Unpopular Anything Road-Related Opinions

[HighwayStar]

and I think everywhere should have frontage roads

We definitely have room to fit frontage roads in narrow canyons and in dense cities...not.

There's room in dense cities as long as you use already existing roads. Somerville MA here

Texas U Turn style frontage roads should be mandatory on the entire Interstate system for any developed area.

[SeriesE]

I've long thought that something like this might work:

No.

The judges would also have accepted "ΛV()" for an answer.

A continuous sign with both options, and a separator line that runs about 3/4 of the height of the sign panel works for me.

Like this?

Yes.

Frankly I'm surprised the MUTCD hasn't attempted to recommend this kind of signs before inventing the space wasting APL signs

[CoreySamson]

Bumping this for a new unpopular opinion that I never though I would have: I don't think building an I-45 extension (or even a freeway) along US 69 and US 75 to either Tulsa or Muskogee should be seriously considered anytime soon. Traffic on US 75 really dies off in the Durant area from my (admittedly shallow) experience and traffic on US 75 north of Atoka and OK 375 is basically nonexistent. I don't know the exact traffic counts, but there was definitely much less traffic on those routes than there was on other similar long distance routes that people on here want upgraded to interstate (TX 71, US 59 north of Houston, US 412 in OK). It appears to me that Tulsa and Dallas are already connected enough by interstate.

[kirbykart]

Prior to the new 2 mile installs on I-81, NY has historically posted just a 1 mile advance... that's it until the exit.

And there's something wrong with that? (I know this is an old quote but I had to respond).

[skluth]

Bumping this for a new unpopular opinion that I never though I would have: I don't think building an I-45 extension (or even a freeway) along US 69 and US 75 to either Tulsa or Muskogee should be seriously considered anytime soon. Traffic on US 75 really dies off in the Durant area from my (admittedly shallow) experience and traffic on US 75 north of Atoka and OK 375 is basically nonexistent. I don't know the exact traffic counts, but there was definitely much less traffic on those routes than there was on other similar long distance routes that people on here want upgraded to interstate (TX 71, US 59 north of Houston, US 412 in OK). It appears to me that Tulsa and Dallas are already connected enough by interstate.

I don't believe it needs to be I-45, i.e., a full freeway. But the US 69/75 Vinita-Dallas corridor is commonly recommended by GPS for traffic between Missouri and Dallas. This map of 2020 truck traffic shows it's a busy corridor for trucks. Towns like Pryor, Atoka, and especially Muskogee should have limited access bypasses. (Technically Muskogee does but I don't know how much traffic diverts to the Muskogee Turnpike.) Upgrading the corridor to a Wisconsin-style expressway like WI 29 or US 151 would be a huge improvement as it would get rid of all the stops along the corridor. Any upgrade is far more likely to be a toll road, but that's fine with me.

[kphoger]

Traffic on US 75 really dies off in the Durant area from my (admittedly shallow) experience and traffic on US 75 north of Atoka and OK 375 is basically nonexistent. I don't know the exact traffic counts ...

2021 AADT:

US-75 north of Atoka
3300 @ Lehigh
3600 @ OK-3 concurrency
620 @ Hughes County line
2500 @ Calvin
2400 @ Wetumka
970 @ Weleetka
2000 @ I-40

OK-375 north of McAlester
8224 @ US-270
7701 @ McIntosh County line
8060 @ Okmulgee County line

[Quillz]

I have no nostalgia for button copy and don't care at all when it eventually disappears forever. Aesthetically, I do like how some route shields looked when done in button copy, but those are things that can be recreated on modern sign design if desired.

[SkyPesos]

I don't believe it needs to be I-45, i.e., a full freeway. But the US 69/75 Vinita-Dallas corridor is commonly recommended by GPS for traffic between Missouri and Dallas.

From central/southwestern parts of MO I'm guessing? KC have I-35 to Dallas, and St Louis have US 67/I-30.

[someone17]

I wish that state routes that are controlled-access freeways are designated something else other than average state routes by AASHTO. For non-road geeks, the image of a state route is a two-lane road in the countryside.

I was thinking something like this? (SR 315 in OH, I am not much of an artist)

[Scott5114]

I wish that state routes that are controlled-access freeways are designated something else other than average state routes by AASHTO. For non-road geeks, the image of a state route is a two-lane road in the countryside.

I was thinking something like this? (SR 315 in OH, I am not much of an artist)

Here's an old concept drawing I have lying around.

[Quillz]

I wish that state routes that are controlled-access freeways are designated something else other than average state routes by AASHTO. For non-road geeks, the image of a state route is a two-lane road in the countryside.

I was thinking something like this? (SR 315 in OH, I am not much of an artist)

When I redesigned California route shields as a personal project, what I did was put the type of route at the bottom. So normally it would just be "ROUTE," but sometimes it would be "TOLL" or "COUNTY" (if not state maintained), etc. So something like "FWY" could work. Similar to what Scott posted above. If route shields are going to include the state name, I think that should be reserved simply for straightforward corridors. If it's something different, it should be altered accordingly.

[CtrlAltDel]

I wish that state routes that are controlled-access freeways are designated something else other than average state routes by AASHTO. For non-road geeks, the image of a state route is a two-lane road in the countryside.

