IDOT held a poorly publicized meeting today for replacing the twin truss bridges on I-270 over the canal today. The new bridge will be a plate girder to the north of the existing bridges. Wetland issues ruled out a southern alignment. The main alternative design was a single tower, asymetrical cable stayed bridge, supposedly with a 1500' span. but the lack of funds requires a cheaper bridge. The nearby interchange with IL 3 will be converted from a full cloverleaf to a partial cloverleaf with loops in the NE and SE quadrants; however the interchange is supposedly designed so SB IL 3 traffic will not have to stop at the intersection with the WB I-270 exit.
What seems to be the worst design feature of this project is the substandard shoulders on the new bridge; only 4' outer shoulders are planned, partly starting out for the section with accel/decel lanes for the IL 3 interchange, and I believe all the way across should the bridge be restriped for three through lanes each way in the future.
Ugh, another ugly plate girder bridge. Why not just toll the damn thing to get a pretty cable-stayed span and add IPass to it?
And knowing IDiOT, they'll screw up the Illinois 3 interchange.
Photos of the existing bridges:
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.denexa.com%2Froadgeek%2Froad-photos%2Fmain.php%3Fcmd%3Dimage%26amp%3Bvar1%3Droadtrips%252Fwaukesha%252Fimg_3175.jpg%26amp%3Bvar2%3D700_85&hash=0af0cd5265b11dd38c86cc2231860af029bcea78)
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.denexa.com%2Froadgeek%2Froad-photos%2Fmain.php%3Fcmd%3Dimage%26amp%3Bvar1%3Droadtrips%252Fwaukesha%252Fimg_3176.jpg%26amp%3Bvar2%3D700_85&hash=28b8a0e67f87deec711d2a439410d5d4bce8ae43)
Well the canal and river bridges don't have shoulders, and have seen several crippling bridge closing accidents that can cause a ripple effect in the Metro East like no other. (See December 8, 2010.) Odds are that the ones that designed the highway in the 1950s and early 1960s are not living anymore, and IDiOT still wants to treat their section of 270 like a piece of junk even though it gets a good chunk of I-70 truck traffic.
Here is a short blog in regards of the problem (http://270cor.blogspot.com/).
Quote from: Brandon on December 03, 2009, 11:15:45 AM
Ugh, another ugly plate girder bridge. Why not just toll the damn thing to get a pretty cable-stayed span and add IPass to it?
And knowing IDiOT, they'll screw up the Illinois 3 interchange.
The IL 3 interchange looks like a piece of junk now they're in process of partially rebuilding it. They rebuilt the WB to NB ramp and its a pain in the ass to use it. The locals are going to be pissed when they see the end result of that. I haven't been able to get pics yet due to some other priorities that popped up.
Maybe they can save money and build a 4 lane bridge like Downtown STL.
Quote from: ShawnP on September 17, 2011, 10:23:11 PM
Maybe they can save money and build a 4 lane bridge like Downtown STL.
Its already a 4 lane bridge to start, with no shoulders to boot.
So MODOT will propose a Super 2.
only problem is that IDiOT is on the hook with 270 bridge
Quote from: kharvey10 on September 19, 2011, 10:42:05 PM
only problem is that IDiOT is on the hook with 270 bridge
True, the bridge over the canal is 100% within Illinois.
Quote from: Brandon on September 19, 2011, 10:47:22 PM
True, the bridge over the canal is 100% within Illinois.
seriously? abutments and all?
Quote from: agentsteel53 on September 19, 2011, 11:03:09 PM
Quote from: Brandon on September 19, 2011, 10:47:22 PM
True, the bridge over the canal is 100% within Illinois.
seriously? abutments and all?
The middle of the Mississippi River is the state line. The Chain of Rocks Canal (over which the steel bridge above goes) is east of there, entirely within Illinois.
and IDiOT hasn't given a care since day 1. It took IDiOT a very long time to cave into pressure from Alton in replacing the Clark Bridge back in the day. The locals only needed 8 months after the new one opened to realize they got screwed. At the same time, those same locals realized that IDiOT didn't give a care about the 270 corridor at all. Since that infamous August night in 1994, IDiOT still hasn't given an effing care in the world and every time things go horribly wrong on 270 you can't get around Alton unless you know every back alley in town.
Ok inform me on August of 94.
