how Ya'll like the new "Kink" on I-40?

steve remchak · **Posted:** Wed Dec 22, 2010 9:55 pm

i actually think there are two but the one on 40E is worse than the westbound configuration.

i'm hoping these are temporary untill the re-paving is completed, but damn they are scary. especially in the 26ft Penske i was driving yesterday. had i not been thru there previously i might not have slowed enough to make the turn.

coming off the 40E bridge after the Wade avenue split i suspect a well driven car could easily get enough air to land in the oncoming lanes.

anyone else notice this?

DickRasmussen · **Posted:** Wed Dec 22, 2010 11:20 pm

Steve,

It is temporary! I commute that area every day west to east AM, east to west PM. The final config will be 3 lanes in each direction between Wade and 1 after they finish improvements to the original lanes and shoulders next spring. There will be a final top coat of asphalt according to the news report.

JohnByers · **Posted:** Wed Dec 22, 2010 11:33 pm

is this the type of kink that is liable to cause you commuters cause for delays due to the normal idiot drivers up there?

<--- fully aware wilmington is full of idiotic drivers as well.

DickRasmussen · **Posted:** Thu Dec 23, 2010 8:38 am

Apparently it isn't too bad. I've been side by side with semi's both directions with no issue other than paying close attention and wishing I wasn't next to them. :lol:

As for causing delays, that stretch of 40 east or west has so many delays and wrecks that the kink is just another factor until the new lane project is complete.

FYI I see blatant tailgating through that stretch all the time. Yesterday it was a state trooper first on my tail and then even closer to the cars in front of me after I moved. Like a car length at 70 plus. I'm surprised there aren't more wrecks.

The Jump area was the site of a fatal wreck a couple of years ago. A drunk (who passed me about a mile prior) went straight heading east in the morning, crossed the median, and killed an oncoming driver on 40W.

KendtEklund · **Joined:** Tue Mar 27, 2007 7:29 pm **Posts:** 1204

steve remchak wrote:

coming off the 40E bridge after the Wade avenue split i suspect a well driven car could easily get enough air to land in the oncoming lanes.

anyone else notice this?

Steve, is that you?

Les Davis · **Joined:** Fri Aug 29, 2003 2:04 pm **Posts:** 2059

I was shocked when I learned that they were only widening the road to six lanes. It is beyond comprehension to me why they wouldn't just bump it to eight while they are going through the trouble and expense. They are even setting everything up for an eventual upgrade to eight lanes so they can cause traffic jams for a year again at some point down the road. If you look at it right now there is basically enough pavement already for eight lanes so its just a matter of painting the right lines. Stupid.

RobLupella · **Posted:** Thu Dec 23, 2010 10:43 pm

Les Davis wrote:

I was shocked when I learned that they were only widening the road to six lanes. It is beyond comprehension to me why they wouldn't just bump it to eight while they are going through the trouble and expense. They are even setting everything up for an eventual upgrade to eight lanes so they can cause traffic jams for a year again at some point down the road. If you look at it right now there is basically enough pavement already for eight lanes so its just a matter of painting the right lines. Stupid.

Stupid = DOT. These are the same genius' that thought we only needed one lane off 540 onto I40W and now have to add more at increased expense. Or that didn't know that you can't bond concrete and asphalt, or that thought that 2 inches of asphalt is enough for a highway, or ......

Gwen Habenicht · **Posted:** Thu Dec 23, 2010 11:01 pm

RobLupella wrote:

Les Davis wrote:

I was shocked when I learned that they were only widening the road to six lanes. It is beyond comprehension to me why they wouldn't just bump it to eight while they are going through the trouble and expense. They are even setting everything up for an eventual upgrade to eight lanes so they can cause traffic jams for a year again at some point down the road. If you look at it right now there is basically enough pavement already for eight lanes so its just a matter of painting the right lines. Stupid.

Stupid = DOT. These are the same genius' that thought we only needed one lane off 540 onto I40W and now have to add more at increased expense. Or that didn't know that you can't bond concrete and asphalt, or that thought that 2 inches of asphalt is enough for a highway, or ......

Or thought that 2 lanes were enough at the US 1, I-40 intersection. What were they thinking?

JohnByers · **Posted:** Thu Dec 23, 2010 11:01 pm

I am convinced the lackeys that graduate with an engineering degree at the bottom of their class go to work for NC DOT

DickRasmussen · **Posted:** Thu Dec 23, 2010 11:09 pm

Les Davis wrote:

I was shocked when I learned that they were only widening the road to six lanes. It is beyond comprehension to me why they wouldn't just bump it to eight while they are going through the trouble and expense. They are even setting everything up for an eventual upgrade to eight lanes so they can cause traffic jams for a year again at some point down the road. If you look at it right now there is basically enough pavement already for eight lanes so its just a matter of painting the right lines. Stupid.

Another one of those wonderful things that require more taxes to pay for them. It will be very interesting to watch the battles locally and nationally over what to cut and what to keep.

I doubt that the engineers get to make most of the decisions regarding how many lanes. That kind of stuff is WAY above their pay grade.

I doubt there is enough room on the overpasses for another full lane with any sort of shoulder.

Frank Catena · **Joined:** Wed Aug 27, 2003 1:08 pm **Posts:** 418

Not to defend DOT, but the original design was for eight lanes. Budget cuts nixed that, but it was built in a manner to ease the expansion (i.e. inside shoulders are built to road standards, not shoulder standards, etc)

Frank

Graham Jagger · **Joined:** Fri Aug 29, 2003 12:53 am **Posts:** 1718

RobLupella wrote:

Stupid = DOT. These are the same genius' that thought we only needed one lane off 540 onto I40W and now have to add more at increased expense.

Actually it was 1 lane servicing the entry to I40E and I40W. Causing a morning cluster #$%& ever day. Even the merge with incoming traffic onto I40E is scary...

They just opened the new and improved widened exit from 540-40. So far I haven't been caught up in a traffic mess with it. As long as 40 is flowing this might work... Otherwise I'll be back to using the airport exit to get away from this mess.

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