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New York

Started by Alex, August 18, 2009, 12:34:57 AM

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J N Winkler

Does Canada stamp US passports now?  They didn't used to.  In the absence of a physical stamp, there is no way to tell that a trip is for transit purposes only unless the Canadian and US immigration authorities are sharing entry data in real time.  Are they?
"It is necessary to spend a hundred lire now to save a thousand lire later."--Piero Puricelli, explaining the need for a first-class road system to Benito Mussolini


Brandon

Quote from: J N Winkler on January 09, 2014, 04:48:56 PM
Does Canada stamp US passports now?  They didn't used to.  In the absence of a physical stamp, there is no way to tell that a trip is for transit purposes only unless the Canadian and US immigration authorities are sharing entry data in real time.  Are they?

I think it's the NEXUS card that has the "time stamp".
"If you think this has a happy ending, you haven't been paying attention." - Ramsay Bolton

"Symbolic of his struggle against reality." - Reg

vdeane

Quote from: J N Winkler on January 09, 2014, 04:48:56 PM
Does Canada stamp US passports now?  They didn't used to.  In the absence of a physical stamp, there is no way to tell that a trip is for transit purposes only unless the Canadian and US immigration authorities are sharing entry data in real time.  Are they?
They are.  It's part of the Beyond the Border initiative.
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position of NYSDOT or its affiliates.

mtantillo

Passport stamping is a random event. Never in primary, randomly in secondary, typically via air. They do have a pilot program to swap data....entry into Canada sent to US as exit from US, and vice versa. Pilot program in effect at Niagara crossings for now, but eventually they will be able to see the time stamp on the records when they scan your ID.

Brandon

Quote from: vdeane on January 09, 2014, 05:12:31 PM
Quote from: J N Winkler on January 09, 2014, 04:48:56 PM
Does Canada stamp US passports now?  They didn't used to.  In the absence of a physical stamp, there is no way to tell that a trip is for transit purposes only unless the Canadian and US immigration authorities are sharing entry data in real time.  Are they?
They are.  It's part of the Beyond the Border initiative.

Since when?  I got no stamp crossing at the Blue Water Bridge last year.
"If you think this has a happy ending, you haven't been paying attention." - Ramsay Bolton

"Symbolic of his struggle against reality." - Reg

mtantillo

They are sharing data in real time. They are not routinely stamping passports.

empirestate

Quote from: mtantillo on January 09, 2014, 02:45:16 PM
But I'm always asked purpose of trip, and if I said passing through from Watertown to Cornwall, I would certainly expect to be waved into secondary.

Sure, in present-day real life you might expect that. But again, in the hypothetical scenario where some sort of corridor upgrade between Watertown and Plattsburgh happened to pass through this part of Canada, then these crossings would become routine and raise no suspicion, just like the Detroit-to-Buffalo route today. In this fictional world, "passing through from Watertown to Cornwall" would become a very ordinary thing to do.

agentsteel53

Quote from: mtantillo on January 09, 2014, 05:15:44 PM
Passport stamping is a random event. Never in primary, randomly in secondary, typically via air. They do have a pilot program to swap data....entry into Canada sent to US as exit from US, and vice versa. Pilot program in effect at Niagara crossings for now, but eventually they will be able to see the time stamp on the records when they scan your ID.

I don't remember ever getting a passport stamped into Canada at a land crossing. 

I once asked for a passport stamp returning to the US, but they did not oblige.  after interrogating me for an hour and a half, it was the least they could have done!
live from sunny San Diego.

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vdeane

Quote from: Brandon on January 09, 2014, 05:26:36 PM
Quote from: vdeane on January 09, 2014, 05:12:31 PM
Quote from: J N Winkler on January 09, 2014, 04:48:56 PM
Does Canada stamp US passports now?  They didn't used to.  In the absence of a physical stamp, there is no way to tell that a trip is for transit purposes only unless the Canadian and US immigration authorities are sharing entry data in real time.  Are they?
They are.  It's part of the Beyond the Border initiative.

