Georgia

[Tom958]

In the middle of a hot Georgia summer, hell has frozen over: Georgia's decades-old policy of making all signs on a given gantry the same height (h/t afone)has been broken by this sign and its brother just upstream.



OK, full disclosure: this one's been here for years and I never noticed the relatively small difference in size because I'm such a slacker. I took both photos on foot from the Akers Mill Road bridge, btw.



I'm totally in favor of the new policy if in fact the policy has been changed. That said, it seems really strange to change policy midway through the current huge signage replacement program. Speaking of which, there are yet-to-be-installed signs for the Downtown Connector stockpiled nearby, including a blue one for Grady Hospital and another APL for I don't know where.

[Zeffy]

That policy really on works for California where the sign height is limited anyway. With Georgia, you had signs just containing a destination legend and an arrow being sized to other more complex signs resulting in a ton of green-space.

[codyg1985]

I like that Georgia is going back to FHWA E-series modified as well as going away from full-width exit tabs.

[afguy]

GDOT has recently completed and released the results of their I-75 South corridor study. The study looked at improvements to I-75 between South Metro Atlanta and Warner Robins. I believe overall the recommended projects will improve the traffic flow along this important corridor.

GDOT broke the projects and proposed improvements into sections. Here's the breakdown:
Exits 216-188
-Add turn lanes to the NB SR 155 exit ramp
-Add turn lanes to the SB Bill Gardner Pkwy exit ramp
-Add auxiliary lanes to I-75 between SR 155 and Bill Gardner Pkwy
-Widen I-75 from Bill Gardner Pkwy(exit 212) to SR 42(exit 188)

Exits 185-177
-Add auxiliary lanes to SB I-75 between the SR 18 ramps and the Rumble Road ramps
-Add auxiliary lane to SB I-75 between the Rumble Road ramps and the I-475 north ramps

Exits 172-167
-Add turn lanes to the Bass Road exit ramps
-Reconstruct the Bass Road interchange
-Add auxiliary lanes between the Bass Rd and Riverside Dr exits
-Add signals and turn lanes to the Riverside Dr interchange
-Add auxiliary lanes between Riverside Dr and Arkwright road
-Add turn lanes to Pierce Avenue exit

Exit 165
Rebuild and widen I-16/I-75 interchange

Exits 164-160 A/B
-Add turn lanes to Forsyth Street exit ramps
-Add auxiliary lanes between Forsyth St and Mercer University Dr
-Add signals to the Mercer University Dr exit
-Add auxiliary lanes between Mercer University Dr and Eisenhower Pkwy
-Add traffic signals to the Eisenhower Pkwy NB ramp
-Add auxiliary lanes between Eisenhower Pkwy and Pio Nono
-Add traffic signals to the Pio Nono exit

Exits 153-146
-Widen I-75 from south of Sardis Church Road to Watson Blvd.

For a detailed report on the I-75 South corridor, click here:http://www.dot.ga.gov/BuildSmart/Studies/I75StudyDocuments/I-75South/I75-SteeringCommitteePresentation-6-30-15.pdf

[Georgia]

I-16 and I-75 interchange has been planned for a while, so hopefully since the ROW is now being purchased that long needed project can begin but without too badly effecting the historic tracts around the interchange.

[Henry]

That I-75 project seems very ambitious! I assume that they will do the aforementioned sections in phases, instead of doing all 70 miles at once?

[lordsutch]

Overall it strikes me as a sensible plan, effectively eight-laning I-75 between the end of the managed lanes and I-475, and one that can be accomplished largely incrementally as funding is available. The Bass Road improvements are desperately needed, as is some signalization at the US 23 interchange due to the huge commercial growth in that area.

I'm not sure the work in Macon south of I-16 is as urgent, although the close interchanges through there do create some weaving issues for traffic. South of Sardis Church the extra lane is badly needed, particularly on the sustained uphill grades between Sardis Church and GA 49 (I'd almost add a truck climbing lane in addition to the fourth through lane in each direction, since a lot of the truck traffic has trouble sustaining 70 mph on the grades).

Lastly I believe the first phase of the I-75/I-16 interchange work is programmed for FY2017, so it should finally start happening.

[Tom958]

Overall it strikes me as a sensible plan...

