OH-IN-IL-IA-NE-WY-UT-NV-CA Road trip (Very Long!)
Sandor G
divided into two parts so everyone can see their state in the heading.
Ohio to California
Ohio (Day 1)
Local roads to Kilbourne, Oh and pick up Oh 521 west to US 36/Oh 37 west
into Delaware, local streets to US 42 (due to detour for the US 23-42
interchange reconstruction) SW to I-70 west
Along US 42 in Union Co, there is one instance of an Union County Road
having a Delaware County road sign.
Hopefully plans will go forward for a by-pass of Plain City (to the west and
north) for US 42
Along I-70 WB there is a Springfield, next 4 exits sign
Got the Rainbow bridges collection along I-70 near Springfield
Alt I-70 signs west of Springfield from US 68 north.
What is with the on-ramp to I-70 WB just before Oh 4-235?
Indiana
I-70 west to I-65 north to I-465 clockwise to US 31 and I-465
counter-clockwise to I-65 north to I-80-94 (Borman) west.
I-70 is named the Tony Hulman Jr Memorial way (Tony is part of the family
that owns the Indianapolis Speedway and runs the Indy 500)
Only saw one instance of Dayton as a control city for I-70 EB in Indiana (at
Ind 9)
You won't be able to see any remnants of I-169/69 from I-70 WB to I-65 NB
Through Hazardous Cargo signs are along I-465. Of note is that along I-70
(at least) is no mentioning to use I-465 to do this
*Sidenote* - Check out the buildings of the Indiana Institute of Technology
campus along the northern portion of I-465
Who is Kasmer Kuluski (sp?) and why is I-65 named after him?
Was I-65 built over US 52's original roadbed or right next to it.
Construction on the Borman is continuing.
Illinois
I-94-80 W to I-94 W to I-90-94 W to I-290 W to I-88 W to Ill 26 N to Dixon
US 52 E to Ill 38 E to Franklin Grove. Back roads south to US 30 W to I-88
W to I-80 E to I-280 W to Ill 92 E to I-74 W
Why don't they extend I-88 over I-290 to downtown Chicago
More signs for the Lincoln Highway in Illinois than the last time I was
through here (1998)
Saw the famous Dixon Arch
Franklin Grove is happy to be World HQ for the Lincoln Highway Association.
They have signs at the town border proclaim such.
I do recommend stopping in at the LHA World HQ in Franklin Grove. Look for
Lynn Asp.
Nice bridge for I-74 over the Mississippi River
Iowa
I-74 W to I-80 W to I-235 W to I-80 W to I-680 W to I-29 S to I-680 W
Why is there a BGS for I-380, 48 miles east of the interchange.
Saw the first of several Standard Oil signs in Stuart
Not only are the interchanges numbered along the interstates, but they are
numbered along the routes that have exits to the interstates as well
Nebraska
I-680 W to I-80 W to Neb Loop 55 x S to US 6 W to I-80 W to US 83 N to
US 30 W
Some sort of construction around US 6 @ I-180 in Lincoln.
What is the deal with Cornhusker Hwy in Lincoln? Was that a parkway that
never developed.
US 34 & 281 is named the Tom Osborne Expressway @ I-80 near Grand Island
What are State Wayside Areas?
Stopped at the Grand Arch over I-80 near Kearney (You get off at Neb 44 and
go east several miles. Signs will direct you to it). It costs $8.50 to go
in and take the tour. It's only worth $5. It's subject is history of
transportation in Nebraska. Sites talk about the original overland trails,
the railroad, and....the Lincoln Highway-I 80. You can even clock the
traffic on I-80 as it goes under the arch (ironically no one goes over the
speed limit of 75 MPH)
Any expressways being planned east of Kimball (someone had a sign against
expressways in general in their yard along US 30)
Wyoming
Business Loop 30 W to various back roads to Business loop I-80 W (Cheyenne)
to I-80 W to US 287 N to Business loop I-80 W (Laramie) to I-80 W to
Business loop I-80 W (Rock Springs) to I-80 W to Business loop I-80 W (Green
River) to I-80 W to US 30 W to former US 30S W to Business loop I-80 W
(Lyman-Urie) to I-80 W
When one tries to following prehistoric routings of the Lincoln Highway in
Wyoming, you can plot out the routing on maps, but what looks like a road on
paper can look like someone's driveway in real life. I have no problem
driving on
gravel-dirt roads. I used to live on one till the county (Morrow Co, Ohio)
paved it 5 years ago, but Wyoming make your roads look like (or signed like)
roads. (other sights-remembrances)
Partial LED trafficlights in Laramie
Got a picture of the Old US 30 bridge over the North Platte River (exit 228)
BGSs for Exit 235 (Walcott) lack US 287 shields on them
Got a picture of the Henry Joy Monument (for the Lincoln Highway) (exit 184.
Southside of I-80 and old US 30)
Saw signs for Wyoming circle route along US 191
What's the story with Wym 374 west of Green River (up to Little America)?
Was that formerly US 30 & the Lincoln Highway in a prior life?
Why is it that for every 5 grade crossings along I-80, 4 of them will have
I-80 going over the highway (most every other state I have been in have more
grade crossings with bridges over the interstate)?
Noticed alot more haze around than the last time I was in Wyoming.
Utah
I-80 W to a back road S to I-80W to 2100S St W to I-15 S to Ut 171 W to UT
201 W to I-80 W to Ut 36 S to Stockton then turn around and went Ut 36 N to
I-80 E to I-15 N to I-215 Counterclockwise to I-15 (on the south side of
Salt
Lake City) N (stop at 4100 S St to go to hotel for night). Back north on
I-15 to
I-80 West
Due to my timing (or lack there of) I couldn't even make it to Dugway (from
Dugway to Callao(?) the original routing of the LHA goes through Armed
Forces land where the Average *Joe* doesn't have access to, unless you have
contacts).
Plenty of construction along I-80 east of Salt Lake City (Between Emory &
I-84, Park City @ US 40, and with I-215 on both sides of town)
Utah was the first state that I noticed using curved pipe for sign supports
instead of the 90 degree weld joint or lattice work of the eastern 2/3
states (that I've traveled through).
