Vermont

sl8

(16,245 posts) Fri May 17, 2024, 06:31 PM May 2024

Notch Road barriers fail to stop tractor-trailer (updated)

When I heard that the the Notch Road was opened a couple of days ago, I wondered how many days until there was an incident. At least this one didn't get stuck.

https://www.wcax.com/2024/05/16/notch-road-barriers-fail-stop-tractor-trailer/
(0:46 min. video at link)

Notch Road barriers fail to stop tractor-trailer

By WCAX News Team
Published: May. 16, 2024 at 2:40 PM EDT|Updated: May. 16, 2024 at 2:57 PM EDT

CAMBRIDGE, Vt. (WCAX) - Just two days after opening, a tractor-trailer has skirted new barriers to stop truck traffic on the Notch Road.

It happened Thursday morning on the Cambridge side of Route 108. VTrans officials say that just before 11:30 a.m. the driver of a big rig used the left lane to avoid the new chicanes installed this month. Instead of getting stuck on the narrow road, they ended up using one of the new parking areas to turn around.

In the past, several trucks and buses per year have gotten stuck on the road despite numerous warning signs and expensive fines.

VTrans says their engineering team is considering options to address the use of the left-hand lane.

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https://www.wcax.com/2024/05/17/vtrans-officials-still-bullish-notch-road-barriers/
(1:15 min. video at link)

VTrans officials still bullish on Notch Road barriers

By WCAX News Team
Published: May. 17, 2024 at 3:55 PM EDT|Updated: 4 hours ago

CAMBRIDGE, Vt. (WCAX) - VTrans officials say they still have confidence in new barriers meant to discourage large trucks from using the Notch Road.

It comes after a tractor-trailer driver on Thursday morning easily skirted the recently installed chicanes on the Cambridge side by using the left lane.

VTrans officials were out Friday assessing what other possible road markings or signage they could add to make it clearer to truckers. They say the point of the temporary barriers is to see what works and what doesn’t.

“I honestly think it’s an anomaly. I think that we have some work to do in our assessment because maybe there are ways that we can improve the signage and markings there. As far as I’m concerned, it’s very well-engineered. I think that just some people, some drivers, can get impatient and disregard and say, ‘Nah, I can make it through, I’m a good driver,’” said VTrans’ Todd Sears.

[...]

3 replies

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Highlight:

Notch Road barriers fail to stop tractor-trailer (updated) (Original Post) sl8 May 2024 OP

Those tractor-trailer drivers are nothing but persistent, and usually not too bright. erronis May 2024 #1

What is a chicane? getagrip_already May 2024 #2

Until recently, I'd only heard the term used in racing contexts. sl8 May 2024 #3

erronis

(16,825 posts)

1. Those tractor-trailer drivers are nothing but persistent, and usually not too bright.

Reply to sl8 (Original post)

Fri May 17, 2024, 06:35 PM

May 2024

We drive through the Notch several times a year. Some people working/living on either side use it twice daily. Having one of these rigs stuck in there is a real PITA.

I'd guess the $2,400 fine wouldn't apply to this particular driver/incident.

getagrip_already

(17,430 posts)

2. What is a chicane?

Reply to sl8 (Original post)

Fri May 17, 2024, 06:41 PM

May 2024

sl8

(16,245 posts)

3. Until recently, I'd only heard the term used in racing contexts.

Reply to getagrip_already (Reply #2)

Fri May 17, 2024, 06:50 PM

May 2024

But the traffic control chicanes are similar. Basically, something in the road/track design to make the vehicle swerve back and forth, by making the road very winding, adding barriers, etc..

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicane

[...]

Traffic calming

Chicanes are a type of "horizontal deflection" used in traffic calming schemes to reduce the speed of traffic. Drivers are expected to reduce speed to negotiate the lateral displacement in the vehicle path.[4] There are several variations of traffic-calming chicanes, but they generally fall into one of two broad categories:

Single-lane working chicanes, which consist of staggered build-outs, narrowing the road so that traffic in one direction has to give way to opposing traffic

Two-way working chicanes, which use build-outs to provide deflection, but with lanes separated by road markings or a central island.

Limited accident data for chicane schemes indicate changes in injury accidents (range from −54% to +32%) and accident severity.[clarification needed][5][6]

Chicanes can also be used to prevent access to certain vehicles. The Vermont Agency of Transportation has considered adding chicanes to Route 108 in Stowe and Cambridge to prevent the passage of tractor-trailers, which often get stuck further up the road.[7]

[...]

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