The Worst Toll Road In America

[@BeaverGeography]

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[@jst1man]

Yep the highway was developed to bring in money to a few people. I know a lot about toll roads. For the most part toll roads are part of a money grab. And I would bet that the Association was a front to make millions off of the region. Not too mentioned all the kickbacks to the politicians and officials. With that said, I went thru a toll road in Orlando Florida and it was stupid! Multiple toll stations along 1 road. It was by far the stupidest thing I've ever seen! Then there's California, in Northern California they are building a toll road on highway 80 from the Bay Area to Sacramento and its bull. Just another money grab by a state that has the 5th largest GDP in the world at the expense of all the residents and no, the residents didn't have a say at all!

[@chefssaltybawlz]

I say TX-130 should get honorable mention. Expensive toll for a road that is not “parallel” to 35 between austin and San Antonio that adds 20+ miles to the trip. Useless.

[@samreagan6292]

But… but… 85 mph!

[@Junimeek]

​@@samreagan6292a portion of us drive that fast on a 75 road anyway

[@grantorino2325]

It was meant to be part of the (ill-fated) *Trans-Texas Corridors* , sort of a successor to the Interstate Highways. Right now, the idea is dead. But then again, nobody wanted the Interstates either until after World War II-when President Eisenhower saw how they could help us defeat Russia in the Cold War. If foreign relations with Russia and China continue to sour-and driverless cars become capable of safely transporting people at 200 mph-then we may just a push to build those trade corridors coast-to-coast!

[@doomsdayrabbit4398]

​@@grantorino2325The idea died because the Republican party is scared of the word trans.

[@anonymity790]

I love that road. Austin traffic is awful. $20 well spent.

[@JRCody-ds3ec]

The problem with toll roads is that the only way for them to be profitable is to have high volumes and no competitive bypasses.

[@dsb333]

Great Video. The Pocahontas Pkwy just outside Richmond VA has a very interesting lore as well.

[@matthewdavis2853]

I second that. It might be used more if the toll was lower. Going from Chesterfield County to the airport by Pocahontas saves no time, is one mile shorter, and the toll is 2.5 times that if driving thru Richmond.

[@jamescostello6529]

I live north of Greenville and have since 2007. I have used this road once and it didn't really save me any time and maybe 2 miles. Roads like this are built to pay back developers (future growth ) and the powerful road building lobby in a state. We in SC are blessed with some of the worst roads in the country and we continue to rehire the contractors that do such a bad job at such a high price.

[@patty_g7]

I lived 10 minutes from this interstate for the first 22 years of my life, and the number of times I’ve been on it is in the single digits. I still believe the only reason it exists is to make Greenville look bigger on the map with a ring road

[@Jacobozoid]

Your tiktoks are fire

[@GMC.Sprint]

I lived in mauldin for 10 years and I don't ever remember driving on the road.

[@nathanstroud2223]

@@GMC.Sprint I remember riding on that toll road as a small child with my grandmother back when it was newly opened, but it didn't take long for it to fall out of favor.

[@JeremysJourneys1]

That explains the USC hate🤣

[@garysarratt1]

When I was there, it was a game-changing shortcut to Simpsonville, especially during rush times. Well worth the $1.25 I had to pay.

[@SixtyNice420]

Imagine how awkward of a moment it can be when you don't have any money to pay the tollbooth

[@AeroGuy07]

It happened to me! Landed in Chicago and I got to the 1st toll booth south of O'Hare and realized I didn't have any US dollars! The toll collector was nice, gave me a slip of paper to mail the toll in later. I decided it was easier to just blow through the rest of the toll booths and let them send me a bill. Cost me $85.

[@chefssaltybawlz]

That happened to me on the Tappan Zee Bridge just north of NYC back in college 😂 they wrote me a ticket for that $5 but I held up the cars who were not having it. I felt like such a jerk lol

[@idriveastationwagon1534]

I managed to upset a tollbooth on the VA 195 in Richmond by slam dunking change while doing a California stop. The toll light wouldn’t change green so I had to throw more change at it so I can go. Virginia now owes me 75 cents.

