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Busiest 2-Lane Roads

Started by ParrDa, May 08, 2017, 11:18:47 PM

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webny99

What are the busiest 2-lane (2-way) roads in your area?
Do you agree that the days of being stuck behind someone and unable to pass are over?
I'm new here so my apologies if this thread already exists...


7/8

Fairway Road right by my house in Kitchener has gotten quite busy since the bridge across the Grand River was built a few years back. Thankfully I don't have to drive it a rush hour often, but it can get pretty backed up!

A little farther away is Highway 6 in Morriston, ON. The highway is five-lanes undivided (2 each way with a centre-turn lane) south of Puslinch, but it's still 2-lanes through the town before the 401. The AADT is pretty high, as it's the main route between Hamilton and Guelph/KW. I know they're planning to build a new bypass of the town to solve the issue.

I personally don't think the days of being stuck behind someone is over, since transportation departments don't have unlimited budgets to upgrade every 2-lane road. There's bound to be many busy 2-lane roads that need upgrading, but don't have the funds (or have space constraints).

Max Rockatansky

#2
CA 65 consistently has the most people on it in the two lane segments out in the Southern California Valley, 46 might rival it at times with the ease of the route towards the coastline. 178 gets out of hand in Lower Kern River Canyon on weeks with the crowds going to/from Lake Isabella. 

Hell, the worst I used to live on was US 1 in the Florida Keys.  You're almost always stuck behind a freight train of cars with a slow driver up front.  Picking people off is dicey given the volumes of traffic and there are almost no passing areas south of Tavernier.  I think US 93 before it was built out to an expressway between Phoenix and Boulder City was probably the only two-lane highway that could ever rival US 1 in regards to being busy on a consistent basis that I recall.


slorydn1

The two lane sections of US-17 in Jones County (soon to be extinct)  and north of New Bern in Craven County for me.

During the summer it can be excruciating being stuck in the beach traffic, and good luck attempting to pass before the next no passing zone.

I second what Max said about US-1 in the Keys, too.I never lived there, but I had been down to Key West several times and yep, it could be brutal.

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MNHighwayMan

#4
Around here, probably the 2-lane section of US-69 (NE 14th St) that still exists between Des Moines and Ankeny. Despite only being a mile from Interstate 35 it still sees some pretty heavy traffic, including a decent amount of truck traffic.

Another candidate would be IA-141 once it pares down to two lanes west of Perry. I've only ever been out to US-71 on that road but even out that far it still sees a good amount of traffic.

Back in my hometown of Cambridge, MN-95 through town always sucked, except at night. Only major east/west thoroughfare, then pair that with a railroad crossing. It was widened to four lanes (more like MnDOT repaved it and converted the shoulder to a travel lane, for at least part of it) from Emerson St to the east edge of town, but that only helped a little. The whole route through town needs widening, but because there's no extra ROW space, it'd be an expensive proposition what with several businesses and a few homes along the way that would need to be razed. There were proposals put out to convert MN-95 into a pair of one-ways using 2nd Ave S, but obviously the people living on the street weren't fans of that. I dunno what's been proposed since I left there in 2010, but obviously nothing's been done.

michravera

Quote from: ParrDa on May 08, 2017, 11:18:47 PM
What are the busiest 2-lane (2-way) roads in your area?
Do you agree that the days of being stuck behind someone and unable to pass are over?
I'm new here so my apologies if this thread already exists...

First, in California a lot of permissive passing has been eliminated. Most 2-lane roads are solid striped unless there are really good lines of sight. So, if you do get stuck behind someone, the chance of passing may be approximately "when hell freezes over". Fortunately, we also have a law requiring you to pull over into a turnout, if you can do so safely and are holing up the show.

Second, CASR-92 from I-280 to CASR-1 is frequently two lanes and can get really busy, especially on weekend. I haven't ever really tried it at commute hour.

fillup420

NC 105 between US 221/321 in Boone and US 221 in Linville  serves several tourist destinations, as well as a truck route for US 221. More often than not you'll get stuck behind some Floridian that doesn't know how to accelerate up hills.

bzakharin

NJ 47 is very busy during beach season, especially northbound on Sunday afternoons. We really need NJ 55 to be completed, but I don't see that happening any time soon.

Max Rockatansky

#8
Quote from: bzakharin on May 09, 2017, 09:29:55 AM
NJ 47 is very busy during beach season, especially northbound on Sunday afternoons. We really need NJ 55 to be completed, but I don't see that happening any time soon.

72 is another one in beach going area that can be completely miserable on weekdays, especially the closer you get to US 9.

Quote from: michravera on May 09, 2017, 05:30:04 AM
Quote from: ParrDa on May 08, 2017, 11:18:47 PM
What are the busiest 2-lane (2-way) roads in your area?
Do you agree that the days of being stuck behind someone and unable to pass are over?
I'm new here so my apologies if this thread already exists...

