AARoads Forum

National Boards => General Highway Talk => Topic started by: roadman65 on October 27, 2011, 08:08:13 PM

Title: Long stretches of straight and flat highways
Post by: roadman65 on October 27, 2011, 08:08:13 PM
I would like to know of any roads 2 or 4 lanes freeway or non-freeway where the road is long, flat, and straight for several miles.

I can name plenty in Florida and Georgia.

US 19 & 27, I think, has the longest from Perry to the Taylor/ Madison Line.  It is so straight  you see the line of trees on both sides of the road come together to where the eye can see.

US 301 from Jesup to Homeland, GA is a long two lane stretch that looks like a long hallway and puts you to sleep.
Title: Re: Long stretches of straight and flat highways
Post by: NE2 on October 27, 2011, 08:08:59 PM
Australia. The sheep practically count themselves.
Title: Re: Long stretches of straight and flat highways
Post by: roadman65 on October 27, 2011, 08:12:22 PM
Quote from: NE2 on October 27, 2011, 08:08:59 PM
Australia. The sheep practically count themselves.

Never been there, but it would not suprise me after hearing about its flat lands being so vast.
Title: Re: Long stretches of straight and flat highways
Post by: vtk on October 27, 2011, 08:25:34 PM
US 40 between Springfield and Columbus is extremely straight and flat (occasionally swerving around small towns) and has traffic much lighter than that which would require a 4-lane road.
Title: Re: Long stretches of straight and flat highways
Post by: Ian on October 27, 2011, 08:35:48 PM
NJ 72 is very straight and flat west of Manahawkin, NJ. US 98/441 just east of Belle Glade, FL is also could qualify.
Title: Re: Long stretches of straight and flat highways
Post by: Dr Frankenstein on October 27, 2011, 08:57:38 PM
One word: Saskatchewan.
Title: Re: Long stretches of straight and flat highways
Post by: 1995hoo on October 27, 2011, 09:02:04 PM
I-75 across the Everglades. First time I drove that (November 2005) I seldom dipped below 100 mph. Things have changed a bit since then, both on that road and in my driving habits.

There is a huge straightaway on the Eyre Highway. I've never been to Australia, though.

Drivers have complained for 70 years about the straightaway on the Pennsylvania Turnpike west of Carlisle. 
Title: Re: Long stretches of straight and flat highways
Post by: formulanone on October 27, 2011, 10:01:58 PM
FL 710 (A slight bend around Indiantown and another just south of Okeechobee)

FL 70 (between Okeechobee and Arcadia; one surprisingly steep dip just east of the light at US 27)

Most of Tamiami Trail is quite straight from Miami to Naples...a slight kink here and there.

FL 471 is one of the state's few straight-line routes that runs N-S, but it has some elevation changes.

FL 80 doesn't change much in the way of direction, also very flat.

Most boring of all is CR 74 (former FL 74)...absolutely nothing much to see, the road tends to flood, few side roads, and flat, straight, and narrow.

For all intents and purposes, Interstate 95 in Florida is very flat, between Jupiter and Jacksonville, save the overpasses and one hill somewhere around Titusville, and has very few curves or kinks.

And don't think for a minute that Florida's Turnpike offers much between SR 50 and SR 704...there's a reason some of those exits are 40 and 50 miles apart!

Quote from: 1995hoo on October 27, 2011, 09:02:04 PM
I-75 across the Everglades. First time I drove that (November 2005) I seldom dipped below 100 mph. Things have changed a bit since then, both on that road and in my driving habits.

It's much more heavily patrolled since around 2007 or so: Florida Highway Patrol used to more or less ignore that road in the past (probably due to it's lack of services), but that's changed. Also, the Miccosukee Indians have a police force now, and they stake out the area around the Snake road exit without fail; usually, there's even 2-3 of them to catch rebounds.

