The BEST Transportation Agency in the U.S. (2021 Edition)

[JoePCool14]

Seven years ago, I started a thread called "The BEST Transportation Agency in the U.S." here on the forum to determine which DOT was actually the best.

Since it's been so long since the original thread, I thought it was a good time to bring up the topic again to see if people's opinions had changed based on new places they'd been to, new DOT policies that have changed since, and also to hear what newcomers to the forum have to say.

One thing I feel like might still hold true today:

All I know is that IDiOT is out. 

So I ask you all: What is the BEST transportation agency in the U.S. in 2021?

Latest generally-agreed upon rankings.

[webny99]

Wow, if your profile age is correct, I respect you for being here seven years ago.

ODOT (Ohio) wins for several aspects, including their signage and the 6-laning of many of their rural interstates.

However, I prefer NYSDOT's use of incremental sign panels (which have rounded corners) instead of the extruded ones (which have square corners). Unfortunately for NYSDOT, though, states that still use sequential exit numbers automatically rank below all the states that use mileage-based.

[I-35]

Any DOT that continues to use Clearview is right out, in my book.

[JoePCool14]

Wow, if your profile age is correct, I respect you for being here seven years ago.

Just don't look at my early posts. Most of them are a mess.

Any DOT that continues to use Clearview is right out, in my book.

I used to think that too, but there is more to DOTs than just Clearview usage. Also, many roadgeeks these days are more neutral on Clearview.

[silverback1065]

INDOT has gotten a lot better since the gas tax has passed. They have a lot more money to do badly needed work. There are tons of preventative maintenance projects now and road quality is much better now.

Pixel 5

[Roadgeekteen]

NCDOT if you like interstates.

[SkyPesos]

Any DOT that continues to use Clearview is right out, in my book.

I'm not going that quick in eliminating all Clearview states. I think Michigan's signage is good despite using Clearview.

[Scott5114]

My feelings on this haven't changed.

As before when this has been discussed, I vote for KDOT:

• Clear, consistent signage
• No Clearview
• Well-maintained road surfaces (KDOT is not afraid to tear a road down to the dirt and rebuild it if necessary)
• Excellent attention to detail in road geometry (curves are banked just right)
• Does a good job attending to transportation needs in Northeast Kansas (I have heard that their work in Sedgwick County leaves something to be desired, so that is a mark against them)
• Excellent state map
• Well-organized route system
• Frequent decommissionings to avoid spending money on roads that don't need to be state-maintained (freeing it up for improvements on other routes)

Driving in Kansas is always a pleasure, to an extent that I have seen unmatched by any other state so far (although WisDOT and TDOT come close in my limited experience with them).

[silverback1065]

Caltrans sucks their signage is trash. I don't care if it has button copy signs, they're outdated, impossible to read and need replacing. they need mile markers on their highways, they barely sign turns on their routes either.

[SkyPesos]

I'm not going to name a best yet, but another one I'll eliminate from even the top 10: PennDOT.

INDOT has gotten a lot better since the gas tax has passed. They have a lot more money to do badly needed work. There are tons of preventative maintenance projects now and road quality is much better now.

Pixel 5

I'll second that. I noticed a change in road quality on various segments of I-74 between Indy and Cincy that I was asking myself when driving on it about a month ago "Am I really in Indiana?". Also little road work too on I-74, unlike Illinois's rural interstates, where any day you pick, there's a super 2 section of I-70 in IL because of construction. What would be nice to see next in Indiana is a complete 6 lane of I-65 between Indy and Chicago. Would make my travels to Chicago even better, combined with the I-74 improvements.

Even though it improved a lot, not sure if I would name it the best DOT still.

[silverback1065]

I'm not going to name a best yet, but another one I'll eliminate from even the top 10: PennDOT.

INDOT has gotten a lot better since the gas tax has passed. They have a lot more money to do badly needed work. There are tons of preventative maintenance projects now and road quality is much better now.

