Been Too Long!

It's been too long and I've been way too busy to post.

Catching up:
I-540 work continues in Ft Smith. One bridge over Grand Ave is down and being replaced as well as at AR 22./Rogers Ave. Several other bridges are down, including one over AR 162 and one over 540 at US 64 in Van Buren. It's a big mess, but I'm impressed by how fast the work is progressing.
One complaint, though: the resurfacing is being done in asphalt, not concrete. Asphalt is cheaper, but concrete lasts longer. Five years from now AHTD will beg for more money to resurface 540 again.

Lots of work on I-40, as well: almost the entire highway is being resurfaced, including around Russellville which was ignored 13 years ago when the last highway bond issue was passed.

At Texarkana, AR 549 has finally opened from AR 245 to US 71 north of town. I attended the ribbon cutting back on April 30. It was going to be another week before the road actually opened, but then, inclement weather pushed it back another week. I took a few photos and posted them on Flickr. 


I've not seen much progress on other sections of I-49: a bit of work around Fort Smith, but that's about all. 

Oh, and I found this cool antique shop near Sarcoxie, Missouri.  They have lots of old signs out front. I grabbed a couple Missouri highway markers:
 
These both say MHTD (instead of MODOT)  so they date back to between 1980 and 1996, probably closer to 1980's since they are 3 digit squares. The 125 is likely older since it's a steel sign, as opposed to 171 which is aluminum. I'm still trying to decide what I want to do with them.

Last week, I stopped again (bad idea) and found another sign:

 

This is a 36 inch STOP sign with reflector buttons...a rare find. These were common along Missouri expressways in the 1960's. I've wanted one for a long time, but I probably paid more than I should have for it. I actually bought it for someone else, but then they weaseled out of the deal after I bought it, so I may post it to e-bay... I'll see how my fiances are the next few weeks.

Yes, I'm going to get in big trouble if I keep stopping there. I mainly just went to look around and never really expected to find anything (yeah right).

So am I all caught up now? Probably not. But it's good for now.

Only 40 Years Late

Fayetteville, Arkansas recently announced plans to construct a flyover ramp from northbound College Ave (US 71B) to the Fulbright Expressway. This ramp will allow traffic to access I-540 without have to go through the Joyce Blvd "jughandle".

When the Fulbright Expressway was first built in the early 1970's, it was a 2-Lane bypass of US 71 around Fayetteville. It began on the south end of Fayetteville, about a mile north of the Fayetteville Airport (Drake Field), looped around the west side of town, re-intersecting US 71 apporximately 3/4 mile south of what is now the Northwest Arkansas Mall.  To go from northboud College Ave to southbound US 71, drivers used a "jughandle" turnoff at what is now Joyce Blvd. Drivers would turn right into the jughandle. left on Joyce Blvd, then south on College Ave. Why the flyover wasn't built originally, is anyone's guess.

In the intervening years, the area around College Ave and Joyce Blvd has overgrown commercially and become one the busiest intersections in the state. Using the "jughandle" to access Fulbright Expressway (now a 4-Lane divided road) is no longer viable given the amount of traffic in the area. 

So 40 years after it should have been built, the City of Fayetteville (NOT AHTD) is finally building a flyover, which should take some of the stress off the College & Joyce intersection and allow access to Mall Ave...at least until the area overgrows again.

Improving I-540

 

AHTD recently announced plans to improve Interstate 540 between I-40 at Van Buren and Hwy 22 in Fort Smith. Plans call for widening the shoulders, reconstructing the pavement, reconstruction or renovation of nine bridges (including replacement of the Arkansas River Bridge) and replacing/upgrading existing exit signage (which, if you've driven I-540, you'll know how old and worn some of it looks). 

This will be the first major upgrade on I-540 since the road was originally opened in the mid 1960's, with the exception of the Kelly Highway and Phoenix Ave/Old Greenwood Road interchanges which were recently renovated (Kelly Highway in 2008, Phoenix Ave/Old Greenwood Rd in 2012).

According to AHTD, construction is expected to begin around Janoary 28th and is expected to take approximately 153 working days or a year and a half (until July 2014).  OK, just a minute: 153 working days or a year and a half?  This must be "new math". By my calculations, 153 working days would be just under 8 months. I can see allowing a little extra time for bad weather, but 153 days over a year and a half equals about 2 working days a week or 8 1/2 days per month. Is this right? Sure, 540 is is desperate need of renovation, but this timetable seems a bit off.

