New York State Thruway

[machias]

The new Indian Castle Service Area has opened: https://bigfrog104.com/take-a-look-the-first-ny-thruway-rest-area-is-completed-open/

- Was this one of the least visited service areas?
- There is very little indoor seating. Do they expect most people (including large crowds coming from buses) to eat outdoors? Or are they expecting that much traffic to be diverted to the lone drive-through for Starbucks? At least there is more outdoor seating which will be nice 6 months of the year.
- The hallway to the restrooms is only wide enough for one person and the restrooms are comically small. There are only four stalls. Competing for space in the hallway are entrances to the gender-neutral restrooms and the water fountain/bottling filling station.
- Parking is more plentiful.
- There are no showers at this location but others will include them.

I'm all on board with the new service areas, notably because they will include showers and updated amenities, but this seems to be a downscale of what was there.

I'm surprised to see the approach signs haven't been updated. Those signs are REALLY old.

[TonyTrafficLight]

Another local bridge project delayed. I was wondering what the delay was. Bridge project started in May 2022
and they expected it to reopen in November. Pretty long detour will still be in effect during winter. Should be fun.

[Rothman]

Another local bridge project delayed. I was wondering what the delay was. Bridge project started in May 2022
and they expected it to reopen in November. Pretty long detour will still be in effect during winter. Should be fun.

Local?  Seems to be Thruway-administered.  Looks like NYSDOT was only mentioned for detour management.

[kalvado]

Another local bridge project delayed. I was wondering what the delay was. Bridge project started in May 2022
and they expected it to reopen in November. Pretty long detour will still be in effect during winter. Should be fun.

Local?  Seems to be Thruway-administered.  Looks like NYSDOT was only mentioned for detour management.

A  bridge for local traffic,  contracted to a local construction company.. NYSDOT vs NYSTA may be a very important part from your perspective, but as a driver I really don't care...

[Rothman]

Another local bridge project delayed. I was wondering what the delay was. Bridge project started in May 2022
and they expected it to reopen in November. Pretty long detour will still be in effect during winter. Should be fun.

Local?  Seems to be Thruway-administered.  Looks like NYSDOT was only mentioned for detour management.

A  bridge for local traffic,  contracted to a local construction company.. NYSDOT vs NYSTA may be a very important part from your perspective, but as a driver I really don't care...

Most bridge projects are awarded to "local" contractors in NY.

Point being, the bridge is the responsibility of the Thruway and not a locality.

Every bridge carries local traffic...

[kalvado]

Another local bridge project delayed. I was wondering what the delay was. Bridge project started in May 2022
and they expected it to reopen in November. Pretty long detour will still be in effect during winter. Should be fun.

Local?  Seems to be Thruway-administered.  Looks like NYSDOT was only mentioned for detour management.

A  bridge for local traffic,  contracted to a local construction company.. NYSDOT vs NYSTA may be a very important part from your perspective, but as a driver I really don't care...

Most bridge projects are awarded to "local" contractors in NY.

Point being, the bridge is the responsibility of the Thruway and not a locality.

Every bridge carries local traffic...

A more generic question though - do you think the same contractor would run into the same problem if project was administered by NYSDOT or locality? Or they wouldn't choose that contractor at all and another one would be more successful in getting required supplies?

[Rothman]

Another local bridge project delayed. I was wondering what the delay was. Bridge project started in May 2022
and they expected it to reopen in November. Pretty long detour will still be in effect during winter. Should be fun.

Local?  Seems to be Thruway-administered.  Looks like NYSDOT was only mentioned for detour management.

A  bridge for local traffic,  contracted to a local construction company.. NYSDOT vs NYSTA may be a very important part from your perspective, but as a driver I really don't care...

Most bridge projects are awarded to "local" contractors in NY.

Point being, the bridge is the responsibility of the Thruway and not a locality.

Every bridge carries local traffic...

A more generic question though - do you think the same contractor would run into the same problem if project was administered by NYSDOT or locality? Or they wouldn't choose that contractor at all and another one would be more successful in getting required supplies?

Given the state of the market and supply chain, all contractors are running into issues obtaining materials.

