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Started by roadman65, October 03, 2013, 08:59:18 AM

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sparker

Quote from: J N Winkler on September 11, 2020, 05:24:55 PM
Quote from: sparker on September 11, 2020, 04:46:30 PMLooked at the video twice; no sign of a direct NB>EB connector, possibly since if one were to be configured as a "split" from the turbine ramps per the other three direct ramps, it would require either (a) a separate crossing of the canal south of the main SH 73 crossing before merging with that facility or (b) a very sharp set of curves, first left then right, to enable the ramp to merge with EB 73 before the canal bridge.  I'm guessing TxDOT didn't want to do (b) for safety reasons, and (a) would have been a cost overrun for the project.  Since NB traffic is a surface street prior to just before the interchange, making a right at the last signal NB and then "grid-patterning" to the next EB entrance on 73 was considered adequate provision of movement.

Thanks for the elucidation (sorry to make you watch the clip twice!)--I think I must have been looking southbound when I thought I was looking northbound.  I can certainly see motorists being directed to make the missing movement by surface streets if the existing ramp already attracts low demand.  It looks like there is a subdivision and an additional drainage channel (shown as a thin blue line in Google Maps) in the SE quadrant that would be in the way of a fourth link ramp matching the generous geometry of the other three, so the potential for high cost is clearly there.

Not to worry, it was a pretty decent video in any case.  We're probably both reasonably correct regarding the reason there is a missing movement; sometimes replacing an existing interchange with a higher-speed format runs into problems of potential spillover into existing infrastructure;  a similar thing happened with the I-215/CA 60/CA 91 interchange in Riverside, CA, where the existing direct WB>NB ramp which reduces to a single lane was retained rather than encroach on the adjoining neighborhood -- even though that ramp carries NB I-215 through traffic. 


Brian556

Near Blum, Texas, SH 174 bridge over the Brazos River down to one lane with traffic signals long term. News article from 2020 says that is when it started. Looks like it was done due to inadequate lane width. Bridge was built in 1950. Has to be a massive PITA for drivers. Bridge to be replaced soon.

News Article from 2020: https://www.kxxv.com/one-direction-of-travel-for-sh-174-bridge

bwana39

#127
Quote from: Brian556 on November 08, 2022, 10:02:55 PM
Near Blum, Texas, SH 174 bridge over the Brazos River down to one lane with traffic signals long term. News article from 2020 says that is when it started. Looks like it was done due to inadequate lane width. Bridge was built in 1950. Has to be a massive PITA for drivers. Bridge to be replaced soon.

News Article from 2020: https://www.kxxv.com/one-direction-of-travel-for-sh-174-bridge

They have been doing this all over the Atlanta district.  US67 over White Oak Creek (Sulphur river relief) and Sulphur River. SH 98 over Anderson Creek, and SH43 over BNSF railway. Most of these were both widening and pouring new bridge decks.

My point being that this is not an isolated situation.
Let's build what we need as economically as possible.

rte66man

Quote from: bwana39 on November 08, 2022, 10:52:11 PM
Quote from: Brian556 on November 08, 2022, 10:02:55 PM
Near Blum, Texas, SH 174 bridge over the Brazos River down to one lane with traffic signals long term. News article from 2020 says that is when it started. Looks like it was done due to inadequate lane width. Bridge was built in 1950. Has to be a massive PITA for drivers. Bridge to be replaced soon.

News Article from 2020: https://www.kxxv.com/one-direction-of-travel-for-sh-174-bridge

They have been doing this all over the Atlanta district.  US67 over White Oak Creek (Sulphur river relief) and Sulphur River. SH 98 over Anderson Creek, and SH43 over BNSF railway. Most of these were both widening and pouring new bridge decks.

My point being that this is not an isolated situation.

On the longer bridges, it isn't feasible from a cost perspective to build a shoofly so the bridge can be redecked all at once. Depending on the location, ODOT will either close the bridge completely (OK48 over the Cimarron River) or go the single lane with traffic signals route. The seem to prefer closing the bridge and suggesting alternate routes.
When you come to a fork in the road... TAKE IT.

