If we hurry, we can make the light!

Artemis or Artifice?

2007-02-06T17:01:00.000-05:00

As I sit here waiting for the plows to come shovel us out of the Blizzard of '07, I've been reviewing some of the local traffic information available on the web. So sketchy it is! This view of I-71 near Kenwood Road (Exit 11) is not so helpful.

Though much lauded by Steve, Traffic.com also did not bear fruit in the Cincinnati metroplex. Perhaps we're a non-measured city? However, I still love the "Jam Factor" metric.

It's actually the local TV station that really does it best, but the news is still not great:

For I-71, between Exit 7, the Norwood Lateral, SR 562 and the Ohio River.
This route is 8 miles in length.

DIRECTION AVERAGE SPEED ESTIMATED TRAVEL TIME
Southbound 6 mph 68 minutes
Current conditions: Expect slower than normal traffic, due to weather conditions.
Construction notes: None

DIRECTION AVERAGE SPEED ESTIMATED TRAVEL TIME
Northbound 6 mph 68 minutes
Current conditions: Expect slower than normal traffic, due to weather conditions.
Construction notes: None

California Road Jargon

2007-01-31T10:33:00.000-05:00

This morning on Columbia Parekway (US 50), Jen told me that if I had to drive on it, the commute wouldn't be so bad. Despite traffic lights, she proudly announced that she was still "packing in 60!"

"Packing in!"

Botox Bombs

2007-01-31T10:11:00.000-05:00

The Boston Bomb Squad (Baaahstin Baaahm Sqwaaaahd)just blew up a mysterious package on Interstate 93 in Charlestown, MA.

That's the 2nd "mysterious package" I've heard of recently being blown up on an Interstate Highway.

In December, a bomb was discovered on an Interstate 71 overpass in Norwood, OH.

I wonder why someone would want to destroy beauteous macadam? If the bomb went off, would it be considered terrorism or destructive criticism? Roads are always improved when incidents cause them to be rebuilt...

Route 66: It Begins Here

2006-09-07T00:08:00.000-04:00

Check out the new Illinois license plate option!

"You're a native New Yorker..."

2006-08-03T12:27:00.000-04:00

Forwarded to me in a joke chain e-mail, these picutres truly illustrate the concept behind the title of this blog, "If we hurry, we can make the light!"

Johnny Be Choiceful

2006-07-17T22:45:00.000-04:00

To the tune of "Johnny Be Goode"

Way down in Cincinnati, south of Redding Road
There lived a little boy, name of Johnny Be Choice
Lived in a development of lofts and lamps
He could manage a brand just like he’s wetting his pants

Never had another job
‘came an intern from a squab
Wrote a W&DP while he was takin the “R”

Go, go!
Go, Johnny, Go, go!
Go, Johnny, Go, go!
Go, Johnny, Go, go!
Go, Johnny, Go, go!
Johnny, be Choiceful.

He used to carry his laptop in a wheeled cart
Or sit in the GO lobby sippin’ millstone crap...

How do you put music in this thing?

US 50

2006-07-14T10:57:00.000-04:00

Thinking about US 50, seeing it on a map near Lake Tahoe, around Cincinnati, and remembering it in Maryland, I checked the wikipedia entry and found some excellent pictures of the road's terminal signs. Sacramento and Ocean City are evidently control cities, 3,073 mi. apart, but listed at both ends!

Big Dig Cracks, Woman Dies!

2006-07-12T21:16:00.000-04:00

Matthew Amorello, Mass Pike Chairman: Schmuck?

Ew, Clearview!?

2006-07-10T16:55:00.000-04:00

There's a new font coming to a BGS (Big Green Sign) near you: Clearview!

I hate this font. :(

http://typographi.com/000931.php

Incoherent Dreams of a Road Enthusiast

2006-05-23T08:54:00.000-04:00

You know you're different when in those incoherent moments before waking (while you're still dreaming), you worry about waking up because you fear that you won't get to your destination by the time you wake -- that if you don't continue driving, you won't take the exit for Interstate 355 -- you could get up in the wrong town!

Chicago: My Kinda Town!!!!

2006-05-20T00:06:00.000-04:00

WHERE DO I BEGIN!?

Without question, Chicago is the most magnificent city urban core to drive through in all the United States!!! It works. It has many of the wonderful tropes of California's glorious roads -- including Accident Investigation Sites -- and the IPass toll roads all accept EZPass. Now THAT'S a network.

The city is dripping with electronic warning signs which inform drivers of approximate travel times to various key exits. Most major roads have express lanes (2 of them) which are separated from the primary lanes by concrete barrier, and do not require high occupancy status: a magnificent approach to separating local from regional traffic. The system resembles the express and local lanes on the New Jersey Turnpike, but this is executed WITHIN the city.

Ads festoon the roadways with appeals to get drivers off of busy highways. For example: http://www.avoidtheryan.com/ and suggestions that the only true "Expressway" is the CTA.

With humor and grace, Chicago has brilliantly executed an urban interstate highway system. Even state routes, such as IL 53 uphold the federal design standards -- they have the look and feel of actual Interstates in the East.

David Blaine: Drowned Alive -- Hated It!

2006-05-08T22:38:00.000-04:00

Did anyone else think David Blaine: Drowned Alive (this evening on ABC) was rather stupid? Really, this lust for ratings has gone too far. What are we really watching? A guy bob up and down in water like so much unwanted cork in a glass of wine...and then an unscathed escape? There are real tragedies and miracles going on through the world. Would somebody please think of the gold miners in Australia? They were chiseled out of rock after two weeks and emerged like Han Solo from so much carbonie. Now THAT would be something to watch!

I think what bothered me most about the event was that they held it at the plaza at Lincoln Center. Lincoln Center is already enough of a tourist destination to not require that large death-defying stunts be performed in its midst. Why didn't they hold his death-defying match in Queens, Spuyten Duyvel, or Ramapo? Think of all those people blocking the exits to the theaters of Lincoln Center. A shande!

It's Called "Counterflow!"

2006-05-02T21:06:00.000-04:00

When lanes typically reserved for traffic moving in opposite directions are re-routed for travel in the same direction, that's "counterflow." More surprising than the practice is that a term has been coined to describe it. It seems a bit odd that they would choose a word to describe it...and such a clunky one at that. How might one describe the institution of counterflow? "Counterflow measures have been initiatied [,Captain]!" Or "The southbound side of I-75 is now counterflowing to the north." Clunky, I say!

See the Wikipedia entry on the subject for a list of cities where counterflow measures have been adopted or planned!

Thank You, Kindly!

2006-04-11T22:15:00.000-04:00

I guess there are police in southern Ohio. :( To use P&G-speak, I had a "joinup" with a highway patrol officer late this afternoon on I-71 North, with a large piece of furniture in my car from Pier 1, while hunting for the Sonic Burger. Bad things happen when you search for Sonics -- typically because they're located in hard-to-reach places. This one was no exception. But I found it...and was disappointed. Even now, I can feel the reverse osmosis taking place in my stomach as the intensely salty wittels absorb ALL of the liquid in my body. Chicken soup for the digestive system, I suppose.

But back to the speeding ticket. The officer, heartily impressed with the car (and its cargo space) was more interested in knowing where I bought it and what year it was than in prosecuting the ticket. Yet withal, I suppose he had to meet his quota... and ultimately did give me a ticket. A good object lesson for me, no doubt, as I'm sure I would have pursued wreckless speeds on that corridor had I gone on assuming that it was lightly-patroled. The process was altogether much more civil and jolly than ticket-issuing on the East Coast. He seemed to be having a great time and was genuinely concerned about wasting my time and accusing me of going altogether TOO fast. If only I had wated to re-register my car, then they could only fine me and not otherwise penalize me with points and other perturbations, I think?

