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#51
Great Lakes and Ohio Valley / Re: Ashland Avenue Viaduct in ...
Last post by on_wisconsin - Today at 09:04:13 AMQuote from: mgk920 on July 12, 2025, 02:38:20 PMRemoving the elevated Ashland Ave (WI 32 in Green Bay) also removes the bridge of Ashland Ave over 5th St. OTOH, there is more than enough room in the ROW for proper left turn lanes to be built at that and other intersections. It is now generally accepted that undivided four lanes is an obsolete road striping design.Boulevard = generic urban multilane in this sense.
However, the small amount of 5th St traffic in that area could easily be handled by a RIRO and a crosswalk, full access would be better tho. #52
Traffic Control / Re: Traffic signal
Last post by mrsman - Today at 08:42:59 AMInteresting new signal timing that I've noticed more and more in my area (suburban Maryland outside of Washington DC)
It seems like they are introducing more and more leading pedestrian intervals. This is where the WALK sign goes on for about 3-7 seconds before the parallel green. The idea is that if pedestrians get a head start, they will already be in the intersection and easier for drivers to see when cars are making turns. The application of this is pretty straightforward at regular intersections or at intersections with a lagging green arrow.
What about intersections with a leading green arrow? If the leading green arrow is only one direction, first they have a red light with a green arrow and a WALK signal on the right. A few seconds later, green light with green arrow, with a WALK signal on the right. After the green arrow and yellow arrow are extinguished, opposing crosswalk gets a WALK signal and then a few seconds later opposing traffic gets a green.
Another weird aspect is that even at T-intersections, they are imposing this timing. So I see a red signal with green arrow, even though there is a continuous sidewalk on my right. I don't get it. No right turns are available here, why delay the green?
It seems like they are introducing more and more leading pedestrian intervals. This is where the WALK sign goes on for about 3-7 seconds before the parallel green. The idea is that if pedestrians get a head start, they will already be in the intersection and easier for drivers to see when cars are making turns. The application of this is pretty straightforward at regular intersections or at intersections with a lagging green arrow.
What about intersections with a leading green arrow? If the leading green arrow is only one direction, first they have a red light with a green arrow and a WALK signal on the right. A few seconds later, green light with green arrow, with a WALK signal on the right. After the green arrow and yellow arrow are extinguished, opposing crosswalk gets a WALK signal and then a few seconds later opposing traffic gets a green.
Another weird aspect is that even at T-intersections, they are imposing this timing. So I see a red signal with green arrow, even though there is a continuous sidewalk on my right. I don't get it. No right turns are available here, why delay the green?
#53
General Highway Talk / Re: XY Challenge
Last post by 74/171FAN - Today at 08:02:34 AMQuoteJuly 13: Post the junction of a US highway with a 1 in the tens place and a US highway with a 3 in the tens place.
US 11 and US 30 intersect in Chambersburg, PA, with both on one-way alignments.
US 30 WEST AT US 11 NORTH (1) by Mark Moore, on Flickr
US 30 WEST AT US 11 SOUTH by Mark Moore, on Flickr #54
General Highway Talk / Re: XY Challenge
Last post by Jim - Today at 07:53:22 AMUS 10 and US 31 in Ludington, Michigan. July 13, 2007.
US 411 and US 431 in Gadsden, Alabama. March 30, 2014.
US 30 and US 218 near Cedar Rapids, Iowa. June 27, 2013.
US 411 and US 431 in Gadsden, Alabama. March 30, 2014.
US 30 and US 218 near Cedar Rapids, Iowa. June 27, 2013.
#55
Off-Topic / Re: AARoads Wordle
Last post by Big John - Today at 07:37:20 AM
#56
Off-Topic / Re: "Bert is Evil"
Last post by Scott5114 - Today at 02:00:19 AMI mean, I can sort of forgive Sesame Workshop in particular for not wanting fan works of Sesame Street circulating too much. It's a show aimed more or less exclusively at very young children, so it's very unlikely that any sort of fan work is going to be made by or targeted at the original audience, and it probably wouldn't be very good for the original target audience to run across that sort of thing unprepared if they type "big bird" into Mom's phone.
