Crossroads of America

[Roadgeekteen]

If that's so, why does the sign for a crossroads only have two crossing roads?

5-way and 6-way intersections are much more rare than the common 4-way intersection of two crossing roads. A sign labeling a crossroads must be at a single intersection, but calling a city a crossroads allows much more than a pair of roads.

That right there probably sums up the ambiguity: because of course, a city is not a crossroads; it's only a metaphor. So then you have to decide what the attributes of a crossroads are that you would want to extend to an entire city. One of those is that there are only two intersecting roads, but that may or may not be what's intended by the metaphor. However, the OP gives a clue that this is indeed a characteristic that's intended here, as one of the options is to nominate a pair (only) of intersecting Interstates. But then again, not all clues lead to the solution.

cities with interchanges can be crossroads.

[Sam]

I think the population centers and corridors of commerce in today's United States are too geographically dispersed for the term "Crossroads of America"  to be very meaningful.

Judging by  kurumi's Interstate ranking in the other thread, it would be NYC (Teaneck) then Boston (Weston) then Jacksonville.

For New York, based on that hierarchy, it would be Syracuse, but I think it's Albany.

[inkyatari]

Indianapolis has commonly and historically used the term.  Joliet, IL, uses the term "Crossroads of Mid-America" (I-55 & 80, previously US-6, 30, & 66).

I believe Shorewood IL uses the phrase "Crossroads of America" as well, seeing as it actually has the I-80 / I-55 interchange in the village boundaries.

I do know their community festival is Crossroads Fest

[The Nature Boy]

Crossroads of New England...Boston, then Hartford.

Lebanon, New Hampshire claims this title.



I-89/91 and US 4/5 intersect right across the river in White River Junction, Vermont so Lebanon misses the mark on claiming to be a crossroads of anything by a few miles.

Also, the star on that logo is nowhere near Lebanon.

I-89 and I-91 severe somewhat of the same purpose in New England. I would only see the US 3/4 intersection as somewhat important

I disagree

I-89 serves as a way to connect Boston to Burlington and ultimately Montreal (and of course Burlington to Montreal). I-89 is a very important roadway.

I-91 is an important north to south highway for Western New England but probably not that important in the grand scheme of things (north of Springfield at least).

Their intersection is probably not a good crossroads of New England though and I'd argue that the I-90/91 junction is the Crossroads of New England. I-91 crosses the Mass Pike just north of the last urban center on I-91 (Springfield). I-90 takes you towards Boston, Providence and the more urban Eastern New England whereas I-91 continues north into the woods and mountains of Northern New England.

[westerninterloper]

The Crossroads of America is in Terre Haute, Indiana, at the intersection of Seventh Street and Wabash Avenue. That intersection was the historical junction of US 40, the National Road, and US 41, which travels from north of Chicago to Miami. Indiana's motto came from that intersection, which has a historical marker from the State of Indiana, and not from Indianapolis.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crossroads_of_America

http://www.in.gov/history/markers/374.htm

[US 89]

St. Louis could also be a crossroads of America, simply because of its easy connections to other major cities. When I was there recently, I was surprised to see several large cities as control cities on the various freeways. Those included Kansas City, Chicago, Indianapolis, Louisville, Memphis, Tulsa, etc...

[ixnay]

Taking a quick look at a map, the only cities with more than 6 2di legs radiating out of the metro area are Indianapolis and Chicago. Since we're excluding Indianapolis, I say Chicago.

But really, it's Indy. No question.

Having read very little about Indy except for the 500 and the Colts, I always considered the Windy City the XroA, because of the roads, railroads, and ORD.

ixnay

[PurdueBill]

St. Louis could also be a crossroads of America, simply because of its easy connections to other major cities. When I was there recently, I was surprised to see several large cities as control cities on the various freeways. Those included Kansas City, Chicago, Indianapolis, Louisville, Memphis, Tulsa, etc...

Indianapolis has a lot of large cities that seem distant as control cities on the Interstates leaving it.  Chicago, Peoria, St. Louis, Louisville, Cincinnati, Dayton/Columbus*, Fort Wayne on existing signs, with Evansville probably to come in the future eventually if not something further south on I-69. 
It is impressive especially when you are used to control cities that are much more local.

*Columbus on older signs, Dayton on newer ones for I-70 leaving to the east

[hbelkins]

I never understood the use of Peoria for I-74 west.

[tdindy88]

As opposed to what? Peoria is the largest community along I-74 in that direction.

[US 41]

As opposed to what? Peoria is the largest community along I-74 in that direction.

If it was up to me I'd use Champaign as the control city. Champaign and Urbana put together are about the same size as Peoria, it has 3 interstates, and the University of Illinois.

[hbelkins]

As opposed to what? Peoria is the largest community along I-74 in that direction.

Champaign. It's a decent-sized city and a significant interstate intersection.

[NWI_Irish96]

St. Louis could also be a crossroads of America, simply because of its easy connections to other major cities. When I was there recently, I was surprised to see several large cities as control cities on the various freeways. Those included Kansas City, Chicago, Indianapolis, Louisville, Memphis, Tulsa, etc...

Indianapolis has a lot of large cities that seem distant as control cities on the Interstates leaving it.  Chicago, Peoria, St. Louis, Louisville, Cincinnati, Dayton/Columbus*, Fort Wayne on existing signs, with Evansville probably to come in the future eventually if not something further south on I-69. 
It is impressive especially when you are used to control cities that are much more local.

*Columbus on older signs, Dayton on newer ones for I-70 leaving to the east

The interstates in Louisville use Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Lexington, Nashville and St. Louis as control cities so I don't think Indy is really rare in that regard.

[webny99]