Recent posts

#1

Mid-South / Re: Texas

Last post by Road Hog - Today at 02:27:52 AM

I don't know what the advantage is of a turbine as opposed to a 4-level stack. You need lots more real estate for it and more piers to install since piers aren't being shared. It's "innovative" and "looks purty" but that's about it.

From what I've noticed, it allows faster driving speeds which can prevent unnecessary braking and slowdowns in heavier volumes. I've driven the turbine at I-485 / I-85 in Charlotte, NC and you can easily take those ramps at 55 mph, and they're 2 lanes throughout. No significant change in grade and sharper corners.

If it's rural then yes, but I've driven the High 5 in Dallas hundreds of times and you can keep your speed. The problem is when you get down to South Central and encounter the three on-ramps in short order ... the biggest design flaw in Texas.

#2

General Highway Talk / Re: License Plate News

Last post by Road Hog - Today at 02:06:04 AM

Here is my plate redesign entry based on available images, bad Photoshop and bad resolution, so apologies in advance.

But I hope this gets taken up because it would be the state's first major plate redesign since 1978 (!!!):

#3

Pacific Southwest / Re: Nevada

Last post by cl94 - Today at 02:01:56 AM

Yeah, I'm not really sure why some of the streets in the valley were state highways to begin with. Why is Rainbow maintained by NDOT and, say, Buffalo isn't?

(not that I'm complaining, NDOT has done a very nice job with the streets they're responsible for in my experience)

Politics. It is worth noting that NDOT has been trying to get rid of anything that isn't of regional significance for quite some time, but not gonna happen at this point without a mileage swap.

Re: maintenance, NDOT roads in the Reno area are not in great shape. Parts of 580/395 are in worse shape than most local surface streets because we're still dealing with original concrete, while surface streets tend to be chip/slurry sealed every few years. NDOT plowing this year was horrendous compared to local agencies. And don't get me started on the condition of US 50.

#4

Pacific Southwest / Re: Nevada

Last post by Scott5114 - Today at 01:19:56 AM

Yeah, I'm not really sure why some of the streets in the valley were state highways to begin with. Why is Rainbow maintained by NDOT and, say, Buffalo isn't?

(not that I'm complaining, NDOT has done a very nice job with the streets they're responsible for in my experience)

#5

Mid-South / Re: Texas

Last post by sprjus4 - Today at 01:17:03 AM

I don't know what the advantage is of a turbine as opposed to a 4-level stack. You need lots more real estate for it and more piers to install since piers aren't being shared. It's "innovative" and "looks purty" but that's about it.

From what I've noticed, it allows faster driving speeds which can prevent unnecessary braking and slowdowns in heavier volumes. I've driven the turbine at I-485 / I-85 in Charlotte, NC and you can easily take those ramps at 55 mph, and they're 2 lanes throughout. No significant change in grade and sharper corners.

#6

Suggestions and Questions / Re: Slow Forum

Last post by Scott5114 - Today at 01:15:49 AM

IONOS = Infernal Owners of Non-Operational Servers

#7

Central States / Re: OK Turnpike Speed Limits

Last post by sprjus4 - Today at 01:09:30 AM

I'm not surprised OTA would leave the portion of I-44 from Lawton to the Red River still signed at 75mph. That cheaper cable barrier separating the two directions of traffic has to be an issue.

Probably phasing... other stretches of Turnpike that Oklahoma has increased has that same cable barrier treatment. I imagine this stretch of I-44 will be increased to 80 mph in the coming years.

#8

Off-Topic / Re: My idea for US currency re...

Last post by CtrlAltDel - Today at 01:06:22 AM

Round to the nearest quarter. 13s and 63s round down. 38s and 88s round up (notice: all "tied" rounds end at even dollars or half dollars, intentionally).

I don't know if that makes sense, if only because there are no ties when rounding an integer cent to the nearest quarter dollar. 12, 37, 62, and 87 cents should all round down, and 13, 38, 63, and 88 cents should all round up.

#9

Central States / Re: Cashless Tolling coming so...

Last post by Great Lakes Roads - Today at 12:42:02 AM

Cashless tolling on the Turner Turnpike (I-44) between OKC and Tulsa to go active on May 1st!

The Will Rogers Turnpike will definitely be the next one to go cashless with the Indian Turnpike to be the last one to get converted.

EDIT: Found the date in an OTA newsletter on the widening of the Turnpike to six lanes: https://oklahoma.gov/content/dam/ok/en/ota/documents/news-articles/2024/006_24%20Turner%20groundbreaking%20at%20Wellston.pdf?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR2Z1lmN2j-B--3dPwVGcnPT-ebhtWuG3VhcdQJUiX5vyq38-QAMoPx9FCo_aem_Aen-1t08D2U0TMLpdfC2majVzPagfA_i8FVO4xTWvcEkPM3uEgIjPtZjaPfTFMwmJPjQuv-JUWFwXL33Vbacs57W

#10

Great Lakes and Ohio Valley / Re: Michigan Notes

Last post by JREwing78 - Today at 12:40:05 AM

Michigan's speed limits tend to be set pretty aggressively, so I tend not to speed around town. Thank the State Police for that; they require a speed study be performed when setting speed limits, and they run 5-10 mph higher than similar roadways in other states.

SM-G991U