We all have horrible highways, whether they're full of potholes or they're just not very safe to drive on. What is the most unsafe, pothole-filled highway you know of?
M4 motorway, between the Silverwater toll plaza and its terminus at Concord.
The M4 tunnel near the airport for closing becuase one computer wouldnt turn on. Much more annoying than the whole other parts of the highway. Mainly becuase it put traffic on to my route. The fact that those who use it can reclaim the toll while other toll roads you cant and the tunnel being to narrow in general.
:ded: to the planning for the tunnel
It was repaired after i moved out of town, but US 20 through Ashtabula County in Ohio was one of the worst...it was full of patches and unfilled potholes (the consequence of the hard NE Ohio winters, i guess, although Geauga Co's stretch was pretty smooth and they had the same winters....
i called it the Dentist's Highway because if your teeth were still rattling after you got off that road, it was time to see the dentist
Interstate 80 in CA used to be terrible, but it's now being repaved. Must have gone over 20 years without being paved.
I-35 through Norman, OK is pretty irritating. Third largest city in the state and its interstate has four lanes. :no: Thankfully ODOT is working on widening it.
I hate the Oklahoma turnpikes. Poorly maintained, not up to standard (the H.E. Bailey has a few curbs, even) and to top it off, OTA is even worse than ODOT when it comes to laying out signs in an attractive manner... (Eric, want to post your picture of the US-270/OK 1 exit sign on the Indian Nation Turnpike to show what I mean? One of the worst signs I've ever seen)
This one?
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm4.static.flickr.com%2F3132%2F3168696656_855387c451_o.jpg&hash=e461667d0cdd58359f05f44862376a860d65a9e9)
I hate slab pavement! Interstate 80 was that before it was repaved, and my truck hates it.
There is also this gem on the Indian Nation Turnpike...
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm4.static.flickr.com%2F3102%2F3168699594_dac88daf8c_o.jpg&hash=4c52b5ba3842b3a7a1feb1364b6ca3be9e8fb4be)
The worst I think I've been on is the US 219 freeway in PA before it was repaved. Other than that, I-40 is pretty bad in parts of Oklahoma. Oh, and the Mon-Fayette expressway north of Brownsville, PA...
Interstate 10 was horrible in St. Tammany Parish with its bone-jarring concrete, but that's been remedied now with asphalt (not that I like asphalt freeways over concrete freeways). Its still a roller coaster ride from New Orleans East through to Irish Bayou though!
I-64 in the northern part of Norfolk. Old concrete slabs with holes your whole wheel will fall into. Though they did just start a widening project there.
There's some pretty disgusting ones in Michigan, mainly around Detroit.
Not just the cracked, terrible road conditions, but the utter lack of beautification. The surroundings look so ugly and depressing.
The USA should really spend more on beautification.
the Van Wyck Expressway in New York City once had four inch bolts sticking out of the surface, but those have been fixed, I think.
for pure crappiness and inability to meet standards, the 278 interstate right now takes the cake.
Many old abandoned alignments are in pretty miserable shape.
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.artistjake.com%2Flj%2Fw19765.jpg&hash=1278b87a2289e1c6e8b0fa47166ab279b4e15194)
old Conway Pass in Nevada. US 6. So far so good?
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.artistjake.com%2Flj%2Fw19779.jpg&hash=e36aeb46373254b3f0394d772b8b0ef7e4fd6254)
there's no way to get past that boulder using my crappy rental car, and no place to turn around, so time to drive 1 1/2 miles back out... in reverse!
I won't get into details about the Puffin Road in Iceland, since that is just a small 4x4 trail. 43% incline and two rivers to ford - always fun. Insult to injury; the puffins were gone for the winter when I got there.
but major highways in Iceland are not much better. This is highway 60.
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.artistjake.com%2Flj%2Fw60104.jpg&hash=75583d831a186ae46e9cfb533c686a86c11bc5f4)
Highway 531 if I recall correctly.
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.artistjake.com%2Flj%2Fw59352.jpg&hash=ad4cc2103967a354074ffe1dc0415db59d73d6ac)
even highway 1, the nation's main ring road, has its sections that haven't been touched since the 40s
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.artistjake.com%2Flj%2Fw58896.jpg&hash=937505384d473e893bc62d518f135ff6a5c46544)
I-5 at Blaine
Border nightmares!
Before it was re-built and re-surfaced, Interstate 30 in Arkansas between Prescott (M/M 46) and Malvern (M/M 98) was like running across a rub board.
I-390 south of Dansville is really bad too, except for a seven-mile stretch south of Cohocton that was recently repaved.
Quote from: ComputerGuy on January 22, 2009, 04:44:53 PM
I-5 at Blaine
Border nightmares!
from that perspective, I-8 is a total Hellhole. Where the Fourth Amendment goes to die.
^ lol
The Pennsylvania Turnpike virtually the entire length, minus a few parts.
Also 90% of Detroits freeways pre-Super Bowl
now I'd say about 50% of the freeways there are bad
I-110 in Baton Rouge. Fairly cramped, and obsolete too! Got to love all the left exits, the lack of shoulders, the sharp and blind curves and the bone-jarring surface at ground level. Mercifully, it's short enough.
Close second: All of I-12. Carries way too many vehicles. If you travel it during the day, be aware that you're tempting fate. It's being resurfaced, but what it really needs is to be exapnded to at least six lanes the whole way. Maybe even eight.
really? last time I traveled I-12 (on a sunny Tuesday around noon in April 2006) it seemed perfectly fine to me.
then again, maybe I'm just used to the freeways of Southern California.
Quote from: Darkangel on January 22, 2009, 06:51:45 PM
I-110 in Baton Rouge. Fairly cramped, and obsolete too! Got to love all the left exits, the lack of shoulders, the sharp and blind curves and the bone-jarring surface at ground level. Mercifully, it's short enough.
Close second: All of I-12. Carries way too many vehicles. If you travel it during the day, be aware that you're tempting fate. It's being resurfaced, but what it really needs is to be exapnded to at least six lanes the whole way. Maybe even eight.
I've been saying this for awhile now too, that Interstate 12 should be six-laned in its entirety. Throw in several cops shooting radar along the busy four-lane freeway, a couple of new sprawl interchanges, and its that much worse of a drive!
Quote from: Darkangel on January 22, 2009, 06:51:45 PM
I-110 in Baton Rouge. Fairly cramped, and obsolete too! Got to love all the left exits, the lack of shoulders, the sharp and blind curves and the bone-jarring surface at ground level. Mercifully, it's short enough.
the freeway totally looks to be from the early 50s, but alas all the signs are brand new. For all the demented old concrete and harsh curves, they couldn't have thrown us a bone and left up a 1960s-era Louisiana I-110 shield or two??
