Traffic Congestion and Highway Construction

[nicholas]

On 5/18/2020 at 9:33 PM, KJHburg said:

I go to Nashville once a year (usually when it is the coldest and or wettest but I digress)   IF any city in America needs a complete bypass it is Nashville.  all the interstates do converge on downtown creating daytime traffic jams every day and not just in rush hours.  They have told me there (on their UP) they can not complete the 840 loop around Nashville due to rock and hills.  (I say do what it takes tunnels, blasting, etc) Too much truck and general traffic moves from the upper Midwest through Nashville to Atlanta and towards Florida.   They desperately need an alternative intown too  Bus Rapid Transit light rail something to get all the those commuters into downtown not to mention the millions of tourists that visit.  NC knows how to big highways (maybe not keep them in budget or on time) but build them better than TN and that goes for their secondary roads.  Plus NC DOT is more willing to try out new things like diverging diamonds (TN getting their first now), CFI intersections, toll roads, express lanes etc.

https://www.ncdot.gov/initiatives-policies/Transportation/safety-mobility/Pages/default.aspx

Highways in the south rated top tier states VA, FL, GA and NC  lower tier states and don't do a good job TN and SC.  

The completed section of 840 in Nashville already serves as a bypass around Nashville for I-40.  It's also waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay farther outside of the city than any interstate loop I've seen by a huge margin, so it would be monumentally expensive to complete the loop (especially if a bunch of blasting and tunneling is required).  For comparison's sake, all of 485 has been completed, and it's about 68 miles in total.  Less than half of 840 is completed, and it is already over 77 miles long! 

[Nick2]

Can two cities have sections of interstate named the same for a loop? The north loop in Greensboro is also i-840

[teeg]

13 minutes ago, Nick2 said:

Can two cities have sections of interstate named the same for a loop? The north loop in Greensboro is also i-840

If I understand your question, yes, that's allowed, and it's not at all unusual.  They do try to prevent duplication of three-digit highway numbers within a state, but they can be reused in another state if needed.  In addition to the I-840's you pointed out, there's an I-240 in Oklahoma City, Memphis, and Asheville, and an I-440 in Little Rock, Nashville, and Raleigh.    

[Nick2]

45 minutes ago, teeg said:

If I understand your question, yes, that's allowed, and it's not at all unusual.  They do try to prevent duplication of three-digit highway numbers within a state, but they can be reused in another state if needed.  In addition to the I-840's you pointed out, there's an I-240 in Oklahoma City, Memphis, and Asheville, and an I-440 in Little Rock, Nashville, and Raleigh.    

Wow. TIL.

For some reason I was u see the impression that triple digit interstates were not repeated.

[KJHburg]

Flyover bridge into Concord Mills Mall is progressing nicely and rising now.  In the area this morning to get a doughnut here on National Doughnut Day from a major NC founded and now Charlotte based global chain. 

[elrodvt]

It must've taken you a great act of will power to leave that donut area kjh. 

[KJHburg]

24 minutes ago, elrodvt said:

It must've taken you a great act of will power to leave that donut area kjh. 

why I grabbed my dozen and I was on my way with my large coffee. 

[rancenc]

Recent article in the Charlotte Business Journal on the impact that the Monroe Expressway as had on the region.

https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2020/06/12/monroe-s-expressway-sees-growth.html

[KJHburg]

Traffic is back not to peak levels from earlier in the year but this chart from JLL shows it well.

https://www.us.jll.com/en/views/snapshots/charlotte-snapshot-6-22-20

[rancenc]

1 hour ago, KJHburg said:

Traffic is back not to peak levels from earlier in the year but this chart from JLL shows it well.

https://www.us.jll.com/en/views/snapshots/charlotte-snapshot-6-22-20

Personally I can tell that traffic levels are increasing due to the amount of trash on the side of the road!

 

[kickazzz2000]

On 6/12/2020 at 3:52 PM, rancenc said:

Recent article in the Charlotte Business Journal on the impact that the Monroe Expressway as had on the region.

https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2020/06/12/monroe-s-expressway-sees-growth.html

It makes getting to Wilmington much easier.  No clue why it just couldn’t have been extended a bit further past stupid Masrhville.

[KJHburg]

this project seems to be really going fast.  the addition of express toll lanes along I-485 south.  Today.  first 2 photos. 

also the widening of NC 16 from Lincoln Catawba county line to Newton is progressing along.  In some sections there is always the new two lane road which is being added to the existing 2 lanes for this important artery from Charlotte to I-40 Hickory.  Last photo of Charlotte skyline in the far distance at the Catawba Lincoln county line on 16. 

[KJHburg]

while we are working from home or some of us I-485 widening and express lanes projects moves along (at this point it will be completed before 77 express lanes up north which is still not completed yet opened)

Notice bridge work at exit 52 Old Monroe Rd .  Toll express lanes from I-485 to US 74 and additional general lane to Providence Rd from Rea. 

Drive bys today.  this project is really moving fast. 

[NCMike1990]

Has work started on the Weddington Rd interchange?

[KJHburg]

2 minutes ago, NCMike1990 said:

Has work started on the Weddington Rd interchange?

