Maryland

[NJRoadfan]

The pension boards love people like him. Work and pay into the system forever, collect for a year tops, and drop dead.

[cpzilliacus]

The pension boards love people like him. Work and pay into the system forever, collect for a year tops, and drop dead.

A colleague and friend of mine worked for only 30 years, was in our defined-benefit plan for a year and died - young - in his early 60's.

[vdeane]

The pension boards love people like him. Work and pay into the system forever, collect for a year tops, and drop dead.

The pension boards, maybe (the guy I mentioned would actually make more money retired than working, though he claims he tried retirement and it only lasted a weekend before he got bored).  Keep in mind that spouses get pensions too, depending on the plan selected.

[NJRoadfan]

That's the thing, its silly to stay when it actually costs you money (hint, find another job). Survivor benefits are generally 50% of the benefit, but if you die before you collect, you usually get 0%.

[Rothman]

That's the thing, its silly to stay when it actually costs you money (hint, find another job). Survivor benefits are generally 50% of the benefit, but if you die before you collect, you usually get 0%.

This is where it becomes head-scratching and depressing that people can't find anything more rewarding outside of working for someone else.

[TheOneKEA]

The Baltimore City DOT has posted a TO I-295 shield pairing on Greene Street, between Lombard and Pratt Streets. It look like a very new shield pairing too.

[kj3400]

The Baltimore City DOT has posted a TO I-295 shield pairing on Greene Street, between Lombard and Pratt Streets. It look like a very new shield pairing too.

That's a long way from I-295 to post it

[cpzilliacus]

Washington Post: Snooping for trouble with a bridge inspector

The bridge that takes Alternate Route 1 over the Northeast Branch of the Anacostia River isn't particularly high, or long, or attractive. But it's got a terrific health plan.

Every two years, the Maryland State Highway Administration sends out a crew to give it a top to bottom physical. The road surface, which carries about 15,000 vehicles daily, is examined for wear and tear. The steel girders and rivets on the underside are probed for peeling paint and rust. The concrete foundations below the water's surface are checked for evidence of deterioration.

In September, I got to go along with state bridge inspector Keith Vaughn as he went through a portion of his routine. The first part is relatively simple. He walked the sidewalk and checked the road surface's concrete, the guard rails, the nearby vegetation and the bridge expansion joints. All was well. The most significant thing we saw was that road dirt had gotten into the little rut that's part of the expansion joint, and that's easily cleared out.

[cpzilliacus]

WTOP Radio: Md. 97 bypass a win-win for small Montgomery County town

The town of Brookeville has been around for more than 200 years, and the community is worried that all the commuter traffic on Md. 97, Georgia Avenue, will ruin its historic charm.

But the Maryland State Highway Administration is moving fast on a Md. 97 bypass that would take traffic out of Brookeville and give commuters a potentially quicker trip through the stretch north of the Intercounty Connector.

"This will help keep traffic flowing while still keeping the greatness of Brookeville, the quaintness, there.  The whole point of the Brookeville bypass is to bypass historic Brookeville.  When you have thousands and thousands of cars coming through a small town, it adds to traffic and adds concerns about children running across the street,"  says Del. Craig Zucker.

[BrianP]

What is the deal with the bridge weight sign here:
https://www.google.com/maps/@39.1799825,-76.9586504,3a,75y,166.66h,86.49t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sDzZcn0b1ALQ5QvxMsoRW-w!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

This is on Highland Road approaching MD 108 and MD 216.  I guess it's just a sign error since neither road was MD 32.  I don't even know what bridge it refers to. 

[BrianP]

On I-270 south yesterday I saw a VMS say something like:

Crash Ahead

Past Exit 4 MD 927

Expect Delays

I don't recall all it said precisely.  But the MD 927 stood out.  Since it's an unsigned route, who is going to know that Montrose Road is MD 927 @ I-270 besides roadgeeks like us. 

[davewiecking]

Reminds me that I saw a MD 927 reference on NB 270 several months ago-something about construction. Had to look it up when I got home, and SHA indeed lists it for a little part of Montrose. Couldn't find on a map at least one of the listed cross streets indicating beginning/end. At least in today's case, it apparently also included "Exit 4", but in my case I don't recall such a cross reference. Even if you don't know what Exit 4 is, at least there are signs for it. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

[davewiecking]

What is the deal with the bridge weight sign here:
https://www.google.com/maps/@39.1799825,-76.9586504,3a,75y,166.66h,86.49t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sDzZcn0b1ALQ5QvxMsoRW-w!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

This is on Highland Road approaching MD 108 and MD 216.  I guess it's just a sign error since neither road was MD 32.  I don't even know what bridge it refers to.

