Connecticut News

[Pete from Boston]

A small nitpick:

VMS on Connecticut Turnpike the other day showed time and distance to the Milford Parkway.  Do locals use this name?  It isn't signed as such, and I would never have known it if I were not part of this secret society.

In the double secret skull and bones society, we refer to it as Route 796.

I've heard it referred to as the Milford Connector on a couple of local traffic reports.

They should sign it as I-795.

Aside from the fact that it's not up to Interstate standards, I'm not in favor of signing more one-mile Interstates.

[RobbieL2415]

A small nitpick:

VMS on Connecticut Turnpike the other day showed time and distance to the Milford Parkway.  Do locals use this name?  It isn't signed as such, and I would never have known it if I were not part of this secret society.

In the double secret skull and bones society, we refer to it as Route 796.

I've heard it referred to as the Milford Connector on a couple of local traffic reports.

They should sign it as I-795.

Except it's a parkway.

I know. T'was a tongue-in-cheek post.

[MikeTheActuary]

I know. T'was a tongue-in-cheek post.

If we're going to sign the darned thing, let's call it I-238.  The one out on the west coast is kinda lonely, and needs a sibling. 

[Alps]

I know. T'was a tongue-in-cheek post.

If we're going to sign the darned thing, let's call it I-238.  The one out on the west coast is kinda lonely, and needs a sibling. 

I-138. Just to make people wonder where I-38 is.

[southshore720]

I used to live in Milford, CT and if you called it "The Connector," most people knew you were referring to the Milford Pkwy.

[jp the roadgeek]

It could use a promotion to a signed state route.  Route 238 is available, although in my proposed CT route renumbering, I had it as Route 115 (an offshoot of 15; current 115 became part of a revived CT 65 incorporating some pre-expressway routings of CT 8)

[Alps]

It could use a promotion to a signed state route.  Route 238 is available, although in my proposed CT route renumbering, I had it as Route 115 (an offshoot of 15; current 115 became part of a revived CT 65 incorporating some pre-expressway routings of CT 8)

Why? There are other unsigned routes that are more important to navigation. This is just "To 1/95" and "To 15". It doesn't serve any other function.

[dgolub]

It could use a promotion to a signed state route.  Route 238 is available, although in my proposed CT route renumbering, I had it as Route 115 (an offshoot of 15; current 115 became part of a revived CT 65 incorporating some pre-expressway routings of CT 8)

Why? There are other unsigned routes that are more important to navigation. This is just "To 1/95" and "To 15". It doesn't serve any other function.

Yeah, agreed.  Many of the unsigned routes in Connecticut function like county routes would in New York or New Jersey.  We'd benefit more from signing those than from signing the Milford Parkway.

[shadyjay]

In Maine, the Falmouth Spur (connecting the turnpike with US 1 and I-95, now I-295) was originally part of I-95, but when I-95 and I-295 were rerouted/extended, it became an unsigned route.  It has the secret designation of I-495 but it is not publically signed.  Mainly because, it connects the turnpike (now I-95) to I-295 (old I-95) and US 1.

Same thing for the Milford Parkway.  Its primarily a connector.  You take it to either get to CT 15 or to get to I-95/US 1, and functions perfectly fine, without having a public route number.  It, in my opinion, didn't deserve to get exit numbers, either!

[dgolub]

Same thing for the Milford Parkway.  Its primarily a connector.  You take it to either get to CT 15 or to get to I-95/US 1, and functions perfectly fine, without having a public route number.  It, in my opinion, didn't deserve to get exit numbers, either!

The exit numbers are cool for roadgeeks, but they're probably confusing for everyone else.  Most people probably think of the Milford Parkway as just a long ramp, not a highway in its own right.

[jp the roadgeek]

One of CT's oldest BGS's is no more.  Farewell to the old non-reflective BGS for Exit 31 WB on I-84 in Southington.  It lived a good life.  Here is it's replacement:

[Alps]

One of CT's oldest BGS's is no more.  Farewell to the old non-reflective BGS for Exit 31 WB on I-84 in Southington.  It lived a good life.  Here is it's replacement:

What's going on with that exit tab? Is that the old one?

