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Worst state highway system

Started by Revive 755, January 23, 2009, 10:14:59 PM

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agentsteel53

#25
what is wrong with OK 133?  Looks to me to be just as good a road as OK 19.
live from sunny San Diego.

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njroadhorse

Honestly, I cannot throw NJ's state route system into this discussion.  It's not that bad, I'd just nit pick through it ;-)
NJ Roads FTW!
Quote from: agentsteel53 on September 30, 2009, 04:04:11 PM
I-99... the Glen Quagmire of interstate routes??

leifvanderwall

#27
Another big problem in Michigan are the M roads in the northern half of the lower peninsula such as 32,72, and 88 which have way too many sharp turns and curves. These roads also go through communties such as Elmira, Fairview and Johannesburg.

Scott5114

OK 133 is indeed a short connecting route (partially in my former home county), but is definitely state-highway grade by Oklahoma standards. (Whether it deserves to be is another discussion entirely, of course.) That said it probably should also carry a lettered spur designation, a 19x or a 59x. I think the letter designation is enough to flag a route as "hey, this road doesn't really go anywhere of importance".

Texas's big problem is that they have 46 different highway classes  :pan:

uncontrollable freak sardine salad chef

algorerhythms

Quote from: ChrisI gotta say I never understood why some states use letter prefixes for county roads like in Missouri, California or Iowa. Not every back road needs a number.
West Virginia begs to differ. In fact, they think it's so important to give their back roads numbers that they give them two.

agentsteel53

Louisiana also has their hyphenated routes for branches off the mainline.
live from sunny San Diego.

http://shields.aaroads.com

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Avalanchez71

Tennessee has some dog awful secondary state roads that have no shoulders that often wind unnecessarily whilst another route may be adjacent that does not.  The routes are not signed well and the concurrencies are so hit and miss.

Max Rockatansky

2009?  I think we've covered this way more recently elsewhere?

1995hoo

Quote from: Max Rockatansky on February 10, 2021, 08:07:06 AM
2009?  I think we've covered this way more recently elsewhere?

That's at least two super-ancient threads said poster resurrected early this morning. My query is, what was he searching for to prompt him to find this old material?
"You know, you never have a guaranteed spot until you have a spot guaranteed."
—Olaf Kolzig, as quoted in the Washington Times on March 28, 2003,
commenting on the Capitals clinching a playoff spot.

"That sounded stupid, didn't it?"
—Kolzig, to the same reporter a few seconds later.

hotdogPi

Look at my first 50 or so posts. While it was only 2013 then, it seemed to be fine by most people (see this thread). I think it's pretty firmly established that reviving a thread is preferable to starting a duplicate thread on the same topic.
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.

Max Rockatansky

Quote from: 1 on February 10, 2021, 08:17:30 AM
Look at my first 50 or so posts. While it was only 2013 then, it seemed to be fine by most people (see this thread). I think it's pretty firmly established that reviving a thread is preferable to starting a duplicate thread on the same topic.

The Michigan posts alone outdate this thread.  Pure Pothole isn't even a thing now like it was been back then, MDOT and Michigan has been far surpassed since 2009.  I recall a similar thread from last year where this exact topic was discussed and think the general consensus had anew Mexico as the present worst state system. 

hotdogPi

While New Mexico is pretty bad, the state is also underrepresented on this forum (even compared to its low population), so there was probably nobody to defend it.

Quote from: Max Rockatansky on February 10, 2021, 08:27:05 AM
anew Mexico

Is this part of the "a before proper names" autocorrect glitch?
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.

1995hoo

Quote from: 1 on February 10, 2021, 08:17:30 AM
Look at my first 50 or so posts. While it was only 2013 then, it seemed to be fine by most people (see this thread). I think it's pretty firmly established that reviving a thread is preferable to starting a duplicate thread on the same topic.

If you read my comment, you'll see I didn't criticize; rather, I merely wondered what he was searching for that led him to these old threads.
"You know, you never have a guaranteed spot until you have a spot guaranteed."
—Olaf Kolzig, as quoted in the Washington Times on March 28, 2003,
commenting on the Capitals clinching a playoff spot.

