Philadelphia

[Alex]

Green' red lights: Philly gets LED traffic lights

Associated Press - August 17, 2009

PHILADELPHIA — Philadelphia is turning all its traffic lights green.

This winter the city will begin fully converting its 55,000 traffic signals to LED bulbs. City officials say the change will save about $1 million a year once the bulbs are installed.

Officials say the city switched the red bulbs to LED lights 10 years ago when red was the only color available.

City officials say it will cost about $7 million to replace the green and yellow bulbs but they expect federal stimulus money and subsidies to help foot the bill.

[Mr_Northside]

Pittsburgh has been doing this for quite some time now.

[Michael]

...City officials say the change will save about $1 million a year once the bulbs are installed....

That's quite a bill!

[Alex]

Philly airport plans new lot for waiting motorists

City officials say Philadelphia International Airport will open a 150-space cell-phone lot after a recent crackdown on motorists using the shoulder of Interstate 95 to wait for arriving flights.

Deputy Mayor Rina Cutler says the project could be completed by Jan. 1.

Drivers waiting to pick up passengers on arriving flights had long used the shoulders of I-95 and other nearby roads to wait for flights to land. But police began recently ticketing waiting motorists and no parking signs were erected.

Motorists were using the shoulders of Interstate 95, Pennsylvania 291, and the ridiculously long northbound off-ramp to the terminal for years now. I remember heading to the airport in 2005 and seeing a hundred or so cars queued on those shoulders. More recent trips to the airport in 2007 revealed motorists still queuing on the shoulders, despite police ticketing them.

[mightyace]

Philly airport plans new lot for waiting motorists

City officials say Philadelphia International Airport will open a 150-space cell-phone lot after a recent crackdown on motorists using the shoulder of Interstate 95 to wait for arriving flights.

Deputy Mayor Rina Cutler says the project could be completed by Jan. 1.

Drivers waiting to pick up passengers on arriving flights had long used the shoulders of I-95 and other nearby roads to wait for flights to land. But police began recently ticketing waiting motorists and no parking signs were erected.

Motorists were using the shoulders of Interstate 95, Pennsylvania 291, and the ridiculously long northbound off-ramp to the terminal for years now. I remember heading to the airport in 2005 and seeing a hundred or so cars queued on those shoulders. More recent trips to the airport in 2007 revealed motorists still queuing on the shoulders, despite police ticketing them.

It's about time they do this!

I've driven/ridden into the airport on several occasions in the last 5 years and I'm afraid we'll hit one of these yahoo's parked by the road! 

[Alex]

Philly-to-N.J. Tacony-Palmyra Bridge to get upgrade

The Burlington County Bridge Commission announced plans to replace the grid deck on the movable span of the Tacony-Palmyra Bridge this year.

The $7 million project is the largest capital improvement the commission has undertaken in the past 15 years.

[froggie]

On my way back from the SEPA meet, I passed through Chester and noticed a new, high elevation, set of ramps being built from US 322 (at the end of the Commodore Barry Bridge) down to PA 291...basically "completing" an interchange on US 322 in this area.  The two loop ramps in particular are eastbound US 322 to PA 291, and PA 291 to westbound US 322 (towards I-95).

Question is...is this a PennDOT project or a DRPA project?  I didn't see anything on either website about the project.

[akotchi]

On my way back from the SEPA meet, I passed through Chester and noticed a new, high elevation, set of ramps being built from US 322 (at the end of the Commodore Barry Bridge) down to PA 291...basically "completing" an interchange on US 322 in this area.  The two loop ramps in particular are eastbound US 322 to PA 291, and PA 291 to westbound US 322 (towards I-95).

Question is...is this a PennDOT project or a DRPA project?  I didn't see anything on either website about the project.

Appears to be a PennDOT project.  Google search led to this item.  See site link.
http://www.dot.state.pa.us/Penndot/Districts/District6/D6Media.nsf/cd20de0d8cd84b3785256d66005b622b/c8f7ff75ab7fb1ba85257479006ed8b9?OpenDocument

[Alex]

Major Philly bridge to reopen after $68M repair

PHILADELPHIA – A once-crumbling bridge connecting downtown Philadelphia with the city's University City neighborhood is set to reopen after a two-year, $68 million repair.

The South Street Bridge was closed in December 2008 after years of decay.

Crumbling concrete from the bridge had been falling into the Schuylkill River for years, so the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation decided to tear it down and build a new one.

Since then, motorists have had to use other routes to get from downtown to West Philadelphia - home of the University of Pennsylvania and Drexel University.

