Worst Interstate drive you have experienced

[njroadhorse]

I-80 in Pennsylvania, aka the Keystone "Shortway". Control cities you've never heard of. Speed limit 55, "Radar for your protection", back when other states had already gone to 65. One of the two lanes blocked off for miles, so that random blocks of concrete could be leisurely cut out and replaced.

I agree with you on that one.

Other ones:

I-76 between Kent and I-80.  Flat and boring, like most of Ohio's interstates, only savior is crossing the bridge over Lake Milton.

[Morriswa]

About 15-25 years ago, my parents and I were traveling to Minnesota (where my mom is from) by way of Niagara Falls.  After we left Charleston, West Virginia, one year, we traveled up I-79 to Erie Pennsylvania.  That Interstate was so fraught with pot holes, we thought either the car was going to be shaken to pieces or we would have a bad accident.

Can someone tell me if they ever fixed the road?

[kphoger]

Least pleasant Interstate drive:
I-64 from Grayville to Mount Vernon, Illinois.  My Isuzu cab-over box truck had been blowing its turbo hose off all morning, for the last 60 miles or so of deliveries.  After flagging down help from people with pocketknives and nut drivers, I was finally assisted by a lady who had a full socket set in her pickup.  Abandoning my route because of the mechanical difficulties and an upcoming mandatory meeting in Carbondale, I started to head back.  Even with the hose clamp wrench-tight, I still didn't want to take my chances.  So I drove between 45 and 50 mph all the way back to Mount Vernon, where my mother-in-law would meet me with a new set of hose clamps.  Let me tell you, it is no fun to drive 54 miles at 17 mph under the posted speed limit!

Hardest Interstate drive on which to stay awake:
Wichita, Kansas, to San Antonio, Texas.  We left after 7:00 PM and drove overnight.  To be fair, I didn't do even half the driving myself, but I was the only one who knew the directions, so I found it impossible to fall asleep for more than about five minutes.  620 miles in pitch black.  We stopped for a long breakfast break, met up with our other vehicle (which had left about 6 or 7 hours before us and stayed the night), then drove 460 more miles to Parras, Coahuila.  Let me tell you, I was good for nothing that evening!

Worst Interstate pavement:  I-35 in Iowa (various sections) three years ago or so, before they started repaving it.  I-35 North between Monticello and Saint Cloud, Minnesota, a year or two ago.  I-70 West between Goodland, Kansas, and the Colorado line approximately 14 years ago, when they cheaped out on the concrete construction and turned it into a shake-em-up (it was repaved shortly thereafter).

[kphoger]

I nominate I-70 from the UT/CO state line to Green River, UT. Compared to Colorado, I-70 in Eastern UT is flat, long and civilization-less.

The one time I drove that stretch, we hit a summer storm.  What a sight!  It was breathtaking, and one of the few times I've hydroplaned on an Interstate.

[Morriswa]

The most desolate Interstate drive that I have been on (at least that I remember) has to be I-10 between Pensacola and Jacksonville, Florida.  Except for Tallahassee, there is virtually nothing to see.

[agentsteel53]

The one time I drove that stretch, we hit a summer storm.  What a sight!  It was breathtaking, and one of the few times I've hydroplaned on an Interstate.

you must regularly drive some very high-quality interstates!  I hydroplaned a tiny amount on the ramp from CA-163 to I-8 about a month ago. 

[kkt]

I-70 through St. Louis, the most potholed interstate I've even traveled on.  Felt we should put on 4WD in the Jeep even though the weather was mild.

[PAHighways]

About 15-25 years ago, my parents and I were traveling to Minnesota (where my mom is from) by way of Niagara Falls.  After we left Charleston, West Virginia, one year, we traveled up I-79 to Erie Pennsylvania.  That Interstate was so fraught with pot holes, we thought either the car was going to be shaken to pieces or we would have a bad accident.

Can someone tell me if they ever fixed the road?

Yes

[vdeane]

I-80 in eastern PA coming back from the Central NJ meet.  It was a torrential thunder storm, could barely see a couple car lengths ahead, and to top it off, three years of being in Potsdam have caused the car windows to fog up every time there's precipitation unless I have the AC on (and the AC was "broken" at the time (it worked, but I'd have a condensation leak after a couple minutes of it being on)).

[Morriswa]

PAHighways, thank you for updating me on that.  I haven't been to WV or western PA since that trip, so I didn't know.

[Takumi]

The east-west part of I-295 around Richmond, especially near the US 1/I-95 interchange, was pretty awful for awhile. I haven't been on it in a few years so I don't know if the potholes have been fixed.

[Perfxion]

Boring drives:
I-45 between Houston and Dallas
I-10 in Texas not in big cities, just boring as hell.

Traffic Nightmares:
I-95 from Trenton, NJ to New Haven, CT. Needs another 6 lanes each way and still that isn't enough in some spots.
I-10 from the East loop to Katy, TX. How do you add up to 29 lanes of traffic and still have traffic jams?!?
I-45 from The Woodlands, TX to Causeway. Again, up to 18 lanes of traffic and zero movement.
US59 and US290 in Houston, two highways that make the Cross Bronx Expressway look like northern Montana.

[CentralCAroadgeek]

My worst experience on an interstate was in the February of 2011. It was on I-80 going east to Reno. It was on a Friday after school and we were going to Reno for the weekend.

