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#91

Road Trips / Re: 2024 Road Trip Plans

Last post by jmacswimmer - May 15, 2024, 01:40:37 PM

Planning out a 2-week trip for early May: We'll fly in/out of PHX, then do a big looping roadtrip mainly via I-17, US 89, UT 9, I-15, & US 93 to cover Sedona, Grand Canyon NP, Horseshoe Bend, Glen Canyon Dam, Bryce Canyon NP, Zion NP, Las Vegas (might even jump over to Death Valley NP from Vegas if time allows), and finally Hoover Dam on the way back to Phoenix.

Peeking around on streetview makes it seem like much of the driving will be spectacular - in particular I'm excited for I-17 beyond Phoenix, US 89 between Cameron & Page, the Glen Canyon Dam Bridge, the UT 9 tunnel within Zion, the Virgin River Gorge on I-15, and of course the O'Callaghan-Tillman Bridge on I-11/US 93.

The main thing I found interesting about I-17 is how the terrain and countryside changed as we descended from Flagstaff to Phoenix. The northern part of the road felt a lot like driving on I-87 in Upstate New York in terms of the types of trees and the overall look of the area, but as we descended southbound it turned to desert. "Desert," in turn, didn't look anything like my mental image of what a desert was, which I think came mostly from TV and movies where you see this endless expanse of sand.

Looping back to this now that we just returned from this trip: Totally agreed (and then some!) with your assessment of I-17. We did it opposite of you ascending northbound, but it really was impressive how the scenery was constantly changing every 10-20 miles. Tons of cacti at first, which abruptly stopped around 3000' or so, and then suddenly dense pine trees along with a distant view of snow-capped Humphreys Peak around 6000' or so. Really nice touch by ADOT to place the elevation signs every 1000' of altitude as well.

Elsewhere some of my favorite driving portions included the steep ascent on US 89 just beyond the US 89A junction south of Page, much of US 89 in southern Utah (we went as far as Panguitch), UT 12 leading towards Bryce Canyon, UT 9 thru Zion including the tunnel (the windows out into the canyon were pretty cool), I-15 thru the Virgin River Gorge, US 93 for a few miles on either side of the Hoover Dam, and much of US 93 between the eastern I-40 interchange outside Kingman & US 60 in Wickenburg which included cacti as well as a sudden few miles of dense joshua trees. On the other end of things, much of US 95 northwest of Vegas on the way to Death Valley, I-15 after exiting the Virgin River Gorge until Vegas, and US 93 after finishing climbing out from the Colorado River the rest of the way to the western I-40 interchange in Kingman was somewhat dull.

#92

General Highway Talk / Re: Beltways That Work, and Be...

Last post by webny99 - May 15, 2024, 01:23:28 PM

And also, to each their own, but I'd much rather go through the heart of a city so I can actually see something different as opposed to suburban/exurban sprawl.

There is virtually no suburban sprawl along 840.  Most of it is pretty rural.  Near Lebanon you will see a few large warehouses and a high school, but little to no housing developments can be seen from it.  Murfreesboro would be the best place to catch a glimpse of it, but it's mostly along 24.

Nashville's sprawl is somewhat unique in that it is not at all concentric. It's almost exclusively linear along the I-65, I-24, I-40, and TN 386 corridors between Nashville and Spring Hill, Murfreesboro, Lebanon, and Gallatin respectively.


To the thread subject, I would argue that TX 130/TX 45 is a "beltway that works" for Austin, or at least it will be when complete. It's somewhat oval-shaped, much like the metro itself, and though there are parts that feel suburban, most of it is sufficiently rural for traffic to move well, even at busy times.

#93

Off-Topic / Re: What song are you currentl...