Since when?  I got no stamp crossing at the Blue Water Bridge last year.
All electronic.  It was that or set up exit booths, since the US wants to track who's leaving the country.  I was under the impression that it was supposed to rollout permanently on Jan 1, but now I can't find anything saying they went past the pilot state.
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position of NYSDOT or its affiliates.

Dougtone

Quote from: Roadgeek Adam on January 08, 2014, 03:33:24 PM
While I disagree with the governor and NYSDOT's decision to do this, exactly why reroute I-81 from the Canadian border?

On a similar note, I have to agree with NE2 on this. Is US 11 that bad between Rouses Point and Watertown?

I would agree with you on this as well.  US 11 between Rouses Point and Watertown isn't bad, but it could use some upgrades, especially through some of the main towns it traverses.  Yes, an Interstate highway connecting Plattsburgh with Watertown would be nice, but bypasses of some of the towns US 11 goes through would certainly be a reasonable goal (in my opinion).  It would also be more realistic and practical for completion, especially when it comes to the finances involved. 

As it is now, US 11 goes right through the downtowns of places like Gouverneur, Canton, Potsdam and Malone, while NY 37 bypasses downtown Ogdensburg and downtown Massena.  Building bypasses of the towns would be good for through traffic and truck traffic, but on the flip side, it may not be as good for the businesses that are in the towns, which have seen better days economically speaking.

Dougtone

Quote from: Jim on January 08, 2014, 02:57:46 PM
I'd prefer to see it as I-81, or perhaps I-98.  But my guess is that it will be a long time before this feasibility study would lead to anything.  How long has it taken to get I-86 from expressway to what we have so far?  150 or so miles of brand new interstate seems much more expensive.

I want to say that the I-86 conversion was originally supposed to be completed by 2012, but that was back during the 1990s.  I believe that the last key construction project will be converting NY 17 to Interstate standards between Deposit and Hancock, shoehorning the freeway through Hale Eddy somehow.  This is supposed to be completed by late 2020.  As an aside, construction in Binghamton is scheduled to be completed in 2018, so I think I-86 will be signed from Broome County west at that point.

vdeane

There are a few minor projects coming along on the Quickway as well; the ones I know of being the Neversink River Bridge (under construction), "exit 111" (and a few others like it) (not yet designed as far as I know), exit 122 (status unknown), and whatever issue is preventing designation between Windsor and Deposit.  Exit 131 is also on the I-86 upgrade banner, but I suspect that project is pure traffic management since the existing interchange looks fine.

Not sure why the 10 mile segment in Orange County with covered signs isn't designated yet; maybe NYSDOT doesn't want to have three I-86 segments?
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position of NYSDOT or its affiliates.

Dougtone

Quote from: vdeane on January 09, 2014, 08:18:44 PM
There are a few minor projects coming along on the Quickway as well; the ones I know of being the Neversink River Bridge (under construction), "exit 111" (and a few others like it) (not yet designed as far as I know), exit 122 (status unknown), and whatever issue is preventing designation between Windsor and Deposit.  Exit 131 is also on the I-86 upgrade banner, but I suspect that project is pure traffic management since the existing interchange looks fine.

Not sure why the 10 mile segment in Orange County with covered signs isn't designated yet; maybe NYSDOT doesn't want to have three I-86 segments?

My understanding about why the I-86 designation ends in Windsor instead of Deposit is that the Interstate should end at a highway that serves as part of the National Highway System.  I'm not sure if that is a valid argument, because NY 79 is not part of the National Highway System as it goes through Windsor, but NY 8 in Deposit is part of the National Highway System.

Duke87

Quote from: Jim on January 08, 2014, 06:14:03 PM
I don't cross the border enough to know if it would be worth the trouble for a Watertown to Plattsburgh traveler to take I-81, cross the border to 401, cross back at Cornwall, for this potential new interstate the rest of the way.

