I-376 to be Extended...Eventually

[rickmastfan67]

Tim, just look @ the picture I posted in the I-376 thread @ CHM.

[J N Winkler]

I lost count with how many single-page files I had to go through to pick off all those exit numbers from the ECMS plans.  It was indeed an tedious process that could be improved easily, perhaps with a single command.

It would be helpful if ECMS were structured so that choosing a particular project took you to a download area where you could download every sheet in a single *.ZIP file, and the downloading mechanism was either robust enough to tolerate bad or high-latency Internet connections (as is the case with Michigan DOT's plans download mechanism, which is a ColdFusion implementation) or allowed queuing in a specialist downloading program like Internet Download Manager.

However, the situation at present is not too bad.  As long as you have a browser window logged in to ECMS, you can download any of the plans files with another user agent, like IDM.  Downloads are also queuable and will proceed unattended as long as the ECMS session is active.  The main problem is that IDM's "Download all links" commands (and, I would presume, equivalents in other downloading programs) don't work directly with ECMS because they poll the logout link, and once that happens, you are logged out.  My workaround is to navigate to each download page for a project (typically indicated by a file-cabinet icon in the Bid Package or Project Development Checklist windows), save source, and use a text search-and-replace utility with regexp capability (BkReplaceEm in my case) to comment out the unwanted links and other layout cruft and then delete the comments.  I only need one of these files if the project is new enough to have premerged sheet sets, since all of the sheet sets (covering all functional disciplines) appear on a single download page.  But if it is older and has individual sheets only, I need at least one downloading file per functional discipline since the listings of individual sheets are broken up by functional discipline and, in the case of structures, by structure number.  For convenience I use a batch file to merge these files together (using DOS copy to append--highly inelegant and not HTML-compliant, but it works) so I need to feed just one file to IDM.

I think there is a browser limit on concurrent downloads, but this does not apply to IDM.  I have downloaded up to ten files simultaneously.  However, I have found ECMS is more reliable if I keep the number of concurrent downloads to three or fewer.

Still it was interesting to see how it can take hundreds of pages of plans to spell out just the signs for a project. And it was a humbling reminder to see how many signs need to be updated or created and then posted just to do something that sounds so simple as "change parts of PA 60 and I-279 to I-376".

The I-376 redesignation plans are unusual in that they cover much wider limits than the other pavement work--many of them are essentially sign replacement and updating contracts bolted onto small-scale resurfacing and interchange modification projects.  Their extremely high sheet counts of signing work (over 200 in the case of 75905 alone) are also very atypical for individual PennDOT projects.  It is not unusual for large PennDOT projects to have fewer than 50 signing sheets out of a set of more than 1000 sheets (exclusive of cross-sections) or 2000 sheets (including cross-sections).

PennDOT plans sets are a bit lightweight since PennDOT, like Caltrans but unlike TxDOT and MnDOT, does not include standard plan sheets; contractually these are incorporated by reference.  Nevertheless, large PennDOT projects still run to more than a thousand sheets.  The US 15 Appalachian Thruway project in Lycoming County (ECMS 05698) has over 3100 sheets including cross-sections, while the Lewistown Narrows project had 1305 sheets (not including cross-sections).

PennDOT in general does less signing work than other state DOTs, because--like California--it has a significant legacy of nonreflective laminated-panel button-copy signs.  Pure sign replacement contracts are much rarer for PennDOT than for MnDOT, TxDOT, or even Caltrans; SR 0080 Section 7S (ECMS 65022) is almost unique in this respect.

My main hobby activity is to collect pattern-accurate sign design sheets (though I also include sign layout sheets for certain state DOTs like NCDOT, Caltrans, and Ohio DOT which have historically not used sign design sheets), and PennDOT is just barely in my personal top ten with 954 sheets.  It falls out if I include non-American transport agencies like the Ministerio de Fomento in Spain (over 2500 sheets).

[rickmastfan67]

Here's some pictures I took today of the resigning of I-279 as I-376:

Alright, here we go...

This is the view from when you exit the Fort Pitt Tunnels going on South I-279/West I-376:


This set of shields are just after Exit 4A:


And the final set of shields going toward the airport is right after the I-79 exit split.  Notice there is no "END" banner for the future extension of I-376:


Now, going on NB I-279/EB I-376:
This is the first set of shields after you pass under I-79:


And here is some shots of the signage @ the PA-121 interchange:

[mightyace]

I know why that last one is that way, as it is easier to change a "totem pole" than a BGS, but I'm sure that will confuse some people. 

Good photos and fairly quickly, too! 

[rickmastfan67]

I know why that last one is that way, as it is easier to change a "totem pole" than a BGS, but I'm sure that will confuse some people. 

Every BGS still had a I-279 shield on them.  That place in the last picture wasn't the only one.

Good photos and fairly quickly, too! 

Pays off to live there.

[mightyace]

Pays off to live there.

I understand.  I pass through the TN 840 construction almost every day.

[mightyace]

Anyone else notice that the I-279 shield in the first photo is a bubble shield?

I noticed it was different, but I never knew that type had a name.  Are there many of them?

[PAHighways]

The guide sign for the Parkway at 79 SB still says 279 as well.

Just about the time I was watching the Stanley Cup come down the Boulevard of the Allies, I got an e-mail informing me that my 279 and 376 Exit Guides are out of date.  I didn't get to check out 279 to see if its numbers have been changed, but I doubt they have.

[akotchi]

I noticed it was different, but I never knew that type had a name.  Are there many of them?

