Lowest-quality road on a U.S. Route?

[NE2]

I nominate US 83 Business in San Ygnacio, Texas: http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=27.044765,-99.443854&spn=0.008505,0.016512&gl=us&vpsrc=0&t=m&z=17&layer=c&cbll=27.044575,-99.443784&panoid=y79WnPD__QeJVCDM5y6H5Q&cbp=12,336.44,,0,-3.39

This was never US 83, and there don't seem to be any businesses on it. It should have simply remained Loop 88 (assuming there's a reason for the state maintaining it).

[US71]

Define "Lowest-quality": lack of services, poor pavement, etc.

[NE2]

Physical quality (e.g. poor pavement, narrow lanes).

[3467]

US 67 in Northern Warren County Illinois. Pavement is 25 feet but it has no shoulders and 3 sharp turns. It has no visibility at intersections and the condition of the pavement is terrible. Making it worse the sections to the north are up to Illinois standard on all points and include passing lanes. To the south it is a 4 lane divided roadway.
IDOT has the engineering and land aquistion to correct the situation.
More details are in the 67 threads in Ohio Valley

[The High Plains Traveler]

U.S. 191 south of I-40 in Arizona has narrow shoulders and lanes. There are warning signs posted that it isn't plowed at night (Colorado posts signs like this on its lightly traveled state routes).

[xonhulu]

I remember US 395 between Riley and Valley Falls as being in pretty poor shape, but it's probably been a decade since I've been on it, so things might be better now.

[Brian556]

I nominate US 83 Business in San Ygnacio, Texas

That's incredible. Looks nothing like a state-maintained highway. It's suprising to me that a road this low-standard is allowed onthe state highway system in Texas. Buildings that close, narrow road, no striping. insane. I learned something new fron this topic.

[ctsignguy]

US 250 in West Virginia from Wheeling to Fairmont.....a lot of that road looks like it hadnt been improved since 1928...narrow in too many spots, and full of twisty turns and curves (when i was on it a few years ago, signs noted that speed limits were enforced...my comment was that they needn't worry about that....if anyone goes too fast on THAT road, they will be leaving bits and pieces of their car all over the road....so cite them for littering!)

[vdeane]

Part of US 11 in the southern part of Watertown is just a two lane residential street with no pavement marking and all-way stops.

[nexus73]

US 101 in Oregon between Lincoln City and Tillamook has a narrow curvy 2-lane original section from the Grapes Of Wrath days.  Thankfully someone changed out the ubernarrow bridge on that stretch.  Two monster RV's would have had an interesting meeting there...LOL!

Rick

[empirestate]

US 250 in West Virginia from Wheeling to Fairmont.....a lot of that road looks like it hadnt been improved since 1928...narrow in too many spots, and full of twisty turns and curves (when i was on it a few years ago, signs noted that speed limits were enforced...my comment was that they needn't worry about that....if anyone goes too fast on THAT road, they will be leaving bits and pieces of their car all over the road....so cite them for littering!)

That's my nomination as well. A wonderful drive, but the roadway geometry is very challenging. And not far away is the Palace of Gold...

[hbelkins]

Plenty of examples can be found in the Appalachians.

US 421 in Kentucky has some bad spots. For that matter, so does US 460.

US 33, US 119, US 219 and US 50 in West Virginia have some stinker sections. Ditto US 19 and US 52. And US 60.

US 421 in Tennessee east of Bristol to Mountain City is a real clunker.

Having just recently clinched US 119 and US 219 in Pennsylvania, there are some real winner portions on those routes.

In the central part of Kentucky, there are some really bad sections of US 62 and US 68.

And out west, don't forget the Million Dollar Highway, US 550.

[relaxok]

US 421 in Kentucky has some bad spots. For that matter, so does US 460.

In the central part of Kentucky, there are some really bad sections of US 62 and US 68.

My ex girlfriend originally from Kentucky has told me scary stories about driving there.. Specifically in the area of Buckhorn.. Looks like that's near 421..

[hbelkins]

My ex girlfriend originally from Kentucky has told me scary stories about driving there.. Specifically in the area of Buckhorn.. Looks like that's near 421..

That's right in my neck of the woods.

