Worst Stretch of Highway

[mightyace]

^ It's appropriately called "Deadman's Curve."

ODOT has a massive plan to upgrade Cleveland's "innerbelt" including Deadman's Curve.

See http://www.innerbelt.org/

Even though I went to downtown Cleveland almost daily for 4 years, and fairly often before that, I only went through there on a couple of occasions.

[Sykotyk]

That's Dead Man's Curve in Cleveland. Going east, you can see all the 'hit marks' on the wall where people have taken it a little too fast.

It also has an immediate exit (right two lanes) go to OH-2 west. So, after a 90, you have a hard fast 180 after the bend to loop back over I-90 East.

There's been talk for years about 'cutting the corner' and straightening it, as well as redoing the OH-2 interchange.

Sykotyk

[Alex]

That's Dead Man's Curve in Cleveland. Going east, you can see all the 'hit marks' on the wall where people have taken it a little too fast.

It also has an immediate exit (right two lanes) go to OH-2 west. So, after a 90, you have a hard fast 180 after the bend to loop back over I-90 East.

There's been talk for years about 'cutting the corner' and straightening it, as well as redoing the OH-2 interchange.

Sykotyk

I've not driven it personally, but when you see a guide sign like:



you know it has to be bad. They have a pretty big diagrammatic guide sign that includes a 90 degree angled turn at "Kamikaze Curve" where I-81/NY-17 come together in Binghamton too.

[DrZoidberg]

Wow! I had no idea there was such a large sign for it!

[PAHighways]

I've driven through there going eastbound and it isn't as bad as the sign makes it out to be, as long as you adhere to the suggested speed limit.

The worst section of road I ever drove on was in the State of Ohio, but it wasn't that section.  I-670 was an abomination between OH 315 and I-71 before it was rebuilt a few years ago.  I remember as I was trying dodge the potholes on it only to hit other potholes in the process, thinking to myself, "People who say Pennsylvania's roads are awful have obviously never driven this one."

[mightyace]

"People who say Pennsylvania's roads are awful have obviously never driven this one."

Yeah, when I travel from TN to PA to visit my pad, it doesn't take the I-71/75 bridge over the Ohio River to know I'm up north.  The roads in Cincinnati are in much worse shape than those on the Covington, KY side!

[hm insulators]

What about CA-173 North of Lake Arrowhead o the Mojave River Forks?  That stretch of road is not even PAVED!

That road was never paved for some stupid reason. With all the growth in the Victorville/Hesperia area in recent years, I'm surprised they haven't paved it.

How about the freeway system in southern California in general? The I-10 west of the Palm Springs area, especially from Banning to Redlands; I-5 from Norwalk to downtown L.A.; the entire I-710 corridor; parts of I-210 from Pasadena to the I-5 connection--gad, my fingers would fall off if I listed every bit of ancient, run-down, potholed, chewed-up stretch of freeway in the L.A./Orange County metro area. And don't get me started on many of the surface streets in the City of Los Angeles; I've driven dirt roads that are smoother! Besides, I want to take my swim pretty soon.

I live now in Phoenix where you can actually drive the freeways without having to worry about your car disappearing into a pothole the size of a large hot tub.

[travelinmiles]

I hate most roads in PA.  They are so undercapacity and have antiquated design.  But the worst would have to be 76 the Schuylkill Expressway, especially between Valley Forge and US 1 City Avenue. 2X2 and the only road going to the west, only an outer shoulder, chronically congested.  I wish they would bring back the 1980's plans to add a lane in each direction.

Never driven it but truck drivers call it the "sure kill" expressway.  Amen to what you said about PA roads.  I live north of Pittsburgh.

Well, the "Sure Kill" expressway has been overcapacity pretty much since it opened in the late 1940's.

Does anyone know of any plans to make this road any better? I mean even on the weekends...its only very late at night that you may be able to drive this route with out traffic.

[leifvanderwall]

I-90: The Chicago Skyway. You would not believe how many patched potholes on the roadway once you get on the Illinois side. I-196 between exit 4 & South Haven and I-94 from Hartford to Exit 27. The roads desperately needs to be repaved. M-139 in Benton Township: Many people treat the road like a freeway and when a traffic turns yellow, not too many people want to stop. I got rearended on the road last week.

[Bryant5493]

Also, 95 through Jacksonville can get crazy, and I'm not thrilled with its layout.

I used to think that.... until I had to start driving on roads in eastern Tennessee.  My current pick in the worst roads category is the US-27 expressway (secret I-124) between I-24 and US-127 in Chattanooga.  Horrendous curves, 1/4 mile-spaced exits, no shoulders, pitted and cracked pavement, faded and substandard pavement markings, dilapidated signs, etc.

Drove I-124/U.S.27 the other day. Here's some video of it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFzTg7kXEgo


Be well,

Bryant

[Bickendan]

Close second: All of I-12. Carries way too many vehicles. If you travel it during the day, be aware that you're tempting fate. It's being resurfaced, but what it really needs is to be exapnded to at least six lanes the whole way. Maybe even eight.

Went through on I-12 from I-55 east to I-10 mid-day on a Thursday last year and didn't have any problems. Guess I got lucky.

There are two I'm surprised aren't on here yet.

