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The first temporary ramp at i385/WoodruffRd interchange was paved last night. Traffic will eventually shift to this Northbound on-ramp so the final one can be built.
It's nice to see what the final plans are on the project website. I'm relieved to see that Chrome Drive isn't going to be turned into a dead-end. Many people rely on that shortcut rather than having to crawl to the light at Roper Mountain and Garlington to turn right towards Woodruff.
The section of Chrome Drive leading to Harley-Davidson of Greenville will become its own road with a cul-de-sac.
Quote:
Originally Posted by AginGreer
After looking at the scope of this project, I wonder why the Woodruff Rd. bridge over I-85 was not included in this project.
The interchange of Interstate 85 and Woodruff Road needs to be configured to a single point urban interchange, or to a diverging diamond interchange. The interchange at present is outdated.
I haven't been paying much attention to this. I had seen the plans for the interchanges between I-385 and I-85, but I guess I was wrongly under the impression that the bridge over I-385 at Woodruff Road would be addressed as part of the project (and also the I-85 and Woodruff Road bridge already brought up).
So basically no relief at all on Woodruff Road is part of this project? Are there ANY separate projects with plans for new bridges and/or other solutions to address the Woodruff Road congestion?
I haven't been paying much attention to this. I had seen the plans for the interchanges between I-385 and I-85, but I guess I was wrongly under the impression that the bridge over I-385 at Woodruff Road would be addressed as part of the project (and also the I-85 and Woodruff Road bridge already brought up).
So basically no relief at all on Woodruff Road is part of this project? Are there ANY separate projects with plans for new bridges and/or other solutions to address the Woodruff Road congestion?
Improvements are planned for Woodruff Road between I-85 and I-385 including more and extended turn lanes. For instance, Woodruff Road will be become three lanes from I-385 to Garlington Road. Currently it is only two lanes. Also, an exit for Greenridge will be added next to Longhorn Steakhouse where there is only an entrance currently. You can see those and other slated improvements outlined in purple here along that stretch: http://www.85385gateway.com/pdf/2016...rlay118x69.pdf Salters Road is also about to be widened to help alleviate some of the traffic.
As was stated above, improvements are coming to Woodruff in the short span between 85 and 385 interchanges but not replacing the Woodruff bridges there. They are currently adding new telephone poles and moving utilities so Woodruff can be widened there in that small span between the interchange bridges. Also included in the project scope is re-timing the lights on Woodruff between 385 and rt14 (hopefully that has some effect). You may have also noticed in the final plans that if you are on 385n/s and you want to get onto Woodruff then the only way will be via the 385/Woodruff interchange. 385n/s traffic will no longer be able to get onto the 85s off/on-ramp for the purpose of getting onto Woodruff.
There are recommendations to help with Woodruff Rd traffic such as limit the cross traffic potential (make people use main entrances/exits of shopping center areas), add medians to separate Woodruff N/S traffic more instead of a long center turn lane stretch, and creating more cross parking lot connections (adjoining shopping centers create an opening so cars don't have to go onto Woodruff just to come back in next door). But I have seen no plans to implement these recommendations and getting property owners to change their lots at their own expense probably isn't going to happen any time soon. Also has been recommendations to widen nearby roads like the mentioned Salters one.
When I saw the final plans I was disappointed with the Woodruff/385 interchange. In my opinion it fails to solve two main issues there:
1. The 385s off ramp onto Woodruff is still short and I'm afraid traffic will still back up onto 385s during peak times. But the widening of Woodruff between 385 and i85 (With the addition of a 3rd lane on Woodruff starting with the 385s offramp traffic getting their own lane for right turning drivers there heading towards 85) and re-timing of the lights on Woodruff may alleviate the traffic that backs up onto 385s but I'm not so sure yet especially since all 385 traffic to Woodruff will be existing at this interchange in the future. (85 will still have its interchange with Woodruff, just without the addition of 385 traffic).
2. For cars getting onto 385n from Woodruff in front of Sams Club. There's a short merging of Woodruff N/S (?) traffic. Vehicles coming up Woodruff and getting onto the 385n onramp must yield to cross traffic, which several do not. And the cross traffic has maybe two cars length to fit in there before hitting the onramp merge point and hoping the drivers obey the yield signs. Terrible design imo. Looks like that part stays exactly the same in that design view. I was hoping with the extra space they're clearing in front of Sams that it would at least stretch it out further to at least help some, or just make two on ramp lanes, one for each direction of Woodruff traffic trying to merge onto 385n. Time will tell if it's actually any different or not, but unless they're missing a little black line on the drawing then it looks the same as now to me. This was similar issue with 85n on ramp from Woodruff by Longhorn but design shows they moved this merge point up so it will just be a normal exit lane off Woodruff (but the current 85n off ramp has two seperate lanes still at least, the 385n has just one).
