Vermont

[froggie]

VTrans made a post on Facebook today suggesting the Morrisville Bypass will open tomorrow.  A VPR update confirms that it'll open tomorrow at 2pm.  The article also mentions that bikes and peds will be allowed on the bypass in the interim, until the VTrans Traffic Committee decides the matter in December.

[froggie]

Morrisville Bypass did indeed open yesterday.  We braved the rain (and some snow) to take a look today.  As noted earlier, it has a 40 MPH speed limit and a traffic signal at Bridge St.  Also, as I suspected, the indentations I saw in the pavement were indeed for the use of adding thermoplast striping.

A few photos:


^  Approaching the north end of the bypass, at a roundabout on VT 15.


^  Speed Limit 40 and Prohibited signs.  The white patches on the prohibited sign are due to the late change noted in the VPR article that VTrans will allow bikes and pedestrians on the bypass for the time being.


^  Bridge over the Lamoille River, going southbound.


^  Approaching the south end of the bypass.  VTrans is in the process of resigning the old route through town as Historic VT 100.


^  Northbound this time, just north of the river and at the only traffic signal on the bypass, at Bridge St.  This signal was the holdup in finishing and opening the bypass (original opening was supposed to be 4 weeks ago).  Also of note:  protected-only lefts at the signal.  The bridge behind the signal is for the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail, and barely visible behind the bridge is a decent rock cut that was required for the project.

More photos on my Flickr set.  I only managed 10 photos due to the poor weather.

[Alps]

Morrisville Bypass did indeed open yesterday.  We braved the rain (and some snow) to take a look today.  As noted earlier, it has a 40 MPH speed limit and a traffic signal at Bridge St.  Also, as I suspected, the indentations I saw in the pavement were indeed for the use of adding thermoplast striping.

Despite your wishes, our meet was devoid of snow. Surprisingly, we didn't wish bad weather on you.

[froggie]

Leave it to Google to screw up a new road rendition.  Their view of Morrisville shows the new VT 100 bypass, but not on any zoom further out than this one.  They also have the route designations swapped..."Historic Route 100" is the old route through the middle of town.

[vdeane]

I was able to get both zooms further in and out to show it.  Maybe it just took time to update?

[Alps]

Leave it to Google to screw up a new road rendition.  Their view of Morrisville shows the new VT 100 bypass, but not on any zoom further out than this one.  They also have the route designations swapped..."Historic Route 100" is the old route through the middle of town.

Couldn't get directions to route over it yet. I'll be through there tomorrow afternoon. (We might could meet up? I'll let you know when I'm stateside.)

[froggie]

A couple items of note.  First, now that the Morrisville bypass is open, the town took out one of the traffic signals along old VT 100 (now signed HISTORIC VT 100).

Second, similar to the bypass pavement striping, there's now a section of I-91 south of Barnet where VTrans ground out the pavement and applied striping in the grooves.

[c172]

I used to go to college in Putney, on U.S. 5 north of Brattleboro. We here in my native CA have seen all sorts of "historic" signs go up for former segments of U.S. 101. At least out here, they make the "historic" markers look different, and thus arguably less confusing. Looks like that's not the case in VT (or is "Historic" 100 still legally a part of VT 100?).

[Alps]

I used to go to college in Putney, on U.S. 5 north of Brattleboro. We here in my native CA have seen all sorts of "historic" signs go up for former segments of U.S. 101. At least out here, they make the "historic" markers look different, and thus arguably less confusing. Looks like that's not the case in VT (or is "Historic" 100 still legally a part of VT 100?).

In VT, HISTORIC banners just say a route is historic in nature, not that it's a former route.

[yakra]

In VT, HISTORIC banners just say a route is historic in nature, not that it's a former route.

Which is a pain in the butt. VT7A and Historic VT7A are one and the same.
But Historic VT100 is a different beast from VT100 proper. So, in the latter case at least, the "historic" route functionally serves as a flavor of bannered route.