                                                               -Yogi Berra


-- US 175 --

Quote from: Brian556 on January 06, 2023, 10:57:38 AM
Route Markers on BUS SH 78-F in Copeville are made wrong. The "F" is the same size as the numbers
https://www.google.com/maps/@33.0806164,-96.416989,3a,15.8y,296.83h,90.11t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sEXZhxvFJjFJVSDOrfvc6rA!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fpanoid%3DEXZhxvFJjFJVSDOrfvc6rA%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D111.64335%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i16384!8i8192

:paranoid: :crazy: >ugh!< Even the reassurances in both directions also.  They need to hire roadfans to make and put up signs, obviously.  There have been other sign goofs in TX before, but this one has to rank among the top...

Brian556

This one is right up there with the "SH 35" signs in the Houston area

bwana39

Let's build what we need as economically as possible.

kernals12



Depiction of the completed I-35W North Tarrant Express project. I got stuck in a horrible, horrible traffic jam when I was in Texas caused by this project. I'm glad my suffering was for a good cause

Bobby5280

It kind of sucks the section of I-35W from the US-287 split up to Eagle Parkway will mostly be a 2-2-2-2 lanes configuration. At least the plans appear to be leaving enough space so it can be upgraded to a 3-2-2-3 configuration. That need could arrive rather quickly. It's kind of shocking just how fast residential development is spreading to the North and Northwest of Fort Worth.

I thought there were plans for TX-170 (Alliance Gateway Freeway) to extend West past I-35W and over to US-287. It doesn't look like that's going to happen now. I don't think that new segment of Haslet Road going West of the I-35W/TX-170 interchange is even finished, yet it's already getting totally blocked in by new housing subdivisions. Farther North TX-114 between I-35W and US-287 looks pretty screwed for any future expansion.

thisdj78


Bobby5280

I don't think all $100 billion of that money will go into roads. The article itself says $100 billion for "transportation projects across the state." It also includes "investments in public transportation, maritime, aviation, rail, freight and international trade."

It's a good bet the big cities will divert as much of that $100 billion pool as possible into new airport terminals, light rail lines, etc. Oh yeah, the freight rail companies will want their cut too -as if they're not profitable enough as it is operating minimal skeleton crews via Precision Scheduled Railroading.

roadman65

Is this normal for SH Business routes to be shielded?
https://goo.gl/maps/WkUkKaFpzwVFSskr5
Every day is a winding road, you just got to get used to it.

Sheryl Crowe

bwana39

Quote from: roadman65 on February 28, 2023, 05:14:46 AM
Is this normal for SH Business routes to be shielded?
https://goo.gl/maps/WkUkKaFpzwVFSskr5

Normally, the "business" is a topper like the directional toppers.
https://goo.gl/maps/EjFVUb67US5WWdQo6
Let's build what we need as economically as possible.

kphoger

Keep right except to pass.  Yes.  You.
Visit scenic Orleans County, NY!
Male pronouns, please.

Quote from: Philip K. DickIf you can control the meaning of words, you can control the people who must use them.

J N Winkler

Quote from: roadman65 on February 28, 2023, 05:14:46 AMIs this normal for SH Business routes to be shielded?

https://goo.gl/maps/WkUkKaFpzwVFSskr5

Standard Highway Sign Designs for Texas (TxDOT's baby SHS) used to call for the word "Business" within the shield for US, SH, and FM/RM routes.  It has since been broken out to a separate tab, but at different times for each route type.  This had happened by 2006 for US routes but took place between 2008 and 2012 for SH and FM/RM.

Each business route among these three types continues to be identified by a letter that appears immediately below the route number within the shield.  This letter also appears as a suffix when the designation is spelled out in text on a guide sign--for example, the line "BI 20G 3" on a mileage sign means I-20 business route G in three miles.

So, for sign-spotting purposes, the real anomalies include business route signs without the letter identifier, as in Kphoger's example of BS 21 at US 190 (and yes, BS is the actual acronym for State Highway business routes).
"It is necessary to spend a hundred lire now to save a thousand lire later."--Piero Puricelli, explaining the need for a first-class road system to Benito Mussolini

roadman65

https://goo.gl/maps/JfspaVUZ3jBruk597
Why is the FM 511 Frontage Road signed as I-169 proper?