But yes, it wasn't a drive on the 'Alley until you hit triple digits.
Title: Re: Long stretches of straight and flat highways
Post by: Takumi on October 27, 2011, 10:09:31 PM
VA 10 between VA 40 and VA 31 is flat and straight. VA 40 east of Fort Pickett has several straight stretches, but they're slightly hilly between the base and US 301/I-95.
Title: Re: Long stretches of straight and flat highways
Post by: Brandon on October 27, 2011, 10:43:06 PM
M-28, Seney Stretch.  Straight and flat for 30 miles across a marsh.  Then there's I-80 west of Salt Lake.
Title: Re: Long stretches of straight and flat highways
Post by: Scott5114 on October 27, 2011, 11:33:03 PM
Interstate 39 :ded:
Title: Re: Long stretches of straight and flat highways
Post by: Hot Rod Hootenanny on October 27, 2011, 11:49:32 PM
Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska....
Title: Re: Long stretches of straight and flat highways
Post by: DeaconG on October 28, 2011, 08:59:14 AM
The Beachline between the FL407/528 split and Sand Lake Road-almost ruler straight and flat the entire distance (minus some overpasses at SR 520, Dallas Blvd, International Corporate Park Drive and Narcoossee Road).
Title: Re: Long stretches of straight and flat highways
Post by: agentsteel53 on October 28, 2011, 10:58:45 AM
I believe there is a 72 mile section of I-80 in Nebraska that is dead straight. 
Title: Re: Long stretches of straight and flat highways
Post by: SteveG1988 on October 28, 2011, 12:25:13 PM
US2 in north dakota, once you get past the turtle river state park it is practicaly straight and flat with minor curves here and there at 70mph.

US 206 has several streches like this along its length as well in NJ.

US 30 east of hammonton to right before the garden state parkway exit is straight and flat as well. I295 between US322 and NJ48 is flat and straight as well.

Title: Re: Long stretches of straight and flat highways
Post by: thenetwork on October 28, 2011, 01:07:51 PM
I-40 across Northern Texas.  It was "fun" to see a modest grain elevator in the distance, and then need 30-some minutes to finally pass it!  :rolleyes:
Title: Re: Long stretches of straight and flat highways
Post by: SSOWorld on October 28, 2011, 01:25:59 PM
I-5 in central California (San Joaquin Valley)
Title: Re: Long stretches of straight and flat highways
Post by: CL on October 28, 2011, 09:25:52 PM
I-80 west of Salt Lake City. About a forty-mile stretch of road that is straight and flat.
Title: Re: Long stretches of straight and flat highways
Post by: andytom on October 28, 2011, 09:53:19 PM
Quote from: vtk on October 27, 2011, 08:25:34 PM
US 40 between Springfield and Columbus is extremely straight and flat (occasionally swerving around small towns) and has traffic much lighter than that which would require a 4-lane road.

That's all there was in 1970 before they built I-70 through there.
Title: Re: Long stretches of straight and flat highways
Post by: vtk on October 28, 2011, 10:43:14 PM
Quote from: andytom on October 28, 2011, 09:53:19 PM
Quote from: vtk on October 27, 2011, 08:25:34 PM
US 40 between Springfield and Columbus is extremely straight and flat (occasionally swerving around small towns) and has traffic much lighter than that which would require a 4-lane road.

That's all there was in 1970 before they built I-70 through there.

Yeah, it was widened in the 40s I think.  I'm sure a 4-lane road was justified then, but today it's quite deserted.  Add that to the straightness and flatness, and you have a road so plain it's eerily interesting.
Title: Re: Long stretches of straight and flat highways
Post by: allniter89 on October 28, 2011, 11:22:42 PM
Quote from: Scott5114 on October 27, 2011, 11:33:03 PM
Interstate 39 :ded:
I16
Title: Re: Long stretches of straight and flat highways
Post by: cpzilliacus on October 29, 2011, 03:15:52 PM
Quote from: roadman65 on October 27, 2011, 08:08:13 PM
I would like to know of any roads 2 or 4 lanes freeway or non-freeway where the road is long, flat, and straight for several miles.

