Why not an I-296 or I-496

[Terry Shea]

The 'confusion problem' is an argument for all urban freeways to have both a route number and a proper name.  People have no problems confusing x80 children in the Bay area or x64 children in the Tidewater.  I doubt even think having two beltways with consecutive numbers trips up anyone in Louisville.  And the reason is proper names.

I don't remember ever using a proper name for any highway in Tidewater other than the crossings (Hi-Rise, CBBT, Midtown). But nobody I knew was confused by 64, 164, 264, 464, and 664. It was far more confusing explaining I-64 east-west directions on the South Side to outsiders. Thankfully, VA doesn't bother with cardinal directions for I-64 on much of the South Side.

The route numbers are not what confuses people.  Confused/stubborn people are going to be confused and stubborn.  I delivered mail for 33 years, and nearly every day somebody would stop and ask me for directions.  Often times it would be on a busy 4 or 5 lane road and they would think nothing of stopping their vehicle in the left hand lane, get out and tie up traffic to ask me for directions.  And nearly every time, these people would then start to argue with me saying "that's not what I was told-Iwas told...."  Yeah, and that didn't get you there did it!  Before that I worked at a gas station on 28th ST and I-96.  A truck driver came in and asked me where he was at.  I told him he was just outside of Grand Rapids.  He said "where's that?"  I don't think he knew what state he was in!

[Flint1979]

The 'confusion problem' is an argument for all urban freeways to have both a route number and a proper name.  People have no problems confusing x80 children in the Bay area or x64 children in the Tidewater.  I doubt even think having two beltways with consecutive numbers trips up anyone in Louisville.  And the reason is proper names.

I don't remember ever using a proper name for any highway in Tidewater other than the crossings (Hi-Rise, CBBT, Midtown). But nobody I knew was confused by 64, 164, 264, 464, and 664. It was far more confusing explaining I-64 east-west directions on the South Side to outsiders. Thankfully, VA doesn't bother with cardinal directions for I-64 on much of the South Side.

The route numbers are not what confuses people.  Confused/stubborn people are going to be confused and stubborn.  I delivered mail for 33 years, and nearly every day somebody would stop and ask me for directions.  Often times it would be on a busy 4 or 5 lane road and they would think nothing of stopping their vehicle in the left hand lane, get out and tie up traffic to ask me for directions.  And nearly every time, these people would then start to argue with me saying "that's not what I was told-Iwas told...."  Yeah, and that didn't get you there did it!  Before that I worked at a gas station on 28th ST and I-96.  A truck driver came in and asked me where he was at.  I told him he was just outside of Grand Rapids.  He said "where's that?"  I don't think he knew what state he was in!

That kind of reminds me of a time a few years ago when I was sitting in my car at the McDonald's on Pierson Road in Flint. Now keep in mind that the area around I-75 and Pierson has a lot of crime around it. This car pulls up next to me and I had my passenger window cracked about a quarter of the way down and he pulled up on my passenger side and was two spots over from me. I heard him say that he was coming back from UofM in Ann Arbor and going to Tawas City, he then asked me what city is this? I told him it's Flint, Michigan and then told him that this isn't the best of areas and I wouldn't be going around asking people anything around here, my best bet for you is to get back on I-75 and get outta here. I'm not sure what he did but I took off after that.

[GaryV]

I had a coworker who was asked how to get to Windsor from metro Detroit.
"Well, you get on I-75 South and "
"You mean North."
"No, South"
"Canada is North"
"OK, if you know how to get there, go ahead."


Another time in the breakroom, someone was talking about going to Grand Rapids over the weekend.  She was told to take water.  "No, that's Flint."  "Same difference."  She didn't realize that sitting there in Dearborn she was closer to Flint than to Grand Rapids.

[triplemultiplex]

That kind of reminds me of a time a few years ago when I was sitting in my car at the McDonald's on Pierson Road in Flint. Now keep in mind that the area around I-75 and Pierson has a lot of crime around it. This car pulls up next to me and I had my passenger window cracked about a quarter of the way down and he pulled up on my passenger side and was two spots over from me. I heard him say that he was coming back from UofM in Ann Arbor and going to Tawas City, he then asked me what city is this? I told him it's Flint, Michigan and then told him that this isn't the best of areas and I wouldn't be going around asking people anything around here, my best bet for you is to get back on I-75 and get outta here. I'm not sure what he did but I took off after that.

"Do you know where you are?  You're in the jungle, baby!  You're gonna die!!"

[SkyPesos]

I had a coworker who was asked how to get to Windsor from metro Detroit.
"Well, you get on I-75 South and "
"You mean North."
"No, South"
"Canada is North"
"OK, if you know how to get there, go ahead."

Detroit to Windsor... via Sault Ste Marie, Sudbury and Toronto. This would be an interesting trip...

[Terry Shea]

I had a coworker who was asked how to get to Windsor from metro Detroit.
"Well, you get on I-75 South and "
"You mean North."
"No, South"
"Canada is North"
"OK, if you know how to get there, go ahead."

Detroit to Windsor... via Sault Ste Marie, Sudbury and Toronto. This would be an interesting trip...

Maybe in the summer!