Most boring highway to drive down

[Ian]

Almost all of I-95 in Maine (save for Portland may be) is pretty boring, especially north of Bangor where the speed limit is 75 and almost no cars are on the road.

[pianocello]

I-74 between the Cincinnati and Indianapolis beltways. Nothing to see except the Honda plant in Greensburg. Harriston has a couple interesting overpasses but other then what I just mentioned I-74 between those two cities' beltways is just a boring 4 lane rural freeway.

I'm going to go ahead and say the rest of I-74 as well. Other than the urban freeway in Peoria and the half-assed "urban freeways" in the Quad Cities and Champaign-Urbana, there's not much to look at and not a lot of traffic.

[OCGuy81]

I-5 from the Grapevine up to Tracy. 250 miles of nothing but flat boring terrain and power lines.

[Avalanchez71]

I-65 north of Indianapolis.

[doorknob60]

I-5 from the Grapevine up to Tracy. 250 miles of nothing but flat boring terrain and power lines.

Yeah, and if you're going to Oregon, you're only halfway done, because from there to Redding is almost as bad (other than through Sacramento, which is somewhat interesting). As important as I-5 is, it can be really boring. I also learned to hate the stretch between Eugene and Portland (with the Eugene-Albany segment being the worst).

[Roadster]

I've driven to alot of places in my time, across statelines, country, etc., and living in the Great State of Texas, probably one of the more boring and dreaded drives is the drive down to South Padre Island taking Route 77 (specifically) between Kingsville and Raymondville.  It can sure can be challenging in the sense that I consider it probably one of most long-ass boring drive times anyone can take, and if you brake down well you can just forget about it!
It's over!  Your SOL!
The drive is desolate!  Nothing and I mean, there's just nothing in between! Just one state rest stop and your lucky if you make it there! But other than that, when starting that journey, specifically through that section, prepare for the worst and pray for the best. 

But "over-all" once you arrive in South Padre Island, well then you think to yourself that it was all worth it!  (until the drive back!  )

[theline]

For me it is the Indiana Toll Road.  There is literally nothing along the road once you get outside of Gary.  You sometimes go 20+ miles without an exit. 

What about you?

Of course, it is in the eye of the beholder, but I can't go along with the ITR as boring. I find that it's a really interesting road, because a lot of it is wooded and there are quite a few curves. It's especially beautiful in the fall.

On the other hand, most of the other roads in northern Indiana, like . . .

I-65 north of Indianapolis.

. . . really blow because the terrain is so flat and the roads are mostly very straight.

Being from northern Indiana, I go for anything that is a novelty to me, especially mountains, oceans, and forests.

[dfwmapper]

I-10 between El Paso and San Antonio 

Not even the most boring part of I-10 that can be described using "El Paso". I-10 from the Arizona/New Mexico border to El Paso is much more boring. I kind of like the mountainous parts of I-10 west of Van Horn, and the transition to hill country as you get closer to San Antonio is pretty scenic.

[CtrlAltDel]

Unlike many others here, I don't think the long straight stretches of interstate are boring. Rather, I love the feeling of openness, of freedom, and peacefulness, they give me. I like knowing that the road goes on and on and on and that I can drive it as much as I want.

That said, I like mountains and cities, too. What I don't like are forests and other things like that where I feel I can't see anything.

[1995hoo]

Unlike many others here, I don't think the long straight stretches of interstate are boring. Rather, I love the feeling of openness, of freedom, and peacefulness, they give me. I like knowing that the road goes on and on and on and that I can drive it as much as I want.

That said, I like mountains and cities, too. What I don't like are forests and other things like that where I feel I can't see anything.

You'd probably hate I-85 in Virginia. It's basically twin two-lane corridors cut through the trees for 60-some miles. Pretty much nothing to see. But I never found it boring because on the way south it was always a relaxing respite after the rat race of I-95, and on the way north it was a nice smooth peaceful road compared to the segment in North Carolina from Durham to the state line (I understand that's being improved, but I haven't driven it in at least five years).

[kkt]

Mackenzie Highway, especially north of High Level.  Long and straight, most of the time with fairly uniform trees right up to to the highway's shoulder.

[geocachingpirate]

I've never been on a wide open road like in the western United States but I'd LOVE to! On Google Maps I've found my favorite highway and I'm guessing some folks here would find the road boring at least after a while... Nebraska 61 (from Arthur to Merriman). I would drive this road every day if I could. I know I could never grow tired of it. 

[getemngo]

I-80 in Nebraska, nothing but flat and grass for hundreds of miles (except for that one monument that's a bridge over the highway).

I'll second this. I-70 in Kansas is way more exciting.

Highway 402 in Ontario is pretty bad too, especially given that it's not very modern (some parts still have dirt shoulders!), the winter snow can be brutal, and unlike 401, people actually stick pretty close to the 100 km/h speed limit.

[corco]

I've never been on a wide open road like in the western United States but I'd LOVE to! On Google Maps I've found my favorite highway and I'm guessing some folks here would find the road boring at least after a while... Nebraska 61 (from Arthur to Merriman). I would drive this road every day if I could. I know I could never grow tired of it. 

I've driven that part of 61- it is a gorgeous highway through the Sand Hills- definitely recommend it.
Post Merge: June 12, 2015, 04:40:29 PM

I-10 between El Paso and San Antonio 

Not even the most boring part of I-10 that can be described using "El Paso". I-10 from the Arizona/New Mexico border to El Paso is much more boring. I kind of like the mountainous parts of I-10 west of Van Horn, and the transition to hill country as you get closer to San Antonio is pretty scenic.

