I think of I-410 in San Antonio's southeast quadrant when I think of this subject (between the east intersection of I-10 going clockwise back to I-35). The section is just a 4 lane freeway that resembles a desolate rural freeway, plus the surrounding vegetation doesn't help. This is in stark contrast to the northern section which is highly congested and very urban. Also it is in very stark contrast compared to I-635, I-820 and I-610 in Texas which are extremely urbanized and some of the most congested highways in the country.
Just asking for a list of rural stretches of Interstate loop freeway that others may think of. Some are 100% rural and I don't really count those because I feel they are Interstate loops that were built in a city that didn't really deserve them (or in the case of Tennessee's I-840, so far away from the city's core, it basically is a rural Interstate). I am thinking of more a loop Interstate that has very urbanized sections and then very rural sections.
I-440 and I-430 in Little Rock immediately came to mind for this, even though they are 6 lanes. The southern part of 430 and eastern part of 440 both feel out of place considering how close they are to Little Rock.
Southern end of 495 in MA. The section through Wareham and Middleboro are desolate forests and cranberry bogs.
Northern sections of I-435 (particularly the NW section) in Kansas City
NE section of I-694 between White Bear Ave and I-94.
Cincinnati's I-275 is a good example. Between about mile marker 8 and 25, it's pretty rural Between MM 65 and 74 looks rural, too. Parts of both of those stretches are just 2 lanes in each direction.
Between mile markers 40 and 50, it's 3-5 lanes each way and fairly built up and urbanized.
Now, many would argue that the section between MM 8 and 25 shouldn't be where it is. In my opinion, a more direct route between mile markers 6 and 27 would have made more sense, but there were political issues involved in the routing. As the crow flies, mile markers 6 and 27 are only about 14 miles apart.
Northeastern portion of I-295 in Jacksonville is a contender.
Not full loops, but I could also include the southeastern portion of I-295 in Richmond and most of I-280 in the Quad Cities.
Chris
California's I-280 starts and ends in dense urban areas, but from the Stanford University campus to Pacifica the density falls off a cliff.
I-215 north of San Bernadino is a less scenic example.
The eastern end of I-270 in Illinois is perhaps a good example. I-270 in Missouri is mostly surrounded by suburban development, part of it is eight through lanes wide, and it's prone to congestion, but once it crosses the Mississippi river, it almost looks like you've left the metropolitan area. Judging from an aerial view, roughly half of the Illinois section appears to be surrounded by farmland, while the other half has low-density suburban development fairly close to it.
In California:
Interstate 505 north of Vacaville, though this was originally proposed as I-5W.
In that vein, I-580 southeast of Altamont towards I-5 (also originally proposed as I-5W). I-205 used to be much more rural in vibe but development between Altamont and Tracy has made it more of a suburban route over time.
A little too full of traffic to fit "rural" but that short segment of I-680 around Route 84 in Sunol definitely has more of an out-in-the-country feel despite being very close to Fremont and Union City.
---
In Nevada, I-580 south of Reno and north of Carson City.
---
In Kentucky, I-265 from Bardstown Road (US 31E/US 150) west to I-65 gives off a surprisingly undeveloped vibe.
Quote from: TheStranger on January 13, 2021, 05:54:48 PM
In California:
A little too full of traffic to fit "rural" but that short segment of I-680 around Route 84 in Sunol definitely has more of an out-in-the-country feel despite being very close to Fremont and Union City.
Same for the segment of I-680 between I-780 and I-80 (once you get away from the immediate area of each junction).
Quote from: stridentweasel on January 13, 2021, 05:39:53 PM
The eastern end of I-270 in Illinois is perhaps a good example. I-270 in Missouri is mostly surrounded by suburban development, part of it is eight through lanes wide, and it's prone to congestion, but once it crosses the Mississippi river, it almost looks like you've left the metropolitan area. Judging from an aerial view, roughly half of the Illinois section appears to be surrounded by farmland, while the other half has low-density suburban development fairly close to it.
And parts of I-255 look quite rural as well.
example (https://goo.gl/maps/FseV6kpEwhdexSXH9)
example (https://goo.gl/maps/rLHhHARYQrhatNxDA)
example (https://goo.gl/maps/PLn1eQqq14Ag8NPt7)
I-469 around Fort Wayne, especially at the south end.
