The amazing US interstate network (videos)

vrusinov

Even if they were maintained to the high standard I still would not take them.
They are great for a few days road trip on vacation. Anything longer and it's tedious. Freeway commute is the worst.

Also, the noise these things generate is horrible. They basically create 1-2 km exclusion zone around them.

L1011

The noise is from the awful, anciently, crumbling surfaces. Wouldn't be so bad if they spent the required money on them.

Going to be substantial sections out of use as bridge structures get condemned in coming years

nordydan

Would be great if the Yanks spend a few bob on their freeways instead of on their war machine..

Surfaces can be awful
Constant speed limit changes in places
Dull ans repetitive in most places with some parts of fantastic scenery in fairness

A frind of mine lives in Philadelphia. He says if you walk under the overpasses you can see the broken concrete constantly falling off the bridge.
Hardly a surprise, a D+ was the last assessment:

https://www.infrastructurereportcard.org/

Cookiemunster

The Squad wrote: »

Really don't think Irish people can get uppity about roads in other countries.

We're not getting 'uppity'. We've been pointing out that US roads aren't the be all and end all as the OP has been claiming and that we don't need to build similar over here.

Kermit.de.frog

An example of near flawless surfacing (of which there are many such sections on the interstates across the US) is the I-80 in San Francisco.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSL0HS-rFkA

There seems to be a myth in Europe that US roads are all falling apart and are never upgraded! They are all the time being upgraded.

Kermit.de.frog

L1011 wrote: »

Going to be substantial sections out of use as bridge structures get condemned in coming years

Remind us again on which continent the most devastating bridge collapse in recent history was last year?

L1011

Kermit.de.frog wrote: »

Remind us again on which continent the most devastating bridge collapse in recent history was last year?

Irrelevant whataboutery. You would be well advised to learn the most common fallacies of logic. Your previous post is another one. In fact pretty much all your arguments are.

The US does not spend enough on maintenance of infrastructure and the interstate network is crumbling. It's very unlikely that that's going to change any time soon.

Kermit.de.frog

L1011 wrote: »

Irrelevant whataboutery. You would be well advised to learn the most common fallacies of logic. Your previous post is another one. In fact pretty much all your arguments are.

The US does not spend enough on maintenance of infrastructure and the interstate network is crumbling. It's very unlikely that that's going to change any time soon.

Are you not going to tell us why the bridge collapse occurred in Genoa?

You spout total lies about "crumbling" interstates then dodge perfectly valid questions.

Which is what has me thinking your opinion is ideological rather than the actual facts of American highway infrastructure.

Plenty of crumbling roads around Europe.

listermint

Kermit.de.frog wrote: »

Are you not going to tell us why the bridge collapse occurred in Genoa?

You spout total lies about "crumbling" interstates then dodge perfectly valid questions.

Which is what has me thinking your opinion is ideological rather than the actual facts of American highway infrastructure.

Plenty of crumbling roads around Europe.

The roads in the US are falling apart. Your opinion isnt fact. Post some pictures there of you driving yourself and not those YouTube videos you've been at for the last 8 months

Have you even been in the states ? In Europe we don't even make roads like that anymore the technology in Europe for road construction is leeps ahead of the us. Factually speaking.

listermint

Kermit.de.frog wrote: »

Are you not going to tell us why the bridge collapse occurred in Genoa?

You spout total lies about "crumbling" interstates then dodge perfectly valid questions.

Which is what has me thinking your opinion is ideological rather than the actual facts of American highway infrastructure.

Plenty of crumbling roads around Europe.

Also for you. Quite recent too. One of your superb 8 lane highways

The best


https://www.mprnews.org/story/2017/08/01/looking-back-photos-of-the-bridge-collapse

Kermit.de.frog

Yes I have been all over the United States and I drive over there regularly.

Europe never built roads remotely as big or good as any US interstate.

Leave aside ideology and resentment.

Find me a road as good in Europe as any interstate around Houston, for random example, and I'll take your point.

You can't. Why are you pretending you can? It's patently obvious which cities are better catered for in terms of major highway infrastructure. Europe doesn't compare.

