Misconceptions about highways/ interstates.

[bing101]

How about this one every freeway must have a state route, us route or interstate number. Note in Las Vegas there is a county route CC-215 and its a freeway one of a few that gets a county route designation.

[zzcarp]

Growing up, I believed in strict hierarchy of the roadway systems. For example, US highways should never have a stop sign at state routes (unless there's a free-flowing right-turn lane ramp so US route traffic doesn't stop). And state routes should never stop at local roads. In fact, it was a downgrade, an embarrassment, when those instances did occur. 

[Evan_Th]

How about this one every freeway must have a state route, us route or interstate number. Note in Las Vegas there is a county route CC-215 and its a freeway one of a few that gets a county route designation.

I believed in an even stronger rule as a kid:  every divided highway must have a state, US, or interstate number.  If there's a median, there must be a number.

[interstatefan990]

Surprised this one hasn't come up yet: "Highway" does not only mean a freeway. Most of America, the non-roadgeeks, refers to limited-access freeways and expressways as "the highway". In reality, any road or way open to the public for the purposes of vehicular travel is a highway. A narrow, bumpy, old dirt road is just as much of a highway as an eight-lane Interstate.

[frankenroad]

That exit numbers everywhere were based on mile markers.  That is, any exit between mile markers 23 & 24 were numbered exit 24, whether is was at 23.1 or 23.9.

Commonly it appears exits are number to the nearest mile marker. So an exit at 23.1 would be exit 23, and an exit at 23.9 would be exit 24.

It actually depends on the state - some states round to the nearest mile marker, others truncate.   For example, in Ohio, in most cases, an exit at mile 23.9 would be exit 23, not exit 24.  (This does NOT explain I-71's exit 24 which starts at mile marker 22.9; this is beyond explanation).

[TheGrassGuy]

The alleged "rule" that at least every fifth mile on an interstate highway had to be a straightaway so an aircraft could land on it.

BTW, the term "tolled freeway" is NOT an oxymoron, especially since modern technology allows for non-stop toll systems (don't get me started on the proliferation of tolls... see my avatar).

The term "freeway" was never intended to imply no tolls.  It implies that traffic flows freely because there are no traffic signals, traffic turning sharply off and on, etc.  (The reality may be another thing.)

While I doubt the rule was ever worded that way or specified in such a manner, I strongly suspect that some planning of the interstate system revolved around creating emergency runways, just as much of the planning for the system was based on civil defense requirements.

I know Switzerland does that.

[Georgia]

That the highway builders of the 50s and 60s were solely focused on displacing as many minorities as possible (with the possible exception of Robert Moses).

Have you read The Power Broker? Moses displaced as many poors and minorities as he needed to in order to complete his vanity projects. 

[kphoger]

That the highway builders of the 50s and 60s were solely focused on displacing as many minorities as possible (with the possible exception of Robert Moses).

Have you read The Power Broker? Moses displaced as many poors and minorities as he needed to in order to complete his vanity projects. 

Didn't he just say "with the possible exception of Robert Moses"?

[Georgia]

Sorry, misunderstood what the poster meant.  Thought he was saying Moses didnt displace minorities.

[ran4sh]

Too many anti-road activists have the misconception that the US Route system is the same thing as the Interstate system.

[NWI_Irish96]

Because Indiana duplicates the US Highway grid/numbering system for its state highways, when I was a kid I assumed that every state did that. I remember getting very confused going to other states and being on odd numbered E-W routes and even numbered N-S routes..

[kphoger]

Sorry, misunderstood what the poster meant.  Thought he was saying Moses didnt displace minorities.

I'm sure you understand it now, but just in case...  He meant that he used to think the highway builders of the 50s and 60s were all focused on displacing minorities, but he now knows that was a misconception–except possibly Robert Moses.

[SectorZ]

That the highway builders of the 50s and 60s were solely focused on displacing as many minorities as possible (with the possible exception of Robert Moses).

Have you read The Power Broker? Moses displaced as many poors and minorities as he needed to in order to complete his vanity projects.