Another part of thir project will be renumbering the exits along I-540. Currently, they run from Exit 1 at Interstate 40 to Exit 14 at US 271/AR 253.  The proposal is to reverse the numbering to match the exit numbers on the Alma-Bentonville segment.  The "purist" in me disagrees with this.  Since I-540 begins at I-40, the exit numbers should begin at I-40. In a few years, the north leg of I-540 will be Interstate 49: will AHTD then renumber the exits on the south leg again?  What happens when 540 is extended to I-49 south of Fort Smith {proposed only: I've seen no timetable for this, only maps showing a proposed alignment beginning near Hwy 45 (Phoenix Ave/Old Greenwood Rd Interchange)}

This seems silly to me. Granted most of the exit signs need to be replaced, but why renumber the exits? 

Anyway, I have thrown together a quick guide with the old and new Exit numbers (or my best guess)

OLD	NEW
1	14		I-40 west – Oklahoma City, OK	North 540 joins East 40
2	13		U.S. 64 – Van Buren	Signed as Exits 2A (East) and 2B (West)
3	12		Hwy. 59 – Van Buren
			Arkansas River	Crawford/Sebastian County Line
5	10		Kelley Highway
6	9		Grand Avenue
8	7		Hwy. 22 Rogers Avenue	Southbound numbered as 8A (West) and 8B (East)
9	6		Phoenix Avenue East, Leigh Avenue
10	5		Hwy. 45 Greenwood Road, Phoenix Avenue West
11	4		Hwy. 255 (Zero Street)
12	3		U.S. 71 South – Texarkana
13	2		Jenny Lind Road
14	1		U.S. 271 North / Hwy. 253 South	I-540 Ends/Begins
			US-271 continues west into Oklahoma

I'm Not Dead Yet

I'm getting better ;)

I've been down most of December with a bad cold. I brought one back from Kansas City, got over it, then picked up another one in Springfield over Christmas. So, I've not been on-line much and haven't had much opportunity for photos beyond a few random photos of I-49.  Hopefully, I can rectify this in the next few weeks, weather permitting.

So, yes, I'm way behind on the blog. I'm also behind on my new project (more on that another time).

By the way: I see someone has started using the term "Road Scholar" commercially. I've been using it since at least 2006 on misc.transport.road.  

In the meantime, I leave you with a photo of my latest acquisition:
 

 

This is the real thing: no  "replica" here. I got an "OK' deal on it. Not as good as I would have liked, but an "OK" deal.

 

OOPS!

I keep meaning to post more updates, but have been so busy that I've forgotten. I'll have to try to rectify that situation.

Right now, I'm gearing up for the I-49 "Official" conversion on December 12. I even made myself a shirt on Cafe Press:

 

Now if I can remember what I did with it after it arrived. :(

I've received a report that the I-49 shields will be "Neutered": no state name

 

 Disappointment :(

I need to get out and to some more field work. The new exits have been completed on US 71/I-49 north of Carthage, so I need to check them out. Work also continues just south of Fort Smith which I need to keep an eye on.

In southern Arkansas, AR 549/ Future I-49 is coming along well. Rumor has it another section may open next year.

AHTD is already putting up the signs: I found a sign yard north of town a few weeks ago.

One final thought before I close: Never EVER stay at America Best Value Inn. I have stayed at two of them this year (Memphis, TN and Marshall, TX): both were dirty, rundown and generally nasty.

Thank you and goodnight.

 

Going, Going...Almost Gone

 

I still have a few copies of my 2013 Calendar Left. Once they're gone, they're gone and there will be no more unless there's a sudden upsurge in demand. $20 includes shipping in a padded envelope.

If you'd like to see more photos, I've created a Facebook page featuring all the bridges on the calendar.

If you'd like to order one,you can now pay me directly via PayPal:

I'm already planning my next calendar for 2014. I can't tell you what it is yet, but I think you'll like it :)

They're Here!

My calendar, Arkansas Bridges 2013, has arrived almost 2 weeks early. It looks really nice and I've already ordered anther batch.

If you'd like to buy one, send me a message They are $20 each, which includes shipping in a padded envelope. Discounts are available if you order more than one. I'm also working on a bulk price for bookstores and souvenir shops.

I'm excited, yet I'm also scared spitless. It's always been a love affair between me and the bridges and now I'm sharing that love with everyone else. 

Oh, and I've also created a Facebook page which will feature a few photos from my calendar as well as a little bit of background info from each bridge.

If this is successful, next year I may do a calendar of old gas stations.