"That sounded stupid, didn't it?"
—Kolzig, to the same reporter a few seconds later.

webny99

Quote from: 1995hoo on February 10, 2021, 08:43:51 AM
Quote from: 1 on February 10, 2021, 08:17:30 AM
Look at my first 50 or so posts. While it was only 2013 then, it seemed to be fine by most people (see this thread). I think it's pretty firmly established that reviving a thread is preferable to starting a duplicate thread on the same topic.

If you read my comment, you'll see I didn't criticize; rather, I merely wondered what he was searching for that led him to these old threads.

I think it was an indirect answer to your question. He has previously stated that, when he was a new user, he found old threads and posted to them via this page, rather than through the search function.

Max Rockatansky

Quote from: 1 on February 10, 2021, 08:35:43 AM
While New Mexico is pretty bad, the state is also underrepresented on this forum (even compared to its low population), so there was probably nobody to defend it.

Quote from: Max Rockatansky on February 10, 2021, 08:27:05 AM
anew Mexico

Is this part of the "a before proper names" autocorrect glitch?

I believe so, I'm having some funky autocorrections that I've been seeing with the recent iOS updates. 

Regarding New Mexico in my case I worked there for three years and usually spent around fifty nights annually.  The state inventory is surprisingly large and has real nice scenery (top ten state IMO).  That said the surface conditions and state repair is often extremely wanting.  Some rural state highways in particular matched up with some really poor county roads that would be typical in other states. 

thenetwork

Quote from: Max Rockatansky on February 10, 2021, 09:40:39 AM
Quote from: 1 on February 10, 2021, 08:35:43 AM
While New Mexico is pretty bad, the state is also underrepresented on this forum (even compared to its low population), so there was probably nobody to defend it.

Quote from: Max Rockatansky on February 10, 2021, 08:27:05 AM
anew Mexico

Is this part of the "a before proper names" autocorrect glitch?

I believe so, I'm having some funky autocorrections that I've been seeing with the recent iOS updates. 

Regarding New Mexico in my case I worked there for three years and usually spent around fifty nights annually.  The state inventory is surprisingly large and has real nice scenery (top ten state IMO).  That said the surface conditions and state repair is often extremely wanting.  Some rural state highways in particular matched up with some really poor county roads that would be typical in other states. 

My work takes me into Northern New Mexico several times a month.   Here is my take based on the area I travel (Bloomfield, Aztec, Farmington, Shiprock).

Seems like the only time they "fix" a road long term, they tie it into a widening and/or rebuild project. Then the road gets a full rebuild with fancy aesthetics and full paving of all lanes and shoulders.  After that, little to no preventive maintenance is done.  The once-nice two-tone median islands are never swept nor weeded, and the pavement starts to crumble before they apply a cold patch fix or a thin overlay that is put on the road like butter is put on a slice of bread. 

Only Farmington proper is where I have seen any regular resurfacing-only projects -- the recent Downtown Main St. project the exception.  Otherwise, travel US-64 from Bloomfield west to Shiprock and compare the rebuilt section near Sunray Casino with the older sections that were once "state of the art".  Good luck finding any preventive maintenance or cyclic resurfacing schedules.  Its just putting band aids on top of band-aids.

wanderer2575

I'm responding to this only because the thread was previously bumped.

Quote from: Terry Shea on September 09, 2009, 09:31:08 AM
Quote from: leifvanderwall on September 08, 2009, 11:26:43 AM
Again, I have to put my home state of Michigan on this subject and also Ohio. The biggest problem in Mi. is roads like M-22 and M-123 that really should have separate branches. For instance, M-22 from Manistee to Northport should have a different number from the Northport to Traverse City route (maybe call it M-201). M-123 should be from I-75 to Paradise and M-117 should take over the Newberry to Paradise route.
The big problem I have with Ohio is US 68 and useless multiplexes like US 250/ SR 60 and US 23/ SR 199.
How are these routes signed directionally?  It would appear that if you were leaving Northport or Paradise the routes would be signed South either way you go (I'm assuming that isn't the case though).  M-22 actually makes sense to me because it's a scenic route around the peninsula.  It's not much different from how M-25 follows the outline of the thumb.  I've never understood M-123 though-it should definitely have 2 route numbers.  I wonder how many people have traveled down M-28 and think they're going in circles when they approach M-123 for the 2nd time.





