Places with the best-maintained highway system

[TEG24601]

Idaho, Montana, Utah, North Dakota, and South Dakota seem to do well on all fronts, however, many of the interchanges need some work, and signs are often lacking.

Define "signs lacking". I assume you mean the crap on I-94 in North Dakota where some exits don't even have a name or a posted designation.

Not only the exits, but road names when you come to a random intersection in the country.  I also appreciate a reassurance sign or mileage sign from time to time.

[oscar]

Let me nominate Nebraska as well.  Great junction signage on rural highways, and otherwise delightful to drive.

I agree also about Texas (perhaps best of all), Nevada, and Utah.

[Scott5114]

Another vote for Kansas. Good design, good maintenance, probably best signage in the nation.

[Ned Weasel]

Another vote for Kansas. Good design, good maintenance, probably best signage in the nation.

Probably the best signage in the nation?  Maybe, except for:

This:

https://maps.google.com/?ll=37.682224,-97.185659&spn=0.004381,0.010568&t=k&z=17&layer=c&cbll=37.682422,-97.185656&panoid=h36P9fUzmY8abb-U65-wPQ&cbp=12,186.39,,0,4.75

This:

https://maps.google.com/?ll=38.744545,-97.618289&spn=0.017405,0.042272&t=k&z=15&layer=c&cbll=38.744713,-97.618293&panoid=fLvkf4qoucK1mN_JlZVwAA&cbp=12,217.28,,0,6.03

And this (think about this one for a while if it isn't immediately obvious):

https://maps.google.com/?ll=38.888728,-94.676603&spn=0.003047,0.005284&t=k&z=18&layer=c&cbll=38.888459,-94.676602&panoid=oK-NwsD_19JOkl5V9acXVQ&cbp=12,200.07,,0,8.68

And I'm not sure how you feel about multiple slanted down arrows pointing to the same lane (which, of course, is no longer MUTCD-compliant), but those are all over the place, especially in Johnson County, and they're still popping up (yes, I know the designs were finished before the 2009 MUTCD came out--just sayin'!).

But, overall, I'd agree, Kansas usually does a good job with signage.

On another note, one state that I haven't heard mentioned yet is West Virginia.  The last time I went through a part that wasn't the panhandle (which was over a decade ago, and possibly even before I was driving), I was rather impressed with the quality of the roads and the signage, in comparison to the surrounding states (mostly compared to Kentucky and Virginia).  I also frequently find driving I-70 through the panhandle to be a breeze (except for one heavy construction season), although nothing about it really stands out as exceptional (and I'm sure some would scoff at I-70 going down to one lane in each direction just before the tunnel).

[hbelkins]

On another note, one state that I haven't heard mentioned yet is West Virginia.  The last time I went through a part that wasn't the panhandle (which was over a decade ago, and possibly even before I was driving), I was rather impressed with the quality of the roads and the signage, in comparison to the surrounding states (mostly compared to Kentucky and Virginia).

I find that it varies from region to region.

[roadman65]

Kansas and Texas have a great road system.  Florida is good at times too, especially when roads are new.

Indiana is not bad, although I have only been on US 31 and I-69.

[codyg1985]

On another note, one state that I haven't heard mentioned yet is West Virginia.  The last time I went through a part that wasn't the panhandle (which was over a decade ago, and possibly even before I was driving), I was rather impressed with the quality of the roads and the signage, in comparison to the surrounding states (mostly compared to Kentucky and Virginia).

I find that it varies from region to region.

It seems like their signage is generally pretty good from the parts of the state that I have been to (central, northern, and panhandle), but I can't really speak as much for the pavement conditions. The pavement was alright, but it didn't strike me as either spectacularly smooth or really rough, either way.

[corco]

Idaho

Holy crap no. Word of advice to anybody driving a rural highway in Idaho- if you see a sign that says "bump" in a 65 zone you need to slow down to at least 20. Then Idaho has a huge frost heave problem. In many places, Idaho doesn't bother to fix roads, they just put up a gold sign that says "rutted pavement"

I've never seen worse work zone accommodations either, except maybe in South Dakota- Idaho gives its projects to the lowest bidder, their ability to safely divert traffic be damned.