First, in California a lot of permissive passing has been eliminated. Most 2-lane roads are solid striped unless there are really good lines of sight. So, if you do get stuck behind someone, the chance of passing may be approximately "when hell freezes over". Fortunately, we also have a law requiring you to pull over into a turnout, if you can do so safely and are holing up the show.

Second, CASR-92 from I-280 to CASR-1 is frequently two lanes and can get really busy, especially on weekend. I haven't ever really tried it at commute hour.

Some of the others in the quasi-extended Bay Area that are pretty bad would include:

-  152 when it drops from a four-lane expressway to two lanes west of the junction with 156 to US 101.  That stretch through Gilroy would probably rank among the worst or most miserable drives in the state.
-  129 since people use the easy low pass to cut through the Santa Cruz range to get to the coast.  Nothing that will likely stop but you won't get anywhere fast.
-  The entirety of 156 is essentially two-lanes with no passing zones with heavy truck traffic.  25 north of Hollister is similar north to US 101, but I would honestly rather take a combination of 156 and 25 to get to US 101 any day over 152.
-  68 west of Salinas to Monterey has heavy traffic with commuters everywhere.
-  9 essentially is almost always bogged down with tourist traffic or people trying to get to work down in San Jose. 

Quote from: slorydn1 on May 09, 2017, 03:33:20 AM

I second what Max said about US-1 in the Keys, too.I never lived there, but I had been down to Key West several times and yep, it could be brutal.

The worst part of it is from Florida City to Key Largo on the 18 mile stretch.  There is a concrete divider between the lanes and every usually goes at least 80 MPH or more to get around the boat traffic when there is actually a passing zone.  FHP loves to tag people coming off Key Largo northbound at Jewfish Creek near the bridge over the Anchorage Resort.  Unless I'm really early in the morning I'll generally take Card Sound Road/CR 905 since people tend to avoid it due to the toll.

Two more slogs in the Miami Area I thought about would be the entirety of FL 997 due to the farm traffic and US 41 west of FL 997 through the Tamiami Trail.

intelati49

The busiest two lane road near me would have to be MO76 in Branson.

I'm pretty sure the 20,000 AADT is in a two (three) lane section.


cpzilliacus

#10
In Maryland it's part of MD-32 in Howard County, a road that desperately wants to be a Super-2, but does not quite make it (to the south and east of here, MD-32 is almost entirely freeway).  In particular the segment between MD-108 and I-70, passing Dayton and Glenelg.

AADT (2015) on this part of MD-32 is between 28,450 and 23,950.
Opinions expressed here on AAROADS are strictly personal and mine alone, and do not reflect policies or positions of MWCOG, NCRTPB or their member federal, state, county and municipal governments or any other agency.

SP Cook

In WV the very dangerous 12 mile gap in US 35 which will hopefully be eliminated by fall of 19 is the busiest.  After that, there really are no 2-lane roads that make much sense for thru traffic.

CYoder

In the little time I spent on the Big Island, HI 19 could get really busy between the Kona airport and the intersection with HI 270 in Waikui.  Once we spent 10-15 minutes in a loooong line at that intersection (northbound gets a stop sign while E-W traffic has right-of-way).  I usually took HI 190 instead when I could.

formulanone

#13
Yeah, US 1 from Florida City to Key Largo needs the upgrade, for safety and evacuation reasons: AADT of 25,000 with peak weekends/holidays.

Quote from: Max Rockatansky on May 09, 2017, 09:38:43 AM
Two more slogs in the Miami Area I thought about would be the entirety of FL 997 due to the farm traffic...

One topic that hasn't had much discussion is the Krome Avenue widening. Didn't know about it until I flew into Miami last year. Unless you're in western Miami-Dade, it isn't exactly a high-priority corridor, but there's loads of commuter traffic and trucks that use it to connect to US 27.

Quote...and US 41 west of FL 997 through the Tamiami Trail.

Probably will never happen. The first quarter of it has elevated sections (from 2010-2013) to allow more natural water flow through the Everglades, but I don't think twinning is going to occur. If the Miccosukee give it a nod for tourism, maybe. The two-lane section through Collier County should remain intact from the Dade/Monroe County tri-point to CR 951, for its scenic quality. I don't believe that much traffic (AADT from 2200-3000) is using it as a through road to make up time, when Alligator Alley is much faster.

There's also many sections of A1A which are busy two-lanes and may never get widened. In some cases, hopefully they never will...although there's some places adjacent to major intersections (at Intracoastal Waterway crossings) which desperately need turn lanes.

Max Rockatansky

^^^^

Interesting I had no idea upgrades were happening on 997 and have actually appeared to be completed in places.  There was talks about an outer beltway at one point but that seemed really excessive.  I always used to use 997 if I hit rush hour on Miami to get up to US 27 and I-75, the a Turnpike was always backed up to Bird Road at least. 

U.S. 41 really has been relegated to a tourism corridor nowadays anyways.  I don't really see the traffic ever increasing but rather just staying about what it is now into the future.  When I left Florida FDOT was just beginning to build the new bridgework to improve the flow of the Everglades, got that one on my list to check out the next two weeks since I'll be out there. 

jeffandnicole

Quote from: bzakharin on May 09, 2017, 09:29:55 AM
NJ 47 is very busy during beach season, especially northbound on Sunday afternoons. We really need NJ 55 to be completed, but I don't see that happening any time soon.

