Obviously a lot are going to be in the inner cities like along the Dan Ryan in Chicago or the Cross Bronx in New York. What are some of the most shady exits you can think of?
For me in another post a few weeks ago I mentioned some exits in Benton Harbor a stretch of them along I-94 between exits 27 and 33. And that kind of got me thinking of where some others are.
Perhaps this could also warn us of which exits to avoid.
Quote from: Flint1979 on July 30, 2019, 11:03:02 AM
Obviously a lot are going to be in the inner cities like along the Dan Ryan in Chicago or the Cross Bronx in New York. What are some of the most shady exits you can think of?
For me in another post a few weeks ago I mentioned some exits in Benton Harbor a stretch of them along I-94 between exits 27 and 33. And that kind of got me thinking of where some others are.
Perhaps this could also warn us of which exits to avoid.
Lots of trees around the US 19W exit on I-26 in Tennessee. :bigass:
When in an unfamiliar area, my rule is to stop at rural or suburban exits where the service I need is clearly within sight of the exit, traffic is light, and the exit is of a normal design (the on-ramp is clearly where it "should" be). There is no reason to look for any services in anything resembling a city, even lodging. Proper trip planning takes care of that.
As to WV, IMHO:
64
Exit 6 - West Huntington. Somewhat sketchy neighborhood, complex re-entry, and the services are not oriented towards the interstate.
Some people would say Exit 11 - Hal Greer Blvd. I would not anymore. While WV's second worst s***hole neighborhood is just around the bend, the area right be the exit has been developed into a secure area of highway oriented businesses.
77
All exits between MP 55 and 95. Methland.
Exit 95. A plethora of cheap motels at the south edge of Charleston where Detroit dope dealers stay to meet their local contacts. Lots of shoot outs.
Exit 100 - Charleston's hood. Lots of hangers out.
Really that is it.
Fish Hatchery Road in Madison. Roughest part of the city.
Edit: Not on an Interstate, but whatever.
There probably better words than "shady", because in this context, shady generally describes people or activities, not places. It would be wise to stick to discussing the latter, and to be honest, I'm not sure this thread will be able stay on the rails either way, but I guess I'll bite.
I think the best thing to do is just use your own judgment, the #1 rule being don't stray far from freeways / main highways in urban areas (except for the downtown cores, which are usually pretty safe).
Rochester isn't a very big city, but I don't think there are any freeway exits where I would feel unsafe, at least not within the confines of the interchange and the areas immediately adjacent. Most of the areas where there is a higher-than-normal chance of encountering danger aren't that close to a freeway. In fact, I would say the same for all of Upstate NY, the areas near the southern end of I-190 and NY 33 in Buffalo being a possible exception, and I can't speak for the Albany area.
Quote from: SP Cook on July 30, 2019, 11:40:19 AM
Exit 6 - West Huntington. Somewhat sketchy neighborhood, complex re-entry, and the services are not oriented towards the interstate.
To be fair, Exit 6 is a freeway-to-freeway interchange, US-52 being a super-2 freeway between I-64, across the Ohio River, and to OH-7.
The exits to Downtown Huntington are off of the US-52 freeway, and that's where the businesses are. I wouldn't stop there certainly, I do agree with that.
Quote from: webny99 on July 30, 2019, 12:09:53 PM
There probably better words than "shady", because in this context, shady generally describes people or activities, not places. It would be wise to stick to discussing the latter, and to be honest, I'm not sure this thread will be able stay on the rails either way, but I guess I'll bite.
I think the best thing to do is just use your own judgment, the #1 rule being don't stray far from freeways / main highways in urban areas (except for the downtown cores, which are usually pretty safe).
Rochester isn't a very big city, but I don't think there are any freeway exits where I would feel unsafe, at least not within the confines of the interchange and the areas immediately adjacent. Most of the areas where there is a higher-than-normal chance of encountering danger aren't that close to a freeway. In fact, I would say the same for all of Upstate NY, the areas near the southern end of I-190 and NY 33 in Buffalo being a possible exception, and I can't speak for the Albany area.
What I actually meant was an area where you could tell it's not a good area.
I live in Saginaw and it's often ranked as one of the most dangerous cities in the country and there are a couple exits off I-75 and I-675 that lead to some areas you wouldn't want to stop in. For I-75 there are two exits 149 and 151. Exit 149 is M-46 and has a few things highway oriented like a BP and Speedway gas station, Popeyes, Burger King, McDonald's and Arbys. There use to be a mall there that was demolished about 10 years ago the mall sat vacant for years and attracted crime in an area with high crime rates already. There was a shooting at the speedway a few years ago too, full out shoot out outside in the front of the store.
