MTantillo and I have discussed a meet to focus on managed lanes in the two states (and perhaps a small part of the District of Columbia).
The first day would probably be the I-395/I-95 lanes from D.C. to Stafford County, Va.; I-495 and possibly the pending conversion of a long section of I-66 from "free" and HOV lanes to a combination of HOV/toll lanes and free lanes.
The second day would be Md. 200 and the I-95 Express Toll Lanes, and possibly a bonus visit to the reconstruction of the Canton Viaduct (I-895 (Baltimore Harbor Tunnel Thruway)) north of the north portal.
Quote from: cpzilliacus on June 05, 2016, 08:06:33 PM
MTantillo and I have discussed a meet to focus on managed lanes in the two states (and perhaps a small part of the District of Columbia).
The first day would probably be the I-395/I-95 lanes from D.C. to Stafford County, Va.; I-495 and possibly the pending conversion of a long section of I-66 from "free" and HOV lanes to a combination of HOV/toll lanes and free lanes.
The second day would be Md. 200 and the I-95 Express Toll Lanes, and possibly a bonus visit to the reconstruction of the Canton Viaduct (I-895 (Baltimore Harbor Tunnel Thruway)) north of the north portal.
Any dates in mind? And would there be enough there to require two days?
Quote from: hbelkins on June 05, 2016, 09:10:23 PM
Quote from: cpzilliacus on June 05, 2016, 08:06:33 PM
MTantillo and I have discussed a meet to focus on managed lanes in the two states (and perhaps a small part of the District of Columbia).
The first day would probably be the I-395/I-95 lanes from D.C. to Stafford County, Va.; I-495 and possibly the pending conversion of a long section of I-66 from "free" and HOV lanes to a combination of HOV/toll lanes and free lanes.
The second day would be Md. 200 and the I-95 Express Toll Lanes, and possibly a bonus visit to the reconstruction of the Canton Viaduct (I-895 (Baltimore Harbor Tunnel Thruway)) north of the north portal.
Any dates in mind? And would there be enough there to require two days?
Dates are a must. It could be done in one day, but that would be quite the long day, especially if traffic is bad.
If you could set it up to be the weekend after TRB (or the day before), some of us will be in town already, so that might increase potential turnout. If it coincides with TRB and it doesn't conflict with the presentation I'll likely be giving, I'd be a definite lock.
Easy. It'll have to be in July, as I leave for Richmond in about two weeks, and will be gone for a week.
Sounds like a revisiting of meets held in the 2010-2011 timeframe.
QuoteIf you could set it up to be the weekend after TRB (or the day before), some of us will be in town already, so that might increase potential turnout.
TransportationCamp is typically the day before TRB begins, so I wouldn't suggest doing it that day. Also, if the intention is to do this in January, then it very well would require two days given daylight limitations, so that weekend before TRB wouldn't work anyway.
I'm definitely interested.
Quote from: cpzilliacus on June 05, 2016, 08:06:33 PM
MTantillo and I have discussed a meet to focus on managed lanes in the two states (and perhaps a small part of the District of Columbia).
The first day would probably be the I-395/I-95 lanes from D.C. to Stafford County, Va.; I-495 and possibly the pending conversion of a long section of I-66 from "free" and HOV lanes to a combination of HOV/toll lanes and free lanes.
The second day would be Md. 200 and the I-95 Express Toll Lanes, and possibly a bonus visit to the reconstruction of the Canton Viaduct (I-895 (Baltimore Harbor Tunnel Thruway)) north of the north portal.
Keep in mind that a lot of these roads have congestion pricing and are E-Z Pass only. You'd have to make sure all (driver) participants had an E-Z Pass and try to schedule the road meet for off hours to save people toll money.
Quote from: tckma on June 07, 2016, 11:59:12 AM
Quote from: cpzilliacus on June 05, 2016, 08:06:33 PM
MTantillo and I have discussed a meet to focus on managed lanes in the two states (and perhaps a small part of the District of Columbia).
The first day would probably be the I-395/I-95 lanes from D.C. to Stafford County, Va.; I-495 and possibly the pending conversion of a long section of I-66 from "free" and HOV lanes to a combination of HOV/toll lanes and free lanes.
The second day would be Md. 200 and the I-95 Express Toll Lanes, and possibly a bonus visit to the reconstruction of the Canton Viaduct (I-895 (Baltimore Harbor Tunnel Thruway)) north of the north portal.
