More or Fewer Interchanges?

[webny99]

I think that the Mass Pike could use at least one more exit.

Where were you thinking of? Western MA?

[Roadgeekteen]

I think that the Mass Pike could use at least one more exit.

Where were you thinking of? Western MA?

Yes, in that 23 mile gap.

[sparker]

I think that the Mass Pike could use at least one more exit.

Where were you thinking of? Western MA?

Yes, in that 23 mile gap.

Agreed -- it would be nice to have an interchange in the Becket area in order to provide access from MassPike to the MSR 8 N-S corridor -- which would be a primary access point for traffic to and from much of western CT.

[deathtopumpkins]

Well you guys will likely soon get your wish. MassDOT has been studying a new interchange there for a while now: https://www.mass.gov/i-90-interchange-study

The final report from March identified the two preferred locations, both in Blandford: adjacent to the service plaza, and adjacent to the maintenance facility. Both would serve Chester Rd.

[sparker]

Well you guys will likely soon get your wish. MassDOT has been studying a new interchange there for a while now: https://www.mass.gov/i-90-interchange-study

The final report from March identified the two preferred locations, both in Blandford: adjacent to the service plaza, and adjacent to the maintenance facility. Both would serve Chester Rd.

Blandford's a bit east of being an optimal access point for MSR 8 traffic; wouldn't doubt that it was a "finalist" because of local input and/or political pressure.  Still, constructing a more direct connector from MA 8 could be a possibility down the line.

[deathtopumpkins]

Well you guys will likely soon get your wish. MassDOT has been studying a new interchange there for a while now: https://www.mass.gov/i-90-interchange-study

The final report from March identified the two preferred locations, both in Blandford: adjacent to the service plaza, and adjacent to the maintenance facility. Both would serve Chester Rd.

Blandford's a bit east of being an optimal access point for MSR 8 traffic; wouldn't doubt that it was a "finalist" because of local input and/or political pressure.  Still, constructing a more direct connector from MA 8 could be a possibility down the line.

If you actually look at the study, one of the finalist locations was in Otis, easily accessible from MA 8. It was removed from consideration for a multitude of reasons:

Alternative 1 in Otis would provide the least benefit in terms of travel time savings and vehicle usage. The footprint of the interchange overlaps with environmentally sensitive areas, including open space/Article 97 land, and is adjacent to an Environmental Justice group. Due to the steep physical terrain surrounding the proposed interchange, it would be the most difficult alternative to construct and would have the highest construction cost. Moreover, Alternative 1 generated strong public opposition during the study process. Public comment is documented in Appendix B. As a result of these factors, this study has concluded that Alternative 1 be dismissed from future consideration if an interchange project is advanced.

I fail to see why route 8 should factor into this question at all though. Why would there be any significant demand for traffic turning between the pike and MA 8? I imagine anyone coming up 8 from CT looking to access the Pike would be heading west, and wouldn't really save any time vs getting on in Lee. And anyone looking to head east from Adams/North Adams would just use MA 2 or MA 9.

I'd suggest trusting the professionals who were paid to study this. I'm sure the team at AECOM knows what they're doing.

[sparker]

I imagine anyone coming up 8 from CT looking to access the Pike would be heading west, and wouldn't really save any time vs getting on in Lee.

Otis?!  Maybe North Otis; that's considerably closer to the Pike -- actually, about a 2-wood from the Becket area suggested.  And a westward movement on the Pike is essentially what I had envisioned as the major directional bent of MSR 8 traffic (anything going east would have turned off well before 8 started curving to the west).  But if there were environmental red flags raised, these days that would have put the kibosh on that possibility, leaving something close to another state highway (i.e. Blandford) as an alternate choice. 

I'd suggest trusting the professionals who were paid to study this. I'm sure the team at AECOM knows what they're doing.

............famous last words!  IIRC, that was the catch phrase of the old '80's sitcom Sledge Hammer: "Trust me -- I know what I'm doing!" 

[deathtopumpkins]

And a westward movement on the Pike is essentially what I had envisioned as the major directional bent of MSR 8 traffic (anything going east would have turned off well before 8 started curving to the west).

And that's the traffic that would see little benefit in terms of travel time savings. 8 meets 20 near the Pike only about 5 miles east of Lee. From overpass to overpass, Google Maps says that's 10 minutes via 20, and 6 minutes via the Pike. Traffic from 8 being able to get on the Pike 5 miles earlier will only save ~4 minutes off their trip.