Why are there Flyover ramps being constructed where a SPUI is in place
already for US 40 - I-80 interchange in Park City.
Nice view of Salt Lake City from I-80 @ I-215 on the east edge of Salt Lake
City. Now about that haze/smog....
What is the reason for all the 'Do Not Enter when lights are flashing' signs
on Ut 171 & 201 around Magna.
And speaking of UT 201, was that a former I-80 proposal? It looks like it
should be a freeway (Looks very similar to Cornhusker Hwy in Lincoln)
If you ever want a view of Tract housing at it's worse, go to the NE corner
of Tooele along Ut 36. It looks like an Academic Urban Planner's idea of
BAD planning.
On the flip side, they have a nice view of the Great Salt Lake
What is the deal with The metaphor or Tree of Utah?
I was surprised with how wide the median was on I-80 through the Salt Lake
Desert. I was hoping to see the old roadbed for US 40 (on the southside of
I-80). Not a chance from the WB lanes. :-(
Nevada
I-80 W to Alt US 93 S to various back roads (LHA routings) to Gold Hill &
Idapah UT then back into Nevada (long story here) back to Alt US 93 S to US
93 S to US 50 W to Alt US 50 W to I-80 W
Now I know why SUVs were invented for. Just a shame 80% of all SUVs will
never serve their intended purpose.
Everything started out fine. Nevada is kind of enough to make sure signs
are posted ahead of time so you if a forthcoming road takes you a to a town,
even if it's in Utah. The road from Alt US 93 to Idapah is paved, and the
road to Gold Hill, while not paved, is in very good shape.
Things started going downhill once I re-entered Nevada and exited the
Goshute Indian Reservation. Solid gravel roads soon became two dirt ruts
with the occasional rock. The signage was Ok at first. The Bureau of
Public lands does a decent job of signing historical trails (including the
1913 LH routing) but then I came up to my first mountain and what was went
from a road to a trail began to look like a horse path. Course gravel (as
an understatement) and boulders marked the way. Trailblazers marking the
way were rarely seen. My speed was maybe 10 MPH.
Now I was scared. Not about being lost, I had enough maps to know where I
was, but as to getting stuck or having my car breakdown and being stranded
in essentially No Mans Land.
After getting through the first set of mountains, I lost all traces of any
trails. I just followed a gravel road that degenerated to two dirt ruts
north (losing the undercarriage to my car as I proceeded) to ALT US 93 as I
ended up about 30 miles south from where I turned off originally. At least
it was paved and I could regain my bearings again. I went south to Ely and
got a car wash with my fill-up. If nothing else I now have an appreciation
as to what those original travelers along the Lincoln Highway experienced
80+ years ago.
Pop quiz - which Nevada highway has the higher speed limit - two lane US 50
or Interstate 80?
Memo to NevDOT. Please post a speed limit in your construction zones.
Nothing like seeing orange signs at 75 MPH to get your heart racing. Also
NDOT why do you have a lead car to direct traffic through the US 50 repaving
zone (nice 30 minute wait for a 10 mile one lane highway)
Add Connecticut drivers to our bad drivers list. Got stuck behind a tag
team effort going 15 MPH where the signs were saying 30-40 MPH due to the
grade and curves of a mountain pass (remember the question above between US
50 & I-80?)
Eureka & Austin. Nice towns, but expensive speed traps for the unassuming
driver (No I didn't get caught, but I talked to someone who did and he was
15 Minutes behind me).
I found the worse town for TV & radio DXing. Austin, NV. Could pick up NO
radio stations (both AM & FM) and the only TV stations were the ABC, CBS,
Fox, and PBS affiliates (No one has seen NBC since 1990 evidently). The
reason being; most of Austin is on the downward slope of a mountain. If you
are towards the top, you can find the media again.
Austin, NV does have several hotels and I found the Mountain Inn to be quite
nice (in spite of the lack of contact with the outside world, it lacks
phones).
What's with having 'Mandatory Car Headlights On' along Alt US 50 between
Fernley and
Hazen?
California
I-80 W to Truckee to Old US 40 W through Donner Pass to Soda Springs and
I-80 W to side streets of Sacramento to CA 99 S to CA 4 W to I-5 S to I-205
W
to I-580 W to I-238 W to I-880 N to I-980 E to I-580 N to I-80 W to US 101 N
(I think) to California St W to Lincoln Park (and the western end of the
Lincoln Hwy),
some street south to Gerry Blvd E to US 101 S to I-80 E to I-880 S to
Broadway
(in Oakland) east to my Motel.
More side streets south to I-580 S to I-238 W to I-880 S to CA 92 east to US
101 S to CA 134 E to I-210 E to I-10 E
I-215 N to I-15 N to I-40 E (this took one full day and two half days to
accomplish)
I found an section of interstate that rivals I-70 in western PA for worse
ride. I-80 between the Nevada-California border and Auburn, Cal. Caltrans
must of laid down the Concrete roadbed and never did anything to road
again. The road has no traction, felt rough, and where the right-of-way
narrowed down to 4 lanes with no real median, the concrete barrier between
the two directions looked no taller than 4 ft tall (at that!).
Now in defense of Caltrans, The Sierra Nevadas aren't exactly Glacier till
mounds, so routing I-80 took quite a bit of engineering expertise. And they
have started repaving I-80 through there, signs stated completion in 2004.
And also, Cut-out US shields are cool!
On the other hand, has Caltrans ever replaced a BGS due to changed
information (different routes or control cities) or just the sign being too
worn out to be of use to the motorist?
I-80 is also known as the Allen Hart Freeway
What is the type of shrubbery Caltrans uses as a median barrier along CA 99
& US 101 (and is that OK?)
Tracy and Livermore are alot bigger than I imagined them to be.
If Caltrans can make interstate shields for CA 238, why don't they do that
for the other interstate standard highways in the state?
Made it to the end of California St, but it was after dark and the 3 senior
citizens seem to look befuddled to see someone with Ohio tags turning around
in front of them. I wonder if they ever heard of the Lincoln Hwy.