For Cincinnati, I-275 is a 4 lane freeway in a rural setting between the airport and I-74. There's also a short 4 lane section between US 50 and 5 mile road in the eastern loop of the freeway, but I won't count it as rural because there's a good amount of suburban development in the area. Meanwhile, the section of I-275 between US 127 (exit 36) and OH 28 (exit 57) frequently gets backed up during rush hours. There's a SmartLane project in planning for that section.
For I-270 in Columbus, I don't think there's a rural segment at all. The southern loop is maybe the closest because of the lack of development in that area compared to the other parts around I-270, but even then, it's still a continuous 6-8 lanes.
For Cleveland, although both not beltways, I-480 is 4 lanes and has a rural feel east of I-271. I-271 is 4 lanes and has a rural feel south of OH 8.
Although not a full beltway, I-675 in Dayton has two 4 lane sections, one between I-75 and OH 725, and another betweeon OH 844 and I-70.
For St. Louis, even though I-255 is almost all 6-8 lanes, the area around it in some portions is not developed that it gives the rural feeling to the freeway. I-270 is pretty much almost all 4 lane in Illinois, except for a brief section near the I-255 interchange. I-270 in Missouri is a different story. Between the I-55 and I-70 interchange, it goes through St. Louis's South County and West County suburbs, and the freeway is 10 lanes the whole way through, and is still pretty busy.
Quote from: stridentweasel on January 13, 2021, 05:39:53 PM
The eastern end of I-270 in Illinois is perhaps a good example. I-270 in Missouri is mostly surrounded by suburban development, part of it is eight through lanes wide, and it's prone to congestion, but once it crosses the Mississippi river, it almost looks like you've left the metropolitan area. Judging from an aerial view, roughly half of the Illinois section appears to be surrounded by farmland, while the other half has low-density suburban development fairly close to it.
Once the grassy median with the truck cables come out, it is pretty rural.
Quote from: SkyPesos on January 13, 2021, 07:12:02 PM
For I-270 in Columbus, I don't think there's a rural segment at all. The southern loop is maybe the closest because of the lack of development in that area compared to the other parts around I-270, but even then, it's still a continuous 6-8 lanes.
I-270 on the south side felt borderline rural as recently as 10-15 years ago. 4 lanes in at least one stretch, not a ton of development nearby.
Baltimore's I-695 between MD 157 and MD 150 is like this.
Quote from: Konza on January 13, 2021, 06:41:05 PM
I-469 around Fort Wayne, especially at the south end.
Basically everything south of Exit 25 is out in the fields, and north of there there's enough trees to minimize the appearance of development. It would feel more rural if there were a median instead of a jersey barrier. It is also the non-2di in Indiana with a 70 mph speed limit.
I-295 in Virginia south of I-64 probably counts, even in its multiple Hopewell segments.
I feel like I-280 for the IA/IL Quad Cities area has some rural feel areas
I feel the same for I-474 around Peoria
Does I-376 in PA qualify as a Loop? It is an Odd that touches its Parent twice...Anyway parts of it are pretty rural
-Parts of I-287 between Boonton/Montville & Mahwah in NJ.
-I-664 South of the MMMBT in VA.
Quote from: ilpt4u on January 14, 2021, 11:42:24 AM
Does I-376 in PA qualify as a Loop? It is an Odd that touches its Parent twice...Anyway parts of it are pretty rural
The physical roadway of I-376 got renumbered so many times that I lost count when the number I-376 became a thing. Between I-79 and the eastern I-76 interchange, it was I-70 first, then I-76. I-79 was also on the portion between the I-79 interchange and I-279 for a bit.
The section west of the US 22/30 interchange was PA 60 before I-376.
Pittsburgh in general has lots of 4 lane rural-looking freeways in its metro area. Not sure if it's because of its topography, or another reason. You probably can't tell that you're only 6 miles straight-line distance from Downtown Pittsburgh just from looking at this view (https://www.google.com/maps/@40.4729666,-80.116477,3a,83.6y,322.11h,87.15t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s0CVVwWlpjG7NRMYGjp4qxQ!2e0!7i16384!8i8192) without context
I imagine I-275 in Kentucky and Indiana, and possibly Ohio, fits.
Also, the short stretch of I-494 through Ft. Snelling.
Quote from: frankenroad on January 13, 2021, 04:02:18 PM
Cincinnati's I-275 is a good example.
Quote from: SkyPesos on January 13, 2021, 07:12:02 PM
For Cincinnati, I-275 is a 4 lane freeway in a rural setting between the airport and I-74.
Quote from: thspfc on January 14, 2021, 01:18:29 PM
I imagine I-275 in Kentucky and Indiana, and possibly Ohio, fits.
