Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Seattle Trip, Day 7

Route
Coeur d'Alene ID to Seattle WA: I 90 West, Local Roads in Spokane, I 405 North, WA 520 East
Notes
Results
Clinched I 90 Idaho.
Counties: Washington: 5, for a new total of 978.

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Seattle Trip, Day 6

Route
Yellowstone to Couer d'Alene ID: Park roads: Canyon to Norris, Mammoth, North Entrance
US 89 North, I 90 West
Notes
I 90 is under construction on the multiplex with I 15 in Butte MT and from Missoula MT west.
Every pass in MT and ID have Chain Up and Chain Removal areas for installing tire chains in winter.
Results
New state visited: Montana, for a new total of 44.
Counties: Montana: 10, Idaho: 2, for a new total of 973.

Seattle Trip, Day 5

Route
Sheridan WY to Yellowstone: I 90 West, US 14 West, US 14A West, US 14/16/20 West to Yellowstone
Park Roads: to Fishing Bridge, West Thumb, Madison, Norris, Canyon
Notes
US 14 is under construction to straighten it out at the top of the Big Horn climb.
Madison to Norris in Yellowstone is under construction with delays and closed at night.
Results
Clinched US 14 Alternate, Cody WY

Sunday, June 21, 2009

Seattle Trip, Day 4

Route
Rapid City SD to Sheridan WY: I 90 West, I 190 South, local roads, US 16 West, US 16 Alternate West, SD 244 West to Mt Rushmore
SD 244 East, US 16 Alternate West, SD 743 West, SD 87 West, US 16 West, I 90 West to Sheridan WV
Notes
US 16 from Rapid City to Custer SD has been significantly upgraded over the years. The Truck route east of town is hardly needed except to keep the largest trucks off a few blocks in downtown Rapid City.
There are gates on US 16 and I 90 for closing the highways with warning signs.
Results
Counties: Wyoming, Sheridan, for a new total of 961.

Saturday, June 20, 2009

Seattle Trip, Day 3

Route
Council Bluffs IA to Rapid City SD: I 29 North, SD 50 West, SD 50 Business West to Vermillion SD.
SD 50 Bus East, SD 50 East, I 29 North, I 90 West, I 90 BL (Mitchell) West, I 90 West to Rapid City SD.
I 90 West, I 190 South, local roads, US 16 East, I 190 North, I 90 East
Notes
Construction on I 29 and I 90 for long stretches with two way traffic on one side and no pavement left on the other at all.
Stopped for gas in Mt Vernon SD. Stopped a crossroad a half mile north of I 90 signed "Hwy 16". This would be old US 16 from before it was replaced by I 90 and truncated to Rapid City SD.
Results
Clinched I 29 in IA, I 90 Business Mitchell SD.
Counties: Iowa: 3, South Dakota: 3, for a new total of 960.

Seattle Trip, Day 2

Route
Evansville IN to Council Bluffs IA: US 41 North, I 64 West, I 70 West, Local Streets (Downtown St Louis), I 70 West, MO 19, Local Road, MO 167, I 70 West, I 435 North, I 29 North, I 229 North, I 29 North, IA 2 West, NE 2 West, US 75 Bus North to Nebraska City NE, US 75 Bus South, NE 2 East, IA 2 East, I 29 North to Council Bluffs IA

Notes
At the rest area on I 64 just before the I 57 interchange, there were construction fliers for the "rubblization" of a section of I 57 south of I 64, They're ripping up the entire pavement and pulverizing it.
The detour for I 64 through St Louis is very well marked and warned. There is no indication of construction or sign changing at the I 70/US 40/61/Future I 64 interchange west of St Louis.
There are full color shields painted on the pavement for the I 270 exit from I 70 in Kansas City.
I 35 is under construction from I 70 to I 29. I 435 is given as a detour for both I 35 and I 29 North. I 435 has I 35 shields with orange alt banners posted along that part of the detour, but not such shields for I 29.
I 29 is reduced to two way traffic on the north bound lanes for several long stretches in Iowa.
Results
Clinched I 64 in IN and IL, I 229 in MO.
Counties: Indiana: 1, Illinois: 5, Missouri: 5, Nebraska: 1, Iowa: 2, for a new total of 954.

Seattle Trip, Day 1

Route
Chapel Hill NC to Evansville IN: I 40 West, I 85 West, I 73 North, I 40 West, US 52 North, I 74 West, I 77 West, I 64 West, I 264 West, I 64 West, US 41 South to Evansville IN
US 41 North, I 64 East, I 164 South, Local Streets, IN 62 East, US 41 North

Notes
Sign changing continues on Greensboro interstates. The ramp from I 85 to I 73/US 421 is labeled US 421 North. The Wendell Ave exit number is now using I 73 mileage. The exit for I 40 from I 73/US 421 has Blue 40 shields, but uses both I 40 and I 73 mileage.

Construction continues on the new I 60 bridge west of Charleston WV. No tie ins to I 64 yet.

Major construction on I 64 in Indiana, Two way traffic on the east bound lanes. Construction at the end of I 164 at the US 41 interchange.

Results
Clinch I 64 in WV, I 164 in IN.
Counties: Kentucky: 9. Indiana: 9, New total = 940.

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Wrightsville Beach and Oak Island

Route
I 40 East, US 74 East to Wrightsville Beach
US 74 West, US 76 West, NC 132 South, US 421 South, Fort Fisher-Southport Ferry, NC 211 North, Local roads, NC 211 North, NC 133 South to Oak Island
NC 133 North, US 421 North, I 140 East, I 40 West

Notes
There are ALT ROUTE banners on I 40 shields on NC 24 at the bottom of the ramps from I 40 pointing east. I assume they are for hurricane evacuation routes.

The second bridge to Oak Island is under construction. There was an accident there last winter that stopped construction, but a lot has been done since my last visit in October 2007. What is done is the approach ramp on Middleton south from Oak Island Boulevard, support towers and pieces of deck and deck supports.


There are read and blue I 140 shields painted on the pavement in the exit lane from US 421/17 to I 40/US 17. Colored shields are very rare on pavement.

Results