Topic: Motoring Memories: American Interstate Highway System

[Autos_Editor]

America's 68,000 kilometres of divided expressways were inspired, in part, by Germany's autobahn system, says auto historian, Bill Vance.

Read More...

[Great_Big_Abyss]

I'm sure most if not all of us have travelled the American Interstates at least once in our lives.  I bet we can all agree it is a model of efficency and one fine way to travel by automobile.

I once drove from Winnipeg to New Orleans in 33 hours without once driving on a city street or stopping at a red light.  I would stop at every second rest stop, and even used one to sleep in the car for a couple of hours in Iowa.  I used the gas stations built just off the interstates, and accessed by cloverleafs.  The return voyage home took me through Tennessee (after a 4 day stop at Bonnaroo) and up through Illinois and Minnesota.

Our highway system here just does not compare.  If anyone has driven the TCH through western/northern ontario, you'll know what I mean.  While the scenery is exceptional on the stretch north of Lake Superior (better than the rockies IMO) the road itself is single lane each way for most of the way with the odd passing area here and there.  Invariably, the car/truck that you're trying to pass speeds up in the passing areas and slows down in the single lane areas.

[CatsEye68]

I'm sure most if not all of us have travelled the American Interstates at least once in our lives.  I bet we can all agree it is a model of efficency and one fine way to travel by automobile.

I once drove from Winnipeg to New Orleans in 33 hours without once driving on a city street or stopping at a red light.  I would stop at every second rest stop, and even used one to sleep in the car for a couple of hours in Iowa.  I used the gas stations built just off the interstates, and accessed by cloverleafs.  The return voyage home took me through Tennessee (after a 4 day stop at Bonnaroo) and up through Illinois and Minnesota.

Our highway system here just does not compare.  If anyone has driven the TCH through western/northern ontario, you'll know what I mean.  While the scenery is exceptional on the stretch north of Lake Superior (better than the rockies IMO) the road itself is single lane each way for most of the way with the odd passing area here and there.  Invariably, the car/truck that you're trying to pass speeds up in the passing areas and slows down in the single lane areas.

Agreed, even though some of the interstate system now is suffering from lack of maintenance or overloading. Taken as a national system it puts the TCH to shame.

One thing that I never understood about our highways here is the total lack of the rest area/gas station/food service facilities found on the interstate. I remember when I was a little kid travelling with my parents in NY state and being blown away to see a restaurant on an overpass directly above the freeway - I thought that was incredibly cool.

[tpl]

Our highway system here just does not compare.  If anyone has driven the TCH through western/northern ontario, you'll know what I mean.  While the scenery is exceptional on the stretch north of Lake Superior (better than the rockies IMO) the road itself is single lane each way for most of the way with the odd passing area here and there.  Invariably, the car/truck that you're trying to pass speeds up in the passing areas and slows down in the single lane areas.

The difference is that there are not many people here.    I would support a sea to shining sea 6 lane expressway with a 160 km/h limit all the way...and, importantly, not grudge the taxes to pay for it.
Remember the BMW autobahn advert on April 1st 2004?

[Great_Big_Abyss]

I'm not talking about a highway that big.  It's just that some sections of our TCH are downright dangerous.

I'm thinking of the Roger's pass, or Highway 17 between Manitoba and Kenora.  These are some of the deadliest stretches of road in Canada, and it's a part of our only East-West link.  My goodness, that stretch of Highway 17 doesn't even have paved shoulders.  Nor does Roger's pass, I believe.

[Ex-airbalancer]

I think once highway 185 get done in Quebec it will be 4 lane from Halifax to Huntville
huntville to north Bay should be in 5 years or so

and to do the rest will take millions of dollars, and do we need it

[Vanstar]

I'm not talking about a highway that big.  It's just that some sections of our TCH are downright dangerous.

I'm thinking of the Roger's pass, or Highway 17 between Manitoba and Kenora.  These are some of the deadliest stretches of road in Canada, and it's a part of our only East-West link.  My goodness, that stretch of Highway 17 doesn't even have paved shoulders.  Nor does Roger's pass, I believe.

Roger's Pass is actually pretty good and the shoulders are paved. From Kamloops to Revelstoke is national embarrassment.

[ktm525]

I agree that in places in BC the TCH is a joke. In the Prairies we also have the problem that the TCH cuts right through town with stoplights. Some highway system

[Ex-airbalancer]

I agree that in places in BC the TCH is a joke. In the Prairies we also have the problem that the TCH cuts right through town with stoplights. Some highway system

so you want spend 100's millions for some bridges so there no lights.
I do not see how that is cost efficient

[Great_Big_Abyss]

Yes.

As economic stimulus it would be better than some of the other crap the government is spending money on.

As you drive around Winnipeg on the TCH, if you take the south perimeter (which is the way all through traffic goes) you hit 10 traffic lights.  1 on the east side of Winnipeg, 3 on the south perimeter, and 7 on the west side of Winnipeg (Headingley and beyond).