I was thinking something like this? (SR 315 in OH, I am not much of an artist)

Something like this:

[someone17]

I wish that state routes that are controlled-access freeways are designated something else other than average state routes by AASHTO. For non-road geeks, the image of a state route is a two-lane road in the countryside.

I was thinking something like this? (SR 315 in OH, I am not much of an artist)

Something like this:

Yes! This is exactly what I was thinking about.
Also - I feel that routes that are across state lines should omit the state name on the sign (i.e. CKC Expressway, which is marked as IL/MO-110)

[kphoger]

I feel that routes that are across state lines should omit the state name on the sign (i.e. CKC Expressway, which is marked as IL/MO-110)

1.  Missouri already doesn't put its state name on the MO-110 shield.

2.  The CKC is stoopid.

[SkyPesos]

CKC: really an expressway winding through Forgottonia disguised as a Chicago-Kansas City Expressway, even though we all know that I-35/US 36/I-55 is the actual best route between the two.

Just call it the "Forgottonia Expressway", and drop Missouri out of this whole scheme, at this point.

[Molandfreak]

Reactionary hate for roundabouts is dumb and figuring out how to use them is very simple. The only thing I don't like is that some of them aren't being put in optimal locations, but other reasons for hating them range from nonsensical to outright lies.

[skluth]

I don't believe it needs to be I-45, i.e., a full freeway. But the US 69/75 Vinita-Dallas corridor is commonly recommended by GPS for traffic between Missouri and Dallas.

From central/southwestern parts of MO I'm guessing? KC have I-35 to Dallas, and St Louis have US 67/I-30.

Even from West County. It's the preferred route from Chesterfield and Kirkwood.

[SkyPesos]

I don't believe it needs to be I-45, i.e., a full freeway. But the US 69/75 Vinita-Dallas corridor is commonly recommended by GPS for traffic between Missouri and Dallas.

From central/southwestern parts of MO I'm guessing? KC have I-35 to Dallas, and St Louis have US 67/I-30.

Even from West County. It's the preferred route from Chesterfield and Kirkwood.

I wonder how much of that will change once the I-57 extension is finished. The only 2-lane section left of the US 67/I-30 routing from St Louis to Dallas will be part of Future I-57, and since US 67 between Poplar Bluff and I-55 is 4-laned already, this would be another entirely 4+ lane routing after completion that could be competitive with I-44/US 69/US 75 even for those starting in West County.

[kirbykart]

Reactionary hate for roundabouts is dumb and figuring out how to use them is very simple. The only thing I don't like is that some of them aren't being put in optimal locations, but other reasons for hating them range from nonsensical to outright lies.

Roundabouts are good when they are large enough. There are some new ones in Olean and Hamburg that are too small.

  The giant rotary in the middle of Augusta, ME is great.

[vdeane]

Reactionary hate for roundabouts is dumb and figuring out how to use them is very simple. The only thing I don't like is that some of them aren't being put in optimal locations, but other reasons for hating them range from nonsensical to outright lies.

Roundabouts are good when they are large enough. There are some new ones in Olean and Hamburg that are too small.

  The giant rotary in the middle of Augusta, ME is great.

You might feel differently when you're actually driving.  Large traffic circles (that thing in Augusta is too big to be a roundabout) are intimidating and have safety issues because traffic has to make quick decisions at high speeds.

[skluth]

I don't believe it needs to be I-45, i.e., a full freeway. But the US 69/75 Vinita-Dallas corridor is commonly recommended by GPS for traffic between Missouri and Dallas.

From central/southwestern parts of MO I'm guessing? KC have I-35 to Dallas, and St Louis have US 67/I-30.

Even from West County. It's the preferred route from Chesterfield and Kirkwood.

I wonder how much of that will change once the I-57 extension is finished. The only 2-lane section left of the US 67/I-30 routing from St Louis to Dallas will be part of Future I-57, and since US 67 between Poplar Bluff and I-55 is 4-laned already, this would be another entirely 4+ lane routing after completion that could be competitive with I-44/US 69/US 75 even for those starting in West County.

Good chance it will change. I took the US 67/I-30 route to Dallas about five years ago when I lived in Oakville, not long after the segment up to Walnut Ridge was completed. There was little traffic on it and the new pavement then was great. Actually, there was little traffic on most of US 67 from Fenton to Newport except right around Poplar Bluff so it was pretty relaxing until almost Little Rock.

[texaskdog]

Don't know if I said it already but when a US highway has an extremely long duplex, just end it and have it be in two parts e.g. US 52, US 87, and many others.  If you don't sign it and just end it I don't care (though I'd rather they just make it US 152 etc).  I'd just reassign half another number but even if they don't, I'm fine with it.

[jt4]

Here's an old concept drawing I have lying around.

Great concept, although I'm curious how Minnesota would implement this design.

[Scott5114]

If your state's counties are large enough that a route averages a length of at least 75 miles or so in each county, it's probably okay if the mileposts reset at county lines.

[VTGoose]

Not all people who drive big pickup trucks are assholes but a lot of assholes drive big pickup trucks.

Multiple trips between Virginia and Florida (I-81/77/26/95/U.S. 301/I-75) bears this out. When properly passing a slower vehicle (usually at 5-8-10 MPH above the speed limit), it will usually be an asshole in a big pickup who parks on the bumper and tailgates until there is enough room to move right and out of the way. On three-lane parts of the interstate, they will be the ones who weave in and out of traffic across all three lanes.