I'm utterly confused by these "auxiliary lanes." I know what auxiliary lanes are-- they're all over the place in Atlanta where high volumes and short interchange spacings create a capacity and operational warrant for them. But now they're supposedly appropriate for rural interchanges spaced four miles apart? And what are these things, anyway? Between GA 16 and Bill Gardner, auxiliary lanes are to cost $28m while widening is $316m? Does that make sense to you? It surely doesn't to me. Maybe they're just rebuilt shoulders like the ones on 400. If so, though, why not run them through the interchanges? Unlike on 400, there's room, since most of the interchange bridges have already been widened. As far as that goes, horizontal clearance issues ought to be more pronounced between interchanges.

And, what about pavement durability issues? Throughout Georgia, Interstate pavements are being fully removed and replaced. How is that supposed to work with the proposed interim auxiliary lanes? Or does I-75 not need to have its pavement replaced? Perhaps the same magic could be worked on other Georgia Interstates. I'm just sayin.'

There must be credible answers to these and other questions. Must be in some other report.

[lordsutch]

I'm utterly confused by these "auxiliary lanes." I know what auxiliary lanes are-- they're all over the place in Atlanta where high volumes and short interchange spacings create a capacity and operational warrant for them. But now they're supposedly appropriate for rural interchanges spaced four miles apart? And what are these things, anyway? Between GA 16 and Bill Gardner, auxiliary lanes are to cost $28m while widening is $316m? Does that make sense to you? It surely doesn't to me. Maybe they're just rebuilt shoulders like the ones on 400. If so, though, why not run them through the interchanges? Unlike on 400, there's room, since most of the interchange bridges have already been widened. As far as that goes, horizontal clearance issues ought to be more pronounced between interchanges.

My understanding is that FHWA/AASHTO standards allow a reduced inner shoulder on sections of highway with auxiliary lanes (remember, the existing 3+ lane sections have a full-width shoulder on both sides), and reconstructing the inner shoulder into a new 'fourth lane' to carry car and bus traffic only, since trucks are already banned from the left lane, is much cheaper than adding a full-depth lane on the outside or inside.

Another big cost difference is likely the overpasses; unlike the underpasses that were rebuilt to allow a 8-lane cross section when the initial 6-laning was done, I think GDOT left most of the old overpasses in place since there was sufficient room for 6 lanes + shoulders (see e.g. here). Squeezing in another 12' lane while retaining full shoulders on both sides may just be impossible. On the other hand, stealing a few feet from each shoulder will allow adding another through traffic lane fairly easily.

[Tom958]

Not buyin' it (before I get too far into bitching, my beef is with GDOT for not presenting believable information, not with you for trying to make sense of it), the main reason being that that section of I-75 is utterly typical in configuration. Similar sections have been widened in a variety on ways starting in the '70's and continuing right up until the recent I-85 widening south of Newnan (which has eight lanes with narrow left shoulders just like, say, the vast majority of I-285), and there's never been a harebrained scheme like adding "auxiliary lanes" between widely spaced rural interchanges before. Without knowing, I don't doubt that FHWA rules are as you think they are, but the way this needs to go is:

1. Harebrained proposal is made
2. Drawbacks and deficiencies of said proposal are duly noted, then...
3. Design exceptions are requested and granted as needed so that something sensible can be done instead.

So far, I don't see that that's been done.

[xcellntbuy]

On my early Sunday morning shopping pilgrimage from Milledgeville to BJ's Wholesale Club in Conyers, I wish to report on GA 212 that there is a new four-way stop at Bethel Church Road.

For any members who have traveled this lovely highway through the Oconee National Forest, there are only a handful of traffic lights from Milledgeville to the Oak Hill Community, about a 60-mile swath of peaceful driving, with two full traffic lights in the small middle Georgia city of Monticello.  Most major four-way intersections along GA 212 are only controlled with large stop signs and occasional four-way beacons over this 60+-mile stretch.

[afguy]

This is a rendering of the proposed new welcome signage that GDOT will begin installing in 2016. It will be the first overhaul of the state's welcome signs in 20 plus years.
Welcome to Georgia by brandon walker, on Flickr

[afguy]

I was also looking at GDOT's project lettings for September. GDOT is finally going to resurface I-20 between Sweetwater Creek and Hill Street. IMO this project is way overdue.

[codyg1985]

Welcome sign looks great! If only Alabama would have done better. Theirs got worse..

[Zeffy]

I'm not a fan of the orange part of the peach directly touching the blue background. Same with the purple.

