Connecticut News

[shadyjay]

The final EB signage for Exit 58 EB was replaced a couple years ago with a 4-chord side cantilever and retained the Burnside Ave lettering.  These spot replacements seem to keep the status quo wording on signage and await a general re-signing before changing the wording/destinations.

A similar case is on I-95 SB at Exit 87, where the old truss gantry was replaced with a monotube bridge.  The "Clarence B. Sharp Highway" wording was retained, but that relatively new sign is currently being replaced again with new wording of "Groton City" and removing the "NORTH" from "TO US 1".  It seems redundant, yes, but it eliminates confusion amongst motorists, seeing different destinations/routes on each sign.  In theory, they could've held off on the replacement of the gantry until the current sign contract was ready to go, or attached the old signs to the new gantry, but I digress.  I'm not sure what constitutes the replacement of a particular gantry - most likely it was structurally deficient in some way. 

Then again, I look at this gantry and wonder how it has held on as long as it has:
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.106555,-73.4182758,3a,30.3y,116.41h,89.15t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sFbvKeKqGjAliU9Ahm2P-qQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Or this one, which retains a sign light (without a sign) on the NB lanes:
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.1103253,-73.4019549,3a,75y,222.17h,79.68t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1szZ13A2tRzEKBrv_qg1HZgA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

[jp the roadgeek]

Actually just drove 84 EB through that area today.  One of the LGS's for Exit 40 has been replaced with a full size sign. There is a new style LEFT exit ground mount sign for Exit 43, and a new LEFT Exit sign right at the Governor St EB ramp.  All of the new ground mounted signage is in for the Southington-Farmington project, but the old pole signage has yet to be removed, and gantry and bridge signage has yet to be changed over east of the Exit 29-30 area.  I did see a truck with a green strip sign for an overpass ID in mixed case rather than all caps.  I'll have to check the overpasses when i pass through there next time.

UPDATE:  Just drove 84 West from Manchester to Plainville.  Saw some newer looking aligned tab BGS's for Exit 57 No LEFT signage, but the shields on two of the three signs were phase IV that mimicked the oversized Manchester signage, while one had smaller shields, and the I-91 shield was even a state shield.  Exit 55-54 Westbound signage is Phase IV early 2000's vintage signage.  There is a newer tube gantry in downtown Hartford just past Exit 48, and some newer signage between Exit 44 & 43 with LEFT signage for Exit 42.  Would've taken pics but traffic was heavy and I was driving.

[Mergingtraffic]

Anybody notice the BGS RR signs? They have an Amtrack and CTRail logo panels.  I noticed them on CT-9 and I-91 in spots.  Must be related to a rail project.

[jp the roadgeek]

It's for the new CT Rail commuter trains on the New Haven/Springfield line that start up next year.  Here's one on CT 9 South for Exit 23.

[shadyjay]

UPDATE:  Just drove 84 West from Manchester to Plainville.  Saw some newer looking aligned tab BGS's for Exit 57 No LEFT signage, but the shields on two of the three signs were phase IV that mimicked the oversized Manchester signage, while one had smaller shields, and the I-91 shield was even a state shield.  Exit 55-54 Westbound signage is Phase IV early 2000's vintage signage.  There is a newer tube gantry in downtown Hartford just past Exit 48, and some newer signage between Exit 44 & 43 with LEFT signage for Exit 42.  Would've taken pics but traffic was heavy and I was driving.

The exit tabs for Exit 57 have been aligned since those signs were installed, probably in the late 1980s or early 90s.  Originally, Exits 57-64 all had oversized shields, but they have been replaced over the years with much smaller shields, some of them being state-named interstate shields.  As far as the tube gantry past Exit 48 and the newer signage in West Hartford, those were replaced as part of spot overhead support projects in the past several years.  Same goes for some signage for Exits 37 and 38.  The Exits 29-39A project will cover the signage that didn't get replaced.  Existing signage for Exit 37 (Finnemann Rd) eastbound will not get replaced, as it was replaced when the new curved pipes were installed. 

Nice to see the new railroad station signs being installed.  Haven't seen them installed on I-91 yet.  Wallingford has been left out of any on-highway railroad station signage, while North Haven has had signage even though it lost service in the 1980s (and will eventually get it back, but not in the first round of CTRail service).

[jp the roadgeek]

I see CT is getting new signage ready for converting to mileage based exits on I-84.  This exit gore sign was just installed on I-84 East at Exit 34.  Notice the extra wide sign, and the extra space between the 34 and the arrow.  This would stand to be future Exit 49B. 

[KEVIN_224]

Crooked Street in Plainvile, I-84 EB only. The westbound off ramps were removed when the new Exit 2 from CT Route 72 West (a short distance west of this) opened in 2001 or 2002.

[RobbieL2415]

Crooked Street in Plainvile, I-84 EB only. The westbound off ramps were removed when the new Exit 2 from CT Route 72 West (a short distance west of this) opened in 2001 or 2002.

All in the name of correcting mall traffic, BTW.

[jp the roadgeek]

Crooked Street in Plainvile, I-84 EB only. The westbound off ramps were removed when the new Exit 2 from CT Route 72 West (a short distance west of this) opened in 2001 or 2002.

