America's Most Loathed Highways

[US 89]

They have I-85 in GA super high on the list but make no mention of 75? As someone who has driven the full length of both in GA, most of it multiple times, that is nonsense. 75 is easily worse.

Don't know if I'm surprised or disappointed I-65 in Alabama is listed so high, but there's several pain points in semi-rural areas (narrow spots in Morgan/Cullman County, anything around Alabaster, for example).

I'm surprised. Never had any real issues myself anywhere on 65 AL, and the road quality is far better than it is up in Tennessee where you can find all sorts of potholes.

[StogieGuy7]

Did I miss I-80/94 in northwest Indiana?

Easily top ten, much less in the top 100.

Right: If the Borman isn't on the list, the list is bunk.

80/94 absolutely needs to be on the list. I-80 in Chicagoland after the 94 and the 294 splits should be as well

OK, anyone from this part of the Midwest loathes the Borman.

If you have to drive anywhere directly east of the Chicago area (South Bend, Detroit, Cleveland, the NE US) or southeastward (Louisville, Atlanta, Florida via 65), you're faced with either the Borman or a trip on I-90 that involves taking the Kennedy through downtown to the Dan Ryan to the Skyway, to the northwestern end of the Indiana Toll Road, from which the Apocalypse can be viewed. Now, that works if you leave at 4:30 am. Otherwise, it's the damn Borman because traffic getting into downtown Chicago is horrible. And the Borman, for lack of a better description, is the shits. Sorry, but there's no other way to put it. There's no way around it, and much of America's motor freight joins you on this trip to hades.

Is it worse than the Cross Bronx? I'd say no, because that one is crap 24/7. How about I-95 between New Haven and New York? No, still not quite. Is it worse than the 405 in the LA area? Eh, now we're getting close.  I could go on. The Borman may not be number one, but it definitely belongs in the top 10 for roadways worthy of hatred. At 3:00 on a Friday afternoon, you can be stuck there for 2+ hours. In hell. No alternative routes. Take an exit, and you're in the worst hood you've probably ever been in.

No, it's excrement on a stick - basically the state of Indiana giving the northern 25% of the USA the finger.

[SP Cook]

20   Virginia   I-66: Connecting D.C. to western Virginia, this highway often sees congestion, especially during commuting hours.

So, Front Royal is in "western Virginia".  Its 404 miles from there to the Cumberland Gap.    70 miles to DC, less than 200 to the shore.  That isn't "western Virginia".   Really the term "western Virginia" isn't a thing, because of West Virginia.  There is a "southwestern Virginia", which is just south of "southern West Virginia", but even back before the tragedy of 1863, under the Constitution of 1851, which divided the Commonwealth into thirds (much like Tennessee still does), Front Royal would be in the middle part, not the western.  And the road is only congested for maybe one-third of its length.

51   Hawaii   H-1 Freeway: This freeway, especially around Honolulu, is known for its rush hour congestion.

How many of the people in this survey have driven on this road, and how many (my guess would be 1 or2) have driven it more than one vacation?  Anybody who cannot be happy in Hawaii, cannot be happy.

  55   New Mexico   I-40: Also around Albuquerque, this highway often experiences traffic issues.

Really?  Its 375 miles across the Land of Enchantment, from one edge of Albuquerque to the other might be 12 miles.  It is one of the prettiest drives in the country. 

61   Kentucky   I-75: Near Lexington and Cincinnati, this road can see congestion, especially during rush hours.

Again, Lexington is not that big of a town, and the interstates pretty much bypass it.  There is never any congestion on 75 or 64 unless its football gameday or something (yes, UK has football).  As to NKY, well there is a beltway, which is clearly signed as "Cincinnati Bypass".  And the rest of the road is rural and scenic.

72   West Virginia   I-77: Especially where it intersects with I-64, this interstate can face congestion.

Really?  Absent an accident, there is NEVER congestion on I-77 anywhere in WV.  Now, there is the poorly designed section, the northern third of the Turnpike, from MP 96 to MP 60, where, foolishly, they kept the two lane road open as they finally added the other two and thus did only light blasting, rather than the major earth moving other Appalachian roads got, resulting in median-less and twisty road with a 60 SL, which causes a lot of truck accidents, but that is not "congestion". 

74   Kentucky   I-64: Particularly around Louisville, this interstate often experiences heavy traffic.

Most of these entries are like this.  The road through this or that big city is heavy.  Duh!  But 64 is a beautiful drive through varied parts of one of the prettiest states, and you can now bypass Louisville on the toll bridge, meaning there is no reason to go there unless you have business there, which what motorists would particularly have business in that city? 

