Vermont

[KEVIN_224]

The survey marker was embedded in the sidewalk, next to the red wall of the Whetstone Station. I can tell you that the wooden sidewalk planks started maybe 1.5 feet east of the marker at the most. Come to think of it, I didn't see an actual state line sign on that bridge, unlike the Seabees Bridge on VT/NH Route 9 a few miles upstream. The Whetstone Station picture was from August 20th, while the picture of the bridge and Wantastiquet Mountain was from about 2 weeks ago:

[The Nature Boy]

http://www.wcax.com/story/29902037/vermont-interstate-91-bridge-to-be-replaced-this-weekend

It looks like Vermont is going to replace a bridge in a weekend.

[froggie]

Mostly slide a new bridge into place.  They've been building the replacement spans adjacent to the existing spans this summer.  This weekend they'll tear down the old spans and slide the new ones over in their places.  I've been watching it from time to time as that's the exit where the VA Medical Center I go to is located.

(EDIT)  Also, per the public release, only the northbound span will be slid into place this weekend.  Southbound is planned for sometime in September.

[Pete from Boston]

The survey marker was embedded in the sidewalk, next to the red wall of the Whetstone Station. I can tell you that the wooden sidewalk planks started maybe 1.5 feet east of the marker at the most. Come to think of it, I didn't see an actual state line sign on that bridge, unlike the Seabees Bridge on VT/NH Route 9 a few miles upstream. The Whetstone Station picture was from August 20th, while the picture of the bridge and Wantastiquet Mountain was from about 2 weeks ago:

I wish these posts happened a couple of months ago.  I did that very walk across the river, hiking Mt. Wantastiquet and following it up with a visit to Whetstone Station.

[shadyjay]

So on our way to the St Lawrence this weekend, we traversed the "Circ" (VT 289) in Essex.  Massive... and I do mean MASSIVE construction is taking place along what would be the northbound carriageway (the Circ is a Super 2).  This construction even extends west past the terminus, where there is a lot of clearing and blasting taking place.  It looks like crews are laying some pipeline, but it seems a LOT more substantial than that.  I would've thought we would've caught wind on the "twinning" of 289 and any further extension being eminent, but I've seen nothing on the news about it.   Only recent news in expressway/new roadway construction approval has been the Champlain Parkway.  I'd love to see the Circ built to connect to I-89 at both ends.

So what really is going on? 

[DJDBVT]

So on our way to the St Lawrence this weekend, we traversed the "Circ" (VT 289) in Essex.  Massive... and I do mean MASSIVE construction is taking place along what would be the northbound carriageway (the Circ is a Super 2).  This construction even extends west past the terminus, where there is a lot of clearing and blasting taking place.  It looks like crews are laying some pipeline, but it seems a LOT more substantial than that.  I would've thought we would've caught wind on the "twinning" of 289 and any further extension being eminent, but I've seen nothing on the news about it.   Only recent news in expressway/new roadway construction approval has been the Champlain Parkway.  I'd love to see the Circ built to connect to I-89 at both ends.

So what really is going on?

The construction you saw was part of the 41-mile Addison Natural Gas Project, which, when completed, will run from Colchester to the Middlebury area.

[froggie]

Just got an email from VTrans that verifies what DJDBVT said...it's part of a natural gas line.  "VT Gas is running a line from Colchester to Addison County and a section of it runs parallel to VT 289."

[shadyjay]

Just got an email from VTrans that verifies what DJDBVT said...it's part of a natural gas line.  "VT Gas is running a line from Colchester to Addison County and a section of it runs parallel to VT 289."

That's what I thought too but it just seemed like a lot of work for a pipeline.  My friend who was driving was convinced it was part of expanding/widening the "circ" but I think he was just confusing it with the Champlain Parkway, which just recently got the green light for construction. 

After all, if the Circ was being widened/twinned/etc.... we'd be all over it on this board!! 

[froggie]

If the Circ was being widened or twinned, I've have expected to hear about it in the local news or on CAX before now...

[froggie]

So we had enough snow in some places yesterday/last night (1.3" at my house) to where VTrans broke out the snowplows, at least on I-91 north of Lyndonville.

[KEVIN_224]

Any idea if the I-91 bridge construction is still going in Brattleboro? I was last up there in late August. I saw a construction zone starting almost immediately after Exit 1 heading north.

[froggie]

Yes.  They're replacing the bridges over the West River and VT 30.  It'll be a multi-year project...at least through next year (if not into 2017).

[KEVIN_224]

That explains the little orange alternate I-91 signs then! I saw this one along US Route 5 in Brattleboro back in August:

[cl94]

Yes.  They're replacing the bridges over the West River and VT 30.  It'll be a multi-year project...at least through next year (if not into 2017).

