You know the feeling: you have been on a road trip and good, bad or indifferent, you get to a certain point in the trip and you are just ready to be home. What are your favorite and least favorite "home stretches" (let's say the last 2-3 hours of your trip) for where you live now and/or in the past?
My favorite for returning to Rochester is easily coming in from the south from Williamsport on US 15/I-99, I-86 and I-390. Very high quality road the whole way, with a 70 mph speed limit on much of the US 15 portion, and enough curves and hills to keep it from getting too boring but not such that you can't use cruise control. And there's generally very little traffic or speed enforcement especially late at night, so you can do the 175 mile stretch in under 2.5 hours.
I don't really have a least favorite - coming in from the east and west on I-90 are equally boring, although at least coming in from the west you have the section through Buffalo to break things up a little. Coming from the east, nothing feels fast enough once you get past Amsterdam, and Syracuse/Utica hardly count as waypoints given you can cruise right past both.
CA 99 between Bakersfield and Fresno is an absolute slog. Sometimes I take CA 43 just to change it up even though it takes longer. Conversely coming back the Central Valley on CA 198 (Diablo Range and Sierra Nevada Mountains) is an absolute joyful stretch of mountain roads and obscure freeways.
Coming from the south, I can't stand I-65 from IN 32 to IN 2.
My main routes home from longer road trips:
- 402 > 401 from Sarnia: The 402 is especially boring (flat and straight). The 401 at least has some more turns and small hills, but still not much to look at. I find the final stretch after Woodstock feels long.
- 401 from Windsor: Similar comments to above, the 401 west of London is flat and boring like the 402.
- QEW > 403 > Highway 6 > 401 from Niagara: The Niagara Escarpment and occasional views of Lake Ontario gives a bit more scenery. Highway 6 from the 403 to 401 not being a freeway breaks the monotony. However, the QEW and 6 traffic can be annoying depending on the time of day. One plus I like with the QEW is it seems to have the most out-of-province plates (being the main route between Niagara Falls and Toronto makes it a tourist hotspot).
- 400 > 407 > 401 from Barrie: Despite being very straight, the hilliness of the 400 makes for a fun drive (unless you're stuck in cottage country traffic!). The brief section of the 407 is always nice, since it's too expensive to have any traffic. The 401 from the 407 to Milton often sucks with traffic, but afterwards gets better. A small highlight is the view of Rattlesnake Point and Glen Eden ski hill on the west side of Milton.
- 401/407 from east of Toronto: The 407 scenery is pretty boring, but it's nice for lack of traffic. If we're on the 401, the joy directly correlates with the traffic. If the traffic's okay, it's actually pretty fun to drive through the city on one of the widest freeways, but it's usually a gamble how busy it'll be.
If I had to pick a favourite, I'd go with the QEW/Highway 6. I think the scenery is overall the best and it reminds me of childhood trips to the States.
Coming back across Stevens Pass on US 2 is a lot of fun, especially if I can avoid hitting the weekend crowds. It's got enough passing zones but isn't too congested.
I-5 from Northgate to Everett is a slog due to high volume, unpredictable drivers, and idiots in semi trucks. Just yesterday I had to dodge multiple people who were drifting into my lane as I was passing them.
My least favorite home stretches are I-80/94, I-294, and I-355.
I-80/94 by Chicago is very close to my house, but carries a ton of truck traffic, and is seemingly always busy or under construction. It's also the only way to come in from the east without using side streets.
On I-294 and I-355, everybody drives really fast and often like morons. Getting onto either at their northern terminus creates a false sense of being "almost home" for me, but in reality there's 30 more miles to go in the Chicago suburbs, because I live in the south suburbs. They are my least favorite due to their deceptive nature, followed by I-80/94. They're also tollways, which I don't like (because I'm very cheap).
My favorite is Interstate 57 from the south, mainly because of childhood nostalgia. I live closest to the 167th Street exit, and I will always remember taking the loop ramp to head west on that street after a week long trip to like, Florida or Disney World or something crazy. Same with I-80 from the west, getting onto northbound Harlem Avenue. It just always stuck with me, entering my hometown after taking an extremely long trip.
I have never been glad about getting closer to home. Even on a road trip where I had to have my windshield replaced, a huge wave of depression hit me as I was about three hours from home (on I-70 just west of Wentzville, MO, to be specific).
The example that comes readily to mind for me is when I take road trips to Memphis. On the way back, I usually get pooped out between Lufkin and Livingston on US 59. There's a whole lot of trees out there and not much else. But as soon as I go past Houston area development in New Casey and Humble, the drive suddenly takes on a whole new vigor. Then once I pass Beltway 8 on the south side of town, the pooped-out feeling returns.
I-35 between Wichita and Oklahoma City is a lot more boring and tedious on the way home than on the way out.
I hated the "home stretch" when I lived in Chicagoland. When the "home stretch" involves the speed limit going down, traffic becoming thick, and the number of idiot drivers increasing exponentially, it doesn't really promote that happy feeling.
When I get back into Wichita from Mexico, though, getting off the Turnpike and onto the Canal Route feels awesome, even if it is 15 mph slower. Wichita traffic ain't Chicago traffic, though...
Quote from: 7/8 on April 16, 2022, 02:35:50 PM
- QEW > 403 > Highway 6 > 401 from Niagara: The Niagara Escarpment and occasional views of Lake Ontario gives a bit more scenery. Highway 6 from the 403 to 401 not being a freeway breaks the monotony. However, the QEW and 6 traffic can be annoying depending on the time of day. One plus I like with the QEW is it seems to have the most out-of-province plates (being the main route between Niagara Falls and Toronto makes it a tourist hotspot).
...
If I had to pick a favourite, I'd go with the QEW/Highway 6. I think the scenery is overall the best and it reminds me of childhood trips to the States.
Good choice! That route also has the Garden City and Burlington Bay Skyways, which is a nice bonus.
Highway 6 is a really nice road even though it's not a freeway - one of the better non-divided roadways I've been on. It's a much better road than Highways 5/8 which are both two-lane slogs. Highway 5 in particular seems to move very slowly with constant platoons of cars in both directions.
Some friends of mine commute on that stretch of the QEW and I do not envy them at all - it's always busy which keeps it interesting, and the 110 km/h limit is nice, but it's also not a road I would want to drive every day. It's really starting to need 8 lanes, especially between the Red Hill Valley Pkwy and Grimsby.
Quote from: kphoger on April 16, 2022, 06:59:44 PM
I hated the "home stretch" when I lived in Chicagoland. When the "home stretch" involves the speed limit going down, traffic becoming thick, and the number of idiot drivers increasing exponentially, it doesn't really promote that happy feeling.
