If you could bring back one traditional highway practice, what would it be?

[PColumbus73]

I actually enjoy the clopping noise of concrete pavement!

[realjd]

*  Higher albedo, which facilitates night driving and allows longitudinal joints to be used as lane markers when striping is worn or faded

Or you can be like California and not make sure the lane markings line up with the joints. It's obnoxious because the joints are often easier to see.

[agentsteel53]

Or you can be like California and not make sure the lane markings line up with the joints. It's obnoxious because the joints are often easier to see.

and keep changing them as the years go by.  the San Bernardino Freeway driving into sunset has at least 6 sets of visible lane stripes.  the intended one is not visible.

[vdeane]

I'm wondering what you folks prefer about concrete road surfaces. I've generally preferred asphalt because, when maintained correctly, it's usually smoother and quieter, whereas on many concrete roads I find the seams a lot more noticeable to the point where your car makes what I've always thought of as a "clopping noise."

But I love the clopping noise!

[corco]

Yeah, it evokes strong feelings of having entered a big city whenever I pass over concrete, even if its just a small overpass in rural Montana.

[vdeane]

For me it's mostly the opposite; when I was little, the following were the roads we went on with concrete:
-NY 590 between exit 9 (Norton St) and Lake Ontario; resurfaced with asphalt between exit 9 and Titus Ave, rebuilt into Sea Breeze Dr (asphalt) north of there
-NY 390 between exit 21 (NY 31/Lyell Ave) and exit 27 (the parkway); the older section between exits 21 and 24 (NY 104) has been resurfaced with asphalt
-I-490 between exits 9 (I-390/NY 390) and 13 (Inner Loop); since rebuilt with a concrete base and asphalt surface
-I-490 between exits 25 (NY 31F) and the Thruway; between exits 25 and 27 (NY 96/Bushnell's Basin) it's been resurfaced with asphalt, and to the east rebuilt/widened with new concrete
-Thruway between exits 45 (I-490) and 44 (NY 332)
-I-390 south of the Thruway (it now stops at Mount Morris, but used to go down all the way to NY 17)

[roadman]

Voted for cutout shields.  As independent Interstate shields are supposed to be cutout by design, it seems logical that US and applicable state routes should be as well.

[Molandfreak]

Voted for cutout shields.  As independent Interstate shields are cutout by design, it seems logical that US and applicable state routes should be as well.

[theline]

The vast majority of new construction I see in Indiana is concrete, including most of I-69 and US-31. Most local projects are concrete too. I agree from personal observation, since I've been around long enough to actually see roads wear out, that concrete is far more durable. I dislike the clomping, but that can be avoided if properly designed and maintained.

[Brandon]

Voted for cutout shields.  As independent Interstate shields are cutout by design, it seems logical that US and applicable state routes should be as well.

You need to visit Wisconsin sometime.  There is no such thing as a cutout-mounted interstate shield erected within the past 20+ years in the state.  The Cheeseheads are rather famous for their unisigns.

https://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=43.14947,-89.30402&spn=0.009096,0.021136&t=m&z=16&layer=c&cbll=43.149293,-89.30393&panoid=rj1J8B6Nu0ZhL3vkTqfDfQ&cbp=12,26.09,,2,2.44

[spooky]

Voted for cutout shields.  As independent Interstate shields are cutout by design, it seems logical that US and applicable state routes should be as well.

You need to visit Wisconsin sometime.  There is no such thing as a cutout-mounted interstate shield erected within the past 20+ years in the state.  The Cheeseheads are rather famous for their unisigns.

https://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=43.14947,-89.30402&spn=0.009096,0.021136&t=m&z=16&layer=c&cbll=43.149293,-89.30393&panoid=rj1J8B6Nu0ZhL3vkTqfDfQ&cbp=12,26.09,,2,2.44

List of things that Wisconsin and Rhode Island have in common:

unisigns
calling water fountains "bubblers" ("bubblahs" if you're in Rhode Island)

[myosh_tino]

Aaaauuuugggghhhh!!!!!!  x 1,000,000 =

[Alps]

Voted for cutout shields.  As independent Interstate shields are cutout by design, it seems logical that US and applicable state routes should be as well.