Quote from: agentsteel53 on January 22, 2009, 07:46:48 PM
Quote from: Darkangel on January 22, 2009, 06:51:45 PM
I-110 in Baton Rouge. Fairly cramped, and obsolete too! Got to love all the left exits, the lack of shoulders, the sharp and blind curves and the bone-jarring surface at ground level. Mercifully, it's short enough.
the freeway totally looks to be from the early 50s, but alas all the signs are brand new. For all the demented old concrete and harsh curves, they couldn't have thrown us a bone and left up a 1960s-era Louisiana I-110 shield or two??
Knew someone would mention the abysmal I-110, my noisy close neighbor. Louisiana freeways at their finest: 50 MPH curves, suicide merges, left exits, and all. (/sarcasm).
Those particular sines were replaced in the 2007/08 timeframe. Admittedly they are 110's most redeeming feature.
In addition to I-110, I would have to throw in the adjacent stretch of I-10 from the 110 jct to around Acadian/College to include in the worst freeway category. Along with I-110 from its south terminus to around Chippewa, this has got to be the most substandard and outdated urban freeway in Louisiana (and yes, I'm counting the freeways of New Orleans). No surprise, since it's also one of the oldest.
I hate suicide merges. :ded:
Quote from: aaroads on January 22, 2009, 06:58:44 PM
Quote from: Darkangel on January 22, 2009, 06:51:45 PM
I-110 in Baton Rouge. Fairly cramped, and obsolete too! Got to love all the left exits, the lack of shoulders, the sharp and blind curves and the bone-jarring surface at ground level. Mercifully, it's short enough.
Close second: All of I-12. Carries way too many vehicles. If you travel it during the day, be aware that you're tempting fate. It's being resurfaced, but what it really needs is to be exapnded to at least six lanes the whole way. Maybe even eight.
I've been saying this for awhile now too, that Interstate 12 should be six-laned in its entirety. Throw in several cops shooting radar along the busy four-lane freeway, a couple of new sprawl interchanges, and its that much worse of a drive!
I-12 is always fun. Large tractor trailers speeding like Maseratis, passing you at breakneck speeds. :ded: Not good.
Another fun place to catch heavy truck volume on a La. interstate is I-10 between BR and Lafayette. By volume, I believe about 30-40% of traffic on this segment is comprised of trucks. Observe the composition of the traffic on the "new" river bridge here in BR if you want to see for yourself.
I-10 from BR east to Gonzales could use an extra lane. I cannot believe that I-10 remains 4 lanes east of I-12 in EBR Parish to this day. Slowly this improvement is coming to pass. Maybe the entirety will be finished when my grandchildren are learning to drive.
Last but not least, I nominate I-10 in Calcasieu Parish (Lake Charles to the east in particular) for worst freeway status. That is the roughest highway I have ever experienced. The pavement is so rough there, the concrete has already turned to cobblestone.
This is actually the Indian Nation Turnpike sign I had in mind:
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.okhighways.com%2F052504%2Fintpkexit69.JPG&hash=31255818291d5c2263e776567c18fa90f2a8ce98)
Gotta love OTA.
Interstate 82 is pretty bad . . . it's an engineering marvel given that it goes over 3 mountain passes between Yakima and Ellensburg, but it really desperately needs a third lane on the ascents. The grade in spots, particularly going south out of Ellensburg over Manastash Ridge, is around 5% or so. It gets scary with the trucks, especially when they get impatient and try to pass one another despite going 50mph under the speed limit.
-Alex (Tarkus)
One highway that I like -- well, two I like driving on that are some of the worst are the Buford-Spring Connector (Georgia 13) and Arthur B. Langford, Jr. Parkway ("Lakewood Freeway"/Georgia 166). The reason that I say that they are some of the worst is because of terrible, poorly designed merge points.
For visual evidence of what I've written, view these videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLR8SrkWw5U (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLR8SrkWw5U) (Georgia 13 begins at 2:46 into the video)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AmE7kc87rQY (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AmE7kc87rQY) (Georgia 166 East TO I-75/85)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxhsh0Ph5VE (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxhsh0Ph5VE) (Georgia 166 West TO I-285 South)
Interstate 80 over the Donner pass used to be really torn up from the chain and truck traffic. I'm pretty sure it's been repaved since I was there.
it's not bad at all. Now US-50 on the other hand, once it stops being a freeway, it is quite the deathtrap. Narrow two-lane road, no shoulders, and all the idiots bombing down to Tahoe in their oversized SUVs doing blind suicide passes, just to meet their tee time.
CA-88 is a much nicer alternative. But don't tell anyone, because, more so than the wider lanes and the shoulders, it's the lack of traffic that makes it nice!
speaking of highways made dangerous by idiotic behavior... US-160 in Colorado:
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.artistjake.com%2Flj%2Fw45166.jpg&hash=9859fd91094a9f71e365aa0f495af310dd2f91bb)
two lanes going up the hill, one (us) coming down. The first SUV darts, illegally, into the inner climbing lane to make a suicide pass. The second SUV decides that is insufficiently manly, and makes a double suicide pass, with a blind corner coming up, in the outer climbing lane!
what is it with ski resort areas encouraging people to behave idiotically??
The worst stretch of freeway I've ever seen is I-70 in PA from the Turnpike to Washington, PA, that stretch of road needs makeover in the worst way. I-280 from the NJ Turnpike to through Downtown Newark is no joyride either.
Quote from: Freewayjim on January 23, 2009, 04:19:25 PM
The worst stretch of freeway I've ever seen is I-70 in PA from the Turnpike to Washington, PA, that stretch of road needs makeover in the worst way. I-280 from the NJ Turnpike to through Downtown Newark is no joyride either.
Agree. Either PA fixes that section, or I-70 should be rerouted down to I-68 - which ought to happen anyway to fix the gap at Breezewood.