The Governor Ritchie Highway section of Md. 2 between Arnold and Glen Burnie is not flat, but it's pretty close to being arrow-straight over a distance of over 10 miles.
Title: Re: Long stretches of straight and flat highways
Post by: cpzilliacus on October 29, 2011, 03:27:37 PM
The mainline of the New Jersey Turnpike features several long and very straight segments between Deepwater/Delaware Memorial Bridge (Exit 1) and New Brunswick (Exit 9).

The straight segments seem to be more "noticeable" along the (mostly) unreconstructed four lane segment of the Turnpike between Exit 1 and Exit 4 (N.J. 73/Camden).
Title: Re: Long stretches of straight and flat highways
Post by: adt1982 on October 29, 2011, 11:54:24 PM
I-55 from just north of Litchfield, IL, to just south of exit 88, south of Springfield, (so roughly 33 miles I think) is not flat but it is completely straight.
Title: Re: Long stretches of straight and flat highways
Post by: roadman65 on October 30, 2011, 11:02:43 AM
Quote from: DeaconG on October 28, 2011, 08:59:14 AM
The Beachline between the FL407/528 split and Sand Lake Road-almost ruler straight and flat the entire distance (minus some overpasses at SR 520, Dallas Blvd, International Corporate Park Drive and Narcoossee Road).

There is a curve just east of Narcoosee Road.
Title: Re: Long stretches of straight and flat highways
Post by: Crazy Volvo Guy on November 01, 2011, 02:21:37 PM
How has the 90 mile straight on NH1 in Western Australia not been mentioned?

http://g.co/maps/p5nue
Title: Re: Long stretches of straight and flat highways
Post by: 1995hoo on November 01, 2011, 02:41:55 PM
Quote from: US-43|72 on November 01, 2011, 02:21:37 PM
How has the 90 mile straight on NH1 in Western Australia not been mentioned?

http://g.co/maps/p5nue

I mentioned it on the previous page of this thread when I referred to the Eyre Highway.
Title: Re: Long stretches of straight and flat highways
Post by: Crazy Volvo Guy on November 01, 2011, 02:47:29 PM
Quote from: 1995hoo on November 01, 2011, 02:41:55 PMI mentioned it on the previous page of this thread when I referred to the Eyre Highway.

Missed it, you were talking about the Everglades and I was only skimming so I thought you were talking about something in Florida.

I don't always derp, but when I do, I do it all the time.
Title: Re: Long stretches of straight and flat highways
Post by: OCGuy81 on November 01, 2011, 10:27:56 PM
I'd say I-94 in North Dakota is pretty straight.  And somebody above mentioned I-5 north of the Grapevine.  Seconded.

Title: Re: Long stretches of straight and flat highways
Post by: PAHighways on November 01, 2011, 10:53:05 PM
US 30/Lincoln Highway from just east of the Flight 93 Memorial to just west of the Bedford County line (referred to as the "Seven Mile Stretch (http://pahighways.tumblr.com/post/1310798785/the-seven-mile-stretch-on-the-lincoln-highway-in)")

I-76/Pennsylvania Turnpike from Exit 201/Blue Mountain to Exit 226/Carlisle
Title: Re: Long stretches of straight and flat highways
Post by: Bickendan on November 02, 2011, 05:07:43 AM
Quote from: OCGuy81 on November 01, 2011, 10:27:56 PM
I'd say I-94 in North Dakota is pretty straight.  And somebody above mentioned I-5 north of the Grapevine.  Seconded.


Eh... the West Side Freeway's not that straight, it just feels like it.
Title: Re: Long stretches of straight and flat highways
Post by: ftballfan on November 02, 2011, 09:42:59 PM
M-45 is dead straight with the exception of an S-curve east of Allendale and east of Covell Ave in Grand Rapids.
Title: Re: Long stretches of straight and flat highways
Post by: luokou on November 03, 2011, 07:10:40 PM
There's a 35 mile stretch of I-5 between Coburg and Albany that fits the bill. Drove this way practically every other week to visit my sister while she was attending U of O.
Title: Re: Long stretches of straight and flat highways
Post by: mhallack on November 05, 2011, 07:29:13 PM
I-80 in Nebraska. I don't remember a lot of curves in that stretch. Hated that drive.