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Started by hotdogPi, October 12, 2013, 04:50:12 PM

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KEVIN_224



I know it's not the best picture, as I was on a Concord Coach Lines bus in the second row. With that said, you may have noticed which bridge the southbound I-95 traffic was using. It wasn't like that on Thursday.  :clap:


Pete from Boston

#376
Quote from: KEVIN_224 on December 05, 2015, 12:35:27 AM


I know it's not the best picture, as I was on a Concord Coach Lines bus in the second row. With that said, you may have noticed which bridge the southbound I-95 traffic was using. It wasn't like that on Thursday.  :clap:

Nice shot, and impressive work.  They didn't dawdle.  The old Whittier Bridge looks tired and small in that pic.  A little sad to me–I will miss the "bell curve" flare out at the bottom–but not terribly since the new bridge is so nice.

KEVIN_224

#377
I noticed this by Columbus Avenue in Springfield tonight. I think MassDOT covered up "Holyoke".  :hmmm:


noelbotevera

Quote from: KEVIN_224 on December 18, 2015, 11:41:34 PM
I noticed this by Columbus Avenue in Springfield tonight. I think MassDOT covered up "Holyoke".  :hmmm:


Yup. The covered destination is Holyoke. That might be an old contractor error, because of the one way sign. That ramp only leads to I-91 south, so the patch is correct, and what's under it is incorrect.

DrSmith

https://goo.gl/maps/6CLk5QSkP9y
That's the old sign.  But it was correct, that is until the viaduct rehabilitation project.  You could turn left onto Hall of Fame Ave (previously Columbus) and either directly onto 91 South or go down and make a u-turn under 91 back onto the other side for the State St ramp.  However, the onramps from Union St and State St are being closed during construction, so the green out and adding South reflects the current configuration available.

http://www.massdot.state.ma.us/i91viaductrehab/Traffic.aspx

SidS1045

Quote from: Beeper1 on November 03, 2015, 09:40:35 PM
Installation of AET equipment on the MassPike has begun.  Footings for the toll gantries and the equipment sheds have been installed at the sites in Lee, Blandford, and Westfield.  Probably farther east, too, but I haven't been that far east yet.   I think the target date for implementation  is still next summer. 

I've seen equipment shelters, vertical gantry supports and repaved sections with sensors being installed near the State Police barracks and maintenance depot in Weston, and about a mile west of the current Allston/Brighton toll plaza.  I also saw a crew from Verizon pulling fiber-optic cable near the equipment shelter at the latter location, with MassDOT people present, so I'd guess that's tied in with the AET project too.
"A nation of sheep will beget a government of wolves." - Edward R. Murrow

Beeper1

Probably is.  The sites in Ludlow, Warren, Charlton and Hopkinton are all being assembled.

kefkafloyd

Coming out of my lurkdom for a few notes:

1. The US 3 paving project from NH to route 128 is basically done. The road's all striped (finally). The good news is that the 128 South to US 3 ramp now adds a lane instead of merges on to the highway. In the past, the mailine road widened to all 3 lanes after the bridge that crossed 128, then the ramp would merge. This was dumb, since the road was just starting. Now US 3 N stays two lanes all the way from the bridge, and 128's ramp adds the third. However, the signage has not been updated to account for this; Yield and Merge signs are still standing and need to be replaced with Add Lane signs instead.

2. New signs for the Lowell Connector are waiting to be installed, they're sitting in the Industrial Drive loop ramp green areas. This means that the center-tab Exit 1N sign's days are numbered.

bob7374

Quote from: kefkafloyd on January 02, 2016, 03:25:20 PM
Coming out of my lurkdom for a few notes:

2. New signs for the Lowell Connector are waiting to be installed, they're sitting in the Industrial Drive loop ramp green areas. This means that the center-tab Exit 1N sign's days are numbered.

According to the project page, the signs were to be installed in December. Certainly the weather didn't delay the work. Not only are the center tab sign's days numbered, but also the number for the US 3 North exit, which will become 1C under the new milepost system. Too bad they couldn't have done the sign replacement and the exit number change at the same time.

kefkafloyd

Quote from: bob7374 on January 02, 2016, 05:10:48 PM
Quote from: kefkafloyd on January 02, 2016, 03:25:20 PM
Coming out of my lurkdom for a few notes:

2. New signs for the Lowell Connector are waiting to be installed, they're sitting in the Industrial Drive loop ramp green areas. This means that the center-tab Exit 1N sign's days are numbered.

According to the project page, the signs were to be installed in December. Certainly the weather didn't delay the work. Not only are the center tab sign's days numbered, but also the number for the US 3 North exit, which will become 1C under the new milepost system. Too bad they couldn't have done the sign replacement and the exit number change at the same time.

