Vermont

[odditude]

(I apologize for the squiggled format; no way to align things here).

You can use the tt and /tt tags:

or use the table tool.

I-91	-	1 A/B
US 4	1	4
VT 132 TO VT 14	2	14
VT 107 TO VT 14/VT 100	3	22
VT 66 TO VT 12	4	31
VT 64 TO VT 12/VT 14	5	43
VT 63 TO VT 14	6	47
VT 62 East TO US 302	7	50

[shadyjay]

While driving on 89NB today, passing the former Sharon-SB rest area (still remains signed as a weigh station), I observed a large shed-type building being constructed.  Anyone know what the purpose of this will be?  Some sort of VTrans garage? 

[froggie]

Missed this from a couple weeks ago, but the Burlington city council passed a resolution to move forward on the Champlain Parkway.  The resolution, for all intents, authorizes eminent domain for the parcels needed for the project.

As noted in past threads, the Champlain Parkway project will build a 2-lane parkway from the I-189/US 7 interchange, west and north (replacing/reconstructing what was already built west of US 7) to Lakeside Ave, reconstruct Lakeside Ave, and reconstruct Pine St from Lakeside north to Main St.  The Pine St reconstruction has already begun.  The city expects to begin construction on the parkway next year.

[roadman]

"As long as humanly possible", as their sign engineer explained to me at the time, was when FHWA outright forced them to.  While conversion is a mandate in the MUTCD, I don't believe FHWA has set a firm compliance-or-else date on it.

That is correct.  While there was a compliance date for exit number conversion in the 2007 Federal Register NPA for the 2009 MUTCD, that date was deleted from the final version of the 2009 MUTCD.

[froggie]

Another Vermont piece in the news recently.  The Vermont Superior Court has upheld a decision that grants VTrans both Act 250 (relating to development) and stormwater management permits for upcoming improvements to I-89 Exit 16 (US 2/US 7/Colchester).  The court challenge was brought jointly by three entities:  the Conservation Law Foundation, who believes the project's stormwater management plan will add pollution to Lake Champlain; and the owners of two nearby gas stations.  The gas station owners fear loss of business as the interchange improvements are required before the nearby Costco can open their own gas station, which is already built but currently sitting unused.

Reading through the court proceedings and report, the decision can basically be summed up as thus:  the opposition party's "expert witnesses" were not viewed by the Court as being credible.  The civil engineers on the forum may find reading the court proceedings (there's a link on the VTDigger article) of interest.

The planned interchange improvements will convert the interchange into Vermont's first DDI.  Associated improvements will provide a consistent 5-lane section on US 2/US 7 north to Rathe Rd (~2/3mi), add turn lanes at the Mountain View Dr intersection (immediately north of I-89), and add sidewalks/multi-use-paths on both sides of 2/7 through the interchange.  Construction is tentatively scheduled to begin next year (2019).

[froggie]

Double-fatal at the VT 100/Randolph Rd intersection this afternoon.  Details are currently sketchy, but according to the Stowe Police press release, one of the two vehicles involved is a "commercial vehicle".

The intersection has a very skewed angle which probably contributed.  My hunch (based on personal observation) is that someone was turning from Randolph onto SB 100 towards the village and either misjudged or didn't see traffic.

[dfilpus]

Double-fatal at the VT 100/Randolph Rd intersection this afternoon.  Details are currently sketchy, but according to the Stowe Police press release, one of the two vehicles involved is a "commercial vehicle".

The intersection has a very skewed angle which probably contributed.  My hunch (based on personal observation) is that someone was turning from Randolph onto SB 100 towards the village and either misjudged or didn't see traffic.

When I was there in May, coming back from Moss Glen Falls, I complained to my wife how dangerous that intersection is.

[froggie]

It is, mainly because it's a skewed intersection and those coming off Randolph Rd often misjudge traffic.  That appears to be the case here, now that a few more details of the crash have come out.  Police are saying the two fatalities were an elderly couple visiting from Connecticut who turned from Randolph Rd onto SB 100 and were hit by a fully-loaded logging truck that was heading northbound on 100.

[KEVIN_224]

It turns out that this couple killed was from New Britain...my home town. Looks like the two were in their 60s to early 70s.

[froggie]

Found a temporary traffic signal on I-91 in Derby yesterday.  It's there as part of a construction project to rebuild the overpass at Exit 29.  Details (and other pics) in my Flickr album linked above.

[cl94]

I didn't get pictures when I was up there, but it has been like that since at least September. I was a bit surprised to see it, actually.

[KEVIN_224]

I wasn't aware of any of this! Then again, I've never been north of VT Exit 11 (US 5) in White River Junction.