Here are a couple views of the substandard ramps that section has:
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=40.133085,-79.994373&spn=0,359.978027&z=16&layer=c&cbll=40.133034,-79.994277&panoid=yWL4yZ1j_MPGRN0gFvdhWA&cbp=12,484.9342321956691,,0,3.948238693559706 (http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=40.133085,-79.994373&spn=0,359.978027&z=16&layer=c&cbll=40.133034,-79.994277&panoid=yWL4yZ1j_MPGRN0gFvdhWA&cbp=12,484.9342321956691,,0,3.948238693559706)
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=40.154605,-79.777436&spn=0,359.956055&z=15&layer=c&cbll=40.154683,-79.777152&panoid=DY-n5UQyXW3mtzcYiO-ZUg&cbp=12,87.28787326566919,,0,7.419051004812674 (http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=40.154605,-79.777436&spn=0,359.956055&z=15&layer=c&cbll=40.154683,-79.777152&panoid=DY-n5UQyXW3mtzcYiO-ZUg&cbp=12,87.28787326566919,,0,7.419051004812674)
Not much of a median on that there interstate! :-o I'd be a little afraid to go very fast on it.
Doesn't Arkansas have the worst roads in the country?
Quote from: deathtopumpkins on January 23, 2009, 09:40:55 PM
Not much of a median on that there interstate! :-o I'd be a little afraid to go very fast on it.
Most of the drivers on that section of I-70 seem to disagree with you. Most of the drivers seem to do at least 65.
Gah...! :wow: I just couldn't... I have a hard enough time doing 55 on a 2-lane road... much less 65 on an interstate with only a curb seperating oncoming traffic.
Quote from: voyager on January 23, 2009, 10:16:21 PM
Doesn't Arkansas have the worst roads in the country?
I don't think so. In the last few years, Arkansas has spend hundreds of millions of dollars to rebuild and rehabilitate the interstates, espcially the re-built and widened sections of I-30 and I-40 in the Little Rock area.
95 through the Bronx :banghead: :ded:
WA-520 on Lake Washington
Quote from: njroadhorse on January 24, 2009, 09:39:48 AM
95 through the Bronx
Ah yes. Robert Moss meant to build a highway. He accidentally built a parking lot instead.
The signage is also a mess at the moment now that NYSDOT has decided to slowly renumber the exits sequentially, ditching their old milepost experiment. So on I-95 in the Bronx (and a bit of Manhattan) one now encounters exits 1A, 2, 3, 2A, 2B, 3, 4A, 4B, 5A, 5B, 11, 12, 7A, 7B, 7C, 8A, 8B, 8C, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 ... in that order. Up to 8C was the milepost experiment, now gradually disappearing. The thruway authority then just took over sequentially from there. However, judging from the fact that many new signs have recently been installed in Westchester with existing numbers, it appears as though the thruway authority isn't going to renumber their exits to be in parity with those further south... meaning eventually that above sequence will (presumably) be 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17E, 17W, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14.
I don't know whether that's an improvement or not.
Now that's just messed up. :pan:
Wasn't the Cross-Bronx messed up enough without non-sequential exit numbers? :crazy:
I-5 in Los Angeles county has no shoulders, only 6 lanes, and very substandard curves.
and a whole lot of traffic. That section at the LA/Orange county line dates back to 1952, I believe. Great from a roadgeek perspective, but as an actual conveyance of traffic, it totally sucks.
Quote from: Duke87 on January 24, 2009, 04:35:15 PM
Quote from: njroadhorse on January 24, 2009, 09:39:48 AM
95 through the Bronx
Ah yes. Robert Moss meant to build a highway. He accidentally built a parking lot instead.
The signage is also a mess at the moment now that NYSDOT has decided to slowly renumber the exits sequentially, ditching their old milepost experiment. So on I-95 in the Bronx (and a bit of Manhattan) one now encounters exits 1A, 2, 3, 2A, 2B, 3, 4A, 4B, 5A, 5B, 11, 12, 7A, 7B, 7C, 8A, 8B, 8C, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 ... in that order. Up to 8C was the milepost experiment, now gradually disappearing. The thruway authority then just took over sequentially from there. However, judging from the fact that many new signs have recently been installed in Westchester with existing numbers, it appears as though the thruway authority isn't going to renumber their exits to be in parity with those further south... meaning eventually that above sequence will (presumably) be 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17E, 17W, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14.
I don't know whether that's an improvement or not.
What ever happened with the rumor proposal that New York would renumber its Interstates to mileage-based exit numbers.
Interstate 278, which I vote as one of the worst freeways in the country, has some goofyness where it uses Grand Central Parkway exit numbers on the brief shared alignment. See - http://www.northeastroads.com/new_york200/i-278_eb_exit_028_02.jpg (http://www.northeastroads.com/new_york200/i-278_eb_exit_028_02.jpg)
Its so goofy, that when I created the Interstate 278 guides, I came up with my own mileage-based exit numbers for the whole route, starting at U.S. 1 & 9 in NJ and heading east.
I think the current situation with the exit numbers on I-95 has been that way for a while. We can only hope that rumor proposal is why the renumbering has stopped.
Quote from: aaroads on January 24, 2009, 11:33:16 PM
What ever happened with the rumor proposal that New York would renumber its Interstates to mileage-based exit numbers.
So far as I can tell, that was a completely baseless rumor. Officialy, NYSDOT has stated that it favors sequential numbering since milepost numbering creates multiple exits with the same number when they're spaced less than a mile apart, which occurs a lot in the state's urban areas... and they don't like that. But they don't seem to mind duplicate numbers that are actually duplicates (not with different letter suffixes) resulting from piecemeal renumbering. Go figure.
Actually, some of the credit for that can go to the Thruway Authority for not being cooperative with the state DOT's numbering.
Thus, New York has some of the most messed up exit numbering in the country. We've already mentioned the Cross Bronx and I-278. Then we've got:
- I-87's exit numbers start over from 1
twice. It also, on the Thruway, features exits 21, 21B, 21A, and 22... in that order.
- I-90, due to the Thruway, has
decreasing numbers going east most of its length in the state. Then it has exits 1-12. Then B2 and B3.
- Upon entering Westchester county, the Henry Hudson Parkway becomes the Saw Mill (River) Parkway, and its numbers start over... from 3. No exit 1 or 2.
- The Hutch has no exit 11 or 21, for no apparent reason. It then, at the state line, becomes the Merrit and spontaneously drops from exit 30 to exit 27, rather than starting over from 1. Okay, so Connecticut can take most of the blame for that one.
- Some highways (like the Sprain Brook Parkway) lack exit numbers completely.
- I-495 (the LIE) starts at exit 14.
- I-678's exit numbers start at the Belt Parkway. The exits south of there, in JFK airport, have
letters.
Don't forget NY 17's randomly omitted numbers. Its first three exits are 4, 6, and 7.
I hate most roads in PA. They are so undercapacity and have antiquated design. But the worst would have to be 76 the Schuylkill Expressway, especially between Valley Forge and US 1 City Avenue. 2X2 and the only road going to the west, only an outer shoulder, chronically congested. I wish they would bring back the 1980's plans to add a lane in each direction.
