- Staff
- #1
- 25,905
- 10,784
The ten fastest highways in the world that aren’t the Autobahn
Martin Grossinger —
Everyone knows the German Autobahn is a driver's paradise, but what about the rest of us? Yesterday, we asked you to identify the world's fastest highways and here are the ten best responses from the rest of the world.
Welcome back to Answers of the Day — our Jalopnik summer feature where we take the best ten responses from the previous day's Question of the Day and shine it up to show off. It's by you and for you, the Jalopnik readers. Enjoy!
Photo Credit:andischmeling
10.) Texas US Route 285
Where To Find It:
Suggested By: CRXPilot
Why It's So Fast: For a couple of days in April, US Route 285 is shut down between Fort Stockton and Sanderson, Texas for the Big Bend Open Road Race. Speed runs are conducted along the roughly 59 mile stretch of highway, topping out at over 160 miles per hour in the Unlimited class. Otherwise, route 285 runs through Texas, New Mexico and Colorado, and gets treacherous in its northern reaches during winter months. I'm sure it's a nice road the rest of the year, but I think we're all only really interested in it for a few days in April.
Photo credit: Kind of New Orleanian
9.) Georgia State Road 400
Where To Find It:Alpharetta, GA
Suggested By: e30m3
Why It's So Fast: To start off, you should know that SR 400 is known locally as the "Alpharetta Autobahn." Even our own, law-abiding commenters have been known to put the hammer down there from time to time. The road is something of a legend amongst locals for its drivers' disregard for posted speed limits, and the police's tendency to chase them down. You've been warned.
Photo credit: A Taxed Life
8.) France's A75 Autoroute
Where To Find It: France
Suggested By: Franzouse
Why It's So Fast:Unlike most French motorways, the A75 is almost completely toll-free. It also affords some of the nicest views of the French countryside you're likely to find on a highway. According to resident Frenchman Franzouse, it is least busy in September and April and so becomes many a speed enthusiast's favorite spot. If the views are as nice and the road as empty as they're supposed to be, then it sounds like a very enjoyable road.
Photo credit: What I Reckon
7.) Dallas North Tollway
Where To Find It: Dallas, TX
Suggested By: lownslowbimmer
Why It's So Fast: Apparently, there are some speed demons in North Dallas with big checkbooks, and they all like to play on the Dallas North Tollway. Notably, this road was America's first to be outfitted with electronic toll collection technology in 1989. It has since completely eliminated human toll takers along its route. Police are few, traffic is generally light, and the cars are fast. Be warned though, when traffic picks up bad things happen.
Photo credit: Jypsygen
6.) Interstate 285
Where To Find It: Atlanta, GA
Suggested By: Hipster Kitty
Why It's So Fast: When traffic gets moving on I-285 around Atlanta, it really gets moving. The road may be a parking lot during rush hour, but as soon as all of the commuters get to work or back home, watch out. Hipster Kitty notes that traffic often travels at least 10 miles per hour over the limit, with some folks at speeds far higher, making it downright dangerous. When the highway does get stopped up, authorities use Georgia's intelligent transport system, the Georgia NaviGAtor to try to get things moving again. 285 also plays an important role in determining Atlanta proper from its suburbs, as it forms a ring around the city.
Photo credit: Asphalt Planet
5.) Ontario Highway 407
Where To Find It: Brougham, ON to Whaley's Corners, ON
Suggested By: The Cheat
Why It's So Fast: The 407 (as it's known locally) is one of the first examples of highway in the world to use open road tolling. The highway has no toll booths, instead radio antennas detect transponder tags in cars entering and exiting the highway and monthly billing statements are sent to homes accordingly. This keeps speeds up and traffic tie-ups down. The 407 was originally built to bypass the congested 401, (currently the busiest highway in all of North America) which is commonly used by trucks to transport auto parts between Detroit and Ontario. It remains relatively traffic-free, fast, and safe.
Photo credit: Simtropolis
4.) Arkansas Highway 549
Where To Find It: Texarkana, AR to Doddridge, AR
Suggested By: noursegod
Why It's So Fast: Arkansas Highway 549 is the future I-49, and currently connects Texarkana, Arkansas to Doddridge, Arkansas, covering a distance of almost exactly 29 and one half miles. According to commenter noursegod, its four lanes (two in either direction) are currently limited to 70 miles per hour, but are so lightly patrolled that "the upper limits of [his] Lancer Sportback's capabilities" have been tested. Get out there while you can though, once the road becomes I-49, the influx of truck and passenger car traffic is sure to slow things down.