Columbus: The Center

2006-04-09T22:07:00.000-04:00

Coming from New York, where exits are numbered willy nilly, it's quite a shock to behold the splendor of Ohio's precise mileage-based exit numbering. Not only does each exit correspond to a specific mile marker, but the state capital, Columbus, seems to be at the precise center of the state. From virtually any direction, on any highway, the city is located at exit 100.

Amazing!!!

Buckification

2006-04-09T13:48:00.000-04:00

It happened! I've become Buckeye, consumer of corn!

Roadtrip with Mom!

2006-04-09T13:35:00.000-04:00

"and we're livin' here in Allentown. And it's hard to keep a good man down."

"Look, Ma! Route 202!" (in the vicinity of the King of Prussia Mall)

Mom drove across much of PA (a very long state -- over 300 mi!)

The Pennsylvania Turnpike (I-76) is actually not so hot -- 2 lanes across most of the state. :(

But actually, that makes a good deal of sense. There's really NOTHING in a good deal of southern PA, except for many through-mountain tunnels.

CleanPass!

2006-04-09T13:21:00.000-04:00

You may have noticed some extra information on the LIE HOV Lane Regulations signs just before Lakeville Road and before Glen Cove Road. The HOV program has been expanded to include clean vehicles. If you drive a hybrid, you can ride in the HOV lane, regardless of how many occupants are in your vehicle.

What a concept!

State press releases referring to the "40 continuous miles of HOV lanes in both the eastbound and westbound directions along the length of the Long Island Expressway from Medford in the Town of Brookhaven, Suffolk County, to the Queens border," tend to wax poetic about the HOV achievement.

Officials expect the program to reduce "6,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions and [save] in excess of 500,000 gallons of gasoline."

Shoveling Fantasies

2006-02-13T00:33:00.000-05:00

When I shovel snow, I make extra wide paths, imagining that I'm creating expressways in the ice. With each shovelful, I imagine seizing the land of happless snowflake-people and dumping them on the side of the path as it gets ever wider!

HAZ MAT

2006-01-18T22:49:00.000-05:00

Truckers, prithee be more careful with your HAZ MATs! Maybe you never had a nelly mother hawk you a chainik about driving at high speeds on the icy roads of the northeastern US... But just listen to the news! On Monday, a massive tanker truck carrying fuel flipped over and burst into flames on the BQE, closing it for the entire day! Is this how we honour the memory of MLK? On Wednesday, another tanker went belly-up in Philadelphia on I-95, spilling a bit of xylene on the roadway.

Admittedly, these roads are in horrible condition. Their surfaces, pocked and scarred, are not amileorated by the addition of a layer of frozen water. Nevertheless, I blame the truck drivers themselves for these accidents, both of whom came away largely unscathed.

TerraPass

2006-01-12T12:57:00.000-05:00

TerraPass is a brilliant idea. Motivated by guilt, funded by excessive work hours, TerraPass is a partially facilitates the development of a pollution economy. The idea of trading pollution "credits" has been around since Kyoto. Now it is available for individual purchase. Though the details aren't clear, the idea is to pay for the pollution that you produce. TerraPass enables users to offset the cost of reducing that much pollution from being produced by other actors in the economy.

Imagine buying that Hummer but then feeling guilty about the 13 MPG fuel economy. Now you can do something about it! Maybe TerraPass should be mandatory? That way it might actually function as an incentive to purchase more environmentally-friendly vehicles. But for now, it's an excellent way for Land Cruisers and Range Rovers to manifest their concern for mother nature without sacrificing an inch of storage space!

Using the TP emissions calculator, I determined that I emit roughly 5,791 pounds of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere annually. That seems like a lot, but according to the TerraPass scale, my car qualifies for hybrid status! For $29.95 per year I can offset the Kompressor's kontribution to atmospheric pollution. Hmmmm...

National Pass!

2006-01-11T14:35:00.000-05:00

A January 10th article in the NYT, "Giving Drivers More Access to Fast Lanes," discussed efforts to develop interoperable electronic toll payment devices. Unfortunately, systems that will fully work together seem a long way off.

Surprisingly, a company called "Highway Toll Administration" in GREAT NECK is working on equipping Budget rental cars with EZPass transponders. What a great idea! I guess it isn't so surprising that people living in Great Neck would feel the acute pain of waiting in non-electronic toll lines.

The other proposed solution (from American Traffic Solutions), seems like an even more appealing option. Their "PassPlate" would allow users to pass through any electronic tollbooth and use a universal credit account to pay tolls. Now THAT is a good idea...but we really have to think about how to prevent PassPilfery!

Crowding

2005-12-20T22:24:00.000-05:00

Standing room only after Flushing on the Port Washington LIRR line.

The BQE: Westbound still at mess at 10am.

Empty Avenues

2005-12-20T22:22:00.000-05:00

5th and Madison were both closed to traffic.

PENN Station

2005-12-20T22:17:00.000-05:00

The transit strike gave new meaning to the phrase "Penn" Station.

Rats!

2005-12-20T11:45:00.000-05:00

While the subways are out of commission, I can't help but wonder what's happening to the system-wide rat population. Are they roaming the tracks with reckless abandon? How are they keeping warm without the periodic rush of heated trains? How will they eat without the emoluments of muffin crumbs dropped from the clumsy digits of morning commuters?

Maybe they're forming a union as we speak and will be willing to work for less than a living wage!?

Who's Hungry?

2005-12-20T11:13:00.000-05:00

When I heard this morning that the "inbound" delays from New Jersey were even longer than usual, it got me thinking: what happens to our food, Manhattan, while it sits in trucks on approaches from New Jersey? With delays of more than an hour at the George Washington Bridge and at the Lincoln Tunnel, vehicles waiting to get into Manhattan were forced to sit in a cold soup of exhaust. Although food transport vehicles most likely have environmental control systems, and the weather was likely cold enough to prevent anything from spoiling, what happens to all of the fumes that get sucked into the ventillation systems of these vehicles? Does it get pumped into refrigerated cargo holds? Does it then somehow penetrate the meats, poultry, vegetables, and other unprocessed foods? Can food purveyors distinguish themselves by highlighting the filtration systems used on their food transport fleet?

Granted, this phenomenon is not unique to New York -- as of 2003, the average food item in the US was purported to have journeyed 1500 miles before reaching your plate -- but idling in traffic before reaching the destination store or restaurant is something that affects anything waiting to enter Manhattan.

I think I've lost my appetite.

Strikes and Silence

2005-12-20T11:06:00.000-05:00

More than anything, what's immediately noticeable about Manhattan during a transit strike is the silence that descends upon the city streets while it's in progress. The conspicuous lack of busses (and vehicles on certain avenues) makes for an eerie stillness. All one can hear are the steady footfalls of thousands of freezing pedestrians hurrying down the street.

Borders and Exurbs

2005-12-18T14:06:00.000-05:00

On Sunday, December 18th, the New York Times published two fascinating articles about related issues in different parts of the nation. In the National Report, Rick Lyman's "In Exurbs, Life Framed By Hours Spent in the Car," discussed the exigencies of congestion-plagued residents of burgeoning towns just north of Dallas. In the Long Island section, "The Defining Line: Examining Exactly Where Long Island Begins," Richard Korman takes readers on an excruciatingly specific journey down the 15.5 mile border which separates Nassau from Queens.

In both places, borders did not really interfere in most residents' lives. On Long Island, however, borders featured prominently in some residents' very identity. Perhaps the official demarcation of New York City's end is more significant to Islanders because New York City is more of a "destination" than Dallas. But at the same time, the stories told in Texas seem nearly impossible to tell on Long Island. Massive exurban migration from Dallas enables people to change their lifestyles, living in larger houses with only one couple working, sacrificing only longer commutes and "urban identities" for a more family-oriented life. This migration and exurban development much resembles the lifestyles portrayed in "Desperate Housewives." Unfortunately, this seems like something of a fantasy, even in places are far-flung as Mount Saini, New York -- more than 50 miles from Manhattan.