Mayor Michael Nutter says the project has been completed a month early and on budget and the bridge will reopen Saturday.

Federal funds accounted for about 80 percent of the cost, with 15 percent coming from the state and 5 percent from the city.

[Alex]

Found this snippet in a August 25, 1985 article: "ALL SIGNS POINT TO MORE AND BETTER HIGHWAY SIGNS" by the Philadelphia Inquirer:

There's also serious talk about getting rid of the geese signs to the Delaware River Bridges. One proposal would replace them with drawings of a key, kite and lightning bolt on signs for the Benjamin Franklin Bridge, a quill and book for the Walt Whitman, a part of the flag for the Betsy Ross and an arch bridge for the Tacony-Palmyra. The signs, of course, also would carry the names of the bridges, but the drawings would make them a lot easier to follow than the geese.

[Flyer78]

Kelly Drive, in Philly; new signs are up warning speeders that a signal ahead will change. Will be interesting to see if there is any positive effect, or as some of the comments indicate; cars already speeding will speed-up to try to beat the cycle.

In an attempt to slow everybody down, the city has installed sensors in the roadway that determine the speed of vehicles approaching Fountain Green, about a half-mile north of the Girard Avenue Bridge.

Full article: http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20131119_New_sensors_will_trigger_red_light_if_you_speed_on_Kelly_Drive.html

Could also see a new choke point for the road...

[Brandon]

^^ That's asinine.  A better solution would be to set the signals to a specific speed go one can go through all of them on green at that speed.

[Flyer78]

^^ That's asinine.  A better solution would be to set the signals to a specific speed go one can go through all of them on green at that speed.

There are other streets (more in the grid) that are set that way. I seem to remember reading that one or more parts of California tried something like this too, but ultimately gave up. It said in the article that this concept is used overseas, I wonder if any US-based research was performed...

[PHLBOS]

From this week's edition of  Town Talk.

The Ridley Township Commissioners got some good news at their Oct. 22 meeting  when it was announced  that after more than 20 years of prodding PennDOT for action,  the troublesome east bound off-ramp from the Blue Route to East MacDade Boulevard will soon be a thing of the past..

State Rep. Joseph Hackett (R 161 District) reported to the commissioners that PennDOT has approved the reconfigurement of the east-west bound off ramps to MacDade Boulevard from I-476 that will eliminate the short merge ramp to East MacDade Boulevard, dubbed the "death ramp" by township police because of the numerous accidents that have occurred  at the ramp.

The plans call for both east and west bound MacDade Boulevard traffic to continue on the off-ramp for west bound traffic. The west bound lane will curve to the right to MacDade, just as it does now, while the east bound traffic will continue on a ramp to a traffic light on MacDade for a left turn.

The blinking traffic light on MacDade Boulevard now for traffic entering the Blue Route northbound will be converted to an active traffic signal controlling cars entering the Blue Route and exiting the Blue Route east bound on MacDade.

I guess extending the merge along eastbound MacDade Blvd. wasn't considered.  IMHO, that would've been a better and possibly cheaper solution.

The downside I see with this reconfiguration will be that there will be more traffic stopped at red lights than there are today.  Anybody who's used I-476 north from I-95 knows that the mainline I-476 backs up onto I-95.  The exit to MacDade Blvd.'s often used as an escape ramp from the gridlock.  The intent of the original ramp configuration was for exiting traffic from I-476 North would not have to stop prior to getting on MacDade.

This new set-up, slated to be done by 2016-17 2017-18, could mean that the current MacDade off-ramp will be backed up... unless the plans call for widening the cloverleaf portion to 2-lanes (one for each direction).  Such wasn't mentioned in the article and unfortunately, no graphic/sketch of what the alterations would look like are included. 

Granted, those from the area or use this interchange have a pretty good idea of what the changes will entail.

[froggie]

Difficulty with extending the merge along eastbound MacDade is the wooded slope immediately adjacent to the sidewalk.

Difficulty with widening the loop ramp is that part of it has a bridge over Crum Creek.

No good or easy solution here.

[jeffandnicole]

From this week's edition of  Town Talk.

The Ridley Township Commissioners got some good news at their Oct. 22 meeting  when it was announced  that after more than 20 years of prodding PennDOT for action,  the troublesome east bound off-ramp from the Blue Route to East MacDade Boulevard will soon be a thing of the past..

