1, 2. Potential here, but these really needed to either be shot with a graduated neutral-density filter, or for an HDR, and definitely with a polarizing filter. I have to think that these would have been much better had you shot a series and combined to produce a panorama.
3. Yep, that's a highway.
4. I think a closer (say, head and shoulders shot) and less centered composition would have made this stronger.