Last post by jmacswimmer - May 15, 2024, 12:49:23 PM

Not normally into country, but Post Malone's new single with Morgan Wallen that dropped on Friday really bops for some reason.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QIZE708gJ4

#94

Great Lakes and Ohio Valley / Re: Illinois notes

Last post by ilpt4u - May 15, 2024, 12:41:16 PM

57 6-lanes between 24 and 64 is in progress and is funded. It is only a few miles every few years, but the 51 mile trip will be done in the next 5ish years, 10 max

#95

Off-Topic / Re: What song are you currentl...

Last post by webny99 - May 15, 2024, 12:39:53 PM

Certified banger.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqW7__yIZuA

#96

Off-Topic / Re: Minor things that bother y...

Last post by Big John - May 15, 2024, 12:38:12 PM

^^ Worse than clickbait, those fake celebrity death notices at most times contain a link that is malicious.

#97

Weather / Re: The Wildfires thread

Last post by JayhawkCO - May 15, 2024, 12:28:45 PM

Fortunately, a big snow storm in the mountains over the weekend has brought the whole state of Colorado over the median snowpack, so we should (knock on wood) have a low fire year. The numbers are the percentages of the median for each river basin.

#98

General Highway Talk / Re: Beltways That Work, and Be...

Last post by wriddle082 - May 15, 2024, 12:25:11 PM

One drawback of using 840 is the lack of services along most of its length.  Zero truck stops.  The best exits for finding nearby gas stations are probably Exit 28 for US 31, Exit 42 for US 31A/41A, and Exit 55 for US 41/70S.  And it looks like they built a Publix, a McDonald's, and other minor shopping by Exit 50 on the outskirts of Murfreesboro, but no gas stations.  Still, for the first 28 miles from its beginning in Dickson all the way to Thompson's Station (and add four miles to the Dickson exit on I-40), there are no gas stations.  So be sure to fill up in Dickson or Lebanon when using all of 840 (the gas is usually reasonsbly priced in either place).

Myself, I generally only use 840 if I have to be near it.  My parents used to live about 6 miles from the TN 100 exit but moved back into Nashville a couple of years ago so I don't travel it very often.  Most of the time, I stick with Briley Pkwy or 440 for my Nashville bypassing needs.  And sometimes the route to my parents' new place has me get off of 440.

They now have fixed drive time signs at either end along 40 for the time to Dickson or Lebanon via 40 or 840.  If traffic is majorly backed up through the city, the drive time may be lower using 840.

To each, their own.  That 18 miles is far less mentally taxing, so that's my priority when transiting an urban area, if it's an option.
Not many places with that type of "super bypass", though.

And also, to each their own, but I'd much rather go through the heart of a city so I can actually see something different as opposed to suburban/exurban sprawl.

There is virtually no suburban sprawl along 840.  Most of it is pretty rural.  Near Lebanon you will see a few large warehouses and a high school, but little to no housing developments can be seen from it.  Murfreesboro would be the best place to catch a glimpse of it, but it's mostly along 24.

#99

General Highway Talk / Re: Beltways That Work, and Be...

Last post by jeffandnicole - May 15, 2024, 12:24:46 PM

To each, their own.  That 18 miles is far less mentally taxing, so that's my priority when transiting an urban area, if it's an option.
Not many places with that type of "super bypass", though.

And also, to each their own, but I'd much rather go through the heart of a city so I can actually see something different as opposed to suburban/exurban sprawl.

I'll do this my first trip or 2 thru a city, or if I know the skyline has changed. After that, I'll take the more relaxing route, even if it's slightly longer.

#100

Great Lakes and Ohio Valley / Re: Indiana Notes

Last post by tosa - May 15, 2024, 12:21:25 PM

Just spent a little time watching the Washington Street ramp at I465 traffic camera to see how the new ramp metering is doing.  Have to say the drivers are more clueless than I expected.  Some ignore the light and drive right through and some are stopping far in advance of the red light so that the signal doesn't detect their presence and doesn't give them a green.  Eventually the sensors further down the ramp detect the backup and let everyone through to clear the ramp.  Not a good start.

Milwaukee has had this in I-41 for over 20 years (when it was still called 894), and there were no issues with it. I just can't understand why people here are so dumb.