Revising a concept I came up with on a LJ post years ago, post a photo of a traffic jam, heavy traffic, or congestion that you saw, went through, or deal with on a regular basis. These are the times where roadding stinks...
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The 405 south at the 10, always congested.
Hmm, I had some of 80 in Sacramento, wish I hadn't deleted them.
I'll take your Southern California pic and raise you a Northern California one -- US 101 southbound just south of San Francisco International Airport.
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fhomepage.mac.com%2Fjwaller%2F.Pictures%2Fwebpics%2FUS101-SFO-1.jpg&hash=5c2b59f92003d3ba65622199f1c3fa1ffc28e85f)
The Netherlands is known for it's extreme traffic congestion. In fact, I think we rank near the top of the developed world when it comes to congestion. We live in a small country of 16.4 million people and nearly all freeways have only 4 lanes, or wider freeways have bottlenecks of 4 lanes. The highest AADT is 250,000 on the A16 freeway near Rotterdam.
I recently came stuck in this traffic jam on the A28 freeway near the city of Amersfoort. This wasn't even during rushhour, but around 11 am. The 4 mile stretch took me 30 minutes.
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm4.static.flickr.com%2F3461%2F3211692637_9f85dbca7b.jpg&hash=1b4685803b242121f10b992eff2e4cf347b00471)
Freeway speeding :D
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VMS displaying driving times for two routes to the city of Utrecht. During rushhour, the next 12 miles can take as long as 1 hour.
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These "50" signs flash and warn you for an upcoming traffic jam (usually within the next half a mile)
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Inching forward
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Note the crazy amount of trucks. This freeway carries 110,000 vehicles per day and has only 4 lanes in total.
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QuoteThis freeway carries 110,000 vehicles per day and has only 4 lanes in total.
How does 44,000+ vpd sound on a two lane road of dubious condition?
No pics at the moment, unfortunately...
Ugh...that's a mess...
In WA, traffic is mostly in the Downtown Seattle-Bellevue area. Especially the 520 bridge...
For WA traffic, see: http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic (http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic)
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.southeastroads.com%2Fpersonal%2Ftraffic%2Fi-395_dc.jpg&hash=67e3dd3c052d119590e0671e86d8432c128f23f1)
Interstate 395 in Washington, D.C. in August 2005.
This picture really focuses on the sign, but you can see all the traffic on ON 400 as it meets ON 401 at rush hour. On a highway that is six lanes each direction, its bumper-to-bumper traffic moving very slowly.
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Wow, I had no idea Washington D.C. had so many traffic problems.
Yeah, DC is bad. I remember when I was on a school trip there a few years ago. We got to I-495 around 8:00 AM. We ate breakfast at the Ronald Reagan building (the first time we got off the bus since a rest stop in Maryland) at 10:00 AM.
Typical back-up at the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge
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Which won't improve once the new bridge is finished. :rolleyes:
The big bridge near the other end of Interstate 80 (GWB) is no better!
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northeastroads.com%2Fnew_jersey050%2Fi-095_nb_exit_073_03.jpg&hash=671ac339618d0aec018825aae6be9d4ae86c9be8)
(//www.aaroads.com/forum_images/southeast/traffic_jam.jpg)
Major traffic backup on I-75 in the Valdosta, Georgia area, taken March, 2003.
I have a few. The first is on the New Jersey Turnpike somewhere near Jackson.
http://picasaweb.google.com/Iansignal/NewJerseyTrafficSignalsAndRoadSigns#5295137931449893746 (http://picasaweb.google.com/Iansignal/NewJerseyTrafficSignalsAndRoadSigns#5295137931449893746)
Mall traffic at the Crossgates Mall in Albany, NY.
http://picasaweb.google.com/Iansignal/NewYorkTrafficSignalsAndRoadSigns#5292756554971386930 (http://picasaweb.google.com/Iansignal/NewYorkTrafficSignalsAndRoadSigns#5292756554971386930)
A red light traffic jam on US 202 south/US 322 east in Chadds Ford, PA.
http://picasaweb.google.com/Iansignal/PennsylvaniaTrafficSignalsAndRoadSigns#5295141599365608610 (http://picasaweb.google.com/Iansignal/PennsylvaniaTrafficSignalsAndRoadSigns#5295141599365608610)
i.c.
I see your NJ Turnpike and raise you a Garden State Parkway!