Even if there were zero time delay to crossing the border, it still wouldn't be worth it. US 11 in the north country is a fairly quick moving road. Going up to ON 401 and then back into the US at Cornwall adds about 35 miles compared to just taking US 11 and, according to Google, also adds about 20 minutes.
If you always take the same road, you will never see anything new.

mrsman

Quote from: Duke87 on January 03, 2014, 07:00:42 PM
Quote from: Steve on January 03, 2014, 06:03:05 PM
The avenues aren't on a strict spacing apart, unlike the streets. It's more apparent when you play around in Google Maps and really go from Hudson to East, rather than when you focus in on Midtown and notice that 5-6-7-8 all appear the same distance apart.

Actually, if you look really closely, the streets aren't a strict spacing apart, either. The width of private property between streets is constant (210 feet), but since the width of the streets themselves is not, the centerline to centerline distance between blocks varies. Usually it's 260 feet but when you have a major cross street (23rd, 34th, etc.) it goes up to about 280 feet. So, 20 blocks = 1 mile is not precisely true from a surveying perspective, but it's more than close enough for day to day purposes (off by at most 1%).

As Duke87 said there are other ways of getting more accurate information, but I generally eyeball the distance to say that between 2 avenues west of 5th Avenue is about the distance of 4 short blocks, or 1/5 of a mile.  The distance between 5-Mad-Park-Lex-3rd is about half of that or 1/10 of a mile.  The distance betwwen avenues east of 3rd Av (3rd-2nd-1st, as well as Aves A,B,C,D) is like 3 short blocks or 3/20 of a mile.  Again, rough estimates.

vdeane

Quote from: Duke87 on January 09, 2014, 08:44:59 PM
Quote from: Jim on January 08, 2014, 06:14:03 PM
I don't cross the border enough to know if it would be worth the trouble for a Watertown to Plattsburgh traveler to take I-81, cross the border to 401, cross back at Cornwall, for this potential new interstate the rest of the way.

Even if there were zero time delay to crossing the border, it still wouldn't be worth it. US 11 in the north country is a fairly quick moving road. Going up to ON 401 and then back into the US at Cornwall adds about 35 miles compared to just taking US 11 and, according to Google, also adds about 20 minutes.
US 11 traffic varies by what's going on with the colleges.  Could be either nothing or long lines of cars depending on the day.  Gouverneur and Canton and never fun either (neither is Potsdam, but I never had the experience of driving straight through it).

ON 401 is also less likely be be snow covered due to wind patters.  Lake effect snow goes straight up US 11 but rarely reaches the 1000 Islands.
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position of NYSDOT or its affiliates.

Jim

Quote from: Steve on January 08, 2014, 06:58:56 PM
Quote from: WNYroadgeek on January 08, 2014, 02:42:06 PM
NYSDOT's apparently going to study the feasibility of connecting I-81 to I-87:

Quote.@NYSDOT to undertake feasibility study on connecting I-81 in Watertown to I-87 in Champlain, improving #NorthCountry access #NYSOS14
https://twitter.com/NYGovCuomo/status/421002857605648384
They're really studying improvements to the US 11 corridor, not a new highway or certainly I-98.

Apparently at least some "officials in northern New York" believe it's an I-98 study that Cuomo proposed.  This AP blurb was in this morning's Daily Gazette in Schenectady:

QuoteThe Associated Press

Rekindled I-98 idea draws cheers from officials
    WATERTOWN – Officials in northern New York say they're encouraged that the state plans to look into the feasibility of building an interstate highway across the North Country.
    Construction of a so-called "Rooftop Highway"  that would be officially known as Interstate 98 has been discussed for years.
    Gov. Andrew Cuomo mentioned the I-98 idea during his State of the State speech this week. He's proposing to have state transportation officials re-examine the feasibility of building the Rooftop Highway.
    Supporters say building a 140-mile highway between Watertown and the Canadian border at Champlain would boost the region's economy.
    Opponents say an interstate would have the opposite effect by diverting traffic away from local communities. They say money should be spent to improve Route 11, the main east-west road spanning the North Country.
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Alps

