Complaints that bother you (road-related)

[MATraveler128]

The debate of whether the New Jersey Turnpike Exits 1-6 should be an x95.

[JoePCool14]

How "stroads" are evil and should never be allowed to exist. Or the general argument that all roads must be for access only or travel only. It implies that arterials can't be built with better traffic control in mind through the use of medians and safe sidewalks.

Uncritical use of the word "stroad" is generally a pretty good marker that someone can't be trusted to have sensible opinions on transportation.

This is the first time I have ever heard the term "stroad."

It's mostly a term of derision used by the "cars are ruining America" crowd to refer to typical suburban arterials, which they feel like are some sort of unhappy medium between "streets" and "roads" (which of course is a dichotomy that didn't exist until they invented it for the purpose of making up the term "stroad").

"Stroad" sounds like a type of beer.

This is all the term "stroad" makes me think of:

[webny99]

As I've been reading through this thread, I keep forgetting that the double-negative means the replies have been things that people don't care about (and therefore, are bothered by others complaining about them).

With that in mind, I would nominate people complaining about I-99 being out of grid. Yes, it's imperfect, but I don't have an issue with it and I've even advocated for it to be extended north to Rochester. And if/when that ever happens, I will pre-emptively nominate "I-99 north has an overlap with I-80 east, then I-86 west!" as another "complaint that bothers me"... because who cares? 

[Scott5114]

Hays and Limon being control cities. (Maybe I just don't like it when people complain about I-70.)

When freeways are given an Interstate designation. We have an entire numbering system that means "this road is a freeway" and people complain when it gets used for that purpose. I don't get it.

[SkyPesos]

Maybe I just don't like it when people complain about I-70.

I noticed that I-70 seemed to be one of the most complained about interstates on this forum
- Baltimore (mostly one person though, but it's significant enough)
- Breezewood
- Some of its control cities, including Hays and Limon that you mentioned
- The occasional "Why doesn't it go to California"

[Flint1979]

I like Breezewood because it's a place to stop and you can get right back on route. I don't care if you have to exit off I-70 and back on to stay on the route who in the hell cares? A minor stop isn't going to matter too much in the long run.

[jeffandnicole]

CA 99 and CA 58 not being Interstates.

Similarly, NJ 42 & the AC Expressway needing to be I-76. And any argument that says they should be interstate highways really falls apart when people claim it's needed for economic development, which is what the area *doesn't* want as a good deal of the area is a national reserve. At this point some people still give it a big FU and says build anyway, because they don't really care about the significance of an area and just equate a limited access highway as needing an interstate shield.

Breezewood.  Really some of you need to get over it.   


Some on here refuse to patronize the towns gas stations or motels cause of their stopping I-70 and the Turnpike from having a proper connection.  Like they all are going to notice or care.  To them your refusal is like Chick Fil A and Bergen County, NJ missing revenue on Sunday.

Yeah, no.  Breezewood is a bottleneck of national significance.

Not really. It's a fairly unique condition among Interstate highway expectations, but it's not much of a bottleneck. And like was just posted, some people actually like the gas stations on the route, just like people want service plazas on all highways.

[roadman65]

What gets me is those who don't like Wilmington on the NJ Turnpike south of Exit 6.  So what? It's not like the road is way out away from it.  It connects to I-95 via I-295 near it and it's close enough to be of importance. Yes Baltimore will work, but so will Washington, Richmond, and even Miami as well. 

At least New Jersey is getting with the program finally as freeway control cities ( especially on the Turnpike and Parkway) were sparse to none and mostly on freeway to freeway interchanges still. Heck some interstates still sign the Garden State Parkway as " GS Parkway"  rather than use proper destination points.  So Wilmington is better than before, although I had no problem with Delaware Memorial Bridge previously as the Feds did.

[Scott5114]

CA 99 and CA 58 not being Interstates.

Similarly, NJ 42 & the AC Expressway needing to be I-76. And any argument that says they should be interstate highways really falls apart when people claim it's needed for economic development, which is what the area *doesn't* want as a good deal of the area is a national reserve. At this point some people still give it a big FU and says build anyway, because they don't really care about the significance of an area and just equate a limited access highway as needing an interstate shield.

There is precisely zero reason a freeway should not always have an Interstate shield. Change my mind.

(Post #14666 of mine, appropriately enough.)

[Max Rockatansky]

CA 99 and CA 58 not being Interstates.

Similarly, NJ 42 & the AC Expressway needing to be I-76. And any argument that says they should be interstate highways really falls apart when people claim it's needed for economic development, which is what the area *doesn't* want as a good deal of the area is a national reserve. At this point some people still give it a big FU and says build anyway, because they don't really care about the significance of an area and just equate a limited access highway as needing an interstate shield.

There is precisely zero reason a freeway should not always have an Interstate shield. Change my mind.

(Post #14666 of mine, appropriately enough.)

FHWA funds didn't go into the construction.  Certainly was the case with was US 99 on the current CA 99 corridor and modern CA 58 (which was mostly built post US 466).  That said, there was certainly Federal Aid projects that went into both.

