The Worst of Freeways

[intelati49]

Right now there is the "Graceful, Elegant-Flowing Freeways." I'm looking for the polar opposite. What is the most congested, and/or eyesore highway you know of?

[agentsteel53]

Right now there is the "Graceful, Elegant-Flowing Freeways." I'm looking for the polar opposite. What is the most congested, and/or eyesore highway you know of?

what am I looking at in that picture?

I've always thought the San Diego airport access freeway had far too many traffic lights.

[intelati49]

Right now there is the "Graceful, Elegant-Flowing Freeways." I'm looking for the polar opposite. What is the most congested, and/or eyesore highway you know of?

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what am I looking at in that picture?

I've always thought the San Diego airport access freeway had far too many traffic lights.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_pictures/4180689.stm  Third Picture in slide show. Earthquake damage.

[Quillz]

For many years, the freeway portion of CA-23 was terrible. Poorly maintained and overrun with gridlock traffic. It's gotten better recently, but still a pretty bad freeway during many times of the day.

[myosh_tino]

Hmmm... that looks like earthquake damage from the Kobe earthquake in Japan some years ago.  Not sure if that's an appropriate example of the-worst-of-freeways... yes it was poorly designed (a surprise given Japan's high standards for this type of structure) but it was a result of a natural disaster.

[intelati49]

Hmmm... that looks like earthquake damage from the Kobe earthquake in Japan some years ago.  Not sure if that's an appropriate example of the-worst-of-freeways... yes it was poorly designed (a surprise given Japan's high standards for this type of structure) but it was a result of a natural disaster.

I was Kidding

[myosh_tino]

Hmmm... that looks like earthquake damage from the Kobe earthquake in Japan some years ago.  Not sure if that's an appropriate example of the-worst-of-freeways... yes it was poorly designed (a surprise given Japan's high standards for this type of structure) but it was a result of a natural disaster.

I was Kidding

As someone who lived through the Loma Prieta earthquake in 1989 and saw images of the collapsed I-880 freeway in Oakland many, many times, I really didn't find it very funny.   Sorry for sounding like a wet blanket but things like this kind of hit close to home.

[Ian]

The Sure-kill Expressway (I-76).

[1995hoo]

The one that most readily comes to mind is the Gowanus in Brooklyn. Elevated road is ugly, ancient design with sharp turns from on- and off-ramps, road is bumpy, the portion from the Prospect Expressway to the Battery Tunnel is always jammed and is even uglier than the rest (if that's possible)....overall one of the roads I like the least of most of the ones I've used often.

[sandiaman]

I  would  nominate the Alaskan Viaduct in Seattle.  Designed in the  early  1950's,  maybe earlier.  Horrible  exits, no acceleration lanes  etc.   So dangerous and ugly  that is   very unique and exciting in a   wierd  way.

[Michael]

I-99, but not because of congestion/aesthetics.  Need I say more?

[formulanone]

Palmetto Expressway (FL 826), aka the "Chucklehead Expressway". Widened in the late-1990s, but always congested, full of drivers going any speed in any lane they wish, trucks in the left lane going 50 mph. You're guaranteed to come to a complete halt at least four times during rush hour, maybe more if it's raining. Drab, ugly scenery, and boring to drive on (just one curve). The road I dread driving on.

[Brandon]

The Ike between the Avenues and Central Ave.  Those two left exits (Harlem & Austin) cause congestion that backs up for miles in either directions.

[nexus73]

I-5 in PDX has so many poor sections that it would be hard to single out one and say "that'll do". 

Rick

[DeaconG]

The Sure-kill Expressway (I-76).

No duh...I grew up there, and it was a guaranteed thrill-a-minute. No improvement they've made has managed to get it under control.  Every time they redeck the viaduct over the Schuylkill between the University Avenue and Grays Ferry Avenue exits it goes to hell within a couple of years. Badly needs extra lanes between City Avenue and King of Prussia; REALLY badly needs extra lanes under the Old Post Office/30th Street but I don't expect to see either in my lifetime.

[DeaconG]

Another one I just remembered...Anacostia Freeway in DC, especially the old Kenilworth Avenue section...if there's anything worse than the Sure-Kill, that's it!

