AARoads Forum

Another thread asks posters to identify their most favorite stretch of Interstate highway in their state.  Here, I'm going the other way -- to identify the least favorite segment within their state.  Only one condition -- the reason for the disfavor needs to be something other than traffic/congestion!!!.  But any other aspect of the experience on that road qualifies -- scenery or lack thereof, road condition (hopefully at time of travel), poor design, etc...........doesn't matter whether it's rural, suburban, or urban -- if you think the particular Interstate stretch or the driving experience over it sucks, let us know!

For me, it's a specific stretch of I-8 in the Imperial Valley (otherwise I really like this highway) -- near Seeley, west of El Centro, at or near the New River crossing.  Done it a couple dozen times, and usually I have to (a) roll up the windows if the AC isn't on because of the rather pungent stench coming from the river bottom, and (b) avert my eyes from the "river" as I cross it -- the water (or whatever chemical formula it actually is) is usually some unattractive blend of olive green/khaki and what my GF describes as "baby shit brown".  From what I understand that river -- which is the lowest point on any Interstate anywhere, at about 230 feet below sea level, functions as the drain for many of the Imperial Valley's fields, so it's literally full of both shit and other fertilizer compounds.   X-( But even the topology is unattractive right there -- the river's in a gully lined with tall greenish brush, and the road actually takes a dip down to near the river crossing (a relatively short cookie-cutter Caltrans set of dual freeway bridges).  Let's just say that it makes the rest of the valley attractive by comparison -- even the edge of the valley where the farmland gives way to the desert.  BTW, the stench from the river isn't exclusive to that location in the region; I've experienced it on CA 86 in the area around the west CA 78 junction late at night on several occasions :-o (but then that same field runoff gets into the Salton Sea as well). 

That's it for me.  Next? 

For me it's a tossup between the two segments of I-5:
Kern County segment of West Side Freeway. Right lane is too rough to be a cruising lane, so frequent lane changes are necessary.
East LA Interchange to Orange County line. Outdated design for the traffic loads, rough pavement, and bad interchange design. Luckily half of this segment is being fixed in an ongoing project.

MN: I-90, really from MN 76 westward to South Dakota, but the most dishonorable is west of Albert Lea. MnDOT has invested a lot of money in recent years into this road but it was in horrific shape. I'm trying to remember the specific segment, I believe it was between MN 109 and MN 22 where a yellow warning sign warned all traffic to use the left lane because the road was in such pitiful shape. Not that the left lane was a fun drive through that stretch.

Oh, and scenery? What scenery? This is the driest part of Minnesota. There aren't any lakes or lake towns like you get on 94.

I-75 from Bay City to Grayling, or maybe to Gaylord. There's nothing to see, and you just want to get to your destination. Why'd they have to put Up North so far north?

I-270.  Its entirety.  Rolling right through the refineries in Commerce City, always potholed from truck traffic, not wide enough.  At least it's not very long.

Chris

Quote from: GaryV on May 05, 2020, 06:44:44 AM
I-75 from Bay City to Grayling, or maybe to Gaylord. There's nothing to see, and you just want to get to your destination. Why'd they have to put Up North so far north?

This is about mine too I think. Although I would go Bay City to exit 202. North of that it starts getting better.

Any stretch of I-65 that is still only 4 lanes.

I-95 south of I-93 doesn't have much going for it. All other segments have some interesting stuff to look at.

For WA, that would be I-82. I get that everybody uses it as a shortcut from Seattle to Salt Lake City, but it's really not that interesting, especially when compared to the other 2di's in the state.

Probably I-64 between Frankfort and Shelbyville. Wide, wooded medians that are perfect for deer to hide in. It never fails when I drive that route that the shoulders are littered with deer carcasses. Plus, it seems to go on forever despite only being about 20 miles.

I-29 between the Aberdeen/Milbank exit and Sioux Falls. BORING, boring straight road. You maybe turn to go diagonally for a bit 3 times in that stretch.

Quote
For me, it's a specific stretch of I-8 in the Imperial Valley (otherwise I really like this highway) -- near Seeley, west of El Centro, at or near the New River crossing.  Done it a couple dozen times, and usually I have to (a) roll up the windows if the AC isn't on because of the rather pungent stench coming from the river bottom, and (b) avert my eyes from the "river" as I cross it -- the water (or whatever chemical formula it actually is) is usually some unattractive blend of olive green/khaki and what my GF describes as "baby shit brown".

Blech, that is a disgusting color. However, that is also the best Google StreetView cam footage from 2008 I've ever seen.
https://www.google.com/maps/@32.7737821,-115.6941212,3a,75y,169.83h,75.08t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s9AoXU3qaPs1_rN1V595r4Q!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Probably the infamous Kansas City alphabet loop (although the exit numbers are pretty unique--2Y anyone?). There's also a narrow 4-lane I-70 section through Columbia that's a pain in the ass for Mizzou kids.

I-564 in Norfolk, VA – are they ever going to repave it? Otherwise, I don't have any personal least favorites.

Currently in Colorado, it's the stretch of I-25 from Castle Rock to Monument. It is under construction, but the potholes and ground lane lines just pull your car (not to mention the traffic which I know is not the primary factor to consider in this post), and there's just obnoxious lane shifts that add to the danger (fun).

In the normal times, I'd say I-70 from east of Denver to Kansas. It's flat, devoid of scenery, and just a slog to western Kansas (and another few hours in Kansas before there's anything interesting whatsoever).

Quote from: zzcarp on May 05, 2020, 01:27:08 PM
In the normal times, I'd say I-70 from east of Denver to Kansas. It's flat, devoid of scenery, and just a slog to western Kansas (and another few hours in Kansas before there's anything interesting whatsoever).

Did Kansas ever fix the roller coaster pavement west of Goodland?  I remember it from years ago.

In Pennsylvania, I hate the bit of I-99 from Exit 81 to the northern terminus at I-80. The pavement is crap and any faster than 55 makes your car feel like it's about to jump off the road. And at the end, as your reward for surviving the four miles of carnage on your car, you get dumped in the middle of a four-lane at-grade boulevard which hits I-80 at an interchange with at-grade lefts, stop signs, bad signage that makes it look like a little side road is the ramp to I-80 East, and 25mph curves. The roadway itself, while still freeway, has a weird paving scheme where the entire right lane is basically a rumble strip from when the limit was 55 (it's 65 now), encouraging everyone to ride the left, so if someone's going 55 you're stuck behind them. Cops do not tolerate passing on the right, either. Near the end the limit drops to 55 and then 45 (why? idk) and at the other (southern) end there's a tight curve which if you're not careful you slide off of, right into an oncoming two lanes of 65mph traffic before going down an embankment.

It's a mess.

I-95 from the NY line to CT 8.  Always a white knuckle affair with crazy Tri-State drivers. 

A couple candidates for me with NY:
-I-87 between Saratoga Springs and Glens Falls - very boring.  I'd describe it as being a lot like I-95 in the Carolinas, on a smaller scale.  The only thing it has going for it is that you're only on the really boring section for 15 miles or so.
-I-86 west of I-390.  Little traffic, and not bad for scenery, but it goes on and on through what is basically the middle of nowhere.

Quote from: Ketchup99 on May 05, 2020, 01:55:34 PM
The roadway itself, while still freeway, has a weird paving scheme where the entire right lane is basically a rumble strip from when the limit was 55 (it's 65 now), encouraging everyone to ride the left, so if someone's going 55 you're stuck behind them. Cops do not tolerate passing on the right, either.

Is this what you mean?

https://www.google.com/maps/@40.9308858,-77.7369888,3a,58y,26.12h,68.08t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s5JWs6Jw_k12IoZRTu71M2Q!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

I-5 through Portland is garbage!

Quote from: Ketchup99 on May 05, 2020, 01:55:34 PM
In Pennsylvania, I hate the bit of I-99 from Exit 81 to the northern terminus at I-80. The pavement is crap and any faster than 55 makes your car feel like it's about to jump off the road. And at the end, as your reward for surviving the four miles of carnage on your car, you get dumped in the middle of a four-lane at-grade boulevard which hits I-80 at an interchange with at-grade lefts, stop signs, bad signage that makes it look like a little side road is the ramp to I-80 East, and 25mph curves. The roadway itself, while still freeway, has a weird paving scheme where the entire right lane is basically a rumble strip from when the limit was 55 (it's 65 now), encouraging everyone to ride the left, so if someone's going 55 you're stuck behind them. Cops do not tolerate passing on the right, either. Near the end the limit drops to 55 and then 45 (why? idk) and at the other (southern) end there's a tight curve which if you're not careful you slide off of, right into an oncoming two lanes of 65mph traffic before going down an embankment.

It's a mess.

Unless delayed by the COVID mess, isn't that section of I-99, including the I-80 interchange, slated for full Interstate-grade completion in the very near term? 

I-80 in NJ from Exit 4 to the state line for me (and extending into PA until Exit 293, the I-380 split). The scenery is good along the Delaware River, the problem is you're looking at it forever because the two lanes each way with narrow shoulders and tight curves is far below the necessary capacity and they jam up easy from Pocono traffic, especially with frequent accidents due to the narrowness and curves. Also dislike I-80 from Exits 47 to 53 (I-280 to NJ-23) because it goes through the Great Piece Meadows and it's just  :sleep:

I-93 as the Southeast Expy stretch (also US 1/MA 3 signed, MA 1A/MA 3A unsigned- because Massachusetts).

It is, outside of current events, jammed pack from 5 AM to 9 PM daily, even on weekends.

Pennsylvania, pretty much all ancient, poor design:
-70 Washington-New Stanton... although slowly getting better!
-80 Stroudsburg due to the poor design and 50 mph limit
-83 between Exit 43 and Exit 50...but also slowly getting better

Quote from: hbelkins on May 05, 2020, 10:15:09 AM
Probably I-64 between Frankfort and Shelbyville. Wide, wooded medians that are perfect for deer to hide in. It never fails when I drive that route that the shoulders are littered with deer carcasses. Plus, it seems to go on forever despite only being about 20 miles.

For me, it would be the most boring stretches of interstate in Virginia which IMO would be the long tree medians that accompany most of I-85 and long sections of I-64 in between Charlottesville and Richmond and Richmond and Williamsburg. Agree that they are perfect for Deer or other wildlife to hide in and frequently have seen both alive and dead animals in the wooded median before. Don't get me wrong, I am not at all in favor of clearing all of these medians, just in favor of more breaks in the trees, something I think we are gradually seeing more of in particular on I-85. I-95 between Fredricksburg and Richmond gets this mix right. Its amazing IMO how compared to I-66's crossing through the beautiful Piedmont region of Virginia, I-64's is so much less scenic (with the exception of its crossing of Afton Mountain).

Quote from: vdeane on May 05, 2020, 02:01:53 PM
-I-86 west of I-390.  Little traffic, and not bad for scenery, but it goes on and on through what is basically the middle of nowhere.

Oh, I love that part of I-86, especially between NY 36 and Allegany State Park in the fall.
I've never been on the NY 36 - I-390 segment, but it does get pretty boring west of Jamestown.

I was actually going to say that I'm having trouble thinking of any for New York. There's no freeway I find truly abhorrent. Every one I can think of has positives that outweigh, or at least match, the negatives. Many people might mention the Thruway, but I love it and miss it right now with no travel happening. Boring roads like that have their own novelty, especially with that much traffic to keep things interesting. I think I've mentioned this before, but there's nothing I enjoy quite like cruising at 75 while still getting passed like you're standing still.  :)

I-69 south of Lansing for me.  Nothing but trees with some small towns here and there.  I would put I-196 as a close second for the same reasons.

Quote from: webny99 on May 05, 2020, 08:08:54 PM

Quote from: vdeane on May 05, 2020, 02:01:53 PM
-I-86 west of I-390.  Little traffic, and not bad for scenery, but it goes on and on through what is basically the middle of nowhere.

Oh, I love that part of I-86, especially between NY 36 and Allegany State Park in the fall.
I've never been on the NY 36 - I-390 segment, but it does get pretty boring west of Jamestown.

I was actually going to say that I'm having trouble thinking of any for New York. There's no freeway I find truly abhorrent. Every one I can think of has positives that outweigh, or at least match, the negatives. Many people might mention the Thruway, but I love it and miss it right now with no travel happening. Boring roads like that have their own novelty, especially with that much traffic to keep things interesting. I think I've mentioned this before, but there's nothing I enjoy quite like cruising at 75 while still getting passed like you're standing still.  :)

The main times I've been on that road have both been eastbound, so I've only seen the boring part west of Jamestown while still "fresh" from changing the route I'm on and state I'm in.  Jamestown, Salamanca, and Olean are nice progress markers that come quickly.  Then comes the long stretch to Hornell (which may as well be a random control city for how much I-86 interacts with it, then onwards to I-390 (the first time I was on this road was for the clinch; the second was to photograph the signs, since the first time was back in 2006 before I got a digital camera).  As such I hit the long stretch at the end, when I'm starting to get tired and looking forward to getting home.  The first time I was on it, Mom and I (I'm still not sure how I convinced Mom to drive me around to clinch the Thruway and I-86) were amazed with how long the distances were and how desolate the area was.

