Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Michigan - Tom's Memorial

Covered Bridge in Frankenmuth MI
Route
Day 1 - NC 86 North, I 40 West, I 85 South, I 73 North, I 40 West, Bus 40 West, US 52 North, I 74 West, I 77 North, US 33 North, I 70 West, I 71 North, I 670 West, OH 315 North, US 23 North, OH 15 West, I 75 North, I 275 North to Plymouth
Day 2 - Local roads, including I 75, I 275, I 696.
Day 3 - I 275 North, I 96 West, US 23 North, MI 83 North to Frankenmuth. MI 83 South, US 23 South, I 96 East, I 275 South to Plymouth.
Day 4 - Local roads, including I 94, I 275, US 23, MI 17, MI 39, MI 153.
Day 5 - Local roads, including I 275, MI 5.
Day 6 - I 275 South, I 75 South, I 280 East, OH 827 South, US 23 South, OH 315 South, I 71 South, I 270 East, US 23 South, US 35 East, I 64 East, I 77 South, I 74 East, US 52 South, Bus 40 East, I 40 East, NC 86 South
Notes
It has been along time since we last drove US 33 from I 77 to Columbus OH. New segments that we drove this time included the Ravenswood bridge, Nelsonville Bypass and Lancaster Bypass. US 33 is much faster now. We also drove one new section of US 35 in West Virginia, from east of Henderson to Beech Hill.
The ramp from I 70/71 to OH 315 was closed, so we used I 71 North and I 670 West to get to OH 315. On OH 315 south of I 270, there was a light board giving drive times to OH 758 by OH 315 and US 23. Being rush hour, OH 315 was faster, even with the narrow two lane road, stop lights, four way stops and the roundabout. Going south, there was a similar sign on US 23, giving the time to I 270, via US 23 and OH 315. OH 315 was four minutes faster.
I 75 is being widened from Findlay OH north. We used US 23 through Fostoria to avoid this construction.
Results
MI: Mileage on MI 5.
OH: Mileage on I 70, I 670, US 33.
WV: Reclinched US 35. Mileage on US 33.

Tuesday, October 07, 2014

Pennsylvania - Wedding Weekend

Route
Day 1: US 15/501 North, I 85 North,  I 95 North, VA 10 West, US 1/301 North, VA 288 East, I 95 North, VA 207 East, US 301 North, MD 234 East, MD 5 South to Point Lookout. MD 5 North, MD 235 West, MD 4 West, MD 2 North, MD 665 West, US 50/301 West, I 97 North, I 695 East, I 895 Spur South to Glen Burnie.
Day 2:  MD 2 North, I 695 West, I 795 North, Butler Road, MD 128,  Local Roads, MD 130 East, MD 25 North, Local Road, I 83 North, I 76 East, PA 283 East, Air Port Connector South to Harrisburg Airport, Air Port Connector North, PA 283 East, Middletown Road North, US 322 East, PA 39 West to Hershey Park. PA 39 East, US 422 East, PA 743 South, PA 283 East, US 30 East, PA 130 East to Intercourse. PA 130 West, US 30 West, PA 741 North, PA 722 East, PA 72 North, US 322 West, PA 934 North, US 422 East to Annville. US 422 West, PA 934 South, US 322 East, PA 72 South, US 30 East to Lancaster.
Day 3: Local Lancaster roads, including PA 501, PA 272.
Day 4: Local Lancaster roads, including US 222.
Day 5: US 30 West, PA 741 South, PA 23 West. PA 23 East, PA 741 North, PA 283 West, Air Port Connector South to Harrisburg Airport, Air Port Connector North, PA 283 East, Middletown Road North, US 322 East, PA 934 North, US 422 East to Annville. US 422 West, PA 934 North, I 81 South, US 40 East to Hagerstown MD.
Day 6:  US 40 Alt East, MD 34 West, WV 480 West, WV 45 West, US 11 South, Local Road, I 81 South, US 33 East, Skyline Drive South, US 250 East, VA 151 South, VA 6 East, US 29 South, VA 86 South, NC 86 South to Chapel Hill.
Notes
Took I 795 to avoid traffic jam on I 695. Missed the turn on MD 128, which would have taken us to I 83. Ended up nearly back in Baltimore.  Results
Counties: MD: St. Mary's, Calvert, for a new total of 1064.
MD: Clinched I 795, MD 234. Mileage on US 40, 40 Alt Hagerstown; MD 2, 4, 5, 25, 34, 65, 128, 130, 235, 665.
PA: Mileage on US 222, 322; PA 23, 72, 272, 283, 340, 501, 722, 741.
VA: Mileage on US 1, 33, 301; VA 10, 288.
WV:  Mileage on US 11; WV 45, 840.

Friday, July 18, 2014

NC 59, NC 162

Route
US 15/501 South, NC 87 Bypass South, NC 87 South, NC 24 South, NC 24 North, US 401 Business South, US 401 South, NC 162 South, I 95 BL South, NC 59 South, NC 59 North, US 401 Business North, NC 555 South, I 95 BL North, NC 87 North, US 401 Business North, US 401 North, NC 217 North, Detour in Linden, NC 217 North, NC 55 North, NC 27 East, NC 50 North, NC 42 East, I 40 West, NC 54 West, US 15/501 North

Notes
No signage yet for NC 87 Bypass Sanford or NC 555.