Exit 151 is M-81 it has a Flying J and BP with a Wendy's in the Flying J and McDonald's in the BP. Other than that the exit really leads to nothing, there are some industrial businesses around the exit and the crime rate is pretty high in this area.
For I-675 exits 1 and 2 lead to some rough areas. Exit 2 has two off ramps going northbound the second one was built about 10 years ago to better serve downtown Saginaw. The exit before that was the original downtown exit and you had to travel through a run down area with high crime rates to get downtown.
The crime isn't super bad like you would think but Saginaw only has about 50,000 people so per capita it's dangerous.
Exit 15B on the Capitol Beltway to Seat Pleasant. What an awful town. Anything east of the Anacostia in DC proper is also shady.
Nashville has quite a few sketchy suburban exits:
I-24 Exits 59 (US 41/70S Murfreesboro Rd), 56 (TN 255 Harding Place), 57 (Haywood Lane/Antioch), and 59 (TN 254 Bell Rd). None of the motels left at these exits are in any way safe. Some of the gas stations may be ok due to being fairly busy and well kept, but some of the fast food places are also sketchy (I worked at the McD's at Exit 56 way back in HS so I have first hand experience of watching it go downhill). Once at Exit 60 and beyond the exits are fine. I would also argue that the ~15 year old Kroger and adjoining shopping center near Exit 54 (TN 155 Briley Pkwy/Thompson Lane) actually made that vicinity slightly better, so I'm not including it.
Other sketchy Nashville exits:
* I-65 Exit 90A (US 31W/41 Dickerson Pike)
* I-40 Exit 219 (Stewart's Ferry Pike, which is sad because I used to live in this area in the early 00's)
* I-24/40 Exit 212 (Fesslers Lane eastbound, US 70 Hermitage Ave westbound)
* I-24/65 Exit 87 (US 431 Trinity Lane)
Many of the rest of Nashville's exits are either urban, still safe, or are becoming safer due to the regentrification of the surrounding neighborhoods.
Quote from: sprjus4 on July 30, 2019, 12:25:10 PM
Quote from: SP Cook on July 30, 2019, 11:40:19 AM
Exit 6 - West Huntington. Somewhat sketchy neighborhood, complex re-entry, and the services are not oriented towards the interstate.
To be fair, Exit 6 is a freeway-to-freeway interchange, US-52 being a super-2 freeway between I-64, across the Ohio River, and to OH-7.
The exits to Downtown Huntington are off of the US-52 freeway, and that's where the businesses are. I wouldn't stop there certainly, I do agree with that.
I'm an occasional patron of the Sheetz there, although it's difficult to get back on US 52 going in either direction. If I'm traveling on I-64, I'll typically stop at the Milton Sheetz. However, the easiest way to get to the north side of the river is via this route, so I'll hit the Sheetz if I'm using US 52 to connect to OH 7.
In terms of shady exits in Kentucky, the US 150 exit on I-64 dumps you out in a bad neighborhood of Louisville. And there have been an alarming number of shootings in Lexington, so the US 27/68 exit isn't exactly nirvana.
The only one I can think of in Kzoo is the Douglas Avenue exit off of BUS 131, but you would have to go a half mile south of the interchange to be in anything sketchy. There is a Deja Vu strip joint on Ravine Rd just before Douglas Avenue, which looks kind of sketchy. Also, the is the "40 Winks" motel where some of the city's druggies rent out rooms when they have nowhere else to go.
Grand Rapids OTOH, I wouldn't get off US 131 anywhere around the S-Curve from what I have heard. I have no first hand experience as I don't go to GR that often, but this is what I have been told.
MD 4 exit off of the Capital Beltway in Suitland, MD. I needed gas there and got out to pump and I was being stalked by the locals it seemed because I being white in an all social class suburb of the big DC must of been strange.
Nonetheless, I heard in the Dead Malls thread even Landover now gone sketchy and even the Landover Mall is now history.
The South 2nd St and Texas Ave exits off of I-20 in Monroe, LA. Monroe was the most dangerous city in the country last year, and those exits put you right in one of the worst parts of town. Honorable mention goes to the US 165 south exit.