Pixel 5

I'll second that. I noticed a change in road quality on various segments of I-74 between Indy and Cincy that I was asking myself when driving on it about a month ago "Am I really in Indiana?". Also little road work too on I-74, unlike Illinois's rural interstates, where any day you pick, there's a super 2 section of I-70 in IL because of construction. What would be nice to see next in Indiana is a complete 6 lane of I-65 between Indy and Chicago. Would make my travels to Chicago even better, combined with the I-74 improvements.

Even though it improved a lot, not sure if I would name it the best DOT still.

I wouldn't say they're the best. Just much improved.

Pixel 5

[pianocello]

From the professional end, I like how well put together FDOT's CAD standards and programs are. Their design standards are also pretty easy to find online, for the most part.

[epzik8]

I like MDOT (Maryland) for the following reasons:

• They have Clearview signage scattered throughout the state.
• They know how to pave and widen highways and what circumstances to do so under.
• They have signs posting designated routes and distances to points of interest throughout the state, complete with Maryland flags.
• They let every county choose their own street blade styles.
• They post signs approaching intersections indicating cities in each direction (left, right and straight).
• SHA and MTA just have it together, although the same can't be said for the Baltimore City DOT.

Any DOT that continues to use Clearview is right out, in my book.

I'm not going that quick in eliminating all Clearview states. I think Michigan's signage is good despite using Clearview.

Michigan's signage is good because of Clearview.

[JoePCool14]

Any DOT that continues to use Clearview is right out, in my book.

I'm not going that quick in eliminating all Clearview states. I think Michigan's signage is good despite using Clearview.

Michigan's signage is good because of Clearview.

Nope. It's good in spite of it. Across Lake Michigan, WisDOT also puts out quality on their signs without a hint of Clearview.

[I-55]

I'm not going to name a best yet, but another one I'll eliminate from even the top 10: PennDOT.

INDOT has gotten a lot better since the gas tax has passed. They have a lot more money to do badly needed work. There are tons of preventative maintenance projects now and road quality is much better now.

Pixel 5

I'll second that. I noticed a change in road quality on various segments of I-74 between Indy and Cincy that I was asking myself when driving on it about a month ago "Am I really in Indiana?". Also little road work too on I-74, unlike Illinois's rural interstates, where any day you pick, there's a super 2 section of I-70 in IL because of construction. What would be nice to see next in Indiana is a complete 6 lane of I-65 between Indy and Chicago. Would make my travels to Chicago even better, combined with the I-74 improvements.

Even though it improved a lot, not sure if I would name it the best DOT still.

I wouldn't say they're the best. Just much improved.

Pixel 5

Now if INDOT continues to get better...

[WillWeaverRVA]

VDOT has gotten a lot better in the past seven years. They still use that stupid SMART SCALE system to prioritize projects, but their customer service and citizen outreach is excellent. They do a great job of responding to reports made on My VDOT (sometimes even on the same day depending on what the issue is).

Also, the VDOT Northern Virginia District's PIO is probably the best PIO in the whole damn country.

https://twitter.com/VaDOTNOVA/status/1386629936656654336

[kphoger]

Caltrans sucks their signage is trash. I don't care if it has button copy signs, they're outdated, impossible to read and need replacing. they need mile markers on their highways, they barely sign turns on their routes either.

So are you saying it's a multi-way tie for first place, between every other agency?

[fillup420]

NCDOT if you like interstates.

if you like small sections of pointless interstates that don't go anywhere 

[SkyPesos]

NCDOT if you like interstates.

@FritzOwl

[kphoger]

OwlDOT ?

[andrepoiy]

My feelings on this haven't changed.

