New York

[Roadgeek Adam]

That light is not active as of this afternoon (NY 384 at Kenmore). The masts with the lights covered up by garbage bags are there though.

[RobbieL2415]

Something I didn't notice until I was looking at an aerial / topo today: https://historicaerials.com/location/42.413746086522806/-73.54805946350098/1971/16

The Taconic State Parkway had obvious stubs for an extension north for years.

Now imagine the Northway paralleling the Thruway and the Taconic paralleling the Northway.  Talk about options.

[cl94]

Taconic now has exit numbers up to Exit 45 in Lagrangeville. Some old signs without numbers still remain south of there.

[empirestate]

Taconic now has exit numbers up to Exit 45 in Lagrangeville. Some old signs without numbers still remain south of there.

And at least one of the old "P-" suffix markers still stands in Putnam County.

[Roadgeek Adam]

I've stated this before. P7, Hortontown Hill Road.

[roadman]

Was in the Albany area this past weekend for a model railroading event.  Couldn't get over how truly bad the background panels for most of the LOGO signs along the Northway have become.  At night, all you can see on these panels are the LOGOs, which appear to be "hanging" in space.

Also, what genius decided that replacing the lights at Route 146 (Balltown Road) and Aqueduct Road with a 15 mph roundabout was a good idea?

[Rothman]

I live near that roundabout.  I have no problem with it.  Balltown Road, not Ballston, by the way.

[roadman]

I live near that roundabout.  I have no problem with it.  Balltown Road, not Ballston, by the way.

Thanks for the correction.  But, a 15 mph (ok, it's advisory) roundabout immediately after a blind curve at the bottom of a 1 1/2 mile downgrade posted at 45 mph.  Forgive me if I'm not convinced that's better than the traffic signal that was previously there.

[jp the roadgeek]

Something I didn't notice until I was looking at an aerial / topo today: https://historicaerials.com/location/42.413746086522806/-73.54805946350098/1971/16

The Taconic State Parkway had obvious stubs for an extension north for years.

Now imagine the Northway paralleling the Thruway and the Taconic paralleling the Northway.  Talk about options.

I-87 was originally supposed to extend north from Elmsford and connect to I-84 at the missing Exit 14 before duplexing across the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge to join the Thruway at Exit 17. 

My dream would be extending I-684 northward along the NY 22 corridor to Exit B3 on the Berkshire Spur. Would fill a huge gap between I-84 and I-90 connectors that extends from the Taconic Parkway (I-87 for trucks) to I-91, since the NIMBYs won't allow CT/MA 8 as a full freeway north of Winsted.

[Alps]

I live near that roundabout.  I have no problem with it.  Balltown Road, not Ballston, by the way.

Thanks for the correction.  But, a 15 mph (ok, it's advisory) roundabout immediately after a blind curve at the bottom of a 1 1/2 mile downgrade posted at 45 mph.  Forgive me if I'm not convinced that's better than the traffic signal that was previously there.

How is a red light immediately after a blind curve better than a roundabout?

[cl94]

I live near that roundabout.  I have no problem with it.  Balltown Road, not Ballston, by the way.

Thanks for the correction.  But, a 15 mph (ok, it's advisory) roundabout immediately after a blind curve at the bottom of a 1 1/2 mile downgrade posted at 45 mph.  Forgive me if I'm not convinced that's better than the traffic signal that was previously there.

How is a red light immediately after a blind curve better than a roundabout?

Coming from another local, it's a hell of a lot better than it used to be. Curve and bike path overpass blocked the light until you were on top of it. Roundabout has plenty of warning.

[empirestate]

I-87 was originally supposed to extend north from Elmsford and connect to I-84 at the missing Exit 14 before duplexing across the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge to join the Thruway at Exit 17. 

And I'm sure glad it didn't. Frustrating though it may occasionally be, much of the character I enjoy about where I live is due to its relative lack of connectivity.

[Alps]

I live near that roundabout.  I have no problem with it.  Balltown Road, not Ballston, by the way.

Thanks for the correction.  But, a 15 mph (ok, it's advisory) roundabout immediately after a blind curve at the bottom of a 1 1/2 mile downgrade posted at 45 mph.  Forgive me if I'm not convinced that's better than the traffic signal that was previously there.

How is a red light immediately after a blind curve better than a roundabout?

Coming from another local, it's a hell of a lot better than it used to be. Curve and bike path overpass blocked the light until you were on top of it. Roundabout has plenty of warning.

Could they have given the same amount of warning to the signal?

[froggie]

From a purely safety perspective (which seems to be the route Alps is taking), the roundabout would be still better than the signal because it A) forces traffic to slow down on approach, and B) fewer conflict points at the junction itself.

[kalvado]

From a purely safety perspective (which seems to be the route Alps is taking), the roundabout would be still better than the signal because it A) forces traffic to slow down on approach, and B) fewer conflict points at the junction itself.

As we figured out in the other thread, statement (A) describes design standards used, not actual driver behavior.
(B) is true, and apparently means that accident probability increases.

In case of specific roundabout, problem is that northbound driver coming out of blind curve must disperse attention to multiple areas - instead of primarily relying on a single traffic control device.
PS Yes, I drove through that thing maybe dozen times.

[roadman]

From a purely safety perspective (which seems to be the route Alps is taking), the roundabout would be still better than the signal because it A) forces traffic to slow down on approach, and B) fewer conflict points at the junction itself.