Quote from: Flint1979 on July 30, 2019, 11:03:02 AM
I mentioned some exits in Benton Harbor a stretch of them along I-94 between exits 27 and 33.
I've hitchhiked from the southwest-bound on-ramp at Exit 30. It didn't strike me as dangerous at all, and I had zero problems (other than it taking nearly 1.5 hours to get a ride, standing in the summer sun). In fact, the pastor who dropped me off there (having picked me up at Paw Paw) told me he did so specifically because he thought it was a decently safe spot.
Exit 76A on I-95 NB in Virginia literally dumps you next to Richmond's largest and most notorious public housing project.
Exit 193B on I-64 EB dumps you next to the 2nd largest one.
Quote from: plain on July 31, 2019, 12:33:51 AM
Exit 76A on I-95 NB in Virginia literally dumps you next to Richmond's largest and most notorious public housing project.
Exit 193B on I-64 EB dumps you next to the 2nd largest one.
Google once routed me through both those projects and the East End to avoid congestion at the I-64 / I-95 interchange... This was me thinking it would be a good idea to take I-64 all the way through Richmond at rush hour...
Rural exits with very few people around are way, way shadier than anything in the "inner city". I've never felt more fearful while driving than while being tailed by a pick-up on a deserted country road with no cell service.
Around the cities, the exits off I-94 between 694 and 394 (226-230). 94 runs along the edge of the city's most media-induced hysterically feared neighborhoods through here, but there are no interstate-adjacent services except at the Broadway exit. Getting into St. Paul the exits at Ruth St and White Bear Ave will feed into the tougher areas of the East Side neighborhoods.
Quote from: Bruce on July 31, 2019, 02:15:14 AM
Rural exits with very few people around are way, way shadier than anything in the "inner city". I've never felt more fearful while driving than while being tailed by a pick-up on a deserted country road with no cell service.
I agree with that statement.
Around me...
Exits 4 & 5B off I-676 in Camden (OK going to concerts at BB&T Center in Camden. Otherwise, bit of a hell hole).
Exit 6 of I-95 in Wilmington (Turning towards the river, not too bad. Turn the other way...not so great!).
Exit 23 (Aramingo Ave) off of I-95 in Philly.
The Route 9 North Exit just west of the Delaware Memorial Bridge (Deceiving. Neighborhoods aren't too great there).
Quote from: Bruce on July 31, 2019, 02:15:14 AM
Rural exits with very few people around are way, way shadier than anything in the "inner city". I've never felt more fearful while driving than while being tailed by a pick-up on a deserted country road with no cell service.
Lot of truth in that one. Make it a narrow road, barely or unpaved, with out of state plates and you might as well get back on the highway before its too late!
Quote from: Bruce on July 31, 2019, 02:15:14 AM
Rural exits with very few people around are way, way shadier than anything in the "inner city". I've never felt more fearful while driving than while being tailed by a pick-up on a deserted country road with no cell service.
Cue the banjos!
roll 'em up!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sDuKDoDYf4
Quote from: Bruce on July 31, 2019, 02:15:14 AM
Rural exits with very few people around are way, way shadier than anything in the "inner city".
Crime statistics disagree. But I was talking about services, not driving somewhere on back road (which, BTW, is almost certainly fine as well).
If I am driving on an interstate and am in a rural or suburban area with an ordinary exit, and there is an Exxon, a Burger King, and a Sleep Inn, clearly visible from the road before I exit, it is near 100% certain that all will be well run and safe and there to provide me what I need.
Quote from: SP Cook on July 31, 2019, 10:36:10 AM
Quote from: Bruce on July 31, 2019, 02:15:14 AM
Rural exits with very few people around are way, way shadier than anything in the "inner city".
Crime statistics disagree. But I was talking about services, not driving somewhere on back road (which, BTW, is almost certainly fine as well).
If I am driving on an interstate and am in a rural or suburban area with an ordinary exit, and there is an Exxon, a Burger King, and a Sleep Inn, clearly visible from the road before I exit, it is near 100% certain that all will be well run and safe and there to provide me what I need.
You're much more likely to hear gunshots in an urban area, but since there are so many people around, you're unlikely to be the target. Same with theft – it could just as easily be anyone in the area.
Quote from: SP Cook on July 31, 2019, 10:36:10 AM
Quote from: Bruce on July 31, 2019, 02:15:14 AM
Rural exits with very few people around are way, way shadier than anything in the "inner city".
Crime statistics disagree.
