A Book Recommendation

One of the things I like about this hobby is the selection of books that I can use as references, as a suggestion guide for scenic drives or places to stop by to check out, or even the history behind a road or a bridge. So, it was no surprise to me as I browsed the selection at the soon to be closed Borders Books and Music location in downtown Saratoga Springs, New York, that I would purchase a book about bridge and tunnel crossings over the Hudson River.

The book I purchased that late March evening was entitled Crossing the Hudson, which was written in 2010 by Donald E. Wolf. In Crossing the Hudson, the author explains the accomplishments in engineering, the social history and specific events leading up to the construction and opening of nineteen river crossings between Waterford / Lansingburgh (now part of Troy) and the Holland Tunnel, which connects lower Manhattan with Jersey City. In Wolf's writing, I was treated to a literary work that is chock full of interesting information that I was previously unaware of, regarding such bridges like the Tappan Zee Bridge and the Poughkeepsie Railroad Bridge, which is now known as the Walkway Over the Hudson.

I would certainly recommend this book for anyone interested in the transportation history of New York City, the Hudson Valley and New York State's Capital Region.

A stroll along The Mall

A few weeks ago, Maggie and I headed up to Washington, DC for a fun weekend.  We met up with co-blogger Doug Kerr and Adam Froehlig for some sight seeing along The Mall.  This was really both of ours first time to Washington.  I had been there once before on a band trip in the mid-90s, but I didn't really see much, nor did I take any pictures.

For the entire photo set on flickr - head here.

After a quick lunch, we headed down Pennsylvania Avenue towards the Capitol.  One of the most impressive things about the Capitol building is its size.



You really can't appreciate the size and the idea of 'Capitol Hill' until you see it in person.



Another amazingly impressive view is down the Mall towards the Washington Monument.  It is one of many views along The Mall that are awe inspiring, even on a dreary overcast day.



Adam had suggested that we visit the National Botanic Garden which is located right next to the Capitol.  This unplanned stop quickly became a favorite.







From there, it was a walk down to the Washington Monument along The Mall.  I never realized how much of a public park The Mall is.  Picnics, pick-up soccer and ultimate frisbee games, among other activities were going on throughout the length of the walk.



Even though the Cherry Blossom Festival was a few weeks away.  A few blossoms were just starting to peek out.



The Washington Monument is impressive especially as a singular piece.  We were unable to get a guided tour of the monument, as they sell out fast.  You typically want to make a reservation online about a week or more in advance of your visit - they sell out that quickly.



The World War II Monument is very powerful.  Dedicated in 2004, it salutes the millions of Americans that served during the war both home and abroad.  It is an amazing dedication to all of the Americans that sacrificed so much - and for many their lives - during World War II.









To me, the most powerful and touching piece of the memorial is the Freedom Wall.



The wall consists of 4,048 gold stars.  Each star represents 100 Americans who lost their lives during the war.



We next went to the Lincoln Memorial.  Another structure that you can't imagine the size until you see it up close and personal.





Also, the views of across The Mall and the Potomac from the Lincoln Memorial are just as impressive.  On the west side of the monument - the view looking across the Potomac and over the Memorial Bridge to Arlington National Cemetery is quiet yet powerful.



Looking East towards the Capitol, it's breathtaking.



The Reflecting Pool is under renovations.  Even though it is not there, you can see why that view from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial is one of the best in our nation's capital.

Time was starting to run short, so our final stop was at the Vietnam Memorial.  To many, the memorial is one of the most powerful and personal of all the monuments in Washington.







Washington is an amazing place to visit.  What we saw in three to four hours is only a small piece of the experience.  However, this small visit was more than enough to make Maggie and I realize even more how amazing and special of a country we do live in.  We hope to be back soon!

New Jersey Flickr Update

Just wanted to let anyone who's interested know that I've added scores of New Jersey photos to my Flickr account from a recent trip I made around the Garden State. There's some pictures from the recent Northern New Jersey road meet, a jaunt around South Jersey and more! Abandoned roads, cool old shields, even older bridges and even AAA signage adorn the photo collection.

