University & 2818 intersection

15,858 Views | 86 Replies | Last: 6 yr ago by cadetjay02
redd38
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Constructions begins Monday on the new diverging diamond intersection. Supposed to take 25 months. Who wants to setup a pool to bet on when it's actually finished?
MB19
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
It will be finished in 2040....
rc_cat
How long do you want to ignore this user?
kbtxdetails
nought
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Gulp. That looks horrific, despite the supposed benefits touted on Wikipedia.

If I am reading it correctly, the minor road (University) can only have one direction of traffic active at a time -- it is not possible for both east and westbound traffic to be active simultaneously because of the crossover. Sounds efficient.
AgFan1999
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
So it starts Monday the 6th and University will be closed on Wednesday the 10th? Is there some alternate timeline I'm not aware of?
farmersfight
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
75AG
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
That was a great story by KBTX. Tells me everything I need to know. Except WHY IS IT NECESSARY???
Picadillo
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Looks like a really bad idea
carpe vinum
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Hopefully it was included in the KBTX story, but I saw the video a year or so ago. Pretty interesting design.
It took Castle Gate two years to figure out the stop sign at Arrington, this may befuddle our grandchildren.
95_Aggie
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
nvm

proceed with the whining ...
CS78
How long do you want to ignore this user?
75AG said:

Except WHY IS IT NECESSARY???
So the traffic engineers, TXDOT, city planners, I'm sure TTI, and some other important people can all say "look at our cool new super special intersection everyone" "We are the innovative leaders of progressive traffic design". Meanwhile ignoring the total disaster a mile down the road at Holleman/ 2818. Funny how there's no money for that cluster but there's money for this. Yes I drive both intersections at peak times and Stotzer/ 2818 is not near as bad.

carpe vinum
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
I think it's interesting, and hopefully proves that we can be smarter about existing infrastructure to move more cars than the alternative of huge expense to widen a bridge.
rc_cat
How long do you want to ignore this user?
CS78 said:

75AG said:

Except WHY IS IT NECESSARY???
So the traffic engineers, TXDOT, city planners, I'm sure TEEX, and some other important people can all say "look at our cool new super special intersection everyone" "We are the innovative leaders of progressive traffic design". Meanwhile ignoring the total disaster a mile down the road at Holleman/ 2818. Funny how there's no money for that cluster but there's money for this. Yes I drive both intersections at peak times and Stotzer/ 2818 is not near as bad.


Just about every Holleman intersection is an issue, but the one at 2818 is beyond due for resolution. All of 2818 needs fixed yesterday - and the way student housing keeps going up, it will soon be almost impossible to drive to or through campus.
Oogway
How long do you want to ignore this user?
They did have meetings about this so that people could provide input. I'll be honest and admit I didn't go.

As to why this project, weren't there some pretty bad accidents and that is one of the determining factors? Also, with the Rellis campus underway, perhaps they are trying to get the interchange completed before that traffic also becomes unmanageable?
carpe vinum
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
This goes a bit further into the "why/how"...

phatpat21
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Agreed. 2818 between Luther and Wellborn bridge is freaking awful.
birdman
How long do you want to ignore this user?
I think it looks great.

No way does this project get done in time or on budget. Double both of them.

This intersection stinks. There are lots of intersections in town that are much worse. I'm suspicious they picked this one because it has a bunch of leg room to build it.
redd38
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
carpe vinum said:

I think it's interesting, and hopefully proves that we can be smarter about existing infrastructure to move more cars than the alternative of huge expense to widen a bridge.


You don't consider this project a huge expense?
carpe vinum
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Of course it is, I'm talking about the concept of changing the way they look at traffic flow, and hopefully getting smarter about improving flow WITHOUT widening.

Several years ago Conoco Phillips developed an additive that increased pipeline flow something like 50%.
Without widening the pipeline they were able to increase the flow rate.

If there were a way to increase traffic flow by syncing lights, rearranging lane usage like here, what have you.
I'm interested to see how this works.
SCHTICK00
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Seems like a bandaid to me. It still won't improve traffic flow on 2818 and the issue with all the apartments. I so wish they'd pony up and connect 40 with 47 and get all that traffic off 2818 all together.
Look Out Below
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
I'm guessing they don't want the hard left turns going across 2818 after you go under the University overpass. As was mentioned earlier, there have been some fatal accidents there.