State Rep. Joseph Hackett (R 161 District) reported to the commissioners that PennDOT has approved the reconfigurement of the east-west bound off ramps to MacDade Boulevard from I-476 that will eliminate the short merge ramp to East MacDade Boulevard, dubbed the "death ramp" by township police because of the numerous accidents that have occurred  at the ramp.

The plans call for both east and west bound MacDade Boulevard traffic to continue on the off-ramp for west bound traffic. The west bound lane will curve to the right to MacDade, just as it does now, while the east bound traffic will continue on a ramp to a traffic light on MacDade for a left turn.

The blinking traffic light on MacDade Boulevard now for traffic entering the Blue Route northbound will be converted to an active traffic signal controlling cars entering the Blue Route and exiting the Blue Route east bound on MacDade.

I guess extending the merge along eastbound MacDade Blvd. wasn't considered.  IMHO, that would've been a better and possibly cheaper solution.

Just because this isn't the preferred design doesn't mean it wasn't considered.  Most projects have long planning phases where many designs are drawn up and reviewed.  In this case, an aerial view of the area reveals that wideneing MacDade for an additional lane would involve relocating a sidewalk and removing a relatively thin row of trees.  It's possible there's environmental issues in the area, or the retaining slope of ground would have to be removed and replaced with a costly wall structure.  And shortly after the ramp area is a driveway into the parking lot of some commercial buildings, which would need to be evaluated and possibly redesigned as well.

This new set-up, slated to be done by 2016-17, could mean that the current MacDade off-ramp will be backed up... unless the plans call for widening the cloverleaf portion to 2-lanes (one for each direction).  Such wasn't mentioned in the article and unfortunately, no graphic/sketch of what the alterations would look like are included.

A press release from PennDOT does mention widening of the ramp.  Even though it was written earlier this month, the proposed start of construction isn't until 2017 per the release. http://www.dot.state.pa.us/Penndot/Districts/District6/D6Media.nsf/cd20de0d8cd84b3785256d66005b622b/7c4990c72e3f7f9585257d66005aee3b?OpenDocument
[/quote]

[PHLBOS]

Just because this isn't the preferred design doesn't mean it wasn't considered.  Most projects have long planning phases where many designs are drawn up and reviewed.  In this case, an aerial view of the area reveals that wideneing MacDade for an additional lane would involve relocating a sidewalk and removing a relatively thin row of trees.  It's possible there's environmental issues in the area, or the retaining slope of ground would have to be removed and replaced with a costly wall structure.  And shortly after the ramp area is a driveway into the parking lot of some commercial buildings, which would need to be evaluated and possibly redesigned as well.

No kidding, I'm well aware of such; nonetheless, given the fact that this interchange was built in the mid-1980s (when environmental & stormwater management regs weren't as draconian as they are now), one still has to wonder why a longer merge ramp wasn't considered/built in the first place when the entire interchange was built?  It wasn't like this interchange was built in the merge-or-die ramp era of the mid-1950s.

A press release from PennDOT does mention widening of the ramp.  Even though it was written earlier this month, the proposed start of construction isn't until 2017 per the release. http://www.dot.state.pa.us/Penndot/Districts/District6/D6Media.nsf/cd20de0d8cd84b3785256d66005b622b/7c4990c72e3f7f9585257d66005aee3b?OpenDocument

Good to know, though I still think that the new configuarion is going to cause more traffic back-ups on the Exit 1 approach ramps as well as the Exit 7 ramps off I-95.

IMHO, this is a classic case of a PennDOT f*#@-up.

[jeffandnicole]

Just because this isn't the preferred design doesn't mean it wasn't considered.  Most projects have long planning phases where many designs are drawn up and reviewed.  In this case, an aerial view of the area reveals that wideneing MacDade for an additional lane would involve relocating a sidewalk and removing a relatively thin row of trees.  It's possible there's environmental issues in the area, or the retaining slope of ground would have to be removed and replaced with a costly wall structure.  And shortly after the ramp area is a driveway into the parking lot of some commercial buildings, which would need to be evaluated and possibly redesigned as well.

No kidding, I'm well aware of such; nonetheless, given the fact that this interchange was built in the mid-1980s (when environmental & stormwater management regs weren't as draconian as they are now), one still has to wonder why a longer merge ramp wasn't considered/built in the first place when the entire interchange was built?

Well, again, I think "considered" is still too strong.  You would have to review all the plans to see if they did consider it.  They generally don't tell the public all of the proposals.  I know with the 295/76/42 project, there were 26 alternatives that were considered and that were made public.  They were narrowed down to 5.  And then they finally picked one.  And when you look closely, the alternative they selected isn't even the same design that was in the original 26.