I see a pattern developing.
Quote from: kphoger on January 14, 2021, 01:25:07 PM
Quote from: frankenroad on January 13, 2021, 04:02:18 PM
Cincinnati's I-275 is a good example.
Quote from: SkyPesos on January 13, 2021, 07:12:02 PM
For Cincinnati, I-275 is a 4 lane freeway in a rural setting between the airport and I-74.
Quote from: thspfc on January 14, 2021, 01:18:29 PM
I imagine I-275 in Kentucky and Indiana, and possibly Ohio, fits.
I see a pattern developing.
Reply 32 will be about I-275?
I-270 (Montgomery County, Maryland and Frederick County, Maryland) between MD-121 (Exit 18) and MD-80 (Exit 26); and between MD-80 and MD-85 (Exit 31) has sections that are very rural in appearance.
I-97 (Anne Arundel County, Maryland) from its southern terminus ([unsigned] I-595 Exit 21) to MD-3/MD-32 (Exit 7) is quite rural in look and feel, though there are several towers along the way, including the big WMPT-TV (PBS) (Channel 22) guyed tower (265 meters or 868 feet tall) at Hawkins Road next to the freeway, which is visible to the naked eye from as far away as D.C. and the Silver Spring area of Montgomery County.
Quote from: thspfc on January 14, 2021, 01:18:29 PM
Also, the short stretch of I-494 through Ft. Snelling.
With a good chance of seeing and hearing airplanes taking off and landing at MSP, to me it definitely does not feel rural there.
Even thought it is a backward situation, since I-275 goes through Tampa and St. Petersburg while I-75 goes around, but traveling southbound, just south of the split, I-275 felt rural. Then again I was driving it at night so maybe there was development I couldn't see.
Quote from: TheHighwayMan394 on January 14, 2021, 02:04:29 PM
Quote from: thspfc on January 14, 2021, 01:18:29 PM
Also, the short stretch of I-494 through Ft. Snelling.
With a good chance of seeing and hearing airplanes taking off and landing at MSP, to me it definitely does not feel rural there.
I do have to side with
thespfc here. Despite the planes, it does feel quite rural, and unlike the Wakota and Mendota bridges, you can't see the St. Paul skyline.
Full disclosure: this past summer, when MN 5 WB was closed, I made the stupid mistake of taking I-494 WB to get to the airport, only realizing once I was past MN 77 what a massive detour I just got myself into. It was at night and I was on my own, which made sailing past the closed MN 5 exit and driving I-494 through Fort Snelling all the more eerie. It was the most spooked I've ever been while driving and the certainly the closest I've ever come to feeling like I might get lost.
I ended up keeping my phone on my knee with Google Maps open the whole time, following Pilot Knob NB to MN 13 to MN 55 to MN 62... only to find the 62 WB to 5 EB ramp was
also closed... which meant I had to go down to Minnehaha Ave, turn around and get back on 62 EB to get to 5 EB to get to the only open entrance to the airport. The whole time I kept thinking, wow, a detour this convoluted would
never happen here at home. And I don't say that in defense of NY or to sound self-righteous - it was just really poorly signed, poorly timed, and a weird combination of closed roads in an area where there's not a lot of good or quick alternates.
Lesson learned: When MN 5 EB is closed, use MN 77 and MN 62 to get to the airport!
Quote from: webny99 on January 14, 2021, 02:40:58 PM
Quote from: TheHighwayMan394 on January 14, 2021, 02:04:29 PM
Quote from: thspfc on January 14, 2021, 01:18:29 PM
Also, the short stretch of I-494 through Ft. Snelling.
With a good chance of seeing and hearing airplanes taking off and landing at MSP, to me it definitely does not feel rural there.
I do have to side with thespfc here. Despite the planes, it does feel quite rural, and unlike the Wakota and Mendota bridges, you can't see the St. Paul skyline.
I have to side with the guy
from metro Minneapolis here. There's nothing rural about 494. It's a partially-lit 6-lane suburban freeway. Absence of skyline does not mean rural.
Because of the extensive use of high fencing in many places (https://goo.gl/maps/wfSuMq1haRd1mt9RA) and the presence of trees in others (https://goo.gl/maps/NXKSutMq7odiNajP9), I always feel like the western leg of I-494 could just as easily be rural as suburban. Miles go by, and you don't know if there are farm fields, neighborhoods, or strip malls on the other side. I never have any bearing on how far around the loop I am there.