[oscar]

51   Hawaii   H-1 Freeway: This freeway, especially around Honolulu, is known for its rush hour congestion.

How many of the people in this survey have driven on this road, and how many (my guess would be 1 or2) have driven it more than one vacation?  Anybody who cannot be happy in Hawaii, cannot be happy.

Unless you live or work in downtown Honolulu, or are a tourist trying to get into or out of Waikiki where most of the hotels are. Their part of H-1 is narrow, some built pre-statehood to pre-Interstate design, and notoriously congested (not just during rush hours). Difficult to widen, or build a bypass, due to topography north of H-1 and dense development on both sides. The newer part, west of the airport, is wider and better designed, but still relies on a reversible zipper lane to deal with heavy traffic.

[Dirt Roads]

72   West Virginia   I-77: Especially where it intersects with I-64, this interstate can face congestion.

Really?  Absent an accident, there is NEVER congestion on I-77 anywhere in WV.  Now, there is the poorly designed section, the northern third of the Turnpike, from MP 96 to MP 60, where, foolishly, they kept the two lane road open as they finally added the other two and thus did only light blasting, rather than the major earth moving other Appalachian roads got, resulting in median-less and twisty road with a 60 SL, which causes a lot of truck accidents, but that is not "congestion". 

I beg to differ here.  The tollbooths on the Turnpike are notoriously congested during the holiday seasons and this leaves a bad taste of the Mountain State for holiday travellers.  But the Turnpike pales in comparison to the congestion on I-77 in Virginia approaching I-81 from both directions on those same days, as well as northbound up Fancy Gap and southbound in approach to Big Walker Mountain Tunnel on the days traffic.  Once upon a time, there were similar congestion problems for Great Lakes to/from Myrtle Beach traffic during the Summers, but I haven't seen or heard of such in recent years.

On the other hand, SP Cook is correct that the "congestion on the Interstates" in Charleston seems to always be on I-64 across between the Fort Hill Bridge and the I-77 interchange.  There have been very few times other than accidents that I have seen this congestion impact through traffic on I-77 (although I have to admit that I try to avoid rush hour there in recent years, but primarily due to the Kanawha River bridge replacement between Scary and Nitro).

[fillup420]

72   West Virginia   I-77: Especially where it intersects with I-64, this interstate can face congestion.

Really?  Absent an accident, there is NEVER congestion on I-77 anywhere in WV.  Now, there is the poorly designed section, the northern third of the Turnpike, from MP 96 to MP 60, where, foolishly, they kept the two lane road open as they finally added the other two and thus did only light blasting, rather than the major earth moving other Appalachian roads got, resulting in median-less and twisty road with a 60 SL, which causes a lot of truck accidents, but that is not "congestion". 

I beg to differ here.  The tollbooths on the Turnpike are notoriously congested during the holiday seasons and this leaves a bad taste of the Mountain State for holiday travellers. 

I have experienced the torture of I-77 southbound from Charleston to the NC line on the sunday after Thanksgiving. The WV section is pretty smooth flow aside from the tollbooth queues, but the VA section is just a slog all the way through. I ended up finding an alt route back to Raleigh using US 460, VA 8, US 58, and NC 86

[roadman65]

US 27 in Davenport, Florida.

[mrsman]

I think people here are right that the list is bad in that in generalizes roadways for an entire state, when only relatively small sections are loathsome.

So come up with your own lists.

These are my least favorite for the areas that I am familiar with:

1) I-405 in CA between US 101 and LAX (traffic)
2) I-95 in NY Cross-Bronx Expy (traffic)
3) I-95 in VA between DC and Richmond (traffic in rural area, come on VA widen that road!)
4) I-80/94 Borman Expy in IL and IN (traffic and heavy trucks)
5) I-15 between Barstow,CA and Nevada state line (traffic and agricultural inspection)
6) CA-91 between Anaheim and Corona (traffic)
7) I-278 Brooklyn-Queens Expy between Verrazano and Brooklyn Bridges (traffic, bad lane layout especially near Battery Tunnel)
8) I-85/75 in Atlanta (traffic)
9) CA-110 Arroyo Seco Parkway (beautiful road, but terrible dangerous on-ramps)
10) I-90 Cleveland (Dead Man's Curve danger)
11) US 101 between East LA interchange and Glendale Blvd (traffic and too many exits, entrances)
12) I-90/94 through Central Chicago (traffic)
13) I-290 Eisenhower Expy through Chicago (traffic, especially near Hillside Strangler)
14) I-76 Schuykill Expy in Philadelphia (tight ramps)
15) I-495 between Tysons and I-270 in Bethesda (traffic)
16) I-495 between I-270 and Georgia Ave in MD (curvy area makes lane changing challenging)
17) DC-295 (ugly road and it needs widened)
18) I-81 through VA (trucks!)
19) I-5 between CA99 Wheeler Ridge and I-405 (trucks! and steep grades)
20) I-15 between Victorville and San Bernardino (trucks! and steep grades)

