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Roadgeek Rants and Raves

Started by DrZoidberg, March 20, 2009, 09:11:06 PM

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74/171FAN

Quotefrom OracleUsr:  The double-red ball signals are a throwback to the past.  North Carolina used to use them, extensively, to differentiate them from the regular traffic lights.  Now, the red arrow makes it possible to use a standard sized traffic signal as a left- or right- turn signal, or the doghouse-type signal.

One thing I hated was that double-red-ball signal where the two red lamps were side-by-side.
That was actually what I was referring to.
I am now a PennDOT employee.  My opinions/views do not necessarily reflect the opinions/views of PennDOT.


Michael

#51
In Central New York, we have a mix of span wire and mast arm signals.  Both look fine to me.

My only problem is when the signals are out of sync or don't stay green long enough.  One irritating area is NY 38 in Auburn.

The first section has lights for three blocks in a row.  Two of the lights are synced, but the third is not.  Here's a map.  The signals are at Seymour, Cottage, and Perrine streets. The one at Seymour is out of sync.

Another section, just south of there, has two lights, about a block apart.  They turn green at the same time, but don't stay green long enough to go through both.  The lights are at the intersection of the Arterial and NY 38, which multiplexes on the Arterial for a block.  Here's a map of this one.

Scott5114

Oh, here's a rant I thought of. ODOT has this annoying tendency to post the road directionals and the terminus signage on the same pole. So you'll get something like

[END]
[ 53]
[177]
[<->]


...which, you know what it's trying to say, but it looks like it's trying to tell you that both 53 and 177 end both to the left and the right! It would be slightly better if they put the directional on top...

[177]
[<->]
[END]
[ 53]


but even better would be, you know, actually springing for another pole...

[END]
[ 53]  [177]
       [<->]
uncontrollable freak sardine salad chef

Bryant5493

^^ Gotta save a bit of money any way you can. :D


Be well,

Bryant
Check out my YouTube page (http://youtube.com/Bryant5493). I have numerous road videos of Metro Atlanta and other areas in the Southeast.

I just signed up on photobucket -- here's my page (http://s594.photobucket.com/albums/tt24/Bryant5493).

florida

QuoteSPAN WIRES.  I HATE span wires.  They look cheap and tacky and aren't as visible as mast arm installations.

Awww, I love span wires. I HATE mast arms and some of them are just of horrific design. Span wires can sometimes add in a little flair like at a few intersections here in Orlando. Mast arms seem bulky, monotonous, and boring; they have no personality. Some of the horribly designed ones are on US 17/92/441 between FL 528 and I-4. Why green? and why all the extra tubing for no reason? Some look like you're passing through railroad crossings and others are just WTF? (see Oak Ridge Road intersection). It seems like a waste of money and over-beautification compared to how simple a span wire would look.

Also, I wish Florida counties would recognize all of their (at least) 3-di CRs, and the state to properly sign some of the SRs that don't get much respect in the field.
So many roads...so little time.

Alex

The signal assemblies on OBT through there (Which I have photographed but not yet posted), resemble mini sign bridges. That style of signalization is rare and overkill IMO. One other intersection where I know sign bridges are used to host signals is at the junction of U.S. 202 and Pennsylvania 309 in Montgomeryville. It also is ugly...

Michael

Quote from: aaroads on April 05, 2009, 01:20:08 PM
The signal assemblies on OBT through there (Which I have photographed but not yet posted), resemble mini sign bridges. That style of signalization is rare and overkill IMO. One other intersection where I know sign bridges are used to host signals is at the junction of U.S. 202 and Pennsylvania 309 in Montgomeryville. It also is ugly...

There are also signals on the sign bridges at the intersection of NY 252 and NY 15 in Henrietta, south of Rochester.  I couldn't find a picture though.

DrZoidberg

Oregon DOT, Multnomah County, and the City of Portland.  These three are joining forces to ensure that any new road construction in Portland is for bikes only.

Today, we saw another roadblock on the badly needed Columbia River crossing to replace the existing I-5 Interstate bridge.  I'm convinced Portland could swell to 5 million and a single highway wouldn't be widened.

An interesting article from today's Oregonian.

http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2009/04/unusual_allies_protest_columbi.html
"By the way...I took the liberty of fertilizing your caviar."

Scott5114

Well, if Portland really wants to be a big stick in the mud, they'll end up being bypassed or something. It'll come back to bite them in the ass eventually. If nothing else, they'll get a reputation as a big clusterfk of backed-up traffic and nobody will want to do business there. So...
uncontrollable freak sardine salad chef

Tarkus

Quote from: Scot5114
Well, if Portland really wants to be a big stick in the mud, they'll end up being bypassed or something. It'll come back to bite them in the ass eventually. If nothing else, they'll get a reputation as a big clusterfk of backed-up traffic and nobody will want to do business there. So...

They already have to a certain extent, and the elected officials there are actually proud of it and want to make it even worse. 

That's why we shouldn't bother wasting money on the CRC--Portland is not going to allow anything to be done with the bottlenecks on the north side of town.  We should be trying to build a freeway bypass on the westside instead that avoids Portland City Limits.