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And now you know why I NEVER travel that highway :-D
Driscoll Bridge on the GSP is one of the widest freeways in the U.S. though. Over 20 lanes cross the river, 15 on the GSP, 6 lanes on the immediatly adjacent Edison Bridge and next is the 4 lane Victory Bridge. A total of 25 lanes within like a mile!
Hamburg traffic on A1 Autobahn: 2 lanes of stopped trucks:
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More trucks than cars:
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that's crazy. what if someone wants to exit the autobahn? how do they get through the wall of trucks?
Uhm... they don't :)
I've never seen anything like that before. There were roadworks, so it goes from 3 to 2 lanes. Automobile traffic flowed gently with 40 mph, but those trucks were totally stopped...
Wow, truckulas, truckulas, truckulas, that's a total nightmare!
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My next entry, from just after sunset on the Capital Beltway in Maryland, 2005.
Ooh...does anyone have pics of traffic before and after the Obama inaguration?
Dang... remind me to never drive on the Autobahn in heavy truck traffic. That looks like a nightmare.
Quote from: froggie on January 26, 2009, 06:22:53 PM
QuoteInterstate 395 in Washington, D.C. in August 2005.
Tame compared to what it normally's like in the late afternoon/evening.
QuoteMy next entry, from just after sunset on the Capital Beltway in Maryland, 2005.
And, BTW, it looks absolutely nothing like that nowadays...
That's tame? We were not moving. :-/
Took the new WWB last month, even took a video across the local lanes. Nice improvement.
Ooh, can we see that video? The last two times I drove over the Woodrow Wilson Bridge it was still under construction.
Sure, I can post it on youtube I suppose.
Woodrow Wilson Bridge eastbound
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YPX13PS3mg (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YPX13PS3mg)
Thanks for the video.
That highway has changed a lot in the last few years. The beltway didn't quite look like that last time I drove it.
Quote from: deathtopumpkins on January 27, 2009, 02:01:16 AM
Thanks for the video.
That highway has changed a lot in the last few years. The beltway didn't quite look like that last time I drove it.
I'm sure it still suffers from traffic hell, but its a nice improvement anyway. I suppose they are adding HOT lanes in another attempt to improve the Virginia portion of the road west of Interstate 395, but I have not taken that stretch since 2005.
Quote from: voyager on January 24, 2009, 08:43:38 PM
Wow, I had no idea Washington D.C. had so many traffic problems.
It doesn't help that DC's DOT is so shoddy with the signage... it's one of only two places I've visited where I actually thought the signs were better back home!
(the other was New Mexico)
Wish I had taken a picture of the I-80 traffic that starts in Cordelia.
Typical Dutch traffic...
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.autosnelwegen.nl%2Fasw%2Fpics%2Ffotowedstrijd%2Fokt07-09.jpg&hash=845d619d0efccef02b698c558b95ac54a1e32c93)
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.autosnelwegen.nl%2Fasw%2Fpics%2Ffotowedstrijd%2Fokt07-05.jpg&hash=5855732c84f5c599fce658b23b1930e15c4d8608)
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.autosnelwegen.nl%2Fasw%2Fpics%2Ffotowedstrijd%2Fokt07-07.jpg&hash=57723302461a608a72195b494cf0c91f81c1a7d7)
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(The four pictures above were sent to me as candidates for the monthly roadphoto contest on Wegenforum.nl)
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NB: just before I reached this gantry, 2 lanes were being closed.
Reason: an accident some half mile away. Duration to pass: 20 minutes...
Yeah, we really love those 4 lane perpetually congested freeways over here :ded:
The 401 during rush hour:
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg146.imageshack.us%2Fimg146%2F9599%2Fhighway401missqj6.jpg&hash=d7c62a8002e511d8e20f8382f900d41c90b4987b)
I discovered last May when driving from Idaho to Maine with friends that the best way to handle the 401 during rushhour is to use the collector-distributors the whole way. That highway is a nightmare
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.southeastroads.com%2Fpersonal%2Ftraffic%2Fi-085_sb_ne_of_atlanta.jpg&hash=4e3d0d981e066e1970df7c0ebc0a07273cb19fd5)
Interstate 85 northeast of Atlanta, though with this volume of traffic, it typically moves at 60+ mph until peak hours begin.
My favourite 401 traffic image:
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yeah and it always gets jammed in the narrow sections
(The collector and Express system join together here)
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.onthighways.com%2Fhwy_401_images%2F401_cl_354_west.jpg&hash=34fd3d241e9eef6a1ec95890a850621614943e8c)
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It still gets busy where the highway swells up.
I now can see why the 401 gets such notoriety! How far out do the Toronto suburbs stretch anyway?
