Why can't we have an autobahn?

[Lefty]

I was driving down I94 today coming out of Saint Paul. They were busy resurfacing the road. That patricular stretch is two lanes in each direction: typical of much of the midwest.

In order to do the job, they had to pave two additional temporary lanes of black top. This weekend they will shut down the interstate completely. Motorists will be detoured. When they finally finish they will, no doubt, remove that temporary road.

That was when I had a light bulb moment. Why not just have 4 lanes instead of two? Wouldn't it be cheaper (and perhaps even safer) to keep all 4 lanes? That road would never have to close. When repairs would be made, workers could always block off and work on a lane or two. Roads might even go longer between repairs if they weren't so heavily traveled.

There was once a quieter time in the sweep of American history when we called these roads superhighways. They were certainly a vast improvement over two lane black top. That left lane was called the passing lane. Motorists resectfully stayed on the right and used it to only get around an occasional semi. Times have changed in a very big way. Both lanes are packed. And should one semi pass another, it might take several minutes and miles, slowing everyone else down. Safe intervals and proper spacing has also become a thing of the past.

Bottom line? There may be plenty of open stretches left out there, but there are also many, many miles where 3 or four lanes in each direction would be safer, faster, and even easier to maintain. I don't know about you but I would be willing to pay the taxes.

 

[sgtsandman]

I was driving down I94 today coming out of Saint Paul. They were busy resurfacing the road. That patricular stretch is two lanes in each direction: typical of much of the midwest.

In order to do the job, they had to pave two additional temporary lanes of black top. This weekend they will shut down the interstate completely. Motorists will be detoured. When they finally finish they will, no doubt, remove that temporary road.

That was when I had a light bulb moment. Why not just have 4 lanes instead of two? Wouldn't it be cheaper (and perhaps even safer) to keep all 4 lanes? That road would never have to close. When repairs would be made, workers could always block off and work on a lane or two. Roads might even go longer between repairs if they weren't so heavily traveled.

There was once a quieter time in the sweep of American history when we called these roads superhighways. They were certainly a vast improvement over two lane black top. That left lane was called the passing lane. Motorists resectfully stayed on the right and used it to only get around an occasional semi. Times have changed in a very big way. Both lanes are packed. And should one semi pass another, it might take several minutes and miles, slowing everyone else down. Safe intervals and proper spacing has also become a thing of the past.

Bottom line? There may be plenty of open stretches left out there, but there are also many, many miles where 3 or four lanes in each direction would be safer, faster, and even easier to maintain. I don't know about you but I would be willing to pay the taxes.

They can't even properly maintain the roads we have now with the taxes we pay now (at least in PA). There is no way they would expand the roads unless they absolutely had to. We also have one of the highest fuel taxes in the nation and the highest toll road tax in the world and PA can't properly maintain the roads. Local municipalities tend to be a bit better but roads maintained by the state? pffff!

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

When they put in "the new highway" past my house they set it up to expand to four lane with a median in the future. Pretty much everything is wide enough.

Well that was the 1960's and so far only small stretches are four lane.

It would be much safer with the ballooning size of farm equipment too.

 

[2011Supercab]

Just be glad they added the temporary lanes.

In Idaho they took the 2 lanes in each direction highway and made a crossover at each end of the construction zone,
during construction all traffic was on one side making it one lane each direction, when one side was finished, they moved everybody to the other side.

 

[19Walt93]

In New England it's common for them to direct all the traffic to one side while they repair the other lanes. In many places our interstates pass through cuts in the ledges so there's just no place to add lanes cost effectively.
In order for us to have an Autobahn drivers would need to know "keep right except to pass" is not just a suggestion, the left lane is for faster traffic, and that passing on the right is not just stupid, it's illegal and dangerous.

 

[MaicoDoug]

Hwy 280 going up the peninsula from Cupertino to San Francisco. The closest thing to any autobahn I've ever seen here in the US. As fast as you want to go. Steep hills too, where the super cars simply pull away & leave you waving good bye. 3-4 lanes in each direction. Pretty drive too!

 

[Lefty]

They can't even properly maintain the roads we have now with the taxes we pay now (at least in PA). There is no way they would expand the roads unless they absolutely had to. We also have one of the highest fuel taxes in the and the highest toll road tax in the world and PA can't properly maintain the roads. Local municipalities tend to be a bit better but roads maintained by the state? pffff!

Municipal roads out here in Minnesota are bad too. People drive like their drunk here every year in the spring. They're dodging pot holes, of course. Try as hard as we can doesn't solve the problem either. We all have damage. We drive a little Fiat around the town. I've had to replace two blistered tires in just two years. I've also had to replace wheel bearings. Of all things! The mechanic at the dealership explained the culprit was pot holes.

That's just another reason why so many of us drive trucks. And, if we are even a little bit savy, we buy upgradded tires too.

 

[Lefty]

Hwy 280 going up the peninsula from Cupertino to San Francisco. The closest thing to any autobahn I've ever seen here in the US. As fast as you want to go. Steep hills too, where the super cars simply pull away & leave you waving good bye. 3-4 lanes in each direction. Pretty drive too!

Yup. Been there! Very nice! Then again there's some major roads coming into and out of LA. There's plenty of lanes to choose, but still not enough.