The "poors"?

[SeriesE]

I originally thought the US highway designation indicated a high quality road, like expressway grade and higher, since I live in the major California metro areas where US-101 is a full freeway and there are no other US routes nearby.

[sparker]

I originally thought the US highway designation indicated a high quality road, like expressway grade and higher, since I live in the major California metro areas where US-101 is a full freeway and there are no other US routes nearby.

Which could be either metro L.A. or the Bay Area; with the former the closest other US highway is 395, about 75 road miles away from the civic center, and with the latter it's US 50, about 85 road-miles away in West Sacramento.   Looking at this has led me to a realization about the other metro area, San Diego -- I can't think of another city that was originally served by 3 or more U.S. highways where all of them -- or all legs radiating from the city center -- were replaced by Interstate highways!  If not for US 24 running along its west side, Detroit comes close!

[GaryV]

US 12 still goes to Detroit.

[andrepoiy]

Before I had any recollection of going in any rural areas, I thought that all freeways had to be like 4 lanes or more in each direction. I was surprised to see 2-lane-in-each-direction freeways and thought "wow this highway has fewer lanes than the road outside my house". This was when I was very young.

[OCGuy81]

I used to think that every state had numbered highways, and that all county roads had letter designations.

Then I started taking road trips outside of Wisconsin. 

[ran4sh]

Every US state does have numbered highways, so that's not a misconception...

[kphoger]

I used to think that every state had numbered highways, and that all county roads had letter designations.

Then I started taking road trips outside of Wisconsin. 

Every US state does have numbered highways, so that's not a misconception...

derp!

[OCGuy81]

I used to think that every state had numbered highways, and that all county roads had letter designations.

Then I started taking road trips outside of Wisconsin. 

Every US state does have numbered highways, so that's not a misconception...

derp!

Yeah, I caught that after.  LOL! I think I'm going to get another cup of coffee.

I meant to say that all states had BOTH numbers and letters.

[SkyPesos]

I used to think that every state had numbered highways, and that all county roads had letter designations.

Then I started taking road trips outside of Wisconsin. 

That was one of my early misconceptions too, except for Missouri.

Before I had any recollection of going in any rural areas, I thought that all freeways had to be like 4 lanes or more in each direction. I was surprised to see 2-lane-in-each-direction freeways and thought "wow this highway has fewer lanes than the road outside my house". This was when I was very young.

Another one I can relate to, specifically on my first rural trip as a roadgeek on I-55 between St Louis and Chicago. Back then, I thought St Louis was a MUCH larger city than it actually is (like an estimate of 5 million people for its metro population, which is way off), and it's pretty much a given that Chicago is a big city, so I was wondering why I-55 between St Louis to Chicago had the same lane count as the road outside my house, and why it isn't at least doubled.

[webny99]

Before I had any recollection of going in any rural areas, I thought that all freeways had to be like 4 lanes or more in each direction. I was surprised to see 2-lane-in-each-direction freeways and thought "wow this highway has fewer lanes than the road outside my house". This was when I was very young.

Wow! Only in Toronto! 

[OCGuy81]

Before I had any recollection of going in any rural areas, I thought that all freeways had to be like 4 lanes or more in each direction. I was surprised to see 2-lane-in-each-direction freeways and thought "wow this highway has fewer lanes than the road outside my house". This was when I was very young.

Another one I can relate to, specifically on my first rural trip as a roadgeek on I-55 between St Louis and Chicago. Back then, I thought St Louis was a MUCH larger city than it actually is (like an estimate of 5 million people for its metro population, which is way off), and it's pretty much a given that Chicago is a big city, so I was wondering why I-55 between St Louis to Chicago had the same lane count as the road outside my house, and why it isn't at least doubled.
[/quote]

I thought the same of Milwaukee.  That it was THE big city (despite Chicago being just to the south).  I used to also think Milwaukee Mitchell Airport was some huge global hub. 

[kphoger]

I used to think state highway patrol was only allowed to patrol state highways.