I love Idaho more than just about anything, but its road maintenance is definitely not one of the things I love about it.

[TCN7JM]

Idaho

I've never seen worse work zone accommodations either, except maybe in South Dakota

Erm...where? The western part of the state in the Black Hills? They do a pretty good job here in the Sioux Empire.

[corco]

Erm...where? The western part of the state in the Black Hills? They do a pretty good job here in the Sioux Empire.

When they rebuilt US 18 near Pine Ridge a few years ago, it was a total disaster- the main road was in the worst shape I've ever seen any road, even a detour- I was worried I was going to destroy my rental car, and then there were random side tracks where they were replacing culverts or whatever where the two lane road would narrow down to one with no flaggers or anything and a sharp curve to access the turnoff with no announcement. Bad news all around. Agentsteele53 drove that road while it was under construction too, and he can attest to how bad it was.

Idaho may still be worse in general, but that was the scariest, most poorly executed specific instance of road construction I've ever seen.

[TCN7JM]

That seems likely. That area of southern South Dakota on the Indian reservations has two of the four poorest counties in the nation, and Shannon County is one of them. It's a shame that that was your experience with South Dakota roads, they're really quite good in the eastern half of the state.

[Scott5114]

Another vote for Kansas. Good design, good maintenance, probably best signage in the nation.

Probably the best signage in the nation?  Maybe, except for:

This:

https://maps.google.com/?ll=37.682224,-97.185659&spn=0.004381,0.010568&t=k&z=17&layer=c&cbll=37.682422,-97.185656&panoid=h36P9fUzmY8abb-U65-wPQ&cbp=12,186.39,,0,4.75

This:

https://maps.google.com/?ll=38.744545,-97.618289&spn=0.017405,0.042272&t=k&z=15&layer=c&cbll=38.744713,-97.618293&panoid=fLvkf4qoucK1mN_JlZVwAA&cbp=12,217.28,,0,6.03

And this (think about this one for a while if it isn't immediately obvious):

https://maps.google.com/?ll=38.888728,-94.676603&spn=0.003047,0.005284&t=k&z=18&layer=c&cbll=38.888459,-94.676602&panoid=oK-NwsD_19JOkl5V9acXVQ&cbp=12,200.07,,0,8.68

And I'm not sure how you feel about multiple slanted down arrows pointing to the same lane (which, of course, is no longer MUTCD-compliant), but those are all over the place, especially in Johnson County, and they're still popping up (yes, I know the designs were finished before the 2009 MUTCD came out--just sayin'!).

But, overall, I'd agree, Kansas usually does a good job with signage.

Dancing arrows are a non-issue for me, and I can forgive the occasional oddity like the Mentor/Smolan one. The K-96/US-54/400 one is still better than most of ODOT's work. It looks like it was originally composed with a different legend, possibly with a second line above Augusta, that was removed when 400 was commissioned. Nobody is perfect, and if that represents the worst of KDOT's work, they're not that bad off.

I've never seen worse work zone accommodations either, except maybe in South Dakota- Idaho gives its projects to the lowest bidder, their ability to safely divert traffic be damned.

This one is making the news down here: http://www.news9.com/story/20808050/odot-working-to-change-dangerous-portion-of-i-35-north Make sure you watch the video for a driver's-eye view.

[kphoger]

Another vote for Kansas. Good design, good maintenance, probably best signage in the nation.

Probably the best signage in the nation?  Maybe, except for:

What?  No 61st Street exit sign from I-135?
http://goo.gl/maps/KJYTf

[Avalanchez71]

I would say Tennessee keeps it's roads up very well.  The signage for US routes in some cities sucks though.

[Scott5114]

Another vote for Kansas. Good design, good maintenance, probably best signage in the nation.

