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Which Non-Interstate Corridors are in worst need of upgrades?

Started by webny99, May 14, 2021, 07:59:00 AM

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OldDominion75

I'd say the entire Baltimore-Washington Parkway. A lot of GPS platforms advise drivers bound to the Northeast to use I-295 and the Balt - Wash Pkwy to rejoin I-95 north near College Park. It would make theoretical sense because that entire route (completely free-flowing limited access highway) would be more direct to reaching I-95 north than using I-95's Capital Beltway route. If they were to use it, though, they would be in for a nightmare of accidents, traffic jams, sharp curves, and bumps. I-95/I-495, though it has its own share of problems, would be much more effective in my opinion.


sprjus4

Quote from: OldDominion75 on May 16, 2021, 05:20:07 PM
I'd say the entire Baltimore-Washington Parkway. A lot of GPS platforms advise drivers bound to the Northeast to use I-295 and the Balt - Wash Pkwy to rejoin I-95 north near College Park. It would make theoretical sense because that entire route (completely free-flowing limited access highway) would be more direct to reaching I-95 north than using I-95's Capital Beltway route. If they were to use it, though, they would be in for a nightmare of accidents, traffic jams, sharp curves, and bumps. I-95/I-495, though it has its own share of problems, would be much more effective in my opinion.
Agreed, the Baltimore-Washington Parkway at least between I-495 and I-95 in Baltimore needs to have the remaining NPS portions taken over by the state, widened to an 8 lane freeway, and the speed limit increased to 65 mph.

hobsini2

Just my thoughts for Wisconsin:
1. Upgrade Wis 21 to 4 lane divided highway from I-90/94 in Tomah to Omro. 21 is already 4 lanes between Omro and Oshkosh. A bypass of Wautoma would be needed.
2. Upgrade US 12 to 4 lane divided highway between Cambridge and Whitewater. An east extension of the Ft Atkinson bypass would be nice.
3. Upgrade US 53 to a full freeway between Spooner and US 2.
4. Continue Upgrading Wis 29 to a full freeway between I-94 at Elk Mound and Green Bay.
5. Upgrade Wis 93, Wis 35 and US 53 to a 4 lane divided highway between Eau Claire and La Crosse. Doesn't have to be a freeway.
6. Upgrade US 18 to a 4 lane divided highway between Dodgeville and Prairie du Chien.
7. Upgrade Wis 11 and Wis 81 to a 4 lane divided highway between Dubuque and Beloit.
8. Upgrade Wis 11 and Wis 50 to a 4 lane divided highway between Janesville and Lake Geneva.
9. Upgrade Wis 36 to a 4 lane divided highway between Burlington and Lake Geneva.
10. Upgrade Wis 26 to a 4 lane divided highway between Wis 16 and Waupun.
11. Finish Upgrading US 151 to a full freeway between Columbus and Fond du Lac. Work this in conjunction with the Wis 23 upgrading to 4 lanes between Fond du Lac and Plymouth that is planned.
12. Upgrade US 61 to a 4 lane divided highway between La Crosse and Dickeyville.
I knew it. I'm surrounded by assholes. Keep firing, assholes! - Dark Helmet (Spaceballs)

bing101

Quote from: kkt on May 15, 2021, 08:20:28 PM
CA 99 from I-5 to US 50.  It should be an interstate, but failing that it needs to be upgraded to interstate standard.
There was a rumor of CA-99 to be converted into I-7 or I-9 if approved but that may not likely happen for now

kkt

Quote from: hobsini2 on May 16, 2021, 05:11:10 PM
I thought about CA 58 west of Bakersfield and then thought that CA 46 between CA 99 and I-5 would be a better route for making a 4 lane divided highway. Higher pop (Wasco and Paso Robles) served and straighter.
And while we are at it, can we finish a 4 lane divided highway with CA 14? There's about 15 miles left to do between Mojave and Inyokern. That would make US 395 and CA 14 a faster, more direct route between LA and Tahoe.

