Gribblenation

I took a few hours this past Saturday (2/27) to check out the progress on several projects that will help shape the future of driving in Massachusetts and beyond. Most notably, wider roads, electronic tolling, and milepost-based exit numbers. 1. Wider Roads The longest construction project going on in the Metro Boston area is the '128-Add-A-Lane' Project, to create a fourth travel lane on I-93 and I-95 from MA 24 in Randolph to MA 9 in Wellesley. The work is now concentrated on the last section north of Great Plain Avenue in Needham. The work includes adding a fourth lane to the median: Replacing bridges over the highway, such as this one for Kendrick Street, now completed: Building a new off-ramp from Kendrick Street, in progress: And, revising the interchange with MA 9: The whole project is due to be completed by 2019. 2. Electronic Tolling MassDOT having instituted electronic tolls on the Tobin Bridge in 2014, is now in the process of doing the same for

Could these be the next two Interstates in North Carolina? It seems more than likely that NCDOT is going to petition AASHTO to approve the formal numeric numeration for the two new interstate corridors that were included in the FAST ACT.   The two corridors are US 64 from Raleigh to Williamston then continuing north on US 17 to Hampton, VA.  The other follows US 70 from Interstate 40 near Clayton eastwards to Morehead City. NCDOT is most likely going to submit an application for both routes this April for the AASHTO meeting this coming May.  Here are my predictions for the number of each route. US 70 Corridor - We know that NCDOT is planning to petition for a number between 40 and 60 .  Obviously, 40 is already taken, and there is an Interstate 44 already in place running from St. Louis to Wichita Falls, TX.  42 is possible - however - there are a few of the opinion that since NC 42 intersects with the proposed Interstate this number is out.  Though, this hasn't sto