I kind of agree westbound, but the descent eastbound from Deming to Las Cruces is really quite beautiful.

US 191 from I-80 to Hoback Junction is similar in my view- beautiful northbound but awful southbound.

[Gulol]

I-10 between El Paso and San Antonio 

Not even the most boring part of I-10 that can be described using "El Paso". I-10 from the Arizona/New Mexico border to El Paso is much more boring. I kind of like the mountainous parts of I-10 west of Van Horn, and the transition to hill country as you get closer to San Antonio is pretty scenic.

Maybe it isn't so much the scenery in certain areas as it is knowing that for the bulk of the 500+ miles ... yawn.  Comparatively speaking, the 500ish miles on I-70 from the I-15 split in Cove Fort to the decent in Denver ... close to the same distance but so much more to see on I-70 vs. I-10.  It's all in the eye of the beholder 

[Gulol]

I-10 between El Paso and San Antonio 

Not even the most boring part of I-10 that can be described using "El Paso". I-10 from the Arizona/New Mexico border to El Paso is much more boring. I kind of like the mountainous parts of I-10 west of Van Horn, and the transition to hill country as you get closer to San Antonio is pretty scenic.

I kind of agree westbound, but the descent eastbound from Deming to Las Cruces is really quite beautiful.

US 191 from I-80 to Hoback Junction is similar in my view- beautiful northbound but awful southbound.

Agreed.  Just did the drive south from Jackson though Pinedale and on to Rock Springs.  The scenery in the rearview and side mirrors was lot better than the view through the windshield!

[roadman65]

US 19 & 98 and US 27 Alternate between Cross City and Perry in Florida is boring. Yet north of Perry where US 19 & 27 concur its not that boring considering that the road is a perfect Beeline between Perry and Lamont.  South of Perry there are curves in the road which you would figure should break up the boredom.  However, no matter how hard I try, I just cannot get too comfortable driving that stretch of road.

US 301 from Jesup to Folkston is another candidate for most boring drive in the State of Georgia.

[dfwmapper]

Maybe it isn't so much the scenery in certain areas as it is knowing that for the bulk of the 500+ miles ... yawn.  Comparatively speaking, the 500ish miles on I-70 from the I-15 split in Cove Fort to the decent in Denver ... close to the same distance but so much more to see on I-70 vs. I-10.  It's all in the eye of the beholder 

If we rate multiple highways forming a single corridor, how would you rate I-10+I-20 from El Paso to Fort Worth? That, to me, is even more boring than going El Paso to San Antonio.

[noelbotevera]

I-81 between exit 300 in VA to exit 59 in PA. Nothing but farmland.
I-78 between I-81 and exit 49 in PA. Farmland!
I-78 in NJ between PA state line to MM 50. Forest.
I-76 between exit 266 to exit 312. Forest and farmland for miles.

[CentralPAGal]

I seem to recall I-40 through most of Oklahoma (outside OKC) being pretty boring. And in almost as bad of shape as the roads in my own state (circa 2006)

[roadman65]

Oh yes, I-49 between Alexandria and Shreveport.   Nothing much to see.  In fact not even the interchanges have much as there are not even services for that whole region.   Makes you wonder why that is the only road in the state to have a 75 mph speed limit.

[Takumi]

Unlike many others here, I don't think the long straight stretches of interstate are boring. Rather, I love the feeling of openness, of freedom, and peacefulness, they give me. I like knowing that the road goes on and on and on and that I can drive it as much as I want.

That said, I like mountains and cities, too. What I don't like are forests and other things like that where I feel I can't see anything.

You'd probably hate I-85 in Virginia. It's basically twin two-lane corridors cut through the trees for 60-some miles. Pretty much nothing to see. But I never found it boring because on the way south it was always a relaxing respite after the rat race of I-95, and on the way north it was a nice smooth peaceful road compared to the segment in North Carolina from Durham to the state line (I understand that's being improved, but I haven't driven it in at least five years).

The section of I-85 between I-95 and South Hill, in particular, is the most boring for me. Whenever I head that way I always take US 1.

[Charles2]

I-16 between Macon and Savannah: a non-narcotic cure for insomnia.  Runner-up: I-65 between Montgomery and Mobile.

[StogieGuy7]

I-80 in Nebraska, nothing but flat and grass for hundreds of miles (except for that one monument that's a bridge over the highway).

It's interesting because Nebraska used to tout how I-80 hugs the Platte River and thus offers great access via a number of points.  Culturally, in a state with little water, that must have seemed like an awesome thing to the officials at the DOT, which is why old maps made great hay out of the wonders of Nebraska's stretch of 80.  Unfortunately, it also means that I-80 runs through flat lowlands with a few cottonwoods and not much else to see - giving out of staters the impression that Nebraska is flat and boring.  It's not - the sand hills (which occupy a good percentage of the state) offer very interesting and unique scenery.  But you don't see them from I-80, as it goes out of it's way to avoid them.

And before someone points this out, I'll save you the trouble: yes, I know that many of Nebraska's cities and towns were settled along the river, thus making it the most sensible routing for a cross-country highway (Lincoln Highway, later labeled US 30, then I-80). Still, it's a looooong and dull stretch of highway.

That said, I-55 through Illinois makes Nebraska's I-80 look like a tour of a national park! Gawd, what a dull highway to plow through.  From Chicago's SW suburbs to East St. Louis, it's a snoozefest.  Flat enough to use as a billiard table and utterly lacking in any scenic interest whatsoever. 

[texaskdog]

I-39 in Wisconsin - cause I drove it too much.

I-39 into Illinois is downright awful.  It's straight, there is zero scenery, they've barely developed anywhere, nothing scenic.