Traffic Congestion and Highway Construction

[KJHburg]

NCDOT promoting roundabout safety and beneifts

NCDOT: Roundabouts

I have heard of cases where people plowed straight right through a roundabout on Harrisburg Rd near 485 when it first opened.

 

[CarolinaDaydreamin]

On 6/2/2021 at 2:24 PM, KJHburg said:

NCDOT promoting roundabout safety and beneifts

NCDOT: Roundabouts

I have heard of cases where people plowed straight right through a roundabout on Harrisburg Rd near 485 when it first opened.

 

They are cheaper, safer, and more efficient. 

[KJHburg]

I-485 widening and express lanes from Ballantyne Commons Pkwy bridge which the 2nd span is not yet built but works continue. Today after the clouds cleared

 

[KJHburg]

Continious flow intersection in Charlotte on NC 16 in NW Charlotte wins award.  I have been through it many times before and after and I must say traffic is flowing more freely now and now it bottlenecks at the I-485 intersection.  

Continuous Flow Intersection Receives National Honor (ncdot.gov)

Edited June 23, 2021 by KJHburg

[KJHburg]

Saw the smoke from the big truck accident on the I-485 inner loop ramp from I-85 south this morning.  Maybe the load shifted it was flattened cars going for scrap metal.  No serious injuries though. 

18-wheeler hauling crushed cars, flips, catches fire on busy interstate ramp – WSOC TV

 

[KJHburg]

Small but very important connection in Villa Height NoDa Mill District area.  The 25th St bridge looks great and what an important connection.  Looks like it getting ready to open.  A lot quicker than other recent bridge projects in Charlotte.  And the loneliest transit station in the country the 25th St Station may be no more.  

Today. 

[KJHburg]

Great progress being made on NC 16 widening to 4 lanes  in Catawba County another important link from Charlotte to I-40 with direct access to I-485.  yesterday. 

[KJHburg]

I-485 widening and bridge shots from Ballantyne Commons parkway.  New interchange at Weddington Rd moving along but wont open with the rest of the lanes.

 

[Yeahdoug]

What the hell are they thinking with the reconfiguring of 5th at cedar. If goes down to one lane now traveling eastbound… and made a new turn left lane for a dead-end street hardly anyone turns down.

What’s great about it is now the only straight through lane gets blocked because of idiots parking on the street and they never ticket or tow.  This is gonna be so bad in the morning when people return to work. 

[tozmervo]

1 hour ago, Yeahdoug said:

What the hell are they thinking with the reconfiguring of 5th at cedar. If goes down to one lane now traveling eastbound… and made a new turn left lane for a dead-end street hardly anyone turns down.

What’s great about it is now the only straight through lane gets blocked because of idiots parking on the street and they never ticket or tow.  This is gonna be so bad in the morning when people return to work. 

It's probably part of this, not sure what the final configuration will be. 

There was almost always cars in the on street spaces, even during rush, so it was defacto one lane already.

https://www.charlottenc.gov/Projects/Pages/UptownCycleTrack.aspx

[Yeahdoug]

3 hours ago, tozmervo said:

It's probably part of this, not sure what the final configuration will be. 

There was almost always cars in the on street spaces, even during rush, so it was defacto one lane already.

https://www.charlottenc.gov/Projects/Pages/UptownCycleTrack.aspx

But now it’s defacto no lane… have to go across the double yellow into the oncoming lane. There was never parking in front of that MAA leasing office. But they let the no parking slide because it was two lanes. 

Edited July 29, 2021 by Yeahdoug

[KJHburg]

From the 2021 NC State Map   I personally like to get a hand held copy in my hands but until I do this will do.  Some interesting facts:

In NC we have 80,161 miles of state maintained roads including 1348 miles of Interstates but over 107,000 total miles of roads in the state including Federal and city owned routes.

Longest primary road in the state US 64 which is 560 miles from TN state line to Manteo 

2021_2022_ncdot_map_front.pdf  front of the map 

2021_2022_ncdot_map_back.pdf   back of the map 

[tozmervo]

1 hour ago, KJHburg said:

Longest primary road in the state US 64 which is 560 miles from TN state line to Manteo 

(not sure if there's a similar sign at the other end... or a similar armchair)

[carolinaboy]

25 minutes ago, tozmervo said:

(not sure if there's a similar sign at the other end... or a similar armchair)

I'll have to go look and report back.