Check it out at...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dougtone/collections/72157622664080587/

Next on the agenda, some photos from Central New York State, plus wherever the open road takes me this weekend.

A Weekend in Jersey

I decided to attend the 2011 Northern New Jersey (Newark & Suburbs) Road Meet on March 12, 2011, and decided to visit the Garden State for the entire weekend. Besides the road meet, which encompassed two abandoned sections of the Eisenhower Parkway, the abandoned Nikesite Road off of I-78 and the abandoned NJ 58 freeway end in Newark, I also attended a hockey game between the New York Islanders and New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center in Newark, a short drive around Rutherford, Clifton and Little Falls before the meet, and a nice day trip to Philadelphia and South Jersey the following day with Steve Alpert, the webmaster of Alps' Roads.

Here's some highlights of the weekend's trip...

- Starting off with the road meet, which was attended by 23 people, some of whom came from around the corner, whereas others drove from as far away as Québec and Kentucky. It was also nice to see some new people mixed in with familiar faces.
- The weather, which was nice for the middle of March in New Jersey.
- Abandoned sections of the Eisenhower Parkway. In the past, the northward extension in Roseland was fenced off, but over this past weekend, it was not, so the group got to explore this section. However, the abandoned interchange with NJ 24 was inaccessible from the place selected to start that section of the tour.
- Flooding was common in north New Jersey over the weekend. While it causes some detours, it did allow for some nice pictures of the Little Falls of the Passaic River.
- During Sunday's trip to South Jersey, we briefly visited Pennsylvania, so some old sign photos could be taken and so the Tacony Palmyra Bridge could be driven back over the Delaware River into New Jersey from Philadelphia.
- Haddonfield is certainly a nice town, with treasures and gems to be had by all. Oh yeah, and some old signs too.
- Drove around Gloucester, Salem and Cumberland Counties. The farther you get away from the New Jersey suburbs of Philadelphia, the more the surrounding countryside looks like Ohio farmland or small towns and swamps of Virginia and Maryland.
- There's an abundance of old AAA destination signage in Salem and Cumberland Counties, as well as some signs in Camden and (I think) Gloucester Counties as well.
- Saw a nifty old swing through truss bridge over the Alloway Creek in Salem County, which was closed to traffic and used mostly as a fishing bridge. However, I also spotted a number of newer bridges during the trip that were built by Salem County, so my feeling is this bridge may not be long for this world either.
- Stopped to walk around Greenwich, which is a small town in Cumberland County, and also was the site of the Greenwich Tea Party in 1774. Greenwich had the feel of a small town in Virginia or Maryland, as opposed to a small town in New Jersey, which typically feels more like a town in Pennsylvania or New York.
- Traveled two routes of one-way paired county routes in Cumberland County, CR 609S in Bridgeton and CR 615S/CR 615/CR 615N in Vineland.
- Checked out the Cross Keys Bypass, which is CR 689 in Gloucester County. The bypass was built to go around what was a 6 way intersection in Cross Keys.
- Towards the end of the trip, stopped in Hightstown to check out an old truss bridge built in 1896, and walked a little around a stone dam near downtown.

Henry County (VA) I-73 Alternative Route Environmental Study Complete - with positive reviews

VDOT has completed the Environmental Assessment for the Henry County I-73 Alternative Route.  This route was pushed forward by the Henry County Board of Supervisors in 2007, VDOT released a preliminary impact study of the route in 2009, and the Commonwealth Transportation Board directed VDOT to do an environmental assessment of the alternative routing that December.

Henry County Supervisors had urged the study and possible routing as it ran I-73 closer to Martinsville's eastern edge.  The HCBoS plan would run about two miles longer and appears to cost more.

