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Transportation Update

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The Dynamo Dukedom has been looking at various ways to get people moving through-out the pennisula and the city of Markland Woods has made a drastic proposal. The city suggests that the Dukedom build a network of intercity highways that would link the various urban areas, being built and planned, for easy transportation of goods and services. At the current time there is no road access that spans the entire length or width of the peninsula and this makes population growth and expansion very difficult. The dukedom has stated that it will review all transportation options before making a decision but this has not stopped Markland Woods, as well as the unincorporated area of Millikan Mills, from beginning construction of their own highway. The two areas have decided to build an expressway between Markland Woods and Millikan Mills to help commuters move quickly between where they live and work. Markland Woods has stated that this expressway can become part of an intercity highway network, if the dukedom provides funding. At the current time, this highway has not been officially named and has been given the designation “Business Spur A”

The connection point between Markland Woods and Millikan Mills is an eight lane divided expressway. The highway is currently being expanded in an easterly and westerly direction. The highway makes use of the latest technology in high mast lighting, overhead gantry signage, noise barriers, and long acceleration and deceleration lanes.

Citizens in Markland Woods lobbied for an express/collector system to be built along the highway right from the beginning of construction. The reason for this is because citizens wanted every major roadway to have an interchange with the expressway; but still wanted a clear flow of traffic along the expressway. Highway users can use the collector lanes to reach local streets alongside the highway, while long distance commuters can stay in the express lanes and enjoy a faster commute.

A special streetcar underpass was required for the Markland Woods LRT network to safely traverse the highway. This streetcar underpass has portals on each side of the expressway and was one of the most expensive aspects of construction.

Although the highway is not completed all the way to the Epsilon River; sections are being opened as they are completed. This requires highway traffic to travel in the finished westbound express lanes while the other lanes are completed.

Construction continues eastbound along the highway route with temporary at-grade intersections until proper overpasses are built.

This image shows the former end of the stretch of highway running through Markland Woods. This termination point has since been expanded 2km further East.