State Highway Systems

[mwtgg]

I've been doing a lot of driving between Pennsylvania and New Jersey this week and I've come to several conclusions.

1) The 55mph speed limit is antiquated and needs to go
2) Whoever designed Pennsylvania's major highways needs to be disinterred and killed again
3) New Jersey's rest stops are head and shoulders above Pennsylvania's
4) New Jersey drivers are impatient, but Pennsylvania's just suck

Anyone who lives in this area shouldn't have any trouble understanding what I'm getting at here. In fact, you don't even have to listen to the radio in the morning because the roads are backed up every day at the same time in the same spot(s). Any time it takes one hour to go six miles, there's something wrong. Anyone care to guess the stretch of road I'm referring to? If you get it right, I'll give you a cookie.

So, anyway, do any other state highways/interstates suck as much as Pennsylvania's, because I'd love to know.

 

[yllus]

I liked Pennsylvania's Turnpike. The roads up here in the province of Ontario (Canada) are generally far worse.

Of course, it doesn't help that 1 in every 100 highway trip in Canada ends in a polar bear related fatality.

 

[Fiat1]

PA turnpike is the bomb....

 

[mwtgg]

Originally posted by: yllus
I liked Pennsylvania's Turnpike. The roads up here in the province of Ontario (Canada) are generally far worse.

Of course, it doesn't help that 1 in every 100 highway trip in Canada ends in a polar bear related fatality.

See, that's the thing. The PA Turnpike is the best we have to offer.

 

[Linflas]

I always got a kick out of the honesty of the signs that said "Keeping Pennsylvania Working" they had posted at the endless roadwork along I 81.

 

[FoBoT]

no, we need to go back to 55 MPH nationwide to save energy/fuel

 

[AMCRambler]

Originally posted by: mwtgg
I've been doing a lot of driving between Pennsylvania and New Jersey this week and I've come to several conclusions.

1) The 55mph speed limit is antiquated and needs to go
2) Whoever designed Pennsylvania's major highways needs to be disinterred and killed again
3) New Jersey's rest stops are head and shoulders above Pennsylvania's
4) New Jersey drivers are impatient, but Pennsylvania's just suck

Anyone who lives in this area shouldn't have any trouble understanding what I'm getting at here. In fact, you don't even have to listen to the radio in the morning because the roads are backed up every day at the same time in the same spot(s). Any time it takes one hour to go six miles, there's something wrong. Anyone care to guess the stretch of road I'm referring to? If you get it right, I'll give you a cookie.

So, anyway, do any other state highways/interstates suck as much as Pennsylvania's, because I'd love to know.

Ever think maybe they're just trying to keep the peeps from New Jersey out? Lol. I do agree that PA drivers suck though. I used to think New Jersey drivers were the worst because they're so aggressive, but at least they do that well. IE a new Jersey driver will squeeze through a tight gap in cars to pass other cars, but at least the room exists for the maneuver. I've seen PA drivers go for gaps in traffic that aren't big enough for their cars, causing people to slam on their brakes to avoid them. They're aggressive and careless too.

 

[Linflas]

Originally posted by: FoBoT
no, we need to go back to 55 MPH nationwide to save energy/fuel

No thanks, I lived through that once already and it was one of the dumbest laws ever devised. It matched prohibition in it's stupidity and had a similar effect on the general publics perception and respect for the law and law enforcement.

 

[mwtgg]

Originally posted by: AMCRambler
Ever think maybe they're just trying to keep the peeps from New Jersey out? Lol. I do agree that PA drivers suck though. I used to think New Jersey drivers were the worst because they're so aggressive, but at least they do that well. IE a new Jersey driver will squeeze through a tight gap in cars to pass other cars, but at least the room exists for the maneuver. I've seen PA drivers go for gaps in traffic that aren't big enough for their cars, causing people to slam on their brakes to avoid them. They're aggressive and careless too.

I have to say, it was refreshing driving in NJ because for the most part they understand what signs mean. Especially the "Stay right, pass left" signs. There were no morons clogging the left lane doing 65 (or below). It was also nice being able to put it into cruise control at 75 and ride the (near) entirety of the AC Expressway without even a minor speed adjustment.

 

[EagleKeeper]

I have had no problems with Interstate 80.

Enjoyable drive, no problems holding a 65mph speed.

 

[ggnl]

I :heart: Texas highways

That is all.

 

[mwtgg]

Originally posted by: EagleKeeper
I have had no problems with Interstate 80.

Enjoyable drive, no problems holding a 65mph speed.

Wait til it snows.

 

[markgm]

I disagree. After living in PA for 23 years, I'd much rather have their roads. Now the roads around Philly are another story, but living in the Western part of the state I have no complaints. All rural and the best snow removal I've ever seen.

 

[mwtgg]

Originally posted by: markgm
I disagree. After living in PA for 23 years, I'd much rather have their roads. Now the roads around Philly are another story, but living in the Western part of the state I have no complaints. All rural and the best snow removal I've ever seen.

I'll be honest, I haven't ventured much out west, because I've seen all I need to in the Philadelphia area. ALL of these highways are a disgrace, with the one exception being the Turnpike.