I will admit, the times I've driven shorter sections of it (especially westbound) were not as bad.  Never been on it in fall, though.

I do agree with your assessment of NY.  If I could pick anywhere in the country for this thread, it wouldn't be in NY.  Probably like my I-87 listing, but much bigger.

Texas:
Of the parts I've been on, I-10 between Anahuac and the Ford Center in Beaumont is kind of a drag.

What I hate the most about I-75 is through Genesee, Saginaw and Bay counties. It comes into Genesee from Oakland county with six lanes, then it meets the south end of I-475 and I-75 goes down to 4 lanes until the US-23 split, then it's 4 lanes with an exit lane northbound and 3 lanes southbound. After it loses the exit lane at Bristol the right lane becomes the exit for I-69 and it goes six lanes until I-475's north end where it becomes eight lanes until the Hess Road overpass in Buena Vista Township (currently being rebuilt and widened to I-675's south end), then it becomes six lanes until the Zilwaukee Bridge where it has an exit lane in both directions and becomes eight lanes until exit 164. After that it becomes 4 lanes except for some short 6 lane stretches all the way to the northern terminus at the rapids of the St. Mary's River.

Anyway what I don't like is how it loses its fourth lane south of the Zilwaukee Bridge but regains it a few miles later. MDOT started this widening project north of Flint in 2002 and will be done with it in 2022. This is about 10 years after doing the last part of this project.

Quote from: Jmiles32 on May 05, 2020, 07:52:07 PM

Quote from: hbelkins on May 05, 2020, 10:15:09 AM
Probably I-64 between Frankfort and Shelbyville. Wide, wooded medians that are perfect for deer to hide in. It never fails when I drive that route that the shoulders are littered with deer carcasses. Plus, it seems to go on forever despite only being about 20 miles.

For me, it would be the most boring stretches of interstate in Virginia which IMO would be the long tree medians that accompany most of I-85 and long sections of I-64 in between Charlottesville and Richmond and Richmond and Williamsburg. Agree that they are perfect for Deer or other wildlife to hide in and frequently have seen both alive and dead animals in the wooded median before. Don't get me wrong, I am not at all in favor of clearing all of these medians, just in favor of more breaks in the trees, something I think we are gradually seeing more of in particular on I-85. I-95 between Fredricksburg and Richmond gets this mix right. Its amazing IMO how compared to I-66's crossing through the beautiful Piedmont region of Virginia, I-64's is so much less scenic (with the exception of its crossing of Afton Mountain).

Yeah my answer pretty much matches yours. Really the only halfway interesting part on I-85 is the crossing of Lake Gaston.

Quote from: vdeane on May 05, 2020, 08:57:09 PM
I will admit, the times I've driven shorter sections of it (especially westbound) were not as bad.  Never been on it in fall, though.

I would say that is a must-do at some point. It's well worth it in late September or October!
We've even taken I-86 as an alternate route on trips to Erie or the Cleveland area. Even though it adds close to an hour, it's much more peaceful and scenic, and has basically no truck traffic compared to the Thruway.

Quote from: vdeane on May 05, 2020, 08:57:09 PM
I do agree with your assessment of NY.  If I could pick anywhere in the country for this thread, it wouldn't be in NY.  Probably like my I-87 listing, but much bigger.

Yeah, same here. Although, I don't think this is so much a compliment to NY's freeways as it is the fact that I'm a big freeway fan in general. I think a list of all roads I've been on from favorite to least-favorite would have mostly freeways at the top and mostly arterials at the bottom, regardless of state.

My vote goes towards I-64/95 in downtown Richmond, as it is the section that I most dread driving. Ancient design with terrible interchange geometries that create tiny merge zones and massive amounts of weaving combined with high traffic count make it super nerve wracking to drive. A good example is the on-ramp from I-64W to I-95N, in which through traffic following 64 has roughly 400ft to merge lest they end up taking the next ramp to Chamberlayne. Another is the northern merge from 64E to 95S, which keeps 2 lanes through the ramp, but it's the left lane of the ramp that merges immediately into the right lane of 95 with little warning. Oh, and the right lane from 64 that does get added drops less than 1000ft later to go to Boulevard. I know we weren't supposed to complain about traffic in this thread, but I loathe driving this section even during non peak periods.

My runner up is probably I-95 south of Petersburg for being extraordinarily dull whilst also having fairly high traffic.

I-790.  It's hardly real.

I-587 at least has some novelty to it.

I-10 Baldwin County - It's the only Interstate segment in my state that has eluded me.

Once I knock that out, it would probably be I-65 between Montgomery and Mobile.

Quote from: CoreySamson on May 05, 2020, 08:58:51 PM
Texas:
Of the parts I've been on, I-10 between Anahuac and the Ford Center in Beaumont is kind of a drag.

For another Texas candidate, I-37 between San Antonio and Corpus Christi can get quite boring as well. At 143 miles, the northern and southern segments are interesting passing through the urban areas, but the 100 mile stretch in between from LP-1604 and US-77 seems to drag on forever with practically nothing between. Services are spread far apart and only at certain junctions, such as the US-281 split, US-59 interchange, and near Mathis, and there's little in the way of any towns, and the ones that are there are a couple miles off the highway before you hit anything.

I-37 would be a reasonable candidate for an 80 mph speed limit for most of its length.

After moving here to Mason City 3 1/2 years ago, I've come to not like I-35 between US 18 and Ames, mostly because it's boring scenery, but then again, large chunks of Interstate highway in Iowa are boring scenery. However, I-29 from Council Bluffs to Sioux City is worse, because it's not only all flat, but the cliffs east of I-29 are taunting you the whole way.

Quote from: sparker on May 05, 2020, 02:36:13 PM

Quote from: Ketchup99 on May 05, 2020, 01:55:34 PM
In Pennsylvania, I hate the bit of I-99 from Exit 81 to the northern terminus at I-80. The pavement is crap and any faster than 55 makes your car feel like it's about to jump off the road. And at the end, as your reward for surviving the four miles of carnage on your car, you get dumped in the middle of a four-lane at-grade boulevard which hits I-80 at an interchange with at-grade lefts, stop signs, bad signage that makes it look like a little side road is the ramp to I-80 East, and 25mph curves. The roadway itself, while still freeway, has a weird paving scheme where the entire right lane is basically a rumble strip from when the limit was 55 (it's 65 now), encouraging everyone to ride the left, so if someone's going 55 you're stuck behind them. Cops do not tolerate passing on the right, either. Near the end the limit drops to 55 and then 45 (why? idk) and at the other (southern) end there's a tight curve which if you're not careful you slide off of, right into an oncoming two lanes of 65mph traffic before going down an embankment.

It's a mess.

Unless delayed by the COVID mess, isn't that section of I-99, including the I-80 interchange, slated for full Interstate-grade completion in the very near term?

Only the interchange. Presumably the rest of the section will remain as is - due do development around it, the tight curve is here to stay, and I haven't seen anything about a repaving.

Quote from: sbeaver44 on May 05, 2020, 07:47:35 PM
Pennsylvania, pretty much all ancient, poor design:
-80 Stroudsburg due to the poor design and 50 mph limit

Forgot about that... two winding lanes each way, barebones shoulders... I kind of love how it opens to four each way right away in NJ with less traffic then there is in Stroudsburg.
(Pretty sure they're adding a third lane, though.)

I-43 from Silver Spring Drive to the Ozaukee County line.
Substandard interchanges and left shoulders.  And it's in need of another lane each way.
What makes it worse, though, is plans to fix it have been delayed by the penny pinchers.  It's still up in the air in terms of funding.

Quote from: CoreySamson on May 05, 2020, 08:58:51 PM
Texas:
Of the parts I've been on, I-10 between Anahuac and the Ford Center in Beaumont is kind of a drag.

Boy you are swooping way down there using Anahuac as a point on the Freeway.  I do think you are not far from right that I-10 is pretty bad there. For me anything on I-10 from I-69 in Houston to the Pearl River is bad.

My choice for the worst in Louisiana would be The I-10 bridge in Lake Charles. It used to be the portion of I-20 from Texas to Pines Road in Shreveport, but they FINALLY fixed that.

40 through the mountains. It's beautiful, don't get me wrong, but still extremely sketchy

I haven't been all thew way across I-40 in Arizona, but it would be tough to beat the two lane (in each direction) segment of I-10 between Phoenix and Tucson.  Probably the least scenic area of the Sonoran Desert, and not built for the traffic it now carries.

I-84 in Connecticut, between Exits 44 & 53 in Hartford.  Exits and entrances on the left and right.  Curves.   Lane drops galore.  Exits overbuilt for roads that were never built.  Posted speed limit of 50, but with an actual motorist speed of 75-80.  That is, when its not at a standstill due to rush hour.

I think most of the answers that I'd post are mostly due to either my own boredom with having driven that segment so many times or some negative connotations associated with why I'd be on that road– rather than anything about the road itself–which I don't think is fair for this discussion. But trying to put that aside, here are the two "least favorite"  segments that come to mind.

I-78 from Exit 8 (Fredericksburg) to Exit 30 (Hamburg)
- obsolete design standards reminiscent of the 1940 Pennsylvania Turnpike but without the historical significance, charm, tunnels, interesting topography, or service plazas
- closely-spaced interchanges (by rural standards) but a general lack of decent services (except Hamburg)
- arrow-straight alignment is monotonous and fatiguing
- some of the most pungent agricultural aromas I've encountered along any Interstate

I-276
- much of it was widened to six lanes decades ago, so it lacks the increased shoulders and other enhancements that make the more recently reconstructed Turnpike segments more user-friendly
- another boring, straight alignment
- increasingly boxed in with sound walls relatively close to the travel lanes, leading to a claustrophobic feel and limited views

Intentionally not included in this list: I-76 through Philadelphia, I-376 through Pittsburgh. While both are substandard designs with tight ramp geometry, they're also interestingly perched on steep hillsides at various points and offer some great views of their respective cities. If you exclude the issue of traffic congestion (as the OP specified), I find both to be worthwhile and enjoyable drives.

Quote from: Ketchup99 on May 05, 2020, 01:55:34 PM
In Pennsylvania, I hate the bit of I-99 from Exit 81 to the northern terminus at I-80. The pavement is crap and any faster than 55 makes your car feel like it's about to jump off the road.

Did pavement conditions change here radically over the winter? The last I drove that section of I-99 was at some point in either the late last summer or fall, and I don't recall any conditions rough enough to cause "carnage"  to my car. What Google Street View shows (https://goo.gl/maps/7vLCx66DAAqpukKs7) is basically what I recall–pavement not in perfect shape, but reasonably decent.

Interstate 10 between Mile 304 and 308 in Arizona, basically the bottom of the San Pedro River Valley in Benson - For some reason, the material under the road tends to settle, which makes for some hellish whoops and bumps at freeway speeds. It seems like the entire stretch gets flattened and rebuilt every 10-15 years.

For a close second, I second Konza on I-10, the four-lane stretch crossing the Gila River Indian Community between Phoenix and Tucson... Clearly there's a need to make it six lanes wide, but the state and the tribe can't seem to cast aside their differences and make it happen.

Interstate 40 in Flagstaff deserves an honorable mention. It gets riddled with potholes anytime it freezes. The original asphalt is black, and all the patches are white or tan, so it's a hideously ugly, rough stretch of freeway. You'd think by now the state would bite the bullet and pave the whole stretch in concrete.

Quote from: briantroutman on May 07, 2020, 02:16:14 AMquote author=Ketchup99 link=topic=26835.msg2496781#msg2496781 date=1588701334]
In Pennsylvania, I hate the bit of I-99 from Exit 81 to the northern terminus at I-80. The pavement is crap and any faster than 55 makes your car feel like it's about to jump off the road.

Did pavement conditions change here radically over the winter? The last I drove that section of I-99 was at some point in either the late last summer or fall, and I don't recall any conditions rough enough to cause "carnage"  to my car. What Google Street View shows (https://goo.gl/maps/7vLCx66DAAqpukKs7) is basically what I recall–pavement not in perfect shape, but reasonably decent.
[/quote]
Perhaps carnage was the wrong word... the two main problems (with the paving) are that it makes for a very bumpy ride and everyone's riding the left, and that all sorts of things get kicked up into the underbelly of your car. The left lane is more or less fine, but the right lane will kick all sorts of stuff up and over time can't be good for your car.

