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The worst point of an Interstate highway along that highways entire stretch

Started by Flint1979, January 08, 2019, 05:15:19 AM

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PHLBOS

Quote from: Ben114 on January 08, 2019, 07:57:19 PM
I-290 Auburn-Marlboro, MA:

... Exit 15 (Shrewsbury St) isn't even signed (with the exception of a small ground mounted sign at exit 14, about 1/4 mile away.
Such is definitely an oddity for sure.

Quote from: Ben114 on January 08, 2019, 07:57:19 PMThe odd exit skips (NB: 7-9-11-13, SB: 12-10-8-7) makes it fairly weird to get around (and also say Auburn has 5 exits (includes Exit 6 on I-395)).
Hopefully, that'll change should MA ever adopt/convert to mile-marker-based interchange numbering.
GPS does NOT equal GOD


Roadgeekteen

The worst part of I-90 is the part in Newton. Not a lot to see and a very slow speed limit.
God-emperor of Alanland, king of all the goats and goat-like creatures

Current Interstate map I am making:

https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?hl=en&mid=1PEDVyNb1skhnkPkgXi8JMaaudM2zI-Y&ll=29.05778059819179%2C-82.48856825&z=5

inkyatari

I- 80 through Joliet, IL  It's two. f---ing. lanes. and needs to be at MINIMUM 3.
I'm never wrong, just wildly inaccurate.

Brandon

Quote from: inkyatari on January 09, 2019, 01:58:59 PM
I- 80 through Joliet, IL  It's two. f---ing. lanes. and needs to be at MINIMUM 3.

That stretch needs a sign before it that states, "NN Days Since The Last Truck Crash".  Do we think we can even get into the double digits?
"If you think this has a happy ending, you haven't been paying attention." - Ramsay Bolton

"Symbolic of his struggle against reality." - Reg

inkyatari

Quote from: Brandon on January 09, 2019, 02:29:12 PM
Quote from: inkyatari on January 09, 2019, 01:58:59 PM
I- 80 through Joliet, IL  It's two. f---ing. lanes. and needs to be at MINIMUM 3.

That stretch needs a sign before it that states, "NN Days Since The Last Truck Crash".  Do we think we can even get into the double digits?

They should have a permanent BGS that says "CRASH AHEAD."
I'm never wrong, just wildly inaccurate.

Ben114

Quote from: Ben114 on January 08, 2019, 07:57:19 PM
I-290 Auburn-Marlboro, MA:

It is just exit, after exit, after exit along this highway. Exit 15 (Shrewsbury St) isn't even signed (with the exception of a small ground mounted sign at exit 14, about 1/4 mile away. The odd exit skips (NB: 7-9-11-13, SB: 12-10-8-7) makes it fairly weird to get around (and also say Auburn has 5 exits (includes Exit 6 on I-395)).
I forgot about one other thing, Exit 14 EB doesn't have a sign at the exit, I believe they took it down and just left an empty gantry.

sparker

If we're sticking to clinched Interstates, the other "sore spots" that come to mind are:

I-4: From its western terminus to north of Orlando -- most of the route's a mess.
I-5: Just about all of metro L.A.; PDX from the south I-205 interchange north to about WA 500; Seattle between the 405 junctions.  Surprisingly, I've had little issue with I-5 in San Diego; most of the shit seems to happen on parallel I-805!
I-8: Really, only the westernmost 25 miles are problematic, traffic-wise.
I-10: Everything from CA 1 to CA 210 in CA; Loop 303 east to AZ 347 in PHX, central El Paso, anything between the I-410 interchanges in San Antonio, TX 99 to east Loop 8 in Houston (with specific vitriol for the area between west I-610 and I-69/US 59), Metairie to I-510, NOLA.
I-30:  Between west I-820 and I-35W east to Greenville (TX).  Slog, slog, slog!  Always avoided traffic issues in Little Rock area, though.
I-66:  Everything east of Manassas.  Period (note: pre-restrictions).
I-68:  Traffic?.....what traffic?
I-76 (west): The usual -- I-70 to about 10-12 miles east of I-270.
I-78:  Avoided it like the plague during peak hours; from crossing it on surface roads I'd say from about Pattenburg east is congestion central during those periods.
I-80:  Covered upthread.
I-82:  Never had traffic issues except in construction zones (particularly at Columbia River bridge). 
I-85:  Whaddayou expect?  Atlanta, Atlanta, Atlanta.  Never did Charlotte or Greensboro at peak times, so can't comment about that.
I-86 (west):  no traffic; no comment.
I-88 (west):  Only problem section is from the Strangler out to Downers' Grove; always seemed to dissipate after that.
I-88 (east):  Approaching the Turnpike toll plaza -- period.  Otherwise, free as can be!
I-97: Lots of problems with the portion north of the MD 3 merge; some slowdowns on the southern section but not nail-biting by any means. 

