Where do we need interstates?

[SimMoonXP]

Probably.. as not 100% sure yet.. cuz CA-56 freeway is 75% whitetop freeway as my perspective reason.

[Voyager]

It would be nice to have some kind of northern California freeway connector between US 101 and I-5 in the central valley.

[agentsteel53]

indeed... the 152 corridor would be a good one. 

[Voyager]

No I mean like between say Redding and Humboldt County.

[agentsteel53]

up there perhaps too ... but upgrading the 152 would definitely help connect the South Bay to LA.  Yes, the 101 is available, but when I lived in the San Jose area, I always took 152 to 5 to get to Southern California, and generally it was faster, unless something happened in Pacheco Pass...

[John]

Redding and Eureka or something like that would be a waste of money. The entire thing would be mountainous, so it would cost tons of money to connect an area of 50,000 to an area of 80,000.

[roadfro]

I think Reno to Las Vegas would be an important link (...)

the US-95 corridor between Reno and Vegas tends to be pretty abandoned in general.  I think it's adequately served with the two-lane road it is now.

I wouldn't say that corridor is exactly abandoned...US 95 between Las Vegas and Fallon is probably one of the most traveled rural US routes across the state.

However, I would agree that traffic volumes on this stretch of US 95 wouldn't warrant four lanes, let alone an Interstate standard highway.

[agentsteel53]

yeah, now that I think about it, there are a good number of trucks.  But the traffic seems to be pretty moderate - nothing that would warrant expansion.

[DrZoidberg]

There are a lot of great ideas here.  I've compiled a list, most pipe dreams, of future interstate corridors.

- I-7 through central Oregon.  Most of US 97 is already a pretty nice highway, and upgrading exisitng at grade intersections could prove easy with the exception of Bend, and Klamath Falls.  This freeway would be a nice alternative for traffic bound for Canada, allowing them to avoid the Siskiyou Pass on I-5@ the Oregon/California border, which often closes in the winter.

- I-9 through central CA using the existing CA 99.  I think we're all unaimous on this one, and it's supposedly going to happen.

- A westside bypass of Portland.  Let's use I-605.

- Upgrade the existing Salem Parkway and revive I-305 in Salem, OR

- The western I-98 from Sault Ste. Marie, MI to Fargo along US 2 and US 10, or possibly US 8 in WI.  Extend I-39 north to meet it.  Decommission US 51 north of Portage, WI.

- Would I-11 work from Reno to Phoenix via Las Vegas?

- Extend I-27 south to meet I-20 in Texas.

- I'm all for the I-69 master plan, despite the numbering concerns.

- Extend I-45 north into OK via US 75.

Nick
Portland, OR

[John]

Las Vegas to Phoenix would be a good freeway, maybe US-60 to Wickenberg, then US-93 and I-515 to I-15 in Las Vegas.

[PalmettoDP]

An earlier post mentioned the US 17 corridor in North Carolina. This corridor could use a major upgrade in SC as well.

SC 31 and I-526 both act as partial bypasses of the most densely developed areas on the coast (with the exception of Georgetown, where a new bypass is needed). If traffic lights were eliminated north and south of I-526 in Charleston, and between Georgetown and the planned SC 31 interchange, this corridor could provide *almost* interstate-level service through SC.

I can dream 

[Chris]

US 17 -> I-101 

[deathtopumpkins]

Yeah, I must agree... US-17 could use an upgrade here in VA too.

US 17 -> I-101 

Pah! Forget I-101, make it the REAL I-99! 

[Revive 755]

I agree; I-101 should be a spur of a future I-1 on the West Coast, like US 101 should be somewhere along the East Coast branching off of US 1.

[Ian]

Wasn't Delaware route 1/US 13 going to become I-101?

[mightyace]

Since we have two Interstate 84, 86, and 88.  How about a second I-99 for the US 17 corridor?

At least this one would be in the right place!

[deathtopumpkins]

Wasn't Delaware route 1/US 13 going to become I-101?

I sure hope not.. 

[Michael]

I agree; I-101 should be a spur of a future I-1 on the West Coast, like US 101 should be somewhere along the East Coast branching off of US 1.

US 101 is considered a main US route with a first "digit" of 10.

[DrZoidberg]

US 97 in Oregon as I-7.

[Stephane Dumas]

* US 27 between I-10 in Tallahassee and I-75 near Chattanooga; provides a western north-south route that avoids Atlanta, as well relief for I-75.  Could be a southern I-71.

another idea then I taught is a northern extension of I-59 from Hooker, GA north to Cincinnati along US-27/I-124,TN-111 and US-127 corridor up to Frankfort KY

[SSOWorld]

Wasn't Delaware route 1/US 13 going to become I-101?

