Stomp the brakes. (You’ll need to at some point if you ever drive on I-75 between Cincinnati and Dayton.) A new survey from Lexington, Kentucky, car dealer Quantrell Volvo on the best U.S. roadways for commuting is raising some questions — at least for us. Questions like: “Have you ever actually driven on I-75?” and “What the hell is wrong with you?” or “Are you just three I-75 construction barrels stacked on top of each other in a trenchcoat?”
Let’s throw it in reverse for a sec (which is something else we’ve witnessed happen on I-75). Quantrell Volvo innocently wanted to see what drivers thought were the most enjoyable commutes in the United States.
“Everyone’s heard the horror stories about America’s worst commutes — think of the bumper-to-bumper crawl along LA’s I-405, the never-ending snarl of Atlanta’s I-285, or the daily grind on New York’s Cross Bronx Expressway. Those drives can turn a few miles into a test of patience, with delays and stress piling up fast. But what about the flipside? The commutes that people actually look forward to? Not many folks have stopped to consider the drives that turn the daily slog into something special — routes with jaw-dropping views and roads that flow like a dream,” reads a description of the survey.
Scenic, dream-like routes? The very top answers of the list make sense. The top spot went to Kailua to Honolulu via Pali Highway, HI-61 in Hawaii. Dramatic, lush green mountains and a blue ocean twinkling in the distance? Totally. The next two, Buffalo to Niagara Falls via I-190 in New York and Boulder to Denver via US-36 in Colorado, also offer stunning views. But things on the list get squirrelly when you get to No. 104: Cincinnati to Dayton via I-75.
“This commute starts with Cincinnati’s vibrant skyline before transitioning into rolling farmlands and suburban communities. As commuters head north, the road passes through the Miami Valley, offering views of forests and open fields before arriving in the energetic business hub of Dayton,” reads the very questionable rationale.
Don’t get us wrong, we love Cincinnati and Dayton, but we don’t think anyone who actually has to commute on this route would ever describe it as “a dream,” unless that dream is “a nightmare.” The brief moment of passing by Cincinnati’s beautiful skyline on I-75 once you survive the monstrosity that is the Brent Spence Bridge going north or the cluster of 20,000 different lanes popping up out of nowhere near Ezzard Charles going south is probably the very small highlight of this roadway. The “Hell is Real” sign may be on I-71, but it belongs over on this stretch of very industrial, very urban sprawl-y, often smelly, roadkill- and busted-car-parts-ridden interstate where construction never ends and the other drivers may actually be actively trying to kill you — we don’t have proof of their intent, but speeding around you at 110 mph, just to cut over into your lane mere feet from your front end with no one else in front of you, seems malicious. Or, tailgating you in the rain while you try to navigate a narrow lane marked by cement barricades on either side in a construction zone. Right to jail.
Let’s also not forget this stretch of I-75 is also home to the Lux Mundi statue — better known as “Hug Me Jesus.” This statue can be seen outside the Solid Rock Church as you pass through Monroe, and it’s a nice statue — until you remember before Hug Me Jesus, there was “Touchdown Jesus,” which (presumably) God struck down with lightning in 2010. Was God angry at the statue or at I-75? We can’t say, but we wouldn’t want to be near either if he decides to get revenge again.
And I-75 from Cincinnati to Dayton was the top commute in the state of Ohio on the list. Cleveland to Akron via I-77 made the list at No. 113 and Dublin to Columbus via US-33 and I-270 came in at No. 122, which makes us wonder how bad those routes have to be. I-75 may not be the Jersey Turnpike, but it’s also not for the faint of heart.
You can see the full list of the Top 130 Dream Drives here.
This article appears in Apr 2-8, 2025.