[davidclt]

So serious question and my inquiring mind wants to know . . . Why are funeral processions still a thing? (being asked by someone who has instructed his kids to inquire at the funeral home upon his passing, "What's the free option"? . . . "Oh you don't have a free option, what's one up from there"? Seriously, I'm contemplating the most cost effective, lowest impact in time, money and environmental resources method to dispose of my remains - but that's not what this inquiry is about)

More context . . . East Boulevard is already congested quite a bit of the time. Just past mid-day today, it was particularly a sh*tshow. Waiting at the lights for Scott and Kenilworth through four cycles and three cycles respectively while traffic piled up waiting for the line of mourners from a nearby funeral to pass by in procession to deposit their dearly departed into the ground remains an enigma to me.  I've buried a few family members (grandparents, uncles, aunt), but the though of a processional to deposit them at their final resting place seemed indulgent, selfish and unnecessary. Why is this still  allowed and  using law enforcement to support this? It seems to be a (not so) quaint hold-over from a simpler time when Charlotte was a smaller city. Maybe I just need a reset from someone more compassionate/reflective/sentimental than I to disabuse me of my notion that this is a holdover from the past whose time has come.

Edited August 26, 2021 by davidclt

[videtur quam contuor]

When I moved here I was surprised to see the custom was for all traffic to stop and pull to the side when possible for a funeral. This includes all four directions at a traffic interchange even those traveling in the opposing direction not affected by the cortege itself. I came to understand it is (was) a respect for the departed in a much smaller community than now. A holdover, perhaps, from other smaller towns with their customs transferred to Charlotte. CMPD used to accompany the cortege and some years ago the police decided they had better things to do and the sheriff agreed to fulfill the duty for a fee (I believe). I see nothing on the County Sheriff site except a mention of the Funeral Escort service, and no further information. I believe it is arranged by the funeral home. 

 All death practices are for the survivors. This one gives me a chance to reflect on the speed of life and the ties that bind us. I have come to terms with it.

[KJHburg]

In Mecklenburg County and most places you must pay for the escort service.  With cremations increasing these are few and far in between now.  Does not bother me one bit.  I will be sure to publicly post the date of any of my family's funerals so you can plan your trip accordingly as they will have an escort and they will be through south Charlotte. 

[DMann]

hopefully not soon!

[grodney]

I hadn't driven from 85-southbound to 77-southbound since all the construction and express lanes and all that....until today.  Wow.  That is the worst transition from one major interstate to another major interstate that I have ever seen.  I can't believe they got away with that.  Yow.

[southslider]

On 8/31/2021 at 2:53 PM, grodney said:

I hadn't driven from 85-southbound to 77-southbound since all the construction and express lanes and all that....until today.  Wow.  That is the worst transition from one major interstate to another major interstate that I have ever seen.  I can't believe they got away with that.  Yow.

That is, if you use free lanes. It's almost as if there's built-in incentive to bypass that mess, albeit for a price.

[KJHburg]

Elm Lane bridge is reopened.

Elm lane bridge opens | wcnc.com

[CarolinaDaydreamin]

On 8/31/2021 at 2:53 PM, grodney said:

I hadn't driven from 85-southbound to 77-southbound since all the construction and express lanes and all that....until today.  Wow.  That is the worst transition from one major interstate to another major interstate that I have ever seen.  I can't believe they got away with that.  Yow.

Albeit not an intestate, but 321 turning from interstate quality for 40 miles into a red light hellscape, right before 85 is such a disaster. The new interchange is awful.

The I-85 widening in Gaston needs to start yesterday. Replacing those bridges needs to start.

[carolinaboy]

OT, but on a recent return trip home from Charlotte, I pulled off of I-85 north in China Grove. Boy howdy there was a gaggle of roundabouts. It was odd to me and difficult to navigate being from out of the area. Anyone know where I'm talking about?

[KJHburg]

2 minutes ago, carolinaboy said:

OT, but on a recent return trip home from Charlotte, I pulled off of I-85 north in China Grove. Boy howdy there was a gaggle of roundabouts. It was odd to me and difficult to navigate being from out of the area. Anyone know where I'm talking about?

Yes the China Grove exit I think exit 68  it is where US 29 used to merge into I-85 but they eliminated all of that.  It is like 3 circles to go through if you are coming across that bridge. 

[grodney]

18 minutes ago, carolinaboy said:

OT, but on a recent return trip home from Charlotte, I pulled off of I-85 north in China Grove. Boy howdy there was a gaggle of roundabouts. It was odd to me and difficult to navigate being from out of the area. Anyone know where I'm talking about?

Looks.....fun?