Are there any freeways that are dangerous to travel due to crime?

[Brandon]

And yet again: Police investigating report of shots fired on Stevenson Expressway.

About 1:55 a.m. Saturday, Illinois State Police received reports of shots fired on the northbound lanes of the Stevenson Expressway. At least two vehicles were damaged by the gunshots, but no one was reported injured, state police said.

The northbound lanes remained closed Saturday morning as troopers canvassed the road for evidence.

[mrsman]

In the '80s and '90s there was a significant number of freeway shootings in the LA area.  Many were road-rage related but some may have been gang-land violence.  It does seem that Chicago is much worse now.

By in large, though, I always felt a lot safer on the freeways than on certain surface streets.  Carjacking was quite common in LA and occurred at red lights - which don't exist on freeways.

I lived near Santa Monica / La Brea in those days and as a rule I tended to drive a bit out of my way to avoid rougher neighborhoods at night.  From the 101, I would be sure to get off somewhere in Hollywood - between Highland and Sunset, but never Santa Monica/Western or Melrose/Normandie, even if those were closer.  Similarly, I would avoid taking any exit on the Santa Monica Fwy between La Cienega and the 110, going out of my way even though taking the La Brea exit would likely be shorter.  And of course, attending a sporting event at the Forum or the Coliseum area meant following the hordes to the shortest path to a freeway and not taking surface streets, even though it would be quicker.

[silverback1065]

Any Chicago freeway, people will randomly shoot at you. Not even joking, there's probably a story about it once a week and could happen at any time.

Shit I didn't know Chicago was that bad! 

[machias]

Any Chicago freeway, people will randomly shoot at you. Not even joking, there's probably a story about it once a week and could happen at any time.

Shit I didn't know Chicago was that bad! 

It's not.

[inkyatari]

Any Chicago freeway, people will randomly shoot at you. Not even joking, there's probably a story about it once a week and could happen at any time.

Shit I didn't know Chicago was that bad! 

It's not.

It's perception.  As my broadcasting professor once said "Your perception is your reality."  (The answer was in response to my comment that a local radio station "seems to play "Casey JOnes" by the Grateful Dead every day  at 2:30 PM)

[silverback1065]

Yah, I agree, it can't be that bad. 
Random question, is it a thing for Midwesterners who don't live in Chicago to hate Chicago?

[Brandon]

Yah, I agree, it can't be that bad. 
Random question, is it a thing for Midwesterners who don't live in Chicago to hate Chicago?

Yes.

[Henry]

I'm pretty sure Detroit has this problem too.

[silverback1065]

  I'm from and still live in Indianapolis, and have always hated Chicago, I like Detroit, only because I like their sports teams.

[Flint1979]

I'm pretty sure Detroit has this problem too.

Not really. I've been all over Detroit for the past almost 40 years and have never had a problem on any of the expressways.

[dmr37]

Most of the Chicago expressway shootings are not random.  They are either thug on thug gang crap or thug on thug on road rage incidents.  Of course you could still be hit because most thugs can't shot straight.

[Flint1979]

Most of Chicago's crime is spread across about 20 neighborhoods on the South and West sides. Like Englewood, West Englewood, Greater Grand Crossing, Roseland, Auburn-Gresham, West Garfield Park, East Garfield Park, Austin, Humboldt Park, Marquette Park, South Shore, there's 11 of them.

[hotdogPi]

Most of Chicago's crime is spread across about 20 neighborhoods on the South and West sides. Like Englewood, West Englewood, Greater Grand Crossing, Roseland, Auburn-Gresham, West Garfield Park, East Garfield Park, Austin, Humboldt Park, Marquette Park, South Shore, there's 11 of them.

43% within these boxes.

http://www.politifact.com/illinois/statements/2017/feb/23/richard-durbin/Durbin-right-about-geography-of-Chicago-violence/

(note: the claim is rated True; also, no paywall)

[tribar]

Most of Chicago's crime is spread across about 20 neighborhoods on the South and West sides. Like Englewood, West Englewood, Greater Grand Crossing, Roseland, Auburn-Gresham, West Garfield Park, East Garfield Park, Austin, Humboldt Park, Marquette Park, South Shore, there's 11 of them.

I'd swap out South Shore for Fuller Park.

[ET21]

Had another one last week during rush hour. Person shot at 75th on I/90/94, shut the entire freeway down. Traffic backed up on I-94 and I-57 all the way to the Tri-State

[bing101]

I-580 , I-880, I-80 in the Bay Area been mentioned for having crimes on freeways at some point.

