What's the least important us highway?

[Max Rockatansky]

As for some other routes, I'd second US-130, and if not for its scenery, I'd put it as-is here as it's really a relic from before the US-191 extension. Of course, I'd extend it over UT-162 and CO-41 and renumber it as a US-x60, US-x64, US-x91, or, in sending it to Page or beyond, US-x89 (I don't care all that much about 3-digit US Route polarity).

US 130 is in New Jersey.

He meant US 163, it would be infinitely more viable as a transportation corridor if it was extended to US 160 via UT 162/CO 41.  In fact UT 162 used to be numbered UT 163, my understanding was that it was originally meant to be a eastern extension of US 163 once US 191 had consumed much of it's alignment from Crescent Junction at I-70 southward.

[Rover_0]

As for some other routes, I'd second US-130, and if not for its scenery, I'd put it as-is here as it's really a relic from before the US-191 extension. Of course, I'd extend it over UT-162 and CO-41 and renumber it as a US-x60, US-x64, US-x91, or, in sending it to Page or beyond, US-x89 (I don't care all that much about 3-digit US Route polarity).

US 130 is in New Jersey.

He meant US 163, it would be infinitely more viable as a transportation corridor if it was extended to US 160 via UT 162/CO 41.  In fact UT 162 used to be numbered UT 163, my understanding was that it was originally meant to be a eastern extension of US 163 once US 191 had consumed much of it's alignment from Crescent Junction at I-70 southward.

Fixed, as my points on US-130 and US-163 stand.

XT1585

[Max Rockatansky]

As far as big routes go US 180 has to be pretty high up there at 1,092 miles.  The problem with US 180 is that it has some huge multiplexes with higher priority routes like with US 62, I-10, US 191, and I-40 that water it down from the get go.  There is no really true direction that the route takes as it is a true east/west from I-20 west to El Paso only to become more of a north/south route in New Mexico/Arizona.  Really the thing to do to make the route more viable would be to shorten to I-40 to I-10 much like the original US 260 was.  It would make more sense even a numbering convention since it would actually touch US 60 whereas it currently does not touch US 80.

[MikeTheActuary]

I don't know much about US-5 except its entire route parallels I-91, but that's not entirely a bad thing, other than letting US-5 have some of its own routing.

US 5 functions as a local arterial for most of its length.  It's locally important, but it's doubtful that it provides much value when viewed from the context of a national transportation network, because of I-91 filling that role.

If I'm not mistaken, the only portion of US 5 that's in the National Highway System in its own right is the portion in Connecticut from East Windsor to East Hartford.  (The stretch from East Hartford to Meriden is "shared" with CT 15, which might have a claim to being the more dominant route number.)

[jp the roadgeek]

If I'm not mistaken, the only portion of US 5 that's in the National Highway System in its own right is the portion in Connecticut from East Windsor to East Hartford.  (The stretch from East Hartford to Meriden is "shared" with CT 15, which might have a claim to being the more dominant route number.)

Technically, CT 15 does.  In the CT Route log, the US 5/CT 15 duplex's mileage is credited to CT 15, and most locals will refer to it as Route 15, especially the South Meadows Expressway and Charter Oak Bridge part.

[sparker]

Off the top of my head:
     US 46  :  through traffic now handled by I-80, could be a SH with little fanfare.
     US 181:  I-37 handles the populated endpoints; see above for SH conversion.
     US 401:  Useless as a through route, doesn't do anything done more directly by
                   other routes.
     US 166:  After truncation east of KS, only serves as local server; could be SH.
     US 159:  Completely concur with previous reply.
     
May think of more later.  But the five above could disappear without any serious consequence.   

[Max Rockatansky]

Off the top of my head:
     US 46  :  through traffic now handled by I-80, could be a SH with little fanfare.
     US 181:  I-37 handles the populated endpoints; see above for SH conversion.
     US 401:  Useless as a through route, doesn't do anything done more directly by
                   other routes.
     US 166:  After truncation east of KS, only serves as local server; could be SH.
     US 159:  Completely concur with previous reply.
     
May think of more later.  But the five above could disappear without any serious consequence.   

I'm kind of surprised nobody has mentioned US 199 yet.

[sparker]

Off the top of my head:
     US 46  :  through traffic now handled by I-80, could be a SH with little fanfare.
     US 181:  I-37 handles the populated endpoints; see above for SH conversion.
     US 401:  Useless as a through route, doesn't do anything done more directly by
                   other routes.
     US 166:  After truncation east of KS, only serves as local server; could be SH.
     US 159:  Completely concur with previous reply.
     
May think of more later.  But the five above could disappear without any serious consequence.   

I'm kind of surprised nobody has mentioned US 199 yet.

Hold on there -- I've found US 199 to be pretty useful if (1) I'm in a hurry to get to Portland or Seattle, and Siskiyou Summit's closed because of snow (that scenario has happened more than a few times).  If I'm not in a hurry, I'll stay on 101 up the Oregon coast -- one of my favorite drives in the whole country!  199's reasonably useful as a regional connector; it probably retains its U.S. status because it does cross a state line.

