Recent posts

#71

Sports / Re: General NBA thread

Last post by mgk920 - Today at 02:14:30 PM

Tomorrow it starts again, Washington opens up at the Bucks on Wednesday night.   

Mike

#72

Sports / Re: NFL (2025 Season)

Last post by mgk920 - Today at 02:12:18 PM

The Packers @ Cardinals game was one to remember, too.

Mike

#73

Great Lakes and Ohio Valley / Re: Michigan Notes

Last post by wanderer2575 - Today at 01:56:31 PM

For Northbound I-75 traffic the Northbound Zilwaukee Bridge is re-opening tomorrow about two weeks early. Traffic on both I-75 and I-675 can return to normal.

Dang it.  I was planning to drive up there Friday to get photos of the closure signage.

#74

Traffic Control / Re: Unique, Odd, or Interestin...

Last post by Amaury - Today at 01:53:35 PM

I can only guess, but possibly the state's variation of it? At the end of the day, though, I would personally agree it's the same thing. We have those here, too, just with different wording and they're all white.

#75

Pacific Southwest / Re: Closed Section of Route 39...

Last post by GaryA - Today at 01:41:45 PM

If they go ahead with the minimum rebuild, any chance that Caltrans could be talked into allowing an occasional convoy of road historians and other interested parties?  Traffic would be limited (and daylight-only), participants could be informed of any special rules or cautions, etc.

#76

International Highways / Re: Proposed Russian Road That...

Last post by mgk920 - Today at 01:34:29 PM

Remember that Russian (former Soviet) railways are 100% incompatible with those of North America, western Europe, China and so forth.  That is an issue that will (someday) have to be addressed.

Mike

It's an inconvenience but train cars can be designed to be moved from one set of wheels to another fairly efficiently.  Spain and Portugal have their own broad gauge, not the same as Russian gauge.  New high-speed tracks built in the last 20 years or so are using the same gauge as France so it's no longer necessary, but it only added a few minutes to the trip.

Also, the 'broad' track gauge on the Iberian Peninsula is sufficiently wide as to be able to easily create dual gauge tack by simply laying a third running rail, something that is not possible with Russian track.  The difference between Russian gauge and standard gauge is only 85 mm (a very insidious difference).  Russian couplers are completely different and incompatible with those of other places, too.  Also, Spain is sloooowly converting its broad gauge track to standard gauge.

Mike

#77

Great Lakes and Ohio Valley / Re: Wisconsin notes

Last post by jhuntin1 - Today at 01:08:37 PM

Quote from: jhuntin1 on 10/19/2025, 1:49:42 PM
• the I-465/I-69 interchange rebuild on the northeast side of town (see Clear Path 465), similar to Zoo Interchange
That costed $350 million. Zoo Interchange? $1.7 billion. So no, not similar. Unless you don't think cost is a good proxy for the degree of complexity of a highway project.Quote

• building I-69 from Martinsville to I-465 (see I-69 Finish Line), comparable to N-S Freeway rebuild
I will give you this one; I-69 section 6 construction costed $2.06 billion and took 6 years. I-43 north of downtown costed $550 million and took 3. Can't find the info for 43/94 south of downtown.Quote

• adding new lanes to I-65 on the south side (see I-65 Safety & Efficiency), similar to I-94 widening/rebuild
That just started. No chicken counting.

I listed projects of similar scope. The I-65 project is 5 miles of adding another lane of travel in both directions in an urban area that will be done in two years and cost less. It also has many fewer bridge replacements and lacks an interchange reconstruction.I am not interested in arguing, nor am I saying that INDOT is awesome and WisDOT sucks. I am trying to use what perspective I have combined with the useful information that people are sharing to gain insight into the complex realities of why projects in Wisconsin seem to take longer than I would expect.

#78

Southeast / Re: Interstate 42 (E)

Last post by bob7374 - Today at 01:04:05 PM

NCDOT has now posted a traffic advisory saying the left lane is closed in the vicinity of the Wilson's Mills, but they don't state a reason and list this as being on I-42 between Exits 13 and 14. 

#79

General Highway Talk / Re: 4-Lane Corridors That Woul...

Last post by mgk920 - Today at 12:51:14 PM

OH 11?

Mike

North of I-80, it wouldn't happen now.
Between I-80 and I-70 (with Oh 7), would still happen.

It would be built north of I-80 up to OH 82 to connect to Warren. I could also see it existing in some form north of I-90 to serve Ashtabula. Otherwise, yeah. Other than a slightly higher speed limit, there's not much benefit to OH 11 compared to the adjacent state routes north of Youngstown.

If there was some better connectivity at the I-80/OH 11 /I-680 interchange or a I-76/OH 11 interchange, I could also see OH 711 going away. It really just exists to serve the missing movements from the other interchanges.

Yepper.   

Just that rest area along the SB side with the surface crossover lanes for it to serve the NB side is all of the evidence that one needs.

Mike

[Milwaukee Area Freeways]

#80

Great Lakes and Ohio Valley / Re: Wisconsin notes

Last post by on_wisconsin - Today at 12:39:36 PM

Chough, Milwaukee Area Freeways thread, cough