Americans, how do you feel about I-5 abruptly ending in Vancouver?
 

Once you cross over from Washington state to British Columbia, Canada, Interstate 5 turns into Highway 99. It lasts for 28 miles before leading right into Vancouver and subsequently downtown Vancouver. The highway doesn't go right through the city which could cause problems for people wanting to continue northbound, through Vancouver. We ruined the continuous north/south highway along the pacific :haha: :( I'm bored. :haha: :notacrook:

Something must be done!

...but what?

Bulldoze Vancouver!

Where would it go? Prince Rupert is about 700kms away!

Maybe let Toronto and Montreal decide what to do with it.

(1) I-40 abruptly ends in Memphis, Tennessee DOT had to redesignate I-240 as I-40.
(2) I-70 abruptly ends in Baltimore, Maryland DOT just ended the highway a few miles short of downtown.
(3) There's a 20+ mile gap in I-95 in suburban New Jersey, NJDOT encourages interstate drivers to take the NJ Turnpike.

Therefore, I don't believe Vancouver nor Portland will miss I-5, as long as there's an alternate highway interstate drivers can use. Surprise, surprise, surprise, I-205 exists already.

Additionally I suggest many take a look how European countries build controlled access highways. Few, if any, have them running through the middle of cities. Just about all bypass the cities, going around them. It didn't hurt Memphis, Baltimore, nor will it hurt Portland and Vancouver, to route interstate traffic around them.


;) If you're wishing to discuss Vancouver, British Columbia, you should have place this post in the Canadian forum. ;)

But since you didn't, have you ever ridden or seen Highway 99? It's a freeway all the way north into Vancouver where the freeway dumps traffic onto Oak Street. Again looking back at the European model, that's not unusual. As for heading in the direction north of Vancouver, there's already a highway doing so. Does it really matter what the highway is numbered?

Yes I've ridden HWY 99 many times. There is no HWY that by-passes the city if you're going northbound on HWY 99 before Vancouver. It funnels all traffic onto Oak, which also ends abruptly just passed Broadway Street. I guess Vancouver thinks its at the top of the world. There can't be any other cities to the north of it so lets just have the highway stop at our city.

The point I'm trying to make is there should be a continuous (and state of the art) highway that runs from San Diego to Anchorage. And Vancouver ruined it :(

And I didn't put this in the Canadian section because I wanted to hear what Americans thought of Vancouver refusing to copy the same highway model as all other major cities along the west coast

I've been on the Highway 99-I-5 from Van to Sea...the only thing that was kinda annoying was how long it took to get across the border. This is coming from Alberta, where the borders are very empty and easy to go through.

And really, most people don't really go directly north of Vancouver except using the EXISTING Sea to Sky Highway, which you can take from Highway 99 going northbound into Vancouver (and heck...bypass the city too!) by taking 99A to 56 Ave then 56 to 152nd Street, which you can take up to the TransCanada...and from there just stay on the TransCanada. Voila! Just take out a map!

But I'm almost certain most people coming into Canada from I-5 are going to Vancouver anyways so it makes sense for the highway to turn into a CITY street.

And saying Vancouver is to blame for the lack of a SD-Anch 1 highway is stupid to say. Have you perhaps considered the rugged and heavily UNPOPULATED region between North GVRD and Anchorageish? It makes little sense with those two factors. Why not blame Anchorage and AK for not having a major direct highway to Vancouver while you're at it? Vancouver to Tijuana is one continuous freeway.

Also why should Canada or Mexico abide to a US system? Maybe we don't want or need a massive freeway system like The USA?

As a former Vancouverite I must say your route for bypassing Vancouver is horrible... just horrible. No one in there right mind would take that route.

If you're driving a car you go down Oak, left on Broadway, right on Granville, take the Seymour exit, left on Georgia, go over Lions Gate Bridge, then into west van and get onto the sea to sky highway.

If you're driving a truck they take the east/west connector exit from HWY 99, go over the knight street bridge, go down knight and get make there way over to the iron workers memorial bridge which gets them onto hwy 1 and subsequently the sea-to-sky.

Weren't you just complaining about how the freeway ends abruptly? If so, then you'd probably take the suburban routes like I suggested over the urban ones because the speeds are higher and there are less intersections.

whatever.

I take the fastest route

No me importa.

I say we extend it all the way to Alaska.

I don't really care. But when I think about more and more, I seem to agree with JBA007 and think it should continue on to Palinland.

But that may only happen when the US and Canada are one.

I'm glad you guys agree with me. I definitely think there should be a continuous stretch of highway from Alaska to San Diego. The west coast is growing by leaps and bounds and its only going to get more populated in the future. There needs to be a continuous stretch of highway to accomodate the increase in traffic.

Wasilla or bust!

There's a 1000+ mile gap in I-84 between the east coast and west coast sections.
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UT...076172&t=h&z=4

I'm more concerned that Vancouver rapid rail isn't reaching down here! :D

We are all quite thrilled that a city finally had the sense to end this abomination--and yes, I do speak for ALL Americans--those from Nunavut to Tierra Del Fuego. We are eagerly looking forward to the day major sections of it will be rendered useless due to high speed rail.

That's correct! Highways have no business running through major cities - it's just not an economical use of the land.