Ohio

[Hot Rod Hootenanny]

I've done some traveling through southern and central/SW Ohio over the past month and noticed that ODOT has started adding additional signal heads mounted on the near-side right pole at a number of intersections (such as on US 23 through Lucasville and US 52 around South Point). At first I thought it was maybe just a District 9 thing but I also saw it around District 8 territory. Is this something new statewide?

Statewide.
I know several intersections along US 23, between I-270 & Delaware got this treatment leading up to the I-270-23/315 reconstruction 5-6 years ago.
US 20 @ Oh 306, in Mentor, also got the same treatment (as I had to travel through this intersection a handful of times last week)

[amroad17]

One for the odd use of guide signs file: The I-75 exit for Bellefontaine St, Wapakoneta has been re-signed "First on the Moon, Wapakoneta"


Source: https://www.sidneydailynews.com/news/143379

I can't find any information on where the change originated (statehouse, local, etc.), or whether the street has been officially been renamed "First on the Moon." The guide signs on the ramps have been changed to:

First on the Moon
<-- Bellefontaine St
<-- Wapakoneta

In keeping with ODOT's post-Clearview BGSs, the sign seems a bit cramped.

I drove through there last weekend, and was surprised to see this.  I thought the law required any text on a primary BGS to be a street/road name or an incorporated municipality.   

This may be temporary as I know Wapakoneta has a lot of 50th anniversary events planned for this summer.

Maybe this is what the Neil Armstrong Museum is going to be called (hopefully temporarily).

[GCrites]

I've done some traveling through southern and central/SW Ohio over the past month and noticed that ODOT has started adding additional signal heads mounted on the near-side right pole at a number of intersections (such as on US 23 through Lucasville and US 52 around South Point). At first I thought it was maybe just a District 9 thing but I also saw it around District 8 territory. Is this something new statewide?

Statewide.
I know several intersections along US 23, between I-270 & Delaware got this treatment leading up to the I-270-23/315 reconstruction 5-6 years ago.
US 20 @ Oh 306, in Mentor, also got the same treatment (as I had to travel through this intersection a handful of times last week)

I wonder if it's because now there are so many semis on the roads that sometimes it's difficult to see the overhead signals.

[ftballfan]

Has anyone ever noticed that the quickest way from Grand Rapids to Cincinnati involves two county roads near Van Wert, OH?:
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Grand+Rapids/Cincinnati/@41.4830035,-85.821194,8.24z/data=!4m13!4m12!1m5!1m1!1s0x88185460bb502815:0xa593aacb1bd3a8d0!2m2!1d-85.6680863!2d42.9633599!1m5!1m1!1s0x884051b1de3821f9:0x69fb7e8be4c09317!2m2!1d-84.5120196!2d39.1031182?hl=en
Liberty-Union Rd and Wren-Landeck Rd are also on the quickest way between the following major cities:
Kalamazoo-Cincinnati
Grand Rapids/Kalamazoo-Dayton

Speaking of quickest ways between two large cities using county roads, the quickest way from Fort Wayne to both Cincinnati and Dayton involves a county road that crosses the IN/OH line!:
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Fort+Wayne,+IN/Dayton,+OH/@40.7918263,-84.7297642,10.12z/data=!4m13!4m12!1m5!1m1!1s0x8815e4ddff22814b:0x80077b147642f793!2m2!1d-85.1393513!2d41.079273!1m5!1m1!1s0x884080d5aedd1403:0xa640e392f20e4ce4!2m2!1d-84.1916069!2d39.7589478?hl=en

Fort Wayne to Columbus also uses a county road: https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Fort+Wayne,+IN/Columbus,+OH/@40.7111371,-84.1859042,9.33z/data=!4m13!4m12!1m5!1m1!1s0x8815e4ddff22814b:0x80077b147642f793!2m2!1d-85.1393513!2d41.079273!1m5!1m1!1s0x883889c1b990de71:0xe43266f8cfb1b533!2m2!1d-82.9987942!2d39.9611755?hl=en

[zzcarp]

Fort Wayne to Columbus also uses a county road: https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Fort+Wayne,+IN/Columbus,+OH/@40.7111371,-84.1859042,9.33z/data=!4m13!4m12!1m5!1m1!1s0x8815e4ddff22814b:0x80077b147642f793!2m2!1d-85.1393513!2d41.079273!1m5!1m1!1s0x883889c1b990de71:0xe43266f8cfb1b533!2m2!1d-82.9987942!2d39.9611755?hl=en

I don't know about the other ones, but the Fort Wayne to Columbus route avoids Lima which is a terribly slow city to drive through and  also maximizes the use of the US 30 expressway and the entirety of the US 33 freeway, both of which have faster speed limits.

