I-71/US-35 Junction

Started by Beltway, August 01, 2017, 12:16:06 PM

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Beltway

I traveled thru here over the weekend, and I was wondering why there is no interchange between I-71 and the recently built US-35 freeway.

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.6272091,-83.6113073,3690m/data=!3m1!1e3

The arterial OH-453 connects US-35 to I-71 at a pre-existing diamond interchange.

US-35 is a nice corridor between Dayton and West Virginia, it is now all four lanes and about 80% of the length is built to freeway standards.
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SP Cook

To build an interchange exactly where 35 and 71 cross would have required destroying the entire Tanger Outlet of Jeffersonville.  That would have cost a lot of money, and, assuming Tanger did not build back, killed lots of jobs.  Why do that when you can use the existing exit?

I've been there many times and the traffic on the short piece of old 35 is never all that bad.

Beltway

Quote from: SP Cook on August 01, 2017, 02:40:26 PM
To build an interchange exactly where 35 and 71 cross would have required destroying the entire Tanger Outlet of Jeffersonville.  That would have cost a lot of money, and, assuming Tanger did not build back, killed lots of jobs.  Why do that when you can use the existing exit?
I've been there many times and the traffic on the short piece of old 35 is never all that bad.

Looks on Google Maps like that three quadrants could be built today without taking any buildings.

They could have shifted the alignment about 1,000 feet to the east and there would have been ample room to build the interchange without taking any buildings.

Current traffic on the US-35 freeway is rather light, a pleasant drive, and I would agree that the lack of a direct interchange is not really a problem, given that there is a connector road that right now has widening under construction on the short piece that is not four lanes.

I just thought it was curious to see that they spent the money to build a freeway but did not build a direct interchange at a junction with an Interstate highway.

Is all 14 miles of the gap section in West Virginia now under construction?
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http://www.capital-beltway.com

Baloney is a reserved word on the Internet
    (Robert Coté, 2002)

SP Cook

Contract for competion was awarded to Bizzack for $174M and change in 2015.  The PR at the time said finished in fall 18, but later I heard ground cleared by fall 19 and paved by late summer 20. 

As with the completed sections the new road is further away from the river than the existing road (which will be renamed WV 817 and thus use of the old road is not impacted by the construction very much.


Beltway

#4
Quote from: SP Cook on August 02, 2017, 09:40:20 AM
Contract for competion was awarded to Bizzack for $174M and change in 2015.  The PR at the time said finished in fall 18, but later I heard ground cleared by fall 19 and paved by late summer 20. 
As with the completed sections the new road is further away from the river than the existing road (which will be renamed WV 817 and thus use of the old road is not impacted by the construction very much.

I found the article online ... a design/build contract of $174 million for the grading and drainage of the 14.6 mile segment.  Presumably that would include bridges and box culverts as well.  Said that a paving contract would be awarded later.

I could see at each end of the new highways what looked like clearing and grubbing of the R/W had started.

It will be a nice improvement, traffic moves pretty will on the pre-existing 2-lane highway, but it did actually congest at one point to where it took several minutes to go a mile.  Nice that they figured how to do it without tolls.

My use of this highway reflects the current preferred routing between Richmond, VA and the Chicago area.  I-64, US-35, I-75, I-70, I-65, I-94.  Waypoints Charleston, WV; Dayton, OH; Indianapolis, IN.

Got to visit for the first time the National Museum of the USAF in Dayton, OH, at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.  I spent 5 hours there over the weekend ... amazing! Almost 400 USAF aircraft from the whole span on history, a group of USAF ballistic missiles, about 15 aircraft of Germany, Japan and USSR, all the presidential transport aircraft, a bunch of experimental aircraft such as X-1B, X-15 and many others. Admission and parking is free. Great bookstore and movies (didn't have time for any movies).
http://www.roadstothefuture.com
http://www.capital-beltway.com

Baloney is a reserved word on the Internet
    (Robert Coté, 2002)

SP Cook

The "gap" is really dangerous.  People just do not know how to drive two lane roads with ordianary single home driveway intesections.  Major wrecks all the time.  It scares me to death.

The blunt fact is, even if the person ahead of you is driving way too slowly, passing is just not safe on that secion, period.  And you have to be ready for some idiot to pull out directly in front of you from his driveway and expect you to stop.  Plus there is plenty of farm equipment.

Beltway

Quote from: SP Cook on August 02, 2017, 04:17:18 PM
The "gap" is really dangerous.  People just do not know how to drive two lane roads with ordianary single home driveway intesections.  Major wrecks all the time.  It scares me to death.
The blunt fact is, even if the person ahead of you is driving way too slowly, passing is just not safe on that secion, period.  And you have to be ready for some idiot to pull out directly in front of you from his driveway and expect you to stop.  Plus there is plenty of farm equipment.

