New York

[cl94]

Well, seeing this at night was a pleasant surprise. I thought Region 1 got rid of every button copy gore sign. Unless there's something I'm missing, this and the overhead assembly just west of the toll booths at Exit 24 are the only remaining button copy on mainline I-87 outside of the Bronx.

[Buffaboy]

Well, seeing this at night was a pleasant surprise. I thought Region 1 got rid of every button copy gore sign. Unless there's something I'm missing, this and the overhead assembly just west of the toll booths at Exit 24 are the only remaining button copy on mainline I-87 outside of the Bronx.

Are those the only button copy signs Upstate?

[NYhwyfan]

Well, seeing this at night was a pleasant surprise. I thought Region 1 got rid of every button copy gore sign. Unless there's something I'm missing, this and the overhead assembly just west of the toll booths at Exit 24 are the only remaining button copy on mainline I-87 outside of the Bronx.

Are those the only button copy signs Upstate?

https://www.google.com/maps/@42.9993478,-78.8064717,3a,75y,280.33h,72.35t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sJvcqsfF9SPqVskUHvG40fQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656 

I-990 SB to I-290 WB

[machias]

Well, seeing this at night was a pleasant surprise. I thought Region 1 got rid of every button copy gore sign. Unless there's something I'm missing, this and the overhead assembly just west of the toll booths at Exit 24 are the only remaining button copy on mainline I-87 outside of the Bronx.

Are those the only button copy signs Upstate?

Oh no. There's quite a few button copy signs in the Utica area. I-790 has an even mix of button and non-button copy signs. They date back to the reconstruction in 1989.

https://www.google.com/maps/@43.1180292,-75.2206995,3a,75y,109.55h,82.28t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sZ9CC63_LySOXHJqNNjXE0w!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

[cl94]

Well, seeing this at night was a pleasant surprise. I thought Region 1 got rid of every button copy gore sign. Unless there's something I'm missing, this and the overhead assembly just west of the toll booths at Exit 24 are the only remaining button copy on mainline I-87 outside of the Bronx.

Are those the only button copy signs Upstate?

Oh no. There's quite a few button copy signs in the Utica area. I-790 has an even mix of button and non-button copy signs. They date back to the reconstruction in 1989.

https://www.google.com/maps/@43.1180292,-75.2206995,3a,75y,109.55h,82.28t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sZ9CC63_LySOXHJqNNjXE0w!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

There's even one or two on the Thruway mainline in Utica.

R1 has a couple on ramps at/around the circle stack, but other than the two aforementioned signs, I know of nothing else. They flushed out almost all of the button copy by 2002 or so. Back around the turn of the century, there was a LOT of button copy here, along with many state name shields. Thruway had a couple more at Exit 24 that were taken out with the widening.

Region 5 has a surprising amount as well. A lot of it was taken out during mass sign replacements over the past 3-4 years, but it has most of NYSTA's remaining button copy signs, including what is almost certainly the oldest in the system.

[Buffaboy]

Well, seeing this at night was a pleasant surprise. I thought Region 1 got rid of every button copy gore sign. Unless there's something I'm missing, this and the overhead assembly just west of the toll booths at Exit 24 are the only remaining button copy on mainline I-87 outside of the Bronx.

Are those the only button copy signs Upstate?

Oh no. There's quite a few button copy signs in the Utica area. I-790 has an even mix of button and non-button copy signs. They date back to the reconstruction in 1989.

https://www.google.com/maps/@43.1180292,-75.2206995,3a,75y,109.55h,82.28t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sZ9CC63_LySOXHJqNNjXE0w!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

I never even noticed!! Probably because I don't drive around the area very much, esp. at night.

[Buffaboy]

Well, seeing this at night was a pleasant surprise. I thought Region 1 got rid of every button copy gore sign. Unless there's something I'm missing, this and the overhead assembly just west of the toll booths at Exit 24 are the only remaining button copy on mainline I-87 outside of the Bronx.

Are those the only button copy signs Upstate?

