NABRE

[jackal]

Google Maps has a far more update ariel picture of the construction in Knoxville.

Apparently the south-eastern portion of what I was calling the James White Parkway is actually the South Knoxville Boulevard. Also, the central section which was previously D2 has actually been more than doubled in width - it's five lanes eastbound.

[Nic]

Found a nice little website comparing arial photos in Atlanta. 50s/60s vs Modern Day. Good for some construction pictures of I-75/I-85 and I-20 yjrough Downtown, as well as just the vastness of the modern Unrban Interstate.

[CLICKY]

[Nic]

File this one under "I fought the law, and, the law did not win"

Not strictly speaking about roads, but pretty near

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/07/0 ... 23822.html

[Comstock]

SAACRE?

Society for All American and Canadian Road Enthusiasts?

I'm amazed there isn't such a thing already, actually, given how americans like road trips.

[Nic]

So, I-10 really likes New Orleans. On its journey from Santa Monica to Jacksonville, it has two opportunities to avoid NOLA.

First, it leaves the mainline in Baton Rouge, creating the relatively short I-12 (In US terms) - which eventually just turns back into the I-10.
Second, when it gets to actual New Orleans, it uses it oxbow to get nearer to the center of town, rather than taking the rather more direct I-610, which again turns back into the I-10. It must really like the Sugar Bowl.

Both of these are arguably TOTSOs in both directions.

Crazy 'Mericans

[Truvelo]

Here's my thinking behind the circuitous route of I-10. More traffic starts and finishes in New Orleans than passes through the state. If this is so then that also explains why I-10 heads into the centre of New Orleans instead of following I-610. No one, apart from Sabristi on a roadtrip, would ever use I-10 from Baton Rouge all the way to Slidell.

In all reality the numbering in the area should be tidied up a little. I-12 is worthy of more than just a bypass for New Orleans. I would move I-10 onto that alignment. The present I-10 could then become I-610.

[Nic]

In all reality the numbering in the area should be tidied up a little. I-12 is worthy of more than just a bypass for New Orleans. I would move I-10 onto that alignment. The present I-10 could then become I-610.

Agreed, but you could save I-12 for something even better, because the I-59 starts at the I-10/I-12 Intersection. Why not let the I-10 follow the bypass route, and start I-59 in New Orleans, or even at Baton Rouge?

[ScottB5411]

In all reality the numbering in the area should be tidied up a little. I-12 is worthy of more than just a bypass for New Orleans. I would move I-10 onto that alignment. The present I-10 could then become I-610.

Agreed, but you could save I-12 for something even better, because the I-59 starts at the I-10/I-12 Intersection. Why not let the I-10 follow the bypass route, and start I-59 in New Orleans, or even at Baton Rouge?

That would put I-59 out of sequence, it would need I-51 or I-53 If it started at Baton Rouge

NB Then again, I-49 will start at the superdome in NOLA whenever they get around to finishing it, so that will be out of sequence also

[Bryn666]

I got the impression that AASHTO haven't been able to argue against freeways numbered by Congress, c.f. I-99 and potential I-3 in Georgia.

[Nic]

Drove down to Atlanta over the weekend, and a couple of things spring to mind.

The NorthWest Corridor on the I-75 is coming on nicely. This is a 40-ish mile expressway, built on stilts for a lot of the road which will be one way into Atlanta in the morning rush hour, and vice versa in the evening rush hour. It looks pretty exclusive, not intersecting with intermediate intersections.

Also, on the I-85 they have red-x's above the hard shoulder, in what I'm assuming is some form of ATM scheme.

[KeithW]

So, a few more musings. On Interstates (Which is very much a Motorway equivelent) there are no such things as MSAs. Each junction (more on junctions later) has information about lodgings, petrol stations and fast fooderies, and there is generally a choice for all three at every junction.

There are some rest areas on Interstates but in general there are no services as there is a federal ban on private businesses on them. There are however some exceptions such as the Woodrow Wilson Service Area on I-95 where it runs along the NJ Turnpike.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Phi ... 2215?hl=en

These are mainly on expressways that predate the Interstate System, in fact any such area trading before 1960 on a road that became part of the Interstate System was able to stay open.

There are also what we would call Motorways in some states that were never adopted by the Federal Government and thus also have service areas such as the Florida Turnpike.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/26.08 ... !3e0?hl=en

[KeithW]

Here's my thinking behind the circuitous route of I-10. More traffic starts and finishes in New Orleans than passes through the state. If this is so then that also explains why I-10 heads into the centre of New Orleans instead of following I-610. No one, apart from Sabristi on a roadtrip, would ever use I-10 from Baton Rouge all the way to Slidell.

In all reality the numbering in the area should be tidied up a little. I-12 is worthy of more than just a bypass for New Orleans. I would move I-10 onto that alignment. The present I-10 could then become I-610.

The Interstates were a federal project built primarily for the US Department of Defence during the Cold War. The enabling legislation was initially referred to as the National Interstate and Defense Highways Act of 1956. Its major champion was Dwight D Eisenhower who had been horrified by how long it took to get a military road convoy across the USA in 1919. The intent was to provide a system that in wartime would link major military bases and ports to enable rapid deployment of troops either overseas or within the continental USA . I-10 was one of the earliest to be planned in 1956 and was specifically intended to link the military ports and bases in the LA area to Phoenix Arizona, the White Sands Missile Base and Holloman AFB in New Mexico, the military complexes and ports in Houston, Mobile, NOLA, Pensacola and Jacksonville Florida.

I-12 the direct route is a much later road built in the late 60's and has much less military significance being mainly intended for commercial traffic. Think of is as the New Orleans bypass

[Nic]

What's with the sideways traffic lights, Nebraska?

https://www.google.com/maps/@41.8591477 ... 312!8i6656

[Truvelo]

I've seen them elsewhere as well. Perhaps it's to do with the height of the bracket they're mounted on and the relevant clearance beneath or maybe it creates less wind resistance resulting in less damage in stormy weather.

[Chris Bertram]

What's with the sideways traffic lights, Nebraska?

https://www.google.com/maps/@41.8591477 ... 312!8i6656

Common in quite a few US states, and I think Canadian provinces as well. But only on far-side mast arm signals. Pole mounted signals are vertical.

[Bryn666]

Quite frequently done in Japan as well. I think it is about wind loading more than anything.

Major problems occur if neighbouring jurisdictions haven't standardised the position of the red signal. Quebec gets around it by using multicoloured aspects.

[bart]

Here's one down the road from me that's horizontal simply so it can fit under an awning (far right corner of intersection).

https://goo.gl/maps/VADKoAxqMBp

[Truvelo]

Here's one down the road from me that's horizontal simply so it can fit under an awning (far right corner of intersection).

https://goo.gl/maps/VADKoAxqMBp

I would have made the store owner pay for the unusual installation.

Is the streetlighting round there low pressure sodium (SOX)?

[trencheel303]

Here's one down the road from me that's horizontal simply so it can fit under an awning (far right corner of intersection).

https://goo.gl/maps/VADKoAxqMBp

I would have made the store owner pay for the unusual installation.

Is the streetlighting round there low pressure sodium (SOX)?

it sure looks like it. those are SOX lanterns, not fluorescent.

[bart]

Yes they are. With a collection of the best astronomical telescopes just 20-ish miles away on top of Maunakea, there's a big effort to limit light pollution.