That reminds me of coming in to the Rochester area from the (south)east on I-490. You finally get 6 lanes on the Thruway for a bit, and then you're fooled into thinking I-490 is a really nice road for the first few miles, but then you've got an 8 mile slog where you can almost never drive a consistent speed: first on the four-lane, 75K AADT section, and then as heavy traffic enters from exits 23-25 and cars jockey for positioning approaching the 590 split.
Coming in from the south on I-390 is much better - the 390/590 ramps aren't as tight or congested and you can usually keep the cruise set all the way to our exit.
I've always thought that the trip from Eastern Pennsylvania back to Massachusetts is usually ok except the home stretch is always I-95 around Boston. Traffic is always a slog. Depending on traffic, we will sometimes use I-495, which I prefer over the other way because it comes closer to my house.
I-90 from Buffalo to Syracuse is the worst. All others are better.
I guess I am too used to I-78 and I-83 to be annoyed by them at this point.
Indiana
Coming back from anywhere in the mountains isn't so bad when you get to drive through more mountains to get home. Unless the traffic on I-70 sucks, then it's the worst home stretch ever.
Any route coming into Hampton Roads, besides I-64 (if you're coming in at night when traffic is light), just feels like a slog due to the artificially low speed limits.
Coming from the south, you're traveling on either I-95 or I-85 with a 70 mph speed limit traveling 80+ mph the whole way for hours, then you enter Virginia for 11-12 miles, then have to exit for US-58 to slog for the last 60-100 miles (either from I-95 or I-85) at a boring 55-60 mph on open road that can easily be traversed at 75 or 80 mph. And once you get into Hampton Roads, all the freeways are 55 or 60 mph max, there's no final short 65 mph or 70 mph stretch you can just open up on. And it does not help that the few rural limited access freeway segments along the route between I-95 / I-85 and Hampton Roads are still only 60 mph even though they are legally permitted to be increased up to 70 mph, and could safely handle such.
Same with US-13 / US-113 down the hundred+ mile Eastern Shore once departing DE-1 near Dover, and US-460 south of Petersburg / I-295. All 55 mph max.
US-17 from the south can feel sloggish, but at least there's 70 mph freeway segments in various segments throughout to break the monotony of 55 mph, and the final segment going into Virginia is 60 mph. The worst part is the final segment in Chesapeake, VA where it's 55 mph on rural limited access highway for 17 miles. Overall, US-17 is still a slog throughout.
I-64 at least lets you keep 65 mph (with the wide open segment through Newport News often seeing at least one car going 80-90+ mph) all the way to near the I-664 interchange in Newport News, and while it's 60 mph south of there along I-664, there's enough traffic moving 70+ mph it's generally safe to set cruise at around 70 mph without risking a ticket. And if you time it right, you can cross the HRBT on I-64 and travel in the reversible lanes with a 65 mph speed limit through Norfolk.
My overall favorite on I-64 being more specific, is where it now opens to up to 6 lanes near Williamsburg. Often I-64 between Richmond and Williamsburg can be a bottleneck with traffic barely even hitting the 70 mph speed limit, but as soon as you reach Williamsburg, a third lane opens up to the left, and you can just hit it at 80+ mph (speed limit is still 70 mph in this area) and pass the lines of 65 mph side-by-side cars in the other two lanes with large gaps in front of them.
Least favorite when I used to live in Baton Rouge, I hated any stretch leading there...
Here in Houston, I really like coming back in from the east (Louisiana on I-10)...its all boring rural and flat pretty much all the way from Beaumont until Exit 800...then you start slowly getting into the city, until before long you can see downtown like in the bottom left of your vision, then we get to the stuff that means I'm almost home...I-69/US 59, I 45, downtown...I live on the east side of downtown so I usually hop onto 45, then curl up and exit Scott street. Just so I can skirt downtown on the way home.
I-5 from Everett to Seattle, especially when the express lanes are open the other direction.
if i'm returning home from the east, then it's the mile or two of co-14 before you hit the cattle guard. we've always held that the cattle guard is the 'official' beginning of the canyon, even though said cattle guard in fact guards no cattle...
from the west, i start feeling home once i pass the mishawaka.
I-71/75 NB in KY is my favorite and least favorite at the same time. Favorite for the view of the Cincinnati skyline, least favorite because it seems like shit happens on the Brent Spence Bridge so frequently now that I sometimes cross the river on I-471 or I-275 instead.
As for the others, I-71 SB, I-75 SB and I-74/275 EB are pretty uneventful most of the time, so no opinions on those. I really dislike OH 32 WB between Batavia and I-275 though. Lots of traffic signals with long lines that it's common to not make it through some of them within 2 cycles.
I love I-95 from Baltimore northward or from Wilmington southward. Can't think of one I hate.
My least favorite has become I-75. It's the best way home from many points but I'm tired of it. I've seen everything along it for a long stretch and it just doesn't interest me anymore. It's like one of those highways that you know where it goes and you know where you're at pretty much the whole time. I'd like a challenge better and take a route I rarely ever take or have never taken. US-23 between Toledo and Flint does this to me too.
I-39/90/94 between Portage and Madison is my favorite. US-151 between Fond du Lac and Madison is my least favorite.
When I was going to college in Superior, there was no feeling like coming over Thompson Hill on I-35.
For San Francisco, my favorite is US 101 from the north - for a longer trip, it starts to feel like the "home stretch" around Healdsburg. CA-1 from the north is even better, but it's not really conducive to a longer trip.
My least favorite by a wide margin is I-80 from Sacramento.
I suppose there's the question of where is the "home stretch"? For me, on a longer trip (i.e. takes me out of the Bay Area), I'd say it's one of:
- leaving Monterey on CA-1
- leaving Salinas on US-101
- getting off I-5 for CA-152 over Pacheco Pass
- getting off I-5 for I-580
- hitting the freeway portion of CA-120 west (and then the slog through I-5 and I-205)
- making it through the US-50 / I-80 merge in West Sacramento
- getting off I-5 for I-505
- pulling into Calistoga on CA-29
- going through Healdsburg on US-101 south
- CA-1, I dunno, probably going through Jenner or Sea Ranch
Not sure that I have a favorite, but I have (or have had in the past) least favorites.
The leader of the least favorites used to be KY 30 coming off I-75 at London, used for returning from trips to the south or southwest. The road was narrow, hilly, and curvy, and riding in the back seat of the family car as a kid was a nauseating experience (literally).
