The 5 Best Roads in America
Safe, scenic, sensible. We asked experts to nominate their favorite stretches of road in some of our top-ranked states.
By Michelle Crouch from Reader's Digest
Courtesy of Kansas Department of Transportation
I-35 through Kansas (and Kansas roads in general)
“It’s well maintained and open and offers an extremely smooth ride. They have rest areas that are easy in, easy out. It has wide-open spaces, and you don’t feel the pressure of constant interaction with traffic. Actually, in Kansas, all the highways are very good. Even the two-lane roads are great: smooth, with shoulders.” - Walmart driver Gary Leu, Shelbina, Missouri
Plus:
The 7 Worst Roads in America
10 New Ideas for Better Roads
8 Tips to Survive Your Drive
Courtesy of Montana Department of Transportation
Montana interstates
“They don’t call it Big Sky Country for nothing. You can see for miles. You’ve got trees and mountains and different terrain. You see lakes and a lot of wildlife, like elk and antelope. Plus, they keep their roads pretty decent considering the harsh weather they have out there.” - Trucker Clarence Jenkins, Charleston, West Virginia
Plus:
The 7 Worst Roads in America
10 New Ideas for Better Roads
8 Tips to Survive Your Drive
Courtesy of Florida Department of Transportation
I-75 in northern Florida
“It’s not especially scenic, but the road conditions are fantastic. It’s three lanes wide for most of it, with a large median between north- and southbound traffic. It’s well paved and straight. The rest areas are clean and spacious, and state troopers man them, so you feel secure.” - Trucker Frank Silio, Miami
Plus:
The 7 Worst Roads in America
10 New Ideas for Better Roads
8 Tips to Survive Your Drive
Photo by Frank Jensen
I-80 in Utah
“You come down into Salt Lake City, and you’re surrounded by mountains, you see the lights of Salt Lake City in front of you, and off to the west, you see the Great Salt Lake. The only issue is that it’s easy to get distracted by how beautiful it is.” - Trucker Kevin Johnson, Rushville, Illinois
Plus:
The 7 Worst Roads in America
10 New Ideas for Better Roads
8 Tips to Survive Your Drive
Courtesy of Maryland Transportation Authority
I-95 between Elkton, Maryland, and Baltimore
“Before Elkton, I’m in Delaware dealing with congestion [I-495 and I-295]. So I always breathe a sigh of relief when I get to this area. It’s a really good stretch of road, well designed. Enough time to merge from the on- and off-ramps. And great signage. You know well in advance when your exit is coming up. Also, all the exits are off to the right, and the rest areas are off to the left.” - Trucker Phil Gould, Edgewater Park, New Jersey
Plus:
The 7 Worst Roads in America
10 New Ideas for Better Roads
8 Tips to Survive Your Drive