Quote from: cl94 on January 14, 2021, 03:06:17 PM
Quote from: webny99 on January 14, 2021, 02:40:58 PM
Quote from: TheHighwayMan394 on January 14, 2021, 02:04:29 PM
Quote from: thspfc on January 14, 2021, 01:18:29 PM
Also, the short stretch of I-494 through Ft. Snelling.
With a good chance of seeing and hearing airplanes taking off and landing at MSP, to me it definitely does not feel rural there.
I do have to side with thespfc here. Despite the planes, it does feel quite rural, and unlike the Wakota and Mendota bridges, you can't see the St. Paul skyline.
I have to side with the guy from metro Minneapolis here. There's nothing rural about 494. It's a partially-lit 6-lane suburban freeway. Absence of skyline does not mean rural.
There are plenty of six lane rural freeways. There are at least a dozen threads on this forum devoted to that topic.
Quote from: cpzilliacus on January 14, 2021, 02:03:43 PM
I-270 (Montgomery County, Maryland and Frederick County, Maryland) between MD-121 (Exit 18) and MD-80 (Exit 26); and between MD-80 and MD-85 (Exit 31) has sections that are very rural in appearance.
I saw this area last September. I almost forgot I was in the DC area. Also I-275 does look very rural in parts of the Cincinnati area.
Quote from: thspfc on January 14, 2021, 04:00:27 PM
Quote from: cl94 on January 14, 2021, 03:06:17 PM
Quote from: webny99 on January 14, 2021, 02:40:58 PM
Quote from: TheHighwayMan394 on January 14, 2021, 02:04:29 PM
Quote from: thspfc on January 14, 2021, 01:18:29 PM
Also, the short stretch of I-494 through Ft. Snelling.
With a good chance of seeing and hearing airplanes taking off and landing at MSP, to me it definitely does not feel rural there.
I do have to side with thespfc here. Despite the planes, it does feel quite rural, and unlike the Wakota and Mendota bridges, you can't see the St. Paul skyline.
I have to side with the guy from metro Minneapolis here. There's nothing rural about 494. It's a partially-lit 6-lane suburban freeway. Absence of skyline does not mean rural.
There are plenty of six lane rural freeways. There are at least a dozen threads on this forum devoted to that topic.
six lanes with a Jersey barrier, definitely rural (https://goo.gl/maps/9vJrrwq59wseJoWc8)
six lanes with a Jersey barrier, definitely rural (https://goo.gl/maps/xXCERx1XfKUyz1VYA)
six lanes with a Jersey barrier, definitely rural (https://goo.gl/maps/zWAzTajpnFMw2Qfu5)
et cetera
Quote from: kphoger on January 14, 2021, 07:46:33 PM
Quote from: thspfc on January 14, 2021, 04:00:27 PM
Quote from: cl94 on January 14, 2021, 03:06:17 PM
Quote from: webny99 on January 14, 2021, 02:40:58 PM
Quote from: TheHighwayMan394 on January 14, 2021, 02:04:29 PM
Quote from: thspfc on January 14, 2021, 01:18:29 PM
Also, the short stretch of I-494 through Ft. Snelling.
With a good chance of seeing and hearing airplanes taking off and landing at MSP, to me it definitely does not feel rural there.
I do have to side with thespfc here. Despite the planes, it does feel quite rural, and unlike the Wakota and Mendota bridges, you can't see the St. Paul skyline.
I have to side with the guy from metro Minneapolis here. There's nothing rural about 494. It's a partially-lit 6-lane suburban freeway. Absence of skyline does not mean rural.
There are plenty of six lane rural freeways. There are at least a dozen threads on this forum devoted to that topic.
six lanes with a Jersey barrier, definitely rural (https://goo.gl/maps/9vJrrwq59wseJoWc8)
six lanes with a Jersey barrier, definitely rural (https://goo.gl/maps/xXCERx1XfKUyz1VYA)
six lanes with a Jersey barrier, definitely rural (https://goo.gl/maps/zWAzTajpnFMw2Qfu5)
et cetera
That's...not what I'm talking about. Those are rural. There is nothing rural about 494.
Quote from: cl94 on January 14, 2021, 08:06:17 PM
That's...not what I'm talking about. Those are rural. There is nothing rural about 494.
↓ As I said earlier, there are sections of I-494 where you can't even tell you're anywhere near a city. Especially my second link.