Kermit.de.frog

listermint wrote: »

Also for you. Quite recent too. One of your superb 8 lane highways

The best


https://www.mprnews.org/story/2017/08/01/looking-back-photos-of-the-bridge-collapse

You have to go all the way back to 2007. Remind us how many miles of US interstate are in existence today?

Pointless cherrypicking and panicky google searching because your argument is absurd re roads in Europe vs the US.

I note you ignore the Genoa collapse and the panic ensuing in Italy and France over the state of their motorways.

listermint

Kermit.de.frog wrote: »

Yes I have been all over the United States and I drive over there regularly.

Europe never built roads remotely as big or good as any US interstate.

Leave aside ideology and resentment.

Find me a road as good in Europe as any interstate around Houston, for random example, and I'll take your point.

You can't. Why are you pretending you can? It's patently obvious which cities are better catered for in terms of major highway infrastructure. Europe doesn't compare.

Il tell you why.


Because Europe doesn't need them.

This whole thread is your horn for the states. You pulled out the Genoa bridge collapse as an example of Europe in disarray when there are countless us examples.

You won't find an American politician who doesn't think infrastructure is deplorable. Yet you know better. Frankly I'm bored now read the thread and your boring. Your points are boring and your defense of a road network that is in a country you holiday in is bizarre.


Good night.

Kermit.de.frog

So you come on to thrash US roads but don't want to talk about Europe's infrastructural issues.

Ideological.

listermint

Kermit.de.frog wrote: »

So you come on to thrash US roads but don't want to talk about Europe's infrastructural issues.

Ideological.

No not really it's a road. And Ireland has lots of motorways some of the newest around in fact.

But as I said I'm bored by your wonderlust of a fifty year old road network built of 70 year old thinking and aged technology.

Zzzz.

Kermit.de.frog

listermint wrote: »

No not really it's a road. And Ireland has lots of motorways some of the newest around in fact.

But as I said I'm bored by your wonderlust of a fifty year old road network built of 70 year old thinking and aged technology.

Zzzz.

lol - you think all US interstates are 1970's technology and design!?

You must have never driven in the states. There are excellent stretches of interstate in every state in America using the most modern techniques built or rebuilt in the last 20 years. Highways are ALWAYS being rebuilt and renewed.

It's not possible to do it all in 30 years, never mind 10 years.

listermint

Kermit.de.frog wrote: »

lol - you think all US interstates are 1970's technology and design!?

You must have never driven in the states. There are excellent stretches of interstate in every state in America using the most modern techniques built or rebuilt in the last 20 years. Highways are ALWAYS being rebuilt and renewed.

It's not possible to do it all in 30 years, never mind 10 years.

Of course I have I've been all over. The us has some of the oldest same infrastructure I've come across in my travels. Its almost like they don't spend money on it



Oh yeah...

Kermit.de.frog

listermint wrote: »

Of course I have I've been all over. The us has some of the oldest same infrastructure I've come across in my travels. Its almost like they don't spend money on it



Oh yeah...

Think you need to watch the very first video in the thread.

What is in that video? Oh yeah, massive construction and recently completed and renewed massive highways.

Probably costing more alone than most of the motorways in Ireland combined.

Your assertion that no money is spent upgrading interstates is total bs.

Here is I-10 in Pheonix.

Does this look like 1970's engineering to you? Does it look like a poor surface? It's better than anything anywhere in Europe.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hg5OW0wMk50

L1011

Kermit.de.frog wrote: »

Are you not going to tell us why the bridge collapse occurred in Genoa?

On a thread about the US Interstate network? No, because its whataboutery by you when you are completely unable to deal with the dangerous infrastructural deficit the US has

The interstate network is not "amazing", it is a relic of past times and crumbling. Traffic patterns elsewhere are not as stuck in the single-occupancy-vehicle era as the US and hence never required the over-built messes that you idolise. What you claim as "better" most people see as pathetic.

I'd suggest you write a blog instead if you just want to have positive posts about Interstates, as its clear you cannot take any criticism of them here.

