Highest traffic counts in your city?

[Pedestrian]

Originally Posted by dimondpark

wow that is massive.

I was once stuck on that thing. Among the worst driving experiences of my life. I finally found an escape route which was only marginally better.

[Sun Belt]

That freeway pic is bad. However, the reality is it's a 5 lane freeway with 2 HOV -- toll/hot lanes. The lanes on the far right and far left aren't apart of the freeway, but rather frontage roads.

https://goo.gl/maps/LwR2M45wxRufkDzx7

[Sun Belt]

Interstate 10 goes through some of the most congested urban areas of the country.
-- L.A. -- I.E. -- Phx -- El Paso -- San Antonio -- Houston -- New Orleans -- JACKSONVILLE!

Which lead to the question:
What interstate highway is most traveled?

The answer surprised me. They're all trans-American roadways, running from the West to East coast. My initial thought was the 95 due to it hitting numerous East Coast cities [except Atlanta and NC/SC cities] from Florida to Maine, but I guess I was wrong.

The most traveled interstates in the US will be:

I-40 from Wilmington, NC to Barstow, CA.
I-70 from Baltimore, MD to Sulfurdale, UT.
I-80 from Ridgefield Park, NJ to San Fransisco, CA.
I-90 from Boston, MA to Seattle, WA.

By the location and the cities they pass through, I-40 and I-80 are likely to have the greatest volume of year round traffic.

https://www.answers.com/Q/What_inter..._most_traveled

I have driven on all of the above interstates and the entire length of the 40, broken up in segments over the years.

[The ATX]

Originally Posted by Sun Belt

That freeway pic is bad. However, the reality is it's a 5 lane freeway with 2 HOV -- toll/hot lanes. The lanes on the far right and far left aren't apart of the freeway, but rather frontage roads.

https://goo.gl/maps/LwR2M45wxRufkDzx7

Frontage roads are absolutely part of the freeways in Texas. They are just meant to keep local traffic from entering the main lanes.

[schaalman]

I too share your skepticism.....and with good reason.

First off, I doubt very much traffic is actually "counted". It's more likely "sampled" over different time periods.

Like you said, it would be very difficult for a 4+2 HOV configuration to handle that volume.

However, the more powerful argument to be skeptical is based on logic, not gut instinct.

Just east of the Fairway interchange, CA 57 "multi-plexes" with CA 60 and even then the volume maxes out at just over 400K@Grand Ave.

Very suspicious if you ask me? Do you really think people working for DOTs are as concerned about accuracy like us geeks?

Just sayin'.....

[schaalman]

I'm skeptical about CA 60 volume@Fairway as well.

Just east of the Fairway interchange, CA 57 "multi-plexes" with CA 60 and even then the volume maxes out at just over 400K@Grand Ave., according to CALTRANS.

Very suspicious if you ask me? Do you really think people working for DOTs are as concerned about accuracy like us geeks?

Just sayin'.....

[kingsdl76]

I can't believe no one mentioned the Garden State Parkway when the New York area was brought up. The GSP is probably the 2nd widest highway in the New York metro area, after the New Jersey Turnpike. For about 20 - 25 miles its just 10 straight lanes, then it actually widens for the Driscoll Bridge portion; reaching about 16 lanes in width I believe, and then as you enter central Jersey it has a split configuration of 2 inner lanes and 3 outer, so 10 lanes.. The summer traffic for people coming back and going to the Jersey Shore is insane!..I'd be willing to bet that during the summer season the GSP surpasses the New Jersey Turnpike in numbers, and during that season its probably one of the most heavily traveled highways on the east coast..

[chris08876]

I've been a subscriber to this channel for years now, he puts out good freeway videos. All sped up or time lapses with some good music too and indication of the highway signs and stuff.


Here's some of Houston as we are on that topic. Two part video(s).

• Video Link


In this second clip, some of those freeways look insane.

• Video Link

Follows I-610 West to I-10 West and the Katy Freeway through the Metro Houston area from Mile 761 to 730

This one is pretty cool. Some Bay Area highways.


• Video Link

US-101 North from SFO to I-80 East across the Bay Bridge to I-580 South to CA-24 East ending in Walnut Creek

[JAYNYC]

Originally Posted by chris08876

I've been a subscriber to this channel for years now, he puts out good freeway videos. All sped up or time lapses with some good music too and indication of the highway signs and stuff.


Here's some of Houston as we are on that topic. Two part video(s).

• Video Link


In this second clip, some of those freeways look insane.