The East Bay has had more than its share of incidents -- mostly car-to-car shootings -- in the past couple of years; I-80 from Richmond up to the CA 4 interchange seems to crop up as a site for this repeatedly, as does CA 4 itself along the stretch through Pittsburg and Antioch in Contra Costa County.  Also, I-880 near the Oakland Coliseum "hosted" several incidents of what could best be described as "coordinated road rage" where either drivers or motorcycle riders would harangue other drivers on that freeway.  They had enough sense (or planning) to dissipate before Oakland police or the CHP could arrive on the scene.

I-980 and the west end of CA-24 has been mentioned for having crimes at some point though.

[kkt]

I-580 , I-880, I-80 in the Bay Area been mentioned for having crimes on freeways at some point.

The East Bay has had more than its share of incidents -- mostly car-to-car shootings -- in the past couple of years; I-80 from Richmond up to the CA 4 interchange seems to crop up as a site for this repeatedly, as does CA 4 itself along the stretch through Pittsburg and Antioch in Contra Costa County.  Also, I-880 near the Oakland Coliseum "hosted" several incidents of what could best be described as "coordinated road rage" where either drivers or motorcycle riders would harangue other drivers on that freeway.  They had enough sense (or planning) to dissipate before Oakland police or the CHP could arrive on the scene.

I-980 and the west end of CA-24 has been mentioned for having crimes at some point though.

Yeah, about 10 years ago I was approaching the Bay Bridge when I remembered I didn't have enough cash to pay the toll, so I looped back and got off at some west Oakland exit to look for an ATM.  When I stopped, a guy "asked" me for $20 in such a way that I was convinced giving it to him would be a wiser move than turning him down, especially with a child in my car.

[ColossalBlocks]

I-580 , I-880, I-80 in the Bay Area been mentioned for having crimes on freeways at some point.

The East Bay has had more than its share of incidents -- mostly car-to-car shootings -- in the past couple of years; I-80 from Richmond up to the CA 4 interchange seems to crop up as a site for this repeatedly, as does CA 4 itself along the stretch through Pittsburg and Antioch in Contra Costa County.  Also, I-880 near the Oakland Coliseum "hosted" several incidents of what could best be described as "coordinated road rage" where either drivers or motorcycle riders would harangue other drivers on that freeway.  They had enough sense (or planning) to dissipate before Oakland police or the CHP could arrive on the scene.

I-980 and the west end of CA-24 has been mentioned for having crimes at some point though.

Yeah, about 10 years ago I was approaching the Bay Bridge when I remembered I didn't have enough cash to pay the toll, so I looped back and got off at some west Oakland exit to look for an ATM.  When I stopped, a guy "asked" me for $20 in such a way that I was convinced giving it to him would be a wiser move than turning him down, especially with a child in my car.

Chicago had something similar happen from time to time. People would walk up to cars stopped at a signal, and then ask for $20. If the person didn't comply, then they'd get mugged.

[Flint1979]

Most of Chicago's crime is spread across about 20 neighborhoods on the South and West sides. Like Englewood, West Englewood, Greater Grand Crossing, Roseland, Auburn-Gresham, West Garfield Park, East Garfield Park, Austin, Humboldt Park, Marquette Park, South Shore, there's 11 of them.

I'd swap out South Shore for Fuller Park.

Fuller Park is indeed one I forgot. That is perhaps the most depressing neighborhood I have seen in all of Chicago in the years I've been in Chicago. I'd say it either comes very close or surpasses Englewood there's just not as many people in Fuller Park.

[tribar]

Most of Chicago's crime is spread across about 20 neighborhoods on the South and West sides. Like Englewood, West Englewood, Greater Grand Crossing, Roseland, Auburn-Gresham, West Garfield Park, East Garfield Park, Austin, Humboldt Park, Marquette Park, South Shore, there's 11 of them.

I'd swap out South Shore for Fuller Park.

Fuller Park is indeed one I forgot. That is perhaps the most depressing neighborhood I have seen in all of Chicago in the years I've been in Chicago. I'd say it either comes very close or surpasses Englewood there's just not as many people in Fuller Park.

I think I read somewhere that Fuller Park's murder per capita is significantly higher than any other Chicago neighborhood but that could be wrong.

[Flint1979]

Most of Chicago's crime is spread across about 20 neighborhoods on the South and West sides. Like Englewood, West Englewood, Greater Grand Crossing, Roseland, Auburn-Gresham, West Garfield Park, East Garfield Park, Austin, Humboldt Park, Marquette Park, South Shore, there's 11 of them.

