Worst stretch of Interstate

[bugo]

What's the worst stretch of Interstate in the country?  I nominate I-55 in Memphis and I-44 (Skelly Drive) in Tulsa. 

Also, what's the Interstate that sucks the worst overall?  I again nominate I-44.  It's crooked in Missouri and much of it is just an upgraded US 66 and was built as an expressway.  Crossing into Oklahoma, you must face the Will Rogers Turnpike, then the aforementioned Skelly Drive, then the Turner Dethpike, then the stretch in OKC where it exits off itself several times, then the Bailey Turnpike, then the stretch to Wichita Falls.  I've never been on it, but I'm guessing the short Texas section of I-44 is probably in the best condition.

[corco]

Every mile of interstate through Tulsa pretty much sucks. Beyond that, I-5 through Portland is kind of annoying.

From what I've seen though, the interstates in Oklahoma are the worst.

[TheStranger]

Surprised that I-278 hasn't gotten a mention yet...

[agentsteel53]

I-95.  Yes, 278 is pretty bad, but at least it isn't entirely missing for a stretch in New Jersey.

[Mr_Northside]

Not to nitpick, cause I mostly don't care, but isn't there a thread almost exactly like this already?

Despite that, I'll just go ahead and get the mandatory mentioning of I-70 between New Stanton & Washington, PA taken care of now.

[RustyK]

I-5 South through downtown Seattle.  Heading south from just north of town, you have a stretch of road without HOV lanes, multiple exit/entrances on the right side (5 within 2 miles), after which you have an exit for a highway (520, bad in its own right) with a left exit/entrance.  520's ramp to 5 South joins about 1/4th of a mile before a major avenue exit (Mercer), and I-5 south itself, while it picks up an HOV lane after this point, is whittled down to 2 thru lanes (3 lanes exiting) underneath the Convention center.  Because of where it is, there's little hope for improvement with any of those things.  It's awful and backs up regularly on weekdays and weekends.

[Revive 755]

I second I-70 between I-79 and the Ripoff as the worst stretch of interstate in the nation.

For worst overall, I'll nominate I-70, for the poor design/alignment in Kansas City (two areas with one lane mainline ramps), capacity issues across parts of Missouri, a somewhat bad stretch through Columbia, MO, another stretch with some capacity issues, poor design in the St. Louis area (one lane ramps for the PSB and issues for eastbound traffic downtown with several lanes quickly disappearing to accommodate traffic from the near-useless reversible lanes), poor general alignment in the St. Louis area (should stay on I-270, stretch into downtown should be an I-x70), a poorly built three miles when first entering Illinois, inaccurate exit numbers and mileage for most of Illinois, capacity issues and poor pavement in Indiana, one lane mainline in Columbus, the pathetic design through Wheeling, the above mentioned stretch in PA, Breezewood, a poorly designed interchange with I-68, and capacity issues in Maryland (stop and go around Hagarstown?)

[Bickendan]

I-5 South through downtown Seattle.  Heading south from just north of town, you have a stretch of road without HOV lanes, multiple exit/entrances on the right side (5 within 2 miles), after which you have an exit for a highway (520, bad in its own right) with a left exit/entrance.  520's ramp to 5 South joins about 1/4th of a mile before a major avenue exit (Mercer), and I-5 south itself, while it picks up an HOV lane after this point, is whittled down to 2 thru lanes (3 lanes exiting) underneath the Convention center.  Because of where it is, there's little hope for improvement with any of those things.  It's awful and backs up regularly on weekdays and weekends.

Funny, I've never had any issues with the Mercer Shuffle. Of course, I wasn't driving, either...

I'll echo Corco about I-5 in Portland, though. Particularly from the Marquam to the Fremont Bridges.

[akotchi]

I-280 through Newark, New Jersey.

Worst, overall?  I-295 in New Jersey, though that will eventually get better.

[golden eagle]

What's the worst stretch of Interstate in the country?  I nominate I-55 in Memphis

I hate the intersection at Riverside Drive in which all traffic has to merge to the right lane and exit. That is, when traveling north. With so many big rigs, it has a tendency to back up quite far. In fact, the last time I drove through Memphis to get to Arkansas, I decided to take Riverside to I-40. I also could've chosen to go north on 240.

[huskeroadgeek]

What's the worst stretch of Interstate in the country?  I nominate I-55 in Memphis

I hate the intersection at Riverside Drive in which all traffic has to merge to the right lane and exit. That is, when traveling north. With so many big rigs, it has a tendency to back up quite far. In fact, the last time I drove through Memphis to get to Arkansas, I decided to take Riverside to I-40. I also could've chosen to go north on 240.