Quote from: SoDakInterstateEnthusiast on May 05, 2020, 02:19:19 PM

Quote from: Ketchup99 on May 05, 2020, 01:55:34 PM
The roadway itself, while still freeway, has a weird paving scheme where the entire right lane is basically a rumble strip from when the limit was 55 (it's 65 now), encouraging everyone to ride the left, so if someone's going 55 you're stuck behind them. Cops do not tolerate passing on the right, either.

Wait a minute.  I know most U.S. states now have KRETP (Keep Right Except to Pass) laws (legally obligating anyone who's in the left lane and not passing, to move to the right lane if someone is behind them), but I've never heard of passing on the right being illegal in the U.S. (although I've heard of it being illegal in Germany).  Can someone point to any Pennsylvania traffic law that specifically prohibits passing on the right when there are two or more same-direction through lanes and the person doing the passing is not also speeding?

Probably I-94 through Jackson. If US-23 between Brighton and the Ohio line were an interstate, that would be the clear-cut winner.

Quote from: stridentweasel on May 07, 2020, 11:39:55 AM

Quote from: SoDakInterstateEnthusiast on May 05, 2020, 02:19:19 PM

Quote from: Ketchup99 on May 05, 2020, 01:55:34 PM
The roadway itself, while still freeway, has a weird paving scheme where the entire right lane is basically a rumble strip from when the limit was 55 (it's 65 now), encouraging everyone to ride the left, so if someone's going 55 you're stuck behind them. Cops do not tolerate passing on the right, either.

Wait a minute.  I know most U.S. states now have KRETP (Keep Right Except to Pass) laws (legally obligating anyone who's in the left lane and not passing, to move to the right lane if someone is behind them), but I've never heard of passing on the right being illegal in the U.S. (although I've heard of it being illegal in Germany).  Can someone point to any Pennsylvania traffic law that specifically prohibits passing on the right when there are two or more same-direction through lanes and the person doing the passing is not also speeding?

There's not, but since it's generally frowned upon you're more likely to get pulled over for speeding even when narrowly over the limit. I saw a cop on that road pull someone over for what looked to me like 66-67 while passing a slow car in the right. (Yes, I know PA has a legally mandated 5mph grace period. Ask the cop, not me...)

I-39 from Portage to Stevens Point. Ick.

Quote from: bwana39 on May 06, 2020, 04:48:17 PM

Quote from: CoreySamson on May 05, 2020, 08:58:51 PM
Texas:
Of the parts I've been on, I-10 between Anahuac and the Ford Center in Beaumont is kind of a drag.

Boy you are swooping way down there using Anahuac as a point on the Freeway.  I do think you are not far from right that I-10 is pretty bad there. For me anything on I-10 from I-69 in Houston to the Pearl River is bad.

My choice for the worst in Louisiana would be The I-10 bridge in Lake Charles. It used to be the portion of I-20 from Texas to Pines Road in Shreveport, but they FINALLY fixed that.

Whoops probably should've said Turtle Bayou, or more specifically, Exit 812. For some reason, I like the way they moved the trees away from that intersection, otherwise, I would've said the Trinity River Bridge. But after that going east, blech.

I-238, a connector from I-580 to I-880 in the East Bay.

• it shouldn't be signed as an interstate, or if it needs to be it should be numbered as either I-180 or I-480
• it passes through ugly suburbia
• you're always in the wrong lane

It should be numbered CA-238.

Is that still the consensus on this forum?

I-5 between Ashland and Medford, somehow more tedious than between Eugene and Albany.

However, I-5 between Salmon Creek and Longview, ironically, is a worse slog, despite objectively more scenic.

Quote from: ari-s-drives on May 08, 2020, 02:51:37 PM
I-238, a connector from I-580 to I-880 in the East Bay.

• it shouldn't be signed as an interstate, or if it needs to be it should be numbered as either I-180 or I-480
• it passes through ugly suburbia
• you're always in the wrong lane

Face it -- the routes to which it connects (580, 880) pass through equally dismal suburbia.  But the only valid reason why it's an Interstate at all is the "no-truck" status of I-580 through the City of Oakland; which means that I-580 truck traffic (and there's a lot!) must use the I-238 freeway to get to & from I-880, the main N-S commercial artery in the East Bay.   Nevertheless, in full agreement about changing the number -- especially since Hayward seems insistent about pursuing a relinquishment of CA 238 within their city, and the signage of that route in the city of Fremont is all but nonexistent -- the concept of 238 as a continuous route has functionally vanished, so the number itself has little local lore to bolster its existence.  And it's been over 30 years since CA 480 in S.F. has been gone, courtesy of the '89 quake -- enough time to consider reinstating that number over current I-238.  But it's Caltrans -- and entreaties to such effect most often are simply ignored; they just don't feel it's worth their time or manpower. 

As far as being in the "wrong" lane -- it all depends upon whether it's being used as a "shunt" from 580 to SB I-880 or, alternately, the "default" that sends the main WB traffic lanes to NB I-880 (the main commercial traffic conduit).  It's a short freeway, so knowing where you're going and where you have to be to do so is vital.  I'll walk that back a bit -- it, like every artery in the region at peak times, can be a PITA re lane-changing during those times; 2+2 freeways are particularly problematic in that respect.   But it's the sheer volume of heavy truck traffic on I-238 that is the main culprit here -- blame the I-580 Oakland truck restrictions for that situation.       

Thinking back to my Illinois days, I think my least favorite would have to be the Eisenhower between the Hillside Strangler and Des Plaines during rush hour.

Quote from: sparker on May 08, 2020, 04:26:54 PM...  And it's been over 30 years since CA 480 in S.F. has been gone, courtesy of the '89 quake -- enough time to consider reinstating that number over current I-238 ...       

And what does that do for the general public, who doesn't care whether a number "fits the grid" or "connects to a parent"?

Quote from: GaryV on May 08, 2020, 04:50:58 PM

Quote from: sparker on May 08, 2020, 04:26:54 PM...  And it's been over 30 years since CA 480 in S.F. has been gone, courtesy of the '89 quake -- enough time to consider reinstating that number over current I-238 ...       

And what does that do for the general public, who doesn't care whether a number "fits the grid" or "connects to a parent"?

I'm not that anal about the grid, but I-238 is just so ridiculous that it must change now that I-480 is available. 

Quote from: sparker on May 08, 2020, 04:26:54 PM

Quote from: ari-s-drives on May 08, 2020, 02:51:37 PM
...

Face it -- the routes to which it connects (580, 880) pass through equally dismal suburbia.  But the only valid reason why it's an Interstate at all is the "no-truck" status of I-580 through the City of Oakland; which means that I-580 truck traffic (and there's a lot!) must use the I-238 freeway to get to & from I-880, the main N-S commercial artery in the East Bay.   Nevertheless, in full agreement about changing the number -- especially since Hayward seems insistent about pursuing a relinquishment of CA 238 within their city, and the signage of that route in the city of Fremont is all but nonexistent -- the concept of 238 as a continuous route has functionally vanished, so the number itself has little local lore to bolster its existence.  And it's been over 30 years since CA 480 in S.F. has been gone, courtesy of the '89 quake -- enough time to consider reinstating that number over current I-238.  But it's Caltrans -- and entreaties to such effect most often are simply ignored; they just don't feel it's worth their time or manpower. 

As far as being in the "wrong" lane -- it all depends upon whether it's being used as a "shunt" from 580 to SB I-880 or, alternately, the "default" that sends the main WB traffic lanes to NB I-880 (the main commercial traffic conduit).  It's a short freeway, so knowing where you're going and where you have to be to do so is vital.  I'll walk that back a bit -- it, like every artery in the region at peak times, can be a PITA re lane-changing during those times; 2+2 freeways are particularly problematic in that respect.   But it's the sheer volume of heavy truck traffic on I-238 that is the main culprit here -- blame the I-580 Oakland truck restrictions for that situation.       

I had completely forgotten about the commercial ban in Oakland and I can't imagine what it would be like to have trucks on 580, esp. in the hilly bits near 13  :-D

On the ground, it does feel like it was designed to be a shunt rather than a default (part of this may be budget constraints) because it forces trucks going westbound to get in the left lanes as their only option and for trucks coming eastbound from 238 to get back to the right once they are back on 580.

There could absolutely be a thread about that freeway, especially with the crazies who want a fourth bay crossing (238 to 380) less than five miles north of 92 for a better drive to SFO! :spin:

^^^^^^^^^^^
Those "crazies" have included, at times, the mayor's office of San Francisco, the Alameda County board of supervisors, and others.  Basic cost/benefit issues have pretty much sunk these efforts after their periodic resurfacing.  A crossing departing S.F. at or near its southern limits would cross the Bay at its widest point -- and to make it even more difficult, more than one navigation channel to cross (it narrows down to a single channel just north of the San Mateo/CA 92 bridge).  One of the more controversial questions deals with landfall on the east end -- transportation planners (of the non-urbanist variety, of course) have always expressed a preference for a "double duty" crossing, splitting somewhere near Alameda Airport, with one branch crossing the City of Alameda near the old N.A.S. in order to access the greatest number of freeways (I-880, I-980/CA 24, etc.) and one curving south to San Leandro as an extension of (you guessed it) I-238.  In short -- "if we're going to overspend on this crossing, let's damn well make sure we make it easy to use to get the most toll money out of it!".  But the principal backers for this have always come from S.F., which has parties who have continually bristled at having only one eastward egress point.  Every decade it seems to resurface; and like clockwork gets shut down within a year or two -- even the most recent iteration, which contained a "relief" BART corridor in a "bridge/tunnel" format. 

As far as the lane assignations on current I-238 are concerned, it is an ongoing problem -- but trucks occupying the left lane has been endemic since those pre-1985 days where 238 was just another state-signed freeway.  Unless a shitload of adjacent property is acquired and the corridor expanded to something like 4+4 (or even 3+3 with slip lanes) -- with some form of "braiding", the problem will persist.  And there's also the matter of I-880 capacity -- is it worth increasing the capacity/efficiency of I-238 if the end result is increased congestion on I-880 north of the interchange?  That freeway was originally built as LRN 228 back in the late '50's as a connector to the old SSR 17/Nimitz Freeway construction effort but for the same reason as today -- pre I-580 (or even I-5W!) there was a similar truck ban on US 50/MacArthur Blvd. (since it curved through east Oakland and San Leandro like a snake through both commercial and residential neighborhoods, that's hardly surprising), so the Division of Highways saw fit to expedite truck traffic coming in from the Valley (and from L.A.) via US 50 by "shunting" it over to the new SSR 17/Nimitz facility.  Originally it was supposed to be signed as an extension of SSR 9, which historically ended at US 50 in Castro Valley, but that plan was dropped early on and it remained an unsigned route until the 1964 renumbering.  It was a "typical" CA freeway ca. 1957 -- 4 total lanes on as narrow a ROW as possible.  And once I-580 was completed through east Oakland, it was presumed by Caltrans that car traffic would simply stay on 580 while the 238 connector would be, in effect, dedicated "truck lanes".  Of course, in time commuter patterns overwhelmed that configuration, and the direct ramps from WB 238 to SB 17 (now I-880) were built in the late '70's, making that freeway not only the truck route originally envisioned but a full-function connector between the two semi-parallel freeways.  But also remember that until the mid-70's and the Hayward freeway revolt, a CA 238 freeway paralleling CA 17/I-880 was well in process; it was designed and ROW purchased until a successful lawsuit stopping the project occurred.  CA 17/I-880 remained as the sole N-S high-capacity conduit south of San Lorenzo.  Thus in ensuing years more and more traffic funneled onto the 238 freeway as a now "double-ended shunt".  And one final note -- upgrading the eastern portion of I-238 is problematic since the BART Pleasanton/Livermore line was deployed in its median.   At this point the route number is the least of its problems -- it's simply carrying much more traffic than was originally intended, and the prospects for measures to effectively relieve this problem aren't terribly promising at this time.       

Quote from: shadyjay on May 06, 2020, 08:03:06 PM
I-84 in Connecticut, between Exits 44 & 53 in Hartford.  Exits and entrances on the left and right.  Curves.   Lane drops galore.  Exits overbuilt for roads that were never built.  Posted speed limit of 50, but with an actual motorist speed of 75-80.  That is, when its not at a standstill due to rush hour.

I don't live in CT, but I-84 between Danbury and Hartford is one of my least favorite roads. I always end up in a pack of vehicles going 3 mph under the speed limit. Oh good, a lane opened up! Oh, it's a 10 foot long climbing lane for trucks.

The I-238 issue should have been solved by ending I-580 at the I-238 junction, and having I-238 and the remainder of I-580 be an x05. Both I-580 and the 238 number have TOTSOs at that junction, so it would have made a lot more sense than having the two routes "bump".