Quote from: kphoger on January 14, 2021, 03:20:54 PM
Because of the extensive use of high fencing in many places (https://goo.gl/maps/wfSuMq1haRd1mt9RA) and the presence of trees in others (https://goo.gl/maps/NXKSutMq7odiNajP9), I always feel like the western leg of I-494 could just as easily be rural as suburban. Miles go by, and you don't know if there are farm fields, neighborhoods, or strip malls on the other side. I never have any bearing on how far around the loop I am there.
Native Minnesotan here. I don't think 494 is rural at all. I think the Twin Cities just have a lot more trees than your average metro area, so maybe you don't see buildings, but that doesn't make it feel rural, just Minnesotan.
Chris
Quote from: kphoger on January 14, 2021, 08:14:54 PM
Quote from: cl94 on January 14, 2021, 08:06:17 PM
That's...not what I'm talking about. Those are rural. There is nothing rural about 494.
↓ As I said earlier, there are sections of I-494 where you can't even tell you're anywhere near a city. Especially my second link.
Quote from: kphoger on January 14, 2021, 03:20:54 PM
Because of the extensive use of high fencing in many places (https://goo.gl/maps/wfSuMq1haRd1mt9RA) and the presence of trees in others (https://goo.gl/maps/NXKSutMq7odiNajP9), I always feel like the western leg of I-494 could just as easily be rural as suburban. Miles go by, and you don't know if there are farm fields, neighborhoods, or strip malls on the other side. I never have any bearing on how far around the loop I am there.
On the contrary. Noise walls are a clear signal of "suburban", because you never see them in rural areas.
I haven't been to Indianapolis, but looking on maps, it seems like parts of I-465 and I-865 would be fairly rural? Can anyone confirm?
I-269 south of Memphis feels pretty rural, especially out by the junction with I-22.
Quote from: OCGuy81 on January 14, 2021, 09:09:42 PM
I haven't been to Indianapolis, but looking on maps, it seems like parts of I-465 and I-865 would be fairly rural? Can anyone confirm?
I-865 definitely has a rural feel. The highway is entirely 4 lanes with a grass median. If you look at Google Earth, it looks like a lot of the surban developement ends at I-465, and it suddenly becomes farmland west of there with I-865.
I-465, not really. It's all jersey barrier median in a suburban enviroment, with a 6 lane minimum. Most of it is 8+ lanes actually. Unlike with what I had for I-270 in Columbus above, it's difficult to even pick out a small segment that looks rural. Maybe this stretch between the IN 37 and Mann Rd interchanges (https://www.google.com/maps/@39.692333,-86.2182506,3a,75y,242.09h,87.96t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sNgutijPTKFjMyUswL_1AyA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192) can come close to a rural look, but it's still 6 lanes and jersey barrier.
Another native Minnesotan jumping in here...
Quote from: thspfc on January 14, 2021, 01:18:29 PM
Also, the short stretch of I-494 through Ft. Snelling.
I-494 does not go through or near Fort Snelling. Are you referring to the state park land? That's a different animal entirely and where I-494 crosses it just happens to coincide with the Minnesota River valley and lots of easily-flooded shallow land.
Quote from: TheHighwayMan394 on January 14, 2021, 02:04:29 PM
With a good chance of seeing and hearing airplanes taking off and landing at MSP, to me it definitely does not feel rural there.
Agreed. Nevermind that the traffic volume is anything but rural there.
Quote from: cl94 on January 14, 2021, 03:06:17 PM
I have to side with the guy from metro Minneapolis here. There's nothing rural about 494. It's a partially-lit 6-lane suburban freeway. Absence of skyline does not mean rural.
I would argue that I-494 through Sunfish Lake has a pretty rural feel (from east of MN 149 to MN 3). This being because nearby development is pretty sparse (folks in Sunfish Lake proper want it that way), and adjacent areas of Inver Grove Heights just haven't kicked off with suburban development like they have along US 52.
Quote from: kphoger on January 14, 2021, 03:20:54 PM
Because of the extensive use of high fencing in many places (https://goo.gl/maps/wfSuMq1haRd1mt9RA) and the presence of trees in others (https://goo.gl/maps/NXKSutMq7odiNajP9), I always feel like the western leg of I-494 could just as easily be rural as suburban. Miles go by, and you don't know if there are farm fields, neighborhoods, or strip malls on the other side. I never have any bearing on how far around the loop I am there.
I'm old enough to remember when, aside from some industrial development at MN 55, the entire western leg of I-494 was legitimately rural. That has changed...there are plenty of views of adjacent suburban development nowadays along the whole leg. Much of that leg also has immediately-adjacent high-tension power lines which, to me, have a decidedly NON-rural feel to them.
