Your least-favorite roadway feature?

[Roadrunner75]

My favorites are the ones with the main road cutting through the middle. US 1 near Princeton?
Speaking of those, someone at TRB had a poster claiming that there were only 3 of these "hamburger roundabouts" in America with only one in Jersey (and it wasn't the Princeton one). I didn't have the heart to show them more examples.

Bayway Circle in Elizabeth.
There is a smaller no named one in Watchung along US 22 at Mountain Avenue.

NJ 38 in Cherry Hill, here: https://www.google.com/maps?ll=39.940555,-75.009088&spn=0.001966,0.00327&t=h&z=19
Also, until recently, 70 and 73 in Marlton.  I am sooooooo glad this one is gone.  Every trip along 70 now under 73 is an absolute delight, compared to the mess this used to be.

[jakeroot]

Hamburger roundabouts work really well in other countries (take a look at any Mexican highway for North American examples). I wonder why they don't work well here? The concept is fantastic, perhaps the execution is poor? I'd imagine the issue is more driver familiarity or driver attitude though.

[DevalDragon]

The key here is "when traffic is moving well."

When traffic is not moving well, the ramp metering does help. On I-355, the North South Tollway during the AM rush hour, when the light turns green for the ramp, you suddenly have 20 cars trying to merge with the right lane. If this ramp was metered, the traffic would be able to merge because it would be better spaced. Instead, both the right lane and ramp traffic come to a virtual standstill.

There is no logical reason for ramp metering.  This video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ux5ADlWXOvs - explains why it is bad.

[KEK Inc.]

There is no logical reason for ramp metering.  This video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ux5ADlWXOvs - explains why it is bad.

Not at all.  Induction loops and now microwave sensors monitoring mainline traffic count and speeds trip ramp meters.

[Brandon]

For those that abhor the ramp meter, what exactly do you not like about it? I've always been on the fence about it; WSDOT is installing them everywhere now, but I've noticed the arterials have more traffic than before which I can't say I like. BUT better traffic flow on the freeway is preferable in my eyes.

I find they really don't do anything for congestion during rush hour, and when used during off-peak hours, they inhibit one from properly gaining speed on the ramp to merge in smoothly at speed.

[Ned Weasel]

...
Lanes that end shortly after an exit... why is it not just an Exit Only lane?
...

I have mixed feelings with these. In principle I agree, but in practice, I can think of a few exits where I'm glad they're structured this way because of the tendency of drivers to stay in the exit-only lane until the last moment then try to merge in. On a true exit only lane, this can block the exit lane so that the traffic intending to exit is stuck on the freeway waiting on the jerk to merge left.

Like, all of Austin????  People are A) too dumb to get out of the exit lane  B) stay in the left lane until the last second and get over 3 lanes.  And none of them ever use their blinkers.

I'd say there is a legitimate purpose for ending a lane shortly after an exit if one is simply trying to terminate the lane.  Ending the lane by itself allows for a proper zipper merge, while an exit-only lane does not.  However, if the amount of exiting traffic is such that it warrants its own lane prior to the exit, then I would say the exit-only lane is preferable.

[cl94]

Every ramp meter I have seen is only active during periods when the expressway is typically congested. In these situations (and only these situations), they are useful because they prevent merging congestion at the end of an entrance ramp when a free ramp could slow the mainline due to large amounts of vehicles attempting to merge at once.

Outside of congested periods, ramp meters are useless, with every one I have seen in the northeast and Ohio being disabled at these times.

[jakeroot]

For those that abhor the ramp meter, what exactly do you not like about it? I've always been on the fence about it; WSDOT is installing them everywhere now, but I've noticed the arterials have more traffic than before which I can't say I like. BUT better traffic flow on the freeway is preferable in my eyes.

I find they really don't do anything for congestion during rush hour, and when used during off-peak hours, they inhibit one from properly gaining speed on the ramp to merge in smoothly at speed.

Are they used off-hours in Chicagoland? I've never seen my local ramp meters on unless traffic was heavy.

[wphiii]

Also, sequential exit numbers.

Sequential exit numbers that are actually sequential are fine.

"Sequential" exit numbers like 38, 37, 35C, 35B, 35A, 34, 32... (I-495 Massachusetts, southbound) on the other hand...

Eh, I just find mileage-based exit numbers to be such a handy navigational aid that it annoys me when I don't have that.