Over the last 20 years, the old 40-mile stretch has been relocated onto a new, modern, shorter alignment. The last section opened in February. I have yet to take a trip that utilizes the entirety of the new route (I drove the newly-opened stretch between KY 847 and US 421 back in February shortly after it opened) but it will certainly make me dread that last part of the drive a lot less.
Increasingly, I have come to dislike the route home from the southeast -- specifically, the part that involves KY 15 between Whitesburg and Jackson. It's a reasonably scenic road, and pavement projects have made it a lot smoother in recent years, but it just seems like a very long 60-mile segment. I drove it so often there for awhile that what was once a treat has become a chore. And then when you add on the fact that the portion from Jackson on home is the route i drive to and from work, there's nothing thrilling about it.
I'm also coming to tire of the two routes that I use that lead from I-64 to my home area, US 23/US 460/Mountain Parkway, and KY 7/US 460/KY 205/Mountain Parkway. All of the former is a modern route, and most of the latter has been rebuilt in recent years, but they've still lost some of their charm.
The only other real candidate is the US 25E/KY 11 corridor. If there's lots of traffic in Middlesboro, 25E is a PITA with all the signals. Cops like to patrol between Pineville and Barbourville, so watch your speed. And KY 11 between US 421 and KY 66 at Oneida is in terrible shape.
The routes from the west are ones I use for most of my non-leisure travel so I'm not sure how to count them.
Part of the drudge of travel is that you start running out of new ways to get to new places. As beautiful of a drive as it is, I've gotten tired of I-68 simply because I've been on it so often. Ditto Alternate US 58 between Norton and Abingdon, Va.
Quote from: hbelkins on April 17, 2022, 05:07:29 PM
Increasingly, I have come to dislike the route home from the southeast -- specifically, the part that involves KY 15 between Whitesburg and Jackson. It's a reasonably scenic road, and pavement projects have made it a lot smoother in recent years, but it just seems like a very long 60-mile segment. I drove it so often there for awhile that what was once a treat has become a chore. And then when you add on the fact that the portion from Jackson on home is the route i drive to and from work, there's nothing thrilling about it.
This comment has me thinking that I'm not thankful enough that my "home stretches" almost always involve interstate or interstate-grade highways. Sure, they're not as interesting or scenic as two-lane highways, but I certainly wouldn't like being stuck behind other traffic or constantly stopping at signals on the final stretch of the trip home. And I like being able to safely drive a little faster than I would otherwise to make up some time.
Quote from: hbelkins on April 17, 2022, 05:07:29 PM
Part of the drudge of travel is that you start running out of new ways to get to new places. As beautiful of a drive as it is, I've gotten tired of I-68 simply because I've been on it so often. Ditto Alternate US 58 between Norton and Abingdon, Va.
Agreed, but this seems to apply to some corridors more than others. For me the Thruway between Rochester and Buffalo is at one end of the spectrum - it holds very little intrigue anymore and is a good chance for a snooze if I'm not driving, while the I-390/US 15 corridor is at the other end - I never seem to find it truly boring no matter how many times I've been on it. Always enough scenery and views to keep some level of interest, even at night when the lights of the towns/cities dot the countryside.
Quote from: webny99 on April 17, 2022, 09:47:54 PM
Quote from: hbelkins on April 17, 2022, 05:07:29 PM
Increasingly, I have come to dislike the route home from the southeast -- specifically, the part that involves KY 15 between Whitesburg and Jackson. It's a reasonably scenic road, and pavement projects have made it a lot smoother in recent years, but it just seems like a very long 60-mile segment. I drove it so often there for awhile that what was once a treat has become a chore. And then when you add on the fact that the portion from Jackson on home is the route i drive to and from work, there's nothing thrilling about it.
This comment has me thinking that I'm not thankful enough that my "home stretches" almost always involve interstate or interstate-grade highways. Sure, they're not as interesting or scenic as two-lane highways, but I certainly wouldn't like being stuck behind other traffic or constantly stopping at signals on the final stretch of the trip home. And I like being able to safely drive a little faster than I would otherwise to make up some time.
Mine are all interstate highways unless if you're coming from the east or southeast (as I-74 haven't and most likely will never be extended east of Cincinnati). There are 2 viable options that's not an interstate until you enter the metro area: OH 32 or KY 9. Not sure which I prefer of these two, since both have their goods and bads.
There's also US 35/I-71, but at that point, the home stretch would probably be just I-71 then.
Quote from: TheHighwayMan394 on April 17, 2022, 04:40:41 PM
When I was going to college in Superior, there was no feeling like coming over Thompson Hill on I-35.
My equivalent of that would be coming around the final bend on I-390 NB when the Rochester skyline comes into view
right here (https://www.google.com/maps/@43.0365339,-77.6531561,3a,15y,18.01h,89.24t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sRDpaKpamKeqF3Wp7LfA4wQ!2e0!5s20190801T000000!7i16384!8i8192). :nod: And the reverse, for outbound trips, would be
right here (https://www.google.com/maps/@42.7770333,-77.7797726,3a,15y,259.93h,89.04t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1s6TIm1fUKqxh4t_vqDu-QDQ!2e0!5s20160801T000000!7i13312!8i6656) on I-390 SB where the entire Genesee River valley comes into view (spectacular on a clear day) and that's the point at which it starts to feel like a real road trip.
I can't think of anything similar for the other main routes to/from home, except maybe
right here (https://goo.gl/maps/TQ4ed4TYX8E4JCxz8) on the Thruway EB where you can see several miles of the upcoming six-lane section. It's one of the only places in the entire state where you can see a long stretch of six lanes of oncoming headlights, which brings me a special joy (no surprise given my advocacy for more six lane rural freeways), so I find this approach especially spectacular at night.
US 50 coming from Placerville to Lake Tahoe is a lot of fun to drive if there's no traffic in the direction you're traveling. I plan my trips to the Bay Area so I'm not coming eastbound anytime on Friday or Saturday, or certain other days depending on holidays, and the traffic is usually not much of an issue (and there are passing lanes every 4 miles or so if you get behind somebody slow). That trip is capped nicely by the views coming around the bend eastbound at Echo Summit and on the descent into Meyers.
When I lived in the Bay Area and was coming to the mountains on trips, the home stretch on I-80 for its entire length west of I-5 was just awful. There are a number of extended merge lanes along there which drop after a short distance, 4 lanes down to 3, and every time speeds get up to 40-45 mph or so you're quickly greeted by yet another sea of brake lights.
Going home to the Grand Junction, CO area from anywhere in Utah, crossing into Colorado on I-70 East is my most welcomed home stretch:
30 minutes from home, rolling scenic terrain (instead of Utah's flat, desert Mars-scapes), traffic and exits with services within a couple of miles.