• Video Link

Having lived in Houston and / or traveled into Houston from San Antonio on I-10 for years, it's funny (but understandable) to hear someone who lives in the East Coast refer to that stretch of freeway as "insane". It's always been a monster, and even in the 90's was way larger than any freeway I've ever seen in the NYC metro area. To see that it has grown into 29 lanes across in certain points west of the 610 loop is not surprising at all. I haven't even seen many stretches of freeway in Southern California compare to I-10 or 59 (now 69) in Houston in terms of being massive.

[SIGSEGV]

Originally Posted by Sun Belt

This is true. Although it is 2019 and we have invented car mounts...podcasts + Netflix. If traffic is super sh*tty then it's very easy to follow the dialogue and catch a glimpse of Stranger Things.

That sounds insanely dangerous.

But back to the other point: What percentage of people take commuter rail or subway in America? And of that percentage, what percentage actually have a seat? And of those that are fortunate enough to have a seat [beacuse they live in an exurban park n ride location], what percentage feel comfortable enough to not disturb other riders to pull out their tablet/laptop to send an email, or create a spreadsheet on excel?

An empty bus or commuter train, ok sure. I've done homework on Amtrak during college, but most office workers are commuting at peak travel times. Most people enjoy this time to say F' Off to their bosses and jam out with their Air Pods, checking IG, while tuning out the Riff Raff in the background.

I'm speaking from experience.

Back before most woke folk were born [The Year 2000!, lol -- Conan reference.] and it became #trendy, I was woke. Some would even say: super Woke. <--Hate to admit that. I'm less woke now because I enjoy the comfort of my own personal vehicle with my own climate control, with my own music/talk radio, with my own spacious comfortable seat, with my own safety to be concerned with/of, etc etc etc., I can send and receive texts/calls now via Bluetooth --

Back in the good ol' days, I didn't even own a car, I was restricted to the subway/train to go anywhere and everywhere. It sucked then and it sucks now, especially if you're a commuter that deals with the onslaught of the commuter crush. B.O. on the subway is a real issue. I have never once checked or responded to an email while standing shoulder to shoulder, hanging on for dear life to not knock over or fall on the grandma with 8 bags next to me.

One more thing, I've never once had to square up with some random warrior in my car, on the train/subway, yes a few times -- and for no reason.

If the bus is too crowded so I can't bust out my laptop, but can still read/write emails on my phone. Or post here. I also call into telecons from the bus routinely.

[10023]

Originally Posted by Sun Belt

That freeway pic is bad. However, the reality is it's a 5 lane freeway with 2 HOV -- toll/hot lanes. The lanes on the far right and far left aren't apart of the freeway, but rather frontage roads.

https://goo.gl/maps/LwR2M45wxRufkDzx7

Doesn’t matter. Too many lanes, too much concrete, too little transit or proper urban planning. Aesthetically and otherwise, it’s disgusting.

[dimondpark]

It's one of those Jesus-take-the-wheel mornings.:sly:

Stockton-San Francisco:
Monday at 6:19AM
Distance: 83 Miles
Time: 3hrs 14 mins

[JManc]

Originally Posted by 10023

Doesn’t matter. Too many lanes, too much concrete, too little transit or proper urban planning. Aesthetically and otherwise, it’s disgusting.

Aesthetically, it's a freeway. I'm not sure what you're expecting. It's one of the city's biggest and busiest arteries.

[Innsertnamehere]

Originally Posted by craigs

I appreciate your skepticism given the context, but yes--the California Department of Transportation ("Caltrans") is reporting that count for the 60 freeway at Fairway Drive in the City of Industry for the year 2017 (newest available) on its website. Caltrans affirms that traffic counting is "generally performed by electronic counting instruments."

Go for the "by Webpage" option, as the Excel spreadsheet currently isn't available (because Caltrans). I chose the "Back AADT" count, rather than Ahead AADT, Back Peak Month or Ahead Peak Month, as it is in the middle of the pack. All counts for 60 @ Fairway range between 429,000 and 490,000.

Additionally, there is another stretch of the 60, at Nogales Street in Rowland Heights (about a mile from Fairway), with an Ahead AADT of 461,000--so either way, we have good reason to accept this is in fact the California freeway with the highest traffic counts.

But why? I am beginning to suspect this is not because of unusually heavy daytime volume, but rather, because of typically high (for LA) daytime volume plus relatively high overnight traffic counts. Wikipedia and the article I linked to and quoted above both note significant truck traffic between the massive LA/Long Beach port complex and railroad and truck distribution centers in the Inland Empire. Presumably, there are also a lot of trucks that just keep on truckin' out into a nation that is very hungry for Asian imports. A lot of truckers prefer to roll at night, when commuters are generally off the road. But that's just a theory, I could be completely wrong about why this is such a busy stretch of freeway.

