Just curious, I passed by this decaying section of asphalt and was wondering if it's an old alignment or an old temporary detour alignment for past construction?
https://goo.gl/maps/uiCZ6qNAxc2jpcMg6
https://goo.gl/maps/mNi3MUgJC1Ra9kDA8
Looking at historic aerial images shows that the stretch of concrete was built in the early 80s and was used as a parking lot for around 6 years. No clue why there would be a parking lot between the highway and the frontage road, but that's what it was.
Quote from: Echostatic on August 06, 2019, 07:25:36 PM
Looking at historic aerial images shows that the stretch of concrete was built in the early 80s and was used as a parking lot for around 6 years. No clue why there would be a parking lot between the highway and the frontage road, but that's what it was.
Sounds like it could have been a Park & Ride for commuters
https://www.google.com/maps/@30.4884609,-97.6774102,3a,24y,156.65h,80.73t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sKWQzqOmqAd1XXVNprRn-0Q!2e0!5s20090601T000000!7i13312!8i6656
https://www.google.com/maps/@30.4883835,-97.6775147,3a,24y,135.97h,82.54t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sJVG-dj3CxVmbzdmQbZWcTw!2e0!5s20090601T000000!7i13312!8i6656
Its Austin, who knows.
The idea of providing parking lots for car pools to meet sounds very Austin in the 80s to me. I think I remember a couple other random "park and ride" lots with no transit service.
This 1995 image in Google Earth indeed suggests it was a carpool parking lot.
(https://i.imgur.com/nYp84Bh.jpg)
Are these uncommon in the U.S.? They are pretty common in a number of European countries, you'd think these would also be common in the U.S. due to the implementation HOV lanes (which hardly exist in Europe). Though Austin doesn't seem to have HOV lanes, right?
Quote from: Chris on August 11, 2019, 04:08:05 AM
This 1995 image in Google Earth indeed suggests it was a carpool parking lot.
(https://i.imgur.com/nYp84Bh.jpg)
Are these uncommon in the U.S.? They are pretty common in a number of European countries, you'd think these would also be common in the U.S. due to the implementation HOV lanes (which hardly exist in Europe). Though Austin doesn't seem to have HOV lanes, right?
Yes they are pretty common in cities here. But no, Austin doesn't have on HOV on this particular highway.
Quote from: thisdj78 on August 11, 2019, 10:17:46 AM
But no, Austin doesn't have on HOV on this particular highway.
Austin doesn't have HOV lanes on any highways. We've got tolled express lanes on plenty of highways, and many more under construction, but no HOV lanes.