Quote from: SkyPesos on April 17, 2022, 10:03:17 PM
Quote from: webny99 on April 17, 2022, 09:47:54 PM
This comment has me thinking that I'm not thankful enough that my "home stretches" almost always involve interstate or interstate-grade highways. Sure, they're not as interesting or scenic as two-lane highways, but I certainly wouldn't like being stuck behind other traffic or constantly stopping at signals on the final stretch of the trip home. And I like being able to safely drive a little faster than I would otherwise to make up some time.
Mine are all interstate highways unless if you're coming from the east or southeast (as I-74 haven't and most likely will never be extended east of Cincinnati). There are 2 viable options that's not an interstate until you enter the metro area: OH 32 or KY 9. Not sure which I prefer of these two, since both have their goods and bads.
There's also US 35/I-71, but at that point, the home stretch would probably be just I-71 then.
I'm not sure I can even come up with two viable non-interstate "home stretches". I suppose NY 104 (east to I-81 and west to Niagara Falls/Canada as an alternate to the Thruway) would be the closest thing. Coming from the east, 104 is a high quality road, basically a super-2, but it's also a slog. It seems to usually be OK until
this signal (https://goo.gl/maps/ZLfraagkhHfMChqz6), which is the first one in a while and always collects up long strings of traffic. From there past Sodus until you finally get four lanes at Williamson, it's pretty much 50-55 mph following a long string of cars. It's annoying, but at least it's consistent.
The only other other non-freeways that would be part of a long return trip would be (1) NY 36 connecting between I-86 and I-390, which is busy with noticeable truck traffic, but a decent road and usually moves well, and (2) NY 67 connecting between I-87 and I-90. It's
terrible through Amsterdam, but a decent road other than that.
Quote from: thenetwork on April 17, 2022, 10:38:51 PM
Going home to the Grand Junction, CO area from anywhere in Utah, crossing into Colorado on I-70 East is my most welcomed home stretch:
30 minutes from home, rolling scenic terrain (instead of Utah's flat, desert Mars-scapes), traffic and exits with services within a couple of miles.
See, I'm not a huge fan of that area because every time I go through there it's absolutely swarming with police, trying to catch people who don't realize the speed limit drops from 80 to 75 at the state line.
Agreed it's better scenery though. People will post stuff on here like "OMG all of 70 west of Denver is amazing" ...and a lot of it is, but I just can't get behind the part between Green River and the Colorado line. I find that to be the most boring interstate in Utah.
Quote from: US 89 on April 18, 2022, 08:18:56 AM
Quote from: thenetwork on April 17, 2022, 10:38:51 PM
Going home to the Grand Junction, CO area from anywhere in Utah, crossing into Colorado on I-70 East is my most welcomed home stretch:
30 minutes from home, rolling scenic terrain (instead of Utah's flat, desert Mars-scapes), traffic and exits with services within a couple of miles.
See, I'm not a huge fan of that area because every time I go through there it's absolutely swarming with police, trying to catch people who don't realize the speed limit drops from 80 to 75 at the state line.
Agreed it's better scenery though. People will post stuff on here like "OMG all of 70 west of Denver is amazing" ...and a lot of it is, but I just can't get behind the part between Green River and the Colorado line. I find that to be the most boring interstate in Utah.
Still better than probably 70% of the interstates in the country though.
Quote from: citrus on April 17, 2022, 05:00:44 PM
For San Francisco, my favorite is US 101 from the north - for a longer trip, it starts to feel like the "home stretch" around Healdsburg. CA-1 from the north is even better, but it's not really conducive to a longer trip.
My least favorite by a wide margin is I-80 from Sacramento.
I suppose there's the question of where is the "home stretch"? For me, on a longer trip (i.e. takes me out of the Bay Area), I'd say it's one of:
- leaving Monterey on CA-1
- leaving Salinas on US-101
- getting off I-5 for CA-152 over Pacheco Pass
- getting off I-5 for I-580
- hitting the freeway portion of CA-120 west (and then the slog through I-5 and I-205)
- making it through the US-50 / I-80 merge in West Sacramento
- getting off I-5 for I-505
- pulling into Calistoga on CA-29
- going through Healdsburg on US-101 south
- CA-1, I dunno, probably going through Jenner or Sea Ranch
I have similar feelings. My favorite "home stretch" is where I-5 turns off from itself at I-580. The truck traffic drops considerably and after many hours of being stuck behind those truck-induced jogjams heading north on I-5, it's a wonderful respite. That interchange also is just about exactly 1 hour from home, so there is the psychological element there too.
My least favorite is turning home from the North/East along I-80 on a Sunday or following a holiday weekend. It's always a bumper-to-bumper mess from West Sacramento to past Fairfield. If the road is clear, it's less than an hour away from home, but it never works out that way.
Quote from: JayhawkCO on April 17, 2022, 12:24:44 AM
Coming back from anywhere in the mountains isn't so bad when you get to drive through more mountains to get home. Unless the traffic on I-70 sucks, then it's the worst home stretch ever.
I should probably expound. I-70 eastbound is one of the coolest home stretches you can have. I-70 westbound is one of the worst. I-25 northbound isn't too bad since you have a couple of towns to pass through on the way breaking it up. I-25 southbound is pretty crappy since traffic between Fort Collins and Denver is typically horrible, especially with the road construction up there. US285 northbound out of the mountains is a really nice drive and the stretch from Conifer to C-470 is fun with lots of turns.
Quote from: webny99 on April 16, 2022, 07:03:15 PM
Highway 6 is a really nice road even though it's not a freeway - one of the better non-divided roadways I've been on. It's a much better road than Highways 5/8 which are both two-lane slogs. Highway 5 in particular seems to move very slowly with constant platoons of cars in both directions.
It does move pretty well, but I think they should get rid of the centre turn lane and make it a four-lane highway with jersey barrier. Traffic regularly goes 100+ and with the high traffic counts, it's pretty sketchy to make left out of the driveways and side streets! Though I still agree with you that I'd rather take 6 over 5>8 any day. :)
Quote from: webny99 on April 16, 2022, 07:03:15 PM
Some friends of mine commute on that stretch of the QEW and I do not envy them at all - it's always busy which keeps it interesting, and the 110 km/h limit is nice, but it's also not a road I would want to drive every day. It's really starting to need 8 lanes, especially between the Red Hill Valley Pkwy and Grimsby.