Forcing traffic going 45 to slow down to 15 with no incremental step downs in the limit (especially on a downgrade) IMO is not a good design.  And I respectfully disagree that the roundabout has better advance warning than the signal did.

[J N Winkler]

I have been exploring the SR 146 Balltown Road/Aqueduct Road intersection in StreetView, which shows the roundabout still under construction.

*  The downgrade seems to be 1/2 mile, not 1 1/2 miles, in length.  It also seems steep enough that I would be shifting to a lower gear range and disengaging cruise control to avoid having the throttle open when the transmission is in a lower gear.  However, this is because my policy of not riding the brakes on downgrades is strict enough that I usually find myself to be the only car going downhill without brake lamps lighting up.

*  The intersection is quite close to the former railroad underpass/current bike path grade separation, to the extent that I question whether there was space to provide gradual deflection on approach.  (I have not actually looked up the construction plans to check--I am pretty sure I have them, but I do not have the D-number.)

On the whole, however, I think the roundabout is a better solution if the intersection cannot be moved, mainly because the grade separation ensures very poor visibility to an overhead signal and active solutions for warning drivers of an upcoming red signal cannot accommodate differences in dilemma zone location between vehicles.  I can see the potential for measures such as staggering the speed limit reduction, rumble strips or transverse stripes across the approach lane, etc. to secure further crash reductions.

[cl94]

New York doesn't do gradual reductions as a matter of policy. Massachusetts would drop the speed limit to 20 approaching the intersection. Issue with rumble strips is that it's a residential area. The only real signal warning you could provide is a "red signal ahead" blankout or similar. I don't think there have been any accidents at the roundabout since it was put in around a year ago.

[Alps]

I just looked at the aerial which shows the old configuration. The signal was much farther from the overpass than the new roundabout. A Red Signal Ahead sign would solve visibility issues. I feel like with the bike path where it is and the approaching grade, this is an example of Malta syndrome: roundabouts for roundabouts' sake.

[roadman]

I have been exploring the SR 146 Balltown Road/Aqueduct Road intersection in StreetView, which shows the roundabout still under construction.

*  The downgrade seems to be 1/2 mile, not 1 1/2 miles, in length.  It also seems steep enough that I would be shifting to a lower gear range and disengaging cruise control to avoid having the throttle open when the transmission is in a lower gear.  However, this is because my policy of not riding the brakes on downgrades is strict enough that I usually find myself to be the only car going downhill without brake lamps lighting up.

*  The intersection is quite close to the former railroad underpass/current bike path grade separation, to the extent that I question whether there was space to provide gradual deflection on approach.  (I have not actually looked up the construction plans to check--I am pretty sure I have them, but I do not have the D-number.)

On the whole, however, I think the roundabout is a better solution if the intersection cannot be moved, mainly because the grade separation ensures very poor visibility to an overhead signal and active solutions for warning drivers of an upcoming red signal cannot accommodate differences in dilemma zone location between vehicles.  I can see the potential for measures such as staggering the speed limit reduction, rumble strips or transverse stripes across the approach lane, etc. to secure further crash reductions.

Per GSV, the Hill sign has a tab that reads 'NEXT 1/2 MILES".  Which is probably why I thought 1 1/2 miles, not 1/2 mile, when writing my original post.

[kalvado]

I just looked at the aerial which shows the old configuration. The signal was much farther from the overpass than the new roundabout. A Red Signal Ahead sign would solve visibility issues. I feel like with the bike path where it is and the approaching grade, this is an example of Malta syndrome: roundabouts for roundabouts' sake.

You risk loosing your hand from me shaking it too hard...

[Mergingtraffic]

Fans of the last remaining button copy of the reflective background variety on I-684 near I-84 better enjoy it while you can.  The current repaving project in the area also calls for sign replacement. 

An interesting find is that the ramp from I-84 west to I-684 south will be restriped eliminating the lane drop for the ramp.  So, traffic on the ramp will no longer have to merge onto the mainline.  The mainline between I-84 off-ramp and the on-ramp will be striped as one lane allowing for it.

[Flyer78]

The new Gateway/Southern Tier Welcome Center(/Text Stop/Rest Area (brought to you by Geico)) has reopened just north of the NY/PA line. The relocated toilets, which had opened a while ago are now to the rear of the campus, and the TasteNY area has greatly expanded.

There is a playground for kids, which actually seems like a good idea, and other ample I ❤️ NY monuments to take pictures around.

[D-Dey65]

Something I didn't notice until I was looking at an aerial / topo today: https://historicaerials.com/location/42.413746086522806/-73.54805946350098/1971/16

The Taconic State Parkway had obvious stubs for an extension north for years.

I've known that for a few decades. The intention was to have it terminate around the intersections of NY 22 and 67 in Buskirk.

One other issue, I recently drove on the SO-CALLED "improved" section of NY 112 in Coram down to Granny Road. It's just as stupid as the one between Coram and Port Jefferson Station. 

HEY, NYSDOT! Two lanes with a divider is not an improvement for a road that needs no less than four lanes!

[froggie]

I've known that for a few decades. The intention was to have it terminate around the intersections of NY 22 and 67 in Buskirk.

Depending on what time (and who) you asked, that was one of three "intentions" that existed for a Taconic Extension north of the Berkshire Spur.  The other two were US 20 and all the way to the Canadian border.