San Jose looks like a suburb on steroids. They have no skyline to speak of.
US 101 between San Jose and Los Angeles is a nice drive. PCH might be more
beautiful (with the Pacific coast), but I hear it is more heavily traveled
and slower.
Rush hour along the northern Los Angeles freeways didn't seem as bad as I
feared. Felt no worse than anything I've experienced in Columbus.
Saw a couple of BGS along I-10 with exit numbers between I-210 and I-15.
Had exits 44, 45, and 46.
There are no special signs at the western end of I-40 about how far east it
goes. I did see a billboard mentioning Nashville being 1800 miles away,
along I-10, near Needles (also saw a billboard for a truck stop in Portland,
Or along I-80 in Wyoming for what it's worth)
(Arizona back to Ohio in part 2)
--
Sandor G
"I'm not from here" - The Dept. of Odds & Ends @ OSU
"I Just live here." - www.roadfan.com
-- James McMurtry
"Rocks are my pillow
The cold ground my bed
Highway is my home" -- Magic Slim
Jeff Morrison
Sandor G wrote:
> to I-580 W to I-238 W to I-880 N to I-980 E to I-580 N to I-80 W to US 101 N
> (I think) to California St W to Lincoln Park (and the western end of the
> Lincoln Hwy),
> some street south to Gerry Blvd E to US 101 S to I-80 E to I-880 S to
> Broadway (in Oakland) east to my Motel.
Tell me, did you find anything at the end? I went to SF on vacation this last
summer and searched for the end. This is how it went:
-Took Muni from Cliff House to Lincoln Park. Arrived at Palace of Legion of
Honor (which one site told me was The End). Went inside.
Me: Is there anything here about the Lincoln Highway?
Them: Uh, we're an art museum. What are you talking about?
Me: Yes, I saw the art outside. You know, the Lincoln Highway? Historic
road? Ended in San Francisco?
Them: (blank stares)
Me: Well, I read that the LH ended at the Palace of the Legion of Honor-
Them: Then you're here.
Me: (silently) AARRRGGGHHH!
All I have to show for it are two pictures at the far end of the parking lot
west of the palace where the pavement very abruptly stops ("Lands End", or at
least I'm somewhere in it) and the intersection of 34th and Clement. (34th
becomes Legion of Honor Dr.) For someone who's lived 20 miles from the LH all
his life this was very disappointing.
Sandor G
news:3B9C538C...@mac.com...
Well you got further along than I did. By the time I reached Lincoln Park
it was already dark and an elderly couple were looking at me and my car like
they have never seen Ohio plates before. I saw some steps but I didn't feel
like investigating.
In general I just had this bad vibe about Oakland-San Fran. It was like I'm
here, now I want to leave.
If you are not aware already, there is a reformed Lincoln Highway Assoc.
They send out a newsletter and had an article this year about the western
end and the Palace of the Legion of Honor and how it is not really
distinguished as the end of the LH (but then again neither is the eastern
end in Times Square, NYC)
John David Galt
> Pop quiz - which Nevada highway has the higher speed limit - two lane US 50
> or Interstate 80?
Depends which section of both. Most of US 50 is 70mph. I-80 allows 75mph
from the Utah line to roughly Alt-93, then falls to 65, then 55. Not sure
if this means they consider California drivers unsafe, or just want revenue.
> I found the worse town for TV & radio DXing. Austin, NV. Could pick up NO
> radio stations (both AM & FM) and the only TV stations were the ABC, CBS,
> Fox, and PBS affiliates (No one has seen NBC since 1990 evidently). The
> reason being; most of Austin is on the downward slope of a mountain. If you
> are towards the top, you can find the media again.
There are long stretches of US 50 where you can't get any radio either.
Always bring a few hours of good tapes/CDs when exploring this part of NV.
> What's with having 'Mandatory Car Headlights On' along Alt US 50 between
> Fernley and Hazen?
This is supposed to reduce head-ons caused by unsafe passing on two-lane
roads. There are many such zones in CA. (In some cases I'm convinced the
real reason for the rule is to make it easy for CHP to spot speeders.)
> I found an section of interstate that rivals I-70 in western PA for worse
> ride. I-80 between the Nevada-California border and Auburn, Cal. Caltrans
> must of laid down the Concrete roadbed and never did anything to road
> again. The road has no traction, felt rough, and where the right-of-way
> narrowed down to 4 lanes with no real median, the concrete barrier between
> the two directions looked no taller than 4 ft tall (at that!).
> Now in defense of Caltrans, The Sierra Nevadas aren't exactly Glacier till
> mounds, so routing I-80 took quite a bit of engineering expertise. And they
> have started repaving I-80 through there, signs stated completion in 2004.
This road gets major repair work done on it every year or two. It needs it
because of heavy snowfall (and ice on the bridges) every winter, and because
80 and 50 are the only roads kept open through that part of the Sierras in
the winter, so all the truck traffic gets funneled onto 80. (Part of 50 is
two-lane, so it's a much more difficult drive for trucks in winter.)
I avoid Donner Pass in winter because Californians don't understand snow and
are always driving too fast for conditions. I'm surprised we don't have a
much higher death toll there.
> And also, Cut-out US shields are cool!
I agree. The square kind with black backgrounds always look cheesy to me.
> On the other hand, has Caltrans ever replaced a BGS due to changed
> information (different routes or control cities) or just the sign being too
> worn out to be of use to the motorist?
Never if they can possibly help it. The Bay Area is full of ridiculous
extreme examples.
> I-80 is also known as the Allen Hart Freeway
This is one of many politically-given names that no one ever uses.
> What is the type of shrubbery Caltrans uses as a median barrier along CA 99
> & US 101 (and is that OK?)
Just rose bushes, I believe. Usually these are planted on top of an old
wire-and-post or guardrail barrier. I doubt the bushes themselves are any
protection against accidents, unless you're driving an 800-pound car.
> If Caltrans can make interstate shields for CA 238, why don't they do that
> for the other interstate standard highways in the state?
That short section actually is I-238. That number was assigned because all
the possible x80 numbers were in use at the time. (Two of them were _state_
highways, but California doesn't duplicate numbers unless state highway X is
a continuation of interstate X).