-Alex

deathtopumpkins

I've got quite a rant...

On this past Saturday I randomly decided to drive down to the Outer Banks in NC because it was so nice out. All was good until I went to exit from I-64 EB onto I-464 SB to the Chesapeake Expressway (VA-168), only to find the shortest merge lane I have ever seen and the Expressway exit 3 lanes of traffic over. Me and several other cars ran out of lane to drive in and were stuck on the shoulder, where no one would let us in for a few minutes, before some nice SUV did. But this was already after my exit, so I had to continue on down 464 (which turned into US-17) and turn around at VA-190, cutting across 4 lanes (the light was red for oncoming traffic) to that direction's exit, which had a nice long acceleration lane where it met the Expressway.
I might have gotten into traffic and across those lanes on 464 if I was not coming off of the tightest loop ramp I had ever seen, which forced me to do only 20 mph.

Here's the interchange in question on Google Maps with my route marked out:

Google Maps is giving me problems so just find it yourself if you want to.  :-P
Disclaimer: All posts represent my personal opinions and not those of my employer.

Clinched Highways | Counties Visited

74/171FAN

QuoteI've got quite a rant...

On this past Saturday I randomly decided to drive down to the Outer Banks in NC because it was so nice out. All was good until I went to exit from I-64 EB onto I-464 SB to the Chesapeake Expressway (VA-168), only to find the shortest merge lane I have ever seen and the Expressway exit 3 lanes of traffic over. Me and several other cars ran out of lane to drive in and were stuck on the shoulder, where no one would let us in for a few minutes, before some nice SUV did. But this was already after my exit, so I had to continue on down 464 (which turned into US-17) and turn around at VA-190, cutting across 4 lanes (the light was red for oncoming traffic) to that direction's exit, which had a nice long acceleration lane where it met the Expressway.
I might have gotten into traffic and across those lanes on 464 if I was not coming off of the tightest loop ramp I had ever seen, which forced me to do only 20 mph.

Here's the interchange in question on Google Maps with my route marked out:
Google Maps is giving me problems so just find it yourself if you want to. 
I've never gotten on VA 168 South that way and it's pretty easy to get from I-64 West(going east)/US 17 South to VA 168 South(Exit 291B) from family trips to Nags Head a few years ago.  I notice that now as US 17 South traffic must use VA 190(Exit 292) to Dominion Blvd and that VA 168 South traffic from I-64 West/Outer goes right to VA 168 South and doesn't have to traverse any ramps involving US 17.  I can see form Google maps how tight that is though. :-/  My real rave about VA 168 is that the speed limit is only 55 throughout, which must be a pain especially south of VA 190/Kempsville Rd. 
I am now a PennDOT employee.  My opinions/views do not necessarily reflect the opinions/views of PennDOT.

njroadhorse

I would like to rant about the interchange shenanigans in Bellmawr, NJ

On Sunday, I was coming down the 295 freeway towards the split for 76 and 42.  We get to the split, and all of a sudden, we are funnelled onto the arguably the narrowest 2 lanes in New Jersey around an incredibly tight curve, with a substandardly narrow underpass right in the middle of the curve.  After surviving this curve, motorists are then funnelled onto very narrow and confusing C/D roads meant to facilitate traffic between 76, 42, and 295, with exit ramps about 1/8 mile apart from each other, making for very tight merges.  Coming up to the interchange is no picnic either, especially if you're trying to get from 42 to 295 north.  This is also a very tight curve, with almost no decel and merging room, and they insist you do 25 from doing 70 on 42 North.

Now I heard that this was in the planning stages of getting rebuilt? Is this true, and if so do they have a starting date for the project?  That interchange is absolute hell in South Jersey. 
NJ Roads FTW!
Quote from: agentsteel53 on September 30, 2009, 04:04:11 PM
I-99... the Glen Quagmire of interstate routes??

akotchi

Opinions here attributed to me are mine alone and do not reflect those of my employer or the agencies for which I am contracted to do work.

deathtopumpkins

74/171: Well I'll just have to use the "Outer" beltway in the future... it's actually shorter, I just prefer the drive on "Inner".
I find that whole interchange revolting.

As for the speed limit, I think the entire VA-168/NC-168/US-158 thing could use higher on stretches, not just the expressway. As it is many portions of it are only 45.
Disclaimer: All posts represent my personal opinions and not those of my employer.

Clinched Highways | Counties Visited

74/171FAN

QuoteAs for the speed limit, I think the entire VA-168/NC-168/US-158 thing could use higher on stretches, not just the expressway. As it is many portions of it are only 45.
I thought that the only 45 section was on NC 168 near Moyock, but I haven't been to the Outer Banks since 2005 :confused:
I am now a PennDOT employee.  My opinions/views do not necessarily reflect the opinions/views of PennDOT.

deathtopumpkins

Well through every developed portion it's 45, so that's 4 zones I believe, all in NC, but spread out over both US-158 and NC-168.
Disclaimer: All posts represent my personal opinions and not those of my employer.