If you check the 2014 counts the numbers are much lower and more in line with what I would expect for an 8+2HOV highway. Nogales has a 231,000 count, conveniently almost exactly 1/2 of the 2017 numbers. Makes me think that there is an error in calculation. Could be wrong of course.. but a doubling of AADT in 3 years and just the general capacity of the highway makes me think 461,000 AADT isn't really possible.

An absolute maximum throughput of a vehicle lane is considered to be 1,800-1,900 vehicles an hour.. For an 8+2HOV configuration to accomodate 460,000 AADT, all 10 lanes would need to operate at 100% maximum capacity for 24 hours a day, and even then the aggressive 1,900 vehicles an hour number throughputs only 456,000 vehicles.

There are just too many things here pointing to it being an error.

I-405 between I-605 and State Highway 22 has an AADT of 377,000, and has 16 lanes, which makes that kind of throughput actually reasonably possible. My bet is that it is the busiest highway in LA.

As for the widest highway, I believe the 401 also claims that still in terms of "through" lanes, with 18 lanes between the 427 and 403/410. The Katy Highway uses it's service roads in it's lane counts, which aren't really "freeway" lanes. it has 4 HOV/Toll lanes, 10 general purpose lanes, and 6-8 service road lanes, which means it's really only a 14 lane freeway. Houston's planned re-configuring of it's downtown freeway loop would produce a 22 through lane wide highway though I believe, which would de-throne the 401.

[JAYNYC]

Originally Posted by JManc

Aesthetically, it's a freeway. I'm not sure what you're expecting. It's one of the city's biggest and busiest arteries.

If it doesn't resemble a London-style freeway, it's "disgusting".

[Sun Belt]

Originally Posted by JManc

Aesthetically, it's a freeway. I'm not sure what you're expecting. It's one of the city's biggest and busiest arteries.

Yeah, exactly. Is he suggesting we spend more money to make it a beautiful freeway?

[Sun Belt]

Originally Posted by The ATX

Frontage roads are absolutely part of the freeways in Texas. They are just meant to keep local traffic from entering the main lanes.

I understand how frontage roads work, but to say they're part of the freeway is inaccurate. They're local roads, used by local businesses, with tons of turn outs, turning lanes, stoplights, on/off ramps to the freeway.

https://goo.gl/maps/W5cGJmGPiPueCeu2A

[JManc]

Originally Posted by Sun Belt

I understand how frontage roads work, but to say they're part of the freeway is inaccurate. They're local roads, used by local businesses, with tons of turn outs, turning lanes, stoplights, on/off ramps to the freeway.

https://goo.gl/maps/W5cGJmGPiPueCeu2A

I think they are actually. I think TXDot handles feeder roads as opposed to the City of Houston (in the city limits) with other local roads. You are correct that they are not part of the freeway itself, they are part of the freeway system.

[Sun Belt]

Originally Posted by JManc

I think they are actually. I think TXDot handles feeder roads as opposed to the City of Houston (in the city limits) with other local roads. You are correct that they are not part of the freeway itself, they are part of the freeway system.

And that goes back to the 29 lane statistic. It's including frontage road lanes and merge lanes/ramps. It's not a freeway with 15 lanes in each direction.

[LA21st]

Originally Posted by Innsertnamehere

If you check the 2014 counts the numbers are much lower and more in line with what I would expect for an 8+2HOV highway. Nogales has a 231,000 count, conveniently almost exactly 1/2 of the 2017 numbers. Makes me think that there is an error in calculation. Could be wrong of course.. but a doubling of AADT in 3 years and just the general capacity of the highway makes me think 461,000 AADT isn't really possible.

An absolute maximum throughput of a vehicle lane is considered to be 1,800-1,900 vehicles an hour.. For an 8+2HOV configuration to accomodate 460,000 AADT, all 10 lanes would need to operate at 100% maximum capacity for 24 hours a day, and even then the aggressive 1,900 vehicles an hour number throughputs only 456,000 vehicles.

There are just too many things here pointing to it being an error.

I-405 between I-605 and State Highway 22 has an AADT of 377,000, and has 16 lanes, which makes that kind of throughput actually reasonably possible. My bet is that it is the busiest highway in LA.

As for the widest highway, I believe the 401 also claims that still in terms of "through" lanes, with 18 lanes between the 427 and 403/410. The Katy Highway uses it's service roads in it's lane counts, which aren't really "freeway" lanes. it has 4 HOV/Toll lanes, 10 general purpose lanes, and 6-8 service road lanes, which means it's really only a 14 lane freeway. Houston's planned re-configuring of it's downtown freeway loop would produce a 22 through lane wide highway though I believe, which would de-throne the 401.

Why is the 405 so busy near the 605 interchange?