> Made it to the end of California St, but it was after dark and the 3 senior
> citizens seem to look befuddled to see someone with Ohio tags turning around
> in front of them. I wonder if they ever heard of the Lincoln Hwy.
I doubt it. If that name was ever used in CA it was before my time.
US 50 once ended in SF but that part was decommissioned in 1964.
> San Jose looks like a suburb on steroids. They have no skyline to speak of.
Aside from the fact that it's uneconomical to build upward when land is cheap
(more true in the past than now), we have earthquakes to worry about.
> US 101 between San Jose and Los Angeles is a nice drive. PCH might be more
> beautiful (with the Pacific coast), but I hear it is more heavily traveled
> and slower.
Parts of the PCH are heavily traveled commute routes (SF to Pacifica, Santa
Cruz to Watsonville, San Luis Obispo to Santa Barbara). Others get very
little use. Watsonville to San Luis Obispo is the "Big Sur" section, good
for seeing scenery and Hearst Castle and not much else. North of SF, the
PCH is so twisty you have to go slowly even if the road is empty.
Between San Jose and LA, 101 is more or less the "scenic route". People in
a hurry take I-580 or CA-152 into the central valley and go down I-5 at
well above the speed limit.
> Rush hour along the northern Los Angeles freeways didn't seem as bad as I
> feared. Felt no worse than anything I've experienced in Columbus.
Depends which route you're on. I-405 and the downtown section of I-10 are
among the worst.
Pat O'Connell
>
> Sandor G wrote:
[snip]
> > & US 101 (and is that OK?)
>
> Just rose bushes, I believe. Usually these are planted on top of an old
> wire-and-post or guardrail barrier. I doubt the bushes themselves are any
> protection against accidents, unless you're driving an 800-pound car.
On I-5 not far from Corning CA, I saw a median of bushes stop a full
size Ford auto that was barrel rolling through the median after being
sideswiped by a semi. It looked like a brushy tornado moving sideways
through the bushes. The car landed upright, and the occupants had only
minor injuries. I'd say those bushes worked just fine.
--
Pat O'Connell
Take nothing but pictures, Leave nothing but footprints,
Kill nothing but vandals...
Ronald Kappesser
> On the other hand, has Caltrans ever replaced a BGS due to changed
> information (different routes or control cities) or just the sign being too
> worn out to be of use to the motorist?
> I-80 is also known as the Allen Hart Freeway
> What is the type of shrubbery Caltrans uses as a median barrier along CA 99
> & US 101 (and is that OK?)
Oleander is the flowering shrub (usually pink, red or white when in
bloom). The woodier shrub with the red berries used in a couple of
places is Toyon, but this is much less common than Oleander.
> Tracy and Livermore are alot bigger than I imagined them to be.
61k and 80k respectively and growing fast (Tracy's population doubles
every 10 years).
> If Caltrans can make interstate shields for CA 238, why don't they do that
> for the other interstate standard highways in the state?
I think the real question is "why I-238."
> Made it to the end of California St, but it was after dark and the 3 senior
> citizens seem to look befuddled to see someone with Ohio tags turning around
> in front of them. I wonder if they ever heard of the Lincoln Hwy.
> San Jose looks like a suburb on steroids. They have no skyline to speak of.
> US 101 between San Jose and Los Angeles is a nice drive. PCH might be more
> beautiful (with the Pacific coast), but I hear it is more heavily traveled
> and slower.
Less heavily traveled, but much slower.
William Lynch
> 16 states in 12 days. Many miles, many cars passed, many sights, and
> divided into two parts so everyone can see their state in the heading.
> Ohio to California
>
> <many snips>
>
> Nebraska
> I-680 W to I-80 W to Neb Loop 55 x S to US 6 W to I-80 W to US 83 N to
> US 30 W
>
> Some sort of construction around US 6 @ I-180 in Lincoln.
> What is the deal with Cornhusker Hwy in Lincoln? Was that a parkway that
> never developed.
> US 34 & 281 is named the Tom Osborne Expressway @ I-80 near Grand Island
> What are State Wayside Areas?
> Stopped at the Grand Arch over I-80 near Kearney (You get off at Neb 44 and
> go east several miles. Signs will direct you to it). It costs $8.50 to go
> in and take the tour. It's only worth $5. It's subject is history of
> transportation in Nebraska. Sites talk about the original overland trails,
> the railroad, and....the Lincoln Highway-I 80. You can even clock the
> traffic on I-80 as it goes under the arch (ironically no one goes over the
> speed limit of 75 MPH)
> Any expressways being planned east of Kimball (someone had a sign against
> expressways in general in their yard along US 30)
>
> Wyoming
>
> Noticed alot more haze around than the last time I was in Wyoming.
There were several major fires around that time in the general area.
>
>
> Utah
> I-80 W to a back road S to I-80W to 2100S St W to I-15 S to Ut 171 W to UT
> 201 W to I-80 W to Ut 36 S to Stockton then turn around and went Ut 36 N to
> I-80 E to I-15 N to I-215 Counterclockwise to I-15 (on the south side of
> Salt
> Lake City) N (stop at 4100 S St to go to hotel for night). Back north on
> I-15 to
> I-80 West
>
> Due to my timing (or lack there of) I couldn't even make it to Dugway (from
> Dugway to Callao(?) the original routing of the LHA goes through Armed
> Forces land where the Average *Joe* doesn't have access to, unless you have
> contacts).
And a guide; this is an old bombing range.
>
> Plenty of construction along I-80 east of Salt Lake City (Between Emory &
> I-84, Park City @ US 40, and with I-215 on both sides of town)
The olympics are coming in five months.
>
> Utah was the first state that I noticed using curved pipe for sign supports
> instead of the 90 degree weld joint or lattice work of the eastern 2/3
> states (that I've traveled through).
> Why are there Flyover ramps being constructed where a SPUI is in place
> already for US 40 - I-80 interchange in Park City.
More olympic stuff.
>
> Nice view of Salt Lake City from I-80 @ I-215 on the east edge of Salt Lake
> City. Now about that haze/smog....