81 near Scranton is terrible.
Gotta love those older Pennsylvania freeways that have no acceleration lanes and stop signs at the entrances.
Also, the Pulaski Skyway (U.S. 1&9) in northern New Jersey, with the tight left entrances/exits, no acceleration lane and no sight distance. The best way to enter from those ramps is to close your eyes, floor it, and pray for no bloodcurdling sounds of crumpling metal! I will only take the Skyway if I am on the mailine on either end. The deck is not in really good shape, either, but there are projects on the horizon to overlay and eventually reconstruct the deck.
Quote from: voyager on January 25, 2009, 05:16:48 PM
81 near Scranton is terrible.
I've never understood why the 80/81 junction - two very important truck routes! - is one of the tightest cloverleaves I've ever seen. It's in the middle of nowhere - not like there is a space issue!
The worst stretch of highway that I was ever on, was probably either:
-CT 15/US 5 near Hartford: missed the way to go onto I-91 to avoid signals=TRAFFIC HELL
-CA 236 near Big Basin State Park in California: very curvey and on a cliff!
-CA 9 outside of Saratoga, CA: very curvey and made me siiiiiiiick X-(
-US 202 in northern Delaware: traffic nighmare after 3. (dont EVER go there for shopping+ traffic signals arent timed well a.k.a. 3 minute red lights)
-Darby-Paoli Rd in Radnor Township, PA: most curvey road in Delaware County with blind curves and dangerous intersections. Its also home to the infamous "dead man's curve" (the PA one, not the I-90 one)
-New Jersey Turnpike: your doomed if you get stuck in traffic
So these are just a handful of the roads I find one of the worst!
ic
This is true, coming from Texas where most were built highways were built in the last 30 years or have recently been reconstructed, the road of PA are a mess. The only freeway I can bare to drive on is 95 its somewhat modern and the Turnpike (276 and 76) too bad. But the rest of the are horrible. The Roosevelt Blvd is one of the scariest I have driven and it would be relatively easy to upgrade it to a freeway with transit in the center, the right of way is definitely wide enough and Im sure the accident rate would plummet.
Speaking of the Saratoga area, highway 17 in CA is terrible between San Jose and Santa Cruz.
Quote from: voyager on January 27, 2009, 01:06:59 PM
Speaking of the Saratoga area, highway 17 in CA is terrible between San Jose and Santa Cruz.
Thanks for mentioning that. That highways is also very curvey and at a high speed at-grade "freeway"! I had to travel it 4 times total: went to Santa Cruz twice, so 2 times to and from there.
i.c.
US 2 between Smyrna and Houlton, ME was my vote for worst. I was in Houlton on US 1, headed for Calais and eventually Lubec, needed gas, then for some reason had a brain fart and got on I-95 South. (Next exit 10 miles).
Said exit was US 2 at Exit 291 (Smyrna), so I decided to follow US 2 East back to Houlton. Except the road was full of potholes, missing huge chunks in places, had faded lines, and was so rocky that after about a mile, I turned back to get on I-95 instead. I personally love country roads and thought US 2 would be a nice drive, but ostensibly Maine's DOT ignored US 2 because most traffic would use faster, safer I-95.
when was this? I drove that section of US-2 in 2006 and I remember it being fine.
What about CA-173 North of Lake Arrowhead o the Mojave River Forks? That stretch of road is not even PAVED! :banghead:
Reminds me of CA-162 near Lake Oroville.
Quote from: agentsteel53 on January 28, 2009, 06:31:06 PM
when was this? I drove that section of US-2 in 2006 and I remember it being fine.
I drove it in August of 2007.
Quote from: Duke87 on January 25, 2009, 01:41:52 PM
Quote from: aaroads on January 24, 2009, 11:33:16 PM
What ever happened with the rumor proposal that New York would renumber its Interstates to mileage-based exit numbers.
So far as I can tell, that was a completely baseless rumor. Officialy, NYSDOT has stated that it favors sequential numbering since milepost numbering creates multiple exits with the same number when they're spaced less than a mile apart, which occurs a lot in the state's urban areas... and they don't like that. But they don't seem to mind duplicate numbers that are actually duplicates (not with different letter suffixes) resulting from piecemeal renumbering. Go figure.
Actually, some of the credit for that can go to the Thruway Authority for not being cooperative with the state DOT's numbering.
Thus, New York has some of the most messed up exit numbering in the country. We've already mentioned the Cross Bronx and I-278. Then we've got:
- I-87's exit numbers start over from 1 twice. It also, on the Thruway, features exits 21, 21B, 21A, and 22... in that order.
- I-90, due to the Thruway, has decreasing numbers going east most of its length in the state. Then it has exits 1-12. Then B2 and B3.
- Upon entering Westchester county, the Henry Hudson Parkway becomes the Saw Mill (River) Parkway, and its numbers start over... from 3. No exit 1 or 2.
- The Hutch has no exit 11 or 21, for no apparent reason. It then, at the state line, becomes the Merrit and spontaneously drops from exit 30 to exit 27, rather than starting over from 1. Okay, so Connecticut can take most of the blame for that one.
- Some highways (like the Sprain Brook Parkway) lack exit numbers completely.
- I-495 (the LIE) starts at exit 14.
- I-678's exit numbers start at the Belt Parkway. The exits south of there, in JFK airport, have letters.
Last I heard, two senators here in NY were trying to pass a bill that would have the state adopt mileage based numbering by 2011. Their names escape me at the moment, but if you head over to http://www.upstatenyroads.com (http://www.upstatenyroads.com), there is a page about it.
And yes, the Thruway is the major cause of problems for this. They are unwilling to change their numbering format because of the fact the Thruway Authority believes it to be one road, when while it technically is, it's not. I personally think, and hope, that they would lose the battle on that.
Quote from: Revive 755 on January 23, 2009, 10:19:39 PM
Quote from: deathtopumpkins on January 23, 2009, 09:40:55 PM
Not much of a median on that there interstate! :-o I'd be a little afraid to go very fast on it.
Most of the drivers on that section of I-70 seem to disagree with you. Most of the drivers seem to do at least 65.
When I would do 65 on it, I would get passed. The only time most people go the limit is during inclement weather when the left lane becomes a Slip 'n Slide.
I also nominate I-81 in VA.
Quote from: voyager on February 01, 2009, 03:28:53 PM
I also nominate I-81 in VA.
That one's not bad at all, but maybe you're seeing it differently.
As for me, I'd like to throw in I-78 around Allentown and Bethlehem. A trucker's haven, and huge hills, two lanes, and bad curves. That road..... is actually typical PA.
