The Most Loved Freeway in Your City

[Roadgeekteen]

The flipside

[hotdogPi]

The flipside

Is that the one where you drive on the undersurface upside-down?

[TheHighwayMan3561]

I don't know if there is a "most loved" freeway - all of them are hated by their regular commuters, some are just more notorious than others.

The freeway I've had the fewest problems on locally is US 52, but northbound it still backs up horribly at I-94 during rush.

[Max Rockatansky]

I don't think any of them is "loved" in Fresno.  There is some reverence from US Route buffs about CA 99 given it was US 99.

[Rothman]

I think in Upstate NY, there's a love-hate thing with people's views of the Thruway and Northway.

[citrus]

In the Bay Area, it's probably I-280, and specifically the portion between CA-85 and I-380.

[thspfc]

I don't think this is a good question. "Most hated"  works because there might be something that makes a certain freeway notoriously bad among roadgeeks and non-roadgeeks alike, other than the traffic volume. Whereas "most loved"  doesn't reach through to non-roadgeeks because they see freeways simply as a way to get where they are going, so their favorite freeway is always going to be the fastest one with the least amount of traffic.

[jakeroot]

I see it as thus: 'tolerated' > 'not many fans' > 'revolting' > 'hatred' > 'living hell'.

There's doesn't seem to be any room for "most loved" since roads, in general, are something people take for granted. A freeway would have to go above and beyond to earn that "loved" status.

For WA, it's really tough. My gut has me discounting every urban freeway as there's too many people who dislike it for its existence in an urban area, plus those who were displaced by it, for it to be truly loved. That said, two I can think of:

* I-705 in Tacoma: it didn't involve too much expropriation, rarely is ever jammed, and radically improved travel times into/from downtown Tacoma. It's also quite high-speed and pretty fun.
* Alaskan Way Viaduct: it was butt-ugly, and really separated the waterfront, but it became an icon for Seattle and did have pretty spectacular views. It was also, historically, a big deal, being the first major N-S 'expressway' through the city and radically cleaned up the old Alaskan Way. By its end in 2019, while many were glad it met its maker, you could tell people were sad to see it go too.

[dlsterner]

In my area, I think that it might be US 50/Hidden I-595 from I-495 east.

At any given time in the Washington metro area, the Beltway and almost all of the "spoke" freeways (I-95, I-270, I-66, BW Parkway, etc) can be quite congested at times, but that stretch of US 50 is almost always free-flowing in my experience.

[skluth]

There's only one freeway in Palm Springs, I-10. Simultaneously, both the most loved and most hated freeway in my city.

[bing101]

I-210 from CA-118 to CA-134@CA-710 interchange because it's scenic in the LA area
CA-2 Glendale freeway would be up there for most love freeway in the LA area.

CA-163 south end in San Diego because of the parkway feel
CA-110 Arroyo Seco Parkway  because it's California first freeway.

I-780 Vallejo to Benicia because this freeway is rarely jammed and it's in a suburban setting for the entire route.
CA-13 Warren Freeway because it's the Bay Area's answer to Arroyo Seco Parkway.

[Max Rockatansky]

I-210 from CA-118 to CA-134@CA-710 interchange because it's scenic in the LA area
CA-2 Glendale freeway would be up there for most love freeway in the LA area.

CA-163 south end in San Diego because of the parkway feel
CA-110 Arroyo Seco Parkway  because it's California first freeway.

I-780 Vallejo to Benicia because this freeway is rarely jammed and it's in a suburban setting for the entire route.
CA-13 Warren Freeway because it's the Bay Area's answer to Arroyo Seco Parkway.

Around Los Angeles it has to be by far the Arroyo Seco Parkway. 

[SkyPesos]

DC: I-366 

[Max Rockatansky]

DC: I-366 

I mean, who doesn't love I-366 and it's 85 MPH speed limits?

[texaskdog]

I don't know if there is a "most loved" freeway - all of them are hated by their regular commuters, some are just more notorious than others.

The freeway I've had the fewest problems on locally is US 52, but northbound it still backs up horribly at I-94 during rush.

thanks to the stupid way they rebuilt it

[keithvh]

For the Denver Metro, I suppose it's either US-36 or I-225.  They provide either (a) a nice connection between Boulder and Northern Denver, or (b) a nice connection from the southern suburbs up toward the airport.

At the least, I don't hear anyone complaining about US-36 or I-225. 

One cannot say the same thing as regards 70 (that awful viaduct, now the awful construction), 25 ("so congested!"), 270 ("so under-built!"), 470 ("so expensive!"), US-6 ("so tight and narrow and underground!"), or Pena Boulevard ("tight merges and off-ramps south of Tower Road; too many airport cops looking for revenue east of Tower Road").

[keithvh]

I-210 from CA-118 to CA-134@CA-710 interchange because it's scenic in the LA area
CA-2 Glendale freeway would be up there for most love freeway in the LA area.

