Worst Interstate drive you have experienced

[mrcontroversy]

My first post here... sorry.
I don't understand why so many of you are assailing I-70 in Kansas... I'm from Manhattan originally, and there's nothing like a long trail of cars at exit 303 or 313 going to the Little Apple for a K-State home game.
My worst? I-40 in New Mexico... you cannot turn the sound system up loud enough to drown out the sound of the grooved pavement when they're working on it.
Second choice--I-70 through Missouri. Definitely.

[sandiaman]

  most boring interstate?  Hmmmm....  How about I-40 in eastern Arizona?  Holbrook always looks  like  the world ends    there.  It is hot and windy  there  most of the time.  I-84 in Idaho  is also  rather monotonous.    The farms  there  make it tolerable  as well as  the Snake River.

[myosh_tino]

Probably one of the worst drives I experienced was on I-80 heading home from Reno on July 5th several years ago.  Traffic out of Reno wasn't too bad but things got pretty nasty when I entered Truckee.  Traffic (holiday traffic mind you) moved at 5-10 MPH from central Truckee over Donner Summit to darn near Auburn (approx 50 miles).  A drive I can normally make in 5 hours, took over 10 this time.

With regards to I-5 through Oregon, the scenery is pretty spectacular if you don't drive that stretch of highway too often (and I suspect KEK does drive it pretty often).  The speed limits in Oregon do suck especially the 55 limit at the California-Oregon state line.  After being accustomed to 70 and 65 limits in California, the 55 limit over the Siskyous is pretty bad.  I made the drive from San Jose to Portland a couple of years ago and I was constantly warned about the heavy speed enforcement in Oregon so I kept to within 5 MPH of the posted limit at all times (using cruise control whenever I could to keep my foot off the gas).

With regards to I-5 in California, yes, I-5 from the Grapevine to Red Bluff is pretty boring and buggy but from Red Bluff to the Oregon state line is another scenic drive with views of Mt Shasta, Shasta Lake and the Sacramento and Klamath rivers.

As someone who makes an annual trip to Vegas, I can see how people can call I-15 a "bad experience" especially if you're caught in the Vegas traffic and the route is pretty boring (desert, desert and more desert as someone said earlier).  The way I get around the monotony is to keep an eye on my GPS as it counts down the miles to my destination and an eye on my speedometer to make sure I'm staying below 80 (not an easy task on this highway).

[KEK Inc.]

@ myosh:  Yeah, I drive from Portland to San Jose and vice versa quite a bit, so I'm pretty sick of it.  I can never get bored of the section between Weed and Redding, though.  That's about the only thing I enjoy in the ride now.   

I've taken US-101/OR-126 (We stop by the Oregon Dunes in Florence, so we don't take US-199) twice, but since I'm not 18 yet, I have to do it with a parent, since I can't legally stay at a hotel by myself.

[bookem]

Almost forgot to mention I-80 through southern Wyoming; maybe it's because I've been able to successfully block it out of my mind the majority of the time.  It's not the scenery (which is actually somewhat interesting in its otherworldly treeless and desolate way... plus the snow fences are cool) as much as it is the insane semi drivers.

[dislocatedkid]

I DESPISE the Ohio Turnpike!...pretty sure i'd just be repeating everyone elses reasons [truck traffic, speed traps, distances between exits, etc]...incredibly mind numbing

[InterstateNG]

The only place I'd consider a speed trap on the Turnpike is the descent into the Cuyahoga River Valley.  Otherwise the cops, which I will grant are far too numerous, are pretty easy to see, and as long as you aren't in the left lane doing 80 with Illinois or Michigan plates, you're fine.

I-69 in Indiana is particularly brutal.

[mightyace]

Otherwise the cops, which I will grant are far too numerous, are pretty easy to see, and as long as you aren't in the left lane doing 80 with Illinois or Michigan plates, you're fine.

Of course, if it's around the Ohio State - Michigan football game, simply having Michigan plates may be enough, especially if the Buckeyes lose.  

[InterstateNG]

Of course, if it's around the Ohio State - Michigan football game, simply having Michigan plates may be enough, especially if the Buckeyes lose. 