This one makes partial sense. MD 32 is the next state highway up MD 108 from MD 216, so it's reasonable to drivers on the state highway system (particularly trucks) some warning nearby. Beats not putting up the sign until you get to the bridge. There a few branches of the Middle Patuxent River that cross under MD 32 on the older 2 lane section NW of 108.

[cpzilliacus]

On I-270 south yesterday I saw a VMS say something like:

Crash Ahead

Past Exit 4 MD 927

Expect Delays

I don't recall all it said precisely.  But the MD 927 stood out.  Since it's an unsigned route, who is going to know that Montrose Road is MD 927 @ I-270 besides roadgeeks like us.

Absolutely correct.

It reminds me of references to Md. 295 on the Capital Beltway part of I-95.  It should read Baltimore-Washington Parkway (or B-W Pkwy), not Md. 295.

[Henry]

I knew that I-68 was the most obvious candidate for the 70 MPH limit. Now I-83 (and/or I-95) north of Baltimore and I-70 from the PA line to at least Frederick should be next in line for the new limit change.

[mattpedersen]

I knew that I-68 was the most obvious candidate for the 70 MPH limit. Now I-83 (and/or I-95) north of Baltimore and I-70 from the PA line to at least Frederick should be next in line for the new limit change.

I was told by someone that the local paper in Garrett County said that they are going to be changing I-70 between Hancock and Hagerstown next week. I can't verify the article though.

[MASTERNC]

I knew that I-68 was the most obvious candidate for the 70 MPH limit. Now I-83 (and/or I-95) north of Baltimore and I-70 from the PA line to at least Frederick should be next in line for the new limit change.

I was told by someone that the local paper in Garrett County said that they are going to be changing I-70 between Hancock and Hagerstown next week. I can't verify the article though.

SHA will likely send out a press release right before changing, as they did for I-68.

[mattpedersen]

SHA will likely send out a press release right before changing, as they did for I-68.

I drove I-68 from Hancock to US 219 South at Keysers Ridge last night. It is posted, at least westbound from I-70 to US 220 north, without a pre announced, drop to 65, with the previous drops at Hillcrest Drive and old 220 still in place.Past Cumberland the limit jumps just past the ramps from Alt 40 at La Vale, once you start the grade towards Frostburg. I only saw one traffic stop and that was just past the long decent down Martins Mountain, about 1 mile west of the exit for Rocky Gap, which is a common place to see traffic stops. Drivers tended to be unaffected by the change, out of state drivers were pushing it harder than people with Maryland plates, but I don't think any one I saw pushed it just past about 6-7 over. The 70 overlays are annoying at night. Sometimes they are brighter than the old sign, other times they are unreadable.

As far as I-70, nothing is different, as of yet.

[1995hoo]

My mom gave Ms1995hoo a copy of the current issue of the Washingtonian magazine. It's their 50th anniversary issue and contains lots of old photos, including this one of the Beltway:

[ixnay]

1995hoo or anyone, those signs in that 1965 photo look like they have fully reflective, non-button copy lettering.  When was reflective lettering on freeway signs first developed?

ixnay

[KEVIN_224]

What road is I-70S today?

[davewiecking]

What road is I-70S today?

I-270. What was labeled 270 is now I-270-Y, although it may have been briefly I-470. Usually referred to as "the spur".

[1995hoo]

1995hoo or anyone, those signs in that 1965 photo look like they have fully reflective, non-button copy lettering.  When was reflective lettering on freeway signs first developed?

ixnay

Beats me, although Maryland did use button copy for years.

[Alps]

1995hoo or anyone, those signs in that 1965 photo look like they have fully reflective, non-button copy lettering.  When was reflective lettering on freeway signs first developed?

ixnay

I disagree, those look like button copy.

[davewiecking]

2 other photos from this location. First one obviously predates the above Washingtonian photo, and can be no earlier than the mid-November 1963 opening of this stretch of road. Second photo is apparently the same sign as posted by 1995hoo, yet has different arrows; because both below sets of arrows are pointing generally upwards, I think both of the below predate the Washingtonian photo posted yesterday; the year in the original caption on that photo isn't readable, but I think says 1965? However, I believe all 3 photos show button copy signs.