Worst interstate ever

[hotdogPi]

Interstate 99: Getting a lot of complaints about it.
Interstate 97: Very short, should be 3 digits.
Interstate 238: No I-38.
Interstate 180: Not a freeway.

[agentsteel53]

I-74 east of Cincinnati is more of a numbering joke than I-97.  I-73 is pretty hilariously awful as well.

[NE2]

I-130 ("where the fuck is that?")

[Brandon]

I-74 east of Cincinnati is more of a numbering joke than I-97.  I-73 is pretty hilariously awful as well.

Ditto with I-69 south of Indy (or at least Evansville).  And WTF is up with I-69E and I-69C!?!

[bulldog1979]

I-74 east of Cincinnati is more of a numbering joke than I-97.  I-73 is pretty hilariously awful as well.

Ditto with I-69 south of Indy (or at least Evansville).  And WTF is up with I-69E and I-69C!?!

At least TxDOT and AASHTO can plausibly point the finger at Congress for mandating that all three branches get numbered as I-69. I haven't followed the saga enough, but will I-69E meet I-69C and I-69W at same place? If not, will the first merger northbound create I-69 until the third merges in?

[vdeane]

AASHTO, maybe, but not TxDOT.  TxDOT could have chosen to build only one branch, which is probably what was intended in the first place.  Corridors that split are usually a "pick 1, we haven't decided which is best" situation.

[xonhulu]

I agree.  I could get if they wanted 69W and 69E, but 69C?  Even if you really need two interstates (69C & 69E) that essentially go to the same place, couldn't the central one just be 69?

[Kacie Jane]

I-74 east of Cincinnati is more of a numbering joke than I-97.  I-73 is pretty hilariously awful as well.

Ditto with I-69 south of Indy (or at least Evansville).  And WTF is up with I-69E and I-69C!?!

Personally, I don't have a problem with 69, or with 74 if there were any hope of the middle portion being completed.  Their original portions were fairly diagonal already, and a diagonal route of significant length is bound to break the grid at some point, such are the limitations of a binary grid.

Also, 73 is as "in the grid" as it could be with the numbers remaining.  It's only hilarious because North Carolina seems to be the only state with any interest in building it.  (Now that we know there's no hope of 73 stretching much further west, it would be kind of nice if we could switch 73 and 99.  Oops, sorry, this isn't in the fictional section.)

To answer the original question, I'd actually put 180 slightly above 238 out of the choices given.  But I will agree with Brandon (and the three comments posted while I was typing this) that the "correct" answer is the  suffixed 69's.

[agentsteel53]

I believe all segments of I-73 are currently co-signed with I-74.  that renders it hilarious.

[1995hoo]

For the OP: "Worst" is a very broad term. Do you mean to restrict this thread to the most egregious number?

[briantroutman]

For the OP: "Worst" is a very broad term. Do you mean to restrict this thread to the most egregious number?

Right–I'm not all that familiar with Baltimore-Annapolis traffic, but I'd imagine that I-97 serves its purpose–as I-238 does. Numbering aside, these are valid freeways.

And I-180–I assume you're referring to Cheyenne's Inter-boule-stard? Illinois's 180 could probably get even more votes for a different reason.

[Mapmikey]

I believe all segments of I-73 are currently co-signed with I-74.  that renders it hilarious.

This is not quite accurate...there is a short segment of I-73 not co-signed with any other interstate in Greensboro.

http://goo.gl/maps/L3UgL

Mapmikey

[Molandfreak]

I-97 is five times worse than I-99. At least I-99 can theoretically be extended. The DE 1 tollway only to Dover would be far better for an I-97.

[mapman1071]

I-587 NY Colonel Chandler Drive/NY 28 1.21mi/1.95km
East End: Traffic Circle (I-87/Thruway) NY 28 Continues West
West End: Traffic Signal Intersection (NY32) NY 28 Continues East
All in Kingston, NY and No Interchanges.

[OracleUsr]

I believe all segments of I-73 are currently co-signed with I-74.  that renders it hilarious.

This is not quite accurate...there is a short segment of I-73 not co-signed with any other interstate in Greensboro.

http://goo.gl/maps/L3UgL

Mapmikey

It actually extends by itself (no I-74) to Randleman now.