This is only one of a few shield assembly that acknowledges the at grade road to be the interstate over the freeway it parallels.
Every day is a winding road, you just got to get used to it.

Sheryl Crowe

Bobby5280

The signing of "I-169" down there is a mess. It's only seen as Toll-550 from I-69E; none of the big green signs mention I-169. On mostly unsigned I-169 any actual I-169 shields are pretty rare. Some of the entry ramps actually have markers for Toll-550 and "Toll-169."

kphoger

Quote from: roadman65 on March 01, 2023, 04:22:58 PM
https://goo.gl/maps/JfspaVUZ3jBruk597
Why is the FM 511 Frontage Road signed as I-169 proper?

This is only one of a few shield assembly that acknowledges the at grade road to be the interstate over the freeway it parallels.

Looks like an error to me.
Keep right except to pass.  Yes.  You.
Visit scenic Orleans County, NY!
Male pronouns, please.

Quote from: Philip K. DickIf you can control the meaning of words, you can control the people who must use them.

roadman65

Quote from: kphoger on March 01, 2023, 04:36:38 PM
Quote from: roadman65 on March 01, 2023, 04:22:58 PM
https://goo.gl/maps/JfspaVUZ3jBruk597
Why is the FM 511 Frontage Road signed as I-169 proper?

This is only one of a few shield assembly that acknowledges the at grade road to be the interstate over the freeway it parallels.

Looks like an error to me.

Several errors. Plenty more shields there if you do a virtual GSV tour.
Every day is a winding road, you just got to get used to it.

Sheryl Crowe

bwana39

Quote from: roadman65 on March 01, 2023, 04:22:58 PM
https://goo.gl/maps/JfspaVUZ3jBruk597
Why is the FM 511 Frontage Road signed as I-169 proper?

This is only one of a few shield assembly that acknowledges the at grade road to be the interstate over the freeway it parallels.

Are the main lanes tolled? While the Interstate marker on the frontage roads is not actually correct. Type for US / SH/ and FM is to sign the free frontage roads and NOT the tolled main lanes as the numbered route.
Let's build what we need as economically as possible.

Bobby5280

Yeah, the main lanes are tolled.

Road Hog

TxDOT loves them some one-lane bridges with traffic signals on FM roads.

i remember when there were 3 at one time on FM 455 in Collin County. Right now there are 2 in Denton County on the same road, and at least one on FM 428 in the ETJ of Aubrey.

rte66man

Quote from: Road Hog on March 24, 2023, 03:18:21 AM
TxDOT loves them some one-lane bridges with traffic signals on FM roads.

i remember when there were 3 at one time on FM 455 in Collin County. Right now there are 2 in Denton County on the same road, and at least one on FM 428 in the ETJ of Aubrey.

How busy is FM455? If it's not too busy, it is WAY cheaper to do one lane at a time with traffic signals than to build a shoofly to maintain traffic in both directions.
When you come to a fork in the road... TAKE IT.

                                                               -Yogi Berra

bwana39

Quote from: rte66man on March 26, 2023, 09:33:45 AM
Quote from: Road Hog on March 24, 2023, 03:18:21 AM
TxDOT loves them some one-lane bridges with traffic signals on FM roads.

i remember when there were 3 at one time on FM 455 in Collin County. Right now there are 2 in Denton County on the same road, and at least one on FM 428 in the ETJ of Aubrey.

How busy is FM455? If it's not too busy, it is WAY cheaper to do one lane at a time with traffic signals than to build a shoofly to maintain traffic in both directions.

Texas has virtually never built shoo-fly detours around non-urban (urban defined Primarily as the 500K + metro areas.) Traditionally they would build the bridge on an immediately adjacent bypass alignment like the one in the link below.

https://goo.gl/maps/9zbTNahN6y8J4aMv8

It created curces and required purchase of additional R.O.W.
Let's build what we need as economically as possible.



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