And one rawr_apples might appreciate:
(//www.aaroads.com/forum_images/northwest/i-084_portland_traffic.jpg)
Interstate 84 eastbound, slow moving due to a mid-afternoon accident.
Where's Seattle traffic or the WA-520 floating bridge during rush hour?
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg266.imageshack.us%2Fimg266%2F6008%2Fgowhereyouneedtogogb1.jpg&hash=056e91d22cfdbb8574fc2e94f7a0dbf817543f4d)
Interstate 96/275 at 9 Mile Road. Farmington Hills, MI
Whoa that's a large picture..
But the traffic seems to be moving at least. Not really fast, but it's not stationary.
This is the M25 beltway around London UK, unfortunately I didn't have my DSLR with me at the time so I had to use my cellphone.
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fsabre-roads.org.uk%2Fgallery%2Falbums%2Fuserpics%2F10163%2Fqueue2.jpg&hash=5e660458992b4d0d2aff9c1560674e729f581fba)
And this is the M6 which is the only really decent north-south road along the northwest of England. An accident occurs on it every day which results in long delays. The congestion in this picture is caused by the evening rush hour.
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fsabre-roads.org.uk%2Fgallery%2Falbums%2Fuserpics%2F10163%2Fm6q.jpg&hash=7115ec51bc3069b5a016317b9b38a75ee00b85cb)
Great photos, I always find it commical when VMS or permanent signs with yellow beacons indicate "congestion area" or "congestion ahead slow down", as if you needed a sign to remind you of what is so plainly obvious to your own eyes. :eyebrow:
^^ Those are meant for securing the "tail" of a traffic jam, so people don't enter stationary traffic with 75 mph.
Again it should be obvious by the sea of brake lights. It would only be useful if the congestion was abrupt, which generally only happens during an accident situation.
^^ That's proven wrong. The number of traffic jam tail accidents has dropped significantly on Dutch freeways with such a system, compared to those without. First warnings are nearly 1200m (3/4 mile) before the tail-end.
That's if the VMS is working properly. The ones in this country often display messages long after the incident is over. If it's saying QUEUE AFTER NEXT JCT do you leave at that junction and then rejoin further ahead to avoid the incident or do you stay on the motorway in the hope the message is spurious?
In NL the system is fully automatic in response to induction-sensors every 600m (~ 0,35 mile) in the road-pavement. It is called Automatic Incident Detection (AID), and is in use since 1979. If speed drops to an avarage of less than 35 km/h (~20 mph) the gantry at that point will show a 50, the gantry 600m upstream will show a 50 with flashers, and another gantry even 600m further upstream wil show a 70 with flashers. All fully automatic. VMS only gives information on travel times or on the location the traffic jams are. See the picture down here:
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And yes, that's a VMS imported from Britain
Quote from: aswnl on February 13, 2009, 03:32:36 PM
^^ That's proven wrong. The number of traffic jam tail accidents has dropped significantly on Dutch freeways with such a system, compared to those without. First warnings are nearly 1200m (3/4 mile) before the tail-end.
Well it sounds like they are effective in Europe. VMS here generally display nothing, which is why I like to refer to them as WOM (wastes of moment). Some areas however do a good job; Texas for instance effectively uses travel times and the like to advise of congestion. Other areas do not inform motorists of congestion until they are already in the thick of it, which through my travels happens
far to often.
Quote from: aaroads on February 13, 2009, 07:22:47 PM
Well it sounds like they are effective in Europe. VMS here generally display nothing, which is why I like to refer to them as WOM (wastes of moment). Some areas however do a good job; Texas for instance effectively uses travel times and the like to advise of congestion. Other areas do not inform motorists of congestion until they are already in the thick of it, which through my travels happens far to often.
The same goes for traffic reports on the radio. By the time you get them it's too late.
Now, some of the internet traffic monitors are fine, but if you try to look at them while driving, you might start the next pileup! :ded:
i think this is as bad as San Angelo, Tx gets
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Yikes!
Why is it closed when the accident is well clear of the two lanes? At the very least they should keep one lane open instead of letting traffic build up.
I try to take pictures of crashes if I'm in the right place at the right time. My best one is of an air ambulance which due to the rotors on the helicopter requires traffic in both directions to be halted. I forgot the exact amount but on a busy road like this the queue extends something like half a mile for every minute it's closed.
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Is that M25?
Quote from: Chris on March 31, 2009, 09:57:19 AM
Is that M25?
No, it's the M1 near Kegworth, at almost the exact spot of the 1989 air crash.
