Three Rivers Region

[M4346]

Wow! Beautiful mountains! 

Looking forward to more! 

Regards,

Marius

EDIT: Yet another page! I pity the newcomers! Congrats!

[dedgren]

Transportation

  Overview:  As has already been noted ("You can't get to Kenora without changing canoes in Pineshore"), Three Rivers Region, following initial exploration, almost immediately became a significant transportation hub for the surrounding area.  Much of early Pineshore along the banks of the Grand River was given over to warehousing, as area fur trappers would bring by canoe, and later riverboat, their season's production, sell it, and leave laden with stores and supplies either locally produced or brought in from the Great Lakes up the Rainy River.  The physical remoteness of the area sharply limited overland travel and the transporting of goods much beyond the region in the early years.  The first rude roads, often of corduroy construction [linkie] due to the frequent low and swampy areas of the terrain, reached the area from Duluth in the late 1830s and were then extended on to the Red River Valley and Winnepeg in the 1840s.  Railroads reached Three Rivers Region in the 1850s, bringing a new era of economic growth along with a whole host of communicable diseases theretofore unknown to the region.  Rails quickly connected the region to the growing cities of the U.S. midwest and Canadian plains.  It is locally contended that poutine, an incomprehensible mixture of fried potatoes, gravy and cheese curds,



was invented in Pineshore in 1863 as a way of efficiently feeding hungry railroad crews and reducing the growing surplus of locally produced agricultural products.  Poutine was honored by being designated as the region's official convenience food in 1993 and is a main dish at all governmental functions where food is served.  The advent of the automobile increased Three Rivers Region's links with the heartland of North America, and truck and rail transport now surpass, but not by much, shipments of goods and commodities through 3RR's port city of Nelson, which, as noted, in 1970 became the westernmost terminus of the St. Lawrence Seaway System [linkie- please note that the Wikipedia article inexplicably fails to note this information].  Three Rivers Region International Airport has become a major hub for several airlines, and its airfreight capacity now rivals cities like Memphis, Tennessee.

The Three Rivers Region Department of Transportation ("3RRDOT"):  This department of the region's government has the mission of providing access to fast, safe and efficient means of transportation for the region's residents and to develop and facilitate the most productive use of the region's transportation infrastructure and other resources in support of business and commerce.  The department is further organized into four divisions:  Roads and Highways, Rail Transport, Ports and Waterways, and Air Transport Division.

      Roads and Highways Division.  This division is charged with responsibility for the planning, construction and maintenance of the region's roads and highways.


R-37 heads south toward the DeLong Mountains

The roads and highways under the purview of 3RRDOT are classified as follows:

1.  Freeways.  Freeways are limited-access divided highways intended to move large numbers of vehicles a) longer distances around the region; and b) into and out of the urbanized area of Pineshore and its suburbs.


F-78 west along the Wind River

Generally, the 3RR freeway system consists of radial "spokes" extending out from Pineshore's city center, an inner beltway encircling Pineshore's central business district, several urban "spurs," and two other "ring" roads around the city at about five and fifteen miles beyond the city limits (actually they each will extend, if ever fully completed, about three-quarters of the way around, with the other quarter being the Hotham Inlet).  The region's freeway system also connects with U.S. Interstate 98 (the "Rooftop Freeway") and the joint U.S.-Canadian "Duluth-Winnipeg Freeway", which in the 'states is signed as Interstate 41.  3RRDOT, as a courtesy to its neighbor, "dual-signs" its connecting freeways with the U.S Interstate shields.

   
   

Canada, of course, has never built its leg of this latter road.