The alternative routing would utilize five miles of the existing US 58 bypass to the south and east of Martinsville.  That portion of the freeway would need to be upgraded to Interstate standards.  The initial planned alternative ran I-73 further to the east and parallel to US 220 and the southeast corner of the US 58 Bypass.  Both routes would meet north of I-73's junction with VA 87 east of Ridgeway.  The map at right drawn by the Martinsville Bulletin shows the two of the possible I-73 Henry County Routes.  The HCBoS route is red, the original VDOT proposal is in grey.  To my knowledge, this is the first clue of how I-73 will be routed south of Roanoke.

There is a third possible alternative route.  A modified version of the Henry County Alternative would eliminate two grade separations with the Norfolk Southern Railway and be about two tenths of a mile shorter.

Henry County officials are pleased with the results of the study, and have been touting the minimal impact to Fisher Farm Park in Ridgeway.  However, Virginians for Appropriate Roads (VAR) will be sure to have a voice in the matter once the official study is released and open for public comment.    VAR is opposed to any new construction of Interstate 73, preferring upgrades to existing US 220.   As part of their decision to drop an appeal on the planning process for I-73, VAR has the ability to challenge any future studies for I-73 "...that if a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement is done for the project, Virginians for Appropriate Roads may raise road improvements and access management alternatives with respect to U.S. 220 in any judicial review challenge that the group might bring..."

VDOT has announced a open forum public hearing on the Henry County Alternative Route Study at the end of the month.  It will be held Tuesday, March 29 from 4-6 PM at the Laurel Park Middle School - 280 Laurel Park Ave. - in Martinsville.

Story Links:
I-73 assessment complete ---Martinsville Bulletin
I-73 study results are praised ---Martinsville Bulletin

Remaining stretch of I-485 will feature three unique types of interchanges

The remaining 5.4 miles of I-485 currently under construction in Mecklenburg County will feature three unique interchanges.  All three are in use elsewhere within the country, but would be the first ones built in the Tar Heel State.

At two of the interchanges, the new designs are considered upgrades (in traffic flow and cost savings) versus what had originally been planned.

The interchange design names are Split Diamond, Diverging Diamond, and Turbine.

Heading East from the current terminus at NC 115, the three new interchange designs run as follows:

The Split Diamond interchange will be located at Prosperity Church Road.  This interchange will consist of two access roads and six roundabouts.

Split Diamond Interchange with Prosperity Church Road (NCDOT)

The Diverging Diamond Interchange (DDI), first used in Missouri, is starting to catch interest in North Carolina.  The interchange design, actually reverses the lanes of traffic on the surface/cross street.  This will be located at the Mallard Creek Road exit on I-485.

This design replaces a planned Single Point Urban Interchange (SPUI) for 485 and Mallard Creek.


We covered a Diverging Diamond Interchange back in October when NCDOT announced it is considering the design on NC 133 where it meets the US 74/76 freeway in Leland.  These two intersections, along with two more on nearby Interstate 85 at NC 73 and Poplar Tent Road, are some of seven prospective locations for this new style of interchange.

Finally, the Turbine - an interchange that has all left turn movements circling around a central bridge in a clockwise direction, creating a seamless movement between the two highways.  This replaces the previously planned four-level stack interchange.  (Similar in design to where I-77 and 485 meet in Southern Mecklenburg County.)

The new "Turbine" interchange at 85/485.  (NCDOT)

 

 

 

 

 

 

According to NCDOT, this type of interchange will cost less to build and maintain, take up less space, and allow for less interruptions to existing I-85 traffic during construction.


Story Links:
Last Outerbelt juntions to display unique functions ---Charlotte Observer
I-485 Charlotte Outer Loop ---NCDOT

NYC On Foot

It's been awhile since I've been on here-What can I say, I've been a bit busy lately. Most of you may or may not know that I've been routinely going down to New York City to shoot Punk and Hardcore shows-and that's been the largest part of my photographic output over the last couple of years. But, shows don't run 24-7, and I don't sleep the whole time between any given two shows; so that leaves me with time on my hands, and I really don't dig spending that time sitting around looking at TV in the hostel that I usually stay in.

