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Delaware

Started by Alex, February 11, 2009, 10:22:27 PM

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elsmere241

#250
http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20130409/NEWS/304090039/Del-1-proposal-fails-to-ease-concerns

QuoteDelDOT explains options for $180 million project to overhaul Del. 1

Written by Jeff Montgomery The News Journal
Apr. 08
   
A state Department of Transportation workshop on options for a $180 million expansion of a major north-south highway drew dozens of residents to Bear on Monday evening, many concerned about noise or the sacrifice of local access to meet through traffic needs.  The project, unlikely to begin before late 2015, would add one lane in each direction along nearly 10 miles of Del. 1, eventually creating three lanes each way between Del. 273 and Tybouts Corner and four lanes between Tybouts and the south side of the Roth Bridge.

Major overhauls of the Del. 273, Tybouts Corner and Del. 72 interchanges are planned, with less extensive work at U.S. 40. The Del. 273 options include a more complex and wider cloverleaf of ramps and overpasses, possibly moving some on- and off-traffic to intersections at Newtowne Road and Del. 7 or nearby School Bell Road .  One feature of the proposed design would ease cross-traffic friction by dead-ending Del. 7 just north of Del. 273, along a stretch of road that doubles as East Main Street in the historic and repeatedly flooded crossroads village of Christiana.  "I think that's pretty rude, to shut us out,"  said Charles Ford, who has lived along a private road on the south side of Christiana, near the proposed new closing point, for a decade. "It's going to cause a lot of extra time, extra gas and useless mileage on our vehicles."

Congestion, safety and long-term needs are driving all of the plans, officials said during the workshop at Leasure Elementary School.  Northbound Del. 1 already fails to meet current traffic flow standards between U.S. 40 and Del. 273, and both directions fail immediately south of Tybouts Corner.  "A big part of it right now is, you have a congestion problem, we have multiple accident areas that are consistent, they're not just a fluke,"  said Darren M. O'Neill, a project development group engineer with DelDOT.  "There's a projection of growth in this area. If we don't do something, the level of service at almost every location is going to fail, which will only lead to more congestion and traffic,"  he said.  Officials expect traffic along the corridor to nearly double in some areas by 2040, reaching 125,000 cars daily north of Tybouts, and 140,000 daily to the south. Current studies are aimed at selecting long-term solutions that meet environmental and federal highway aid requirements.

Much of the early public response to the plan has focused on proposals to rework the Del. 273 interchange south of Christiana Mall, where backups and accidents are common at the Del. 1 on- and off-ramps and the adjacent signal where Del. 273 and 7 meet.  The entire area often clogs dangerously, officials said, as through traffic tangles with driver efforts to dog-leg between Del. 1 and heavily developed areas of Del. 7 to the south along a too-short stretch of Del. 273.  To some Christiana residents, however, the cul-de-sac plan represents the latest chapter in a sort of "death of a thousand cutoffs"  for the long-ago bypassed community.

"When it rains, it floods, and cutting off where they're proposing to cut off, the people that live there are stuck,"  said Saddie Waters, who lives nearby and who has attended Christiana United Methodist Church most of her life.  Major highway and commercial developments already have created a dead-end east of the town, forcing traffic through the Del. 1 mall interchange. In the north, commercial development prompted DelDOT to close West Main Street's direct connection with Del. 273, shunting drivers instead onto a road that doubles as a shopping center access.  East-west traffic in Christiana concentrates along a shoulderless, narrow, two-lane section of Old Baltimore Pike already known for epic traffic jams during holidays and summer weekends.

DelDOT plans another workshop from 6-9 p.m. April 18 at Wilbur Elementary School near the Del. 72 interchange. Separate sessions on possible noise consequences are planned during the summer.

I wonder those who complain about the village of Christiana being cut off would like to go back to the days when not only did DE 7 use East Main Street and North Old Baltimore Pike (which it still does, but there was no Delaware 1 in this area until the mid-1990s) and DE 273 followed Main Street through the village (until the mid-1980s).

