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Chicago-Kansas City Expressway

Started by MantyMadTown, April 26, 2018, 01:12:15 AM

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kphoger

Quote from: sparker on May 11, 2018, 03:57:32 PM
Re the 55/72 multiplex: 6 general-purpose lanes would be an absolute minimum for that stretch of road (been on it several times); adding at least slip lanes between the interchanges would be a definite help.

Been on it when there was a wreck.  God help you then!

I had a handheld CB in the car back then, and one of the truckers was broadcasting a suggestion to get off I-55 SB and find your way to Bus-55 instead.  That might have been OK, if only every other trucker didn't also take the suggestion and clog up Bus-55 too...
Keep right except to pass.  Yes.  You.
Visit scenic Orleans County, NY!
Male pronouns, please.

Quote from: Philip K. DickIf you can control the meaning of words, you can control the people who must use them.


WhitePoleRD

Quote from: hbelkins on April 27, 2018, 10:32:24 AM
Quote from: MantyMadTown on April 26, 2018, 11:54:30 PM
Given that I live in Madison, I would probably take 151, 380, and 80 to get to I-35

Is that a better route than 151 to 20?

Either way has its drawbacks.

Traffic in general on 80 is pretty heavy in Iowa, especially Newton-Des Moines. Traffic between Ames and Des Moines on 35 though is just awful. There are plans to six-lane the remaining 20 miles but that's awhile off.

The nice thing about 80 is you can bypass Des Moines on 5/65 if you'd like. Smooth sailing to 35.
You take the high road, I'll take the low road and I'll be in Iowa before ye.

MNHighwayMan

#77
Quote from: WhitePoleRD on May 18, 2018, 01:46:34 PM
Traffic between Ames and Des Moines on 35 though is just awful. There are plans to six-lane the remaining 20 miles but that's awhile off.

I really, really wish they'd just do this already. I encounter a slowdown just about every time I'm driving south through Ames, right around the US-30 interchange.

Also, the 5 mph speed limit reduction to 65 mph through Ames is ridiculous. I just... what? I don't get the point, and a lot of people (myself included) just ignore it.

ChiMilNet

Quote from: MNHighwayMan on May 18, 2018, 10:04:13 PM
Quote from: WhitePoleRD on May 18, 2018, 01:46:34 PM
Traffic between Ames and Des Moines on 35 though is just awful. There are plans to six-lane the remaining 20 miles but that's awhile off.

I really, really wish they'd just do this already. I encounter a slowdown just about every time I'm driving south through Ames, right around the US-30 interchange.

Also, the 5 mph speed limit reduction to 65 mph through Ames is ridiculous. I just... what? I don't get the point, and a lot of people (myself included) just ignore it.

It's the same on I-80 through Iowa City, if I recall. My old man was pulled over because he didn't realize the drop off in speed limit. The cop was good to let him off with a warning (something tells me he is not the first person that's happened to), but that is just ridiculous! I mean, if there are tollways now in the Chicago Area that maintain a 70 MPH speed limit, shouldn't Iowa just keep it as is? Also, you could make an argument for them to raise the speed limit in that state to 75 MPH anyway.

Beltway

#79
Quote from: sparker on May 08, 2018, 05:46:21 PM
In a lot of rural areas, there's a wide median without any type of physical barrier separating the carriageways; the original consideration was that the distance (often approaching 100 feet) provided ample space for a vehicle to correct itself.  Smaller distances invariably involved cable barriers, thrie-beams, and K-rails.  Some states have been retrofitting barriers into even wide rural medians, particularly when instances of vehicle crossover have resulted in severe collisions.  This is true for both Interstate and non-Interstate freeways; most of CA 99, the older section of which featured linear banks of oleander bushes (which don't need much in the way of care or watering) in the median to act as both a separator and a buffer, now have either cables running down both sides of the trunks or even thrie-beams a few feet inboard from the inside of the lanes. 

Accident analysis studies have generally shown that 30 feet is ample width for an errant vehicle to recover safely, statistically very few vehicles need more than that.  A graded median 50 feet wide can do that without needing any guardrail, and have gradual enough slopes that it won't cause a vehicle to roll over.  A graded median needs enough slope to the center to establish adequate drainage.  A 30 or 40 foot wide median tends to have slopes that are too steep to provide a safe recovery zone.

