Congestion in Rural America

[webny99]

By rural, I mean truly rural, not just non-urban towns and cities.

Are there any glaring or recurring examples, near national parks or on other heavily traveled corridors? If so, has mitigation been considered and in what form?

[pdx-wanderer]

I-15 south from Las Vegas comes to mind, especially on a Sunday. I can't think of anywhere else where you can regularly find stop and go traffic in literally the middle of the desert. Sundays going south are the worst but backups out there on other days of the week in both directions certainly aren't unheard of.

NV widened it to six lanes I believe about a decade ago but, at least from an outsider's perspective, CA really doesn't have any reason to do that and make it easier for people to go spend their weekend and money in another state. I know they did widen it from Barstow to Victorville some time ago, but before Barstow, I imagine their motivation for widespread changes is pretty low.

[Hurricane Rex]

Prior to the Newberg Dundee bypass, the section between Newberg and Dundee was rated the 5th worst in Oregon ahead of I-205 at Powell and I-84.

Now it has been reduced to just Dundee to Lafayette and traffic is still moving on that stretch. It's the busiest 2 lane road in Oregon outside of a city (23,000 AADT), and outside of the passing lane section, it isn't uncommon for traffic to slow to 25 or 20 through there. This doesn't happen daily, generally on Fridays. Phase 3 of said bypass will fix this.

I-5 between exit 228 and 282 can get clogged up in football season, especially when both the ducks and beavers play. According to Rep. Bill Post, and Ron Noble (there was one other I forgot his name though), the original version of the transportation package included funding to widen I-5 to 6 lanes between exit 252 and 188 but it was nixed along with other "megaprojects." It never made it out of private draft.

US 26 has a ski season bottleneck as it enters the MT Hood National Forest. 26 is 2 lanes in each direction between Gresham and mp 42 (Rhododendron) then it drops to 1 lane each way for 4 miles, then goes to 2 lanes EB (towards MT Hood) and 1 lane WB for about 7 miles. Before 10AM, the point where it drops to 1 lane each way is where the bottleneck location is. It also slows down during that narrow stretch but speeds back up on the climb. After the 2nd drop though, 2 of the 3 major ski resorts are past, so that doesn't have a bottleneck.

LG-TP260

[paulthemapguy]

I visited the 2nd-least populous state and got in 3 long awful traffic jams in one day.  Does Vermont have a road department at all?

[jakeroot]

I don't know if it's necessarily rural, but it's a mountain pass so I think it could count (though it's an hour from Seattle).

WA-18 over Tiger Mountain regularly has some pretty hideous traffic jams on either side of it. 18 is a freeway right up until the climb to the peak, and the other side is an interchange with I-90. Undoubtedly, the jams are the result of the freeway just ending on either side of the mountain.

Much of the traffic is Snoqualmie (I-90) Pass traffic coming to and from points south of Seattle, since staying on I-90 to the 405 or 5 can be suicide any time of the day.

[DTComposer]

I-5 between CA-99 and I-580 is a notorious example for being only two lanes each way and a significant truck corridor, so you routinely have 80 mph+ cars competing against 55 mph trucks (often passing one another and blocking both lanes).

[TheHighwayMan3561]

I can't think of any year-round examples for Minnesota, but I-35 between the Twin Cities and Duluth and I-94 between the Twin Cities and St. Cloud is miserable on summer weekends when lanes are closed for construction projects. An Upper Midwest special is shutting down one side of the road and using the other carriageway as a two-lane road while the closed side is reconstructed.

[TXtoNJ]

I-70 through the Rockies is notorious for this.

[Max Rockatansky]

CA 41 north of Oakhurst to Yosemite gets a surprisingly large amount of traffic.  The road is a pleasure to drive with no traffic and absolute hell during a busy tourist weekend.  It doesn't help that 41 north of Oakhurst essentially doesn't have a single straight stretch that is very long.

[webny99]

I-35 between the Twin Cities and Duluth ... is miserable on summer weekends when lanes are closed for construction projects.

Yeah, I'll agree with that. Fortunately, on our return trip from Des Moines a few weeks ago, when northbound I-35 was reduced to one lane near Faribault, we took an alternate route which saved (according to Google Maps) a full 15 minutes.