[TonyTrafficLight]

Another local bridge project delayed. I was wondering what the delay was. Bridge project started in May 2022
and they expected it to reopen in November. Pretty long detour will still be in effect during winter. Should be fun.

Local?  Seems to be Thruway-administered.  Looks like NYSDOT was only mentioned for detour management.

Local = it's a few miles from my home and some of the detour is part of my daily commute was my point.

It's an Oneida County Road designated as County Road 840 that connects State Rt. 840 to State Rt. 233

[kalvado]

Another local bridge project delayed. I was wondering what the delay was. Bridge project started in May 2022
and they expected it to reopen in November. Pretty long detour will still be in effect during winter. Should be fun.

Local?  Seems to be Thruway-administered.  Looks like NYSDOT was only mentioned for detour management.

A  bridge for local traffic,  contracted to a local construction company.. NYSDOT vs NYSTA may be a very important part from your perspective, but as a driver I really don't care...

Most bridge projects are awarded to "local" contractors in NY.

Point being, the bridge is the responsibility of the Thruway and not a locality.

Every bridge carries local traffic...

A more generic question though - do you think the same contractor would run into the same problem if project was administered by NYSDOT or locality? Or they wouldn't choose that contractor at all and another one would be more successful in getting required supplies?

Given the state of the market and supply chain, all contractors are running into issues obtaining materials.

with that in mind, I really appreciate that Sitterly road overpass over I-87 (which was hit in spring 2021 and had to be partially removed) happened on schedule, if not a bit sooner than planned.  That is a nearby (not using local just in case!)  one, which had some effect on me. 

[PurdueBill]

The new Indian Castle Service Area has opened: https://bigfrog104.com/take-a-look-the-first-ny-thruway-rest-area-is-completed-open/

- Was this one of the least visited service areas?
- There is very little indoor seating. Do they expect most people (including large crowds coming from buses) to eat outdoors? Or are they expecting that much traffic to be diverted to the lone drive-through for Starbucks? At least there is more outdoor seating which will be nice 6 months of the year.
- The hallway to the restrooms is only wide enough for one person and the restrooms are comically small. There are only four stalls. Competing for space in the hallway are entrances to the gender-neutral restrooms and the water fountain/bottling filling station.
- Parking is more plentiful.
- There are no showers at this location but others will include them.

I'm all on board with the new service areas, notably because they will include showers and updated amenities, but this seems to be a downscale of what was there.

I'm surprised to see the approach signs haven't been updated. Those signs are REALLY old.

There are few signs remaining with the old "Thruway font" that used to be all over signs like "E-ZPass accepted in all lanes" (which are all gone now); wonder how long until the last of them are gone.  The signs sorting cars from trucks at plaza entrances also show it, although newer ones don't.

They are down to one Roy Rogers on the whole Thruway now?  Yikes. 

[Rothman]

The new Indian Castle Service Area has opened: https://bigfrog104.com/take-a-look-the-first-ny-thruway-rest-area-is-completed-open/

- Was this one of the least visited service areas?
- There is very little indoor seating. Do they expect most people (including large crowds coming from buses) to eat outdoors? Or are they expecting that much traffic to be diverted to the lone drive-through for Starbucks? At least there is more outdoor seating which will be nice 6 months of the year.
- The hallway to the restrooms is only wide enough for one person and the restrooms are comically small. There are only four stalls. Competing for space in the hallway are entrances to the gender-neutral restrooms and the water fountain/bottling filling station.
- Parking is more plentiful.
- There are no showers at this location but others will include them.

I'm all on board with the new service areas, notably because they will include showers and updated amenities, but this seems to be a downscale of what was there.

I'm surprised to see the approach signs haven't been updated. Those signs are REALLY old.

There are few signs remaining with the old "Thruway font" that used to be all over signs like "E-ZPass accepted in all lanes" (which are all gone now); wonder how long until the last of them are gone.  The signs sorting cars from trucks at plaza entrances also show it, although newer ones don't.

They are down to one Roy Rogers on the whole Thruway now?  Yikes.

After our last visit, I'd say, "Thank goodness."