Kermit.de.frog

L1011 wrote: »

On a thread about the US Interstate network? No, because its whataboutery by you when you are completely unable to deal with the dangerous infrastructural deficit the US has

The interstate network is not "amazing", it is a relic of past times and crumbling. Traffic patterns elsewhere are not as stuck in the single-occupancy-vehicle era as the US and hence never required the over-built messes that you idolise. What you claim as "better" most people see as pathetic.

I'd suggest you write a blog instead if you just want to have positive posts about Interstates, as its clear you cannot take any criticism of them here.

I'll keep it simple. I just posted a video of I-10 in Pheonix. A random example and a road I personally have driven on.

Do you acknowledge that you will see nothing as good as that anywhere in Europe?

Yet everyone keeps saying US doesn't spend money and is not upgrading it's roads.

Is this Alice in Wonderland?

Kermit.de.frog

L1011 wrote: »

The interstate network is not "amazing", it is a relic of past times and crumbling. Traffic patterns elsewhere are not as stuck in the single-occupancy-vehicle era

And yet which country does HOV lanes more and better than any other?

The HOV lanes often have there very own dedicated flyovers for goodness sake so that argument is out the window. We don't even have them in Ireland - why? Because they are a bad idea? No. Because we don't have a functioning police force and therefore can't implement such things.

But the US - they are the backward ones! Seriously.

L1011

Kermit.de.frog wrote: »

And yet which country does HOV lanes more and better than any other?

The HOV lanes often have there very own dedicated flyovers for goodness sake so that argument is out the window.

HOV lanes do not correct not having proper public transport

A few random Youtube videos (random? hah! You are selecting the few that look good) of roads that aren't in bits in a country of that scale means nothing.

You have a specific viewpoint that makes you really, really want the US to be the best at this. But they aren't.

The rest of the world doesn't need roads as wide because they have proper transport planning. The US doesn't understand the concept so slaps tarmac wherever they can and don't maintain it after its built. If we needed a motorway of that scale in an otherwise not built up area it would be proof that we had failed at providing proper transport - just as the US has.

Kermit.de.frog

L1011 wrote: »

HOV lanes do not correct not having proper public transport

A few random Youtube videos (random? hah! You are selecting the few that look good) of roads that aren't in bits in a country of that scale means nothing.

You have a specific viewpoint that makes you really, really want the US to be the best at this. But they aren't.

The rest of the world doesn't need roads as wide because they have proper transport planning. The US doesn't understand the concept so slaps tarmac wherever they can and don't maintain it after its built. If we needed a motorway of that scale in an otherwise not built up area it would be proof that we had failed at providing proper transport - just as the US has.

They clearly are.

No point continuing the conversation. Of course i'm going to post the interesting videos. Would you rather 500 miles of two lane dessert?

Your approach to argument is ideological. Resentment or whatever. Not much point in continuing the conversation.

I'm just going to continue posting videos of a vastly superior road network Europe can only dream of.

L1011

Kermit.de.frog wrote: »

Would you rather 500 miles of two lane dessert?

Roads that are built for an appropriate capacity, matched with functioning public transport and which, most of all, are maintained? Yeah. I'll have that over the US any day.

You are delusional if you think more lanes = "superior"

Kermit.de.frog

Most Americans as I have said don't want to use public transport.

They want their cars because the US in general has a deep attachment to personal freedoms and independence and the car represents that perfectly.

Not like in Europe which sadly is held back by left leaning politics where conformity is promoted instead of personal liberty. That's not how it is in the US.

Think you need to just accept that.

It's not going to change.

HabibiLibnen

To answer your question about Genoa, Italy has the same problem that the USA has: dated infrastructure. Granted, Italy has a historical corruption problem as well but the issue is largely the same. Italian motorways were mostly built from the 1940s under Mussolini to the 60s. Likewise the American motorways are as old. In fact, it's one of few areas that Democrats and Trump agree on: the urgent need to invest and rebuild everything from airports to yes, the interstate network.

Now I don't how or why you can't accept this, but this kind of infrastructure has a lifespan. Without due maintenance, it's shortened even further. Additionally, technology has changed so much since the interstate era that these roads are dated compared to the standards of 2019.

