Maine

[The Nature Boy]

It'll be interesting to see if NH follows suit after evaluating the safety of this in Maine.

You mean like this?  Or like this?

I interpreted that message as being in reference to raising the speed limit on I-95. 

Personally, I think VT needs to jump on the "higher speed limit" bandwagon.  Personally, I think I-91 north of St J could go to 75, with most of the rest of the state being bumped up to 70 mph (60 mph through Burlington and White River Jct).

Yeah, I was referring to I-95 through the Seacoast. Sorry for the ambiguity.

And I totally agree on I-91 but I would even go down to north of WRJ. I've driven I-91 from WRJ to St. Johnsbury and been the only car on the road in the middle of the day.

[froggie]

As a regular user of I-91 north of WRJ, I'd say 70 is doable, but 75 is starting to push it with some of the curves, hills, and sight lines.

[Duke87]

They have gantries going across the direction without the toll plaza.  Maine is one of those states that likes to be a jerk to out of state motorists.

Ah, I see. Their website explains it and you can see the readers on Street View.

I can understand out of state not getting a discount, that's normal. But the idea that cash/out of state pays by a barrier/ramp toll system while in-state EZpass pays on a closed ticket system is just strange.

I seem to recall reading about how the turnpike originally was a closed ticket system but they converted to barrier/ramp toll when they started adding interchanges and decided it was easier to switch systems than build them all to the larger specifications a ticket system requires with cash payment. So, basically, they for whatever reason decided to put EZpass users back on the ticket system when they implemented it. Odd.

Obviously AET wasn't a viable idea yet when they first signed up in 2005, so they couldn't just do that.

Has the Maine Turnpike given any indication of implementing AET in the future? What percentage of users have EZPass?

[Beeper1]

Maine Turnpike Authority voted earlier this year against implementing AET, presumably due to the percentage of EZ-Pass users not being high enough.

They have been adding high speed EZ-Pass lanes to their mainline barriers. New Gloucester barrier had them added two years ago, and they are planned for the new York barrier, if/when that is ever built. 

[vdeane]

I really wish the IAG would force Maine to use distance for all E-ZPass transactions.  Even without price, it's silly to force out of states to endure a bunch of extra lines on their statement.

[Urban Prairie Schooner]

It'll be interesting to see if NH follows suit after evaluating the safety of this in Maine.

You mean like this?  Or like this?

I interpreted that message as being in reference to raising the speed limit on I-95. 

Personally, I think VT needs to jump on the "higher speed limit" bandwagon.  Personally, I think I-91 north of St J could go to 75, with most of the rest of the state being bumped up to 70 mph (60 mph through Burlington and White River Jct).

Yeah, I was referring to I-95 through the Seacoast. Sorry for the ambiguity.

And I totally agree on I-91 but I would even go down to north of WRJ. I've driven I-91 from WRJ to St. Johnsbury and been the only car on the road in the middle of the day.

I was up there this May and drove I-91 from White River Jct. to Newbury (US 302) early on a rainy Saturday morning. Swear I was the only car on 91 for miles around.

[The Nature Boy]

It'll be interesting to see if NH follows suit after evaluating the safety of this in Maine.

You mean like this?  Or like this?

I interpreted that message as being in reference to raising the speed limit on I-95. 

Personally, I think VT needs to jump on the "higher speed limit" bandwagon.  Personally, I think I-91 north of St J could go to 75, with most of the rest of the state being bumped up to 70 mph (60 mph through Burlington and White River Jct).

Yeah, I was referring to I-95 through the Seacoast. Sorry for the ambiguity.

And I totally agree on I-91 but I would even go down to north of WRJ. I've driven I-91 from WRJ to St. Johnsbury and been the only car on the road in the middle of the day.

I was up there this May and drove I-91 from White River Jct. to Newbury (US 302) early on a rainy Saturday morning. Swear I was the only car on 91 for miles around.

I once saw a car hydroplane, spin out in the road, not go on the grass, collect his car and keep going. There was so little traffic that I was able to watch this from afar and so little traffic that he was able to do that and not get hit.

This was just north of WRJ at Exit 13 (Norwich) and during the middle of the day.

When I lived in the area, it was often eerie how empty I-91 would be at night.

[KEVIN_224]

I noticed something on a couple of road signs today. This was while stuck in slowed (and nearly stopped) traffic on I-95 South in Kittery, ME:

This sign was already here. It's actually after the Maine Turnpike toll plaza in York. The sign is probably a good 2 miles from the NH state line.


The bottom rectangle on these two signs were only placed there within the last year or so. Why was it making me think of Pennsylvania or some other state? 