Having said that, and as was also mentioned before, there are far worse issues with 2818 -- pretty much everything from Bush/2818 to Holleman/2818 is a joke. That stretch needs to be three lanes yesterday.
Expert Analysis
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
http://www.kbtx.com/content/news/Nearly-27-million-being-dedicated-to-improving-FM-2818-415268373.html
They are working on that stretch of 2818 as well....

When they are done with these 2 areas on 2818 they are going to do the grade separation at bush/wellborn.
Stupe
How long do you want to ignore this user?
S
SCHTICK00 said:

Seems like a bandaid to me. It still won't improve traffic flow on 2818 and the issue with all the apartments. I so wish they'd pony up and connect 40 with 47 and get all that traffic off 2818 all together.

How would that even be possible?

75AG
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Go around Easterwood, the fireman's training center, take out a few houses, give some old land owners some money. And voila! Less traffic on 2818.
Stupe
How long do you want to ignore this user?
S
75AG said:

Go around Easterwood, the fireman's training center, take out a few houses, give some old land owners some money. And voila! Less traffic on 2818.
"Take out a few house"


1. The only place that you could start would be where 47 hits Welborn Rd
2. There aren't a "few houses" in the way, there are neighborhoods expensive house on land.
3. This is such a stupid and unrealistic idea that I can't believe that I'm actually having a discussion about it.
75AG
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Stupe said:

75AG said:

Go around Easterwood, the fireman's training center, take out a few houses, give some old land owners some money. And voila! Less traffic on 2818.
"Take out a few house"


1. The only place that you could start would be where 47 hits Welborn Rd
2. There aren't a "few houses" in the way, there are neighborhoods expensive house on land.
3. This is such a stupid and unrealistic idea that I can't believe that I'm actually having a discussion about it.
Stupid, unrealistic and sarcastic. Come on man.....
Stupe
How long do you want to ignore this user?
S
Been moving for three days. I think my sarcasm-o-meter is worn out with the rest of me.
Mathguy64
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
It could be a lot crazier than diamond traffic patterns. A lot crazier.

7 in 1 traffic circle
carpe vinum
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
PS3D
How long do you want to ignore this user?
It really makes a lot of sense and will be faster and safer. Before (assuming NB 2818 to WB FM 60), you had to sit in a turn lane (often at least 4-5 cars deep), make a left turn into 60+ MPH traffic, get on an on-ramp with deep ditches on either side, then you had to check if someone else wasn't heading from SB 2818, then finally you could turn onto 2818. With this, you can exit to the right (as normal), merge onto the road, changing lanes twice (in about 1500 feet, not like the stunts people are pulling on the frontage roads) and going through one stoplight to get to the airport exit.

In most "traditional" set-ups, you would have to go through two stoplights, one of which being a left turn.
75AG
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
I don't know much about traffic control. That said, 4 traffic lights would go in faster, cheaper, and could be controlled after football games. But like I said, I don't know nuthin.
TexasAggie_02
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
would a clover leaf work better here? Maybe there's not enough room for that?

The problem is that traffic at 5 backs up past research park bc people have to turn left across traffic to go south on 2818.

What if instead of turning left, you exited right on a clover leaf, that circled back around into the South bound lane?
SCHTICK00
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Rumor is there's not enough ROW for that. Would make more sense.
aggiepublius
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Not enough ROW for a cloverleaf. Add to that no ability to go raise any part of the intersection for a flyover and TXDOT had to look at the novel options.
LOYAL AG
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
If you've been through the interchange at HWY 21 and I-35 in San Marcos this is similar to what they did there and it's worked extremely well. The DDI website (yes an interchange design has it's own website) doesn't list that interchange I'm guessing because they didn't do it completely but that's the design from west bound 82 onto south bound 35 and into town. There's a full one at I-35 and RM 1431 in Round Rock that I think I've used as well. It really is a better design than what we have.
Last Page
Page 1 of 3
 
×
subscribe Verify your student status
See Subscription Benefits
Trial only available to users who have never subscribed or participated in a previous trial.