That's somewhat different than Nintendo blowing its top because someone in its all-ages audience dared to write a Zelda fan work where Link and Sidon kiss or whatever.
That's somewhat different than Nintendo blowing its top because someone in its all-ages audience dared to write a Zelda fan work where Link and Sidon kiss or whatever.
#57
Great Lakes and Ohio Valley / Ohio Legislature Mandates Feas...
Last post by FutureInterstateCorridors - Today at 01:48:48 AMThe Ohio State Legislature in House Bill 54 has directed the Ohio Department of Transportation to conduct another feasibility study of Future I-73 from Toledo to Chesapeake Ohio, connecting to I-64 in Huntington West Virginia along the Ohio River. This will be the SECOND feasibility study of Future I-73 in Ohio since it was conceived by Congress in ISTEA 1991.
"...SECTION 755.50. The Director of Transportation shall conduct a feasibility study for the creation of an Interstate Route 73 corridor connecting the municipal corporation of Toledo to the municipal corporation of Chesapeake, primarily alongside current United States Route 23. The purpose of the new corridor is to better connect Interstate Route 74, Interstate Route 75, and the states of Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina along one continuous interstate route.
The feasibility study shall examine how to alleviate congestion along United States Route 23, the economic impacts of a new interstate corridor, safety concerns, connectivity issues, and methods for coordinating with the other states and the United States Department of Transportation for the creation of the corridor.
The Director shall complete the feasibility study not later than December 31, 2026..."
This is on top of the Route 23 Connect study that ODOT completed to plan upgrading U.S. 23 to a partially controlled access "free-flow" expressway. ODOT investigated the full freeway option for U.S. 23 but was overwhelmed with opposition and backed down to the expressway. However, the State Legislature wants to investigate, either a freeway or toll-road from U.S. 23 to I-71 further north at OH 229.
"SECTION 755.60. (A) The Department of Transportation and the Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission shall work together to create a joint plan regarding the feasibility of connecting U.S. Route 23 to Interstate Route 71 by doing one of the following:
(1) Expanding State Route 229 in northern Delaware County;
(2) Expanding another similar state route or other highway in northern Delaware County;
(3) Creating a new freeway between U.S. Route 23 and Interstate Route 71 in northern Delaware County;
(4) Creating a toll road between U.S. Route 23 and Interstate Route 71 in northern Delaware County;
(5) Creating a new freeway, which may be a toll road, in the region between State Route 529 and Waldo, Ohio heading eastward toward Interstate Route 71 north of Marengo, Ohio in Marion County and Morrow County.
If U.S. 23 were converted to Future I-73, how much would it cost and how long would it take to build? A route has not been selected, and last time, ODOT proposed to completely bypass Columbus and Delaware along a new terrain route. Opposition exploded from property owners along the bypass, which was the most expensive route to select, and the concept sank like a lead ballon.
The cheapest conceptional route is to upgrade the existing U.S. 23 south of Columbus and U.S. 23 north of Waldo and OH 15 to I-75 with a freeway connector along OH 229 to I-71. However, the language of the law passed by the State Legislature mandates a feasibility study for "...the creation of an Interstate Route 73 corridor connecting the municipal corporation of Toledo to the municipal corporation of Chesapeake, primarily ALONGSIDE (parallel) current United States Route 23", which implies a "new terrain" route separate from U.S. 23.