Photo credit: UrbanPlanet
3.) U.S. Interstate 15
Where To Find It: Barstow, CA to Las Vegas, NV
Suggested By: Potbelly Joe
Why It's So Fast: According to data collected by GPS manufacturer TomTom, America's fastest road is the stretch of I-15 running through Nevada, at 77.67 miles per hour. It does look like you could get a pretty good head of steam worked up all the way up from Barstow, CA though, and not feel limited to putting your foot down in Nevada only (not that we are encouraging it, mind you.)
Photo credit: AARoads.com
2.) England's M45
Where To Find It: Rugby, England
Suggested By: Zacarious
Why It's So Fast: The M45 was once the main route to Birmingham from London, and one of the most heavily trafficked roads in England. However, in 1972 the M6 opened and took most of the traffic away. Since then, the road has remained virtually untouched by British authorities, and its eight miles are rarely as heavily policed as the more heavily traveled routes, and also have few speed cameras. It has, apparently, become something of a speeder's paradise in what the Top Gear crew would have us believe is rapidly becoming a police state.
Photo credit: Boards.ie
1.) U.S. Route 50
Where To Find It: Nevada to Utah
Suggested By: Walter Röhrl's Left Foot
Why It's So Fast: Just take a look at the image above. There's a reason Life magazine named this stretch of Route 50 "The Loneliest Road in America." You can go miles without seeing another soul. It may appear squiggly on the map, but don't be fooled, Nevada is a big place and there's miles upon miles of arrow-straight road before any kind of curve. The road between Fallon Station and Ely goes through no other towns, so there generally aren't any police around. Some commenters claim to have gotten well into the triple digits out there, and I believe them. Just don't get it wrong out there, or you'll be buzzard food.
Photo credit: Ask.com
Article from: http://jalopnik.com/5820305/the-ten-fastest-highways-in-the-world-that-arent-the-autobahn/gallery/1
Everyone knows the German Autobahn is a driver's paradise, but what about the rest of us? Yesterday, we asked you to identify the world's fastest highways and here are the ten best responses from the rest of the world.
Welcome back to Answers of the Day — our Jalopnik summer feature where we take the best ten responses from the previous day's Question of the Day and shine it up to show off. It's by you and for you, the Jalopnik readers. Enjoy!
Photo Credit:andischmeling
10.) Texas US Route 285
Where To Find It:
Suggested By: CRXPilot
Why It's So Fast: For a couple of days in April, US Route 285 is shut down between Fort Stockton and Sanderson, Texas for the Big Bend Open Road Race. Speed runs are conducted along the roughly 59 mile stretch of highway, topping out at over 160 miles per hour in the Unlimited class. Otherwise, route 285 runs through Texas, New Mexico and Colorado, and gets treacherous in its northern reaches during winter months. I'm sure it's a nice road the rest of the year, but I think we're all only really interested in it for a few days in April.
Photo credit: Kind of New Orleanian
9.) Georgia State Road 400
Where To Find It:Alpharetta, GA
Suggested By: e30m3
Why It's So Fast: To start off, you should know that SR 400 is known locally as the "Alpharetta Autobahn." Even our own, law-abiding commenters have been known to put the hammer down there from time to time. The road is something of a legend amongst locals for its drivers' disregard for posted speed limits, and the police's tendency to chase them down. You've been warned.
Photo credit: A Taxed Life
8.) France's A75 Autoroute
Where To Find It: France
Suggested By: Franzouse
Why It's So Fast:Unlike most French motorways, the A75 is almost completely toll-free. It also affords some of the nicest views of the French countryside you're likely to find on a highway. According to resident Frenchman Franzouse, it is least busy in September and April and so becomes many a speed enthusiast's favorite spot. If the views are as nice and the road as empty as they're supposed to be, then it sounds like a very enjoyable road.
Photo credit: What I Reckon
7.) Dallas North Tollway
Where To Find It: Dallas, TX
Suggested By: lownslowbimmer
Why It's So Fast: Apparently, there are some speed demons in North Dallas with big checkbooks, and they all like to play on the Dallas North Tollway. Notably, this road was America's first to be outfitted with electronic toll collection technology in 1989. It has since completely eliminated human toll takers along its route. Police are few, traffic is generally light, and the cars are fast. Be warned though, when traffic picks up bad things happen.
