Best Urban Freeways

[Revive 755]

I like all of the tollways around Chicago. They're wide, tolls are cheap, and the oases are awesome.

And they are speed traps (no reason a lot of the Tri-State couldn't be 65), have lousy access (too many half interchanges), lack decent distance signage, and are not cheap for cash customers.  Furthermore, the pricing scheme stinks; I should not pay more to exit/enter at Lake Cook than to take I-94 over to the Edens from the Tri-State.

I'll second I-35 through Duluth.  Second choice is I-70 through Topeka, Kansas, once the viaduct is fixed.  Might not have the best views, but at least it's a nice 65 mph away from the viaduct and has plenty of auxiliary lanes.

[golden eagle]

I'd say I-20 in Atlanta from east of downtown to the Perimeter (I-285) is a good freeway...

I-20 eastbound near Six Flags is awesome because you can see the Atlanta skyline when conditions are clear. Even better when seeing it at night.

[realjd]

I like all of the tollways around Chicago. They're wide, tolls are cheap, and the oases are awesome.

And no, the Skyway does not count.

You actually LIKE the tollways around Chicago?

I'm still angry about the time I was driving to crappy O'Hare along the crappy 294. There was an 80 cent unmanned, exact change only, coins only toll booth on the exit for the airport. WTF? Who on earth though it was a good idea to do this on the exit that probably has the largest number of people from out of town? How was I supposed to know that I needed exactly 80 cents in coins to get to the airport? If they had an attendant (or even a California style toll machine that accepts bills and credit cards) it would be one thing, but this was ridiculous.

[agentsteel53]

I'm still angry about the time I was driving to crappy O'Hare along the crappy 294. There was an 80 cent unmanned, exact change only, coins only toll booth on the exit for the airport. WTF? Who on earth though it was a good idea to do this on the exit that probably has the largest number of people from out of town? How was I supposed to know that I needed exactly 80 cents in coins to get to the airport? If they had an attendant (or even a California style toll machine that accepts bills and credit cards) it would be one thing, but this was ridiculous.

I'd imagine there's a lot of people running the tollbooth without paying - and if so, I'm surprised the tollway authority has not noticed this and fixed it.  Seriously, who has exactly 80 cents?

[mightyace]

I like all of the tollways around Chicago. They're wide,

They have to be as they are perpetually under construction.  I can't EVER in my life remember being on the Tri-State without part of it being under construction.

tolls are cheap,

Only if you have an I-Pass or E-ZPass.  Otherwise they're 2X that.

and the oases are awesome.

My info is not recent enough to act on that.  Though, having them as a bridge over the highway is pretty neat.

And no, the Skyway does not count.

No argument there.

[KEK Inc.]

I-90 through Seattle and Mercer Island is well kept.  It goes through a series of bridges over Lake Washington and tunnels underneath hills in Mercer Island and the Mt. Baker neighborhood of Seattle -- all at a posted 60 MPH speed limit.

[Scott5114]

Also the Chicago Tollways are another one of those stupid institutions that seeks to ban photography for no real reason. A crabby toll collector got into it with me over that the one time I was in Chicago.

[hobsini2]

For those of you who are to cheap, like me, to pay the 80 cent toll for the o'Hare exit on 294, (and i do have I-Pass) you can access O'Hare without paying a toll via I-190/90 from Downtown or via US 12/45 Mannheim Rd.

[kharvey10]

Never drive any of the Atlanta interstates at less than 15 mph above the posted speed limit or you get owned.  Its nothing on 75 to do 80 in a 70 and still get passed by cars doing at least 90+ all of the time.  The only law enforcement on the interstate happens when there is an accident or motorist assist out there.

[realjd]

For those of you who are to cheap, like me, to pay the 80 cent toll for the o'Hare exit on 294, (and i do have I-Pass) you can access O'Hare with paying a toll via I-190/90 from Downtown or via US 12/45 Mannheim Rd.

My issue wasn't with the fact that there was a toll. My issue was that there was an exact-change only, coins-only, unmanned toll booth on the airport exit. If it had a bill reader or credit card machine like unmanned toll booths in civilized places (or an attendant), it would have been fine. And that's also OK for local exits. Just not the freaking airport, the one place where you're guaranteed to have a large number of drivers like me who have absolutely no way to know that they need exactly 80 cents.

It's almost like they forget that a large amount of airport traffic is people who aren't locals.

[vtk]

Around the country:

• I-71/75 coming into Covington, KY has a point where, coming around a curve, the Cincinnati skyline opens up beautifully.
• I-64 on the east side of Louisville, KY is rather interesting, and it actually has quite a rural character to it.

And in Columbus:

• I-270 from OH-161 (MP 30) to between Easton and I-670 (MP 33) has an interesting CD setup.
• The new International Gateway (CMH / Port Columbus Int'l Airport) is quite interesting, though short.
• The whole Innerbelt will be quite nice when the I-70/71 project is finished.

