architect77

Please, please someone post some photos of the new Hillsborough St. That's my old stomping ground, and I'm very eager to see the new streetscape....thx.

1) I often read about Raleigh having two loops while Charlotte doesn't even one completed. But in North Carolina, no two loops are the same and size does matter, lol. 2) Here is my take on NC's highway infrastructure. Historically the state has always been rural in nature, with practically every square mile inhabited for many decades. I believe all the state's residents are entitled to benefit from a lifetime of paying some of the highest gas taxes in the nation. Now keep in mind I'm only playing the devil's advocate so don't get angry, but Charlotte's recent extreme growth shouldn't result in the siphoning away of the rest of the state's funds. I almost cringe when I read comments suggesting that the rest of the state is bumblef*ck except for Charlotte. In fact, very few states if any have a more evenly-distributed population than NC. It ranks 2nd only to Pennsylvania in rural population. (Not sure whether in percentage or total no.) Fayetteville's immediate close-in population is over 312,000 residents, so I think starting on a loop for them is justified. Of course, all of you acknowledge that the state has attempted to bring prosperity to impoverished areas by building roads. It probably has both succeeded and failed in different areas. I agree the equity formula sucks, and I predict NCDOT will soon modify how funds are allocated. The most ridiculous project I've seen from the current formula was when my friend from Henderson, NC (pop. around 20k) took me for a drive on Henderson's loop! It's only a couple of miles and might just be a bypass tho. Charlotte is a metropolis in nature and pulls commuters from a bigger swath of surrounding counties than other cities in the state. So, yes its highways are more strained and therefore deserve a lot more attention. I believe the problem lies in NCDOT having to maintain all 80,000 miles of the state's roads. I don't think most states are like this.

1)I think Charlotte needs to remove all of those freeway dedication names from overhead signage. It would be ok, perhaps, if those routes continued for long distances (i.e. "San Diego Freeway", but huge overheads giving I-485's each direction a different name is ridiculous. 2)The Brookshire Fwy/Brookshire Blvd. overheads are confusing to a non-resident like me. 3) While I agree 100% that Charlotte deserves more money and support from Raleigh, could someone please acknowledge that (a) I-485 already forms as much of a "loop" as Raleigh's Beltline, which is merely an old bypass attached to an interstate, (b) I-485's completed mileage exceeds that of Raleigh's I-440 and (currently completed portion of) I-540 combined, c) Raleigh doesn't have any hwy lighting, (d) Charlotte area has far greater mileage of widened hwys (I-85 for example), and (e) Charlotte will have two 4-level stack interchanges and none are even planned for "Rawleigh"? 4)Recent highway widening projects in Charlotte erected new signage not quite meeting NCDOT's typically very high standards. Here are a few examples: 2 sizes of type and non-matching border around yellow and green sections, slight camber to gantry. distances are much smaller than they're supposed to be. Awful camber in this gantry.

I apologize if this is old news, but here is the architectural firm that has been commissioned to design NC State's new library on Centennial Campus. I don't care for much of their work, however I think this particular project is way cool: http://www.snoarc.no/#/projects/27/false/culture/image/669/

I'm sorry but I disagree. "North Carolina" has far more cachet than the technically "small city" designated city of Raleigh, or Durham for that matter. I live in New York, and if ever on an elevator or somewhere where people are asking where each other is from, I always blurt out that I'm from North Carolina, and instantly I attain almost celebrity status. North Carolina may be inherently rural (I know, I'm from Louisburg), but the state as a whole is regarded as one of the best and most beautiful in the country. Charlotte has mistakenly decided to try to separate itself from NC in its "Charlotte, USA" promotional campaign, but I've lived in CA, GA, MA and now NY and I have a pretty good idea of how highly regarded NC is, and therfore I would attach the name to any and everything I could. My pet peeve is when people overly associate South Carolina with North Carolina, because NC is in the same league with FL, CA and other top states, and no offense, but SC is not.

I have eveyone's comments and have learned things that i did not know. Here is what i understood to be true, and i am not trying to contradict anyone: 1) If additional depth between the roadway and the tarmac/apron was absolutely necessary, terminal A could be extended above the roadway resulting in some sort of tunnel for vehicular traffic. 2) many airport of metro areas comparable to the triangle have only 1 runway today. Charlotte has much more daily traffic that it handles with 2 parallel runways. Is the intersecting runway ever used? Atlanta's 1,300 daily flights or so were accomodated with only 4 runways until their 5th opened last year. I say all of this because I cannot imagine RDU ever needing a third runway. And as far their distance to one another, they do handle simultaneous take-offs and landings and years ago you often saw American MD-80's land in pairs all the time over I-40. 3) I don't see why having separate terminal buildings is seen as bad planning. Almost every airport in the country has terminals that are entirely separate entities. 4) If wind or weather conditions never affect landing ability on RDU's two parallel runways, why would orienting a third one in a different direction be necessary?