[briantroutman]

^ Would not appear to be. The old one was center aligned with large radii on the border corners and no border between the tab and the guide sign.

https://goo.gl/maps/tcCuSnSjXzR2

[Alps]

^ Would not appear to be. The old one was center aligned with large radii on the border corners and no border between the tab and the guide sign.

https://goo.gl/maps/tcCuSnSjXzR2

I didn't think so, but what a weird error for a new sign. White on black? White on brown?

[shadyjay]

From the contractor that brought you two Exit 31s, comes this!

[southshore720]

One of CT's oldest BGS's is no more.  Farewell to the old non-reflective BGS for Exit 31 WB on I-84 in Southington.  It lived a good life.  Here is it's replacement:

Hideous!  How hard can it be to match a correct exit tab?  Isn't there someone responsible for quality control on these projects?

[MikeTheActuary]

Hideous!  How hard can it be to match a correct exit tab?  Isn't there someone responsible for quality control on these projects?

Does ConnDOT really have the budget for quality control anymore?

[roadman]

Hideous!  How hard can it be to match a correct exit tab?  Isn't there someone responsible for quality control on these projects?

Does ConnDOT really have the budget for quality control anymore?

This was probably a case of the sign installer saying "It's the only EXIT 31 tab we have on the truck.  It'll do for now."  Of course, if ConnDOT wasn't so anal about insisting that HCR and other supplemental signs having separate exit tabs, this sort of thing wouldn't happen in the first place.

[PHLBOS]

One of CT's oldest BGS's is no more.  Farewell to the old non-reflective BGS for Exit 31 WB on I-84 in Southington.  It lived a good life.

The old one was center aligned with large radii on the border corners and no border between the tab and the guide sign.
https://goo.gl/maps/tcCuSnSjXzR2

JP, believe it or not, that old Exit 31 BGS (shown in Brian's GSV post) is actually reflective.  Age just caused it to lose most of it.

[shadyjay]

With this current sign project on I-84 ongoing, the last of the old non-button copy signs in the state are I-84 Exits 57-64 (and one old Exit 54-55 sign WB).  The oldest Phase III reflective background button copy dates to the mid/late 1980s on I-91 north of Exit 44 and on CT 2 & 9. 

CT 9 may hold the record for the longest stretch of roadway in the state without any new signs on it... from I-95 to Exit 20/I-91, that's 30 miles of every single primary guide sign being the one that was installed in the 1980s.  At some point during the 1990s, the text was changed on the Exit 3 sign to non-button copy, only when the destinations were altered.  Also, two overhead signs for Exit 11 were relocated from overhead to ground supports, but keeping the original sign).  Throughout sections of CT 2 and on I-91 north of Exit 42, some spot signs have been replaced over the years. 

[RobbieL2415]

Hideous!  How hard can it be to match a correct exit tab?  Isn't there someone responsible for quality control on these projects?

Does ConnDOT really have the budget for quality control anymore?

Just look at their hack paving job on 91 South between Exits 27 and 26.  Or the ORIGINAL 1980S PAVEMENT WITH REFLECTOR BUMPS on I-84E in Vernon that continues to rot away.

[Mergingtraffic]

you still have these:

The first one is the last remaining non-reflective button copy sign on the I-84 mainline. Days are numbered.

[PHLBOS]

...the last remaining non-reflective button copy sign on the I-84 mainline. Days are numbered.

And it's a lot more worn since that pic was taken.

[Mergingtraffic]

...the last remaining non-reflective button copy sign on the I-84 mainline. Days are numbered.

And it's a lot more worn since that pic was taken.

For being 40 years old, it still reflects very well at night except for the shield. Will the new signs hold up as well in 40 years?

[Alps]

Nice ramp signs! I'll have to pop off Exit 21 this weekend.