Also, 95 through Jacksonville can get crazy, and I'm not thrilled with its layout.
Quote from: njroadhorse on February 04, 2009, 06:20:55 PM
Also, 95 through Jacksonville can get crazy, and I'm not thrilled with its layout.
Interstate 95 from the Trout River Bridge north to Interstate 295/FL 9A was improved dramatically recently with a new bridge and a widened freeway with fresh concrete. Improvements are also underway at the Interstate 10 interchange and the stretch leading north.
Quote from: njroadhorse on February 04, 2009, 06:20:55 PM
Also, 95 through Jacksonville can get crazy, and I'm not thrilled with its layout.
I used to think that.... until I had to start driving on roads in eastern Tennessee. My current pick in the worst roads category is the US-27 expressway (secret I-124) between I-24 and US-127 in Chattanooga. Horrendous curves, 1/4 mile-spaced exits, no shoulders, pitted and cracked pavement, faded and substandard pavement markings, dilapidated signs, etc.
Quote from: agentsteel53 on January 25, 2009, 06:15:20 PM
Quote from: voyager on January 25, 2009, 05:16:48 PM
81 near Scranton is terrible.
I've never understood why the 80/81 junction - two very important truck routes! - is one of the tightest cloverleaves I've ever seen. It's in the middle of nowhere - not like there is a space issue!
I have no idea, as well. When I last was there, there was a truck that had rolled on the cloverleaf (southbound I-81 to I-80 east). Way too tight of a turn for a downgrade cloverleaf.
The PA Turnpike from Monroeville to Harrisburg, I-70 from Washington to New Stanton and the Kansas Turnpike are bad designs (rest areas in the middle of the high way with left turn and reentry ramps?!)
For aesthetics, NY's exit numbering system is horrendous (as mentioned). If you go east on I-90, you start at exit 61, work yourself down into the 20s, start again 1 through 12, and then wind up with exit B2 and B3.
New York is too big of a state for individual exit numbers, they should be signed based on the mileposts (like Pennsylvania had done previously). VT, NH, MA, CT, and RI (and the NJ Turnpike) are all guilty of this, but with such a smaller state it's less of an issue.
Sykotyk
Well, NYC probably prefers sequential numbering, and they dictate all policy in NY; upstate has little or no say at what goes on.
Quote from: Sykotyk on February 05, 2009, 04:24:38 PMThe PA Turnpike from Monroeville to Harrisburg
The rebuilt sections are a lot nicer than the ones which haven't been rebuilt. The wider median is a great addition as well as re-aligning the route near Donegal and the Allegheny Mountain Tunnel.
For outdated design/desperate need of widening, I'd have to say I-77 through south Charlotte, NC.
For rough pavement I'd have to say I-10 through east New Orleans. Also, there are parts of I-20 just east of Vicksburg that are in pretty bad shape. Mississippi has used some kind of technique on I-55 in Tate County where they basically scraped/leveled the top of the concrete. Saved them from having to asphalt it, which leads to problems later as the asphalt wears and the concrete beneath starts to break through.
Quote from: KatyFreeway on February 06, 2009, 02:32:10 AM
For outdated design/desperate need of widening, I'd have to say I-77 through south Charlotte, NC.
For rough pavement I'd have to say I-10 through east New Orleans. Also, there are parts of I-20 just east of Vicksburg that are in pretty bad shape. Mississippi has used some kind of technique on I-55 in Tate County where they basically scraped/leveled the top of the concrete. Saved them from having to asphalt it, which leads to problems later as the asphalt wears and the concrete beneath starts to break through.
Georgia uses the same technique, it smooths out the pavement to extend the life of the existing concrete. Its called diamond grinding, and the process of leveling the road cuts down on downward force by trucks and other heavy vehicles, which is what causes ruts, dips, and other damage along the road. FDOT does the same process along the concrete section of Interstate 275 in Pinellas County.
Speaking of weird exit numbering, I-444 (the secret Interstate in Tulsa) used to start its exit numbers at 94! ODOT apparently mulled it over and realized this made little sense, so they scraped all the button copy "94"s off and left the "exit numbers" as A, B, C, and D. But by that time someone had posted a direct-applied copy sign for Exit 94D which couldn't be altered without greenout. So then the exit numbers went A, B, C, 94D.
Eventually they replaced all the signs and now none of the exits have numbers.
Quote from: Scott5114 on February 06, 2009, 05:23:22 AM
Speaking of weird exit numbering, I-444 (the secret Interstate in Tulsa) used to start its exit numbers at 94! ODOT apparently mulled it over and realized this made little sense, so they scraped all the button copy "94"s off and left the "exit numbers" as A, B, C, and D. But by that time someone had posted a direct-applied copy sign for Exit 94D which couldn't be altered without greenout. So then the exit numbers went A, B, C, 94D.
Eventually they replaced all the signs and now none of the exits have numbers.
I wondered about that when I saw that in 1995. Then one of the signs had cardinal direction tabs instead of exit numbers:
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.interstate-guide.com%2Fimages401%2Fi-444_ok_nt_04.jpg&hash=cd7256f0c665e62dc5826d3e7efbb0ee939843f0)
Nice improvisation there :-/
Right now the worst road is one I travel every day. ME 101 from the Eliot/Kittery town line in southern Maine about 5 miles to the New Hampshire border thanks to the frost heaves. A lot of the roads around here are terrible now, but 101 is the worst. There are sections where there are 1-2 inch-high cracks and there are now several places where I have to slow down to 20-25 mph because of how bad they are.
As far as major roads go, I cannot stand the Maine Turnpike. The road surface is very abrasive, the dotted lines have that classic turnpike length to them - not as long as NJ Turnpike but longer than normal highways, and there are pot holes in the middle lane right where your tires want to be. I think the idea of the Maine Turnpike being a single entity, independent of the Maine DOT is beyond stupid as well. It's a money pit.
When Maine switched to mileage based exit numbers about four or five years ago, all the Turnpike Authority did was bolt small numbers over the old ones, and they still haven't changed them!
Most roads in and around Boston... I don't know how people can drive down there everyday. How can their cars handle it? In the winter you'll hear on the news about how there was a large pothole that has opened up on one of the roads down there and had punctured the tires of a dozen cars.
Oh, I definitely now am nominating US 101 through the Novato Narrows. Needs to be widened and repaved because it is terrible through there.