In other news,

http://www.historicmapworks.com/Map/US/70672/Page+010+++Manhattan++Bronx+++Map+No++2/New+York+City+1949+Five+Boroughs+Street+Atlas/New+York/

I've maintained for years that I saw a map with "Deegan Blvd." on it in the place that I-87 now occupies in NYC. This map finally proves me correct.

NE2

http://www.nycgovparks.org/about/history/historical-signs/listings?id=8762
QuoteOn April 30, 1937, Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia renamed the westerly approach to the Triborough Bridge the Major William F. Deegan Boulevard.
pre-1945 Florida route log

I accept and respect your identity as long as it's not dumb shit like "identifying as a vaccinated attack helicopter".

empirestate

Quote from: Steve on January 14, 2014, 09:20:20 PM
In other news,

http://www.historicmapworks.com/Map/US/70672/Page+010+++Manhattan++Bronx+++Map+No++2/New+York+City+1949+Five+Boroughs+Street+Atlas/New+York/

I've maintained for years that I saw a map with "Deegan Blvd." on it in the place that I-87 now occupies in NYC. This map finally proves me correct.

As do some of the maps in this thread:
https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=11260.0

Bumppoman

#320
There are several signing projects underway along Route 17 in Broome and Tioga Counties.  I noticed an overhead assembly in this location being removed by crane this morning, so I doubled back after work and managed to snap a quick photo.



Two things stand out to me:  first, the "LEFT" flag.  I've never seen that used on a one-off ramp (i.e. where there are no other exits from the segment of highway).  Secondly, the control city for Route 17 west has changed from Elmira to Corning.  The control city is Elmira everywhere else between Binghamton and Elmira.  I'm wondering what the reason is, considering Corning is a solid 20 miles beyond Elmira.  I'm wondering if this ties in to future I-99 ending in Corning?

The timing is interesting too, considering that 17 shield will presumably have to be replaced with an I-86 one in the very near future.

Edit:  Thanks to Steve Alpert's treasure trove, I found a snapshot of the old sign.  I didn't even realize that the control city for Route 17C had changed from Endicott to Endwell.  This is also puzzling, though less so considering Endwell does actually come first.


SignBridge

#321
Current MUTCD standard requires the "LEFT" tab on all left-hand exit signs regardless of other circumstances. I agree that it's redundant in this case with the arrow also displayed. FHWA seems to have over-engineered this issue of the "LEFT" tabs in an effort to maybe make up for previous inadequacy in this area. For years left exits were not sufficiently indicated in advance in many places.

Re: the destinations shown, I'm not familiar with this location but I note on the map that Elmira seems to be a larger city than Corning, so you might have a point. All through these forums there is controversy about whatever destinations are displayed. There is plenty of lack of consistency and no apparent logic in many locations nationwide.

empirestate

Quote from: SignBridge on January 15, 2014, 08:36:09 PM
Re: the destinations shown, I'm not familiar with this location but I note on the map that Elmira seems to be a larger city than Corning, so you might have a point. All through these forums there is controversy about whatever destinations are displayed. There is plenty of lack of consistency and no apparent logic in many locations nationwide.

I absolutely assume it has to do with Corning being the junction with I-99 (although that's technically just west of Corning...). Corning also matches the southbound control city for I-390 as it heads towards I-86.

CANALLER

On my current project, the tabs are now being installed, although they say "LEFT EXIT ##".  So far, there has been no consistency to the design, as we have 4 different formats approaching the same interchange.  The design shown in the picture above would be the fifth different version I've seen.

spmkam




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