The two articles are about settlement patterns, but they're also about the power of local politics and how counties can be transformed by the very people who inhabit them. The Texas example shows how a town of 2,000 can take on the characteristics of a city in short order, while the Long Island example demonstrates how the line between the city and "the Island" can be blurred to the extent that it is largely irrelevant, and in some places entirely unnoticeable and unmarked.

"Man goes wrong way on highway for 11 miles"

2005-12-12T13:57:00.000-05:00

"STRASBOURG, France (Reuters) - A Frenchman drove up a motorway in the wrong direction for 11 miles, crashing into five other vehicles and killing one person and injuring three others including two children, police said.

The 66-year-old man continued driving after his first two collisions Sunday in the hope of finding an exit off the A35 in eastern France, a police spokesman in the city of Strasbourg said."

Officially, he was not drunk... Right... I wonder what the definition of DWI is in France, anyway?

Sign-Maker

2005-12-07T12:06:00.000-05:00

The most fun I've had in years!

Your Traffic.com Magnet

2005-12-02T11:56:00.000-05:00

Traffic.com

2005-12-02T11:40:00.000-05:00

They have done something magical with this domain! Perhaps the best traffic site I've seen yet! I particularly like the ability to sort "traffic hot spots" by "jam factor." Naturally, FDR Drive North between 42nd and 96th Streets, currently has the highest jam index (8.4). The scale ranges from (1, clear, to 10, jammed).

W, and other conquerors...

2005-11-22T13:27:00.000-05:00

Source: Harpers.com

Ohio: The Heart of it All!

2005-11-22T12:35:00.000-05:00

This sign would truly make me feel Welcome in Ohio. Thanks, teresco.org!

The Second Avenue Subway

2005-11-22T12:16:00.000-05:00

As Barbara Streisand said:

Everyone knows that I’m just
Second Hand Rose
From Second Avenue!
From Second Avenue!

And with the new capital plan, she will be able to zoom up from the Bowery to Harlem in a jiffy! I hope we see ground break on this project within Babs' lifetime...

Post Secret?

2005-11-19T20:24:00.000-05:00

I gave five Long Island drivers the finger today.

"From Atlantic to Pacific, Gee the Traffic is Terrific!"

2005-11-19T20:22:00.000-05:00

They've begun to play non-stop HOLIDAY favorites on New York's 106.7, Lite FM! I'm EXCITED!

Sandite

2005-11-17T11:56:00.000-05:00

From the Long Island Railroad November 2005 "Keeping Track" Newsletter:

"Did you know?

Every year at this time of year, Raliroads across the northeast struggle with a problem caused by the falling leaves. You see, those falling leaves do more than drift by your window. They also fall on the tracks, are crushed by train wheels, and then deposit a sap-like oily residue that tends to make trains slip when accelerating and slide when braking. We've been able to reduce this condition by equipping trains with wheel slide protection systems, through agressive tree trimmming and the use of various anti-skid products. One such product is Sandite, which was developed and used by railroads in England for the same problem. However, when the leaves combine with light rain, it may require that some trains reduce their speed. So, if your train is being delayed and your crew tells you it's being caused by 'slip-slide conditions' ... now you'll know what they mean, and why it's happening."

Fascinating! But why the plug for Sandite, and its UK provenance?

Road Pricing in Manhattan: Unnecessary!

2005-11-11T10:49:00.000-05:00

In today's New York Times, Sewell Chan suggested that "congestion pricing" (as it's currently know in London) may be in the offing for New York City. Mayor Mike: don't look upon your landslide victory as a mandate for de-caring Manhattan. Proposed by the Partnership for New York City (presumably at the behest of Bloomberg), the plan would "charge drivers for entering the most heavily trafficked parts of Manhattan at the busiest times of the day," but would not apply to the West Side Highway or the FDR Drive. (HELLO!? WHAT!? STUPID! BAD IDEA!)

While this may be successful in London and Singapore...and the model may be appropriate for other U.S. cities (e.g., Los Angeles), New York already has sufficient car-curbing measures. We've got bridges and tunnels galore that become downright impassable at during the "congestion" times. In addition, the roads leading into Manhattan (many of which shrink to one or two lanes before approaching a bridge or a tunnel), are already too small to carry more than a reasonable amount of vehicles per minute into the City. The way this program is structured, it seems like it will function more as a way to dole out idling for those who wind up trapped in certain city wards for extended periods of time.

Yes, I admit, it's a little surprising for an anti-trafficist such as myself to be against road-pricing, but the congestion-time driving disincentives in Manhattan are legion anyway. Generally speaking, road pricing makes sense...but it makes less sense IN Manhattan. Between existing congestion on inbound bridges and tunnels, staggering costs of parking, lack of availability of space, and the sorry state of the regional Manhattan-feeding infrastructure, one would have to be fairly desperate to drive into Manhattan during the proposed congetion pricing times anyway. While adding city congestion load costs onto the already breathtaking expenses incurred by most inbound car commuters would likely result in a smaller number of cars driving within Manhattan, it would further isolate the city from its suburbs and the rest of America -- the hand that feeds it! Those who mainatin that Manhattan already has too much of a "car culture" would do well to explore traffic patterns in some of America's other large cities. By comparison, there is nary a "car culture" to speak of in the City.

Is this a veiled red state/blue state battle? Perhaps the congestion surcharge should only be levied against pickup trucks? Against Pennsylvanians? (Why are there so many of them parked in Queens, now that I mention it?) It's un-American to restrict peoples' freedom of movement in their cars through fee-based (class-based?) policies. It's also un-American to impose infrastructural constraints on peoples' freedom of movements in their cars by providing low-quality roads. If there's any road pricing to be done in the region, it should be on the roads that deliver cars into Manhtattan. Most in a terrible state of repair, these roads are in serious need of upgrades and often seem to carry motorists to areas NEAR but not IN Manhattan. Ask any Long Islander what happens to Westbound traffic on the LIE once s/he passes Lefrak City and you'll discover that it most always disappears (well before the final approach to Manhattan the midtown tunnel).

Raise the tolls and create more ring roads surrounding the City, but (to paraphrase William Jennings Bryan) you shall not press upon the tires of motorists this crown of thorns!

Trucks Must Avoid Parkways!

2005-11-09T10:29:00.000-05:00

Andrew Brodlieb endured a terrible commute this morning. But the extra 45 minutes gave him time enough to take this picture for our amusement! LOL!

When I first saw this picture, I guessed that the problem in question was at the Long Island Expressway-Cross Island Parkway multiplex (Exit 31 of I-495). But I was WRONG!

Deep in the heart of Moses territory (near Babylon and Jericho hahaha), Andrew was travelling on the Northern State Parkway, where "Exit 31" is Glen Cove Road, and "Exit 31A" is the Meadowbrook State Parkway. An area fraught with peril for non-local truck drivers searching for the Interstate, who knows what might cause such lapses in judgement? Though truckers have no business approaching either of these roads, perhaps the giddy anticipation of a county-wide conversion to the metric system (Nassau's only metric signage can be found at the Glen Cove Road exit of the NSP) was enough to confuse the trucker involved in this accident. Or maybe he had just had a "truckers' breakfast" at the Seacrest Diner?

Even though many paranoid, neurotic area mothers who don't drive SUVs are greatful, I suspect most NY-area truckers still rue the day RM created our parkway system.

Commuter Poetry

2005-11-09T10:22:00.000-05:00

4 crates of pitas in plasticwrap sit beside the entrance to Colbeh
Dewing in the morning mist, are these victims crying?
A Home-Depot-Expo-style brook babbles beside the crates
"It's ok," says the stream, "your owner will claim and stuff you soon!"