A dangerous stretch of highway, in my opinion, is Tara Boulvard (US 19/41/SR 3). The reason that I say that it's dangerous is because there are so many driveways, a lot of traffic lights and a high number of pedestrians. This portion should've been a freeway, from I-75 to at least SR 54 (Fayetteville Road).
Another dangerous stretch of highway is Old National Highway (SR 279). It's a five lane road from Godby Road to just south of Flat Shoals Road. There are too many driveways and a high number of pedestrians cross the road. Sometimes, they wait in the "suicide lane," which is dangerous for them and vehicular traffic. Two nights ago, I couldn't turn out of a Wendy's because a pedestrian was in the double left turn lane.
Speeding is also an issue on this corridor. Speeds are posted at 35 mph, between Herschel Road and Godby Road; 40 mph, between Godby Road and Burdett Road, and 45 mph (once was 55 mph), between Burdett Road and the Fayette County line.
Be well,
Bryant
I still say the Schuylkill Expressway in Philly.
Oh definitely.
I-94 aka the Edsel Ford Freeway in the City of Detroit. Only 3 lanes, horrible drainage problems (flooding every time it rains), short entrance ramps, built in the late 40's and early 50's. Need I say more.
I nominate the Thruway through Syracuse
Quote from: njroadhorse on February 14, 2009, 05:46:46 PM
I nominate the Thruway through Syracuse
There's worse roads than the Thruway. Too many to count...
US 60/Midlothian Turnpike in Richmond between VA 150 and VA 161/Belt Blvd is by far the worst in the Richmond area. I believe that the city of Richmond was supposed to resurface it but I haven't heard about this particular project in years.
My worst stretch for congestion is I-35 from just south of San Antonio to just south of the I-35E/I-35W split.
My worst road for condition, easily I-40 through Oklahoma City.
Sykotyk
Right now there's a county route I commute on every day that's ending up in pretty rotten condition because the county can't fix it until it gets warmer. I really hope they're going to fix it, anyway - I'm riding between two lanes to avoid the patches and potholes.
I would have to say I-40 through almost the entire state of California. Seriously, you would think the road is still using its original pavement from when it was constructed or something. One thing makes me believe that they have no intention of repaving at all. Want to know how? They placed signs that say "Rough Road" :banghead:
Oh, but old historic 66 that parallels the freeway get brand new pavement! :rolleyes:
Quote from: AlpsROADS on February 15, 2009, 09:23:42 PM
Right now there's a county route I commute on every day that's ending up in pretty rotten condition because the county can't fix it until it gets warmer. I really hope they're going to fix it, anyway - I'm riding between two lanes to avoid the patches and potholes.
Which one and where?
Quote from: AZDude on February 16, 2009, 12:03:36 AM
I would have to say I-40 through almost the entire state of California. Seriously, you would think the road is still using its original pavement from when it was constructed or something. One thing makes me believe that they have no intention of repaving at all. Want to know how? They placed signs that say "Rough Road" :banghead:
Oh, but old historic 66 that parallels the freeway get brand new pavement! :rolleyes:
NY 5 east of Auburn was awful (complete with "Rough Road" signs) from the time I first remember it until the mid 90's. I was born in 1990, so that's at least five years.
Now, it's as smooth as could be AND has a center turn lane!
Quote from: deathtopumpkins on January 22, 2009, 01:27:39 PM
I-64 in the northern part of Norfolk. Old concrete slabs with holes your whole wheel will fall into. Though they did just
start a widening project there.
I don't know if I would have gone on that part of the road, but I was driving from Chilesburgh where my daughter lived at the time to the Chesapeak Bay bridge and turned around somewhere after you pick up 64 from the 295 coming out of Richmond. The road started to look raggedy and I have a back problem. Was smooth driving all the way to Virginia via 68 from 79 in PA, and I didn't want to chance it. I always wondered what it would have been like to drive over the bridge, but I'm glad I didn't if the road gets that bad.
Quote from: travelinmiles on January 25, 2009, 03:24:57 PM
I hate most roads in PA. They are so undercapacity and have antiquated design. But the worst would have to be 76 the Schuylkill Expressway, especially between Valley Forge and US 1 City Avenue. 2X2 and the only road going to the west, only an outer shoulder, chronically congested. I wish they would bring back the 1980's plans to add a lane in each direction.
Never driven it but truck drivers call it the "sure kill" expressway. Amen to what you said about PA roads. I live north of Pittsburgh.
Quote from: agentsteel53 on January 22, 2009, 05:19:32 PM
Quote from: ComputerGuy on January 22, 2009, 04:44:53 PM
I-5 at Blaine
Border nightmares!
from that perspective, I-8 is a total Hellhole. Where the Fourth Amendment goes to die.
Will probably never drive the road, but love the desert--tell me why so I might not ever want to drive it and won't feel so bad.
Quote from: njroadhorse on February 16, 2009, 04:52:10 PM
Quote from: AlpsROADS on February 15, 2009, 09:23:42 PM
Right now there's a county route I commute on every day that's ending up in pretty rotten condition because the county can't fix it until it gets warmer. I really hope they're going to fix it, anyway - I'm riding between two lanes to avoid the patches and potholes.
Which one and where?
i'm unfortunately in a difficult position because I work for a private contractor... so I really can't be pointing out an agency's foibles. On my website, I make fun of DOT's and contractors but I do it light-heartedy (see all my references to RIDOT shields). I'd like to keep it that way.
The worst road I have ever been on is I-64 near Marengo, IN. The surface is awful, it probably has not been touched since it was built. It is very curvy, and there are usually very large fallen rocks along the shoulders, which are very wide, but if you go off the edge, you will be going down a very, very steep hill! In additon, while the surface is not that bad, I-64 between the two exits in Frankfort, KY goes through a massive rock cut that towers far above both sides of the freeway. By sides, I mean both sides of each direction, the two carriageways are separated.
Quote from: americuss on February 16, 2009, 08:58:48 PM
Quote from: travelinmiles on January 25, 2009, 03:24:57 PM
I hate most roads in PA. They are so undercapacity and have antiquated design. But the worst would have to be 76 the Schuylkill Expressway, especially between Valley Forge and US 1 City Avenue. 2X2 and the only road going to the west, only an outer shoulder, chronically congested. I wish they would bring back the 1980's plans to add a lane in each direction.
Never driven it but truck drivers call it the "sure kill" expressway. Amen to what you said about PA roads. I live north of Pittsburgh.
Well, the "Sure Kill" expressway has been overcapacity pretty much since it opened in the late 1940's. :wow: :ded:
Oh that's a terrible name for it!
Quote from: Sykotyk on February 05, 2009, 04:24:38 PMThe PA Turnpike from Monroeville to Harrisburg,
Whats so bad about that section of the PA Turnpike?