It should be I-99, give Bud Schuster a 3DI just to make him laugh

[geoking111]

I guess we have all different ideas for new interstates. I have a whole list of new interstates I'd like to see built and existing ones I'd like to see extended. I'll share a few here:

I-3:  This interstate could generally parallel US 101 from Los Angeles to just north of San Francisco. More specifically, I would have it travel along the east shore of the San Francisco Bay (I-880) and the Richmond San Rafael Bridge (I-580), ending at US 101 in San Rafael. Ideally, I would like to see it extended north through Santa Rosa, Eureka, and Crescent City along US 101 and all the way up ending at I-5 in Grants Pass. I'd like to see it that far north, but I'm not sure if it is worth the cost. Knowing California, they would most likely decommission US 101 in some form if  I-3 was created.

I-7   I think everyone agrees CA 99 needs to be upgraded to an interstate. I would transform into I-7 all the way from Grapevine to Sacramento. It would be a little weird to have 2dis closely parallel each other north of Stockton, but I would be fine with it.

I-11  This should be the number for an interstate connecting Phoenix and Las Vegas. Right now, there is no need for an interstate from Las Vegas to Reno, but if there is a need in the future, I-11 could be extended to the northwest.

I-36  I think extending I-74 southeastward into North Carolina is a stupid idea. At most, I-74 should be extended east to I-73 along OH 32. I think it is insane to have I-74 multiplexed with I-73 and I-77 for such a long distance just to get to North Carolina. Instead, I would create I-36 and have it run from Columbus, NC at I-26 to Wilmington. This would absorb I-74's proposed path along US 74 from Rockingham to Wilmington. This would also add a new interstate for Charlotte. I think it is pretty reasonable, it is not that far from Rockingham to Charlotte to build a new interstate. Once in Charlotte, I-36 could be routed near downtown or along I-485 to I-85 west of Charlotte. Once there, I-36 would have a short multiplex along I-85 and then be routed along US 74 to Columbus. This would allow I-73 to be signed alone and eliminate the annoying duplex with I-74 from Rockingham to Randleman. I would change I-74 from I-77 near the VA border to I-73 at Randleman into some I-x73. I would then change proposed I-274 into I-273. Sorry for the long explanation, but there are a lot of details.

I-46  I agree with signing the Cimarron Turnpike as I-46. I think I would have it end at I-35 instead of Enid, because I generally do not like for 2dis to end in the middle of nowhere at a non-interstate terminus. I would take I-46 a step farther and have it follow the Muskogee Turnpike at end at I-40 at Webbers Falls. This would provide another interstate to Tulsa and give I-35 SB and I-40 WB better access to Tulsa. I would also make the connection to Stillwater as I-146. By the way, I would completely eliminate US 412, it is such an annoyance.

I-55 I would extend I-55 north from its present terminus in Chicago to Green Bay. I would have it follow I-94 from Chicago to Milwaukeee. Then I would have it routed over the proposed I-41 from Milwaukee to Green Bay. This makes sense to me because it eliminates the annoying I-41/US 41 duplex. Also, it makes sense for I-94 to be duplexed with a north-south interstate since I-94 is actually traveling north-south between Chicago and Milwaukee.

I-89  Since many other turnpikes have interstate status, I think Florida's Turnpike should also receive an interestate number. (as long as it is up to interstate standards) Since there are no numbers left between 75 and 95, i would duplicate I-89. The northern I-89 would be quite far from the southern I-89. Additionally, the northern I-89 is a minor interstate that doesn't travel to many populated areas. The northern I-89 doesn't even touch I-95, so there would be no confusion. I would also make some of florida's other toll roads into 3dis.

[Sykotyk]

I just mentioned this in another post,... we don't need an interstate all the way, but there needs to be a 3di to go around the southside of Lincoln, NE for those going to NE-2 over to Nebraska City, Iowa. NE-2 is a great road, but if you've ever driven through Lincoln (especially during rush hour) following the signs for US77 and NE 2, it's a nightmare.

Sykotyk

[deathtopumpkins]

Yeah, I must agree... US-17 could use an upgrade here in VA too.

Only from about Gloucester south...

Heh, you must not have driven it recently!  Just drove up to Gloucester today and was stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic the whole way, most of which continued on past where I turned off for Gloucester C.H. And recently when I drove up US-17 to Fredericksburg, I remember the road being pretty clogged with traffic the whole way... thus I now take I-95 every time. It's faster due to less traffic.

I-89  Since many other turnpikes have interstate status, I think Florida's Turnpike should also receive an interestate number. (as long as it is up to interstate standards) Since there are no numbers left between 75 and 95, i would duplicate I-89. The northern I-89 would be quite far from the southern I-89. Additionally, the northern I-89 is a minor interstate that doesn't travel to many populated areas. The northern I-89 doesn't even touch I-95, so there would be no confusion. I would also make some of florida's other toll roads into 3dis.

One problem with this: Existing turnpikes with interstate designation were grandfathered in. New toll roads cannot be interstates, and existing interstates cannot be toll roads. And I believe it is preferred for new 2dis to actually go inter-state. 

[deathtopumpkins]

Well it's not bad enough to upgrade it to interstate standards, but I guess sometimes it can get pretty backed up. But all roads do sometimes.