[@shootinputin6332]

Always forget you lot still have actual toll booths. In my part of Australia, there are cameras set up that capture your cars license plate, you then, if you haven't already pre-paid or have an e-tag, get a letter in the mail.. that's if you don't go on their website and pay in the meantime. I'm sure you also have systems like that?

[@abutts02]

One advantage of toll roads switching to plate readers and having people paying electronically.

[@akeme25]

I-185 is definitely the worst toll road. I live in the Greenville area and I never use it. I can go anywhere in the area without using it anyways so it’s pretty useless lol

[@PrazMaster]

The map of the Chicagoland area shown at 3:06 features the actual worst toll road in America: Illinois Route 390, also known as the Elgin-O’Hare Tollway. Despite its, name, it’s western terminus doesn’t reach Elgin, but ends at an interchange with US Route 20 (Lake Street) in Hanover Park. It’s current eastern terminus doesn’t reach O’Hare Airport, though there is construction currently going on that will have it reach the western side of O’Hare, though it won’t feature any sort of access point into the airport for travelers. You’d still have to drive all the way around the perimeter of the airport to the east side of it just to access the terminals. But while the Elgin-O’Hare won’t get you to either of Elgin or O’Hare, there is another tollway, I-90 (the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway) that actually DOES CONNECT ELGIN AND O’HARE! I’m begging you to a video on the Elgin-O’Hare one day.

[@NewPaulActs17]

it's actually yet super useful- and well travelled- unlike the 185 tollway the crappy evil part it was a FREEWAY up until a decade ago. damn pat quinn to hell

[@the23rdbryan]

Some Illinois tolls are simply extortion and theft by the state. ABSOLUTELY AGREE about Chicago area toll roads being the WORST !!! During a recent visit, I took the time to slow down and make sure I was paying every toll while traveling to avoid a license plate "violation" because someone told me what that was and I didn't want that to happen. Despite making sure I carefully watched for every single toll, I STILL received a license plate "violation" letter in the mail. The one and only notice I received said I was already "past due" and had incurred a penalty charge and threatened further action if I didn't pay immediately. How can I pay something "on time" when I didn't know I was being charged ???? I had no clue I was charged in the 1st place because I paid every toll as I used it. In later research, I discovered there are some toll plazas and or exit/entrances that won't allow you to pay specifically so they can send that "violation" with a higher charge !! I would gladly pay more as I used it than receive a letter with a picture of my plate saying I did something wrong. That's why I say its a form of extortion and Illinois is getting away with it !!!!!

[@wacowildcat]

This road was built for the future. The Sawgrass Expressway in South Florida was called the road to nowhere in the 80’s. Today the growth has reached the Everglades and the Sawgrass is a major condiut between Dade and Broward western areas.

[@brianweber4154]

Sounds like it was buolt cheaply. It should have lasted much much longer with barely any heavy trucks etc. Private ownership rarely works on tolleays lately. States have to bail them out, time and time again

[@Boss-KingInc.]

Another useless toll road that should be mentioned is Route 576 in Pennsylvania. The completed section connects I-79 to the Pittsburgh Airport and I-376. It saves no time and is the exact same distance as taking I-79 to I-376

[@ronniewatkins]

You should have seen the mess in Greenville when they were building this 25 years ago and how long it took to complete.

[@Christian-g1l8u]

Hey @BeaverGeography you need to check out I-585 in Spartanburg, SC because it breaks the rules when it begins, it comes of a diamond interchange from I-85 and then it has a stoplight just like the 180 in Wyoming, it needs to be checked out

[@duckmeister5385]

Ikr. Two straight lights and then 3 or 4 miles before you hit Pine Street. Makes no sense.

[@ronniegunter9648]

Yes--this is an anomaly. Before the 1990s, what is now I-Loop 85 was the only I-85 going through Spartanburg. So when they built the northern bypass around Spartanburg, they were left with that bit of U.S. 176 that never got converted to interstate highway (I-526 is a REALLY old highway).

[@WarCpa]

Signage on I-85 says US-176 North Pine Street TO I-585. This implies the interstate begins after the light. That being said, on Google maps, the road is marked as I-585 before the light and there is a sign once you exit that just says south interstate 585 with an arrow so I don’t even know.

