How far can you travel in your area without using a freeway of any sort?

[sparker]

Several years back when I was still living in Redlands, I took an out-of-the-way routing to visit a friend in the Spokane area in order to clinch some previously untraveled routes.  A couple of the segments involved very long stretches without even the hint of a freeway: Baker, CA to Carlin, NV (CA 127/NV 373, US 95, US 6, NV 376, US 50, NV 278; the trip meter showed a tad under 480 miles).  After jogging over on I-80 and overnighting in Elko, I continued north via NV 225, ID 51, ID 78, and ID 45 to Nampa (IIRC, about 250-odd miles), where I crossed I-84 and headed toward Eagle.  The next segment was freeway-free: ID 55, US 95, US 195, and WA 23 (my friend lived on a ranch on WA 28 south of Davenport), about another 350 miles or so before I crossed I-90.  Had to lay over in Lewiston (US 95 in Idaho is a bit exhausting!).  But those three segments are, in my recollection, the longest I've driven in the last couple of decades without encountering freeways. 

I mentioned in another thread my 1999 journey from Anaheim (SoCal) to Redwood Estates (Santa Cruz mountains) without using a yard of freeway (although crossing several!).  During times of traffic or construction (I-580, I'm looking at you!) I've often used alternate routes to get in & out of the Bay Area; one of my favorites from San Jose over to the San Joaquin Valley involves surface streets through Milpitas and Fremont, Niles Canyon, Pleasanton-Sunol Road, Stanley Blvd. in the Livermore area, and finally old US 50, the Altamont Pass Road, which deposits me near Mountain Home (NW of Tracy), where I can head SE into Tracy or N to Discovery Bay; this composite routing is somewhat fun because, as a railfan, it largely follows the old WP main line.  But these, and other non-freeway localized alternatives, involve merely avoiding the freeways that are there, not traversing areas devoid of freeway facilities (which is ostensibly the raison d'etre of the OP).

[hbelkins]

Not exactly sure what we're going for here, but I can pretty much travel anywhere in my general area without using a freeway.

For example, the shortest route to Lexington does not involve either I-75 or the Mountain Parkway.

[sparker]

Not exactly sure what we're going for here, but I can pretty much travel anywhere in my general area without using a freeway.

For example, the shortest route to Lexington does not involve either I-75 or the Mountain Parkway.

The OP is somewhat vague regarding just where this thread is intended to go, but as for myself, I tried to cover as many bases as possible with the various interpretations:
(a) distance without physically encountering a freeway facility: the Baker, CA to Carlin, NV segment of my 2005 trip to the Spokane area; (b) trips originating locally without freeway usage; (c) long-distance trips deliberately avoiding freeway travel: my 1999 Anaheim-Redwood Estates trip, recounted in another thread last year.  The last of these was a bit tricky due to Caltrans' (and their predecessor agency's) penchant for laying freeways atop the original roads in mountainous or other difficult terrain.  The idea for the trip was hatched during a discussion with a few friends with extensive CA road experience about just that phenomenon.

[hotdogPi]

I think the intent is going from Point A to Point B without getting onto a freeway (crossing one without getting on is okay), where the non-freeway route is the best route. You do not need to have traveled the route yourself.

[sparker]

I think the intent is going from Point A to Point B without getting onto a freeway (crossing one without getting on is okay), where the non-freeway route is the best route. You do not need to have traveled the route yourself.

In that case, CA 20 from US 101 north of Ukiah east to Grass Valley would certainly qualify -- not a bit of freeway on that stretch of highway -- and it is the direct route from one CA sub-region to the other.   

[noelbotevera]

If you allow backroads and obscure 2 lane signed routes, I can get all the way across the country on them.

[NE2]

If you allow horse amputation, a horse can have no legs.

[CtrlAltDel]

I grew up right where I-88, I-290, and I-294 all intersect, and so the answer there is "pretty much nowhere" unless there's traffic (which is almost all the time), when the answer is "pretty much everywhere."

Joking aside, using Google Maps, I find that the most distant location I can get to where it doesn't say to get on a freeway is about 6 miles.

In addition, there are places where getting on the freeway is pretty much required to go anywhere out of town, like Vail CO. So, that's an example of the exact opposite of what the OP is asking for. There was a thread on it. I can't find it.

If you allow backroads and obscure 2 lane signed routes, I can get all the way across the country on them.

I believe that the OP is asking for situations where the fastest or otherwise most feasible route would not use a freeway, not whether it's simply possible to avoid them if you'd like to.