[Alps]

In VT, HISTORIC banners just say a route is historic in nature, not that it's a former route.

Which is a pain in the butt. VT7A and Historic VT7A are one and the same.
But Historic VT100 is a different beast from VT100 proper. So, in the latter case at least, the "historic" route functionally serves as a flavor of bannered route.

It really ought to be Business 100.

[The Nature Boy]

Here's a random aside:

I notice that Vermont and New York have a few highways that share numbers on both sides of the state line and as such can be seen as a extension of each other. Vermont does this with New Hampshire at least once in Norwich when it continues NH 10A as VT 10A for about a half mile until the I-91/US 5 junction. VT 10A is basically a child of NH Route 10 and has nothing to do with VT Route 10.

Are there any other instances of Vermont and New Hampshire doing this? I just remember the NH/VT Route 10A situation from personal experience. Also, does anyone know how long Vermont Route 10A has existed there? I know that that area was formerly a rail village named Lewiston before it was demolished to make way for the interstate. That road served a valuable purpose during that time since it was the connection between Dartmouth and the rail station in Lewiston and is the only river crossing between Hanover and Vermont.

I do have to wonder why NHDOT decided to even number that half mile strip from Hanover's main street to the Ledyard Bridge but that's a different topic.

[hotdogPi]

Here's a random aside:

I notice that Vermont and New York have a few highways that share numbers on both sides of the state line and as such can be seen as a extension of each other. Vermont does this with New Hampshire at least once in Norwich when it continues NH 10A as VT 10A for about a half mile until the I-91/US 5 junction. VT 10A is basically a child of NH Route 10 and has nothing to do with VT Route 10.

Are there any other instances of Vermont and New Hampshire doing this? I just remember the NH/VT Route 10A situation from personal experience. Also, does anyone know how long Vermont Route 10A has existed there? I know that that area was formerly a rail village named Lewiston before it was demolished to make way for the interstate. That road served a valuable purpose during that time since it was the connection between Dartmouth and the rail station in Lewiston and is the only river crossing between Hanover and Vermont.

I do have to wonder why NHDOT decided to even number that half mile strip from Hanover's main street to the Ledyard Bridge but that's a different topic.

I'm not sure if you're talking about any routes or just ones other than a simple number. Some that are just a number include 9, 11, 12, 25, 26, and 119.

[The Nature Boy]

Here's a random aside:

I notice that Vermont and New York have a few highways that share numbers on both sides of the state line and as such can be seen as a extension of each other. Vermont does this with New Hampshire at least once in Norwich when it continues NH 10A as VT 10A for about a half mile until the I-91/US 5 junction. VT 10A is basically a child of NH Route 10 and has nothing to do with VT Route 10.

Are there any other instances of Vermont and New Hampshire doing this? I just remember the NH/VT Route 10A situation from personal experience. Also, does anyone know how long Vermont Route 10A has existed there? I know that that area was formerly a rail village named Lewiston before it was demolished to make way for the interstate. That road served a valuable purpose during that time since it was the connection between Dartmouth and the rail station in Lewiston and is the only river crossing between Hanover and Vermont.

I do have to wonder why NHDOT decided to even number that half mile strip from Hanover's main street to the Ledyard Bridge but that's a different topic.

I'm not sure if you're talking about any routes or just ones other than a simple number. Some that are just a number include 9, 11, 12, 25, 26, and 119.

I was more or less referring to a number continuing across state lines, which is probably more common nationwide than I'm thinking. I'm also wondering if there are any other instances like Vermont/NH 10A where the Vermont route is a continuation of a suffixed route that is a child of New Hampshire road, like 10A is or even vice versa.

[hotdogPi]

Here's a random aside:

I notice that Vermont and New York have a few highways that share numbers on both sides of the state line and as such can be seen as a extension of each other. Vermont does this with New Hampshire at least once in Norwich when it continues NH 10A as VT 10A for about a half mile until the I-91/US 5 junction. VT 10A is basically a child of NH Route 10 and has nothing to do with VT Route 10.

