Virginia

[plain]

The Boulevard Bridge (VA 161) is still not shown as being tolled.

Also, VA 76 is still shown as having a mainline toll just north of US 60 where it's just ramp tolls, that toll plaza shouldn't be shown at all.

There's no online insert for Chesapeake. Does the Jordan Bridge show up as tolled in the HR insert on the fold-out?

[Mapmikey]

The new VA 167 is shown in the Roanoke inset...(but so is the long-decommissioned one in Hampton)
New Stadium Dr interchange in Blacksburg is shown...

I wonder why they show the Coalfields Expressway as proposed, but not I-73?  (Not changed from previous map, BTW).

Both have approved routes but I don't think that the Coalfields Expressway is any more likely to get built than I-73, other than the segment that will carry US-460.

at least 1 segment of US 121 that would not be a part of US 460 is in the current SYIP, albeit only a PE allocation in 2025 (http://syip.virginiadot.org/Pages/lineitemDetails.aspx?syp_scenario_id=244&line_item_id=1262177).

As best I can tell nothing for I-73 is in the current SYIP...

[Beltway]

at least 1 segment of US 121 that would not be a part of US 460 is in the current SYIP, albeit only a PE allocation in 2025 (http://syip.virginiadot.org/Pages/lineitemDetails.aspx?syp_scenario_id=244&line_item_id=1262177).
As best I can tell nothing for I-73 is in the current SYIP...

True but the rest of CFX is no less far into the future.  Major difference being that the I-73 corridor already has a pre-existing 4-lane corridor while the CFX corridor only has old-style 2-lane highways, so maybe there was more of a desire to show the route of the CFX.

I did find out from the guy in Central Office who manages the state map, that the updates are heavily driven by the district and residency office engineers.  I don't think there is central control over the map, at least not over the update/correction process, and that is why some limited access highways are brown and some are blue, depending on the region.  I found this out when I tried to point out some errors on the map about 10 years ago... and of course I disagree, and believe that someone in central office needs to enforce uniformity.  They did eventually correct about half of the errors that I pointed out.

[D-Dey65]

Traffic volumes are low on those ramps.

Yes, I see that.
In the meantime, one exit north, I see that VDOT is building a traffic circle at the southbound off-ramp and US 301.
https://www.google.com/maps/@37.1436655,-77.3578945,741m/data=!3m1!1e3?hl=en

Good place.  I don't know the traffic volumes, but that seems to be approaching traffic signal warrants.  There are 13 businesses including 7 motels right near the interchange.

Well, if you've seen my activity on Wikipedia, you know I'm back from my road trip. And I found out the alleged traffic circle is just a decorative garden on all four corners. I should be working on pictures I took of that within the coming month.

[1995hoo]

http://twitter.com/vadot/status/1058010998207143938?s=21

[cpzilliacus]

http://twitter.com/vadot/status/1058010998207143938?s=21

These "Park Service" styled bridges were once common up and down what is now I-395.  I think there are one or two buried in the depths of the Mixing Bowl (which is not Springfield but is in Arlington County from VA-27 north to the Virginia end of the 14th Street Bridge complex (your mileage may vary)).

[Beltway]

These "Park Service" styled bridges were once common up and down what is now I-395.  I think there are one or two buried in the depths of the Mixing Bowl (which is not Springfield but is in Arlington County from VA-27 north to the Virginia end of the 14th Street Bridge complex (your mileage may vary)).

The one on VA-27 over Columbia Pike was replaced a couple years ago.  VA-27 over VA-110 is being replaced now.  I don't know of any others of that old vintage.  The I-395 bridges over the GW Parkway are arch-style but all of modern vintage, like mid-1970s.

[froggie]

^ According to VDOT and NBI (National Bridge Inventory), northbound 395 at GW Pkwy is still the original 1950 bridge (last rehabbed in 2008).

Southbound is convoluted.  For inventory purposes, both VDOT and NBI consider the southbound and express lanes over GW Pkwy to be a single bridge dating to 1950.  Going through imagery and shapefile data, the express lanes bridge dates to the original 1950 bridge and was rebuilt (and presumably widened for the express lanes) in the 1970s (the express lanes opened in 1972 but VDOT's inventory shows 1976 for the bridge reconstruction).  The southbound mainline lanes bridge dates to 1962, coinciding with the southbound span on the 14th Street Bridge.  At some point (perhaps the 1976 entry?), the gap was filled and the southbound mainline and express lane bridges were combined into a single span.

[Beltway]

I see that the Richmond Metropolitan Authority (RMA) has a project to refinish the surface of the retaining walls, bridge parapets, bridge abutments and median barriers on the Downtown Expressway and Powhite Parkway.  This is very good, because they are 40+ years old and concrete deteriorates and they had darkened with a streaked effect from the weather and rain over the years, and were looking unsightly, and deeper deterioration was beginning to occur.