Photo credit: Jypsygen
6.) Interstate 285
Where To Find It: Atlanta, GA
Suggested By: Hipster Kitty
Why It's So Fast: When traffic gets moving on I-285 around Atlanta, it really gets moving. The road may be a parking lot during rush hour, but as soon as all of the commuters get to work or back home, watch out. Hipster Kitty notes that traffic often travels at least 10 miles per hour over the limit, with some folks at speeds far higher, making it downright dangerous. When the highway does get stopped up, authorities use Georgia's intelligent transport system, the Georgia NaviGAtor to try to get things moving again. 285 also plays an important role in determining Atlanta proper from its suburbs, as it forms a ring around the city.
Photo credit: Asphalt Planet
5.) Ontario Highway 407
Where To Find It: Brougham, ON to Whaley's Corners, ON
Suggested By: The Cheat
Why It's So Fast: The 407 (as it's known locally) is one of the first examples of highway in the world to use open road tolling. The highway has no toll booths, instead radio antennas detect transponder tags in cars entering and exiting the highway and monthly billing statements are sent to homes accordingly. This keeps speeds up and traffic tie-ups down. The 407 was originally built to bypass the congested 401, (currently the busiest highway in all of North America) which is commonly used by trucks to transport auto parts between Detroit and Ontario. It remains relatively traffic-free, fast, and safe.
Photo credit: Simtropolis
4.) Arkansas Highway 549
Where To Find It: Texarkana, AR to Doddridge, AR
Suggested By: noursegod
Why It's So Fast: Arkansas Highway 549 is the future I-49, and currently connects Texarkana, Arkansas to Doddridge, Arkansas, covering a distance of almost exactly 29 and one half miles. According to commenter noursegod, its four lanes (two in either direction) are currently limited to 70 miles per hour, but are so lightly patrolled that "the upper limits of [his] Lancer Sportback's capabilities" have been tested. Get out there while you can though, once the road becomes I-49, the influx of truck and passenger car traffic is sure to slow things down.
Photo credit: UrbanPlanet
3.) U.S. Interstate 15
Where To Find It: Barstow, CA to Las Vegas, NV
Suggested By: Potbelly Joe
Why It's So Fast: According to data collected by GPS manufacturer TomTom, America's fastest road is the stretch of I-15 running through Nevada, at 77.67 miles per hour. It does look like you could get a pretty good head of steam worked up all the way up from Barstow, CA though, and not feel limited to putting your foot down in Nevada only (not that we are encouraging it, mind you.)
Photo credit: AARoads.com
2.) England's M45
Where To Find It: Rugby, England
Suggested By: Zacarious
Why It's So Fast: The M45 was once the main route to Birmingham from London, and one of the most heavily trafficked roads in England. However, in 1972 the M6 opened and took most of the traffic away. Since then, the road has remained virtually untouched by British authorities, and its eight miles are rarely as heavily policed as the more heavily traveled routes, and also have few speed cameras. It has, apparently, become something of a speeder's paradise in what the Top Gear crew would have us believe is rapidly becoming a police state.
Photo credit: Boards.ie
1.) U.S. Route 50
Where To Find It: Nevada to Utah
Suggested By: Walter Röhrl's Left Foot
Why It's So Fast: Just take a look at the image above. There's a reason Life magazine named this stretch of Route 50 "The Loneliest Road in America." You can go miles without seeing another soul. It may appear squiggly on the map, but don't be fooled, Nevada is a big place and there's miles upon miles of arrow-straight road before any kind of curve. The road between Fallon Station and Ely goes through no other towns, so there generally aren't any police around. Some commenters claim to have gotten well into the triple digits out there, and I believe them. Just don't get it wrong out there, or you'll be buzzard food.
Photo credit: Ask.com
Article from: http://jalopnik.com/5820305/the-ten-fastest-highways-in-the-world-that-arent-the-autobahn/gallery/1
I can vouch for 15 too. CHP does patrol it in some areas but closer to Barstow. There is nothing to do but speed on that road. Its out in the middle of nothingness.
and pretty views on a few!