Oh no. There's quite a few button copy signs in the Utica area. I-790 has an even mix of button and non-button copy signs. They date back to the reconstruction in 1989.

https://www.google.com/maps/@43.1180292,-75.2206995,3a,75y,109.55h,82.28t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sZ9CC63_LySOXHJqNNjXE0w!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

There's even one or two on the Thruway mainline in Utica.

https://www.google.com/maps/@43.1193943,-75.2238471,3a,15.1y,118.41h,102.97t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s5udMxkZ1xEsKjtIZenmbPg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

[cl94]

Well, seeing this at night was a pleasant surprise. I thought Region 1 got rid of every button copy gore sign. Unless there's something I'm missing, this and the overhead assembly just west of the toll booths at Exit 24 are the only remaining button copy on mainline I-87 outside of the Bronx.

Are those the only button copy signs Upstate?

Oh no. There's quite a few button copy signs in the Utica area. I-790 has an even mix of button and non-button copy signs. They date back to the reconstruction in 1989.

https://www.google.com/maps/@43.1180292,-75.2206995,3a,75y,109.55h,82.28t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sZ9CC63_LySOXHJqNNjXE0w!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

There's even one or two on the Thruway mainline in Utica.

https://www.google.com/maps/@43.1193943,-75.2238471,3a,15.1y,118.41h,102.97t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s5udMxkZ1xEsKjtIZenmbPg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

There is another at the exit itself. Only 2 button copy signs on EB I-90 in New York and the only ones on the EB/SB Thruway.

[vdeane]

Last I checked, the NY 104 EB signs for Hard Rd were still button copy.

[SignBridge]

Here it seems so weird to me that everybody's talking about the last button-copy signs. You guys should have been around thirty years ago for the last of the Thruway's big blue exit signs from the original 1950's construction. LOL

[cl94]

Here it seems so weird to me that everybody's talking about the last button-copy signs. You guys should have been around thirty years ago for the last of the Thruway's big blue exit signs from the original 1950's construction. LOL

I've seen the pictures. This is probably one of the early green signs to be installed, though. Probably dates back to well before the last of the blue was gone.

[Sam]

As I recall in the early '70s there was a small dark green sign in that spot that said "PENNA STATE LINE 70 MILES" although from there it should be 75 or 76 miles.

[machias]

Here it seems so weird to me that everybody's talking about the last button-copy signs. You guys should have been around thirty years ago for the last of the Thruway's big blue exit signs from the original 1950's construction. LOL

I've seen the pictures. This is probably one of the early green signs to be installed, though. Probably dates back to well before the last of the blue was gone.

That sign was installed in 1987.  Before that was an all button copy sign on green.  Any big blue signs had been replaced/repainted with dark green. 

ROUTE 98
Batavia
EXIT 48    1 MILE

was dark green in 1987.

[cl94]

Has anybody else noticed that Region 2's diagonal striping looks...different? Take a look at this image. Standard cross-hatching is present on the Thruway and Region 2's standard is on the surface streets. Is there a reason why R2 uses thinner stripes spaced closer together than is normal?

[Rothman]

Has anybody else noticed that Region 2's diagonal striping looks...different? Take a look at this image. Standard cross-hatching is present on the Thruway and Region 2's standard is on the surface streets. Is there a reason why R2 uses thinner stripes spaced closer together than is normal?

We don't give them enough money to do a proper job.

(j/k)

[cl94]

I-390 is getting a major reconstruction between Exits 2 and 3 with some long-term ramp closures. Unlike in many parts of the state, the ramps have reference markers. Plans are here.

[WNYroadgeek]

Official: Scajaquada Expressway (NY 198) to be converted to a boulevard: https://twitter.com/NYSDOTBuffalo/status/697576414791467009

[noelbotevera]

Official: Scajaquada Expressway (NY 198) to be converted to a boulevard: https://twitter.com/NYSDOTBuffalo/status/697576414791467009

New Urbanists....

yeah this is their work at their worst. Basically they just think every freeway should not have been invented....

[vdeane]

Has Mr. Driscoll ever seen the traffic counts on that road?  It ranges from 38k on the low end to 71k on the high end.  Those are peaceful, walkable boulevard traffic counts.  Those are traffic counts in line with urban freeways and congested suburban arterials lined with strip malls.  I'd rather cross the road at an overpass than a crosswalk anyways.

Given his position here, I guess we can count on I-81 getting torn down as well.

[cl94]

Has Mr. Driscoll ever seen the traffic counts on that road?  It ranges from 38k on the low end to 71k on the high end.  Those are peaceful, walkable boulevard traffic counts.  Those are traffic counts in line with urban freeways and congested suburban arterials lined with strip malls.  I'd rather cross the road at an overpass than a crosswalk anyways.

