Recent posts

#1

Northwest / Re: Washington

Last post by Bruce - Today at 12:29:10 AM

How common are roundabouts in the state of Washington?

We've got a few hundred now apparently. Many intersections have been converted, but they're still somewhat rare in interchanges.

Multilane, high-traffic ones are very rare. Lake Stevens opened one months ago that is still having frequent collisions.

#2

Off-Topic / Re: Random Thoughts

Last post by jgb191 - Today at 12:02:16 AM

I was connecting at Hobby Airport yesterday and at the gate next to where I was boarding for my onward flight back home, I overheard this:

Southwest Airlines gate agent (calmly): "Good Evening sir, what airport are you flying to tonight?"
Southwest Airlines Passenger (upset):  "I'm going to California ma'am."
Southwest Airlines gate agent (still calm):  "Okay, do you know which airport?"
Southwest Airlines passenger (irate):  "I just told you, California!"
Southwest Airlines gate agent (still calmly): "I understand sir, but which airport exactly?"
Southwest Airlines passenger (angrily):  "What part of 'California' do you not understand ma'am?!"
Southwest Airlines gate agent (still calm):  "There are a lot of airports in California, I just need to know which one."
Southwest Airlines passenger (blows fuse):  "I need to speak to your manager, NOW!!!"

I felt really terrible; it seems that airline agents are kicked in the head way more than any other customer service profession.  I wish airlines would provide trauma assistance every week for their employees.

#3

Great Lakes and Ohio Valley / Re: New US 51 - Cairo Bridge

Last post by brad2971 - May 07, 2024, 11:57:19 PM

KYDOT planning to take over Illinois...

The problem with rational highway planning in this region is that Illinois is trying to keep the City of Cairo relevant.

They are still trying to get an intermodal center built there, but the local port authority spent all of the money on things they weren't supposed to, so the state stopped the money.

and I quote....

"Osman also said in that letter that the administration had become deeply concerned that more than half of the funds spent by the state up to that point had been used for "consulting, project and grant management, and development expertise services."

"In the future, state funds should be used for the engineering, site readiness, and environmental work necessary to complete the development of the port terminal," he wrote. "Minimal funds may be used for consultation services."

Illinois has replaced the local port authority director, so hopefully the nearly $4 million in new funds can be used properly.

I say this as respectfully as possible. If the state of Illinois wanted to keep the city of Cairo relevant, it would work with the federal government in buying EVERYONE out in Cairo, tearing down every structure except the most historic ones (Magnolia Manor, the federal post office, some of the old churches, etc), and turning the city into a state or national historic park. Specifically, one that tells the incredibly nasty racial and social history of the city.

And frankly, considering the $382.5 million cost for the US 51 bridge replacement, and the $1.2 billion cost for a US60 corridor buildup, buying out Cairo may be more cost effective. When you look at Cairo's Wikipedia page, you realize that the median age of its citizens rose by 10.5 years from 2010-2020. That...takes some doing. In this case, it was from emptying out and destroying dilapidated public housing in the city, which took away a large chunk of the city's young people. When one starts doing that....

#4

Off-Topic / Re: Minor things that bother y...

Last post by tchafe1978 - May 07, 2024, 11:55:31 PM

When I was a kid, we never had mail delivery to our whole block being one number off.  OTOH, it was not unusual for us to get mail for '(our number) EAST Our St' instead of '(our number) WEST Our St', and vice versa.  I assume that that was no longer a problem after the USPS split the 54911 ZIP Code, giving our part of the city '54914' (about 1980).

Mike

My address is 308 W. Wisconsin Ave. We used to regularly get mail addressed to 308 E. Wisconsin Ave. I went to the post office a number of times to tell them about it and return the wrongly delivered mail, but it still kept happening. It finally stopped after the elderly person who lived at 308 E. Wisconsin Ave. passed away.

#5

Southeast / Re: Florida

Last post by sprjus4 - May 07, 2024, 11:37:25 PM

Beautiful engineering for this amazing freeway. But damn that single express lane. We've already talked about this in another thread but seriously why not just have variable tolling on each lane? A single express toll lane on a toll road? Jesus christ.

I'm fairly certain the toll lanes are on I-275, not the new toll road. But agreed about the single express lane - same points I made in the Michigan thread.

#6

Southeast / Re: Florida

Last post by Plutonic Panda - May 07, 2024, 10:54:00 PM

Beautiful engineering for this amazing freeway. But damn that single express lane. We've already talked about this in another thread but seriously why not just have variable tolling on each lane? A single express toll lane on a toll road? Jesus christ.

#7

Northwest / Re: Washington

Last post by The Ghostbuster - May 07, 2024, 10:52:13 PM

How common are roundabouts in the state of Washington?

#8

Southeast / Re: Interstate 73/74

Last post by The Ghostbuster - May 07, 2024, 10:50:13 PM

Wade Ave. is Secondary Route 1728. That's probably the only designation the freeway/boulevard needs. Maybe the interchanges could get numbers, since it is North Carolina's custom to number freeway exits, even on non-Interstates.

#9

General Highway Talk / Re: Google Maps just fucking S...

Last post by Rothman - May 07, 2024, 10:45:02 PM

I still hate the blue.

#10

Sports / Re: NFL (2024 Season)

Last post by DenverBrian - May 07, 2024, 10:40:12 PM

They weren't in a particular order. I started doing the order and then quick referenced a list of current starting QBs. I didn't think he's top 5 alas. Top 10, sure.

My Top Five:
Patrick Mahomes
Lamar Jackson
Josh Allen
Brock Purdy
Justin Herbert

I'm also going to make a bold scheduling prediction (to be officially announced sometime before the end of this month):  My Texans are going to be playing in Jerry's World on Thanksgiving Day!

They may very well be playing in Patrick's world on opening day.

The Texans and Chiefs do indeed cross paths this fall, by virtue of both being the reigning division champions (of their respective divisions), but I don't think we know which team has home court yet until the official schedule is released.

https://www.nfl.com/news/demeco-ryans-responds-to-j-j-watt-s-willingness-to-return-to-houston-i-ve-got-his-number-ready-to-go

And though unlikely, I wouldn't completely rule out JJ Watt returning to the Texans roster.  I don't know about adding Stefon Diggs, I really wanted Derrick Henry to come to Houston instead; now Derrick has made Baltimore all but officially crowned Super Bowl LIX Champions next February.  I would also welcome back DeAndre Hopkins.  The Texans are in desperate need of effective players that can be a match with teams like Baltimore.

14 opponents are predetermined, the other 3 are determined at the end of the season and the sites (except for those moved to neutral sites) are determined at that time.  The HOU/KC game will be at KC https://www.houstontexans.com/news/2024-regular-season-opponents-now-locked-in-for-texans

Do not be surprised if that's the Thursday night season kickoff.