3 left turns out of the upper lot
Flummoxed commuters can't find parking
Shit.

Lumbering into the station 38 seconds late
It makes the terrifying sound of Captain Morpheus' Nebudchanezzar
Should I get on?

The train is a lavatory veiled thinly with cheap fragrances
"Uy I caahn't stajjnd it! Voh veh loh!"
Fatigue.

I'm still craving falafel.

Peace Bridge Overkill?

2005-11-08T16:53:00.000-05:00

Up in Buffalo, they're proposing a number of designs for the expansion of the Peace Bridge, connecting Buffalo with Fort Erie, Ontario. The new proposed spans, though bold and beautiful, IMHO seem a bit overwrought. Even if the bridge is meant to symbolize the strong, enmeshed, thoroughgoing connection between the U.S. and Canada, the existing slag heap (pictured in many of the proposals) cheapens the entire experience, like a trunk-full of smuggled prescription drugs.

VOTE YES ON 2!

2005-11-04T23:56:00.000-05:00

A gantz bargain at $2.9 billion, the New York State Transportation Bond Act promises a myriad of desperately-needed transportation improvements for the NY Metro area (with a capital, "M")! Some of these include: a Second Avenue Subway, East Side Access for the LIRR to Grand Central Station, and even installation of fiber optic lines along Interstate 390 -- see Buffalo?, there's pork for you too!!!

In addition to public transporation improvements, as we are all painfully aware, "Nearly 70% of major roads in the New York metropolitan area are in sub-standard condition. Many of the state’s heavily traveled roads are deteriorating and in need of repair." I'll say!

Here's what WE get:
New York City
$171 million to make operational improvements to the Kew Gardens Interchange, which links the Van Wyck Expressway (Interstate 678), Jackie Robinson Parkway, and Grand Central Parkway in Queens, Queens County. Work will include improvements to the Van Wyck Expressway in the vicinity of the interchange.

Down with the Tsoris Multiplex: I can get behind that!

Lower Hudson Valley
$60.6 million for completion of the last in a series of operational and safety improvements on Interstate 287/The Cross Westchester Expressway, which connects the Tappan Zee Bridge with Interstate 95. The project will run from Greenburgh into the City of White Plains, Westchester County.

Hmmm... Yeah, that and how about a few more exits on 287 before the TZB!? Are there so few people in the surrounding towns that there's no need for an exit? Isn't the minimum population necessary for an Interstate exit 60,000?

Then there's this:
Nassau and Suffolk Counties
$110 million to reduce truck congestion on Long Island and to improve rail freight access on Long Island.

Well, yeah, whatever...let's not look our LIE gift horse in the mouth.

VOTE YES ON 2: WE NEED IT!

Jackson's Thong

2005-11-03T17:12:00.000-05:00

Doing some research for Ben, I discovered that the road archs found at the intersection of Interstates 55 and 20 (in Jackson, MS) are incredibly reminiscent of women's underwear! Don't you agree?

Hammurabi's Code in Vegas?

2005-11-03T16:50:00.000-05:00

"Thursday November 3, 2005 8:31 PM

RENO, Nev. (AP) - Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman has suggested that those who deface freeways with graffiti should have their thumbs cut off on television....`You know, we have a beautiful highway landscaping redevelopment in our downtown. We have desert tortoises and beautiful paintings of flora and fauna. These punks come along and deface it.'"

LV does, indeed, have beautiful highway landscaping -- paving, too -- which allows cars to travel in excess of 90 MPH wihtout hesitation, within mere feet of "The Strip." Yet withal, severing thumbs sounds like an extreme measure. Perhaps Mayor Goodman can take a lesson from Long Island highway authorities, whose latest warning sign campaign reads something like, "Don't Litter: it wastes 1.2 million of your tax dollars per year." Before you sever their digits, try merely hitting 'em where it hurts: in the wallet!

BioWillie Fuel

2005-10-26T10:45:00.000-04:00

I guess being kissed by Jessica Simpson and then watching her wash a T-bird mostly naked would be enough to inspire paroxsysms of car-related giddyness in any hot-blooded American man. But for Willie Nelson, it seems to have inspired positive action! Coming soon to a truck stop near you: BioWillie, a new brand of Bio Diesel endorsed by Willie Nelson.

IMHO, Willie Nelson may not be the best celebrity icon to choose for this purpose. Do we really want a fuel that is associated with a sluggish silver fox? Given a choice, I think I'd opt for BioRicky (a Ricky Martin-branded Bio Diesel blend). When I step on the accelerator, I want my car to clap and yell, "Huerpa!" (even if its emissions then begin to smell like digested French fries). Empower the Latino consumer!

Yet withal, Willie's effort is a step in the right direction. The more people who consider alternative fuels, the merrier!

PADOT Hits Paydirt?

2005-10-24T15:57:00.000-04:00

From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: "Bags hold down sections of tarpaulin that keep rainwater from a hillside along Interstate 99 construction near State College. The road project has uncovered rock containing pyrite, which becomes highly acidic when exposed to oxygen and water. Acid runoff leaches into groundwater and streams, creating hazards."

Oops! I wonder whether Bauxsol can save the day!?

NJ Overhead Highway Warnings

2005-10-17T17:50:00.000-04:00

They really know how to motivate motorists in New Jersey! Cruising along the mountainous area of I-95 South that leads away from the George Washington Bridge, the first overhead warning sign I came to in the Garden State read:

SLOW DOWN:

SAVE GAS!

I think this is truly grand. It's so refreshingly direct. In New York, I would have expeced to see more of the usual overhead sign boilerplate, after a "Slow Down" command, such as, "It Saves Lives," or "It's the law." I say it makes more sense to appeal to our pocketbooks, rather than our minds.

The Clean Train Campaign

2005-10-12T14:43:00.000-04:00

According to a 1010 WINS ("the most listened to station in the nation") report, our querulousness may have paid off!:

Oct 12, 2005 7:40 am US/Eastern
(1010 WINS) NEW YORK The Long Island Rail Road says it's heard the message from commuters and it will hire more train cleaners. The railroad had cut its cleaning budget by more than 625-thousand dollars this year, and the cut has not gone unnoticed by passengers.

Most of the positions eliminated were the cleaners who was go through the trains between trips and clean up litter, coffee cups, newspapers and other litter left by the previous passengers.

The railroad had 450 cleaners in 2002 and just 400 cleaners this year.

Passengers complained that fares went up an average of 30 percent in the last three years, yet they had trouble finding a clean place to sit.

Amber Alert!

2005-10-09T16:07:00.000-04:00

CHILD ABDUCTED
GY 1999 LEXUS
NY ↑CCR2225

As traffic crawled up the Meadowbrook Parkway on a sultry Sunday afternoon, I noticed the above on the warning sign overhead. At first I thought, "That sounds like my license plate!" Then I thought, "If the child was abducted anywhere around Roosevelt Field Mall, the abductor couldn't have gotten very far...look at this traffic! Oh how Long Island unites to save its children!" Then, after I followed the warnings across the county line (unsurprisingly, the "Sign Under Contstruction" near Douglaston Parkway remained blank), into New York city (out of curiosity), I thought about what might happen if I were to call and report a sighting:

Me: "Hi. Is this e-911?"
e911: "Hello, 911 Emergency. What is the nature of the emergency?"
Me: "I think I see the grey 1999 Lexus. What an ugly car!"
e911: "Are you referring to our Amber Alert, sir? What is your location?"
Me: "Of course Amber! Don't you know where I am? Isn't that why we put the e in 911?"
e911: "OK. Can you confirm that you're on the Long Island Expressway at Francis Lewis Boulevard?"
Me: "Yes! Attack!"
e911: "Please refrain from incindiary commentary, sir. Are you calling from a cellphone?"
Me: "Of coruse I am!"
e911: "Are you using it hands-free?"
Me: "Oh shit."
::throws phone across car, looks out for police::

Maybe it's for the best that I didn't find the car...

