Seriously, can't we ever just tell the NIMBYs to go f*** themselves?

I don't see why we would have to listen to NIMBYs. The DOT is not part of the state legislature, so there's no risk of being voted out of office.
While the DOT (State entity) in and of itself is not an elected body; the State's Secretary of Transportation, I believe, is the State's DOT's boss and is determined by whoever gets elected governor.
GPS does NOT equal GOD

empirestate

#948
Quote from: PHLBOS on July 18, 2018, 08:57:03 AM
Quote from: 1 on July 18, 2018, 07:51:14 AM
Quote from: RobbieL2415 on July 17, 2018, 11:01:50 PM
Seriously, can't we ever just tell the NIMBYs to go f*** themselves?

I don't see why we would have to listen to NIMBYs. The DOT is not part of the state legislature, so there's no risk of being voted out of office.
While the DOT (State entity) in and of itself is not an elected body; the State's Secretary of Transportation, I believe, is the State's DOT's boss and is determined by whoever gets elected governor.

There's also the whole idea of behaving like a civilized person and not, as a rule, telling people we disagree with to go f*** themselves...

roadman

Quote from: RobbieL2415 on July 17, 2018, 11:01:50 PM
Seriously, can't we ever just tell the NIMBYs to go f*** themselves?
There's actually a legitimate way to do that without p***ing people off.  Require the people raising their claims against the project to prove those claims.  If it takes reports, studies, etc. to do that, then those people should be responsible for preparing them - and footing the bill.  This would also serve as a very effective filter against the majority of the "we don't want it" objections NIMBYs tend to raise.  It's also consistent with one of the basic premises of the American justice system - that the burden of proof lies with the accuser - which is currently NOT the case when it comes to transportation and other projects.
"And ninety-five is the route you were on.  It was not the speed limit sign."  - Jim Croce (from Speedball Tucker)

"My life has been a tapestry
Of years of roads and highway signs" (with apologies to Carole King and Tom Rush)



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