Truvelo: This accident involved over 8 cars and a school bus got in a wreck on the access and the main roads
Rural traffic jam in the Netherlands. Time: 11.30 am, length: 8 miles.
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Was that caused by an accident or just people heading away for Easter?
Here traffic is expected to be worse this year as people go on domestic holidays rather than fly abroad due to the recession.
Both. The freeway was loaded with Germans with packed cars and trailers heading to the Dutch westcoast, and an accident happened 3 hours earlier.
Fantastic photos Chris, that's some seriously awful traffic! :wow: You don't get 8 mile back-ups on this side of the Atlantic too often...
Y'all need some railroads to allieviate that kind of truck traffic. :D
The problem with the railways in the UK is they are already running at capacity due to an intensive passenger service. Unlike North America the railways over here are something like 95% passenger and 5% freight so it's not as simple as running extra freight trains. The other problem we have is our loading gauge is very small which means normal 9'6 containers are too big to travel on many lines and those that do require the use of well wagons where the container sits just above the tracks between both sets of wheels. And the other problem with general freight is it's easier to take it door to door by road than to transfer it between road and rail. Most of our rail freight is bulk commodities like coal where huge amounts are transported between ports and power stations.
Because of this we have heavy truck traffic on the roads. In this picture there's fewer trucks than cars but they up a disproportionate amount of road space compared than cars when there's a jam. In this case a stalled car in the fast lane requires all traffic to be stopped to allow it to be moved to the shoulder. Traffic heading the other way is also slow due to rubbernecking where people slow down to take a look at what's going on. You can see the red Jaguar heading towards us is causing a long line behind it for this reason.
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fsabre-roads.org.uk%2Fgallery%2Falbums%2Fuserpics%2F10163%2Fnormal_wia.jpg&hash=8a85e5587a425e89100d8311ecae191669a7d49c)
The same rubbernecking deal is prevalent over here too. One day last year on the way back from work, a normal hour long drive took an extra 34 minutes due to several accidents. I was not driving this day, so I took several snaps before we finally bailed from the freeway:
(https://www.aaroads.com/personal/roads/ooo_car_crash.jpg) (https://www.aaroads.com/personal/roads/ooo_car_crash.jpg)
(https://www.aaroads.com/personal/roads/car_crash_aftermath.jpg) (https://www.aaroads.com/personal/roads/car_crash_aftermath.jpg)
(https://www.aaroads.com/personal/roads/ugh_still_backed_up.jpg) (https://www.aaroads.com/personal/roads/ugh_still_backed_up.jpg)
(https://www.aaroads.com/personal/roads/oh_now_its_our_turn.jpg) (https://www.aaroads.com/personal/roads/oh_now_its_our_turn.jpg)
(https://www.aaroads.com/personal/roads/shoulder_time.jpg) (https://www.aaroads.com/personal/roads/shoulder_time.jpg)
(https://www.aaroads.com/personal/roads/congestion_clears.jpg) (https://www.aaroads.com/personal/roads/congestion_clears.jpg)
(https://www.aaroads.com/personal/roads/reverse_commuting.jpg) (https://www.aaroads.com/personal/roads/reverse_commuting.jpg)
Special events can cause monstrous backups.
Tne annual Bonnaroo Festival produces backups so long that TDOT recommends that through traffic not take I-24.
NASCAR races are notorious for monster traffic tie ups as attendance at tracks is over 150,000!
On our way to the Bristol race a couple of weeks ago, we ended up bailing on I-81 over 25 miles from the track as the traffic was already stop and go! (The track's capacity is 160,000 and was still nearly full.)
And you don't want to be on I-20 east of Birmingham on the 26th of April when the first of two Talladega races is held.
Marysville, WA wanted a NASCAR track back in '07, that would have been a nightmare...only one 2-lane road on the property..no traffic lights, just stop signs.
QuoteYou don't get 8 mile back-ups on this side of the Atlantic too often...
The A2 freeway in NL had a 30 mile back-up three days in a row.... and that's just commuter traffic, no big accidents. X-(
QuoteUnlike North America the railways over here are something like 95% passenger and 5% freight so it's not as simple as running extra freight trains.
Same in the Netherlands. Here, 99.2% is transported by truck, 0.8% by rail. They did build a freight-only railway line, but the costs were astronomic (7 billion dollars for 80 miles of track through mostly rural area), so I don't see many others appearing soon here in Europe...
