I-85, Official Highway of the South

[JunktionFET]

The 8 car limit is not something I was aware of in Charlotte, that is interesting for sure. It explains a few things. My experience with the Carolinian was that once it reaches Raleigh, that sucker is getting pretty full. I've had a tough time finding two seats together (me and someone else) in business class--and coach was of course quite full. There was a slight net increase in passengers from Richmond, a decrease in DC, an increase in Baltimore (saw a lot of people wandering around trying to get a seat), and a whole lot of people getting off in Philly.

However, I'm sure the load varies depending on the day of the week, or perhaps the time of the month

A good friend of mine who has taken the Piedmont with wife, kids, and parents reported that the passenger load varied. I believe he took it the first time around 2-3 years ago on a weekend, and it was less than half filled. About a year ago they took it again and he said that seating was a major problem. The most recent time, a few days before thanksgiving 2004, it was about like you report--a little over half full, with the passengers spread out of course.

On all three occasions they have taken the train to Charlotte, then get picked up by his relatives from out west near Bostic. I suppose when Western NC passenger rail is resumed it will be a much easier trip--less driving involved for his relatives, that's for sure.

At any rate I totally agree that passenger rail in NC, whether it's in-state or thru-state, is doing well but there is definitely room for improvement. I believe the restorations of the old stations, adding additional service, potentially adding another trainset, etc will only increase ridership. I believe it is worth the investment. They need to hold another "Rail Sale" Remember that from like 2 years ago? You could get a ticket for Charlotte-Raleigh for like $6, it was crazy!

[ElGobernador]

I think rail travel in NC must be doing very well--that's the main reason why the SEHSR is getting such priority from the Feds, because they think that it would be the least federally-dependent.

[Charleston native]

I'd say I-20, because it passes through six southern states.  It also passes through just as many state capitols as I-85 does, as going through the heart of Dallas, the South's largest metro.  I'd rank below I-95 and I-75.  Based on the combined population of cities it passes through, it would be tied 4th with I-10.  So here's my list.

1. Interstate 20

2. Interstate 95

3. Interstate 75

4. Interstates 85 & 10

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I say lakelander has it pretty straight, but I think its a tie between I-20 and I-95 at #1. The reason is that I-95 is the lifeline for Florida, eastern SC, eastern GA, eastern NC, and most of VA. I-20 has part of the title due to the amount of Southen states that it runs through.

[Spartan]

I-95 is vital for Florida, but through th Carolinas and GA it passes through no imporant cities. It does pass near Savannah, but does anyone conisder that a major city?

I-20 is much more important. It does pass through a few major cities (Columbia, Augusta, Atlanta, Birmingham, Dallas), and I can see why it would be more important to the South.

I-85 is one of the busiest interstate in the nation, especially for industry. It passes through many cities that are fairly close together. Montgomery, Atlanta, Greenville (not necessarily an important city, but a large industrial center), Charlotte, Greensboro, and Raleigh. That is why I rank it number 1. I could justify number two behind I-20 though.

[monsoon]

I-85 is the economic backbone of North Carolina. My guess is that with it passing directly through Charlotte, the Triad and the Triangle, that 5 million people live within just a few miles of the highway.

[bobliocatt]

I-85 takes a back seat to I-75, as major highway for industry. In Florida alone, it connects fairly close metros (Miami, Naples, Fort Myers, Sarasota, Tampa, Ocala & Gainesville), when combined add up to easily over 9 million people. Throw in the fact that its Georgia's most important interstate and a critical connector from the South to the industrial Great Lakes and its easy to see why.

[monsoon]

I would think that I-95 would be much more important to Fla than I-75. Shutdown I-95 and Florida's tourism would suffer greatly.

[bobliocatt]

Doubt it. I-75 is the main interstate gateway to Florida. That's one of the reasons it was widening about 10 to 15 years ago and I-95 is only being widened now. I-95 only works the Eastern Seaboard.

[monsoon]

I would say based on these numbers I-95 is much more important to Fla.

Average Daily Traffic Count.

I-75 Florida/GA State Line, Exit 467 - 37,198 cars/day

I-95 Florida/GA State Line, Exit 380 - 51,792 cars/day

Source

[bobliocatt]

Those are faulty numbers for a couple of reasons, mainly being that a metro of 1.3 million is on the I-95 state line.

1. St. Marys & Brunswick, GA are bedroom communities to Jacksonville.

2. Many of South Georgia's coastal communities use Jax International Airport, in North Jacksonville.

3. Kings Bay Submarine base, is right across state lines, off I-95. While Mayport and NAS Jax bases are in Jacksonville.

4. Traffic on I-75 picks up, considerably, once I-10 dumps cross country traffic onto it.

5. Via the Turnpike, I-75 South provides direct access to most of Florida's metros, especially the tourist oriented ones.

[monsoon]

Well you do have a good point. Jacksonville would definitely affect the traffic at the border. I assumed that I-95 would be more important simply because it does serve the very highly populated Eastern Seaboard. On the otherhand the people on the east have more options for beach vacations than those in the midwest where I-75 goes.

[thehappysmith]

I-85 certainly has a claim. But I like back roads. I vote for U.S. 301. 1, 17, 11, 19, and 82 would all tie for second. But I'm silly like that. If I had to pick an interstate I would certainly pick 85, but having gone to school at Clemson I am somewhat biased.

However, if you're talking about major highways for industry, you can't ignore I-81. It doesn't go through many large cities, but as a percentage of total traffic, 81 probably has the most truck traffic. This is precisely because it doesn't go through a lot of big cities. 81 is the preferred commercial route between the northeast/mid-atlantic and the deep south. Probably also why the trucking industry would love to see that proposed I-14 running south of Atlanta.