All in the name of correcting mall traffic, BTW.

The eastbound entrance to I-84 (and CT 72) from Crooked St was long overdue, though.  Until the CT 72 expressway west of I-84 opened in 1980, traffic could enter I-84 East from between the bridges on Woodford Ave (an area that is now often used by the DOT as a storage area).  Between 1980 and 2002, all traffic from the east side of Plainville that wanted to get on 84 East had to double back on CT 372 west to Hooker St, and get on 72 East to 84 East.

One exit that no one would miss if it were eliminated is the Slater Rd. exit.  There used to be a shopping area with a Bradlees that later became a Walmart, and then a banking operations facility.  Now, there's just a residential area. Stanley Black & Decker could be served by the Fienemann Rd exit, or the Corbin Ave exit off of CT 72

[connroadgeek]

I see CT is getting new signage ready for converting to mileage based exits on I-84.  This exit gore sign was just installed on I-84 East at Exit 34.  Notice the extra wide sign, and the extra space between the 34 and the arrow.  This would stand to be future Exit 49B. 

That looks like a sign goof. Just like all the overpass street name signs which are now ground mounted in that area but instead of using a normal font they have a compressed font with title casing where the capital letters are disproportionately big. Seems like a lot of the signs in that stretch from exit 31-34 are screwed up. Just drove it during the holiday weekend and noticed what seemed like a lot of sign manufacturing errors.

[jp the roadgeek]

Not only sign manufacturing errors, but sign construction errors

[kurumi]

[slightly more] Banked curves coming to the Merritt Parkway in Greenwich:

http://www.ct.gov/dot/cwp/view.asp?a=2135&Q=599890

The Connecticut Department of Transportation's (Department) Office of Engineering is developing plans to provide superelevation and roadway friction improvements to four curves on Route 15 in Greenwich. The purpose of the project is to decrease the number of crashes occurring within these stretches of roadway.

The project involves superelevation improvements through bituminous concrete wedging and the application of High Friction Surface Treatment (HFST) riding course aimed at decreasing the number of crashes occurring through the four curves.  Such work may require the resetting of Merritt Parkway guiderail, curbing and/or concrete median barrier.

Though the Parkway's design is quite old (and had some critics at its opening in 1938-1940), its curves have been banked since its opening. However, the design speed was about 30-45 mph (see link below). One curve at North Street in Greenwich, named "Deadman's Curve", was regraded in 1950. That year, state highway commissioner G. Albert Hill remarked that the curve was the "only major engineering defect exposed by 12 years of operation on the highway."

https://memory.loc.gov/master/pnp/habshaer/ct/ct0400/ct0484/data/ct0484data.pdf

[Mergingtraffic]

I also noticed the I84 EB Exit signs will no longer be 1 MILE and 1/2 MILE signs will be replaced with 3/4 MILE signs instead.  Another aux sign will go in place of either the 1 MILE or 1/2 MILE sign.  I forget which.

Isn't it better to have 1MILE and1/2 MILE when you can?

[jp the roadgeek]

I saved a pdf of the sign specs for the I-84 signing project. This is what I found.

Exit 27: 1 1/2 mi WB only. Rest was part of I-84 widening project in Waterbury/Cheshire.
Exits 29 (WB), 30-32, 37, and 39: 1 and 1/2 mile signage.
Exit 33: 1 and 1/2 EB,  1 and 1/2 (both 72 and 372 exit) WB, but the 1/2 mi sign omits the mileage.  1 1/2 mi. sign eliminated
Exit 34 (EB):  3/4 and 1/4 mi..  New signage says just "Crooked St." and omits "Plainville" 
Exit 35: EB has 1, 1/2, and 1/4 mile signage, WB has 1 and 1/2 mi. 
Exit 36: EB has 1/2 and 1/4 mi. signage, WB has 1 and 1/2 mi signage.  1 1/2 mi sign WB is being eliminated. 
Exit 38 (WB): 1, 1/2, and 1/4 mi signage
Exit 39A: 1 1/2, 3/4, and 1/4 mi.  Only EB signage is being replaced.  WB signage will be replaced as part of another project.
Exit 40: EB 1 mi. LGS replaced with BGS.  Rest replaced as part of another project.

NOTE: The JCT 72/ 2 mi. signage is also being eliminated.

[Mergingtraffic]

I saved a pdf of the sign specs for the I-84 signing project. This is what I found.

Exit 34 (EB):  3/4 and 1/4 mi..  New signage says just "Crooked St." and omits "Plainville" 

Right it used to be 1 MI and 1/2 MI but now they have an aux sign in place of the 1 MI sign.  I always thought the MUTCD stated use 1 MI and 1/2 MI when you can...and there you definitely are able to.

[jp the roadgeek]

I saved a pdf of the sign specs for the I-84 signing project. This is what I found.

Exit 34 (EB):  3/4 and 1/4 mi..  New signage says just "Crooked St." and omits "Plainville" 

Right it used to be 1 MI and 1/2 MI but now they have an aux sign in place of the 1 MI sign.  I always thought the MUTCD stated use 1 MI and 1/2 MI when you can...and there you definitely are able to.