3RR has about 120 miles/192 kilometers of completed freeways.  Many were built in the 1970s and 1980s, in particular the ones in Pineshore, and are in need of reconstruction to meet current capacity needs and to bring them to modern design standards.  Pineshore is also the site of the famous (or infamous, depending on your position) battle over the "Riverfront Freeway" along the western shore of the Grand River through a district of historic (or old, run-down and unsightly, again depending on your position) warehouses.  This link (unimportant or vital...your position, etc.) has been blocked for about 15 years but, in light of the current traffic congestion problems, resistance to the project (along with the warehouses themselves) appears to be crumbling.  If every mile of freeway planned by 3RRDOT was built, the system would total about 275 miles/440 kilometers in length.  Occasional governmental proposals to impose tolls on some freeway stretches to assist in raising funds to complete the system have led to impeachment, and sometimes worse...  Freeways run within a right-of-way of 200 to 300 feet/60 to 90 meters, with the smaller width usually being located in urbanized areas.  Generally, freeways have six lanes (three in either direction), but some rural mileage is only four lane (two in either direction).

The region's freeways are numbered with principal freeways being two digits- even numbers indicated freeways running primarily east-west and odd numbers are assigned to those running more-or-less north-south.

     

Beltways, spurs and ring freeways are assigned three-digit numbers, with the last two digits referring to the principal freeway with which the freeway in question is most closely associated.  Beltways and rings start with an even number, thus the "460 Freeway" is one of these two types designed mainly to serve as a bypass in connection with the "60 Freeway."  Spurs, on the other hand, start with odd numbers, thus the spur "117 Freeway" is the freeway branching off of the "17 Freeway" to serve the Three Rivers Region International Airport.  Much like U.S. Interstates are called "I" followed by the route number for short (e.g. "I-98," "I-41"), 3RR's freeways are called "F" followed by the route number.  Thus, the "60 Freeway" is generally referred to as "F-60."

2.  Primary Roads.  Primary roads are the region's main short-trip traffic carriers, although some serve as the principal highway to more remote areas of the region where traffic counts do not justify building a freeway.  By and large, each of 3RR's freeways replaced a corresponding primary road serving the same corridor, with the older route number then being "de-commissioned."  The primary roads that remain essentially feed long-trip traffic onto the freeways, and then again carries that traffic as it exits near its destination.  There are currently just over 400 miles/640 kilometers of roads in the primary road system.


R-31 crests Buck Ridge with Gunsight Mountain just across the 3RR/U.S. border in the distance

The legislation creating primary roads dates back to the 1920s, a time when the entire 3RRDOT was simply the "Bureau of Roads and Streets" and was run from two offices in one of those warehouses now threatened by the Waterfront Freeway.  It called for

• ...a system of improved two lane roads, each lane of which shall be no narrower than nine feet, laid out as much as possible on the grid of existing rural roads, with no more than five miles to separate any two parallel primary roads.  Primary roads shall be constructed on a right-of-way no less than 50 feet in width.  The north-south primary roads shall be odd-numbered in one or two digits, with lower numbered routes beginning in the east of the region, and the east-west primary roads shall be even-numbered in one or two digits with lower-numbered routes beginning in the north of the region.  A primary road that is subordinate to another, such as one providing a route into a town or a cut-off shortening a round about distance, shall be three digits, with an odd number being the first digit, and with the controlling primary route's number being the last one or two digits, and with the middle digit being filled with "0" as necessary...

Here are two primary road route shields in use in the region.

     

All primary roads in 3RR are paved, and have between two and six lanes.  Several are divided and limited access and, except for the route number, indistinguishable from 3RR's freeways.  This is easier to understand when you know that every limited access highway in 3RR "signed" as a primary road has a "secret" "F" number, and is actually part of the freeway system.  This is done for no other reason than to rationalize the route numbering system, and not as part of some "black helicopter" conspiracy, as is believed by some less enlightened residents.

Currently, most two and three lane primary roads are located on 150 foot/48 meter wide rights-of-way, except in urban areas where the ROW generally remains 50 feet/16 meters.  New four and five lane roads are constructed on 200 foot/64 meter wide ROWs.  All divided primary roads, whether limited access or not, are on 300 foot/96 meter ROWs.  It is the policy of 3RRDOT that rights-of-way are kept clear of trees, brush and other obstructions, but clearing programs frequently lag behind Mother Nature's unlimited budget.