Not going to tackle 3di's -- but in general, full loops attract congestion; bypass arcs as well near their centers but thin out near the termini.  Other configurations would have to be assessed on a case-by-case basis.











Roadgeekteen

I-93- the part between exit 1 and 3 simply because I have taken it a lot more.
God-emperor of Alanland, king of all the goats and goat-like creatures

Current Interstate map I am making:

https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?hl=en&mid=1PEDVyNb1skhnkPkgXi8JMaaudM2zI-Y&ll=29.05778059819179%2C-82.48856825&z=5

PHLBOS

Quote from: Ben114 on January 09, 2019, 06:35:49 PMI forgot about one other thing, Exit 14 EB doesn't have a sign at the exit, I believe they took it down and just left an empty gantry.
It was there as of Nov. 2015.  It was probably taken down due to it either being damaged (on the bottom) by a truck having more stuff on top than it should've or heavily vandalized.  That was the exit I used to take to visit my brother when he lived in Worcester for three years (1994-1997).

Quote from: Roadgeekteen on January 09, 2019, 09:10:52 PM
I-93- the part between exit 1 and 3 simply because I have taken it a lot more.
The NH or the MA stretch?
GPS does NOT equal GOD

hotdogPi

Quote from: PHLBOS on January 10, 2019, 09:31:05 AM
Quote from: Roadgeekteen on January 09, 2019, 09:10:52 PM
I-93- the part between exit 1 and 3 simply because I have taken it a lot more.
The NH or the MA stretch?

He lives really close to its southern terminus, so he's probably referring to the MA section, despite the widening construction issues in NH.
Clinched, minus I-93 (I'm missing a few miles and my file is incorrect)

Traveled, plus US 13, 44, and 50, and several state routes

I will be in Burlington VT for the eclipse.

Roadgeekteen

Quote from: 1 on January 10, 2019, 09:34:58 AM
Quote from: PHLBOS on January 10, 2019, 09:31:05 AM
Quote from: Roadgeekteen on January 09, 2019, 09:10:52 PM
I-93- the part between exit 1 and 3 simply because I have taken it a lot more.
The NH or the MA stretch?

He lives really close to its southern terminus, so he's probably referring to the MA section, despite the widening construction issues in NH.
MA
God-emperor of Alanland, king of all the goats and goat-like creatures

Current Interstate map I am making:

https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?hl=en&mid=1PEDVyNb1skhnkPkgXi8JMaaudM2zI-Y&ll=29.05778059819179%2C-82.48856825&z=5

Aaron Camp

For Interstate 70, I'd argue that the exit to US-41/US-150 in Terre Haute, Indiana is more of a bad spot than Breezewood, Pennsylvania. That is a simple diamond interchange with traffic lights on US-41/US-150, with both I-70 and US-41/US-150 being very heavily traveled (I'm not sure about the AADTs for each exit ramp, however). A diverging diamond or partial cloverleaf interchange would make far more sense there.

djsekani

The 3DIs in Southern California would need their own sub-thread.

Having traveled on most of I-15 though, I'd say the worst spot is the Cajon Pass, especially on weekends. Traffic, accidents, weather-related closures, fire-related closures--you name it, it's happened there.