Clinched Highways | Counties Visited

Revive 755

Today I got a form in the mail that I needed to complete and return right away.  So as long as I was going to be out, I decided to stop at a grocery store and pick up a few items.  But I couldn't get to the grocery store due to an apparent fatal accident involving a semi on WB NE 2 - there was a truck on the shoulder with many people given it a close inspection - that had WB NE 2 closed, the road I wanted to turn into to get to the grocery store closed, and traffic beyond that road a disaster on EB NE 2.  So where the heck were any signs warning of the closed road back at the last major cross street before the half-closed intersection?  There were message boards for the WB NE 2 detour, and arrow boards for some of the closed lanes around the intersection, so surely someone could put out another sign saying "56th St closed north of Hwy 2/use 48th St"? 

And where were the fluorescent pink incident management signs?

deathtopumpkins

Pah, they never use those signs just for a wreck.
Hell, here they never even bother completing the detour, just putting up a sign directing you onto a side street and that's it. If they don't just have a cop and some flares.
Disclaimer: All posts represent my personal opinions and not those of my employer.

Clinched Highways | Counties Visited

mightyace

QuotePah, they never use those signs just for a wreck.
Hell, here they never even bother completing the detour, just putting up a sign directing you onto a side street and that's it. If they don't just have a cop and some flares.

Then you are on a side street with no clue as to where to go next if you don't know the neighborhood.  I followed a detour (due to roadwork) in Nashville and ended up 5 miles from where I wanted to be because I didn't know the roads off the main road in that neighborhood.

That was one of the few times where having a GPS would have been helpful for me.
My Flickr Photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mightyace

I'm out of this F***KING PLACE!

roadfro

Quote from: froggieIn many states, the standard is to have overhead signals but not side-mounted signals. (...) The only states I can think of offhand that include side-mounted signals as standard policy are all (with the exception of New Mexico) in the Midwest:  Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Missouri.  I'm sure there's a few I'm missing, but these are the states I can think off offhand.
Add Nevada to that list.

Nevada signal design is something that is done very well (sometimes, it seems there are almost too many signal heads).  Installations in the Vegas, Reno and Carson City areas all use at least one pole-mounted signal head for the through movement in addition to the ones on the mast arm.  Separate left-turn signal heads also have a left-side pole mounted head auxillary as well (although not all protected/permitted displays in Vegas have the pole mount auxillary).

The pole mounts are standard on all new installations after the early-mid 90s, and are typically put in if an older signal is later modified.  There are many instances of large intersections, especially in Vegas, where near-side pole mounts are used for the through movements.  At really big intersections with high left-turn volumes (i.e. all over the Las Vegas Strip), there is often a left turn signal head mounted on the reverse side of the opposing direction's mast arm.  A good example of these near-side mounts can be seen on this Google Map Street View of WB Flamingo Rd/SR 592 at Las Vegas Blvd.
Roadfro - AARoads Pacific Southwest moderator since 2010, Nevada roadgeek since 1983.

deathtopumpkins

@mightyace: I know, that's the problem with doing it! I was coming back home from the ODU Library a few years ago, and Hampton Blvd. (VA-337) was closed due to an accident, so they detoured us off onto a side street and it took us 2 hours to find our way back to I-64. And that was in a city I'm familiar with.  :-o
Disclaimer: All posts represent my personal opinions and not those of my employer.

Clinched Highways | Counties Visited

Bryant5493

^^ Ooh, that really sucks.


Be well,

Bryant
Check out my YouTube page (http://youtube.com/Bryant5493). I have numerous road videos of Metro Atlanta and other areas in the Southeast.

I just signed up on photobucket -- here's my page (http://s594.photobucket.com/albums/tt24/Bryant5493).

Duke87

Detours can actually be fun when they're optional. I, as a habit, tend to ditch a highway if I'm in stop and go traffic and have more than an exit or two to go.

One particularly fun time a couple months ago involved me and my father driving back home from the Bronx, intending to stop and pick up pizza along the way. We hit some real nasty traffic on the Merritt Parkway, so we got off and went through a whole load of crazy back roads in Greenwich. Which works well, since not too many people know those roads and most who ditch the Hutch/Merritt in traffic tend to make a bee line straight for US 1 or I-95.

So, our route to the pizza place would normally have been the blue one, but we went the red way (map).

I honestly think I'd rather do something like that than sit in traffic, even if it isn't necessarily faster. Because even if it takes longer... I'd rather spend 40 minutes moving free-flow than 30 minutes in traffic.
If you always take the same road, you will never see anything new.

Bryant5493

^^ I agree, I'd rather be moving, even if it is a few minutes/miles longer.


Be well,

Bryant
Check out my YouTube page (http://youtube.com/Bryant5493). I have numerous road videos of Metro Atlanta and other areas in the Southeast.

I just signed up on photobucket -- here's my page (http://s594.photobucket.com/albums/tt24/Bryant5493).



Opinions expressed here on belong solely to the poster and do not represent or reflect the opinions or beliefs of AARoads, its creators and/or associates.