On a side note, I would like to nominate the future I-69 from Indiana to Texas as the Official Highway of America.

[Spartan]

Well you do have a good point.  Jacksonville would definitely affect the traffic at the border.  I assumed that I-95 would be more important simply because it does serve the very highly populated Eastern Seaboard.  On the otherhand the people on the east have more options for beach vacations than those in the midwest where I-75 goes.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

One way to look at it is that 75 in GA is almost entirely 6 lanes from Atlanta to the Florida line. There are a few spots that aren't. A significan't portion of it is u/c to be widened it seems like. I think someone told me that the whole thing will be widened eventually.

[monsoon]

On a side note, I would like to nominate the future I-69 from Indiana to Texas as the Official Highway of America.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Why not I-40? It goes from coast to coast.

[sleepy]

It depends where you live.

I spent all my life in the South and was on I-85 once--from Atlanta to Montgomery.

Living in New Orleans and along the Gulf Coast, I-10 was more relevant.

[Charleston native]

I-95 is vital for Florida, but through th Carolinas and GA it passes through no imporant cities. It does pass near Savannah, but does anyone conisder that a major city?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Just because an interstate doesn't go through a major city, should that negate its importance and relevance as the highway of the south? I don't think so. Take away I-95, and not only does Florida lose alot of its tourism traffic, other states lose an important route for importing and exporting goods from Southern ports such as Savannah, Charleston, Jacksonville, Wilmington, and Norfolk. As a matter of fact, I-95 is what really feeds the ports, because companies want to be able to move goods up and down the Eastern seaboard efficiently.

No I-95 would also significantly lessen tourism for other major tourist cities such as Myrtle Beach, Charleston, Savannah, and Hilton Head. Richmond would lose its only major link to DC and the Northeast cities. I believe Richmond would not be where it is today without I-95.

Thinking about those options certainly puts I-95 in the running for Highway of the South, if not first, definitely second.

[Spartan]

Just because an interstate doesn't go through a major city, should that negate its importance and relevance as the highway of the south? I don't think so. Take away I-95, and not only does Florida lose alot of its tourism traffic, other states lose an important route for importing and exporting goods from Southern ports such as Savannah, Charleston, Jacksonville, Wilmington, and Norfolk. As a matter of fact, I-95 is what really feeds the ports, because companies want to be able to move goods up and down the Eastern seaboard efficiently.

No I-95 would also significantly lessen tourism for other major tourist cities such as Myrtle Beach, Charleston, Savannah, and Hilton Head. Richmond would lose its only major link to DC and the Northeast cities. I believe Richmond would not be where it is today without I-95.

Thinking about those options certainly puts I-95 in the running for Highway of the South, if not first, definitely second.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

"Just because an interstate doesn't go through a major city, should that negate its importance and relevance as the highway of the south?"

Yes. People are what make interstates work. If you have an interstate that doesn't go near people (cities) then you may as well pave Antaricta. You made my point. I-95 serves as a link for yankees in the big cities to get to the big cities in the South (Florida). This is very crucial to the "snowbird" concept. But within the South, it doesn't serve that much purpose, other than for transfer trucks, until you hit Florida, where it is obviuosly a very imporant interstate.

[Charleston native]

"Just because an interstate doesn't go through a major city, should that negate its importance and relevance as the highway of the south?"

Yes. People are what make interstates work. If you have an interstate that doesn't go near people (cities) then you may as well pave Antaricta. You made my point. I-95 serves as a link for yankees in the big cities to get to the big cities in the South (Florida). This is very crucial to the "snowbird" concept. But within the South, it doesn't serve that much purpose, other than for transfer trucks, until you hit Florida, where it is obviuosly a very imporant interstate.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think I see what you're saying. We're dealing with primary routes that serve the actual citizens of Southern communities, right? In other words, the interstate that is given the distinction of Highway of the South should serve as an important route for Southerners alone? I guess I was thinking of the economic impact of I-95 and not how much it actually serves citizens of the Southern states besides Florida.

[AmericanUrbanDesigner]

Although I did vote for 85, let's not forget I-40...

[Spartan]

I think I see what you're saying. We're dealing with primary routes that serve the actual citizens of Southern communities, right? In other words, the interstate that is given the distinction of Highway of the South should serve as an important route for Southerners alone? I guess I was thinking of the economic impact of I-95 and not how much it actually serves citizens of the Southern states besides Florida.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That is how I am percieving it. Most of the South is not served by I-95.

[Charleston native]

That is how I am percieving it. Most of the South is not served by I-95.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

In that case, you've made a great point and have converted me! I guess I'd pick I-20 as number one, but I-85 would make a strong case for this distinction.

[waccamatt]

In that case, you've made a great point and have converted me!  I guess I'd pick I-20 as number one, but I-85 would make a strong case for this distinction.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I agree. I-20 passes through more of the states and more of the South's major cities.

Compare:

I-85: Richmond, Durham, Greensboro, Charlotte, Greenville, Atlanta and Montgomery.

I-20: Columbia, Augusta, Atlanta, Birmingham, Jackson, Shreveport, Dallas and Fort Worth.

No comparison.

[krazeeboi]

Now don't upset the Charlotteans....

[A2]

http://www.developmentalliance.com/docu/pdf/43223.pdf

I think this says it all. I-85...all the way. I-20 and I-40 are seriously important too.

A2

[sonofaque86]

Now don't upset the Charlotteans....

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

LMFAO!! u know they are sensitive sometimes