Concerned, excited, but also having to pee, I gave up the hunt and left it to my fellow motorists to save the abducted child.

Federal Highway Authority Infrastructure Song Lyrics!

2005-10-08T00:54:00.000-04:00

Yes, there is a section of fhwa.dot.gov dedicated to "infrastructure songs" and their lyrics! What a country we live in!

Gas Prices

2005-10-07T10:17:00.000-04:00

From MSN Today. HA!

Giving the LIRR Some Credit After All...

2005-10-05T17:35:00.000-04:00

Within 7 hours, I found a personalized response to my complaint in my inbox. Way to go, LIRR! :)

Here's what Susan McGowan had to say in response to my complaint:

DO NOT REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE.

Recently you requested personal assistance from our on-line support
center. Below is a summary of your request and our response.

Subject
---------------------------------------------------------------
Funky Trains

Discussion Thread
---------------------------------------------------------------
Response (Susan McGowan) - 10/05/2005 05:04 PM
Thank you for your e-mail. Please accept our apology for the unpleasant conditions you encountered this morning. Immediately upon receipt, a copy of your e-mail was forwarded to our Assistant Chief Mechanical Officer - Fleet Cleaning for investigation and remedial action regarding this car.

By this afternoon, the train had been pulled out of service and brought to West Side Yard for inspection. First, the cleaning crew checked the restroom of the car you described, but found it to be in good working order. The cleaners then checked under all the seats, lifting each seat cushion in turn. They found that someone had stuffed a bag containing vomit under a seat cushion. We believe this was the cause of the foul odor.

They did not find the milky film on seats that you referred to. The car was cleaned and deodorized. The remainder of the train was then cleaned.

As information, given the high degree of utilization of our fleet, it is not always possible to clean our trains between every run. However, all trains are swept and mopped at least once during every 24-hour period. Train restrooms are cleaned and re-stocked daily. All cars are given a top-to-bottom heavy-duty cleaning every 90 days.

We appreciate your bringing this matter to our attention and in particular, we thank you for providing the car number, which allowed us to speed the response by our cleaners. We hope that your future travels with the LIRR will be more pleasant.

Keeping the LIRR on its toes

2005-10-05T10:25:00.000-04:00

Overheard in the Women's Fragrances and Accessories Department at Bloomingdales

2005-10-02T18:15:00.000-04:00

Basia's "Baby You're Mine!"

Food Worth Finding in Your Zip Code...

2005-10-02T18:09:00.000-04:00

The "Pumpkin Muffie" at Panera Bread.

Fitness & Fatness

2005-10-01T21:11:00.000-04:00

At Faith Popcorn's Panasonic-sponsored AdWeek lecture, she vouchsafed a number of her tongue-tippingest trends. Portraying herself as something of an ingenue, one cannot help but wonder how much rigor is really behind her official-seeming trend definitions.

Yet withal, one thing's for sure: her "fitness + fatness" trend is right on the money. Eating a cookie (a Cookie Wookie) on my way from the car to the gym this afternoon, I saw two other people munching on high-calorie snacks as they marched toward the door. I held the door open for a patron who was sipping a Krispy Kreme beverage. Faith, you're right: fitness and fatness often do go together!

Japanese Tunnel Entrances

2005-09-28T18:47:00.000-04:00

A tunnel entrance featured on the JH Web site, http://www.jhnet.go.jp/english_new/highways.html

The "Post-Interstate Era"

2005-09-28T16:53:00.000-04:00

Today in defensive driving class, the instructor droned on about proper behaviors and reasons behind speed restrictions in work zones. Suddenly, in a rare moment of canned clarity, he announced, "In the post-interstate era, road work is likely to become a more commonplace phenomenon. As motorists, we must all be sensitive to frequent and distributed efforts to keep our nation's roads in good repair."

I found the observation quite interesting and wondered where he read it (why his syntax and diction had suddenly improved so drammatically!), but I thought it might come across as obnoxious to ask...so I didn't.

SQUEEZE Left

2005-09-27T14:36:00.000-04:00

Coming from the East, as I-90 wends its way towards the Massachusetts State Capital, Springfield, and intersects various spurs to I-91, these days the flow of traffic is interrupted by a good deal of roadwork. Rushing past this on Sunday, September 25, instead of the usual "Warning: Lane Shift Ahead" sign, with the nervous 3 arrows pointing vaguely to the left, a large orange work sign read, "Road Work Ahead: Squeeze Left!" Strange, I thought: "What a cute, cushy command!" But when I actually saw what "Squeeze Left" meant, I realized how apt the description truly was. Sadly, the "squeezed lanes" were still considerably wider and maneuverable than the FDR drive, and many near-Manhattan, high-speed roadways.

Road Departure

2005-09-26T16:56:00.000-04:00

The FHWA uses the euphamism, "road departure," to cover quite a range of terrifying events:

"Of the 42,643 people killed on our nation's highways in 2003, over 25,000 died when their vehicle left their lane and crashed. In some cases the vehicle crossed the centerline and was involved in a head-on crash or opposite direction sideswipe. In others, the vehicle encroached onto the shoulder and beyond to rollover or impact one or more natural or man-made objects, such as utility poles, bridge walls, embankments, guardrails, parked vehicles, or trees."

I saw a grusome road departure on I-91 on Friday night (9/23) at 10:45pm.

I-45 Traffic Returns to Normal

2005-09-26T10:30:00.000-04:00

Kudos to the NYTimes for putting this picture on the front page! Notice how the lane lines have a black outline. I believe this is a trend, and that such outlines indicate a fairly-recent painting. The first time I noticed that sort of outline was in Virginia -- a state whose road policy seemed effective and, certainly, whose painting regimen was up to code. But I've also seen it show up on the just-reconstructed stretch of I-95 in the Bronx. I wonder whether there's a machine (rather like white-out tape) that leaves a black trail following (or preceeding) each white mark. Might it just be some much-larger version of the snail-like white out tape dispenser?

Siemens VDO Automotive

2005-09-26T10:19:00.000-04:00

Staring at German-made instrument display panels for the past 7 years, I can't help but notice how many of the components seem to come from a company named "VDO." Who is this VDO? Thanks to the web, I've discovered that, like other Siemens-associated companies, they make EVERYTHING -- from "tolling systems" to "fare management products" for public transportation systems. Some of their most interesting products, such as this driver "Head-up display" seem reserved for their most daring client, BMW.

Nighttime Evac. Shot

2005-09-22T12:36:00.000-04:00

Source: DrudgeReport

Traffic Flow Regulations Needed

2005-09-22T10:20:00.000-04:00

A fresh AP report informs us:

"Houston Residents Scrambling Out of City
Sep 22 9:16 AM US/Eastern

By KRISTEN HAYS
Associated Press Writer

HOUSTON

Hundreds of thousands of people were frantically trying to escape the nation's fourth-largest city Thursday as Hurricane Rita approached the upper Texas coast.

But interstates were at a standstill for up to 100 miles and gas shortages were already being reported.

Gov. Rick Perry early Thursday ordered southbound traffic on Interstate 45 shut down and all eight lanes redirected north out of the city for 125 miles. Local officials warned residents to get out, and told them they would not be rescued if they waited."

How could traffic be bumper-to-bumper for 100 miles? One has to wonder whether I-45 is equipped with the same sort of traffic-light-controlled entrance ramps one finds on urban interstates in the Northeast and Southwest. Although these do little to actually reduce highway congestion, it seems to me that they might effectively control the flood of vehicles if used more strategically. Two-minute entrance wait times, anyone?