Either they just got lazy and wanted to combine the signs for 33 & 34, or it could be in anticipation of I-84's conversion to mileage based exits when 33 EB becomes 49A and 34 becomes 49B (the new gore sign for 34 looks like they left an extra space between the "4" and the arrow for a letter).   The exits are about 1/4 mi. apart, with the Exit 33 ramp at MP 48.98, and the Exit 34 ramp at MP 49.26 (the Crooked St. overpass is at MP 49.41).

[Mergingtraffic]

I drove I-95 in CT from Stamford to I-395.  Only button copy left is X55-59 and around CT-9 and the 1993 widening.  Oh and an "Exit 32 exit now" button copy sign.

I did notice with the x26-44 signing project they left a lot of those crappy 80s gantries and the new signs don't even fit right on them. 

Quite a few BGS signs for the Exit 43 "NO TRUCKS" ramp which is unsual b/c CT seems to be stuck in the past with "regulatory or warning" extruded aluminum signing.  Meaning they don't do it as often as they should.

[shadyjay]

The Exit 2-24 project left a lot of the old gantries as well.  And some of them are really old.  There's some old trusses and cantilevers in there that most likely date back to the building of the US 7 expressway in Norwalk.  And of course, a whole slew of the color-coded angled supports in fluorescent green (and in Bridgeport, basic grey). 

Recent signing projects however seem to be replacing most gantries.  CT 8 from Thomaston to Winsted got all new gantries last year.  I-95 from Groton to North Stonington is getting all new gantries as well (plus all Exit 88 signs are going overhead). 

BTW, any progress yet on the I-95 Groton-North Stonington signing project?  Its contract was released about the same time as the I-84 project, so I'd assume there would start to be some progress by now.  My Christmas trip to CT was limited in "recreational driving" so I didn't get a chance to check it out - most likely in the spring.

[zzyzx]

BTW, any progress yet on the I-95 Groton-North Stonington signing project?  Its contract was released about the same time as the I-84 project, so I'd assume there would start to be some progress by now.  My Christmas trip to CT was limited in "recreational driving" so I didn't get a chance to check it out - most likely in the spring.

The Clarence Sharp Highway (Route 349) now has exit numbers, but no new signage yet.  I noticed new exit gore signs for Exits 86 & 88, which are slightly wider but don't seem large enough for when I-95 converts to milage based exits in that area for 3 digit exit #s.  There are new ground mounted sign supports for exits 91-92, but no new signage either.  By spring, I assume any remaining button copy in SE CT will be phased out, except for the original signs on the Gold Star Bridge.

[jp the roadgeek]

The 3 digit exits on I-95 would begin with current exit 89 (future exit 100), so 88 (future 97) not being wide enough won't be an issue.  The only thing is that 86 northbound would be 95B (85 being 95A), so that could be a problem (SB 86 would be plain 95)

The exit for route 12 on route 184 also is supposed to get a number (1).

[shadyjay]

SB Gold Star Bridge is getting new signs as part of current rehab project, due to be completed this fall.   Northbound will most likely get new signs as well as part of its rehab, starting either this year or in 2019. 

[zzyzx]

The exit for route 12 on route 184 also is supposed to get a number (1).

I forgot to mention that Route 184 has exit numbers too, also without new overhead signage.  There are also new retroreflective traffic signals at the end of the divided highway, which I've seen a lot more of in this part of the state.  (not a fan of span wire, but at least ConnDOT is finally moving into the 21st century).

Speaking of Gold Star Bridge signage, I was browsing the website for the construction project and came across this image, from when the NB bridge was widened in 1974.  It's the same sign that exists presently, which will be replaced soon.  Any other BGS in the state that have lasted this long?

[jp the roadgeek]

I would say the ones in East Hartford and Manchester on I-84 between exits 57-63, a couple of signs in Waterbury on I-84 that will be replaced in the widening project, and one that was just replaced in Southington on I-84 West for Exit 31, are all from that era.

[SectorZ]

The exit for route 12 on route 184 also is supposed to get a number (1).

I forgot to mention that Route 184 has exit numbers too, also without new overhead signage.  There are also new retroreflective traffic signals at the end of the divided highway, which I've seen a lot more of in this part of the state.  (not a fan of span wire, but at least ConnDOT is finally moving into the 21st century).

Speaking of Gold Star Bridge signage, I was browsing the website for the construction project and came across this image, from when the NB bridge was widened in 1974.  It's the same sign that exists presently, which will be replaced soon.  Any other BGS in the state that have lasted this long?

https://www.google.com/maps/@41.3635177,-72.0996936,3a,75y,84.75h,106.47t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sH67cepbKJVG5RHFenlS-OQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Am I missing something? Doesn't look the same to me. Same layout yes, but not the same signs, given the current have the empty shield layout.

[Magical Trevor]

The center sign appears untouched, and on the exits only the shields and "TO" appear to have been replaced. The lowest line on the Exit 85 assembly was ugly then (and seemed to be fixed with a more proper yellow bar until I guess it was determined to not really be one mile?) and is differently ugly now. It's a shame the lights are gone.