This is the promised land, there can't be any smog . . .
>
> What is the reason for all the 'Do Not Enter when lights are flashing' signs
> on Ut 171 & 201 around Magna.
> And speaking of UT 201, was that a former I-80 proposal? It looks like it
> should be a freeway (Looks very similar to Cornhusker Hwy in Lincoln)
> If you ever want a view of Tract housing at it's worse, go to the NE corner
> of Tooele along Ut 36. It looks like an Academic Urban Planner's idea of
> BAD planning.
Left over WWII housing for the Army depot. Rather than tearing
it down after the war, they let it become Utah's first non-indian slum.
>
> On the flip side, they have a nice view of the Great Salt Lake
> What is the deal with The metaphor or Tree of Utah?
The tree is called the "Jardine Juniper", on a point north
of the lake that can be seen for miles. It makes a good
icon.
>
> I was surprised with how wide the median was on I-80 through the Salt Lake
> Desert.
This is for morons who take proximity to the Bonneville
test track literally.
> I was hoping to see the old roadbed for US 40 (on the southside of
> I-80). Not a chance from the WB lanes. :-(
>
> Nevada
> I-80 W to Alt US 93 S to various back roads (LHA routings) to Gold Hill &
> Idapah UT then back into Nevada (long story here) back to Alt US 93 S to US
> 93 S to US 50 W to Alt US 50 W to I-80 W
>
> Now I know why SUVs were invented for. Just a shame 80% of all SUVs will
> never serve their intended purpose.
98%
Some of the roads in between are occasionally closed of for open
road racing, where speeds of 180 mph are reached. Speedvision
just showed one the other night.
>
> Memo to NevDOT. Please post a speed limit in your construction zones.
> Nothing like seeing orange signs at 75 MPH to get your heart racing. Also
> NDOT why do you have a lead car to direct traffic through the US 50 repaving
> zone (nice 30 minute wait for a 10 mile one lane highway)
> Add Connecticut drivers to our bad drivers list. Got stuck behind a tag
> team effort going 15 MPH where the signs were saying 30-40 MPH due to the
> grade and curves of a mountain pass (remember the question above between US
> 50 & I-80?)
> Eureka & Austin. Nice towns, but expensive speed traps for the unassuming
> driver (No I didn't get caught, but I talked to someone who did and he was
> 15 Minutes behind me).
How else do these towns generate revenue?
>
> I found the worse town for TV & radio DXing. Austin, NV. Could pick up NO
> radio stations (both AM & FM) and the only TV stations were the ABC, CBS,
> Fox, and PBS affiliates (No one has seen NBC since 1990 evidently). The
> reason being; most of Austin is on the downward slope of a mountain. If you
> are towards the top, you can find the media again.
You should have fiddled with the tuner to pick up air traffic control
from Groom Lake.
>
> Austin, NV does have several hotels and I found the Mountain Inn to be quite
> nice (in spite of the lack of contact with the outside world, it lacks
> phones).
> What's with having 'Mandatory Car Headlights On' along Alt US 50 between
> Fernley and Hazen?
So the politicos can say that they are doing something about
head-on collisions, while keeping spending down.
>
>
> California
> I-80 W to Truckee to Old US 40 W through Donner Pass to Soda Springs and
> I-80 W to side streets of Sacramento to CA 99 S to CA 4 W to I-5 S to I-205
> W
> to I-580 W to I-238 W to I-880 N to I-980 E to I-580 N to I-80 W to US 101 N
> (I think) to California St W to Lincoln Park (and the western end of the
> Lincoln Hwy),
> some street south to Gerry Blvd E to US 101 S to I-80 E to I-880 S to
> Broadway
> (in Oakland) east to my Motel.
> More side streets south to I-580 S to I-238 W to I-880 S to CA 92 east to US
> 101 S to CA 134 E to I-210 E to I-10 E
> I-215 N to I-15 N to I-40 E (this took one full day and two half days to
> accomplish)
>
> I found an section of interstate that rivals I-70 in western PA for worse
> ride. I-80 between the Nevada-California border and Auburn, Cal. Caltrans
> must of laid down the Concrete roadbed and never did anything to road
> again. The road has no traction, felt rough, and where the right-of-way
> narrowed down to 4 lanes with no real median, the concrete barrier between
> the two directions looked no taller than 4 ft tall (at that!).
Believe it or not, the road actually feels smoother when covered
with snow. The snowplows are always digging up chunks of
the concrete in the winter, which causes the rough ride in summer.
>
> Now in defense of Caltrans, The Sierra Nevadas aren't exactly Glacier till
> mounds, so routing I-80 took quite a bit of engineering expertise. And they
> have started repaving I-80 through there, signs stated completion in 2004.
Repaving I-80 is a forever project. When they finish with the section
that you mentioned, they start on a different one. The snowfall is heavy
and close to 100 miles are over 6000'.
>
> And also, Cut-out US shields are cool!
Some newbie thought that a contract with Caltrans meant that
he actually had to do something. Sucker.
>
> On the other hand, has Caltrans ever replaced a BGS due to changed
> information (different routes or control cities) or just the sign being too
> worn out to be of use to the motorist?
No.
>
> I-80 is also known as the Allen Hart Freeway
You can always tell a republican district in CA, the freeways are
named after some wealthy contributor. 101 in southern Santa
Clara County is named after someone who is still alive, and
doesn't want the honor.
>
> What is the type of shrubbery Caltrans uses as a median barrier along CA 99
> & US 101 (and is that OK?)
It's called iceplant, and it is perfect for absorbing dead bodies.
Very popular in East LA.
>
> Tracy and Livermore are alot bigger than I imagined them to be.
Both have exploded in the last 5-10 years. The traffic problems come
from everybody in those two places commuting to San Jose to work.
>
> If Caltrans can make interstate shields for CA 238, why don't they do that
> for the other interstate standard highways in the state?
Caltrans doesn't make shields; they are contracted out. And from
listening in on this NG, making shields must be some huge scam,
because there is a line item in their budget but I never see any new
ones. I must be in the wrong business.