It's lasting that long? I hoped it would be over by now. It's on the most direct route between where I'm moving and the closest New Hampshire liquor store 

[shadyjay]

For more on the project, see:  http://www.i91brattleborobridge.com/

It seems its been "slow going" but I imagine once the piers get finished, then its just a matter of laying the deck.  What's interesting is the new bridge will be wide enough to replace the two original bridges, the NB demolished to build the new bridge and the SB will be demolished once the new bridge is open.  But until that happens, travelers will have to endure another year of single lane traffic between Exits 2 & 3. 

And once this job is complete, I wonder what the next "big one" for VT will be.  I wonder about the one up in Rockingham (just past Exit 6) over the Williams River/GMRC or the one over the White River/NECR up in White River Jct.... at least there's less traffic over those both. 

[froggie]

And once this job is complete, I wonder what the next "big one" for VT will be.  I wonder about the one up in Rockingham (just past Exit 6) over the Williams River/GMRC or the one over the White River/NECR up in White River Jct.... at least there's less traffic over those both. 

According to VTrans, the Williams River bridges will be next, kicking off in 2017.  There's also the I-89 bridges over the river between Hartford and West Leb starting in 2018...that'll be mostly a NH project but some VT involvement.  From what little I've seen, the project will include full shoulders on both sides and an auxiliary lane on the SB 89 side between the 91 on-ramp and the NH 12A exit.

[KEVIN_224]

Here's a question for Vermont roads:

While I-91 heading towards Brattleboro this past August, I noticed the tiny 1/20 mile markers in gray. Are those really necessary? How else would I know the Guilford/Vernon town line heading north is at MM 2.35?

Does I-89 have them, too? (It's the only 2DI in New England I've never been on.)

[froggie]

Those are Vermont's older-style milemarkers for the Interstates.  Yes both I-89 and I-93 have them (I don't recall offhand if I-189 does).  Given that VTrans now uses more standardized 0.2 mile markers, I do not believe the 0.05 markers are being replaced as they're lost (usually due to winter snowplowing, at least that's how some on I-91 in Sheffield have disappeared).  But VTrans hasn't removed them either.

[DJDBVT]

In the recent sign replacement project on I-91 between Guilford and Rockingham, the 0.05 markers have all been replaced with new ones.

Those are Vermont's older-style milemarkers for the Interstates.  Yes both I-89 and I-93 have them (I don't recall offhand if I-189 does).  Given that VTrans now uses more standardized 0.2 mile markers, I do not believe the 0.05 markers are being replaced as they're lost (usually due to winter snowplowing, at least that's how some on I-91 in Sheffield have disappeared).  But VTrans hasn't removed them either.

[DJDBVT]

Those little signs predate the current I-91 bridge replacement. They originally went up then the bridges between Exits 1 and 2 were done a few years back. A more recent signage development - within the past 6 weeks or so - is the placement of full-sized I-91 shields topped with orange ALTERNATE banners along US 5 between Exits 1 and 4. VTrans will occasionally close the onramps at Exit 3 on weekends with lots of traffic (such as Sunday afternoons during foliage and ski seasons) to keep southbound traffic on I-91 moving a little smoother into the construction zone.

That explains the little orange alternate I-91 signs then! I saw this one along US Route 5 in Brattleboro back in August:

[froggie]

A few notes from trips this week:

- Route designations in Morrisville have changed again.  Back in January, in response to concerns especially from "north end" businesses (mostly the strip malls along old 100 south of 15), local officials held meetings and a survey asking local residents and business owners/employees what they thought both old 100 and the bypass should be designated.

Based on that feedback, local officials requested and VTrans agreed to change the designations, though it took until this month to get the signage up.  VT 100 is back on its old pre-bypass routing through Morrisville.  The bypass is now officially "Alternate VT 100", with an additional "Truck Route" banner posted.

- VTrans has put new striping on southbound I-91 from south of I-93 to the Wells River (just north of US 302).  This striping is similar to what they did on the above-mentioned Morrisville bypass, where they cut/scraped grooves in the pavement, then applied what looked like thermoplast striping in the grooves.  Theoretically, this will last longer than their normal pavement, as due to the grooves the stripes are placed in, the snowplows won't scrape the thermoplast off.

I only saw it along this southbound stretch of 91.  I did not see any northbound, nor did I see it anywhere else between Barton and Fairlee.

- When VTrans redecked the I-89 bridges just east of VT 100 this year, they closed the former ramp from NB 100 to SB 89 and built a temporary turn lane so that all traffic could use the loop ramp to SB 89 (previously the SB 100 to SB 89 loop).  Given posts and barriers now on the old ramp, it appears they have made this change permanent.

