Which little details in US/Interstate highway systems really bother you?

[bugo]

The fact that AASHTO banned intrastate US highways. There are still some left, but highways like the former US 154 in Kansas are worthy of being US highways because they connect two US highways. It's kind of funny that what used to be US 154 is now US 400.

[bugo]

I'm pretty sure that US 78 and I-22 are concurrent for all of I-22, though that may be due to how I-22 was pretty much laid over US 78 for the most part.

US 78 should be rerouted to follow the old route. If US 17 in Wilmington, NC can be taken off I-140 and put back on surface streets (despite being an AASHTO violation) Alabama should be able to do the same thing. If NCDOT proposed that a river become an interstate AASHTO would rubber stamp it.

[bugo]

US 66 being decommissioned. It's the country's most historic, symbolic, and well-known route, only for it to be nuked from orbit in 1985. Why couldn't they just revitalize it?

US 66 should be a US route from El Reno, OK to Springfield, MO. The rest of it is mostly county roads and there's no reason that it should be recommissioned.

As I understand it, the country's modern love affair with 66 turning it into a national icon didn't really start until after the route was axed. California and Illinois had both done away with their sections long before 1985 and the remaining six states had their section unceremoniously wiped in June of 1985.

[bugo]

The I-74/US 74 concurrency and split. I don't mind I-41/US 41 in Wisconsin so much because they are concurrent for I-41's entire length but having an interstate and a US route with the same number split from each other...no. Just no.

[US 89]

I'm pretty sure that US 78 and I-22 are concurrent for all of I-22, though that may be due to how I-22 was pretty much laid over US 78 for the most part.

US 78 should be rerouted to follow the old route. If US 17 in Wilmington, NC can be taken off I-140 and put back on surface streets (despite being an AASHTO violation) Alabama should be able to do the same thing. If NCDOT proposed that a river become an interstate AASHTO would rubber stamp it.

Why is that an AASHTO violation? In any case, Google shows US 17 routed on I-140 and US 17 Business through downtown Wilmington.

IMO, if an Interstate is concurrent/follows the same route as a US Highway, I would favor keeping the US highway on the old alignment whenever possible.

[MarylandMichael]

Long concurrencies between US and Interstate routes when the old alignment is still usable. Looking at Iowa and Michigan in particular here, although other states are guilty of this as well.

The one that bothers me with this is US 40 & how most of it runs with I-70 & I-68 in Maryland.  Then they have an Alt. 40, Scenic 40, etc. and then the original route running through Hagerstown and Cumberland.

[KeithE4Phx]

Concurrencies of two interstate routes.

You'd love Arizona, where concurrencies in any form are kept to an absolute minimum -  I-40 & US 93 east of Kingman, and US 60 dual-signed with I-10 and then I-17 when that freeway begins.  The former will eventually be dual-signed as I-11 and I-40. 

The latter should not be there at all.  End US 60 where the Superstition Freeway meets I-10.  Extend US 93 from Wickenburg down Grand Ave. to I-17 in Phoenix, changing it to AZ 93 once I-11 is finished.  Then renumber US 60 from Wickenburg to Ehrenberg as AZ 74 (its original 1927 number, BTW).  That would require dual-signing US 93 and AZ 74 between Wickenburg and Morristown, where the current 74 begins, but that's only 10 miles.

And you'd hate Wisconsin, especially between Beloit and Madison, with I-39 and I-90 dual-signed, with I-94 added between Madison and Portage, and 90/94 continuing to Tomah.

[MarylandMichael]

I-83's exits through Maryland are a little off, but I think that's because of its cancellation through Fells Point in Baltimore and out to I-95.

The abrupt ending of I83 in Baltimore and what is left of what was supposed to be I 170.  I know they didn't want to destroy Fells Point, but I feel they could have found a way to connect I83 to I95.

[csw]

Unnecessary roundabouts that replace perfectly fine stop signs or traffic signals

May I ask why? I can't think of any stop or signal arrangement that is more convenient than a roundabout.

[RobbieL2415]

US routes that exist only to "promote tourism", like US's 44 and 202.  Completely unnecessary now that through traffic is diverted onto Interstates.

[Max Rockatansky]

Unnecessary roundabouts that replace perfectly fine stop signs or traffic signals

May I ask why? I can't think of any stop or signal arrangement that is more convenient than a roundabout.

AZ 179 in Sedona got the heavy roundabout treatment this past decade.  I'm convinced it was done to bottleneck the traffic into single file since, I want to say the speed limits were lowered if I remember correct.  Might not have fit the motif that the city wanted by the signals always were way more functional in my opinion.

[bugo]

I'm pretty sure that US 78 and I-22 are concurrent for all of I-22, though that may be due to how I-22 was pretty much laid over US 78 for the most part.

