Connecticut News

[jp the roadgeek]

Lol at all these people on r/Connecticut using the word "crumbling" to describe the state of our roads.  As if CONNDOT sits on its laurels all day.

Heaven forbid they see how bad the roads are in Northeastern Pennsylvania.

The problem in CT is that CTDOT spends (in my best Ed Rooney voice) NINE TIMES the national average in administrative costs to maintain its roads.  You would think the roads would be as smooth as a baby's bottom, but no, they're just as bad, if not worse, than most states.  I'll avoid my political soapbox, but as far as where the money goes, something is rotten in Denmark.

[Rothman]

"Nine times" is remarkably specific.  Got a link for that?

[Alps]

"Nine times" is remarkably specific.  Got a link for that?

https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Report-on-state-highway-bridge-costs-disputed-12704295.php

[Rothman]

"Nine times" is remarkably specific.  Got a link for that?

https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Report-on-state-highway-bridge-costs-disputed-12704295.php

Heh.  So, the stat is not totally accepted as fact.

[SectorZ]

"Nine times" is remarkably specific.  Got a link for that?

https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Report-on-state-highway-bridge-costs-disputed-12704295.php

Heh.  So, the stat is not totally accepted as fact.

Massachusetts is even worst (in fact, the worst). Peruse the state's job website and you can see what some of the administrative funding is spent on in my fair state.

[Rothman]

"Nine times" is remarkably specific.  Got a link for that?

https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Report-on-state-highway-bridge-costs-disputed-12704295.php

Heh.  So, the stat is not totally accepted as fact.

Massachusetts is even worst (in fact, the worst). Peruse the state's job website and you can see what some of the administrative funding is spent on in my fair state.

The state jobs site?  That may show a misunderstanding of how capital projects are funded.  Any state workers working on program management -- e.g., planners or accountants and the like -- for federal-aid projects their work is reimbursible through the ridiculously underutilized Statewide Planning and Research (SPR) fund, which is totally separate from funds that are used to actually fund the projects themselves (NHP, STP, CMAQ, etc.). 

Anyway, I don't think just perusing the job site leads to the conclusion that there are states that are spending many times an average on administrative costs. 

That said, I have witnessed overstaffing, but not to the extremes that were stated.

[DJ Particle]

Massachusetts is even worst (in fact, the worst). Peruse the state's job website and you can see what some of the administrative funding is spent on in my fair state.

I can believe it...growing up, during family road trips, I was always puzzled as to why it seemed MA had the oldest BGS's in the northeast.

[roadman]

Massachusetts is even worst (in fact, the worst). Peruse the state's job website and you can see what some of the administrative funding is spent on in my fair state.

I can believe it...growing up, during family road trips, I was always puzzled as to why it seemed MA had the oldest BGS's in the northeast.

Simple.  Because until the late 1980s, MassDPW practice was to replace signs (even those on Interstates and freeways) only either as one-offs when a sign went missing (or they got a complaint about a sign), or as part of larger road reconstruction projects.  Prior to 1988, Massachusetts did not have any sort of coordinated sign replacement program like they have now for Interstates and freeways, and have just started implementing on secondary state highways.

[DJ Particle]

Simple.  Because until the late 1980s, MassDPW practice was to replace signs (even those on Interstates and freeways) only either as one-offs when a sign went missing (or they got a complaint about a sign), or as part of larger road reconstruction projects.  Prior to 1988, Massachusetts did not have any sort of coordinated sign replacement program like they have now for Interstates and freeways, and have just started implementing on secondary state highways.

Ouch!

I remember as a kid in the 1970s/80s, wondering why the BGSs along US-6 Eastbound on Exits 6-9 didn't have exit tabs.  Those likely dated to 1967 when those lanes were built.  The signs didn't get replaced until about 1996.  Now, even those replacement signs have been replaced   

[RobbieL2415]

Simple.  Because until the late 1980s, MassDPW practice was to replace signs (even those on Interstates and freeways) only either as one-offs when a sign went missing (or they got a complaint about a sign), or as part of larger road reconstruction projects.  Prior to 1988, Massachusetts did not have any sort of coordinated sign replacement program like they have now for Interstates and freeways, and have just started implementing on secondary state highways.

Ouch!

