"Do the zipper merge" (St. Paul, Bloomington: neighborhood, bus, move)

[knke0204]

Reread my post. Sunday. This past Sunday. This past Sunday that was 60 and clear, sun straight up in sky. Not a large volume of traffic, just slow, unattentive drivers... Most of them were on their phone - either talking or texting. It was unreal. I find this happening all the time around here.

I get that driving 55 in a 60 during "conditions" is a good idea. I'm not a moron. I just don't get why people just can't merge onto the freeway at a managable pace, use their blinker, drive at LEAST 60 or 70 where posted, and MOVE TO THE RIGHT if you wish to drive at a safe pace.

This is coming from someone with a squeaky clean record like mine.

[RC01]

Originally Posted by knke0204

What? Why not? Anything less than the speed limit is traffic IMO.
I don't get why it's a Sunday afternoon and I'm driving 55 MPH on a Major US interstate, when the speed limit is 60.

That's fine if you choose not to drive the speed limit, but get out of the way for those who don't care about it, like me.

First, I don't know anyone who lives in a big city that complains about traffic going 5 mph under the speed limit!! second, if traffic is moving 55 mph and you can't find a spot to pass someone going slow, than you are a bad driver and should not be complaining about yourself. 55 mph would be a blessing during rush hour!!

End rant

[knke0204]

Originally Posted by RC01

First, traffic is the vehicles/things moving in an area. You are referring to traffic congestion. Second, 55 mph would be considered free flow, not congestion. I don't know anyone who lives in a big city that complains about traffic going 5 mph under the speed limit!! Third, if traffic is moving 55 mph and you can't find a spot to pass someone going slow, than you are a bad driver and should not be complaining about yourself. 55 mph would be a blessing during rush hour!!

End rant

Thank you for the Transportation Studies lesson. I'll remember that knowledge for forever .
Again, read my post. The issue lies within the populous. MnDot has vowed not to add any additional lanes to metro freeways in the foreseeable future. Public transportation doesn't help, see Northstar (Northstar rail is a failed experiment | StarTribune.com) Heck even adding lanes is proven not to help your big fancy word of congestion. So what's the cause of it all? Minneapolis-St. Paul must be the city you're referring to. I guess you can call it big. It's not small. It's certainly not huge. Part of the cause is the fairly large amount of people living here and travelling on highways at peak times - 6 - 9 am, 3-7 pm.

Another contribution to the traffic congestion is the problem that road construction can only really be feasible from April to October. This creates a bottleneck of traffic projects all over the metro.

The final contribution is operator error. After you cut out all the excuses - poor weather, construction, peak hours (rush hour), it comes down to those operating the vehicle. I do a lot of driving in the metro for my job and I used to maintain properties in this metro for years... I have travelled every highway, interstate, back road and major thoroughfare in the Twin Cities. I often find SLOW drivers going SLOW in the furthest left lane. States like Michigan, Indiana and Illinois have signs that read: SLOWER TRAFFIC MOVE RIGHT. I've seen them here but not as much as you would in other places. I will often see these operators manipulating their phones while driving... It's unbelievable. I will be just sitting there in the left lane stuck behind some slow poke who after 3 miles FINALLY gets over and as I'm passing I see them sitting there, phone in hand, head tilted down.

I find myself literally everday stuck behind some goon getting on the freeway travelling 50 mph when the speed limit is 70. That endangers my life. I also get stuck behind the same goons slowing down to 50 mph a few hundred yards before they would even think about signalling an upcoming exit. That's what the ramp is for- to slow down. I really don't think people are taught "Good Driving" anymore or practice "Good Driving Etiquette" and people, wear your seatbelts and PUT YOUR PHONES DOWN

[RC01]

Originally Posted by knke0204

Thank you for the Transportation Studies lesson. I'll remember that knowledge for forever .
Again, read my post. The issue lies within the populous. MnDot has vowed not to add any additional lanes to metro freeways in the foreseeable future. Public transportation doesn't help, see Northstar (Northstar rail is a failed experiment | StarTribune.com) Heck even adding lanes is proven not to help your big fancy word of congestion. So what's the cause of it all? Minneapolis-St. Paul must be the city you're referring to. I guess you can call it big. It's not small. It's certainly not huge. Part of the cause is the fairly large amount of people living here and travelling on highways at peak times - 6 - 9 am, 3-7 pm.

Another contribution to the traffic congestion is the problem that road construction can only really be feasible from April to October. This creates a bottleneck of traffic projects all over the metro.

The final contribution is operator error. After you cut out all the excuses - poor weather, construction, peak hours (rush hour), it comes down to those operating the vehicle. I do a lot of driving in the metro for my job and I used to maintain properties in this metro for years... I have travelled every highway, interstate, back road and major thoroughfare in the Twin Cities. I often find SLOW drivers going SLOW in the furthest left lane. States like Michigan, Indiana and Illinois have signs that read: SLOWER TRAFFIC MOVE RIGHT. I've seen them here but not as much as you would in other places. I will often see these operators manipulating their phones while driving... It's unbelievable. I will be just sitting there in the left lane stuck behind some slow poke who after 3 miles FINALLY gets over and as I'm passing I see them sitting there, phone in hand, head tilted down.

