Traffic Congestion and Highway Construction

[cowboy_wilhelm]

On 1/11/2019 at 5:46 PM, tozmervo said:

Filed under "but what about all the good things mccrory did?" - how do people feel the NCDOT scoring system is working so far? Are there still ineffective political projects slipping through? 

I started questioning the metrics used for the scoring system after this round of prioritization (P5.0). The example I'll use is a new project (R-5873) that was added to realign the US 74/NC 108 interchange in Columbus, Polk County. It was the only project in Division 14 to receive funding in the "statewide" projects category, and ranked higher than widening I-26 in neighboring Henderson County (which did receive regional funding). I'm not saying this project isn't needed, but how the heck did it rank so high and receive "statewide mobility" funding? It's not like it's a particularly busy or congested area.

It does seem like the scoring system isn't favoring the ridiculous proposal for I-87 through northeastern NC, but I guarantee you funding will show up from somewhere.

[cowboy_wilhelm]

Also, I don't think anyone has mentioned that the I-85 widening projects in Gaston and Cleveland counties have been delayed. As proposed, it will now be a decade before it's widened all the way to SC.
 

• I-5719: US 321 TO NC 273. WIDEN TO EIGHT LANES. TO ASSIST IN BALANCING FUNDS, RIGHT OF WAY DELAYED FROM FY 21 TO FY 23 AND CONSTRUCTION DELAYED FROM FY 21 TO FY 23.
• I-5985: SOUTH CAROLINA STATE LINE TO US 321. ADD ADDITIONAL LANES. TO ASSIST IN BALANCING FUNDS, RIGHT OF WAY FOR SEGMENT A DELAYED FROM FY 24 TO FY 25 AND CONSTRUCTION FOR SEGMENT A DELAYED FROM FY 25 TO FY 28. BASED ON RESULTS OF P5.0, SEGMENT B ADDED WITH RIGHT OF WAY IN FY 25 AND CONSTRUCTION IN FY 28.

[southslider]

6 hours ago, cowboy_wilhelm said:

I'm not saying this project isn't needed, but how the heck did it rank so high and receive "statewide mobility" funding? It's not like it's a particularly busy or congested area.

Statewide Mobility just means it was an eligible project on a strategic corridor. These include all Interstates, plus key expressway corridors, like US 74 and US 321.

[jjwilli]

On 1/12/2019 at 9:37 AM, KJHburg said:

My idea was this: do a second level of 3 lanes in each direction and make those the toll lanes with limited exits until Woodlawn or Tyvola then have them merge back in around 485.  Basically double decker the highway from 277 south to Nations Ford. 

The state evaluated this idea a few years back when doing the feasibility study of the road. Took the insane price of the road (already $1 billion) and doubled it.  I found this document last year when I was looking to see if the highway expansion would take out my house. https://connect.ncdot.gov/projects/planning/FeasibilityStudiesDocuments/Feasibility-Study_0810A_Report_2015.pdf

[KJHburg]

^^^ well I am glad they at least looked at it.  

[tozmervo]

Does anyone know best practice to manage tolls with rental cars? Rental companies tend to pile on extra charges, but from what I can tell transponders aren't supposed to be moved from car to car (for some reason?). 

[kermit]

9 minutes ago, tozmervo said:

Does anyone know best practice to manage tolls with rental cars? Rental companies tend to pile on extra charges, but from what I can tell transponders aren't supposed to be moved from car to car (for some reason?). 

Dunno about best practice but most foreign rentals come with transponders and tolls automatically (eventually) get billed to the cc you used to pay for the rental. Its easy for the consumer, but there is not much transparency so lots of potential for extra fees to be tacked on. The lack of standardization of US transponders probably makes this strategy difficult/impossible in the US. 

(apologies, I realized I typed out a pointless post once I got to that last sentence. I hate it when my procrastination impacts other people)

[cowboy_wilhelm]

4 hours ago, tozmervo said:

Does anyone know best practice to manage tolls with rental cars? Rental companies tend to pile on extra charges, but from what I can tell transponders aren't supposed to be moved from car to car (for some reason?). 

I have a suction cup holder for my hard-case transponder to go back and forth between vehicles. Used it in FL with a rental with no issues. Are you supposed to do that? No, but I figure the likelihood of it being an issue is minimal.

[cowboy_wilhelm]

On 1/13/2019 at 5:17 PM, southslider said:

Statewide Mobility just means it was an eligible project on a strategic corridor. These include all Interstates, plus key expressway corridors, like US 74 and US 321.

Apparently realigning that interchange will result in 809,000 hours in travel time savings over 10 years?! I guess that's why it was ranked so high....

[KJHburg]

17 minutes ago, cowboy_wilhelm said:

Apparently realigning that interchange will result in 809,000 hours in travel time savings over 10 years?! I guess that's why it was ranked so high....

I believe it. US 321 from Gastonia to Hickory is  north south bypass of I-77 and the truck traffic is incredible.  It is a way to get up to I-40 and points north and west much quicker than 77.

[QClifer]

i was on 85 S yesterday headed to Belmont and noticed they removed the far left lane for about 1/4 to 1/2 mile before it used to end. I guess it makes people merge sooner instead of waiting till the very end to merge.  Has this helped at all?

