Traffic Alert: Flooding and Construction Closes Roads on Florida I-395 and I-95
Widespread flooding in South Florida is making the Halloween commute a difficult one. Drivers are cautioned to take it slow and be prepared for major delays.
A toll On Arizona I-15 Near Virgin River Gorge?
If the stretch of I-15 that passes through the scenic and winding Virgin River Gorge in Arizona is as bad as Arizona…
Fourth Lane To Open On South Ohio I-75 As Construction Continues
Motorists traveling north on Interstate 75 from Middletown to south of Dayton this winter can expect to travel in three tight lanes as construction continues on the multi-million dollar project.Construction to expand the highway, which began in 2008, to four lanes and build expanded bridges is on schedule, according to Sharon Smigielski, spokeswoman for the Ohio Department of Transportation’s …
Traffic Alert: Weekend Closures on Ohio I-90
The Ohio Department of Transportation announced Friday road closures impacted by the Innerbelt Bridge construction project.
Maryland Toll Hikes Coming Tuesday
The first phase of the largest package of toll increases in Maryland’s history will take effect at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday as the bill comes due for two mega-projects and the state transportation system’s aging infrastructure.
The increases were approved by the board of The Maryland Transportation Authority in September after a series of public hearings led to some modifications in the original plan but only minor changes in its overall scope.
Getting There is interested in hearing from users of the states’ various toll facilities about how the increases will affect them — in their commuting, in personal travel or in doing business. Please email michael.dresser@baltsun.com and include a phone number where you can be reached.
The increases will affect each of the state’s seven fully opened toll facilities with fixed basic rates. Only the Intercounty Connector, a partly opened toll road that uses a variable pricing scheme bases on traffic levels, is exempt. They are the first changes to the tolls paid by passenger vehicles since 2003, though truckers absorbed a round of increases in 2009.
At the three Baltimore Harbor crossings – the Harbor Tunnel, Fort McHenry Tunnel and the Key Bridge – drivers will pay a $3 cash rate each way instead of the $2 they’ve been kicking in since 2003.
On the John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway, as Interstate 95 northeast of Baltimore is known, the basic northbound toll will rise from $5 to $6. At the Thomas J. Hatem Memorial Bridge, which crosses the Susquehanna River on U.S. 40 as it parallels I-95, the same rate will apply.
On the Bay Bridge, where the $2.50 toll had been frozen in place since the 1970s, motorists’ luck will run out Tuesday. The rate will go up to $4 – collected eastbound only — at least sparing drivers the ordeal of fumbling with change. In Southern Maryland, users of the Gov. Harry W. Nice Memorial Bridge will pay a like sum, instead of the previous $3, to make the southbound Potomac River crossing.
Truckers will absorb some of the largest hikes, but the board gave them a two-month reprieve. The higher truck tolls will not go into effect untill Jan. 1 so that trucking companies on year-to-year contracts have a chance to renegotiate rates with shippers to reflect the increases.
Tuesday’s increases will be followed by a second round in July 2013 that will push the cost of a round trip at the Harbor crossings, the Kennedy Highway and the Hatem to $8. The increases at the Bay and Nice Bridges will be held to $6 because the authority board decided an earlier plan to more than double the tolls at the two spans was too much too soon.
The increases are being driven largely by the need to repay bonds issued for two giant projects the state embarked on during the last decade — the $2.6 billion ICC and the $1 billion Express Toll Lanes project on I-95. Also contributing to the need for revenue is the need to maintain the aging infrastructure of the toll facilities, which include two bridges that date to 1940 and a span of the Bay Bridge that is almost 60 years old.
Construction Work to Affect I-80 Access West of Lincoln
Construction work on the eastbound ramps of I-80 will require closures the week of October 31, according to the Nebraska Department of Roads (NDOR).
Higher Maryland Tolls Begin November 1
Ready to pay more to use Maryland’s toll bridges and tunnels starting Nov. 1?
Post staff writer Katherine Shaver would like to hear from motorists who will be most affected, particularly those who use the Bay Bridge, Nice Bridge or another toll facility for their daily commute or other frequent use. (Tolls on the Intercounty Connector aren’t affected except for a new “video toll rate” that will replace the $3 fee for motorists who don’t have E-ZPass transponders. In most cases, the new video toll rate will be less than $3.)
Delaware DMV to Offer Free Transponder for New E-ZPass Accounts
Dover — Holiday travel can be a hassle with crowds and weather, but you can make one part of your trip easier. The Delaware Department of Transportation’s (DelDOT) Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) is pleased to announce that beginning on Tuesday, November 1, anyone opening a new E-ZPass account will receive a free transponder for their vehicle, which usually costs $25. “E-ZPass is an effective year-round tool that can be used to make travel in Delaware and around the region easier and more convenient, in addition to the ability to use the highway speed E-ZPass lanes” said DMV Director Jennifer Cohan. [More]
I-95 Gas Price Update – Thursday, October 27, 2011
Gas prices along I-95 are hovering a few cents up and down this week, but essentially holding steady. The highest gas prices along I-95 continue to be in Connecticut, in the $3.65 to $3.80 range. The lowest gas prices are showing up in Ashland, Virginia($3.27), and Santee ($3.27), South Carolina. From Virginia south, gas prices are generally in the $3.30 to $3.45 range.
