Interstate 580 in Nevada--When is it to be finished?

[agentsteel53]

Driving on the freeway will not be at freeway conditions, but rather vehicles restricted to one southbound lane at 5-25 mph.

wow.  how to build interest in a new high-speed corridor: induce an intentional traffic jam.  someone needs to go back to PR school.

[Bickendan]

^Sounds like something I could see Portland, Seattle or San Francisco or maybe Vancouver (BC) doing.

[Alps]

Driving on the freeway will not be at freeway conditions, but rather vehicles restricted to one southbound lane at 5-25 mph.

wow.  how to build interest in a new high-speed corridor: induce an intentional traffic jam.  someone needs to go back to PR school.

Man... 1 hour to drive 8 miles. Think of the precious fossil fuels. And California fancies themselves on being "green." Even West Virginia, land of fuel, closes the New River Gorge Bridge once a year.

[roadfro]

Driving on the freeway will not be at freeway conditions, but rather vehicles restricted to one southbound lane at 5-25 mph.

wow.  how to build interest in a new high-speed corridor: induce an intentional traffic jam.  someone needs to go back to PR school.

I'm guessing it's for a safety concern. The highway will only be open for 4-5 hours before being closed again. At the same time, the fun walk/bike/run is happening in the opposing northbound lanes. In case somebody were to jump/fall over the center jersey wall, they wouldn't want freeway traffic on the other side.

From the practicality perspective of doing one of these opening events: We're talking about an 8.5-mile stretch of highway. That's a long walk/run/bike ride for most people to see the whole thing. When NDOT opened the Carson City freeway segments, these were 1- or 3-mile portions that are much more manageable, so it was a "check it out under your own power" deal. I'm sure they wanted a way for people to be able to experience the new road without having to walk the whole length (and back).

[agentsteel53]

From the practicality perspective of doing one of these opening events: We're talking about an 8.5-mile stretch of highway. That's a long walk/run/bike ride for most people to see the whole thing. When NDOT opened the Carson City freeway segments, these were 1- or 3-mile portions that are much more manageable, so it was a "check it out under your own power" deal. I'm sure they wanted a way for people to be able to experience the new road without having to walk the whole length (and back).

but there is something interesting and special about being able to walk (or even bike, in most places) on the freeway.  to drive on the freeway in constructions that precisely simulate a traffic jam due to construction ... that's not worth calling a ceremony.  you can drive it a day later without any delay!

[gonealookin]

From the practicality perspective of doing one of these opening events: We're talking about an 8.5-mile stretch of highway. That's a long walk/run/bike ride for most people to see the whole thing. When NDOT opened the Carson City freeway segments, these were 1- or 3-mile portions that are much more manageable, so it was a "check it out under your own power" deal. I'm sure they wanted a way for people to be able to experience the new road without having to walk the whole length (and back).

I would guess the majority of people going to an event like this are doing it for the uniqueness of being able to walk on the freeway and are probably turning around after the first mile or so.  It's the runners, bicyclists and a few roadgeeks who have any interest in doing the whole 8.5 miles.  Most cyclists ought to be able to do 17 miles with a few freeway grades with no problem; for runners and walkers you could provide a shuttle bus along the old highway for $5.

I plan on taking my bicycle and starting from the south end early in the morning.  If I run into too many walkers and runners up at the north end I might turn around early.

[agentsteel53]

indeed, a shuttle would be a far more economical alternative than an induced traffic jam.  not just the cost of all the private vehicles vs. a smaller quantity of shuttles, but also I'd imagine having absolutely no private motor vehicle access to the highway is a lot easier and cheaper to manage than setting up cones to block off all but one lane. 

[Alex]

For what its worth, the NDOT shape file "Major roads in Nevada" already refers to a portion of the new US 395 freeway as Interstate 580:



Also thanks to gonealookin for posting that photo of future Exit 50, that answers my question as to what the new exit number will be as I am crafting a new Reno-Sparks map for Andy.

[gonealookin]

A sidebar to today's story in the Reno paper about the walk/bike event gives a little more info about the I-580 shields.