[@DeathCoast360]

No, that is supposed to be US 176,not i585. 585 ends before the interchange.

[@intunee-yo]

You are absolutely right @Nokose360

[@FozzyBBear]

I-185 should be the perfect route to escape the traffic omnishambles that is Woodruff Road/Five Forks, but somehow it fails. It also fails at connecting the two interstates it intersects. The only way it would work if it was extended through Five Forks to Pelham Road, and if a shorter connection was made to I-85 South.

[@jamesscott500]

And even then, US 276 from 85 to 385 is a handful of stoplights and it's a wide boulevard

[@KingLarbear]

Highway 895 in Richmond VA

[@ahotdj07]

@2:30 - reminds me of I-840 in Nashville.

[@RogerStewart-l5m]

840 is very convenient, when you need to go from the south suburbs to I24, Murfreesboro, or connect with I40 near Mt Juliet. There is a lot of traffic, especially during rush hour. It is very important and shaves about 20-30 minutes off your trip from south suburbs to Mt Juliet, I40 east.

[@AllieThePrettyGator]

My grandfather told me about those when he was in New York. Nowadays the gates are not around

[@ikonikfickle7354]

I live in Greenville and like 3 min from the toll road and even when I was younger me and my aunt would use that road a lot I already watched manic mikes video so it is very nice to get my city recognized even if it’s criticism.!

[@clhawkins19]

Yeah I live right at the intersection with 385 and my god it’s stupid. God forbid you make a wrong turn, you’re stuck on a 10 mi paid turnaround and dealing with awkward toll agents. I’m from the northeast so I’m used to tolls but this is the dumbest one ive ever seen.

[@dennisc6716]

I lived in this area when I-185 was planned and built, and Tim Brett, the president of Connector 2000, was a family friend. This road was primarily designed to funnel truck traffic away from the city of Mauldin. Car traffic really wasn't factored into the initial planning. Tim was a Mauldin police officer in a former life and felt the highway would help reduce truck traffic in the city that was headed to Donaldson Center. Much of that discussion actually occurred before and just after I-385 was extended around the east side of Mauldin, but by the time it was proposed for construction in the 90's, the plans were fairly set to what you see now. Ultimately, no truckers wanted to pay the toll which is why the road is in the dire financial straights it's in now. These plans are also why the road intersects US-25 just below Donaldson Center, as that was the intended destination for much of the anticipated traffic.

[@Cat3465]

I believe that Atlanta’s I-285/GA 400 interchange project is something that should be covered since the construction caused mass delays and also the completion date getting delayed several times

[@andrewhaywood1262]

My mom goes through that interchange at least twice a week. It's bad enough in daytime, and at nighttime without traffic, it's a lot worse. I dunno what's scarier, that or the I-75/I-16 interchange down in Macon.

[@drsysop]

There use to be a toll on Hilton Head Island also using the Palmetto Pass but there is no longer a toll now. South Carolina has a lot of corruption now since Henry McMaster became governor.

[@ronniegunter9648]

I didn't vote for him!

[@DeathCoast360]

And there even used to be a toll in Charleston. I got patched before McMaster took Office. And Alabama finally have a toll road partnering E-Z Pass. Not surprised if Palmetto Pass stops and ends up patched from the system, and go bankrupt before 2051.

[@baseballboy4494]

I think it most likely that I-185 is just there to be bit quicker to take that way to quicker to get to 385 which goes down to I-26 towards Columbia and just the state to make a little bit extra cash. (I could be wrong though)

[@stuartm6069]

most people in that part of the state don't use 185. Here is the difference. you are traveling north on 85 from Anderson going to Columbia. you come to the interchange of 185 and you have a decision. take 185 and pay 4 dollars and spend 15 minutes on 185 and exit onto 385, or travel 4 more miles on 85 to get to 385 (free road) and travel 15 miles to meet up with 185 again. so basically you are spending $4 to save yourself 5 minutes. It's not really worth it. Even Google maps avoids 185 when taking the trip from Anderson to Columbia.

[@roadtripboy]

That was what the Southern Connector people kept saying. It seemed to be their whole reason for building. It was a bad idea from day one.