US 78 should be rerouted to follow the old route. If US 17 in Wilmington, NC can be taken off I-140 and put back on surface streets (despite being an AASHTO violation) Alabama should be able to do the same thing. If NCDOT proposed that a river become an interstate AASHTO would rubber stamp it.

Why is that an AASHTO violation? In any case, Google shows US 17 routed on I-140 and US 17 Business through downtown Wilmington.

IMO, if an Interstate is concurrent/follows the same route as a US Highway, I would favor keeping the US highway on the old alignment whenever possible.

I can't find the document, but one of the AASHTO guidelines is that when a US highway is moved to a new superior alignment it cannot be moved to an inferior route.  But then again, AASHTO guidelines aren't always followed to the letter of the law.

IIRC, the new alignment of US 17 in Wilmington follows the Dawson/Wooster one way pair east to Oleander Drive east to Military Cutoff Road north to Market Street northeast.

[bugo]

Long concurrencies between US and Interstate routes when the old alignment is still usable. Looking at Iowa and Michigan in particular here, although other states are guilty of this as well.

The one that bothers me with this is US 40 & how most of it runs with I-70 & I-68 in Maryland.  Then they have an Alt. 40, Scenic 40, etc. and then the original route running through Hagerstown and Cumberland.

Don't forget about MD 144.

[bugo]

Unnecessary roundabouts that replace perfectly fine stop signs or traffic signals

May I ask why? I can't think of any stop or signal arrangement that is more convenient than a roundabout.

The roundabout at the northern split of US 59 and US 169 in Garnett, KS is a good example of a shit roundabout. The roundabout is tiny and traffic must slow to 10 MPH or so. It sucks no matter which way you are going. A stop sign or traffic light would be inconvenient for traffic going in one or more directions but the roundabout makes it a pain in the ass for traffic going in every direction.

[kkt]

The fact that AASHTO banned intrastate US highways. There are still some left, but highways like the former US 154 in Kansas are worthy of being US highways because they connect two US highways. It's kind of funny that what used to be US 154 is now US 400.

Intrastate US highways were banned by AASHTO?  I thought AASHTO just discouraged them, and some states but not others decided to convert them to state routes.

[capt.ron]

US 66 being decommissioned. It's the country's most historic, symbolic, and well-known route, only for it to be nuked from orbit in 1985. Why couldn't they just revitalize it?

AASHTO's mass decommissioning of intrastate three digit US routes. AASHTO decommissioning things in general. They like doing that. At that, decommissioning in general. Keep the routes!

Decommissionment of suffixed/split routes. I-80N. I-59B. US 30N. All that. I really, really like suffixed routes. It's a gripe of mine to see them go. I'm glad to see that Texas has added some to the system in recent years, those Interstates being I-69W, I-69E, and I-69C. 

Regarding US 66,
At least recommission the stretch from Joplin, MO to El Reno, OK.
I think somebody had an axe to grind with US 66 back in the 1980's, hence it being cut abruptly from the highway system in 1985.
Here is another oddball US route: US 425. US 465 would make more sense.

[kkt]

But the most famous part of US 66 is the Oklahoma-California part that the migrants escaping the dust bowl used...

[hbelkins]

The fact that AASHTO banned intrastate US highways. There are still some left, but highways like the former US 154 in Kansas are worthy of being US highways because they connect two US highways. It's kind of funny that what used to be US 154 is now US 400.

Intrastate US highways were banned by AASHTO?  I thought AASHTO just discouraged them, and some states but not others decided to convert them to state routes.

AASHTO doesn't have the power to ban anything.

[kkt]

The fact that AASHTO banned intrastate US highways. There are still some left, but highways like the former US 154 in Kansas are worthy of being US highways because they connect two US highways. It's kind of funny that what used to be US 154 is now US 400.

Intrastate US highways were banned by AASHTO?  I thought AASHTO just discouraged them, and some states but not others decided to convert them to state routes.

AASHTO doesn't have the power to ban anything.

Yeah, that's what I thought.  They can refuse permission for changes, but that's it.

[kphoger]

US-69 in Johnson County, Kansas.

It bothers me that it follows SM Pkwy to Metcalf.  Seriously, just route it along I-35 the whole way.

[mapman1071]

Concurrencies of two interstate routes.

You'd love Arizona, where concurrences in any form are kept to an absolute minimum -  I-40 & US 93 east of Kingman, and US 60 dual-signed with I-10 and then I-17 when that freeway begins.  The former will eventually be dual-signed as I-11 and I-40. 

