The U.S. Interstate Highways, Ranked | MapQuest

[2naSalit]

2. That sounds like an interesting read.

I drove that route for years, took it whenever the opportunity arose simply because of lack of traffic and better road conditions in winter. I drove semis for a long time and that was the preferred northern route. Back in the 1970s you could go a good half day before seeing another vehicle going in either direction out in the western states. Once you got east of the twin cities, it was another world entirely... bad pavement and roadbed instability and traffic. Chicago was something to avoid, the two-lanes to the south were used by the regional drivers who knew their way around. And blizzards could happen at the south end of Lake Michigan at any time of year... but the fireflies on summer nights lit up the landscape in uncommon beauty with heat lightning pulsing in the distant sky. The cities speak for themselves.

As far as winter driving across the western segment, beyond the twin cities (have to get away from the lakes) the roadbed freezes and the snow is less likely to stick to it, often the snow just "snakes" across the pavement and evaporates the snow/ice off the pavement. Be cause it normally stayed cold all winter there was little to no melting creating messy ice patches. Now it can be a real drag with all the oil field traffic.