[@jamesscott500]

Also the people who would use it in this hypothetical could either simplify the route to 85 to 26, or cut from 85 to 385 using SC 86, because the traffic likely to use it is not going to be from Atlanta, who would use I-20. Plus the 85 and 385 interchange has taken woodruff road out of the equation for now and so it's easy to go there instead

[@duckmeister5385]

I have studiously avoided 185 hundreds of times. It doesn't really even save that much time.

[@22imon]

hello mr beaver, i appreciate all you do. that's it, thank you.

[@lpn8585]

Your lisp is music to my ears. Oh my! ❤

[@nzz6063]

I took that several years back while experimenting w/ an alt route to the southern NC coast. It was after midnight, the lone toll attendant let me thru for free, lol. I saw ZERO traffic in either direction! It was a bit creepy 😅

[@MotorsportsNation]

I’ve used this road a few different time and even in the middle of the day there’s no one on it. Let’s just say me and my friends have had some fun in our cars on this road lol

[@Frogster88]

So, random place of interest I recently learned about: apparently, in downtown Dallas, the eastern wall to the highway loop (running between US-75/Spur-366 and IH-30/IH-45) that is commonly misconceived to be either US-75 or IH-45 is technically an unsigned spur route of IH-45 titled IH-345. No one actually calls it that though, much less does anyone actually recognize it.

[@RebelQueenAmelia]

i always grew up thinking it was just a part of US-75

[@literalbread3029]

Commenting to say that I love your voice your videos are very interesting

[@shaynestephens]

Great video! Pleased to meet another Mileage Mike fan! Keep up the good work!

[@mixerdude]

What’s up with interstates beginning with ‘18’

[@Horatio.Seymour]

I had this idea and thought of no better person to share it with than you. But I was wondering if there is enough, if any, locations on the Thruway system that has sharp turns or steeper than usual inclines. If at all possible, a top 10 list of sharpest and/or./ steepest inclines in the US Thruway system would be a really interesting video if at all possible to even make. (I'm not sure if there's enough for that). Either way, I'm a long time subscriber and really enjoy all the videos, keep up the great work!!!

[@jpatrickmoore5158]

I-5 has two curves that may qualify, the first near Roseburg, and the second, the Terwilliger curves south of Portland.

[@paulw.woodring7304]

West Virginia Twistpike.

[@wilhelmtomas4023]

A little bit of history might explain some of the problems & anomalies of this particular road. When I-85 was constructed in the late 1950s, it used the right-of-way as US-29 from mm34 to mm42. From mm42 I-85 veered eastward away from downtown Greenville, while the US-29 right-of-way was upgraded to freeway & signed I-185 as a spur into the downtown. Fast forward to the late 1980s when metro GSP had nearly tripled in population, & the need for a southern bypass became obvious. SC gas taxes are among the lowest in the USA, which is good for drivers' wallets but leaves SCDOT chronically short of funds for new highway construction. Thus the turn to private capital. The crux of the problem with this toll road is that (going east to west, from I-385 to I-85) it starts out as a bypass or partial beltway, but instead of remaining on that track & linking with I-85 somewhere around mm34 or 35, it does a 90° turn & links with the 85/185 interchange at mm42. So in effect, it starts as a southern bypass of Greenville but becomes a spur into Greenville. Thus it has a circuitous route that doesn't save any mileage or time & therefore isn't worth the expensive tolls.

[@timsimmons5190]

18 WHEELERS keeping it open lol. Somedays I ride back and forth at least 5 times out the day through the toll and 6 others drivers from my company. And plenty more trucks run thru. With all the truck travel back and forth moving things for bmw and other plants it relieves some of the truck traffic off 85.

[@enticingmay435]

As somebody who grew up and live on the West coast (the Southwest specifically), the concepts of toll roads is just so bizarre to me. Roads where you have to pay to drive on? The thing is that places that have toll roads are states with some of the highest taxes in the country, so you’re paying all those taxes and the government can’t even provide you free roads to drive on? That’s just crazy

[@amylaneio]

Toll roads aren't only about paying for the cost of the road. Because not everyone is willing to pay the toll, the toll road can be a much faster alternative route to another congested route. They can make a lost of sense in the denser urban areas of the east coast.