I mentioned this exact same intersection in the "worst designed expressways/roads" thread too. I knew people who always went I-40/I-240 just in order to avoid that exit. I've known people too who the first time they encountered that exit ended up on Crump Blvd. or Riverside Dr. depending on which way they were heading on I-55 and had to turn around and figure out how to get back on I-55.

[golden eagle]

What's the worst stretch of Interstate in the country?  I nominate I-55 in Memphis

I hate the intersection at Riverside Drive in which all traffic has to merge to the right lane and exit. That is, when traveling north. With so many big rigs, it has a tendency to back up quite far. In fact, the last time I drove through Memphis to get to Arkansas, I decided to take Riverside to I-40. I also could've chosen to go north on 240.

I mentioned this exact same intersection in the "worst designed expressways/roads" thread too. I knew people who always went I-40/I-240 just in order to avoid that exit. I've known people too who the first time they encountered that exit ended up on Crump Blvd. or Riverside Dr. depending on which way they were heading on I-55 and had to turn around and figure out how to get back on I-55.

I never knew why the intersection was designed that way.

[njroadhorse]

Worst, overall?  I-295 in New Jersey, though that will eventually get better.

I respectfully disagree, I-295 is definitely not the worst interstate in New Jersey.  I'd give that honor to Interstate 78 from my experiences on both of them.

[The Premier]

I say the worst stretch of Interstate is I-76 between I-277 and I-77 (the Kenmore Leg) in Akron for the two lanes (each way) and the fact that I-76 must exit itself at the beginning and end of the Kenmore Leg. Not to mention the congestion in rush hour just to stay on I-76.

[Pilgrimway]

I nominate I-84 from Hartford CT to Danbury CT.  What a mismash of curves and bends.

[Sykotyk]

Definitely I-55 in western Memphis. The simply fact you have to exit (both ways) to stay on I-55 and avoid winding up on a city street as bad.

I-80/I-29 in Council Bluffs is bad. You must cross traffic to stay on the same route (I-80 WB to the left, after joining on the right).

I-35 from Dallas to San Antonio. The frontage roads make this road heavily congested and cluttered with local traffic/businesses.

Sykotyk

[sandiaman]

I 40 from Needles to the Colorado River (California) is in horrible shape.  I was there last week and couldn't believe the condition of the road. Maybe it is a heat related problem or more likely, it is a low priority corner of the state.

Seriously, what was with the spacing?

[Crazy Volvo Guy]

Despite that, I'll just go ahead and get the mandatory mentioning of I-70 between New Stanton & Washington, PA taken care of now.

The stretch of it between the state line and Breezewood is a close second.  I don't particularly know WTF was up with PennDOT engineers around the time 70 was built.  No other Interstate in PA is like it.  It can't possibly be actually up to interstate standards, I'd think those two stretches should have "TO I-70" shields on them - kinda like the Franconia Notch Parkway in NH, which is signed "TO I-93" for its entire length.

Most of the ramps on those stretches make the ramps on the Spaulding Turnpike (NH 16) seem generous.

[froggie]

kinda like the Franconia Notch Parkway in NH, which is signed "TO I-93" for its entire length.

Drop the "TO"...it's regular I-93.

[hm insulators]

Half the freeways (both Interstates and non-Interstates) in the Los Angeles/San Diego corridor.

[Urban Prairie Schooner]

I-55 thru south Jackson MS is in pretty poor condition, both pavement and design wise
(in contrast to most other freeways in MS that I have experienced)

[shadyjay]

I'll nominate I-84 in West Hartford/Hartford (CT) and I-95 in Fairfield/New Haven County (CT)
I-84:  left exits, numerous sharp curves, high volume of traffic, weaving
I-95:  EXTREMELY HIGH VOLUME OF TRAFFIC, 50 exits in 48 miles

[agentsteel53]

I-84 is really bad indeed; I remember always managing to take that left-exit exit-only somewhere westbound in Hartford, like every single damn time in 2003.

[NJRoadfan]

Worst, overall?  I-295 in New Jersey, though that will eventually get better.

I respectfully disagree, I-295 is definitely not the worst interstate in New Jersey.  I'd give that honor to Interstate 78 from my experiences on both of them.

I-295 was horrible pavement-wise in Burlington County. They are in the process of rebuilding that section. When complete, almost all of I-295 will have been rebuilt or repaved. I-78 isn't that bad, its quite a bit nicer to drive then I-80 in NJ. Less curves and not as many hills. They also repaved almost all of it west of the GSP.

[Bickendan]

Honestly, I have nothing against left-exits. Sure, if you're not expecting them and if they're not obviously well, they can be disconcerting, but other than that, they can be useful if well designed. Exits 299B on I-5 and 1A and 3 on I-405 spring to mind -- all are obvious and well signed; and I-405s became better signed with the new MUTCD requirements.