Clearly, roads designed to carry up to 300,000 cars per day will balk at the sheer volume of more than 1 million vehicles trying to ride them, but with both sides of the roadway now headed in one direction, capacity should increase dramatically... But perhaps the problem lies 121 Miles north of Galveston on I-45 in Walker County, near Huntsville, TX. (Could this be the same "Walker" of George W. fame?) Where in that area might this bevy of motorists go? How do those travelling on the wrong side of I-45 manage to exit safely onto non-limited-access roads, such as National Route 190? (Clearly this confusion must cause considerable congestion.) And further North, where does the traffic moving in South on I-45 end?

It would be fascinating to watch this (perhaps from a helicopter?), but to experience it is probably some terrible amalgam of frustration and fear.

A Nauseating Commute

2005-09-22T10:07:00.000-04:00

at approx. 7:30PM
amidst the large, hideous concrete buckets housing struggling plantlife
at the crest of the LIRR entrance
lay an attractive young man, between 18-22 years-old
wretching on the sidewalk
spewing a trickle of vomit
it was mostly clear
or more the color of a very diluted egg-drop soup
VERY diluted
but punctuated by kernels which looked decidely popcorn-like
it was a small quantity of vomit
but he was rather thin (attractive) and didn't look like he could hold very much anyway
by all accounts, he was ready for a night out on the town, dressed in a hot clubbing outfit -- tight, fitted, black T, nice jeans, etc.
the girl who was with him
was rushing others away
looking vaguely panicked
and decidedly out of it (her eyes were having trouble focusing). What were they on!?
yet withal,
a pride of semi-concerned commuters began to surround the body
in a beautiful, body-shaped ellipse
the haunting echolalia of "oohs," "ahhs," and "is he oks?" was interrupted only by the dull thunder of commuters on the march rushing by
some fatigued national guard troops in fatigues, with large, automatic weapons moseyed over, but quickly jerked back like guns being cocked at the sight of the vomit
the MTA police (not the midtown tunnel authority, mind you) huddled at the bottom of the stairs

The Coast is Toast

2005-09-21T15:18:00.000-04:00

With the impending landfall of Hurricane Rita, I-45 (the Gulf Freeway) is clogged with northbound traffic in the vicinity of Route 528, NASA Rd. Houston, we have a problem! ;)

Fucking

2005-09-20T15:55:00.000-04:00

There are many famous towns out there, but in Fucking, Austria they've decided to encase their road signs in concrete to prevent souvenier-taking.

What took them so long?

But Officer...!

2005-09-12T16:00:00.000-04:00

I hear tell of people wiggling their way out of traffic tickets all the time. But I really have to wonder, when is the right time to start gilding the officer's lilly?

Yesterday, shortly after making an illegal left turn off of Town Path onto Northern Boulevard (State Route 25A)in Roslyn, I had an encounter with the Popo.

I was quick to take off my sunglasses and turn down the Nordic Lounge Vol. III, but the officer -- the good of the two cops -- was equally quick to demand my license and registration.

"No, that's your insurance card! Do you have your reggie?," cutely inquired the officer?

"Oh yeah!," I said, handing it to him slowly, giving myself time to write the dialogue for the scene in my head, thinking that the term, "reggie," was downright adorable!

When the officer asked me if I knew I had done wrong, I recalled the thoughts that had just gone through my head as I made the illegal turn (clearly marked as illegal). My thoughts had actually proceeded in a predictable sequence:

1. "Gee, no left turn, eh? I guess this way wasn't faster after all."
2. "Hmmm... I don't want to go to the right. Must I?"
3. "Maybe they don't really mean no left turn."
4. "Am I in Massachusetts? They don't care about this kind of signage in MA."
5. "Oh, there's a traffic light to the left -- left-turn ho!"
6. "Yes! Made it to the stop light. Nice!"

Recalling those 6 thoughts, followed by the pull-over, I decided to respond, "Ummm... Was I going a little fast over the hill there or something?"

"No," said the officer, slightly puzzled, "you made an illegal left turn off of Town Path!"

"Town path, huh? So that's not so good is it? Wait, illegal!?"

I began to think about where we might take this line of discourse, ready to summon the opportunity for police laugh-hour across from the luxury car dealership on a severely-angled road. But even this "good cop" would have none of that. Where was the opportunity for witty villain banter with the Popo? Some of the things I could have said, were he a more willing audience might include:

"But officer, don't you remember those stories of the sniper on top of the bagel store down the block? I had to get away as quickly as possible!"

"But officer, if I had made a right turn I would have later had to make an illegal U-turn to wind up in the right direction. This was clearly the lesser of two evils."

"But officer, have you never driven in New Mexico? The width of those roads (across which people routinely make left turns) make Northern Boulevard look like someone's driveway!"

"But officer, perhaps you're not familiar with the swift pickup of the KOMPRESSOR C230 Coupe engine?"

"But officer, I'm dislexic!"

Alas, I said none of these -- there was nary a chance!

When bad cop (who was apparently disgraphic for it took him a good 10 minutes to write maybe 50 characters), returned to the car with my summons in hand, he curtly announced that I could appear in court to respond to the charge of illegal left-turnage, or I could just plead 'n' pay.

Deciding that THIS was my opportunity for officer-motorist rapprochement, I kept my hands folded in my lap and refused to take the summons from his hand. As he began to shake it in my general direction, I looked up and him incredulously, with a stern frown and wondered, "But officer, is this really a ticket-worthy offense?"

"You madeuh left uhcross fawhr lanesuh traffic. That's dangerous!"

Again, I thought of New Mexico, Land of Enchantment, land of cars sitting in a median waiting for the second step of a two-step left-turn-making process across two sides of a road with cars travelling between 50 and 70 MPH.

"You have no idea...," I said as I snapped the ticket from his claws and rolled up my window.

Afterwords, I pondered going back and ripping the no-left-turn symbol off of the sign and then pleading innocent to the summons. "But your honor, I didn't see any warning that such behavior was illegal!" But I figured that the vandalism charge (which, in my huge maroon mumu, someone would likely see and report to the appropriate authorities), would have been even more invidious than my alleged improper turning.

I suppose I'll just pay for my arrogance -- at only $105, it huts my wallet a lot less than either a parking or cell phone ticket! :(

LIRR Poetry

2005-09-07T11:53:00.000-04:00

Morning sweat; pastel bodies trundle down the stairs
A conductor lists back and forth in the doorway
The wall cries out with phantom ringing
If you see something, say something.

Step, beep, step, beep, step, beep
The platform below is oceans away
It’s 8:37 and the 8:38 is leaving the station
It’s all YOUR fault.

Crisp September air is hot and wet with summer.
Apollo's rays occlude the laptop screen.
The 8:56 (not for free-range commuters), thunders in
Backwards, at least I found a seat.

Beep, pop. A conference call commences.
With frosted coffee hands, employees hesitantly stagger in
The elevator takes forever.
I am late.

Sail Away

2005-08-30T13:43:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, I-10 became impassable at the "Mound Underpass" in New Orleans. (Source: CNN.com)

Get Out Of Town!

2005-08-29T10:45:00.000-04:00

Roadgeeks' response to New Orleans' hurricane evacuation (unsurprisingly) focused on the tactical. Said one report:

"'Highways in Mississippi and Louisiana were jammed as people headed away
from Katrina's expected landfall. All lanes were limited to northbound
traffic on Interstates 55 and 59 in the two states.' [and maybe I-10
Westbound only by now, too]"

That's fairly odd -- and most likely a rather disconcerting driving experience: think of looking at the back of signs! It certainly doesn't match the image provided by Xinhua (shown here), of cars clogging (presumably) "the 10." In disaster scenarios, making the entirety of an interstate one-way does seem to be a sensible approach. After all, they do it on Sundays in Rio de Janeiro for no apparent reason on the highways along Copacabana beach.

Peaking because of Peking?