Quote from: froggie on January 14, 2021, 10:06:52 PM
Another native Minnesotan jumping in here...
Quote from: thspfc on January 14, 2021, 01:18:29 PM
Also, the short stretch of I-494 through Ft. Snelling.
I-494 does not go through or near Fort Snelling. Are you referring to the state park land? That's a different animal entirely and where I-494 crosses it just happens to coincide with the Minnesota River valley and lots of easily-flooded shallow land.
Yes, I was referring to the section between MN 5 and MN 13 that goes through Fort Snelling state park land, I assume that's what he is referring to as well.
Quote from: cl94 on January 14, 2021, 03:06:17 PM
Quote from: webny99 on January 14, 2021, 02:40:58 PM
I do have to side with thespfc here. Despite the planes, it does feel quite rural, and unlike the Wakota and Mendota bridges, you can't see the St. Paul skyline.
I have to side with the guy from metro Minneapolis here. There's nothing rural about 494. It's a partially-lit 6-lane suburban freeway. Absence of skyline does not mean rural.
Golly. Not sure what being a local has to do with it. My comments pertain specifically to the section noted above. Have you ever been on, or even looked at said (https://www.google.com/maps/@44.8613914,-93.190332,3a,90y,280.6h,82.69t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sfhQ8oxkQpNp9l2uZNZNpew!2e0!7i16384!8i8192!5m1!1e1) section (https://www.google.com/maps/@44.8613611,-93.1795054,3a,75y,276.8h,85.89t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sQ6H4KleVD6kvcidLYTn4fw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192!5m1!1e1)? Note that there's no lighting at all, and the absence of the St. Paul skyline sets it apart from the two similar river crossings I mentioned. Just because it's primarily a suburban route doesn't mean it can't feel rural in certain spots. The section
froggie mentions is another good example (https://www.google.com/maps/@44.859625,-93.0967599,3a,90y,30.29h,85.6t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sGr6aasWgtHhVdr8Xz8v1Kw!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo3.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DGr6aasWgtHhVdr8Xz8v1Kw%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D151.69353%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i13312!8i6656!5m1!1e1).
I would mention the E-470 partial loop around Denver but urban sprawl is quickly catching up in most sections.
^^
Similarly, when I-696 was built between Southfield and Novi, it was very rural. Now, not at all.
Quote from: froggie on January 14, 2021, 10:06:52 PM
Much of that leg also has immediately-adjacent high-tension power lines which, to me, have a decidedly NON-rural feel to them.
Interesting. I have the exact opposite opinion about high-tension power lines: I think of them as a rural thing. In fact, just last night as I was reading in a novel to my family, I had to explain to my three boys what high-tension power lines were (one of the towers was described from an animal's perspective), and I specifically used the phrase "outside of towns" in my explanation.
Quote from: webny99 on January 14, 2021, 11:49:03 PM
Have you ever been on, or even looked at said (https://www.google.com/maps/@44.8613914,-93.190332,3a,90y,280.6h,82.69t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sfhQ8oxkQpNp9l2uZNZNpew!2e0!7i16384!8i8192!5m1!1e1) section (https://www.google.com/maps/@44.8613611,-93.1795054,3a,75y,276.8h,85.89t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sQ6H4KleVD6kvcidLYTn4fw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192!5m1!1e1)? Note that there's no lighting at all
...except for the lights in the middle of the bridge?
Also, absence of lighting does not a rural freeway make - for example, Utah removed most lighting from most of its urban freeways in the 70s and 80s due to budget cuts. It's going to be very hard to convince me that this (https://goo.gl/maps/TEpJNtBxwzXTmBYs6) qualifies as anything close to rural.
Quote from: US 89 on January 15, 2021, 12:27:04 PM
Quote from: webny99 on January 14, 2021, 11:49:03 PM
Have you ever been on, or even looked at said (https://www.google.com/maps/@44.8613914,-93.190332,3a,90y,280.6h,82.69t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sfhQ8oxkQpNp9l2uZNZNpew!2e0!7i16384!8i8192!5m1!1e1) section (https://www.google.com/maps/@44.8613611,-93.1795054,3a,75y,276.8h,85.89t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sQ6H4KleVD6kvcidLYTn4fw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192!5m1!1e1)? Note that there's no lighting at all
...except for the lights in the middle of the bridge?
Also, absence of lighting does not a rural freeway make - for example, Utah removed most lighting from most of its urban freeways in the 70s and 80s due to budget cuts.