The only time I regularly used the highway was for a four-month period where I lived in St. Catharines and drove home on Friday evenings. I found the left lane hogs were particularly bad on it, so I'd be pretty frustrated to drive it everyday! But yeah, the two skyways are pretty neat and the scenery is about the best you'll get for a freeway in that part of Ontario. :sombrero:
Quote from: JayhawkCO on April 18, 2022, 04:25:02 PM
Quote from: JayhawkCO on April 17, 2022, 12:24:44 AM
Coming back from anywhere in the mountains isn't so bad when you get to drive through more mountains to get home. Unless the traffic on I-70 sucks, then it's the worst home stretch ever.
I should probably expound. I-70 eastbound is one of the coolest home stretches you can have. I-70 westbound is one of the worst. I-25 northbound isn't too bad since you have a couple of towns to pass through on the way breaking it up. I-25 southbound is pretty crappy since traffic between Fort Collins and Denver is typically horrible, especially with the road construction up there. US285 northbound out of the mountains is a really nice drive and the stretch from Conifer to C-470 is fun with lots of turns.
For those of us who live west of the divide and/or Vail, westbound I-70 put of Denver is a welcome sight on Sunday afternoons when we go at or above posted speeds while the Denver-bound traffic is at a near crawl for dozens of miles!!!
I doubt it will surprise anyone that when I'm arriving home from trips to the south, I usually find the segment of I-95 between Richmond and Northern Virginia to be quite unpleasant. There have been exceptions to that, of course; there are times when the traffic isn't bad. But most of the time there's some sort of problem somewhere, plus even when the traffic is moving at a good pace the number of extremely aggressive drivers (tailgating, cutting people off, weaving in and out) makes for a very unpleasant trip. I think at the end of longer trips it just seems that much more unpleasant. (I can think of one trip coming back from Florida on which the car's trip computer showed I'd been averaging 73 mph since we stopped for gas near Florence, SC, and then the last 90 miles home north of I-295 took almost three hours. On that trip, we got back on I-95 from I-295 and got back off at the very next exit in favor of US-1.)
I-270 in Maryland is a close dishonorable mention. It always feels like a total rat race where everyone is fighting with everyone else, especially if I come down US-15 from Pennsylvania, which is a relaxing, easy drive.
Quote from: 1995hoo on April 19, 2022, 08:25:26 AM
I doubt it will surprise anyone that when I'm arriving home from trips to the south, I usually find the segment of I-95 between Richmond and Northern Virginia to be quite unpleasant. There have been exceptions to that, of course; there are times when the traffic isn't bad. But most of the time there's some sort of problem somewhere, plus even when the traffic is moving at a good pace the number of extremely aggressive drivers (tailgating, cutting people off, weaving in and out) makes for a very unpleasant trip. I think at the end of longer trips it just seems that much more unpleasant. (I can think of one trip coming back from Florida on which the car's trip computer showed I'd been averaging 73 mph since we stopped for gas near Florence, SC, and then the last 90 miles home north of I-295 took almost three hours. On that trip, we got back on I-95 from I-295 and got back off at the very next exit in favor of US-1.)
I-270 in Maryland is a close dishonorable mention. It always feels like a total rat race where everyone is fighting with everyone else, especially if I come down US-15 from Pennsylvania, which is a relaxing, easy drive.
That notwithstanding, I-270 is the tail end of one of my least unpleasant home stretches, from I-68 and I-70.
At the other end of the scale, there's I-81 (from I-40 in TN, or I-64 in WV) to I-66 -- I-66 itself wouldn't be so bad if it weren't in a prolonged rebuild. Or, as you note, I-95 from NC (or the alternate one including I-64 from Norfolk, also no walk in the park). Or the "Trail of Tolls" following I-95 and the NJ Turnpike from the New York metro area.
Quote from: oscar on April 19, 2022, 09:00:23 AM
Quote from: 1995hoo on April 19, 2022, 08:25:26 AM
I doubt it will surprise anyone that when I'm arriving home from trips to the south, I usually find the segment of I-95 between Richmond and Northern Virginia to be quite unpleasant. There have been exceptions to that, of course; there are times when the traffic isn't bad. But most of the time there's some sort of problem somewhere, plus even when the traffic is moving at a good pace the number of extremely aggressive drivers (tailgating, cutting people off, weaving in and out) makes for a very unpleasant trip. I think at the end of longer trips it just seems that much more unpleasant. (I can think of one trip coming back from Florida on which the car's trip computer showed I'd been averaging 73 mph since we stopped for gas near Florence, SC, and then the last 90 miles home north of I-295 took almost three hours. On that trip, we got back on I-95 from I-295 and got back off at the very next exit in favor of US-1.)
I-270 in Maryland is a close dishonorable mention. It always feels like a total rat race where everyone is fighting with everyone else, especially if I come down US-15 from Pennsylvania, which is a relaxing, easy drive.
That notwithstanding, I-270 is the tail end of one of my least unpleasant home stretches, from I-68 and I-70.
At the other end of the scale, there's I-81 (from I-40 in TN, or I-64 in WV) to I-66 -- I-66 itself wouldn't be so bad if it weren't in a prolonged rebuild. Or, as you note, I-95 from NC (or the alternate one including I-64 from Norfolk, also no walk in the park). Or the "Trail of Tolls" following I-95 and the NJ Turnpike from the New York metro area.
The construction is why I omitted I-66 from my post–I kind of feel like because the construction is a temporary thing, it's not really fair to hold it against it in the same sense that I-95 has been annoying for a long time. Coming home from Florida, I sometimes cut west to Columbia just to come up through Greensboro and then take US-29 if it's a time of year when I-95 in Virginia is likely to be especially bad. (If we were going to drive instead of using the Auto Train, our next trip would be an excellent example of that because we're coming home right before a holiday weekend.)
My travels don't require me to use I-81 on the way home very often these days. The last time we were on a trip that would have brought us home via I-81, signs warning of a huge wreck caused me to bail off to US-340 instead (side benefit: finishing my clinch of said route).
My most hated part of any out of state trip back home from the south or west would have to be I-94 between I-75 & M-102 8 Mile rd. It is (in my opinion) the worst section of 94 in the state of Michigan. The moment the ramp merges from NB 75 to EB 94, I feel a sense of dread! It's a whole lot of anxiety in such a short stretch dodging the potholes, weaving lanes avoiding the 45mph drivers in the middle lane and trying not to get run over by the 80mph drivers in the left. This area is also the most dangerous (crime) area in Detroit. I always worry about blowing a tire and having to pull over or exit here.
Once you get out of Wayne County and pass 8 mile, you can breathe better and relax a bit as the freeway gets a bit smoother and the traffic seems more calm.
