I-99 in NY - it's official

[Brandon]

I-99 is a bad number for this route

Only other available number was I-67. It would be just as out-of-place.

The entire system east of I-55 was screwed to some extent back in 1956 with the original numbering.  No real spaces for north-south interstates through Pennsylvania and the like.

That said, now the "Bud Shuster Memorial Porkway" has become a multi-state-intertstate.

[roadman65]

I-99 is a bad number for this route

Only other available number was I-67. It would be just as out-of-place.

How about I-170?  Even I-580 or I-576?  So many 3 digits of the four interstates the route touches.  Even two different numbers for both sides of I-80.

[hbelkins]

It would be awfully long for a three-digit spur interstate. Even if it doesn't enter three states like originally planned, it's going to be long enough to deserve a two-digit number.

[Sam]

I-99 is a bad number for this route

Only other available number was I-67. It would be just as out-of-place.

Why not I-83? Once the gap between Harrisburg and I-180 is closed, it could run right up I-390 to Rochester. You could argue it would be west of I-81, but it's really 81's fault for being so diagonal.

[vdeane]

There's no reason to upgrade US 15 between US 22 and Selinsgrove though.  It's a four lane divided highway that moves well.

[Alps]

I-99 is a bad number for this route

Only other available number was I-67. It would be just as out-of-place.

Why not I-83? Once the gap between Harrisburg and I-180 is closed, it could run right up I-390 to Rochester. You could argue it would be west of I-81, but it's really 81's fault for being so diagonal.

Because you're talking of fictional highways as if they're reality.

[okc1]

A northern I-85 would also work.

[Brandon]

A northern I-85 would also work.

Yes, it would.  So would rearranging the grid to make more numbers available for that area (something that should've been done in 1956, IMHO).  They're all ideas better suited for the fictional area.

[hbelkins]

I-99 is a bad number for this route

Only other available number was I-67. It would be just as out-of-place.

Why not I-83? Once the gap between Harrisburg and I-180 is closed, it could run right up I-390 to Rochester. You could argue it would be west of I-81, but it's really 81's fault for being so diagonal.

That doesn't do any good for the existing I-99 between Bedford and the State College area.

[CentralPAGal]

I-99 is a bad number for this route

Only other available number was I-67. It would be just as out-of-place.

Why not I-83? Once the gap between Harrisburg and I-180 is closed, it could run right up I-390 to Rochester. You could argue it would be west of I-81, but it's really 81's fault for being so diagonal.

This, although that gap will never be finished, IMO As for the rest of it (referring to a hypothetically completed highway between I-180 and I-68 in MD), here's an idea: how about I-82? The route does travel sort of east-west, diagonally of course, but I-44 is diagonal too. Heck, I-82 in out west is also. Besides, the east coast needs an I-82, its the only I-8X that isn't signed in the east

[Alps]

They're all ideas better suited for the fictional area.

This. I will be moving any further messages about possible numbering to Fictional. There are threads on this already there.

[jpi]

I was just on this new stretch of I-99 for the first time a week ago when I was in PA\NJ\NY, I did not see any I-99 signs so I realy did not know this is officially I-99 besides already signed US 15, I am thinking the signs just plain have not been erected yet?

[Pete from Boston]

I-99 is a bad number for this route

Only other available number was I-67. It would be just as out-of-place.

True, but it wouldn't give the impression that Lex Luthor is attempting setting up a new East Coast along that highway corridor (with a new East Otisburg being located next to Altoona). 

Otisburg?  OTISBURG?!?

It sure would free up a lot of numbers.

[LeftyJR]

If completed, I-99 could alleviate some congestion from I-81, at least north of Virginia.  It seems like money is being funneled to US 219 in Pennsylvania, Maryland and West Virginia though, where the road is insanely windy in many spots.

[cl94]

I was just on this new stretch of I-99 for the first time a week ago when I was in PA\NJ\NY, I did not see any I-99 signs so I realy did not know this is officially I-99 besides already signed US 15, I am thinking the signs just plain have not been erected yet?

Per  the state government ( https://www.governor.ny.gov/press/06272014-designation-route-15-interstate-99 ), what remains of US 15 in New York has been designated as I-99. I won't believe it until I see it in the Official Description of Highway Touring Routes. I was over there pretty recently and saw nothing but empty spaces on I-86's BGSes. As previously mentioned, the reference markers on recently-constructed/improved sections of US 15 do say "99I" because they did the re-designation for the books during construction. Again, don't expect any "15" RMs to disappear, as they are (almost) NEVER updated to reflect current routings.

On the Rochester extension stuff, there is one and only one reason to send I-99 up I-390 and replace the hundreds of I-390 shields (many of which are state name): They build the NY 63 bypass between Mount Morris and Buffalo that Region 4 has been talking about for years and put I-99 on the new road to get the federal funding.  People in New York still refer to I-86 as "Route 17" almost exclusively. Extending I-99 further would only cause confusion.

[Henry]

I am not surprised by this at all! I knew that it would only be a matter of time before I-99 was signed in a state other than PA.

[ixnay]

I was just on this new stretch of I-99 for the first time a week ago when I was in PA\NJ\NY, I did not see any I-99 signs so I realy did not know this is officially I-99 besides already signed US 15, I am thinking the signs just plain have not been erected yet?

Per  the state government ( https://www.governor.ny.gov/press/06272014-designation-route-15-interstate-99 ), what remains of US 15 in New York has been designated as I-99. I won't believe it until I see it in the Official Description of Highway Touring Routes.