You have access to crime statistics related to highway exits ???
Quote from: Bruce on July 31, 2019, 02:15:14 AM
being tailed by a pick-up on a deserted country road with no cell service.
You have just described half the exits on I-10, 40, 70, 80, or 90 across the great plains.
All I can think of are the flyover ramps in the Bronx for the Deegan/Cross Bronx Expressways and for the Cross Bronx/GWB/Henry Hudson Parkway. Those ramps are tall, narrow and bend very tightly.
Quote from: Flint1979 on July 30, 2019, 11:03:02 AM
Obviously a lot are going to be in the inner cities like along the Dan Ryan in Chicago ...
Really, most of the rough neighborhoods I've been to in Chicago have been away from the Interstates. I suppose, if I were to pick one, I'd go with I-290 @ California/Sacramento.
Quote from: webny99 on July 30, 2019, 12:09:53 PM
Rochester isn't a very big city, but I don't think there are any freeway exits where I would feel unsafe, at least not within the confines of the interchange and the areas immediately adjacent. Most of the areas where there is a higher-than-normal chance of encountering danger aren't that close to a freeway.
Quote from: kphoger on July 31, 2019, 06:46:00 PM
Really, most of the rough neighborhoods I've been to in Chicago have been away from the Interstates.
So maybe it isn't just a small city thing. I assumed it was, as bigger cities tend to have larger, more complicated and/or integrated freeway networks.
Everything in Baltimore is in the shade of one of these:
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fupload.wikimedia.org%2Fwikipedia%2Fcommons%2F0%2F08%2FUnion-rat.jpg&hash=db614b0aea426c333ce8b51161e63e4815ab4c7a)
Quote from: kphoger on July 31, 2019, 06:46:00 PM
Quote from: Flint1979 on July 30, 2019, 11:03:02 AM
Obviously a lot are going to be in the inner cities like along the Dan Ryan in Chicago ...
Really, most of the rough neighborhoods I've been to in Chicago have been away from the Interstates. I suppose, if I were to pick one, I'd go with I-290 @ California/Sacramento.
Well the Dan Ryan goes through Englewood and Fuller Park and other Southside ghettos. The Ike goes through some rough Westside neighborhoods.
Quote from: RobbieL2415 on July 31, 2019, 06:21:30 PM
All I can think of are the flyover ramps in the Bronx for the Deegan/Cross Bronx Expressways and for the Cross Bronx/GWB/Henry Hudson Parkway. Those ramps are tall, narrow and bend very tightly.
I know what you're talking about. I've been on the Cross Bronx to the Major Deegan southbound to go to Yankee Stadium several times.
I'd say I-110 in Los Angeles has lots of shady exits, seeing that it serves South Central, Watts, Inglewood and Compton. Same goes for I-105.
Quote from: Henry on August 02, 2019, 10:23:44 AM
I'd say I-110 in Los Angeles has lots of shady exits, seeing that it serves South Central, Watts, Inglewood and Compton. Same goes for I-105.
I interpreted the question the same way at first. It turns out that what was meant is "shadiest exits", not "greatest number of shady exits".
Quote from: Verlanka on July 31, 2019, 05:59:29 AM
Quote from: Bruce on July 31, 2019, 02:15:14 AM
Rural exits with very few people around are way, way shadier than anything in the "inner city". I've never felt more fearful while driving than while being tailed by a pick-up on a deserted country road with no cell service.
I agree with that statement.
As do I.
Quote from: SSR_317 on August 04, 2019, 01:47:23 PM
Quote from: Verlanka on July 31, 2019, 05:59:29 AM
Quote from: Bruce on July 31, 2019, 02:15:14 AM
Rural exits with very few people around are way, way shadier than anything in the "inner city". I've never felt more fearful while driving than while being tailed by a pick-up on a deserted country road with no cell service.
I agree with that statement.
As do I.
You all watched "Deliverance" too many times. I've never felt unsafe in a rural area; my dislike of lack of cell service is more related to not being able to call in case of a vehicle breakdown than any fear for my safety.
I have known several people with what can only be described as a phobia (and I, unlike some current PC types, use the word phobia properly) of rural travel. Fact is, Deliverance was a movie, and the idea that a person is going to run into any type of trouble, be it mad hillbillies, car trouble with service 100s of miles away, crooked shopkeepers with the only outlet for miles around, or whatever, is just not real. Fact is, any person, black or white, male or female, can safely travel any part of North America, provided they use common sense and reason.