Upgrading the existing U.S 23 and OH 15 from I-75 Findlay to I-64 Huntington would cost $3.2B. This assumes no need to upgrade I-71 and I-270. However, building Future I-73 completely as a "new terrain" route from Toledo OH to Huntington WV and bypassing Columbus again as proposed in the 1990's, the cost increase to $20M per mile making the cost of the "new terrain" Future I-73 between $5B-$6B. Even if the feasibility study is finished in 2026, the NEPA environmental studies may take another 5-10 years, and construction may take 20 years waiting for money to become available, so the earliest completion date would be 2050. Environmental lawyers that are guaranteed to file lawsuits from opponents will make sure the project follows the full NEPA process of feasibility study, draft environmental study, and final environmental study which is why it will be up to 10 years of studies. The high cost versus traffic benefit may make it unfeasible again if the state's feasibility study shows insufficient traffic between I-90 and I-64. Michigan, under Governor Jennifer Granholm, cancelled the I-73 project in the 1990's, West Virginia has no money for I-73 following U.S. 52 and the Virginia Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) in 2024 recinded the 2001 location decision for an I-73 alignment between Roanoke and the North Carolina border and the Henry County Alternative. The estimated cost to design and build I-73 between Roanoke and the North Carolina border was $4 billion in 2017 dollars. The project was never funded to advance to design or construction phases. VDOT currently has no funding identified to study, design or construct I-73 in Virginia.. If I-73 connects to I-75 at Findlay or by way of I-280 east of Toledo to I-75, trying to convince Michigan to build I-73 is unneccesary. The same is true if I-73 connects to I-64, then I-73 south of I-64 just parallels I-77 and I-74 that already connects to I-73 in North Carolina, another unneccesary duplication that avoids convencing West Virginia and Virginia to spend money they don't want to spend.
"...SECTION 755.50. The Director of Transportation shall conduct a feasibility study for the creation of an Interstate Route 73 corridor connecting the municipal corporation of Toledo to the municipal corporation of Chesapeake, primarily alongside current United States Route 23. The purpose of the new corridor is to better connect Interstate Route 74, Interstate Route 75, and the states of Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina along one continuous interstate route.
The feasibility study shall examine how to alleviate congestion along United States Route 23, the economic impacts of a new interstate corridor, safety concerns, connectivity issues, and methods for coordinating with the other states and the United States Department of Transportation for the creation of the corridor.
The Director shall complete the feasibility study not later than December 31, 2026..."
This is on top of the Route 23 Connect study that ODOT completed to plan upgrading U.S. 23 to a partially controlled access "free-flow" expressway. ODOT investigated the full freeway option for U.S. 23 but was overwhelmed with opposition and backed down to the expressway. However, the State Legislature wants to investigate, either a freeway or toll-road from U.S. 23 to I-71 further north at OH 229.
"SECTION 755.60. (A) The Department of Transportation and the Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission shall work together to create a joint plan regarding the feasibility of connecting U.S. Route 23 to Interstate Route 71 by doing one of the following:
(1) Expanding State Route 229 in northern Delaware County;
(2) Expanding another similar state route or other highway in northern Delaware County;
(3) Creating a new freeway between U.S. Route 23 and Interstate Route 71 in northern Delaware County;
(4) Creating a toll road between U.S. Route 23 and Interstate Route 71 in northern Delaware County;
(5) Creating a new freeway, which may be a toll road, in the region between State Route 529 and Waldo, Ohio heading eastward toward Interstate Route 71 north of Marengo, Ohio in Marion County and Morrow County.
If U.S. 23 were converted to Future I-73, how much would it cost and how long would it take to build? A route has not been selected, and last time, ODOT proposed to completely bypass Columbus and Delaware along a new terrain route. Opposition exploded from property owners along the bypass, which was the most expensive route to select, and the concept sank like a lead ballon.
The cheapest conceptional route is to upgrade the existing U.S. 23 south of Columbus and U.S. 23 north of Waldo and OH 15 to I-75 with a freeway connector along OH 229 to I-71. However, the language of the law passed by the State Legislature mandates a feasibility study for "...the creation of an Interstate Route 73 corridor connecting the municipal corporation of Toledo to the municipal corporation of Chesapeake, primarily ALONGSIDE (parallel) current United States Route 23", which implies a "new terrain" route separate from U.S. 23.
