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Connecticut News

Started by Mergingtraffic, October 28, 2009, 08:39:49 PM

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Rothman

Quote from: abqtraveler on June 03, 2023, 10:36:53 PM
Quote from: kernals12 on June 03, 2023, 10:03:41 PM
Quote from: Ted$8roadFan on April 29, 2023, 07:53:37 AM
A Connecticut icon has passed:

https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/thehour/name/stew-leonard-obituary?id=51755958

A road-related nugget was that his dairy farm was taken by eminent domain for a highway; perhaps US 7?

Stew Leonard's is the Northeast's answer to Buc-ee's
Comparing Stew Leonards to Buc-ee's is like comparing apples to oranges. Buc-ee's is more of a truck/travel stop on steriods that provides fuel, goods, and services for travelers, whereas Stew Leonards is more of giant farmers market.
^This.  Stew Leonard's is a supermarket...
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position(s) of NYSDOT.


kernals12

Quote from: abqtraveler on June 03, 2023, 10:36:53 PM
Quote from: kernals12 on June 03, 2023, 10:03:41 PM
Quote from: Ted$8roadFan on April 29, 2023, 07:53:37 AM
A Connecticut icon has passed:

https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/thehour/name/stew-leonard-obituary?id=51755958

A road-related nugget was that his dairy farm was taken by eminent domain for a highway; perhaps US 7?

Stew Leonard's is the Northeast's answer to Buc-ee's
Comparing Stew Leonards to Buc-ee's is like comparing apples to oranges. Buc-ee's is more of a truck/travel stop on steriods that provides fuel, goods, and services for travelers, whereas Stew Leonards is more of giant farmers market.

They're both quirky regional supermarket chains with extremely loyal followings

Rothman

Quote from: kernals12 on June 04, 2023, 11:03:53 PM
Quote from: abqtraveler on June 03, 2023, 10:36:53 PM
Quote from: kernals12 on June 03, 2023, 10:03:41 PM
Quote from: Ted$8roadFan on April 29, 2023, 07:53:37 AM
A Connecticut icon has passed:

https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/thehour/name/stew-leonard-obituary?id=51755958

A road-related nugget was that his dairy farm was taken by eminent domain for a highway; perhaps US 7?

Stew Leonard's is the Northeast's answer to Buc-ee's
Comparing Stew Leonards to Buc-ee's is like comparing apples to oranges. Buc-ee's is more of a truck/travel stop on steriods that provides fuel, goods, and services for travelers, whereas Stew Leonards is more of giant farmers market.

They're both quirky regional supermarket chains with extremely loyal followings
Buc-ee's is not a supermarket.
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position(s) of NYSDOT.

kernals12

Quote from: Rothman on June 04, 2023, 11:39:33 PM
Quote from: kernals12 on June 04, 2023, 11:03:53 PM
Quote from: abqtraveler on June 03, 2023, 10:36:53 PM
Quote from: kernals12 on June 03, 2023, 10:03:41 PM
Quote from: Ted$8roadFan on April 29, 2023, 07:53:37 AM
A Connecticut icon has passed:

https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/thehour/name/stew-leonard-obituary?id=51755958

A road-related nugget was that his dairy farm was taken by eminent domain for a highway; perhaps US 7?

Stew Leonard's is the Northeast's answer to Buc-ee's
Comparing Stew Leonards to Buc-ee's is like comparing apples to oranges. Buc-ee's is more of a truck/travel stop on steriods that provides fuel, goods, and services for travelers, whereas Stew Leonards is more of giant farmers market.

They're both quirky regional supermarket chains with extremely loyal followings
Buc-ee's is not a supermarket.

Yeat it is. Its locations are bigger than the typical supermarket

QuoteYou read that right: At 52,600 square feet, that's a little bigger than a typical Publix or Winn-Dixie and eight or nine times the size of what Gate, Daily's or Race Trac has been opening lately

vdeane

Functionally, I wouldn't equate Buck-ee's to a supermarket.  Yes, it's big, but it's really more of a convenience store that's really large because "everything is bigger in Texas" or something like that.  Next time, try looking at function, not just size.  There's is a lot differentiating a convenience store from a supermarket other than square footage.
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position of NYSDOT or its affiliates.