[Jim]

It seems the Thruway has really given up on caring about the remaining old service areas.  I stopped at Malden tonight at prime dinner time and only the McDonald's was open (when did value meals go over $12 at McDonald's?!  I didn't buy anything.).  The other restaurants looked to be closed permanently.  The bathroom was pretty disgusting and the smell was coming out into the rest of the building.  It seems an overall closure can't be that close since the construction at the next areas in both directions didn't look to be nearing completion.

[vdeane]

It seems the Thruway has really given up on caring about the remaining old service areas.  I stopped at Malden tonight at prime dinner time and only the McDonald's was open (when did value meals go over $12 at McDonald's?!  I didn't buy anything.).  The other restaurants looked to be closed permanently.  The bathroom was pretty disgusting and the smell was coming out into the rest of the building.  It seems an overall closure can't be that close since the construction at the next areas in both directions didn't look to be nearing completion.

Amen to that.  I don't think that's a recent phenomenon, either.  I think there were many restaurants that never reopened from the COVID shutdowns since they didn't feel like coming back just to close again a few years alter.  Malden is a phase 2 service area, too, so it's not like closure will be imminent even with New Baltimore and Plattekill reopen.

Speaking of the service areas, the map shows that Seneca is still open.  What's with that?  They closed Oneida immediately once Indian Castle reopened despite it only being a couple days before Labor Day weekend, they have the stuff staged for a closure, and Junius Ponds reopened, yet it seems that Seneca hasn't started yet.  Looks like it's a map error.  The regular service area page lists it as closed.  Also looking at the regular service area page, it seems that the Applegreen convenience store will be the only 24 hour retailer at the new service areas.  The practice of designating one of the actual restaurants as a 24 hour service seems like it's being discontinued.

[machias]

The new Indian Castle Service Area has opened: https://bigfrog104.com/take-a-look-the-first-ny-thruway-rest-area-is-completed-open/

- Was this one of the least visited service areas?
- There is very little indoor seating. Do they expect most people (including large crowds coming from buses) to eat outdoors? Or are they expecting that much traffic to be diverted to the lone drive-through for Starbucks? At least there is more outdoor seating which will be nice 6 months of the year.
- The hallway to the restrooms is only wide enough for one person and the restrooms are comically small. There are only four stalls. Competing for space in the hallway are entrances to the gender-neutral restrooms and the water fountain/bottling filling station.
- Parking is more plentiful.
- There are no showers at this location but others will include them.

I'm all on board with the new service areas, notably because they will include showers and updated amenities, but this seems to be a downscale of what was there.

I'm surprised to see the approach signs haven't been updated. Those signs are REALLY old.

There are few signs remaining with the old "Thruway font" that used to be all over signs like "E-ZPass accepted in all lanes" (which are all gone now); wonder how long until the last of them are gone.  The signs sorting cars from trucks at plaza entrances also show it, although newer ones don't.

Those "Thruway font" signs for Service Areas were installed when the plazas were rebuilt in the 90s. The Thruway had just moved from a mix of reflective taping/screening and button copy signs to the new all reflective material signs, and that "font" was part of those signs.  The Thruway called it Series D.  Prior to those Service Area signs, there'd be a generic service area/logo sign with the name of the service area in a centered tab on top. Some were in button copy, some not, and some would have a mix, where the border would be button copy and the legend reflective tape or vice versa. That was common on interchange signing of the times as well.

[webny99]

In today's news...

https://buffalonews.com/news/local/accident-and-incident/westbound-side-of-i-90-closed-at-batavia-pembroke-exits-due-to-fiery-truck-crash/article_d86fc820-5616-11ed-82dd-db1f0a0b5d9d.html

[shadyjay]

Saw this today on the Thruway SB:

87SB-Exit14A-new by Jay Hogan, on Flickr


They look so non-New York-esque, especially with the [more] squared edges and curved pipe gantries.  At least the exit tab can sit square to the body of the sign, and hopefully they are visible at night!
(There's another one of similar design heading north/west at Exit 13-N).

