Top 10 Road Geeking Spots in your state

[SteveG1988]

What are the top 10 must see road geek items in your state?

Inspired by a post about stuff to see in DC.

[Rothman]

Can't wait to see who sticks their neck out for NY.

[Chris19001]

I don't know enough about western PA to give a full list, but I'd say 5 for PA are Breezewood, The Goat Path Expressway, the abandoned corridor of the PA Turnpike east of Breezewood, the half-assed interchange (being worked on) for the Betsy Ross Bridge in Philly, and the abandoned road south of what what formerly Centralia.  Not a bad top 5 at all.

[Brandon]

Illinois (my list, and YMMV):

* AASHO Test Loop on I-80 near Ottawa.
* Dan Ryan Expressway, 14 lane section with express and local lanes.
* The five over-the-road Illinois Tollway Oases.
* The rest areas on I-55 just north of Springfield.
* Kampsville Ferry - only ferry in Illinois to carry a state route (IL-108).
* Interstate 180.
* Old Chain Of Rocks Bridges (one is shared with Missouri).
* The drawbridges of Chicago and Joliet.
* The I-88/I-355 interchange.
* Lake Shore Drive.

[TravelingBethelite]

Illinois (my list, and YMMV):

* AASHO Test Loop on I-80 near Ottawa.

Where exactly is the Test Loop?

EDIT:Nevermind, I found it.

[Brandon]

Illinois (my list, and YMMV):

* AASHO Test Loop on I-80 near Ottawa.

Where exactly is the Test Loop?

EDIT:Nevermind, I found it.

Here's a better picture of it, from Scott Onson:

AASHO Test Site by ssoworld

https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=10545.0

[Alex]

My suggestions for Florida:

Sunshine Skyway Bridge
South end of Interstate 95
Dames Point Bridge (I-295)
Overseas Highway
Golden Glades Interchange
I-4 through Downtown Orlando
Selmon elevated Express Lanes
US 1 Fort Lauderdale Tunnel
Panama City colored and keys shields
Big I interchange - east end of I-10

[Henry]

My list for WA:
Seattle Floating Bridges
Western end of I-90
US 101's wrong way section from Port Angeles to Olympia
Northern end of I-5
North Spokane Connector
Alaskan Way Viaduct/Tunnel
I-405/WA 520 interchange
I-82
I-5 Freeway Park in Downtown Seattle
I-90/I-405 interchange

[ekt8750]

I don't know enough about western PA to give a full list, but I'd say 5 for PA are Breezewood, The Goat Path Expressway, the abandoned corridor of the PA Turnpike east of Breezewood, the half-assed interchange (being worked on) for the Betsy Ross Bridge in Philly, and the abandoned road south of what what formerly Centralia.  Not a bad top 5 at all.

If you're a fan of abandoned ROWs and/or stubs of unbuilt freeways, the stub of the never completed Woodhaven Expressway (PA 63) in NE Philadelphia is also a good one as is the PA 23 Valley Forge Parkway stub in Bridgeport, PA. Both have weird movements to divert around the stubs to get to their alignments. The PA 23 one is especially good as a good 1-1.5 miles of it was built before it (although most of it is fenced off) it was abandoned.

[hbelkins]

Kentucky, in no particular order

Pikeville Cut-Thru
US 23 at Pound Gap
Cumberland Gap Tunnel
Roebling Suspension Bridge
Whitehaven Rest Area/Welcome Center
Goddard Covered Bridge
Nada Tunnel
Clays Ferry Bridge
Existing US 68 Lake Barkley and Kentucky Lake bridges
Valley View Ferry

West Virginia

New River Gorge Bridge
Wheeling Suspension Bridge
Philippi Covered Bridge
Corridor H from Davis to Wardensville
I-64 eastbound descending into New River Gorge
East River Mountain tunnel
Wheeling Tunnel
???
???
???

[OCGuy81]

My suggestions for California, no particular order:

I-5 from Redding up to the Oregon State line, aka the Cascade Wonderland Highway.  It's truly one of the most beautiful stretches of interstate highway in the country, IMO.

CA-1 is a great way into San Francisco from Santa Cruz.  The entire stretch is beautiful, and you can then follow it across the Golden Gate, a must for any road enthusiast.

Another nod to CA-1 is Big Sur.

The infamous East LA Interchange, one of the largest freeway clusterfucks out there.

The 5 Santa Ana Freeway NB is pretty cool around 9-9:30 each night, seeing Disneyland's fireworks while driving.  Not a lot of highways that treat drivers to daily fireworks displays.