Now coming from the north... I-69 from Flint east is a very fast pleasant ride. I feel very at ease thinking I am almost home. The only anxiety I feel on this stretch is little because of the deer that likes to play frogger across the freeway in the wide-open fields around Lapeer to Capac.
NC 105 northbound when I'm coming back to Boone from Johnson City. Nowhere to pass except just before you get into town and people love to ride their brakes down the hill getting out of Avery County. That or you'll get stuck behind a truck. Either way you'll be going 10-15 under the limit. The stupid 35/40 limits through Foscoe and Seven Devils are also annoying.
I've had a place in the Upper Peninsula for years and go back and forth between lower Michigan and the U.P. all the time so that always involves crossing the Mac. Once I bit the bridge I know I'm about 40 miles from where I stay in the U.P. it's about 20 miles north on I-75 and about 20 miles east on M-134 to Cedarville. From the bridge to my house is just under 3 hours so it's not much of a home stretch coming back to my regular house.
A pair of favorites...
For our somewhat-regular trips to/from Parras, Coahuila, Mexico:
southbound – turning south from Mexico-40 onto Coahuila-102 at Paila. After more than 1000 miles of driving, of which the last 45 have been westward through hard desert facing the setting sun, we finally turn towards our final destination–now just 17 miles away. Along the way, now we pass between vineyards and pecan orchards, and the highway is dappled with the shadow of trees.
northbound – crossing the state line from Oklahoma into Kansas on I-35. Home is now about 45 to 50 minutes away. Plus, it's the beginning of the Kansas Turnpike, which means I no longer have to deal with Oklahoma's excuse for pavement. Just a smooth turnpike stretching out ahead, with pleasant green farmland all around. Wichita itself doesn't have bad traffic, and our route home is all freeway until the final mile.
Favorite home stretch: Any freeway (expressway) leading into Chicago, because of the skyline views.
Least favorite one: All the freeways in L.A., with the heavy traffic and daily threats of smog. And downtown easily pales in comparison to the former.
Quote from: Henry on April 20, 2022, 10:49:53 AM
Favorite home stretch: Any freeway (expressway) leading into Chicago, because of the skyline views.
Least favorite one: All the freeways in L.A., with the heavy traffic and daily threats of smog. And downtown easily pales in comparison to the former.
You might appreciate this more than most--back in 2019, my family was at both ends of US 66 on the same day.
Quote from: index on April 19, 2022, 09:52:40 PM
NC 105 northbound when I'm coming back to Boone from Johnson City. Nowhere to pass except just before you get into town and people love to ride their brakes down the hill getting out of Avery County. That or you'll get stuck behind a truck. Either way you'll be going 10-15 under the limit. The stupid 35/40 limits through Foscoe and Seven Devils are also annoying.
What route do you take? Any reason you don't use US 321 the entire way?
Quote from: hbelkins on April 21, 2022, 10:47:19 AM
Quote from: index on April 19, 2022, 09:52:40 PM
NC 105 northbound when I'm coming back to Boone from Johnson City. Nowhere to pass except just before you get into town and people love to ride their brakes down the hill getting out of Avery County. That or you'll get stuck behind a truck. Either way you'll be going 10-15 under the limit. The stupid 35/40 limits through Foscoe and Seven Devils are also annoying.
What route do you take? Any reason you don't use US 321 the entire way?
I'm just guessing that it involves 362 to 19E to 194 to 105 which looks like a smoother ride than US-321.
Quote from: hbelkins on April 21, 2022, 10:47:19 AM
Quote from: index on April 19, 2022, 09:52:40 PM
NC 105 northbound when I'm coming back to Boone from Johnson City. Nowhere to pass except just before you get into town and people love to ride their brakes down the hill getting out of Avery County. That or you'll get stuck behind a truck. Either way you'll be going 10-15 under the limit. The stupid 35/40 limits through Foscoe and Seven Devils are also annoying.
What route do you take? Any reason you don't use US 321 the entire way?
I didn't see this until now but I actually just detailed this in another thread if you're curious, Flint1979 was right:
https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=31416.msg2732002#msg2732002
For my home in Boise, ID, I'll rank "home stretches" from least favorite to favorite:
- I-84 from the East. The section between Mountain Home and Boise is so damn boring, and is the least interesting part of the entire drive coming from a place like Salt Lake City. Only redeeming factor is the 80 MPH speed limit.
- ID-55 from the south/west. Marsing to Nampa/I-84 is a slog, especially most of it being 2 lanes. At least that doesn't last too long, and US-95 south of Marsing is nice for what it is.
- I-84 from the West. This is my most common home stretch on road trips, as a lot of my road trips are to Oregon. I don't mind this too much, I consider the home stretch starting from Ontario. Ontario to Caldwell is nice if there's no construction (when they repave it and drop down to 1 lane each way, it's awful). Caldwell to Boise is fine as long as there's not construction/traffic, which sometimes there is. You could also throw US-20/26 from the west in here, usually connecting to I-84 via OR-201 in Ontario. Starting in Vale feels like the home stretch, but the stretch from Vale to Ontario sucks IMO.
- ID-55 from the North. This one's weird. The last 20 minutes of this one is suburban arterials from Eagle into Boise which is not great, but I usually don't mind it as a stark change of pace from the mountain driving, and it's not the worst of the arterials in town. That also gives decent opportunities to grab gas/fast food/groceries on the way back if desired. The real home stretch feels more like from Horseshoe Bend or Cascade, and from there down to Eagle it's great, unless traffic is thick.
- ID-21. This one has to be the winner. Excellent scenery, low traffic in the rural parts, basically no suburban slog before hitting I-84, and it pops into Boise right near where I live. And you get about 2 miles of 80 MPH speed limit right at the end on I-84. Unfortunately, this is not a very useful route from a road trip perspective.
When I lived in Bend, OR, my least favorite was definitely Sisters to Bend on US-20. Fairly slow moving traffic, not great passing opportunities, plus the city of Sisters itself can be really slow going. Arriving into Bend there is no direct connection onto US-97/Bend Parkway so you have a few lights to contend with too if you're heading south. Madras to Redmond on US-97 also sucks, but Redmond to Bend is fine so you kind of forget about it.
Least favorite:
Driving back from WV or TN from Troy, OH to Fort Wayne always made me want to sleep. Probably because it's usually on a Sunday when we'd come back and listening to Reds games on the radio doesn't add much energy to the trip (especially with this year's team).
Favorite:
Merging onto I-69 at exit 296 (coming back from West Lafayette) and getting to finish off the trip with a speed limit 10 mph higher than the rest of the trip.