New York:

* I-84 east of the Hudson USED to be tough with a 55 mph limit but thankfully it's 65 now
* I find the Thruway very boring
* 684 is boring yet filled with crazies going back to Long Island
* I could rant about 278 for hours. The Staten Island Expressway is pretty normal, design-wise. Could probably be 55 mph instead of 50. Pavement's always in rough condition, some interchanges have stop entrances on blind curves, some overpasses (Atlantic Ave, and the former truck restriction on the 278/Grand Central duplex through Astoria) require trucks to leave the highway and re-enter. I-278 even had a truck route on Astoria Blvd. No shoulders, narrow lanes, tight curves, a drawbridge in the Bronx. Certain places have 278 leave the mainline for the through movement (split with the Grand Central, split with the Battery Tunnel). The view of the skyline, especially from the Triboro Bridge, is beautiful especially at sunset when the city starts lighting up.

Quote from: Flint1979 on May 05, 2020, 07:56:24 AM

Quote from: GaryV on May 05, 2020, 06:44:44 AM
I-75 from Bay City to Grayling, or maybe to Gaylord. There's nothing to see, and you just want to get to your destination. Why'd they have to put Up North so far north?

This is about mine too I think. Although I would go Bay City to exit 202. North of that it starts getting better.

I came here to nominate this and you both beat me to it.  The stretch between West Branch and Bay City is only about 50 miles, but somehow it always seems to take FOR-E-VER to get through.  It's like being stuck in the doldrums at sea near the equator.  I actually find myself getting nervous and restless behind the wheel, wondering if I've somehow been pulled into some kind of vortex where time has stopped and I will never get to my destination.

Quote from: wanderer2575 on May 09, 2020, 07:00:29 PM

Quote from: Flint1979 on May 05, 2020, 07:56:24 AM

Quote from: GaryV on May 05, 2020, 06:44:44 AM
I-75 from Bay City to Grayling, or maybe to Gaylord. There's nothing to see, and you just want to get to your destination. Why'd they have to put Up North so far north?

This is about mine too I think. Although I would go Bay City to exit 202. North of that it starts getting better.

I came here to nominate this and you both beat me to it.  The stretch between West Branch and Bay City is only about 50 miles, but somehow it always seems to take FOR-E-VER to get through.  It's like being stuck in the doldrums at sea near the equator.  I actually find myself getting nervous and restless behind the wheel, wondering if I've somehow been pulled into some kind of vortex where time has stopped and I will never get to my destination.

The one saving grace is that I-75 has a 75 mph speed limit through there!

Colorado: I-70 east of Limon to Kansas.

West of Limon you can usually start seeing mountains in the distance, so at least you have something to look at while the drive is still boring until Denver. But east of Limon, you don't get that (at least from what I saw the times I drove through)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harris_Ranch#Public_reception (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harris_Ranch#Public_reception)

Harris Ranch halfway from Los Angeles and Sacramento on I-5 would have be the most hated section of I-5 on California outside of Los Angeles, San Diego and Sacramento due to the smell of cow shit.

Quote from: sparker on May 08, 2020, 04:26:54 PMAs far as being in the "wrong" lane -- it all depends upon whether it's being used as a "shunt" from 580 to SB I-880 or, alternately, the "default" that sends the main WB traffic lanes to NB I-880 (the main commercial traffic conduit).

Perhaps if trucks are not allowed that part of I-580 should not be an interstate.  Same goes for the restricted sections of I-35E in St. Paul and I-66.

I-90 between the PA line and Utica, easily. Generally flat, no scenery, and aside from 10 or so miles each around Buffalo and Syracuse, pretty rural with only trees and the occasional farm. I will very happily take the extra hour to use US 20 or 390-17-88 when driving between Albany and Buffalo unless I am in a time crunch.

Quote from: Revive 755 on May 10, 2020, 01:31:04 PM

Quote from: sparker on May 08, 2020, 04:26:54 PMAs far as being in the "wrong" lane -- it all depends upon whether it's being used as a "shunt" from 580 to SB I-880 or, alternately, the "default" that sends the main WB traffic lanes to NB I-880 (the main commercial traffic conduit).

Perhaps if trucks are not allowed that part of I-580 should not be an interstate.  Same goes for the restricted sections of I-35E in St. Paul and I-66.

I've been thinking similarly.  Truncate I-880 to present I-238 and put I-590 on I-238 and former I-880.  I-580 can become CA 238 and I-980 (which would no longer be a connection between two interstates) could be an extension of CA 24.

Boring stretch: I-5 from Coburg to Albany.

Dangerous stretch: I-5 from SR 38 to Grants Pass.

Since I rarely am on I-84 in Eastern Oregon, that subject will be left for another Oregonian to post about.

Rick

I-291.  The whole thing.

Too many trucks.
No one keeps right.
No one moves at the speed limit.
Boring, generic design.  And it's CTs newest-designated interstate.

For Utah I'd probably just say I-15 in Salt Lake County south of 215. Generally nondescript suburbia, and full of traffic most of the time.

Quote from: Scott5114 on May 09, 2020, 05:43:26 PM
The I-238 issue should have been solved by ending I-580 at the I-238 junction, and having I-238 and the remainder of I-580 be an x05. Both I-580 and the 238 number have TOTSOs at that junction, so it would have made a lot more sense than having the two routes "bump".

Quote from: vdeane on May 10, 2020, 09:14:03 PM

Quote from: Revive 755 on May 10, 2020, 01:31:04 PM

Quote from: sparker on May 08, 2020, 04:26:54 PMAs far as being in the "wrong" lane -- it all depends upon whether it's being used as a "shunt" from 580 to SB I-880 or, alternately, the "default" that sends the main WB traffic lanes to NB I-880 (the main commercial traffic conduit).

Perhaps if trucks are not allowed that part of I-580 should not be an interstate.  Same goes for the restricted sections of I-35E in St. Paul and I-66.

I've been thinking similarly.  Truncate I-880 to present I-238 and put I-590 on I-238 and former I-880.  I-580 can become CA 238 and I-980 (which would no longer be a connection between two interstates) could be an extension of CA 24.

If it weren't for the fact that I-238 is a mess between 580 and 880 signing the whole thing as one number would make some sense.  Nevertheless, the problem with any kind of "downgrade" solution is that the section of I-580 through Oakland, even the part with the truck restrictions, was built with chargeable Interstate funds and would remain on the books as an Interstate.  And most non-commercial traffic does stay on I-580 (which is less of a TOTSO at the 238 "bump" than in previous years, with the three EB left lanes curving to follow the designated route in a directional interchange, similar to the I-10/CA 86 interchange near Indio).  As one who lives in the basic metro area and uses both freeways on a regular basis, I'd safely say that despite the issues raised (which are largely technical) both facilities should retain their signed Interstate status.  But as far as 238 goes -- when (more likely than if) CA 238 is fully relinquished in Hayward, I-238 should be redesignated as I-480. 

Re the concept of a x05:  Since the prevailing commuter traffic pattern near Tracy favors I-205 rather than the I-580 extension down to I-5, I'd simply extend I-205 over I-580 all the way to I-80; with the former I-580 from 205 to 5 becoming I-705.  And the I-238-to-I-480 concept would remain to deal with that particular route. 

I-91 between exits 21 and 26. Straight and flat the entire way.

Quote from: Ben114 on May 11, 2020, 11:39:12 AM
I-91 between exits 21 and 26. Straight and flat the entire way.

CT?

Quote from: Rothman on May 11, 2020, 03:13:05 PM

Quote from: Ben114 on May 11, 2020, 11:39:12 AM
I-91 between exits 21 and 26. Straight and flat the entire way.

CT?

Should've clarified there because I just remembered what I have my location set as.

I meant Massachusetts.

Quote from: Ben114 on May 11, 2020, 03:14:18 PM

Quote from: Rothman on May 11, 2020, 03:13:05 PM

Quote from: Ben114 on May 11, 2020, 11:39:12 AM
I-91 between exits 21 and 26. Straight and flat the entire way.

CT?

Should've clarified there because I just remembered what I have my location set as.

I meant Massachusetts.

Hm.  I guess.

I found the portion between MA 9 and MA 2 convenient.

But that reminds me, I loathe the four-lane section between US 202 and Northampton that threads Mount Tom and the Holyoke Range.  It needs another lane, despite the terrain issues that would need to be overcome.

Quote from: jayhawkco on May 05, 2020, 07:34:46 AM
I-270.  Its entirety.  Rolling right through the refineries in Commerce City, always potholed from truck traffic, not wide enough.  At least it's not very long.

Chris

Second this vote for Colorado

Wisconsin: 94 from the Marquette to the Illinois line. Boring flat exoburban hell trying to figure out where Milwaukee ends and Chicago begins.

Another least favorite interstate in Michigan to me is I-75 in the U.P. north of say M-123. It's just boring, very low traffic volumes and it's an Interstate highway. Interstate highways are all the same to me for the most part.

I'm getting quite bored of the eastern U.P. in general. The bridge and island are nice though.

Quote from: Henry on May 05, 2020, 10:09:00 AM
For WA, that would be I-82. I get that everybody uses it as a shortcut from Seattle to Salt Lake City, but it's really not that interesting, especially when compared to the other 2di's in the state.

   I LOVE I-82. And not just because I got to see the almost all of the segments between I-84 and Exit 96 constructed. (The short segment in the immediate vicinity of SR 14 at Plymouth had been fairly recently completed the first time I was up there. Also, I got to see the original US 410 expressway between Exits 82 and 96 before it was reconstructed to modern Interstate standards.)

   I find the entire freeway interesting. I like how much of the route passes through moderately populated areas, not fully suburban but neither "out in the middle of nowhere" either. And the scenery changes over the course of the entire route. The 2nd oldest segment, between Yakima and I-90 has some especially cool scenery, especially northbound. And both the Tri-Cities and Yakima have some nifty suburban freeways and commercial strips of a kind that are no longer very common down here in the PDX area.

   It is also nice to have a freeway in the PNW that is not perpetually surrounded by deep green trees and gray foggy misty rain. I-5 between Jackson Highway and Rush Road (Exits 57 and 72) is considerably less interesting.

Quote from: OCGuy81 on May 05, 2020, 02:33:55 PM
I-5 through Portland is garbage!

   It is completely obsolete and wholly inadequate but from a highway enthusiasts point of view it is still somewhat interesting. There are at least 8 distinct segments of I-5 through the PDX metro area I find them all interesting.

   1. Oregon 551 to I-205

   2. I-205 to Oregon 217

   3. Oregon 217 to I-405

   4. I-405 to I-405

   5. I-405 to Columbia Boulevard

   6. Columbia Boulevard to SR 14

   7. SR 14 to SR 500

   8. SR 500 to SR 502

   Although ALL of the segments between Oregon 551 and SR 500 are horrifically inadequate, each segment has its own unique flavor. Most of them may not be fun to drive, indeed the peak period congestion between downtown Portland and SR 500 is about as bad as one would find anywhere in North America but for all of its flaws, I-5 through the PDX metro area is NOT a boring stretch of freeway, even at less than walking speed.

Quote from: Bickendan on May 08, 2020, 03:18:43 PM
I-5 between Ashland and Medford, somehow more tedious than between Eugene and Albany.

However, I-5 between Salmon Creek and Longview, ironically, is a worse slog, despite objectively more scenic.

   Interesting choices. I find both segments perfectly pleasant. (Not counting the unreasonably low speed limits in all of Western Oregon.) Even I-5 between Eugene and Albany I find somewhat interesting. Nothing like the soul crushing tedium of I-5 between Wheeler Ridge and I-580 in California.

Quote from: ari-s-drives on May 08, 2020, 02:51:37 PM
I-238, a connector from I-580 to I-880 in the East Bay.

• it shouldn't be signed as an interstate, or if it needs to be it should be numbered as either I-180 or I-480
• it passes through ugly suburbia
• you're always in the wrong lane

   I find the improper number to be interesting. If everything followed all the rules all the time there would be no variation which is indeed the spice of life. I enjoy Wyoming Interstate 180 for the same reason, it breaks the rules, though in that case the rebellion against conformity is not the number but the construction standard.

   Suburbia is not ugly. The only objection to the scenery along I-238 is the excessive vegetation and those horrible sound walls.

   Whether or not you are in the "wrong" lane depends on where you are going.

Quote from: Gulol on May 11, 2020, 03:34:04 PM

Quote from: jayhawkco on May 05, 2020, 07:34:46 AM
I-270.  Its entirety.  Rolling right through the refineries in Commerce City, always potholed from truck traffic, not wide enough.  At least it's not very long.

Chris

Second this vote for Colorado

I'm glad another Coloradoan feels my pain.  I-70 in the plains is boring yes, but it's not constantly hellish.  A podcast does not make one feel better driving on I-270.

Chris

Quote from: nexus73 on May 10, 2020, 09:37:11 PM
Boring stretch: I-5 from Coburg to Albany.

