Tis the season for road construction. Last night when I was taking my daughter to soccer practice I ran into road construction and long delays. I thought I'd be smarter coming home and went a different way on the other side of the freeway. Well, that didn't pan out well either. I ended up hitting more road construction and closures again. Not only once but 3 times. One of the detours even took us to a road that was closed to traffic as well. It was crazy! I couldn't believe they would close so many roads that run parallel to each other at the same time. Someone didn't communicate the construction very well with the other crews. It's like the roads are always torn up but no one is ever working on them. Or they finally get a road finished and then they tear it up again. I think it's a conspiracy... hehe! Is road construction affecting your area and does it drive you crazy too?
We always have road construction. Ugh. The worst was when we lived in the Metro Detroit area, though. Those freeways are some of the oldest in the US and they take a beating every day. It was a way of life up there. The scariest detour story I have was being by myself, driving from Michigan back to Florida, and hitting the worst detour of my life in downtown Atlanta - late at night! That was in the days before we had directions on cell phones. But, I did have OnStar - thank goodness! That was also back in the day when the OnStar operator actually stayed on the line with you and made sure that you got where you were going. An operator stayed on the line with me and gave me directions until I was back on I-75S. I've never forgotten the frightening feeling I felt and the wonderful service I got from OnStar.
oh boy! Being in an unfamiliar area and having to take detours and possibly getting lost is scary! Thank goodness you had OnStar. I would have been freaking out.
I'm sure you know the saying... Michigan has two seasons: Winter and road construction! And, like Kayla, I'm glad you had OnStar to help you on your way back to FL. That would have been super stressful! I swear sometimes the people who put up the signage for detours aren't told what roads they're "detouring," let alone are given directions what WHERE the detour should go.
Our roads are always under construction, or at least it seems like it. Especially the interstate that runs through here - I77. I can see it from my house and the traffic is backed up most days. When it starts getting backed up, they all detour through our town, clogging up all those roads, too. It's been a nightmare for a few years now.
We're almost at the end of the major construction project that is closest to our house. But we're lucky - it was supposed to be a 5 year project but it's finishing this year in just 4 years. It was a huge project and is going to make such a difference when it's complete! What's truly amazing is that they've been able to do it while keeping 1-2 lanes of traffic each way handling 60,000 cars a day all during the project.
Last year they finished reconstructing the interstate interchange nearest me. It wasn't terrible during construction, but I also mostly was able to avoid the most congested times. And they really did improve the situation so I appreciate it. Now they are widening I95, or just installing carpool lanes, I forget, including over the Rappahannock River. The most dramatic thing for me hasn't been traffic issues though -- mostly that has been fine -- but the change in the scenery! The many, many, many trees between the northbound and southbound lanes are being totally cleared away for the new lanes. All those poor trees. But we do have horrid rush hour traffic on I95, so I guess it's a good thing. At least we get to keep the trees on the sides.
We live by a major highway that is being repaved section by section with one lane open in each direction. The road needs it so I'm grateful that they're working on it. However, they've just done the first coat (?!) and the leftover parts from the old road that are where the manhole covers are are higher than the first coat. Driving back from church I had to weave around 10+ manhole cover areas; I felt like I was in Mario Cart. My kids thought it was hilarious.
I was definitely freaking out! When I get lost, I panic anyway and I was SO lost. I kept hitting dead end streets and I wasn't in a good area. That's when I pushed the OnStar button.
You have that right about Michigan, Sara! And yes - they just routed everybody off I 75 and basically "threw us to the wolves". Nobody knew what to do or where to go. It was awful! They're always working on the roads in Atlanta, too. I've been through there SO many times on my drives north and south.