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=7ZBdAAAAIBAJ&sjid=kVwNAAAAIBAJ&pg=1664%2C2024501
got a few photos uploaded on Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/29886127@N02/sets/72157627427383808/with/6206521246/
IDiOT is in the process of putting up new BGS complete with Crapview font at IL Route 3 interchange but those are on my backup camera which I have not uploaded yet. They been doing most of those sign installations at night during the week.
Sounds like the Minton on a smaller scale..........
Quote from: kharvey10 on October 03, 2011, 01:07:32 PM
got a few photos uploaded on Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/29886127@N02/sets/72157627427383808/with/6206521246/
IDiOT is in the process of putting up new BGS complete with Crapview font at IL Route 3 interchange but those are on my backup camera which I have not uploaded yet. They been doing most of those sign installations at night during the week.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/29886127@N02/6040534138/in/set-72157627427383808 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/29886127@N02/6040534138/in/set-72157627427383808) http://www.flickr.com/photos/29886127@N02/6040602746/in/set-72157627427383808 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/29886127@N02/6040602746/in/set-72157627427383808) Honestly these scare me. :paranoid: Remind me NOT to drive on I-270 west of the MO border. :no:
Quote from: intelati49 on October 03, 2011, 05:28:21 PM
Quote from: kharvey10 on October 03, 2011, 01:07:32 PM
got a few photos uploaded on Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/29886127@N02/sets/72157627427383808/with/6206521246/
IDiOT is in the process of putting up new BGS complete with Crapview font at IL Route 3 interchange but those are on my backup camera which I have not uploaded yet. They been doing most of those sign installations at night during the week.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/29886127@N02/6040534138/in/set-72157627427383808 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/29886127@N02/6040534138/in/set-72157627427383808) http://www.flickr.com/photos/29886127@N02/6040602746/in/set-72157627427383808 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/29886127@N02/6040602746/in/set-72157627427383808) Honestly these scare me. :paranoid: Remind me NOT to drive on I-270 west of the MO border. :no:
East, not west. These bridges are entirely within Illinois.
Well this been in the news again
http://www.bnd.com/2011/12/28/1994275/work-continues-on-interstate-270.html
http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/metro/traffic-will-flow-during-chain-of-rocks-bridge-work/article_71dbf231-f7e0-5983-8103-8a9abf7f2e27.html?mode=story
Both articles had comments posted that was critical of IDiOT. Imagine that.
http://www.thetelegraph.com/news/bridge-64263-new-construction.html
The Alton Telegraph (the local paper) had a front page article today about this project. Unlike the other two recent articles, the reporter talks about what IDiOT really wants to do long term - widen 270 from MP 1 or 2 to the Route 111 intersection. Something important is really missing from IDiOT long term plans. The locals have yet to comment on the article but there will be some choice words if they do.
Quote from: kharvey10 on September 16, 2011, 08:49:25 PM
Quote from: Brandon on December 03, 2009, 11:15:45 AM
Ugh, another ugly plate girder bridge. Why not just toll the damn thing to get a pretty cable-stayed span and add IPass to it?
And knowing IDiOT, they'll screw up the Illinois 3 interchange.
The IL 3 interchange looks like a piece of junk now they're in process of partially rebuilding it. They rebuilt the WB to NB ramp and its a pain in the ass to use it. The locals are going to be pissed when they see the end result of that. I haven't been able to get pics yet due to some other priorities that popped up.
I drove that ramp yesterday for the first time since it was redone. I agree that it's a mess.
And KSDK just put on facebook that there's a wreck and all eastbound lanes on Chain of Rocks are closed. I'm glad I didn't wait until today to go down there.
Quote from: adt1982 on January 16, 2012, 02:34:57 PM
I drove that ramp yesterday for the first time since it was redone. I agree that it's a mess.
And KSDK just put on facebook that there's a wreck and all eastbound lanes on Chain of Rocks are closed. I'm glad I didn't wait until today to go down there.
It was the only third such wreck that shut the bridge down in the past 5 weeks. That section of 270 is very dangerous - so much that IDiOT doesn't want to talk about it and kept as much of the canal bridge project a secret to the public as they did. Since they finally pasted that project page on their website less than two weeks ago, wrecks have caused multiple lanes of the river bridge to shut down at least two occasions - and its only 2 lanes in each direction on top of it w/no shoulders. KSDK facebook post about the latest wreck were loaded with comments I don't want to even mention here.