Improvements are planned for Woodruff Road between I-85 and I-385 including more and extended turn lanes. For instance, Woodruff Road will be become three lanes from I-385 to Garlington Road. Currently it is only two lanes. Also, an exit for Greenridge will be added next to Longhorn Steakhouse where there is only an entrance currently. You can see those and other slated improvements outlined in purple here along that stretch: http://www.85385gateway.com/pdf/2016...rlay118x69.pdf Salters Road is also about to be widened to help alleviate some of the traffic.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Psychoma
As was stated above, improvements are coming to Woodruff in the short span between 85 and 385 interchanges but not replacing the Woodruff bridges there. They are currently adding new telephone poles and moving utilities so Woodruff can be widened there in that small span between the interchange bridges. Also included in the project scope is re-timing the lights on Woodruff between 385 and rt14 (hopefully that has some effect). You may have also noticed in the final plans that if you are on 385n/s and you want to get onto Woodruff then the only way will be via the 385/Woodruff interchange. 385n/s traffic will no longer be able to get onto the 85s off/on-ramp for the purpose of getting onto Woodruff.
There are recommendations to help with Woodruff Rd traffic such as limit the cross traffic potential (make people use main entrances/exits of shopping center areas), add medians to separate Woodruff N/S traffic more instead of a long center turn lane stretch, and creating more cross parking lot connections (adjoining shopping centers create an opening so cars don't have to go onto Woodruff just to come back in next door). But I have seen no plans to implement these recommendations and getting property owners to change their lots at their own expense probably isn't going to happen any time soon. Also has been recommendations to widen nearby roads like the mentioned Salters one.
When I saw the final plans I was disappointed with the Woodruff/385 interchange. In my opinion it fails to solve two main issues there:
1. The 385s off ramp onto Woodruff is still short and I'm afraid traffic will still back up onto 385s during peak times. But the widening of Woodruff between 385 and i85 (With the addition of a 3rd lane on Woodruff starting with the 385s offramp traffic getting their own lane for right turning drivers there heading towards 85) and re-timing of the lights on Woodruff may alleviate the traffic that backs up onto 385s but I'm not so sure yet especially since all 385 traffic to Woodruff will be existing at this interchange in the future. (85 will still have its interchange with Woodruff, just without the addition of 385 traffic).
2. For cars getting onto 385n from Woodruff in front of Sams Club. There's a short merging of Woodruff N/S (?) traffic. Vehicles coming up Woodruff and getting onto the 385n onramp must yield to cross traffic, which several do not. And the cross traffic has maybe two cars length to fit in there before hitting the onramp merge point and hoping the drivers obey the yield signs. Terrible design imo. Looks like that part stays exactly the same in that design view. I was hoping with the extra space they're clearing in front of Sams that it would at least stretch it out further to at least help some, or just make two on ramp lanes, one for each direction of Woodruff traffic trying to merge onto 385n. Time will tell if it's actually any different or not, but unless they're missing a little black line on the drawing then it looks the same as now to me. This was similar issue with 85n on ramp from Woodruff by Longhorn but design shows they moved this merge point up so it will just be a normal exit lane off Woodruff (but the current 85n off ramp has two seperate lanes still at least, the 385n has just one).
Thanks! Hopefully the widening between I-385 and I-85 will have some effect. Sadly even the three-lanes from I-85 westward to Costco (and beyond) still do not prevent traffic nightmares even in that area.
Overall, there still needs some more major work along Woodruff Road ideally starting from Butler Road through Roper Mountain Road. But the way everything was planned in the area was just a disaster and I'm not sure if there is a solution that could be implemented with right of way acquisition, etc.
You may have also noticed in the final plans that if you are on 385n/s and you want to get onto Woodruff then the only way will be via the 385/Woodruff interchange. 385n/s traffic will no longer be able to get onto the 85s off/on-ramp for the purpose of getting onto Woodruff.
NOOOOOOOOO - I love my little shortcut to Target/Academy/Old Navy without having to drive up Woodruff from Roper/QT/Costco!!
NOOOOOOOOO - I love my little shortcut to Target/Academy/Old Navy without having to drive up Woodruff from Roper/QT/Costco!!
You'll get half your route though....if you're on Woodruff and want to get to back to 385n/s you can get there via the 85/Woodruff interchange and the 385/Woodruff interchange. So you can still leave Woodruff for 385 as before you just can't get to WoodruffRd the same from 385.
I'm really worried that them closing off the I-385 southbound/Woodruff Road exit is really going to cause some problems along Roper Mountain Road.
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