New York City is a fascinating place. I don't mean just the usual touristy stuff either. Every corner you turn, you can find something interesting and unique. It's almost like a state unto itself: particularly as far as the roads are concerned. The signage is much different than the rest of the state, and the iconic double-guyed traffic lights aren't found anywhere else. In fact, new traffic lights follow the same design used for years. There are street lamps about that have been around since nearly the turn of the last century. And there are bridges.

One of the things about NYC is that it's reasonably pedestrian friendly, and despite cutbacks, it still has one of the best transit systems going. It makes it easier to get up close and personal with the city. Over the New Year's holiday, I had a hankering to go to Rockaway Beach, to see at least a part of the Rockaway Freeway. No problem, I hopped on the Subway and away I went.

I spent a good couple of hours walking around the area, taking pictures. I was particularly interested in the elevated railway over the 'freeway' that carried the 'A' train.

Again, last weekend found me with a nice day and some spare time, so I decided it would be a nice day to take a stroll over the Brooklyn Bridge. It's kind of an odd experience, because auto traffic flies across the bridge as if it were a freeway, yet the pedestrian deck is kind of like a linear park, even a bit festive with people selling T-shirts and souvenirs. Amazingly enough, there was hardly any graffiti-except on some temporary construction structures. Even the taggers respect the bridge.

Since the Brooklyn foot of the Manhattan Bridge was only a few blocks away, I decided to cross back into Manhattan that way. The Manhattan Bridge is not as easily photographed from it's pedestrian deck, though you get some decent views from it, just the same; and there's a nifty portal at the Manhattan foot of the bridge. It lets out in Chinatown at Bowery and Canal-which is not too far from yet another bridge-the Williamsburg which I've crossed over on a couple of times.

Next on my list is the Queensboro bridge-which should yield some interesting pictures. The 7 train emerges above ground at the bridge plaza, so I've had a chance to at least partially reconnoiter the area.

What would be the 'Route 66' of the East?

After Saturday's trip into Southside Virginia - and all of the great pre-Interstate businesses we found, active and abandoned - I started to think about the Old US 66 trip I did last spring.  There are plenty of sites (motor courts, restaurants, neon signs, small towns) and situations (bypassed by the interstate, abandoned businesses, empty two and sometimes four lane roads) similar to that of the revered "Mother Road".

So I have come up with five routes along with reasons for and against being the East Coast version of Route 66.

US 1: The Backbone US Route of the East Coast - Travels through major cities including Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington D.C.  Parallels Interstates 85 and 95 for significant portions of the route.  However, runs as an independent route from Henderson, NC to Jacksonville, FL.

US 301: Bypassed and pretty much ignored by long distanced travelers by Interstate 95 from Richmond/Petersburg, VA to south of Florence, SC.  Roadside America attraction; South of the Border.  It wasn't a major route in the 40's or 50's.  Traffic south to Florida went via US 1 or the Ocean Highway.

US 29: Major US Highway serving Washington, Charlotte, and Atlanta.  Parallels and is bypassed by Interstate 85 from Greensboro, NC to Tuskegee, AL.  Unfortunately, this route doesn't have the lore of a US 1 or Route 66.

Dixie Highway (Various US Routes): It was the main route to Florida from the Midwest and dates from the Auto Trails Era.  Much of the Dixie Highway became US Routes that would in turn fall to nearby Interstates. The numerous branches of the Dixie Highway makes it difficult to trace a specific route.

Ocean Highway (US 13/US 17): Created to help promote tourism along the coast, the Ocean Highway was the closest to the coast of all N/S routes.  Mainly serves small towns, cities, and resort areas.  For the most part untouched by an Interstate.

So which of these five highways do you consider as the East Coast's "Route 66"?  Or do you have another highway in mind?  Let me know by leaving a comment!