Putting a guardrail in the middle of a 50 foot median will prevent the very rare instance of a car crossing the median, but that also means that there is just 25 feet of recovery space before the car hits the guardrail.  Just because a rare vehicle crosses the median doesn't mean that it will collide with another vehicle.
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MNHighwayMan

#80
Quote from: ChiMilNet on May 19, 2018, 09:12:49 AM
It's the same on I-80 through Iowa City, if I recall. My old man was pulled over because he didn't realize the drop off in speed limit. The cop was good to let him off with a warning (something tells me he is not the first person that's happened to), but that is just ridiculous! I mean, if there are tollways now in the Chicago Area that maintain a 70 MPH speed limit, shouldn't Iowa just keep it as is? Also, you could make an argument for them to raise the speed limit in that state to 75 MPH anyway.

I have never seen a cop patrolling the Ames 65 mph section. Not to say it doesn't happen, I've just been fortunate to never witness it.

There's been multiple proposed bills in the Iowa legislature to raise it to 75, but none of them have ever gone anywhere, sadly.

Revive 755

#81
Quote from: ChiMilNet on May 19, 2018, 09:12:49 AM
Quote from: MNHighwayMan on May 18, 2018, 10:04:13 PM
I really, really wish they'd just do this already. I encounter a slowdown just about every time I'm driving south through Ames, right around the US-30 interchange.

Also, the 5 mph speed limit reduction to 65 mph through Ames is ridiculous. I just... what? I don't get the point, and a lot of people (myself included) just ignore it.

It's the same on I-80 through Iowa City, if I recall. My old man was pulled over because he didn't realize the drop off in speed limit. The cop was good to let him off with a warning (something tells me he is not the first person that's happened to), but that is just ridiculous! I mean, if there are tollways now in the Chicago Area that maintain a 70 MPH speed limit, shouldn't Iowa just keep it as is? Also, you could make an argument for them to raise the speed limit in that state to 75 MPH anyway.

At least for Ames and Iowa City you actually see more of the city. I-80 through the Quad Cities on the Iowa side is mostly farmland, yet still gets posted at 65.  They make I-280 more tempting since it stays at 70 on the Illinois side.

As for the Illinois Tollways, only I-90 is currently posted at 70 well into Chicagoland.  I halfway expect the start of the section posted at 70 to be moved back west given the recurring congestion around Schaumburg - westbound in particular seems to have a recurring evening backup from I-290 to Roselle Road.

iowahighways

Quote from: Revive 755 on May 19, 2018, 10:09:25 AM
Quote from: ChiMilNet on May 19, 2018, 09:12:49 AM
Quote from: MNHighwayMan on May 18, 2018, 10:04:13 PM
I really, really wish they'd just do this already. I encounter a slowdown just about every time I'm driving south through Ames, right around the US-30 interchange.

Also, the 5 mph speed limit reduction to 65 mph through Ames is ridiculous. I just... what? I don't get the point, and a lot of people (myself included) just ignore it.

It's the same on I-80 through Iowa City, if I recall. My old man was pulled over because he didn't realize the drop off in speed limit. The cop was good to let him off with a warning (something tells me he is not the first person that's happened to), but that is just ridiculous! I mean, if there are tollways now in the Chicago Area that maintain a 70 MPH speed limit, shouldn't Iowa just keep it as is? Also, you could make an argument for them to raise the speed limit in that state to 75 MPH anyway.

At least for Ames and Iowa City you actually see more of the city. I-80 through the Quad Cities on the Iowa side is mostly farmland, yet still gets posted at 65.  They make I-280 more tempting since it stays at 70 on the Illinois side.

