Houston Freeways

[Gary]

Does anyone know where Houston ranks in freeway size nationaly?

[kjb434]

What do you mean by size?

Average Daily Traffic (ADT)

Lane Miles

Width

Total Center Line Miles

Can you be a little specific. Also, having the most in a freeway system is does not always mean its the best. I do know we have the large dedicated HOV lane system in the world.

[citykid09]

I think he means size of the freeways. Like the lanes and miles.

I would think Houston, Los Angeles, and a few other cities like Dallas and Atlanta are in the top teir.

[MidtownCoog]

We have the world's largest HOV lane system.

[MaxConcrete]

Does anyone know where Houston ranks in freeway size nationaly?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The only way to compute this is using TTI statistics, and there is a lot room for subjectivity. For example, where do you stop counting freeway lane-miles for particular region. Also, TTI does not necessarily update total lane-miles as regularly as other statistics.

Three years ago I analyzed this based on 2000 TTI info.

I think it is safe to say the following based on recent trends

Total freeway lane-miles

1. New York-New Jersey (approx 6500)

2. Los Angeles-Orange County-Riverside (approx 5500)

3. Dallas Fort Worth (approx 3200)

4. Houston (approx 2700)

5. Chicago (approx 2400)

6. Atlanta (approx 2200)

Houston and DFW are moving up but will never reach LA.

In terms of per-capita lane miles, Dallas Fort Worth is number 1 but Houston and Atlanta are close behind. New York, L.A. and Chicago are half or less of DFW, Houston, and Atlanta (per capita)

In terms of average daily traffic per lane-mile, Los Angeles (and California in general) blows away the rest of the country. LA has around 23,000 DVMT/Lane-mile, while Houston and Dallas are around 15,000 DVMT/lane-mile.

[Gary]

I apologize, I should have been more specific.

I guess what I'm asking for is the sheer size per mile including frontage roads.

[Gary]

The only way to compute this is using TTI statistics, and there is a lot room for subjectivity. For example, where do you stop counting freeway lane-miles for particular region. Also, TTI does not necessarily update total lane-miles as regularly as other statistics.

Three years ago I analyzed this based on 2000 TTI info.

I think it is safe to say the following based on recent trends

Total freeway lane-miles

1. New York-New Jersey (approx 6500)

2. Los Angeles-Orange County-Riverside (approx 5500)

3. Dallas Fort Worth (approx 3200)

4. Houston (approx 2700)

5. Chicago (approx 2400)

6. Atlanta (approx 2200)

Houston and DFW are moving up but will never reach LA.

In terms of per-capita lane miles, Dallas Fort Worth is number 1 but Houston and Atlanta are close behind. New York, L.A. and Chicago are half or less of DFW, Houston, and Atlanta (per capita)

In terms of average daily traffic per lane-mile, Los Angeles (and California in general) blows away the rest of the country. LA has around 23,000 DVMT/Lane-mile, while Houston and Dallas are around 15,000 DVMT/lane-mile.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Max, forgive my ignorance but what is per capita lane mile, and does that include feeder roads? The reason I ask is that much of LA doesn't have feeder roads so I wonder if this is in your calculations.

[GovernorAggie]

I don't know about the feeders, but I think that per capita lane mile is one lane mile per person. And a lane mile is kinda what it says--lanes per mile. For instance, one mile of 290 in Waller has a different number of lane miles than one mile of 290 just north of the Loop. It's an excellent definition of capacity.

Did I pretty much cover this, Max?

[houstonfella]

There was a book about Houston's freeways and I distinctly remember it saying that Houston had the most freeways in the nation, even more than L.A. (or was I smoking again?)

[Guest Plastic]

Well why doesn't Houston have wider freeways? Also more freeways.

LA has highways 8 miles wide mostly from what I've heard. ANd it gets that wide 50 miles out.

[MaxConcrete]

There was a book about Houston's freeways and I distinctly remember it saying that Houston had the most freeways in the nation, even more than L.A.  (or was I smoking again?)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The book did not say that. There is a graphic on page 89 which clearly shows that L.A. has far more lanes miles, but Houston has more lane-miles per-capita.

The book does say that freeways are more influential in Houston than L.A. , mainly because we have more frontage roads than any other city in the world (only San Antonio comes close) and Houston grew around its freeways. LA, in comparison, already had it is urban sprawl patterns established before the freeway era due to the Pacific Electric Railway.

And according to TTI statistics, New York-New Jersey has more lane-miles of freeway than L.A.-Riverside-Orange. I haven't researched this with the latest data, but we are almost surely number 4 behind New York, L.A, and Dallas-Fort Worth.

[MaxConcrete]

Well why doesn't Houston have wider freeways? Also more freeways.

LA has highways 8 miles wide mostly from  what I've heard. ANd it gets that wide 50 miles out.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The vast majority of L.A. freeways have 8 lanes (four each way) and NO frontage roads. In fact, frontage roads are basically non-existent in L.A. except for one section of CA 55 in Costa Mesa. As you mention, the 8 lane configurations typically extend way outside of L.A. However, sustained 10 lane or larger freeways in L.A. are not that common. There are many freeways where the interior emergency lanes of 8-lane freeways have been converted into HOV lanes. These are really bastardized 10-lane freeways, in my opinion. Many 8-lane freeways in L.A. (such as the 405 San Diego Freeway, 101 Ventura Freeway, or most of I-10) desperately need at least 10 sustained lanes but it will never happen. In terms of super-wide freewaye in L.A., they tend to occur at major merge zones (I can think of 4) and are not sustained for long distances.

