Gribblenation

North Carolina may no longer be alone in building/extending I-74 to South Carolina.  The Ohio Department of Transportation recently tagged $809 million for an Interstate 74 extension to the eastern suburbs of Cincinnati.  The $809 million comes from ODOT's 2011-2015 Major New Construction Program List. I-74 would be extended from its current eastern terminus along I-75 North to the Norwood Lateral (OH 562).  I-74 would follow OH 562 eastwards to I-71 and head North to around Exit 9 (Red Bank Road).  Red Bank Road to US 50 would be upgraded to Interstate standards.  Then a new freeway would be built eastwardly over the Miami River to OH 32 near Bells Lane.  OH 32 would be upgraded (via grade separations) to an Interstate to Old OH 74 east of I-275.  (This would include a redesign of the current OH 32/I-275 Interchange.) Map of I-74 Cincinnati extension ( UrbanCincy.com ) Currently, ODOT is in the process of rebuilding I-75 in the vicinity of the I-...

Though it's not even a signed route, Interstate 785 may be extended further north within Virginia.  The 'Future' Interstate, which is to run from I-85 east of Greensboro, NC then follow US 29 to Danville, Virginia, was first came into existence in 1997 when AASHTO approved the designation.  In 1998, Congress passed a bill authorizing the designation.  Later that same year, a "public announcement" was held trumpeting the new Interstate. Fast forward another 13 years to the present, and the Virginia State Assemblyman, Daniel W. Marshall, III (R), proposed a resolution ( HB 2481 ) to extend Interstate 785 northwards along US 29 to Altavista. The summary of the bill is as follows: Designating a portion of U.S. Route 29 as Interstate 785.   Designates U.S. Route 29 from the Virginia-North Carolina line to north of the Town of Altavista as Interstate 785. The bill provides that such designation shall not take effect until the Virginia Department of Transportat...

Over the Christmas Holiday, Maggie and I had a chance to tour James Madison's Montpelier .  Montpelier is located on VA 20 just south of Orange, VA.  Like Jefferson's Monticello outside of Charlottesville, Montpelier is open to the public and offers various tours and activities.  Admission is $16 for adults and $8 for children. Montpelier has a unique history of its own, something that the both of us grew to learn and appreciate from our touring the estate.  The grounds that is the birth place of James Madison has a colorful and unique history.  Montpelier's history dates to the 1720's when Madison's grandfather moved them to 'Mount Pleasant'.  Mount Pleasant would evolve into Montpelier upon the construction of a two story brick home in the mid-1760's by Madison's father.  Madison himself would oversee the construction of two additions to the home (in 1797-1800 and 1809-1812). Madison would remain at Montpelier until his death in 1836.  H...

  In what has become a Christmas tradition for Maggie and I, we've gone outdoor skating in Pittsburgh.  Last year, we skated at the public rink in PPG Plaza.  But this year was different, and on a Christmas Eve that is typical of a Pittsburgh winter gray, overcast, and just cold enough to support a fresh layer of snow in the morning, we had a memorable experience at the 2011 Winter Classic Community Rink.  The rink, which was constructed as part of the festivities for the 2011 Winter Classic between the Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins, is located just outside of Heinz Field. In the time span of five days, the parking lot that sits between Stage AE and Heinz Field was transformed into a regulation ice rink where public skating, youth, high school, and college hockey games will take place.  Sure it's not a Rockfeller Center, but you really can't beat skating outside with an entire city skyline as a backdrop! If you follow this blog or know me, ...

Earlier this month, I took a trip along the various backroads of Western Tennessee and Kentucky with Billy Riddle. The loop route went as follows: US 70, TN 47, TN 49, TN 147, TN 69A, US 641, TN 54, TN 22, US 51, Purchase Parkway, US 45, KY 121, KY 80/(US 68) , and I-24 into Nashville. For the entire flickr photo set - head here . Our first stop was a walk around Billy's hometown of Kingston Springs, Tennessee.  The small Cheatham county town along the Harpeth River has slowly become one of Nashville's more popular bedroom communities. Kingston Springs' downtown is a mix of small cafes, restaurants, even a bar or two... ...with traditional Southern small town features. There are also some older items in town that caught my eye.  Like this old fire call box - only a few blocks from the fire station. The former train depot in town sits perpendicular to the train tracks.  I wonder if it had been moved.  It appears that it has been in various stages o...

Since I've moved here to Mass. from NC, things are less exciting on the highway construction front. No one is building new interstates or toll roads, for better or worse. Most of the projects have to do with reconstruction of bridges and adding lanes to existing highways. Of the latter, the major project closest to me is the adding of an additional lane along 'Route 128' from I-93 Exit 4, MA 24 in Randolph north to I-95 Exit 20, MA 9 in Wellesley. The project began several years ago with the replacing and/or widening of bridges to cross 8-lanes of traffic, instead of 6. After bridges in a certain area were replaced, work began on widening the highway and placing new signage, some vastly improved over what previously existed. Bridge work and widening has largely concluded between the end of I-93 to US 1 in Dedham. Bridge work also has been completed along I-93 between exits 4 and 2 and work on widening by replacing the grass median by concrete barriers is continuing. When t...