Dangerous stretch: I-5 from SR 38 to Grants Pass.

Since I rarely am on I-84 in Eastern Oregon, that subject will be left for another Oregonian to post about.

Rick

   I do not find the segment between Coburg and Albany all that boring. Though the heavy traffic can be somewhat tedious. A widening to 6 lanes is past due. Nothing like the soul crushing tedium of I-5 between Wheeler Ridge and I-580. (Though of course that segment is not in Oregon.)

   I have driven the segment between Hugo and Winston a gazillion times, though not lately. I have never found this stretch to be particularly hazardous, even on deepest, darkest Winter night. Yes, there is wildlife that you need to watch out for and a couple of the grades are significant and there are a few curves (the one at Riddle is somewhat sharp but nothing like the danger that the signage would imply) but there is nothing particularly treacherous about this segment. I-5 northbound from Siskiyou Summit or I-84 over Cabbage Hill are both considerably more hazardous. (By the way, I-5 from Redding to Eugene is VERY scenic. Anyone reading this that has never been on it, it is absolutely worth checking out.)

   Some parts of I-84 between La Grande and Ontario can get a bit boring at times but for the most part it is actually an interesting drive. Even the segment of I-84 between Oregon 74 and Pendleton is cool in its own way. It starts out as flat desert when you first emerge from the Gorge and then transitions to rolling farm land before descending into Pendleton. Although Boardman is the only town of any significance that you pass through on this segment (and it ain't much) there is just enough along the highway to look at to keep it from being boring, including bunkers that once were filled chemical and biological weapons (I do not recall if all of them have been incinerated yet), the impressive junction with Interstate 82 and lots of cool ag scenery.

Quote from: jayhawkco on May 11, 2020, 08:07:47 PM

Quote from: Gulol on May 11, 2020, 03:34:04 PM

Quote from: jayhawkco on May 05, 2020, 07:34:46 AM
I-270.  Its entirety.  Rolling right through the refineries in Commerce City, always potholed from truck traffic, not wide enough.  At least it's not very long.

Chris

Second this vote for Colorado

I'm glad another Coloradoan feels my pain.  I-70 in the plains is boring yes, but it's not constantly hellish.  A podcast does not make one feel better driving on I-270.

Chris

   Interstate 270 is probably one of my least favorite suburban freeways. The scenery is not the least bit interesting and the traffic was usually quite congested. Even the interchanges at each end manage to not be particularly interesting to look at.

Quote from: Thunderbyrd316 on May 11, 2020, 08:23:22 PM

Quote from: jayhawkco on May 11, 2020, 08:07:47 PM

Quote from: Gulol on May 11, 2020, 03:34:04 PM

Quote from: jayhawkco on May 05, 2020, 07:34:46 AM
I-270.  Its entirety.  Rolling right through the refineries in Commerce City, always potholed from truck traffic, not wide enough.  At least it's not very long.

Chris

Second this vote for Colorado

I'm glad another Coloradoan feels my pain.  I-70 in the plains is boring yes, but it's not constantly hellish.  A podcast does not make one feel better driving on I-270.

Chris

   Interstate 270 is probably one of my least favorite suburban freeways. The scenery is not the least bit interesting and the traffic was usually quite congested. Even the interchanges at each end manage to not be particularly interesting to look at.

IMO, all the suburbs are the same off the interstate like there's an office park, shopping districts with like Wal-Mart, a shopping mall, strip plazas, doctors offices and stuff like that.

Surprised that nobody has mentioned I-70 through Breezewood yet ...  :poke:

Quote from: dlsterner on May 11, 2020, 10:08:13 PM
Surprised that nobody has mentioned I-70 through Breezewood yet ...  :poke:

I actually kind of like Breezewood it's like an exit off the interstate without getting off the interstate.

   It actually took me a bit to think about my least favorite Interstate segment in Oregon but I think I-205 is probably my least favorite because, as congested as it is, it is a 70 m.p.h. freeway that for most of its length in Oregon has 55 m.p.h. speed limit which is just FAR too slow. In most Western states it would be posted at 65 (60 in Washington) and would be 70 in either Michigan or Utah.

   I also think that part of my dislike for this freeway is that "familiarity breeds contempt". I have driven I-205 probably more times than ANY other freeway. Despite its egregious flaws, most of the structures are 1970's era and are actually quite aesthetically pleasing. (I have always liked 1970's era freeway construction and Oregon's from this era typically looks as nice as any I have seen anywhere.)

   North of Oregon City the scenery is not particularly interesting for a suburban freeway. Mostly a lot of trees, Criminal Vagrants and boring light industrial with not nearly enough suburban commercial development. (82nd Avenue has also been ruined by oppressive sign codes and excessive tree planting.) Between I-5 and Oregon City the freeway is quite picturesque for a suburban freeway and the vegetation is sufficiently dense to give the illusion of being in a rural area. That segment always made me think of how I had pictured the Northeast before Street View came along.

   Not an Interstate (and not even in Oregon) but I hated US 395 between Pasco and Ritzville back in the days when it was 2 lanes and 55 m.p.h. Now that it is a 70 m.p.h. expressway, I find it rather pleasant, if a bit less than exciting. Same for US 97 south of Bend.

   A side note about I-205, back in 1977 my father took me out one Sunday morning on the unopened segment between Sunnyside Road and Foster Road. I wish I still had all the awesome pix he took, including one of me standing in front of a bucket loader and one of a state named I-205 reassurance shield on a white painted wooden post. Almost certainly the last such new sign posted on an Interstate highway in Oregon. Sadly, that sign is as long gone as the photographs I remember seeing in the family photo album for years after that day.

   Of course my least favorite Interstate anywhere is the soul crushing segment between Wheeler Ridge and I-580 in California. For some reason the segment from Woodland to Red Bluff does not have nearly the same effect on me. Highway 99 is not exactly scenic by any stretch of the imagination but it is a decillion times less boring than I-5 there.

   Looking at Street View some of those freeways in the South that are endless miles of trees look pretty unappealing as well but I have not been that far east yet, the eastern most limit of my journeys currently being the junction of Missouri 7 and US 50. Most British motorways leave me with the same kind of impression. Even the ones that travers open farm land have trees along the sides of the freeway. Blech!
 

I've managed never to need to be on I-270, and the posts around this forum make me feel like I've lucked out.

–

My least favorite section of interstate would be another previously mentioned one, I-25 between Monument and Castle Rock. I could narrow that down to roughly the "Tomah Rd"  exit down to Greenland Rd, but the whole thing is miserable. At this point, my bitterness is probably self-sustaining, and there doesn't have to be anything wrong with it on a given day to annoy me. (Hear hear for "familiarity breeds contempt.")

Congestion aside–which is, of course, one of its defining features–it's a common place for aggressive driving and there are crashes frequently, even before the construction. The roadway alone didn't seem so bad that there should be as much trouble as there is, but I guess everything adds up.

The limited alternate routes also frustrate me; you need to commit early to longer-range options like 105 or 83 (both predominantly two lane roads), and if you're closer in, there's no direct connection between can't get between Sky View Ln (the Tomah exit) and Spruce Mountain Rd/Larkspur proper except I-25. Bear Dance Dr (future and current-ish I-25 west frontage road) is tantalizingly close, but even if you could get to it, it's a zig-zaggy path over to 105 or Larkspur, which still aren't good places to be.

And then the construction zone's pavement, narrowness, and lane shifts add to the fun. When the project started, the 2021 finish date felt ages away, but CDOT quickly amended it to 2022 because I-25 was in worse shape than they thought [surprising no one].

Even though I get why CDOT's adding HOT lanes instead of GPLs, the way they've handled publicizing bugs me, too. Among other gripes I have, they must've known tolls would go over badly in the as-of-yet toll-less El Paso County, but they still waited until after a funding vote and minor [but ultimately toothless] fallout to start 'listening tours,' and the "we're giving you the choice to use general purpose lanes" part of Express Lane info materials has been stale for years. I'm also not looking forward to watching people flip in and out of the HOT lanes to avoid the tolls; none of Colorado's new express lanes have physical separation, and virtually every time I'm near one somebody's weaving in and out.

Quote from: Elm on May 11, 2020, 10:20:54 PM
The limited alternate routes also frustrate me; you need to commit early to longer-range options like 105 or 83 (both predominantly two lane roads)...

I just drove 105 this past Saturday and I was very surprised how nice it was.  Idyllic and rural and the area around Palmer Lake was really nice.  If it had easier and quicker connections to the Denver metro from Sedalia, I'd take it every time I went south.  83 is also a nice drive, especially for those from the Midwest who like the rolling hills and farmland but also like the mountain views.  I take it probably every other time I come back from the Springs.  (I also live near 225 & Parker, so it's relatively convenient once in the metro area.)

Chris

Being from LI, NY, there's three different answers for me on this one:

Least favorite interstate segment in NY in general: I-90 between Buffalo & Rochester. The longest drive of nothingness I've ever had to endure.

Least favorite interstate segment in NY based on worst traffic: I-78. I hate being stuck in traffic. I hate tunnels. And there's something about the Holland Tunnel that every time I find myself in it, I'm in traffic. Bah!

Least favorite interstate segment in NY based on road surface conditions: I-495 from Queens to Exit 64. It's amazing how many times NYCDOT/NYSDOT has to fix all the potholes on this road. It's also amazing that they didn't just pave it during the quarantine, it would've been worth it in the end, but, again, it's good ol' New York.

BONUS: Least favorite interstate segment I've driven on outside on NY: A tie between I-80 in NJ between the Delaware Water Gap and Netcong AND the Connecticut Turnpike (I-95) between NY and New Haven. The winding hills at 65 MPH isn't fun to me, and is so much worse at night, especially when folks are driving way past 65 MPH. And the CT TPK. is always under construction at terrible times, and I also hit that traffic all the time. Makes the easy 2.5 trip from Middletown to LI much much unnecessarily longer than it should.

Quote from: Thunderbyrd316 on May 11, 2020, 08:19:18 PM

Quote from: nexus73 on May 10, 2020, 09:37:11 PM
Boring stretch: I-5 from Coburg to Albany.

Dangerous stretch: I-5 from SR 38 to Grants Pass.

Since I rarely am on I-84 in Eastern Oregon, that subject will be left for another Oregonian to post about.

Rick

   I do not find the segment between Coburg and Albany all that boring. Though the heavy traffic can be somewhat tedious. A widening to 6 lanes is past due. Nothing like the soul crushing tedium of I-5 between Wheeler Ridge and I-580. (Though of course that segment is not in Oregon.)

   I have driven the segment between Hugo and Winston a gazillion times, though not lately. I have never found this stretch to be particularly hazardous, even on deepest, darkest Winter night. Yes, there is wildlife that you need to watch out for and a couple of the grades are significant and there are a few curves (the one at Riddle is somewhat sharp but nothing like the danger that the signage would imply) but there is nothing particularly treacherous about this segment. I-5 northbound from Siskiyou Summit or I-84 over Cabbage Hill are both considerably more hazardous. (By the way, I-5 from Redding to Eugene is VERY scenic. Anyone reading this that has never been on it, it is absolutely worth checking out.)

   Some parts of I-84 between La Grande and Ontario can get a bit boring at times but for the most part it is actually an interesting drive. Even the segment of I-84 between Oregon 74 and Pendleton is cool in its own way. It starts out as flat desert when you first emerge from the Gorge and then transitions to rolling farm land before descending into Pendleton. Although Boardman is the only town of any significance that you pass through on this segment (and it ain't much) there is just enough along the highway to look at to keep it from being boring, including bunkers that once were filled chemical and biological weapons (I do not recall if all of them have been incinerated yet), the impressive junction with Interstate 82 and lots of cool ag scenery.

What makes that stretch of I-5 so dangerous is that it is a two-lane per direction freeway with plenty of steep grades and slow trucks.  Maybe you are driving the route when the non-trucking traffic count is down and thus see no danger.  Let the freeway fill up with trucks plodding along in the emergency lane while others are doing their heavy duty thing in the right lane, then mix in People In A Really Big Hurry. 

If you do not see the danger in that, then I cannot help you.  This danger is why ODOT is finally doing something California did some of on I-5 in rural mountainous NorCal, adding an extra uphill lane on I-5 so the truck troubles get thinned down to some sort of manageability.

Rick

Quote from: Roadmaestro95 on May 11, 2020, 11:36:15 PM
Least favorite interstate segment in NY in general: I-90 between Buffalo & Rochester. The longest drive of nothingness I've ever had to endure.

This reminds me, in hindsight, maybe I should have given my answer as I-90 between Syracuse and Utica (a little east, actually - between the service area and the descent approaching exit 30).  It's very boring and goes on and on - not as boring as the I-87 section I cited earlier, but over a much longer distance.  It's also subject to "familiarity breeds contempt" for me, as I drive the section between exits 24 and 45 every time I go to Rochester for a family gathering.  At least the parts both west and east of there are more interesting.