[cowboy_wilhelm]

On 1/13/2019 at 10:29 AM, cowboy_wilhelm said:

I started questioning the metrics used for the scoring system after this round of prioritization (P5.0). The example I'll use is a new project (R-5873) that was added to realign the US 74/NC 108 interchange in Columbus, Polk County. It was the only project in Division 14 to receive funding in the "statewide" projects category, and ranked higher than widening I-26 in neighboring Henderson County (which did receive regional funding). I'm not saying this project isn't needed, but how the heck did it rank so high and receive "statewide mobility" funding? It's not like it's a particularly busy or congested area.

 

On 1/15/2019 at 5:15 PM, cowboy_wilhelm said:

Apparently realigning that interchange will result in 809,000 hours in travel time savings over 10 years?! I guess that's why it was ranked so high....

 

On 1/15/2019 at 5:33 PM, KJHburg said:

I believe it. US 321 from Gastonia to Hickory is  north south bypass of I-77 and the truck traffic is incredible.  It is a way to get up to I-40 and points north and west much quicker than 77.

I was referring to the US 74/NC 108 interchange.

[sakami]

For anyone keeping an eye on how Atlanta handles adding the express and managed toll lanes on 285 and 400 things are getting interesting. The cities of Dunwoody and Sandy Springs keep scheduling public meetings with the Georgia DOT to understand how much land acquisition will be involved or how high the lanes will be elevated above the current highway and they are constantly getting stonewalled and told that there are no plans drawn or any decisions made. But many homeowners who live along the highways have been offered buyouts and shown copies of plans according to articles that have come out this week. It certainly feels like a lesson in what not to do when the state starts the process on 77 South 

[dylansukkert]

Should they remove all the street parking on Tryon Uptown? Traffic is getting crazy during busy times, those few cars parking on the street can park in any of the parking garages. 

[Matthew.Brendan]

41 minutes ago, dylansukkert said:

Should they remove all the street parking on Tryon Uptown? Traffic is getting crazy during busy times, those few cars parking on the street can park in any of the parking garages. 

I’d be fine with that. 

[elrodvt]

yes and close off that area for street vendors and benches etc... I'd prefer just to close the street but I know how the city worships all streets. Even one's that cut through the middle of a new park.

[KJHburg]

6 hours ago, dylansukkert said:

Should they remove all the street parking on Tryon Uptown? Traffic is getting crazy during busy times, those few cars parking on the street can park in any of the parking garages. 

I dont think so as it makes traffic go slower and besides we need accessible quick parking close to all the restaurants and so forth uptown.  I live in the suburbs and come uptown a lot considering I don't work there full time and parking is always a consideration.  LYNX works sometimes for me but not usually due to the need to go somewhere else from uptown. 

[nicholas]

11 hours ago, dylansukkert said:

Should they remove all the street parking on Tryon Uptown? Traffic is getting crazy during busy times, those few cars parking on the street can park in any of the parking garages. 

Definitely not, uptown would become a dragstrip and pedestrian traffic would all but disappear.

[DMann]

I agree with nicholas!

[SgtCampsalot]

This is the struggle. Street parking provides a valuable service to the biking and pedestrian experience. It forces cars to drive more cautiously (which is what we all want in the first place, right?), and then, honestly, street parking spots are proven to have a higher/quicker turnover rate than off-street parking. So it's not only good for businesses, but, if street parking became viewed as the only parking available to people, then folks would view it as the limited resource that it should be, instead of assuming the many decks will have "enough" spaces.

This is why it boggles my mind how many blocks in Uptown and around do not set aside ROW for street parking. I know it's policy to include it, but it still doesn't happen, a lot. 

One street that comes to mind that NEEDS street parking to make it safer is this stretch of N Davidson St:

And then all these new blocks on Stonewall... how many street spots are created? Not one, aside from the Whole Foods spots. What gives?:

[CarolinaDaydreamin]

On 1/15/2019 at 5:15 PM, cowboy_wilhelm said:

Apparently realigning that interchange will result in 809,000 hours in travel time savings over 10 years?! I guess that's why it was ranked so high....

I just don't see how that's possible. There is already a limited access interchange. I can think of hundreds of places which would be better to use state money. Like the stretch from Monroe bypass to Lumberton, or other stretches of 74, which aren't interstate quality west of Charlotte.

321/85 interchange seems like it would have WAY more use being rebuilt.

The eastern NC/rural/ Triad/Triangle road funding priority in this state is absolutely abhorent.

Edited January 23, 2019 by CarolinaDaydreamin

[southslider]

7 hours ago, CarolinaDaydreamin said:

321/85 interchange seems like it would have WAY more use being rebuilt

That's already in the works.  This latest round of prioritization adds new projects beyond 2019 through 2029.

[CarolinaDaydreamin]

Just now, southslider said:

That's already in the works.  This latest round of prioritization adds new projects beyond 2019 through 2029.

That interchange mentioned in Columbus doesn't even seem like it needs a rebuild lol. 

[KJHburg]

Here is a shot of 77 express lanes around mile marker 22 just south of exit 23 in Huntersville. 

[southslider]

4 minutes ago, CarolinaDaydreamin said:

That interchange mentioned in Columbus doesn't even seem like it needs a rebuild lol. 

The Statewide Mobility round uses only objective data to score projects. Charlotte exceeded Raleigh this round for total cost of projects recommended for FY 2020-2029.