An Upper Midwest special is shutting down one side of the road and using the other carriageway as a two-lane road while the closed side is reconstructed.

I've noticed that in North Dakota and Minnesota, but wasn't sure if it was done elsewhere. Seems like a practice that Western states in general would use. It's functionally a super-two, but with no passing allowed.

While not unheard of in New York (2016 reconstruction of I-390 south of Dansville comes to mind), when it happens, the open side is always restriped and divided with a jersey barrier, providing an actual median and left shoulders at the expense of standard-width right shoulders.

[Bickendan]

I-35 between the Twin Cities and Duluth ... is miserable on summer weekends when lanes are closed for construction projects.

Yeah, I'll agree with that. Fortunately, on our return trip from Des Moines a few weeks ago, when northbound I-35 was reduced to one lane near Faribault, we took an alternate route which saved (according to Google Maps) a full 15 minutes.

An Upper Midwest special is shutting down one side of the road and using the other carriageway as a two-lane road while the closed side is reconstructed.

I've noticed that in North Dakota and Minnesota, but wasn't sure if it was done elsewhere. Seems like a practice that Western states in general would use. It's functionally a super-two, but with no passing allowed.

Idaho did this to I-84 in the Snake River Valley back in 2004 while they were rebuilding the freeway. Super-2'd the eastbound carriageway, slapped down thin plastic cones on the double-yellow line, rebuilt the other carriageway, then reversed it. You still can see the cross over points between Boise and Mountain Home.

[jon daly]

I was stuck in a traffic jam in the middle of nowhere, Delaware, 20 years ago. But that was on a holiday weekend.

[SCtoKC]

I-35 between the Twin Cities and Duluth ... is miserable on summer weekends when lanes are closed for construction projects.

Yeah, I'll agree with that. Fortunately, on our return trip from Des Moines a few weeks ago, when northbound I-35 was reduced to one lane near Faribault, we took an alternate route which saved (according to Google Maps) a full 15 minutes.

An Upper Midwest special is shutting down one side of the road and using the other carriageway as a two-lane road while the closed side is reconstructed.

I've noticed that in North Dakota and Minnesota, but wasn't sure if it was done elsewhere. Seems like a practice that Western states in general would use. It's functionally a super-two, but with no passing allowed.

Idaho did this to I-84 in the Snake River Valley back in 2004 while they were rebuilding the freeway. Super-2'd the eastbound carriageway, slapped down thin plastic cones on the double-yellow line, rebuilt the other carriageway, then reversed it. You still can see the cross over points between Boise and Mountain Home.

Same thing is happening right now on I-49 south of Harrisonville, MO.  Traffic is using the southbound lanes while the northbound side is being worked on.

[Revive 755]

I-70 in Missouri, particularly the eastbound climb out of the Loutre River valley (which of course was uncongestioned when the Streetview vehicle went through).

[US 89]

I-35 between the Twin Cities and Duluth ... is miserable on summer weekends when lanes are closed for construction projects.

Yeah, I'll agree with that. Fortunately, on our return trip from Des Moines a few weeks ago, when northbound I-35 was reduced to one lane near Faribault, we took an alternate route which saved (according to Google Maps) a full 15 minutes.

An Upper Midwest special is shutting down one side of the road and using the other carriageway as a two-lane road while the closed side is reconstructed.

I've noticed that in North Dakota and Minnesota, but wasn't sure if it was done elsewhere. Seems like a practice that Western states in general would use. It's functionally a super-two, but with no passing allowed.

Idaho did this to I-84 in the Snake River Valley back in 2004 while they were rebuilding the freeway. Super-2'd the eastbound carriageway, slapped down thin plastic cones on the double-yellow line, rebuilt the other carriageway, then reversed it. You still can see the cross over points between Boise and Mountain Home.

This is common in the west, for example when UDOT fixed the US 40 bridges over UT 248 (crossover points here and here).

I remember when I had my learner's permit, I was driving with my mom on I-80 in Wyoming at night in the rain, and there was a long 2-lane portion (maybe 10 miles). I was keeping as far right as possible, understandably afraid of the trucks coming at 60+mph in the oncoming lane, and my mom was telling me to drive further left in the lane. As soon as the construction zone ended, I took the next exit and my mom drove the rest of the way while I slept. There was no way anyone was getting me to drive any more after that.

