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#1
Great Lakes and Ohio Valley / Re: Update on I-69 Extension i...
Last post by ITB - Today at 01:24:09 AM
Change of pace. In this batch of photos, we take a look at a corollary project of I-69 in Bloomington, and then jump back to 2015 with a selection of past and present photos.

In Bloomington, Phase III of the city's south side corridor project kicked off earlier this month. In Phase III, Fullerton Pike will be extended eastward from Rockport Road to intersect with Gordon Pike. This is an entirely new stretch of road about a mile in length. When completed, the road will link the I-69/Fullerton Pike interchange to the southeast side of Bloomington, enhancing a much used east-west arterial.


April 24, 2024
Looking east toward Fullerton Pike from the eastern traffic circle of the I-69/Fullerton Pike interchange. Currently, Fullerton Pike ends at an intersection with Rockport Road. For some reason, the road was never pushed further east to intersect with Gordon Pike. Until now.


April 24, 2024
Zoomed in shot. In the background are the signal-controlled intersections of Rhorer Road and S. Walnut Street and S. Walnut Street Pike (deeper background). The distance covered in the photo is roughly two miles.

This road corridor is one of those that changes name, going from Fullerton Pike in the west to Gordon Pike, and then to Rhorer Road. Rhorer Road begins at the S. Walnut Street intersection and heads east. Phases I and II of the corridor project widened Rhorer Road and Gordon Pike between S. Walnut Street Pike and S. Rogers Road. At the Gordon Pike/Rogers Road intersection, a large roundabout was built (not visible), and at the S. Walnut Street Pike/Rhorer Road intersection, a light was installed, replacing stop signs (deep background).


April 19, 2024
Closer look of the recently commenced construction; looking east. Milestone Contractors is the project's prime contractor; Crider and Crider, a sub. The just-shy of $19 million construction contract was awarded in January of this year.


April 19, 2024
Another look of the work zone. There's a creek down there somewhere, the west branch of Clear Creek. Included in the project is a long 525' bridge. It appears the rows of stakes indicate where the bridge piers will be located. In the mid-background, the Clear Creek Trail runs across the frame.


April 24, 2024
Hampered by the position of the sun, here's the view looking west. In the deep background, the I-69/Fullerton Pike interchange's eastern roundabout can be partially discerned (better seen when the photo is expanded).


April 24, 2024
Another zoomed in shot, slightly cropped. Bachelor Middle School, one of the county's three middle schools, is located near the intersection of Gordon Pike and S. Rogers Road. Also, nearby, is a new county library branch. Neither are visible but are roughly located to the left of the stop sign in the background. Bear in mind, this is two miles in distance.

Moving on, a blast from the past:


April 24, 2024
In southwest Monroe County, looking east toward I-69 from the Harmony Road bridge.


August 23, 2015
The view about eight and half years ago, looking a little rough.


September 18, 2015
Then this.


October 23, 2015
And by late October the paving crew was at work.


October 23, 2015
Different angle.


October 23, 2015
Slightly zoomed in look.


November 5, 2015
Paving the outside shoulder with asphalt and sealing joints. Just about done.


April 24, 2024
Hard to believe this section of I-69 is now almost nine years old.


April 24, 2024
And a cropped perspective.


October 29, 2015
Harmony Road bridge; looking northwest.


April 20, 2024
The bridge as it is today, looking north. The fencing went up about two years after the bridge was opened, probably, I suspect, due to an incident.
#2
Northwest / Re: Washington
Last post by Bruce - Today at 01:21:01 AM
Mukilteo is considering a rename for their section of SR 525, which has been called the "Speedway" for decades.

https://www.heraldnet.com/news/whats-in-a-speedway-mukilteo-considers-renaming-main-drag/
#3
Sports / Re: NFL (2024 Season)
Last post by thspfc - Today at 01:11:35 AM
If Cousins plays out his contract, Penix will be 28 years old - probabilistically over halfway through his prime - and entering his fifth year option season by the time he becomes the starter.

If they let Cousins go after two years, they will have to pay out his guaranteed money, negating the benefit of having a starting QB on a rookie contract. And even by then Penix will be 26 and the team will have one season to decide whether to take his fifth-year.