Upgrading the existing U.S 23 and OH 15 from I-75 Findlay to I-64 Huntington would cost $3.2B. This assumes no need to upgrade I-71 and I-270. However, building Future I-73 completely as a "new terrain" route from Toledo OH to Huntington WV and bypassing Columbus again as proposed in the 1990's, the cost increase to $20M per mile making the cost of the "new terrain" Future I-73 between $5B-$6B. Even if the feasibility study is finished in 2026, the NEPA environmental studies may take another 5-10 years, and construction may take 20 years waiting for money to become available, so the earliest completion date would be 2050. Environmental lawyers that are guaranteed to file lawsuits from opponents will make sure the project follows the full NEPA process of feasibility study, draft environmental study, and final environmental study which is why it will be up to 10 years of studies. The high cost versus traffic benefit may make it unfeasible again if the state's feasibility study shows insufficient traffic between I-90 and I-64. Michigan, under Governor Jennifer Granholm, cancelled the I-73 project in the 1990's, West Virginia has no money for I-73 following U.S. 52 and the Virginia Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) in 2024 recinded the 2001 location decision for an I-73 alignment between Roanoke and the North Carolina border and the Henry County Alternative. The estimated cost to design and build I-73 between Roanoke and the North Carolina border was $4 billion in 2017 dollars. The project was never funded to advance to design or construction phases. VDOT currently has no funding identified to study, design or construct I-73 in Virginia.. If I-73 connects to I-75 at Findlay or by way of I-280 east of Toledo to I-75, trying to convince Michigan to build I-73 is unneccesary. The same is true if I-73 connects to I-64, then I-73 south of I-64 just parallels I-77 and I-74 that already connects to I-73 in North Carolina, another unneccesary duplication that avoids convencing West Virginia and Virginia to spend money they don't want to spend.
#58
Weather / Re: The Wildfires thread
Last post by cl94 - Today at 01:26:36 AMThe past week or so has not been kind to the Mountain West, with a ton of major fire starts.
The South Rim Fire, northeast of Montrose, CO, has burned a significant portion of Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, including most of the developed south rim area. https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/cobcp-south-rim
Down in Arizona, there are two big ones north of the Colorado River. The White Sage Fire sparked south of Fredonia around midweek and has been racing east. US 89A is closed between Fredonia and its southeastern end in Bitter Springs. As of now, the fire is around 20,000 acres. More of an immediate risk to property and cultural resources is the Dragon Bravo fire on the Grand Canyon north rim, which jumped containment lines yesterday and burned many of the north rim operations and maintenance facilities. Not much is known about the extent of damage yet, but I have seen multiple reports from NPS employees that the wastewater treatment plant, maintenance gas station, and many ranger residences have burned.
The South Rim Fire, northeast of Montrose, CO, has burned a significant portion of Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, including most of the developed south rim area. https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/cobcp-south-rim
Down in Arizona, there are two big ones north of the Colorado River. The White Sage Fire sparked south of Fredonia around midweek and has been racing east. US 89A is closed between Fredonia and its southeastern end in Bitter Springs. As of now, the fire is around 20,000 acres. More of an immediate risk to property and cultural resources is the Dragon Bravo fire on the Grand Canyon north rim, which jumped containment lines yesterday and burned many of the north rim operations and maintenance facilities. Not much is known about the extent of damage yet, but I have seen multiple reports from NPS employees that the wastewater treatment plant, maintenance gas station, and many ranger residences have burned.
#59
Off-Topic / Re: "Bert is Evil"
Last post by LilianaUwU - Today at 01:07:53 AMQuote from: Scott5114 on Today at 01:02:29 AMQuote from: LilianaUwU on July 12, 2025, 11:48:32 PMOr it's because whoever owns Sesame Street is one of those copyright abusers that strike down everything because they don't understand fair use.
PBS???
More specifically Sesame Workshop. They're part of a bunch of companies like Nintendo and Disney that can't fathom the idea of people making fan works of their stuff.
#60
Off-Topic / Re: "Bert is Evil"
Last post by Scott5114 - Today at 01:02:29 AMQuote from: LilianaUwU on July 12, 2025, 11:48:32 PMOr it's because whoever owns Sesame Street is one of those copyright abusers that strike down everything because they don't understand fair use.
PBS???