CA-17 from San Jose to Santa Cruz is a fun white knuckle experience, especially at rush hour.

CA-120 through Yosemite

CA-91, just for the sheer size of it.

I-8 near El Centro (if you want to check off the lowest point on the Interstate system)

17 mile drive near Carmel.  Great views of Monterrey Bay, and a chance to stop by Pebble Beach.

[roadman65]

My suggestions for Florida:

Sunshine Skyway Bridge
South end of Interstate 95
Dames Point Bridge (I-295)
Overseas Highway
Golden Glades Interchange
I-4 through Downtown Orlando
Selmon elevated Express Lanes
US 1 Fort Lauderdale Tunnel
Panama City colored and keys shields
Big I interchange - east end of I-10

I was trying to figure this one out as Florida is usually pretty flat and nothing much of beauty.

I would add the John Rinling Causeway in Sarasota to Florida as well as most causeways.
Miami Beach and the MacArthur Causeway leading in.  The Venetian probably is up there.
The Three Mile Bridge between Pensacola and Gulf Breeze is one and got a lot of hits on my YouTube.

Then the drive we took along US 1 from Vero Beach up to Melbourne was pretty neat.

Those are only to name a few, but you named quite a few goodies yourself.

[SD Mapman]

Uh, for SD, um, uh...

The green Business 14 shields in Huron!
(and there might be an old SD 79 sign in Fairburn)

I really don't think SD has anything cool for infrastructure other than that. I guess the Meridian Bridge in Yankton, but that's a pedestrian walkway now...

[Ned Weasel]

Kansas is mostly kind of boring, but there are few interesting things, so let's see if I can make it to 10:

1. The Kellogg Freeway (Officially US 54/400/Kellogg Avenue).  One of the greatest examples of infrastructure as art that I've seen.
2. I-135/Canal Route Freeway.  Elevated freeway with a stream in the middle?  Check!
3. The Johnson County Gateway (I-35/435/K-10/Lackman Road interchange, currently being re-built)
4. Off-ramp "tunnels" specifically built for braiding ramps (EB I-435 to US 69, NB I-35 to 75th Street)
5. Short freeways without any state highway designation (Shawnee Mission Parkway between I-435 and Lackman Road, and the Turner Diagonal Freeway)
6. Cattle Pens on the Kansas Turnpike (I-35).  The KTA should probably re-sign this as a scenic lookout point.
7. I-70 viaduct in Topeka.  2nd Street runs underneath it for a few blocks.
8. Inverse jughandles on State Avenue, KCK.  This used to be a state highway, so maybe KDOT was experimenting.
9. Seven consecutive roundabouts on a four-lane road: https://goo.gl/maps/6bNy66pxBtt .  Seriously, what's the record for this?
10. Pick your favorite roundabout in the middle of nowhere!  Go on; I won't do it for you!

What?  I made it to 10?  I guess Kansas isn't so bad after all!

[TheHighwayMan3561]

Minnesota

1. Abandoned US 61 border crossing at Grand Portage
2. I-35 cut/cover tunnels in Duluth
3. I-35W/MN 62 interchange in Richfield
4. I-35E parkway section in St. Paul
5. Old US 61/MN 61 from Wyoming to Grand Portage
6. New MN 7 interchanges near MN 100
7. US 169/CR 101 (old MN 101) interchange in Shakopee
8. I-394 reversible lanes
9. I-494/US 10/61 interchange in Newport
10. I-494/MN 5 interchange near the MSP airport

[kkt]

My list for WA:
Seattle Floating Bridges
Western end of I-90
US 101's wrong way section from Port Angeles to Olympia
Northern end of I-5
North Spokane Connector
Alaskan Way Viaduct/Tunnel
I-405/WA 520 interchange
I-82
I-5 Freeway Park in Downtown Seattle
I-90/I-405 interchange

Those are good, but how about:
Tacoma Narrows Bridge
Hood Canal Bridge
I-90 Snoqualmie Pass, western approaches and construction on the eastern side
I-5 express lanes south of downtown Seattle, where they were squeezed into existing ROW
Convention Center I-5 lid
Mercer Island I-90 lid
Mt. Baker Tunnel
Columbia River I-5 Bridge, look quick before the next earthquake but don't risk driving over it

[SteveG1988]

New Jersey:

Turnpike Exit 6 interchange, a miracalous transformation of the original configuration

Edison/Driscoll Bridges (so many lanes!)

Cape May-Lewes Ferry (Us Route on a ferry, so cool!)