As it is now, Iowa's 70 MPH speed limit only applies to Interstate highways outside of urban areas of less than 50,000 people. Both Iowa City and Ames have over 50,000, especially when classes at Iowa and Iowa State are in session. I-80 also goes through the city limits of Davenport and Bettendorf, hence the posted speed limit being 65.
The Iowa Highways Page: Now exclusively at www.iowahighways.org
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3467

Since both threads live I will post updates here. Missouri legislature put a gas tax on the ballot again.Illinois won't have a capital Bill until next year at the earliest. But Macomb bypass will open by June 1 however the US 34 Freeway is closed until fall and traffic is on Illinois 164 which is old 34.

edwaleni

I have followed the CKC talk since it was first publicized in Chicago back in the 1970's.

It honestly serves 2 purposes.

Trucking Lobby
Serving "Forgottonia" a nickname for western IL

When IDOT announced they could not get funding for the CKC in 1979, a private toll road just for trucks was proposed. Several entities lobbied for that but DOT would not grant them the needed legal rights (similar to a railroad) and the effort died. Plus back then public-private ventures on highways was not in vogue.

So the current CKC is a total compromise that does not do a good job of serving trucks or western IL industry.

But its current form does meet an IL goal of having an interstate quality road within so many miles of every town.

As far as Missouri goes, they really need to get the Bella Vista bypass resolved before messing with any CKC stuff. I recently saw interviews of ARDOT officials and they said they are trying to help MoDOT with the funding gaps.

Leave CKC as is. I have been across Missouri and its fine for now.

adt1982

Quote from: sparker on May 11, 2018, 03:57:32 PM
Quote from: skluth on May 11, 2018, 02:23:24 PM
Quote from: Rick Powell on May 11, 2018, 01:17:04 PM
Quote from: Gnutella on May 08, 2018, 03:51:10 AM
A couple of thangz:


1. The I-55/I-72 multiplex in Springfield needs to be widened to six lanes. It's weird how I-55 is six lanes from Lincoln all the way down to near Springfield, but then narrows to four lanes in time for I-72 to tie in.

2. If U.S. 36 in Missouri is going to be upgraded to I-72, then MODOT will have to properly grade several segments that weren't when the highway was twinned, like the eastbound lanes east of Marceline and the westbound lanes west of Cameron.

There is a study underway to widen the 55/72 multiplex to 6 lanes. The IL 4 "western bypass" which is sort of an arterial expressway was originally thought to take some of the traffic off of the eastern interstate route, but it hasn't happened so much in real life.

Getting clogged with stoplights serving a series of suburban strip malls and subdivisions has a way of discouraging through traffic

Re the 55/72 multiplex: 6 general-purpose lanes would be an absolute minimum for that stretch of road (been on it several times); adding at least slip lanes between the interchanges would be a definite help.  Let's hope the plans also include an interchange revamp for the north/east 55-72 junction (get rid of the tight loop on WB 72). 

The problem with 55/72 around Springfield is that it uses the original US 66 bypass of Springfield.  They can't do 6 lanes without a ton of work.  The curve at Stevenson Drive near the CWLP power plant will be a chokepoint.

MNHighwayMan

Quote from: iowahighways on May 19, 2018, 10:52:51 AM
As it is now, Iowa's 70 MPH speed limit only applies to Interstate highways outside of urban areas of less than 50,000 people. Both Iowa City and Ames have over 50,000, especially when classes at Iowa and Iowa State are in session. I-80 also goes through the city limits of Davenport and Bettendorf, hence the posted speed limit being 65.

I did not know that. However, let me just say, bluntly and inelegantly, that that law is retarded. IMO there's no good, practical reason I should need to slow down 5 mph through those areas. Neither traffic volume nor highway geometry dictate the necessity of the speed reduction in any of those aforementioned places.

edwaleni

Quote from: adt1982 on May 19, 2018, 12:11:46 PM
Quote from: sparker on May 11, 2018, 03:57:32 PM
Quote from: skluth on May 11, 2018, 02:23:24 PM
Quote from: Rick Powell on May 11, 2018, 01:17:04 PM
Quote from: Gnutella on May 08, 2018, 03:51:10 AM
A couple of thangz:


1. The I-55/I-72 multiplex in Springfield needs to be widened to six lanes. It's weird how I-55 is six lanes from Lincoln all the way down to near Springfield, but then narrows to four lanes in time for I-72 to tie in.

