driving on the left...... in America
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driving on the left...... in America
https://maps.app.goo.gl/QJoDy87bH5z8Lvwz7
its a section of divided highway that runs for a reasonable distance with the traffic driving on the left...
dont know how unique this is but its def different.
its a section of divided highway that runs for a reasonable distance with the traffic driving on the left...
dont know how unique this is but its def different.
Re: driving on the left...... in America
I can't really see the point of it as it requires an extra bridge near the I-710 junction.
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Big and complex.
Big and complex.
- freebrickproductions
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Re: driving on the left...... in America
I assume it was only done so the westbound tolled express lane(s) could more easily be tied-into the westbound exit ramp at Exit 2B.
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Re: driving on the left...... in America
The US Virgin Islands is of course only a US territory but it drives on the left. With American sourced cars.
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Re: driving on the left...... in America
Why is that? Was there any British colonial history involved.exiled wrote: ↑Thu Feb 15, 2024 20:49 The US Virgin Islands is of course only a US territory but it drives on the left. With American sourced cars.
How would you like your grade separations, Sir?
Big and complex.
Big and complex.
- Ruperts Trooper
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Re: driving on the left...... in America
The US Virgin Islands were purchased from Denmark in 1917 who drove on the left at that time.Truvelo wrote: ↑Thu Feb 15, 2024 22:05Why is that? Was there any British colonial history involved.exiled wrote: ↑Thu Feb 15, 2024 20:49 The US Virgin Islands is of course only a US territory but it drives on the left. With American sourced cars.
Lifelong motorhead
Re: driving on the left...... in America
I5 just north of Castaic has quite a long section of left-hand driving. I believe it's to do with the gradients of the two carriageways.Gav wrote: ↑Thu Feb 15, 2024 17:08 https://maps.app.goo.gl/QJoDy87bH5z8Lvwz7
its a section of divided highway that runs for a reasonable distance with the traffic driving on the left...
dont know how unique this is but its def different.
I thought there was something already on SABRE about it but a search does not bring it up.
Re: driving on the left...... in America
There are quite a few of these where the carriageways split and cross over to cope with the topography. There's one on Az-87 northeast of Phoenix, for example.
Re: driving on the left...... in America
thats the grapevine, been on it.Pendlemac wrote: ↑Fri Feb 16, 2024 12:27I5 just north of Castaic has quite a long section of left-hand driving. I believe it's to do with the gradients of the two carriageways.Gav wrote: ↑Thu Feb 15, 2024 17:08 https://maps.app.goo.gl/QJoDy87bH5z8Lvwz7
its a section of divided highway that runs for a reasonable distance with the traffic driving on the left...
dont know how unique this is but its def different.
I thought there was something already on SABRE about it but a search does not bring it up.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grapevine,_California
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvUj2M-wRHQ
- freebrickproductions
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Re: driving on the left...... in America
Similarly, I-85 in North Carolina has the two carriageways switch sides for a few miles, with there even being a pair of rest areas in the median of this stretch.
https://www.google.com/maps/place/North ... ?entry=ttu
https://www.google.com/maps/place/North ... ?entry=ttu
Probably busy documenting grade crossings in the southeastern United States.
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Re: driving on the left...... in America
There are several exits from the westbound carriageway - which simply leave the left of the express lanes and merge into the right of the main carriageway on the level. If the carriageways were the the other way round then these would require bridges. Further east, the express lanes are in the middle of the main lanes so the issue doesn't arise.freebrickproductions wrote: ↑Thu Feb 15, 2024 18:43 I assume it was only done so the westbound tolled express lane(s) could more easily be tied-into the westbound exit ramp at Exit 2B.
It looks like the root cause is avoiding the need to rebuild the junction [url-https://maps.app.goo.gl/AS68oFWz6HPn3a3C6]here[/url] - it would need the slip roads moved and several bridges rebuilt to get extra lanes through the middle, so instead they go off-line to the north of the junction. But now you've got the eastbound express next to the westbound main, which means you can't easily put exits in. And there's not much space to cross back to the centre with all the bridges and junctions in this section. So the simplest solution is to cross the express lanes over each other, then you have the westbounds next to each other and can put in all the exits you want.
This does leave the junctions a bit asymmetrical though - the eastbounds are nowhere near each other, so there aren't any entrances on this stretch. In fact it doesn't look like you can enter the eastbound express lanes (west of I-710) from any of the main roads at all, which seems a bit odd.
- freebrickproductions
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Re: driving on the left...... in America
To be fair, even if the express lanes were arranged normally, they'd probably still skip several exits, even with the arterials and other major roads if they were "too close". From what I've seen of express lanes in other areas, like up in northern New Jersey and, more similarly, around Atlanta, the express lanes are done to skip most exits, thus, at least potentially, removing conflict points by not having nearly as many entrances and exits. There are points at which you can get on and off the express lanes, sometimes to the "local" lanes of the Interstate/toll road/freeway and sometimes just as a direct exit to the road, however, and they're usually signed in advance. As such, at least in theory (as the only express lanes I've ever used have been the ones around northern New Jersey), they're "express" as you don't have to deal with as much traffic. IIRC, trucks are often banned from the express lanes as well.SteelCamel wrote: ↑Sat Feb 17, 2024 13:48 In fact it doesn't look like you can enter the eastbound express lanes (west of I-710) from any of the main roads at all, which seems a bit odd.
