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What is the most substandard interstate?

Started by silverback1065, August 10, 2017, 10:39:57 PM

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cl94

This is when I wish we could tag people in posts, as jpi might be able to tell us if the metal barrier was a retrofit. He's from the I-83 corridor in PA.
Please note: All posts represent my personal opinions and do not represent those of my employer or any of its partner agencies.

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plain

Quote from: Beltway on September 20, 2017, 11:47:34 AM
Quote from: plain on September 20, 2017, 09:21:01 AM
Quote from: Beltway on September 19, 2017, 02:34:53 PM
Quote from: Mr_Northside on September 19, 2017, 01:55:51 PM
Quote from: cl94 on September 18, 2017, 07:07:28 PM
What the heck kind of barrier is this?
The PA Turnpike has had a stretch of that kind of barrier (I have no idea what, if any, formal name it has) a little east of the Butler Valley (PA-8) interchange.  At some point in the very near future (if not already) it will be gone as that stretch is under construction for rebuilding/widening now.
Traffic barriers (guardrail and concrete) are one of the highway topics that I have always been interested in.
That said, that I-83 barrier is a strange design that I have not seen elsewhere.  Not sure if it has a concrete core, but it does look rather sturdy and has steel guardrail on the traffic facing side.
This type of median barrier actually exists in Virginia too. The Lynchburg Expwy (current US 29 BUS) has it north of its James River crossing in Madison Heights.

I wonder (per review on Google Maps) if that was a concrete median barrier design that had a wall and a curb, something prior to the New Jersey design, and was upgraded later by bolting two or three rows of steel W-beam guardrail on the face of the concrete, in order to provide better crash performance on a vehicle that hits it.

Probably would have been better to have removed the old barrier and installed a new barrier.

I see on Google Maps that the Lynchburg Expressway south of the river has a New Jersey median barrier design.  I do recall that in the 1970s and 1980s it had a double faced W-beam guardrail.

Now that you say that I'm thinking the barrier south of the river was replaced because of how narrow the median is (looking at the satellite view, north of the river isn't quite as narrow). I can't even imagine how it was in that stretch with that fatter barrier in place
Newark born, Richmond bred

Beltway

Quote from: plain on September 20, 2017, 11:17:11 PM
Quote from: Beltway on September 20, 2017, 11:47:34 AM
I wonder (per review on Google Maps) if that was a concrete median barrier design that had a wall and a curb, something prior to the New Jersey design, and was upgraded later by bolting two or three rows of steel W-beam guardrail on the face of the concrete, in order to provide better crash performance on a vehicle that hits it.
Probably would have been better to have removed the old barrier and installed a new barrier.
I see on Google Maps that the Lynchburg Expressway south of the river has a New Jersey median barrier design.  I do recall that in the 1970s and 1980s it had a double faced W-beam guardrail.
Now that you say that I'm thinking the barrier south of the river was replaced because of how narrow the median is (looking at the satellite view, north of the river isn't quite as narrow). I can't even imagine how it was in that stretch with that fatter barrier in place

I would need to look up the exact specs, but either one would be about 24 inches wide at the widest point.  The New Jersey Barrier is widest at the base, and the double faced W-beam guardrail is widest at the rails.
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capt.ron

I-240 in Oklahoma City. Interchanges on the west end of the freeway are too close to one another. And also, the way it is signed now makes no sense. Reinstate the former way it was signed to some degree, like have the west end to terminate at I-40, NOT I-44 like it is now.

Mergingtraffic

I only take pics of good looking signs. Long live non-reflective button copy!
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cl94

I-278 might be the only Interstate with 2 truck bans in the same city. There's also one in Brooklyn as the Promenade has a 12 foot height restriction.
Please note: All posts represent my personal opinions and do not represent those of my employer or any of its partner agencies.

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hotdogPi

Quote from: cl94 on September 24, 2017, 01:40:40 PM
I-278 might be the only Interstate with 2 truck bans in the same city. There's also one in Brooklyn as the Promenade has a 12 foot height restriction.

"2 truck bans" means nothing more than one truck ban.

If these truck banned segments were somehow connected, the number of truck bans would decrease from 2 to 1 while the amount of truck banned road would increase.
Clinched, minus I-93 (I'm missing a few miles and my file is incorrect)

Traveled, plus US 13, 44, and 50, and several state routes

I will be in Burlington VT for the eclipse.

cl94

Quote from: 1 on September 24, 2017, 01:45:00 PM
Quote from: cl94 on September 24, 2017, 01:40:40 PM
I-278 might be the only Interstate with 2 truck bans in the same city. There's also one in Brooklyn as the Promenade has a 12 foot height restriction.

"2 truck bans" means nothing more than one truck ban.

If these truck banned segments were somehow connected, the number of truck bans would decrease from 2 to 1 while the amount of truck banned road would increase.