My favorite home stretch is cresting the hill coming into view of the spires of Old Main on the U of A campus in Fayetteville northbound on I-49. It's especially inspiring at night when the town is lit up when cresting the hill.
https://goo.gl/maps/5nN78Pr18FoVcByr7 (https://goo.gl/maps/5nN78Pr18FoVcByr7)
Since I'm in the phase of life with young kids and 2 businesses, I spend most of my travel going to and from out of town jobs, so home is where I'd prefer to be. Maybe once the kids get launched and maybe take over one or both of the businesses, there might be a travel trailer or small plane in the future to enable more recreational travel. Have to wrap up the private pilot license finally, though, and an instrument rating for insurance before the latter would be a good idea.
My former least favorite home stretch has become my favorite recently.
I-40/85 heading towards Raleigh from Greensboro is hectic enough, and then once you get to the eastern split, it feels like Raleigh is just around the corner, but its actually another 35 miles on I-40 to to get to the western reaches of Raleigh. Most traffic takes I-40 at the eastern split with I-85, so that causes frequent slowdowns since 85 is the default route. I used to hate that split due to the feeling that I was close to home, but in reality being ~40 mins away still. Now since I moved to Hillsborough, that same split is actually close to home, and I now use 85 at the split, and go just 2 miles to my exit, and another half mile to my neighborhood.
Quote from: kphoger on April 16, 2022, 06:59:44 PM
I hated the "home stretch" when I lived in Chicagoland. When the "home stretch" involves the speed limit going down, traffic becoming thick, and the number of idiot drivers increasing exponentially, it doesn't really promote that happy feeling.
When I get back into Wichita from Mexico, though, getting off the Turnpike and onto the Canal Route feels awesome, even if it is 15 mph slower. Wichita traffic ain't Chicago traffic, though...
Yeah, there's really not a route coming into Chicago that I find enjoyable to drive.
To come up with a favorite I'd have to look to my past home of Bloomington, Indiana and the stretch of SR 37 (now I-69) heading into town from the north. Since most of my childhood trips involved taking that route, I have so many memories associated with it.
Last fall, I actually liked the drive into Chicago just on I-90 from Rockford. It was late at night and not a lot of traffic was on it.
From the northwest, I used to enjoy the home stretch on Florida's Turnpike from Wildwood into my home in Orlando. There was something momentous about making the split from I-75 and starting a new highway, and traffic was lighter than it was on I-75, but the last few years there's so much more traffic that there's usually a slowdown strictly due to volume. I would say traffic counts warrant six-laning all the way from Wildwood into metro Orlando, but I'm sure that's many years away.
Quote from: Rothman on May 08, 2022, 01:07:52 AM
Last fall, I actually liked the drive into Chicago just on I-90 from Rockford. It was late at night and not a lot of traffic was on it.
I don't mind that road either.
For those returning to Southern Utah from Las Vegas or L.A., the northbound I-15 drive through the Virgin River Gorge is a stunning end to any drive. When I finish a long roadtrip and come that way, I often wonder why I just drove hundreds/thousands of miles when all this is less than a half-hour away!
(On the downside, however, there's an epidemic of dangerous driving in the gorge, with predictably tragic results. And it's in a near-perpetual state of (re)construction.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHkHfqi6DUk
Favorite: Heading into the east side Green Bay from the north and going over the Leo Frigo Bridge on I-43.
Least: I-41 from Appleton.
Home stretches returning to Salt Lake City, ranked from best to worst: I-80 east > I-15 south > I-80 west > I-15 north.
Coming into Salt Lake on eastbound I-80 is great. Comparatively very little traffic and it's cool to watch the mountains and downtown skyline get bigger and bigger as you approach. Westbound I-80 has nice scenery in Parleys Canyon, but there is enough traffic in there (much of which seems to be trucks or tourists that either like to plod along at 50 mph or zoom by at 80+) that the drive is less enjoyable especially if you're familiar with it. I simply hate driving north on I-15 through 50 miles of Utah County and suburban sprawl to get to SLC.
I have come to the conclusion that all six interstate approaches into Atlanta are equally terrible.
two words: jersey turnpike. Its long and feels like its never going to end.
Coming into MSP on any route from any direction is boring.
Quote from: TheHighwayMan394 on May 09, 2022, 10:10:24 PM
Coming into MSP on any route from any direction is boring.
What? The entrance to Minneapolis from 35W northbound is fantastic.
Quote from: Rothman on May 09, 2022, 11:20:25 PM
Quote from: TheHighwayMan394 on May 09, 2022, 10:10:24 PM
Coming into MSP on any route from any direction is boring.
What? The entrance to Minneapolis from 35W northbound is fantastic.
Well sure, but I wasn't sure if that's what "home stretch" meant, or just coming into the metro area itself.
Quote from: TheHighwayMan394 on May 09, 2022, 10:10:24 PM
Coming into MSP on any route from any direction is boring.
We used drive from Wichita up to Waverly, MN. Coming into the metro area and then heading west on US-12 was one big "least favorite home stretch" for me. Get to I-494 just in time for afternoon rush hour, then deal with heavy traffic on a two-lane road with rough pavement and no opportunities to pass. Blech!
Eventually, I started getting off I-35 at Lonsdale (MN-19) and using a 73-mile combination of rural state and county highways instead.
As you head north on I-5 approaching downtown Seattle there's a pretty nice view of the skyline at about mile 162:
https://www.google.com/maps/@48.4022918,-122.4768646,15.06z
https://goo.gl/maps/58xarxqPDdBPv91A6
(edit: fixed bad link)
Quote from: kkt on May 10, 2022, 02:28:15 PM
As you head north on I-5 approaching downtown Seattle there's a pretty nice view of the skyline at about mile 162:
https://www.google.com/maps/@48.4022918,-122.4768646,15.06z
Bad link.
Quote from: Nacho on May 07, 2022, 11:18:31 PM
Quote from: kphoger on April 16, 2022, 06:59:44 PM
I hated the "home stretch" when I lived in Chicagoland. When the "home stretch" involves the speed limit going down, traffic becoming thick, and the number of idiot drivers increasing exponentially, it doesn't really promote that happy feeling.
Yeah, there's really not a route coming into Chicago that I find enjoyable to drive.
I have to say that I disagree. The traffic slowly thickening, the lanes slowly multiplying, the environment slowly urbanizing, all that for me is a sign of returning home, and kind of like a ceremonial or celebratory run in a sense, somewhat like the beginning of the Iditarod Dog Sled Race or the end of the Tour de France. That said, I do make it a point to avoid coming home from a road trip during rush hour, but it's usually not too hard to do so.