2005-08-21T15:13:00.000-04:00

While not surprising, today's Sunday NY Times article on "The End of Oil" is disturbing. As Peter Maass suggests, when the true end of oil does come, barring some new (hydrogen-based!?!?) technology, we're in for drastic lifestyle change:

"In the past several years, the gap between demand and supply, once considerable, has steadily narrowed, and today is almost negligible. The consequences of an actual shortfall of supply would be immense. If consumption begins to exceed production by even a small amount, the price of a barrel of oil could soar to triple-digit levels. This, in turn, could bring on a global recession, a result of exorbitant prices for transport fuels and for products that rely on petrochemicals -- which is to say, almost every product on the market. The impact on the American way of life would be profound: cars cannot be propelled by roof-borne windmills. The suburban and exurban lifestyles, hinged to two-car families and constant trips to work, school and Wal-Mart, might become unaffordable or, if gas rationing is imposed, impossible. Carpools would be the least imposing of many inconveniences; the cost of home heating would soar -- assuming, of course, that climate-controlled habitats do not become just a fond memory."

Woe betide the nation whose means of mobility and transport rest almost entirely in the hands of Texas tea pushers.

No Hug in the HOV Lane

2005-08-07T19:48:00.000-04:00

On Long Island, when the going gets tough, motorists will do whatever it takes to keep going. Dusky summer Sundays are such a time, when the western Nassau County exits of the LIE become thick with cars. Traffic moves in fits and starts. But it's at times like these, while ambling along The Expressway, that being in the thick of things yields fascinating glimpses into the local driving headspace. As Interstate 495 wends its way along the periphery of what once were the grounds of gracious estates, motorists break with frenzied caution, as limited sight distances prevent high-speed confidence. Skittish and uncertain, we worry about the road we can't see ahead as we would about our children roaming Manhattan alone late at night.

In the left-most lane, riddled with restrictions on weekdays, those of us who thought we could one-up the thousands hobbling by in three unrestricted travel lanes to our right, are bested by broken busses or scared old ladies with a tendency to drift. Unwilling to let the ineptitude of others stand in their way, frustrated HOV riders willy nilly shove their way into non-HOV lanes, crossing thick, bold white lines with hapless abandon. Fine + 3 Points. Others in the hulking HOV lane try to accelerate like lusty bulls, or Valkyries charging toward Valhalla. With nowhere to go, they halt, looking bruised as rebuffed parents being told that IPI, AP, and other honors courses are not available for their children. As this Macadam madness ensues, I have no choice but to slow down, to watch in horror, to dismiss some back-of-mind interest in MORE police oversight, and take over from the long, strange road down which iPod shuffle has taken me.

Welcome to New Jersey

2005-08-02T17:03:00.000-04:00

The fresh design of New Jersey welcome signs is worth more than a passing glance. Thanks to Raymond C. Martin (and his NJFreeways site) for the pic!

Tel Aviv

2005-07-28T13:19:00.000-04:00

I am intrigued by the highway network in Tel Aviv. Judging from this picture, it looks like it bears some resemblance to the Mass Pike (I-90) meets I-93 multiplex in downtown Boston...

Compromising Positions

2005-07-27T11:51:00.000-04:00

Mark Kulewicz's endpiece in this month's issue of AAA's Car & Travel accurately depicts what happens when local interests clash with sound and safe design principles. His collection of poignant observations about bad design decisions made on metro area roads reminds us of the price we pay for NIMBYism. Readers familiar with the roads he describes will cringe as his puckish narrative accellerates into each example.

Take a look!

Gatorade plus PEG Solution

2005-07-16T22:12:00.000-04:00

"Anohter modification, which is not available commercially, is to add PEG 3350 laxative powder (Miralax, and others) to half a gallon of Gatorade. The PEG 3350 powder dissolves in the liquid. This approach has been used in children. The mixture may be more palatable than the otehr PEG solutions, but there is a cconcern: the sugars in Gatorade, whan a large volume is consumed, can reach the colon and be converted by colonic bacteria to methane or other flammable gases. If electrocautery is used subsequently during colonoscopy, as in removal of a polyp, these gases theoretically could ignite and explode."

- The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics, Vol. 47 (Issue 1212), July 4, 2005!

BeatTheTraffic.com

2005-06-29T18:09:00.000-04:00

Well, there's a better link for you. And here's a sample!

I bet there's gonna be traffic...

2005-06-29T18:01:00.000-04:00

It comes as little surprise that Triangle software of Campbell, CA was able to create software that can model traffic and produce "traffic forecasts" for up to 7 days in advance. In many cities, I'm sure a sophisticated model is hardly necessary -- harried commuters could willy nilly predict traffic clinchpoints quite easily. (Consider the LIE as it bends to meet the VanWyck/Grand Central.) Nevertheless, a New Scientist article informs us, "Alongside the weather forecast, viewers of KXTV News 10 in Sacramento can now get 3D animations of their local road network, showing not only where the gridlock is but also where it is likely to be." Interesting concept!

India and China: An Apt Description

2005-06-09T17:49:00.000-04:00

Today in the NY Times Thomas L. Friedman used a beautiful highway metaphor to animadvert the essential difference between India and China:

"Every time I visit India, Indians always ask me to compare India with China. Lately, I have responded like this: If India and China were both highways, the Chinese highway would be a six-lane, perfectly paved road, but with a huge speed bump off in the distance labeled "Political reform: how in the world do we get from Communism to a more open society?" When 1.3 billion people going 80 miles an hour hit a speed bump, one of two things happens: Either the car flies into the air and slams down, and all the parts hold together and it keeps on moving - or the car flies into the air, slams down and all the wheels fall off. Which it will be with China, I don't know. India, by contrast, is like a highway full of potholes, with no sidewalks and half the streetlamps broken. But off in the distance, the road seems to smooth out, and if it does, this country will be a dynamo. The question is: Is that smoother road in the distance a mirage or the real thing?"

The Eisenhower Tunnel: "Not Just Another Bore"

2005-06-09T16:53:00.000-04:00

The Eisenhower Tunnel (I-70, Colorado) is a marvel of highway engineering and American braggadocio. Punching through nearly 2 miles of pure Rocky Mountain granite, this sleek tunnel saves motorists from a 9-mile, overland detour through Loveland Pass, but results in significant closures of I-70 when blizzard conditions are present on either end of the tunnel. (Would you want to exit a dry tunnel only to be blasted by a blizzard and a bevy of incliment weather-related accidents?) In addition, while the tunnel was being built, "approximately 1 million cubic yards of material was cleared from each bore. 190,000 cubic yards of concrete was used for each tunnel lining." I think that's damned interesting!

LIE Construction Progressing Smoothly

2005-06-07T12:20:00.000-04:00

Kudos to J.D. Posillico Inc. of Farmingdale, NY! The Long Island Expressway HOV expansion project (now in their charge) has made more progress in the last two months than it seemed to in the last 5 years. The eastbound road surface is as smooth as Sade. I'm sure westbound will soon be in like condition. Despite its curvaceousness, the road has taken on the character of a genuine American Interstate Highway! Its lateral boundaries are clearly delineated, its structural elements appear strong and of characteristic Nassau brown hues, and with bright yellow underhangs, its exit signs are finally up to code! HUZZAH!

My Baby Takes The Morning Train

2005-06-03T17:43:00.000-04:00

There's no more 9 train!

Walls of Jericho OK, Walls of Henry Hudson, Not Good!

2005-05-13T10:37:00.000-04:00

By popular demand, I figured I'd weigh-in on yesterday's collapse of the retaining wall on the Henry Hudson Parkway (NY Route 9A) in the vicinity of the George Washington Bridge (I-95).

OY VEH! The old "If it ain't broke..." mentality really is the NYSDOT's prime directive. Yet their definition of "broke" and mine really do not match. The unsurprising collapse of a wall nearly 100 years-old is emblematic of a regional road and infrastructure system that is decades behind national construction codes (can 3 SUVs fit abreast on most segments of the FDR drive?), horrifically managed, and seriously strapped for cash.