>
> Made it to the end of California St, but it was after dark and the 3 senior
> citizens seem to look befuddled to see someone with Ohio tags turning around
> in front of them. I wonder if they ever heard of the Lincoln Hwy.
Seniors in SF just look befuddled. Some of them still haven't figured
out this newfangled baseball thing.
>
> San Jose looks like a suburb on steroids. They have no skyline to speak of.
Back in the olden days, when republicans controlled everything here,
a deal was cut for the location of what is now San Jose International.
Unfortunately, this puts the entirety of downtown under final approach,
so the FAA has issued a map which lists maximum heights for every
block around, measured to the inch. Many parts of downtown SJ are
built right up to the limit.
And it is only 20 miles N of the '89 epicenter.
>
> US 101 between San Jose and Los Angeles is a nice drive. PCH might be more
> beautiful (with the Pacific coast), but I hear it is more heavily traveled
> and slower.
Traffic on PCH through Big Sur is about 10% of 101, but it is very
winding and slow going. The cost of driving on the most scenic road
in the world.
>
> Rush hour along the northern Los Angeles freeways didn't seem as bad as I
> feared. Felt no worse than anything I've experienced in Columbus.
Rush hour in LA is really not that bad. I'm down there about every
two months, and I am always surprised at how well it flows compared
to the Bay Area. The LA folk don't know how lucky they are.
>
> Saw a couple of BGS along I-10 with exit numbers between I-210 and I-15.
> Had exits 44, 45, and 46.
> There are no special signs at the western end of I-40 about how far east it
> goes. I did see a billboard mentioning Nashville being 1800 miles away,
> along I-10, near Needles (also saw a billboard for a truck stop in Portland,
> Or along I-80 in Wyoming for what it's worth)
There is a rumor floating around some of my friends that the old
sign that listed a huge distance to the east coast on I-40 is now in
someone's den. It must be an entire wall.
This sounds like a true adventure, and that you had fun. Thanks
for the post.
Jason Hancock
>
> Why is there a BGS for I-380, 48 miles east of the interchange.
I just put a photo of it up this weekend:
<http://iowahwypix.tripod.com/qc/i380exit.jpg>. They have similar signs
23 miles east and 30 miles west of the I-80/380 exit. Why, I don't
know; they don't give I-35 and I-29 the same treatment.
--Jason <http://iowahighways.cjb.net/>
Eric Fischer
> Who is Kasmer Kuluski (sp?) and why is I-65 named after him?
Casimir Pulaski, U.S. revolutionary war hero from Poland. I have no
idea at all what his connection to I-65 is.
> Was I-65 built over US 52's original roadbed or right next to it.
> Construction on the Borman is continuing.
At least near Indianapolis, old US 52 still parallels I-65. I'm not
sure about further north.
eric
Ralph Herman
"Pat O'Connell" <nvc...@lvcm.com> wrote in message
news:3B9D14C2...@lvcm.com...
> John David Galt wrote:
> >
> > Sandor G wrote:
> [snip]
> > > What is the type of shrubbery Caltrans uses as a median barrier along
CA 99
> > > & US 101 (and is that OK?)
> >
> > Just rose bushes, I believe. Usually these are planted on top of an old
> > wire-and-post or guardrail barrier. I doubt the bushes themselves are
any
> > protection against accidents, unless you're driving an 800-pound car.
>
> On I-5 not far from Corning CA, I saw a median of bushes stop a full
> size Ford auto that was barrel rolling through the median after being
> sideswiped by a semi. It looked like a brushy tornado moving sideways
> through the bushes. The car landed upright, and the occupants had only
> minor injuries. I'd say those bushes worked just fine.
>
IIRC, Caltrans uses oleander bushes in many locations. I agree with Tom,
they seem to work fine on wider medians, when supplemented with a metal rope
or guardrail.
Ralph
John David Galt
>> Desert.
> This is for morons who take proximity to the Bonneville
> test track literally.
It's a great place to go fast. The morons are the people who posted it for
75 instead of 110. (The middle M is silent.)
>> Eureka & Austin. Nice towns, but expensive speed traps for the unassuming
>> driver (No I didn't get caught, but I talked to someone who did and he was
>> 15 Minutes behind me).
> How else do these towns generate revenue?
They could always build something worth coming to see. Or even a good
restaurant.
>> Tracy and Livermore are alot bigger than I imagined them to be.
> Both have exploded in the last 5-10 years. The traffic problems come
> from everybody in those two places commuting to San Jose to work.
The traffic problems come from people being forced to commute from there
because Bay Area voters wouldn't allow the needed housing to be built in
Sunol, Alviso, or Coyote instead. This is a typical result of "smart
growth."
>> San Jose looks like a suburb on steroids. They have no skyline to speak of.
> Back in the olden days, when republicans controlled everything here,
> a deal was cut for the location of what is now San Jose International.
It was San Jose Municipal, and was served by only two scheduled airlines
until about 1977. Then Rod Diridon and his buddies pushed for expansion.
> Unfortunately, this puts the entirety of downtown under final approach,
The expansion generated so much additional noise that neighbors sued, and
the city was forced to buy a couple of square miles of houses near the
airport and bulldoze them. This appears on plans as part of the Guadalupe
River Parkway, but when last I saw the area it was still just a fenced-off
wasteland.
> so the FAA has issued a map which lists maximum heights for every
> block around, measured to the inch. Many parts of downtown SJ are
> built right up to the limit.
> And it is only 20 miles N of the '89 epicenter.
And the Cypress Structure is 40 miles farther north, which shows that the
specific makeup of both a structure and the ground it sits on tells you
more about quake vulnerability than mere distance can.
>> Saw a couple of BGS along I-10 with exit numbers between I-210 and I-15.
>> Had exits 44, 45, and 46.
>> There are no special signs at the western end of I-40 about how far east it
>> goes. I did see a billboard mentioning Nashville being 1800 miles away,
IIRC there is a sign that talks about I-40's eastern end, but it's half a
mile or so from the actual I-15/I-40 split. It may have been temporarily
removed while they widen that part of I-15.
