Traffic Congestion and Highway Construction

[archiham04]

On ‎10‎/‎24‎/‎2016 at 3:40 PM, tusculan said:

I think Route 4, which mostly follows the old outline of the City from 1970, should have an inter-median light rail. Could connect to the Derita station whenever the Red Line gets moving...the Sugar Creek BLE station....Gold Line at Central....Silver Line at Eastway....then jog south to South Park for the other Cats Bus hub, then back to meet the Blue Line Woodlawn station and then out to the airport/airport station. In fact, if it only stopped at these 8 or even 10 locations plus had signal priority by being in the median, this could be far quicker than driving in traffic to go around the middle of the city.

Okay, this got me thinking.... I am all about some overlapping routes.... so what about a route that used the north end of the BLExtension and the Southern Route of the Silver line, but was Connected by this inter median Eastway line?

... sorry this is probably venturing away from traffic congestion topic and into long term transit planning, or light rail territory

Edited October 27, 2016 by archiham04

[tusculan]

On 10/27/2016 at 11:02 AM, archiham04 said:

Okay, this got me thinking.... I am all about some overlapping routes.... so what about a route that used the north end of the BLExtension and the Southern Route of the Silver line, but was Connected by this inter median Eastway line?

... sorry this is probably venturing away from traffic congestion topic and into long term transit planning, or light rail territory

All sorts of systems do overlapping routes. See the NY Subway- where they track 'services' not 'lines' like most subway or metro systems. I think the only downside is that people get used to using the colors to denote lines, and then they have difficulty transitioning.....Wait, what am i riding? the Silver-Orange-Blue train? Do I need to get off to transfer? I don't think there is a difficulty in technology, just in nomenclature. Ultimately, we would need to stop using things like the Blue Line to refer to the route, but only the infrastructure, and instead Alpha-numeric or symbol names which aren't going to be as limited.

The alternative is to run different lines....Blue, Green etc, but then change the designation of the train on the route....express, local, etc. And one could include with these special service names...the Derita Flyer...covers this service.

[kermit]

CDOT and NCDOT are working on a vaguely described feasibility study for 277 to "improve traffic capacity and safety" The link below takes you to a map that allows adding public comments to the study area.

http://maps.pbid.com/i277/crowdsource/map?platform=hootsuite

[GeauxCLT]

The 277 to 77N interchange on the north side of town needs work. One of my least favorite driving experiences in Charlotte. 

[southslider]

^The ramp coming from 277 onto 77N needs to be a pickup lane on 77.  However, it's about to become worse. Toll lanes construction will make the merge even shorter, thereby making the backup even longer.

At least this consistent chokepoint will keep the Spaniards from having as many customers. Although there'll be a new ramp to toll lanes, it will be foolishly built beside the lane on 277 going to 77N. Not exactly an attractive bargain to sit on 277 (where motorists regularly merge last minute) to pay for the luxury to bypass traffic on 77.

[UPNoDa]

^ That 77N exit ramp needs to be a flyover...

Although, I'm not sure if there is enough of an easement between the NB and SB lanes just before the Oaklawn Ave bridge to incorporate such a lane.

source: Keystone Civil

Edited December 17, 2016 by UPNoDa

[Third Strike]

I feel like the southern I-77 interchange on I-277 is one of the most dangerous interchanges in the entire metro. It feels like I'm going to die every time I try to weave onto I-77 southbound. You're given a short amount of time to merge over, and the cars in the adjacent lane are usually going much faster than you are.

[jednc]

49 minutes ago, Third Strike said:

I feel like the southern I-77 interchange on I-277 is one of the most dangerous interchanges in the entire metro. It feels like I'm going to die every time I try to weave onto I-77 southbound. You're given a short amount of time to merge over, and the cars in the adjacent lane are usually going much faster than you are.

Speed up

[Third Strike]

29 minutes ago, jednc said:

Speed up

...If that was always an option, sure. But that can be very difficult especially since there's usually several cars ahead, and they're also trying to merge over. Not to mention you're coming straight off a ramp onto I-77, and the window for merging over is narrow since the lane eventually re-merges you back over to US 74/Wilkinson.

[jednc]

12 minutes ago, Third Strike said:

...If that was always an option, sure. But that can be very difficult especially since there's usually several cars ahead, and they're also trying to merge over. Not to mention you're coming straight off a ramp onto I-77, and the window for merging over is narrow since the lane eventually re-merges you back over to US 74/Wilkinson.

You are probably exactly right. The single biggest issue with merging into other traffic at a normal speed are the people in front of you who don't understand how to do it. I didn't mean to sound so flippant in my original comment. Those things always sound a little funnier in my head then they read on a message board!

[Matthew.Brendan]

485 onto 85 S is ridiculous. 