Still not as bad as I-95 across the Carolinas, but then, few things are.

Quote from: Thunderbyrd316 on May 11, 2020, 10:10:46 PM
   It actually took me a bit to think about my least favorite Interstate segment in Oregon but I think I-205 is probably my least favorite because, as congested as it is, it is a 70 m.p.h. freeway that for most of its length in Oregon has 55 m.p.h. speed limit which is just FAR too slow. In most Western states it would be posted at 65 (60 in Washington) and would be 70 in either Michigan or Utah.

   I also think that part of my dislike for this freeway is that "familiarity breeds contempt". I have driven I-205 probably more times than ANY other freeway. Despite its egregious flaws, most of the structures are 1970's era and are actually quite aesthetically pleasing. (I have always liked 1970's era freeway construction and Oregon's from this era typically looks as nice as any I have seen anywhere.)

   North of Oregon City the scenery is not particularly interesting for a suburban freeway. Mostly a lot of trees, Criminal Vagrants and boring light industrial with not nearly enough suburban commercial development. (82nd Avenue has also been ruined by oppressive sign codes and excessive tree planting.) Between I-5 and Oregon City the freeway is quite picturesque for a suburban freeway and the vegetation is sufficiently dense to give the illusion of being in a rural area. That segment always made me think of how I had pictured the Northeast before Street View came along.

   Not an Interstate (and not even in Oregon) but I hated US 395 between Pasco and Ritzville back in the days when it was 2 lanes and 55 m.p.h. Now that it is a 70 m.p.h. expressway, I find it rather pleasant, if a bit less than exciting. Same for US 97 south of Bend.

   A side note about I-205, back in 1977 my father took me out one Sunday morning on the unopened segment between Sunnyside Road and Foster Road. I wish I still had all the awesome pix he took, including one of me standing in front of a bucket loader and one of a state named I-205 reassurance shield on a white painted wooden post. Almost certainly the last such new sign posted on an Interstate highway in Oregon. Sadly, that sign is as long gone as the photographs I remember seeing in the family photo album for years after that day.

   Of course my least favorite Interstate anywhere is the soul crushing segment between Wheeler Ridge and I-580 in California. For some reason the segment from Woodland to Red Bluff does not have nearly the same effect on me. Highway 99 is not exactly scenic by any stretch of the imagination but it is a decillion times less boring than I-5 there.

   Looking at Street View some of those freeways in the South that are endless miles of trees look pretty unappealing as well but I have not been that far east yet, the eastern most limit of my journeys currently being the junction of Missouri 7 and US 50. Most British motorways leave me with the same kind of impression. Even the ones that travers open farm land have trees along the sides of the freeway. Blech!

After reading this I feel the same way about I-675 in Michigan. I've clinched that highway so many times I could probably tell you were every bump on it is. It's boring as it goes through some of the deadest and most run down parts of Saginaw on the east side of the river. Then it's just boring suburban/rural terrain all the way back to I-75.

Quote from: vdeane on May 12, 2020, 12:55:59 PM

Quote from: Roadmaestro95 on May 11, 2020, 11:36:15 PM
Least favorite interstate segment in NY in general: I-90 between Buffalo & Rochester. The longest drive of nothingness I've ever had to endure.

This reminds me, in hindsight, maybe I should have given my answer as I-90 between Syracuse and Utica (a little east, actually - between the service area and the descent approaching exit 30).  It's very boring and goes on and on - not as boring as the I-87 section I cited earlier, but over a much longer distance.  It's also subject to "familiarity breeds contempt" for me, as I drive the section between exits 24 and 45 every time I go to Rochester for a family gathering.  At least the parts both west and east of there are more interesting.

Still not as bad as I-95 across the Carolinas, but then, few things are.

I actually like that drive over there with the little towns/cities along the side and the Erie Canal. But I normally don't drive that way from SYR to LI, I usually take I-81 down since driving all the way to Albany isn't worth it (most of the time).

Quote from: Roadmaestro95 on May 12, 2020, 03:14:49 PM

Quote from: vdeane on May 12, 2020, 12:55:59 PM

Quote from: Roadmaestro95 on May 11, 2020, 11:36:15 PM
Least favorite interstate segment in NY in general: I-90 between Buffalo & Rochester. The longest drive of nothingness I've ever had to endure.

This reminds me, in hindsight, maybe I should have given my answer as I-90 between Syracuse and Utica (a little east, actually - between the service area and the descent approaching exit 30).  It's very boring and goes on and on - not as boring as the I-87 section I cited earlier, but over a much longer distance.  It's also subject to "familiarity breeds contempt" for me, as I drive the section between exits 24 and 45 every time I go to Rochester for a family gathering.  At least the parts both west and east of there are more interesting.

Still not as bad as I-95 across the Carolinas, but then, few things are.

I actually like that drive over there with the little towns/cities along the side and the Erie Canal. But I normally don't drive that way from SYR to LI, I usually take I-81 down since driving all the way to Albany isn't worth it (most of the time).

Are you thinking east of exit 30, with the Mohawk River/Erie Canal?  Because once you get west of Utica, the canal is several miles north and it's all flat farms.

The Capital Beltway between the Wilson Bridge and the I-95 split.

Quote from: Roadmaestro95 on May 11, 2020, 11:36:15 PM
Least favorite interstate segment in NY based on worst traffic: I-78. I hate being stuck in traffic. I hate tunnels. And there's something about the Holland Tunnel that every time I find myself in it, I'm in traffic. Bah!

Okay, but as soon as you get out of the tunnel you get to... wait, I'm hearing that it's driving 25mph on 14th Street in Jersey City? Then seconded.

Quote from: Roadmaestro95 on May 11, 2020, 11:36:15 PM
BONUS: Least favorite interstate segment I've driven on outside on NY: A tie between I-80 in NJ between the Delaware Water Gap and Netcong AND the Connecticut Turnpike (I-95) between NY and New Haven. The winding hills at 65 MPH isn't fun to me, and is so much worse at night, especially when folks are driving way past 65 MPH. And the CT TPK. is always under construction at terrible times, and I also hit that traffic all the time. Makes the easy 2.5 trip from Middletown to LI much much unnecessarily longer than it should.

Living in central PA, after two hours on I-80 and the crap that is Stroudsburg, having more than two lanes once you cross the state line is pure bliss. And I genuinely like the CT Turnpike, although I have a soft spot for it because it's the second non-central-PA freeway I drove on and the first with actual traffic. Pure coincidence, but the first was... I-80 from the PA line to Exit 25 near Netcong. I guess it's a small world  :)

Quote from: jayhawkco on May 11, 2020, 11:18:06 PM

Quote from: Elm on May 11, 2020, 10:20:54 PM
The limited alternate routes also frustrate me; you need to commit early to longer-range options like 105 or 83 (both predominantly two lane roads)...

I just drove 105 this past Saturday and I was very surprised how nice it was.  Idyllic and rural and the area around Palmer Lake was really nice.  If it had easier and quicker connections to the Denver metro from Sedalia, I'd take it every time I went south.  83 is also a nice drive, especially for those from the Midwest who like the rolling hills and farmland but also like the mountain views.  I take it probably every other time I come back from the Springs.  (I also live near 225 & Parker, so it's relatively convenient once in the metro area.)

Chris

105 is my go-to route to the Springs from Denver during Friday PM rush hour. I live in northwestern Westminster so it's easy to get there from C-470. It's a beautiful drive. I'll often take it both ways if it's daytime. Though I've been stopped a few times by the double train tracks at Sedalia.

Quote from: nexus73 on May 10, 2020, 09:37:11 PM
Boring stretch: I-5 from Coburg to Albany.

Dangerous stretch: I-5 from SR 38 to Grants Pass.

Since I rarely am on I-84 in Eastern Oregon, that subject will be left for another Oregonian to post about.

Rick

Between US 730 and Pendleton.

Two sections of I-26 in SC:
* From Laurens/Newberry Co Line all the way to US 76/176 exit in Irmo (east of there it's six lanes).  It's mostly very rough and usually very crowded.  It's about to be widened to six lanes from Little Mountain to Irmo, which will certainly improve things, but the rest really needs repaving.

* From Old Sandy Run Rd to I-95 (west of here it's six lanes).  It's very crowded, especially with trucks and snowbirds.  The entire roadway is eventually going to be six lanes all the way to Summerville (outskirts of Charleston), but I'm not sure if a timeline has been developed yet.

Quote from: epzik8 on May 12, 2020, 08:42:17 PM
The Capital Beltway between the Wilson Bridge and the I-95 split.

Also the Capital Beltway for me, but I'm gonna go with the portion between 270 & 95.  Taking those curves on either side of exit 33, with a semi in the lane next to you, is quite the experience :paranoid:

Personally, I don't mind the part overlapped with 95 as much since it has a wider ROW and less curvature.

Virginia:  I-81.  All of it.  Never fails that there's some kind of wreck on it when I'm traveling.  Lots of truck traffic.

Quote from: Bickendan on May 13, 2020, 03:35:34 AM

Quote from: nexus73 on May 10, 2020, 09:37:11 PM
Boring stretch: I-5 from Coburg to Albany.

Dangerous stretch: I-5 from SR 38 to Grants Pass.

Since I rarely am on I-84 in Eastern Oregon, that subject will be left for another Oregonian to post about.

Rick

Between US 730 and Pendleton.

Clearly not a railfan.  UP's Hinkle Yard is alongside I-84 just east of the I-82 interchange; always a lot of action, since it gets not only standard-issue container and bulk cargo from UP's transcontinental line (splits from the CA-bound lines in Granger, WY) but is the junction point for the northern outflung line via Spokane and Sandpoint, ID that connects with Canadian Pacific alongside US 95's border crossing in northern Idaho, so it gets a shitload of Canadian grain, usually in their bright red tube-shaped hopper cars, to be bulk-loaded for Asia in Portland.  Always something new to see there.  Otherwise, I-84 would be boring, boring, boring in that immediate area (and it isn't even near a Boring Oregon City!!!).:sombrero:

Interstate 40 between Statesville and Hickory.   Needs to be widened to six lanes, the pavement is rough as well. 

Quote from: Ketchup99 on May 12, 2020, 10:48:14 PM

Quote from: Roadmaestro95 on May 11, 2020, 11:36:15 PM
Least favorite interstate segment in NY based on worst traffic: I-78. I hate being stuck in traffic. I hate tunnels. And there's something about the Holland Tunnel that every time I find myself in it, I'm in traffic. Bah!

Okay, but as soon as you get out of the tunnel you get to... wait, I'm hearing that it's driving 25mph on 14th Street in Jersey City? Then seconded.

I-78 in Jersey City is as useless of an Interstate designation as I-180 in Wyoming.  The LoMex will never get built, and we're not tearing down a chunk of Jersey City either.  Let it go.

[Fictional Highways]Just end I-78 at I-95 and re-designate the Turnpike Extension as NJ 78 (I don't care whether you sign it or not).[/Fictional Highways]

Can't believe nobody has mentioned 70 in Missouri. The entirety from Blue Springs to Wentzville is just horrible.

The Westside in CA is pretty awful as well.

Quote from: jaehak on May 25, 2020, 12:56:54 PM
Can't believe nobody has mentioned 70 in Missouri. The entirety from Blue Springs to Wentzville is just horrible.

I-35 from the Kansas state line to I-435 is worse, in my opinion.  But Missouri isn't "my" state.

For me, it's easily I-294.  There are lots of trucks and they completely ignore the truck lane restrictions, forcing all of the faster cars into the far left lane and causing it to jam up.  It's perpetually under construction and it has that stupid concurrency with I-80 on the south end that exists for no other reason than to collect tolls and bring it back to I-94.

If that is too much of a "traffic" reason, then I'll nominate I-80 in Joliet.  There aren't enough lanes in either direction.  It's got a bridge over the Des Plaines River that can't pass an inspection and could collapse at any time.  It's got a 55 speed limit.  Mile marks 130-137 can be pure pain.  For long distance drivers, going west of there leads to lots of really boring scenery.

Quote from: Super Mateo on May 26, 2020, 12:46:35 PM
For me, it's easily I-294.  There are lots of trucks and they completely ignore the truck lane restrictions, forcing all of the faster cars into the far left lane and causing it to jam up.  It's perpetually under construction and it has that stupid concurrency with I-80 on the south end that exists for no other reason than to collect tolls and bring it back to I-94.

If that is too much of a "traffic" reason, then I'll nominate I-80 in Joliet.  There aren't enough lanes in either direction.  It's got a bridge over the Des Plaines River that can't pass an inspection and could collapse at any time.  It's got a 55 speed limit.  Mile marks 130-137 can be pure pain.  For long distance drivers, going west of there leads to lots of really boring scenery.