[noelbotevera]

In which case, literally nowhere. Aside from going up to State College (fastest is US 30-US 522-US 22-PA 26, but even then is about the same time as I-81-US 322 thanks to taking breaks), and going to PA Turnpike Exit 161, that's about as far as I can go where the freeway takes longer.

[rschen7754]

It is possible to get across the Mexican border from San Diego without using a freeway (taking SR 94 to SR 188, or taking SR 78 into Imperial County, then SR 86 to SR 111).

That might get you into Panama.

[gonealookin]

If you allow backroads and obscure 2 lane signed routes, I can get all the way across the country on them.

I believe that the OP is asking for situations where the fastest or otherwise most feasible route would not use a freeway, not whether it's simply possible to avoid them if you'd like to.

That's the way I interpreted it.  1.  Put the town where you live at one end of the directions on Google Maps.  2.  Figure out the most distant town that, when you put it in the other end of the directions, Google Maps gives you a "Fastest Route" that doesn't route you on to any freeway.

In my case, I live in Stateline, NV.  There's some little burg on US 89 east of Zion National Park, named Glendale.  GMaps gives me a route 574 miles in length from Stateline to Glendale that passes straight through Cedar City, UT without asking me to get on I-15.

But if I put in Kanab, UT, a bit south of Glendale on US 89, at the far end, GMaps routes me through Mesquite, NV and St. George, UT on I-15.  And if I put in Panguitch, UT, GMaps sends me through Carson City, which disqualifies me, and also onto I-15 for a few miles south of Beaver, UT.  I'm not going to try to figure out the exact point on US 89 that gives me the greatest distance from Stateline, but it's pretty clear that for any point north, east or south of the general Glendale area, GMaps will want to put me on a freeway, so I'm going to say my answer is 574 miles.

[skluth]

I once lived in Portsmouth VA and occasionally had to spend the week at the Navy Yard in DC. If I got done on a Friday afternoon, it was as quick and a whole lot less aggravating to take MD 5, US 301, and US 17 to Tidewater than drive I-95 and I-64 home. I could spend 2-3 hours just getting to Fredericksburg on 95. After the second time I decided to try 301/17 and never used the interstate out of DC at rush hour again.

I also like to travel back roads. Some good non-interstates that go a long distance include US 58, OH 32, and KY 80/Cumberland Parkway. And the old US 66 between Kingman AZ and Barstow CA is awesome and almost as quick as the interstate.

[Alps]

I can get almost 9 miles! Of course, I live near several freeways.

[kkt]

From NE Seattle to Coulee City, WA,  WA 522 to WA 9 to US 2 to Coulee City,

[kkt]

From NE Seattle to Coulee City, WA,  WA 522 to WA 9 to US 2 to Coulee City, 200 miles

[michravera]

If you allow backroads and obscure 2 lane signed routes, I can get all the way across the country on them.

I believe that the OP is asking for situations where the fastest or otherwise most feasible route would not use a freeway, not whether it's simply possible to avoid them if you'd like to.

That's the way I interpreted it.  1.  Put the town where you live at one end of the directions on Google Maps.  2.  Figure out the most distant town that, when you put it in the other end of the directions, Google Maps gives you a "Fastest Route" that doesn't route you on to any freeway.

In my case, I live in Stateline, NV.  There's some little burg on US 89 east of Zion National Park, named Glendale.  GMaps gives me a route 574 miles in length from Stateline to Glendale that passes straight through Cedar City, UT without asking me to get on I-15.

But if I put in Kanab, UT, a bit south of Glendale on US 89, at the far end, GMaps routes me through Mesquite, NV and St. George, UT on I-15.  And if I put in Panguitch, UT, GMaps sends me through Carson City, which disqualifies me, and also onto I-15 for a few miles south of Beaver, UT.  I'm not going to try to figure out the exact point on US 89 that gives me the greatest distance from Stateline, but it's pretty clear that for any point north, east or south of the general Glendale area, GMaps will want to put me on a freeway, so I'm going to say my answer is 574 miles.

It looks like you can go all of the way along US-50 back to Sly Park Rd. without getting routed onto a freeway on your way to Glendale, UT. Call it 1007 km (626 mi). It looks like it is a full 75 minutes and 80 km shorter than the route that uses I-15. If you try to go to Page, AZ, yahoo maps sends you onto I-15.

