Still working through the ever increasing backlog of road photos taken throughout the state of Florida. Spent the last two weeks posting content from recent trips, including a drive over to the Space Coast last week for the eventual scrubbed launch of the SpaceX Demo2 rocket. At least had the opportunity to see the mostly completed multi level systems interchange joining Interstate 4 with SR 408 (East-West Expressway) in [...]
Due to ongoing construction of the new I-74 Mississippi River Bridge, the current mainline of westbound Interstate 74 through the Quad Cities utilizes several ramps and at-grade crossings on both ends of the Iowa-Illinois Memorial Bridge. Iowa-bound traffic utilizes a portion of the new bridge approach to the future eastbound off-ramp to River Drive in Moline. From there motorists connect with River Drive and the adjacent [...]
Texas continues to expand the Interstate system, with a number of additions to the IH 69 corridor at the Rio Grande Valley, South Texas, and the Houston area. Visited the Lone Star State earlier this month and drove all completed/signed sections of IH 69 and its branches. Progress is underway to extend the three suffixed branches, with IH 69E the furthest along with construction underway on a number [...]
Interstate 895, the Sheridan Expressway in the Bronx, New York, is the latest urban freeway set for removal. Plans to convert the freeway to an at-grade boulevard date back at least to 2011, with formal approval by various agencies in 2017. The $97 million Arthur Sheridan Enhancement Project will reconstruct the central portion of Interstate 895 into an urban arterial, with three signalized intersections built along the current uninterrupted [...]
Work continues to progress on the new I-74 Mississippi River Bridge linking Bettendorf, Iowa with Moline, Illinois. Construction on the $1.2 billion span got underway in July 2017 and continues through 2021. Crews are working on both sides of the river, building the future bridge approach viaducts, and erecting pier supports for the eventual six-lane bridge. The first of the two replacement bridges will open by early 2020. With the [...]
First noted on our 2015 Upper Midwest and Great Plains trip along I-29, and dating back to at least 2012 with the establishment of Interstate 49 in Missouri, MoDOT continues to replace Interstate highway shields with markers that omit the state name. Joining neighboring Arkansas and Iowa, the three states opted for signs with larger numerals (though Iowa's version does not fully utilize the space where the state name once [...]
There are no plans from MODOT to extend I-57 south to the U.S. 67 freeway in Arkansas currently. The Breathitt Parkway north from Nortonville to Henderson was designated as a northern extension of I-69 in 2015. The 34 mile stretch of the parkway south from the Western Kentucky Parkway was previously unnumbered. Signed by the President on May 5, 2017, H.B. 244 designates U.S. 67 north from Interstate [...]
Just shy of its two year anniversary, work on the 21-mile stretch of Interstate 4 to add toll express lanes through the Orlando area is progressing at a steady pace. The Ultimate I-4 project is advancing in various stages along its entire stretch and is still on goal for a 2021 completion. Broken down into four region-based segments, the majority of the work on the $2.3 billion project is being [...]
The Tar Heel state continues to lead the nation in proposing and developing new Interstate corridors. Additions approved by AASHTO in 2016 alone designated Interstates 42, 87 and 587. These join ongoing progress or long range plans for Interstates 73, 274, 285, 785, 295, 795, etc. We drove across North Carolina last month and checked out progress on a number of projects: Interstate 42 will run east from I-40 at [...]
Another major project underway in the Philadelphia is area is the $900 million upgrade of the junction where Interstate 295 ties into I-76 and NJ 42 (North South Freeway) at Bellmawr. Studies outlined deficiencies with the interchange, including geometric conditions and the lack of a direct connection for I-295 through movements, in addition to the need to improve traffic safety. Eleven improvement alternatives were evaluated, with four selected for further [...]