And 347.  And 322. And 83.  And 9. 

Hell, we can pretty much name every state and US road in NJ with 2 lanes - they just about all qualify.

Max Rockatansky

Quote from: jeffandnicole on May 09, 2017, 12:02:49 PM
Quote from: bzakharin on May 09, 2017, 09:29:55 AM
NJ 47 is very busy during beach season, especially northbound on Sunday afternoons. We really need NJ 55 to be completed, but I don't see that happening any time soon.

And 347.  And 322. And 83.  And 9. 

Hell, we can pretty much name every state and US road in NJ with 2 lanes - they just about all qualify.

Would you say that about US 40 or have I just had a run of dumb luck with the two-lane segments?

epzik8

Not quite in my area, but in my state: Maryland Route 404 on the Eastern Shore. The section that goes around Denton is a four-lane divided highway, and I do believe they're working on upgrading the whole thing to a divided highway. Route 404 is busy because people use it to get to Delaware's beaches, and as an alternate to U.S. 50 to Ocean City.
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jeffandnicole

Quote from: Max Rockatansky on May 09, 2017, 12:19:58 PM
Quote from: jeffandnicole on May 09, 2017, 12:02:49 PM
Quote from: bzakharin on May 09, 2017, 09:29:55 AM
NJ 47 is very busy during beach season, especially northbound on Sunday afternoons. We really need NJ 55 to be completed, but I don't see that happening any time soon.

And 347.  And 322. And 83.  And 9. 

Hell, we can pretty much name every state and US road in NJ with 2 lanes - they just about all qualify.

Would you say that about US 40 or have I just had a run of dumb luck with the two-lane segments?

Yes.  Get behind a truck that's slow to start up from traffic lights and maxes out at 40 or 45 in a 50, or weekend traffic, and it's nearly impossible to find a safe area to pass.

jakeroot

#19
In Washington, there are two several highways that are un-twinned but very busy (data from WashDOT Traffic Data GeoPortal):

Hwy 18 from Issaquah-Hobart Road to I-90 -- last un-twinned section of Hwy 18. AADT: 25,000

Hwy 522 from north of Paradise Lake to the Snohomish River -- twinned sections on either side of this stretch (twinning coming soon). AADT: 27-28,000

US-2 east of Snohomish -- to be twinned at some point. AADT: 27,000

Hwy 302 near Purdy (primarily the bridge) -- Several alternatives to improve traffic but no hard plan. AADT: 22,000

cpzilliacus

Quote from: epzik8 on May 09, 2017, 12:23:52 PM
Not quite in my area, but in my state: Maryland Route 404 on the Eastern Shore. The section that goes around Denton is a four-lane divided highway, and I do believe they're working on upgrading the whole thing to a divided highway. Route 404 is busy because people use it to get to Delaware's beaches, and as an alternate to U.S. 50 to Ocean City.

Not as high as the two-lane section of MD-32 in Howard County that I mentioned above, according to the 2015 Highway Location Reference.  MD-404 AADT ranges from 17,070 to 21,271 in Queen Anne's County; and 17,170 to 17,150 in Talbot County.  In Caroline County, it gets above that to 27,421, but that's on the four-lane expressway-type bypass of Denton.  Back to two lanes, it gets down to 12,431 approaching the Delaware state line.

Now does it carry more traffic than the published AADTs during the beach season?  Yes, of course it does.
Opinions expressed here on AAROADS are strictly personal and mine alone, and do not reflect policies or positions of MWCOG, NCRTPB or their member federal, state, county and municipal governments or any other agency.

ColossalBlocks

SR 151/SR 18 in Blytheville, AR. I can see why they constructed the bypass in the first place.
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cpzilliacus

Quote from: SP Cook on May 09, 2017, 10:33:57 AM
In WV the very dangerous 12 mile gap in US 35 which will hopefully be eliminated by fall of 19 is the busiest.  After that, there really are no 2-lane roads that make much sense for thru traffic.

Wonder how busy U.S. 60 was before I-64 was completed?  Say from Sam Black Church to W.Va. 61?
Opinions expressed here on AAROADS are strictly personal and mine alone, and do not reflect policies or positions of MWCOG, NCRTPB or their member federal, state, county and municipal governments or any other agency.

roadgeek01

Centerville Road in Lancaster County.  The road seems to be always packed with cars at all hours. Widening is improbable, due to the development beside the road.
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froggie

Quote from: SP Cook on May 09, 2017, 10:33:57 AM
In WV the very dangerous 12 mile gap in US 35 which will hopefully be eliminated by fall of 19 is the busiest.  After that, there really are no 2-lane roads that make much sense for thru traffic.

The remaining 2-lane segments of US 340 would fit the bill, especially the segment near Harpers Ferry which is well into the 20K's for daily traffic.



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