The 10 Most Dangerous Highways in the U.S.

The Colorado 550 is in the path of a major avalanche zone
The Cross Bronx Expressway has one of the worst traffic bottlenecks
Louisiana roads still have damage cause by Hurricanes

HighwaysHere is our list of the 10 most dangerous highways in the U.S.:

1. Colorado 550 from Ouray to Silverton
This two lane highway in southern Colorado is well known for being treacherous. It has S-curves winding through three San Juan Mountains passes. It’s a popular highway for recreational vehicles and late fall’s wildlife migration and deer hunting season put thousands of animals on the move and crossing roadways. During the winter it is also directly in the path of a major avalanche zone.

2. Los Angeles 101 to I-405 Interchange
The 101 and 405 freeways in Los Angeles connect the east side of the city with the downtown area. It’s one of the busiest and most dangerous roadways in the country, with high volumes of traffic, often bumper to bumper. It has the highest travel time index rating in the nation.

3. Atlanta’s I-285 at I-85 Interchange
This junction is a five-level interchange with multiple ramps and smaller roads feeding into it. The American Highway Users Alliance gave it a grade F, indicating that stop-and-go traffic prevails here most of the time, causing numerous traffic delays. The time to avoid it at all costs: in winter. The combination of rain and freezing temperatures can turn the many ramps and overpasses into an ice rink, causing numerous accidents.

4. San Diego, I-5
College students and other minors are lured across the border by Mexico’s lower drinking age. This makes it a DUI minefield. Each year thousands of people are arrested for driving while intoxicated in San Diego County.

5. Maine 1
Maine has one of the country’s largest moose populations. Most of Maine’s rural roads also have poor road signs, plenty of sharp curves, and frost heaves in the winter. Maine has the highest fatality rate on rural roads of any state in the country. In summertime, distractions include roadside blueberry stands, sightseeing tourists driving carelessly and drivers who are hitting highway speeds on tight, winding roads.

6. New York, I-95, Cross-Bronx Expressway
The Cross Bronx has the dubious distinction of having one of the worst traffic bottlenecks in the nation. It’s part of the I-95 corridor flowing in and out of New York City, meaning all manner of vehicles go down it every day, through some of the most densely populated portions of the country. It’s also full of potholes and lacking in shoulders and helpful signs.

7. Nevada I-15
This route through the desert to Las Vegas is very popular. In a five-year period, 173 lost their lives on I-15, and most of them were simply going too fast. There’s nothing tricky about the road itself, but the 125 miles of desert terrain with a gradual climb through a 4,000-foot pass southeast of Vegas seems to beckon speed demons.

8. Providence, Rhode Island, I-95 at the I-195 Interchange
The Interstate 195 in Rhode Island and Massachusetts connects Providence with its eastern suburbs. Short on and off ramps and sharp curves are conducive both to accidents and traffic jams. It’s one of the worst bottlenecks in the country.

9. Louisiana, I-10
Louisiana roads were damaged during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Most of the extreme damage has been repaired. But other problems are still awaiting a fix, such as water damage and numerous potholes. Road building in Louisiana has never been easy because of the soft, swampy land. Pavement can buckle as the soil shifts.

10. Chicago, Circle Interchange
This highway interchange is a complex tangle of single lane, circular on-ramps that weren’t built handle large volumes of traffic. It’s known for moving at an average speed limit of 11 mph during rush hour.

Published on Wednesday, January 14, 2009 - Copyright 2015, INC. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, rewritten, or redistributed.


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