M-123 in Paradise has minimal signing with no cardinal directions at the top of its half loop.

thspfc

All things considered, WI is probably somewhere in the middle. The thing that I like the most is that there are no stupid 4-digit routes or unsigned, "is this a state route or not?" type of highways (except for WI-134). On the flip side, some of them are in bad condition, particularly ones in the area east of the Mississippi, north of US-18, west of I-90/94, and south of I-90.

TheGrassGuy

Arkansas, for much of the same reasons as Nebraska, not to mention the inadequate maintenance.
If you ever feel useless, remember that CR 504 exists.

kphoger

Quote from: Max Rockatansky on February 10, 2021, 09:40:39 AM

Quote from: 1 on February 10, 2021, 08:35:43 AM
Is this part of the "a before proper names" autocorrect glitch?

I believe so, I'm having some funky autocorrections that I've been seeing with the recent iOS updates. 

Keep right except to pass.  Yes.  You.
Visit scenic Orleans County, NY!
Male pronouns, please.

Quote from: Philip K. DickIf you can control the meaning of words, you can control the people who must use them.

OCGuy81

Oregon's are in pretty rough shape, especially compared to Washington's really great system.

Signage for state highways is fairly awful.

tq-07fan

I drive enough in Indiana to say that most state routes are absolutely beautiful in maintenance. When Indiana fixes a state route they dig down to the subgrade. The state route signage could be improved a little in places but they even have small green signs on the state routes for small places that are reached by county roads. They do follow a loose grid and you can get most anywhere on a state route in Indiana. Unfortunately, Indiana totally aggravates me with the not having the state routes go into or through a lot of cities because they don't want to maintain them. It's a major flaw in an otherwise stellar state highway system.

Jim

wriddle082

Quote from: Avalanchez71 on February 10, 2021, 07:35:42 AM
Tennessee has some dog awful secondary state roads that have no shoulders that often wind unnecessarily whilst another route may be adjacent that does not.  The routes are not signed well and the concurrencies are so hit and miss.

What Tennessee lacks in signage and cohesion, they more than make up for in pavement quality.  They have traditionally kept a firm schedule of resurfacing interstates every 8 years and other state roads every 12 years.  I just wish SC would think about resurfacing some of their roads every 15 years!

ran4sh

Quote from: 1 on February 10, 2021, 08:17:30 AM
Look at my first 50 or so posts. While it was only 2013 then, it seemed to be fine by most people (see this thread). I think it's pretty firmly established that reviving a thread is preferable to starting a duplicate thread on the same topic.

I think that depends on the topic. If the answers are likely to have changed, then the discussion from a decade ago is not as useful to include.
Control cities CAN be off the route! Control cities make NO sense if signs end before the city is reached!

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Avalanchez71

Quote from: wriddle082 on February 10, 2021, 06:05:35 PM
Quote from: Avalanchez71 on February 10, 2021, 07:35:42 AM
Tennessee has some dog awful secondary state roads that have no shoulders that often wind unnecessarily whilst another route may be adjacent that does not.  The routes are not signed well and the concurrencies are so hit and miss.

What Tennessee lacks in signage and cohesion, they more than make up for in pavement quality.  They have traditionally kept a firm schedule of resurfacing interstates every 8 years and other state roads every 12 years.  I just wish SC would think about resurfacing some of their roads every 15 years!

That is so true.  Tennessee does an excellent job with paving projects.  They just don't know how to mark roads well.  Heck they even mark secondary state highways as US highways.  Such as SSR 417 is marked as US 417.  SSR 373 is marked as US 373.



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