[froggie]

VTDigger article this morning about Vermont pushing back against the (MUTCD) mandate to convert Interstate exit numbers from sequential-based to milepost-based. The photo comes from a familiar source...😌

I must say, I find the VTrans secretary's comments a bit disingenuous. Most of the "new signage" he refers to was installed well after the 2009 MUTCD went official.....Vermont has known for years that this mandate was coming. As a Vermont resident, I can and am in the process of writing a letter to him (and the Governor).

[shadyjay]

The signs installed in the past few years on I-89 and I-91 is essentially "mile-based ready", meaning the exit tabs are wide enough to accommodate 2 and 3-digit numbers.  On the rest of the signs, just replace the tabs and go.  The whole sign doesn't need to be replaced. 

With Maine converted back in the early 2000s, and CT and RI now converting, there's no reason why VT shouldn't. 

[Dougtone]

A look back at a Vermont road proposal that never came to fruition: the Green Mountain Parkway. It was a Great Depression era proposal that would have brought about the construction of a road similar to the Blue Ridge Parkway.
https://vtdigger.org/2018/08/05/1930s-plan-vermont-paving-peaks/

[CanesFan27]

One of my favorite places in Central Vermont is the Quechee Gorge and Quechee Gorge Bridge along US 4.

http://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2018/09/travel-new-england-quechee-gorge.html

[CanesFan27]

Woodstock, Vermont maybe the idealistic New England town.  Charming downtown with inns, restaurants, etc. a covered bridge, town green, ties to New England legends (vampires).

http://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2018/09/travel-new-england-woodstock-vermont.html

[csw]

Anyone familiar with Vermont rest areas or welcome centers? I'm trying to find out where I might be able to get a state road map, if they even make one.

[froggie]

They make one, though it's not VTrans that makes it...the Vermont Attractions Association (with assistance from the state's tourism department) has printed them for several years now.  Not only do the welcome centers stock them, but several tourist information areas as well.  There's even a stack at our local college.

[cl94]

Vermont has the most readily-accessible maps of any state I have seen. Virtually all state facilities and anything billing itself as "tourist information" will have maps. I've gotten stacks to pass out at historic sites, rest areas, etc.

[shadyjay]

Yup, they are very accessible.  All state rest areas and welcome centers have several "slots" full of maps.  Only areas which don't have them are the parking areas, as there is no enclosed building or kiosk. 

Many gas stations have them available too (all in my Valley do). 

[KEVIN_224]

There's a tiny booth on US Route 5 southbound in Brattleboro that has them. It's immediately north of downtown, where north and south split by a small park.

[shadyjay]

The former overheads on VT 9 at I-91 Exit 2 in Brattleboro (seen about halfway down this page:  http://www.alpsroads.net/roads/vt/vt_9/e.html) are history, replaced with new overheads.  Caught 'em at the last minute so I only saw the one on VT 9 East at the I-91 North ramp.  The I-91 North sign has been simplified, with mentions of "US 5 North/Putney, VT 9 East/Keene NH" gone... now just "I-91 (shield) North / White River Jct" with a curved up and left arrow with "ONLY" below it, in a black-on-white box.  The right sign now says "Downtown Brattleboro" without any VT 9 shield.  Didn't get a pic, nor did I see the other assemblies.  It kind of caught me off-guard.  Had I known they got replaced, I would've gotten off and grabbed a pic or three. 

[SectorZ]

The former overheads on VT 9 at I-91 Exit 2 in Brattleboro (seen about halfway down this page:  http://www.alpsroads.net/roads/vt/vt_9/e.html) are history, replaced with new overheads.  Caught 'em at the last minute so I only saw the one on VT 9 East at the I-91 North ramp.  The I-91 North sign has been simplified, with mentions of "US 5 North/Putney, VT 9 East/Keene NH" gone... now just "I-91 (shield) North / White River Jct" with a curved up and left arrow with "ONLY" below it, in a black-on-white box.  The right sign now says "Downtown Brattleboro" without any VT 9 shield.  Didn't get a pic, nor did I see the other assemblies.  It kind of caught me off-guard.  Had I known they got replaced, I would've gotten off and grabbed a pic or three.

So in this case neither sign tells you what happens to VT 9?

[shadyjay]

So in this case neither sign tells you what happens to VT 9?

At least not on that one BGS at the 91NB onramp that I saw.  Perhaps there's ground-mounted signage that points the way, or a sign saying "THRU TRAFFIC USE I-91 NORTH"... I'm not sure.  Only saw that one sign assembly.

I won't be able to verify or get pics for awhile, as I've just moved back to CT from VT, after 15 years.