I-66 traffic monitoring system

[americancyclo]

VDOT Commissioner Greg Whirley wrote:

drivers – and emergency responders – are constantly informed about traffic conditions and are provided guidance on how best to proceed.

my guess is that the guidance on how to proceed will never be “by bike”

[mstone]

@americancyclo 45511 wrote:

my guess is that the guidance on how to proceed will never be “by bike”

With the current administration in VA, consider it a victory if the guidance isn’t “over bikes”.

[bobco85]

I wonder if they will incorporate dynamic speed limits into their design. When I was in Seattle last fall, I saw it used to what seemed like good effect, and I would love for it to be used in the DC area. If I were in power, I’d lower the speed limits depending on the severity of weather conditions (because people don’t seem to do that well enough on their own). Enforcement of the speeds would be the tricky part, though, as this would only work if drivers were willing to obey the limits (okay, okay, you can all stop laughing now).

How this relates to bikes IMO:
– More efficient traffic on I-66 –> less gridlock –> less exhaust for Custis trail users to have to breathe
– This could lead to more relaxed state-of-minds for drivers when they eventually come across cyclists on their commutes (Hey, I can hope, can’t I?)
– Less arguing in any transportation discussion about how cyclists apparently get all the “special treatment” when it comes to new infrastructure

It will be interesting to see how it turns out.

[FFX_Hinterlands]

Only a matter of time before these dynamic signs are hacked with the message “Zombies ahead, stop your cars and RUN!”

[Bilsko]

Assuming that the Rails-to-trails estimates on cost-per-mile for hard-surface asphalt or concrete are reasonable ($200k-$500k) then it would cost about $16m to redo the entire W&OD. No increase to the existing 9ft width, just repaving all 45 miles of the trail. $350k*45miles.

A little less than half of the cost expected for the traffic monitoring system. I don’t know anything about that type of technology, but $1m per mile is coincidentally a reasonably good rough estimate for the cost to run High voltage electric transmission lines.

As a related aside, I wonder if the operating budgets for W&OD annual maintenance are publicly available (and easily accessible) – it would be interesting to see how much money actually is spent on trail upkeep.

[ShawnoftheDread]

@bobco85 45513 wrote:

I wonder if they will incorporate dynamic speed limits into their design. When I was in Seattle last fall, I saw it used to what seemed like good effect, and I would love for it to be used in the DC area. If I were in power, I’d lower the speed limits depending on the severity of weather conditions (because people don’t seem to do that well enough on their own). Enforcement of the speeds would be the tricky part, though, as this would only work if drivers were willing to obey the limits (okay, okay, you can all stop laughing now).

“A host of automated tools will allow for dynamic reductions in speed limits as vehicles approach areas of congestion, work zones, special events, etc., and will help optimize and manage traffic flow safely.”

[KelOnWheels]

@FFX_Hinterlands 45515 wrote:

Only a matter of time before these dynamic signs are hacked with the message “Zombies ahead, stop your cars and RUN!”

That’ll NEVER happen.

[consularrider]

@ShawnoftheDread 45517 wrote:

“A host of automated tools will allow for dynamic reductions in speed limits as vehicles approach areas of congestion, work zones, special events, etc., and will help optimize and manage traffic flow safely.”

Which will only be observed when enforced by traffic cameras and fines, and that revenue will go to repave the W&OD and Custis Trails with lots left over, which of course AAA will rant against.

[americancyclo]

@Bilsko 45516 wrote:

As a related aside, I wonder if the operating budgets for W&OD annual maintenance are publicly available (and easily accessible) – it would be interesting to see how much money actually is spent on trail upkeep.

WASHINGTON AND OLD DOMINION RAILROAD REGIONAL PARK
Facility operations and maintenance $31,445
Total operating expenses $1,192,384
from the 2012 Annual Report. More figures appear on p.103 of the report (p.119 of the PDF)
http://www.nvrpa.org/park/main_site/content/financials

[mstone]

@Bilsko 45516 wrote:

Assuming that the Rails-to-trails estimates on cost-per-mile for hard-surface asphalt or concrete are reasonable ($200k-$500k) then it would cost about $16m to redo the entire W&OD. No increase to the existing 9ft width, just repaving all 45 miles of the trail. $350k*45miles.

I think that’s the cost to build; the cost to resurface is significantly lower as you don’t have to clear & prepare a new roadbed.

[Bilsko]

@mstone 45522 wrote:

I think that’s the cost to build; the cost to resurface is significantly lower as you don’t have to clear & prepare a new roadbed.

Right – which is why I used a low-ish estimate and I assume, since Rails-to-Trails is the source, that those figures contemplate construction on a railway that has an existing roadbed (err… railbed?). Maybe too much credit, but I’m kind of assuming that those assumptions are already built into their numbers. But, then again, I didn’t consult any other sources so I could be way off.

[Bilsko]

@americancyclo 45521 wrote:

WASHINGTON AND OLD DOMINION RAILROAD REGIONAL PARK
Facility operations and maintenance $31,445
Total operating expenses $1,192,384
from the 2012 Annual Report. More figures appear on p.103 of the report (p.119 of the PDF)
http://www.nvrpa.org/park/main_site/content/financials

Interesting – nice find, BTW – so Depreciation accounts for nearly half of the O&M; the non-depreciation portion (paying salaries, buying gas for maintenance trucks, and the occasional hot-patch for potholes) looks like its pretty much covered by the revenue they get just for easements (ie. letting Dominion use the ROW for transmission lines, substations, and natural gas pipelines).

I wonder where the Capital Contributions come from – is that user donations or some other source. $1m in capital contributions is not insignificant.

[TwoWheelsDC]

@jnva 45509 wrote:

The ATM system

Yup, it’s an ATM for the highway contractors that most likely donated generously to the VA Republicans…cha-ching!

[pfunkallstar]

Why can’t we have dynamic Ninja warning devices installed on the W&OD? That or some sort of leader board. Just throwing out ideas here since we are just taking wads of cash and stuffing them into pie holes.

[mstone]

@Bilsko 45526 wrote:

Right – which is why I used a low-ish estimate and I assume, since Rails-to-Trails is the source, that those figures contemplate construction on a railway that has an existing roadbed (err… railbed?). Maybe too much credit, but I’m kind of assuming that those assumptions are already built into their numbers. But, then again, I didn’t consult any other sources so I could be way off.

Most rail ROWs are pretty rough by the time a trail gets to it, and need grading and other prep, much more extensive than just a simple resurfacing. I thought I recalled seeing a number for the recent W&OD resurfacing which would work out much lower than 16M for the whole thing, but I could be misremembering. (Can’t find the source.)

Edit to add: the budget shows 1M for trail improvements for FY 12 & 13 combined, which should include the resurfacing from last year, but also other things. It does not include the repairs where the trail was falling into the water. Still can’t find the more specific break down. To put the I66 signs into perspective, the capital budget for the entire NVRPA is about 5M/yr.

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