2. If U.S. 36 in Missouri is going to be upgraded to I-72, then MODOT will have to properly grade several segments that weren't when the highway was twinned, like the eastbound lanes east of Marceline and the westbound lanes west of Cameron.

There is a study underway to widen the 55/72 multiplex to 6 lanes. The IL 4 "western bypass" which is sort of an arterial expressway was originally thought to take some of the traffic off of the eastern interstate route, but it hasn't happened so much in real life.

Getting clogged with stoplights serving a series of suburban strip malls and subdivisions has a way of discouraging through traffic

Re the 55/72 multiplex: 6 general-purpose lanes would be an absolute minimum for that stretch of road (been on it several times); adding at least slip lanes between the interchanges would be a definite help.  Let's hope the plans also include an interchange revamp for the north/east 55-72 junction (get rid of the tight loop on WB 72). 

The problem with 55/72 around Springfield is that it uses the original US 66 bypass of Springfield.  They can't do 6 lanes without a ton of work.  The curve at Stevenson Drive near the CWLP power plant will be a chokepoint.

IDOT has it on their website as a project, but the dedicated site for planning (www.i55springfield.com) updates gets a 404.

I was reading recently that there are so many constituencies fighting for so few dollars that other than repairs, nothing will happen around Springfield for a long time.

NE2

Quote from: adt1982 on May 19, 2018, 12:11:46 PM
The problem with 55/72 around Springfield is that it uses the original US 66 bypass of Springfield.
Dirksen Parkway and Stevenson Drive?
pre-1945 Florida route log

I accept and respect your identity as long as it's not dumb shit like "identifying as a vaccinated attack helicopter".

edwaleni

Quote from: NE2 on May 19, 2018, 12:34:43 PM
Quote from: adt1982 on May 19, 2018, 12:11:46 PM
The problem with 55/72 around Springfield is that it uses the original US 66 bypass of Springfield.
Dirksen Parkway and Stevenson Drive?

Dirksen Parkway is the actual original US66 bypass. Then a new bypass was built to the east of Dirksen which is now I-55 and connected the 6th Street expressway to go south.  You can still see the original expressway on the west side of I-55 right after you cross Lake Springfield.

There are other issues, but I would digress from the thread title.

hbelkins

Quote from: MNHighwayMan on May 19, 2018, 12:29:54 PM
Quote from: iowahighways on May 19, 2018, 10:52:51 AM
As it is now, Iowa's 70 MPH speed limit only applies to Interstate highways outside of urban areas of less than 50,000 people. Both Iowa City and Ames have over 50,000, especially when classes at Iowa and Iowa State are in session. I-80 also goes through the city limits of Davenport and Bettendorf, hence the posted speed limit being 65.

I did not know that. However, let me just say, bluntly and inelegantly, that that law is retarded. IMO there's no good, practical reason I should need to slow down 5 mph through those areas. Neither traffic volume nor highway geometry dictate the necessity of the speed reduction in any of those aforementioned places.

Air quality issues, perhaps? In Tennessee, I-75's speed limit drops just as soon as you enter Knox County from the north, although the area is still very rural and you don't start reaching development until several miles farther south.


Government would be tolerable if not for politicians and bureaucrats.

3467

No urban air quality is better than rural in Iowa because of all the hog farms.Its just Iowa just like Illinois is going to have the 2 lane Macomb bypass freeway at 55.

WhitePoleRD

Quote from: ChiMilNet on May 19, 2018, 09:12:49 AM
Quote from: MNHighwayMan on May 18, 2018, 10:04:13 PM
Quote from: WhitePoleRD on May 18, 2018, 01:46:34 PM
Traffic between Ames and Des Moines on 35 though is just awful. There are plans to six-lane the remaining 20 miles but that's awhile off.

I really, really wish they'd just do this already. I encounter a slowdown just about every time I'm driving south through Ames, right around the US-30 interchange.

Also, the 5 mph speed limit reduction to 65 mph through Ames is ridiculous. I just... what? I don't get the point, and a lot of people (myself included) just ignore it.