1) The I-5 Terwilliger (not to be confused with Sideshow Bob) curves in Portland, OR, especially on southbound 5.  It's substandard, the pavement is horrible, trucks crawl up it because it's a fairly steep grade, and the curves seem too sharp for interstate standards.  Also, rounding the curves at rush hour is dangerous as they're blind curves.  One can get around the curve and have to suddenly hit the brakes because of a backup at the end of the curve. There are ALWAYS wrecks on the T-curves (as the locals call em)

The Oregonian had an article about the Terwilliger Curves, and ODOT outright admitted it was a bad stretch, as there are five curves, each in opposite directions. It got built the way it did because of some political mess; and to correct the curves, the new alignment would take out some houses.

While we're on Oregon: OR 217. 'Nuff said.
I-405 at the 6th Ave onramp/US26-12th Ave offramp.

That's Dead Man's Curve in Cleveland. Going east, you can see all the 'hit marks' on the wall where people have taken it a little too fast.

It also has an immediate exit (right two lanes) go to OH-2 west. So, after a 90, you have a hard fast 180 after the bend to loop back over I-90 East.

There's been talk for years about 'cutting the corner' and straightening it, as well as redoing the OH-2 interchange.

Sykotyk

I've not driven it personally, but when you see a guide sign like:



you know it has to be bad. They have a pretty big diagrammatic guide sign that includes a 90 degree angled turn at "Kamikaze Curve" where I-81/NY-17 come together in Binghamton too.

Reminds me a little of I-35W in Minneapolis as it comes into the city then does a 90° turn into I-94's median.

[florida]

I-4 in downtown Orlando, substandard on/off ramp between Michigan Ave & Kaley St going EB, trumpet at SR 408, left lane on ramp from South St along with dual right lane on ramps from Anderson St & SR 408 with them quickly turning into exit only. The exit with South St was worse before reconstruction, since it was all left lane on/off ramps. Going north to Lee Road, every exit has semi-substandard on ramps; you can see where they have been lengthened (along with the original size of the interstate), but plentiful curves don't help.

Like someone else said, I-95 in Jax is bad in downtown (which will be "was"). The I-4/US 92 interchanges on I-95 aren't that great either.

[Scott5114]

1) The I-5 Terwilliger (not to be confused with Sideshow Bob) curves in Portland, OR

Sideshow Bob was actually named after Terwilliger Street in Portland (Matt Groening was from the area)!

[Aerostar92]

As far as road conditions go Illinois highways are by FAR the worst in the country.

[PAHighways]

Well, the "Sure Kill" expressway has been overcapacity pretty much since it opened in the late 1940's.

Does anyone know of any plans to make this road any better? I mean even on the weekends...its only very late at night that you may be able to drive this route with out traffic.

There were plans to double deck the Schuylkill and have HOT lanes on the upper deck with mainline traffic on the current level.

[Bickendan]

1) The I-5 Terwilliger (not to be confused with Sideshow Bob) curves in Portland, OR

Sideshow Bob was actually named after Terwilliger Street in Portland (Matt Groening was from the area)!

A lot of the characters claim homage to Portland city streets.

[worldtravelermsk]

I would have to say I-70 between Washington and New Stanton, PA. No left shoulder and some really dangerous interchanges. I generally enjoy driving in PA but, I'd rather take US 40/I-68, I-79/I-68 or even go through Downtown Pittsburgh to the turnpike before driving on that stretch of I-70.

Also I'd say the Capital Beltway around DC. The traffic is especially terrible in MD near Bethesda, Chevy Chase and Silver Spring. Couple that with the 55 mph curves/the narrow lanes and you've got one aggravating drive.

Honorable mention goes to I-66 between Chain Bridge Road and I-495 in Virginia. That road is in awful condition.

[froggie]

Also I'd say the Capital Beltway around DC. The traffic is especially terrible in MD near Bethesda, Chevy Chase and Silver Spring. Couple that with the 55 mph curves/the narrow lanes and you've got one aggravating drive.

Being a daily Beltway commuter, I'd say that the only real problem with the Beltway is the traffic.  And that's mainly on the north and west sides.

[Terry Shea]

As far as road conditions go Illinois highways are by FAR the worst in the country.

Take a drive up to Michigan and you'll change your mind immediately upon entering the state.

[agentsteel53]

some counties in Michigan apparently don't believe in frequent plowing.  Gotta love casually heading over the county line and needing to slow down from 25 mph to 10 on US-2.

[OracleUsr]

I was on US 1A -> 1 to Lubec from Bangor back during the week of July 3, and I nominate US 1 north of Bar Harbor for having no cardinal direction banners.  Not fun when you get on US 1A then back on US 1 and turn north instead of south.

I have a question for Maine roadgeeks.  I was coming to Lubec from Portland and took the usual I-95->I-385->US 1A->US 1->ME 189.

I contend, and have never verified it with an atlas, that it would have been faster, time-wise, to take I-95 to Houlton, then US 1 South to Lubec.  I know the distance might have been longer, but 120 miles (Exit 182A for I-395 to Exit 302 to US 1) on an interstate versus 120 miles on the Coastal Highway can't be slower.  Next time I am up that way, should I try that instead, or am I full of...you know...?

[jdb1234]

The Pennsylvania Turnpike between the Ohio state line and Somerset.  They paved over the concrete surface with asphalt which makes for a very bumpy ride.