[corco]

I-35 between the Twin Cities and Duluth ... is miserable on summer weekends when lanes are closed for construction projects.

Yeah, I'll agree with that. Fortunately, on our return trip from Des Moines a few weeks ago, when northbound I-35 was reduced to one lane near Faribault, we took an alternate route which saved (according to Google Maps) a full 15 minutes.

An Upper Midwest special is shutting down one side of the road and using the other carriageway as a two-lane road while the closed side is reconstructed.

I've noticed that in North Dakota and Minnesota, but wasn't sure if it was done elsewhere. Seems like a practice that Western states in general would use. It's functionally a super-two, but with no passing allowed.

Idaho did this to I-84 in the Snake River Valley back in 2004 while they were rebuilding the freeway. Super-2'd the eastbound carriageway, slapped down thin plastic cones on the double-yellow line, rebuilt the other carriageway, then reversed it. You still can see the cross over points between Boise and Mountain Home.

Heck, Idaho did it this year while repaving I-84 between Oregon and Caldwell! Montana also does it as a matter of course.

[csw]

I-35 between the Twin Cities and Duluth ... is miserable on summer weekends when lanes are closed for construction projects.

Yeah, I'll agree with that. Fortunately, on our return trip from Des Moines a few weeks ago, when northbound I-35 was reduced to one lane near Faribault, we took an alternate route which saved (according to Google Maps) a full 15 minutes.

An Upper Midwest special is shutting down one side of the road and using the other carriageway as a two-lane road while the closed side is reconstructed.

I've noticed that in North Dakota and Minnesota, but wasn't sure if it was done elsewhere. Seems like a practice that Western states in general would use. It's functionally a super-two, but with no passing allowed.

Idaho did this to I-84 in the Snake River Valley back in 2004 while they were rebuilding the freeway. Super-2'd the eastbound carriageway, slapped down thin plastic cones on the double-yellow line, rebuilt the other carriageway, then reversed it. You still can see the cross over points between Boise and Mountain Home.

Heck, Idaho did it this year while repaving I-84 between Oregon and Caldwell! Montana also does it as a matter of course.

Don't think this is unique to any part of the country. At least it shouldn't be, it's the best way to do MOT for interstate reconstruction in my opinion.

[cl94]

I-35 between the Twin Cities and Duluth ... is miserable on summer weekends when lanes are closed for construction projects.

Yeah, I'll agree with that. Fortunately, on our return trip from Des Moines a few weeks ago, when northbound I-35 was reduced to one lane near Faribault, we took an alternate route which saved (according to Google Maps) a full 15 minutes.

An Upper Midwest special is shutting down one side of the road and using the other carriageway as a two-lane road while the closed side is reconstructed.

I've noticed that in North Dakota and Minnesota, but wasn't sure if it was done elsewhere. Seems like a practice that Western states in general would use. It's functionally a super-two, but with no passing allowed.

Idaho did this to I-84 in the Snake River Valley back in 2004 while they were rebuilding the freeway. Super-2'd the eastbound carriageway, slapped down thin plastic cones on the double-yellow line, rebuilt the other carriageway, then reversed it. You still can see the cross over points between Boise and Mountain Home.

Heck, Idaho did it this year while repaving I-84 between Oregon and Caldwell! Montana also does it as a matter of course.

NY does it all the time. Every time I-88 has had a major bridge replacement/reconstruction in the past 15 or so years, I-390 had a long section of this for the previous 2 summers, happened a few times on I-86/NY 17. NYSTA does NOT do it, but they also maintain 4 lanes through every work zone on temporary pavement.

As far as congested rural roads, NY 73 in the Adirondacks and NY 23A in the Catskills are big ones. US 219 in Cattaraugus County, NY and US 11 in northern New York also come to mind.

[freebrickproductions]

I know I-81 is pretty heavily trafficked, so I wouldn't be surprised if it gets backed-up a fair amount, even in rural areas.

And I know I-65 across Alabama as a whole is pretty busy, so whenever there's an accident anywhere, traffic along that side will slow to a crawl, if not stop entirely.