Chancellor and Lyons Avenues in Newark off of Exits 54-55 of I-78 (both for Hillside Irvington, but different ramps due to ramp locations) is pretty shady now from what it used to be.
When I drove a 18 wheeler I usually slept at the consignee overnight so I wouldn't have to deal with a.m. rush hours.
I was delivering in Shitcargo near 51st & Halstead. I heard numerous gunshots somewhere in the neighborhood as soon as I got parked. I got my ass up & drove back to the closest truckstop in Gary, In. Those truckstops at exit 6 I 80/94 weren't much better but at least I had witnesses.
I-75 exit 122 (Pierson Rd, just outside of Flint). Crime is so high that many chains have pulled out of that area in the last 15-20 years:
A&W
Applebee's
Bob Evans
Burger King
KFC
Kmart
Long John Silver's
Meijer (indirectly replaced by the stores at I-69 exit 128 and I-75 exit 136)
Exit 117B (Miller Rd) on I-75 gets an honorable mention due to the pay by the hour motels at the exit, but there are more operating businesses at the exit (including locations of a few chains that left Pierson Rd)
Quote from: ftballfan on August 08, 2019, 09:19:54 PM
I-75 exit 122 (Pierson Rd, just outside of Flint). Crime is so high that many chains have pulled out of that area in the last 15-20 years:
A&W
Applebee's
Bob Evans
Burger King
KFC
Kmart
Long John Silver's
Meijer (indirectly replaced by the stores at I-69 exit 128 and I-75 exit 136)
Exit 117B (Miller Rd) on I-75 gets an honorable mention due to the pay by the hour motels at the exit, but there are more operating businesses at the exit (including locations of a few chains that left Pierson Rd)
Oh yeah I'm familiar with both exits. I was going to mention them later on but had just thought of eone Saginaw exits first. Anyway at the Pierson exit a few years ago I was sitting in the McDonald's parking lot and after being there for a few minutes a car pulls up beside me and I have my window down. I heard him ask me what city he was in and I simply said Flint, Michigan. He told me he was on his way from Ann Arbor to Tawas City and was running low on gas and didn't have any money. I said well I'm sorry man I can't help you out and my suggestion for you is to get back on I-75 this is not a safe area.
The Miller exit isn't bad really. If you were to go up to Ballenger and make a left it gets kinda rough near Court Street. Around the exit is ok it's also an exit off I-69 so it's pretty busy. I know what you mean about the hotels at that exit. Not that i would really have all reason to stay at a hotel in Flint but I wouldn't to stay at one at this exit. Hill Road off US-23 is a better choice.
Indiana:
I-64: Exit 123, Main St, New Albany
I-65: Exit 112, Lafayette Rd, Indianapolis
I-69: Exit 0, US 41, Evansville
I-70: Exit 85, Keystone/Rural, Indianapolis
I-74: Exit 96, Post Rd, Indianapolis
I-80/94: Exit 9, Grant St, Gary
I-90: Exit 14, Grant St, Gary
I-5 - Grapevine to Sacramento line - literally any interchange. Ditto I-70 from Truman Sports Complex to I-44.
Quote from: Flint1979 on August 10, 2019, 04:45:33 PM
Quote from: ftballfan on August 08, 2019, 09:19:54 PM
I-75 exit 122 (Pierson Rd, just outside of Flint). Crime is so high that many chains have pulled out of that area in the last 15-20 years:
A&W
Applebee's
Bob Evans
Burger King
KFC
Kmart
Long John Silver's
Meijer (indirectly replaced by the stores at I-69 exit 128 and I-75 exit 136)
Exit 117B (Miller Rd) on I-75 gets an honorable mention due to the pay by the hour motels at the exit, but there are more operating businesses at the exit (including locations of a few chains that left Pierson Rd)
Oh yeah I'm familiar with both exits. I was going to mention them later on but had just thought of eone Saginaw exits first. Anyway at the Pierson exit a few years ago I was sitting in the McDonald's parking lot and after being there for a few minutes a car pulls up beside me and I have my window down. I heard him ask me what city he was in and I simply said Flint, Michigan. He told me he was on his way from Ann Arbor to Tawas City and was running low on gas and didn't have any money. I said well I'm sorry man I can't help you out and my suggestion for you is to get back on I-75 this is not a safe area.