I don't have a photo, but I have a video of one.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJSrNwFs55E (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJSrNwFs55E)
Be well,
Bryant
This 18 mile backup was an international one, it started in Germany and the other end of the traffic jam was in the Netherlands. Reason: Germans heading for the Netherlands for easter holidays.
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm4.static.flickr.com%2F3548%2F3431822020_1dd144b0a1.jpg%3Fv%3D0&hash=49813434ba232a96aef139cdee128cc773f976b9)
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm4.static.flickr.com%2F3577%2F3431822770_d3e69e1220.jpg%3Fv%3D0&hash=4f404ad2f7f4477e1c042e75928474cf68453440)
Welcome to Northrhine-Westphalia.
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm4.static.flickr.com%2F3603%2F3431008843_d37ae11af6.jpg%3Fv%3D0&hash=97fe8accab0a9b8d9dca94e8df545975eef04b76)
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm4.static.flickr.com%2F3544%2F3431822982_2461be022a.jpg%3Fv%3D0&hash=6073c9784f44a329726397f196e89677fe44e010)
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm4.static.flickr.com%2F3628%2F3431009029_5b4042b633.jpg%3Fv%3D0&hash=0971fd5078b127f6a65595e0eff08f3fe429ec53)
here is a traffic jam in one of my cities in RCT3 :-D
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi618.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Ftt263%2FMangoSlush777%2FShot0105.jpg&hash=12cf0f18259fac26d38171903951b36f7dd56065)
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi618.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Ftt263%2FMangoSlush777%2FShot0104.jpg&hash=13d743e1307ffe817c3a39e7371dd5dc84cf7581)
i like making traffic jams :D :-D
Moscow traffic:
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg-fotki.yandex.ru%2Fget%2F3208%2Fswan654.2%2F0_28578_bc3b3c1d_XL&hash=1bde55350f495bdbbac85dee468ae0e805ec8f25)
How many lanes is that?(and I thought Ontario's 401 was bad)
That's Moscow, where urban surface streets are like 16 - 20 lanes wide... I wonder if they shouldn't build a 10 lane depressed expressway instead over there. Takes less space, but more capacity (freeflowing).
Jeez, how do people get anywhere in Moscow?
Here is a huge traffic jam
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi618.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Ftt263%2FMangoSlush777%2F092.jpg&hash=acf93241f36a81feb55e100c14dc1b9c46acac4a)
:) :-D
It obviously wasn't taken with a DSLR camera with a $1600 lens attached :pan:
Most people can't afford them. ;-)
Here's a taste of *light* traffic:
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fupload.wikimedia.org%2Fwikipedia%2Fcommons%2Fc%2Fc7%2FWA-531_eastbound.JPG&hash=4e065fc3a397d878faac36516e65c224b1d541b4)
You can see the traffic goes back to the freeway..about 0.23 miles away. (btw, this is my pic from Wikimedia)
Here is a nice thing of traffic:
http://picasaweb.google.com/Iansignal/MassachusettsTrafficSignalsAndRoadSigns#5323964181335913858 (http://picasaweb.google.com/Iansignal/MassachusettsTrafficSignalsAndRoadSigns#5323964181335913858)
I-90 east in Cambridge, MA approaching the Cambridge toll plaza.
Here's a picture I took 3 hours ago on the M25 beltway near London Heathrow. A truck carrying carpets caught fire. I was traveling in the opposite direction to the incident yet I still got stuck in one mile of congestion as people slowed down to rubberneck :angry:
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.speedcam.co.uk%2Fd70%2Fm25fire.jpg&hash=7c41eb5fe14944373d43b8fe3c0fb9cd5c8ad587)
One mile? You were lucky, rubbernecking jams can be over 10 miles long in the Netherlands :-P That happens when your road network is already 110% saturated...
Another rubbernecking example: I hit a backup on I-95 heading home from Vermont yesterday, just south of MD 198. For what was an already cleared-up accident on the Inner Loop (I-495/DC Beltway) several miles away. On a segment of the Inner Loop I wasn't even going on (the accident was west of I-95, somewhere near Colesville Rd/US 29). Total rubbernecking backup: about 9-10 miles.
Last summer in LA I think...there was an earthquake that damaged SR 91 and we were stuck in the backup...maybe 10 mi!
Three weeks ago I noted back to back days where all eastbound lanes of Interstate 10 were blocked in Mobile. The first day involved something near the Wallace Tunnel and the second on the stretch of freeway between the I-65 on and off-ramps.
