I-4 verses I-5

[roadman65]

Someone today on social media just drove I-5 from Portland to Tacoma and admitted that after dealing with I-4 in Florida for decades that he has found an interstate worse than that.

I know I-5 is bad crossing the Columbia River, but is it really bad further up? Can anything be worse than I-4?

I’m referring to traffic volumes that is.

[Rothman]

Having driven both a few times, I-4 is worse in terms of frustration.

[Max Rockatansky]

Both are un-good slogs.  At least I-5 has some occasional terrain to grab your interest. 

[Henry]

If there's anything these two Interstates have going for them, it's that they both pass by the parks that Mickey & Friends made famous: Walt Disney World for I-4, and Disneyland for I-5.

[Max Rockatansky]

If there's anything these two Interstates have going for them, it's that they both pass by the parks that Mickey & Friends made famous: Walt Disney World for I-4, and Disneyland for I-5.

Heh, I'd count those both in the negative column.  Even after visiting both parks with my wife since 2019 it hasn't changed my stance that they are waste of my time.  I-4 in particular had a ton of issues with Disney area spawned traffic problems when I lived in the area.

[SkyPesos]

Can anything be worse than I-4?

Probably one portion of I-95, either in the Miami area or one of the Northeast cities. Not sure which exact one takes the cake though.

[TheHighwayMan3561]

So I-4 is writing rap lyrics about I-5?

[Max Rockatansky]

Can anything be worse than I-4?

Probably one portion of I-95, either in the Miami area or one of the Northeast cities. Not sure which exact one takes the cake though.

Pretty much any expressway segment of Interstate through Chicago beats the sheer misery of I-4.  I-5 through Seattle is on par with I-4 in Orlando. 

[Rothman]

If there's anything these two Interstates have going for them, it's that they both pass by the parks that Mickey & Friends made famous: Walt Disney World for I-4, and Disneyland for I-5.

Not on the segment he referenced.

[Rothman]

Can anything be worse than I-4?

Probably one portion of I-95, either in the Miami area or one of the Northeast cities. Not sure which exact one takes the cake though.

I-95 south of DC, almost to Richmond.

[hotdogPi]

So I-4 is writing rap lyrics about I-5?

I was considering using ChatGPT to write poetry and then post it here, but I decided against it.

[Rothman]

So I-4 is writing rap lyrics about I-5?

I was considering using ChatGPT to write poetry and then post it here, but I decided against it.

O freddled gruntbuggly...

[1995hoo]

How many verses does it have?

[thspfc]

(Verse 1)
Yo, I'm rollin' on the streets, I'm I-4 in this game,
Cruisin' through the city, reppin' with no shame.
But now it's time to drop some truth, no lies,
I-5, you better listen up, prepare for your demise.

(Chorus)
I-4's in the house, ready to take the crown,
I-5, you're about to feel the breakdown.
I'm gonna diss you hard, expose your flaws,
So sit back, relax, and witness the rap war.

(Verse 2)
I-5, you think you're smooth, but you're just a snail,
Always congested, causing nothing but fail.
Your traffic's always backed up, it's a never-ending jam,
I-4's got the flow, leaving you in a traffic slam.

(Verse 3)
I-5, you're so predictable, boring and plain,
Your scenery's the same, it's driving me insane.
I-4's got the sights, from coast to coast,
While you're stuck with the same old boring post.

(Chorus)
I-4's in the house, ready to take the crown,
I-5, you're about to feel the breakdown.
I'm gonna diss you hard, expose your flaws,
So sit back, relax, and witness the rap war.

(Verse 4)
I-5, you can't handle the heat I bring,
My lanes are smooth, like a golden wing.
You're full of potholes, bumps, and construction mess,
I-4's the boss, I'm always at my best.

(Verse 5)
I-5, your exits confuse, it's a maze,
Drivers get lost, stuck in a daze.
I-4's got the signs, clear and concise,
While you leave motorists in a never-ending price.

(Chorus)
I-4's in the house, ready to take the crown,
I-5, you're about to feel the breakdown.
I'm gonna diss you hard, expose your flaws,
So sit back, relax, and witness the rap war.

(Bridge)
I-4's the king of the road, I'm here to stay,
I-5, you can't match my highway display.
So step aside, bow down to the supreme,
I-4's the name, the rap game's dream.

(Chorus)
I-4's in the house, ready to take the crown,
I-5, you're about to feel the breakdown.
I'm gonna diss you hard, expose your flaws,
So sit back, relax, and witness the rap war.

(Outro)
I-5, it's time to accept your fate,
I-4's the winner, you're just a second-rate.
I'll keep rollin' strong, while you're stuck in the past,
I-4's the legend, this rap battle won't be your last.

[Bruce]

Someone today on social media just drove I-5 from Portland to Tacoma and admitted that after dealing with I-4 in Florida for decades that he has found an interstate worse than that.

I know I-5 is bad crossing the Columbia River, but is it really bad further up? Can anything be worse than I-4?

I'm referring to traffic volumes that is.

I just did the Portland-Tacoma-Seattle drive on I-5 last night. It was unremarkable and boring until I hit the Fife curve and drivers suddenly went feral.

During the daytime, it tends to be congested and has spots of stop-and-go traffic (normally around Joint Base Lewis-McChord). It's not the most boring drive in WA (I-90 east of Vantage and WA 26 take the crown) but it is really busy and keeps you on your toes.

[JoePCool14]

I haven't had the pleasure/pain of driving on I-4, but I struggle to see how I-4 could be much worse than Chicagoland expressways. I-94, I-290, I-55, the Borman. At worst, maybe they're on par with each other.