Results
Clinched US 401 Business Fayetteville, NC 59, 162. Mileage on NC 24, 27, 82, 217.

Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Annville/Erie PA

Route
Day 1: US 15/501 North, I 85 North,  I 95 North, VA 150 West, VA 76 North, I 195 North, I 95 North, I 195 East, MD 295 North, I 695 North, I 83 North, US 322 East, US 422 East, PA 934 North, I 81 North to Lickville PA.
Day 2: PA 72 North, PA 443 West, local road, I 81 South, PA 743 South, US 422 East, PA 117 South, PA 934 North, Local Roads, PA 72 North to Lickville PA.
Day 3: PA 72 South, US 422 West, PA 934 South, US 322 East, PA 501 South, US 30 East, PA 23 West, PA 462 East, US 30 East, PA 896 South, PA 741 East, PA 41 North, US 30 West, PA 772 North, PA 501 North, US 322 West, PA 72 North to Lickville PA.
Day 4:  I 81 North, PA 901 West, PA 54 West, I 80 West, PA 153 North, US 219 North, PA 948 North, PA 666 North, US 6 East, PS 89 North, PA 8 North, I 90 West, I 79 North, PA 5 Alternate West, PA 832 South, PA 832 North, PA 832 South, PA 5 Alternate East, I 79 South, I 90 East, PA 97 North to Erie.
Day 5:  PA 97 South, I 90 West, I 79 South, US 19 South, I 77 South, I 74 East, US 52 East, I 40 Business East, I 40 East, NC 86 South to Chapel Hill.
Notes
There is obvious progress on the HOT lanes on I 95 just north of Fredericksburg to Dale City.
There is bad construction on I 695 just west of I 95 in Baltimore.
There are a ton of acorn US 6 shields in Warren County PA. US 6 milemarkers have a green "Go 6" logo at the top.
US 19 uses Corridor L milemarkers from I 79 to I 77. 
Results
Counties: PA: Elk, Forest, Schuylkill, Warren, for a new total of 1062.
Clinched I 83 nationally.
MD: Clinched I 695. Mileage on I 195.
PA: Clinched I 79. Mileage on I 81; US 6, 219, 322, 422; PA 5 Alternate, 8, 23, 54, 72, 89, 97, 117, 153, 462, 443, 501, 666, 741, 743, 772, 832, 896, 901, 948.
VA: Mileage on VA 150, VA 76.

Friday, May 09, 2014

NC 901

Route
I 40 West, Local Roads to Guilford Courthouse NMP, Local Road, I 73/840 Future South, I 40 West, US 52 North, NC 268 West, I 77 South, NC 901 North to NC 150, NC 901 South, US 64 East, I 30 East, I 73 South, I 85 North, NC 54 East  to Chapel Hill.
Notes
Work continues on Union Grove interchange on I 40 and High Point Road interchange on I 73.
There is a single I 74 shield on I 40 East with an arrow pointing to US 311 South exit.

Results
Clinched NC 910. Mileage on NC 268.

Saturday, April 26, 2014

I 495

Route
I 40 East, Wade Avenue, I 440 East, I 495 North, I 495 Future North to Smithfield Road, I 495 Future South, I 540 West, US 401 North, NC 96 North, NC 98 West, US 70 West, US 15/501   to Chapel Hill 
Notes
There was a press release that I 495 shields had been installed along US 64/264 west of I 540 along with I 495 Future shields east of 540. However, I had only seen pictures of the Future I 495 shields. I drove along I 495 far enough to get a photo of a I 495 shield and to see the Future I 495 shield myself.
I also checked out the Rolesville Bypass for US 401, which is supposed to be finished in July. There is much pavement missing, especially at its north interchange with US 401.
Results
Nothing new.

Friday, March 21, 2014

NC 148

Route
I 40 East, US 70 East, I 40 East, NC 210 West, NC 50 South, NC 55 East, US 70 East, US 70/258 West, US 258 North, NC 148 East, NC 58 South, NC 11/55 West, US 70 West, Washington Street, US 70 West, US 70 Business West, US 70 West, I 40 West  to Chapel Hill 
Notes
Having received a report that the extension of NC 148 to US 70 was complete, this trip was undertaken to check out the new highway. However, the report was in error. I did clinch some mileage and US Business routes and visited the CSS Neuse memorial, so the trip was not in vain.
NC 148 is not open between US 70 and US 258. The interchange at US 70 looks complete, but the interchange at US 258 is not complete.
There are some new bridges north of US 70 where Old US 70 ( Washington Street ) meets US 70 west of La Grange. 
Results
Clinched US 70 Business Goldsboro,  US 70/258 Business Kinston, NC 148. Mileage on US 258,  NC 11, 50, 55, 58.