Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
"Contractors for the N.C. Department of Transportation are blasting rock to make way for a new new lamp that will carry traffic from westbound Interstate 40 on to southbound Aviation Parkway, shown in section B of this diagram. "
"Contractors for the N.C. Department of Transportation are blasting rock to make way for a new new lamp that will carry traffic from westbound Interstate 40 on to southbound Aviation Parkway, shown in section B of this diagram. "
One thing that frustrates me: when NCDOT expanded I-40 in the late 1980s to six lanes and again in the mid-1990s to eight lanes, they didn't widen or replace the Aviation Parkway and Airport Boulevard overpasses. It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that those bridges would become congestion points, and they did. Would have been less expensive and less disruptive to fix the bridges when I-40 was widened, but that's not how NCDOT went about it.
One thing that frustrates me: when NCDOT expanded I-40 in the late 1980s to six lanes and again in the mid-1990s to eight lanes, they didn't widen or replace the Aviation Parkway and Airport Boulevard overpasses. It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that those bridges would become congestion points, and they did. Would have been less expensive and less disruptive to fix the bridges when I-40 was widened, but that's not how NCDOT went about it.
Yeah, there's also the colossal bottleneck that happens during rush-hour where 147 South merges onto 40 East due to a lane being dropped when 40 was widened long ago.
Yes, NCDOT would have had to rebuild the Davis Drive bridge to provide enough lanes underneath. Or I guess they could have closed the eastbound ramp to Davis Drive, but that would have been really unpopular.
It's more than just re-configuring an interchange - it's clearing trees for office and other buildings.
This was hot news 2~ years ago where the airport authority wanted to create more office and retail space in areas currently designated as greenways and other natural areas.
One thing that frustrates me: when NCDOT expanded I-40 in the late 1980s to six lanes and again in the mid-1990s to eight lanes, they didn't widen or replace the Aviation Parkway and Airport Boulevard overpasses. It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that those bridges would become congestion points, and they did. Would have been less expensive and less disruptive to fix the bridges when I-40 was widened, but that's not how NCDOT went about it.
Not necessarily on the cost of replacing the bridges back in the ‘90s being cheaper. Both bridges were built in the ‘70s, so had plenty of life left. Plus the widening could be done underneath without replacing the bridge. So not any reason to replace them then.
I will say that the ‘90s widening was done on the cheap and to some extent outside the “rules”. Hence the metal guardrail and narrower lanes (the two left lanes are 11’, while the two outside lanes are the standard 12’.). So replacing the bridges were not in the budget at that time.
The congestion on Aviation is due to the section south of 40 not being widened to receive the traffic generated by the rezoning/development down there. Wake/Cary approved that development without the infrastructure in place to handle it, and then, like you, point to the Department, which doesn’t approve developments, to fix what they created. A lot of needs like that, and not enough money to fix everything.
(the two left lanes are 11’, while the two outside lanes are the standard 12’.).
I learned something new today! Not that I don't believe you but I went to Google Maps and used the measuring tool to verify!
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