James Lin
>
> > to I-580 W to I-238 W to I-880 N to I-980 E to I-580 N to I-80 W to US
> > 101 N (I think) to California St W to Lincoln Park (and the western
> > end of the Lincoln Hwy),
> Tell me, did you find anything at the end?
There is nothing at the end. The commemorative concrete marker was taken out
who knows when. The California chapter of the Lincoln Highway Association
plans to install a replica concrete marker near the original site during the
2002 National Conference of the association, sometime next June.
I'm not surprised no one at the Palace of the Legion of Honor knew what you
were talking about (although I'm sure the director does, since the chapter
talked to her about it once).
- Jim
--
James Lin
jl...@ugcs.caltech.edu
William Lynch
> >> I was surprised with how wide the median was on I-80 through the Salt Lake
> >> Desert.
>
> > This is for morons who take proximity to the Bonneville
> > test track literally.
>
> It's a great place to go fast. The morons are the people who posted it for
> 75 instead of 110. (The middle M is silent.)
Then why does this stretch of road have such a high accident rate?
Not all of them are DUIs.
>
>
>
>
> >> San Jose looks like a suburb on steroids. They have no skyline to speak of.
>
> > Back in the olden days, when republicans controlled everything here,
> > a deal was cut for the location of what is now San Jose International.
>
> It was San Jose Municipal, and was served by only two scheduled airlines
> until about 1977. Then Rod Diridon and his buddies pushed for expansion.
Until the early sixties there was a plan to move the airport N to
about where the Niners and a golf course are now. This was
long before Diridon was around. Just imagine how much the
land under SJC would be worth for either business or housing
right now.
>
>
> > Unfortunately, this puts the entirety of downtown under final approach,
>
> The expansion generated so much additional noise that neighbors sued, and
> the city was forced to buy a couple of square miles of houses near the
> airport and bulldoze them. This appears on plans as part of the Guadalupe
> River Parkway, but when last I saw the area it was still just a fenced-off
> wasteland.
I was referring to the real downtown, a mile south of this area.
That area which you speak of now has several softball and soccer
fields and a traffic court.
John David Galt
>>>> Desert.
>>> This is for morons who take proximity to the Bonneville
>>> test track literally.
>> It's a great place to go fast. The morons are the people who posted it for
>> 75 instead of 110. (The middle M is silent.)
> Then why does this stretch of road have such a high accident rate?
> Not all of them are DUIs.
I doubt it does, but if so, boredom is certainly a possible explanation,
and going faster would alleviate that.
Pete Jenior
"Sandor G" <bt...@bright.net> wrote in message
> Along I-70 WB there is a Springfield, next 4 exits sign
...and some wide, paved left shoulders. Is ODOT going to do some widening
here?
> Got the Rainbow bridges collection along I-70 near Springfield
> Alt I-70 signs west of Springfield from US 68 north.
> What is with the on-ramp to I-70 WB just before Oh 4-235?
>
> Indiana
> I-70 west to I-65 north to I-465 clockwise to US 31 and I-465
> counter-clockwise to I-65 north to I-80-94 (Borman) west.
You lost me here. What exactly did you do in Indy?
How was traffic on the Borman? Were there "long delays", as advertised in
July?
>
> You won't be able to see any remnants of I-169/69 from I-70 WB to I-65 NB
Never heard of I-169 - can you tell me more about that?
> Why don't they extend I-88 over I-290 to downtown Chicago
Never thought of that before, but it would make sense. I suppose it goes
back to the old "who cares what the number..."
> I was surprised with how wide the median was on I-80 through the Salt Lake
> Desert. I was hoping to see the old roadbed for US 40 (on the southside
of
> I-80). Not a chance from the WB lanes. :-(
Was I-80 built over old US 40 in this area. Having seen pictures of the
area, there couldn't have been many at-grades on 40...
This is really cool. I love driving on these kind of roads, and its nice to
know that there is at least one out there with really historic significance.
Also
> NDOT why do you have a lead car to direct traffic through the US 50
repaving
> zone (nice 30 minute wait for a 10 mile one lane highway)
Isn't this standard practice on major 2 lane roads? That's how i've seen it
in other places.
> I found the worse town for TV & radio DXing. Austin, NV. Could pick up
NO
> radio stations (both AM & FM) and the only TV stations were the ABC, CBS,
> Fox, and PBS affiliates (No one has seen NBC since 1990 evidently).
Were you manually tuning the radio? I wish the "seek" function had a
sensitivity adjustment.
The Sierra Nevadas aren't exactly Glacier till
> mounds, so routing I-80 took quite a bit of engineering expertise. And
they
> have started repaving I-80 through there, signs stated completion in 2004.
Is I-80 through Donner Pass the highest interstate?
---
-Pete Jenior - Cincinnati, Ohio
-Freshman Civil Engineering Major
Georgia Tech (Atlanta, Georgia)
~~~~
"You're on the road
But you've got no destination"
-U2, "Beautiful Day"
~~~~
gtg...@prism.gatech.edu (primary)
mrp...@fuse.net (alternate)
Sandor G
news:9nm3gh$ng$1...@news-int.gatech.edu...
> > Along I-70 WB there is a Springfield, next 4 exits sign
> ...and some wide, paved left shoulders. Is ODOT going to do some widening
> here?
I'd think so, but I haven't seen anything substanciated.
> > Indiana
> > I-70 west to I-65 north to I-465 clockwise to US 31 and I-465
> > counter-clockwise to I-65 north to I-80-94 (Borman) west.
>
> You lost me here. What exactly did you do in Indy?
I-70 W into Indy, then I-65 N to the north section of I-465 to US 31 then
back on I-465 to I-65 on the NW corner of Indy
> How was traffic on the Borman? Were there "long delays", as advertised in
> July?
I guess so, but it felt like I-270 (in Columbus) back during it's
reconstruction
> > You won't be able to see any remnants of I-169/69 from I-70 WB to I-65
NB
>
> Never heard of I-169 - can you tell me more about that?