[okroads]

Fort Wayne to Columbus also uses a county road: https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Fort+Wayne,+IN/Columbus,+OH/@40.7111371,-84.1859042,9.33z/data=!4m13!4m12!1m5!1m1!1s0x8815e4ddff22814b:0x80077b147642f793!2m2!1d-85.1393513!2d41.079273!1m5!1m1!1s0x883889c1b990de71:0xe43266f8cfb1b533!2m2!1d-82.9987942!2d39.9611755?hl=en

I don't know about the other ones, but the Fort Wayne to Columbus route avoids Lima which is a terribly slow city to drive through and  also maximizes the use of the US 30 expressway and the entirety of the US 33 freeway, both of which have faster speed limits.

That county road on the Fort Wayne-Columbus route would be Thayer Road, which I have taken a couple times. It has stop signs almost every mile but is still faster than going directly through Lima on OH SR 117 & 309. There is also an overpass for P&G plant traffic over Thayer Road. https://goo.gl/maps/T3tpPap6kz1AZn1J7

Google also routes traffic on Thayer Road on the route between north Columbus and Chicago.

[Hot Rod Hootenanny]

These routings might be due to local detours due to road construction or weather hazards.

[Hot Rod Hootenanny]

Speaking of weather hazards. After alot of rain overnight, one of our local bridges appears to be in trouble.

[cl94]

Fort Wayne to Columbus also uses a county road: https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Fort+Wayne,+IN/Columbus,+OH/@40.7111371,-84.1859042,9.33z/data=!4m13!4m12!1m5!1m1!1s0x8815e4ddff22814b:0x80077b147642f793!2m2!1d-85.1393513!2d41.079273!1m5!1m1!1s0x883889c1b990de71:0xe43266f8cfb1b533!2m2!1d-82.9987942!2d39.9611755?hl=en

I don't know about the other ones, but the Fort Wayne to Columbus route avoids Lima which is a terribly slow city to drive through and  also maximizes the use of the US 30 expressway and the entirety of the US 33 freeway, both of which have faster speed limits.

That county road on the Fort Wayne-Columbus route would be Thayer Road, which I have taken a couple times. It has stop signs almost every mile but is still faster than going directly through Lima on OH SR 117 & 309. There is also an overpass for P&G plant traffic over Thayer Road. https://goo.gl/maps/T3tpPap6kz1AZn1J7

Google also routes traffic on Thayer Road on the route between north Columbus and Chicago.

Just staying on 33 to 465 isn't horrendous, IMO. But yes, there are a couple of slow spots, particularly Russells Point - New Hampshire.

[6a]

Has anyone ever noticed that the quickest way from Grand Rapids to Cincinnati involves two county roads near Van Wert, OH?:
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Grand+Rapids/Cincinnati/@41.4830035,-85.821194,8.24z/data=!4m13!4m12!1m5!1m1!1s0x88185460bb502815:0xa593aacb1bd3a8d0!2m2!1d-85.6680863!2d42.9633599!1m5!1m1!1s0x884051b1de3821f9:0x69fb7e8be4c09317!2m2!1d-84.5120196!2d39.1031182?hl=en
Liberty-Union Rd and Wren-Landeck Rd are also on the quickest way between the following major cities:
Kalamazoo-Cincinnati
Grand Rapids/Kalamazoo-Dayton

Speaking of quickest ways between two large cities using county roads, the quickest way from Fort Wayne to both Cincinnati and Dayton involves a county road that crosses the IN/OH line!:
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Fort+Wayne,+IN/Dayton,+OH/@40.7918263,-84.7297642,10.12z/data=!4m13!4m12!1m5!1m1!1s0x8815e4ddff22814b:0x80077b147642f793!2m2!1d-85.1393513!2d41.079273!1m5!1m1!1s0x884080d5aedd1403:0xa640e392f20e4ce4!2m2!1d-84.1916069!2d39.7589478?hl=en

Fort Wayne to Columbus also uses a county road: https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Fort+Wayne,+IN/Columbus,+OH/@40.7111371,-84.1859042,9.33z/data=!4m13!4m12!1m5!1m1!1s0x8815e4ddff22814b:0x80077b147642f793!2m2!1d-85.1393513!2d41.079273!1m5!1m1!1s0x883889c1b990de71:0xe43266f8cfb1b533!2m2!1d-82.9987942!2d39.9611755?hl=en

Yup, my girlfriend is from Fort Wayne - every time we go up there we end up on county roads for a good portion of the trip. Not only is there less traffic, it's a nice scenic drive, to boot.

[6a]

The Transportation Research Center in East Liberty has developed a "high speed intersection"  for testing of autonomous vehicles. What I find interesting is the signals being used. I suppose it makes sense for a driverless vehicle to not have to deal with a doghouse. It just piqued my curiosity upon seeing the pictures.

[mrsman]

The Transportation Research Center in East Liberty has developed a "high speed intersection"  for testing of autonomous vehicles. What I find interesting is the signals being used. I suppose it makes sense for a driverless vehicle to not have to deal with a doghouse. It just piqued my curiosity upon seeing the pictures.