Facebook and news websites are well-known for their rational, enlightened discussions, particulary when it comes to roads.
IDiOT is at it again, with peak hour lane closures for repairs to the current canal bridges and just for good measures river bridge lane closures stretching into peak hour - all this since October began.
http://www.kmov.com/news/local/I-270-traffic-nightmare-for-morning-commuters--172636631.html
http://www.kmov.com/traffic/Construction-on-Chain-of-Rocks-Canal-Bridge-may-cause-traffic-headaches-173067001.html
One of the facebook comments made by someone stated "IDOT needs to be renamed to IDIOT".
^^ That Collinsville District (D-8) seems to have its priorities upside down more often than not. One would've thought that by now, they'd have widened I-270 to six lanes as well as I-55/70. Instead, I-255 is six lanes and seems mostly free of traffic. Even D-1 (Chicago) has a better priority list.
^^ Agreed. It's maddening to be bottlenecked on 270 with 4 lanes but just fly down 255 with 6. 270 as a whole feels and is just antiquated.
Quote from: Brandon on October 14, 2012, 09:22:03 PM
^^ That Collinsville District (D-8) seems to have its priorities upside down more often than not. One would've thought that by now, they'd have widened I-270 to six lanes as well as I-55/70. Instead, I-255 is six lanes and seems mostly free of traffic. Even D-1 (Chicago) has a better priority list.
Quote from: adt1982 on October 14, 2012, 10:31:17 PM
^^ Agreed. It's maddening to be bottlenecked on 270 with 4 lanes but just fly down 255 with 6. 270 as a whole feels and is just antiquated.
270 should been widened about 30 years ago but IDiOT was spending their big bucks on other projects that nobody really needed. (255 was a godsend, though, the options before 255 was going through Route 111 through one of the worst neighborhoods of the entire Metro East, or the heavily congested Route 159. The Metro East, namely Collinsville and Fairview Heights, did not see their building boom until the late 1990s.)
District 8 has pretty much kept a hush hush on 270 for a very long time. They let it fall in deep disrepair in the early 1990s to the point of emergency closures of portions of the highway had to be taken. They have never went to the public with much of anything even still to this day and the locals were pissed when they finally got around into releasing their canal bridge plans last year. It pisses me off to see 270 still functioning as it was when it was built in the 1960s and other than that 2 mile section at 255, it hasn't even changed much. I don't think the section from Riverview to Route 111 even meets modern standards as is given all the truck traffic it gets.
Quote from: kharvey10 on October 15, 2012, 10:05:51 AM
Quote from: Brandon on October 14, 2012, 09:22:03 PM
^^ That Collinsville District (D-8) seems to have its priorities upside down more often than not. One would've thought that by now, they'd have widened I-270 to six lanes as well as I-55/70. Instead, I-255 is six lanes and seems mostly free of traffic. Even D-1 (Chicago) has a better priority list.
Quote from: adt1982 on October 14, 2012, 10:31:17 PM
^^ Agreed. It's maddening to be bottlenecked on 270 with 4 lanes but just fly down 255 with 6. 270 as a whole feels and is just antiquated.
270 should been widened about 30 years ago but IDiOT was spending their big bucks on other projects that nobody really needed. (255 was a godsend, though, the options before 255 was going through Route 111 through one of the worst neighborhoods of the entire Metro East, or the heavily congested Route 159. The Metro East, namely Collinsville and Fairview Heights, did not see their building boom until the late 1990s.)
District 8 has pretty much kept a hush hush on 270 for a very long time. They let it fall in deep disrepair in the early 1990s to the point of emergency closures of portions of the highway had to be taken. They have never went to the public with much of anything even still to this day and the locals were pissed when they finally got around into releasing their canal bridge plans last year. It pisses me off to see 270 still functioning as it was when it was built in the 1960s and other than that 2 mile section at 255, it hasn't even changed much. I don't think the section from Riverview to Route 111 even meets modern standards as is given all the truck traffic it gets.
I agree, it is a badly-needed project.
Quote from: Henry on October 15, 2012, 11:11:38 AM
I agree, it is a badly-needed project.
Unfortunately IDiOT doesn't see it that way. It will remain 2 lanes each way AFTER the canal bridge project is said and done and the accidents will only increase due to the way they will tie it in. I wished IDiOT would had waited on this project for a few years and did both the canal and river bridge at the same time.
yeah, the "IDiOT" meme was funny perhaps the first 6 times but it's no longer 1963 so...