For me, I would say I-278 in New York.
In addition, I-78 in Berks County is a rough ride too.
I-44 through Tulsa is pretty awful between the end of the Turner Turnpike and OK 51, and between the end of the Will Rogers Turnpike and I-244.
I-94 between Madison and Milwaukee has been quite awful as of late. lots of bumps and patch jobs that just keep thrusting up - hell on the shock absorbers.
Pales in comparison, though to the I-90 toll road in Illinois. Huge potholes in the driving lane.
There are two I'm surprised aren't on here yet.
1) The I-5 Terwilliger (not to be confused with Sideshow Bob) curves in Portland, OR, especially on southbound 5. It's substandard, the pavement is horrible, trucks crawl up it because it's a fairly steep grade, and the curves seem too sharp for interstate standards. Also, rounding the curves at rush hour is dangerous as they're blind curves. One can get around the curve and have to suddenly hit the brakes because of a backup at the end of the curve. There are ALWAYS wrecks on the T-curves (as the locals call em)
2) I've never drive this stretch of I-90, but I've heard there is a horrible curve in Cleveland, right near the waterfront.
Here is a picture....looks brutal...
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi717.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fww172%2FNdubs26%2FClevelandCurve.jpg&hash=73ac506a6318d63cd65d3bbd201a618ed61c7095)
^ That reminds me of Kamikaze Curve in Binghamton.
^ It's appropriately called "Deadman's Curve."
ODOT has a massive plan to upgrade Cleveland's "innerbelt" including Deadman's Curve.
See http://www.innerbelt.org/ (http://www.innerbelt.org/)
Even though I went to downtown Cleveland almost daily for 4 years, and fairly often before that, I only went through there on a couple of occasions.
That's Dead Man's Curve in Cleveland. Going east, you can see all the 'hit marks' on the wall where people have taken it a little too fast.
It also has an immediate exit (right two lanes) go to OH-2 west. So, after a 90, you have a hard fast 180 after the bend to loop back over I-90 East.
There's been talk for years about 'cutting the corner' and straightening it, as well as redoing the OH-2 interchange.
Sykotyk
Quote from: Sykotyk on February 26, 2009, 10:08:48 PM
That's Dead Man's Curve in Cleveland. Going east, you can see all the 'hit marks' on the wall where people have taken it a little too fast.
It also has an immediate exit (right two lanes) go to OH-2 west. So, after a 90, you have a hard fast 180 after the bend to loop back over I-90 East.
There's been talk for years about 'cutting the corner' and straightening it, as well as redoing the OH-2 interchange.
Sykotyk
I've not driven it personally, but when you see a guide sign like:
(https://www.aaroads.com/midwest/ohio090/i-090_wb_exit_174b_01.jpg)
you know it has to be bad. They have a pretty big diagrammatic guide sign that includes a 90 degree angled turn at "Kamikaze Curve" where I-81/NY-17 come together in Binghamton too.
Wow! I had no idea there was such a large sign for it!
I've driven through there going eastbound and it isn't as bad as the sign makes it out to be, as long as you adhere to the suggested speed limit.
The worst section of road I ever drove on was in the State of Ohio, but it wasn't that section. I-670 was an abomination between OH 315 and I-71 before it was rebuilt a few years ago. I remember as I was trying dodge the potholes on it only to hit other potholes in the process, thinking to myself, "People who say Pennsylvania's roads are awful have obviously never driven this one."
Quote from: PAHighways on February 27, 2009, 12:55:14 AM
"People who say Pennsylvania's roads are awful have obviously never driven this one."
Yeah, when I travel from TN to PA to visit my pad, it doesn't take the I-71/75 bridge over the Ohio River to know I'm up north. The roads in Cincinnati are in much worse shape than those on the Covington, KY side!
Quote from: tankerdave on January 28, 2009, 08:19:20 PM
What about CA-173 North of Lake Arrowhead o the Mojave River Forks? That stretch of road is not even PAVED! :banghead:
That road was never paved for some stupid reason. With all the growth in the Victorville/Hesperia area in recent years, I'm surprised they haven't paved it.
How about the freeway system in southern California in general? The I-10 west of the Palm Springs area, especially from Banning to Redlands; I-5 from Norwalk to downtown L.A.; the entire I-710 corridor; parts of I-210 from Pasadena to the I-5 connection--gad, my fingers would fall off if I listed every bit of ancient, run-down, potholed, chewed-up stretch of freeway in the L.A./Orange County metro area. :banghead: :angry: And don't get me started on many of the surface streets in the City of Los Angeles; I've driven dirt roads that are smoother! Besides, I want to take my swim pretty soon. :nod:
I live now in Phoenix where you can actually drive the freeways without having to worry about your car disappearing into a pothole the size of a large hot tub.
Quote from: mightyace on February 16, 2009, 10:29:05 PM
Quote from: americuss on February 16, 2009, 08:58:48 PM
Quote from: travelinmiles on January 25, 2009, 03:24:57 PM
I hate most roads in PA. They are so undercapacity and have antiquated design. But the worst would have to be 76 the Schuylkill Expressway, especially between Valley Forge and US 1 City Avenue. 2X2 and the only road going to the west, only an outer shoulder, chronically congested. I wish they would bring back the 1980's plans to add a lane in each direction.
Never driven it but truck drivers call it the "sure kill" expressway. Amen to what you said about PA roads. I live north of Pittsburgh.
Well, the "Sure Kill" expressway has been overcapacity pretty much since it opened in the late 1940's. :wow: :ded:
Does anyone know of any plans to make this road any better? I mean even on the weekends...its only very late at night that you may be able to drive this route with out traffic.
I-90: The Chicago Skyway. You would not believe how many patched potholes on the roadway once you get on the Illinois side. I-196 between exit 4 & South Haven and I-94 from Hartford to Exit 27. The roads desperately needs to be repaved. M-139 in Benton Township: Many people treat the road like a freeway and when a traffic turns yellow, not too many people want to stop. I got rearended on the road last week.
Quote from: mediaguru on February 05, 2009, 03:17:38 AM
Quote from: njroadhorse on February 04, 2009, 06:20:55 PM
Also, 95 through Jacksonville can get crazy, and I'm not thrilled with its layout.
I used to think that.... until I had to start driving on roads in eastern Tennessee. My current pick in the worst roads category is the US-27 expressway (secret I-124) between I-24 and US-127 in Chattanooga. Horrendous curves, 1/4 mile-spaced exits, no shoulders, pitted and cracked pavement, faded and substandard pavement markings, dilapidated signs, etc.