Signs further up the Connector are already installed. The last group of signs will be the ones for Exits 1A/B/N I-495/US 3. I drive on it often enough that I should have the ones already replaced memorized, but I don't have an exact inventory in my head.

bob7374

With the new year, thought I'd post a summary of current MassDOT sign replacement projects, based on the information on the MassDOT site, and note the upcoming ones for this year.
Among those listed as under construction in the MassDOT project listings,
3 are still listed, though 100% complete: 604937 I-95 between Newton and Lexington, 605442 I-91 between Longmeadow and W. Springfield, and 606157 Toll Plaza signing along the Mass Pike.
1, as discussed above, is almost complete: 606014, the Lowell Connector.
The rest are partially completed: 605444 I-195 between Seekonk and Dartmouth (including MA 24 south of I-95), 83% complete as of 12/8/15; 605703 I-495 between Lowell and Methuen, listed as 10% complete but with a Spring 2016 completion date; 605833 I-91 between W. Springfield and Bernardston, 50% complete with a Spring 2016 completion date; 606212 I-290 between Worcester and Marlborough, 93% complete, though was to be completed in the Winter of 2014/15; and the 606619 I-90 W. Stockbridge to Auburn project, no completion % listing yet.

These projects are due to start in 2016: 606620 I-495 Raynham to Bolton, to start in Spring 2016; 606712 I-90 Mass Pike Auburn to Boston, to start in Spring 2016; 607918 US 6 Mid-Cape Highway from Sandwich to Orleans, to start in Fall 2016; 607916 MA 24 Fall River to Randolph, to start in Winter 2016/17, and, of course, 608024, Statewide conversion of Interstate and Freeway-Based Exit numbers to Mileage Based, starting January 2016 (?).

SidS1045

#386
Quote from: Beeper1 on December 28, 2015, 11:09:31 PM
Probably is.  The sites in Ludlow, Warren, Charlton and Hopkinton are all being assembled.

According to an item in TollRoadsNews dated today (1/5/2016), at least one of the gantries was erected this past weekend spanning the Turnpike at the Weston State Police barracks.
"A nation of sheep will beget a government of wolves." - Edward R. Murrow

KEVIN_224

I think there was already a gantry there, but just to support a VMS sign eastbound. As for Charlton, would it be closer to the Sturbridge town line after the big hill heading east?

Beeper1

The Charlton location is about 1/4 mile west of the westbound service plaza, next to the Stafford Road overpass.

The Lee location is at the entrance to the Lee maintenance facility.

The Blandford location is at the entrance to the Blandford Maintenance facility.

The Westfield location is between Exit 3 and the state police barracks.

The Ludlow location is at the west end of the Chicopee River bridge.

The Warren location is at the entrance to the Warren maintenance facility.

The Hopkinton location is just east of the Westboro service plaza.

Not sure where the Southboro or Framingham locations are.

Pete from Boston

Makes me wonder what could be done to make the Mass Pike/128 interchange high-speed once the tolls are gone.

dcbjms

Quote from: bob7374 on January 04, 2016, 12:38:15 PM
The rest are partially completed: 605444 I-195 between Seekonk and Dartmouth (including MA 24 south of I-95),

Most of the signs on 195 in that stretch are more or less OK and don't need replacing; it's the remaining signs on the RI side that need replacing.  You don't need this much greenout for this sign, for example.
https://goo.gl/maps/ZRoXebwpnP22

SidS1045

Quote from: KEVIN_224 on January 05, 2016, 06:54:51 PM
I think there was already a gantry there, but just to support a VMS sign eastbound.

The VMS gantry is eastbound, directly in front of the ramp overpass to the barracks.  The AET gantry is just west of the barracks and maintenance depot and spans both directions.  I went through there this evening and could plainly see the flat-plate antennas already mounted on the gantry.  It was right at dusk, so I couldn't see whether the cameras had been mounted.
"A nation of sheep will beget a government of wolves." - Edward R. Murrow

PHLBOS

Quote from: dcbjms on January 05, 2016, 08:34:23 PM
Quote from: bob7374 on January 04, 2016, 12:38:15 PM
The rest are partially completed: 605444 I-195 between Seekonk and Dartmouth (including MA 24 south of I-95),

Most of the signs on 195 in that stretch are more or less OK and don't need replacing; it's the remaining signs on the RI side that need replacing.  You don't need this much greenout for this sign, for example.
https://goo.gl/maps/ZRoXebwpnP22
Agreed, but RIDOT doesn't replace signs as often as MassDOT (and its predecessors).  Believe it or not, those particular BGS' are from the late 70s/early 80s.
GPS does NOT equal GOD

roadman

Quote from: Pete from Boston on January 05, 2016, 08:22:01 PM
Makes me wonder what could be done to make the Mass Pike/128 interchange high-speed once the tolls are gone.
MassDOT is already developing contracts (MassDOT Projects # 607580, 607581, 607582, and 607971) to remove the existing toll plazas once AET is up and running.
"And ninety-five is the route you were on.  It was not the speed limit sign."  - Jim Croce (from Speedball Tucker)