Quote from: agentsteel53 on October 16, 2012, 12:28:13 PM
yeah, the "IDiOT" meme was funny perhaps the first 6 times but it's no longer 1963 so...
OK, let's go destroy a bunch of button copy signs and replace them with Clearview, Jake.
Quote from: Brandon on October 16, 2012, 07:18:49 PM
Quote from: agentsteel53 on October 16, 2012, 12:28:13 PM
yeah, the "IDiOT" meme was funny perhaps the first 6 times but it's no longer 1963 so...
OK, let's go destroy a bunch of button copy signs and replace them with Clearview, Jake.
for Illinois in 1963, you're probably looking at demountable letters with reflective sheeting, placed on a non-reflective background. I don't think there are any of those left.
Quote from: kharvey10 on October 15, 2012, 10:05:51 AM
255 was a godsend, though, the options before 255 was going through Route 111 through one of the worst neighborhoods of the entire Metro East, or the heavily congested Route 159
Someone once asked me if I got combat pay for delivering to Roxana and Wood River. I never minded the area, myself.
Except it wasn't named IDOT in 1963.
whoosh
Quote from: agentsteel53 on October 16, 2012, 12:28:13 PM
yeah, the "IDiOT" meme was funny perhaps the first 6 times but it's no longer 1963 so...
About time someone said that.
Why does everyone on this forum call Idot Idiot? Do they suck at their jobs? I don't live in Illinois so i have no idea.
Quote from: silverback1065 on January 15, 2013, 12:54:56 PM
Why does everyone on this forum call Idot Idiot? Do they suck at their jobs? I don't live in Illinois so i have no idea.
solidarity.
Quote from: silverback1065 on January 15, 2013, 12:54:56 PM
Why does everyone on this forum call Idot Idiot? Do they suck at their jobs? I don't live in Illinois so i have no idea.
It is used often by roadgeeks and non-roadgeeks in Illinois as a shot at the foul-ups of the state DOT, IDOT. The jokes usually are 'IDiOT", and that IDOT can't even spell "idiot" properly. The foul-ups can be anything from a signage screw up to a failure to address a real infrastructure problem such as a bridge falling apart or capacity (incidentally, both of which I-270 has at the Chain of Rocks Canal Bridge). I've heard it from municipal government officials when they're frustrated that IDOT under-designs roads consistently or drags their feet on fixing a problem.
Part of this frustration stems from the fact that IDOT tends to spend money on political projects instead of fixing real problems. A case in point: IDOT widened I-55 to six lanes from Sherman to Lincoln (I-155) as a political favor before any other stretch of freeway outside Chicagoland was widened to six lanes. This was done even though other freeways in the state (I-270, I-55/70, etc) needed the widening more. Ever wonder why I-255 is six lanes around Metro East, and I-270 is not? Political favors and a near-complete lack of wanting to cooperate with neighboring state DOTs (in this case, MoDOT). That lack of cooperation pisses off the surrounding state DOTs such as WisDOT. WisDOT wanted to extend I-43 south to Bloomington along US-51. Makes sense, doesn't it? IDOT told WisDOT to F-off and picked their own number instead. That's why I said in the US-41 conversion thread that IDOT would drag their feet and balk at extending I-55 north even though that makes sense.
Makes me wonder what derisive terms are used for other state DOTs.
Quote from: Brandon on January 15, 2013, 02:52:44 PM
Makes me wonder what derisive terms are used for other state DOTs.
none that I can think of; thus my sharp opposition to the term "idiot". I can't imagine Illinois DOT being so fundamentally underwhelming that they, and only they, require a derisive nickname.
Quote from: agentsteel53 on January 15, 2013, 02:57:38 PM
Quote from: Brandon on January 15, 2013, 02:52:44 PM
Makes me wonder what derisive terms are used for other state DOTs.
none that I can think of; thus my sharp opposition to the term "idiot". I can't imagine Illinois DOT being so fundamentally underwhelming that they, and only they, require a derisive nickname.
Surprises me a bit. I would've thought "CrapTrans" for "CalTrans", "WishDOT" for "WisDOT", etc. It was a term invented in Illinois and used in Illinois for the foibles of the state DOT.