Drove I-124/U.S.27 the other day. Here's some video of it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFzTg7kXEgo (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFzTg7kXEgo)
Be well,
Bryant
Quote from: Darkangel on January 22, 2009, 06:51:45 PM
Close second: All of I-12. Carries way too many vehicles. If you travel it during the day, be aware that you're tempting fate. It's being resurfaced, but what it really needs is to be exapnded to at least six lanes the whole way. Maybe even eight.
Went through on I-12 from I-55 east to I-10 mid-day on a Thursday last year and didn't have any problems. Guess I got lucky.
Quote from: DrZoidberg on February 26, 2009, 09:00:25 PM
There are two I'm surprised aren't on here yet.
1) The I-5 Terwilliger (not to be confused with Sideshow Bob) curves in Portland, OR, especially on southbound 5. It's substandard, the pavement is horrible, trucks crawl up it because it's a fairly steep grade, and the curves seem too sharp for interstate standards. Also, rounding the curves at rush hour is dangerous as they're blind curves. One can get around the curve and have to suddenly hit the brakes because of a backup at the end of the curve. There are ALWAYS wrecks on the T-curves (as the locals call em)
The Oregonian had an article about the Terwilliger Curves, and ODOT outright admitted it was a bad stretch, as there are five curves, each in opposite directions. It got built the way it did because of some political mess; and to correct the curves, the new alignment would take out some houses.
While we're on Oregon: OR 217. 'Nuff said.
I-405 at the 6th Ave onramp/US26-12th Ave offramp.
Quote from: AARoads on February 26, 2009, 11:43:14 PM
Quote from: Sykotyk on February 26, 2009, 10:08:48 PM
That's Dead Man's Curve in Cleveland. Going east, you can see all the 'hit marks' on the wall where people have taken it a little too fast.
It also has an immediate exit (right two lanes) go to OH-2 west. So, after a 90, you have a hard fast 180 after the bend to loop back over I-90 East.
There's been talk for years about 'cutting the corner' and straightening it, as well as redoing the OH-2 interchange.
Sykotyk
I've not driven it personally, but when you see a guide sign like:
(https://www.aaroads.com/midwest/ohio090/i-090_wb_exit_174b_01.jpg)
you know it has to be bad. They have a pretty big diagrammatic guide sign that includes a 90 degree angled turn at "Kamikaze Curve" where I-81/NY-17 come together in Binghamton too.
Reminds me a little of I-35W in Minneapolis as it comes into the city then does a 90° turn into I-94's median.
I-4 in downtown Orlando, substandard on/off ramp between Michigan Ave & Kaley St going EB, trumpet at SR 408, left lane on ramp from South St along with dual right lane on ramps from Anderson St & SR 408 with them quickly turning into exit only. The exit with South St was worse before reconstruction, since it was all left lane on/off ramps. Going north to Lee Road, every exit has semi-substandard on ramps; you can see where they have been lengthened (along with the original size of the interstate), but plentiful curves don't help.
Like someone else said, I-95 in Jax is bad in downtown (which will be "was"). The I-4/US 92 interchanges on I-95 aren't that great either.
Quote from: DrZoidberg on February 26, 2009, 09:00:25 PM
1) The I-5 Terwilliger (not to be confused with Sideshow Bob) curves in Portland, OR
Sideshow Bob was actually named after Terwilliger Street in Portland (Matt Groening was from the area)!
As far as road conditions go Illinois highways are by FAR the worst in the country.
Quote from: travelinmiles on May 28, 2009, 06:34:35 PM
Quote from: mightyace on February 16, 2009, 10:29:05 PM
Well, the "Sure Kill" expressway has been overcapacity pretty much since it opened in the late 1940's. :wow: :ded:
Does anyone know of any plans to make this road any better? I mean even on the weekends...its only very late at night that you may be able to drive this route with out traffic.
There were plans to double deck the Schuylkill and have HOT lanes on the upper deck with mainline traffic on the current level.
Quote from: Scott5114 on July 18, 2009, 05:32:30 AM
Quote from: DrZoidberg on February 26, 2009, 09:00:25 PM
1) The I-5 Terwilliger (not to be confused with Sideshow Bob) curves in Portland, OR
Sideshow Bob was actually named after Terwilliger Street in Portland (Matt Groening was from the area)!
A lot of the characters claim homage to Portland city streets.
I would have to say I-70 between Washington and New Stanton, PA. No left shoulder and some really dangerous interchanges. I generally enjoy driving in PA but, I'd rather take US 40/I-68, I-79/I-68 or even go through Downtown Pittsburgh to the turnpike before driving on that stretch of I-70.
Also I'd say the Capital Beltway around DC. The traffic is especially terrible in MD near Bethesda, Chevy Chase and Silver Spring. Couple that with the 55 mph curves/the narrow lanes and you've got one aggravating drive.
Honorable mention goes to I-66 between Chain Bridge Road and I-495 in Virginia. That road is in awful condition.
QuoteAlso I'd say the Capital Beltway around DC. The traffic is especially terrible in MD near Bethesda, Chevy Chase and Silver Spring. Couple that with the 55 mph curves/the narrow lanes and you've got one aggravating drive.
Being a daily Beltway commuter, I'd say that the only real problem with the Beltway is the traffic. And that's mainly on the north and west sides.
Quote from: Aerostar92 on July 18, 2009, 02:10:36 PM
As far as road conditions go Illinois highways are by FAR the worst in the country.
Take a drive up to Michigan and you'll change your mind immediately upon entering the state.
some counties in Michigan apparently don't believe in frequent plowing. Gotta love casually heading over the county line and needing to slow down from 25 mph to 10 on US-2.
I was on US 1A -> 1 to Lubec from Bangor back during the week of July 3, and I nominate US 1 north of Bar Harbor for having no cardinal direction banners. Not fun when you get on US 1A then back on US 1 and turn north instead of south.
I have a question for Maine roadgeeks. I was coming to Lubec from Portland and took the usual I-95->I-385->US 1A->US 1->ME 189.
I contend, and have never verified it with an atlas, that it would have been faster, time-wise, to take I-95 to Houlton, then US 1 South to Lubec. I know the distance might have been longer, but 120 miles (Exit 182A for I-395 to Exit 302 to US 1) on an interstate versus 120 miles on the Coastal Highway can't be slower. Next time I am up that way, should I try that instead, or am I full of...you know...?
The Pennsylvania Turnpike between the Ohio state line and Somerset. They paved over the concrete surface with asphalt which makes for a very bumpy ride.