The major 3RR primary roads link up with Manitoba and Ontario's provincial and Minnesota state highway systems.  To the northwest, a 3RR primary road connects to Manitoba Route 12.

As for Ontario, the connection is to King's Highway 44

which, interestingly enough, does not connect to any other Ontario highway, as it crosses the border west into Manitoba as its way further north is barred by Lake of the Woods.  On the U.S. side, no federal highway reaches the border with Minnesota.  It is reached, though, by state route 11

which heads east to the border towns of International Falls [linkie] and Fort Frances [linkie], and west to the North Dakota border at the Red River of the North [linkie].  As Minnesota Route 11 would be a through route but for 3RR. it is "dual-signed" with R-52 and "To" signs across the region.

3.  Secondary Roads.  Secondary roads are the region's local rural traffic carriers.  There are no secondary roads within the city limits of Pineshore, which has the responsibility under its charter for maintaining all streets and roads that are not in the freeway and primary systems.  Secondary roads are two lanes wide, may be paved or simply "improved" (chip seal, tarred, or graded and compacted gravel are all common) and are built, with a few wider exceptions, on 50 foot/16 meter wide rights-of-way.


S-527 crosses the prairie headed toward the Southern Range


S-546 just south of Low Light Hills

Secondary road numbers are three digits long and always begin with "5."  Odd-numbered secondary roads run north and south, running from lower to higher across the region from west to east.  Even-numbered secondary roads run east and west, running from lower to higher across the region from north to south.  Here are two secondary road route shields from the region.

     

There are about 1,100 miles (1,760 kilometers) of secondary roads in Three Rivers Region.

4.  Bridges and Tunnels.  The 3RRDOT also has the responsibility for the design and construction, and repair, maintenance and inspection of the region's 923 freeway and road bridges and 5 land and water tunnels.


R-22 crosses Two Moon Creek heading west

These bridges range from the mile-long (including approaches) cable-stayed F-60 bridge across the East Channel to numerous short iron truss spans over creeks and streams built in the late 1800s and early 1900s.


S-511 crosses Hay Flats Creek

The region has three mountain and two underwater road and highway tunnels.  One alternative proposed as a resolution of the Riverfront Freeway controversy is the "Little Dig," which would put a little less than a mile of the new freeway underground.  Cost estimates, though, exceed the amount of 3RRDOT's total budget over the next 10 years.

      Rail Transport Division.  This division is charged with... [future update]

      Ports and Waterways.  This division is charged with... [future update]

      Air Transport.  This division is charged with... [future update]

[Rayden]

I could stare all day to that photo above

[Cali]

i wonder if it would be possible to create light poles like the ones above...those are cool.

[dedgren]

i wonder if it would be possible to create light poles like the ones above

No Jay (cali), I can answer that one for a fact.  It's not possible...

...because that's not a light pole!

In certain high snowdrift locations in 3RR (and up here where I live in Alaska, too) the DOT puts up these poles every hundred feet or so to guide the snowplows.  The end of the horizontal portion of the pole marks the outward edge of the shoulder surface that can be plowed out to.  There is reflective tape on the upper vertical part of the pole and out at the end of the horizontal portion because plowing is frequently done under low light or nighttime conditions.

I've seen these completely drifted over!

I'd love to have them available in the game, though- I'm with you on that.


David

[Cali]

ok

[Gaston]

No Jay (cali), I can answer that one for a fact.  It's not possible...

...because that's not a light pole!

In certain high snowdrift locations in 3RR (and up here where I live in Alaska, too) the DOT puts up these poles every hundred feet or so to guide the snowplows.  The end of the horizontal portion of the pole marks the outward edge of the shoulder surface that can be plowed out to.  There is reflective tape on the upper vertical part of the pole and out at the end of the horizontal portion because plowing is frequently done under low light or nighttime conditions.

I've seen these completely drifted over!

