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Route Advice - Detroit to Dallas

Started by catch22, March 22, 2013, 03:21:17 PM

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catch22

In a few weeks, I'll be driving from the Detroit area to the north Dallas suburbs and back, and I've been giving some thought as to a route.  I've done this a couple of times before, but not in a couple of years.  I have the luxury of several routes to choose from, all pretty close in mileage.  Some examples:

Detroit > Indianapolis > Effingham, IL > Sikeston, MO > West Memphis, AR > Little Rock > Dallas (OK, but the drive between Sikeston and Little Rock seems to take forever)

Detroit > Cincinnati > Louisville > Nashville > Memphis > Little Rock > Dallas (the way I went two years ago)

Detroit > Chicago > Sikeston, MO > West Memphis, AR > Little Rock > Dallas (Chicago area traffic to deal with)

Detroit > Indianapolis > St. Louis > Big Cabin, OK > Dallas (shortest mileage, but I've heard horror stories about overzealous traffic enforcement on US-69 that make me a tad reluctant to try this one)

Are there any large construction projects on any of the routes that might be a deterrent, time- or traffic-wise?  Conversely (my wife would probably say perversely), any projects worth driving by (the I-70 bridge project in St. Louis, perhaps)?

Any good routes I've missed?


amroad17

The route through St. Louis and Big Cabin, OK is a very good one.  I drove through that way during my trucking days and encountered no problems.  Just do the speed limits on US 69 near Big Cabin itself, where most of the enforcement seems to be.
I don't need a GPS.  I AM the GPS! (for family and friends)

kphoger

I would do the same route, FWIW, using the southern I-255 as a Saint Louis bypass.  I would only go through the Chicago area at the right time of day/week.
Keep right except to pass.  Yes.  You.
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hbelkins

Take US 60 west from Sikeston to Pine Bluff, then US 67 south to the Little Rock area.


Government would be tolerable if not for politicians and bureaucrats.

Brandon

If you go via Chicago, it's not too bad unless you try to go during the morning rush on the Borman Expressway (I-80/94).  I-57 outbound is rarely bad, and you'll lose quite a bit of traffic at the Bishop Ford Freeway (I-94) and when the Tri-State Tollway (I-294) peels away.
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amroad17

You know, HB's routing advice is better.  Go around Indy, then take I-57 to Sikeston, MO, US 60 to Pine Bluff, and US 67 to Little Rock to get to I-30 to Dallas.  It's a good drive, although US 67 is two lanes from south of Pine Bluff to Pocahontas, AR and again from Hoxie, AR to where the US 67 freeway starts at AR 226--or maybe further north of that depending on what is done.  I think the traffic on US 67 isn't bad on the two lane portions.

Your routing is going to depend on where you would stay overnight, unless you are going to drive straight through.  Is this about an 1100 mile trip?
I don't need a GPS.  I AM the GPS! (for family and friends)

catch22

Quote from: amroad17 on March 24, 2013, 02:01:12 AM
You know, HB's routing advice is better.  Go around Indy, then take I-57 to Sikeston, MO, US 60 to Pine Bluff, and US 67 to Little Rock to get to I-30 to Dallas.  It's a good drive, although US 67 is two lanes from south of Pine Bluff to Pocahontas, AR and again from Hoxie, AR to where the US 67 freeway starts at AR 226--or maybe further north of that depending on what is done.  I think the traffic on US 67 isn't bad on the two lane portions.

Your routing is going to depend on where you would stay overnight, unless you are going to drive straight through.  Is this about an 1100 mile trip?

Thanks to everyone for the suggestions so far.  It's about 1150 to 1200 miles depending on the route.   I'm not as young as I used to be, so it's a a two-day trip at the minimum.  We may have the luxury of a third day on the trip down if I can rearrange a couple of things.

bugo

If you pay attention to speed limit signs you should be fine on 69.  The issue I have with 69 is that the speed limit changes about 50 times between McAlester and the Red River and you have to slow down, then speed up, then speed up some more, then slow way down...

rte66man

Quote from: catch22 on March 22, 2013, 03:21:17 PM
In a few weeks, I'll be driving from the Detroit area to the north Dallas suburbs and back, and I've been giving some thought as to a route.  I've done this a couple of times before, but not in a couple of years.  I have the luxury of several routes to choose from, all pretty close in mileage.  Some examples:

Detroit > Indianapolis > Effingham, IL > Sikeston, MO > West Memphis, AR > Little Rock > Dallas (OK, but the drive between Sikeston and Little Rock seems to take forever)

Detroit > Cincinnati > Louisville > Nashville > Memphis > Little Rock > Dallas (the way I went two years ago)

Detroit > Chicago > Sikeston, MO > West Memphis, AR > Little Rock > Dallas (Chicago area traffic to deal with)

Detroit > Indianapolis > St. Louis > Big Cabin, OK > Dallas (shortest mileage, but I've heard horror stories about overzealous traffic enforcement on US-69 that make me a tad reluctant to try this one)

Are there any large construction projects on any of the routes that might be a deterrent, time- or traffic-wise?  Conversely (my wife would probably say perversely), any projects worth driving by (the I-70 bridge project in St. Louis, perhaps)?