I believe that it is far easier to get to fully automated vehicle use in a situation where traffic signals provide exclusive protected control.  If there are separate signals for straight, right, and left at high speed intersections, and turns are only allowed if fully protected, and all vehicles and pedestrians must abide by their unique signals - then it is a relatively simple manner to direct automatic cars to simple stay in their lane and follow the signals.

It would be far harder to deal with peds or traffic that can come and go at any time.  Also it would probably be hard for an automatic car to "judge" a safe permissive left turn or a safe right turn on red.  It is far easier for an automatic car to avoid stationary hazards than moving hazards.

[6a]

ODOT was testing the I-670 smartlane signs last night.

[6a]

I-670 Smartlane opens next Wednesday:

[6a]

The opening of the reconfigured exit ramps at I-670 & I-270 has brought about some exit numbering changes:

10A: I-270 N
10B: SR 161/Easton Way
10C: US 62 E
10D: I-270 S

[marleythedog]

Can someone at FHWA explain how that gantry is more readable than dancing arrows when aligned over the lanes properly?

[cl94]

Can someone at FHWA explain how that gantry is more readable than dancing arrows when aligned over the lanes properly?

This has indeed been discussed at TRB. The MUTCD restricting APLs to a single option lane and banning dancing arrows has led to this, which is the only way to indicate multiple option lanes.

Paging Alps or mtantillo: has NCUTCD discussed this at all?

[Hot Rod Hootenanny]

Now that ODOT believes it has money again, it is plotting out future construction again.
https://radio.wosu.org/post/gas-tax-hike-lets-odot-green-light-nearly-400-million-road-projects#stream/0

$38 million for widening of I-75 (Phase 8 of Through the Valley) in Hamilton County
$79 million for widening of I-475 and construction of a new interchange at U.S. 20A in Lucas County
$38 million for intersection and interchange improvements along SR-32 (Eastern Corridor Segment 4A) in Clermont County
$10 million for construction of northbound express lanes on I-71 between Stringtown Road and I-270 in Franklin County
$65 million for widening and interchange improvements along I-77 from Arlington Road to I-77, I-277, and U.S. 224 in Summit County
$8 million for interchange improvements to U.S. 40 and Dayton International Airport Access Road in Montgomery County
$73 million for interchange improvements at I-270 and I-70 (Phase 1 of the Far East Freeway) in Franklin County
$18 million for widening of SR-18 between the City of Medina and I-71 in Medina County
$8 million for improvements to the U.S. 36 and SR-37 intersection and associated railroad bridge replacement in Delaware County
$4.3 million for improvements to the U.S. 33 and SR-161 Interchange in Union County, bringing TRAC's total to commitment for construction of this project to $11.3 million

[seicer]

- Eastern Corridor Segment 4A involves improvements to Old SR 74 in the vicinity of Glen Este-Withamsville Road.

Going by http://www.dot.state.oh.us/trac/TRAC%20List/FINAL_20_23_MN_CONSTRUCTION_PROGRAM_LIST.pdf

- The SR 7 Chesapeake bypass receives funding in 2021 for ROW. This should finally kickstart the completion of a super-two from Chesapeake to Proctorville.

[Buck87]

$10 million for construction of northbound express lanes on I-71 between Stringtown Road and I-270 in Franklin County

So is that part of the "South Side Mega Fix" or in addition to it?

[Hot Rod Hootenanny]

$10 million for construction of northbound express lanes on I-71 between Stringtown Road and I-270 in Franklin County

So is that part of the "South Side Mega Fix" or in addition to it?

In addition to it.

[Buck87]

Noticed a new mileage sign on OH 4 just north of the OH 162 intersection, which had the mileage to both Sandusky and to the Turnpike, but signed it with an I-80 shield, an I-90 shield and a yellow toll banner, instead of saying "Ohio Turnpike" as I have seen on other milage signs.

[Bitmapped]

I was in NW Ohio yesterday and noticed that ODOT is using 5-light inline tower signals for right turns with their advance signals. I found this example at the intersection of SR 53 and SR 163 east of Port Clinton: https://goo.gl/maps/H1moydGHZ5JAsHEh8

[King O Frod]

I was in NW Ohio yesterday and noticed that ODOT is using 5-light inline tower signals for right turns with their advance signals. I found this example at the intersection of SR 53 and SR 163 east of Port Clinton: https://goo.gl/maps/H1moydGHZ5JAsHEh8

Looks less likely than a doghouse signal to get clipped by a truck's side mirror.

[Hot Rod Hootenanny]

I was in NW Ohio yesterday and noticed that ODOT is using 5-light inline tower signals for right turns with their advance signals. I found this example at the intersection of SR 53 and SR 163 east of Port Clinton: https://goo.gl/maps/H1moydGHZ5JAsHEh8

I thought it was just a Toledo thing.
(US 20 @ Oh 2, back in September)