I was in Canada over an extended Memorial Day weekend and it was my first time through the border at International Falls/Fort Frances. What a clusterfuck of a border crossing!
http://mapper.acme.com/?ll=48.60657,-93.40136&z=16&t=SAll of the customs buildings are mixed in with a sprawling paper mill that spans the river and a dam. There are pipes and conveyers overhead and all these railroad tracks crisscrossing the road. One has to be cognizant of not stopping on those railroads (especially with a boat!) and figure out which building you're supposed to drive towards. Going both ways, there was a locomotive tooling around the paper mill complex and needing to get across the road. It was confusing as hell and the mill makes it noisy and foul smelling. It's totally unflattering of the two cities as well. At least the border agents can fart at work without anyone noticing.
It's a toll bridge (NB only) so there's another puzzle piece. The route to the border on city streets takes one through a lot of 90 degree turns. Even a trained roadgeek might find himself a tiny bit flustered. Also there's very little room at the duty-free pick up spot. Two vehicles with trailers will obstruct traffic. And this is northwest Ontario; a place with a lot of lakes that have a lot of fish. There are lots of trailers going over the border here.
I whole heartedly endorse the creation of a new border crossing somewhere up there. Anywhere that's not in the middle of goddamn factory/railroad yard is fine with me. If some Congressman has to sneak an earmark into the "War Orphan Baby Kissing Bill" and the project goes over budget and the contractor is caught bribing somebody and they have to punch a bald eagle in the face repeatedly with a poo-covered Bible to get it done, I am okay with it. Anyone who would call it pork should have to navigate that maze at least once before they say anything.
Whew, that was good to go off about that. I hope it was enjoyable.
More on topic, the 4 lane expansion of US 53 up to Cook looks to be in its first full year. Lots of grubbing and earth moving over that 10ish mile stretch. Must be at least a 2014 completion date.
Was surprised to see a traffic signal in little ol' Orr.
Driving through Virginia is very informative in the context of the ongoing debate in Wisconsin about a proposed iron mine between Mellen and Hurley. I drove past the site on WI 77 a couple weeks ago. I think I've made up my mind about that subject.
US 53 is in pretty rough shape in The Range. Very dated interchanges up there (except where 169 heads off to Ely).
Coming down the hill in Duluth is absolutely gorgeous. Haven't gone that way since before the hill climb was rebuilt a number of years ago. Not only is it a great view in all the usual ways, but you pretty much have an aerial view of the antiquated 35/535 interchange. That junction sucks but it looks cool from up the hill. There was even an outbound ship heading for the Blatnik Bridge at the time. They matched the feel of the I-35 tunnels and canyons on US 53.
Since it was Memorial Day, the Fuzz was out in full force the entire trip back (both MN & WI). Lotsa cops; lotsa dumbasses jamming on the brakes even though they were doing the speed limit.