Roadways that were underbuilt

[JakeFromNewEngland]

I-95 through all of SW CT is definitely underbuilt. Of course, it was built with 1950s-1960s traffic standards in mind. Today it's 6 lanes with the exception of the short 8 lane sections in Bridgeport and in the future, New Haven and Norwalk. Today it could use at least 8-10 lanes but that probably will never happen due to how dense the area around I-95 is.


Another example in CT I can think of is CT 8. In some areas it could definitely use a widening to 6 lanes. The original plan was that all I-84 bound traffic would use CT 25 (CT 25 now ends as a freeway in Trumbull) if it was ever finished. That's why CT 25 is 6 lanes wide versus CT 8 which is 4 lanes. I think ConnDOT plans on upgrading the freeway soon, but no widening is planned for it.

[noelbotevera]

To show you why I-83 feels underbuilt, look at what their mission is. Shows you how many years that construction has not been done in that area.

"The I-83 mainline and ramps will require reconstruction for a number of reasons: first, to correct the problem of deteriorating pavement; second, to add capacity; and third, to apply current design criteria to the roadway geometry. The minimum operational requirements are: design to Interstate standards; 60 mph design speed on the mainline; and three through lanes in each direction between Interchanges."

From http://www.i-83beltway.com/masterplan.html

[thenetwork]

I know that I-71's northern terminus around the MetroHealth curve became under-built when I-90 West out of Cleveland was finally completed.  That's when the I-71 North traffic to East I-90/Innerbelt was reduced from 3 to 2 thru lanes, as now there was I-90 traffic that needed to merge onto the Innerbelt.

That whole Metrohealth Curve area was a very narrow strip of land in which to build on, hence the double decking of I-71 North over the northern terminus of the Jennings Freeway (SR-176).  In the mid 60s when it was constructed, I-71 was wedged between the actual Metrohealth Hospital grounds to the west and the J&L steel mill to the east. 

The original section of the Jennings Freeway was under-built as well when it was opened in the late 60s.  Some of it was also because of a narrow ROW (J&L Steel on the east & Riverside Cemetery on the west) which only allowed 2-lanes in each direction, but IMHO, there was too much short-sightedness as to how much traffic the Jennings would potentially handle when it was completed. 

The remainder of the Jennings Freeway, which was finally completed and opened in 1999, is 3-lanes each way, which now creates a bottleneck at Denison Avenue where the old section began. 

I would think that in about 15-25 years, once the entire stretch of the Innerbelt is finally rebuilt, there will be a call for ODOT to rebuild the whole I-71/SR-176 Metrohealth curve section.  Now that the steel mill is long gone, they should have the room to add lanes to both the Jennings and northbound I-71.

[roadman65]

Is not I-95 in Jasper County, SC underbuilt?  Bottlenecks due to the roadway being only four lanes with the many tourists using the interstate to get to Florida.  South of US 17 you have the traffic from the coastal US 17 mix with the already busy I-95 and it slows down the flow from Point South to the GA border.  Even in GA its six lanes right up to the SC Line where it drops to 4 lanes.

[iBallasticwolf2]

I-71 in Louisville from the Kennedy interchange (I-65, I-64, and I-71) to I-265. It should have been at least 3 lanes in each direction if not 4 lanes in each direction from I-65 and I-64 to I-264.

[CentralPAGal]

I-81 through much of PA. So. Many. Trucks. So. Few. Lanes. It really should have been foreseen that this freeway would become a major artery of commerce for the northeast... It's practically a northern I-85. Four lanes is just ridiculous. Should be 6 lanes MD to Harrisburg, 8 around Harrisburg, and 6 to at least I-78, if not farther.

[jwolfer]

My interpretation of this topic is that it relates to roads that were underbuilt for the traffic loads existing at the time of construction or soon after.  A road that is clogged up 50 years after opening wasn't underbuilt; it was outgrown.

submitted for consideration

Agreed

[Darkchylde]

I'd wonder if I-93 through Franconia Notch would qualify, seeing as it was purposely built as a Super-2 when four lanes was the standard for Interstates. I doubt traffic counts would agree with that assessment, though... I'd almost call it underbuilt, but only compared to prevailing standards and not to actual need.

