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BAB · 08-31-2014, 06:37 PM

When I started this thread I thought someone might actually provide a counterpoint. But, having gone coast-to-coast (haven't done this since 2003), it became pretty clear that there has been a LOT of deferred maintenance on our interstate system....many, many bridges are being redone. The other thing that was apparent was the sheer volume of trucks on our highways! On the plus side, it send a signal of plenty of commerce -- and I know they pay a lot of road tax as well. I can't imagine those folks who are pulling triple bottoms. I find 28' enough of a challenge.

Vycan · 08-31-2014, 07:18 PM

Stop hating on all Indiana roads. Just finished a road trip from KS-MO-TX-FL-GA-OH-IN-KS a total of 4,000+ miles. Indiana roads were just fine and comparable with all roads except texas and florida, the two with the best roads on the trip. As for the toll road in the North end of Indiana, a quick chat with any local would have steered anyone clear. The worst roads by far were Kentucky on my trip, but even then it was just the old style concrete interstates with the constant ba-doom-ba-doom instead of the smooth interstates we have all been babied with. Overall Indiana has great interstates and highways, but the worst toll road in the US. But if you don't like the toll road you don't have to ride on it.

hickory · 08-31-2014, 07:23 PM

Wow you guys are harsh. I have been on some pretty crappy roads but never wrote off the entire state because of it. Here in Southern Indiana we have some pretty decent roads. I have never driven on the toll road before so I can't comment on that particular road.
There is a lot more trucks on the roads because of all the imported goods. They pay a lot of road tax but sure do punish the roads.
Hickory

Minno · 09-01-2014, 08:21 AM

All the money being spent on bridges currently is because of the I35W bridge debacle a few years ago. Thirteen deaths (we were extremely lucky there weren't a lot more) woke people up to the danger.
And I'm not dissing the entire state of Indiana, just the toll roads.

Kay

featherbedder · 09-01-2014, 09:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hickory

Wow you guys are harsh. I have been on some pretty crappy roads but never wrote off the entire state because of it. Here in Southern Indiana we have some pretty decent roads. I have never driven on the toll road before so I can't comment on that particular road.
There is a lot more trucks on the roads because of all the imported goods. They pay a lot of road tax but sure do punish the roads.
Hickory

There are more trucks on the road not because of imported goods but One reason railroads no longer have lcs and full loads as I have seen many factories go from rr serv. to trucks because of poor service and long shipping times plus many manf. now use just in time deliv. for manuf. also less service and tracks to serv. cities, all they want is long haul plus tofc is no longer. Trucks are point to point for manf. goods etc. plus much more being produced today. I'm not touting trucks but it's fact of life, also I'm a retired conductor from railroad w/36 yrs. of serv so I have seen the transition from trains to trucks, yes there are a lot of imported goods, but not the cause of more trucks as stated but the way that transportation has evolved. Yes trucks do hurt older roads but new way of building new or rebuilding older roads eliminates this prob. if not built by firms w/kick backs or built substandard.

Tincampers · 09-01-2014, 10:02 AM

I didn't write these states off due to the roads, I have already spent enough time up there to know I wouldn't want to go back.

tsunami · 09-01-2014, 01:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vycan

Stop hating on all Indiana roads. Just finished a road trip from KS-MO-TX-FL-GA-OH-IN-KS a total of 4,000+ miles. Indiana roads were just fine and comparable with all roads except texas and florida, the two with the best roads on the trip. As for the toll road in the North end of Indiana, a quick chat with any local would have steered anyone clear. The worst roads by far were Kentucky on my trip, but even then it was just the old style concrete interstates with the constant ba-doom-ba-doom instead of the smooth interstates we have all been babied with. Overall Indiana has great interstates and highways, but the worst toll road in the US. But if you don't like the toll road you don't have to ride on it.

Just drove from Kentucky to mid-state of Michigan and back last week, so I have plenty of experience driving on Indiana roadways. Having lived for over 40 years in the state of Indian I can speak of first hand knowledge of their roads. I always take secondary roads, which are somewhat better that their interstates, when traveling to Northern Indiana to visit family/friends. Interstate 69 from Scottsburg, just North of Louisville, to pretty much the South side of Indianapolis is very bad. They have patched the road for about the last 5 to 10 years and are just now, finally, going to perform a major overhaul. If I get on any interstate in Indiana, I stay in the left lane as much as possible to avoid damaging my AS.

Vycan · 09-01-2014, 01:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tsunami

Just drove from Kentucky to mid-state of Michigan and back last week, so I have plenty of experience driving on Indiana roadways. Having lived for over 40 years in the state of Indian I can speak of first hand knowledge of their roads. I always take secondary roads, which are somewhat better that their interstates, when traveling to Northern Indiana to visit family/friends. Interstate 69 from Scottsburg, just North of Louisville, to pretty much the South side of Indianapolis is very bad. They have patched the road for about the last 5 to 10 years and are just now, finally, going to perform a major overhaul. If I get on any interstate in Indiana, I stay in the left lane as much as possible to avoid damaging my AS.

Fair enough, I am not familiar with that stretch of I-69, as I only use it to go to From Indianapolis to Fort Wayne. Thanks for the tip though, I will do the same if ever on that route.