NJ 324 (Awesome view of the commodore barry bridge, abandoned US route)

Ben Franklin Bridge (The multi modal bridge)

Calhoun Street Bridge (1884 Wrought Iron Pin Connected truss)

Pulaski Skyway

NJ 139/I78 Holland Tunnel Approach

NJ 29 Tunnel

Brigantine Connector Tunnel

[kkt]

California:
The Golden Gate Bridge
Hwy 1, Bixby Creek Bridge
Bay Bridge & Yerba Buena Island Tunnel
Caldecott Tunnel
Old Donner Pass Road
Sonora Pass
Hwy 120 from Tioga Pass to 395
I-5 through the Siskiyous
there may be some things in Socal too.

[Brian556]

To add a few to Florida:

Old brick highways. Multiple Locations. Examples: Old US 90 near SR 87. Old US 92 west of Daytona Beach.

Old Secondary SR signs in small towns and rural areas.

US 1 abandoned bridges Florida Keys. Esp Bahia Hondo Bridge

Roundabout with railroad crossing, track splits within roundabout, in Tavares. https://www.google.com/maps/@28.8022004,-81.7244551,3a,75y,250.14h,84.92t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sHUSQDRGbDOnsvNjXhiDc2Q!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo1.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DHUSQDRGbDOnsvNjXhiDc2Q%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D346.50592%26pitch%3D0!7i13312!8i6656

Railroad crossings on driveways just a few feet from garages, Northshore Dr, in Eustis.
https://www.google.com/maps/@28.863968,-81.6885618,3a,75y,244.54h,80.46t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sMSvcWJmX2Pzcx9UPOOwHyA!2e0!7i3328!8i1664

[Brian556]

Texas:

North Texas:
1. I-635 newly-completed section with main lanes bridged over below-grade toll lanes.
2. I-35E from I-635 S to LOOP 12- Freeway at grade, toll lanes elevated on the outside.

Central Texas:
Hillsboro is an excellent road-geeking area, with a ton of interesting items.

1. I-35 split.
2. There are two old splits (US 77/81) west of the I-35 split
3. OLD I-35 (SH 81) south side of Hillsboro.
4. ALT I-35/35E/35W signage.
5. Old US 81 (CR 4281) N of Hillsboro. Old concrete highway in bad condition with grass growing in it, despite it being open to traffic. Old concrete fence rail in perfect condition at RR underpass.
6. OLD US 77 alignments NE of I-35. asphalt degenerated to gravel. Old bridges. (The old one-lane underpass on old US 77 W of I-35 has been removed.)
7. OLD US 77/81 E of OLD I-35 (SH 81)
8. OLD RR grades. Multiple around area. One along OLD US 77/81 S of town, one along OLD US 77 N of town.
9. Incorrect median signs on town square.

West Texas: I-10 median crossovers.

[triplemultiplex]

Uh, for SD, um, uh...

The green Business 14 shields in Huron!
(and there might be an old SD 79 sign in Fairburn)

I really don't think SD has anything cool for infrastructure other than that. I guess the Meridian Bridge in Yankton, but that's a pedestrian walkway now...

What about the awesome wooden interchange on US 16?  A directional Y interchange and all the support structure is made of wood.  That's extremely cool and unique.
Throw in the pigtails and one lane tunnels on 16A while we're at it.
The view from the rest area overlooking the Missouri River is pretty stunning, especially at sunrise/set.  Add to it the uncommon situation where it has it's own trumpet interchange and I think that qualifies.


I should have no problem coming up with 10 roadgeeky things for Wisconsin.

US/I-41 concurrency for starters.
A tour of the stub ends of MKE freeways.
The vacated r/w from the Park East Freeway and its gradual redevelopment.
Quadruple US highway concurrency on the Madison Beltline.
The Zoo Interchange reconstruction (if reading too late for that, I'm sure another MKE freeway will be in major rebuild)
WI 131 in the Kickapoo Valley and the effects of the aborted La Farge Dam project.
Not one, but two triple interstate concurrencies (or "triplemultiplexes" if you may )
While it's not something you can really go and see, the whole "putting numbers on roads" thing started here.
Stand at the south end of the US 12 freeway in Genoa City and sigh dejectedly.
Visit the spot where NE2's avatar photo was taken and laugh like Beavis & Butthead.

[SD Mapman]

Uh, for SD, um, uh...

The green Business 14 shields in Huron!
(and there might be an old SD 79 sign in Fairburn)

I really don't think SD has anything cool for infrastructure other than that. I guess the Meridian Bridge in Yankton, but that's a pedestrian walkway now...