RobbieL2415

ConnDOT has gone on an absolute tear reflectorizing guide rails, medians and parapets. I've noticed a whole bunch of them being put up on various highways.

abqtraveler

Quote from: RobbieL2415 on June 05, 2023, 02:33:01 PM
ConnDOT has gone on an absolute tear reflectorizing guide rails, medians and parapets. I've noticed a whole bunch of them being put up on various highways.
No reflectors for lane markings in the roadways?  Do you have pics of what you've seen thus far?
2-d Interstates traveled:  4, 5, 8, 10, 15, 20, 24, 25, 27, 29, 35, 39, 40, 41, 43, 45, 49, 55, 57, 64, 65, 66, 69, 70, 71, 72, 74, 75, 76(E), 77, 78, 81, 83, 84(W), 85, 87(N), 89, 90, 91, 93, 94, 95

2-d Interstates Clinched:  12, 22, 30, 37, 44, 59, 80, 84(E), 86(E), 238, H1, H2, H3, H201

BamaZeus

Quote from: DJStephens on June 03, 2023, 08:16:10 PM
Quote from: kernals12 on April 29, 2023, 01:59:30 PM
Quote from: Ted$8roadFan on April 29, 2023, 07:53:37 AM
A Connecticut icon has passed:

https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/thehour/name/stew-leonard-obituary?id=51755958

A road-related nugget was that his dairy farm was taken by eminent domain for a highway; perhaps US 7?
That would be ironic since Stew's has a location on US 7 in Brookfield.
The obituary mentions that the Diary Farm taken was "Clover Farms" in Norwalk.  Must have been for that short US 7 freeway grade section that extends northwards out of Norwalk.   

The address for Clover Farms was on Catherine St. in Norwalk, kinda directly across the river from Riverside Cemetery.  There was about 300 feet worth of clearance between the end of the street and the river, before the highway was built.

I don't know if the animals were kept there or not, and can't tell from historic aerials, but Super 7 definitely took up a lot of Stew's land where the house/business were.

Alps

Quote from: Rothman on June 03, 2023, 10:40:49 PM
Quote from: abqtraveler on June 03, 2023, 10:36:53 PM
Quote from: kernals12 on June 03, 2023, 10:03:41 PM
Quote from: Ted$8roadFan on April 29, 2023, 07:53:37 AM
A Connecticut icon has passed:

https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/thehour/name/stew-leonard-obituary?id=51755958

A road-related nugget was that his dairy farm was taken by eminent domain for a highway; perhaps US 7?

Stew Leonard's is the Northeast's answer to Buc-ee's
Comparing Stew Leonards to Buc-ee's is like comparing apples to oranges. Buc-ee's is more of a truck/travel stop on steriods that provides fuel, goods, and services for travelers, whereas Stew Leonards is more of giant farmers market.
^This.  Stew Leonard's is a supermarket...
Stew's was sorta a prototypical Wegmans, if Wegmans were laid out like Ikea.

kernals12

Quote from: Alps on June 05, 2023, 07:33:59 PM
Quote from: Rothman on June 03, 2023, 10:40:49 PM
Quote from: abqtraveler on June 03, 2023, 10:36:53 PM
Quote from: kernals12 on June 03, 2023, 10:03:41 PM
Quote from: Ted$8roadFan on April 29, 2023, 07:53:37 AM
A Connecticut icon has passed:

https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/thehour/name/stew-leonard-obituary?id=51755958

A road-related nugget was that his dairy farm was taken by eminent domain for a highway; perhaps US 7?

Stew Leonard's is the Northeast's answer to Buc-ee's
Comparing Stew Leonards to Buc-ee's is like comparing apples to oranges. Buc-ee's is more of a truck/travel stop on steriods that provides fuel, goods, and services for travelers, whereas Stew Leonards is more of giant farmers market.
^This.  Stew Leonard's is a supermarket...
Stew's was sorta a prototypical Wegmans, if Wegmans were laid out like Ikea.

And had mascots and interactive gags.

jp the roadgeek

Quote from: Alps on June 05, 2023, 07:33:59 PM
Quote from: Rothman on June 03, 2023, 10:40:49 PM
Quote from: abqtraveler on June 03, 2023, 10:36:53 PM
Quote from: kernals12 on June 03, 2023, 10:03:41 PM
Quote from: Ted$8roadFan on April 29, 2023, 07:53:37 AM
A Connecticut icon has passed:

https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/thehour/name/stew-leonard-obituary?id=51755958

A road-related nugget was that his dairy farm was taken by eminent domain for a highway; perhaps US 7?