Our freeways are mostly 8 lanes with some 10 lane sustained sections (not as many as L.A.). But we also have frontage roads. Frontage roads make the freeway corridor at least 100 feet wider and of course add 6 more lanes to the corridor.

It is accurate to say that L.A. has more and bigger freeways when you consider the main lanes. But if you consider total corridor width and total lanes (including frontage roads), Houston has bigger freeways. We also have about twice as many lane-miles on a per-capita basis. The downtown L.A. interchange complex is so old it is museum-quality, whereas our downtown interchange is much newer and more modern.

[ferronsfunctionals]

We have the world's largest HOV lane system.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You are kidding right? I guess it is a variation on an HOV system. to me it is really a commuter lane. If you don't get on the road in specific, and few spots, you are stuck in the other traffic.

other areas - like Seattle, have actual HOV lanes as part of the regular freeway so you can get on and off at every exit if desired. There is a separate segment of freeway called express lanes that resembles the same thing as Houston's HOV lanes.

[MiDTOWNeR]

HOV lanes are competely ridiculous and should be turned into regular traffic lanes, or have the light rail put on them.

[gto250us]

HOV lanes are competely ridiculous and should be turned into regular traffic lanes, or have the light rail put on them.

What is really rediculous is that you will need to pay to ride in the New HOV Toll lanes on the Katy. That makes NO sense. They should make the nonHOV riders pay a toll, as a fine. Reward those who carpool with faster travel and penalize those who don't with a toll. They would make tons more money. The politician would rather penalize those who do good by car pooling.

[citykid09]

Here is a look at 285 in Atlanta (the equivalant of 610 in Houston)

Notice that there are no feeder roads and no business along the freeway.

[TJones]

We have the world's largest HOV lane system.

That hardly anyone uses. I try to get my wife to go with me if I'm going to the other side of BFE, just so I can use the lane. It is like a pristine lake, smooth sailing.

[gto250us]

Gee, I didn't know that size mattered.

[MidtownCoog]

OK, it's the world largest "barrier" HOV system.

But it sure makes my bus happy!

[TJones]

Gee, I didn't know that size mattered.

Your girlfriend is just being kind to you

[gto250us]

Your girlfriend is just being kind to you

Nobody can get off, the freeway, until we're parked at the station. No matter if you are a Greyhound or a Beetle. The Beetle is more manouverable but I like driving the Greyhound better.

[TJones]

Nobody can get off, the freeway, until we're parked at the station. No matter if you are a Greyhound or a Beetle. The Beetle is more manouverable but I like driving the Greyhound better.

I think the freeways are plenty wide enough, I don't know why nobody every uses those 2 extra lanes. I mean, sure there is a little debris and the lanes don't look very clean, but during rush hour, nobody ever uses them. I don't know what "shoulder lane" means, but they move very fast.

[Gary]

Here is a look at 285 in Atlanta (the equivalant of 610 in Houston)

Notice that there are no feeder roads and no business along the freeway.

As I mentioned before, I just got back from Atlanta and was not impressed with the "no feeder roads" concept. It made life very difficult when trying to find food, gas etc. I had never really dealt with feeder roads until moving to Houston and although they have ther asthetic drawbacks they make my life much easier.

[MidtownCoog]

I love my feeder roads.

[sevfiv]

in the upper right part of the image there is a little something going on there - the trees serve as a nice buffer between the freeway and whatever is developed next to it.

i'd give up the frontage roads in a heartbeat (of course there's no going back...)

[MidtownCoog]

That's not really a Freeway, is it?

Looks like a state highway.

[Jeebus]

What is really rediculous is that you will need to pay to ride in the New HOV Toll lanes on the Katy. That makes NO sense. They should make the nonHOV riders pay a toll, as a fine. Reward those who carpool with faster travel and penalize those who don't with a toll. They would make tons more money. The politician would rather penalize those who do good by car pooling.

Are you sure that's how the system is going to work?

[kjb434]

Only single and double occupant vehicles will pay.

Triple occupant, vanpools, and buses will be free. Of course you'll have to pay to use the vanpool and buses.

Check: Katy Freeway website. That have a whole section on how the system will work.

[MiDTOWNeR]

Here is a look at 285 in Atlanta (the equivalant of 610 in Houston)

Notice that there are no feeder roads and no business along the freeway.

And see how much nicer the scenery is along the freeway? The freeways in Houston with the feeder roads are totally hideaous...all of those nasty strip centers, billboards, and signs....Ugliest freeways anywhere!

[kjb434]

I think our freeways are quite beautiful. I don't live it those strips center and under the billboards. So they don't really bother me.

The strip centers acts as a buffer for subdivision from the freeway noise.

I also don't see the sense in complaining about something that can't be changed within the city.