When I lived in Tennessee, I had nothing like that. The exit off I-26 was less than a mile from where I lived, and took about two minutes to drive, and so I was usually home before I really aware of it, which I found vaguely disappointing.
I think the term "home stretch" might be relative, and mean different things to different people.
Years ago, when I had been west of Kentucky, I thought I was in the "home stretch" the minute I crossed the Ohio River at Cairo, Flat State. And I still had at least five hours left to drive to get home.
In past trips to the northeast, I've had that "home stretch" vibe when I entered I-79, either at Weston or Morgantown. And that's a five-hour haul as well.
Yeah, I've never had a "home stretch" feeling with a five-hour drive ahead of me.
Hmmmmmmm... Actually, scratch that. The only time I've driven to Wichita from Colorado, I guess you could say I had a "home stretch" feeling when crossing into Kansas on I-70.
Home stretch feeling for me usually starts east of I-95. Either the split onto US-58 or I-64 from I-295 depending coming from the south or north.
Quote from: kphoger on May 10, 2022, 03:35:37 PM
Yeah, I've never had a "home stretch" feeling with a five-hour drive ahead of me.
Hmmmmmmm... Actually, scratch that. The only time I've driven to Wichita from Colorado, I guess you could say I had a "home stretch" feeling when crossing into Kansas on I-70.
I think crossing back into your home region makes it feel a little bit like you're almost home. Whenever I cross into Iowa from Nebraska on I-80 EB, it does feel a little like the home stretch. But the true home stretch doesn't begin until at least the WI border on US-151.
^ Agreed. For example, in my case, entering Virginia on I-81. A good 6-7 hours from home, but it starts a last stretch. Some more so once getting to I-64, and most definitely east of Richmond.
For me it is most definitely the southernmost few miles of I-77 in the Columbia, SC area, heading southbound. At Exits 6 and 5, there is lots of traffic merging on heading south since this area has a lot of warehouses, light industry, and a couple of truck stops, and it leads to the southernmost crossing over the Congaree River in the immediate Columbia area. Then as you're approaching the Congaree River, you're passing by Columbia's municipal waste water treatment plant. Crossing the river itself is fine, as that bridge has decent concrete, which very well may have been rehabbed before I moved to the area. But the same can't be said for the two river overflow crossings after the actual river crossing! They are frequently pothole-riddled in the center and right lanes (both directions!), and often the potholes go all the way through! All SCDOT does most times is throw some cold patch in the craters, and occasionally they'll try to fix it right with concrete, but it never lasts and it's back to a moonscape maybe a month or so later. These bridges desperately need a full depth deck rehab, much like how NC preserves their bridges, and many other bridges along I-77 in SC need this too, but I digress. As I'm going over those two bridges, always in the left lane to avoid the potholes, and always really fast as I'm generally being pursued by "Big Altima Energy" or the like, I have to try to get back over three lanes to the right so I don't miss my exit, which is Exit 1 to US 21/176/321.
So yeah, I very much prefer coming home via I-26 in either direction.
Quote from: 1 on May 10, 2022, 02:31:15 PM
Quote from: kkt on May 10, 2022, 02:28:15 PM
As you head north on I-5 approaching downtown Seattle there's a pretty nice view of the skyline at about mile 162:
https://www.google.com/maps/@48.4022918,-122.4768646,15.06z
Bad link.
Whoops. Try this:
https://goo.gl/maps/58xarxqPDdBPv91A6
When I'm out of state and hit the Michigan-Ohio line on US-23 I'm thinking I've got less than 130 miles to go. You kind of just take strides like your first stride would be the state line to Dundee, then Dundee to Milan, then Milan to Ann Arbor, then Ann Arbor to Brighton, then Brighton to Fenton, then Fenton to Flint. It sure makes the drive seem easier.
Quote from: Flint1979 on May 19, 2022, 10:15:08 AM
When I'm out of state and hit the Michigan-Ohio line on US-23 I'm thinking I've got less than 130 miles to go. You kind of just take strides like your first stride would be the state line to Dundee, then Dundee to Milan, then Milan to Ann Arbor, then Ann Arbor to Brighton, then Brighton to Fenton, then Fenton to Flint. It sure makes the drive seem easier.
I find that's the best way to chart one's progress (at least if you're in a reasonably populated area) for feeling like you're making steady progress. I remember the New York Thruway feeling endless as a kid. I'd try to chart progress by exits, which are so spread out away from cities that it all too often feels like you're going nowhere, especially when, say, you find you went 16 miles to go from Exit 29 to Exit 29A. It feels a lot smoother if you think of it as the MA-NY line to Albany, Albany to Utica, Utica to Syracuse, Syracuse to Rochester, Rochester to Buffalo, and then Buffalo to the NY-PA line.
For St Louis (expressways/freeways only).
Least favorite: I-70 EB from the west. I don't like I-70 in MO in general at all, so that may be a reason for this. Dislike the Wentzville Pkwy interchange area with the sharp curves. The rest of I-70 in St Charles County is pretty substandard and should've been at least 4 lanes each way since a decade ago. Traffic is very heavy during AM rush as well.
I don't really have a favorite. I-55/64/70 coming in from IL have a nice view of the skyline, but otherwise have nothing else to write home about (after all, Illinois is flat). Haven't entered on I-44 EB, I-55 NB, US 67 NB or US 61 SB before. That leaves MO 21 NB, which I guess it's nice with the rolling hills, but nothing special otherwise.
Quote from: SkyPesos on May 20, 2022, 06:09:42 PM
For St Louis (expressways/freeways only).
Haven't entered on I-44 EB
Back when my now-wife and I lived in the Chicago area, we made many a trip to visit family in her hometown of Branson. A lot of those times, we'd leave Branson after church on Sunday, which put us getting to Saint Louis on I-44 right at the afternoon rush hour. It seems like there was always a traffic jam for one reason or another, and one time traffic was stopped because we hit the end of a high-speed police chase.
I eventually got so fed up, that we started taking a different route instead. We'd keep going north at Springfield (MO) to Buffalo, then northeast till we hit US-54. Then we'd take US-54 all the way to Pittsfield (IL), then I-72 to Springfield (IL). It theoretically took an extra hour, but I didn't arrive home with a major tension headache.
Speaking of those trips... Southbound... US-65 south of Ozark, on the way to Branson, is one heck of a home stretch. Great scenery, four lanes of traffic flowing at 10 over the limit, and only a half-hour to go. If my wife was driving at that point in the trip, her foot would actually turn to lead somewhere between Marshfield and Strafford. I could always tell she was happy to be getting close to her hometown, if the needle was over 80.