- The temporary traffic signal at US 2/Center Rd in Middlesex has been removed in the past 3 weeks.  This signal was in place during the above-mentioned bridge redecking project, as the construction crews would close all access to SB 89 from 100 during the evening rush hour with traffic redirected down US 2 to Middlesex and the Exit 9 onramp.  A traffic signal had also been placed at the eastern US 2/VT 100 junction closer to Waterbury, but I'm not sure if it's still there. (shadyjay?)

[shadyjay]

Haven't been up that way in a while, as my winter job has set in which has me working nights.  Given the traffic signal at the US 2/VT 100S intersection was temporary, mostly related to the "rush hour" ramp closure of 100 to 89S at Exit 9, I'd guess it's removed, especially if the one at Exit 9 has been removed.

[Alps]

As seen on Northeast Roads (FB group): Feedback sought on South Burlington intersections, doesn't mention US 2 or VT 116 as being part of these junctions (2 = Williston, for reference)

Leads to project website, which includes ability to contact and leave feedback on project

Personally, I feel that the two Alt 3s are silly - a continuous median hampers access to businesses on either side, and the most congested commute times (particularly westbound in the AM, as eastbound in the PM has to get through the I-89 interchange) won't see a lot of turning traffic. I also hate roundabouts and I think in this case, the volume of commuters will overwhelm them and not provide gaps for the side streets. So I favor Concepts 1 or 2.

[froggie]

doesn't mention US 2 or VT 116 as being part of these junctions (2 = Williston, for reference)

Given the intended audience, most residents/readers know those roads more by their streetnames than by their route numbers.

Two things that should be noted.  First, Midas/White intersection realignment notwithstanding, Alt 1 is the only alternative that doesn't require additional right-of-way along Williston Rd, so I see that as being the likely outcome.

Second, ALL of the alternatives would provide a continuous median, which I don't think is as bad a problem as Alps is making it out to be.  For starters, the eastern half of that block (from the Valero station east) already has a curb median, so really no change there.  And peak hour traffic (of which westbound is just as bad, if not moreso, during the PM) already effectively serves as a median for those trying to turn in/out.  Also, for the businesses on the south side of the street, it is generally easier (not to mention much safer) to pop through the Price Chopper shopping area to either Midas or Hinesburg Rd in order to turn left onto Williston.  And folks heading west on Williston wanting to turn in there have to turn onto Hinesburg or Midas anyway to get there...the existing access point is where the above-mentioned curb median is.

Valero and Subway have a back driveway entrance to White St so they could get around.  The only real "losers" to a full median would be the Swiss Host Motel & Village....their only access is on Williston Rd.  But it'd be a short loop around on White St and Hinesburg Rd to get back around.

I'm not as anti-roundabout as Alps or HB, but I don't see roundabouts working here....not because of the traffic volume as Alps asserts, but because of the right-of-way requirements.

[cl94]

doesn't mention US 2 or VT 116 as being part of these junctions (2 = Williston, for reference)

Given the intended audience, most residents/readers know those roads more by their streetnames than by their route numbers.

Two things that should be noted.  First, Midas/White intersection realignment notwithstanding, Alt 1 is the only alternative that doesn't require additional right-of-way along Williston Rd, so I see that as being the likely outcome.

Second, ALL of the alternatives would provide a continuous median, which I don't think is as bad a problem as Alps is making it out to be.  For starters, the eastern half of that block (from the Valero station east) already has a curb median, so really no change there.  And peak hour traffic (of which westbound is just as bad, if not moreso, during the PM) already effectively serves as a median for those trying to turn in/out.  Also, for the businesses on the south side of the street, it is generally easier (not to mention much safer) to pop through the Price Chopper shopping area to either Midas or Hinesburg Rd in order to turn left onto Williston.  And folks heading west on Williston wanting to turn in there have to turn onto Hinesburg or Midas anyway to get there...the existing access point is where the above-mentioned curb median is.

Valero and Subway have a back driveway entrance to White St so they could get around.  The only real "losers" to a full median would be the Swiss Host Motel & Village....their only access is on Williston Rd.  But it'd be a short loop around on White St and Hinesburg Rd to get back around.

I'm not as anti-roundabout as Alps or HB, but I don't see roundabouts working here....not because of the traffic volume as Alps asserts, but because of the right-of-way requirements.

I'm familiar with the area and agree completely. If ROW wasn't a concern, the roundabouts would probably be fine, but ROW is quite a major concern. Roundabouts would take out the motel and the bank parking lot.

Medians won't be an issue because White Street can (and already does) function as a jughandle.