Just hard to stress enough how idiotic it is, and it's really nothing new for that franchise. Last 4 first round picks:

- a playmaking tight end they can't get the ball to and has been splitting snaps with Jonnu Smith;
 
- a receiver who has been held back by incompetent QB play;

- a running back who split snaps with Tyler Allgeier;

- a quarterback who they will either A) effectively pay franchise QB money to before he is ever their starter, or B) sit for four years - from age 24-27, probabilistically his best years as a player - and then evaluate whether he's the future of their franchise based on one season. If he is, they will subsequently have to pay him at the top of the market immediately.

History might forget about it because none of them were outright busts (yet), but considering all the context, the on-field value above replacement level provided by those four picks is way lower than what you would expect to get out of four first rounders. Oh, and, they were all top 8 picks. It makes my head spin. And it has nothing to do with Penix himself as a prospect.


Chiefs go from a WR trio of rookie Rashee Rice, Justin Watson, and MVS to second-year Rashee Rice (doubt the recent incident keeps him off the field for longer than a few games), Marquise Brown, and Xavier Worthy. They just won the Super Bowl and beat, analytically, two of the best NFL teams of all time in doing so. I'm never going to be a 17-0 idiot, but it really seems like the only ways this team will lose are injuries, luck, or everyone on the other team playing the game of their life.
#4
Traffic Control / Re: Is Georgia finally getting...
Last post by Henry - Today at 12:02:01 AM
Those are definitely some interesting signs, but most of them are simply one big, fat mess.
#5
Road Trips / Re: What road did you leave on...
Last post by CtrlAltDel - April 25, 2024, 11:57:37 PM
On my trip to Arkansas for the eclipse, I left Texas on TX-8/AR-41, and returned the same way.
#6
Sports / Re: NFL (2024 Season)
Last post by Henry - April 25, 2024, 11:41:30 PM
The big offseason news has been that the Bears are trying to get a new stadium built in downtown Chicago. I have a feeling that this will overshadow the development of Caleb Williams for the next few seasons. But OTOH, here's hoping that it will be better built than the renovation monstrosity that ruined Soldier Field.
#7
Mid-South / Re: I-610/I-69 interchange
Last post by MaxConcrete - April 25, 2024, 11:29:50 PM
Quote from: longhorn on April 25, 2024, 01:10:38 PMhttps://www.google.com/maps/@29.7287857,-95.4603706,3a,68.3y,131.84h,105.67t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sSjM7kYtYeFFDcaWJstkYLw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu

Google maps have updated this area in their maps. Looking at up I-610 what are the inside lanes for? The rest of the bridge supports are complete, so they are ramps for something.

The space reserved in the interior is to connect to potential future 2x2 express lanes which TxDOT wants to build along the West Loop. However, that project has been going nowhere in recent years, so its future is uncertain.
#8
Road Trips / Re: What road did you leave on...
Last post by Hot Rod Hootenanny - April 25, 2024, 11:10:07 PM
Last week I left Ohio via US 35 over the Ohio River.
Earlier today, I re-entered Ohio via I-470 over the Ohio River.
#9
Sports / Re: NFL (2024 Season)
Last post by webny99 - April 25, 2024, 11:09:27 PM
The Jaguars continue to annoy the Bills (or Bills fans at least), drafting LSU WR Brian Thomas Jr at pick #23. Naturally followed by the Cowboys trading down from pick #24, so there's a decent chance the Bills would've/could've moved up if he'd made it past the Jags.
#10
Sports / Re: NFL (2024 Season)
Last post by webny99 - April 25, 2024, 10:41:05 PM
Quote from: Ted$8roadFan on April 25, 2024, 08:36:11 PMNew England Patriots select NC QB Drake Maye at #3.

A bummer for the rest of the AFC East.

Falcons selecting Michael Penix Jr at #8 overall is the most surprising QB pick since Daniel Jones.

This draft has definitely made history opening with 14 straight offensive players, not to mention the record-setting 6 QB's in the first 12 picks.

6 QB's gone before the Raiders picked at #13 was definitely not something anyone had mocked and they would have been laughed off the street if they had. There was plenty of talk of Bo Nix falling out of the first round entirely like Will Levis, while hardly anyone considered that he might go as early as #12. Also since there were only 6 potential first round QB's, there was some extra petty motivation for the Broncos to take the last one to stick it to the Raiders. They still got a good player in Brock Bowers, but you can bet they're disappointed all 6 QB's were gone.

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