AADT on MA 8 at the Otis/Becket town line is only about 2,600. AADT on US 20 between MA 8 and the Pike at Lee is about 4,300. Obviously only some of that traffic is getting on the Pike. Call it 1,000 vehicles from MA 8, or 2,000 total from 20 and 8 combined. You're saving 2,000 people about 4 minutes each, at a projected cost of $37.8 million. No wonder AECOM concluded the other alternatives were better.

For the record, the study projects much more generous numbers than my napkin math above, and still shows the other two alternatives as both cheaper and more useful. I just don't think enough traffic comes up 8 destined for the Pike to matter, especially since it's not too far from exit 2 in the first place.

[hobsini2]

On freeways, one interchange per mile in urbanized areas is plenty.

Tell that to the Alphabet Loop...

Alphabet Loop? I don't think I have ever heard that. Where and what is it?

[Hwy 61 Revisited]

On freeways, one interchange per mile in urbanized areas is plenty.

Tell that to the Alphabet Loop...

Alphabet Loop? I don't think I have ever heard that. Where and what is it?

Kansas City Downtown Loop, nicknamed the Alphabet Loop due to having exits being 2[insert letter here].

[hobsini2]

When I was a kid, some 35-40 years ago, the Northwest (Jane Addams) Tollway section of I-90 had the following exits, plazas and oasis:
Route 75, US 51 North (Free Exit)
Rockton Rd (SEB off, NWB on) (Free Exit)
-SOUTH BELOIT TOLL PLAZA-
Bus US 20 State St
I-39/US 51 South to US 20 Rockford Bypass
-BELVIDERE TOLL PLAZA-
-BELVIDERE OASIS-
Genoa Rd (now Belvidere-Genoa Rd)
-MARENGO TOLL PLAZA-
US 20 Marengo-Hampshire
Route 47 (EB on/WB off)
-ELGIN TOLL PLAZA-
Route 31
Route 25
Route 59 (EB off/WB on)
Barrington Rd (WB off/EB on)
I-290/Route 53
Arlington Hts Rd (WB off/EB on)
Elmhurst Rd (WB off/EB on)
-Des Plaines Oasis-
Route 72 Lee St (WB off/EB on)
-DEVON AVE TOLL PLAZA (WB ONLY)-
I-294/I-190 O'Hare
-RIVER RD TOLL PLAZA (EB ONLY)-
I-90 East Kennedy Expy

Rockford had 2 exits.
Belvidere had technically 2 exits but only signed for 1 exit.
Elgin had 2 exits.
You had 15 mile, 17 mile, 10 mile and 8 mile gaps along the route.

In the last 35ish years, here's the changes made in bold:
Route 75/US 51 North is now a diamond instead of a trumpet for access to WIS 67.
Rockton Rd FULL
-South Beloit Toll Plaza-
Route 173 West Lane Rd FULL
E Riverside Blvd FULL
Bus US 20 State St
I-39/US 51 South to US 20 Rockford Bypass
Irene Rd FULL
-Belvidere Toll Plaza- (WB ONLY)
-Belvidere Oasis-
Belvidere-Genoa Rd (added toll to the ramps for EB off/WB off)
Route 23 FULL
-Marego Toll Plaza- EB ONLY
Route 47 FULL (added tolls to ALL movements at this interchange)
Randall Rd FULL
-Elgin Toll Plaza-
Route 31
Route 25
Beverly Rd (WB off/EB on)
Route 59 FULL
Barrington Rd FULL
Roselle Rd FULL
Meacham Rd (WB off/WB on)
I-290/Route 53
Arlington Hts Rd FULL
Elmhurst Rd FULL
REMOVED Des Plaines Oasis
Future I-490 FULL where the Des Plaines Oasis was.
Route 72 Lee St
-Devon Toll Plaza-
I-294/I-190 O'Hare
-River Rd Toll Plaza-
Route 171 South Cumberland Ave (EB off)
I-90 East Kennedy Expy

Now the longest gap that was 17 miles is down to 11 miles between Genoa Rd and Route 23.
Rockford now has 3/4 exits depending on if you count Route 173.
Belvidere has 3 exits.
Elgin has 3 exits but Beverly Rd is sometimes considered another Elgin exit.
Traffic flows well despite the increase of interchanges since they widened I-90 to a minimum of 6 lanes along the entire tollway and 8 lanes from Elgin to O'Hare.