(//www.aaroads.com/forum_images/southeast/i-010_mobile_traffic_01.jpg)
(//www.aaroads.com/forum_images/southeast/i-010_mobile_traffic_02.jpg)
Memorial Day traffic hell:
(//www.aaroads.com/forum_images/southeast/i-010_al_mem_day_jam.jpg) (//www.aaroads.com/forum_images/southeast/i-010_al_mem_day_jam.jpg)
This traffic back-up emanated from the George Wallace Tunnel westbound bottleneck. Returning to the area 90 minutes later, the congestion ahead sign flashed, but traffic flowed smoothly.
(//www.aaroads.com/forum_images/southeast/i-010_fl_mem_day_jam.jpg) (//www.aaroads.com/forum_images/southeast/i-010_fl_mem_day_jam.jpg)
A nasty accident along Interstate 10 westbound blocked both lanes, with traffic barely getting by. A number of motorists braved the center median to turn around.
Quote from: AARoads on May 24, 2009, 11:50:06 AM
A number of motorists braved the center median to turn around.
Now I know why there's a lot of SUV's over there ;-)
You won't see that in Europe, nearly all freeways/motorways have a barrier or guardrail in the median, and both carriageways are not spaced that far apart.
Quote from: Chris on May 24, 2009, 02:41:13 PM
You won't see that in Europe, nearly all freeways/motorways have a barrier or guardrail in the median, and both carriageways are not spaced that far apart.
There are a few locations in the UK that I know of where you can cross the median. Here (http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=clevedon&sll=53.800651,-12.392578&sspn=20.75183,73.828125&ie=UTF8&ll=51.397835,-2.855665&spn=0.001332,0.004506&t=k&z=19) if you look either side of the bridge there are gaps in between the barriers where it's possible to sneak through.
Germany's traffic jams are baaaadddddd. I got caught in one on the A-5 that was over 15 miles long with trucks hogging the entire right lane. :angry:
Quote from: njroadhorse on May 24, 2009, 04:56:34 PM
Germany's traffic jams are baaaadddddd. I got caught in one on the A-5 that was over 15 miles long with trucks hogging the entire right lane. :angry:
My experience is that commuter traffic is not too bad, but you'll get the most delay at construction sites and accidents. Germans are not too shy to close down all lanes for hours when an accident happened.
Quote from: Chris on May 25, 2009, 02:46:35 AM
Quote from: njroadhorse on May 24, 2009, 04:56:34 PM
Germany's traffic jams are baaaadddddd. I got caught in one on the A-5 that was over 15 miles long with trucks hogging the entire right lane. :angry:
My experience is that commuter traffic is not too bad, but you'll get the most delay at construction sites and accidents. Germans are not too shy to close down all lanes for hours when an accident happened.
I think it was an accident that happened because this was about 1:00 in the afternoon on a Saturday, so there would be no commuter traffic. I know that the A5 is tourist hot route between Frankfurt and Basel.
I got stuck in traffic on I-80 EB southwest of Chicago on Monday - because of road construction. The line was backed up for at least three miles. A little patience, popcorn and soda were all I needed :cool:
Ive been in bad traffic in DFW, San Antonio, Houston, Austin, Oklahoma City, Kansas City, Ect
26-May-09 (I-85 South, South Fulton County, GA)
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2F2.bp.blogspot.com%2F_CujheZPDwIE%2FSh2KNnG8IUI%2FAAAAAAAAADQ%2FQbGib2yt9tM%2Fs200%2FPICT0316&hash=0d26da92f831af321d5a64146ed2234f81674c94)
Be well,
Bryant
This traffic jam was a bit frustrating. :ded:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQX1bcSX2Dg (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQX1bcSX2Dg)
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Faaroads.com%2Fforum_images%2Fsoutheast%2Fcr-399_nb_bob_sikes_br.jpg&hash=13387dc2c3a0364dd46772d1367158a66891c6ca) (http://aaroads.com/forum_images/southeast/cr-399_nb_bob_sikes_br.jpg)
A monumental traffic back-up from the Bob Sikes Bridge toll plaza (CR 399?) at Pensacola beach leading north 6.3 friggin' miles!
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Faaroads.com%2Fforum_images%2Fsoutheast%2Fus-098_wb_3_mile_br.jpg&hash=e15583a3eeb8659a4e78ca74cbdf80015bc78f20) (http://aaroads.com/forum_images/southeast/us-098_wb_3_mile_br.jpg)
U.S. 98 eastbound through Gulf Breeze was clogged, and much to my surprise, the back-up continued all the way to the beginning of the three-mile bridge over Pensacola Bay. Too bad for those heading east, that the back-up begun just after the point of no return!
