A recent survey by a Florida auto dealership asked drivers for their most loathed highways, and one major Pennsylvania interstate made the list.
The Pennsylvania Turnpike, also known as I-76 for much of its length as it runs east and west across the state, came in fourth out of the list of 100 highways.
The survey was conducted by Gunther Volvo Cars Daytona Beach and surveyed 3,000 drivers.
Letter: Flawed ‘survey’ on loathed highways unfair to Pennsylvania Turnpike, CEO says
It showed that California has the worst interstates, with the top three places all going to highways in the West Coast state:
#1 US-101 — With sections in San Francisco and Los Angeles, drivers reported the highway can often resemble a parking lot. The road has many tourist hubs along its route, which can lead to gridlock during holidays and peak travel hours.
#2 I-5 — The highway is the travel backbone of the West Coast, running from San Diego to Oregon. But with endless construction zones and a seemingly never-ending rush hour, especially around Los Angeles, gridlock is often the norm.
#3 I-405 — The San Diego Freeway, which traverses the infamous Sepulveda Pass, has a unique blend of infrastructural, environmental and cultural challenges that lead to frequent traffic jams.
Outside of California’s apparent nightmare of a highway system, the Pennsylvania Turnpike fared worst in the survey.
According to the survey, the turnpike is “a mix of historic charm and modern-day migraines.”
“Imagine a dance floor, but instead of people it’s cars — shimmying, twirling and, occasionally, bumping into each other,” a report on the survey reads.
The survey says — in no surprise to Pennsylvania drivers — that the turnpike is particularly troublesome around Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. And things tend to get worse when the weather gets bad or during holiday travel seasons like the one quickly approaching.
The turnpike’s toll booths can also cause challenges, the poll says, sometimes serving as choke points during heavy travel periods.
Officials from the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission challenged the results of the survey, saying it was unscientific, was likely very limited and nothing more than a sales technique to drive potential customers to the auto dealer’s website.
A statement from the commission said that it does significant, legitimate, ongoing research about customer satisfaction. And that has shown that 80% of users say the turnpike is a convenient way to travel within the state.
“Once on the roadway, 61% of our customers report an excellent or very good experience that consists of convenience, optimal highway speed, safety, high-quality plazas and a well-maintained road,” the statement says.
The statement also says the turnpike has received high marks for outpacing national standards for roadway rideability and overall safety.
As for chokepoints at toll booths, the statement says the current transition to electronic tolling — where cars do not need to stop at a toll booth — will eliminate them.
“Almost 70 percent of our customers told us that they prefer all electronic tolling over the traditional interchanges,” the statement says. “They want unfettered access to an uncluttered roadway.”
Rounding out the top five worst interstates is I-70 in Colorado, which winds through the Rocky Mountains and is subject to frequent, challenging weather events.
The turnpike wasn’t the only Pennsylvania highway to find its way onto the poll. Two other stretches also finished in the top 70.
Coming in at No. 29 is I-95. Particularly in the Philadelphia region, the highway faces heavy traffic as a major commuter and ground shipping artery.
Earning the No. 69 spot was I-376. Especially around Pittsburgh, the highway can see heavy congestion, especially during peak travel hours.
For the complete rankings visit gunthervolvocarsdaytona.com/americas-most-loathed-highways.htm.