[zachary_amaryllis]

Recently, a Volvo dealership in FL took a nationwide survey of the 100 most hated arterial roads, expressways and freeways in America (with the complete list below), and most of these should come as no surprise:

https://www.gunthervolvocarsdaytona.com/americas-most-loathed-highways.htm

1. US 101 CA
2. I-5 CA
3. I-405 CA
4. I-76 (PA Turnpike) PA
5. I-70 CO

What the heck does everybody have against poor I-70? I like I-70. Even if the traffic's gacked. The mountains are NOT the worst place to have to be stopped.

[tmoore952]

51   Hawaii   H-1 Freeway: This freeway, especially around Honolulu, is known for its rush hour congestion.

How many of the people in this survey have driven on this road, and how many (my guess would be 1 or2) have driven it more than one vacation?  Anybody who cannot be happy in Hawaii, cannot be happy.

I have driven it several times, on business trips. It is as congested as advertised.
Having been there literally a handful of times alone, so that the novelty is gone, yes it is possible to not be happy there when sans family.

I have yet to be there "on vacation".

[kkt]

Not leading off strong placing US 101 generalized in California atop that list.  The Redwood Highway more than cancels out anything bad to south of the Golden Gate Bridge.  The Ventura Freeway along Santa Barbara Channel is one of the most scenic limited access roads in the country.

Yes, I was surprised to see that too.  Sure, 101 is a slog from south San Jose to the Golden Gate, and through greater L.A. too.  But lots of the rest of it is very pretty and a pleasant drive.

Beware small surveys by amateur statisticians.

[MASTERNC]

DE 1 is a strange addition.  The road seems to flow well other than around I-95 and near the beaches.

[MikieTimT]

Came here looking for my state.  Was unsurprised when the segments I thought would show ended up #18 and #30.  Despite many thinking I-69 in Arkansas isn't needed.  For the life of me, I'll never understand why anyone wants to inevitably pass by Little Rock while transiting this state.

[Road Hog]

Came here looking for my state.  Was unsurprised when the segments I thought would show ended up #18 and #30.  Despite many thinking I-69 in Arkansas isn't needed.  For the life of me, I'll never understand why anyone wants to inevitably pass by Little Rock while transiting this state.

#18 probably indicates mainly I-40 between Little Rock and Memphis and should be ranked higher, especially if you're a four-wheeler among the trucks. It's a 60-mph slog at all hours. It was bad 10 years ago and can't imagine it now.

West of Little Rock, I-40 is mostly fine, as is I-30 (a surprising #30). It's where the two combine that you get the bottleneck.

[ilpt4u]

Came here looking for my state.  Was unsurprised when the segments I thought would show ended up #18 and #30.  Despite many thinking I-69 in Arkansas isn't needed.  For the life of me, I'll never understand why anyone wants to inevitably pass by Little Rock while transiting this state.

#18 probably indicates mainly I-40 between Little Rock and Memphis and should be ranked higher, especially if you're a four-wheeler among the trucks. It's a 60-mph slog at all hours. It was bad 10 years ago and can't imagine it now.

West of Little Rock, I-40 is mostly fine, as is I-30 (a surprising #30). It's where the two combine that you get the bottleneck.

Hence the I-57 extension to Little Rock, to give the 30/57/US 67 cooridor traffic an option to continue in the NE/SW directions without 40 and 55 and Memphis

[AABattery]

As someone who lives near it, I'm genuinely surprised I-81 isn't on this list. Specifically the stretch between Christiansburg and Daleville in VA. Let's just say hills + it being a major trucking route is not a good combo. It's not too bad if you're lucky or if you leave early enough in the morning or at night but it can be a nightmare if you're unlucky or if you travel along there during the holidays. Hell if I'm coming back down to VA, I usually just get off to go on route 11 around Salem and go down that way because by then I've had enough of 81.