I find myself literally everday stuck behind some goon getting on the freeway travelling 50 mph when the speed limit is 70. That endangers my life. I also get stuck behind the same goons slowing down to 50 mph a few hundred yards before they would even think about signalling an upcoming exit. That's what the ramp is for- to slow down. I really don't think people are taught "Good Driving" anymore or practice "Good Driving Etiquette" and people, wear your seatbelts and PUT YOUR PHONES DOWN

I completely agree slow people need to drive in the right lane, people do need to merge faster here, and get off their cell phones, but I was shocked to see you complaining about traffic going five under and you being "stuck." And congestion is not a fancy word

[xandrex]

Plenty of Minnesotans suck at driving, but I can't recall too many times I got stuck in traffic because people were going too slow. Even leaving town this past Friday--during evening rush hour--I maintained 60 mph pretty steadily in the 55 mph zones and even faster as the speed limit increased.

The worst Midwest drivers I met were in Des Moines. I swear they NEVER let anyone merge in, even if you drive along to an opening with your blinker on. Maybe they saw my license plate and had contempt for Minnesota?

[golfgal]

Originally Posted by knke0204

Reread my post. Sunday. This past Sunday. This past Sunday that was 60 and clear, sun straight up in sky. Not a large volume of traffic, just slow, unattentive drivers... Most of them were on their phone - either talking or texting. It was unreal. I find this happening all the time around here.

I get that driving 55 in a 60 during "conditions" is a good idea. I'm not a moron. I just don't get why people just can't merge onto the freeway at a managable pace, use their blinker, drive at LEAST 60 or 70 where posted, and MOVE TO THE RIGHT if you wish to drive at a safe pace.

This is coming from someone with a squeaky clean record like mine.

Just how long did you have to drive 55? I can't say that I've ever run into this situation on 694 without cause, construction, accident, etc. Typically people on the 494-694 loop are traveling at 70+mph

[Min-Chi-Cbus]

Originally Posted by knke0204

What? Why not? Anything less than the speed limit is traffic IMO.
I don't get why it's a Sunday afternoon and I'm driving 55 MPH on a Major US interstate, when the speed limit is 60.

That's fine if you choose not to drive the speed limit, but get out of the way for those who don't care about it, like me.

I'd be driving at least 70 if the limit were 60, but I just don't consider having to go 55 mph as a "traffic jam", just because I'm going slower than I want to. I call 55 "full capacity", meaning the freeway is moving the most amount of people it possibly can at the most efficient speed (55 or 60, whatever the limit is). I consider it to be "traffic" if I a.) have to hit my brake more than a couple of times, and b.) I can safely drive behind the car in front of me close enough to avoid letting people cut in front of me all day long (because I'm going slow enough to do so).

[Min-Chi-Cbus]

Originally Posted by RC01

First, I don't know anyone who lives in a big city that complains about traffic going 5 mph under the speed limit!! second, if traffic is moving 55 mph and you can't find a spot to pass someone going slow, than you are a bad driver and should not be complaining about yourself. 55 mph would be a blessing during rush hour!!

End rant

This kind of sums up what I was trying to say, albeit more bluntly. 55 isn't a big deal and I'd never complain to somebody I was late or tell a story when I arrived that I sat in traffic going 55 mph.

[Min-Chi-Cbus]

Originally Posted by knke0204

MnDot has vowed not to add any additional lanes to metro freeways in the foreseeable future.

I was almost 100% certain MNDOT was in the process of widening I-494 in Bloomington from I-35W to Hwy. 100.........right now. The goal is to add a lane in each direction in that stretch, as well as I-35W to 34th St near the MN River. I also thought they were currently studying what kind of flyover they want to construct at I-35W and I-494, and depending on the outcome of that study we may know how many lanes we could fit under that new structure (4, 5 or 6 in each direction). Maybe I'm wrong.....

[Min-Chi-Cbus]

Originally Posted by golfgal

Just how long did you have to drive 55? I can't say that I've ever run into this situation on 694 without cause, construction, accident, etc. Typically people on the 494-694 loop are traveling at 70+mph

Actually I-494 at least has congestion most of the day, every day of the week, in three or four particular areas:

1. at France Ave (Eastbound)
2. at Portland Ave (Westbound)
3. at I-35W (Westbound)
4. at Cedar Ave (Eastbound)

Traffic can slow to a screetching halt at any of those areas and France Ave usually has congestion that stretches for at least 1 mile behind it most of the daylight hours any day of the week (and beyond in winter, because daylight hours are minimal and holiday shopping).