Anyone Familiar with US 30 Across Ohio?

[mypetersahn]

Looking to travel from Northern VA to South Western Michigan and avoid the toll road for a change.

It looks like US 30 is a nice shot across Ohio into Indiana. Is anyone familiar with this road and can offer an opinion?

JEP

[jdsdtourteam]

Jeff,

No expert, but I didn't see any other folks here posting...

I lived in PA for many many years with my folks in WI - so I went thru OH many many times by motor vehicle (cars and motorcycle) and under my own power (touring bicycle pulling my daughter in a bike trailer).

I've thought US 30 is nice when you don't want to move at Warp speed (as on the Interstates) but want for a slower ride (have to - many towns) and see a taste of the land of OH.

Hopefully some of the locals up there in OH can chime in with details. For me, any extra time I would have crossing OH, I would spend on the blue highways.

Jon

[lenrt1200st]

Josh, please pick up the white courtesy phone.


I was born not 12 miles form that great American road. US 30 in Ohio is as said above, not a limited access road, but four-lane most all the way from W. Va to Indiana. It gets pretty flat out beyond Bucyrus, OH.

Len

[ALIENHITCHHIKER]

I've traveled stretches of US 30 across the big O. What can you say? It's northern Ohio.

I have run the full length of US 33 across the state (on my way to south central Michigan). It has some pleasant stretches, angling up through the hills of sourh-eastern Ohio.

Where you headed to in Michigan?

[tommcgee]

It looks like US 30 is a nice shot across Ohio into Indiana. Is anyone familiar with this road and can offer an opinion?

I've been there, but it was night and it was 1971. That trip was Boston to EL-A. For route planning, I took a ruler and drew a straight line. Any primary or secondary road closest to that line was game for the active route.

There were big chunks of the interstate missing in those days and I found some great roads. In recent years, I've found many of the US routes to be great rides.

[kasteiner]

I was born and raised in NE Ohio and Rt. 30 was the "main road" where we lived.

This road is a great ride across the state, allowing you to make good time but also giving you access to the small towns along the way.

Over the past years, it was a combination of two lane road, 4 lane divided hwy, and "interstate-type". It was upgraded in sections, as highway funds were available. The upgrades are now complete (or almost) across the entire state.

I think the other east-west roads across the top of the state are either local roads (running through the towns) or the turnpike.

Have a safe ride and enjoy the Buckeye State!

Keith

[harde44647]

I live On 30 in Massillon.Traveled it many times. From Pa. to entering Canton 2 lane and very slow, passing through many towns. From Canton to Ind. its 4 lane with a speed limit of 65. Watch for The State Highway Patrol, very aggressive. There is a 7 mile stretch west of Massillon that is 4 lane but a speed limit of 55. Hope this helps.:bikes :bikes

[JanMiller]

Rode across on 30 a couple of years back, maybe got on around Lima Ohio. Neither good nor bad as slabs go, I hate slabbing it by the way, but .. Indiana, no offense Hoosiers, is pretty middle-of-the-road re: cool roads... so it accomplished a much appreciated 'shortest way to the next place' mission.... Cut south at Valparaiso to go 'under' Chicago...

[dzimbric]

Think straight flat and boring with multiple traffic lights thrown in. Crossing Ohio is kinda like taking off a bandage, best to do it as quickly as possible, take the toll road. :laugh

[dzimbric]

When you get here send me a PM. I live in South Haven.

[BuckeyeClark]

I live about 2 miles from Rt30 and I will input my two cents worth....Just a couple short years ago I would have told you to avoid it at all costs due to it being mostly two lanes with 14 gabillion semis and a chance of certain death running about 50/50; however, now it is almost all 4 lanes and I will now tell you to avoid it due to it being one of the most boring roads on the planet. It is allot safer now; but, the stretch West of Canton to Indiana is like watching your fingernails grow.

[osceola]

Born and raised on the South Side (Go White Sox!!) of Chicago and spent lots of time in cars traveling around the area with my family. My grandfather told me about the "Lincoln Highway" and how it was the first paved road to cross this great country:usa from one end to the other.
Here's a 1924 map of the road in Eastern Ohio,

http://alumnus.caltech.edu/~jlin/lincoln/maps/1924/oh_e.gif

Got that from a great website with lots of great reading about this interesting road...

http://lincolnhighway.jameslin.name/

[roburnmc]

I traveled part of US30 coming home from the '06 national rally in West Bend, WI. After the ferry crossing I made my way from Muskegon, MI to US30 by way of mostly small back country roads. US30 was a nice alternative to the toll route. I hoped on at Van Wert, OH and was pretty bored with it by Mansfield, OH. I then took Rt39 and a combination of small two lane roads to East Liverpool, OH where I picked up US30 again and road it all the way home to Lancaster, PA. Have a great ride and be safe.

[GCTROYER]

If you're still interested in suggestions, feel free to contact me. I live just south of 30 near Wooster. I've traveled it many times in both directions across the state.
I can provide scenic alternatives to the eastern section that go through Amish country, or an option to skip the worst part in Eastern O without going out of the way. If you want to make good time without paying tolls, it's a great road once you get to Canton - however it is, as most have described, pretty flat and boring west of Mansfield. Heck, I'll meet you at the river and ride across with you if you like.

[Jfixit]

I found 30 frustrating in Pennsylvania, heavy traffic and many stops.

[nnissly]

Much of the historic Lincoln Highway, the first road across America (from New York City to San Francisco), became part of U.S. 30; it is still known by that name in many areas.

U.S. Route 30 is an east-west main route of the system of United States Numbered Highways, with the highway traveling across the northern tier of the country. The western end of the highway is at Astoria, Oregon; the eastern end is in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Despite long stretches of parallel and concurrent Interstate Highways, it has managed to avoid the decommissioning that has happened to other long haul routes such as U.S. Route 66.

From Wikipedia.

[dzimbric]

Much of the historic Lincoln Highway, the first road across America (from New York City to San Francisco), became part of U.S. 30; it is still known by that name in many areas.

U.S. Route 30 is an east-west main route of the system of United States Numbered Highways, with the highway traveling across the northern tier of the country. The western end of the highway is at Astoria, Oregon; the eastern end is in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Despite long stretches of parallel and concurrent Interstate Highways, it has managed to avoid the decommissioning that has happened to other long haul routes such as U.S. Route 66.

From Wikipedia.

what does wilkipedia say about ohio?