Lived in Indiana for 10 years as well, and had no issues from Cincinnati to Indianapolis, Indy to Fort Wayne, Indy to Bloomington, Indy to Dayton, OH, Indy to Springfield, IL, and Indy to Chicago. I did make the mistake of taking the toll road once.... I got off of it after the first 10 miles because of the condition. It was just prior to selling it to the foreign investors, and IIRC they were Middle Eastern.

Rich W · 09-01-2014, 02:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tsunami

Interstate 69 from Scottsburg, just North of Louisville, to pretty much the South side of Indianapolis is very bad. They have patched the road for about the last 5 to 10 years and are just now, finally, going to perform a major overhaul

I think you mean I-65. I-69 runs from NE Indy to Sarnia, MI. A new section will go from SW Indy to connect with Evansville, IN existing section.

I-65 is pretty much a rough road and dangerous in southern KY. I-75 is much better and 6-lane for quite a bit of the way. There is a lot of truck traffic too, but I think the road is smoother.

I-65 or I-75 in the southern part of KY, for whatever reason, is very dangerous, lots of fatal accidents. Use extra caution.

featherbedder · 09-01-2014, 02:36 PM

Indiana does not have monoply on bad rds. When ever pols. sell off what taxpayers have pd. for tax payers get screwed, ask people in chgo about selling skyway, parking meters parking garages etc. besides interstate rds. were built with fed. tax dollars now states want to turn into tollways, another example of our governments at at there best??????. Any more it's not for needy but for greedy pols. Il. portion of I88 good example when was bonds were pd. off was supposed to go free, wrong they found way to use money elsewhere so we are still paying to use it, granted when ex gov. whom is in prison, state did extensive upgrades but I don't think he had much to do with it. I8o is also a joke.

tsunami · 09-01-2014, 07:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by richw46

I think you mean I-65. I-69 runs from NE Indy to Sarnia, MI. A new section will go from SW Indy to connect with Evansville, IN existing section.

I-65 is pretty much a rough road and dangerous in southern KY. I-75 is much better and 6-lane for quite a bit of the way. There is a lot of truck traffic too, but I think the road is smoother.

I-65 or I-75 in the southern part of KY, for whatever reason, is very dangerous, lots of fatal accidents. Use extra caution.

I-69 is better than I-65.

gamakai · 09-03-2014, 08:06 AM

I tow SOB's out of Goshen to the lower 48. I-65 south of Indianapolis is the worst stretch of interstate in the country-sections of I-69 to Ft Wayne is not much better. YOU should be paid to drive the toll road. Overall IN has the worst roads in the US. This past winter residents were planting trees in the pot holes of Indianapolis. My last trip was Monday and I took US 33 and US 30 into Ohio to reach I-75 sooner and avoid beating my truck to pieces. I have no idea where IN spends its gas tax, but it certainly isn't on its roads. I can't understand how anyone can defend IN's roads and point to other states as having overall poorer roads. I will say the secondary roads of southern IN are much better than northern IN.

tsunami · 09-03-2014, 02:45 PM

Coming back from Michigan last week I took US-31 all the way down through downtown Indianapolis, and around the circle downtown, then hit I-65 south at a very slow speed to SR-50 and out through the country back to Kentucky. Unfortunately I had to use I-65.

Vycan · 09-06-2014, 11:33 PM

Well haters are going to hate.

Andrew T · 09-07-2014, 04:18 AM

All our RV's with corners come from Indiana so I drive there a few times each year and generally tow a unit home. I am on the Toll road from Elkhart to I-69 and have never had an issue with it. It is considerably better than I-69 from Flint to Port Huron.

Many of the small towns and lake districts in Indiana are very nice to visit.

If you are finding roads very rough there are often some things you can do to smooth out your combination.

1) Make sure your ball is as close to the bumper as possible. Excess overhang causes more receiver flex which can make if feel like you are towing with a slinky toy.
2) If you have a 3/4 ton or heavier tow vehicle adjust your torsion bars so your springs are not sitting on the bottom helper springs which are very stiff.
3) Match your tire pressures to your weight. Weigh your combination and look up the RV load inflation tables on Goodyear's web site.
4) If you do not need a pick up select a tow vehicle with a rigid body structure. All pickups have substantial rhythmic chassis flex.
5) If you can ,select a tow vehicle with 4 wheel independent suspension. Getting rid of unsprung weight substantially improves the ride and handling.

I hope this helps.

Andrew T

Ag&Au · 09-23-2014, 03:34 PM

Another Development:

Toll Road bankruptcy reignites old debate about privatization - South Bend Tribune: Local

Ken

tsunami · 09-23-2014, 04:50 PM

Oh, I'm so surprised by this event. Now hold on because the Indiana taxpayers are about to get bent over again by the state legislature. Indiana got its butt legally handed to itself over a failed contract by IBM in the states attempt to, cough cough, hack hack, modernize the food stamp program.

Sent from my iPhone using Airstream Forums

switz · 09-24-2014, 07:53 AM

Many citizens of Indiana said at the time that the lessee would suck all the cash out and walk away leaving a mess. Surprise!

The same thing happened in Indianapolis at the airport with many huge maintenance hangers purpose built for United Airlines who walked away and left the taxpayers with 600 million to pay off with no revenue.....