The Miller exit isn't bad really. If you were to go up to Ballenger and make a left it gets kinda rough near Court Street. Around the exit is ok it's also an exit off I-69 so it's pretty busy. I know what you mean about the hotels at that exit. Not that i would really have all reason to stay at a hotel in Flint but I wouldn't to stay at one at this exit. Hill Road off US-23 is a better choice.
My dad once stayed at the Red Roof Inn off Miller Road while taking a class in Flint and he noticed how busy it was at night. He only ended up there because it was very cheap online. However, the Hill Rd area is very hard to get to from northbound I-75 (either having to double back at Bristol Rd or take I-475 to Hill Rd).
Some other shady exits I can think of off the top of my head:
I-75 exit 11, LaPlaisance Rd, Monroe
I-96 exit 33, Plainfield Ave, Grand Rapids
I-96 exit 104, Cedar St, Lansing
US-131 exits 82 to 84A, Grand Rapids/Wyoming
Every exit on I-475 (Flint) besides Hill Rd and I-69
Most non-freeway/freeway or freeway/major arterial exits within the City of Detroit
In the Flint area for I-75.
131 is a good exit
126 is a strange exit. It has two older gas stations and an adult bookstore. Mt Morris is pretty ghetto in character too.
125 is I-475.
122 is a shithole exit.
118 is decent.
117 is decent depending on where your going on Miller and part of that exit is I-69 too.
116 is so-so. Lots of truck traffic with GM having a plant there and airport traffic as well.
115 is the US-23 split so nothing there.
111 is northbound I-475.
109 is the south end of Dort Hwy which at that point is good.
108 is good.
Out of all that I'm going with 122 as the worst one.
I remember not feeling particularly safe entering I-10 leaving Bourbon Street in New Orleans. I think I was around the 235/236 mile markers.
The Dan Ryan Expressway (90/94) through the south side of Chicago not only passes through some really rough areas (basically from Comiskey Park southward), but it has seen numerous freeway shootings. Many are targeted, but some have been random and you hear about it happening more often that you'd think. Runner up in the 'Chicago's most dangerous expressway' contest has to be the Stevenson Expressway, from roughly Pulaski east to it's junction with the Dan Ryan. Again, quite a few shooting incidents on that stretch of road. So, you don't even have to get off of the interstate to experience the nastyness of Chicago's shadiest areas.
In South Carolina:
20: A couple of those small-time exits between Aiken and Columbia are pretty bad. No lighting at night, and no services. Wire Rd is one.
26: 125 in Gaston is pretty empty at night. No services. None of the Charleston area exits (except maybe Spruill Ave when its open, has been closed for years) are shady.
77: Nothing really shady except for Fairfield County, maybe White Oak (46) and the last Winnsboro exit (41)
85: Nothing real shady.
95: Could list off 10 different exits. Nothing from Lake Marion, then 108 and 119 are the only really good exits in like a 50 mile stretch. Nothing at 62 or 68 in Colleton County either.
Quote from: ftballfan on August 12, 2019, 10:42:08 PM
Quote from: Flint1979 on August 10, 2019, 04:45:33 PM
Quote from: ftballfan on August 08, 2019, 09:19:54 PM
I-75 exit 122 (Pierson Rd, just outside of Flint). Crime is so high that many chains have pulled out of that area in the last 15-20 years:
A&W
Applebee's
Bob Evans
Burger King
KFC
Kmart
Long John Silver's
Meijer (indirectly replaced by the stores at I-69 exit 128 and I-75 exit 136)
Exit 117B (Miller Rd) on I-75 gets an honorable mention due to the pay by the hour motels at the exit, but there are more operating businesses at the exit (including locations of a few chains that left Pierson Rd)
Oh yeah I'm familiar with both exits. I was going to mention them later on but had just thought of eone Saginaw exits first. Anyway at the Pierson exit a few years ago I was sitting in the McDonald's parking lot and after being there for a few minutes a car pulls up beside me and I have my window down. I heard him ask me what city he was in and I simply said Flint, Michigan. He told me he was on his way from Ann Arbor to Tawas City and was running low on gas and didn't have any money. I said well I'm sorry man I can't help you out and my suggestion for you is to get back on I-75 this is not a safe area.
The Miller exit isn't bad really. If you were to go up to Ballenger and make a left it gets kinda rough near Court Street. Around the exit is ok it's also an exit off I-69 so it's pretty busy. I know what you mean about the hotels at that exit. Not that i would really have all reason to stay at a hotel in Flint but I wouldn't to stay at one at this exit. Hill Road off US-23 is a better choice.
