AARoads Forum

National Boards => General Highway Talk => Topic started by: NoGoodNamesAvailable on July 16, 2019, 05:51:03 PM

Title: Most egregious local shortcuts
Post by: NoGoodNamesAvailable on July 16, 2019, 05:51:03 PM
What are some of the worst shortcuts and cut-throughs that drivers in your local area take to save a few seconds or to avoid traffic jams? I'm especially thinking of roads that are inadequately designed to handle the volume of shortcutting traffic, roads on private property that are frequently used by thru traffic, and roads with turn restrictions that are frequently violated by drivers.

I got to thinking of this topic when I saw this commercial driveway (https://www.google.com/maps/place/Unnamed+Road,+Fort+Lee,+NJ+07024/@40.8504742,-73.9863635,162m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x89c2f71e60663107:0xb8d10fe8e657791e!8m2!3d40.8504742!4d-73.985815) in Fort Lee NJ. The driveway is a private road and is signed "not a through street" but makes a convenient shortcut from 46 onto local streets, and comes in the middle of a large gap between exits. When the GWB approach is congested there is always a very heavy volume of cars that use the driveway to bail out onto local streets.
Title: Re: Most egregious local shortcuts
Post by: Rothman on July 16, 2019, 07:09:01 PM
Williston, ND during the boom had crappy dirt roads trucks would use to get around traffic before the highways were improved.  Followed them myself when I visited the area.
Title: Re: Most egregious local shortcuts
Post by: Max Rockatansky on July 16, 2019, 07:19:40 PM
I used Bear Road a lot through Orlando International Airport to get between Conway Road and Semoran Boulevard when rush hour would clog the connecting surface streets.  Bear Road was also a handy way to avoid the toll booth at OIA on FL 528.   
Title: Re: Most egregious local shortcuts
Post by: Rick1962 on July 16, 2019, 07:28:57 PM
Just west of the intersection of 61st & Memorial in Tulsa is this commercial drive that sees a lot of traffic using it to bypass the WB 61st to SB Memorial traffic signal. Why, you ask? Well, a couple of years ago the city rebuilt the intersection, installing new traffic signals as part of the "improvement". In typical Tulsa fashion, the city replaced the protected/permitted left turn signals with protected-only, and futzed with the timing, so only five or six cars get through on the light. As a result, there is typically a significant queue waiting to turn left, backed up far beyond the left turn pocket.(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190716/1b777be1c9e498d5fc86ccd24e8b2216.jpg)

SM-T580

Title: Re: Most egregious local shortcuts
Post by: kphoger on July 16, 2019, 08:21:24 PM
Quote from: NoGoodNamesAvailable on July 16, 2019, 05:51:03 PM
I got to thinking of this topic when I saw this commercial driveway (https://www.google.com/maps/place/Unnamed+Road,+Fort+Lee,+NJ+07024/@40.8504742,-73.9863635,162m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x89c2f71e60663107:0xb8d10fe8e657791e!8m2!3d40.8504742!4d-73.985815) in Fort Lee NJ. The driveway is a private road and is signed "not a through street" but makes a convenient shortcut from 46 onto local streets, and comes in the middle of a large gap between exits. When the GWB approach is congested there is always a very heavy volume of cars that use the driveway to bail out onto local streets.

– Not a through street.

– Bull.
Title: Re: Most egregious local shortcuts
Post by: Sctvhound on July 16, 2019, 09:17:40 PM
We used to have a couple roads which were cut throughs. Stocker Drive used to be a cut through from Savannah Hwy (US 17) to Folly Rd (SC 171) in Charleston. About 20 years ago people in the neighborhood (South Windermere) were angry about the heavy traffic and eventually access was cut off to Folly Rd.