Probably the best signage in the nation?  Maybe, except for:

What?  No 61st Street exit sign from I-135?
http://goo.gl/maps/KJYTf

Trade ya for this one: https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Creek+Turnpike,+Tulsa,+OK&hl=en&ll=36.024876,-95.872793&spn=0.014716,0.026436&sll=37.791069,-97.327366&sspn=0.005108,0.006609&oq=creek+turnpik&t=h&hnear=Creek+Turnpike,+Tulsa,+Oklahoma&z=16&layer=c&cbll=36.02487,-95.873116&panoid=-rejqRZd8xuydmue_DX36w&cbp=12,92.56,,0,-5.77

[NE2]

Kansas:Oklahoma::urp:derp

[ChoralScholar]

I scrolled all the way through just to see if anyone was foolhardy enough to mention Arkansas.   

[on_wisconsin]

That seems likely. That area of southern South Dakota on the Indian reservations has two of the four poorest counties in the nation, and Shannon County is one of them. It's a shame that that was your experience with South Dakota roads, they're really quite good in the eastern half of the state.

When I was in SD back '10, the whole of I-90 (statewide) and the main roads around the Black Hills and Rapid City appeared to be in good to excellent condition and very smooth, however the quality of the signage was not good.

[J N Winkler]

What?  No 61st Street exit sign from I-135?

http://goo.gl/maps/KJYTf

With any luck, that abortion of a sign will be going away soon--KDOT has an I-135 pavement rehabilitation under development which I think will replace some signs.

[agentsteel53]

When they rebuilt US 18 near Pine Ridge a few years ago, it was a total disaster- the main road was in the worst shape I've ever seen any road, even a detour- I was worried I was going to destroy my rental car, and then there were random side tracks where they were replacing culverts or whatever where the two lane road would narrow down to one with no flaggers or anything and a sharp curve to access the turnoff with no announcement. Bad news all around. Agentsteele53 drove that road while it was under construction too, and he can attest to how bad it was.

Idaho may still be worse in general, but that was the scariest, most poorly executed specific instance of road construction I've ever seen.

don't forget - two people died when running off the end of the road into a half-built culvert. 

http://www.indianz.com/News/2011/000035.asp

this article doesn't say specifically, but - having seen similar - I'll bet the detour was significantly undersigned.

[NE2]

Kansas:Oklahoma::urp:derp

Comment on the roads or just a needless insult of the people of Kansas and Oklahoma?

Depends. Which one are you from?

[Revive 755]

I nominate Indiana. Every time I have driven through the Hoosier State, I've found the roads to be well-maintained. Pavement is generally in good shape and signage is adequate.

I have my doubts about the maintenance of some of the state routes in Indiana, I don't recall Indiana 10 near the Illinois border being in the greatest shape last year.


Nebraska does a fairly good job, but there are (were?) some sections of I-80 that were getting rough last year.


Although I've only seen I-80, US 50 and a few other short stretches of highway in Nevada, I would nominate the state for best maintained.

[agentsteel53]

Although I've only seen I-80, US 50 and a few other short stretches of highway in Nevada, I would nominate the state for best maintained.

I would give Nevada a thumbs-up if it weren't for the perpetual clusterfuck that is Las Vegas.  I have never, not a single time in my life, experienced a level of service as intended on I-15, outside of the hours of 2am to 4.30am. 

[KEK Inc.]

I find that California has pretty good road design, but almost 3rd world maintenance on certain roads.  They've improved a little bit over the past decade on ghost funds somehow. 

Washington has decent road maintenance outside of Seattle.  Once you're in Seattle, get ready for webbing, potholes, narrow roads, etc.

[sp_redelectric]

I would nominate Tennessee...Tennessee keeps its roads very smooth.

Years ago I spent a week in Memphis for a business trip, and took a couple of drives into Mississippi and Arkansas - basically to say I've been to those states.

Tennessee did have great roads.  Arkansas was like a third world country by comparison.  Mississippi's road conditions didn't bother me, but their drivers sure did.