Recent posts

#1

Great Lakes and Ohio Valley / Re: Update on I-69 Extension i...

Last post by tdindy88 - Today at 07:48:50 PM

I did a interesting exercise in the routing of I-69 through Indianapolis. If I-69 was routed along I-465 from Exit 5 east to Exit 53 (the south side I-65 interchange) and then multiplexed with I-65 north through the city and all the way to Exit 123 and then routed along I-465 across the northwest and north sides to Exit 37, it would be roughly a 38-39 mile routing. That would fill the gap between mile markers 163 and 200 a lot better. Not perfect but a lot closer. Not that any of this would happen of course, it would be a ridiculous routing. But if we were to be pedantic let's do it with some style!

As much as I'd like to see them update the mileage on the northern part of I-69, I can live with it remaining as it is. Few Hoosiers probably truly care exactly about this sort of thing.

#2

Pacific Southwest / Re: CA 203

Last post by Voyager - Today at 07:44:09 PM

I believe both were intended to be freeway/expressway all the way to the crest of the Sierra Nevada range.  Stuff like the freeway alignment which was intended to replace the Priest Grade were wild to read about in the CHPWs.

Have a link or photos of the Priest Grade plans? I figured that was what they were going for by the half completed Don
Pedro Reservoir overpass on 120.

#3

Pacific Southwest / Re: CA 51/I-80 Business Loop

Last post by TheStranger - Today at 07:43:31 PM

Don't forget the W-X.

I think WX Freeway is the only one of the 1950s-1960s Sacramento-area freeway names that actually has become common usage! Here are some recent news clips in the last few years that refer to the moniker:

It's also mentioned in this CBS local writeup:
https://www.cbsnews.com/sacramento/news/caltrans-hwy-50-project-nearly-75-percent-done-but-drivers-can-expect-more-changes/

I think the fact that the WX segment had the old triple concurrency of 50/Business 80/99 - and serves to connect 99 directly to 5 - has kept it prominently in the public consciousness.

#4

Pacific Southwest / Re: CA 203

Last post by Voyager - Today at 07:42:59 PM

Another advantage of a 108/Sonora Pass tunnel alignment for an I-70 extension is that it would have lined up nicely with passing just south of Stockton (and the Port of) and then as an east/southeast entry to the Bay Area via the Altamont Pass/I-580/I-205/SR 120. 

I always thought it was strange how 108/120 are basically freeways up to the Sonora area and then 108 has sections that keep going as random freeway and expressway in the mountains for it to just go straight into a windy road after Strawberry and Pinecrest Lake.

The Sonora "freeway" section is relatively new in the grand scheme of things but the three short expressway segments east of Knights Landing, through Twain Harte, and at Long Barn have been in place 50+ years.  It is unfortunate that the notion of extending 120 east of 99 as a freeway to Oakdale is basically dead, though Escalon and Oakdale are probably rightly concerned that a freeway bypassing those communities would be a huge hit to them economically.

Four-laning 108(120) from the east end of the Knights Ferry segment to Yosemite Junction would seem like a relatively simple project given the ruralness and terrain; getting from the Junction through Jamestown to the Sonora segment would be a much bigger challenge.  The section from the east end of the Sonora segment to the Twain Harte expressway is supposedly in the works.  It's unlikely that the gap from Twain Harte to Long Barn would ever be built since trying to thread it through Mi-Wuk Village and other hamlets along the way, plus the terrain, is likely not justifiable from a cost, environmental, and constructability standpoint.  And beyond Pinecrest it just isn't needed.

They are making 108/120 a freeway to Oakdale (eventually)

https://northcountycorridorphase1.com/project-overview/#:~:text=The%20ultimate%20North%20County%20Corridor,was%20segmented%20into%20four%20phases.

#5

Great Lakes and Ohio Valley / Re: Illinois: Round Mile Mark...

Last post by formulanone - Today at 07:39:53 PM

In other words, the numbers on the markers are made up and have no correlation to any route designation and are -- to-many-a-roadgeek's-horror -- arbitrary.

I always imagine two newly-promoted interns whom were sent to the basement of some DOT, one with a well-worn dart board and another just crumpling up old documents and shooting three-pointers into the circular file becoming the ultimate deciders of secondary route numbers such as these; their fate decided while they talk of lucky numerals, old locker numbers, or the partial phone digits of their star-crossed and unrequited crushes which were not to be (they were into horses).   

#6

Weather / Re: What's your weather curren...

Last post by ZLoth - Today at 07:39:23 PM

Tomorrow will be the calm before a series of thunderstorms comes into North Texas.



And I can expect plenty of comments about "I have Texas", "I miss California", and "I want to move back to California" from my mother.

#7

General Highway Talk / Re: Road-Geeky Things Of The P...

Last post by Rothman - Today at 07:27:28 PM

Where's George is still up and running.

#8

Pacific Southwest / Re: CA 51/I-80 Business Loop

Last post by The Ghostbuster - Today at 07:15:01 PM

I've heard of the Roseville Freeway name, but not the Ben Ali name. I had also heard of the other names listed as well.

#9

Great Lakes and Ohio Valley / Re: Update on I-69 Extension i...

Last post by The Ghostbuster - Today at 07:11:57 PM

They will likely leave them as-is, much as I personally dislike it.

#10

Weather / Re: What's your weather curren...

Last post by LilianaUwU - Today at 06:58:06 PM

It is April 24 and there is snow on the ground in front of my house.