Regardless of Terminal A's eventual fate, I have faith in the RDU Authority to make the right choices. As someone mentioned, they completely changed their expansion plans from a $1 Billion new Terminal A back in 2000 that was to be a huge trapezoidal building with 45 gates or so, to the new one now being built. So they are capable of surprising all of us. I drove an airport shuttle back in 1989 for the North Raleigh Hilton while they were building the complex array of roads around RDU, and I think they have done an excellent job with the entire complex. You want to talk ugly, there used to be an old two story brick Motel across the road from Terminal A. Unless some people posting here actually work for the airport authority, I doubt any of us can accurate predict the fate of Terminal A. I spent two years with HOK working on Boston Logan's new Delta teminal. The protocol for terminals today includes a high percentage of retail space, and along with changes in security, baggage handling etc, trends also affect how terminals are built and what ammenities are offered. This is why I predicted that Terminal A would not be renovated but rather demolished. But I could be wrong. I do not agree that Terminal A is well laid out however, primarily due to wayfinding. Passengers should instinctively know how to progress through a building without much signage. Just remembering those escalators that require a 180 degree turn from ticketing and that are't even visible to deplaning passengers tells me that this is not a very functional building. Just my two cents.

I predict that after completion of terminal C/ 1....for a while it will be able to accomodate all airlines and Terminal A will be demolished and whatever is then needed will be built new. Renovating a former airplane hanger with a cheap temporary extension concourse does not make any sense. For any geeks out there.... you can listen to RDU air traffic control live online. http://www.liveatc.net/topfeeds.php RDU is under Class C airports

WHY NOT EXTEND ONE OF THE EXISTING NAMES ALONG THE THOROUGHFARE? A familiar name is preserved and it would take all of 3 seconds for Charlotteans to process the change. Navigation by street names would then actually be feasible! In tree-filled cities with curvalinear street patterns, the names of streets become ever more important. BTW, Charlotte has great street names: Freedom Dr., Independence, Tryon, Lasalle, etc. (much better than Atlanta's Buford Hwy) Let me be jokingly mean for a minute:).....An important artery with abrubtly changing names is idiotic...and I'll would bet that 95% of every resident of every city in the world would agree. Look at how all interstates use "control cities" for their signage. (I love how I-95 in Virginia used to be labeled: Miami....Who cares if it's over 1000 miles away.) OK keep your "uptown". I personally don't like it-to me it's either a directional adjective like here in NYC, or it's a slang insult for pretentiousness.

Does anyone else agree with me when i say: Charlotte REALLY NEEDS to rename its major thoroughfares that suffer from multiple street names>People navigating a large city shouldn"t have to learn nor cherish the quirks of yesterday>it makes NC look backwards> Raleigh seems proactive as they renamed "capital blvd" which once was "north blvd" and changed "old wake forest road" to just "wake forest road" obviously this was to lesson confusion with the influx of new residents> ALSO get rid of the politician"s dedications on the freeway signs> charlotte has different names for each direction of the same highway> looks small_town i know the story behind the changing street names>>>each neighborhood didn"t want to lose its mailing identity but now it"s an issue for the greater good> Anyone else agree? ps have a memorial service for the phrase "uptown" and switch to "downtown"

I always thought Terminal C's exterior looked "ok" from the tarmac, but everyone must agree the interior's neglect and "economical" finishes weren't befitting for the Triangle's near "star status" in 21st century America. The escalator from ticketing is encased in drywall, the restrooms have 3 stalls and don't flush automatically, and i've never fully understood the sloping concourse. Cheap, cheap, cheap. Although Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson is nothing to look at from the outside, I always liked how the carpeted walkways really make it feel calm and quiet in the terminals. Also i love how the men's rooms at ATL have about 50 urinals and toilets as opposed to RDU's measly 3! Speaking of ATL, long straight concourses are the best layout for airports because people can navigate through them without getting lost, unlike DFW which is the worst in my opinion. Always in a curve, you can't see far ahead and worst yet- the corridors are single-loaded with gates only on one side which means you have to walk twice as far.More planes and gates can be accomodated with other layouts however. MOST IMPORTANT in the decision to replace Terminal C (or Terminal 1, its future name): its baggage handling system was designed for one's airline's hub operation. A terminal for multiple airlines requires a bigger and more complex system. I worked with HOK New York on the new Delta terminal at Boston/Logan, and people don't realize that the baggage handling system behind the scenes is HUGE. I would say about 40% of the total square footage is used by the baggage system. FYI A terminal must be able to withstand car bombs curbside without the entire structure collapsing. You will probably easily see the separations in the structure of this open and airy design. Also with all of the big interior spaces, the architects must prevent people's ability to throw or toss guns or weapons from the non-secure to secure areas throughout the terminal. I am SO HAPPY they are not leaving a piece of the old building. Kudos to the airport authority for this and many other design decisions over the years. The entire plethora of roads in and out of the airport is relatively new, and years ago I didn't understand what they were doing. It commands respect. People's first impression of the Triangle is beautiful green trees and perfect yet simple signage in helvetica (National Gaurd, Employee parking, etc). In college I drove the N. Ral. Hilton airport shuttle and New Yorkers would comment on the beauty of the drive just to get to I-40. I wish they would build fancier interchanges to deposit people back on I-40. Nothing says smalltown like a cloverleaf. P.S. I hate the pink neon "Welcome to North Carolina" signs in the terminal, yet they kinda also say "This place is alive and happenin'"

BIG BEN.... PARLIAMENT.....