AARoads Forum

National Boards => General Highway Talk => Traffic Control => Topic started by: Zeffy on March 05, 2015, 10:52:26 AM

Title: Old NYC "Box" Gantries
Post by: Zeffy on March 05, 2015, 10:52:26 AM
As I was street viewing today, I remembered seeing some unusual gantries in Brooklyn on the BQE/Gowanus (the last time I went on it), so I went on I-278 and looked for them, and sure enough, they definitely are still there.

https://www.google.com/maps/@40.617254,-74.025246,3a,41.1y,39.76h,92.86t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sadChobzel6Y-U8ZGgYmlcg!2e0

I've never seen this style of gantry anywhere else. It's big, bulky, and you can tell it's old by the rust. If you look at the back side of it, it's got an interesting curvature to it as well. Were these only used in New York City, or are they used in other places?
Title: Re: Old NYC "Box" Gantries
Post by: Scott5114 on March 05, 2015, 05:24:11 PM
These are pretty interesting. The top and the bottom are truss-like, but the front and back panels are solid metal. I like them more than I can express a reason as to why (which is strange because I don't like the WSDOT standard gantry!).

I wonder what the story is about the similar gantry downstream with the turned-off stoplights on it.
Title: Re: Old NYC "Box" Gantries
Post by: 1995hoo on March 05, 2015, 06:22:56 PM
There used to be a two-panel VMS above those turned-off signals.
Title: Re: Old NYC "Box" Gantries
Post by: UCFKnights on March 05, 2015, 09:25:31 PM
Remember, as these lights are out, it should be treated as a stop sign!
Title: Re: Old NYC "Box" Gantries
Post by: M3019C LPS20 on March 06, 2015, 07:04:29 PM
Quote from: Scott5114 on March 05, 2015, 05:24:11 PMI wonder what the story is about the similar gantry downstream with the turned-off stoplights on it.

Lane control signals. They're at and after the Verrazano Narrows Bridge.
Title: Re: Old NYC "Box" Gantries
Post by: jakeroot on March 13, 2015, 11:22:36 PM
Quote from: Scott5114 on March 05, 2015, 05:24:11 PM
I like them more than I can express a reason as to why (which is strange because I don't like the WSDOT standard gantry!).

The NYSDOT box gantries seem overbuilt ... I'll take the WSDOT gantry, thank you.
Title: Re: Old NYC "Box" Gantries
Post by: Pete from Boston on April 06, 2015, 11:57:52 PM
These structures date at least to the opening of the Verrazano:

(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fhamodia.com%2Fhamod-uploads%2F2014%2F11%2Fhistory1-1024x671.jpg&hash=f4efc3b2177e51aa60ece5ecd25bd87138fe7849) (http://hamodia.com/features/day-history-28-cheshvannovember-21/)


Title: Re: Old NYC "Box" Gantries
Post by: roadman65 on April 18, 2015, 07:25:57 PM
Quote from: UCFKnights on March 05, 2015, 09:25:31 PM
Remember, as these lights are out, it should be treated as a stop sign!
They used to have a stop bar in front of those lights.  In fact it had the STOP HERE ON RED with the arrow pointing to the bar which is very odd for lane control signals. 

Back in the 80's the lane controls used to flash yellow like an after hours signal used to do.  Your joke may not be that far off here.
Title: Re: Old NYC "Box" Gantries
Post by: M3019C LPS20 on April 20, 2015, 02:48:22 AM
Quote from: roadman65 on April 18, 2015, 07:25:57 PM
Quote from: UCFKnights on March 05, 2015, 09:25:31 PM
Remember, as these lights are out, it should be treated as a stop sign!
They used to have a stop bar in front of those lights.  In fact it had the STOP HERE ON RED with the arrow pointing to the bar which is very odd for lane control signals. 

Back in the 80's the lane controls used to flash yellow like an after hours signal used to do.  Your joke may not be that far off here.

Some of the original lane control signals on the bridge have been replaced with modern ones that show the red "X" and green arrow.

Others still remain, and some are inoperable. A couple, though, just flash amber. They are found at both ends of the bridge, and I presume they warn drivers to reduce speed.
Title: Re: Old NYC "Box" Gantries
Post by: route17fan on April 28, 2015, 08:02:08 AM
That style of gantry also made it to Albany and was on the Dunn Memorial Bridge leading in to the Empire State Plaza. Now it's the "beefy box" (Otto Yamamoto term there) gantries of NY that have taken over.