Stew Leonard's is the Northeast's answer to Buc-ee's
Comparing Stew Leonards to Buc-ee's is like comparing apples to oranges. Buc-ee's is more of a truck/travel stop on steriods that provides fuel, goods, and services for travelers, whereas Stew Leonards is more of giant farmers market.
^This.  Stew Leonard's is a supermarket...
Stew's was sorta a prototypical Wegmans, if Wegmans were laid out like Ikea.

With a touch of Chuck E Cheese with the animatronics
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)

vdeane

Quote from: jp the roadgeek on June 05, 2023, 08:54:17 PM
Quote from: Alps on June 05, 2023, 07:33:59 PM
Quote from: Rothman on June 03, 2023, 10:40:49 PM
Quote from: abqtraveler on June 03, 2023, 10:36:53 PM
Quote from: kernals12 on June 03, 2023, 10:03:41 PM
Quote from: Ted$8roadFan on April 29, 2023, 07:53:37 AM
A Connecticut icon has passed:

https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/thehour/name/stew-leonard-obituary?id=51755958

A road-related nugget was that his dairy farm was taken by eminent domain for a highway; perhaps US 7?

Stew Leonard's is the Northeast's answer to Buc-ee's
Comparing Stew Leonards to Buc-ee's is like comparing apples to oranges. Buc-ee's is more of a truck/travel stop on steriods that provides fuel, goods, and services for travelers, whereas Stew Leonards is more of giant farmers market.
^This.  Stew Leonard's is a supermarket...
Stew's was sorta a prototypical Wegmans, if Wegmans were laid out like Ikea.

With a touch of Chuck E Cheese with the animatronics
I guess Chuck E Cheese is now a supermarket.
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position of NYSDOT or its affiliates.

BamaZeus

I don't want any besmirching of the Farm Fresh Five on this forum :)


MikeTheActuary

Looks like Connecticut towns are going to get to use speed and traffic light cameras:

https://ctmirror.org/2023/06/07/ct-red-light-cameras-senate-approves-local-option/

Mergingtraffic

Quote from: MikeTheActuary on June 07, 2023, 10:56:02 PM
Looks like Connecticut towns are going to get to use speed and traffic light cameras:

https://ctmirror.org/2023/06/07/ct-red-light-cameras-senate-approves-local-option/


Yep that came real fast. Earlier this year the DOT started a pilot program for speed enforcement in work zones and they're like it won't go farther than this. Now, I'm June here we are.
More money and ridiculous slow speed limits 
I only take pics of good looking signs. Long live non-reflective button copy!
MergingTraffic https://www.flickr.com/photos/98731835@N05/

MikeTheActuary

Quote from: Mergingtraffic on June 08, 2023, 10:44:33 AM
Yep that came real fast. Earlier this year the DOT started a pilot program for speed enforcement in work zones and they're like it won't go farther than this. Now, I'm June here we are.
More money and ridiculous slow speed limits 

They were discrete lobbying efforts, I believe.

In theory, the requirement for DOT review should keep things from getting too far out of hand.  (In CT, speed limits changes have to be blessed by ConnDOT.   My street has a 30mph speed limit.   The neighborhood campaigned to lower that due to some issues -- the street was a pre-European trail, and has issues with poor sightlines, no sidewalks, etc. -- but the town officials pointed out that because of the ConnDOT approval process and their current standards...if they submitted a speed limit change request, they would be obliged to increase the speed limit to 35 or 40.)    Even so, I think I'm going to like driving through West Hartford (a particularly car-unfriendly town) even less than I do already.

Mergingtraffic

#5491
“keep it movin’” is becoming less and less in CT. Think about it, every where you go there’s a lack of lanes, basic turn lanes or aux lanes (that other states put in w/o a 2nd thought), stoplights, crosswalks, stop signs, extremely low speed limits, passing zones that have been taken away, granny going 5 below the speed limit, etc.

I think there’s more aggression out there bc we can’t “keep it movin” as there’s always something slowing you down. You just want to drive at a good pace for a bit.

I drove from Bridgeport to Danbury today. It was brutal up CT-25. Then, you finally get to I-84 and you want to gun it a bit but you can’t bc it’s backed up.

  I’m def not saying drive aggressive or reckless but driving at a good pace can’t be done in this state. But CT-25 should be a boulevard 4-lane of like 50mph between Trumbull and Danbury (think of NJ-17 or US-46 in spots in NJ) instead it’s 35mph tops!

Now, it’ll be worse with these towns, they will jump at the red-light and speed cameras. I can see Westport, Wilton, West Hartford jumping on it.