I've also nearly clinched I-5 and I-75. I-5's worst spot is the East L.A. Interchange, no surprise there. Downtown Atlanta would be hard to beat on I-75.

Flint1979

Quote from: hbelkins on January 08, 2019, 01:33:23 PM
Quote from: Flint1979 on January 08, 2019, 11:19:42 AM
I think part of the problem with the choke in Cincinnati is that I-75 there narrows down to two lanes as it enters the interchange with I-71 in downtown Cincinnati. There is no chance that it's going to get widened anytime soon because there simply is no room to widen it.

When they build the parallel span to the Brent Spence Bridge, that will be addressed.
For the river crossing it'll be a lot easier but I think it'll still be a problem on the Ohio side and that curve on the Kentucky side a few miles south of the bridge.

Flint1979

Quote from: Brandon on January 08, 2019, 04:11:26 PM
Quote from: webny99 on January 08, 2019, 08:39:15 AM
I-90 is a monstrosity, and I haven't traveled over half of it, so I can't really say.
If we talk specific to NYS, then probably the infamous Exit 24 in Albany. The toll barriers in Buffalo can generate backups, too.

They pale when compared to the stretch between O'Hare (I-294) and the Stevenson Expressway (I-55).  This part can cause a backup at 3 freaking am.

Ditto for I-94.  Its worst part is between the end of the Edens Extension (where it meets US-41) and the Stevenson Expressway (I-55).  Of course, the part with I-80 is no picnic either.

I-80: Wanna see wall-to-wall trucks?  Then visit I-80's worst part between the end of the Tri-State Tollway (I-294) and the Indiana Toll Road (I-90).  And that's including the Sierras which one can explain away by heavy snow.

I-55: No matter what some downstate may say, the worst bit is from Arsenal Road (Exit 244) north to Lake Shore Drive (US-41).  And that includes switching roadways in Memphis (twice) and St Louis.

I-57: US-30 north to the Ryan Expressway (I-94), of which the worst is probably the last three curves before I-94.
I think the stretch of I-94 you mentioned is worse no doubt but the stretch of I-94 between I-96 and I-75 in Detroit is god awful during rush hour but still I think any stretch of I-94 in the Chicago area is worse. I-94 being four lanes between Ann Arbor and Benton Harbor creates some bottlenecks too but nothing like anything in Chicago on the Dan Ryan/Kennedy combo.

Flint1979

Quote from: inkyatari on January 09, 2019, 01:58:59 PM
I- 80 through Joliet, IL  It's two. f---ing. lanes. and needs to be at MINIMUM 3.
I say that about US-23 between Flint and Perrysburg and I-94 between Ann Arbor and Benton Harbor all the time. And with the stretch of US-23 I'm talking about the last several miles in Ohio are multiplexed with I-475.

PHLBOS

Quote from: Roadgeekteen on January 10, 2019, 09:38:41 AM
Quote from: 1 on January 10, 2019, 09:34:58 AM
Quote from: PHLBOS on January 10, 2019, 09:31:05 AM
Quote from: Roadgeekteen on January 09, 2019, 09:10:52 PM
I-93- the part between exit 1 and 3 simply because I have taken it a lot more.
The NH or the MA stretch?

He lives really close to its southern terminus, so he's probably referring to the MA section, despite the widening construction issues in NH.
MA
Ok, given that particular stretch was recently widened per the Add-A-Lane project.  Is your mentioning it in reference to before or after said-project?
GPS does NOT equal GOD

mgk920

- I-39 - The part between I-90 and the first interchange south of US 20 in the Rockford, IL area.
- I-41 - The east-west part across the north side of Appleton, WI to Kaukauna, WI (woefully over capacity, badly needs upgrading from four to six lanes).
- I-43 - A toss-up between the four-lane part in northern Milwaukee County or the section just west of I-41/894 (both are badly substandard, built decades before they became interstates).

