Non-freeways that feel like freeways

[nwi_navigator_1181]

Indiana 49 between the Indiana Toll Road and U.S. 30 in Valparaiso definitely has that freeway feel.

Open roads, wide shoulders, multiple interchanges (including one that was converted from a lighted intersection last year), and stretches where you can easily coast to 70 mph (though the speed limit is only 55). There are only two at-grade intersections in that seven-mile stretch; of those two, only one is lighted.

[mjb2002]

In South Carolina:

US 17 from the Savannah River to Charleston. Speed Limit is 60 in all areas except for Hardeeville, Jacksonboro and Ridgeland.

US 21 from Yemassee to Beaufort. Speed Limit is 60.

US 301 from the Savannah River to Santee. Speed Limit is 60 mph outside of the Allendale, Bamberg and Orangeburg city limits.

US 321 between Swansea and its connectors with Interstates 26 & 77 just outside of Cayce. Speed Limit is 60, except in Gaston.

[Some_Person]

US 222 on the Trexlertown Bypass sure looks like and feels like a freeway, it even has a diamond interchange with PA 100, it's just too bad there are some intersections with traffic signals, and a speed limit that doesn't even go above 45 mph. http://goo.gl/maps/ZzkUJ

[Road Hog]

U.S. 82 across North Texas is mostly divided and has several interchanges along the way, but also has several at-grade crossings and driveways.

[NE2]

US 1 south of St. Augustine. I dozed off here and woke up thinking we were on I-95.
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=29.56532,-81.271019&spn=0.034192,0.066047&gl=us&t=m&z=15&layer=c&cbll=29.565518,-81.271109&panoid=Q4JBRUstAhkBt6VGxccVzQ&cbp=12,349.77,,0,4.5

[bugo]

US 71 in Missouri used to fit this category, but since it was converted to I-49 it is now a full freeway.

[Roadsguy]

US 222 on the Trexlertown Bypass sure looks like and feels like a freeway, it even has a diamond interchange with PA 100, it's just too bad there are some intersections with traffic signals, and a speed limit that doesn't even go above 45 mph. http://goo.gl/maps/ZzkUJ

That's actually a classic rest-of-the-US "expressway." It's almost a freeway, with an interchange or two, but it has intersections.

US 209 from PA 33 to I-80 is similar.

[mapman1071]

AZ87 Beeline-Martin Highway Between  Mcdowell Road/Country Club Road and Rye

[roadman65]

US 22 through Weequahic Park in Newark, NJ.   

[NE2]

US 22 through Weequahic Park in Newark, NJ.   

That is a de facto freeway.

(As is, of course, CP's example of the Balt Wash Parkway.)

[DTComposer]

I'll throw in Shoreline Drive in Long Beach from I-710 into downtown. The section from Ocean Boulevard to Chestnut Place is often used for filming because of its resemblance to a freeway. It used to be even more freeway-like when there were flyover ramps to and from the Queensway Bridge. Shoreline Drive is also a major part of the Long Beach Grand Prix course.

[empirestate]

Given the nicely subjective criterion, I'd nominate NYC's West Side Highway (NY 9A). Sure it has tons of lights and intersections, but when they're green it feels a lot like a freeway to me. It's certainly wider and in better physical shape than most of the actual freeways in the city.

(Remember that NYC uses signal timing, such that one can often travel the length of Manhattan Island without ever stopping for a red signal.)

[roadman65]

Given the nicely subjective criterion, I'd nominate NYC's West Side Highway (NY 9A). Sure it has tons of lights and intersections, but when they're green it feels a lot like a freeway to me. It's certainly wider and in better physical shape than most of the actual freeways in the city.

(Remember that NYC uses signal timing, such that one can often travel the length of Manhattan Island without ever stopping for a red signal.)

Add US 1 (Roosevelt Boulevard) in North East Philadelphia, when the lights are green.

Then moving to the West (US region wise) in KS you have K 254 between Wichita and El Dorado that is not a freeway as it has multiple at grade intersections, but not much cross traffic to slow you down and a 70 mph speed limit (unless Kansas raised it to 75 like on the interstates) so it  acts as one.  Also, it is a perfect bypass (along with I-235) of Wichita if you are using US 54 straight through or even to go EB to NB KTA or SB to WB.

[A.J. Bertin]

I'm sure you have been on at least a few non-freeways that seem like freeways in spots.

US-31 between Holland and Grand Haven - even though it has a few stoplights
M-45 between Allendale and Walker - it's almost impossible to not go 70+ when crossing the Grand River or coming down the hills on either side to approach said bridge
US-127 between Ithaca and St. Johns - it even has a 65 mph speed limit and an interchange about halfway between the two towns mentioned
M-115 between Cadillac and Farwell - it doesn't help that a good portion of the road is four lanes undivided

These are some good examples. Another one that comes to mind is in southeast Michigan. There's a section of U.S. 24 (Telegraph Road) in Oakland County that feels freeway-ish for about a mile or so because of the jersey barrier between the carriageways.

As others have alluded to on here, there is a difference between an expressway and a freeway. Expressways can have at-grade intersections while freeways cannot.

[kendancy66]

I'd also throw in CA-133, Laguna Canyon Road.  North of the 73 toll road, it's divided and feels like a full freeway, though there are some at-grade intersections.  I don't think it's officialy a freeway until after the 405.

CA-133 between I-405 and CA-73 is a type of highway configuration used all through out California.  CA 58, CA 152, and CA 17 through the Santa Cruz Mountains just to name a few.(Even US 101) I haven't found an official name for this type configuration, but it's definitely a freeway-expressway hybrid. It's has at-grade intersections, no signals, and traffic is allowed to continue travel uninterrupted at 65 mph. Crossing traffic must yield, and there are usually acceleration lanes after the intersection for entering traffic.