Just found this jam up shot on Route 99 in Massachusetts. Oh the tale of two directions...
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fcommons.wikimedia.org%2Fwiki%2FFile%3AMA_Route_99.JPG&hash=6cd0b0eba83230776413fb2875efb43cfb419217)
Quote from: njroadhorse on June 03, 2009, 08:07:26 PM
Just found this jam up shot on Route 99 in Massachusetts. Oh the tale of two directions...
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fupload.wikimedia.org%2Fwikipedia%2Fcommons%2Fa%2Faa%2FMA_Route_99.JPG&hash=81454d00146b9fadd857fe1ba93ac06921c868ba)
I fixed your link so the picture showed.
Standard 5:10pm weekday Dallas traffic.
Nothing as cool as Moscow, I'm afraid.
IH 635 eastbound at Tollway
(https://www.aaroads.com/uploads/Justin/111020.jpg)
Tollway southbound. Its solidly backed up for about 20 miles in each direction from 4:45pm to 6:45pm
(https://www.aaroads.com/uploads/Justin/111030.jpg)
Quote from: AARoads on February 13, 2009, 07:22:47 PM
Well it sounds like they are effective in Europe. VMS here generally display nothing, which is why I like to refer to them as WOM (wastes of moment). Some areas however do a good job; Texas for instance effectively uses travel times and the like to advise of congestion. Other areas do not inform motorists of congestion until they are already in the thick of it, which through my travels happens far to often.
for all else that's broken about LA's freeway system, the VMS with times to various destinations is quite good.
Quote from: njroadhorse on June 03, 2009, 08:07:26 PM
Just found this jam up shot on Route 99 in Massachusetts. Oh the tale of two directions...
Bet ya anything the Artery was closed southbound.
I was hauling through Germany yesterday, and I drove north on the A7 between Würzburg and Kassel, and suddenly there were trucks all over the Autobahn, braking hard, and I had to wait for 20 minutes before traffic began moving again.
This accident happened just half a mile ahead of me. There was another car in the left barrier with similar damage. Quite weird.
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi39.tinypic.com%2F316uphv.jpg&hash=8b0d7985670625d298d5d047e43a9c9c96d0b63b)
Nope, no ranting today! :clap:
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm3.static.flickr.com%2F2555%2F3675804384_5ca75d52bf_o.jpg&hash=5c12704c058e41079a8f7fc56696d0bdeb33c568)
I-95 South in Fairfax County, VA looking from I-95 North(between US 1(Exit 161) and SR 642(Exit 163). VDOT is currently adding a fourth regular lane in both directions here though between VA 123(Exit 160) and SR 7100(Exit 166) (https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi622.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Ftt304%2F24DIDNOTWIN%2FI-95SOUTHCONGESTIONNORTHOFUS1EXIT16.jpg&hash=c29bde469f887bf66328662f827a558c6f6a9df6)
The official bottleneck of Hanover County. I-95 NB going down to 3 lanes(6 in both directions) north of SR 656/Sliding Hill Rd (https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi622.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Ftt304%2F24DIDNOTWIN%2FI-95NORTHABOUT11MILESSOUTHOFSR802EX.jpg&hash=e18a3e5b735adf1ea6641ce6d59f72ee8b15f0ee)
Here's a blast from the past.
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fv645%2Frickmastfan67%2FInterstates%2FNC%2FI-77%2FIm001781s.jpg&hash=d9d26c02a80df2d9405cac00dcca91f5e932e702)
Took this in May '05 in Charlotte on I-77 after leaving the Food Lion Speed Street. At this moment, I-77 is 4 lanes (3 + 1HOV; and yes I was with the family so I wasn't breaking the HOV Law) and just past the future I-485 (at that time since it wasn't open yet) exit, it went from 4 to 2 LANES!! That was a massive backup there. Since then, they've extended one of the lanes farther up to the next exit (#23; Gilead Rd), but you still have to deal with the new traffic from I-485.