The details of the planned interchange upgrades are at the bottom of the "listening tours" here:
http://www.deldot.gov/information/projects/sr1/sr1-wide/pdf/273_ListeningTour.pdf
http://www.deldot.gov/information/projects/sr1/sr1-wide/pdf/SR72_Area_Listening_Tour.pdf (One option for the DE 1/DE 72 interchange would involve a diverging diamond.)



froggie

On a different note, I noticed on my way north last week that construction of the DE 1/DE 30 interchange near Milford has begun.  Grading for the future southbound DE 1 ramps is well underway.

cpzilliacus

#252
Dave Watts on Facebook found a gem on the Delaware State Archives site about the Delaware Turnpike.  Among other things, there is some discussion of the (long discontinued) ramp tolls on the Turnpike:

DELAWARE TURNPIKE SCRAPBOOK

Delaware Turnpike — John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway

EDIT:  Corrected typo.
Opinions expressed here on AAROADS are strictly personal and mine alone, and do not reflect policies or positions of MWCOG, NCRTPB or their member federal, state, county and municipal governments or any other agency.

jeffandnicole

Quote from: cpzilliacus on April 29, 2013, 09:38:31 AM
Dave Watts on Facebook found a gem on the Delaware State Acrhives site about the Delaware Turnpike.  Among other things, there is some discussion of the (long discontinued) ramp tolls on the Turnpike:

DELAWARE TURNPIKE SCRAPBOOK

Delaware Turnpike – John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway

Very interesting.  I haven't had time to review all the articles, but 2 that caught my eye were the articles about the honor system envelopes and the hotel off what is the ramp for 141 North.

The honor system envelopes were supposed to allow those that didn't have the change to pay the ramp toll the ability to mail the money.  They lasted all of 26 days in the early 70's, with the grand majority never used to mail back the quarter.  The Garden State Parkway had a similiar system which was in use for several decades, elimanated only a few years ago (although I'm sure more envelopes were tossed rather than used to pay the toll).

The hotel that was envisioned in the early 1970's for the interchange just off I-95 North near the 95/295 split at Exit 5, Rt. 141, was never built until the late 90's.  And then, with an opening scheduled for 2000, it was never opened until about 2011 due to disagreements with the county.  It looks like it was supposed to compliment the nearby New Castle Airport, which never developed into a medium/large scale passenger airport. 

BamaZeus

Wow.  First article I read has to do with people arguing over patronage jobs. "The city was supposed to get that job...We won't take this lying down"

It just seems strange for people from the same party to be arguing publicly over political patronage, something seemingly more appropriate to the 19th century. 

Brandon

Quote from: BamaZeus on April 29, 2013, 12:55:42 PM
Wow.  First article I read has to do with people arguing over patronage jobs. "The city was supposed to get that job...We won't take this lying down"

It just seems strange for people from the same party to be arguing publicly over political patronage, something seemingly more appropriate to the 19th century. 

I take it you've never read a Chicago newspaper.  That sort of patronage crappola is still a way a life around these parts.
"If you think this has a happy ending, you haven't been paying attention." - Ramsay Bolton

"Symbolic of his struggle against reality." - Reg

BamaZeus

I know the concept of patronage still exists and all, it's just the idea of it being in the open news that got to me.  I just envisioned that sort of political dealing to be more behind closed doors than debated in the local newspaper. 

Alex

Sign work to close southbound Del. 1 at I-95 tonight

QuoteSouthbound Del. 1 will be closed late tonight near Christiana Mall to allow for installation of an overhead sign structure, the Delaware Department of Transportation reports.

The road will be closed at the I-95 overpass from 11 p.m. until 7 a.m. Saturday.

Southbound traffic will be detoured east on I-95, east on Del. 273 and back to Del. 1.

jeffandnicole

Quote from: Alex on May 10, 2013, 09:22:30 AM
Sign work to close southbound Del. 1 at I-95 tonight

QuoteSouthbound Del. 1 will be closed late tonight near Christiana Mall to allow for installation of an overhead sign structure, the Delaware Department of Transportation reports.

The road will be closed at the I-95 overpass from 11 p.m. until 7 a.m. Saturday.

Southbound traffic will be detoured east on I-95, east on Del. 273 and back to Del. 1.

Really?  Closing a roadway for 8 hours to add a sign structure?  Something that normally take a 15+/- minute closure to complete? 

cpzilliacus

Quote from: jeffandnicole on May 10, 2013, 10:11:02 AM
Quote from: Alex on May 10, 2013, 09:22:30 AM
Sign work to close southbound Del. 1 at I-95 tonight

QuoteSouthbound Del. 1 will be closed late tonight near Christiana Mall to allow for installation of an overhead sign structure, the Delaware Department of Transportation reports.