Missing link in a major interregional rural arterial highway.  Lots of thru traffic and high large truck percentage.
http://www.roadstothefuture.com
http://www.capital-beltway.com

Baloney is a reserved word on the Internet
    (Robert Coté, 2002)

hbelkins

Quote from: SP Cook on August 02, 2017, 09:40:20 AM
Contract for competion was awarded to Bizzack for $174M and change in 2015.

I've said this before, but I found the fact that Bizzack got the contract a bit amusing. Several years ago, Kanawha Stone came to Kentucky and poached a high-profile contract from Bizzack. I guess Bizzack went to Kanawha Stone's backyard and returned the favor.


Government would be tolerable if not for politicians and bureaucrats.

Bitmapped

Bizzack has been bidding on larger projects in WV for at least 15 years.

sparker

Quote from: Beltway on August 02, 2017, 04:38:05 PM
Quote from: SP Cook on August 02, 2017, 04:17:18 PM
The "gap" is really dangerous.  People just do not know how to drive two lane roads with ordianary single home driveway intesections.  Major wrecks all the time.  It scares me to death.
The blunt fact is, even if the person ahead of you is driving way too slowly, passing is just not safe on that secion, period.  And you have to be ready for some idiot to pull out directly in front of you from his driveway and expect you to stop.  Plus there is plenty of farm equipment.

Missing link in a major interregional rural arterial highway.  Lots of thru traffic and high large truck percentage.

At the risk of edging toward fictional -- US 35 is as close to a useful I-73 Ohio (and even WV) alignment as possible (and much of it's done!). 

PurdueBill

Quote from: SP Cook on August 02, 2017, 04:17:18 PM
The "gap" is really dangerous.  People just do not know how to drive two lane roads with ordianary single home driveway intesections.  Major wrecks all the time.  It scares me to death.

The blunt fact is, even if the person ahead of you is driving way too slowly, passing is just not safe on that secion, period.  And you have to be ready for some idiot to pull out directly in front of you from his driveway and expect you to stop.  Plus there is plenty of farm equipment.

Reminds me of US 30 10+ years ago between US 23 and OH 235.  The two-lane old road, no shoulders, passing allowed in many places but probably inadvisable, and driveways and crossroads.  Yellow warning signs advertising the driveways and crossroads and lack of shoulders didn't make it any more comfortable with all the traffic that uses 30 as a more direct way over to Fort Wayne and beyond from central and even northeastern Ohio.  Thank goodness the dual carriageway came along.

silverback1065

Quote from: SP Cook on August 01, 2017, 02:40:26 PM
To build an interchange exactly where 35 and 71 cross would have required destroying the entire Tanger Outlet of Jeffersonville.  That would have cost a lot of money, and, assuming Tanger did not build back, killed lots of jobs.  Why do that when you can use the existing exit?

I've been there many times and the traffic on the short piece of old 35 is never all that bad.

you could do a double trumpet, like when 2 toll roads intersect.  plenty of nothing in every quadrant other than the shopping mall. something like this
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.5700831,-83.5796618,15.93z

Truvelo

I wonder if this will end up becoming another Breezewood where the businesses will object to any direct links for fear of destroying their trade?
Speed limits limit life

BrianP

Quote from: Truvelo on August 09, 2017, 01:09:50 PM
I wonder if this will end up becoming another Breezewood where the businesses will object to any direct links for fear of destroying their trade?
I doubt that.  Breezewood is not a destination which is why the travel businesses complain.  But here the outlet mall is the difference.  Travel businesses are just hoping travelers happen to pick their exit to stop at.  The mall owners on the other hand are looking more for the regional traffic from Cincinnati, Columbus, Dayton and the small towns of southern Ohio.  In their case they are more a destination instead of a pit stop by a traveler.  So the interchange wouldn't matter to them as long as access is still convenient to them.  And the travel industry businesses here will always benefit from the traffic brought in by the mall. 

I don't think Ohio will change this setup unless US 35 becomes an interstate.  And even then traffic would have to increase for it to be worth it.  I just hope they play their cards right for future changes.

hbelkins

Been awhile since I have been through there, but it seems like there are a couple of truck stops at that interchange as well.


Government would be tolerable if not for politicians and bureaucrats.

2trailertrucker

Quote from: hbelkins on August 09, 2017, 08:46:49 PM
Been awhile since I have been through there, but it seems like there are a couple of truck stops at that interchange as well.

Yes. There are 3. A TA, Loves and a Soeedway on the southern side of old 35.
The fast food places across the street from the TA and Speedway also offer truck parking.

If you are going west/north on US 35, this is the last place to stop until you get to a truckstop  at exit 10 on I-70 in Easton.




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