Some fellow road geeks on Yahoo Group, [northeastroads] were quick to chime in:
Steve wrote:
> New York City's expressways and parkways were built
> long enough ago that much of the
> infrastructure has to be nearing or passing its
> useful life. There will soon be billions of
> dollars' worth of work like shoring up retaining
> walls and repairing roadbeds, etc.

There SOON WILL BE? When was the last time you drove
in NYC? I'd say there IS ALREADY billions of dollar's
worth of work waiting to be done ;-)"

Here Here!

Meanwhile, construction on the Long Island Expressway continues to press doggedly on. The pavement is smooth, the signage clear, the lanes consistent, the width wide -- work of a quality worlds away from the reckless Southies who brought us the Big Dig, the boys from Farmingdale must have a lot of local pride! Carry on!

Bronx

2005-04-27T16:58:00.000-04:00

Bronx
Originally uploaded by mpereira123.

In the Bronx, just above Manhattan at the I-95/I-87 Multiplex. PALTRY!

Seattle

2005-04-27T16:52:00.000-04:00

Seattle
Originally uploaded by mpereira123.

Go, Seattle! The I-5/I-90 Multiplex in downtown Seattle. Note the MASSIVE HOV area between each flank of the expressway.

Feeling stopped-up? You're not alone...

2005-04-26T13:06:00.000-04:00

"A Level 3 sex offender originally from Middletown climbed up onto the Tappan Zee Bridge and threatened to kill himself this afternoon. State troopers from Tarrytown were able to talk Armando Chico down from the superstructure of the bridge. He is ok and being held for psychiatric observation, according to Investigator Skylar King of Tarrytown Troop T." - "Record Online." 4/25/05.

Evidently this schmuck, Armando, did his level-best to hold up traffic as well. The bridge was closed for hours, and traffic backed up onto the Thruway (I-87) both North and South. While such backups happen anyway on a regular basis, it's even more irksome when the precipitating incident involves a hesitant psycho. I daresay he's a silly psycho: of all the bridges in New York metro to jump off of, why choose the Tappan Zee? Not by coincidence, the TZ bridge happens to be one of the lowest spans crossing either the Hudson or East rivers in the entire state. Talk about a hesitant suicide attempt...

According to Steve Anderson's nycroads.com, the TZ bridge has a:

Clearance at center above mean high water: 138.5 feet
Height of towers above mean high water: 293 feet.

OK, well a 138.5' drop could kill probably kill a Level 3 sex offender, but why not opt for an end on one of the Hudson River Crossings that's a mite more majestic, such as the Rip Van Winkle bridge (mid-span clearance part of Route 23), the Bear Mountain Bridge (part of Route 202 -- aha, at last we've found you in NY, Route 202!!! (see previous post)), or the George Washington Bridge (mid-span clearance 213', tower height 604'), where other motorists may join you in desperation, trying to find a faster way to get to New Jersey.

On activities performed whilst sitting in LA rush hour traffic...

2005-04-25T22:14:00.000-04:00

"I spoke to Georgia Lee while sitting in rush hour traffic, not my original plan. As I watched the minutes tick by, and realized I wasn’t go to be where I needed to be, I thought my head was going to explode. It had been one of those days where everything has the potential to go your way, but nothing does. Furthermore, it appeared that I was the only person in the entire city that was driving with some purposeful intent. Before I dialed her number, I pointed to the sky with my middle finger one last time and took a deep breath. On the other end of the line I heard an articulate, enthusiastic, spontaneous young lady."

Source: Dominique Kalil report within "Harvardwood Highlights" e-newsletter 4/25/05.

HillaryCart

2005-04-25T17:23:00.000-04:00

HillaryCart
Originally uploaded by mpereira123.

And if Teddy doesn't soothe, know that while riding through New York, Hillary is watching over you...

TeddyCart

2005-04-25T17:22:00.000-04:00

TeddyCart
Originally uploaded by mpereira123.

Far less threatening than the quantitatively-oriented "speed trailer" below, with just one concerned glance from Teddy Ruxpin, any sensible motorist is bound to insert a hint of caution into his or her driving.

speed_trailer

2005-04-25T17:21:00.000-04:00

speed_trailer
Originally uploaded by mpereira123.

I find speed trailers such as this one simultaneously threatening and aloof. The following suggestions would provide a more expressively human approach to speed trailing.

LIE Problem Area

2005-04-25T17:04:00.000-04:00

LIE Problem Area
Originally uploaded by mpereira123.

After Boston-based Modern Continental (the people who brought us such wonders as "The Big Dig") defaulted on their contract to widen the LIE for most of the length of Nassau(r) county, J.D. Posillico Inc. of Farmingdale was awarded the contract. Newsday published this account of recent LIE (re-)construction history.

Atlanta Highways

2005-04-25T16:49:00.000-04:00

Atlanta Highways
Originally uploaded by mpereira123.

The I-85/75/20 Multiplex, Atlanta, Georgia. Writ large in bold, majestic, strokes across the fertile, verdant landscape, motorists on Atlanta metro freeways must really move!

If we hurry, we can make the light!

2005-04-21T13:54:00.000-04:00

Yes, we all knew the title-track post would show up on this blog sooner or later, so here it is. A new study from the Institute of Transportation Engineers suggests:

"...the nation's traffic signal operations are largely inefficient, leading to frustration and unnecessary delays for motorists, wasted fuel and more air pollution as vehicles constantly stop and go."

Well I'll say!

Of particular annoyance in my duchy are:

1. The new insertion of lights in heretofore non-light-controlled intersections -- the "consecration" of the intersection.

2. The sometimes artificial (and obviously centrally-mandated) assignation of certain routes as priority corridors. When the lights on the "main drag" are green 90% of the time, it causes a backup (and contributes to mounting road rage) on feeder roads.

3. The new and uncertain designation of light-controlled left- and right-hand turn lanes. Why do we need to control more right-hand turns? Give us the liberty to turn right, or give us death!

Virgin Mary Beneath the Underpass

2005-04-20T10:29:00.000-04:00

Beneath the Chicago's Kennedy Expressway (I-90/94), some of the Faithful have imputed divine origins to some concrete rot/water damage on the wall of an underpass. While the Kennedy is indubitably a nice road, it's unlikely to be the place where God would want to manifest his/her/its immanence.

Not Just Concrete

2005-04-12T11:43:00.000-04:00

In Today's NY Times, in an article about novel uses of fabrics, I discovered:

"In fact, textiles have long been used for more than clothes and rugs, said Dr. Peter Schwartz, head of the textile engineering department at Auburn University. "The Romans used jute fabrics for road stabilization," he said."

Imagine driving (a horse?) over a rug-like road surface!

Impeding MY Web Presence

2005-04-11T16:15:00.000-04:00

Who is this schlameil anyway?

United Artists

2005-04-11T15:46:00.000-04:00

While we're off the subject, I fell asleep to an American Experience piece that mentioned how the distribution company, "United Artists," was formed. It got me thinking about how "talent" is managed in any large organization. It also got me thinking specifically about how "talent" is managed at advertising agencies. While it is arguable that there is no such thing as talent in ad agencies (those who can don't work in advertising...) it seems that things would be much cheaper for those who purchase marketing services if there were less corporate structure around the "talent" that is being utilized. If some post-modern, post-blog, post-wiki, post-Internet talent pool were created in which all of those people who normally reported to work for a particular company (ad agency) to work in the service of another company (the client) could collaborate (loosely) and receive only the most necessary guidance, it seems we'd cut down significantly on administrative and management costs. Since managers do nothing, and administrators do even less, this seems like an ideal solution to me. As "the client" grows more sophisticated, will it be possible to avoid such direct harnessing of "talented" resources?