Listed below are the average posted gas prices as of Thursday, October 27, 2011 for unleaded regular gas at selected I-95 exit cities.
Check out "The I-95 Exit Guide, iPhone and Android editions". All you’ll need is 99 cents and you’ll have an app that lists exit services for the entire length of I-95 from Canada to Miami, Florida… including these gas price updates! You’ll have to act quick though… that special price is introductory and available for a limited time. It also makes a great gift!
Here’s a link to more info and to order: http://i95exitguide.com/mobile/
| Houlton, ME | :$3.68/gal | Springfield, VA | :$3.47/gal | |
| Bangor, ME | :$3.54/gal | Dumfries, VA | :$3.44/gal | |
| Augusta, ME | :$3.53/gal | Fredericksburg, VA | :$3.43/gal | |
| Portland, ME | :$3.52/gal | Ashland, VA | :$3.27/gal | |
| Portsmouth, NH | :$3.42/gal | Richmond, VA | :$3.30/gal | |
| Seabrook, NH | :$3.50/gal | Petersburg, VA | :$3.30/gal | |
| Danvers, MA | :$3.47/gal | Emporia, VA | :$3.34/gal | |
| Dedham, MA | :$3.48/gal | Roanoke Rapids, NC | :$3.42/gal | |
| Mansfield, MA | :$3.48/gal | Wilson, NC | :$3.43/gal | |
| Attleboro, MA | :$3.52/gal | Selma, NC | :$3.40/gal | |
| Pawtucket, RI | :$3.52/gal | Fayetteville, NC | :$3.44/gal | |
| Providence, RI | :$3.52/gal | Lumberton, NC | :$3.39/gal | |
| Warwick, RI | :$3.52/gal | Rowland, NC | :$3.37/gal | |
| Wyoming, RI | :$3.55/gal | Dillon, SC | :$3.38/gal | |
| New London, CT | :$3.65/gal | Florence, SC | :$3.28/gal | |
| New Haven, CT | :$3.80/gal | Manning, SC | :$3.28/gal | |
| Bridgeport, CT | :$3.75/gal | Santee, SC | :$3.27/gal | |
| Greenwich, CT | :$3.75/gal | Walterboro, SC | :$3.32/gal | |
| Rye, NY | :$3.77/gal | Savannah, GA | :$3.37/gal | |
| New Rochelle, NY | :$3.62/gal | Richmond Hill, GA | :$3.43/gal | |
| Bronx, NY | :$3.65/gal | Darien, GA | :$3.43/gal | |
| Secaucus, NJ | :$3.63/gal | Brunswick, GA | :$3.45/gal | |
| Woodbridge, NJ | :$3.52/gal | Woodbine, GA | :$3.41/gal | |
| East Brunswick, NJ | :$3.44/gal | Kingsland, GA | :$3.42/gal | |
| Bordentown, NJ | :$3.39/gal | Yulee, FL | :$3.43/gal | |
| Cherry Hill, NJ | :$3.41/gal | Jacksonville, FL | :$3.42/gal | |
| Penns Grove, NJ | :$3.43/gal | Saint Augustine, FL | :$3.42/gal | |
| Wilmington, DE | :$3.46/gal | Palm Coast, FL | :$3.45/gal | |
| Newark, DE | :$3.40/gal | Daytona Beach, FL | :$3.47/gal | |
| Elkton, MD | :$3.44/gal | Orlando, FL | :$3.43/gal | |
| Perryville, MD | :$3.40/gal | Cocoa, FL | :$3.44/gal | |
| Aberdeen, MD | :$3.40/gal | Palm Bay, FL | :$3.45/gal | |
| White Marsh, MD | :$3.40/gal | Fort Pierce, FL | :$3.49/gal | |
| Baltimore, MD | :$3.49/gal | Cape Coral, FL | :$3.46/gal | |
| Greenbelt, MD | :$3.43/gal | West Palm Beach, FL | :$3.53/gal | |
| District Heights, MD | :$3.45/gal | Miami, FL | :$3.55/gal |
For more I-95 information, visit www.i95exitguide.com, the Internet’s largest and most complete website devoted to America’s Interstate Main Street. Detailed exit service listings… lodging, camping, food, gas and more for every exit from Maine to Florida!
I-95 Fall Foliage Report – Thursday, October 27, 2011
Foliage season extends from September to November across the country. There’s still time to plan that perfect fall foliage drive! The I-95 Exit Guide website has a great interactive map that you can use for your next trip. East Coast I-95 travelers will find peak conditions are still available in the northeast…