I was talking to someone over facebook that is from Rockford area and another classic example of IDOT putting politicians over needs is the Clark Bridge in Alton. The local leaders wanted it replaced in the mid 1970s, after they went through a long summer/fall of 1975 when the old bridge was closed for 6 months for repairs. Back in 1975 parts of IL 3, 143, and 100 were not in their present alignments, and the IL 3 and 143 intersection was just east of Wood River Creek in between some railroad tracks and a lot of traffic control devices that the locals called "The Islands". The Riverbend region was not on IDOT good side for some reason and not even the political heavy hitters could get them to balk. In fact IDOT opens up the Berm Highway (now 143) in 1976 partially completed and it dumped you into an at-grade railroad crossing at Ridge Street that had no fewer than 20 trains a day. It took no less than 45 minutes to get from Godfrey to 270 on a good day - most of the roads were 2 lanes, loaded with stoplights and at-grade crossings that trains used all the time. It was not until the mid 1980s until IDOT finally caves into the pressure (thanks to a pair of well financed powerful democrat politicians), but they decide to open the new bridge with the Berm Highway approach not completely finished (that came a year later). It only takes 8 months for the locals to realize that they really got the short end of that project on two fronts - 1. the Illinois approaches were poorly designed, and 2. IDOT didn't give a care about the 270 corridor. (Every time a bad wreck happens on 270 you will see IL 143 back up from Alton all the way to Wood River depending on what time the wreck happens.) The IL 255 project took a lot of political willpower as well - just to force IDOT to finish it - and two different sections were opened a year behind schedule.
WisDOT got back on IDOT over the I-43 thing: they went and upgraded their US 51 corridor and got I-39 on that. MoDOT did the same thing with I-64 back in 1987 but for different reasons.
Since I-39's current route makes more sense than a Bloomington-Beloit-Milwaukee-Green Bay mutt rip, I fail to see the problem.
NE2 that one dates back to the early 1980s at best, maybe late 1970s at the earliest. The I-43 concoction dated early 1970s and Wisconsin really wanted to number that I-57 at first. The IDOT vs WisDOT thing has been going on at least 40 years.
Quote from: kharvey10 on January 18, 2013, 10:00:23 PM
NE2 that one dates back to the early 1980s at best, maybe late 1970s at the earliest. The I-43 concoction dated early 1970s and Wisconsin really wanted to number that I-57 at first. The IDOT vs WisDOT thing has been going on at least 40 years.
Yep. IDOT does not play well with other state DOTs. It's pissed of WisDOT for decades now. First with I-43, now with I-55, not to mention the abrupt end to the US-12 freeway at the state line. Wisconsin has the freeway, Illinois has shown no desire to connect to it. They don't even play well with InDOT usually. My personal belief is that the Kingery Expressway (I-80/94) got done is that it is sandwiched between ISTHA's Tri-State Tollway (I-80/294) and InDOT's Borman Expressway (I-80/94). Both ISTHA and InDOT were improving their roads and IDOT got forced to follow suit. IDOT's lack of palying nice with other state DOTs is what seems to be holding up improvements on the Chain of Rocks Bridge mentioned in this thread. MoDOT has I-270 as six to eight lanes up almost to the state line. IDOT on the other hand has refused to improve I-270 to match, leaving I-270 at four lanes. Never mind that traffic counts are much the same on both sides of the bridge.
IDOT doesn't even play nice within the state. It took a state representative in the General Assembly to pull favors and teeth to get IDOT to widen I-55 from Weber Road (Exit 263) to I-80 (Exit 250) to six lanes. Even then, IDOT did a half-assed job of it. Municipalities and counties tell IDOT what they are doing, and that their population projects will require IDOT to improve a section of road. IDOT balks at it and improves the road about 20 to 30 years later. Meanwhile, life has gone on and the population increased beyond the most optimistic projections of the municipalities and counties involved.
Quote from: kharvey10 on January 18, 2013, 10:00:23 PM
NE2 that one dates back to the early 1980s at best, maybe late 1970s at the earliest. The I-43 concoction dated early 1970s and Wisconsin really wanted to number that I-57 at first. The IDOT vs WisDOT thing has been going on at least 40 years.
Way to answer the question. What's wrong with the current routes of I-39 and I-43?
Quote from: NE2 on January 19, 2013, 03:35:01 AM
Quote from: kharvey10 on January 18, 2013, 10:00:23 PM
NE2 that one dates back to the early 1980s at best, maybe late 1970s at the earliest. The I-43 concoction dated early 1970s and Wisconsin really wanted to number that I-57 at first. The IDOT vs WisDOT thing has been going on at least 40 years.
