seattle does one better - the 'express' section of I-5 from Northgate to Downtown, only has a couple of exits, and switches directions to match up with commute hours.
The idea is, if you don't need to get off the road right away, you can take the bypass lanes. Means there's a lot less cross traffic coming in and out.
I'd disagree with the issues between slow traffic staying to the right interfering with traffic coming onto and getting off of a freeway. Given a few design considerations, there shouldn't be too much conflict.
1) Each ramp should be designed to allow traffic to merge onto the freeway, or exit, without having to decelerate drastically while still on the freeway, or accelerate drastically once on it. None of these 100-foot 15mph hairpin ramps!
2) There should be enough room for traffic getting off to maneuver to the rightmost lane and then exit without having to slalom their way through other vehicles. If each lane gets progressively slower from left to right (which should happen if you're only allowed to pass on the left) this shouldn't be an issue - as you slow down for your exit, you change lanes progressively. The same goes for people coming on - as you speed up, you move to the left to pass slower vehicles.
3) Multiple highway interchanges should not be combined with normal exit/entrance ramps where possible - since you're making two highways out of 1, or joining 2 into 1, there'll be lots of lane changes, and worrying about drivers tring to merge on or off to a ramp is just complicating things.
4) The number of lanes should be as constant as possible, and consistent with the amount of traffic. It makes absolutely no sense to squeeze 6 lanes down to 3 in the space of less than 2 miles, unless you want to create a perpetual traffic jam.
5) Placing metering lights at the END of the entrance ramp, right where it joins with the highway, is abysmally bad. If you need to meter traffic coming onto the highway, do it either at the cross street, or no further than halfway up the ramp. People need time to get up to highway speed before they get to the highway-speed traffic.
OK, now, I'm done ripping on the designers. Now for the drivers.
1) it is NOT stylish to camp out in the #1 lane. Yes, it is the lane furthest away from the entrance and exit ramps, but if you're paying attention, you should have the skill to either allow traffic to merge around you, or change lanes to make room. Again, lanes should get progressively SLOWER left to right.
2) Be aware of the road and where the exits are. The time to change lanes for your exit is NOT immediately beforehand, but a mile or two back. Same for entrances. You shouldn't dawdle up the ramp and then accelerate once you've succeeded in having people jam their brakes. That entrance ramp is designed to get you up to highway speed by the time you get to the highway - use it!
3) If you speed, you'll have to stick to the leftmost lane, or close to it. Take your lumps if you get caught.
4) because there's the slower traffic keep right progression, you should decelerate when changing lanes to the right, and accelerate as you change lanes to the left. Because traffic is moving slower than you to the right, you might want to time your slowing down so you can duck into an available spot without having to slow drastically (thereby making people behind you go batshit). As for moving to the left, accelerate such that you move into gaps behind faster cars.