At minimum that's what a ADOT rep told me once regarding why the Arizona Loop freeways aren't three digit Interstates.   

[Scott5114]

The last time presence or lack of an Interstate shield alone determined funding, I was five years old and Friends was in its second season.

[roadman65]

Only NC seems to be on the crusade to sign all freeways as interstates.  Every place else is happy using state numbers or preexisting US numbers.

All freeways don't need the shield, although in Florida I think both SR 417 and 429 need to be only to rid the tolls that cost way too much for a typical beltway set up.  In fact the ACE reason some state here  don't compare to the reason why State Roads 417 and 429 around Orlando need the designation. 

[Scott5114]

All freeways don't need the shield

Why not?

[Max Rockatansky]

The last time presence or lack of an Interstate shield alone determined funding, I was five years old.

But CA 99 and CA 58 were of the era they could have been picked up as chargeable Interstates.  California asked for such a thing for CA 58 east of Bakersfield in 1968 but was denied.  The corridor of CA 99 was mostly built up before the Interstate era and was the original planned corridor of I-5.  California ultimately opted for Federal Funds to built I-5 on the West Side Freeway corridor. 

[roadman65]

All freeways don't need the shield

Why not?

Look at NC.  A state that went from five two digits with only three of them long distance, to all the current interstates and miles of unbuilt future interstates on the books which all won't be every completed this century.

[Scott5114]

All freeways don't need the shield

Why not?

Look at NC.  A state that went from five two digits with only three of them long distance, to all the current interstates and miles of unbuilt future interstates on the books which all won't be every completed this century.

Why should I care? I can drive around NC and know which roads are going to be freeways and which aren't.

[roadman65]

Ideally yes, but still NC is overkill with all their interstates over the past twenty years.

The suggestion here on AA Roads  for I-76 to be extended is for some history to be witnessed and for merit only us in the road following world will see.

[Scott5114]

Ideally yes, but still NC is overkill with all their interstates over the past twenty years.

If they have, that's for North Carolina voters to decide. If they want to spend the money to build a freeway, it is to my benefit that they put an Interstate shield on it.

[Rothman]

Breezewood.  Really some of you need to get over it.   


Some on here refuse to patronize the towns gas stations or motels cause of their stopping I-70 and the Turnpike from having a proper connection.  Like they all are going to notice or care.  To them your refusal is like Chick Fil A and Bergen County, NJ missing revenue on Sunday.

Yeah, no.  Breezewood is a bottleneck of national significance.

Not really. It's a fairly unique condition among Interstate highway expectations, but it's not much of a bottleneck. And like was just posted, some people actually like the gas stations on the route, just like people want service plazas on all highways.

Just a simple Google search of "Breezewood bottleneck" indicates otherwise.

[jeffandnicole]

There is precisely zero reason a freeway should not always have an Interstate shield. Change my mind.

You actually haven't proven why you need a limited access highway to be signed an interstate. Are you purposely avoiding freeways not signed as interstates and instead taking longer routes or local roads to prove your point? And to whom are you proving that point to?

Just a simple Google search of "Breezewood bottleneck" indicates otherwise.

You may want to actually read the sites listed. By far, most of them say things like "I didn't encounter the traffic jams others have mentioned" - without referencing any jams others have mentioned. The pictures posted aren't showing congestion (unless you point to the pics from last century). Many links are opinion pieces on views similar to yours that the traffic lights don't belong. But bottlenecks? The headlines are mostly clickbait to suck you in to read the article, without actually detailing anything in the way of a bottleneck.

[Scott5114]

There is precisely zero reason a freeway should not always have an Interstate shield. Change my mind.

You actually haven't proven why you need a limited access highway to be signed an interstate. Are you purposely avoiding freeways not signed as interstates and instead taking longer routes or local roads to prove your point? And to whom are you proving that point to?

If every freeway were signed as an Interstate, you wouldn't need a map to know whether a given road is a freeway or not.

[JoePCool14]

Ideally yes, but still NC is overkill with all their interstates over the past twenty years.

That sentence is contradictory. You're saying that in an ideal world, all highways would be marked as Interstates, but North Carolina is building and designating too many. If they want them (or need them), and can build them, then put an Interstate banner on it.

I agree with Scott, when freeways are marked as Interstates, it's crystal clear to out-of-towners that this road is a freeway. I know some people from the Wisconsin thread will disagree...

[hotdogPi]

What about substandard freeways, like MA 2, MA/RI 146 (both have at-grade sections in the middle), and solo MA 128 (short ramps)?

[kphoger]

There is precisely zero reason a freeway should not always have an Interstate shield. Change my mind.

1.  To be signed as an Interstate, I think, the freeway in question should connect to the network of other Interstates.  If there is a freeway that is isolated from others–i.e., it doesn't connect to any other freeways–then it should not be signed as an Interstate.

2.  To be signed as an Interstate, I think, the freeway in question should be up to certain standards (with some exceptions granted to those grandfathered in).  If there is a freeway that falls far short of those standards–e.g. shoulder width or vertical clearances–then it should not be signed as an Interstate.

[kphoger]

A complaint that bothers me:  anything having to do with route numbers.