Also a minor nitpick but exit 118 is in the worst possible spot for a major (for SWVA Standards) exit if you're going southbound. It's on top of probably the biggest hill on that stretch so a lot of times people exiting off there will go in the left lanes, speed up to about 75-80 mph and then cut off a truck or two once the exit lane opens so they're not stuck behind some truck that can barely push 35 up that hill.

My personal 2nd place would probably be I-78 through PA, but it's gotten a bit better recently and again, part of it is prolly because I'm around there a bit (I take that way to get to NJ to visit family)

[Avalanchez71]

As someone who lives near it, I'm genuinely surprised I-81 isn't on this list. Specifically the stretch between Christiansburg and Daleville in VA. Let's just say hills + it being a major trucking route is not a good combo. It's not too bad if you're lucky or if you leave early enough in the morning or at night but it can be a nightmare if you're unlucky or if you travel along there during the holidays. Hell if I'm coming back down to VA, I usually just get off to go on route 11 around Salem and go down that way because by then I've had enough of 81.

Also a minor nitpick but exit 118 is in the worst possible spot for a major (for SWVA Standards) exit if you're going southbound. It's on top of probably the biggest hill on that stretch so a lot of times people exiting off there will go in the left lanes, speed up to about 75-80 mph and then cut off a truck or two once the exit lane opens so they're not stuck behind some truck that can barely push 35 up that hill.

My personal 2nd place would probably be I-78 through PA, but it's gotten a bit better recently and again, part of it is prolly because I'm around there a bit (I take that way to get to NJ to visit family)

I thought the interstates were built for commerce and defence.  I guess I was incorrect.  Trucks are vital to commerce and help with our defense.

[AABattery]

That's true, those were just my nitpicks though.

On the other hand, I know of people irl who will avoid 81 as much as possible

[Avalanchez71]

I-24 between Murfreesboro, TN and Metro Nashville/Davidson County.  That area is just now six to eight lanes of urban sprawl.  Back a few years ago the area had rural insterstate streches up and into Davidson County.

[Max Rockatansky]

Seemingly Interstate 15 from Primm, Nevada to Barstow, California given how we talk about it ok Pacific Southwest.

[Billy F 1988]

The fact US 93 in Montana barely makes a dent in this "list", hint hint, "list", doesn't surprise me, but its placement is suss. My most loathed highways in Montana alone makes US 93 a clear cut above all the other highways.

Maybe multi-state highway 200 could cut it because you'd have to contend with Rogers Pass, and the US 93/200/I-90 pairing in Missoula County.

US 2 around Glacier National Park. Bruh. Why do those numbskulls have to make things so difficult to get from point A to B, or in this case, Whitefish to Cut Bank?!

US 12 in Missoula alone gets loathsome at times until you clear Lolo, but then you contend with the harsh winter conditions requiring chains before you even begin going through the canyon to Lolo Pass.

And, one more to boot: MT Secondary 263! What. the bloody hell. have the Montana Dept. of Transportation and Missoula Co. Public Works Dept. done to mutilate a once rural and quite nice Mullan Road? I'll let you figure that one out. Hint: same problem Avalanchez71's dealing with in his neck of the woods!

[pderocco]

The fact US 93 in Montana barely makes a dent in this "list", hint hint, "list", doesn't surprise me, but its placement is suss. My most loathed highways in Montana alone makes US 93 a clear cut above all the other highways.

What's so bad about it? It's on my bucket list, and I'm planning on clinching US-93 when the warm weather returns. It looks like it has lots of nice scenery. I drove it north of Kalispell in October, and liked it just fine.

US 2 around Glacier National Park. Bruh. Why do those numbskulls have to make things so difficult to get from point A to B, or in this case, Whitefish to Cut Bank?!

There are some mountains in the way. What do you want, a tunnel? I drove that last October, too, and thought it was really nice.

[AABattery]

I think people here are right that the list is bad in that in generalizes roadways for an entire state, when only relatively small sections are loathsome.

So come up with your own lists.