Mike

Ben114

Quote from: PHLBOS on January 10, 2019, 09:31:05 AM
Quote from: Ben114 on January 09, 2019, 06:35:49 PMI forgot about one other thing, Exit 14 EB doesn't have a sign at the exit, I believe they took it down and just left an empty gantry.
It was there as of Nov. 2015.  It was probably taken down due to it either being damaged (on the bottom) by a truck having more stuff on top than it should've or heavily vandalized.  That was the exit I used to take to visit my brother when he lived in Worcester for three years (1994-1997).
I was just there earlier today and the sign wasn't there.

jp the roadgeek

Since the western I-84 has been done, I'll tackle the eastern I-84.  The former worst stretch was I-84 West between Exits 26-23, where the road squeezed from 6 lanes to 4 despite entering the city of Waterbury.  The addition of a third lane in each direction has/will improve things a bit.  So the new worst stretch is now Exits 41-55.  50 MPH speed limit, sharp corners, backed up at a standstill during both morning and evening rush hour, and seemingly endless roadwork at night to repair the aging viaduct through downtown Hartford.  Honorable mention: I-84 West at the CT/NY border, where NYC bound traffic using the right lane to get off on I-684 often backs up across the border on Sunday evenings and at the end of holiday weekends.
Interstates I've clinched: 97, 290 (MA), 291 (CT), 291 (MA), 293, 295 (DE-NJ-PA), 295 (RI-MA), 384, 391, 395 (CT-MA), 395 (MD), 495 (DE), 610 (LA), 684, 691, 695 (MD), 695 (NY), 795 (MD)

RobbieL2415

I-84: Probably the section from Scranton to Port Jervis.  All the truck clog the left lane trying to pass each other
I-91:  Either the Exit 18-17 complex or Exits 47 E/W and 48.  That's a substandard cloverleaf interchange followed by a diamond interchange.  It's a mess.
I-291 (CT): Between Exits 3 and 4 over the Bissell Bridge.  You've got traffic going westbound from the Exit 4 on-ramp that doesn't get up to speed half the time because they're afraid.  Other times its heavy vehicles or school busses that slow everybody down in both directions.
I-95: Approaches to the GWB
I-87: Approaches to the GWB
I-78:  That giant hill east of Easton, PA with the climbing lane
I-495 (MA):  That stupid lane drop after the MA 24 interchange.


bing101

Quote from: sparker on January 08, 2019, 04:23:31 PM
I-80: where to start, where to start..........
How about right at the western terminus, where the Bay Bridge crossing and most of the ensuing freeway right up the Carquinez Strait is a nightmare almost every waking hour during the week -- and the weekends are starting to catch up!  Then there's the Sacramento section from the "Biz 80" merge near Watt Ave. to out past Rocklin -- more commute nightmare; almost as bad as the Alameda/Contra Costa segment.  Going east, I've hit dead-stop congestion several times on the segment shared with I-94 in IL and IN; and the last 30 miles prior to the eastern terminus can be hell on wheels as well.  And these are merely the sections with which I've had personal experience; I'm certain other posters can and should point out other I-80 segments that are perpetually troublesome -- although somehow I doubt it would be worse than the extreme western end!

Don't forget I-80 in Solano County this section recently had the Cordelia interchange renovated but some other parts of I-80 in the county would sometimes get jammed in both directions due to the issue of the county having to house both Sacramento and Bay Area commuters at the same time.

bing101

I-15 In Murrieta and Temecula area has to be the most jammed section for the California segment due to Inland Empire and San Diego traffic occuring in the area. Las Vegas Section of I-15 jammed and its also due to talks over where the I-11 expansion would be in the Las Vegas area.

jaehak

It's not always the most jammed, but I-70 in Missouri is absolute hell, particularly between Blue Springs and Wentzville. Traffic is awful, it's boring, and other than the Missouri River crossing, it's an unbelievably ugly stretch of road. Breezewood is a kinda fun quirk and a good excuse to hit the Taco Bell drive thru without getting off the main line. I'll take it over that horrible 200 mile stretch any day.

Interstate 69 Fan

Apparently I’m a fan of I-69.  Who knew.



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