[@jg-qj7ts]

Roads are expensive to maintain, especially in the NE with high volumes of traffic and our freeze cycles.

[@sc1338]

SC has low taxes js. it’s nice because no one uses it 😂

[@TheObsesedAnimeFreaks]

Uh... Florida has no income tax and has the most toll roads of any state in the south. Also... You don't get "free roads" you get robbed by government to pay for roads you never use. It's far simpler and easier to just toll every stretch of road in a state then it is to try to mug people for money to pay for ever degrading roadways with funds often redirected to friends and families in backdoor deals. And yes taxation is theft, amd free doesn't exist. You have to pay for those roads one way or another... I much rather pay for the road directly then be forced to out what I earn.

[@gregoryignatius4282]

What’s crazy is that thinking like yours is a big part of the reason trucks, 18 wheelers, pay a small fraction of what it costs governments to provide those roads. Eisenhower, a REPUBLICAN, wanted to provide a free network of roads because he was impressed by the German autobahn. The USA gave land to railroads to build railroads. Now we have terrible passenger rail, and most AMTRAK delays are because passenger rail doesn’t own the right of way. Yeah we gave the land to the railroads now passenger trains wait on a siding for coal trains with other freight to go first. If trucks had to pay what it actually costs for that 18 wheeler to use the highway, the freight industry would go bankrupt. Sort that mess then tell us again about free roads.

[@Octoman6951]

Hello fellow road geeks 😊

[@cfergusn]

Check out the Chickasaw Turnpike in Oklahoma... how this is not on top befuddles me.

[@DugrozReports]

For a video idea, how about small private toll roads and bridges that still exist? (Or did until recently). Maybe not private literally, but it could include things like operated by a county or small town. I know there is one just south of Omaha, in Bellevue, NE, across the Mississippi river into Iowa.

[@jerome2022]

Sometimes I'll pay the 4? Dollars toll but most times I'll pass by on my way to Myrtle Beach.

[@rathersane]

Supposing the following changes were made to I-185: 1. Speed limit abolished 2. Toll raised to $20 3. Marketing, marketing, marketing!

[@kersplody7435]

So long as we apply German rural autobahn rules with no speed limit and photo enforcement of tailgating and lane usage (keep right unless passing; don't get in the way of faster cars), sign me up!

[@HiFiGuy197]

Go as fast as you dare, but also the road surface is so bad you don’t wanna go too fast?

[@rathersane]

The $20 toll would help to both maintain the roadway and keep out the riff raff

[@GamingBren]

I wouldn’t be surprised if the Connector 2000 association gives up someday, gives South Carolina the highway, and I-185 becomes toll-free. Then, the state DOT could do stuff such as resurfacing the road.

[@MustachioFurioso9134]

Ive used I185 twice, didnt save me enough time to ever consider it again...

[@Ianmccor]

Living in SC this could be a potentially good route to connect the areas west of Greenville to the rest of SC as I-85 is disconnected from the rest of the state not in the Greenville-Spartanburg area, and I-185 could link up I-385 and I85. The problem is of course the route isn't direct in doing so, and unless there is bad traffic elsewhere it makes sense to just go up to I-85 directly from I-385 or save even more miles and take state highways 418 and 8 (which are two lane roads so not ideal either).

[@ryanbahrami]

Heyyyy the first scene was Otay Lakes Rd. On ramp for the 125!

[@armandoperez7967]

Maybe if it becomes part of a full beltway around Greenville, then maybe there would be a lot more revenue. Maybe I-685 would be a good number for it if it happens.