Keep in mind that a lot of these roads have congestion pricing and are E-Z Pass only. You'd have to make sure all (driver) participants had an E-Z Pass and try to schedule the road meet for off hours to save people toll money.
The managed lanes in Northern Virginia all give
free passage to HOV-3 vehicles
with an E-ZPass Flex transponder. That does
not include VA-267 (Dulles Toll Road and Dulles Greenway)
Unfortunately, not the case with the Maryland managed facilities (I-95 ETLs and MD-200 (ICC)).
Quote from: cl94 on June 05, 2016, 09:44:21 PM
Dates are a must. It could be done in one day, but that would be quite the long day, especially if traffic is bad.
If you could set it up to be the weekend after TRB (or the day before), some of us will be in town already, so that might increase potential turnout. If it coincides with TRB and it doesn't conflict with the presentation I'll likely be giving, I'd be a definite lock.
MTantillo and I have discussed informally, but have not at all talked about a date.
Quote from: cpzilliacus on June 07, 2016, 12:54:54 PM
The managed lanes in Northern Virginia all give free passage to HOV-3 vehicles with an E-ZPass Flex transponder. That does not include VA-267 (Dulles Toll Road and Dulles Greenway)
Unfortunately, not the case with the Maryland managed facilities (I-95 ETLs and MD-200 (ICC)).
I do not have an E-Z Pass Flex. When Gov. Hogan eliminated the monthly fee, and I finally decided to close the Massachusetts Fast Lane account I got in 2000 when I lived up there and replace it with a Maryland E-Z Pass account (Mass Pike toll discounts aren't that useful to me anymore, but I didn't like the monthly fee, which Mass didn't charge but Maryland did), I read somewhere that they replace it with a regular E-Z Pass if you don't use it enough in HOV mode. Considering it's not often I use toll roads anyway, and the fact that I've only got two people in my household, I'd rarely, if ever, use the Flex Transponder in HOV-3 mode. I don't think dogs count as vehicle occupants for HOV purposes. ;)
Given past precedent/attendence, it's a safe bet that many (most?) East Coast meet attendees have an EZPass.
I may be interested, depending on the date. I do not yet have an E-ZPass Flex, though I plan to get one when tolling starts on I-66 inside the Beltway because they've said the threshold to ride free there will be HOV-2 instead of -3.
Who on here does have an EZ Pass flex?
The location of this meet makes it possible for me to do either a day-trip (Saturday) or even a weekend; but the big if is the date. Some months are fairly open; others (like this month) are already packed.
Quote from: froggie on June 08, 2016, 06:22:42 AM
Given past precedent/attendence, it's a safe bet that many (most?) East Coast meet attendees have an EZPass.
EZPass, yes. EZPass Flex, no.
Still, if one's traveling significant mileage to attend a meet (as many do), what's a few bucks in tolls? One will typically burn that much in gas in detouring just to clinch a county or a highway or two.
Quote from: froggie on June 08, 2016, 10:57:57 AM
Still, if one's traveling significant mileage to attend a meet (as many do), what's a few bucks in tolls? One will typically burn that much in gas in detouring just to clinch a county or a highway or two.
That's what I'm thinking. Living in the northeast, I factor tolls into everything. I'd pay more in tolls to get to the meet than I would actually driving the HOT lanes.
Quote from: cl94 on June 08, 2016, 11:27:58 AM
Quote from: froggie on June 08, 2016, 10:57:57 AM
Still, if one's traveling significant mileage to attend a meet (as many do), what's a few bucks in tolls? One will typically burn that much in gas in detouring just to clinch a county or a highway or two.
That's what I'm thinking. Living in the northeast, I factor tolls into everything. I'd pay more in tolls to get to the meet than I would actually driving the HOT lanes.
Additionally, once everyone arrives at the beginning of a meet (at least for the ones I've attended); people will typically group together and car pool (consolidate the number of vehicles used) where possible during the course of the meet. If an encountered toll is exorbitant, even for meet purposes; passengers in the vehicle
can contribute a portion of the toll. Whether such is done as a separate transaction or a reimbursed post-meet dinner (the latter could be considered a contribution for gas as well as tolls) is up to the individuals in said-car pool.
CPZ and Tantillo already know that I'm in for this ;)
Quote from: jeffandnicole on June 08, 2016, 08:14:38 AM
Who on here does have an EZ Pass flex?
I have one. As does MTantillo.