As far as why they didn't build the accel lane, that's another story.  When merging onto a highway, there certainly should be an accel lane.  But merging onto a local roadway is entirely different.  Best I can tell is the speed limit is 35 mph here, and that could be a reason why an accel lane isn't warranted or to be constructed.  It may have been higher in the past when the interchange was first built, but even if it was 45 mph, design standards probably would be OK without an accel lane at that speed also.

[PHLBOS]

As far as why they didn't build the accel lane, that's another story.  When merging onto a highway, there certainly should be an accel lane.  But merging onto a local roadway is entirely different.  Best I can tell is the speed limit is 35 mph here, and that could be a reason why an accel lane isn't warranted or to be constructed.  It may have been higher in the past when the interchange was first built, but even if it was 45 mph, design standards probably would be OK without an accel lane at that speed also.

Design speed's only part of the equation; traffic loads are another.  While not a highway, MacDade Blvd. is indeed one of the main east-west thoroughfares in Delaware County and does generate sizable traffic. 

Also, the ramps to/from MacDade Blvd. from Exit 7 (off I-95) were opened years before I-476 opened; so the those northbound exit ramps got plenty of usage since 1987.  The original BGS' for Exit 7, though large enough to hold the current 476 NORTH Plymouth Meeting message, had a MacDade Blvd. sheet posted on the signboards prior to Dec. 1991.

The mere fact that the ramp from I-476 North to MacDade Blvd. East is referred to as the death ramp, according to the article, tells me that a longer merge lane was clearly needed regardless of the posted speed limit. 

[jeffandnicole]

The mere fact that the ramp from I-476 North to MacDade Blvd. East is referred to as the death ramp, according to the article, tells me that a longer merge lane was clearly needed regardless of the posted speed limit. 

I caught that...but then the article said it's due to the number of accidents.  I never saw anything about, you know, 'deaths'.

Which brings about the next question - are people flying thru the Yield sign and hitting people on MacDade, or is someone stopping on the ramp and the person behind them isn't.

And since 476 SB to MacDade WB has the same ramp configuration (no accel lane), is the same thing happening there?

[PHLBOS]

Which brings about the next question - are people flying thru the Yield sign and hitting people on MacDade, or is someone stopping on the ramp and the person behind them isn't.

Personal speculation is probably the latter; though IMHO the motorist up front may not be stopped, per say, but rather moving very slowly. 

I say that because I've observed similar behavior at the onramp to eastbound Baltimore Pike (one exit up) from I-476 North; vehicles will just not accelerate to the traffic speed.  Fortuntely, the merge lane along Baltimore Pike is a longer due to the close proximity of the Crum Creek overpass (that carries the merge lane to the end of the structure); which is why there haven't been many related-accidents reported (enough to make headlines anyway) that I'm aware of.

And since 476 SB to MacDade WB has the same ramp configuration (no accel lane), is the same thing happening there?

The big difference there is the close proximity of the Bullens Lane intersection & traffic signal.  The likelihood of through-traffic being stopped or slowing down there (due to the signals & intersection) is greater than that for the fore-mentioned eastbound ramp.

[ixnay]

I thought about putting this on Mass Transit, but since this has to do in part with a bridge, I thought it belonged in this thread (I didn't really want to start a thread on this and I don't know if the following was already mentioned)...

Per http://www.septa.org/maps/bus/pdf/113.pdf and http://www.septa.org/realtime/status/system-status.shtml?sched_route_id=bus_route_113&alert_type=advisory , SEPTA's Route 113 bus is being detoured away from the Widener U. neighborhood due to a weight restriction on a bridge over I-95.  The alert doesn't say on which street, but I imagine Melrose Avenue is the bridge that's restricted "until further notice".  Is that right?

ixnay

[Mergingtraffic]

any state-named interstate shields around the Philly area?

[Alps]

any state-named interstate shields around the Philly area?

Depends on your definition of area, but there are definitely multiple I-95 shields - at least one on I-95 NB in Philly proper and two others NB near the city (headings of my PA I-95 pages).
I-76: WB into King of Prussia and in that mall, and one on a BGS (among others).
I-676: One I know of, on that page - and you'll see an I-95.
Keep prowling around my Philly-area pages (US 1, 13, 30; old US 422; PA 3, 611) and see what turns up!

[PHLBOS]

any state-named interstate shields around the Philly area?

One set of recently-erected state-named I-shields (not yet on Steve's site).

Another set on an older gantry closer to I-76