It's an unofficial name AFAIK, coined by someone on MTR.  But it's fitting, so I've been using the term as well.

There's a few here and there scattered around.  Of the ones I remember off the top of my head, I've seen them on I-295 in DC, I-287 NJ, and I-H201.

I've seen the ones on I-287 in New Jersey.

[rickmastfan67]

Anyone else notice that the I-279 shield in the first photo is a bubble shield?

They recently put several of those up on the Parkway North as well.  Eliminating several "Pennsylvania" shields in the process.

[Mr_Northside]

While the only progress I've seen on the Parkway West (as of this last Sunday) was addition of I-376 shields, it seems as if they're tackling the Parkway North (at least NB) for exit numbers / signs at the moment.
While not doing a total sign replacement, it seems they are putting in a decent amount of new BGS's (at least around the North Shore, the only area of the Parkway North I've traversed recently).
They've installed smaller "North Shore" signs on the Ft. Duquesne Bridge overheads with the "new" exit numbers (all suffixed "1's")

They've also installed new BGS's for the Rt. 28 exit (now 1c), which have removed the use of "To 28" in favor of just showing it going to Rt. 28. (When they installed new signs southbound when they restriped 279 as part of the Rt. 28 SB ramp project, they did the same thing with Rt. 65... the old ones said "To 65" but the new ones omit the "To".)

[rickmastfan67]

They have also changed the McKnight Rd's Exit number as well.  Can clearly see a #4 on the sign on PennDOT's traffic camera via KDKA.

http://kdka.com/webcams/26.567214.html?wmid=44

[PAHighways]

I just received pictures from a contributor closer to Pittsburgh than I, and all of the numbers to Bellevue/West View have been changed.

[rickmastfan67]

We might be getting our first 70+ exit number on I-376/I-279 tonight.  The right lane of the Fort Pitt Tunnel Outbound is closed tonight.

As of right now, they still have the Exit #5C gore sign up.




EDIT: Construction crews left around 1:40AM tonight without changing the Exit #5C gore sign.

[rickmastfan67]

They just did a story tonight on CW-19's 10 o'clock news about the exit number conversions.

http://kdka.com/local/Roads.Renaming.Routes.2.1086897.html

There is also a video there.

[Mr_Northside]

The Post-Gazette has an article about it as well.

http://www.postgazette.com/pg/09197/984249-455.stm

[rickmastfan67]

PennDOT just released officially some of the new I-376 exit numbers:

http://www.dot.state.pa.us/Penndot/Districts/district11.nsf/Sign_Redesignation?OpenForm

However, it's just between I-79 and I-76 in the Pittsburgh area.

[rickmastfan67]

Looks like we got ourselves our first new "I-376" BGS on the Parkway West!

Just spotted this tonight @ the I-79/I-376/(Old I-279) interchange via the webcams being turned in the right direction.


http://kdka.com/webcams/26.567214.html?wmid=64

Still haven't spotted any new exit numbers for I-376 yet.  But it shows PennDOT is FINALLY getting around to changing the signs.  Now, they just need to get this all done before the G20.

[rickmastfan67]

And we got another BGS changed.  This one you can clearly see the new "I-376 East" on the sign.

[PAHighways]

Still haven't spotted any new exit numbers for I-376 yet.  But it shows PennDOT is FINALLY getting around to changing the signs.  Now, they just need to get this all done before the G20.

Onorato took a trip out that way today to find any places needing cleaned up.  He should call 11-0 and crack the whip for those new numbers before the end of September.

[Mr_Northside]

... And, perhaps, to get approval to sign the Parkway west in between the airport & I-79 done before the G-20; even if it hasn't yet officially been designated I-376.

They tout the change as a way to simplify the corridor for out-of-towners, and the G-20 seems a prime example of that.

[rickmastfan67]

... And, perhaps, to get approval to sign the Parkway west in between the airport & I-79 done before the G-20; even if it hasn't yet officially been designated I-376.

They tout the change as a way to simplify the corridor for out-of-towners, and the G-20 seems a prime example of that.

What I don't get is why they didn't produce BGS for on I-79 that left space for adding a future I-376 West shield when they completed the Missing ramps...... (I'll post a picture later)

Really stupid IMO.  They now have to produce brand new BGS's if they want to keep the US-22/30 shields on them.....

[rickmastfan67]

We got our first new exit number!!!  This is going EB on I-376 (Old NB I-279).



The Exit tab now shows Exit 69B-C.  Plus the BGS to the left is also updated.

[Mr_Northside]

What I don't get is why they didn't produce BGS for on I-79 that left space for adding a future I-376 West shield when they completed the Missing ramps...... (I'll post a picture later)

I agree with the general sentiment that they could've been more proactive about this upcoming change when installing all the new signs and such with the rather recent completion of the missing ramps project. 
(Also, I don't know that mile marker signs are that expensive compared to BGS's... but the last section of Parkway East rehabed last year involved putting up new (now outdated) mile markers)

Really stupid IMO.  They now have to produce brand new BGS's if they want to keep the US-22/30 shields on them....

Actually, I wouldn't be surprised if they have no intention of keeping the US 22/30 sheilds on them.  I'm sure 22/30 will be treated the way it has on other sections of Parkway shared with an interstate designation... a simple sign saying "22/30 follow 376"

[PAHighways]

Really stupid IMO.  They now have to produce brand new BGS's if they want to keep the US-22/30 shields on them.....

None of the other signage to any of the Parkways mentions the multiplexed US route.  I'd say they leave any pull-through signage heading westbound at 79 alone until the designation is extended.