[PHLBOS]

The DE 1 tollway only to Dover would be far better for an I-99.

FTFY   

I-97 in MD could've been I-995.

For the OP: "Worst" is a very broad term. Do you mean to restrict this thread to the most egregious number?

Agree 100%; although one of the OP's choices involves one Interstate (I-180 in Cheyenne) not being an actual freeway.

I agree.  I could get if they wanted 69W and 69E, but 69C?  Even if you really need two interstates (69C & 69E) that essentially go to the same place, couldn't the central one just be 69?

When selecting the I-69C designation for the central corridor, somebody must have been looking at an airport w/3 parallel runways and acted accordingly.  The FAA does allow the use of the C-suffix for a central parallel runway number (example: Runways 9L-27R, 9C-27C, 9R-27L).

If suffixed interstates are being allowed once again (yes, I'm aware of the TX & MN I-35W/Es being allowed to remain); such could address some of the more blatant numbering oddities.  Examples (yes, Fictional territory here): I-99 could be either I-79E or I-81W.  In DE, north of the I-95/295/495 interchanges; I--95 could become I-95W, I-495 could become I-95 and I-295 up to the NJ Turnpike could become I-95E... which would extend north to Exit 6 (I-95/PA Connector).

[1995hoo]

....

If suffixed interstates are being allowed once again (yes, I'm aware of the TX & MN I-35W/Es being allowed to remain); such could address some of the more blatant numbering oddities.  Examples (yes, Fictional territory here): I-99 could be either I-79E or I-81W.  In DE, north of the I-95/295/495 interchanges; I--95 could become I-95W, I-495 could become I-95 and I-295 up to the NJ Turnpike could become I-95E... which would extend north to Exit 6 (I-95/PA Connector).

Once upon a time I thought the Capital Beltway around DC, which used to be numbered I-95 on the east side and I-495 on the west side (the east side is now dual-signed), ought to be numbered I-95E and I-95W to underscore to out-of-area motorists that yes, they could go either way and still reach their destinations such that there is no need to swerve wildly across five lanes in a panic to make sure you follow the "I-95" side. Back when I was in high school a newspaper columnists was soliciting ideas for making the Beltway less confusing and I sent in that idea, but he didn't print it, probably because I called it the "Final Solution." 

[agentsteel53]

probably because I called it the "Final Solution." 

also, you signed it Jonathan Swift and you threatened to eat his baby. 

[ethanhopkin14]

The Wyoming Interstate 180 is a complete joke and a slap in the face to the whole system. But my vote goes to Interstate 27. It connects Lubbock and Amarillo, two powdunk panhandle towns, giving Amarillo 2 interstates while my home town of Austin which is now the 11th largest city in the US looks like another bump on I-35 on the map (bitter). And it doesn't extend to I-20 which is right there, so it is utterly pointless. It will not be a useful interstate until it is connected to I-20 at the least.

[Henry]

I-97 should become an extension of I-83. Sure, that would put it east of I-95, but at least it would be a longer route connecting two state capitals (Harrisburg and Annapolis).

[triplemultiplex]

I'm a person that tries to be pretty anal about the numbering system so everything discussed is irksome to me to varying degrees, but I have to vote for the non-freeway I-180.  That's more offensive than Breezewood.

[ethanhopkin14]

I also think the western Interstate 86 is pretty worthless. Are you telling me Pocatello really needs a connection to points west that bad??

[NE2]

I also think the western Interstate 86 is pretty worthless. Are you telling me Pocatello really needs a connection to points west that bad??

Yes, we are going through the motions again:

http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/freight/freight_analysis/nat_freight_stats/nhsavglhft2007.htm

[Thing 342]

Having been born in Cheyenne,  have a bit of a soft spot for I-180. However, I-97 really grinds my gears, mostly for being a complete waste of a 2di number. IMO, it should either be part of I-595, or be signed I-995.

[ethanhopkin14]

I also think the western Interstate 86 is pretty worthless. Are you telling me Pocatello really needs a connection to points west that bad??

Yes, we are going through the motions again:

http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/freight/freight_analysis/nat_freight_stats/nhsavglhft2007.htm

Yes I am aware that the western I-86 is a part of the big picture. I am looking to stir the pot!!