[@jamesscott500]

*technically* this gets into that whole "interstate highways are for national defense" bit from the Eisenhower system. There's the Donaldson Center in South Greenville and it does technically service the south part of Greenville, and Maudlin, Simpsonville, and Fountain Inn that have some industry going on. It's just not enough to justify the tolls. However, going from Easley to Simpsonville is not a route that requires a highway, and as a result is serviced by sneaking out the north of Simpsonville to SC-86. Spits you right near where interstate 85 and US 29 split off going south towards the state line. That being said, 185 was a massive wake up call for SC, partially because it was the point in which the federal government finally put their foot down and mandated the state widen I-85, and they've gotten it right for an interstate. Now, they can fix it in its current state, but keeping it 2 lanes wide, tearing out the toll booths, and just letting it be a vent for 85 and 385. Because as it currently stands, 85 GSP to the 385 interchange constantly backs up, and similar things happen going north from US 276 to the 385 interchange. Giving a vent for a traveller to go around Greenville, and pop out a few miles down from 85 on 385 north is really nice actually, plus it gives an alternate highway to the south terminus of US 276 at 385 as well.

[@mityace]

Now, that they connect shouldn't I-185 and 385 be combined into an even x85?

[@j.f.e.productions4098]

The issue with that is that I 385 continues South towards Columbia and terminates at I 26. It doesn't end at I 185.

[@richy85]

I live in the area and I will say i-185 would be very useful for traveling from Simpsonville to the west side of Greenville or Easley. If they can find a way to make it free then that area has potential to grow

[@jeepmega629]

Imagine living near this road............

[@MadFireTV]

Great video! I love geography and demography. Your videos are some of my favorites to watch.

[@romyan5382]

I live near the toll road on the first slide and they ironically also went bankrupt from lack of use lol

[@amergrant-ns5cr]

Usually there is some politician that used the project to sale some land.

[@andrewwilmoth6500]

There are several auto parts manufacturers along I-185 very close to the Donaldson Center exit at Hwy 25. They mostly supply a BMW assembly plant located along I-85 between Greenville and Spartanburg. And NONE of the truck traffic going between those plants and BMW use I-185. The Southern Connector does not manage to keep truck traffic off the surface roads at all.

[@MikeV8652]

You know what they say: Location, location, location. This road doesn't have it!

[@mikejacobs7464]

The exit ramp toll booths are unmanned and cash only on that toll road! ABSOLUTELY STUPID!

[@Ianman258]

Love to see you getting sponsored thats awesome and super well-deserved!

[@jp-ui6qg]

you should look at the 407 in Toronto. its a great place for a highway, only real bypassing the to 401 (highway thru the most populated part of Canada), Thru Toronto). But it is so expensive it fails to relive traffic on the 401.

[@andrepoiy1199]

The 407's goal isn't to relieve traffic on the 401. It's to provide a high speed alternative to it. They found a perfect number to charge people, so that there's enough vehicles to make a lot of money, but expensive enough that it never gets jammed (minus the occasional accident). In fact, it's better for the 407 when there's traffic on the 401. The slower the 401 is, the more money the 407 makes.

[@ronniegunter9648]

Yes! When I was there on vacation in 2004, I got on it for about 10 kilometres, due to a lunch-hour bottleneck on the 401. My bill was over $6 CAN!!! I said I would NEVER use this road again!!!

[@MichaelSIngle-gn9qz]

The worst one is the Pennsylvania Turnpike. This one is the stupidest one.

[@neighborhoodpranksters6214]

Hi Beaver, I had a question about starting a KZbin channel. I was wondering what software do you use to record your videos and audio? I hope you see this, and thank you!

[@sokonek1]

Video suggestion, small cities that have expansive freeway systems My nominee, Green Bay WI You have a freeway box that connects I43 on the East and north side of the city, I41 on the west side and WI 172 on the south side. WI 29 is a freeway that leaves town to the NW, WI 54 & 57 are a freeway up through door county. Plus there is an odd little stretch of pseudo freeway in downtown connected to a bridge over the fox river

[@cigarsgunsanddiesel8032]

PA Turnpike... the most expensive toll road in the WORLD...

[@davidneman6527]

​@@cigarsgunsanddiesel8032Have you ever driven around New York City?

[@cigarsgunsanddiesel8032]

@@davidneman6527 daily... in a semi truck!

[@thomasmandalla]

Considering that toll roads are stupid in all cases. Pay a regressive tax for transportation which is supposed to serve the public.

[@lanabreeze]

You should consider doing a video on the Chicago Skyway, another over priced and under used toll road. For years the Skyway was unable to repay revenue bonds used in its construction.

