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Least Favorite Freeway Stretch in Northern California

Started by myosh_tino, April 30, 2012, 04:28:31 PM

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portlandexpos04

Least Favorites:
I-880 from Santa Clara County line to Oakland: Congested, poor shape, tendency for reckless drivers
US-101 from Montague Expressway to SR-87: Outdated ramps w/not enough merge area, major congestion during the peak periods
I-280 at I-880/Stevens Creek: Outdated ramps, always congested, dangerous
I-280SB at SR-87: Always congested, curvature of the road leads to dangerous maneuvers, difficulty in merging/diverging

Favorites:
I-280 between SR-85 and I-380: Scenic, traffic is not too bad during the peak periods.
I-110 through LA: The separated double HOV lanes are cool, as are the bus stations along the median


myosh_tino

Quote from: portlandexpos04 on May 03, 2012, 03:00:26 PM
Least Favorites:
I-880 from Santa Clara County line to Oakland: Congested, poor shape, tendency for reckless drivers
I disagree with 880 being in poor shape.  The roadway was repaved a few years ago from 237 in Milpitas to 238 in Castro Valley.  Pavement is still in good condition.  I'll agree with the congestion and driver behavior.

Quote from: portlandexpos04 on May 03, 2012, 03:00:26 PMUS-101 from Montague Expressway to SR-87: Outdated ramps w/not enough merge area, major congestion during the peak periods
If you're talking southbound during the evening commute, agreed 100%.

Quote from: portlandexpos04 on May 03, 2012, 03:00:26 PMI-280 at I-880/Stevens Creek: Outdated ramps, always congested, dangerous
Good news here.  VTA and Caltrans are starting a construction project to improve the 880/Stevens Creek Blvd interchange which includes direct access to Valley Fair Mall from south 880.  There are also plans to improve the nearby 280-880 interchange with additional ramps that separate Stevens Creek-bound traffic from 880-bound traffic.  This is one of the worst congested and most complained about areas in Santa Clara county.

Quote from: portlandexpos04 on May 03, 2012, 03:00:26 PM
Favorites:
I-280 between SR-85 and I-380: Scenic, traffic is not too bad during the peak periods.
I-110 through LA: The separated double HOV lanes are cool, as are the bus stations along the median
Agree with I-280 (see my original post... 280 is one of my most favorite freeways ever).  I-110 is in *southern* California but those elevated HOV lanes are cool.
Quote from: golden eagle
If I owned a dam and decided to donate it to charity, would I be giving a dam? I'm sure that might be a first because no one really gives a dam.

myosh_tino

Trying to get back on topic, I just thought of another freeway that I don't really care for and try to avoid and that's west I-80 in Berkeley and Emeryville.  It's always congested and has drivers madly changing lanes as they try to get to one of 3 freeways... I-80 west, I-880 south or I-580 east.
Quote from: golden eagle
If I owned a dam and decided to donate it to charity, would I be giving a dam? I'm sure that might be a first because no one really gives a dam.

myosh_tino

#28
Another least favorite of mine is eastbound Business 80/Capitol City Freeway in and around the 80/50/99 interchange.  Whenever I drive in that area, it's always congested with drivers jockeying to remain on Business 80.
Quote from: golden eagle
If I owned a dam and decided to donate it to charity, would I be giving a dam? I'm sure that might be a first because no one really gives a dam.

TheStranger

Quote from: myosh_tino on May 04, 2012, 11:42:29 PM
and now back to our regularly scheduled programming...  :)

Another least favorite of mine is eastbound Business 80/Capitol City Freeway in and around the 80/50/99 interchange.  Whenever I drive in that area, it's always congested with drivers jockeying to remain on Business 80.

I always found it interesting that...while it is true that Business 80 between 99 and E Street WAS planned as US 99E...it was built as I-80/US 99E so it is up to Interstate standards...meaning...

...the "exit onto itself" situation (for I-80 originally, now Business 80) there was ALWAYS planned from the get-go!  Which in retrospect might have not been the best idea.

Chris Sampang

national highway 1

Wasn't the then I-80 planned to be realigned onto the North Sacramento Fwy, but that got cancelled?
"Set up road signs; put up guideposts. Take note of the highway, the road that you take." Jeremiah 31:21

myosh_tino

Quote from: national highway 1 on May 05, 2012, 02:34:00 AM
Wasn't the then I-80 planned to be realigned onto the North Sacramento Fwy, but that got cancelled?
It was but the new alignment begins north of the current Bus 80/CA-99/US 50 interchange.
Quote from: golden eagle
If I owned a dam and decided to donate it to charity, would I be giving a dam? I'm sure that might be a first because no one really gives a dam.