Given his position here, I guess we can count on I-81 getting torn down as well.

Money. Campaign donors live in that neighborhood.

[Buffaboy]

Official: Scajaquada Expressway (NY 198) to be converted to a boulevard: https://twitter.com/NYSDOTBuffalo/status/697576414791467009

F*cking A .

never will i ever drive on that road again

While we're at it, let's take down the Skyway and the 190 because of the same reasons. Right?

Incredible how nobody talks about how the 33 can be put under a lid, but this is priority #1

[Duke87]

This decision was no doubt inevitable after the incident last year where a kid got killed by a car that ran off the road. The reaction to that gave us a section with a 30 MPH speed limit and crosswalks, so now the ball is already rolling on making the route not a freeway anymore. The current situation can't remain as is since having that sort of segment on what's otherwise a freeway is a safety nightmare unto itself. At this point finishing what's already been started and downgrading the whole route is politically easier than backpedaling and restoring the speed limit/removing the crosswalks.

I don't really think this will have a major impact on traffic in Buffalo. Traffic that can reasonably divert to 290 will do so, traffic which cannot will continue using 198 and the trip will take a few minutes longer, and a few trips will be cancelled or diverted to different destinations as people adjust their travel patterns to account for the freeway's absence.


As to whether this is any indication as to what will happen with I-81 or the Sheridan, who knows. Those projects are different in scope and have different stakeholders. One thing is for certain, though: this will get added to the list of successful freeway removals, which are only going to become more popular in the coming years as the concept becomes more proven.

[cl94]

This decision was no doubt inevitable after the incident last year where a kid got killed by a car that ran off the road. The reaction to that gave us a section with a 30 MPH speed limit and crosswalks, so now the ball is already rolling on making the route not a freeway anymore.

I don't really think this will have a major impact on traffic in Buffalo. Traffic that can reasonably divert to 290 will do so, traffic which cannot will continue using 198 and the trip will take a few minutes longer, and a few trips will be cancelled or diverted to different destinations as people adjust their travel patterns to account for the freeway's absence.


As to whether this is any indication as to what will happen with I-81 or the Sheridan, who knows. Those projects are different in scope and have different stakeholders. One thing is for certain, though: this will get added to the list of successful freeway removals, which are only going to become more popular in the coming years as the concept becomes more proven.

It's also important to note that this was high up on the list of freeways that were most likely to be removed. Prior to the accident, the plan was to make it an expressway, keeping the major grade separations but not full control of access. People in power have wanted it gone since it was built. Buffalo also isn't growing, either. The area population is only remaining constant because of immigration and, unless things change, I expect a major population loss when the baby boomers start dying out because the median age there is quite high.

[vdeane]

This decision was no doubt inevitable after the incident last year where a kid got killed by a car that ran off the road. The reaction to that gave us a section with a 30 MPH speed limit and crosswalks, so now the ball is already rolling on making the route not a freeway anymore. The current situation can't remain as is since having that sort of segment on what's otherwise a freeway is a safety nightmare unto itself. At this point finishing what's already been started and downgrading the whole route is politically easier than backpedaling and restoring the speed limit/removing the crosswalks.

I don't really think this will have a major impact on traffic in Buffalo. Traffic that can reasonably divert to 290 will do so, traffic which cannot will continue using 198 and the trip will take a few minutes longer, and a few trips will be cancelled or diverted to different destinations as people adjust their travel patterns to account for the freeway's absence.


As to whether this is any indication as to what will happen with I-81 or the Sheridan, who knows. Those projects are different in scope and have different stakeholders. One thing is for certain, though: this will get added to the list of successful freeway removals, which are only going to become more popular in the coming years as the concept becomes more proven.

The crosswalks never actually got built... Region 5 backed out at the last minute as they were in bad locations (one was right on top of an overpass with sidewalks), even going so far as to remove the paths the paved to go to the crosswalks.

People are already diverting to local streets because, contrary to urbanist expectations, driving 30 on a residential street is a lot less painful than driving 30 on a major arterial.  The residents on those streets are NOT happy.

[Rothman]

People are already diverting to local streets because, contrary to urbanist expectations, driving 30 on a residential street is a lot less painful than driving 30 on a major arterial.  The residents on those streets are NOT happy.

Where'd you hear this?