[@User31129]

Was just by there last year. The traffic on the competing route to the west of the Skyway is ROUGH though. I can see how people would want to pay to avoid the slowdown.

[@brianarbenz1329]

Governors will do _anything_ to avoid having just plain making the public pay taxes for what they want and need. Badly needed roads just don't get used if there are annoying and easily avoidable tolls -- though this one seemed not so badly needed, based on your video. And with apps online that show drivers how to avoid all toll roads and bridges, toll roads are losing much out-of-state traffic.

[@marshallr4797]

Nice! This one is in my “backyard”.

[@FatManWalking18]

south carolina is one of the few states east of the Mississippi that does not take EZ pass; works in Florida finally.

[@bblegacy]

It's typical of the totally inept stupidity of this state. I moved to the Greenville area four years ago. It seemed like a good idea at the time but I can't stand it here. How or why it's growing so much and so fast I have no idea. Since I have a SC plate on my car now I can't use EZ-Pass when I travel back up north to NY or New England. Every state between here and there takes EZ-Pass but this bastion of backwardness is typically out of the loop (just like this pointless interstate that basically isn't a shortcut to anywhere).

[@twomble5002]

If you think this is the worst, you haven’t heard of VA-895 in Richmond, VA.

[@DerekWitt]

Sounds like I-185 is almost as useless as I-180 in Illinois.

[@jarvisstradford7211]

I hate tolls road. Yes that is the worst toll road I ever seen. The City of Greenville, Greenville County, and the state of South Carolina need to do better.

[@davebenitez1165]

Yup. Lived in the area for 11 years. Never used 185. In fact I avoided it. A truly useless route. Toll or not.

[@stuartm6069]

same here, I moved to Simpsonville in 2003. I never took 185. If I wanted to go to Anderson, I would always take 385 to 85. It took the same amount of time and it was free.

[@bonelickin]

Not to be confused with I-185 in Georgia which isn’t a toll

[@jonathandavis4241]

I thought interstate 185 went from lagrange to fort benning?

[@brianfleming2474]

While 185 is utterly useless, the idea that it's presenting a barrier that's stifling growth to the south just doesn't hold water. Simpsonville, Fountain Inn, Powdersville, etc all fall predominately on the other side of that "barrier" and are all still growing rapidly. Greenville and Anderson county both are drawing in huge swaths of people regardless of the proximity to a useless appendage of the highway system in the Upstate. Whether that's a pro or a con is for someone else to decide.

[@GeoHuman.]

I-185 would be slightly better if they built the western part to face towards I-85 south

[@skwerlking]

What's the least travelled toll highway in the lower 48?

[@SLTales]

A regular traveler on this route....its dead any time of the day. Never even had to brake on this road.

[@CharlesB9496]

I've actually been on this one. Yeah it was barren, and not the smoothest ride.

[@ed12151]

I haven't driven on a decent road yet in South Carolina, I can see a drop in MPG within a couple of miles into the state.

[@Cristian145]

*Laughs in IL-390*

[@CleverIV]

We cannot blame congress for not giving the toll interoperability act no actual teeth. There’s no reason for this to not have at least agreements with FL SunPass or even EZ Pass.

[@EndTheSimpademic]

Nope..that would be Oklahoma's Chickasaw Turnpike..

[@lemapp]

If South Carolina can build this toll road, why can't they build a highway to connect Myrtle Beach with I-95?

[@gaffneyrailroading1982]

That would make too much sense. They don't believe in that in South Carolina.

[@lw8153]

The road isn't very nice and has cracks solely because it is in South Carolina. SC roads are the easiest way to tell you accidentally wandered out from GA or NC...

[@CheeseMasterSports]

Correction: Every toll road is the worst toll road in America 😂

[@davidneman6527]

Most stink, but New Jersey does it right.

[@bhb192]

Its mostly used by people going between Columbia and Clemson. Everybody exits just before the curve onto SC-153 and goes to US-123 in Easley via Powdersville. Nobody actually uses the segment between 85 and 153 unless they made a mistake. And also I know the map says Golden Grove but everybody calls that area Piedmont.