Actually, the stretch of US-23 from Columbus-Toledo is even worse for Michigan plates although the fact the road connects those football rivals is only a coincidental explanation;  it was (and maybe still is) a heavy drug trafficking route from the Mid-Atlantic up to Detroit.

[mightyace]

^^^

I know that the Ohio Turnpike is not a route to get between Ohio State and Michigan.  But, if a OHP officer was being that petty he/she would not care whether they went to the game or not.  The fact that the targeted vehicle is from Michigan would be cause enough.

[mhallack]

My two worst.

I-80 in Nebraska, from where I-76 ends to the Iowa border. FLAT!! Green, very few towns and the only scenery is farms and cattle. We didn't even stop in Omaha cause we wanted out the state PRONTO!! Iowa for some weird ass reason was more scenic.

I-95 in Maine between Lincoln and the border in Houlton. Nothing but forest. A few exits but the scenery is all forest and that is it. I never thought I could get bored with forests. But this stretch does make it dull!! 

[vdeane]

It's very easy to get bored with forests actually.  Though not an interstate, I hate NY 104 around Sodus for the same reason!

[mightyace]

I-65 south of Birmingham is like that.

Though, it's not always true forest, some of it's a natural sound abatement.

While not as effective as sound walls, trees are much better to look at.

[Michael]

The thing about 80 in Pennsylvania is that it doesn't pass directly through any towns of notable size (except perhaps Stroudsburg).

In spite of this, you will hit traffic - there is always construction somewhere, of PennDOT's favorite "let's close the right lane for ten miles while we're doing work on 500 feet of the road at any given time" variety.

Agreed.  You can see a great example of this along US 15 in Tioga and Lycoming Counties on Google Street View.  When I was on US 15 last year, I clearly remember signs saying "SINGLE LANE - NEXT 6 MILES".  I got excited when I saw the signs count down from there.  Hopefully, the I-99 upgrades will be done the next time I'm on that road.

[hbelkins]

My nominations:

I-70 from Kansas City to Denver. Boring.

I-44 from OKC to STL. Ditto.

I-81 through Virginia (trucks doing 60 in the fast lane passing trucks doing 55 in the slow lane on upgrades) although it is a beautiful drive.

I-40 through the western part of Tennessee. Blah country and truck-infested.

I-57 from Mt. Vernon, Ill. to Sikeston, Mo., and I-55 from the Sikeston-Cape Girardeau area to Memphis. Both mostly flat and boring.

My personal list also has to include I-84 between Scranton and Port Jervis. While this may be a very pretty and interesting drive, the only time I have ever been on it was in February in late afternoon with snow pouring out of the sky. I hope to get to experience that route under better circumstances in November but there won't be any leaves on the trees then either.

[huskeroadgeek]

My two worst.

I-80 in Nebraska, from where I-76 ends to the Iowa border. FLAT!! Green, very few towns and the only scenery is farms and cattle. We didn't even stop in Omaha cause we wanted out the state PRONTO!! Iowa for some weird ass reason was more scenic.

I would switch the two around, and it's not just because I live in Nebraska. I find I-80 across Iowa to be more boring than across Nebraska. I've heard people who don't live in either state that say the same thing. Not that I think I-80 across Nebraska is particularly scenic. Nebraska is really a state where you have to get off the interstate to appreciate its beauty.

[allniter89]

My two worst.

I-80 in Nebraska, from where I-76 ends to the Iowa border. FLAT!! Green, very few towns and the only scenery is farms and cattle. We didn't even stop in Omaha cause we wanted out the state PRONTO!! Iowa for some weird ass reason was more scenic.

I would switch the two around, and it's not just because I live in Nebraska. I find I-80 across Iowa to be more boring than across Nebraska. I've heard people who don't live in either state that say the same thing. Not that I think I-80 across Nebraska is particularly scenic. Nebraska is really a state where you have to get off the interstate to appreciate its beauty.

I agree huskerroadgeek, I've had the pleasure of driving NE2 across the top of NE, very nice sandhills and rollercoaster like roads, at least they were in 1990's.

[J N Winkler]

I think I-70 in Kansas is unfairly maligned.  The part of it that passes through the Flint Hills is scenic, and the really boring table-flat terrain doesn't start until you leave the Smoky Hill River basin at around milepost 100 or so.