CA-133 has two traffic signals. At Lake Forest Dr, and at Laguna Canyon Rd/Pavona.  Both are just south of I-405 interchange.  But for purposes of this discussion it definetly has a freeway feel.  Traveling south just past Lake Forest, most traffic speeds along at 65+, and with no development and no turning traffic until the toll road (CA-73).

[flowmotion]

US 53 in northern Minnesota. I was looking for a picture of the signage but could only find this instead:

[roadman65]

I'm sure you have been on at least a few non-freeways that seem like freeways in spots.

US-31 between Holland and Grand Haven - even though it has a few stoplights
M-45 between Allendale and Walker - it's almost impossible to not go 70+ when crossing the Grand River or coming down the hills on either side to approach said bridge
US-127 between Ithaca and St. Johns - it even has a 65 mph speed limit and an interchange about halfway between the two towns mentioned
M-115 between Cadillac and Farwell - it doesn't help that a good portion of the road is four lanes undivided

These are some good examples. Another one that comes to mind is in southeast Michigan. There's a section of U.S. 24 (Telegraph Road) in Oakland County that feels freeway-ish for about a mile or so because of the jersey barrier between the carriageways.

As others have alluded to on here, there is a difference between an expressway and a freeway. Expressways can have at-grade intersections while freeways cannot.

Except in NY and PA their definition is that freeways are expressways in the state vocabulary.  The technical definition is as you explain it, but hence the NYC freeways being named "Expressways."  Also PA has the same and at end of freeway segments you often see yellow diamond warning signs saying "EXPRESSWAY ENDS X FEET" approaching the end.

[Brandon]

I'm sure you have been on at least a few non-freeways that seem like freeways in spots.

US-31 between Holland and Grand Haven - even though it has a few stoplights
M-45 between Allendale and Walker - it's almost impossible to not go 70+ when crossing the Grand River or coming down the hills on either side to approach said bridge
US-127 between Ithaca and St. Johns - it even has a 65 mph speed limit and an interchange about halfway between the two towns mentioned
M-115 between Cadillac and Farwell - it doesn't help that a good portion of the road is four lanes undivided

These are some good examples. Another one that comes to mind is in southeast Michigan. There's a section of U.S. 24 (Telegraph Road) in Oakland County that feels freeway-ish for about a mile or so because of the jersey barrier between the carriageways.

As others have alluded to on here, there is a difference between an expressway and a freeway. Expressways can have at-grade intersections while freeways cannot.

Except in NY and PA their definition is that freeways are expressways in the state vocabulary.  The technical definition is as you explain it, but hence the NYC freeways being named "Expressways."  Also PA has the same and at end of freeway segments you often see yellow diamond warning signs saying "EXPRESSWAY ENDS X FEET" approaching the end.

Ditto in Illinois.  Illinois also uses the "Expressway Ends" signage for freeways.

[vdeane]

I'm sure you have been on at least a few non-freeways that seem like freeways in spots.

US-31 between Holland and Grand Haven - even though it has a few stoplights
M-45 between Allendale and Walker - it's almost impossible to not go 70+ when crossing the Grand River or coming down the hills on either side to approach said bridge
US-127 between Ithaca and St. Johns - it even has a 65 mph speed limit and an interchange about halfway between the two towns mentioned
M-115 between Cadillac and Farwell - it doesn't help that a good portion of the road is four lanes undivided

These are some good examples. Another one that comes to mind is in southeast Michigan. There's a section of U.S. 24 (Telegraph Road) in Oakland County that feels freeway-ish for about a mile or so because of the jersey barrier between the carriageways.

As others have alluded to on here, there is a difference between an expressway and a freeway. Expressways can have at-grade intersections while freeways cannot.

Except in NY and PA their definition is that freeways are expressways in the state vocabulary.  The technical definition is as you explain it, but hence the NYC freeways being named "Expressways."  Also PA has the same and at end of freeway segments you often see yellow diamond warning signs saying "EXPRESSWAY ENDS X FEET" approaching the end.

The upstate regions are starting to switch to "freeway" on signage though.  NY 590 and NY 690 both have "freeway ends" signage rather than the traditional "expressway ends".

[agentsteel53]

US 53 in northern Minnesota. I was looking for a picture of the signage but could only find this instead:

is that the only Clearview in Minnesota?  or was I just oblivious to it on my last trip, because it isn't old?  (I did a few freeways in the MSP area, but mostly rural two-laners)

[Big John]

is that the only Clearview in Minnesota?  or was I just oblivious to it on my last trip, because it isn't old?  (I did a few freeways in the MSP area, but mostly rural two-laners)

That looks more like a warning sign that should by black on yellow, thus disallowing the clearview.

[kphoger]

K 254 between Wichita and El Dorado ... (unless Kansas raised it to 75 like on the interstates)

It's still 70 mph, last I drove on it.

[vtk]

US 53 in northern Minnesota. I was looking for a picture of the signage but could only find this instead:

is that the only Clearview in Minnesota?  or was I just oblivious to it on my last trip, because it isn't old?  (I did a few freeways in the MSP area, but mostly rural two-laners)

I thought that sign was in Michigan.

[roadman65]

US 1 & 23 between Homeland, GA and Waycross, GA.
US 82 in parts between Dawson, GA and Brunswick, GA.  It is full freeway around Albany, but many rural parts are 65 mph with conditions to have steady or close to steady speeds.

[Brandon]

US 53 in northern Minnesota. I was looking for a picture of the signage but could only find this instead:

is that the only Clearview in Minnesota?  or was I just oblivious to it on my last trip, because it isn't old?  (I did a few freeways in the MSP area, but mostly rural two-laners)

I thought that sign was in Michigan.

That's what I thought as well, just west of St Ignance.