46 is certainly a better route from I-5 to CA 101, but it would require a merge onto CA 99 and then some weaving traving with Bakersfield exit and entrance traffic and then exit again before too much longer.  Better for I-40 to cross CA 99 instead of merging with it.  Remember, lots of truck traffic on CA 99 and we're expecting at least some on the extension of I-40.

kkt

Quote from: sparker on May 16, 2021, 04:11:21 AM
Quote from: kkt on May 15, 2021, 08:20:28 PM
CA 99 from I-5 to US 50.  It should be an interstate, but failing that it needs to be upgraded to interstate standard.
Caltrans is way ahead of you; the "master plan" for CA 99, which calls for a minimum of 6 lanes overall (8 near Bakersfield, Fresno, and Modesto-Stockton) has been in place since 2006.  Improvements in the Madera area and the completion of the "missing link" freeway between Chowchilla and Merced were among the first batch of projects aimed toward fulfilling that goal; the stretch between CA 198 and Selma, including the Kings River bridge, has been under almost constant construction for over a decade now (it's arguably the highest AADT section aside from Modesto north).  All improvements since the Turlock bypass of 1973 have been done to Interstate standards -- but there's still a lot of very old freeway, at least 55 years old and featuring poor lines of sight, underheight overcrossings, and gravel medians to deal with; most of that lies between Delano and CA 198.  A lot of work has been done; but even though the last at-grade separation is gone, there remains a lot yet to do just to eliminate obsolescent segments; any notion of Interstate designation would necessarily follow that -- but that's not being prioritized right now. 

Oh, I know, it's been on Caltrans list of things to do for ages, it's just that their progress has been glacial.

Quote from: bing101 on May 16, 2021, 05:43:16 PM
Quote from: kkt on May 15, 2021, 08:20:28 PM
CA 99 from I-5 to US 50.  It should be an interstate, but failing that it needs to be upgraded to interstate standard.
There was a rumor of CA-99 to be converted into I-7 or I-9 if approved but that may not likely happen for now

It won't be far enough to even propose to the FHA and AASHTO for many more years.

sprjus4

Quote from: kkt on May 16, 2021, 05:46:25 PM
Quote from: hobsini2 on May 16, 2021, 05:11:10 PM
I thought about CA 58 west of Bakersfield and then thought that CA 46 between CA 99 and I-5 would be a better route for making a 4 lane divided highway. Higher pop (Wasco and Paso Robles) served and straighter.
And while we are at it, can we finish a 4 lane divided highway with CA 14? There's about 15 miles left to do between Mojave and Inyokern. That would make US 395 and CA 14 a faster, more direct route between LA and Tahoe.

46 is certainly a better route from I-5 to CA 101, but it would require a merge onto CA 99 and then some weaving traving with Bakersfield exit and entrance traffic and then exit again before too much longer.  Better for I-40 to cross CA 99 instead of merging with it.  Remember, lots of truck traffic on CA 99 and we're expecting at least some on the extension of I-40.
I-40 west of I-15 is merely a fictional concept.

dlsterner

Quote from: sprjus4 on May 16, 2021, 05:24:18 PM
Quote from: OldDominion75 on May 16, 2021, 05:20:07 PM
I'd say the entire Baltimore-Washington Parkway. A lot of GPS platforms advise drivers bound to the Northeast to use I-295 and the Balt - Wash Pkwy to rejoin I-95 north near College Park. It would make theoretical sense because that entire route (completely free-flowing limited access highway) would be more direct to reaching I-95 north than using I-95's Capital Beltway route. If they were to use it, though, they would be in for a nightmare of accidents, traffic jams, sharp curves, and bumps. I-95/I-495, though it has its own share of problems, would be much more effective in my opinion.
Agreed, the Baltimore-Washington Parkway at least between I-495 and I-95 in Baltimore needs to have the remaining NPS portions taken over by the state, widened to an 8 lane freeway, and the speed limit increased to 65 mph.
As well as the interchanges with both I-695 and I-495 being re-vamped, replacing some (all?) of the tight loops ramps with flyovers.  (To be fair, there's not a whole lot of real estate available at the Baltimore end)

I am not sure how much interest the NPS would have as far as transferring it to the state.  I know NPS has little interest in upgrading capacity.