ON A SIDE NOTE:
Why is adding lanes or continuity of lanes such a hard thing to grasp in this state?
The new I-84 Exit 11 used to merge into one lane then open up to a pair or turn lanes at the stoplight.  It’s since been widened to accommodate two lanes ALL THE WAY to the stoplight but it’s still goes down to one lane. Makes zero sense.

I’ve seen the DOT actually take away lanes on existing pavement.
I only take pics of good looking signs. Long live non-reflective button copy!
MergingTraffic https://www.flickr.com/photos/98731835@N05/

connroadgeek

Quote from: Mergingtraffic on June 08, 2023, 02:46:17 PM
"keep it movin'"  is becoming less and less in CT. Think about it, every where you go there's a lack of lanes, basic turn lanes or aux lanes (that other states put in w/o a 2nd thought), stoplights, crosswalks, stop signs, extremely low speed limits, passing zones that have been taken away, granny going 5 below the speed limit, etc.

I think there's more aggression out there bc we can't "keep it movin"  as there's always something slowing you down. You just want to drive at a good pace for a bit.

I drove from Bridgeport to Danbury today. It was brutal up CT-25. Then, you finally get to I-84 and you want to gun it a bit but you can't bc it's backed up.

  I'm def not saying drive aggressive or reckless but driving at a good pace can't be done in this state. But CT-25 should be a boulevard 4-lane of like 50mph between Trumbull and Danbury (think of NJ-17 or US-46 in spots in NJ) instead it's 35mph tops!

Now, it'll be worse with these towns, they will jump at the red-light and speed cameras. I can see Westport, Wilton, West Hartford jumping on it.

ON A SIDE NOTE:
Why is adding lanes or continuity of lanes such a hard thing to grasp in this state?
The new I-84 Exit 11 used to merge into one lane then open up to a pair or turn lanes at the stoplight.  It's since been widened to accommodate two lanes ALL THE WAY to the stoplight but it's still goes down to one lane. Makes zero sense.

I've seen the DOT actually take away lanes on existing pavement.
There are never going to be new lanes. What we have is what we have, and people just need to travel in off peak hours or be prepared to go really slow.

Plutonic Panda

Quote from: connroadgeek on June 08, 2023, 09:38:16 PM
Quote from: Mergingtraffic on June 08, 2023, 02:46:17 PM
"keep it movin'"  is becoming less and less in CT. Think about it, every where you go there's a lack of lanes, basic turn lanes or aux lanes (that other states put in w/o a 2nd thought), stoplights, crosswalks, stop signs, extremely low speed limits, passing zones that have been taken away, granny going 5 below the speed limit, etc.

I think there's more aggression out there bc we can't "keep it movin"  as there's always something slowing you down. You just want to drive at a good pace for a bit.

I drove from Bridgeport to Danbury today. It was brutal up CT-25. Then, you finally get to I-84 and you want to gun it a bit but you can't bc it's backed up.

  I'm def not saying drive aggressive or reckless but driving at a good pace can't be done in this state. But CT-25 should be a boulevard 4-lane of like 50mph between Trumbull and Danbury (think of NJ-17 or US-46 in spots in NJ) instead it's 35mph tops!

Now, it'll be worse with these towns, they will jump at the red-light and speed cameras. I can see Westport, Wilton, West Hartford jumping on it.

ON A SIDE NOTE:
Why is adding lanes or continuity of lanes such a hard thing to grasp in this state?
The new I-84 Exit 11 used to merge into one lane then open up to a pair or turn lanes at the stoplight.  It's since been widened to accommodate two lanes ALL THE WAY to the stoplight but it's still goes down to one lane. Makes zero sense.

I've seen the DOT actually take away lanes on existing pavement.
There are never going to be new lanes. What we have is what we have, and people just need to travel in off peak hours or be prepared to go really slow.
That's a very sad state if true.