Your thread is nothing but an echo chamber for your own blinkered propaganda on the American interstates. It's pure hyperbole. I'll cite examples of how you sound more like a PR consultant from North Korea than an objective thinker: "You won't find this anywhere else in the world/ awesome/ incredible/ amazing/ best in the world/ Asia and Europe can't compare/ Asia and Europe are way behind/ their roads are the most scenic/ the scenery is unmatched anywhere else in the world".

Do you see how ridiculous these statements are? Can't you see how nonsensical it is to make a statement about scenic roads when you haven't driven Pakistan to China or basically any road that passes through a scenic area where beauty is in the eye of the beholder?

Your thread consists of videos that others have made with your biased, blinkered opinions - and that's all they are - presented as 'fact'. You continuously make reference to Houston as a benchmark for urban planning and the ideal for transport. A city of sprawling suburbs, entirely designed for the car, suffers from severe traffic congestion, totally inadequate public transport and all this has an impact on health, the environment, duration of journeys, congestion, productivity etc. That's not how high functioning cities operate and it's not the way to plan or design a city. Look at the list of most liveable cities or best cities for transit. Houston isn't there.

Finally, you continuously make false, redundant and frankly stupid comparisons. Ireland is a country of 4.8 million people. Your first post is of highways in Houston, and you say Dublin needs this. No, Dublin needs a metro, like NY, London, Tokyo, Barcelona, Moscow, Athens, Stockholm and other cities. It needs cycle lanes like Amsterdam and Copenhagen. It needs bus lanes like Nantes, Bucharest and Montreal. It doesn't need anymore roads. Europe doesn't need roads like LA or Houston because they have an alternative. Most European countries were smart enough to design an integrated transport system that prioritised public transit, because that's how cities function well.

This thread is a farce. Maybe you thought people would come here to marvel at the videos you copied and pasted from YouTube but this isn't Fox and Friends I'm afraid. You can't accept legitimate criticism, won't stop indulging in propaganda and persist in your cognitive dissonance. It's a bit sad to be honest.

Kermit.de.frog

Maybe you and others should just avoid the thread? Yet you keep dropping in.

I can't help you with your ideological anti-American resentment. That's your beef.

But I will continue to post videos of the best highway network in the world whether you like it or not.

No one is forcing you to look at the thread or videos. It is not clickbait. Don't access the thread if you are triggered by it.

It's not for that.

Back to videos please. Feel free to post your own!

HabibiLibnen

Kermit.de.frog wrote: »

Maybe you and others should just avoid the thread? Yet you keep dropping in.

I can't help you with your ideological anti-American resentment. That's your beef.

But I will continue to post videos of the best highway network in the world whether you like it or not.

No one is forcing you to look at the thread or videos. It is not clickbait. Don't access the thread if you are triggered by it.

It's not for that.

Back to videos please. Feel free to post your own!

I'm not anti-American. Even Donald Trump agrees with me! I've cited New York as an example of a proper urban transit network. Yet even in the environs of that city the interstates are not up to standard.

You can keep posting videos and more power to you, but if you're not willing to receive constructive criticism or counter any arguments people make, you're going to end up posting to an audience of 0.

I thought when I first saw this thread it would be a forum to discuss the actual reality of the American interstate network, both the good and the bad, including alternatives and opportunities for modernisation. It isn't. You don't want it to be and you're left dumbfounded that people are calling you out on your bull****.

No one has an ideology here except you and your obsession, bordering on fanaticism, with an American interstate network that engineers, urban planners, Donald Trump, Democrats, policy makers, business people, ordinary citizens, tourists, travellers - have highlighted as being in urgent need of both massive maintenance and complete modernisation.

It appears that you have an unhealthy attachment to a reality you've invented in your head based on previous life experience, that you now nourish via videos that others have made and you use both to frame an agenda of a wider 'America is better, I'm right and you're wrong and that's it' narrative. Maybe you ought to reflect on what your actual motives are because people are seeing through the blatant propaganda and will continue to call it out.

Sam Russell

Mod: I am closing this thread for a while.

The Infrastructure/Roads is not the place to discuss US roads and their level of maintenance.