The road will be closed at the I-95 overpass from 11 p.m. until 7 a.m. Saturday.

Southbound traffic will be detoured east on I-95, east on Del. 273 and back to Del. 1.

Really?  Closing a roadway for 8 hours to add a sign structure?  Something that normally take a 15+/- minute closure to complete? 

I dunno.  Are they removing an old structure first?  A structure that spans an entire roadway (or both roadways), takes more than 15 minutes to install.
Opinions expressed here on AAROADS are strictly personal and mine alone, and do not reflect policies or positions of MWCOG, NCRTPB or their member federal, state, county and municipal governments or any other agency.

jeffandnicole

Quote from: cpzilliacus on May 10, 2013, 08:16:16 PM
Quote from: jeffandnicole on May 10, 2013, 10:11:02 AM
Quote from: Alex on May 10, 2013, 09:22:30 AM
Sign work to close southbound Del. 1 at I-95 tonight

QuoteSouthbound Del. 1 will be closed late tonight near Christiana Mall to allow for installation of an overhead sign structure, the Delaware Department of Transportation reports.

The road will be closed at the I-95 overpass from 11 p.m. until 7 a.m. Saturday.

Southbound traffic will be detoured east on I-95, east on Del. 273 and back to Del. 1.

Really?  Closing a roadway for 8 hours to add a sign structure?  Something that normally take a 15+/- minute closure to complete? 

I dunno.  Are they removing an old structure first?  A structure that spans an entire roadway (or both roadways), takes more than 15 minutes to install.

Just saying from experience - it's very rare for entire roadways to be shut down just to put up a sign.  It would be a weekly occurrence on the NJ Turnpike for example with all the overhead signs and bridge beams they are installing.  Instead, if you see the construction schedules, you'll see traffic slowdowns for small periods of time while a sign/beam is installed, not several hours of closures.

Alps

All I can think is that they're going to use this closure to do a lot of other work that's much more easily done without traffic around.

elsmere241

I'm not sure what to make of this:

http://www.deldot.gov/information/projects/NewarkRouteChanges/index.shtml

QuoteIt is our experience that most people do not realize that Route 2 comes into Newark from the east off of Capitol Trail, goes down Route 72 to Route 4, and then to the west to Elkton Road, and then to the state line. Nor do most people realize that Main Street and Elkton Road (up to Route 4) are designated as Business Route 2.

Given that very few people or businesses refer to any form of Route 2 in Newark, we propose to end Route 2 at Route 273. We would completely eliminate Business Route 2. Almost all of the roads where we propose to eliminate the Route 2 or Business Route 2 designation are also "braided" with another Delaware route designations which would remain unchanged (such as Route 273, Route 72, and Route 896). The exception is Elkton Road between the Maryland state line and Christina Parkway, which we propose to designate as Delaware Route 279. This then matches the other side of the state line which is designated as Maryland Route 279.

The goal of this effort is to simplify the route designations in Newark, reduce sign clutter, and reduce sign maintenance costs.

http://www.deldot.gov/information/projects/NewarkRouteChanges/pdfs/NewarkProposedRoutes.pdf

Why not just get rid of Business 2 after 25 years (I remember the signs going up in 1988) and route DE 2 through Newark again?  Or send DE 4 down Elkton Road and eliminate the need for a DE 279?

NE2

It's good when numbers match at the state line. But why keep 4 on 896?
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".

Alex

Quote from: elsmere241 on May 30, 2013, 12:17:35 AM
I'm not sure what to make of this:

http://www.deldot.gov/information/projects/NewarkRouteChanges/index.shtml

QuoteIt is our experience that most people do not realize that Route 2 comes into Newark from the east off of Capitol Trail, goes down Route 72 to Route 4, and then to the west to Elkton Road, and then to the state line. Nor do most people realize that Main Street and Elkton Road (up to Route 4) are designated as Business Route 2.