The unbuilt spur from the I-65/I-70 north junction to I-69's end at I-465
> > I was surprised with how wide the median was on I-80 through the Salt
Lake
> > Desert. I was hoping to see the old roadbed for US 40 (on the southside
of
> > I-80). Not a chance from the WB lanes. :-(
>
> Was I-80 built over old US 40 in this area. Having seen pictures of the
> area, there couldn't have been many at-grades on 40...
Evidently not, according to a LHA Utah map book, old US 40 still exists to
the south of I-80, but is almost undriveable according to the writer. There
were several at-grades and for them I-80 has some interchanges between Salt
Lake City and Wendover.
> > If nothing else I now have an appreciation
> > as to what those original travelers along the Lincoln Highway
experienced
> > 80+ years ago.
>
> This is really cool. I love driving on these kind of roads, and its nice
to
> know that there is at least one out there with really historic
significance.
Just come prepared.
> > I found the worse town for TV & radio DXing. Austin, NV. Could pick up
> > NO radio stations (both AM & FM) and the only TV stations were the ABC,
> > CBS, Fox, and PBS affiliates (No one has seen NBC since 1990 evidently).
> Were you manually tuning the radio? I wish the "seek" function had a
> sensitivity adjustment.
Oh yeah, I was playing with a clock radio. I could get nothing.
> > The Sierra Nevadas aren't exactly Glacier till mounds, so routing I-80
took
> > quite a bit of engineering expertise. And they have started repaving
I-80
> > through there, signs stated completion in 2004.
> Is I-80 through Donner Pass the highest interstate?
No, that honor goes to Sherman Summit east of Laramie at 8,600 ft. (and I
got a picture of that)
> ---
> -Pete Jenior - Cincinnati, Ohio
> -Freshman Civil Engineering Major
> Georgia Tech (Atlanta, Georgia)
--
Andy Field
> Wyoming
> Business Loop 30 W to various back roads to Business loop I-80 W
(Cheyenne)
Which various backroads did you take here? The Lincoln Hwy's original
alignment between Pine Bluffs and Cheyenne is gravel, IIRC. Let me know
your route - was there much to see?
> to I-80 W to US 287 N to Business loop I-80 W (Laramie) to I-80 W to
Did you take US 30-287 through to Rock River, Medicine Bow, and Hanna? I
think you'd done that on your first trip there.
> Business loop I-80 W (Rock Springs) to I-80 W to Business loop I-80 W
(Green
> River) to I-80 W to US 30 W to former US 30S W to Business loop I-80 W
> (Lyman-Urie) to I-80 W
>
> When one tries to following prehistoric routings of the Lincoln Highway in
> Wyoming, you can plot out the routing on maps, but what looks like a road
on
> paper can look like someone's driveway in real life. I have no problem
> driving on gravel-dirt roads. I used to live on one till the county
(Morrow Co, Ohio)
> paved it 5 years ago, but Wyoming make your roads look like (or signed
like)
> roads. (other sights-remembrances)
> Partial LED trafficlights in Laramie
The LED's in Laramie are new since I was last there in 1998.
> Got a picture of the Old US 30 bridge over the North Platte River (exit
228)
Cool old bridge!
> BGSs for Exit 235 (Walcott) lack US 287 shields on them
This has been the situation since 1998. I am not sure why WyoDOT took them
down.
> Got a picture of the Henry Joy Monument (for the Lincoln Highway) (exit
184.
> Southside of I-80 and old US 30)
What does this monument look like?
> Saw signs for Wyoming circle route along US 191
This was probably the Flaming Gorge Loop Tour, which also includes Wyoming
530 on the west shore of the lake.
> What's the story with Wym 374 west of Green River (up to Little America)?
> Was that formerly US 30 & the Lincoln Highway in a prior life?
Yes, Wyoming 374 is the original US 30 prior to the construction of the
Interstate.
> Why is it that for every 5 grade crossings along I-80, 4 of them will have
> I-80 going over the highway (most every other state I have been in have
more
> grade crossings with bridges over the interstate)?
Very good observation. Overpasses are few and far between: in fact, I can
only think of one (Wyoming 72) between Laramie and Rawlins. There are not
that many between Rawlins and Rock Springs, either. I think there is an
overpass at the US 30/Granger Interchange (Exit 66).
> Noticed alot more haze around than the last time I was in Wyoming.
This may have been due to fires, including one in the Snowy Range area, as
well as some in northwestern Wyoming.
Regards,
Andy
Ron Bean
> What is the deal with The metaphor or Tree of Utah?
A web search using keywords like "metaphor", "Utah",
"bonneville", "sculpture" will turn up some info, but not much.
Nobody seems to know what it's supposed to symbolize. The
"broken" pieces around the base were put there intentionally.
Basically, it's just a random piece of art.
You're not supposed to stop but apparently a lot of people have
"car trouble" right there :-).
Dan Hartung
rb...@earth.execpc.com says...
Plenty at:
http://www.roadsideamerica.com/attract/UTWENmetaphor.html
More on the European artist:
http://www.cobrafineart.com/artists/momen.html
& his sculpture (several pictured):
http://www.cobrafineart.com/artists/momen_sculpture.html
[wordy art criticism alert]
--
Dan Hartung * dan [at] dhartung [dot] com
Lake Effect weblog: http://www.lakefx.nu/
CHICAGOSTORIES: post yours @ chicagostories.org
Ron Bean
Dan Hartung <dhar...@spamcop.NOT> writes:
>> A web search using keywords like "metaphor", "Utah",
>> "bonneville", "sculpture" will turn up some info, but not much.
>Plenty at:
>http://www.roadsideamerica.com/attract/UTWENmetaphor.html
I wouldn't say there's much real information there, beyond the
artist's name and when it was built. With a name like "Metaphor"
you would think he could have come up with a better explanation!
I like the sculpture, but there's no point in pretending there's
any real meaning to it. At first I assumed it was some kind of
sports thing, because a couple of the spheres resemble baseballs.
>More on the European artist:
>http://www.cobrafineart.com/artists/momen.html
>& his sculpture (several pictured):
>http://www.cobrafineart.com/artists/momen_sculpture.html
>[wordy art criticism alert]
Again, not much information, just the basics. There are photos on
a couple of other sites as well.