What about the awesome wooden interchange on US 16?  A directional Y interchange and all the support structure is made of wood.  That's extremely cool and unique.
Throw in the pigtails and one lane tunnels on 16A while we're at it.
The view from the rest area overlooking the Missouri River is pretty stunning, especially at sunrise/set.  Add to it the uncommon situation where it has it's own trumpet interchange and I think that qualifies.

I'm not thinking this week.
Are there any other rest areas with a trumpet interchange?

[DTComposer]

My suggestions for California, no particular order:

I-5 from Redding up to the Oregon State line, aka the Cascade Wonderland Highway.  It's truly one of the most beautiful stretches of interstate highway in the country, IMO.

CA-1 is a great way into San Francisco from Santa Cruz.  The entire stretch is beautiful, and you can then follow it across the Golden Gate, a must for any road enthusiast.

Another nod to CA-1 is Big Sur.

The infamous East LA Interchange, one of the largest freeway clusterfucks out there.

The 5 Santa Ana Freeway NB is pretty cool around 9-9:30 each night, seeing Disneyland's fireworks while driving.  Not a lot of highways that treat drivers to daily fireworks displays.

CA-17 from San Jose to Santa Cruz is a fun white knuckle experience, especially at rush hour.

CA-120 through Yosemite

CA-91, just for the sheer size of it.

I-8 near El Centro (if you want to check off the lowest point on the Interstate system)

17 mile drive near Carmel.  Great views of Monterrey Bay, and a chance to stop by Pebble Beach.

California:
The Golden Gate Bridge
Hwy 1, Bixby Creek Bridge
Bay Bridge & Yerba Buena Island Tunnel
Caldecott Tunnel
Old Donner Pass Road
Sonora Pass
Hwy 120 from Tioga Pass to 395
I-5 through the Siskiyous
there may be some things in Socal too.

Not sure if this is my final top 10, but I'll endorse some things mentioned already and add my own.

(not in any order)

Arroyo Seco Parkway (CA-110, Los Angeles to Pasadena)

The Four-Level Interchange (CA-110/US-101) - the first (?) stack interchange in the country, then go down a few miles to the I-110/I-105 interchange to see a modern stack on steroids.

Bixby Creek Bridge on CA-1. Iconic image on a scenic route.

Golden Gate Bridge

I-5 across the Grapevine between Santa Clarita and Wheeler Ridge, including the ability to see/drive on much of the two older alignments (the Ridge Route and the Golden State Highway)

Rim of the World Highway (CA-18, San Bernardino to Skyforest)

San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge

Avenue of the Giants (CA-254, old US-101)

Sonora Pass (CA-108)

Honorable mention: Caldecott Tunnel, East L.A. Interchange, National Trails Highway (Old US-66), Donner Pass, Siskiyou Pass, PCH (CA-1) from Oxnard to Santa Monica

Not one spot, but a whole drive: El Camino Real, - not the "official" route (which is inconsistent and actually skips some missions), but sticking as close as possible to the original trail.

[kkt]

Oh, yes, how could I have forgotten Avenue of the Giants?  And the Arroyo Seco?

I have trouble narrowing CA 1 down to one spot or one stretch.  Yes, the central coast around Bixby Creek is certainly worth seeing... but so is the San Mateo County coast and the Mendocino Coast.

CA 190 in Death Valley

[kurumi]

Connecticut submissions:
* Merritt Parkway - late 1930s time capsule
* I-84, New Britain to Vernon - some unfortunate design, optimism ("we're totally gonna need all these freeways, and we'll have the funds and local support to do so"), righting of wrongs (84/91 interchange) and more modern design (CT 15 thru CT 83)
* CT 10, New Haven to Avon - two of CT's earliest grade separations. A corridor that was planned to be entirely freewayed but never happened.
* CT 169 - nationally recognized scenic road
* I-95, Fairfield County, rush hour - to see what people have to put up with
* Old CT 179, Barkhamsted - most of it closed to traffic, some of it underwater, with bonus ghost town
* US 7, Danbury to Mass SL - some of everything: freeway, divided highway, 4-lane, 2-lane. Passes by a covered bridge and other typical Litchfield county scenery.
* I-84/CT 8 interchange, Waterbury - the only double-decked freeways in CT. Hurry up and see it before it's torn down and rebuilt! (just kidding, that's at least 10 years away)
* Middletown and Portland - Arrigoni Bridge, CT 9 problems, CT 17/66 divided highway. This is a fun area to think up fixes for.
* CT 2, Ledyard - a rare "super 4": 4-lane undivided freeway. Built when Foxwoods was more flush with cash (2009) than it is now. Would probably not be built today.