Recent posts

#1

General Highway Talk / Re: Beltways That Work, and Be...

Last post by SeriesE - Today at 01:32:59 PM

I-405 in CA is the classic beltway that doesn't work. Portions of it that weren't as developed when the freeway was originally built were subsumed by the LA metro area's explosive development, and it's not a viable bypass of anything.

I-405 bypasses downtown Los Angeles, especially the East LA Interchange, which can be congested even on Sundays

#2

General Highway Talk / Re: Routing Decisions that can...

Last post by Joe The Dragon - Today at 01:28:46 PM

I don't understand when GPS routes you on toll routes when the free routes are minutes slower. On my commute, my GPS always routes me to take tolls and express lanes, and the alternate option of taking only free routes is one minute slower. You'd think there is the technology nowadays to keep people off of toll roads if the time difference is marginal.

Google and Waze both have toll avoidance options.

But that is generally an all-or-nothing option.  I agree that I'd like some sort of an option (probably a sliding set of settings between all and nothing) to say "avoid tolls unless it saves significant time/distance", although it would be hard to set specific quantities or levels.

You could also imagine sliding options to indicate things like "I'd rather spend an hour on the open road than 45 minutes in slow traffic" or "I'd like to take scenic routes unless they add too much to the travel time" (where different people might have different opinions on what "too much time" is).

does that all-or-nothing still show toll bridges that may be the only way?

#3

Mid-South / Re: Interstate 369

Last post by Bobby5280 - Today at 01:28:04 PM

I guess it can't be too surprising they're proposing a partial stack (6 of 8 possible ramps) for the I-20/I-369 interchange. Odds are high the interchange will initially be built in a volleyball configuration with no flyover ramps. Then the flyovers would be added in piece-meal fashion. Hopefully TX DOT will at least have stubs in place for the 2 missing ramps in the proposal.

#4

Great Lakes and Ohio Valley / Re: Illinois interesting bid a...

Last post by edwaleni - Today at 01:22:07 PM

From our friends at Wikipedia:

In 1959, the Pyramid Coal Company ceased mining operations, and 924 acres (374 ha) of former coal-mining property soon entered state hands, being owned and used by Southern Illinois University for research into the rehabilitation of strip-mined coal properties. In 1968, a predecessor of Illinois DNR acquired this parcel of land, and continued the rehabilitation process of the parcel as a new natural area, at first named Pyramid State Park. After further land acquisition the new state park contained approximately 3,200 acres (1,300 ha) of open space. In 2001, Illinois DNR acquired 16,245 acres (6,574 ha) of additional reclaimed land from a separate coal company, forming the largest portion of the new Pyramid State Recreation Area



I might add that Indiana has been testing a strip mining concept where the topsoil  is stripped off the top and stored offsite until the coal has been claimed. Instead of simply leaving mounds of tailings behind, they use it as a new clay layer and after a couple of seasons of settlement, the topsoil is brought back and spread out across the former mine.

#5

Road Trips / Re: Biggest Roadgeek/Trip Regr...

Last post by kurumi - Today at 01:08:07 PM

Someday I'd like to drive the Old Priest Grade instead of CA 120 on a Yosemite trip. But that can be a really tough sell when you have passengers. You'd need a roadtrip buddy or more with similar interests.

Insisting on that route over others' concerns, then running into a problem with engine, brakes, etc., would instantly become a top trip regret.

#6

International Highways / Re: New Zealand Road Projects

Last post by vdeane - Today at 12:54:31 PM

This looks to me like it's essentially their equivalent of a MPO program update, so probably not as exciting as the headline initially suggests.

Also, we had previously been appropriating this thread for New Zealand news, although one could question whether we should have.

#7

Off-Topic / Re: Ideal test toponyms

Last post by kurumi - Today at 12:49:55 PM

This might be a good technical interview question

#8

Off-Topic / Re: Random Thoughts

Last post by SectorZ - Today at 12:37:23 PM

If there was a chemical plant next to a house I lived at I would just say I lived at "Chemical Plant Zone."

Previously the Green Hill Zone?

#9

Great Lakes and Ohio Valley / Re: Illinois interesting bid a...

Last post by ilpt4u - Today at 12:28:13 PM

Item 47 (Page 138/227) is for a NEPA study of the Southwest Illinois Connector (listed as IL 3, IL 154, and IL 13/IL 127)

If this actually finishes, it will be an interesting read.

If the NEPA finds "too much environmental harm" for this route, I will laugh forever because this part of Illinois has been so abused for coal mining since the 1860's. IL-EPA still licenses strip & underground coal mines in this part of the state.

Multiple active mines in this area that I know of. Heck one is on the direct route of following IL 154 west from Pinckneyville.

Pretty sure Pyramid State Park is at least partially an old coal mine (feel free to fact-check that as I could be wrong), and it is in this area

#10

Bridges / Re: Bridges of the Mississippi...

Last post by SEWIGuy - Today at 12:22:17 PM

This site is now back.

http://www.johnweeks.com/river_mississippi/