Gribblenation

Transplants living in or out-of-staters traveling through North Carolina won't have to worry what type of transponder they need to use when they travel on the Triangle Expressway.  That's because the toll road - currently under construction in Wake County - will be able to take both EZ-Pass and the smaller sticker transponders used more commonly in Southern states. The Triangle Expressway will be the first toll road in the country that will have the ability to use both styles of electronic collection.  Drivers could use their existing tag (I have an EZPass from the New York State Thruway) or purchase either method from the North Carolina Turnpike Authority. A retail sale price for the transponders has not been set. Story Link: Drivers to have options on tolls ---Raleigh News&Observer Commentary: Kudos to the NCTA in being the first toll operation to have the ability to utilize both tags.  This will optimize electronic collection methods from out of state tr...

WVDOH has recently awarded two projects for the construction of Corridor H in Grant County.  The first project awarded was to Kokosing Construction Co.  The $10.9 million project will pave 3.3 miles of Corridor H. Also, Mashuda Corp. won a bid to grade and drain another 2.09 miles of the eventual four lane highway.  The project is worth $18.6 million. Story Link: Two contracts awarded for Corridor H in Grant ---The Charleston Gazette

On Sunday, May 2nd, I had the pleasure to take photos of the New Hope Valley Railway's Opening Day.  I arrived to their Bonsal rail yard early - around 9 am - and was able to walk the grounds and explore the trains. (Entire flickr set - located here .) The New Hope Valley Railway is an all-volunteer excursion railroad. The East Carolina Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society acquired slightly over four miles of track and right of way from Bonsal to New Hill in 1982.  Two years later, the first public ride was offered, and they have been operating ever since. The pride of the New Hope Valley Railway is Steam Engine No. 17 .  No. 17 is a 0-4-0 oil burning locomotive that was built in 1941 by the Vulcan Iron Works.   In 1999, the New Hope Valley Railway and the North Carolina Railroad Museum purchased the steam locomotive.  After three years of restoration and repair, No. 17 was back to full power and has been a treasure to the New Hope Valle...

I took a drive Sunday to see what progress had been made in the last month on the I-74/US 311 Freeway from Business 85 in High Point to US 220 near Archdale. It had been a pretty dry month, but I didn't encounter as much progress on paving as I thought there should be. There were though many signs of progress. The post proceeds West to East (or Northwest to Southeast to be more accurate) along the nearly 10 miles of future freeway... 1. High Point East Belt, Business 85 to I-85 High Point A. Baker Road-They have almost completed removing the old road bed and cutting down to the grade of the surrounding roadway... Here's what remains of the westbound temporary road. Looking into the roadbed... There are some rock and soil to remove to bring it down to grade. Looking east/south from the bridge, one can see there has been more progress on grading since April... But there still needs more work to be done looking back west/north toward the completed road and High Point... B. Jackson...

From Midland it was pretty much all Interstate home.  Day 1 took us from Midland to Tuscaloosa, AL.  Day 2 Tuscaloosa to Wilmington where I picked up my vehicle and headed home. Day 1 Route: I-20, I-30, US 80, I-20, US 82 to Tuscaloosa, AL Day 2 Route: US 82, I-20, I-459, I-20, I-95, NC 130, US 74 to Wilmington and US 117 and I-40 home. The entire flickr set (51 photos) is here . I slept most of the way from Midland to Ft. Worth, but I woke up just in time to catch these button copy signs on I-30 near Arlington. The GPS had told us to use I-30 and US 80 through Dallas vs. I-20 to the South, and we were making excellent time on the trip until this at I-35E. However, sitting in traffic allowed me to get this photo of a rather unique guide sign. The middle sign actually lights up.  The white bulbs from bottom to top and the traffic island lights up in blue.  Here's the reason for the 15-20 minute back up. I am still trying to figure out how that...