As did much of Upstate New York. This area ain't rural (https://goo.gl/maps/se7UJAVP7LsUpAyF6) by any stretch of the imagination, nor is this stretch inside Albany city limits (https://goo.gl/maps/PHFbKBjs95ngG6VR9).
Quote from: cl94 on January 15, 2021, 12:36:39 PM
Quote from: US 89 on January 15, 2021, 12:27:04 PM
Quote from: webny99 on January 14, 2021, 11:49:03 PM
Have you ever been on, or even looked at said (https://www.google.com/maps/@44.8613914,-93.190332,3a,90y,280.6h,82.69t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sfhQ8oxkQpNp9l2uZNZNpew!2e0!7i16384!8i8192!5m1!1e1) section (https://www.google.com/maps/@44.8613611,-93.1795054,3a,75y,276.8h,85.89t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sQ6H4KleVD6kvcidLYTn4fw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192!5m1!1e1)? Note that there's no lighting at all
...except for the lights in the middle of the bridge?
Also, absence of lighting does not a rural freeway make - for example, Utah removed most lighting from most of its urban freeways in the 70s and 80s due to budget cuts.
As did much of Upstate New York. This area ain't rural (https://goo.gl/maps/se7UJAVP7LsUpAyF6) by any stretch of the imagination, nor is this stretch inside Albany city limits (https://goo.gl/maps/PHFbKBjs95ngG6VR9).
Of course, Syracuse revisited the issue due to the now infanous Boeheim crash.
Quote from: US 89 on January 15, 2021, 12:27:04 PM
Also, absence of lighting does not a rural freeway make.
To the extent that lighting is even relevant, it works both ways: the presence of lighting doesn't necessarily make it urban or suburban. Here's a rural Ohio example (https://www.google.com/maps/@41.8284544,-80.7556702,3a,31.6y,253.12h,98.7t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1saZt4jKmNOp-k61IRK6VS3w!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo0.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DaZt4jKmNOp-k61IRK6VS3w%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D347.312%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i16384!8i8192) that's so well lit it gives off big-city vibes at night.
Quote from: US 89 on January 15, 2021, 12:27:04 PM
It's going to be very hard to convince me that this (https://goo.gl/maps/TEpJNtBxwzXTmBYs6) qualifies as anything close to rural.
Quote from: cl94 on January 15, 2021, 12:36:39 PMThis area ain't rural (https://goo.gl/maps/se7UJAVP7LsUpAyF6) by any stretch of the imagination, nor is this stretch inside Albany city limits (https://goo.gl/maps/PHFbKBjs95ngG6VR9).
Per the question posed in the thread title, it's not a question of whether said highway segments are, in fact, rural, but whether they
resemble a rural interstate. I would say Yes in all three cases, although less so in
US89's example because of the sound wall and large building adjacent to the highway.
Quote from: OCGuy81 on January 14, 2021, 09:09:42 PM
I haven't been to Indianapolis, but looking on maps, it seems like parts of I-465 and I-865 would be fairly rural? Can anyone confirm?
I haven't been through there in several years, but I-865 has always felt rural to me.
I-680 in Iowa north of Council Bluffs is most definitely rural, as does I-880. I-229 north of St. Joseph, MO is rural as well.
Whether or not I-355 functions as a "loop" it certainly is a Suburban Connector from I-80 to I-90 (via I-290)
That said, there at lease were parts on the Will County extension from I-55 to I-80 that felt rural, but when I moved out of Northern IL 6 years ago, Will County was growing and filling in those areas
I haven't driven it in a while, personally
Quote from: mhking on January 18, 2021, 12:47:49 PM
Quote from: OCGuy81 on January 14, 2021, 09:09:42 PM
I haven't been to Indianapolis, but looking on maps, it seems like parts of I-465 and I-865 would be fairly rural? Can anyone confirm?
I haven't been through there in several years, but I-865 has always felt rural to me.
I-865 yes, though it's not really a loop. I-465? No. Nothing looks rural on that highway.
I-210 between Sylmar and Pasadena resemble a rural interstate yet its in the LA Area,
I-287 New Jersey look rural but its in the middle on the New York Metro Area.
Quote from: GaryA on January 13, 2021, 06:11:08 PM
Quote from: TheStranger on January 13, 2021, 05:54:48 PM
In California:
A little too full of traffic to fit "rural" but that short segment of I-680 around Route 84 in Sunol definitely has more of an out-in-the-country feel despite being very close to Fremont and Union City.