I remember as a kid in the 1970s/80s, wondering why the BGSs along US-6 Eastbound on Exits 6-9 didn't have exit tabs.  Those likely dated to 1967 when those lanes were built.  The signs didn't get replaced until about 1996.  Now, even those replacement signs have been replaced   

The 90s era signs should have stayed. Let people suffer through reading non-reflective signs. Tbh I'm very nostalgic for weathered signs.

[MNHighwayMan]

The 90s era signs should have stayed. Let people suffer through reading non-reflective signs. Tbh I'm very nostalgic for weathered signs.

I will never understand this mentality. You literally want drivers to have a hard time, just for the sake of nostalgia? That's kind of messed up, IMO.

[Alps]

The 90s era signs should have stayed. Let people suffer through reading non-reflective signs. Tbh I'm very nostalgic for weathered signs.

I will never understand this mentality. You literally want drivers to have a hard time, just for the sake of nostalgia? That's kind of messed up, IMO.

for the sake of button copy

[Rothman]

Nobody sleeps in Connecticut.

[jp the roadgeek]

Nobody sleeps in Connecticut.

Which is ironic, given the lack of nightlife and the fact that bars and liquor stores close earlier than surrounding states (hey, at least it's still not 8:00 and no Sundays).  Maybe it's the fear of new taxes that keeps us up at night.

[RobbieL2415]

The 90s era signs should have stayed. Let people suffer through reading non-reflective signs. Tbh I'm very nostalgic for weathered signs.

I will never understand this mentality. You literally want drivers to have a hard time, just for the sake of nostalgia? That's kind of messed up, IMO.

for the sake of button copy

There were maybe one or two button copy signs on the Cape. They're all gone now.

[DJ Particle]

There were maybe one or two button copy signs on the Cape. They're all gone now.

Even the Eastbound US-6 signs for Exit 106 (Pamet Roads)?

[RobbieL2415]

There were maybe one or two button copy signs on the Cape. They're all gone now.

Even the Eastbound US-6 signs for Exit 106 (Pamet Roads)?

I believe so. Exit 106?  There aren't any exit numbers up that way, let alone mileage-based ones.

[PHLBOS]

There were maybe one or two button copy signs on the Cape. They're all gone now.

Even the Eastbound US-6 signs for Exit 106 (Pamet Roads)?

I believe so. Exit 106?  There aren't any exit numbers up that way, let alone mileage-based ones.

The BGS in question is this one in Truro.  Yes, such was replaced several years ago (between 2011 and 2015) with this one.

[Alps]

There were maybe one or two button copy signs on the Cape. They're all gone now.

Even the Eastbound US-6 signs for Exit 106 (Pamet Roads)?

Emi when did you sneak in here without telling us? LTNmtr!

[jp the roadgeek]

Getting back to CT: 2 more new gantries went up in the last couple days on I-84 West near and within the CT 72 junction: the 1  mile sign for 72 West/CT 372, and the 1/2 mile exit only signs for the same.

[KEVIN_224]

That new sign might be a problem: CT Route 372 is Exit 2 from CT Route 72. Granted, you do have to take Exit 33 from I-84 to get to that first...

[RobbieL2415]

Getting back to CT: 2 more new gantries went up in the last couple days on I-84 West near and within the CT 72 junction: the 1  mile sign for 72 West/CT 372, and the 1/2 mile exit only signs for the same.

Second assembly looks mighty fine.  That first sign is confusing, almost like they tacked on a reassurance sign at the last minute.

[ipeters61]

That new sign might be a problem: CT Route 372 is Exit 2 from CT Route 72. Granted, you do have to take Exit 33 from I-84 to get to that first...

I was thinking the same thing.

Also, the second sign looks like it's begging for a "1/2 mile" to the right of the rightmost arrow, like ConnDOT did in the button copy days:

[Mergingtraffic]

Getting back to CT: 2 more new gantries went up in the last couple days on I-84 West near and within the CT 72 junction: the 1  mile sign for 72 West/CT 372, and the 1/2 mile exit only signs for the same.

I think the signs look great. CT’s only 3-lane exit only. The formatting and wording is fine to me.

I don’t like the new gantries pole style look as it seems like whenever they’re used, the signs look like they’re hanging sloppy and uneven. Plus the pole going across looks like it’s bending.

[DJ Particle]

Emi when did you sneak in here without telling us? LTNmtr!

I haven't been on Usenet for over a decade now.  *heh*

As for my use of "Exit 106"...just a personal preference for unnumbered exits.