The latter should not be there at all.  End US 60 where the Superstition Freeway meets I-10.  Extend US 93 from Wickenburg down Grand Ave. to I-17 in Phoenix, changing it to AZ 93 once I-11 is finished.  Then renumber US 60 from Wickenburg to Ehrenberg as AZ 74 (its original 1927 number, BTW).  That would require dual-signing US 93 and AZ 74 between Wickenburg and Morristown, where the current 74 begins, but that's only 10 miles.

And you'd hate Wisconsin, especially between Beloit and Madison, with I-39 and I-90 dual-signed, with I-94 added between Madison and Portage, and 90/94 continuing to Tomah.

AZ also has
I-40/US 180 Flagstaff To Holbrook
I-40/US 180/AZ 99 W of Winslow
AZ 87/AZ 99 Winslow
AZ 64/US 180 Vail to Grand Canyon South Rim
US 60/AZ 77 Globe to North of Show Low
US 60/AZ 77/AZ 260 In Show Low
AZ 87/AZ 287 Thru Coolidge
AZ 87/AZ 260 Payson to North Pine-Strawberry
I-40/Unsigned AZ 95 From Exit 9 (AZ 95 South Lake Havasu City) to Needles, CA

[roadman65]

US 11 or US 11 Alternate in Roanoke, VA not using (or used prior to I-81) VA 117. 

Heck VA with all its independent cities not signing some state highways within its borders or signing Business routes as mainlines (South Hill comes to mind for Route 58) and there is US 301 along the frontage of I-95 from Petersburg to Jarrat.  Why not put US 301 on 95 and leave the current two lane US 301 as a county or secondary 600 series road?

Being those two are so close to each other its redundant to have VDOT maintain the both. 

US 40 in Fayette County, IL is similar to where US 40 is the immediate frontage road for I-70 considering at Pochahontas the US route does become concurrent with the interstate.  Many overpasses over I-70 cross over US 40 as well just like with I-95 and US 301 where one continuous overpass spans both side by side routes.

Even SC in Jasper County moved US 17 onto I-95 where the I-95 SB lanes took the original US 17 NB lanes for the original US 17 to become frontage to the freeway.  Most likely so SCDOT is not having to maintain two different routes in the same location with one of them with very little ATD counts.  How much is both US 40 in IL and US 301 in VA per day?

[KeithE4Phx]

Concurrencies of two interstate routes.

You'd love Arizona, where concurrences in any form are kept to an absolute minimum -  I-40 & US 93 east of Kingman, and US 60 dual-signed with I-10 and then I-17 when that freeway begins.  The former will eventually be dual-signed as I-11 and I-40. 

The latter should not be there at all.  End US 60 where the Superstition Freeway meets I-10.  Extend US 93 from Wickenburg down Grand Ave. to I-17 in Phoenix, changing it to AZ 93 once I-11 is finished.  Then renumber US 60 from Wickenburg to Ehrenberg as AZ 74 (its original 1927 number, BTW).  That would require dual-signing US 93 and AZ 74 between Wickenburg and Morristown, where the current 74 begins, but that's only 10 miles.

And you'd hate Wisconsin, especially between Beloit and Madison, with I-39 and I-90 dual-signed, with I-94 added between Madison and Portage, and 90/94 continuing to Tomah.

AZ also has
I-40/US 180 Flagstaff To Holbrook
I-40/US 180/AZ 99 W of Winslow
AZ 87/AZ 99 Winslow
AZ 64/US 180 Vail to Grand Canyon South Rim
US 60/AZ 77 Globe to North of Show Low
US 60/AZ 77/AZ 260 In Show Low
AZ 87/AZ 287 Thru Coolidge
AZ 87/AZ 260 Payson to North Pine-Strawberry
I-40/Unsigned AZ 95 From Exit 9 (AZ 95 South Lake Havasu City) to Needles, CA

I stand corrected.  I should have remembered the 87-287 segment, although it's only 14 miles.  I've never driven on the others.  But as I said, they only dual-sign when necessary.  It's still not as common in Arizona as it used to be, the worst being US 60-70-80-89/AZ 93, either 4 of them or all of them, from Wickenburg to now-extinct Florence Jct. decades ago.

[US 89]

The fact that AASHTO banned intrastate US highways. There are still some left, but highways like the former US 154 in Kansas are worthy of being US highways because they connect two US highways. It's kind of funny that what used to be US 154 is now US 400.

Intrastate US highways were banned by AASHTO?  I thought AASHTO just discouraged them, and some states but not others decided to convert them to state routes.

AASHTO doesn't have the power to ban anything.

Yeah, that's what I thought.  They can refuse permission for changes, but that's it.

My understanding was that AASHTO won’t approve any new intrastate US highways, and they encourage the elimination of single-state US routes.

[Flint1979]

Concurrencies of two interstate routes.

I don't see how this is bothersome if the routes go in different directions after they are multiplexed. If one of the routes ends while multiplexed then yes that bothers me too.