First, I saw a VMS in Auburn that said "Expect Three Hour Delays." That sign was no lie. Slowly, the traffic was slowing down. Finally, traffic was a standstill. We were stranded on 80 between Gold Run and Dutch Flat. We were there well after sunset. After three hours, they finally let traffic pass through. Later up, the 4WD came on and it was snowing more. 80 was snowed out well into Reno. We finally got to our hotel in Reno at midnight. This trip ended up as an eight hour drive.

When we got home to Salinas, I researched on this situation. I learned that it was an accident that involved a truck that slipped and blocked both of the eastbound lanes. It surely backed traffic over a long distance over three hours.

And this is my worst experience on an interstate. First time I've experienced the bad things about winter weather travel...

[Morriswa]

I saw a VMS in Auburn that said "Expect Three Hour Delays."

1.  What is a "VMS"?

2.  You reminded me: On one of the trips that my parents and I took to Minnesota, we were stuck in traffic (I don't remember the cause) near Indianapolis for hours.

3.  As a side note, not the worst "Interstate drive" (although we used I-26 & I-77 to get there), but my worst experience trying to get into an amusement park was once when I was a kid.  We went to Carowinds.  I got so sick (food poisoning?) on that trip that I was "going off both ends".  I eventually messed up all of the underwear that we brought, so my dad (diesel mechanic at work) had to use some rags (clean ones, of course) in place of my underwear.  We tried to go into the park 2 consecutive days, but neither day could we leave the car.  We eventually went back to the motel for the rest of the time in Charlotte.

[CentralCAroadgeek]

A VMS is the abbreviation for a variable-message sign. You know, those electronic signs that. An be changed to show traffic alerts, travel times, and sometimes even amber alerts.

Sorry for going off-topic, I just wanted to explain to Morris here what a VMS is

[Scott5114]

Morriswa, you may find this helpful: http://www.roadfan.com/mtrfaq.html

[Darkchylde]

Worst? I'd have to nominate I-35W in Fort Worth, especially between US 81/287 and I-20. Woefully pitiful capacity and way too much traffic. It wasn't exciting... it was torture!

As for boring, though? It's come up plenty of times already, but I-10 in Florida from the eastern part of Pensacola to I-75. Snoozefest. Felt like I could have kicked on cruise control and taken a nap and not hit a single thing along the way.

[Morriswa]

As Mater:  That's funny, right there!

[bsmart]

One memorable one for me was back in 1976 driving on I-10 between Biloxi and New Orleans.  The 20+ mile bridge over the swamps. Dadump-Dadump-Dadump-Dadump as yu went along and feeling the car bounce as it went along (You could watch other cars bounce on the 'waves'  The rythmic sound and bounce actually made my wife seasick and we had to pull over.   A State trooper came up behind us about a minute later and told us that wasn't considered an emergency and to keep moving (one of the rudist troopers I have ever met and I've met a few over the years as well as some nice ones)

[mcdonaat]

Dunno if it counts as an Interstate, but I hate driving LA 3139 in New Orleans (Earhart Expwy, planned Interstate X10). It's a pain in the ass to use because Causeway just passes over it, and there's no shoulder at all. Wishing the state would come in and at least finish the highway... it's a pitiful excuse for an expressway. Worst part is that on the western end... it just ends.

[Morriswa]

mcdonaat,
Where in New Orleans is that road?

[Alex]

Dunno if it counts as an Interstate, but I hate driving LA 3139 in New Orleans (Earhart Expwy, planned Interstate X10). It's a pain in the ass to use because Causeway just passes over it, and there's no shoulder at all. Wishing the state would come in and at least finish the highway... it's a pitiful excuse for an expressway. Worst part is that on the western end... it just ends.

Definitely not an Interstate, but you are correct, it has historical ties to the first planned Interstate 310. What is sad about this road is that most highway maps do not even acknowledge that it is a freeway. Rand continually shows it as a lowly gray line.

I had read somewhere of plans to add ramps between LA-3139 and Causeway Boulevard, but am unaware of any work being done to join the two. The stub at the west end is pitiful, and I also thought somewhere I read of a plan to at least extend it to LA-49/Williams Boulevard, but again, nothing has transpired for that.



To add to the New Orleans comment about worst Interstates, just last week, drove on the remaining concrete through the Bayou Sauvage (near Exit 254) area and its still bone jarring. The old concrete in Slidell is gone and asphalt is there now.

[RoadWarrior56]

Back in 1981 I had a business trip from Indinapolis to Pittsburgh via I-70.  Although very scenic, the condition of the pavement of I-70 in western PA and I-79 were horrible.  I still remember the large holes in the pavement.

[kphoger]

The one time I drove that stretch, we hit a summer storm.  What a sight!  It was breathtaking, and one of the few times I've hydroplaned on an Interstate.

you must regularly drive some very high-quality interstates!  I hydroplaned a tiny amount on the ramp from CA-163 to I-8 about a month ago. 

Not the only time, just one of the few times.  I may or may not drive on relatively high-quality Interstates....who knows....but, generally, slowing down to below 55 on an Interstate is good enough.  Not on 70 in Utah that day, though.  Actually, the worst hydroplaning on an Interstate was coming north into Mount Vernon, IL, on I-57, when all traffic either pulled off or slowed to below 35 mph.  Tornado warning that day.

[MASTERNC]

Also, if you plan on going faster than 70 in PA, beware of the bears.

You can get away with 75, in fact I've heard Troop T won't pull anyone over for 66-75, but at 76 you're likely to get pulled over.

It always seems they leave me alone if I'm going under 75.  I think my brother was nailed for going over 75 but they only wrote him up for 5-10 over.