My work is located on a service road just off the South Perimeter (part of the TCH).  Mcgillivray and the perimeter, if anyone is interested.  I have to cross the perimeter every day.  The number of accidents I see not only in the winter but also in the summer is appalling.  And it's mostly caused by the stoplights.

[ktm525]

I agree that in places in BC the TCH is a joke. In the Prairies we also have the problem that the TCH cuts right through town with stoplights. Some highway system

so you want spend 100's millions for some bridges so there no lights.
I do not see how that is cost efficient

Yup. Elevate the highway so I can blow right through Suckamoose.

[kenm]

Invariably, the car/truck that you're trying to pass speeds up in the passing areas and slows down in the single lane areas.

This should be punishable by death.

[T.W]

I too am a fan of the US Interstate system however, having recently completed a road trip down south I noticed the roads are not as well maintained as they used to be. In years past the Interstates were almost smooth as glass, but that's no longer the case, probably to do to the recession and the nation's high debt.
Another plus with the Interstate system is the speed limits are usually 70 MPH and in Utah I saw areas where it was 80MPH.
In comparison the TCH in years past really was a national embarrassment, especially between Banff and Revelstoke and other stretches all the way to Vancouver, but it is getting better, slowly. Same with Ontario, I remember travelling there years ago and the shoulders were gravel and no dividing lanes which is ridiculous for a national highway, but IIRC that's being addressed as well.
It would be great if the TCH was a superhighway right across Canada with a speed limit of 130 KPH, but I understand that's cost prohibitive.
In a perfect world we would adopt the Autobahn system which is bar none the best road system I have ever driven, but even a petrolhead like me wouldn't put up with the taxes to allow that to happen, so I'll accept something in between.
At the very least we should have two lanes divided in each direction and minimise traffic lights when a bypass is not feasible.

[sailor723]

I was quite surprised to read some of the stuff about the TCH in this thread. Traffic lights on the TCH at Winnepeg?    I would have thought poor little "have-not" New Brunswick would be lagging far behind the rest of the country when it comes to this but I guess not. The TCH has been twinned here  from the Quebec border to NS for several years. It bypasses Fredericton and Moncton and has a speed limit of 110 with normal traffic flow in the 120-125 area the whole way. Even Route 1 which runs about 200Km from the US border through Saint John to join the TCH just before Moncton has been mostly twinned for quite a few years now and the last two lane section is in the process of being converted to four lane divided highway. Even where it passes through Saint John has been divided highway since the early 70's.

[chrischasescars]

The TCH has been twinned here  from the Quebec border to NS for several years. It bypasses Fredericton and Moncton and has a speed limit of 110 with normal traffic flow in the 120-125 area the whole way.

I've driven that stretch of the TCH, and it was a beautiful drive in many ways. Nice road, realistic speed limit, gorgeous scenery.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

Yes.

As economic stimulus it would be better than some of the other crap the government is spending money on.

As you drive around Winnipeg on the TCH, if you take the south perimeter (which is the way all through traffic goes) you hit 10 traffic lights.  1 on the east side of Winnipeg, 3 on the south perimeter, and 7 on the west side of Winnipeg (Headingley and beyond).

My work is located on a service road just off the South Perimeter (part of the TCH).  Mcgillivray and the perimeter, if anyone is interested.  I have to cross the perimeter every day.  The number of accidents I see not only in the winter but also in the summer is appalling.  And it's mostly caused by the stoplights.

I couldn't believe the intersections on the highways around here. Those are strictly verboten in NB now.

[Mike]

Just drove the interstates through 10 states last week and they make our highway system seem unplanned.  Then again, we are missing about 300 million people in our country that would demand such a system.

[5 Wheel Drive]

The TCH has been twinned here  from the Quebec border to NS for several years. It bypasses Fredericton and Moncton and has a speed limit of 110 with normal traffic flow in the 120-125 area the whole way.

I've driven that stretch of the TCH, and it was a beautiful drive in many ways. Nice road, realistic speed limit, gorgeous scenery.

I've driven that stretch too, it's a very nice drive. 

Also, interstates 89, 91, and 93 through Vermont and New Hampshire are very nice to drive on as well.  The roads are very well maintained, and is also a very beautiful area to drive through.

[chrischasescars]

The TCH has been twinned here  from the Quebec border to NS for several years. It bypasses Fredericton and Moncton and has a speed limit of 110 with normal traffic flow in the 120-125 area the whole way.

I've driven that stretch of the TCH, and it was a beautiful drive in many ways. Nice road, realistic speed limit, gorgeous scenery.

I've driven that stretch too, it's a very nice drive. 

Also, interstates 89, 91, and 93 through Vermont and New Hampshire are very nice to drive on as well.  The roads are very well maintained, and is also a very beautiful area to drive through.

True! I've driven through VT many, many times. Beautiful scenery, and the state is so sparsely populated that the roads are practically deserted.