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[wanderer2575]

Apparently Idaho has a new state highway shield design, which they're using on both BGSs and standalone shields. Looks like it's been the new standard since Idaho updated their state MUTCD supplement in 2016.


(photo from corcohighways)

Compare to the old BGS design:



And the old standalone design:



So essentially, they've inverted the colors and removed the state name, producing a shield that I think looks disgusting especially on a BGS. The numbers look like they're floating away. Maybe a border would help somewhat in that regard, but I still think this was a major step in the wrong direction for a state that has generally produced quite good signage overall.

I'd be more peeved that the route number has to be condensed to squeeze into the upper right corner of the shield.  I have a similar beef about Michigan and North Carolina's diamond shields.  How about a shield design where one can actually read the damn route number while zipping along the highway?  Maine and West Virginia's squares and rectangles may be boring, but you can easily read their route numbers.

[Quillz]

Apparently Idaho has a new state highway shield design, which they're using on both BGSs and standalone shields. Looks like it's been the new standard since Idaho updated their state MUTCD supplement in 2016.


(photo from corcohighways)

Compare to the old BGS design:



And the old standalone design:



So essentially, they've inverted the colors and removed the state name, producing a shield that I think looks disgusting especially on a BGS. The numbers look like they're floating away. Maybe a border would help somewhat in that regard, but I still think this was a major step in the wrong direction for a state that has generally produced quite good signage overall.

I'd be more peeved that the route number has to be condensed to squeeze into the upper right corner of the shield.  I have a similar beef about Michigan and North Carolina's diamond shields.  How about a shield design where one can actually read the damn route number while zipping along the highway?  Maine and West Virginia's squares and rectangles may be boring, but you can easily read their route numbers.

They actually do use wide shields now. According to the documentation, it's always Series C, but you just make the shield wider for three-digit routes. That's an actual improvement over the previous design.

[Max Rockatansky]

I recently visited Boise, here is a 10 part series on the trip:

https://www.gribblenation.org/2021/10/2021-boise-idaho-visit.html

[skluth]

ITD prepares to bid $100 million overhaul of 'Flying Y' interchange

POCATELLO — The Idaho Transportation Department plans to accept bids soon for an estimated $100 million overhaul of the "Flying Y" interchange that joins Interstate 15 and Interstate 86.

ITD Engineer Manager Eric Staats, said the work will be bid in early 2022, and construction is planned to commence in the late summer.

ITD also launched an unrelated study on Wednesday examining the logistics of widening I-15 one section at a time from Pocatello to Idaho Falls. Though the Flying Y project will include two lanes, Staats said the bridges will be designed to leave room for a third lane, with an eye to the future.

Rest of article here

[doorknob60]

I saw that article the other day, and was annoyed that there are apparently 2 "Flying Y" interchanges in Idaho. The I-84/I-184 interchange is usually called that as well. Real creative naming, guys. The headline was confusing to me until I read the article.

[Max Rockatansky]

I saw that article the other day, and was annoyed that there are apparently 2 "Flying Y" interchanges in Idaho. The I-84/I-184 interchange is usually called that as well. Real creative naming, guys. The headline was confusing to me until I read the article.

I wonder what they would make of Exit 0 on I-184?  That was pretty much the most interesting part of the freeway when I drove it in September. 

[Bruce]

ITD is planning to abandon SH-75 Spur from Ketchum to Sun Valley and transfer it to Blaine County.

https://itdprojects.org/projects/id-75-spur/

[74/171FAN]

ITD is planning to abandon SH-75 Spur from Ketchum to Sun Valley and transfer it to Blaine County.

https://itdprojects.org/projects/id-75-spur/

I guess this route is completely unsigned because I could not find it in Travel Mapping.

[US 89]

ITD is planning to abandon SH-75 Spur from Ketchum to Sun Valley and transfer it to Blaine County.

https://itdprojects.org/projects/id-75-spur/

I guess this route is completely unsigned because I could not find it in Travel Mapping.

Even Corco didn't know about this one...

http://corcohighways.org/?p=42

[doorknob60]

Yeah I never knew that was on the state highway system either. Though I've only been to Sun Valley once.

[Plutonic Panda]

This is cool. Idaho is using a special machine to pick up trash in the medians: https://itd.idaho.gov/news/new-machine-to-pick-up-trash-on-i-90-this-spring/

I haven’t seen this in other states.