I'd love to have them available in the game, though- I'm with you on that.


David

SNOW DRIFTS !!!!!!!!! How tall are those?     They look like 20+ feet (approx 6-7 m).      I knew the snow got high there but I never realized it was THAT FREAKIN high.   LOL     BTW, Kool pics David.


---Gaston

[thundercrack83]

Great update, David! I love the introduction to 3RR's transportation, I can't wait to see how all the roads are placed on the map according to your description. Keep up the good work!

[Pat]

Wow David,
as usal fantastic work and so many wonderful updates since the last time i came threw the neighborhood.
i do say that dish looks mouthwatering since there are curds involved mmmmmmmmm chesse curds.
i do love the streams waterfall you had a few post back, that was simply amazing.
well untill i come back to the region will see ya's again soon. - pat

[Darmok]

Hey David...
Yep it's me.... **cough cough** -removing dust...- I know, I know, I don't stop often...
yeah you lazy bum...
Hey that's enough!!!
well you deserve it
enough already! (that conscience is getting annoying...)....
Were was I, yeah... well anyhow, loved what you've done so far, can't wait to see more of those new rapids you're working on! looking awesome!
The water flora is simply so well done it's beautiful!
About the "snow poles", we don't have those here, but if I may tell an anecdote, I remember that I often had to shovel in front of the windows on the west side of the house because the snow had piled up to the roof! One winter one of my uncles had parked his caravan in our backyard for the winter, and we had to put some stakes around were it was so the snowmobiles would not run over it, there was about ten to eleven feet of snow accumulated on the terrain!
But I must say that it has not happened since 1983 or 84 the last time... global warming I guess.. 

Anyhow, back to the present, great work my friend.

Take care, and salutations to your family!

-John

[jestarr]

I've been following your MD with much interest.  You're doing some amazing things.  On the subject of the snow markers, would this be of interest to you?  I did this very quickly (while the boss's back was turned).   Cheers!

[dedgren]

Jestarr, my friend- you are beyond cool.

The scale on the marker poles looks just about perfect.  My guess, after seeing Al's (Gaston) comment, was about 10 feet/three meters tall.  I'd already made myself a note to take a tape measure in my glovebox the next time I traveled out that way- it looks like you nailed it, though.

Okay, now to put them on a no-texture lot and make a crufty-looking seasonal snow berm prop to simulate the plowed snow along the roadside.  There's just no end, is there?  That's just a fine-looking effort in an amazingly short time.

Fan-tastic!  Thanks again.


David

p.s.  Here, btw, is the companion pic to the original.  I didn't use it because it did not show the marker poles to such good effect as in the other.



Enjoy!  DE

[jestarr]

OK, the no texture lot isn't a problem.  The snow berm, to look realistic, may take a little longer (need to find a dirtyish snow texture).    I'll work on it during lunch.

[meldolion]

Just found this photo of Anckorage...



Have a good Day David!!!!

Mine is just finishing....

[thundercrack83]

Wow, jestarr! That is some fantastic work you did there! Those snowdrift poles (is that the correct term?) look exactly like the real thing. Great job! I can't wait to see them incorporated into 3RR!

[Rayden]

Nice work jestarr, is it this time we'll have some ploppable snow available

[Cali]

yeah, now i know what they are..lol, now we just need to get some snow there. awesome work

[Travis]

Hey David,

Those snow markers look really cool. I'd love to see how you use them in 3RR.
Those highway signs look nice as well, did you make them yourself? 

      Oh, and you said something about temperatures that are -30 Fahrenheit? I've been
in below-zero temperatures before (not in Florida though !) ,but -30!

Take care (and stay warm )

[joelevan]

OK, the no texture lot isn't a problem.  The snow berm, to look realistic, may take a little longer (need to find a dirtyish snow texture).    I'll work on it during lunch.

Make sure it is JUST dirt and not...well...yellow. 

[Gaston]

Jestarr,
    Outstanding work.   I love it.    Amazing.


---Gaston