This report details some notes from the 2007 New Year's weekend.
Came up to Vermont to spend New Year's with Meaghan. Amongst other events,
this was also my first trip on Amtrak...took the Crescent to NYC then another
train to Albany, NY.
On to the Vermont (and a few eastern NY) notes from the weekend:
- Though we didn't get off the Northway, we did notice the new roundabouts
directly associated with the I-87/NY 67 interchange in Malta that Mr. Slater
recently video-ed.
- Exit 17N onto US 9 to NY 197 appears to be a better way between I-87 and US 4
north of Glens Falls. Easier turns than those at Exit 20/NY 149, and in the
summertime you're not dealing with Six Flags traffic either. This is also the
path that NYSDOT signs as the way to Rutland from the northbound Northway.
- Some sort of 4 lane connection between I-87 and US 4 at the state line would
be nice. 2003 ADT volumes are right at the start of the threshold suggesting a
4-lane need (around 10K), and I imagine this number spikes during weekends
(summer vacation and winter skiing). Though northbound/eastbound traffic
was fine between Fort Ann and Rutland, there were several southbound platoons
south of Whitehall.
- The traffic signals along US 4/7 in Rutland appear to have signal pre-emption
for emergency vehicles. Signal timing wasn't quite as bad as the last time
Meaghan was in Rutland.
- Though most Vermonters (Meaghan included) would disagree with me, US 4 between
Rutland and I-89 could stand to see some decent improvements. Shoulders
and left turn lanes at an absolute minimum. It could also stand to be 4-laned at
least from Rutland to VT 100 North...this stretch has over 10K AADT and although
the climbing lanes are nice, I think both the through traffic and the left
turning traffic are enough to justify a 4-lane divided or 5-lane undivided
cross-section.
- The overhead guide signage entering I-89 from VT 62 was in a strange
font...I'm not very good with highway sign fonts but it looked like a cross
between Arial, Clearview, and FHWA Series D. The I-89 shields on the guide signs
also had the state name.
- The distance signs along I-89 were occasionally in kilometers instead of
miles. One example was a Waterbury 8KM/Burlington 50KM northbound west of
Montpelier.
- Though the Burlington exits on I-89 have exit numbers on the gore signs, no
exit numbers were posted on the guide/overhead signage.
- Some national maps suggest construction underway on extension of VT 289. There
was *ZERO* indication of VT 289 construction along I-89 east of Burlington.
None. Nada. Zilch.
- Goddam moose (to borrow a CCS line). Several "Moose" and "Moose Crossing"
signs along I-89.
- For Montpelier-Rutland traffic, taking VT 107/VT 100 between I-89 and US 4 is
both a lot shorter and a little faster than staying on I-89 and catching US 4
near White River Jct.
- US 7 is a 4-lane limited-access expressway (engineering definition, not
"Northeast" definition) from where US 4 splits off towards Fair Haven
southwardto the north edge of Wallingford. There were three traffic signals, at
Middle Rd (just south of US 4), Shrewsbury Rd, and VT 103. This segment also had
distance/guide signs that used the new FHWA practice of having the first/capital
letter of control cities and street names in a larger font size than the rest of
the control city/street name.
- South of Wallingford to Manchester, US 7 wasn't bad. Traffic volumes don't
justify 4-laning...just one stretch that had narrow shoulders and maybe a couple
left turn lanes is all that's needed.
- In Manchester just west of VT 7A, VT 30 still has a very old CT-style route
shield (white rectangle) that still stands right next to a "Seth Warner Memorial
Highway" granite marker.
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(C) 2007, Adam Froehlig