[Henry10]

Originally Posted by BeyondtheHorizon

It is a COMMUTING highway. That's EXACTLY how it's used.

It is a highway. It's a major congested artery for commuter traffic for nyc. You can say it's supposed to be a road for scenic trips through a park, but it's NOT even close to that currently. This ideology is a PRIME example of a person living in a fantasy world. The "hills" of FFC that 15 runs through is not a rural area. It's the NYC burbs and connection to cities in CT and it's a major thoroughfare for people getting out of nyc and also over to boston. The major E/W arteries are 95, 15. That's simple reality. The first step to fixing a problem is admitting you have a problem. The road is not being used as designed and therefore should be widened into a proper interstate.

If you want to talk fantasy -- then changing Merritt is super-fantasy, and not practical. Leaving aside my arguments, which are very positive and rational -- Merritt has historical status, and widening it will put anybody in conflict with the most powerful interests and money in CT and country. It's dead-on-arrival.

Actually, my crazy idea of a bridge between New Haven and Stamford has actually a better chance of happening than changing the Merritt.

[Beeker2211]

Neither RT15 or I95 are going to wholesale expanded, that's really the fantasy and will be a waste of time and resources. If expanding highways ad infinitum eased congestion the 401 in/around Toronto would be the easiest road to get through. There's only a few reasonable options:

1) Pinpoint expansion to ease on/off backups to RT7, RT25/8, Milford Parkway, and to finish the horrible I91 interchange.
2) Closing certain NB entrances that cause much of the needless backup.
4) PosiLane technology and system that is strictly enforced (updates every two miles like the current signage).
5) Adapting shoulder lane(s) for certain hours for HOV access only.
6) Discouraging greenfield development (would require changes of Federal Underwriting Standards, though).
7) Subway like headways for MNRR. Electrifying Danbury/Waterbury/NHHS lines with strategic double tracking with modern signaling.

[BPt111]

Why Norwalk has so many traffic on I-95 you can drive like breeze on 95 until get to exit 16 there some slow downs when traffic is clear. Route 8 sign in Bridgeport confusing a lot of drivers Exit 27A is accident magnet

[BeyondtheHorizon]

Originally Posted by Beeker2211

Neither RT15 or I95 are going to wholesale expanded, that's really the fantasy and will be a waste of time and resources. If expanding highways ad infinitum eased congestion the 401 in/around Toronto would be the easiest road to get through.

You're not taking into account population growth in/around toronto. Imagine if they NEVER expanded the highway? You don't think it would be worse? Let's do an experiment....take away some lanes and see what happens!

[Raider111]

Originally Posted by Henry10

Designers in the 1920s designed these parkways

You want a commuting highway?

a) nuff said. It's almost the 2020's

b) it already is one

[Henry10]

Before people jump to "hey let's build a new highway the the hills of FFC", I will provide an historical example -- Cross Bronx Expressway.

People back then used to make very similar arguments as some on this board. "Hey, let's put the highway thru the Bronx because current streets could not handle the traffic and congestion between GW bridge and Whitestone Bridge." So, in lieu of boulevards, they built the highway.

Some people say that its construction not only sent the Bronx on a tailspin, but the entire City.

To this day, Bronx has yet to recover from that construction of 50-60 yrs ago. It destroyed the borough.

[Raider111]

Originally Posted by Henry10

Before people jump to "hey let's build a new highway the the hills of FFC", I will provide an historical example -- Cross Bronx Expressway.

People back then used to make very similar arguments as some on this board. "Hey, let's put the highway thru the Bronx because current streets could not handle the traffic and congestion between GW bridge and Triboro.

Some people say that its construction not only sent the Bronx on a tailspin, but the entire City.

To this day, Bronx has yet to recover from that construction of 50-60 yrs ago. It destroyed the borough.

Who said anything about building new highways? there's no room obviously
Just modernize the existing.
But right though, nothing will ever happen.

[Henry10]

Originally Posted by Raider111

Who said anything about building new highways? there's no room obviously
Just modernize the existing.
But right though, nothing will ever happen.

I am all for modernizing, but it may mean something different to you. For me, modernizing it means for example: smart traffic management, such as sensors, smart stop signs. I would even implement congestion pricing, managed by a private enterprise, with of course a clear charter. It has been done in the past.

I personally can't wait for autonomous driving. Too many idiots on the roads, most people are texting, or browsing, and don't pay attention. Fender-benders are increasing, partly because everybody has become a zombie, and not paying attention to the road.

I have read studies that show that up at 75% of congestion is attributed to one, or worse a few idiots, amongst thousands. One brake tap sends ripples throughout the flock, and it takes long to relax the traffic again. Once traffic is relaxed, another idiot comes along, he taps his brakes because he needs to text his buddy back, and there you have it -- another bumber-to-bumper.

[Beeker2211]

Originally Posted by BeyondtheHorizon

You're not taking into account population growth in/around toronto. Imagine if they NEVER expanded the highway? You don't think it would be worse? Let's do an experiment....take away some lanes and see what happens!

I mean the Paris Metro Area has increased a good bit (even in the commune itself has been slow in population growth) and they've been getting rid of highways returning to local roads for about 20 years. The result? Not much in automobile travel time increases, or even reductions really. It has made the commuter shed much smaller and tight to the commune borders, though (think La Defense directly next to Paris, formerly just a commercial hub now a bit of a ritz living area from what I understand).

Leaving aside issues of trucking and shipping, highway expansion and reduction seems to do little for travel times. And with expansion being so expensive it's worth going for the low hanging fruit of increased traffic flow control. Look at the new RT34 flyover: the expanded entrance capacity has decreased backups so that issues up road can clear before a new batch of riders arrive. The biggest slowdowns occur in on/off merging backups, the tight interchanges, and lane additions don't do anything for that issue.

The biggest issue with the entirety of the CT highway network is design. Yes there is a certain capacity issues but most issues are blind turns, short entrances, practically no entrance controls, and poor signaling. All issues way cheaper to handle than expanding from Greenwich to East Haven.

Just my .02

[Henry10]

Originally Posted by Beeker2211

I mean the Paris Metro Area has increased a good bit (even in the commune itself has been slow in population growth) and they've been getting rid of highways returning to local roads for about 20 years. The result? Not much in automobile travel time increases, or even reductions really. It has made the commuter shed much smaller and tight to the commune borders, though (think La Defense directly next to Paris, formerly just a commercial hub now a bit of a ritz living area from what I understand).

That's very interesting. A few months ago I saw a presentation for something similar - -area around Lefrak City in Queens, where LIE intersects with Grand Central Pkwy. The idea is to rip it all up, put everything into a Big-Dig like, underground, and beatify the area with parks, plazas, local streets, brick sidewalks, cafes.

It would also mean that area would gentrify. Lefrak City might turn from a hellhole ghetto into something nice.

When talking about these things fantasy has to take the lead. That's how our predecessors built -- Merritt was also a fantasy before it was built.