TheStranger

Quote from: myosh_tino on May 05, 2012, 02:39:24 AM
Quote from: national highway 1 on May 05, 2012, 02:34:00 AM
Wasn't the then I-80 planned to be realigned onto the North Sacramento Fwy, but that got cancelled?
It was but the new alignment begins north of the current Bus 80/CA-99/US 50 interchange.

Even with the planned (but never finished) realignment along the railroad tracks...80 would have continued to exit off itself (go right to stay on numbered route) at the Oak Park Interchange.  As it stands now, it currently exits off itself in West Sacramento.

Chris Sampang

OCGuy81

Two come to mind.

I-505. 

I-5 from its junction with I-505 north to Red Bluff. Long, flat farmland.

kkt

Quote from: OCGuy81 on July 05, 2012, 11:50:03 PM
Two come to mind.

I-505. 

I-5 from its junction with I-505 north to Red Bluff. Long, flat farmland.

Kinda boring, but better than outright dangerous like 17 or I-80 in San Francisco.  I kind of like the long, sweeping views.

myosh_tino

Quote from: OCGuy81 on July 05, 2012, 11:50:03 PM
Two come to mind.

I-505. 

I-5 from its junction with I-505 north to Red Bluff. Long, flat farmland.
Yeah, I -505 can be boring but it's an important route and shortcut for those of us living the in the S.F. Bay Area traveling to the great Northwest.

Quote from: kkt on July 06, 2012, 01:41:22 PM
Kinda boring, but better than outright dangerous like 17 or I-80 in San Francisco.  I kind of like the long, sweeping views.
Technically, the dangerous part of 17 is the non-freeway section over the Santa Cruz Mountains between Scotts Valley and Los Gatos but I get your point.
Quote from: golden eagle
If I owned a dam and decided to donate it to charity, would I be giving a dam? I'm sure that might be a first because no one really gives a dam.

OCGuy81

Forgot about 17!  That can be an experience at rush hour.

kkt

Quote from: myosh_tino on July 06, 2012, 03:15:35 PM
Technically, the dangerous part of 17 is the non-freeway section over the Santa Cruz Mountains between Scotts Valley and Los Gatos but I get your point.

True.  Though part of the problem is people drive at speeds that would be appropriate to a freeway.

mp_quadrillion

Anything that's a mile or two long connecting two parallel freeways. So I-380 near SFO, and CA-4 in Stockton.. The W/X in Sacramento. Crazy, weaving so-and-sos from beginning to end.
Roadgeek-for-life since 1992.

Interstatefan78

My least favorite freeway in Northern California will be the West Side freeway South (I-5) from Elk grove to Stockton and Lost Hills up to grapevine due to endless farm scenery and Mac Arthur Freeway (I-580) from Tracy to Pleasanton because it has congestion going in or out of the SF Bay Area. 

TheStranger

Quote from: mp_quadrillion on August 23, 2012, 01:10:17 AM
Anything that's a mile or two long connecting two parallel freeways. So I-380 near SFO, and CA-4 in Stockton.. The W/X in Sacramento. Crazy, weaving so-and-sos from beginning to end.

I wouldn't count the WX - even if that serves that particular role for Route 99 - as it is but one segment in the east-west through route of US 50 (as opposed to I-380 and the Route 4 freeway in Stockton, both short spurs).

Chris Sampang

national highway 1

Quote from: Interstatefan78 on October 08, 2012, 01:12:28 AM
My least favorite freeway in Northern California will be the West Side freeway South (I-5) from Elk grove to Stockton and Lost Hills up to grapevine due to endless farm scenery... 
I get the point that the West Side is monotonous, but seriously, what's wrong with farm scenery? It's a rural area. :-P
"Set up road signs; put up guideposts. Take note of the highway, the road that you take." Jeremiah 31:21

Interstatefan78

Quote from: national highway 1 on October 08, 2012, 07:45:12 PM
Quote from: Interstatefan78 on October 08, 2012, 01:12:28 AM
My least favorite freeway in Northern California will be the West Side freeway South (I-5) from Elk grove to Stockton and Lost Hills up to grapevine due to endless farm scenery... 
I get the point that the West Side is monotonous, but seriously, what's wrong with farm scenery? It's a rural area. :-P
There is no varied towns and rest stops and mostly flat on the west side freeway, but on the PCH and El Camino Real you will see Pine Trees and palm trees lining the Route from La to SF. Mountainous terrain on the 101 from Salinas to San Jose, but includes the Cuesta Pass from San Luis Obispo up to San Miguel 



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