Maybe it's a case of the grass being greener, but I'd take I-4 over our highways here.

[Max Rockatansky]

Is I-5 going to respond to being served by I-4 or is this a one way rap battle?

[pderocco]

I used to drive I-5 in OR/WA a lot in the 1990s, and it wasn't too bad, but the few times I've driven it since then still didn't feel anywhere near as bad as Los Angeles traffic. And I suspect parts of the Bay Area are worse, given the constraints of bodies of water and mountains.

[SEWIGuy]

I haven't had the pleasure/pain of driving on I-4, but I struggle to see how I-4 could be much worse than Chicagoland expressways. I-94, I-290, I-55, the Borman. At worst, maybe they're on par with each other.

I think what we are talking about are very busy interstates that are passing between two metropolitan areas versus WITHIN  this same metro.

I have not driven I-4, but for a largely rural interstate between Olympia and Portland, I-5 is quite boring but relatively busy. Which IMO makes it the worst type of interstate.

But IMO I-65 between Gary and Indy takes the cake. Simply awful.

[thspfc]

Is I-5 going to respond to being served by I-4 or is this a one way rap battle?

I-5 is not in fact willing to take that level of disrespect.

Verse 1)
Yo, I heard you spittin' I-4, claimin' you're the best,
But it's time to address the facts and put you to the test.
You think you're smooth, but let me expose your lies,
I-5's in the building, here to mesmerize.

(Chorus)
I-5's up in here, ready to counterattack,
I-4, you're 'bout to feel the burn and fall back.
I'm about to diss you hard, reveal your flaws,
So brace yourself, I-4, for this rap war.

(Verse 2)
I-4, you're talkin' 'bout congestion and delay,
But let's be real, I-5 keeps it movin' every day.
You're just a small fry, tryna play it cool,
I-5's the backbone, the true interstate jewel.

(Verse 3)
I-4, you claim your sights are oh so grand,
But I-5's got the coast, the mountains, and the sand.
From Seattle to San Diego, I cover the whole state,
While you're stuck in Florida, a limited fate.

(Chorus)
I-5's up in here, ready to counterattack,
I-4, you're 'bout to feel the burn and fall back.
I'm about to diss you hard, reveal your flaws,
So brace yourself, I-4, for this rap war.

(Verse 4)
I-4, your roads are full of bumps and potholes,
Drivers navigate through your mess, losin' control.
I-5's got the smooth lanes, a smooth ride,
While you're causing accidents on your weak side.

(Verse 5)
I-4, your exits are a nightmare, a maze,
Confusing drivers for days, it's just a craze.
I-5's got clear signs, no room for confusion,
You're just a headache, causing more delusion.

(Chorus)
I-5's up in here, ready to counterattack,
I-4, you're 'bout to feel the burn and fall back.
I'm about to diss you hard, reveal your flaws,
So brace yourself, I-4, for this rap war.

(Bridge)
I-5's the king of the highway, it's evident,
You're playin' catch-up, but your time's already spent.
So step aside, I-4, accept your fate,
I-5's the champ, it's clear, no debate.

(Chorus)
I-5's up in here, ready to counterattack,
I-4, you're 'bout to feel the burn and fall back.
I'm about to diss you hard, reveal your flaws,
So brace yourself, I-4, for this rap war.

(Outro)
I-4, you've been served, it's time to back down,
I-5's the heavyweight, the true talk of the town.
I'll keep rollin' strong, no need to look back,
I-5's the winner, I'll stay on track.

[SilverMustang2011]

I used to drive I-5 in OR/WA a lot in the 1990s, and it wasn't too bad, but the few times I've driven it since then still didn't feel anywhere near as bad as Los Angeles traffic. And I suspect parts of the Bay Area are worse, given the constraints of bodies of water and mountains.

This made me think of an interesting point. If we look at the congested areas as a proportion of the overall interstate length, I-5 is almost certainly better than I-4 since parts of it go through rural areas and LA/The Bay Area are small parts of its overall length. Meanwhile, I-4 is susceptible to high traffic volumes and backups from Tampa to the edge of the Orlando metro in DeLand (The last 15 or so miles of I-4 are by far the quietest), so that would make I-4 the worse interstate in terms of how much of it is pain to drive.

The combination of drivers from literally all over thanks to Orlando, and Florida in general, being one of the tourism hubs of the US and being a lot easier to travel with a car doesn't make the road any safer either.

[Rothman]

I haven't had the pleasure/pain of driving on I-4, but I struggle to see how I-4 could be much worse than Chicagoland expressways. I-94, I-290, I-55, the Borman. At worst, maybe they're on par with each other.

Maybe it's a case of the grass being greener, but I'd take I-4 over our highways here.

Borman's worse than I-4, but not as bad as I-95 south of DC.

[Flint1979]

Can anything be worse than I-4?

Probably one portion of I-95, either in the Miami area or one of the Northeast cities. Not sure which exact one takes the cake though.

I-95 south of DC, almost to Richmond.

After having spent some time in the Fredericksburg area I agree with that.

[Henry]

Can anything be worse than I-4?

Probably one portion of I-95, either in the Miami area or one of the Northeast cities. Not sure which exact one takes the cake though.

I-95 south of DC, almost to Richmond.

After having spent some time in the Fredericksburg area I agree with that.

I'd nominate I-75/I-85 in Atlanta for being worse than I-4. The thing was rebuilt 40 years ago, and has gotten progressively worse ever since. As a matter of fact, its round-the-clock bumper-to-bumper traffic would certainly rival anything the Los Angeles freeways can dish out.

[Big John]

Hillside Strangler anyone?