My dad once stayed at the Red Roof Inn off Miller Road while taking a class in Flint and he noticed how busy it was at night. He only ended up there because it was very cheap online. However, the Hill Rd area is very hard to get to from northbound I-75 (either having to double back at Bristol Rd or take I-475 to Hill Rd).
Some other shady exits I can think of off the top of my head:
I-75 exit 11, LaPlaisance Rd, Monroe
I-96 exit 33, Plainfield Ave, Grand Rapids
I-96 exit 104, Cedar St, Lansing
US-131 exits 82 to 84A, Grand Rapids/Wyoming
Every exit on I-475 (Flint) besides Hill Rd and I-69
Most non-freeway/freeway or freeway/major arterial exits within the City of Detroit
Damn. I used to love that Meijer. It had a great barbershop inside. And was the first place I ever discovered Michigan's inconvenient blue laws (no liquor purchases between 2am and 10am on Sunday, at least that is what they told us). I always preferred the Miller Rd. exit over the Corunna Rd. exit, but then again that was 10 years ago, a lot has likely changed since then.
Quote from: TEG24601 on August 15, 2019, 07:12:57 PM
Quote from: ftballfan on August 12, 2019, 10:42:08 PM
Quote from: Flint1979 on August 10, 2019, 04:45:33 PM
Quote from: ftballfan on August 08, 2019, 09:19:54 PM
I-75 exit 122 (Pierson Rd, just outside of Flint). Crime is so high that many chains have pulled out of that area in the last 15-20 years:
A&W
Applebee's
Bob Evans
Burger King
KFC
Kmart
Long John Silver's
Meijer (indirectly replaced by the stores at I-69 exit 128 and I-75 exit 136)
Exit 117B (Miller Rd) on I-75 gets an honorable mention due to the pay by the hour motels at the exit, but there are more operating businesses at the exit (including locations of a few chains that left Pierson Rd)
Oh yeah I'm familiar with both exits. I was going to mention them later on but had just thought of eone Saginaw exits first. Anyway at the Pierson exit a few years ago I was sitting in the McDonald's parking lot and after being there for a few minutes a car pulls up beside me and I have my window down. I heard him ask me what city he was in and I simply said Flint, Michigan. He told me he was on his way from Ann Arbor to Tawas City and was running low on gas and didn't have any money. I said well I'm sorry man I can't help you out and my suggestion for you is to get back on I-75 this is not a safe area.
The Miller exit isn't bad really. If you were to go up to Ballenger and make a left it gets kinda rough near Court Street. Around the exit is ok it's also an exit off I-69 so it's pretty busy. I know what you mean about the hotels at that exit. Not that i would really have all reason to stay at a hotel in Flint but I wouldn't to stay at one at this exit. Hill Road off US-23 is a better choice.
My dad once stayed at the Red Roof Inn off Miller Road while taking a class in Flint and he noticed how busy it was at night. He only ended up there because it was very cheap online. However, the Hill Rd area is very hard to get to from northbound I-75 (either having to double back at Bristol Rd or take I-475 to Hill Rd).
Some other shady exits I can think of off the top of my head:
I-75 exit 11, LaPlaisance Rd, Monroe
I-96 exit 33, Plainfield Ave, Grand Rapids
I-96 exit 104, Cedar St, Lansing
US-131 exits 82 to 84A, Grand Rapids/Wyoming
Every exit on I-475 (Flint) besides Hill Rd and I-69
Most non-freeway/freeway or freeway/major arterial exits within the City of Detroit
Damn. I used to love that Meijer. It had a great barbershop inside. And was the first place I ever discovered Michigan's inconvenient blue laws (no liquor purchases between 2am and 10am on Sunday, at least that is what they told us). I always preferred the Miller Rd. exit over the Corunna Rd. exit, but then again that was 10 years ago, a lot has likely changed since then.
The Meijer closed around 2012ish and was replaced by the Swartz Creek one. There was already one in Birch Run too. It was a cool Meijer but I heard one reason they closed it was because it was too big, it was nearly 300,000 square feet. The other reason being the crime in the area. Kroger closed at Hallwood Plaza too but still has two stores on Corunna.
Actually the Miller exit always has had more at the exit than Corunna. Myself though I don't mind the Pierson exit but I know the area and can generally be ok around there. The exit I hate is Clio Road off 475.