Remember the Deadliest Highways (three-laners)?

[Dibbons]

When I was a youngster growing up in California (1950's-1960's) there were still sections of highways that used a middle "passing lane" that vehicles going in either direction could use when "available". Unfortunately, in 1937 I lost three relatives who died tragically in a head-on collision using that "passing lane" near Burlingame. California. This would have been my Aunt, her mother, and her brother. That highway design was eventually discontinued, but not soon enough if you ask me.

 

[ksurfer2]

When I first moved to Florida in the early 80's, "Alligator Alley" that connects Ft Lauderdale with Naples was a 2 lane road that was dead straight and flat for nearly 100 miles. No street lights, minimal shoulders. It was really hard to judge distances and closing speeds at night. There were frequent head on crashes on that road in very remote areas. Lots of people got killed out there. Thankfully, it is now an extension of I-75 (although still referred to as Alligator Alley) and much, much safer.

 

[YY1]

I drove to high school on the deadliest road in my county.

It made a half circle around the city, but about 15 miles out through the suburbs and smaller townships.

The part that went to the school also went by the USAF museum.
It was super twisty 45 MPH 4 lane but there had been so many head ons that they put up a wall down the center and that actually made rear end collisions more likely because you couldn't see around the curves. One day while on the school bus, we saw one of my friend's cars on it's roof. Someone had cut in front of him and he swerved, flipping the car and sliding it partially down an exit ramp.

The part that went the other way was straight and was the prime area for street racing after you got about 5 miles out.
Every year they'd put a totaled car in the front yard of an insurance agency with some kind of safety warning.

I saw a serious wreck on that road at least 6-8 tames a year and saw several people die or lose limbs, one directly in front of the fire/ambulance station. A 69 caprice was way over the speed limit and crossed the raised concrete median into a mid 80's ltd.
The driver of the caprice apparently had his arm out the window, and it was laying in the road. The ltd pushed the caprice partially off it's frame. The ltd's entire front clip was bent up and back and the grille was almost touching the roof. The steering column and the driver were levered through the windshield but the driver came back through and fell out the now open door.

If you went passed the high school and continued almost to the road's end, was Hara Arena, home of a local hockey team.

In 1984, I drove (with my learner's permit and my mom and a friend) to see Judas Priest. (mom drove the car back and my friend's folks picked us up), as we approached the arena, traffic started to back up. A 66 chevy pickup had almost had a head on with a 72 caprice and narrowly avoided it, but a motorcycle behind the truck couldn't stop and slid into the caprice. The motorcyclist's body went through the windshield and the caprice's passenger went out the side window. we passed close enough that I could have touched the passenger's body that was bent backwards and dripping with blood. My mom was utterly terrified. People were pointing to a spot over in a field, and we could see the motorcycle helmet.....with the cyclist's head still inside. This may sound crass, but Priest's opening song-

"Some Heads Are Gonna Roll"

 

[wahya]

We were in the mountains last year, I am thinking it was North Carolina. Three lane sections for passing slower moving vehicles in right lane going in one direction. Saw a road sign that read (on one lane side) passing in center lane lawful when oncoming traffic not in that lane.
Heck, in Florida you can be stuck in single lane with a bunch of other cars going 45-50 mph and get to the passing lane section. All of a sudden, everyone is going 80, then you get back to two lane traffic and you're back to 45 again, not able to have passed anybody.

 

[Slap Stick]

Sections of US 40 and US 66 in MO were 3 lane well into the 60s.

 

[alfaitalia]

When I was a youngster growing up in California (1950's-1960's) there were still sections of highways that used a middle "passing lane" that vehicles going in either direction could use when "available". Unfortunately, in 1937 I lost three relatives who died tragically in a head-on collision using that "passing lane" near Burlingame. California. This would have been my Aunt, her mother, and her brother. That highway design was eventually discontinued, but not soon enough if you ask me.

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We still have them here....ones not five miles from me.....never heard of them being a problem.....maybe its our higher driving standards here!!.....or maybe not.

 

[Budnicks]

we had another one too Hwy 4, was called 'Blood Alley'
(hwy 12 was really bad at onetime too, delta to the valley)
both mostly all 2 lane, really no safe passing lanes,
lots of trucks used
for decades (I remember it/them in the later 70's)
lots of undulations between, east bay & the foothills
people would get impatient & try to pass when
you couldn't see over the crest of the next rise
head-on city...

I think we even watched a film about it in drivers-ed

the state DOT made a mandate to have your lights on at all times
not sure how much it helped, they finally added passing lanes
in sections for either side separated by a few miles apart

both became speed traps too, ticket city

I lived near & drove hwy 4 a lot, drove hwy 12 some too