NEW FREEWAY DESIGNATION
Is it I-580 or U.S. 395? It's both, really.  When the new 8.5-mile segment of freeway linking south Reno to Washoe Valley opens in mid-August, it will become part of a 30-mile stretch of interstate stretching from Interstate 80 in Reno on the north to the south end of Carson City on the south. The road will be designated as I-580/U.S. 395, with road signs notifying motorists of that fact now on order and expected to be installed by October.

This is typical of the new signage that's out there now:

[roadfro]

Thank you for that link--I missed that article. Question about I-580 shields is answered.

[rickmastfan67]

Driving on the freeway will not be at freeway conditions, but rather vehicles restricted to one southbound lane at 5-25 mph.

wow.  how to build interest in a new high-speed corridor: induce an intentional traffic jam.  someone needs to go back to PR school.

They did the same thing on PA Turnpike 576 when they had the community day before they officially opened it.  So, they might be taking a page from the PA Turnpike handbook for this.

[mgk920]

Driving on the freeway will not be at freeway conditions, but rather vehicles restricted to one southbound lane at 5-25 mph.

wow.  how to build interest in a new high-speed corridor: induce an intentional traffic jam.  someone needs to go back to PR school.

They did the same thing on PA Turnpike 576 when they had the community day before they officially opened it.  So, they might be taking a page from the PA Turnpike handbook for this.

The popularity of the pedestrian and bicycle thing, including an open house weekend, before the Calumet and Outagamie County part of the WI 441 freeway opened here in the Appleton, WI area back in October of 1993 was the catalyst for the continuing development of a comprehensive recreational trail system throughout the metro region, interest in which remains strong to this day.

Mike

[roadfro]

A sidebar to today's story in the Reno paper about the walk/bike event gives a little more info about the I-580 shields.

NEW FREEWAY DESIGNATION
Is it I-580 or U.S. 395? It's both, really.  When the new 8.5-mile segment of freeway linking south Reno to Washoe Valley opens in mid-August, it will become part of a 30-mile stretch of interstate stretching from Interstate 80 in Reno on the north to the south end of Carson City on the south. The road will be designated as I-580/U.S. 395, with road signs notifying motorists of that fact now on order and expected to be installed by October.

Interesting observation from the field today:

Some "Freeway Entrance" signs at interchanges in south Reno are already in the process of receiving I-580 shields. For example, all signage referring to US 395 at the South Meadows Parkway interchange (exit 60) has been replaced with I-580 signs. There's also some new shields at S. Virginia St (exit 61) and at Neil Road (exit 62), but the full interchange signing is not complete yet. Interestingly, the I-580 shields I saw are not dually-signed as I-580/US 395--in Las Vegas, US 93/95 remained co-signed when the I-515 designation was added.

At this time, there are no I-580 shields on the freeway itself. Also, no LGSs or overhead BGSs on intersecting side streets have been changed to show I-580.

[gonealookin]

Per NDOT's tweet, "Looks like the new I-580 southbound lanes will open August 24 and northbound on August 27".

[andy3175]

This video (http://www.mynews4.com/news/local/story/New-I-580-s-name-explained/GCi4FBE4iEi7sMYbld3XBw.cspx) shows that the I-580 shield shown on a freeway entrance shield assembly has the state name, and that U.S. 395 is omitted from the freeway entrance assembly (even though I-515 has its companions signed alongside it at many freeway entrances).

Regards,
Andy

[national highway 1]

This video (http://www.mynews4.com/news/local/story/New-I-580-s-name-explained/GCi4FBE4iEi7sMYbld3XBw.cspx) shows that the I-580 shield shown on a freeway entrance shield assembly has the state name, and that U.S. 395 is omitted from the freeway entrance assembly (even though I-515 has its companions signed alongside it at many freeway entrances).

Regards,
Andy

Wow, looks like that people may perceive that US 395 might have a gap as they enter the freeway, pretty much the only thing they will see is an I-580 shield... I do reckon US 395 ought to be signed along with I-580, I mean it does continue beyond both ends of I-580.

Andy, are the I-580 shields posted (in that video you mentioned) '57 spec or '70 spec?

[myosh_tino]

Andy, are the I-580 shields posted (in that video you mentioned) '57 spec or '70 spec?

By my eye, the I-580 shields are '70 spec judging by the width of the white border...



The shield on the left is the '70-spec shield.  The shield on the right is the '57-spec '61-spec 3-digit shield (thanks Agentsteel for the correction ).