I'd swap out South Shore for Fuller Park.

Fuller Park is indeed one I forgot. That is perhaps the most depressing neighborhood I have seen in all of Chicago in the years I've been in Chicago. I'd say it either comes very close or surpasses Englewood there's just not as many people in Fuller Park.

I think I read somewhere that Fuller Park's murder per capita is significantly higher than any other Chicago neighborhood but that could be wrong.

That's believable. What about that little Triangle down there between 87th, 95th, Cottage Grove and Stony Island? I'm trying to remember the name of the neighborhood I think it's Burnside.

[bing101]

http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2017/09/27/police-chase-shuts-down-westbound-highway-80-heading-to-bay-bridge/

I-80 in Emeryville is dangerous due to a police shooting on the freeway after a wild pursuit in the Bay Area.

[Quillz]

There was a shooting on the Bishop Ford Expressway in Chicago today.

Not celebrating the shooting...thats awful

That being said, the Bishop Ford is the one Chicago Area Expressway/Freeway that is actually official referred to as the "Bishop Ford Freeway" as opposed to the "Bishop Ford Expressway." Why that is? I have no idea

My guess is it would have to do with design standards. Some states don't differentiate between "freeway" and "expressway," some do. Typically, the latter would have lesser design standards (such as allowing a limited-number of at-grade intersections).

Not in this case. For years that stretch of road was called the Calumet Expressway, then they changed it to the Bishop Ford Freeway. Nothing changed except the name.

Then it is probably that the state's DOT does not have any legal difference between "expressway" and "freeway" and just uses them interchangeably. Some states have turnpikes, parkways, etc. that usually are also just semantic variations. Kind of like how some states now use "traffic circle" and "roundabout" interchangeably, despite the two technically have differences in designs and thus traffic patterns.

[dmr37]

I-580 , I-880, I-80 in the Bay Area been mentioned for having crimes on freeways at some point.

The East Bay has had more than its share of incidents -- mostly car-to-car shootings -- in the past couple of years; I-80 from Richmond up to the CA 4 interchange seems to crop up as a site for this repeatedly, as does CA 4 itself along the stretch through Pittsburg and Antioch in Contra Costa County.  Also, I-880 near the Oakland Coliseum "hosted" several incidents of what could best be described as "coordinated road rage" where either drivers or motorcycle riders would harangue other drivers on that freeway.  They had enough sense (or planning) to dissipate before Oakland police or the CHP could arrive on the scene.

I-980 and the west end of CA-24 has been mentioned for having crimes at some point though.

Yeah, about 10 years ago I was approaching the Bay Bridge when I remembered I didn't have enough cash to pay the toll, so I looped back and got off at some west Oakland exit to look for an ATM.  When I stopped, a guy "asked" me for $20 in such a way that I was convinced giving it to him would be a wiser move than turning him down, especially with a child in my car.

Chicago had something similar happen from time to time. People would walk up to cars stopped at a signal, and then ask for $20. If the person didn't comply, then they'd get mugged.

That type of thing should become rarer now that you can conceal carry in Illinois.  If the bad guy doesn't know if your armed he may not try anything

[kkt]

I-580 , I-880, I-80 in the Bay Area been mentioned for having crimes on freeways at some point.

The East Bay has had more than its share of incidents -- mostly car-to-car shootings -- in the past couple of years; I-80 from Richmond up to the CA 4 interchange seems to crop up as a site for this repeatedly, as does CA 4 itself along the stretch through Pittsburg and Antioch in Contra Costa County.  Also, I-880 near the Oakland Coliseum "hosted" several incidents of what could best be described as "coordinated road rage" where either drivers or motorcycle riders would harangue other drivers on that freeway.  They had enough sense (or planning) to dissipate before Oakland police or the CHP could arrive on the scene.

I-980 and the west end of CA-24 has been mentioned for having crimes at some point though.

Yeah, about 10 years ago I was approaching the Bay Bridge when I remembered I didn't have enough cash to pay the toll, so I looped back and got off at some west Oakland exit to look for an ATM.  When I stopped, a guy "asked" me for $20 in such a way that I was convinced giving it to him would be a wiser move than turning him down, especially with a child in my car.

Chicago had something similar happen from time to time. People would walk up to cars stopped at a signal, and then ask for $20. If the person didn't comply, then they'd get mugged.

That type of thing should become rarer now that you can conceal carry in Illinois.  If the bad guy doesn't know if your armed he may not try anything

Let us know how that works out.