Random HWY Questions...

[roadfro]

1.  What is the difference between an "alternate" route and a "business" route?  I know of a case in New Jersey where Alternate U.S. 1 was changed to Business U.S. 1 in Trenton.  Elsewhere in the state, Alternate U.S. 22 was changed to N.J. 122.  Is there a purpose to "Alternate" routes anymore?

Alternate Routes are routes that leave the main route and travel some distance to return to the main route some distance later.  Alternate routes are generally constructed to the same (or slightly lower) design standards as the main route or may be slightly longer than the main route.  Alt routes generally serve a population center not touched by the main route.

Business Routes are generally routes that serve a central business district of an urban area.  They are generally much shorter than alternate routes, and are primary arterial streets.  Often, a business route reflects the original main route through a city center after a freeway bypass is built (this is especially prevalent in the west).

In the case of changing Alt US 1 to Bus US 1 in Trenton: Without being familiar with the highway, it sounds as though it should have been a business route all along (if it exists solely within Trenton).

Alternate routes do serve a purpose.  Ideally, they can provide relief to the main route by presenting an alternative path of similar quality to take to a destination.

[dpatrickallen]

3. Why are traffic lights in Louisiana green?

Not sure specifically why they are green (I assume dark green) in Louisana, but in general signal heads are painted black or some other dark color (dark green, maroon, navy, etc.) under the theory that the dark colors reflect less possibly distracting light than a yellow signal head.

Here is a link to a recent article explaining why one jurisdiction is moving from yellow to black signal heads.

http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2009/03/birminghams_yellow_traffic_sig.html

Of course, as with anything in the government/political realm, aesthetics could also be a reason that some jurisdictions may choose a specific color, as mentioned by someone else above.


18. Who had the Michigan Left first?, Michigan or Louisiana?

Michigan, of course! 

http://www.michiganhighways.org/indepth/michigan_left.html

[akotchi]

Thanks for the response, roadfro.  I thought that was the distinction, but this case confused me.

[cjk374]

Please allow me to add a few questions as well.  I'm going to continue NOLA's ?-numbering:

21.  What are bots dots?
22.  I just found out what clearview is yesterday.  Haven't seen any here in north LA. How bout south LA?

23.  In Plain Dealing, LA the intersection w/ LA 2 & LA 3 has 18 traffic lights hanging from wires! The most in the state according to a sign posted at the intersection.  Any other intersection beat this record in other states?

24.  What is SPUI?

[Bryant5493]

21.  What are bots dots?

Raised pavement markings, used instead of painted markings.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Botts_dots

24.  What is SPUI?

A Single-Point Urban Interchange.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKZjprk4Vgs


Be well,

Bryant

[PAHighways]

23.  In Plain Dealing, LA the intersection w/ LA 2 & LA 3 has 18 traffic lights hanging from wires! The most in the state according to a sign posted at the intersection.  Any other intersection beat this record in other states?

The intersection of PA 51, PA 88, Ivyglen Street, Glenbury Street, and Hillview Street in the Overbrook section of Pittsburgh has 24 signals, a couple of which are on poles.

24.  What is SPUI?

Single Point Urban Interchange but some states use their own acronym.  Pennsylvania uses SPDI (Single Point Diamond Interchange) and New York uses SPI (Single Point Interchange).

[Bryant5493]

23.  In Plain Dealing, LA the intersection w/ LA 2 & LA 3 has 18 traffic lights hanging from wires!  The most in the state according to a sign posted at the intersection.  Any other intersection beat this record in other states?

Location: Forest Park, Clayton County, GA


The junction of SR 85 and SR 331 (Forest Parkway) has sixteen.

Four for SR 331 West: Two for the dual left turn-only lanes. One for each through lane.
Two for Forest Parkway East: It's a single lane. It should be two.
Four for SR 85 South: Two for the left turn-only lane. One for each through lane.
Four SR 85 North: Two for the dual left turn-only lanes. Two for the through lane.
Two for the SR 331 West connector ramp from SR 85 North: Two for the dual right turn-only lanes.


Be well,

Bryant

[Alex]

Clearview is used on Baton Rouge street signs:

https://www.aaroads.com/primer/clearview/la-001.jpg

And incidentally, I spotted my first Clearview street sign in Pensacola two days ago, on one of those internally lit assemblies at the intersection of Pace Boulevard and Cereventes Street.

[UptownRoadGeek]

23.  In Plain Dealing, LA the intersection w/ LA 2 & LA 3 has 18 traffic lights hanging from wires!   The most in the state according to a sign posted at the intersection.  Any other intersection beat this record in other states?

The intersection of S. Claiborne and MLK in N.O. has at least 20 signals for Claiborne alone not counting anything pedestal mounted or the MLK signals. You have a set at the intersection entrance, a set in the neutral ground, and a set at the opposite side.

Uptown Bound (bottom) has 2 horizontal poles with 3 lights each + 2 pedestal lights and a turn signal. Dowtown Bound (top) has 3 horizonal poles with 4 lights each + pedestal and pedestrian lights.

[Alex]

The intersection between U.S. 13/40 and Delaware 273 has 20 span-wire supported signals.

The intersection of U.S. 202 and Delaware 92 has 19 signals.

There are 18 signals at the intersection of Delaware 2 & 7.

[hm insulators]

Why do some cities mount their traffic signals horizontally rather than vertically?

[UptownRoadGeek]

Horizontal signals are usually used for either aesthetics or their ability to withstand storm damage and high winds.

They can be found throught Florida and southeast Texas.  New Orleans mounts all overhead signals (sometimes with the exception of turn signals) horizontally, whereas all the surrounding areas mount them vertically.

[DanTheMan414]

Wisconsin uses horizontal signals as the standard when overhead, vertical when ground-mounted.

[akotchi]

Some cities in New Jersey, such as Newark, Elizabeth and Trenton also use horizontal signals, though not necessarily consistently . . .

[SSOWorld]

Wisconsin uses horizontal signals as the standard when overhead, vertical when ground-mounted.

Wisconsin goes a step further in that only one signal per direction max is mounted overhead - all other signals are ground-mounted.  There are very few exceptions to this.

[US71]

# 11
A lot of the cantilever bridges were built in the 40's and the style was considered (at that time) one of the easiest to construct.