[@duckmeister5385]

There is a sign on 20 that says Golden Grove, but there's nothing near the sign that resembles a town.

[@aaronkulp1808]

I was on the segment between 153 and 85 this morning and I could count the amount of cars I saw on one hand. And the only reason I was there was to explore.

[@swinde]

Toll roads are by definition NOT "freeways".

[@ronniegunter9648]

I'm GLAD to see this highway get verbally lambasted on KZbin. When it opened in 2001, I was so excited that I used it all the time, as the two 50-cent tolls weren't too bad (going from Moonville to Greenville's westside on U.S. 25 cost only 50 cents). But then the tolls kept going up--all the way up to two $2 tolls (and the Palmetto Pass saves only a few cents). So as much as I commute to Greenville, I recall using the Southern Connector only TWICE in the last ten years: once during an accident-induced bottleneck, and once due to accidentally taking the wrong exit. If the Southern Connector wants me to use its turnpike, it needs to stop fleecing its users. I highly recommend AGAINST using this road except in an emergency. The little bit of time saved is NOT worth the expense.

[@davidtosh7200]

It seems like Oklahoma does have numerous toll roads and it is outnumbered the freeways. 😢

[@itsoundzgood]

The Turner Turnpike was actually supposed to have its tolls removed since the Turnpike was 100% paid off many years ago, but of course their greed will always prevail.

[@edwardstrishock8541]

Knowledge is power, stang up for your rights

[@fecat93]

Lots of Chicagoland pictures. Do you consider these "good" toll roads? I'm live in the northwest suburbs so I'm forced to use it in any south or east bound trip.

[@JeremysJourneys1]

Sure are a hell of a lot better than IDOT roads lol

[@nofacebigfootgaming6008]

WRONGO, the worst toll road is the Pennsylvania Turnpike and by an incredibly large margin (almost like the Crimson Tide playing the worse team in D3 football.) It currently costs $112.90 without EZ Pass to travel the entire distance of PA Pike.

[@nooneofconsequence3847]

IIRC, the PA TP has the highest cost per mile/kilometer of any toll road in the world, but damn if it isn't Autobahn quality. Also, I 100% believe that if I'm paying that much to drive on it, speed limits are more what you call guidelines

[@RoadRunnergarage8570]

IMO the Northeast Extension of the PA Turnpike (I 476) is the worst... Hardly any traffic on it...

[@RoadRunnergarage8570]

Especially between Clarks Summit and Wilkes Barre ..

[@Goobnav]

@@RoadRunnergarage8570 you are absolutely right, nobody would use it because of the cost and it really didn't help in bypassing the "valleys" @nofacebigfootgaming6008 the mainline 76/276/95 is $69 from NJ to OH and it can be bypassed for free by I-80

[@kurtjohnston7055]

Live here. Been on it once. Accidentally.

[@dubl59zy]

I live in Simpsonville, basically right at the beginning of the highway. Two of my doctors are more or less on the other side of 185. It’s still faster for me to take the 385 to the 85 to get there. I’ve been on the road once, just to see what it was like. Very, very empty. That would make it nice if it could save me any time for anything. Hopefully we will have more development along it. But it has to be free.

[@Ginger_head_Man]

I live just a couple of minutes from the i85 side of this toll road and work on the i385 side of this toll road. This road, in theory, would be a great route for me, but it would only save me 3-4 minutes each way and cost me $4 each direction, so it makes no sense for even me to drive it. Rush hour traffic on this side of Greenville isn’t even that bad, so there’s not much of a traffic incentive either. I’ve only been on this road at most 5 times in my life and I’ve lived near it since it was built. Almost everyone in the area acts like that road doesn’t even exist.

[@truckermikemct1]

Is this the Tap Out guy? The W (W) E guy?

[@MrMtanz]

Man, what a waste of money

[@djarod784]

I knew it was Greenville,sc the moment I saw the thumbnail. Lmao

[@jlpack62]

what a horrible toll road decision.

[@Chris_winthers]

Come back to emc beaver we miss you

[@JayZoop]

The entire TEXAS system sucks. It's all divided into several areas with several companies sending you bills. I still don't know if I paid them all up. Just trash!!