[MichiganDriver]

The one that most readily comes to mind is the Gowanus in Brooklyn. Elevated road is ugly, ancient design with sharp turns from on- and off-ramps, road is bumpy, the portion from the Prospect Expressway to the Battery Tunnel is always jammed and is even uglier than the rest (if that's possible)....overall one of the roads I like the least of most of the ones I've used often.

Maybe it's just me, but I find a certain charm in older freeways I kinda like the 'challenge' with those tighter shoulders and shorter ramps. But then I don't have drive one regularly if I drove I-94 in Detroit everyday I'd probably hate its guts

[Riverside Frwy]

I-99, but not because of congestion/aesthetics.  Need I say more?

Nah, I-238.

CA 110 Arroyo Seco Parkway is the worst.

Schuylkill definitely high up there as well, but we can all agree that congestion wise it's definitely I-405 between I-10 and US 101.

[Janko Dialnice]

I would have to say the Cross-Bronx Expressway (I-95). It is too narrow for its current traffic flow, and the interchanges, especially that with the Major Deegan Expressway, are obsolete. Just take one lane out of commission on the GWB, and you are guaranteed an hour's delay on the CBE, even at noon. I know, since had to sit through such a backup this past August.

[architect77]

I would have to say the Cross-Bronx Expressway (I-95). It is too narrow for its current traffic flow, and the interchanges, especially that with the Major Deegan Expressway, are obsolete. Just take one lane out of commission on the GWB, and you are guaranteed an hour's delay on the CBE, even at noon. I know, since had to sit through such a backup this past August.

I've endured that bottleneck many times.

[Stephane Dumas]

Seems then most of Montreal freeways like A-40 between Decarie autoroute and A-25 would fit this category nicely.

[Mr_Northside]

I-99, but not because of congestion/aesthetics.  Need I say more?

While I'm guessing you're obviously just referring to the numbering controversy (which I think there are other thread(s) for), in PA it probably qualifies for the "Best of Freeways"  (The current lack of a proper interchange with I-76 or I-80 notwithstanding).  PennDOT probably should've went ahead and added a 3rd northbound truck-climbing-lane north of the US-322 interchange in Port Matilda, but that's just picking nits.

Of course, PA is home to the (properly numbered) I-70 stretch between New Stanton & Washington (PA); certainly among the "Worst of Freeways".

Also, this feels like deja vu.  We haven't had a "Worst of Freeways" thread until now???

[1995hoo]

The one that most readily comes to mind is the Gowanus in Brooklyn. Elevated road is ugly, ancient design with sharp turns from on- and off-ramps, road is bumpy, the portion from the Prospect Expressway to the Battery Tunnel is always jammed and is even uglier than the rest (if that's possible)....overall one of the roads I like the least of most of the ones I've used often.

Maybe it's just me, but I find a certain charm in older freeways I kinda like the 'challenge' with those tighter shoulders and shorter ramps. But then I don't have drive one regularly if I drove I-94 in Detroit everyday I'd probably hate its guts

I can agree with this on some older ones, such as some of New York's parkways, or perhaps the Merritt and Wilbur Cross Parkways might be ideal examples, but I think there are other older ones that simply break down under the modern traffic load and the Gowanus is in the latter category for me because it doesn't have any particularly scenic aspects that redeem it. Plus, quite frankly, every time I drive on it I wonder if it will become the next West Side Highway.

[MDOTFanFB]

My nomination is I-94 through the Michigan cities of Allen Park and Taylor, there is one interchange (exit 200 at Ecorse Road) where traffic entering the freeway must merge to the left. This road was a lot worse in the past, where exit 202 (U.S. 24 (Telegraph Road)) also had traffic merging onto the left until it was rebuilt into a SPUI in the mid-2000's, while the interchange with M-39 (Southfield Freeway; exit 204) also had traffic merging onto the left many years ago. Not sure when the I-94/M-39 interchange was rebuilt.

[pianocello]

Since I don't live in a big city by most people's standards, but I'd still like to nominate I-74 throughout Bettendorf (IA) and Moline (IL). It's still two lanes either direction and a lot of people live in IA and work in IL. Thankfully they're expanding it to 3 lanes/direction and the bridge to 4, but nobody knows when that's going to get done.