Way to answer the question. What's wrong with the current routes of I-39 and I-43?
No one said anything about the routings being wrong, we're explaining what happened to make it so, if you'd have read the last few comments.
What happened is that (supposedly) Illinois said they preferred I-39 on US 51. Well good for them. Complaining about it makes you an idiot, not them.
Quote from: NE2 on January 19, 2013, 08:36:20 AM
What happened is that (supposedly) Illinois said they preferred I-39 on US 51. Well good for them. Complaining about it makes you an idiot, not them.
Again, you missed the point. I'm not complaining about anything. All I did is tell you that they do not play nicely with other state DOTs. IDOT went with I-39 even after WisDOT discussed I-43 with them. Stop puting words in my text.
So they rejected Wisconsin's I-43 proposal. Whoop-de-doo.
Quote from: NE2 on January 19, 2013, 09:25:43 AM
So they rejected Wisconsin's I-43 proposal. Whoop-de-doo.
Pardon me, Dan, but
YAWN!
Quote from: Brandon on January 19, 2013, 09:07:16 AM
Quote from: NE2 on January 19, 2013, 08:36:20 AM
What happened is that (supposedly) Illinois said they preferred I-39 on US 51. Well good for them. Complaining about it makes you an idiot, not them.
Again, you missed the point. I'm not complaining about anything. All I did is tell you that they do not play nicely with other state DOTs. IDOT went with I-39 even after WisDOT discussed I-43 with them. Stop puting words in my text.
Brandon: IDOT did not play nicely with I-39.
NE2: I-39 makes more sense than I-43 anyway, so IDOT was right.
Me: Stop it. Go fight each other in the parking lot, buy each other a beer, and let it go.
Quote from: Brandon on January 15, 2013, 02:52:44 PM
Quote from: silverback1065 on January 15, 2013, 12:54:56 PM
Why does everyone on this forum call Idot Idiot? Do they suck at their jobs? I don't live in Illinois so i have no idea.
It is used often by roadgeeks and non-roadgeeks in Illinois as a shot at the foul-ups of the state DOT, IDOT. The jokes usually are 'IDiOT", and that IDOT can't even spell "idiot" properly. The foul-ups can be anything from a signage screw up to a failure to address a real infrastructure problem such as a bridge falling apart or capacity (incidentally, both of which I-270 has at the Chain of Rocks Canal Bridge). I've heard it from municipal government officials when they're frustrated that IDOT under-designs roads consistently or drags their feet on fixing a problem.
Part of this frustration stems from the fact that IDOT tends to spend money on political projects instead of fixing real problems. A case in point: IDOT widened I-55 to six lanes from Sherman to Lincoln (I-155) as a political favor before any other stretch of freeway outside Chicagoland was widened to six lanes. This was done even though other freeways in the state (I-270, I-55/70, etc) needed the widening more. Ever wonder why I-255 is six lanes around Metro East, and I-270 is not? Political favors and a near-complete lack of wanting to cooperate with neighboring state DOTs (in this case, MoDOT). That lack of cooperation pisses off the surrounding state DOTs such as WisDOT. WisDOT wanted to extend I-43 south to Bloomington along US-51. Makes sense, doesn't it? IDOT told WisDOT to F-off and picked their own number instead. That's why I said in the US-41 conversion thread that IDOT would drag their feet and balk at extending I-55 north even though that makes sense.
Makes me wonder what derisive terms are used for other state DOTs.
Yeah, it is very weird how I-55 becomes 6 lanes in a low-traffic area between Springfield and Lincoln, whereas I-270 from 255 to the 270/70/55 interchange in Troy is only 4 lanes. One thing I have noticed, however, is excluding commute times, that stretch of I-270 going through Glen Carbon receives quite little traffic...little enough to still be comfortable at only 4 lanes. 270 west of Route 3 is where traffic is constant throughout the day, and they need serious interchange redesigns badly.
An interchange that is simply not safe is the Rt 159 interchange with I-55/70 in Collinsville. The ramp speed is 20 mph, and you cannot go much faster before you feel as if your car is going to flip. But you have to go faster, because a line of semi trailers going 80 mph will not, and often cannot, move over to let you merge. And the merge lane is so short that if you cannot make it over in 3 seconds, you become forced into the exit ramp. Meanwhile, just three miles away, IDOT is busy redesigning the Rt 162 interchange with I-55/70 in Troy...an interchange that was perfectly fine to begin with.