 

[bhgl]

One of the reasons Germany can have the Autobahn is because it has fewer drivers per capita, better alternative methods of transportation namely trains, and a more regulated driving culture.

If folks in Canada or the US had to abide by the rules and regulations of vehicle maintenance and modification that they have in Germany, there would be an open revolt, but if I was driving 120 MpH on my way to work, you'd bet your ass I wouldn't want to be sharing the road with a clapped out teenager modified civic who's body panels are held on with chewing gum.

As for the roads themselves:

In general, adding more lanes to a given highway actually INCREASES traffic via induced demand. This obviously depends on population, location, e.t.c, but for generally populated areas, or places within 1-2 hours drive of a metropolitan area. The addition of extra lanes generally worsens traffic flow across the board, and results in slower overall speeds for everybody in the area.

If you want faster, smoother, free-er flowing highways. We need more alternatives for folks to not drive, for all of us who love cars and driving there's at least 10 people who are only on the highway because they have to be.

Whether that's better public transit, better inter-state transit, or communities, towns, and cities that don't mandate a car in order to live full lives, that's what we need to in a way "free the car" once and for all.

 

[MaicoDoug]

...don't forget the part when their driving on the right side, then over the left side, playing with their cell phone-

 

[bhgl]

Should also mention, highways are stupid expensive to maintain especially as vehicles have gotten heavier and freight traffic has increased.

The weight and traffic issue is one of the biggest reasons our highways don't quite "last" like they used to, we're just absolutely hammering the pavement non-stop with ever heavier vehicles.
2 extra lanes adds not only an initial big bill of 1-4 Million $ a mile, you've got a huge resurfacing cost sitting on your shoulders basically every decade afterwards.

One of the things that bankrupted Detroit among other issues, is the fact that the entirety of motor city was built for the car.

Big fat highways, multi-lane local roads, suburbs built exclusively to be driven to and from with no light rail options meant the city of Detroit had an outsized financial burden compared to other big cities that sprung up before the car was popularized. That meant as the City was losing income from economic downturn, it was sitting on a huge infrastructure time bomb alongside it.

This is a bit of a pet subject of mine, I love cars, but I just wish we'd build some god damn trains sometimes.

 

[Lefty]

One of the reasons Germany can have the Autobahn is because it has fewer drivers per capita, better alternative methods of transportation namely trains, and a more regulated driving culture.

If folks in Canada or the US had to abide by the rules and regulations of vehicle maintenance and modification that they have in Germany, there would be an open revolt, but if I was driving 120 MpH on my way to work, you'd bet your ass I wouldn't want to be sharing the road with a clapped out teenager modified civic who's body panels are held on with chewing gum.

As for the roads themselves:

In general, adding more lanes to a given highway actually INCREASES traffic via induced demand. This obviously depends on population, location, e.t.c, but for generally populated areas, or places within 1-2 hours drive of a metropolitan area. The addition of extra lanes generally worsens traffic flow across the board, and results in slower overall speeds for everybody in the area.

If you want faster, smoother, free-er flowing highways. We need more alternatives for folks to not drive, for all of us who love cars and driving there's at least 10 people who are only on the highway because they have to be.

Whether that's better public transit, better inter-state transit, or communities, towns, and cities that don't mandate a car in order to live full lives, that's what we need to in a way "free the car" once and for all.

More decent public transportation would help too. When I lived in Boston, I would frequently take the train to Manhattan, a very nice ride.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Should also mention, highways are stupid expensive to maintain especially as vehicles have gotten heavier and freight traffic has increased.

The weight and traffic issue is one of the biggest reasons our highways don't quite "last" like they used to, we're just absolutely hammering the pavement non-stop with ever heavier vehicles.
2 extra lanes adds not only an initial big bill of 1-4 Million $ a mile, you've got a huge resurfacing cost sitting on your shoulders basically every decade afterwards.

One of the things that bankrupted Detroit among other issues, is the fact that the entirety of motor city was built for the car.

Big fat highways, multi-lane local roads, suburbs built exclusively to be driven to and from with no light rail options meant the city of Detroit had an outsized financial burden compared to other big cities that sprung up before the car was popularized. That meant as the City was losing income from economic downturn, it was sitting on a huge infrastructure time bomb alongside it.

This is a bit of a pet subject of mine, I love cars, but I just wish we'd build some god damn trains sometimes.

Rural four lanes, set the cruise and let 'er eat. I make much better time than on a two lane and passing is much safer too.

 

[Snoranger]

I was pretending the Garden State Parkway was the Autobahn the other day… I was cruising home from work at my new house at 110MPH. Does that count?

I regularly cruise that 12 mile stretch at 95-100.

 

[Lefty]

They can't even properly maintain the roads we have now with the taxes we pay now (at least in PA). There is no way they would expand the roads unless they absolutely had to. We also have one of the highest fuel taxes in the and the highest toll road tax in the world and PA can't properly maintain the roads. Local municipalities tend to be a bit better but roads maintained by the state? pffff!

America's transportation infrastructure is most defintely showing its age. More trains wouldn't hurt either. Taking a flight is no better. Remember when there were once comfortable seats? When you could check your baggage for free? When they served meals?