"Do the zipper merge" (Minneapolis, Oakdale: buy, license plate, ticket)

[xandrex]

Originally Posted by Ghengis

this is exactly correct and a long-winded explanation is available at Wiki... Interstate 35E (Minnesota) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

remembered being a pretty big deal when it opened in 1990 as I was working in downtown St Paul, however, I fail to recall there being commies involved which (like most everything else that commies are involved with) explains a lot...

"The 1990 opening ceremony of I-35E in downtown Saint Paul was attended by a group of highway experts from the Soviet Union, and both the US and Soviet national anthems were played."

It always surprises me how late certain sections of the interstate opened. Downtown St. Paul didn't have a full connection until 1990? That seems mind-boggling (mostly to those of us who grew up with the interstate largely how it appears to day).

You've also gotta love the Wikipedia mention of commies. They did infiltrate us, after all.

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by knke0204

People really do need to learn how to merge around here. That's interesting I read this thread. Just tonight in the car we laughed at these two GIANT white-signs with black text. One read something like - USE TURN SIGNAL IF TURNING RIGHT-ON-RED. The other one read something like SLOWER TRAFFIC MERGE RIGHT.

Try driving here some time. There are a lot of people who either don't know those rules or know about them and simply don't care.

[Beenhere4ever]

Is this a new dance craze like Gangnam Style?

[Min-Chi-Cbus]

Originally Posted by xandrex

Presumably--despite its history--it is up to interstate standards, since it is part of the interstate, after all. I've always understood it to be because the rich folks nearby didn't want the noise.

There are many interstates that are not up to "Interstate Standards". I-35W and I-94 are two examples here in the Twin Cities. I-35W south of Minneapolis has emergency pull-over shoulders only in short increments, not the entire length of the Interstate (as is standard, I believe). Also, I-94 near the U of M has been 4 lanes in each direction since the I-35W bridge collapse and has no/minimal shoulders, and because it is not up to Interstate standard they are reconstructing it to be safer and more up to par. There are multiple multiple other examples of "Interstates" in this country that are not up to what would normally be considered "Interstate Standards", and usually it's because of special cirumstances or Grandfathered clauses.

[knke0204]

Originally Posted by rcsteiner

Try driving here some time. There are a lot of people who either don't know those rules or know about them and simply don't care.

Atlanta?

Do people typically drive faster than normal or slower than normal?
What are the DWI/DUI #'s? Are there a lot? More than MN?

[xandrex]

Originally Posted by Min-Chi-Cbus

There are many interstates that are not up to "Interstate Standards". I-35W and I-94 are two examples here in the Twin Cities. I-35W south of Minneapolis has emergency pull-over shoulders only in short increments, not the entire length of the Interstate (as is standard, I believe). Also, I-94 near the U of M has been 4 lanes in each direction since the I-35W bridge collapse and has no/minimal shoulders, and because it is not up to Interstate standard they are reconstructing it to be safer and more up to par. There are multiple multiple other examples of "Interstates" in this country that are not up to what would normally be considered "Interstate Standards", and usually it's because of special cirumstances or Grandfathered clauses.

Yes, but many of these are on the east coast, where highways already existed in the most obvious places, so it only made sense. And roads with variances often don't get as much/any money from what I understand. Toll roads, for instance, don't seem to get federal funding. And many variances are temporary due to changes to rules like new features that need to be included when dates are done. Speaking of which, isn't there supposed to be some change to the 35W/94 interchange? I thought I heard it was currently breaking the rules and would have to be updated. I'd certainly enjoy a little less congestion in that area!

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by knke0204

Atlanta?

Do people typically drive faster than normal or slower than normal?
What are the DWI/DUI #'s? Are there a lot? More than MN?

Much faster. I have no idea about DWI/DUI stats, tho.

[Ghengis]

Originally Posted by knke0204

Atlanta?

Do people typically drive faster than normal or slower than normal?
What are the DWI/DUI #'s? Are there a lot? More than MN?

so fast it's almost comical, aggressive too but not in a naughty way...I've driven through a few times mostly along the beltways and while not a namby-pamby slow-poke by any means it's a little intimidating being caught out amongst the (apparently) Sprint Cup drivers heading towards the next race. Definitely don't want to stray too far from the right hand lanes unless your willing to go at least 80 or 90.

[Min-Chi-Cbus]

I don't feel like people try that crap where troopers are persistent, like f'ing Wisconsin! On a tough night even the Chicago drivers slow down on I-90/94 in WI!

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by Ghengis

so fast it's almost comical, aggressive too but not in a naughty way...I've driven through a few times mostly along the beltways and while not a namby-pamby slow-poke by any means it's a little intimidating being caught out amongst the (apparently) Sprint Cup drivers heading towards the next race. Definitely don't want to stray too far from the right hand lanes unless your willing to go at least 80 or 90.

Right now, most of I-285 is posted as 55 MPH, but most people actaully do 75-80 on I-285 southbound on the west side of town between I-75 and the airport. Middle lanes might be 70, and things sometimes slow down before I-20, but not always. The posted limits are not repected.

Because of this, we've heard that they're going to put up digital signs, raise the limit to 65 in at least some parts of the perimeter, and dynamically change the legal speed limit as needed based on conditions. That may make things a little better.

You might think that Georgia's "Super Speeder" Law would make people think twice about going 20 over the limit, but you'd be wrong.