Any good routes I've missed?


Avoid the first 3 if at all possible. I40 between West Memphis and Little Rock is down to one lane between mm206 and mm193 (appx). They are rebuilding the various bridges over the White River along with approaches.  Been through there 6 or so times in the past year. One was just a minor slowdown while the rest was a dead stop of anywhere between 30 minutes and 3 hours.  You can detour down US70 from Brinkley to Hazen. a nice drive, but you will still lose at least 30-45 minutes.

I40 is also in pathetic shape from West Memphis to Forrest City. Add in the ridonkulous amount of truck traffic and you are better IMHO to take 67 instead.

rte66man
When you come to a fork in the road... TAKE IT.

                                                               -Yogi Berra

Road Hog

Quote from: amroad17 on March 24, 2013, 02:01:12 AM
You know, HB's routing advice is better.  Go around Indy, then take I-57 to Sikeston, MO, US 60 to Pine Bluff, and US 67 to Little Rock to get to I-30 to Dallas.  It's a good drive, although US 67 is two lanes from south of Pine Bluff to Pocahontas, AR and again from Hoxie, AR to where the US 67 freeway starts at AR 226--or maybe further north of that depending on what is done.  I think the traffic on US 67 isn't bad on the two lane portions.

In other words, follow Future I-57, alternately known as Future I-30 and Governor Beebe's Driveway.  :sombrero:

By the way, it's Poplar Bluff, not Pine Bluff.

hbelkins

I knew that, having been through there a few times. I guess I was thinking Arkansas and substituted Pine for Poplar.


Government would be tolerable if not for politicians and bureaucrats.

Revive 755

Quote from: catch22 on March 22, 2013, 03:21:17 PM
Are there any large construction projects on any of the routes that might be a deterrent, time- or traffic-wise?  Conversely (my wife would probably say perversely), any projects worth driving by (the I-70 bridge project in St. Louis, perhaps)?

As to whether the bridge is worth seeing, it depends how much you like cable stayed bridges.  Personally, if I had the time, I'd check how the I-70 Missouri River bridge replacement, but I have a preference for truss bridges over cable stayed bridges.

Should you decide to take a look at the new I-70 bridge, you can drive by the new bridge, but there aren't any good spots to stop for a quick picture that I am aware of.  There is also no guarantee that you won't run into traffic issues depending upon the route you take.  There are two routes that would give a quick drive past:

1) I-270, down IL 3, then cross the McKinely Bridge, then down EB I-70 to SB I-55.  This route could have problems with traffic from the Chain of Rocks Canal Bridge replacement project.

2) I-55/70 to the MLK Bridge exit, cross the MLK Bridge (provides a good view of the new bridge), then WB I-70 to the Salisbury Street exit where you can flip around to EB I-70.  Might be faster than the first option (fewer stoplights), and it gives a chance to see work at the Tri-Level interchange where the new bridge will tie in, but it involves some doubling back and runs the risk of delays from any lane closures at the Tri-Level or issues with the MLK Bridge.

QuoteAny good routes I've missed?

I'm not sure how good this one is, but it might work:

* Through or around St. Louis, down I-55 to US 67, then down US 67 to Little Rock.   US 67 is (or was at least being upgraded to) expressway grade from I-55 to Poplar Bluff, although there are at least two stoplights near I-55, might be more farther south.

catch22

Thanks again to all for their comments and suggestions.  Just returned from Dallas a few days ago. 

Trip down, stopping overnight in Rolla, MO:  Detroit > Toledo > Ft. Wayne > Indianapolis > St. Louis area > Big Cabin, OK > Dallas:  Not bad at all, except for a few short segments of US-69 and of course all the speed limit changes. Looped around St. Louis on the Illinois side via I-255.

Trip back, stopping overnight at Poplar Bluff:  Dallas > Little Rock > Poplar Bluff, MO > Sikeston, MO > Effingham > Indianapolis > Fort Wayne > Toledo> Detroit:  Not bad either, except for an area around Pocohantas, Arkansas where everyone was burning off the stubble in what I assumed were cotton fields.  We stopped for gas there late in the afternoon and the combination of the heavy, acrid smoke and the the shallow sunlight was eerie.  Drove through downtown Cairo, IL.; what a depressing place!

Managed to avoid any real bad construction, traffic, or overzealous law enforcement.





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