[Zeffy]

I'd wonder if I-93 through Franconia Notch would qualify, seeing as it was purposely built as a Super-2 when four lanes was the standard for Interstates. I doubt traffic counts would agree with that assessment, though... I'd almost call it underbuilt, but only compared to prevailing standards and not to actual need.

I think the problem with I-93 in that area is the fact that it's situated on a mountain, and they didn't want to ruin it's serenity that a 4-6 lane freeway would bring. I believe it was mostly a compromise.

[Darkchylde]

I'd wonder if I-93 through Franconia Notch would qualify, seeing as it was purposely built as a Super-2 when four lanes was the standard for Interstates. I doubt traffic counts would agree with that assessment, though... I'd almost call it underbuilt, but only compared to prevailing standards and not to actual need.

I think the problem with I-93 in that area is the fact that it's situated on a mountain, and they didn't want to ruin it's serenity that a 4-6 lane freeway would bring. I believe it was mostly a compromise.

Not disputing that, but it was still purposely underbuilt as compared to prevailing Interstate standards of the time.

[jwolfer]

I-295 east beltway in Jacksonville.  The area just north of the 9b  (future I-795) the drop from 4 lanes to 2 brings traffic to a standstill every morning. The road opened less than 10 years ago

[jwolfer]

Interstate 66 inside the Capital Beltway. It was deliberately underbuilt (two lanes per side for most of the segment) to overcome local opposition to building anything at all.

Now the same people bitch about the traffic backups.

[texaskdog]

iBallasticwolf2 started a topic about overbuilt roads. What roads do you believe were underbuilt?

I had to laugh when US 169 south of Minneapolis to Shakopee was built.  4 lane divided highway that was built with stoplights and immediately overpacked from day 1.  So they had to spend more money & time building it up again several years later.

[froggie]

People do drive, frequently, for things other than work. I don't think it's reasonable to consider non-work travel "exceptional" or "unusual" as froggie's response to my comment seems to suggest.

It's very reasonable, considering that only about 20% of all trips are commutes or work-related.  And it was already factored in.  The data I mentioned previously was for ALL vehicle trips.  Half of ALL vehicle trips are 4 miles or less.

I had to laugh when US 169 south of Minneapolis to Shakopee was built.  4 lane divided highway that was built with stoplights and immediately overpacked from day 1.  So they had to spend more money & time building it up again several years later.

Monte Castleman has used this example often, including on this forum.  Eden Prairie opposed interchanges initially.  And since the state's Municipal Consent law means the project required Eden Prairie approval,  traffic signals were included.  But that's only part of it.  MnDOT didn't have the funding at the time to eliminate the signals at 494...that only came a few years ago.

[noelbotevera]

I-81 through much of PA. So. Many. Trucks. So. Few. Lanes. It really should have been foreseen that this freeway would become a major artery of commerce for the northeast... It's practically a northern I-85. Four lanes is just ridiculous. Should be 6 lanes MD to Harrisburg, 8 around Harrisburg, and 6 to at least I-78, if not farther.

It's fine where it is. Traffic only starts to get heavier (but not too heavy) on the Capital Beltway concurrency. East of the concurrency, traffic lightens up.

[odditude]

pretty much all of I-81 through much of PA. So. Many. Trucks. So. Few. Lanes.

fixed.

i'm not looking forward to that part of my drive to TN later this month.

[noelbotevera]

pretty much all of I-81 through much of PA. So. Many. Trucks. So. Few. Lanes.

fixed.

i'm not looking forward to that part of my drive to TN later this month.

It's actually not that bad north of the I-78 junction. Traffic lightens up.

[signalman]

It's actually not that bad north of the I-78 junction. Traffic lightens up.

Until it intersects I-80.  Then truck counts (and local car traffic in the Scranton-Wilkes Barre area) pick up again until Binghamton.