I looked at one of the parapets from where I could touch it, and it looks like a whitish material that combines paint with some kind of acrylic material, rolled on with a brush as a liquid, and then hardened.  Looks very durable and very nice!

Actually the name is now Richmond Metropolitan Transportation Authority (RMTA), and this is a recent change, and it makes sense as even back in the 1970s I thought that the original name was too general as it didn't have any reference to highways or transportation.  The authority was created in the late 1960s for the specific purpose of building the tolled expressway system.

[davewiecking]

^ According to VDOT and NBI (National Bridge Inventory), northbound 395 at GW Pkwy is still the original 1950 bridge (last rehabbed in 2008).

Southbound is convoluted.  For inventory purposes, both VDOT and NBI consider the southbound and express lanes over GW Pkwy to be a single bridge dating to 1950.  Going through imagery and shapefile data, the express lanes bridge dates to the original 1950 bridge and was rebuilt (and presumably widened for the express lanes) in the 1970s (the express lanes opened in 1972 but VDOT's inventory shows 1976 for the bridge reconstruction).  The southbound mainline lanes bridge dates to 1962, coinciding with the southbound span on the 14th Street Bridge.  At some point (perhaps the 1976 entry?), the gap was filled and the southbound mainline and express lane bridges were combined into a single span.

There was a time when the SB I-395 (George Mason) Bridge was being rehabbed, and SB traffic was crammed onto the middle (express lanes, now Rochambeau) Bridge. Perhaps the 2 bridges over the GWMP were combined at that time to facilitate the temporary traffic setup? I have a feeling that was later than 1976, but I could be wrong.

[Beltway]

There was a time when the SB I-395 (George Mason) Bridge was being rehabbed, and SB traffic was crammed onto the middle (express lanes, now Rochambeau) Bridge. Perhaps the 2 bridges over the GWMP were combined at that time to facilitate the temporary traffic setup? I have a feeling that was later than 1976, but I could be wrong.

The express bridge was opened in 1972 and the last and northernmost Shirley Highway reconstruction project was completed in 1975.   I believe that those I-395 GWMP bridges (SBR and EXR) were built and/or widened to today's configuration in the latter project, and my recollection is that they were fully open when the latter project was completed in 1975.  This bridge is in Virginia as is all of I-395 south of the river.

My analysis of the current aerial view is that it is the same configuration as was built in 1975 --
https://tinyurl.com/y8hqy223

Prior to the completion of the Shirley Highway reconstruction in 1975, the express bridge had only a temporary one-lane reversible busway to connect to between there and the busway in the last completed Shirley Highway reconstruction project in 1972 (Mixing Bowl Project).

This photo was taken in 1983 and the SB bridge appears to be prior to the redecking project.  The deck looks old and deteriorated even from a distance.
http://www.roadstothefuture.com/14th_Street_Bridge_XL.jpg

[davewiecking]

The express bridge was opened in 1972 and the last and northernmost Shirley Highway reconstruction project was completed in 1975.   I believe that those I-395 GWMP bridges (SBR and EXR) were built and/or widened to today's configuration in the latter project, and my recollection is that they were fully open when the latter project was completed in 1975.  This bridge is in Virginia as is all of I-395 south of the river.

Prior to the completion of the Shirley Highway reconstruction in 1975, the express bridge had only a temporary one-lane reversible busway to connect to between there and the busway in the last completed Shirley Highway reconstruction project in 1972 (Mixing Bowl Project).

historicaerials.com seems to show the GWMP bridge already widened in the 62 and 63 photos, but the 66 topo has them separate (probably because the draftsman was really confused about how to depict it-there being no connecting lanes). The overheads of the now-Rochambeau don't really scream "under construction".

Speaking of the original bus lanes and construction, this seems like an opportune time to post my favorite bus lane construction photo. Long since forgotten where I got it; can't find the version on any PC so had to download this version that I posted on FB in 2014. This is a few miles south of the bridges under discussion; I'll let others while away their Saturday evening trying to figure out exactly where it was taken...

[Beltway]

Speaking of the original bus lanes and construction, this seems like an opportune time to post my favorite bus lane construction photo. Long since forgotten where I got it; can't find the version on any PC so had to download this version that I posted on FB in 2014. This is a few miles south of the bridges under discussion; I'll let others while away their Saturday evening trying to figure out exactly where it was taken...