[Brian556]

Why is there a permanent uneven pavement situation in southern Georgia on I-75 NB?
It has yellow UNEVEN PAVEMENT signs that are so old that they are severely deteriorated.

[Henry]

This is a rendering of the proposed new welcome signage that GDOT will begin installing in 2016. It will be the first overhaul of the state's welcome signs in 20 plus years.
Welcome to Georgia by brandon walker, on Flickr

I'm sure Ray Charles would approve of the reference to his hit song on those signs!

[Tom958]

Why is there a permanent uneven pavement situation in southern Georgia on I-75 NB?
It has yellow UNEVEN PAVEMENT signs that are so old that they are severely deteriorated.

Value engineering? 

I'm sure Ray Charles would approve of the reference to his hit song on those signs!

It's our state song. 

[xcellntbuy]

When I have traveled the particular section of Interstate 75 with the left lane uneven and slightly higher than the other two lanes, it reminds me of one big, long, even drag patch.  I don't know if Georgia ran out of money to repave all the lanes or the single lane repavement was viewed as sufficient for a few years until more funding would be available to do a complete resurfacing.  Regardless, as I have found out living here for the past year now, Georgia is tight with a buck when it comes to its highway plans.

[ATLRedSoxFan]

As a former Georgia resident, the welcome sign is a big fail. All it needs is a circular object on top of the peach leafs and looks like a bended over booty with a thong. No wonder Georgia's on people's mind.

[afguy]

Warner Robins released their draft 2040 transportation plan earlier this month. Some of the highlights of the plan includes the following info:

-Houston County's population is projected to grow from 139,000 in 2010 to 221,000 in 2040.

Th overall plan has $1.2 Billion worth of projects planned between now and 2040.

-Widening Watson Blvd from 4 to 6 lanes from SR 11/U.S. 41 to Carl Vinson Pkwy and add a median from Carl Vinson to SR 247/U.S. 129. The total cost would be $54.8 million and be constructed sometime between 2021-2030.

-Widening Dunbar Road from Houston Lake Rd to Centerville/Elberta Road. Total cost $40.5 million.

-I-75 widening from Sardis Church to Watson Blvd.

-Establishing public transit system.

There was also a list of what they called illustrative projects. These are projects that would be built if they had the money. These include the following:

-Widening SR 11/U.S. 41 from Russell Pkwy to Mossy Creek

-Widening I-75 from Watson Pkwy to Perry Pkwy. Total cost would be $110 million

-Widening Dunbar Road from SR 49 to SR11/U.S. 41. This project would also include a new bridge over I-75.


Overall I think its a good plan and would improve the transportation system in Houston. Personally I love love to see Macon's MTA run the transit system.

link to plan:http://www.wrga.gov/DocumentCenter/View/1716

[lordsutch]

A few other interesting projects in the plan:

GA 49 widening to 4 lanes from Byron east to the existing four-lane section at US 41.
Houston Lake Blvd widening to 4 lanes from US 41 south to Thomson Rd.
Filling in the missing link on the west side of Perry Pkwy.

Not bad overall, although I'd have expected an extension of Russell Pkwy west to GA 49 north of Fort Valley, at least in the "pie in the sky" plans. That's an area of Peach County that's likely to develop rapidly now that the new hospital and proposed high school are in the northeast part of the county.

[Tom958]

Two legged CFI for US 78 at GA 124, which at one time was the most congested intersection in the state. A newspaper article said it could take two years to acquire the right of way and another two years to build. On the bright side, though, it'll displace the title pawn place in the repurposed Hardee's.

[MarcusDoT]

This is a rendering of the proposed new welcome signage that GDOT will begin installing in 2016. It will be the first overhaul of the state's welcome signs in 20 plus years.
Welcome to Georgia by brandon walker, on Flickr

I love the sign except for having the Governor's name on it. So that means when the current governor leaves, you have to replace ALL of the Welcome Signs with the new governor, costing more money towards the GDOT.

[lordsutch]

Usually they just install a panel over the governor's name. Since GDOT only puts these on Interstates and maybe a few other major highways, the marginal cost every 4-8 years is pretty small.

The more serious issue is that Gotham, or whatever knockoff they're using, is already incredibly overused (my university just adopted it as its branding typeface, a clear sign that we're on the "diminishing returns" side of Gotham's hipness) and will be downright dated by the end of the sign's design life.