[corco]

Nebraska is really a state where you have to get off the interstate to appreciate its beauty.

I firmly agree- heck, I drove US-30 within a couple weeks of driving I-80 about a year ago, and even 30 is substantially more scenic, and it's within a couple miles of the interstate for the first 2/3s of the state!

As far as the Nebraska/Iowa arguments, I think the rationale for that comes from the fact that I-80 in Iowa right by Nebraska is really scenic. It gets significantly more boring as you get out of the Missouri River valley, but when you're driving from Nebraska to Iowa, it's flat, flat, flat, Iowa, hilly!, hilly!, flat, flat, flat. On the whole it's more boring, but since the part of Iowa right by Nebraska is probably the most interesting stretch of the whole thing, the brain ends up perceiving Iowa as more interesting. I'm pretty sure if Omaha weren't there, the Nebraska side would also seem scenic, but it is so you don't appreciate it.

[Revive 755]

My nominations:

I-70 from Kansas City to Denver. Boring.

I-44 from OKC to STL. Ditto.

Boring?  I-44 is possibly the most scenic interstate in Missouri:

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=37.817412,-92.187631&spn=0.012883,0.041199&z=16&layer=c&cbll=37.81731,-92.188548&panoid=7ob1C2MK4LDoMtP4GGmXSQ&cbp=12,74.35,,0,6.78
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=37.892365,-92.009017&spn=0.01287,0.041199&z=16&layer=c&cbll=37.892772,-92.011211&panoid=wNJ2vPcz2R9RVpVKCK0myQ&cbp=12,20.37,,0,5.98
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=37.919048,-91.969814&spn=0.012865,0.041199&z=16&layer=c&cbll=37.919419,-91.969515&panoid=FRr74qemkE1xf5tMESZ5Gw&cbp=12,209.89,,0,-1.94
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=38.497735,-90.710592&spn=0.051052,0.164795&z=14&layer=c&cbll=38.500476,-90.709792&panoid=9bKaatDpKJl1ar8qq3W2ug&cbp=12,60.73,,0,-1.42

Now if I-44 was nominated as the worst for heavy traffic and getting stuck behind trucks due to inadequate climbing lanes, I'd agree.

I-57 from Mt. Vernon, Ill. to Sikeston, Mo., and I-55 from the Sikeston-Cape Girardeau area to Memphis. Both mostly flat and boring.

How's I-70 from St. Louis - KC and I-55 CG to St. Louis less boring than I-44?  Both are flatter than I-44, and I-55 doesn't have that many scenic views.

[corco]

Boring?  I-44 is possibly the most scenic interstate in Missouri:

From those pictures, that looks like one of the most scenic interstates in the country

[jemacedo9]

The thing about 80 in Pennsylvania is that it doesn't pass directly through any towns of notable size (except perhaps Stroudsburg).

In spite of this, you will hit traffic - there is always construction somewhere, of PennDOT's favorite "let's close the right lane for ten miles while we're doing work on 500 feet of the road at any given time" variety.

Agreed.  You can see a great example of this along US 15 in Tioga and Lycoming Counties on Google Street View.  When I was on US 15 last year, I clearly remember signs saying "SINGLE LANE - NEXT 6 MILES".  I got excited when I saw the signs count down from there.  Hopefully, the I-99 upgrades will be done the next time I'm on that road.

The US 15 / I-99 upgrades are complete as of last week...this is now a full uninterrupted freeway from Williamsport through the NY State Line

[vdeane]

Even before that it was uninterrupted freeway, just not completely finished (even northbound had no at-grades when I was on it in July).  There was just some paving work southbound and finishing an interchange.

[hbelkins]

The US 15 / I-99 upgrades are complete as of last week...this is now a full uninterrupted freeway from Williamsport through the NY State Line

Excellent! I will be on that route next weekend and can't wait to see it. When I was on it back last April, they had two-way traffic in the northbound lanes for a significant section and work was ongoing in the SB lanes.

[hm insulators]

I-8 between Gila Bend and Yuma, Arizona. Flat most of the way with only a couple of small mountain passes for variety. Also, I-10 between Blythe and Desert Center, California. That 48 miles seems to be more like 148.