Highway ideas for South Dakota, theoretically (Sioux Falls, Rapid City: 2011, homes, buy)

[tpabes]

Your congress people seem to be aggressive not only in roads but also business. Course Nebraska has a unique situation with the unicameral but with all the business coming to S.D. it has really made Nebraska look at what they are doing.

With Sioux Falls projected growth, are there any plans for I-29, I-90 or I-229. I haven't been to Rapid in a few years but aren't they widening I-90 through there?

[DannyBanany]

I wonder of one of the main reasons that South Dakota has nice, well-funded roads is that there is no large metro to consume most of the money. Sioux Falls and Rapid City/Black Hills are the only metros large enough to need any extra funding for roads and they do not require nearly as much as Omaha/Lincoln.

I have noticed that other states are kind of the same way. Wyoming has all around nice roads due to lack of a large metro, while the only nice roads in Colorado are around Denver and the Front Range. Try driving near Pueblo. EEK!!!

[MJ1986]

They reconstructed I-229 a while ago to include auxiliary lanes. In the recent years, they widened I-29 to 3 lanes each direction with auxiliary lanes from I-90 to 26th Street. They also added interchanges at Benson Road and Madison Street. They've also started the dirt work for an interchange at Marion Road on I-90.

[MJ1986]

Danny, Have you ever driven I-29 in Sioux City, Iowa? It's like a death trap. And they have concrete medians, so if you're on the inside lane, it almost feels like you're going to run into it!

[tpabes]

Originally Posted by DannyBanany

I wonder of one of the main reasons that South Dakota has nice, well-funded roads is that there is no large metro to consume most of the money. Sioux Falls and Rapid City/Black Hills are the only metros large enough to need any extra funding for roads and they do not require nearly as much as Omaha/Lincoln.

I have noticed that other states are kind of the same way. Wyoming has all around nice roads due to lack of a large metro, while the only nice roads in Colorado are around Denver and the Front Range. Try driving near Pueblo. EEK!!!

Or any road east of the front range! Also agree on Sioux City.

[DannyBanany]

Originally Posted by mjgustafson

Danny, Have you ever driven I-29 in Sioux City, Iowa? It's like a death trap. And they have concrete medians, so if you're on the inside lane, it almost feels like you're going to run into it!

I know what you mean about Sioux City. The exit onto Gordon Drive is tiny and very busy. Luckily, we've never visited Sioux City during snow. Omaha doesn't have that nice of roads either.

Iowa has several metros to concentrate funds on too. I bet Sioux City isn't as high of a priority as Des Moines, Davenport, and cities to the east.

[DannyBanany]

MJ Gustafson, Sioux Falls does have very nice roads nowadays. When I was little I-29 was just two lanes all the way through and it was really congested around 41st Street. It still is, but I bet having another lane helps out a lot.

South Dakota usually tackles a road problem immediately. In Rapid City, the City Bypass has relieved much of the traffic from downtown and from Rapid Valley during the morning and afternoon commutes. It's a MUCH FASTER route to Mount Rushmore and the Black Hills than going through Rapid City.

Also, I-90 is brand new with street lights from LaCrosse Street to Box Elder. That's really nice for people coming to work in Rapid City from Box Elder and it will be nice for traffic once Rushmore Crossing and all the new hotels in that area are completed.

South Dakota has all around good roads.

[tpabes]

Originally Posted by DannyBanany

I know what you mean about Sioux City. The exit onto Gordon Drive is tiny and very busy. Luckily, we've never visited Sioux City during snow. Omaha doesn't have that nice of roads either.

Iowa has several metros to concentrate funds on too. I bet Sioux City isn't as high of a priority as Des Moines, Davenport, and cities to the east.

I personally think Omaha has a great road system, especially compared to Des Moines, Wichita and other metros its size and will be even better when the system in Council Bluffs is reconstructed. South Dakota is good about roads, look at Sioux City again. Once you cross the border you get a nice 3 lane interstate for awhile! Iowa seems to be really good at building at grade expressways, such as US 20 and US 75 and I think IA 60 northeast of Sioux City. Then again they have alot more sizeable cities in all parts of the state compared to Nebraska and South Dakota. I was glad when they raised there speed limit to 70 on interstate, going from 75 in Nebraska to 65 in Iowa was a real drag, not that it seemed many people obeyed it!

[DannyBanany]

Why is it that some states have higher and lower Interstate speeds? Driving from South Dakota into Minnesota was really annoying too. A few years back, there was no speed limit on I-90 in Montana. It took a threat from the federal government to get them to put it at 75mph.

I could get to Bozeman in no time!

[MJ1986]

hey Danny, i live in Sioux Falls.. haha, i was talkin bout Sioux City Iowa with the bad roads! Sioux Falls has an excellent highway system, especially with the future State Highway 100 being built from the Tea exit to the Timberline Ave exit...
and I agree...that new bypass in Rapid is a welcome sight!