"My life has been a tapestry
Of years of roads and highway signs" (with apologies to Carole King and Tom Rush)

PHLBOS

Quote from: Pete from Boston on January 05, 2016, 08:22:01 PM
Makes me wonder what could be done to make the Mass Pike/128 interchange high-speed once the tolls are gone.
Given its surroundings and adjacent interchanges (MA 30 along I-95/MA 128 in particular); I don't think any major ramp alterations aside from removing the toll booths are in the works.

With the tollbooths gone; the Weston interchange will probably function similar to the US 1 interchange (Exit 44 off I-95/MA 128) in Peabody/Lynnfield.
GPS does NOT equal GOD

SidS1045

Quote from: PHLBOS on January 06, 2016, 11:22:13 AM
Given its surroundings and adjacent interchanges (MA 30 along I-95/MA 128 in particular); I don't think any major ramp alterations aside from removing the toll booths are in the works.

I can certainly imagine a total redesign which has flyover ramps between the two roads, but it would require a major, multi-year project costing mucho bucks...IOW, not in the cards right now.
"A nation of sheep will beget a government of wolves." - Edward R. Murrow

cl94

Quote from: SidS1045 on January 06, 2016, 11:55:03 AM
Quote from: PHLBOS on January 06, 2016, 11:22:13 AM
Given its surroundings and adjacent interchanges (MA 30 along I-95/MA 128 in particular); I don't think any major ramp alterations aside from removing the toll booths are in the works.

I can certainly imagine a total redesign which has flyover ramps between the two roads, but it would require a major, multi-year project costing mucho bucks...IOW, not in the cards right now.

Agree. I figure the Pike will eventually be shifted a bit to the north within the confines of the interchange.

Hey, that's a good fantasy topic- design a new Weston interchange while maintaining full access (minus the Liberty Mutual exit).
Please note: All posts represent my personal opinions and do not represent those of my employer or any of its partner agencies.

Travel Mapping (updated weekly)

kefkafloyd

Surveyed the signs on the connector today, only the following old signs remain up:

Exit 3 NB pullthrough for Industrial Drive.

Exit 1N / 495 SB center-tab signs.

1/2 and 1/4 mile advance signs for exits 5A-B-C are still up.

The old Exit 5A/B/C signs are still up at the terminus of the connector, but the new signs are up right behind them. They are simply waiting to be removed.

The replacement signs for Exit 1N have Exit 2B exit tabs as seen from the sign of the road. 495S will be 2A. This ends a multi-decade signing error, even though I'll miss those center tabs.

jp the roadgeek

Found this on Sturbridge FD's Facebook page this morning.  The MA 15 legacy is apparently alive and well.

At 3:59, Public Safety Dispatcher Tyler Bresse received a 911 call reporting flames from a room at the Publick House motor lodges off Haynes Street/Route 15.
A second alarm was immediately struck, followed by a third alarm at 4:15 bring in multiple area fire departments mutual aid for building search and firefighting operations.
All parties staying at the lodge were safely evacuated while fire suppression operations were underway.
At 4:59 a fourth alarm was struck for man power bringing in personnel to relieve firefighters already working the fire scene.
Shortly after 5am all personnel were cleared from the building due to structural compromise and all firefighting activity moved to an exterior operation.
There are currently over 10 agencies working the fire scene.
Interstates I've clinched: 97, 290 (MA), 291 (CT), 291 (MA), 293, 295 (DE-NJ-PA), 295 (RI-MA), 384, 391, 395 (CT-MA), 395 (MD), 495 (DE), 610 (LA), 684, 691, 695 (MD), 695 (NY), 795 (MD)

cl94

Quote from: Beeper1 on January 05, 2016, 08:14:18 PM
The Charlton location is about 1/4 mile west of the westbound service plaza, next to the Stafford Road overpass.

The Lee location is at the entrance to the Lee maintenance facility.

The Blandford location is at the entrance to the Blandford Maintenance facility.

The Westfield location is between Exit 3 and the state police barracks.

The Ludlow location is at the west end of the Chicopee River bridge.

The Warren location is at the entrance to the Warren maintenance facility.

The Hopkinton location is just east of the Westboro service plaza.

Not sure where the Southboro or Framingham locations are.

So there aren't any between Exits 4 and 7?
Please note: All posts represent my personal opinions and do not represent those of my employer or any of its partner agencies.

Travel Mapping (updated weekly)



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