In the case of the Los Angeles and Atlanta examples, as they're tolled lanes on otherwise free-to-use roads, it probably also makes it a bit cheaper on the side of installing the electronic tolling equipment, as you don't have to install as much.
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Re: driving on the left...... in America
Rest area with, apparently, no way in other than from I-85 itself. Presume that there are employees there ?freebrickproductions wrote: ↑Fri Feb 16, 2024 22:45 Similarly, I-85 in North Carolina has the two carriageways switch sides for a few miles, with there even being a pair of rest areas in the median of this stretch.
https://www.google.com/maps/place/North ... ?entry=ttu
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Re: driving on the left...... in America
I'm not sure there are. One building is presumably toilets, the other appears to be signed "Vending" which to me suggests machines rather than a staffed shop. In any case, it's only 6 miles between the nearest junctions, and being in a not particularly built up area any staff will be arriving by car anyway (especially as this is the USA).Was92now625 wrote: ↑Mon Feb 19, 2024 23:07Rest area with, apparently, no way in other than from I-85 itself. Presume that there are employees there ?freebrickproductions wrote: ↑Fri Feb 16, 2024 22:45 Similarly, I-85 in North Carolina has the two carriageways switch sides for a few miles, with there even being a pair of rest areas in the median of this stretch.
https://www.google.com/maps/place/North ... ?entry=ttu
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Re: driving on the left...... in America
I believe there would be at least janitorial staff, and possibly on-site security (at least during certain hours) and/or someone at a desk drivers could ask for info, depending on what features a rest stop may have. And yeah, there are generally toilets unless signed otherwise. Rest areas here in the US don't have nearly the same amenities that motorway service areas over there have, usually just restrooms, vending machines, picnic tables, a pet-walking area, and maybe a security office and/or info desk. With some states that still offer free printed maps, they can be found at the info desk or at least an easily accessible stand at any rest stop (like Alabama), while others seem to only offer them at the state welcome centers (like Texas).SteelCamel wrote: ↑Mon Feb 19, 2024 23:57I'm not sure there are. One building is presumably toilets, the other appears to be signed "Vending" which to me suggests machines rather than a staffed shop. In any case, it's only 6 miles between the nearest junctions, and being in a not particularly built up area any staff will be arriving by car anyway (especially as this is the USA).Was92now625 wrote: ↑Mon Feb 19, 2024 23:07Rest area with, apparently, no way in other than from I-85 itself. Presume that there are employees there ?freebrickproductions wrote: ↑Fri Feb 16, 2024 22:45 Similarly, I-85 in North Carolina has the two carriageways switch sides for a few miles, with there even being a pair of rest areas in the median of this stretch.
https://www.google.com/maps/place/North ... ?entry=ttu
It'll also vary by state whether overnight parking is allowed at rest stops or not. Alabama doesn't allow it, but I believe Indiana does, for example.
Probably busy documenting grade crossings in the southeastern United States.
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Re: driving on the left...... in America
Back to the original section being discussed, and I've known this piece of I-10 San Bernardino Freeway since the late 1970s, when it was a straightforward Los Angeles D4M Freeway. It has been subject to various widenings and adjustments, some very substantial, since then. In the early 1980s a buses only carriageway, the El Monte Busway, was built in with it, this was regularly described as the "most successful bus scheme in the USA", which must make all the others seem awful, as one hardly saw a bus on it, and the ones there didn't seem to have many passengers. Now this has been converted to more general tolled express lanes. Since then there have been a whole series of widenings along the way, and major junction rebuilds. I doubt there has ever been more than a few years when some major reconstruction was not in hand.
I haven't used the new toll arrangements, but they seem extraordinary, with different prices for how many in the car, time of day, and for different fuels, all in combination, which you have to set on a special in-car device before starting, thus confining it to very regulars. Mayor Khan in London must surely be attracted to it.
I haven't used the new toll arrangements, but they seem extraordinary, with different prices for how many in the car, time of day, and for different fuels, all in combination, which you have to set on a special in-car device before starting, thus confining it to very regulars. Mayor Khan in London must surely be attracted to it.
Re: driving on the left...... in America
This is very similar to the A89 in France.freebrickproductions wrote: ↑Tue Feb 20, 2024 09:17I believe there would be at least janitorial staff, and possibly on-site security (at least during certain hours) and/or someone at a desk drivers could ask for info, depending on what features a rest stop may have. And yeah, there are generally toilets unless signed otherwise. Rest areas here in the US don't have nearly the same amenities that motorway service areas over there have, usually just restrooms, vending machines, picnic tables, a pet-walking area, and maybe a security office and/or info desk. With some states that still offer free printed maps, they can be found at the info desk or at least an easily accessible stand at any rest stop (like Alabama), while others seem to only offer them at the state welcome centers (like Texas).SteelCamel wrote: ↑Mon Feb 19, 2024 23:57I'm not sure there are. One building is presumably toilets, the other appears to be signed "Vending" which to me suggests machines rather than a staffed shop. In any case, it's only 6 miles between the nearest junctions, and being in a not particularly built up area any staff will be arriving by car anyway (especially as this is the USA).Was92now625 wrote: ↑Mon Feb 19, 2024 23:07
Rest area with, apparently, no way in other than from I-85 itself. Presume that there are employees there ?
It'll also vary by state whether overnight parking is allowed at rest stops or not. Alabama doesn't allow it, but I believe Indiana does, for example.
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Terminally cynical, unimpressed, and nearly Middle Age already.
She said life was like a motorway; dull, grey, and long.
Blog - https://showmeasign.online/
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