Same for the segment of I-680 between I-780 and I-80 (once you get away from the immediate area of each junction).
I-680 aka former CA-21 between I-780 and I-80 is more jammed now and more suburban due to traffic going to Sacramento and Bay Area.
I-185 in SC (the toll road), until you get north of I-85. You wouldn't even know you're just a few miles south of one of the largest cities in SC (Greenville) looking at the scenery around there. The toll also means that the traffic is very low along most of that route.
The southern end of I-205 in OR between I-5 and West Linn feels rural. It drops to 4 lanes and even gets Oregon's rural 65 MPH speed limit.
Quote from: Sctvhound on January 19, 2021, 03:48:48 PM
I-185 in SC (the toll road), until you get north of I-85. You wouldn’t even know you’re just a few miles south of one of the largest cities in SC (Greenville) looking at the scenery around there. The toll also means that the traffic is very low along most of that route.
Was about to post this since I just clinched it this past weekend. One of a handful of toll roads that still have change baskets - although those were closed at the main toll plazas when I drove through, they were very much in use for the ramp tolls.
Quote from: doorknob60 on January 19, 2021, 04:56:30 PM
The southern end of I-205 in OR between I-5 and West Linn feels rural. It drops to 4 lanes and even gets Oregon's rural 65 MPH speed limit.
Bonus points for I-205 for its northern end, too: Between Padden Pkwy and Exit 36.
Quote from: frankenroad on January 13, 2021, 04:02:18 PM
Cincinnati's I-275 is a good example. Between about mile marker 8 and 25, it's pretty rural Between MM 65 and 74 looks rural, too. Parts of both of those stretches are just 2 lanes in each direction.
Between mile markers 40 and 50, it's 3-5 lanes each way and fairly built up and urbanized.
Now, many would argue that the section between MM 8 and 25 shouldn't be where it is. In my opinion, a more direct route between mile markers 6 and 27 would have made more sense, but there were political issues involved in the routing. As the crow flies, mile markers 6 and 27 are only about 14 miles apart.
Speaking of I-275, For the longest time, I-275 south of I-94 in Detroit was a 6-lane highway in the middle of nowhere, as most of the real traffic was from DTW northward.
From what I've heard nowadays, I-275 has slowly built up around much of the stretch through Monroe County and is not as quiet as it was 30-40 years ago.
I thought we had a thread recently about urban highways that feel rural, and I can't find anything else, so maybe this was it.
It's crazy that this (https://www.google.com/maps/@49.0905771,-122.9469844,3a,90y,107.31h,87.63t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sE5w7xwqkKD1oQVuui7FE2w!2e0!7i16384!8i8192!5m1!1e1) is part of the route between the Vancouver Airport (YVR) and most of Vancouver's eastern suburbs.
A lot of I-435 around KC - especially the northern section on the Missouri side - is like this.
Quote from: webny99 on April 22, 2021, 05:06:06 PM
I thought we had a thread recently about urban highways that feel rural, and I can't find anything else, so maybe this was it.
https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=28322.0
It's hard to find since "rural" is misspelled.
Quote from: CtrlAltDel on April 22, 2021, 07:28:33 PM
Quote from: webny99 on April 22, 2021, 05:06:06 PM
I thought we had a thread recently about urban highways that feel rural, and I can't find anything else, so maybe this was it.
https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=28322.0
It's hard to find since "rural" is misspelled.
That's the same thread as this one.
Quote from: bing101 on January 19, 2021, 12:00:00 PM
I-210 between Sylmar and Pasadena resemble a rural interstate yet its in the LA Area,
I-287 New Jersey look rural but its in the middle on the New York Metro Area.
I was just on the rural part of I-287, didn't feel very rural with all that traffic!
Quote from: SkyPesos on April 22, 2021, 07:30:50 PM
Quote from: CtrlAltDel on April 22, 2021, 07:28:33 PM
Quote from: webny99 on April 22, 2021, 05:06:06 PM
I thought we had a thread recently about urban highways that feel rural, and I can't find anything else, so maybe this was it.
https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=28322.0
It's hard to find since "rural" is misspelled.
That's the same thread as this one.
You'd think I'd have noticed that.
Found it:
https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=26989.msg2504813#msg2504813
Quote from: CoreySamson on April 22, 2021, 09:39:48 PM
Found it:
https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=26989.msg2504813#msg2504813
Yep, that's it. I'm going to cross-post the relevant part of my comment over there.