These are my least favorite for the areas that I am familiar with:

1) I-405 in CA between US 101 and LAX (traffic)
2) I-95 in NY Cross-Bronx Expy (traffic)
3) I-95 in VA between DC and Richmond (traffic in rural area, come on VA widen that road!)
4) I-80/94 Borman Expy in IL and IN (traffic and heavy trucks)
5) I-15 between Barstow,CA and Nevada state line (traffic and agricultural inspection)
6) CA-91 between Anaheim and Corona (traffic)
7) I-278 Brooklyn-Queens Expy between Verrazano and Brooklyn Bridges (traffic, bad lane layout especially near Battery Tunnel)
8) I-85/75 in Atlanta (traffic)
9) CA-110 Arroyo Seco Parkway (beautiful road, but terrible dangerous on-ramps)
10) I-90 Cleveland (Dead Man's Curve danger)
11) US 101 between East LA interchange and Glendale Blvd (traffic and too many exits, entrances)
12) I-90/94 through Central Chicago (traffic)
13) I-290 Eisenhower Expy through Chicago (traffic, especially near Hillside Strangler)
14) I-76 Schuykill Expy in Philadelphia (tight ramps)
15) I-495 between Tysons and I-270 in Bethesda (traffic)
16) I-495 between I-270 and Georgia Ave in MD (curvy area makes lane changing challenging)
17) DC-295 (ugly road and it needs widened)
18) I-81 through VA (trucks!)
19) I-5 between CA99 Wheeler Ridge and I-405 (trucks! and steep grades)
20) I-15 between Victorville and San Bernardino (trucks! and steep grades)

I just got this idea too so I'll do some of my least favorites around where I am/places I frequent (most of these are probably nothing on the national scale though. Most of these too are mainly bc  college kids who suck at driving), and these are in no particular order. Some of these too are roads I generally don't mind except a couple nitpicks

1) US 460 between I-81 and North Main Street (US-460 Bus.) in Blacksburg - I drive that stretch often and while the college kids are gone it ain't bad, when they're in town it is godawful. It ain't even just traffic, these people drive like they don't have an iota of what they're doing and the grand majority will go no faster than 55 in a 65 speed limit zone while hogging the left lane the whole time. Most of the time I'm driving there I'll go 70-75  and I'm passing just about everyone like it's NASCAR. (the slow driver thing will be a common theme here)

2) Prices Fork Rd in Blacksburg, VA. - Especially around 2:30/3 in the afternoon is horrible. Basically they put 3 schools next to each other on that road and 2 of them start and dismiss at the same time. Driving home from school on that road sucks if you don't get out early enough.

3) US 460 in Giles County, VA. - I personally don't mind it much but they could at least keep some form of consistent speed limit. I'm not even joking when I say the speed limit on that stretch changes 9 times (10 if you count the school zone a bit before Pembroke) in the same COUNTY. It's also mostly a 4 lane highway, with it only narrowing down to 3 lanes between Narrows and Rich Creek.

4) I-81 in VA.-  As I've said before, Trucks + Hills are not a good combo

5) I-78 around Allentown, PA. - It's been a bit better in recent years IMO but where they cut off the left lane out of nowhere is such a dumb idea on PennDOT's (or whoever thought it up's) behalf. That area is always backed up when I go around there.

6) SR 114 in Montgomery Co, VA - At least the speed limit's a consistent 45 outside of Christiansburg instead of them constantly changing it from 45-55. Still, it sucks because we have slow drivers a million here and you can't pass because a good portion of it's 2 lanes and it's too crowded to use the passing zones. It also apparently is known for being dangerous for SWVA standards, and according to a report from Virginia Tech from 1998, it has "Developed an infamous reputation as "The Death Road"."
(https://vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/server/api/core/bitstreams/d949b9e1-26b1-44ac-ade6-2006fa604c92/content)

7) Most major roads in my county I'm not a huge fan of, but that could be just me complaining too much about sucky drivers, or the fact some of them can't handle the amount of traffic they get.

Anyways, that's tonight's rant over for now. I need to finish an essay for class and go to bed

[Quillz]

I doubt it made the list, but CA-236 should be on there. Less for the actual road in of itself, but the fact that people zoom around the blind curves despite it only being 1.5 lanes wide. I love the location because it's a pretty area, but I loathe driving on it every time I leave Big Basin.

[Quillz]

Not leading off strong placing US 101 generalized in California atop that list.  The Redwood Highway more than cancels out anything bad to south of the Golden Gate Bridge.  The Ventura Freeway along Santa Barbara Channel is one of the most scenic limited access roads in the country.

Yes, this is a huge problem with the list. 101 is over 800 miles in California, and I seriously doubt people loathe every last mile of it. It's more likely the parts that are subject to rush hour traffic. Which applies to almost every freeway or well-traveled highway.

This list would have been more useful if it broke things down into smaller segments. Like the "Ventura Freeway" instead of just saying 101. But that's obviously beyond the scope of what was intended.