US 89

I don't necessarily think either needs to be a freeway, but as far as Utah goes I would appreciate seeing US 6 between Spanish Fork and Green River and US 191 between I-70 and Moab upgraded to four-lane divided. Both of those carry quite a bit of traffic - US 6 is full of trucks, and 191 has a good amount of national park/Moab tourist traffic plus some of those trucks. Those roads make up part of the fastest and most direct route from the Pacific Northwest to much of Texas.

webny99

Quote from: webny99 on May 14, 2021, 09:57:18 PM
NY is extremely lacking in rural four-lane non-freeways. Most states take them for granted, but they are glaringly absent here.
NY 14 between the Thruway and Watkins Glen comes to mind as a corridor that at least 40 other states would have widened or at least added passing lanes.

Continuing on with my theme of "routes at least 40 other states would have widened":

-NY 14 between I-90 and Watkins Glen (as mentioned above)
-NY 104 between Williamson and Wolcott/NY 370
-NY 31 between Adams Basin and Brockport
-US 20A between East Aurora and NY 39
-US 20A between I-390 and Geneseo
-US 20/NY 5 between Canandaigua and Geneva
-US 20/NY 5 between NY 318 and Auburn
-NY 13 between Ithaca and Cortland

... and that just scratches the surface.

Rover_0

Quote from: US 89 on May 17, 2021, 12:24:35 AM
I don't necessarily think either needs to be a freeway, but as far as Utah goes I would appreciate seeing US 6 between Spanish Fork and Green River and US 191 between I-70 and Moab upgraded to four-lane divided. Both of those carry quite a bit of traffic - US 6 is full of trucks, and 191 has a good amount of national park/Moab tourist traffic plus some of those trucks. Those roads make up part of the fastest and most direct route from the Pacific Northwest to much of Texas.

Those are good ones, though after driving it over the weekend, I'm still surprised why UT-201 (or a combo of UT-201 and UT-202) isn't a full freeway out to I-80. At least from east of 202, 201 is divided, though you have only a handful of intersections that would need to be upgraded.

If 201 (or a the aforementioned 202/201 combo) is fully upgraded, you'd have a full freeway alternative to I-80 through much of the Salt Lake Valley.
Fixing erroneous shields, one at a time...

US 89

^ I was thinking more about long-distance rural corridors when I made that post, but including urban highways I definitely agree with you regarding 201. Bangerter and the US 89 expressway in Davis County would also do well as full freeways, so it's a good thing UDOT is gradually making progress on those.

SR 36 between I-80 and Tooele would also be a good candidate, but in that case the Midvalley Highway should hopefully relieve some of the 36 traffic once it's done. Mountain View is probably fine as it is for now...although I can imagine traffic counts on the Salt Lake County part going way up once they make the connection to 201.

JayhawkCO

Quote from: hobsini2 on May 16, 2021, 05:03:01 PM
Quote from: jayhawkco on May 14, 2021, 10:53:03 AM
There aren't a ton of candidates in Colorado off the top of my brain.  It wouldn't hurt to upgrade CO83 between I-225 and the Springs to have an overflow route opposite I-25.  Also it suffers less in the winter as compared to Momument Hill.

I also wouldn't hate it if US285 could somehow become completely limited access between I-25 and Sheridan.

Chris
US 24 between Colorado Springs and Limon maybe to a 4 lane divided highway?

Maybe if the Springs keeps growing, but as it sits, I've never seen too much congestion on that road.  US85 between Denver and Greeley (mentioned upthread) is probably the only rural stretch that needs to be upgraded right now due to truck traffic.

Chris

JCinSummerfield

One that never gets mentioned (because it's only needed a couple times a year), but I'd like to see in Michigan is US-12 between M-50 & US-127.  Could we at least make it a 3 lane road, with the center lane used as a relief lane depending on traffic flow?

SeriesE

CA-60 from Moreno Valley to I-10. Granted it's in mountainous terrain, but it's also the only segment of the entire route that's not a freeway.

ftballfan

M-59 in Macomb County. The existing median is wide enough to fit a freeway through it!
US-31 through Grand Haven

sparker

Quote from: SeriesE on May 17, 2021, 08:19:59 PM
CA-60 from Moreno Valley to I-10. Granted it's in mountainous terrain, but it's also the only segment of the entire route that's not a freeway.