[QClifer]

agreed about 485 onto 85S but since that just opened and is new it wont be fixed for atleast 15years.  Get used to it. Time to widen 85from 485 to 321

Edited December 17, 2016 by QClifer
misspelling

[lit]

22 hours ago, Third Strike said:

I feel like the southern I-77 interchange on I-277 is one of the most dangerous interchanges in the entire metro. It feels like I'm going to die every time I try to weave onto I-77 southbound. You're given a short amount of time to merge over, and the cars in the adjacent lane are usually going much faster than you are.

Have you considered using the northern interchange when going from 277 to 77S? It may be a mile out of your way but you get dumped off in your own lane (the left lane) on 77S

[UPNoDa]

On 12/17/2016 at 5:42 PM, Matthew.Brendan said:

485 onto 85 S is ridiculous. 

The northern interchange (near Concord) is relatively new and seems flawless as you can travel at more than posted speed limit no matter which direction you are coming from on 485. The older interchange (near airport) was designed many years ago, but still allows for a moderately paced merge, so I'm unclear of the interchange of which you are speaking as I have never experienced a bad situation in either.

[Matthew.Brendan]

The one nearest the airport is routinely backed up all along the ramp. Merging both off ramps (from 485 both directions, each having the potential to move at high speeds) onto 85 S into a single lane which then slows both to a literal standstill. See also 485 outer onto 77 S. 

[UPNoDa]

Ok, I see. Yes, I have on occasion been on 85 S headed towards Gastonia but never noticed the ramps being backed up. Might be due to the fact that one cannot easily see the ramps until once you past the exit and even then with all of the road elevations you might not ever notice it unless you're actually taking the exit ramp and subsequently get into the backup. 

[CLTranspo]

On 12/17/2016 at 5:42 PM, Matthew.Brendan said:

485 onto 85 S is ridiculous. 

DOT is currently looking at fixing that issue, potentially by dropping one lane from the 85 SB mainline at an upstream exit and keeping the ramp from 485 at two lanes wide rather than dropping down again to one lane. Would allow one lane coming from that merge ramp to not have to change lanes and also increase the ramp capacity. 

[Matthew.Brendan]

Excellent! Hopefully that gets implemented. 

[cowboy_wilhelm]

On 12/19/2016 at 3:36 PM, jparkhil said:

DOT is currently looking at fixing that issue, potentially by dropping one lane from the 85 SB mainline at an upstream exit and keeping the ramp from 485 at two lanes wide rather than dropping down again to one lane. Would allow one lane coming from that merge ramp to not have to change lanes and also increase the ramp capacity. 

I've witnessed that interchange debacle several times and don't even live there, but I usually go that way around holidays.

That seems like a pretty good quick and cheap solution. Just drop 85 SB lane four at the Sam Wilson Rd exit, then pick back up with lane four as lane one of the on-ramp from 485 less than half a mile later. Even though I hate to see a choke point on 85, it would probably be an overall improvement. The other option requires replacing the Sam Wilson Rd overpass, so I doubt that would happen any time soon.

[Skyybutter]

85N at Mallard Creek Ch and at the exit to get off 85 and to enter the 485 inner loop is a nightmare at rush hour. I believe people are given just one lane to get off 85 and merge onto inner 485. Otherwise if your on 485 outer and want to get on 85S it is pretty good. You have to deal with some traffic from people traveling from 485S onto 85 but it's not so bad. Get ready though, Cabarrus is about to explode with growth like never before. Apartments are going up in places I would have never dreamed and 2017 and 2018 will see some huge announcements in the way of housing developments. I wouldnt be surprised to see something along the lines of Birkdale announced, and a housing development as large as Highland Creek is very likely. The county recently passed 200,000 in terms of population and has announced a new High School in the city limits as opposed to the county which I find very interesting. It is not replacing Concord High , it is just an additional High School. Interesting times up North

[abttown]

Somewhat off topic, but does anyone have an idea of when the NC welcome sign will be replaced on 77-N at the state line?  The sign was plowed down several months ago but I didn't think it would take this long to replace.

[tozmervo]

I like to think that if Charlotte had a waterfront, we wouldn't have done this.

[CLTranspo]

12 hours ago, Skyybutter said:

85N at Mallard Creek Ch and at the exit to get off 85 and to enter the 485 inner loop is a nightmare at rush hour. I believe people are given just one lane to get off 85 and merge onto inner 485. Otherwise if your on 485 outer and want to get on 85S it is pretty good. You have to deal with some traffic from people traveling from 485S onto 85 but it's not so bad

This one is actually being looked at as well for relatively inexpensive improvements. The best option is for the weave on 85NB from mallard creek to 485 to be removed and MC may have an overpass so that the on ramp from mallard creek is downstream of the off ramp for 485. 

[videtur quam contuor]

1 hour ago, tozmervo said:

I like to think that if Charlotte had a waterfront, we wouldn't have done this.

They have been expanding that, if you can believe it. There is a new bridge to Indiana with connectors and loops and whorls and vortices and all other manner of traffic devices. Avoid at rush hour(s).

Edited December 29, 2016 by tarhoosier

[Nick2]

Maybe the new riverfront development here in charlotte could put that monstrosity to shame.