No, they are unconnected. The only legal way for trucks to get between the two restricted sections is via I-278, as they're ~10 miles apart and NYC generally bans trucks on surface streets.
Please note: All posts represent my personal opinions and do not represent those of my employer or any of its partner agencies.

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silverback1065


SteveG1988

Other than i-180 in Wyoming, and I-93 in NH....those are really really easy targets...what is the most substandard interstate. Barring short sections where due to an overpass or bridge it is substandard, what one is really bad.

Some ones that may fit the bill

I-70 between Washington PA and the PA Turnpike.
I76 in Philadelphia.
Roads Clinched

I55,I82,I84(E&W)I88(W),I87(N),I81,I64,I74(W),I72,I57,I24,I65,I59,I12,I71,I77,I76(E&W),I70,I79,I85,I86(W),I27,I16,I97,I96,I43,I41,

Max Rockatansky

I-4 in Orlando was absolutely awful.  The roadway was way too narrow and the ramps had were poorly designed.  I'm curious to see what the I-4 Ultimate project yields once it is complete. 


adventurernumber1

Now alternating between different highway shields for my avatar - my previous highway shield avatar for the last few years was US 76.

Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/127322363@N08/

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DeaconG

I-76 (the Surekill) definitely belongs on this list of bad interstates, I grew up with it and believe me, it's not fun (and the Roosevelt Expressway isn't a bag of fun either).

I-4? The I-4 Ultimate project will only fix part of the issue, you still don't have any addition of free lanes and the drop lanes are a PITA.

I-16 in Georgia? No, just NO. The one and only time I was on it (in 2007), not only did it feel like an interstate that hadn't been open too long (very few exits and very few services), the pavement was shock and spring-busting bad.
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Flint1979

I-94 going through Detroit is really bad. Every weekday during rush hour that route backs up in both directions leading from the Lodge and I-75. I-75 can be bad going north of Detroit but they are working on that currently. MDOT just announced a major construction project on I-696 between I-75 and I-94 and with I-75's ongoing construction north of Detroit that is going to be really bad during construction season.

I-94 is suppose to be widened to eight lanes between Conner and I-96 but I feel it could use even another lane in each direction for ten lanes. If I-94 had I-96's local/express configuration it would be a lot better.

SteveG1988

Quote from: adventurernumber1 on April 21, 2018, 12:25:43 PM
I believe we already have an existing thread on this topic:

https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=20915.0


Didn't look, sorry. Was bored waiting for a truck to get worked on.
Roads Clinched

I55,I82,I84(E&W)I88(W),I87(N),I81,I64,I74(W),I72,I57,I24,I65,I59,I12,I71,I77,I76(E&W),I70,I79,I85,I86(W),I27,I16,I97,I96,I43,I41,

adventurernumber1

Quote from: SteveG1988 on April 21, 2018, 08:35:42 PM
Quote from: adventurernumber1 on April 21, 2018, 12:25:43 PM
I believe we already have an existing thread on this topic:

https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=20915.0


Didn't look, sorry. Was bored waiting for a truck to get worked on.

It's all good. This is probably a very popular topic to talk about (what interstate is the most substandard) among us roadgeeks, so it is probably easy for several different threads on this to pop up.  :thumbsup:

I just vividly remembered the discussion several months ago in the thread that I linked to, which made me realize there was already an existing thread on this topic.
Now alternating between different highway shields for my avatar - my previous highway shield avatar for the last few years was US 76.

Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/127322363@N08/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-vJ3qa8R-cc44Cv6ohio1g

crispy93

Quote from: Mergingtraffic on September 23, 2017, 08:23:02 PM
I'd say again I-278 in NYC.  this is a reason why:

State-named I-278 shield on the service road. I-278 is substandard in this area, trucks need to use the service roads because of low bridges. Queens, NYC. by mergingtraffic, on Flickr

At the end of 2017, NYSDOT sunk the pavement a couple of inches increasing the clearance from 12' 6" to 14". The Truck 278 signs still linger but they no longer have to exit. Most of 278 in Brooklyn and Queens is scotch-taped onto old parkways (Gowanus and BQE) and is duplexed with the Grand Central Parkway in Astoria. Ugh.
Not every speed limit in NY needs to be 30

silverback1065

there are stop signs on the entrance ramps too, this should be SR 278

froggie

QuoteI-4 in Orlando was absolutely awful.  The roadway was way too narrow and the ramps had were poorly designed.  I'm curious to see what the I-4 Ultimate project yields once it is complete.

Are you calling it "way too narrow" due to traffic congestion?  Doesn't really meet the earlier definition of "substandard".  From my own experience, aside from possibly some ramp spacing near the FL Turnpike and the inside (left) shoulder near downtown, there's nothing I've seen along I-4 that suggests it's substandard.  Everything meets Interstate standards, even the left exits/entrances....though FHWA frowns upon them, they are not inherently sub-standard.



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