Quote from: kharvey10 on September 22, 2011, 11:27:34 PM
and IDiOT hasn't given a care since day 1. It took IDiOT a very long time to cave into pressure from Alton in replacing the Clark Bridge back in the day. The locals only needed 8 months after the new one opened to realize they got screwed. At the same time, those same locals realized that IDiOT didn't give a care about the 270 corridor at all. Since that infamous August night in 1994, IDiOT still hasn't given an effing care in the world and every time things go horribly wrong on 270 you can't get around Alton unless you know every back alley in town.
I was driving to work on 270 from Glen Carbon into Earth City, and there was a car stalled on the left shoulder just a few hundred feet before the Canal Bridge. I thought, if that car had stalled just two seconds later, we would be stuck. I simply cannot believe these bridges have no shoulders.
That 159 ramp onto 55/70 is the worst. Even when on 55/70 I make sure I'm in the left lane with my foot on the gas just to get through that without someone almost merging into me.
This past week, the flooding closed down the southbound 67 lanes just south of the Clark Bridge. MoDOT closed both southbound lanes and had no intention in converting the higher-ground northbound lanes into 2-way traffic when water covered that roadway on Monday afternoon. The following morning, Route 3 backs up from 270 all the way towards Wood River because of the screwed up ramp to westbound 270 thanks to construction, AND 270 backs up all the way to 255 because everyone from the Riverbend was forced to cross the river on 270. The locals were PISSED OFF so much they gave MoDOT some serious heat via social media. That afternoon, MoDOT does an about face and converts the northbound lanes of 67 to 2-way traffic, but still urged the locals to avoid the area anyway.
All this came following an month that saw two straight days of wrecks that shut down both eastbound lanes on the river bridge for no less than 2 hours on both incidents, another day that had multiple mainline lanes closed due to a truck fire in between the canal and river bridges, and an EF 3 tornado that nearly took an direct hit.
Quote from: Mamba205 on January 25, 2013, 07:25:54 PM
I was driving to work on 270 from Glen Carbon into Earth City, and there was a car stalled on the left shoulder just a few hundred feet before the Canal Bridge. I thought, if that car had stalled just two seconds later, we would be stuck. I simply cannot believe these bridges have no shoulders.
I have personally witnessed multiple stalls and wrecks on both the canal and river bridge in my lifetime and my sister has witnessed quite a few as well. Its only going to be a matter of time before the "big wreck" will happen, given that the lighting is not working at all when its dark outside.
IDOT brilliance continues.
They're going to be doing lane closures on the Clark Bridge for the next two weeks. Expect significant delays at times, they say.
This is at the same time the work on the Canal Bridges is ongoing and the ramp from IL 3 to westbound 270 is closed.
How smart.
Quote from: adt1982 on June 09, 2014, 08:00:21 AM
IDOT brilliance continues.
They're going to be doing lane closures on the Clark Bridge for the next two weeks. Expect significant delays at times, they say.
This is at the same time the work on the Canal Bridges is ongoing and the ramp from IL 3 to westbound 270 is closed.
How smart.
Sounds like IDOT being IDiOT again. Of course, this is the same DOT that decided to work on IL-47 through Yorkville at the same time at IL-71 through Oswego. The IL-71 route is a truck detour (via IL-71 and US-34) for IL-47.
The bridge situation for St. Louis will probably get worse though, since the MLK will be closing for work later this summer (project is one the June letting, see http://eplan.dot.il.gov/desenv/061314/76B03-251/PLANS/ (http://eplan.dot.il.gov/desenv/061314/76B03-251/PLANS/)), the Eads has lane closures, the PSB has one WB lane closed, sometimes two, and I'm sure some new project will pop up for the JB/I-255 crossing, in addition to all of the other work on elsewhere on the I-255 corridor.
Since the I-70 bridge opened up, IDOT has gotten very bold with scheduling lane closures. Apparently there is a conspiracy theory of getting more Illinois residents from Alton/Granite City/Wood River to fill up on the Illinois side of the river, so they naturally planned all the lane closures for both the Clark Bridge and I-270 at the same time. My nephew has bragged about saving $3 per trip when he fills up in West Alton on the night he shoots pool at Riverbend Billards (right next to the Clark Bridge).
