[USA] United States Non-Interstate Roads and Highways

[I-275westcoastfl]

So it would have run down Lombard St?

[Paddington]

Crookedest Freeway.

[ChrisZwolle]

The Golden Gate Bridge already carries 105,000 vehicles per day on six lanes, so there's not much spare capacity.

Traffic volumes on urban arterials in San Francisco are extremely high, for instance Highway 1 (Park Presidio Blvd & 19th Avenue) carry 60,000 -100,000 vehicles per day. They basically function as at-grade freeways.

[jchernin]

Originally Posted by Paddington

I'm sure it opened up some scenic views for people in the city, but there's no good way to get from SFO to the Northern suburbs.

I live in the North Bay (the Bay Area's northern suburbs). To get to SFO, there are no North-South freeways in SF so that is indeed the best route. Because of the difficulty of getting to SFO, many fly out of Oakland instead. Personally, I don't mind the surface streets, but the high-traffic volumes mean statistically many more pedestrians are injured or killed along these streets (especially Highway 1 Park Presidio Blvd/19 Ave and Highway 101 Van Ness Ave).

They started to study building underground freeways at both of these locations, but with SF saturated with so many NIMBYs, the project didn't get very far. (http://www.tollroadsnews.com/node/2635) Although I always thought it would make a lot of sense. Driving along 19th Ave and seeing the HOMES along the side I wonder who would pay over half a million for one of these?

Here's another resource on the Golden Gate Freeway (http://www.kriske.com/highway/480/index.html) which would've connected the Bay and Golden Gate Bridges.

[I-275westcoastfl]

I hear driving in SF is worse than NYC.

[tradephoric]

Here's a video of a drive down 19th Ave in San Francisco. This was taken at 2 PM on a Wednesday and it took the driver 25 minutes to drive 6.3 miles from Alemany Blvd (14:49:00) to entering the tunnel as you approach the Golden Gate Bridge (15:14:15).



According to INRIX San Francisco has some of the highest congested freeways in America (in 2006 San Fran was ranked as the 4th most congestion city even though they are only the 13th most populous metro).

To sum up...
San Francicso freeway congestion sucks....
San Francicso surface street congestion sucks...

[I-275westcoastfl]

Yeah it looks bad, but thats what happens when you have a decent amount of people driving in an area of population in a city that lacks freeways. In my part of the county it takes 30 mins to do about 10 miles at around the same time and we are way less urban than SF. But we also lack freeways and get stuck at long traffic signals.

[Paddington]

Originally Posted by tradephoric

Here's a video of a drive down 19th Ave in San Francisco. This was taken at 2 PM on a Wednesday and it took the driver 25 minutes to drive 6.3 miles from Alemany Blvd (14:49:00) to entering the tunnel as you approach the Golden Gate Bridge (15:14:15).



According to INRIX San Francisco has some of the highest congested freeways in America (in 2006 San Fran was ranked as the 4th most congestion city even though they are only the 13th most populous metro).

To sum up...
San Francicso freeway congestion sucks....
San Francicso surface street congestion sucks...

Wow, what a mess. You think it might be better to go up the eastern side of San Francisco, take the Bay Bridge over, then take the other bridge that's further up north back over to the Northern suburbs?

[Xusein]

Originally Posted by I-275westcoastfl

I hear driving in SF is worse than NYC.

I think that has to do with the fact that SF only has two bridges so unless you come from the south, you don't have much choice. Although Manhattan is an island, there are several bridges and tunnels so you have alternatives.

[I-275westcoastfl]

Originally Posted by Xusein

I think that has to do with the fact that SF only has two bridges so unless you come from the south, you don't have much choice. Although Manhattan is an island, there are several bridges and tunnels so you have alternatives.

Yeah I know NYC has way more people but it goes to show you that having a proper road network is key to moving people. I know from experience getting out of Manhattan is easy but the lack of options to go east on Long Island where you have I-495 or I-278 thats where the congestion starts.

[Tommy Boy]

Originally Posted by tradephoric

Here's a video of a drive down 19th Ave in San Francisco. This was taken at 2 PM on a Wednesday and it took the driver 25 minutes to drive 6.3 miles from Alemany Blvd (14:49:00) to entering the tunnel as you approach the Golden Gate Bridge (15:14:15).



According to INRIX San Francisco has some of the highest congested freeways in America (in 2006 San Fran was ranked as the 4th most congestion city even though they are only the 13th most populous metro).

To sum up...
San Francicso freeway congestion sucks....
San Francicso surface street congestion sucks...

VERY nice video, but I don't understand why it is'nt a median barrier in the middle. It seems kind of dangerous that 3 lanes on each direction but no median barrier.

Build another Golden Gate bridge a twin sister that has also communiter rails on That would have been very nice.

Golden Gate is very majestic bridge just beautiful

[Tommy Boy]

I meant on the bridge with the median barrier or middle barrier. Nothing else

[mgk920]

Originally Posted by Tommy Boy

I meant on the bridge with the median barrier or middle barrier. Nothing else

Many of the lanes on the bridge are reversible.

Mike

[ChrisZwolle]

Originally Posted by Paddington

Wow, what a mess. You think it might be better to go up the eastern side of San Francisco, take the Bay Bridge over, then take the other bridge that's further up north back over to the Northern suburbs?

It's possible, but depending on destination and origin it's a 12 - 20 mile detour and I-80 is not devoid of congestion either. Plus you have to pay more tolls (2 times instead of 1 time on a return trip).

[Xusein]

Originally Posted by I-275westcoastfl

Yeah I know NYC has way more people but it goes to show you that having a proper road network is key to moving people. I know from experience getting out of Manhattan is easy but the lack of options to go east on Long Island where you have I-495 or I-278 thats where the congestion starts.

Long Island is pretty much a cul-de-sac but the options are better for those in other parts of the Tri-State.

[ChrisZwolle]

There are numerous expressways and parkways for intra-Long Island traffic. Getting off Long Island, especially to Connecticut or New Jersey is the main problem. Both expensive and congested.

[I-275westcoastfl]

Originally Posted by Xusein

Long Island is pretty much a cul-de-sac but the options are better for those in other parts of the Tri-State.

This is true.

Originally Posted by ChrisZwolle

There are numerous expressways and parkways for intra-Long Island traffic. Getting off Long Island, especially to Connecticut or New Jersey is the main problem. Both expensive and congested.

Yeah but you don't leave the congestion until about the Cross Island Parkway. Driving North is easy and you get many options, going to Jersey I'll agree isn't that pleasant.

[diablo234]

Not to mention that there are a few ferry services that go between Long Island and Connecticut which allow you to avoid most of the traffic (even though it might not save much time).

[Xusein]

They are used a lot but I don't believe many use them as "bypasses" of NYC. Unfortunately I don't think there ever will be a bridge between CT and LI, too expensive and NIMBY land.

[hammersklavier]

Originally Posted by ChrisZwolle

Maybe Penn's woods knows what this is.

A four-lane highway dead-ends in the woods of King of Prussia, PA, a suburb of Philadelphia.

Canceled highway. Here's some more info.

http://www.phillyroads.com/roads/PA-23/