As before when this has been discussed, I vote for KDOT:

• Clear, consistent signage
• No Clearview
• Well-maintained road surfaces (KDOT is not afraid to tear a road down to the dirt and rebuild it if necessary)
• Excellent attention to detail in road geometry (curves are banked just right)
• Does a good job attending to transportation needs in Northeast Kansas (I have heard that their work in Sedgwick County leaves something to be desired, so that is a mark against them)
• Excellent state map
• Well-organized route system
• Frequent decommissionings to avoid spending money on roads that don't need to be state-maintained (freeing it up for improvements on other routes)

Driving in Kansas is always a pleasure, to an extent that I have seen unmatched by any other state so far (although WisDOT and TDOT come close in my limited experience with them).

It seems like Ontario checks a lot of those boxes.

However, some things that aren't that great:
- I'd just say that Ontario signage is usually okay, but some of them are a bit strange or inconsistent. There is Clearview on a few signs, but no new signs have Clearview anymore.
- I'd also say that Ontario's decommissioning of routes in 1997 had made the system less useful due to random/large gaps in routes, random stubs routes (e.g. Highway 20), and the system doesn't actually go anywhere in population centres. (for example, there are no non-freeway Ontario highways within Toronto since they were all decommissioned).

[vdeane]

It seems like Ontario checks a lot of those boxes.

However, some things that aren't that great:
- I'd just say that Ontario signage is usually okay, but some of them are a bit strange or inconsistent. There is Clearview on a few signs, but no new signs have Clearview anymore.
- I'd also say that Ontario's decommissioning of routes in 1997 had made the system less useful due to random/large gaps in routes, random stubs routes (e.g. Highway 20), and the system doesn't actually go anywhere in population centres. (for example, there are no non-freeway Ontario highways within Toronto since they were all decommissioned).

Ontario doesn't seem to care about system connectivity in general.  A lot of the roads (especially 400-series highways) that go to the border stop short of it, on the reasoning that MTO doesn't maintain it/"it's not a freeway because of customs/toll plazas/etc." (I know ON 402, ON 405, and the QEW have this issue, and that ON 401 will once the Gordie Howe Bridge is completed; I think ON 3 does as well).  There's also the whole issue with ON 407 ending at ON 35/115, with a RIRO section of that before the ON 115 freeway to Peterborough.  Ontario is great at getting individual road sections up to high standards, but when it comes to making the road system useful as a system, they don't care.  At all.

[webny99]

- I'd also say that Ontario's decommissioning of routes in 1997 had made the system less useful due to random/large gaps in routes, random stubs routes (e.g. Highway 20), and the system doesn't actually go anywhere in population centres. ...

Ontario doesn't seem to care about system connectivity in general.  ...

That's a really interesting point. I would also suggest the Red Hill Valley Pkwy not getting a 400-number and the QEW narrowing from eight lanes down to six at the Parkway's eastern terminus as evidence of this.

A lot of the roads (especially 400-series highways) that go to the border stop short of it, on the reasoning that MTO doesn't maintain it/"it's not a freeway because of customs/toll plazas/etc." (I know ON 402, ON 405, and the QEW have this issue ...

As for ON 405, Google says it goes right to the border. Is that incorrect?

[Scott5114]

I like MDOT (Maryland) for the following reasons:

On the other hand, FHWA often sends someone around with a camera and takes pictures of MD signage to put above the words "NOT ACCEPTABLE" in MUTCD compliance documents, like the infamous Clearview circular. They appear to have no idea how to make panels the proper size for the legend they contain, since they either have margins so small the text almost runs into the edge lines or gaping gulfs of space around blocks of legend, and sometimes both on the same sign.

Also the fact that they have enough sharply-angled exit ramps that they have a standard-ish method of signing those (with a right arrow) is a little concerning.

Also, the VDOT Northern Virginia District's PIO is probably the best PIO in the whole damn country.

H.B. Elkins has entered the chat

[vdeane]

As for ON 405, Google says it goes right to the border. Is that incorrect?

According to the MTO's traffic data, ON 405 ends approximately at the toll barrier for the bridge, right about where the ramps for the interchange with Niagara Parkway used to be.