Are there any other instances of Vermont and New Hampshire doing this? I just remember the NH/VT Route 10A situation from personal experience. Also, does anyone know how long Vermont Route 10A has existed there? I know that that area was formerly a rail village named Lewiston before it was demolished to make way for the interstate. That road served a valuable purpose during that time since it was the connection between Dartmouth and the rail station in Lewiston and is the only river crossing between Hanover and Vermont.

I do have to wonder why NHDOT decided to even number that half mile strip from Hanover's main street to the Ledyard Bridge but that's a different topic.

I'm not sure if you're talking about any routes or just ones other than a simple number. Some that are just a number include 9, 11, 12, 25, 26, and 119.

I was more or less referring to a number continuing across state lines, which is probably more common nationwide than I'm thinking. I'm also wondering if there are any other instances like Vermont/NH 10A where the Vermont route is a continuation of a suffixed route that is a child of New Hampshire road, like 10A is or even vice versa.

The numbers I mentioned are all continuations from New Hampshire into Vermont. In fact, every existing non-suffixed numbered route in New Hampshire with a number under 33 goes into another state.

As for other suffixed examples, MA 114A is related to RI 114, not MA 114.

[The Nature Boy]

Thanks for answering the question. It was just something that was bugging me last night.

[Beeper1]

VT-22A is a child of NY-22.

[Ian]

Here's a random aside:

I notice that Vermont and New York have a few highways that share numbers on both sides of the state line and as such can be seen as a extension of each other. Vermont does this with New Hampshire at least once in Norwich when it continues NH 10A as VT 10A for about a half mile until the I-91/US 5 junction. VT 10A is basically a child of NH Route 10 and has nothing to do with VT Route 10.

Are there any other instances of Vermont and New Hampshire doing this? I just remember the NH/VT Route 10A situation from personal experience. Also, does anyone know how long Vermont Route 10A has existed there? I know that that area was formerly a rail village named Lewiston before it was demolished to make way for the interstate. That road served a valuable purpose during that time since it was the connection between Dartmouth and the rail station in Lewiston and is the only river crossing between Hanover and Vermont.

I do have to wonder why NHDOT decided to even number that half mile strip from Hanover's main street to the Ledyard Bridge but that's a different topic.

NH 113B in Chatham, NH is a child of ME 113. ME 113 even enters New Hampshire at several spots near there.

[shadyjay]

Sign replacement update on I-91 between Mass state line and Rockingham:

Finally some new signs are up and supports are up for most other signs.  Got on this morning at Exit 6 heading south and observed new signs for Exit 6 and 5.  Changes for Exit 5 NB include only two route markers:  TO US 5 / VT 123.  VT 121 is left out.  Text is Clearview, similar to other projects on I-89 north of Exit 3.  Full compliment of 3 signs per exit, with a separate blue sign for exit services.  Previously, exits in this area only got 2 signs (1 mile and the "exit here" sign), with the symbols hanging off the last sign. 

What is interesting (and logical) is the first NB parking area just north of Exit 4 in Putney is now back to being signed as a Weigh Station.  Originally this was a weigh station, but was resigned a parking area.  It works better as a weigh station, since it doesn't really have any parking spots.  Meanwhile, the parking area a few miles up has been signed a parking area all along (except for a brief period in the late 1990s). 

I took a few pics, which I'll most likely post early next week, along with a full NB report through the project limits.

[Mergingtraffic]

Sign replacement update on I-91 between Mass state line and Rockingham:

Finally some new signs are up and supports are up for most other signs.  Got on this morning at Exit 6 heading south and observed new signs for Exit 6 and 5.  Changes for Exit 5 NB include only two route markers:  TO US 5 / VT 123.  VT 121 is left out.  Text is Clearview, similar to other projects on I-89 north of Exit 3.  Full compliment of 3 signs per exit, with a separate blue sign for exit services.  Previously, exits in this area only got 2 signs (1 mile and the "exit here" sign), with the symbols hanging off the last sign. 