[corco]

I recall parts of US-59 in Missouri being pretty beat up where it's near I-29, especially around Mound City- places where at one point the road was probably decent but now it's definitely not- for example

[bugo]

US 160 in Missouri is really shitty, especially east of US 65. 

[The High Plains Traveler]

Plenty of examples can be found in the Appalachians.
* * *
And out west, don't forget the Million Dollar Highway, US 550.

Not sure I'd include a highway built through some very challenging terrain in this classification. U.S. 550  goes over two 10,000+ foot summits, and as long as it maintains two distinct lanes - something not all routes through the Rockies do - I'd not consider it a deficient route. I know U.S. 550 is posted 25 mph at spots through the Durango to Ouray segment, but it's probably the best that could be expected through this part of the San Juans. I can't speak to the highways through the Appalachians, as to whether it's economically feasible to upgrade them through the areas cited.

[Scott5114]

US 160 in Missouri is really shitty, especially east of US 65.  

I've done the bit between US 65 and US 67 and quality-wise it was no worse than any other numbered route in the Ozarks, and significantly better than the lettered routes.

[formulanone]

Wow, that US 83 Business Route is quite a donkey path. 

US 98 where it split off diagonally from US 441/FL 80 in Palm Beach County (it eventually re-joined US 441 at Canal Point) was very bumpy and potentially unsafe. Basically, the road was a levee that straddled two canals, and was primarily used by trucks hauling sugar cane to the nearby refineries. This road would have to be entirely repaved every 5 years...so occasionally it would be smooth, but the next year I'd travel on it, the road was bumpy as ever. In late-2008, US 98 was rerouted onto US 441, so that old section was designated FL 700.

[Kacie Jane]

US 101 in Oregon between Lincoln City and Tillamook has a narrow curvy 2-lane original section from the Grapes Of Wrath days.  Thankfully someone changed out the ubernarrow bridge on that stretch.  Two monster RV's would have had an interesting meeting there...LOL!

Rick

Having driven that stretch of highway relatively recently (August, IIRC), I'll have to disagree with you here.  Curvy as all heck, but given the terrain, that's unavoidable.  In terms of quality and maintenance though, it's nowhere near the level of the other examples posted here.

[roadman65]

Wow, that US 83 Business Route is quite a donkey path.  

US 98 where it split off diagonally from US 441/FL 80 in Palm Beach County (it eventually re-joined US 441 at Canal Point) was very bumpy and potentially unsafe. Basically, the road was a levee that straddled two canals, and was primarily used by trucks hauling sugar cane to the nearby refineries. This road would have to be entirely repaved every 5 years...so occasionally it would be smooth, but the next year I'd travel on it, the road was bumpy as ever. In late-2008, US 98 was rerouted onto US 441, so that old section was designated FL 700.

Ah yes, old bumpy US 98.  That took the cake.


I nominate US 202, in Northern New Jersey where it is county maintained!  Poor signage, and some places still the old NJ 2 digit shields with no reflectiveness at night. In Bergen County it seems they forgot its US 202 and just south of the NY State Line, there is no directional shields where US 202 goes from Franklin Turnpike to Ramapo Valley Road.  Oh, what about the Rockaway River Bridge in Boonton?  A 3 ton weight limit on it. 

US 129 in Tennessee is very windy and trucks cannot use it cause the curves are too sharp.

[Takumi]

US 129 in Tennessee is very windy and trucks cannot use it cause the curves are too sharp.

It is called The Dragon for a reason...but the road itself isn't in as bad shape as most of these.

[Beltway]

Any U.S. highways that are unpaved, i.e. with a gravel surface?

[NE2]

Any U.S. highways that are unpaved, i.e. with a gravel surface?

Not anymore. The last one (at least not counting temporary alignments) was apparently US 183 in Nebraska (1967).

[bugo]

I nominate US 202, in Northern New Jersey where it is county maintained!  Poor signage, and some places still the old NJ 2 digit shields with no reflectiveness at night. In Bergen County it seems they forgot its US 202 and just south of the NY State Line, there is no directional shields where US 202 goes from Franklin Turnpike to Ramapo Valley Road.

If you were following signs for the route, there is a good chance you would get lost.  This could lead to dangerous situations.   Somebody needs to contact whoever maintains this road and suggest they place a sign assembly at this point.  And if they won't do anything, go to the media.