Wallace Tunnel on Interstate 10 not among nation's worst bottlenecks

[annie_himself]

Originally Posted by PortCity

I agree !! Baton Rouge`s Interstate was not designed for a metro of 800 K +. It was design for a 400 K metro.

Amongst many other infrastructure problems. I could further expand but I don't want to hijack in the Mobile forum.

[BamaSailor]

Originally Posted by MrPortCity

People posting here must not drive I10 wallace tunnel everyday. Its clogged right now and it aint even 5am or 5pm. I drive this everyday back and forth and it gets bad, like airport bad but not that bad right now but its clogged

I drive the tunnel everyday...and I'll say it again, it can get bad but is nowhere near the worst in the country. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to see a bridge instead of the tunnel.

[PortCity]

Originally Posted by annie_himself

amongst many other infrastructure problems. I could further expand but i don't want to hijack in the mobile forum.

lol !

[NDtrucker]

The I-10 traffic heading into Jacksonville seems to be the worse. Have not really experienced alot of traffic backups heading west on I-10. Then again, don't go that route very often.

[AlwaysBeachin]

I've traveled all over the country over the past 4.5 years for work, driving in various cities across the US. It's nowhere near the worst, and it shouldn't be anyway if people knew how to drive. Even though the interstate goes from multiple lanes down to 2 and into a sharp curve; the rate traffic backs up should not happen to that extent.

What I've observed is that folks, typically out of staters (and MOST notably Louisiana drivers--the WORST) panic when they enter the tunnel and proceed to SLAM on brakes until they figure out there's a hole on the other side to exit. About midway through the tunnel at its lowest point, traffic begins to move again. I've noticed this countless times. One thinks there is an accident as traffic comes to a stop, and once entering the tunnel, the traffic magically starts moving without a sign of any issue.

A sharp curve like that is a poor design, multiple lanes converging into 2 contributes to it; but mostly it's drivers that cause the problem.

[BamaSailor]

Originally Posted by JRA2000TL

I've traveled all over the country over the past 4.5 years for work, driving in various cities across the US. It's nowhere near the worst, and it shouldn't be anyway if people knew how to drive. Even though the interstate goes from multiple lanes down to 2 and into a sharp curve; the rate traffic backs up should not happen to that extent.

What I've observed is that folks, typically out of staters (and MOST notably Louisiana drivers--the WORST) panic when they enter the tunnel and proceed to SLAM on brakes until they figure out there's a hole on the other side to exit. About midway through the tunnel at its lowest point, traffic begins to move again. I've noticed this countless times. One thinks there is an accident as traffic comes to a stop, and once entering the tunnel, the traffic magically starts moving without a sign of any issue.

A sharp curve like that is a poor design, multiple lanes converging into 2 contributes to it; but mostly it's drivers that cause the problem.

EXACTLY!!!

[annie_himself]

Originally Posted by JRA2000TL

I've traveled all over the country over the past 4.5 years for work, driving in various cities across the US. It's nowhere near the worst, and it shouldn't be anyway if people knew how to drive. Even though the interstate goes from multiple lanes down to 2 and into a sharp curve; the rate traffic backs up should not happen to that extent.

What I've observed is that folks, typically out of staters (and MOST notably Louisiana drivers--the WORST) panic when they enter the tunnel and proceed to SLAM on brakes until they figure out there's a hole on the other side to exit. About midway through the tunnel at its lowest point, traffic begins to move again. I've noticed this countless times. One thinks there is an accident as traffic comes to a stop, and once entering the tunnel, the traffic magically starts moving without a sign of any issue.

A sharp curve like that is a poor design, multiple lanes converging into 2 contributes to it; but mostly it's drivers that cause the problem.

It's a obstacle we don't encounter in Louisiana. You can't see the other side of the tunnel so it's safer to slow down before you get to the bottom going 70 and look up to see traffic stopped and kill someone. The same thing occurs on overpasses where the other side is blocked from view.

[AlwaysBeachin]

Originally Posted by annie_himself

It's a obstacle we don't encounter in Louisiana. You can't see the other side of the tunnel so it's safer to slow down before you get to the bottom going 70 and look up to see traffic stopped and kill someone. The same thing occurs on overpasses where the other side is blocked from view.

Slowing down doesn't mean slam on brakes to 25mph, almost causing a pile-up in the already dangerously sharp curve into the tunnel. If you drive in enough metro areas with traffic, staying with the flow and keeping your distance from the car in front of you is key to being a good driver; even if the flow of traffic is going at a brisk pace. Impeding the flow of traffic can be as dangerous, if not worse, than speeding. Also, those lights overhead both before and inside the tunnel indicate whether there is a traffic issue by noting a green arrow, yellow x, or red x to warn motorists of conditions inside the tunnel. In addition, ALDOT monitors multiple cameras in and around the tunnel for accidents and other issues.

BTW, folks in Boston don't slam on brakes in the I-93 tunnels.

[BamaSailor]

Maybe all out-of-towners should be routed across the Africatown/Cochran bridge instead of being allowed to use the tunnel.

[BamaSailor]

http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s320x320/315680_2493977636621_1468220905_32899390_939007319 _n.jpg (broken link)