Meaning https://www.dot.ny.gov/divisions/operating/oom/transportation-systems/repository/2012%20tour-bk.pdf , I assume.

ixnay

[cl94]

I was just on this new stretch of I-99 for the first time a week ago when I was in PA\NJ\NY, I did not see any I-99 signs so I realy did not know this is officially I-99 besides already signed US 15, I am thinking the signs just plain have not been erected yet?

Per  the state government ( https://www.governor.ny.gov/press/06272014-designation-route-15-interstate-99 ), what remains of US 15 in New York has been designated as I-99. I won't believe it until I see it in the Official Description of Highway Touring Routes.

Meaning https://www.dot.ny.gov/divisions/operating/oom/transportation-systems/repository/2012%20tour-bk.pdf , I assume.

ixnay

Correct. That and the Highway Mileage Summary are the Bible of New York highways. While they may occasionally disagree, nothing is official unless it is in one of them.

[vdeane]

I usually use the traffic data report.  There's also the RIS highway inventory that has every public road in the state.

I am unsure of the present state of the NY 63 corridor project.  I think I remember Wyoming County blocking it.

Reference markers aren't supposed to ever change (the first line is actually "route number at the time reference markers were first installed"), with REALLY good reason (nobody wants to change millions of spreadsheets and PDF files), but sometimes it happens anyways.  I know the region 6 sign guy though, and he's a roadgeek with no intention of ever changing the markers, so they'll be 15 until the end of time.

[cl94]

I usually use the traffic data report.  There's also the RIS highway inventory that has every public road in the state.

I am unsure of the present state of the NY 63 corridor project.  I think I remember Wyoming County blocking it.

Reference markers aren't supposed to ever change (the first line is actually "route number at the time reference markers were first installed"), with REALLY good reason (nobody wants to change millions of spreadsheets and PDF files), but sometimes it happens anyways.  I know the region 6 sign guy though, and he's a roadgeek with no intention of ever changing the markers, so they'll be 15 until the end of time.

Route 63 is in limbo. Per Region 4's site, Wyoming County wants it but Genesee County does not. As someone whose parents currently live on US 20 along the truck route in Erie County, a bypass would be the greatest thing to ever happen.

Region 5 seems to love redoing the reference markers. Two Rod Road (NY 954G) in Marilla was (mostly) formerly NY 358, but all of the reference markers have been updated to show 954G. The former routing of NY 93 in Lockport has RMs for the reference route that existed between the rerouting and downloading to county maintenance. NY 425, also once a reference route, has updated markers. Old NY 33B, however, is the only highway I know of in the region to maintain its old markers.

[DanTheMan414]

I just traveled this stretch of freeway about 3 hours ago, and it's my best guess that it will be awhile before they actually co-sign US 15 in NY as I-99.

[vdeane]

Region 5 seems to love redoing the reference markers. Two Rod Road (NY 954G) in Marilla was (mostly) formerly NY 358, but all of the reference markers have been updated to show 954G. The former routing of NY 93 in Lockport has RMs for the reference route that existed between the rerouting and downloading to county maintenance. NY 425, also once a reference route, has updated markers. Old NY 33B, however, is the only highway I know of in the region to maintain its old markers.

Over in Region 1 we call them "The Kingdom".  Regions 10 and 11 are also deserving of this title.  5 is far enough away to escape some influence from Main Office, and 10 and 11 have political clout that allow them to escape policies and do their own thing.  Region 11 wouldn't even accept aid from anyone else during 9/11 and nobody really knows what that region does since they outsource maintenance to NYCDOT.

[cl94]

Region 5 seems to love redoing the reference markers. Two Rod Road (NY 954G) in Marilla was (mostly) formerly NY 358, but all of the reference markers have been updated to show 954G. The former routing of NY 93 in Lockport has RMs for the reference route that existed between the rerouting and downloading to county maintenance. NY 425, also once a reference route, has updated markers. Old NY 33B, however, is the only highway I know of in the region to maintain its old markers.

Over in Region 1 we call them "The Kingdom".  Regions 10 and 11 are also deserving of this title.  5 is far enough away to escape some influence from Main Office, and 10 and 11 have political clout that allow them to escape policies and do their own thing.  Region 11 wouldn't even accept aid from anyone else during 9/11 and nobody really knows what that region does since they outsource maintenance to NYCDOT.

I spent the majority of my 20 years in Region 1 and seeing how Regiom 5 and Ohio do things was quite a shock. "End 40 mph limit" signs are still posted everywhere, even where a 55 sign would be fine, many routes lack reference markers, the lack of exit signs at gore points disturbs me, and the people in the main office aren't particularly pleasant. I know of 20 people from the local university's civil engineering department, myself included, who called to inquire about a summer coop position and had the main contacts are less than pleasant, so bad that my department actually advises people not to work for Region 5. I know a few people at Region 1, and if I was 200 miles closer, I'd probably be working there right now with several of my classmates.

[oscar]

I just traveled this stretch of freeway about 3 hours ago, and it's my best guess that it will be awhile before they actually co-sign US 15 in NY as I-99.

I just traveled it about 12 hours ago, on my way back home from Rochester.  I-99 signs are up, in several places, on NY's part of US 15. 

Details and photos to follow, once I get some sleep.

[Duke87]

Region 11 wouldn't even accept aid from anyone else during 9/11 and nobody really knows what that region does since they outsource maintenance to NYCDOT.

Region 11 may not do maintenance but they are actively involved with capital projects.