Probably above the Shirlington Circle bridge and reversible ramp junction, looking north (up) in this Google Maps image.  https://tinyurl.com/y7epr594 

Two of the bridges over Four Mile Run under construction in middle part of the construction photo.  Strong telephoto compression.  I don't think anywhere else would fit.  The temporary one-lane busway ran from just north of King Street to the express bridge over the river. 

[AlexandriaVA]

Definitely the Shirlington rotary, looking northbound. Note the sign on the right for Glebe Rd.

[Beltway]

Definitely the Shirlington rotary, looking northbound. Note the sign on the right for Glebe Rd.

I noticed that, the image is not really clear, but it probably says Glebe.

[davewiecking]

That all lines up. Photographer likely standing on the original Shirlington Rotary. Left side of picture is a bent for the new rotary; cranes on the peak of the hill are working on the Glebe Rd interchange-the exit is visible after the Speed Limit sign. Apartment buildings on the hill overlooking Pentagon City.

Sort of this view nowadays: https://www.google.com/maps/@38.8411808,-77.0838567,3a,75y,21.63h,79.21t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sD-XbptBF10f2Cq2c0Zpfvg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
(this is weird: on my iPad, Beltway's above tinyurl puts me above Washington Blvd; on a PC, it resolves properly to the rotary overhead)

[Beltway]

Estimate the year to be 1970 when that photo was taken.  Pentagon City didn't yet exist on the ground.  The Metro station there opened in 1977 in the middle of an empty field, it was strange seeing a subway station entrance there.

[AlexandriaVA]

Estimate the year to be 1970 when that photo was taken.  Pentagon City didn't yet exist on the ground.  The Metro station there opened in 1977 in the middle of an empty field, it was strange seeing a subway station entrance there.

Neighborhood continues to grow - I was literally there earlier today. More high-rise buildings continue to get built (largely warehouses and single-story retail being converted to high-rise housing with ground-floor retail.

[1995hoo]

Something I found myself wondering while driving home tonight in the rain: Why does it seem that VDOT and its contractors always disable the overhead lights in many work zones? Tonight, with HOV not in effect on the federal holiday, I used the I-395 reversible lanes. There are some lane shifts just south of where the reversible lanes begin near the Pentagon, coupled with the "cattle chute"  design with jersey walls on both sides, and none of the overhead lights were on. You can guess how all that, combined with the rain, basically means you can't see anything in terms of pavement markings (I even turned on my fog lights to try to help).

It's not the first time I've noticed all the overhead lighting being off in a work zone. Is this a safety issue for the workmen in terms of cutting power in case they have to work too close to the electric lines?

[Beltway]

Aren't they rebuilding the median barriers between the general purpose roadways and the reversible roadway?  That would mean that they are relocating the lighting standards as well, and since the power supply comes from a cable below the median barrier, that means that the cables have been disabled while they are being relocated.  Widening to three lanes means that the median barriers need to be relocated at least a few feet.

[1995hoo]

The lights on the outside of the general-purpose lanes seemed to be out as well, though–no overhead lights at all in that area.

[Beltway]

The lights on the outside of the general-purpose lanes seemed to be out as well, though—no overhead lights at all in that area.

How long have they been out?

[Alps]

The lights on the outside of the general-purpose lanes seemed to be out as well, though–no overhead lights at all in that area.

Probably related - they may have depowered the entire segment. That said, would have been nice to require temporary lighting in that circumstance.

[Beltway]

The lights on the outside of the general-purpose lanes seemed to be out as well, though—no overhead lights at all in that area.

Probably related - they may have depowered the entire segment. That said, would have been nice to require temporary lighting in that circumstance.

That was one of my thoughts on the matter.  I would be interested in knowing exactly which roadways are out and for how long.

[plain]

I see that the Richmond Metropolitan Authority (RMA) has a project to refinish the surface of the retaining walls, bridge parapets, bridge abutments and median barriers on the Downtown Expressway and Powhite Parkway.  This is very good, because they are 40+ years old and concrete deteriorates and they had darkened with a streaked effect from the weather and rain over the years, and were looking unsightly, and deeper deterioration was beginning to occur.

I looked at one of the parapets from where I could touch it, and it looks like a whitish material that combines paint with some kind of acrylic material, rolled on with a brush as a liquid, and then hardened.  Looks very durable and very nice!

Actually the name is now Richmond Metropolitan Transportation Authority (RMTA), and this is a recent change, and it makes sense as even back in the 1970s I thought that the original name was too general as it didn't have any reference to highways or transportation.  The authority was created in the late 1960s for the specific purpose of building the tolled expressway system.

I like this project as well, both of these expressways need sprucing up. I think it also shows how well RMTA is doing as a toll agency (the last toll hike was around 2004ish, maybe?), even with none of the tolls being over 70 cents.