jp the roadgeek

#5494
This state is slow in passing or improving anything, unless it's a new revenue generating tool like a tax or an automated road pirate device.  The roads are 1950's infrastructure at best, with speed limits that were set in the 1970's when cars had inferior technology compared to today's standards.  There are many main roads in my town with a draconian 25 MPH speed limit that are straight and could easily support a 35 or 40 MPH limit; this includes state roads.  And intersections are so antiquated with no turn lanes that if one car gets too far to the right to make a left hand turn, the intersection will back up for over a half a mile.  But yeah, let's collect that dough on those ridiculously low speed limits and people getting caught in intersections trying to make impossible turns due to no arrows or lanes and do nothing about it.
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)

connroadgeek

Quote from: jp the roadgeek on June 09, 2023, 12:06:14 AM
This state is slow in passing or improving anything, unless it's a new revenue generating tool like a tax or an automated road pirate device.  The roads are 1950's infrastructure at best, with speed limits that were set in the 1970's when cars had inferior technology compared to today's standards.  There are many main roads in my town with a draconian 25 MPH speed limit that are straight and could easily support a 35 or 40 MPH limit; this includes state roads.  And intersections are so antiquated with no turn lanes that if one car gets too far to the right to make a left hand turn, the intersection will back up for over a half a mile.  But yeah, let's collect that dough on those ridiculously low speed limits and people getting caught in intersections trying to make impossible turns due to no arrows or lanes and do nothing about it.
The thing is they're not collecting dough on ridiculously low speed limits. The state does very little traffic enforcement. Almost none outside of the major holidays really.

kernals12

I find this hilarious: ConnDOT's headquarters is in the path of what was supposed to be the Southwest Portion of I-291




abqtraveler

Quote from: kernals12 on June 10, 2023, 12:42:19 AM
I find this hilarious: ConnDOT's headquarters is in the path of what was supposed to be the Southwest Portion of I-291




CTDOT needed a new HQ, and they had land for a highway that would never get built. So why not?
2-d Interstates traveled:  4, 5, 8, 10, 15, 20, 24, 25, 27, 29, 35, 39, 40, 41, 43, 45, 49, 55, 57, 64, 65, 66, 69, 70, 71, 72, 74, 75, 76(E), 77, 78, 81, 83, 84(W), 85, 87(N), 89, 90, 91, 93, 94, 95

2-d Interstates Clinched:  12, 22, 30, 37, 44, 59, 80, 84(E), 86(E), 238, H1, H2, H3, H201

shadyjay

Drove I-691 West today... caught some of the new signs that are up:

MP 0.0:
DSC04306 by Jay Hogan, on Flickr

I'm guessing this was meant to be put up EB... as this exit indirectly accesses CT 71 via Lewis Ave:
DSC04307 by Jay Hogan, on Flickr

New Exit 5 (former Exit 4)... the overhead has yet to come down:
DSC04308 by Jay Hogan, on Flickr

Saw a couple new signs EB (including the god-aweful change of former Exit 7 to "Meriden" and former Exit 8 to "US 5/Downtown Meriden".  Didn't get pics, as I ended up returning via an alternate route to avoid most of I-84. 

The surface of I-691 is still very very rough.... I thought that project would've been done by now, or at least the first coat of new asphalt down... but no.

abqtraveler

Quote from: shadyjay on June 11, 2023, 05:24:59 PM
Drove I-691 West today... caught some of the new signs that are up:

MP 0.0:
DSC04306 by Jay Hogan, on Flickr

I'm guessing this was meant to be put up EB... as this exit indirectly accesses CT 71 via Lewis Ave:
DSC04307 by Jay Hogan, on Flickr

New Exit 5 (former Exit 4)... the overhead has yet to come down:
DSC04308 by Jay Hogan, on Flickr

Saw a couple new signs EB (including the god-aweful change of former Exit 7 to "Meriden" and former Exit 8 to "US 5/Downtown Meriden".  Didn't get pics, as I ended up returning via an alternate route to avoid most of I-84. 

The surface of I-691 is still very very rough.... I thought that project would've been done by now, or at least the first coat of new asphalt down... but no.
Once again you can see the inconsistency with the state highway shields from one sign replacement project to the next. CTDOT needs to settle on a standard design for the state highway shield and stop flip-flopping between the thick black border, thin black border, and no border.
2-d Interstates traveled:  4, 5, 8, 10, 15, 20, 24, 25, 27, 29, 35, 39, 40, 41, 43, 45, 49, 55, 57, 64, 65, 66, 69, 70, 71, 72, 74, 75, 76(E), 77, 78, 81, 83, 84(W), 85, 87(N), 89, 90, 91, 93, 94, 95

2-d Interstates Clinched:  12, 22, 30, 37, 44, 59, 80, 84(E), 86(E), 238, H1, H2, H3, H201



Opinions expressed here on belong solely to the poster and do not represent or reflect the opinions or beliefs of AARoads, its creators and/or associates.