[ET21]

I can't think of any year-round examples for Minnesota, but I-35 between the Twin Cities and Duluth and I-94 between the Twin Cities and St. Cloud is miserable on summer weekends when lanes are closed for construction projects. An Upper Midwest special is shutting down one side of the road and using the other carriageway as a two-lane road while the closed side is reconstructed.

Wisconsin just did that with I-94 a couple years ago between Tomah and Eau Claire

[webny99]

An Upper Midwest special is shutting down one side of the road and using the other carriageway as a two-lane road while the closed side is reconstructed.

NY does it all the time. Every time I-88 has had a major bridge replacement/reconstruction in the past 15 or so years, I-390 had a long section of this for the previous 2 summers, happened a few times on I-86/NY 17.

As I mentioned above, though, when western states do this, the open side is basically an undivided super-two (with no passing allowed).What NY does is slightly different:

While not unheard of in New York, when it happens, the open side is always restriped and divided with a jersey barrier, providing an actual median and left shoulders at the expense of standard-width right shoulders.

[webny99]

I know I-81 is pretty heavily trafficked, so I wouldn't be surprised if it gets backed-up a fair amount, even in rural areas.

PA is famous for closing lanes during peak travel season. The lane reductions on I-81 between Scranton and the PA line the past few years not only generated enormous backups, but lasted for the entire construction season. Much of the time there wasn't even any work going on, yet there was miles of stopped traffic.

Construction aside, I-81 flows quite well (better than the Thruway, IMO). I can only speak for sections in NY and PA; I've been on I-81 in Virginia just once and had no problems, though I've heard from others here that between trucks and terrain, it can be really bad.

[Eth]

Construction aside, I-81 flows quite well (better than the Thruway, IMO). I can only speak for sections in NY and PA; I've been on I-81 in Virginia just once and had no problems, though I've heard from others here that between trucks and terrain, it can be really bad.

I drove back and forth from Atlanta to DC a lot from 2007-2011, and I got so frustrated with truck-related congestion on I-81 that I quit using it, opting for a route via Greensboro using I-85 and US 29 instead.

[cl94]

An Upper Midwest special is shutting down one side of the road and using the other carriageway as a two-lane road while the closed side is reconstructed.

NY does it all the time. Every time I-88 has had a major bridge replacement/reconstruction in the past 15 or so years, I-390 had a long section of this for the previous 2 summers, happened a few times on I-86/NY 17.

As I mentioned above, though, when western states do this, the open side is basically an undivided super-two (with no passing allowed).What NY does is slightly different:

While not unheard of in New York, when it happens, the open side is always restriped and divided with a jersey barrier, providing an actual median and left shoulders at the expense of standard-width right shoulders.

No, NY does not always use a Jersey barrier. NYSDOT Regions 6 and 9 often go undivided. When I-390 was reconstructed in Summer 2016/17, it was undivided with two sets of double yellow lines. Several of I-88's reconstructions have done the same.

[webny99]

An Upper Midwest special is shutting down one side of the road and using the other carriageway as a two-lane road while the closed side is reconstructed.

NY does it all the time. Every time I-88 has had a major bridge replacement/reconstruction in the past 15 or so years, I-390 had a long section of this for the previous 2 summers, happened a few times on I-86/NY 17.

As I mentioned above, though, when western states do this, the open side is basically an undivided super-two (with no passing allowed).What NY does is slightly different:

While not unheard of in New York, when it happens, the open side is always restriped and divided with a jersey barrier, providing an actual median and left shoulders at the expense of standard-width right shoulders.

No, NY does not always use a Jersey barrier. NYSDOT Regions 6 and 9 often go undivided. When I-390 was reconstructed in Summer 2016/17, it was undivided with two sets of double yellow lines. Several of I-88's reconstructions have done the same.

... which qualifies as "restriped". And basically divided, too; there is a median, albeit an incredibly narrow one. Except for the possible absence of a jersey barrier (you might be right about I-390), "restriped and divided" isn't really an overstatement.
And it's still different from what's done out west, where they tend not to restripe at all, and just use the road exactly as is; no modifications for two-way traffic (except, in some cases, reflectors along existing white dashes).