 

[markgm]

Originally posted by: mwtgg

Originally posted by: markgm
I disagree. After living in PA for 23 years, I'd much rather have their roads. Now the roads around Philly are another story, but living in the Western part of the state I have no complaints. All rural and the best snow removal I've ever seen.

I'll be honest, I haven't ventured much out west, because I've seen all I need to in the Philadelphia area. ALL of these highways are a disgrace, with the one exception being the Turnpike.

I'll give you that. I moved to Philly in '98, and at that time 76 wasn't bad except during rush hour. Then a year or two later is bad during the day, and by the time I moved in 2003, it was packed at 3 in the morning. They need to build a double decker express lane from the Vine Street Expressway to Valley Forge to solve that nightmare.

I really wish traffic was a top issue during the elections. To go all P&N on everyone, I find it sad that this is the issue that impacts the most people and yet nothing is ever done to improve the situation. How much time is wasted (that could either be spent working or with families) along with gas just sitting in traffic.

I really wish we created another branch of the military that handled road construction. They'd go from area to area rapidly expanding roads. It's insane that an expansion takes months to complete, compounding the problem. Get 10,000 people working on a road, get it laid down in a week, and move on to the next area. Instead we'll focus on issues that affect almost no one.

 

[mwtgg]

Originally posted by: markgm
I'll give you that. I moved to Philly in '98, and at that time 76 wasn't bad except during rush hour. Then a year or two later is bad during the day, and by the time I moved in 2003, it was packed at 3 in the morning. They need to build a double decker express lane from the Vine Street Expressway to Valley Forge to solve that nightmare.

I really wish traffic was a top issue during the elections. To go all P&N on everyone, I find it sad that this is the issue that impacts the most people and yet nothing is ever done to improve the situation. How much time is wasted (that could either be spent working or with families) along with gas just sitting in traffic.

I really wish we created another branch of the military that handled road construction. They'd go from area to area rapidly expanding roads. It's insane that an expansion takes months to complete, compounding the problem. Get 10,000 people working on a road, get it laid down in a week, and move on to the next area. Instead we'll focus on issues that affect almost no one.

The Schuylkill is a nightmare at all times of the day. Especially right after the Conshohocken curve (if you're travelling eastbound). I just get the feeling that it was designed by a monkey... with Down Syndrome.

In any case, the double-decker expansion would never work -- PennDOT would find some way to fsck it up. And I'll just have to disagree with you on the road building branch, because I feel other states can effectively build roads (their job), Pennsylvania just dropped the ball on this one -- big time.

 

[lein]

Originally posted by: ggnl
I :heart: Texas highways

That is all.

Yep. St. Louis roads are pretty pathetic though

 

[RiverDog]

According to Overdrive Magazine PA (specifically I-80) has the 2nd worst roads in the country (and I might add one of the higher road taxes)

Link

I used to live in western PA and 28 to Pittsburgh was under construction as long as I can remember.

 

[mugs]

2) Whoever designed Pennsylvania's major highways needs to be disinterred and killed again

Have you ever driven on NJ's highways in the vicinity of New York? It's a labyrinth.

The 55 mph speed limits are sometimes appropriate, sometimes not, but always ignored. Out in western PA on I-70 I believe there is a section of Interstate with a 45 mph limit for no good reason. :Q

 

[ViviTheMage]

I drove from NY to MN, so I defiantly hit PA, I liked PA....it had a lot more scenery then Ohio Turnpike had to offer. Now that was boring.

I dont know if I was on the PA turnpike, I must have been more up north. Ohio Turnpike had speed limits as low as 45mph for some odd reason...on a straight away with 4-5 lanes.

 

[vi edit]

The country roads I drove in Texas this week were 70MPH. Lot's of climing lanes for trucks/slow movers too.

You could make good time on those highways. (This was 281 between Austin and San Antonio).

 

[mugs]

One of my big complaints about roads in PA, at least in Bucks County, is their over-reliance on lesser roads to handle large amount of traffic through wooded but still heavily populated areas, and these roads have no shoulder.

I have to agree that in my experience with Texas roads (Dallas area only), they are quite good.

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: ViviTheMage
I drove from NY to MN, so I defiantly hit PA, I liked PA....it had a lot more scenery then Ohio Turnpike had to offer. Now that was boring.

I dont know if I was on the PA turnpike, I must have been more up north. Ohio Turnpike had speed limits as low as 45mph for some odd reason...on a straight away with 4-5 lanes.

You would have taken I-80, which I believe becomes the Ohio Turnpike.

 

[TheKub]

Originally posted by: mwtgg
I have to say, it was refreshing driving in NJ because for the most part they understand what signs mean. Especially the "Stay right, pass left" signs.

I think Michigan needs those, but I guess we have too many signs like "Do not pass when opposing traffic is present".

 

[sdifox]

I have the best lucks driving pass PA on the way to NYC... that mountainous section (well, hilly if you will) of I-80 (I think it's I-80) is either raining buckets or thunder snow-storm... 3pm and it was pitch black like 3am... everyone's blinkers are on and I just stuck to a tail of a tractor trailer and drove on the path it cleared...