[mariethefoxy]

Saw this today on the Thruway SB:

87SB-Exit14A-new by Jay Hogan, on Flickr


They look so non-New York-esque, especially with the [more] squared edges and curved pipe gantries.  At least the exit tab can sit square to the body of the sign, and hopefully they are visible at night!
(There's another one of similar design heading north/west at Exit 13-N).

with an emphasis on hopefully are visible at night, the Thruway installed a few newer signs about 10 years ago on the NE thruway and they have grey lettering with a high vis green background and they are very difficult to read at night, worse than the worn out button copy they replaced!

[Rothman]

Saw this today on the Thruway SB:

87SB-Exit14A-new by Jay Hogan, on Flickr


They look so non-New York-esque, especially with the [more] squared edges and curved pipe gantries.  At least the exit tab can sit square to the body of the sign, and hopefully they are visible at night!
(There's another one of similar design heading north/west at Exit 13-N).

Western NY has a bunch of monotubes.

[webny99]

Saw this today on the Thruway SB:

[img]

Wow, traffic is actually moving at speed there? That's a first! 

[machias]

with an emphasis on hopefully are visible at night, the Thruway installed a few newer signs about 10 years ago on the NE thruway and they have grey lettering with a high vis green background and they are very difficult to read at night, worse than the worn out button copy they replaced!

There's a whole bunch of signs along the mainline in Buffalo with this exact same problem. Apparently the Thruway sign department bought the wrong reflective material but decided they had to use it up before getting new.

[shadyjay]

Wow, traffic is actually moving at speed there? That's a first! 

For a Sunday afternoon in October, I was expecting to be sitting in traffic between the 287's, but outside of one slowdown, heading east towards the TZB was highway-speed.  Heading west/north, that was a different story.  Again, surprised, but not disappointed!

[RyanB06]

Saw this today on the Thruway SB:

<snip>

They look so non-New York-esque, especially with the [more] squared edges and curved pipe gantries.  At least the exit tab can sit square to the body of the sign, and hopefully they are visible at night!
(There's another one of similar design heading north/west at Exit 13-N).

That almost looks New Jersey-spec with the incomplete border around the exit tab.

[kirbykart]

It seems the Thruway has really given up on caring about the remaining old service areas.  I stopped at Malden tonight at prime dinner time and only the McDonald's was open (when did value meals go over $12 at McDonald's?!  I didn't buy anything.).  The other restaurants looked to be closed permanently.  The bathroom was pretty disgusting and the smell was coming out into the rest of the building.  It seems an overall closure can't be that close since the construction at the next areas in both directions didn't look to be nearing completion.

Amen to that.  I don't think that's a recent phenomenon, either.  I think there were many restaurants that never reopened from the COVID shutdowns since they didn't feel like coming back just to close again a few years alter.  Malden is a phase 2 service area, too, so it's not like closure will be imminent even with New Baltimore and Plattekill reopen.

Speaking of the service areas, the map shows that Seneca is still open.  What's with that?  They closed Oneida immediately once Indian Castle reopened despite it only being a couple days before Labor Day weekend, they have the stuff staged for a closure, and Junius Ponds reopened, yet it seems that Seneca hasn't started yet.  Looks like it's a map error.  The regular service area page lists it as closed.  Also looking at the regular service area page, it seems that the Applegreen convenience store will be the only 24 hour retailer at the new service areas.  The practice of designating one of the actual restaurants as a 24 hour service seems like it's being discontinued.

Wow, some of them are open already? That's neat!

[froggie]

Heading up the Thruway from Harriman to Albany yesterday...Plattekill and New Baltimore had only gas open.  Malden was fully open, but I wasn't horribly impressed.

(EDIT) Meanwhile, every Thruway VMS was announcing a commercial vehicle ban west of Exit 46 (on the Thruway and including I-190) beginning at 4pm yesterday because of the snow.

[kirbykart]

Heading up the Thruway from Harriman to Albany yesterday...Plattekill and New Baltimore had only gas open.  Malden was fully open, but I wasn't horribly impressed.

(EDIT) Meanwhile, every Thruway VMS was announcing a commercial vehicle ban west of Exit 46 (on the Thruway and including I-190) beginning at 4pm yesterday because of the snow.

Yeah, I heard there were feet in Erie County. It seems that for once, the Southern Tier has been spared from the worst of the storm!