I'll agree with I-80 in Illinois for those reasons. Also, the interdiction patrols are a hassle. Heading from Denver to Cleveland for Christmas about 10 years ago, I was stopped for going 72 in a (then) 65 in Minooka (though my cruise control was set at 67 so I question his "radar"). Asked me where I was coming from, going to, and if I had any drugs in the car. Then took my license and insurance card but not my registration. He eventually let me go, and I can't help feeling like he stopped me for driving with Colorado plates.

Quote from: Bickendan on May 13, 2020, 03:35:34 AM

Quote from: nexus73 on May 10, 2020, 09:37:11 PM
Boring stretch: I-5 from Coburg to Albany.

Dangerous stretch: I-5 from SR 38 to Grants Pass.

Since I rarely am on I-84 in Eastern Oregon, that subject will be left for another Oregonian to post about.

Rick

Between US 730 and Pendleton.

You beat me to it, I was going to say the same thing. I find the rest of I-84 in Oregon to range from decent (flat areas around Baker City and La Grande) to amazing (western Gorge, Cabbage Hill). I also really like the Baker City to Ontario stretch, just because of how remote it feels for an interstate (the Weatherby Rest Area (https://goo.gl/maps/NUu9tyUEYwN7gFmU9) is one of my favorites). But that ~45 mile stretch is incredibly boring to me, at least after driving on it a couple dozen times. It's also the only significant part of I-84 in Eastern Oregon where the 70 MPH speed limit feels definitely too low, and I struggle to stay below 80 (where the rest of the highway for the most part I'm comfortable around 75-78). I-82 in Oregon is equally boring but it's so short. And I actually quite like all of I-82 in WA for some reason.

For Idaho, much of I-84 is pretty monotonous and rural, though I don't find it as bad as the Boardman-Pendleton stretch, I-5 between Eugene and Albany (I don't dislike that as much as I used to, now that I rarely have a reason to use it), or I-5 in the Central Valley (CA). The 80 MPH limit helps I suppose. I-86 and I-15 are basically the same. I-90 is not a candidate for this thread. My rural choice would be between Mountain Home and Boise, it's a lot more desolate than the rest of I-84.

But my actual least favorite segment is I-84 through Nampa and to Caldwell. The 4 lanes are totally inadequate, merging room is non-existent, so the area is a constant traffic jam, and accidents seem far more common there than elsewhere, further worsening the traffic (even with the reduced traffic due to the pandemic, which has gotten rid of Boise's traffic jam at I-84/I-184 for the time being). Luckily, they are at this moment expanding it to 6 lanes, with improved interchanges. So when it's done it will probably be off my list, but in the meantime it's even worse with the construction.

Quote from: zzcarp on May 26, 2020, 12:55:18 PM
...the interdiction patrols are a hassle. Heading from Denver to Cleveland for Christmas about 10 years ago, I was stopped for going 72 in a (then) 65 in Minooka (though my cruise control was set at 67 so I question his "radar"). Asked me where I was coming from, going to, and if I had any drugs in the car. Then took my license and insurance card but not my registration. He eventually let me go, and I can't help feeling like he stopped me for driving with Colorado plates.

Illinois police typically do not ask passenger car operators to provide a copy of the registration when pulled over, because in IL passenger vehicles are not required to carry the registration

Being asked for License and Proof of Insurance is the standard when stopped in IL (not that I've had THAT many tickets...)

Quote from: Super Mateo on May 26, 2020, 12:46:35 PM
If that is too much of a "traffic" reason, then I'll nominate I-80 in Joliet.  There aren't enough lanes in either direction.  It's got a bridge over the Des Plaines River that can't pass an inspection and could collapse at any time.  It's got a 55 speed limit.  Mile marks 130-137 can be pure pain.  For long distance drivers, going west of there leads to lots of really boring scenery.

The pavement everywhere around that bridge is DESTROYED.  I drive across that bridge every day to work so wish me luck

Oregon - I-5 from Eugene to Salem; boring scenery, slow speed limit of 65 and really in need of six lanes.

California - I-5 from Wheeler Ridge to Tracy seems obvious so I'll go with I-5 south at the now demolished Burbank Blvd bridge; narrow lanes, zero shoulders, a fairly tight curve (by urban freeway standards) and really bad pavement. Northbound isn't as bad.

Quote from: pdx-wanderer on May 27, 2020, 10:30:01 PM
California - I-5 from Wheeler Ridge to Tracy seems obvious

This segment would actually be great if either the road is widened to 3+ lanes per direction or trucks are banned. :)

Quote from: SeriesE on May 28, 2020, 01:29:58 AM

Quote from: pdx-wanderer on May 27, 2020, 10:30:01 PM
California - I-5 from Wheeler Ridge to Tracy seems obvious

This segment would actually be great if either the road is widened to 3+ lanes per direction or trucks are banned. :)

Chances are neither of those will happen in the near term (particularly a truck ban!); what probably will occur are periodic third lanes, likely at the grades near Kettleman Hills (possibly directional upgrade only) and again near the CA 152 junction (which itself could certainly use an upgrade -- at least C/D lanes on both facilities) and possibly north from there to the 5/580 split, now that the route is seeing far-flung Bay commute traffic down to Patterson.  But I wouldn't count on third lanes down in Kern County or through the Coalinga area for quite some time.

Quote from: sparker on May 28, 2020, 01:38:11 AM

Quote from: SeriesE on May 28, 2020, 01:29:58 AM

Quote from: pdx-wanderer on May 27, 2020, 10:30:01 PM
California - I-5 from Wheeler Ridge to Tracy seems obvious

This segment would actually be great if either the road is widened to 3+ lanes per direction or trucks are banned. :)

Chances are neither of those will happen in the near term (particularly a truck ban!); what probably will occur are periodic third lanes, likely at the grades near Kettleman Hills (possibly directional upgrade only) and again near the CA 152 junction (which itself could certainly use an upgrade -- at least C/D lanes on both facilities) and possibly north from there to the 5/580 split, now that the route is seeing far-flung Bay commute traffic down to Patterson.  But I wouldn't count on third lanes down in Kern County or through the Coalinga area for quite some time.

Yeah. One can dream...

The periodic 3 lane concept can actually be easy to implement, if Caltrans don't tear down the temporary lane built in the median for pavement rehabilitation projects. There has been a lot of these projects with such temporary lanes in the middle within the last 10 years, and it should've been used as opportunities to slowly build out the 3rd lane over the entire segment.

Presence of trucks on a road isn't a valid reason to claim a road is bad.

Quote from: stridentweasel on May 28, 2020, 06:28:19 AM
Presence of trucks on a road isn't a valid reason to claim a road is bad.

Why are you the judge for that?

Quote from: Roadgeekteen on May 28, 2020, 10:56:00 AM

Quote from: stridentweasel on May 28, 2020, 06:28:19 AM
Presence of trucks on a road isn't a valid reason to claim a road is bad.

Why are you the judge for that?

Why would anyone think having trucks on the road is a serious complaint?  How do you think any product would get anywhere in the supply chain without trucks and truck drivers to drive them?

Maybe the real problem here is four-wheeler drivers who think they're entitled to go however fast they want to, think the speed limit is a speed minimum, don't know how to give trucks proper space, and don't know how be patient and maintain proper following distance when trucks are passing other trucks.

The bar is much lower for non-CDL drivers, and it sure shows.

Quote from: stridentweasel on May 28, 2020, 11:03:07 AM

Quote from: Roadgeekteen on May 28, 2020, 10:56:00 AM

Quote from: stridentweasel on May 28, 2020, 06:28:19 AM
Presence of trucks on a road isn't a valid reason to claim a road is bad.

Why are you the judge for that?

Why would anyone think having trucks on the road is a serious complaint?  How do you think any product would get anywhere in the supply chain without trucks and truck drivers to drive them?

Maybe the real problem here is four-wheeler drivers who think they're entitled to go however fast they want to, think the speed limit is a speed minimum, don't know how to give trucks proper space, and don't know how be patient and maintain proper following distance when trucks are passing other trucks.

The bar is much lower for non-CDL drivers, and it sure shows.

When trucks passing trucks drags on for miles as one micropasses like three or four of them at 62 mph in a 70 or 75 mph zone, and a high amount of truck traffic on a particular road results in this frequently, it's worthy to say it's a road is a least favorite due to trucks.

I don't mind a truck passing another truck then getting back over, but then you have some who ride the left lane at 62 or 65 mph for miles on end passing truck after truck slowly. I get the truck is passing, and he's not in the wrong, but it's still frustrating as a driver and one has every right to not like a road due to truck traffic.

Quote from: sprjus4 on May 28, 2020, 11:34:30 AM
When trucks passing trucks drags on for miles as one micropasses like three or four of them at 62 mph in a 70 or 75 mph zone, and a high amount of truck traffic on a particular road results in this frequently, it's worthy to say it's a road is a least favorite due to trucks.

I don't mind a truck passing another truck then getting back over, but then you have some who ride the left lane at 62 or 65 mph for miles on end passing truck after truck slowly. I get the truck is passing, and he's not in the wrong, but it's still frustrating as a driver and one has every right to not like a road due to truck traffic.

Then go 62 and maintain a two-second following distance.  It's not hard to do.  Really.  You can do it.  I believe in you.

Sure, a driver has a right to an opinion.  I also have a right to think an opinion is stupid.

The focus here should be on a road's design and not who uses it.  We're all here because we're design enthusiasts with a transportation infrastructure focus.  Whining about a non-design feature, unless one can propose a design solution, is pointless and does nothing to advance the art of road design.

Quote from: stridentweasel on May 28, 2020, 11:56:38 AM
Then go 62 and maintain a two-second following distance.  It's not hard to do.  Really.  You can do it.  I believe in you.

Well, what else am I supposed to do?

Especially on a long trip, having to slog at 62 mph for miles on end can get frustrating, and trust me, I speak from experience. Not to mention, having to deal with other drivers behind who tailgate, begin driving erratically, etc. It's gotten to the point where if a truck maintains the left lane after passing a truck for more than 5 or 10 seconds, I will pass on the right. I try to give some time for them to get back over and not instantly cut them off, but I've gotten in situations where they'll just sit in the left lane in an effort to pass another truck 15 seconds ahead.

It's more frustrating when a truck tries to pull out in front of you into the left lane to perform a micropass and there's nobody behind for miles or you're coming close and it requires you to quickly slow down to accommodate them practically cutting in. Again, in those situations, I usually will speed up to close the gap so I can get by before the trucks block both lanes at 62 mph in the 75 mph zone for the next 5 or 10 minutes.

Really, slow drivers in the left lane, especially if they're well under the speed limit, present a hazard. Sure, one driver can act appropriately, but you can't control other drivers.

Quote from: stridentweasel on May 28, 2020, 11:56:38 AM
The focus here should be on a road's design and not who uses it.  We're all here because we're design enthusiasts with a transportation infrastructure focus.  Whining about a non-design feature, unless one can propose a design solution, is pointless and does nothing to advance the art of road design.

Major trucking corridors should be expanded to 6 lanes to better accommodate both car and truck traffic. Where 6 lane widenings have been done, there's a significant increase in performance with trucks being able to play in the right two lanes and a left lane for faster car traffic to be able to maintain the speed limit or greater. Of course, funding is non-existent in today's day and age, so it takes decades to get a 5 mile segment done.

Quote from: jaehak on May 25, 2020, 12:56:54 PM
Can't believe nobody has mentioned 70 in Missouri. The entirety from Blue Springs to Wentzville is just horrible.

The Westside in CA is pretty awful as well.

Out of that stretch of 70, the Mineola section is nice. The road is...substandard to say the least. Only used 70 as a quick artery to get to areas where thunderstorms were developing.

Quote from: zzcarp on May 13, 2020, 01:16:15 AM

Quote from: jayhawkco on May 11, 2020, 11:18:06 PM
I just drove 105 this past Saturday and I was very surprised how nice it was.  Idyllic and rural and the area around Palmer Lake was really nice.  If it had easier and quicker connections to the Denver metro from Sedalia, I'd take it every time I went south.  83 is also a nice drive, especially for those from the Midwest who like the rolling hills and farmland but also like the mountain views.  I take it probably every other time I come back from the Springs.  (I also live near 225 & Parker, so it's relatively convenient once in the metro area.)

Chris

105 is my go-to route to the Springs from Denver during Friday PM rush hour. I live in northwestern Westminster so it's easy to get there from C-470. It's a beautiful drive. I'll often take it both ways if it's daytime. Though I've been stopped a few times by the double train tracks at Sedalia.

I did 105 going south a while ago and thought it might be scenic during the day, and more recently I got to give that a try. I agree, that's a really nice drive. I'd definitely consider that again, especially daytime.