CA-163 south end in San Diego because of the parkway feel
CA-110 Arroyo Seco Parkway  because it's California first freeway.

I-780 Vallejo to Benicia because this freeway is rarely jammed and it's in a suburban setting for the entire route.
CA-13 Warren Freeway because it's the Bay Area's answer to Arroyo Seco Parkway.

I'm not a LA resident, but the Glendale Freeway is my favorite for when I do visit for business trips.  I've never seen bad traffic on that road, EVER, despite being so close to downtown!

[Great Lakes Roads]

Chicago? I-90 aka the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway... advanced technology, added new ramps where there wasn't one previously, added a lane (sometimes 2) each way, lighting, higher speed limits, etc.

Indy? Gosh, I don't know! US 31, maybe?

[Max Rockatansky]

I-210 from CA-118 to CA-134@CA-710 interchange because it's scenic in the LA area
CA-2 Glendale freeway would be up there for most love freeway in the LA area.

CA-163 south end in San Diego because of the parkway feel
CA-110 Arroyo Seco Parkway  because it's California first freeway.

I-780 Vallejo to Benicia because this freeway is rarely jammed and it's in a suburban setting for the entire route.
CA-13 Warren Freeway because it's the Bay Area's answer to Arroyo Seco Parkway.

I'm not a LA resident, but the Glendale Freeway is my favorite for when I do visit for business trips.  I've never seen bad traffic on that road, EVER, despite being so close to downtown!

I've only ever encountered them at the end when CA 2 transitions to Glendale Boulevard.  Great back door into downtown and definitely underutilized.

[zzcarp]

For the Denver Metro, I suppose it's either US-36 or I-225.  They provide either (a) a nice connection between Boulder and Northern Denver, or (b) a nice connection from the southern suburbs up toward the airport.

At the least, I don't hear anyone complaining about US-36 or I-225. 

One cannot say the same thing as regards 70 (that awful viaduct, now the awful construction), 25 ("so congested!"), 270 ("so under-built!"), 470 ("so expensive!"), US-6 ("so tight and narrow and underground!"), or Pena Boulevard ("tight merges and off-ramps south of Tower Road; too many airport cops looking for revenue east of Tower Road").

I have to agree US 36 for the Denver Metro and also for my city of Westminster. Although people do complain about it too. My biggest complaint is the lack of lane parity from Sheridan Blvd to I-25. EB needs three general purpose lanes through that stretch, and the lane drop EB at Pecos where the HOT lanes merge causes slowdowns often. Also, in the world of "shoulds", they should have built a westbound auxiliary lane from the Arista bus station entrance ramp to Wadsworth Parkway/CO 121 exit ramp. That said, these are minor quibbles compared to the other freeways in the metro.

[Avalanchez71]

I would say the portion of I-24 West from SR 155 outbound toward the metropolitan/county line for Nashville.

[Henry]

Chicago? I-90 aka the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway... advanced technology, added new ramps where there wasn't one previously, added a lane (sometimes 2) each way, lighting, higher speed limits, etc.

Indy? Gosh, I don't know! US 31, maybe?

For Chicago, I nominate I-90/I-94 from either side of town heading towards the Loop. Never mind the heavy traffic, just the views of the best skyline in the world are worth it.

In Seattle, it would be I-90 again, with the Mercer Island Floating Bridge and the cool views of the two stadiums at the very end. Honorable mention goes to I-5, with the awesome views of downtown.

[LM117]

US-29 (Future I-785) is the only freeway in my neck of the woods, soooo....yeah. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[bing101]

I-505 Vacaville because its a direct route from Oregon to the Bay Area without dealing with Downtown Sacramento traffic?

[JayhawkCO]

For the Denver Metro, I suppose it's either US-36 or I-225.  They provide either (a) a nice connection between Boulder and Northern Denver, or (b) a nice connection from the southern suburbs up toward the airport.

At the least, I don't hear anyone complaining about US-36 or I-225. 

One cannot say the same thing as regards 70 (that awful viaduct, now the awful construction), 25 ("so congested!"), 270 ("so under-built!"), 470 ("so expensive!"), US-6 ("so tight and narrow and underground!"), or Pena Boulevard ("tight merges and off-ramps south of Tower Road; too many airport cops looking for revenue east of Tower Road").

I have to agree US 36 for the Denver Metro and also for my city of Westminster. Although people do complain about it too. My biggest complaint is the lack of lane parity from Sheridan Blvd to I-25. EB needs three general purpose lanes through that stretch, and the lane drop EB at Pecos where the HOT lanes merge causes slowdowns often. Also, in the world of "shoulds", they should have built a westbound auxiliary lane from the Arista bus station entrance ramp to Wadsworth Parkway/CO 121 exit ramp. That said, these are minor quibbles compared to the other freeways in the metro.

The only one I might nominate for "least hated" might be US285 west of Englewood.  It's probably the only freeway segment in the metro I've never run into traffic on.

Chris