Given that very few people or businesses refer to any form of Route 2 in Newark, we propose to end Route 2 at Route 273. We would completely eliminate Business Route 2. Almost all of the roads where we propose to eliminate the Route 2 or Business Route 2 designation are also "braided" with another Delaware route designations which would remain unchanged (such as Route 273, Route 72, and Route 896). The exception is Elkton Road between the Maryland state line and Christina Parkway, which we propose to designate as Delaware Route 279. This then matches the other side of the state line which is designated as Maryland Route 279.

The goal of this effort is to simplify the route designations in Newark, reduce sign clutter, and reduce sign maintenance costs.

http://www.deldot.gov/information/projects/NewarkRouteChanges/pdfs/NewarkProposedRoutes.pdf

Why not just get rid of Business 2 after 25 years (I remember the signs going up in 1988) and route DE 2 through Newark again?  Or send DE 4 down Elkton Road and eliminate the need for a DE 279?

More of this "unbraiding" route nonsense. I agree with elsemere241, why not just extend DE-4 to the state line, rather than have a new DE-279 arbitrarily change to DE 4 while DE 896 turns? Plus I thought part of the rational to rename a portion of Elkton Road to South Main Street was to disassociate Newark with Elkton? Importing MD-279 just reaffirms that connection. Plus DE 4 originally went to the state line along Chestnut Hill Road:



There is still the three-way overlap with DE-71, DE 896 and US 301 to the south as well that could fall under their "unbraiding" policy. Truncate DE 896 to DE 273, keep South Main Street unnumbered (I am sure Newark would be totally on board with that) and number the portions of DE-896 south from DE 4 something else.

froggie

QuoteI agree with elsemere241, why not just extend DE-4 to the state line, rather than have a new DE-279 arbitrarily change to DE 4 while DE 896 turns?

See NE2's comment.  Truncate 4 to where it meets 896.

elsmere241

If they're going to create a DE 279 it should go all the way downtown.  The problem with truncating DE 4 is that Christina Parkway was built as DE 4 - DE 896 was added around 1985, DE 2 in 1988.  And there's the theoretical possibility of Christina Pkwy being extended farther west.  (When pigs fly.)

Nobody really followed the post-1988 routing of DE 2 (or paid much attention to it) - it doesn't go through town, but a good part of it is two-lane and it crosses Amtrak twice.  I'd say it would be easier to get rid of "Business 2" and move DE 2 back where it was, and maybe run DE 896 up South College Avenue again.  That would certainly make things less cluttered in Newark.  Besides, people will go the way they go regardless of how things are posted.

As for DE 896 around Middletown, I'll post something on that later.  I will say, having seen the plans for US 301 (I've processed a lot of DelDOT takings for it with my job at New Castle County) it might make sense for DE 15 to follow the US 301 Spur, rather than zigzag the way it does now.

elsmere241

The proposal page now has a place for public comments.  Here's what I just posted:

QuoteI would rather DE 2 be restored to its pre-1988 alignment.  The current route takes it over Amtrak twice, can be hard to follow, and multiplexes with DE 4 or DE 72 its entire length, sometimes using two-lane roads.  If DelDOT is that concerned about multiplexed highways (and difficult turns) it should move DE 896 back from Elkton Road to South College Avenue.  As it is, DE 896 north has to go around the block along West Delaware Avenue, South College Avenue, and West Main Street.  It might be better to curtail DE 896 at downtown Newark and come up with a new number for South College/Summit Bridge anyway.

If you must curtail DE 2, then Elkton Road below Christina Parkway should be DE 4, rather than bring in a new number.  It might be a good idea for that stretch to be DE 2 and DE 4 anyway - something I thought would happen when Christina Parkway was built in 1983.

If you must bring in a DE 279, it should go all the way into downtown, whether or not DE 896 is moved or curtailed.  There is no point in creating a new number for just a couple of miles that ends where a new route (in this case DE 4) begins.

If DelDOT is that concerned with route numbers from Maryland carrying over, might I suggest creating DE 285 (Chesapeake City Road, connecting to DE 71); DE 310 (which could replace the current DE 896 along Pole Bridge Road); and/or replacing DE 299 west of Middletown with DE 282.  There are several other instances of highways having different numbers in each state and there's no reason to proactively change any of them.