IDOT has finally gotten around to spilling the beans that the traffic will be switched over in the August-September time window.
MoDOT did the JB Bridge work earlier this winter, so don't expect a lot of closures there. The rest of the 255 mainline, however, is a different story.
For those of you wondering what has become of the old I-270 bridge...It got blown up pretty good:
Approves: (https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.canajunfinances.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2012%2F07%2FFarm-Film-Report-300x200.jpg&hash=dbd702a00ad0416af6e998fc1f605e9cf5f05f39)
^^ And there goes yet another wonderful metal monster to the replaced by a boring plate girder bridge.
I would have approved of a copy of the Jefferson Barracks Bridge, it looks like it would have been fairly easy to get one made, since....it is a cookie cutter design.
Quote from: Brandon on June 12, 2014, 05:39:49 PM
Sounds like IDOT being IDiOT again. Of course, this is the same DOT that decided to work on IL-47 through Yorkville at the same time at IL-71 through Oswego. The IL-71 route is a truck detour (via IL-71 and US-34) for IL-47.
The Kendall County work really didn't cause a problem the way it actually worked out in the real world. The first year of construction on IL-71 was mostly off-road utility work and didn't affect any of the traffic staging. IL-47 through Yorkville has about 2/3 of the 4-laning done and open to traffic now, with IL-71 traffic staging still being similar to conditions before construction. And very little of the traffic would actually use all of the marked detour anyway, but would use US 34 to the county's Orchard Road bridge, and then IL 71 to the west, to bypass the under construction portion of IL-71 to the east of Orchard.
Compared to the IL-47 project thru Huntley (which I drove a few times during the heaviest construction) the IL-47 Yorkville project has been much less hectic of a work zone.
Quote from: Brandon on January 15, 2013, 02:52:44 PM
Quote from: silverback1065 on January 15, 2013, 12:54:56 PM
Why does everyone on this forum call Idot Idiot? Do they suck at their jobs? I don't live in Illinois so i have no idea.
It is used often by roadgeeks and non-roadgeeks in Illinois as a shot at the foul-ups of the state DOT, IDOT. The jokes usually are 'IDiOT", and that IDOT can't even spell "idiot" properly. The foul-ups can be anything from a signage screw up to a failure to address a real infrastructure problem such as a bridge falling apart or capacity (incidentally, both of which I-270 has at the Chain of Rocks Canal Bridge). I've heard it from municipal government officials when they're frustrated that IDOT under-designs roads consistently or drags their feet on fixing a problem.
Part of this frustration stems from the fact that IDOT tends to spend money on political projects instead of fixing real problems. A case in point: IDOT widened I-55 to six lanes from Sherman to Lincoln (I-155) as a political favor before any other stretch of freeway outside Chicagoland was widened to six lanes. This was done even though other freeways in the state (I-270, I-55/70, etc) needed the widening more. Ever wonder why I-255 is six lanes around Metro East, and I-270 is not? Political favors and a near-complete lack of wanting to cooperate with neighboring state DOTs (in this case, MoDOT). That lack of cooperation pisses off the surrounding state DOTs such as WisDOT. WisDOT wanted to extend I-43 south to Bloomington along US-51. Makes sense, doesn't it? IDOT told WisDOT to F-off and picked their own number instead. That's why I said in the US-41 conversion thread that IDOT would drag their feet and balk at extending I-55 north even though that makes sense.
Makes me wonder what derisive terms are used for other state DOTs.
I couldn't agree more! Plus I'd like to add IDOT always goes the cheap way out in upgrading their corridors rather than building them properly (see for example, U.S 51 south of Bloomington-Normal), while our neighbors to the north (WisDOT) always build high quality highways on their major corridors (either full freeway or high-quality upgradable expressways). U.S Highways 41, 51, 53 and 151 are good examples of this.
The second implosion took place on Feb. 3, and it was botched:
https://corb270.wordpress.com/2015/02/04/phase-2-of-implosion-complete/
It caused a 12 mile traffic jam the ensuing evening peak for eastbound traffic while crews were forced to do emergency repairs, and caused an unplanned full closure the very next day when the weather was not favorable.
They can't even get rid of things without making a mess. Wow.
The final implosion is set for Feb 19. It was originally scheduled for yesterday but weather delayed it.