I dont think so for there is a stretch between Matthews exit and Providence where they are not really doing anything yet maybe a separate contract to be let. 

[KJHburg]

@Temeteron here on the express entrance and exit exclusive ramps at Johnston Rd and Westinghouse.  I knew I saw renderings of them

https://www.ncdot.gov/projects/i-485-express-lanes/Documents/2019-i-485-westinghouse-johnston-direct-connector.pdf

[CLT>]

Noticed that mowing contractors along 85 in Cabbarus County were picking up the trash as well as mowing, while in Mecklenburg they were just mowing over the trash (which is at a level I have never seen anywhere in NC before).

also some update pics of the flyover at Concord Mills. No workers present and progressing seemingly slowly.

 

 

Edited July 18, 2020 by CLT>
Pics

[videtur quam contuor]

In the past much of the highway litter collection in Mecklenburg County, at least, was formed by teams of men on "community service" as a condition of their sentence. Easiest service to perform because anyone, regardless of crime (nearly) could serve. Other service such as parks, libraries, schools and so on put men into possible or certain contact with citizens and the risk of interaction was not acceptable for some misdemeanors. Also the cleaning crews could be any day of the week. These would be people (men) who paid fines, surrendered driver license (for DWI), court costs, and allowed the employed to maintain their job, keep families intact and avoid active jail time. 

[KJHburg]

I predict NC DOT money woes will be over soon as the NC Highway Patrol is writing tickets like crazy on I-485.  Saw 3 pulled over in 10 minutes on 485 today and another HP hiding under a bridge .  Slow it DOWN 

Edited July 29, 2020 by KJHburg

[CLT>]

3 hours ago, KJHburg said:

I predict NC DOT money woes will be over soon as the NC Highway Patrol is writing tickets like crazy on I-485.  Saw 3 pulled over in 10 minutes on 485 today and another HP hiding under a bridge .  Slow it DOWN 

https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/article244404332.html

In just eight hours Monday, troopers cited 91 drivers for exceeding the speed limit on the first day of a speeding crackdown on Interstate 485 in Charlotte. That far surpassed the average eight daily speeding tickets issued on I-485 last year, according to an Observer analysis of State Highway Patrol data.

In all, troopers issued 144 citations from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., including 15 for reckless driving and 16 for failure to move over for an emergency vehicle and other offenses, Trooper Ray Pierce told the Observer.

[HopHead]

8 hours ago, CLT> said:

https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/article244404332.html

In just eight hours Monday, troopers cited 91 drivers for exceeding the speed limit on the first day of a speeding crackdown on Interstate 485 in Charlotte. That far surpassed the average eight daily speeding tickets issued on I-485 last year, according to an Observer analysis of State Highway Patrol data.

In all, troopers issued 144 citations from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., including 15 for reckless driving and 16 for failure to move over for an emergency vehicle and other offenses, Trooper Ray Pierce told the Observer.

Thank god. It should be a gold mine for State Troopers and CMPD. This and 77. The speeding and reckless driving has gotten completely out of control.  

[elrodvt]

What I don't get is why these primary roads are barely patrolled other than some ”special” times?

[cowboy_wilhelm]

10 hours ago, elrodvt said:

What I don't get is why these primary roads are barely patrolled other than some ”special” times?

Not enough Troopers, and the few that are around are usually too busy filling out crash reports to enforce traffic laws. The announcement even said as much and that the Troopers for this crackdown were from neighboring counties.

I suspect they may do something similar in Wake soon. A moron going 100+ mph on 64 coming into Raleigh killed himself and two others last week.

[elrodvt]

That seems like a failure of very basic governance.

I wish then they'd put up radar cameras and stop light ones. It's the wild west even in downtown.

[ertley]

12 hours ago, elrodvt said:

I wish then they'd put up radar cameras and stop light ones. It's the wild west even in downtown.

Once upon a time I used to be super opposed to traffic/speed cameras, but as with most things, I became accustomed to them, and realized there are far more pernicious things in the world to take objection to. 

I've actually nearly done an about-face on them. I think they should be far more widely deployed, but with the foundational caveats that 1) no automatic tickets should be issued for speeds that are within 12 mph of the speed limit (which is what some jurisdictions adhere to, I believe) and 2) they should be deployed where data show they're required.

I personally think they should be utilized at the extreme ends of our roads: on interstates and freeways, but also on neighborhood streets--namely those that have currently have speed bumps. I DETEST speed bumps (particularly as someone with a manual transmission) and cannot see how any rational person would rather have speed bumps than traffic cameras.

I think speed cameras on neighborhood streets, especially those susceptible to cross-town/through traffic, would take care of most residents' concerns--about traffic, child safety, noise. You put strategically placed speed cameras on neighborhood streets prone to all of the above, and word gets out pretty quickly. Most speeders will likely to opt for other routes if they can't get above 20, 25 mph on their favorite cut-through. (Obvs those on neighborhood streets should not adhere to the 12 mph exemption--maybe only 7.) 

Then there's the ancillary benefit of having visual data to refer to in (hopefully) rare instances of crime of disturbances...