What is interesting (and logical) is the first NB parking area just north of Exit 4 in Putney is now back to being signed as a Weigh Station.  Originally this was a weigh station, but was resigned a parking area.  It works better as a weigh station, since it doesn't really have any parking spots.  Meanwhile, the parking area a few miles up has been signed a parking area all along (except for a brief period in the late 1990s). 

I took a few pics, which I'll most likely post early next week, along with a full NB report through the project limits.

What types of signs are they replacing? Button copy? Non-reflective button copy?

[froggie]

Non-button copy that held up surprisingly well.

[shadyjay]

Within this project limits, one button copy sign remains standing.... the exit gore sign for Exit 4-SB.  Its days are numbered, though, as posts for the new sign are up.

I'd guess most of the signs in the project limits were installed sometime in the mid 1980s.  Most of them had the text "EXIT" before the 1 MILE distance.  The Exit 5-NB signs were replaced in the 1990s (originally just had Bellows Falls as a control point), and Exit 5-SB signs had the route markers modified.  All have now been replaced with this project.

[shadyjay]

Updated 6/22/15 - pm

SB shots for Exit 5....





Note there seems to be an extra space to the right of the "5" in the exit tab.... perhaps wide enough for mileage-based exits in the future?  Also note the recently cut trees in the first shot.  Crews were out that day (Saturday) cutting around the new signs.  The lane closure in the second shot was for some sort of bridge work/inspection.

Now a selection of NB shots taken Monday 6/22....

NB Exit 5 "exit now"... still some cutting to do here.  Note absence of VT 121 shield, previously displayed on the older signage:


NB Exit 6 "exit now".... the old 1 mile advance sign for this exit has been replaced with a 1 1/2 Milse sign, in the same location as the old one.  The distances on the old signs were off.  NB Exit 4 1 mile is the same way, will most likely read 1 1/2 Miles when the new sign goes up:


NB reassurance trailblazer north of Exit 6.... pretty standard issue for VT reassurance signs on the mainline occuring after each onramp:


NB mileage destinations north of Exit 6, the final NB sign in this contract.  Much smaller than its original:


Following completion of this project, old signs in VT will be limited to I-91 Exits 7, 8, and 10, and I-89 Jct I-91 exit and Exit 1.  Not sure when a contract to replace those signs will come out, but it will be interesting to see how the I-89/I-91 jct gets resigned, and whether or not the overhead NB at Exit 7 will remain, and if it does, if I-91 NORTH will be added to the control points of Windsor/White River Jct on the pullthrough.  A pullthrough is kind of helpful at that location, since the onramp comes before the offramp.  Exit 8 shields only were replaced and Exit 9 got all new signs a few years back (which are NOT Clearview, btw). 

In the time between my SB drive on Sat and the NB drive on Mon, crews had installed new signs SB down to Exit 4 and were actively working.   Most posts are placed in both directions, except some around Exit 3.  Weigh Station and Parking Area signs are in the more traditional non-Clearview font.  The SB weigh station signage for "ALL TRUCKS - NEXT RIGHT" now says "ALL TRUCKS-NEXT RIGHT" with a black on white bottom which reads "WHEN FLASHING".  Looks like this will replace the former CLOSED/OPEN flip sign.  The flashers are not installed yet, however, and there's still some cutting to do since the sign is kinda in the trees.

Next update will most likely be in a month or so.

Full album is located at:
https://picasaweb.google.com/108118189767835080687/I91SignReplacementInVT#

[vdeane]

It looks like VT may indeed be planning a switch: http://www.sevendaysvt.com/vermont/wtf-while-we-were-driving-part-2/Content?oid=2535889

[Rothman]

It looks like VT may indeed be planning a switch: http://www.sevendaysvt.com/vermont/wtf-while-we-were-driving-part-2/Content?oid=2535889

Pfft.  I'll believe it when I see it.

I've been waiting for NY to switch over for years and am pretty sure it'll never happen.