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Flh5.ggpht.com%2F_WYYeXvkUoUE%2FSlf9xZAMGrI%2FAAAAAAAABxg%2FlLDaPuCglLI%2Fs800%2F030.JPG&hash=24095ac82c191b0fff4455fce1b92cdc5512ef3e)
City of Del Rio International Bridge, i was on there for an hour :banghead:
More I-95 NB congestion from last Sunday (https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi622.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Ftt304%2F24DIDNOTWIN%2FI-95NORTHCONGESTIONSOUTHOFSR606.jpg&hash=5c9146d4bbf771551b3ebde703c132bdfcc10176)
Even more I-95 NB congestion back south of SR 802(Lewistown Rd) (https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi622.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Ftt304%2F24DIDNOTWIN%2FI-95NORTHCONGESTIONSOUTHOFSR802.jpg&hash=0a78d03b7aa97839a9ef6d5f851c6bbaa8f186e6)
I must get REALLY lucky not to hit that mess going to/from NC. The reality is I-95 in VA needs 8 lanes from I-295 to Fredericksburg and then 10-12 lanes from there to the beltway (3-2-2-3 or 3-3-3-3). None of that half-assed reversible HOV/HOT crap. I suppose I'm lucky I live in a state where I-95 is a toll road and was readily expanded and has decent alternates.
Quote from: NJRoadfan on July 13, 2009, 12:01:50 AM
I must get REALLY lucky not to hit that mess going to/from NC. The reality is I-95 in VA needs 8 lanes from I-295 to Fredericksburg and then 10-12 lanes from there to the beltway (3-2-2-3 or 3-3-3-3). None of that half-assed reversible HOV/HOT crap. I suppose I'm lucky I live in a state where I-95 is a toll road and was readily expanded and has decent alternates.
Normally its not that bad south of Fredericksburg except for the fact that it was a holiday weekend and probably the same for most weekends in general. VDOT doesn't have money though to widen I-95 here though currently :-/ Anyway some US 501 NB congestion just outside of Aynor, SC NW of Conway (https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi622.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Ftt304%2F24DIDNOTWIN%2FUS501SOUTHSOUTHOFAYNOR.jpg&hash=9688056fc53c3207629879b5b24c98db71f50b04)
Went through one major jam yesterday where we went just one mile in 33 minutes and thought of this old thread.
Was fortunate enough to be going the other direction two weeks ago when a southbound accident on I-75 snarled traffic for nearly the entire stretch between Exits 341 and 350:
(//www.aaroads.com/forum_images/southeast/i0075_ocala_traffic_01.jpg) (//www.aaroads.com/forum_images/southeast/i0075_ocala_traffic_01.jpg)
(//www.aaroads.com/forum_images/southeast/i0075_ocala_traffic_02.jpg) (//www.aaroads.com/forum_images/southeast/i0075_ocala_traffic_02.jpg)
On the flipside, we just passed the point of no return on the I-95 viaduct leading north from the Girard Point Bridge to Exit 19 in Philadelphia when we came to a halt. Several emergency vehicles pushed through to respond to an accident involving a pick up truck as we moved just one mile in a half hour or so.
(//www.aaroads.com/forum_images/northeast/i0095_phila_traffic.jpg) (//www.aaroads.com/forum_images/northeast/i0095_phila_traffic.jpg)
These pictures remind me of this backup that caught me in 2011:
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nysroads.com%2Fimages%2Fgallery%2FNY%2Fi87%2F100_5835-s.JPG&hash=f280cf283a99910e571fd54b6fc4a7c641a56de5)
Photo was taken after sitting in the backup for over an hour (it started near I-287 exit 2 when I entered it). It took another hour for me to leave it. All that over a minor fender bender. Not exaggerating.
I've seen similar issues on the Northway a couple times. I don't know what it is, but the SB stretch between exits 4 and 2 is a death trap.
I saw this massive traffic back-up in downtown Sheffield, AL on 6-17-14 because an intermodal train stopped on both of the crossings in the downtown:
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7471/15933880442_ef94a47e93_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/qh2iwA)
Massive Traffic Back-up (https://flic.kr/p/qh2iwA) by freebrickproductions (https://www.flickr.com/people/96431468@N06/), on Flickr
A long time ago I was roaring down a narrow two-lane county route somewhere in Hunterdon Co., NJ and I came up behind a long line of somewhat slow moving cars - very unusual (and frustrating) for the area. I hit a straight stretch with a long hill down and proceeded to pop out into the opposing lane and pass probably about 10 cars in a row (in a '79 Pinto wagon pushed to its limits) before squeezing my way back in, jumping back out to pass and forcing my way back in 1 or 2 more times, before I finally ended up behind the hearse.
Got stuck in a massive backup on I-264 E near Mt. Trashmore while headed towards Virginia Beach a few weeks ago. It took me nearly 45 minutes to travel what was about three-quarters of a mile. The cause was a collision between a police cruiser and a motorcycle that pretty much vaporized the cycle and closed three out of four lanes.