[hobsini2]

If we are talking just scenic, i would nominate I-279 in Pittsburgh heading north coming out of the Tunnel.

[mtantillo]

For those of you who are to cheap, like me, to pay the 80 cent toll for the o'Hare exit on 294, (and i do have I-Pass) you can access O'Hare with paying a toll via I-190/90 from Downtown or via US 12/45 Mannheim Rd.

My issue wasn't with the fact that there was a toll. My issue was that there was an exact-change only, coins-only, unmanned toll booth on the airport exit. If it had a bill reader or credit card machine like unmanned toll booths in civilized places (or an attendant), it would have been fine. And that's also OK for local exits. Just not the freaking airport, the one place where you're guaranteed to have a large number of drivers like me who have absolutely no way to know that they need exactly 80 cents.

It's almost like they forget that a large amount of airport traffic is people who aren't locals.

Just run the toll and pay later.  Go to the Illinois Tollway website, go to the "Missed a Toll" section, and as long as you pay up within 7 days of running through, all you pay is the 80 cents.  You give them your license plate number, make/model of vehicle, date and approximate time of running the toll. 

At least they give you the option of paying later, rather than fining you $100 or something ridiculous like that!  If I was passing through Chi-Town on the tollways and was in a hurry, I'd probably run every single toll and pay later, seeing as I'd rather pay from my computer or phone than dig for change while I'm driving.  Of course I have E-ZPass so its a moot point for me personally. 

[J N Winkler]

Just run the toll and pay later.  Go to the Illinois Tollway website, go to the "Missed a Toll" section, and as long as you pay up within 7 days of running through, all you pay is the 80 cents.  You give them your license plate number, make/model of vehicle, date and approximate time of running the toll.

But are there signs at the tollbooth advising drivers of this option?

[mgk920]

Just run the toll and pay later.  Go to the Illinois Tollway website, go to the "Missed a Toll" section, and as long as you pay up within 7 days of running through, all you pay is the 80 cents.  You give them your license plate number, make/model of vehicle, date and approximate time of running the toll.

But are there signs at the tollbooth advising drivers of this option?

In many instances, yes.

Example, on eastbound I-88 (Reagan Tollway) just east of I-355 in Chicago's Du Page County suburbs:
http://maps.google.com/?ll=41.838773,-87.993129&spn=0.00231,0.005493&t=k&z=18&layer=c&cbll=41.838773,-87.993129&panoid=LV0fmceedxQYIh_LspBAtw&cbp=12,82.86,,0,1.32

Mike

[Scott5114]

I believe you can also pay at an Illinois Tollway oasis (maybe some and not all? I don't know). I remember one of the drivers at the Chicago Meet back in 2008 missed a toll for whatever reason and was able to get things settled at the oasis we stopped for lunch at.

[hobsini2]

Yes you can stop at the Des Plaines Oasis and O'Hare Oasis during business hours to do so.  I recommend the O'Hare Oasis in the afternoon.  There are 2 very nice ladies who take care of all my concerns when i go there.  The Hinsdale Oasis I know is a part time costumer service center.  Don'y know about Lake Forest, DeKalb, Belvidere or Lincoln/South Chicagoland.

[agentsteel53]

There are 2 very nice ladies who take care of all my concerns when i go there.

the tollways must have different laws than the rest of the state of Illinois ....

[Scott5114]

The one that we stopped at was on I-80 headed towards Indiana.

[Michael in Philly]

If we are talking just scenic, i would nominate I-279 in Pittsburgh heading north coming out of the Tunnel.

Which is now part of I-376.

[Mr_Northside]

If we are talking just scenic, i would nominate I-279 in Pittsburgh heading north coming out of the Tunnel.

Which is now part of I-376.

I figured that there have already been threads concerning views from highways, so I left that criteria out.  Otherwise I'd have said that one earlier....
However, when NOT factoring in scenery, I-376 (at least the Penn-Lincoln Parkway portions) mostly qualifies for Worst Urban Freeways.

[mightyace]

^^^

Agreed, on the Penn-Lincoln section of I-376.  Put the Sure-kill in Philly in there as well.  They're bad enough that I might reverse my stand on proposed highway tolls transferring to Philly and Pittsburgh, if they would use the money to completely rebuild those two highways to modern standards and width adequate to traffic levels.  Given it's Pennsylvania, I know that will never happen. 

[ShawnP]

The Bruce Watkins (US-71) north of Brush Creek is real nice. Real wide and good landscaping. Plus the last mile has some nice views of downtown KC. Now south of Brush Creek a different story. D@mn LIGHTS!!!!!

[hobsini2]

The one that we stopped at was on I-80 headed towards Indiana.

That is the Lincoln South Chicagoland Oasis.

[Brandon]

The one that we stopped at was on I-80 headed towards Indiana.

That is the Lincoln South Chicagoland Oasis.

Abraham Lincoln/Chicago Southland Oasis.  Originally just called the Abraham Lincoln Oasis.