When the construction on C-470 was heavier, I did 470->85->[Castle Rock]->Lake Gulch Rd->83, which seemed mostly good, but not being very familiar with 83, I ended up stuck behind people a few times and unsure if it'd be safe to pass. Not as much of that on 105, but there were significantly fewer vehicles. Not sure if that's the case in general.

its gotta be I-40 between Winston Salem and Statesville. Lots of perpetual construction zones, no good scenery, rough roadbed on the not-yet-worked-on parts.

Quote from: Super Mateo on May 26, 2020, 12:46:35 PM
For me, it's easily I-294.  There are lots of trucks and they completely ignore the truck lane restrictions, forcing all of the faster cars into the far left lane and causing it to jam up.  It's perpetually under construction and it has that stupid concurrency with I-80 on the south end that exists for no other reason than to collect tolls and bring it back to I-94.

If that is too much of a "traffic" reason, then I'll nominate I-80 in Joliet.  There aren't enough lanes in either direction.  It's got a bridge over the Des Plaines River that can't pass an inspection and could collapse at any time.  It's got a 55 speed limit.  Mile marks 130-137 can be pure pain.  For long distance drivers, going west of there leads to lots of really boring scenery.

I would say I-80 throughout the whole state is a nightmare with the trucks, but Joliet really does take the cake (and don't get me started on the joke of a plan they have to rebuild it through there)! I-294 is bad (though I'll wait and see what the construction on the central portion does when finished), but I'm going to nominate also The Eisenhower (I-290) between the Strangler and Cicero Ave in Chicago (left hand exits, narrow 3 lane section, and short merges, need I say more!), the Kennedy Expressway (I-90 on the North and NW Sides), and I-55 through Springfield (3 lanes each way N and S of Springfield, then narrows to 2 within Springfield, plus tight cloverleaf ramp designs).

Quote from: ChiMilNet on June 18, 2020, 11:50:19 AM
I would say I-80 throughout the whole state is a nightmare with the trucks...

When I was privileged enough to drive one for a living, the stretch between I-55 and I-355 was my least favorite.

Quote from: stridentweasel on June 18, 2020, 12:39:11 PM

Quote from: ChiMilNet on June 18, 2020, 11:50:19 AM
I would say I-80 throughout the whole state is a nightmare with the trucks...

When I was privileged enough to drive one for a living, the stretch between I-55 and I-355 was my least favorite.

Yep, that stretch through Joliet is nothing short of horrible!

Quote from: ChiMilNet on June 18, 2020, 12:44:29 PM

Quote from: stridentweasel on June 18, 2020, 12:39:11 PM

Quote from: ChiMilNet on June 18, 2020, 11:50:19 AM
I would say I-80 throughout the whole state is a nightmare with the trucks...

When I was privileged enough to drive one for a living, the stretch between I-55 and I-355 was my least favorite.

Yep, that stretch through Joliet is nothing short of horrible!

I remember one Sunday morning in 2009, we were driving from Lakeside, MI, to Wichita, KS.  That's a long drive, so I didn't particularly feel like driving the speed limit.  For the entire length of I-80 in Illinois, my cruising speed never dropped below 75.  From Morris on west, the needle never dropped below 80.

Quote from: TheHighwayMan394 on May 11, 2020, 04:18:47 PM
Wisconsin: 94 from the Marquette to the Illinois line. Boring flat exoburban hell trying to figure out where Milwaukee ends and Chicago begins.

Have you ever driven 39 from Portage to Stevens Point?

Quote from: kphoger on June 18, 2020, 02:25:43 PM

Quote from: ChiMilNet on June 18, 2020, 12:44:29 PM

Quote from: stridentweasel on June 18, 2020, 12:39:11 PM

Quote from: ChiMilNet on June 18, 2020, 11:50:19 AM
I would say I-80 throughout the whole state is a nightmare with the trucks...

When I was privileged enough to drive one for a living, the stretch between I-55 and I-355 was my least favorite.

Yep, that stretch through Joliet is nothing short of horrible!

I remember one Sunday morning in 2009, we were driving from Lakeside, MI, to Wichita, KS.  That's a long drive, so I didn't particularly feel like driving the speed limit.  For the entire length of I-80 in Illinois, my cruising speed never dropped below 75.  From Morris on west, the needle never dropped below 80.

I don't blame you there! West of Morris is a whole lot of nothing to Iowa! At least you hit it on a Sunday morning before there was a lot of trucks. It can get quite crazy during peak travel times, and really it probably should be considered for a 6 laning.

Quote from: ChiMilNet on June 18, 2020, 05:04:50 PM
I don't blame you there! West of Morris is a whole lot of nothing to Iowa! At least you hit it on a Sunday morning before there was a lot of trucks. It can get quite crazy during peak travel times, and really it probably should be considered for a 6 laning.

Two days earlier, we had driven eastbound during Friday afternoon rush hour.  15 mph was our average speed approaching the Indiana line in that direction.

Quote from: thspfc on June 18, 2020, 02:32:00 PM

Quote from: TheHighwayMan394 on May 11, 2020, 04:18:47 PM
Wisconsin: 94 from the Marquette to the Illinois line. Boring flat exoburban hell trying to figure out where Milwaukee ends and Chicago begins.

Have you ever driven 39 from Portage to Stevens Point?

I have (I've clinched Wisconsin's Interstates).

It's hard to pick one for Utah, but if I had to I'd probably go with I-70 between Green River and the Colorado line.

Quote from: US 89 on July 22, 2020, 12:40:42 AM
It's hard to pick one for Utah, but if I had to I'd probably go with I-70 between Green River and the Colorado line.

Haven't been since 2004, but I don't recall I-15 from 70 to the AZ line being particularly enthralling.

Quote from: TheHighwayMan394 on July 22, 2020, 12:48:42 AM

Quote from: US 89 on July 22, 2020, 12:40:42 AM
It's hard to pick one for Utah, but if I had to I'd probably go with I-70 between Green River and the Colorado line.

Haven't been since 2004, but I don't recall I-15 from 70 to the AZ line being particularly enthralling.

Not my state, but personally I'd pick all of I-215.

Chris

Quote from: jayhawkco on July 22, 2020, 01:58:47 AM
Not my state, but personally I'd pick all of I-215.

Gotta disagree with that one. I-215 from the eastern I-80 interchange to exit 6 is probably my favorite urban interstate anywhere. It's right up at the base of the Wasatch, so it has great views of the valley (and if you're headed north, the downtown skyline). Eastbound from I-15 to exit 6 has great views of Mount Olympus and some other high Wasatch peaks. The rest of 215 is your average urban interstate but it gives you a nice cross-section of what the Salt Lake Valley has to offer.

Quote from: TheHighwayMan394 on July 22, 2020, 12:48:42 AM
Haven’t been since 2004, but I don’t recall I-15 from 70 to the AZ line being particularly enthralling.

I would actually say the part from Arizona to Cedar City is the best part of I-15 in Utah. You gain 3000 feet of elevation in that 50 miles, most of which is in a scenic canyon with red rocks and occasional views of the Pine Valley Mountains to the west. The Kolob Canyon portion of Zion National Park is directly off the interstate.

I'll give you that Cedar City to 70 on I-15 isn't too exciting, but there is at least the occasional small mountain pass and a few farm towns to liven things up. 70 from Green River to Colorado is miles and miles of flat desert with some distant cliffs to the north and almost no population. The only real competitor in my mind would be I-80 across the Salt Flats, which is cool the first time you see it but the novelty wears off after a few drives across it.

Virginia's portion of I-85 is pretty boring. Sure, you get the occasional interesting water crossing, but for the most part it's just trees for an hour. US 1 is much more interesting (but also much bumpier!) At least 95 south of Petersburg has the US 301 glorified frontage road next to it so you can actually see things.

Quote from: Takumi on July 23, 2020, 01:28:13 AM
Virginia's portion of I-85 is pretty boring. Sure, you get the occasional interesting water crossing, but for the most part it's just trees for an hour. US 1 is much more interesting (but also much bumpier!) At least 95 south of Petersburg has the US 301 glorified frontage road next to it so you can actually see things.

I-64 is another candidate for "boring"  that I would add. With the exception of the Richmond area, the interstate from Williamsburg to Charlottesville is nothing but trees for hours.

Quote from: sprjus4 on July 23, 2020, 06:08:40 AM

Quote from: Takumi on July 23, 2020, 01:28:13 AM
Virginia's portion of I-85 is pretty boring. Sure, you get the occasional interesting water crossing, but for the most part it's just trees for an hour. US 1 is much more interesting (but also much bumpier!) At least 95 south of Petersburg has the US 301 glorified frontage road next to it so you can actually see things.

I-64 is another candidate for "boring"  that I would add. With the exception of the Richmond area, the interstate from Williamsburg to Charlottesville is nothing but trees for hours.

Back in 2003 I rode I-64 between Louisville and St. Louis. Going through the forests in southwest Indiana was pretty boring. I think to see things though you need to be off the interstate.

Quote from: Flint1979 on July 23, 2020, 09:03:41 AM

Quote from: sprjus4 on July 23, 2020, 06:08:40 AM

Quote from: Takumi on July 23, 2020, 01:28:13 AM
Virginia's portion of I-85 is pretty boring. Sure, you get the occasional interesting water crossing, but for the most part it's just trees for an hour. US 1 is much more interesting (but also much bumpier!) At least 95 south of Petersburg has the US 301 glorified frontage road next to it so you can actually see things.

I-64 is another candidate for "boring"  that I would add. With the exception of the Richmond area, the interstate from Williamsburg to Charlottesville is nothing but trees for hours.

Back in 2003 I rode I-64 between Louisville and St. Louis. Going through the forests in southwest Indiana was pretty boring. I think to see things though you need to be off the interstate.

Yet still less boring than the other interstates in Indiana.

Quote from: cabiness42 on July 23, 2020, 09:13:15 AM

Quote from: Flint1979 on July 23, 2020, 09:03:41 AM

Quote from: sprjus4 on July 23, 2020, 06:08:40 AM

Quote from: Takumi on July 23, 2020, 01:28:13 AM
Virginia's portion of I-85 is pretty boring. Sure, you get the occasional interesting water crossing, but for the most part it's just trees for an hour. US 1 is much more interesting (but also much bumpier!) At least 95 south of Petersburg has the US 301 glorified frontage road next to it so you can actually see things.

I-64 is another candidate for "boring"  that I would add. With the exception of the Richmond area, the interstate from Williamsburg to Charlottesville is nothing but trees for hours.

Back in 2003 I rode I-64 between Louisville and St. Louis. Going through the forests in southwest Indiana was pretty boring. I think to see things though you need to be off the interstate.

Yet still less boring than the other interstates in Indiana.

I'd say I-74 is probably the most boring interstate in Indiana. I-65 the parts I've been on were around Gary and Merrillville and it just seems dirty around there dunno about boring but it's dirty.

Quote from: sprjus4 on July 23, 2020, 06:08:40 AM

Quote from: Takumi on July 23, 2020, 01:28:13 AM
Virginia's portion of I-85 is pretty boring. Sure, you get the occasional interesting water crossing, but for the most part it's just trees for an hour. US 1 is much more interesting (but also much bumpier!) At least 95 south of Petersburg has the US 301 glorified frontage road next to it so you can actually see things.

I-64 is another candidate for "boring"  that I would add. With the exception of the Richmond area, the interstate from Williamsburg to Charlottesville is nothing but trees for hours.

That's true. When I go to Williamsburg I take VA 5, partially because it's easier for me to access from where I live, and partially because it's so scenic and wide open compared to 64 and 60. As far as Charlottesville, I can't bear to take 64 the whole way in either direction, so my "fun route"  is VA 288, VA 6, US 15, VA 53.

Without a doubt, I-80 from I-294 to I-65 in Illinois/Indiana. There's been a whole thread on this stretch over on the Midwest board about how terrible it is, and for good reason. The shear amount of traffic - specifically truck traffic - is insane. You're lucky to drive through there and not come upon a crash or standstill traffic. The only time in recent memory I remember getting through there going full speed was back in March this year because of the virus.

If I had to pick a second in Illinois, probably I-39 from where US-20 goes off west to where it merges onto I-90 going up north in Rockford. It's only two lanes in each direction, pavement is in so-so shape, lots of truck traffic, and lots of lane-changing. This segment should absolutely be three lanes both ways.

Hey, everybody! Let's take a drive on I-16!

(https://i.imgur.com/WCbiBqH.jpg)

Quote from: Gnutella on August 04, 2020, 07:13:53 PM
Hey, everybody! Let's take a drive on I-16!

(https://i.imgur.com/WCbiBqH.jpg)

Since you brought Weird Al into this, let's drive I-76 in Pennsylvania.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOfZLb33uCg