You need to visit Wisconsin sometime.  There is no such thing as a cutout-mounted interstate shield erected within the past 20+ years in the state.  The Cheeseheads are rather famous for their unisigns.

https://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=43.14947,-89.30402&spn=0.009096,0.021136&t=m&z=16&layer=c&cbll=43.149293,-89.30393&panoid=rj1J8B6Nu0ZhL3vkTqfDfQ&cbp=12,26.09,,2,2.44

List of things that Wisconsin and Rhode Island have in common:

unisigns
calling water fountains "bubblers" ("bubblahs" if you're in Rhode Island)

I think that list is complete.

[DaBigE]

Voted for cutout shields.  As independent Interstate shields are cutout by design, it seems logical that US and applicable state routes should be as well.

You need to visit Wisconsin sometime.  There is no such thing as a cutout-mounted interstate shield erected within the past 20+ years in the state.  The Cheeseheads are rather famous for their unisigns.

https://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=43.14947,-89.30402&spn=0.009096,0.021136&t=m&z=16&layer=c&cbll=43.149293,-89.30393&panoid=rj1J8B6Nu0ZhL3vkTqfDfQ&cbp=12,26.09,,2,2.44

That's not entirely true anymore... sometime in the last six months, WisDOT has gone on an Alternate Hwy signing binge, which placed a bunch of Alt I-39 signs along US 51 in the Madison area. Sprinked amongst the typical WisDOT "unisigns" (we call them J-assemblies after their bid spec name), are some genuine brand-new cutout interstate shields.

[In_Correct]

I found this poll from here:

https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=20229.0

And I tried to take the poll. I voted "Other". because I share an equal love for Truss Bridges and / or Truss Style bridges as well as Cement Roads. At the same time I do not like high speed limits.

The other options in the poll I am not familiar with.

[NE2]

Prioritizing black neighborhoods in freeway location studies.

[ColossalBlocks]

Button copy, then let's get cutout shields too.

[thenetwork]

Cutout shields:

  -  With the state name listed within the I- and US- route shields
  -  On BGS's with a black outline around the US- and SR- shields
 
And ALL routes are to be listed prominently along Multiplexed byways (no hidden routes) and at all intersections where routes meet (Exception: Indiana, since they put every route known to man on their bypass routes).

[Darkchylde]

In this order:

Cutout shields
Concrete surfacing
Colored shields

[sparker]

Real, honest-to-goodness route signage, particularly at junctions (Caltrans, are you listening?).  Don't mind a good "sign salad" if it actually conveys real information about what route is using what street or road, and where the route you're on goes.  I know bucks are tight, but this is a percentage of a percentage of your operating costs.  And while I've got you on the phone (so to speak) -- get your shit together regarding how your signs look -- no undersized numbers crowded into the corner of a shield, no "patching" on stand-along reassurance shields, etc.  Drivers don't really want to squint when trying to discern a sign -- so please do it right at the outset!

[roadman]

Voted for cutout shields.  As independent Interstate shields are cutout by design, it seems logical that US and applicable state routes should be as well.

Touche'    Have amended my post.

[brycecordry]

Other: Concrete that actually has a sound to it. HATE this new longitudinal grooving and diamond grinding that is being rolled out everywhere, especially across MO. Puts me to sleep the same way asphalt does.

[mgk920]

Other: Concrete that actually has a sound to it. HATE this new longitudinal grooving and diamond grinding that is being rolled out everywhere, especially across MO. Puts me to sleep the same way asphalt does.

The longitudinal tining also has a way of catching the treads on my car's tires, making it difficult at times to hold a straight, true line.

Mike