Alex

Quote from: elsmere241 on June 11, 2013, 04:31:41 PM
The proposal page now has a place for public comments.  Here's what I just posted:

QuoteI would rather DE 2 be restored to its pre-1988 alignment.  The current route takes it over Amtrak twice, can be hard to follow, and multiplexes with DE 4 or DE 72 its entire length, sometimes using two-lane roads.  If DelDOT is that concerned about multiplexed highways (and difficult turns) it should move DE 896 back from Elkton Road to South College Avenue.  As it is, DE 896 north has to go around the block along West Delaware Avenue, South College Avenue, and West Main Street.  It might be better to curtail DE 896 at downtown Newark and come up with a new number for South College/Summit Bridge anyway.

If you must curtail DE 2, then Elkton Road below Christina Parkway should be DE 4, rather than bring in a new number.  It might be a good idea for that stretch to be DE 2 and DE 4 anyway - something I thought would happen when Christina Parkway was built in 1983.

If you must bring in a DE 279, it should go all the way into downtown, whether or not DE 896 is moved or curtailed.  There is no point in creating a new number for just a couple of miles that ends where a new route (in this case DE 4) begins.

If DelDOT is that concerned with route numbers from Maryland carrying over, might I suggest creating DE 285 (Chesapeake City Road, connecting to DE 71); DE 310 (which could replace the current DE 896 along Pole Bridge Road); and/or replacing DE 299 west of Middletown with DE 282.  There are several other instances of highways having different numbers in each state and there's no reason to proactively change any of them.

I agree with everything you wrote.

One other thought on the proposals they have, if they are going to truncate DE 2 to East Main Street, why not renumber DE 72 from Possum Park Road northward to something else as well, and have DE 72 start at Library Avenue and DE 273. This would eliminate the somewhat odd concept of having DE 2/72 overlap westward with DE 2 ending and DE 72 continuing.

elsmere241

Quote from: Alex on June 11, 2013, 05:08:47 PM
I agree with everything you wrote.

One other thought on the proposals they have, if they are going to truncate DE 2 to East Main Street, why not renumber DE 72 from Possum Park Road northward to something else as well, and have DE 72 start at Library Avenue and DE 273. This would eliminate the somewhat odd concept of having DE 2/72 overlap westward with DE 2 ending and DE 72 continuing.

Or maybe that new route could stay on Paper Mill Road, etc. etc.  DelDOT certainly has opened a can of worms with this whole thing.  Personally, I can think of a few other changes they could make that would make more sense than this.  That could include, say, adding a 500-series of routes in northern New Castle County that could be "virtual section line roads" to make it easier to get around without a map in hand.  (Below the C&D Canal, including in Kent and Sussex, they could be "virtual township line roads", maybe.)

At least Bob Gilligan has retired from the General Assembly.

hbelkins

"Braided?" Don't think I've ever heard that term before, but it's better than "multiplex."

I prefer "concurrent" or "co-signed" or even "share pavement" to "multiplex." Where did that term for two or more routes signed on the same road originate?


Government would be tolerable if not for politicians and bureaucrats.

NE2

Quote from: hbelkins on June 21, 2013, 11:25:28 PM
I prefer "concurrent" or "co-signed" or even "share pavement" to "multiplex." Where did that term for two or more routes signed on the same road originate?
m.t.r. "Decommissioned" came from Route 66 fandom.

PS: Google Groups' new interface sucks ass for searching. In addition to having to keep hitting page down/end and wait for it to load, it seems to go back only to 1997.
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".

Alex

Opening of I-95 ramp at US 202 set for Tuesday

QuoteThe Delaware Department of Transportation has rescheduled the opening of the new ramp from I-95 southbound to U.S. 202 southbound.

Officials have moved the ramp's opening – part of a three-year project to improve the interchange – to Tuesday because of recent rains.

The event had been scheduled to occur today.

Alex

Rush W sent me this Newark Post article on the Newark route renumbering:

A route to less clutter: DelDOT to consolidate Newark route numbers

Per the article, were the route changes made official?

elsmere241

Quote from: Alex on July 01, 2013, 06:04:55 PM
Rush W sent me this Newark Post article on the Newark route renumbering:

A route to less clutter: DelDOT to consolidate Newark route numbers

Per the article, were the route changes made official?

According to the DelDOT page I referenced a month ago, no.  They're still taking comments.



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