AARoads Forum

Regional Boards => Great Lakes and Ohio Valley => Topic started by: silverback1065 on August 20, 2015, 12:13:41 PM

Title: Crossing gate, ramp meter or something else?
Post by: silverback1065 on August 20, 2015, 12:13:41 PM
What is this for? It looks like a railroad crossing gate, but there clearly isn't a railroad here, is it for pedestrian crossing? or is it a kind of ramp meter?

https://www.google.com/maps/@44.5244344,-88.0806588,3a,39.1y,291.08h,95.8t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sDl1rSIOwhggTw5JdRQMabQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
https://www.google.com/maps/@44.5244344,-88.0806588,3a,33.6y,116.62h,87.97t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sDl1rSIOwhggTw5JdRQMabQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
Title: Re: Crossing gate, ramp meter or something else?
Post by: WarrenWallace on August 20, 2015, 12:24:43 PM
That is to restrict access to the freeway in case of a roadway closure.  Usually used in bad winter weather.
Title: Re: Crossing gate, ramp meter or something else?
Post by: silverback1065 on August 20, 2015, 12:58:14 PM
Quote from: WarrenWallace on August 20, 2015, 12:24:43 PM
That is to restrict access to the freeway in case of a roadway closure.  Usually used in bad winter weather.

interesting are these common in the far north states?
Title: Re: Crossing gate, ramp meter or something else?
Post by: briantroutman on August 20, 2015, 01:16:38 PM
They're particularly common on Interstates in the Great Plains and eastern Rockies where exits may be many miles apart, populations and police presence are spread very thin, and winter storms may dump feet of snow at a time.
Title: Re: Crossing gate, ramp meter or something else?
Post by: peterj920 on August 20, 2015, 04:16:10 PM
They're showing up on the Kennedy Expressway in Chicago so they're becoming increasingly common in urban areas also
Title: Re: Crossing gate, ramp meter or something else?
Post by: silverback1065 on August 20, 2015, 05:22:13 PM
these seem to be pretty useful, saves time trying to get a cop or temporary barriers out to close the road.
Title: Re: Crossing gate, ramp meter or something else?
Post by: lordsutch on August 20, 2015, 06:51:23 PM
We have those on I-16 in Georgia now to help with a potential hurricane contraflow (roughly from Dublin east to I-516 on the eastbound carriageway). Most other states seem to just use stockpiles of temporary barriers instead.
Title: Re: Crossing gate, ramp meter or something else?
Post by: froggie on August 20, 2015, 08:08:42 PM
I know we've discussed these in prior threads, though I can't find a specific thread.
Title: Re: Crossing gate, ramp meter or something else?
Post by: iBallasticwolf2 on August 20, 2015, 08:10:19 PM
Those gates in the examples look pretty discrete considering nothing gives them away.
Title: Re: Crossing gate, ramp meter or something else?
Post by: cl94 on August 20, 2015, 08:34:56 PM
Agree with the above. NYSTA is systematically installing these as well.
Title: Re: Crossing gate, ramp meter or something else?
Post by: Mrt90 on August 20, 2015, 08:52:35 PM
There are quite a few of these gates along I94 in Southeastern Wisconsin, but not at every entrance. I don't believe I've seen any in Lake County Illinois.