[sparker]

Again speaking of routes numbered 20, one can take the shortest feasible route from Newport, OR clear across the state via US 20 Newport-Corvallis, OR 34 Corvallis-Lebanon, US 20 Lebanon-Sisters, OR 126 Sisters-Prineville, US 26 Prineville-Vale, US 20/26 Vale-OR 201, and OR 201 north & east to I-84 near Ontario.  Not a bit of freeway along that route (although the OR 34 segment has been improved to divided status); totaling 418 miles.  Hardly a mileage record, but the fully cross-state aspect gives it some significance, IMO. 

[slorydn1]

I grew up right where I-88, I-290, and I-294 all intersect, and so the answer there is "pretty much nowhere" unless there's traffic (which is almost all the time), when the answer is "pretty much everywhere."

Joking aside, using Google Maps, I find that the most distant location I can get to where it doesn't say to get on a freeway is about 6 miles.

In addition, there are places where getting on the freeway is pretty much required to go anywhere out of town, like Vail CO. So, that's an example of the exact opposite of what the OP is asking for. There was a thread on it. I can't find it.

If you allow backroads and obscure 2 lane signed routes, I can get all the way across the country on them.

I believe that the OP is asking for situations where the fastest or otherwise most feasible route would not use a freeway, not whether it's simply possible to avoid them if you'd like to.

When I lived in Schaumburg in the 80's it was often quicker to use IL-72 to get to my dad's office in Rosemont than it would have been to take the tollway.

[jaehak]

Similarly, I'd bet the US 2 corridor generally takes the cake. The fastest route from Bonners Ferry, Idaho to Bemidji, Minnesota - a distance of 1,443 miles - does not involve any freeway

Good one, but not quite. It looks like 2 is briefly a freeway in Minot.

[FrCorySticha]

Good one, but not quite. It looks like 2 is briefly a freeway in Minot.

There is a stretch of just under 2 miles with grade separation, but most of the highway in Minot has grade-level intersections. Whether or not that section of grade separation by itself constitutes a freeway has been the subject of much digital ink being spilled on these forums.

[index]

Not very far. If you want to go to Wilmington NC from my area, you might think you wouldn't be on a freeway, but parts of US 74 are I-74 on the way there. The fastest way to get to any major destination around me is a freeway (possibly tollway soon), we're surrounded by them.

[jwolfer]

I once lived in Portsmouth VA and occasionally had to spend the week at the Navy Yard in DC. If I got done on a Friday afternoon, it was as quick and a whole lot less aggravating to take MD 5, US 301, and US 17 to Tidewater than drive I-95 and I-64 home. I could spend 2-3 hours just getting to Fredericksburg on 95. After the second time I decided to try 301/17 and never used the interstate out of DC at rush hour again.

I also like to travel back roads. Some good non-interstates that go a long distance include US 58, OH 32, and KY 80/Cumberland Parkway. And the old US 66 between Kingman AZ and Barstow CA is awesome and almost as quick as the interstate.

It seems to me that the backroads are even less crowded thanks to GPS. It keeps everone on the interstates unless there is no other option

LGMS428

[Max Rockatansky]

I once lived in Portsmouth VA and occasionally had to spend the week at the Navy Yard in DC. If I got done on a Friday afternoon, it was as quick and a whole lot less aggravating to take MD 5, US 301, and US 17 to Tidewater than drive I-95 and I-64 home. I could spend 2-3 hours just getting to Fredericksburg on 95. After the second time I decided to try 301/17 and never used the interstate out of DC at rush hour again.

I also like to travel back roads. Some good non-interstates that go a long distance include US 58, OH 32, and KY 80/Cumberland Parkway. And the old US 66 between Kingman AZ and Barstow CA is awesome and almost as quick as the interstate.

It seems to me that the backroads are even less crowded thanks to GPS. It keeps everone on the interstates unless there is no other option

LGMS428

Especially in the case of Old US 66 in California.  There has been many a time I've driven it from Ludlow all the way to US 95 and never encountered another car. 

[jwolfer]

I have taken us17 in Southeast GA instead of 95 on Thanksgiving weekend traffic days. Outside of small towns virtually no traffic. Back in the day, my dad or me (at 10 years old) would have had the atlas out to avoid traffic.

Also my parents drove in the days before interstates being complete... So they knew what roads were replaced by interstate. I remember having to exit i95 and us 17 or 301 at places

LGMS428

[7/8]

The farthest I can find is Blue Mountain Ski Resort near Collingwood, ON (149 km, 2h 7min), which makes me a bit sad as a skier . The Conestoga Parkway ruined some options for going farther north (such as Manitoulin Island).