It's the same on I-80 through Iowa City, if I recall. My old man was pulled over because he didn't realize the drop off in speed limit. The cop was good to let him off with a warning (something tells me he is not the first person that's happened to), but that is just ridiculous! I mean, if there are tollways now in the Chicago Area that maintain a 70 MPH speed limit, shouldn't Iowa just keep it as is? Also, you could make an argument for them to raise the speed limit in that state to 75 MPH anyway.

Iowa was super late in the game bumping the speed limit to 70. For perspective: When we moved to 70, SD was already at 75 and MN was considering it too. Now MN is at 75, SD is at 80, and we're...at least 3 years from 75.

Also, IC cops are the worst.
You take the high road, I'll take the low road and I'll be in Iowa before ye.

MNHighwayMan


kphoger

Quote from: MNHighwayMan on May 24, 2018, 11:33:51 AM
Quote from: WhitePoleRD on May 24, 2018, 10:15:40 AM
Now MN is at 75

Haha, I wish. (Still only 70 in Minnesota.)

Meanwhile, traffic on I-35 south of the Cities goes 81 mph anyway.
Keep right except to pass.  Yes.  You.
Visit scenic Orleans County, NY!
Male pronouns, please.

Quote from: Philip K. DickIf you can control the meaning of words, you can control the people who must use them.

MNHighwayMan

Quote from: kphoger on May 24, 2018, 01:10:54 PM
Quote from: MNHighwayMan on May 24, 2018, 11:33:51 AM
Quote from: WhitePoleRD on May 24, 2018, 10:15:40 AM
Now MN is at 75
Haha, I wish. (Still only 70 in Minnesota.)
Meanwhile, traffic on I-35 south of the Cities goes 81 mph anyway.

Can confirm. ;-)

Brandon

Quote from: WhitePoleRD on May 24, 2018, 10:15:40 AM
Iowa was super late in the game bumping the speed limit to 70. For perspective: When we moved to 70, SD was already at 75 and MN was considering it too. Now MN is at 75, SD is at 80, and we're...at least 3 years from 75.

Also, IC cops are the worst.

Late in the game?  Your neighbors to the east were a bit later.
"If you think this has a happy ending, you haven't been paying attention." - Ramsay Bolton

"Symbolic of his struggle against reality." - Reg

ilpt4u

Quote from: Brandon on May 25, 2018, 11:51:23 AM
Quote from: WhitePoleRD on May 24, 2018, 10:15:40 AM
Iowa was super late in the game bumping the speed limit to 70. For perspective: When we moved to 70, SD was already at 75 and MN was considering it too. Now MN is at 75, SD is at 80, and we're...at least 3 years from 75.

Also, IC cops are the worst.

Late in the game?  Your neighbors to the east were a bit later.
Those said neighbors need to get some 75 action going. I-90, I-88, I-39, I-80, I-55, I-57, I-74, I-72, I-70, I-64, I-24 all have sections that justify 75 MPH Speed Limits

Do IDOT & ISTHA have the authority to raise the Limits, or do they need approval from the IL Legislature?

edwaleni

Quote from: ilpt4u on May 26, 2018, 02:01:28 PM
Quote from: Brandon on May 25, 2018, 11:51:23 AM
Quote from: WhitePoleRD on May 24, 2018, 10:15:40 AM
Iowa was super late in the game bumping the speed limit to 70. For perspective: When we moved to 70, SD was already at 75 and MN was considering it too. Now MN is at 75, SD is at 80, and we're...at least 3 years from 75.

Also, IC cops are the worst.

Late in the game?  Your neighbors to the east were a bit later.
Those said neighbors need to get some 75 action going. I-90, I-88, I-39, I-80, I-55, I-57, I-74, I-72, I-70, I-64, I-24 all have sections that justify 75 MPH Speed Limits

Do IDOT & ISTHA have the authority to raise the Limits, or do they need approval from the IL Legislature?

It's solely a state decision. They just cant exceed any federal standards or risk losing their highway funding.

Revive 755

Quote from: ilpt4u on May 26, 2018, 02:01:28 PM
Do IDOT & ISTHA have the authority to raise the Limits, or do they need approval from the IL Legislature?

Tthey would need the Illinois statutes to be rewritten by Legislature, as they currently specify a maximum of 70.



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