It's in the process of improvements -- primarily curvature reduction and improved lines of sight on the section through the Badlands -- but AFAIK the few grade crossings at the east end of the stretch (like Jackrabbit Trail) aren't being addressed by the current project.  However, as the Beaumont/Banning area sees more and more "overflow" housing deployed in their area, pressure to bring CA 60 up to even higher standards (a full freeway, possibly with truck lanes up and down the hill) may increase.  Only so many "band-aids" can be applied before more extensive surgery is appropriate!

zzcarp

Quote from: jayhawkco on May 17, 2021, 11:37:07 AM
Quote from: hobsini2 on May 16, 2021, 05:03:01 PM
Quote from: jayhawkco on May 14, 2021, 10:53:03 AM
There aren't a ton of candidates in Colorado off the top of my brain.  It wouldn't hurt to upgrade CO83 between I-225 and the Springs to have an overflow route opposite I-25.  Also it suffers less in the winter as compared to Momument Hill.

I also wouldn't hate it if US285 could somehow become completely limited access between I-25 and Sheridan.

Chris
US 24 between Colorado Springs and Limon maybe to a 4 lane divided highway?

Maybe if the Springs keeps growing, but as it sits, I've never seen too much congestion on that road.  US85 between Denver and Greeley (mentioned upthread) is probably the only rural stretch that needs to be upgraded right now due to truck traffic.

Chris

I'd say US 24 could use upgrading to a 4-lane corridor due to safety concerns as there seem to be a lot of head-on collisions between the Springs and Limon.

Agreed about US 85 and US 285. If nothing else US285 from Sheridan to Santa Fe could use those traffic lights (and Sheridan city revenue light cameras) removed.

Another corridor that could use upgrading is US 285 between Aspen Park and Kenosha Pass. The two remaining traffic lights and single lane sections really back up on summer weekends for sure.
So many miles and so many roads

Bitmapped

For Pennsylvania, I'd list a couple:
- PA 28 from Kittanning to PA 36/I-80 at Brookville, which is a 2-lane piecemealed corridor extension to a freeway from Pittsburgh
- US 322 from Clearfield to I-99 at Port Matilda, was supposed to be upgraded by funding got moved elsewhere
- US 322 east of State College, last piece in having a 4-lane route to Harrisburg
- US 30 from Chambersburg to York, slow going with lots of tourist traffic and towns along the way
- US 22 at Hollidaysburg, where a bypass would do wonders with this ARC corridor
- US 219 from Ebensburg to Northern Cambria, where an extension of the freeway or even a new 2-lane alignment would make US 219 much more useful as a through route by bypassing slow towns

Roadgeekteen

Quote from: OldDominion75 on May 16, 2021, 05:20:07 PM
I'd say the entire Baltimore-Washington Parkway. A lot of GPS platforms advise drivers bound to the Northeast to use I-295 and the Balt - Wash Pkwy to rejoin I-95 north near College Park. It would make theoretical sense because that entire route (completely free-flowing limited access highway) would be more direct to reaching I-95 north than using I-95's Capital Beltway route. If they were to use it, though, they would be in for a nightmare of accidents, traffic jams, sharp curves, and bumps. I-95/I-495, though it has its own share of problems, would be much more effective in my opinion.
Does the National Park Service allow upgrades?
God-emperor of Alanland, king of all the goats and goat-like creatures

Current Interstate map I am making:

https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?hl=en&mid=1PEDVyNb1skhnkPkgXi8JMaaudM2zI-Y&ll=29.05778059819179%2C-82.48856825&z=5

ethanhopkin14

Quote from: texaskdog on May 14, 2021, 10:45:09 AM
Quote from: 1 on May 14, 2021, 08:04:39 AM
2dis:

Austin-Houston



Disagree.  We take 71 frequently and while I'd love a freeway there (much like 290 out to I-10 on the west side) the existing road easy handles the traffic (probably due in part to having 2 expressways headed there)

I disagree with you.  There needs to be 100% grade separation. 



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