[roadfro]

This video (http://www.mynews4.com/news/local/story/New-I-580-s-name-explained/GCi4FBE4iEi7sMYbld3XBw.cspx) shows that the I-580 shield shown on a freeway entrance shield assembly has the state name, and that U.S. 395 is omitted from the freeway entrance assembly (even though I-515 has its companions signed alongside it at many freeway entrances).

Regards,
Andy

I just took a trip down to Tahoe from Reno and was making note of I-580 signage. In Reno along existing US 395, NDOT crews have been replacing all post-mounted US 395 sign assemblies on the mainline and ramps with I-580 assemblies. Interestingly, in Carson City, the mainline freeway is being dually signed as I-580/US 395 down to US 50 (using the wrong color of directional banner though). I have not seen any overhead signage with I-580 shields yet.

I am not certain why they are removing US 395 shields from the signs in Reno. I would have expected dual signage, given that US 395 is the "through" route. They also set that precedent with I-515 in Las Vegas/Henderson.

[agentsteel53]

The shield on the left is the '70-spec shield.  The shield on the right is the '57-spec shield.

the one on the right is federal '61 spec, introduced by CA around 1959.

'57 spec did not provide for wide shields.  they just used a narrower font.

[andy3175]

Here's another news report, which includes one view that shows the first mainline southbound overhead gantry after the I-80 interchange solely signed as I-580. When I passed through here in late July, it showed US 395 solely. I think they placed the I-580 shield over the spot where US 395 used to be.

http://www.tumtiki.com/videos/2291083/kolo-reno-nv-u-dot-s-395-slash-i-580-confusion

Regards,
Andy

[myosh_tino]

So according to that news story, NDOT will be co-signing US 395 with I-580.  Why this isn't all being done at the same time is still a mystery to me.  I did a quick check of Google Maps and it looks like they have already added I-580 shields to US 395 south of I-80.

[andy3175]

That's right, they plan to cosign the route. However, the overhead sign just south of I-80 on southbound that used to show US 395 alone now shows I-580 alone, and there's no space to add a US 395 sign next to it. It is odd that they decided to remove US 395; it seems like the workers could have had an easier time just adding the one sign to an existing sign post and/or freeway entrance assembly rather than replacing the signs now and coming back later to re-add those US 395 signs. The overhead signs are a different story ... most of the existing overhead signs I'd seen left space for both I-580 and US 395 to be signed side by side. However, that one sign shown in the video is now in Clearview and is an obvious replacement for the old sign. Here's a picture of the old sign, taken from our US 395 series of pages along southbound:

https://www.aaroads.com/west/nevada395/us-395_sb_exit_067_02a.jpg

https://www.aaroads.com/west/us-395sb_nv.html

I don't have a good picture of the new sign with Clearview; when I passed through there earlier this summer, it was twilight and nearly impossible to get a clean photo of it, but the video does show it.

Regards,
Andy

[roadfro]

^ That's the part I don't understand now. If they're going to co-sign it, why not put up the I-580 shields and new US 395 shields at the same time--save manpower and money. NDOT seems to typically switches out the entire sign assembly when making any changes to signs...maybe they didn't have the new US 395 signs or brackets in stock. (But then, the argument could be made that the I-580 shields could've waited until all new signs were in.)

Re: The US 395 pull-through sign on SB US 395 just south of I-80: This sign (and all other signs on that gantry) was replaced last year with the northbound US 395 widening project. The new signs on that whole project are Clearview and many have design errors or features that are not exactly best of NDOT signing practice. Every BGS for US 395 that has been installed within the past 5+ years has been designed to add a future I-580 shield *except* that one...

[gonealookin]

A few off-the-freeway sightings in the Washoe Valley.  The first one is the only I-580 reference I saw which wasn't actually on the freeway.







NDOT says the southbound lanes open tomorrow morning at 6 a.m., northbound lanes Monday at 6 a.m.  However, the northbound off-ramp to Alternate US 395 at Exit 50 (Bowers Mansion/Washoe City) won't open until October, so there will be no northbound exit between Exit 46 (Bellevue Road) and Exit 56 (Mt. Rose Highway) for several weeks.

[NE2]

According to the filename this relates to wind restrictions? It's certainly not obvious what the sign is trying to say.