[1995hoo]

I still think the first of those signs makes it sound like "E-ZPass" is the name of a corporate sponsor–you know, kind of like how some media outlets persist in listing the corporate sponsors when referring to college football bowl games, such as the "Discover Orange Bowl" or the like: "Now Leaving the E-ZPass Maine Turnpike."

[PHLBOS]

I still think the first of those signs makes it sound like "E-ZPass" is the name of a corporate sponsor–you know, kind of like how some media outlets persist in listing the corporate sponsors when referring to college football bowl games, such as the "Discover Orange Bowl" or the like: "Now Leaving the E-ZPass Maine Turnpike."

What's even weirder is that the E-Z Pass logo appears to be blue rather than the usual purple.

[KEVIN_224]

It actually is purple. It might have been the angle of the sun and/or my camera. The EZ-Pass signs at and near the York toll plaza were indeed purple.

[Ian]

Speaking of the York toll plaza, I noticed on my way up to Orono that the Turnpike authority replaced the BGSs just before the tolls. Here's what they were before:


And now they look like this:


And for those who haven't seen it, the new speed limit on the Turnpike:

[Duke87]

"Now leaving the EZPass Thank You! Maine Turnpike"

So apparently either somebody forgot how to put words in the right order, or the Maine Turnpike has entered into a very interesting naming rights deal!

[shadyjay]

"Now leaving the EZPass Thank You! Maine Turnpike"

So apparently either somebody forgot how to put words in the right order, or the Maine Turnpike has entered into a very interesting naming rights deal!

Originally, in place of the EZ-Pass logo was this one....



So I guess it made more sense then. 

[yakra]

Grant goes toward Sarah Long Bridge replacement
http://m.wcsh6.com/topstories/article?a=15321819&f=2272

[yakra]

I drove US 1 south through Brunswick yesterday afternoon. Didn't have time to explore, but I noticed that all the ME 24 signage starting at the ME 196 interchange has been replaced with ME 24 Business signage. Most likely, ME 24 has been rerouted onto US 1 from the Cook's Corner interchange, and then ME 196, leaving via Bypass Drive to reconnect to the old route Middlesex Road.
I'll try to get up that way and snap some photos soon.

[KEVIN_224]

http://www.pressherald.com/2014/12/18/maine-turnpike-authority-finds-support-for-latest-york-toll-plan/

http://www.wcsh6.com/story/news/local/2014/12/19/york-toll-plaza-high-speed/20629019/

Talk once again about the placement of a new replacement York toll plaza on I-95. The new location? Only 400 to 500 feet north of the current plaza, which more residents seem to favor. That's because it would less disruptive than other proposals and for the fact that the Maine Turnpike owns most of the land for it already.

P.S. The Portland Press Herald site goes behind a pay window after 10 "free" articles per month.

[cl94]

This bridge was mentioned in the "bridges on bridges" thread. Looks like it's being replaced:

https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/pressroom/fhwa1501.cfm

Sarah Mildred Long Bridge between Kittery and Portsmouth, NH to be replaced beginning this year. New bridge expected to open in late 2017.

[Pete from Boston]

Why do all the renderings show no lift segment for the rail line?

[cl94]

Why do all the renderings show no lift segment for the rail line?

I was wondering the same thing. Maybe they're 2 separate lift segments (rail lifts up to just under road level when rail not in use)?

Edit: Not explicitly stated, but NHDOT's Facebook page implies that this is the case:

The span will only be lowered when it's occasionally needed to accommodate rail traffic from the nearby Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.

[Pete from Boston]

I figured it was something like that.  This must be how they intend to reduce openings by 60-something percent. 

I have to say, I have always kind of enjoyed sitting on a warm night with the car off as the Long bridge opened. 

[KEVIN_224]

http://www.wcsh6.com/story/news/local/kittery/2015/01/05/sarah-long-bridge-maine-nh-construction/21276819/

The story about the bridge from WCSH-TV (NBC) channel 6 of Portland, ME.

[Alps]

I smell a Kittery meet in 2016.

[Dougtone]

http://www.wcsh6.com/story/news/local/kittery/2015/01/05/sarah-long-bridge-maine-nh-construction/21276819/

The story about the bridge from WCSH-TV (NBC) channel 6 of Portland, ME.

I want to say that there were issues with the Sarah Long Bridge around the time of the Portsmouth meet in 2013 and that a story broke about a proposal for constructing a new bridge at the time.

[yakra]

http://bangordailynews.com/2015/02/03/news/bangor/legislative-hearing-over-i-395-connector-reignites-15-year-controversy/

The print version had a nice picture of the alignment options being discussed.