[Bruce]

The new I-90 / SH-41 interchange in Post Falls will be an SPUI that is shifted to the north side of the underpass.

[rte66man]

The new I-90 / SH-41 interchange in Post Falls will be an SPUI that is shifted to the north side of the underpass.

Never seen a SPUI shifted like that. I wonder where else you can find one.

[roadfro]

That offset SPUI is a very interesting concept. It's probably gotta be a bit more expensive than a regular SPUI given three smaller bridges versus one really wide one, but the application makes sense here given the parallel road.

Is it gonna have signals with green on top...?

[Alex]

Never seen a SPUI shifted like that. I wonder where else you can find one.

There is a similar SPUI at Interdtate 225 and Alameda Avenue in Aurora, Colorado.

[Stephane Dumas]

Never seen a SPUI shifted like that. I wonder where else you can find one.

There is a similar SPUI at Interdtate 225 and Alameda Avenue in Aurora, Colorado.

As well as another one at St.Paul, Minnesota at I-694/Rice St. where a former diamond interchange was converted into a SPUI.
https://goo.gl/maps/kxqz78NCUJyjtUq36

[rte66man]

Never seen a SPUI shifted like that. I wonder where else you can find one.

There is a similar SPUI at Interdtate 225 and Alameda Avenue in Aurora, Colorado.

As well as another one at St.Paul, Minnesota at I-694/Rice St. where a former diamond interchange was converted into a SPUI.
https://goo.gl/maps/kxqz78NCUJyjtUq36

That interchange shows as an offset roundabout, not a SPUI. Does Google have it wrong?

[Stephane Dumas]

That interchange shows as an offset roundabout, not a SPUI. Does Google have it wrong?

Google have it right, I guess it could be a variant who could be called "SRUI" (Single Roundabout Urban Interchange). However there a real shifted SPUI where Rice Street meet MN-36. https://www.google.com/maps/@45.007569,-93.1037842,1584m/data=!3m1!1e3
 

[mrsman]

Never seen a SPUI shifted like that. I wonder where else you can find one.

There is a similar SPUI at Interdtate 225 and Alameda Avenue in Aurora, Colorado.

This is a fantastic design.  One thing about most of the normal SPUIs that I have been to is that in order to make left turns, you have to swoop across the whole intersection.  In some ways it feels a bit unnatural, in that in making your left turn, you basically have to drive a little bit in opposite direction traffic to then meet up with the onramp.

Take this example in Pikesville, MD:

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.3843465,-76.7335423,3a,37.5y,284.35h,82.79t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sYvnON3RVudYkNpZeRt6qbA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

You are sitting at the stop line waiting for a green arrow to make a left.  You have to go all the way to where that green sign is on the left to make it to the onramp.  This is probably one of the main reasons that permissive lefts at SPUIs are rare, even for single lane left turns.

But the intersection in Aurora, CO feels like a normal intersection.  A direct left turn can be made in the normal fashion.  Much more intuitive (and probably safer).

The off-set SPUI seems pretty rare, but one half of this interchange in design is not so rare.  It usually occurs where there is a major street that is parallel to the freeway.  (Some times the major street is the old highway that was replaced by the freeway).  If that parallel street is set to end at another major street that is also serviced by a freeway exit and entrance, it is a convenient design to get traffic on the parallel street directly on the freeway.

West Main Street entrance onto US 101 in Ventura, CA.  An offset half-SPUI to get business route traffic directly onto freeway:

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Ventura,+CA/@34.2822034,-119.3180284,17.3z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x80e9ad155097394d:0x24eff57c367aeae8!8m2!3d34.2804923!4d-119.2945199

[roadman65]

https://itd.idaho.gov/news/construction-begins-next-week-on-the-i-90-sh-41-interchangePost Falls to receive a SPUI, but not one that meets under or over the freeway.

https://itdprojects.org/projects/i90sh41ic/
Look and you’ll see on ITD’s page how it will look.

[Bruce]

Anyone know what is going on with I-84 Business in Caldwell and Nampa? It's planned to be relinquished to the cities, but the board says they're waiting on AASHTO approval. But AASHTO isn't supposed to handle business Interstates.