[Max Rockatansky]

Off the top of my head:
     US 46  :  through traffic now handled by I-80, could be a SH with little fanfare.
     US 181:  I-37 handles the populated endpoints; see above for SH conversion.
     US 401:  Useless as a through route, doesn't do anything done more directly by
                   other routes.
     US 166:  After truncation east of KS, only serves as local server; could be SH.
     US 159:  Completely concur with previous reply.
     
May think of more later.  But the five above could disappear without any serious consequence.   

I'm kind of surprised nobody has mentioned US 199 yet.

Hold on there -- I've found US 199 to be pretty useful if (1) I'm in a hurry to get to Portland or Seattle, and Siskiyou Summit's closed because of snow (that scenario has happened more than a few times).  If I'm not in a hurry, I'll stay on 101 up the Oregon coast -- one of my favorite drives in the whole country!  199's reasonably useful as a regional connector; it probably retains its U.S. status because it does cross a state line.

Oh, don't misunderstand I'm with you on that one. lol  US 199 is frequently a punching bag that ends up getting trashed on the Fictional Boards as one of the worst US Routes of all times.  I would imagine that you're probably right about it staying a US Route simply because it exists in Oregon.  One could make the argument that 99 could have stayed a US Route because it was over 300 miles and possibly even 299 since it connected so many...in addition to being close the 300 mile preference for Intrastate US Routes.

Speaking of intrastate US Routes, how does US 92 and US 192 never come up in conversations like this one?  US 92 in particular essentially has been completely replaced by I-4 and it has some pretty heavy multiplexes with US 17 in addition to US 441.

[csw]

US 35 in Indiana seems to be the least used US highway in the state, although it is pretty important in Ohio and WV. It links a lot of county seats but over any long distance it's simply too indirect to merit using it over an interstate or other US highway.

[Flint1979]

US 46 in New Jersey and US 57 in Texas, both could be SH's.

[Quillz]

it probably retains its U.S. status because it does cross a state line.

That's exactly the reason. US routes have to be a minimum of 300 miles, or cross state lines. US-199 meets the latter requirement.

US 57 in Texas, both could be SH's.

Very true, but US-57 only exists in the first place because it connects to MX-57. You could actually make a case that US-57 and US-96 should be swapped, as both would fit better into the overall grid. US-57 was created in the 70s, IIRC.

[Flint1979]

it probably retains its U.S. status because it does cross a state line.

That's exactly the reason. US routes have to be a minimum of 300 miles, or cross state lines. US-199 meets the latter requirement.

US 57 in Texas, both could be SH's.

Very true, but US-57 only exists in the first place because it connects to MX-57. You could actually make a case that US-57 and US-96 should be swapped, as both would fit better into the overall grid. US-57 was created in the 70s, IIRC.

Swapping US 57 and US 96 makes perfect sense since both travel in the wrong direction.

[US 89]

it probably retains its U.S. status because it does cross a state line.

That's exactly the reason. US routes have to be a minimum of 300 miles, or cross state lines. US-199 meets the latter requirement.

I believe that only applies to new US routes. Plenty of routes exist today that don't fit either, such as US 46, 92, 192, 290, and several others.

As for 199 not being decommissioned, CA couldn't really apply its philosophy of "decommission every US Highway you see" because they couldn't (or didn't want to) get in a dispute with Oregon on the issue.

[Flint1979]

US 223. It just goes from a junction with US 127 to merge onto US 23 and go into Ohio unsigned. It's only about 45 miles long and a SH could very easily replace it. Other than Adrian it doesn't go through any significant towns.

[sparker]

Down in the Carolinas, two more that could disappear without anyone calling for a search party are US 276 and US 601; they're either redundant in regards to more efficient routes or their more viable sections have been superseded by Interstates.  Regarding 601 in particular -- if & when I-74 is completed & signed from I-77 to Winston-Salem, the US 601 alignment between Mt. Airy and Salisbury could be taken over by a rerouted US 52 (the I-285 project south of Winston-Salem would have to be at least in progress as well).  Aside from that, both routes could easily become state highways without disrupting any sense of connectivity; neither has any national significance. 

[GaryV]

US 223. It just goes from a junction with US 127 to merge onto US 23 and go into Ohio unsigned. It's only about 45 miles long and a SH could very easily replace it. Other than Adrian it doesn't go through any significant towns.

But, but, but ... but ......

Isn't it important enough that they want to upgrade it into I-73?

 

[fillup420]

Down in the Carolinas, two more that could disappear without anyone calling for a search party are US 276 and US 601; they're either redundant in regards to more efficient routes or their more viable sections have been superseded by Interstates.

US 276 goes through Pisgah National Forest, and also serves the Blue Ridge Parkway. Its one of the only routes that penetrates the heart of the Forest, and it is a pretty gnarly drive up to the Parkway. Ironically enough, many search parties rely on 276 when someone goes missing in Pisgah. US 601 however, I can agree with.

[Flint1979]

US 223. It just goes from a junction with US 127 to merge onto US 23 and go into Ohio unsigned. It's only about 45 miles long and a SH could very easily replace it. Other than Adrian it doesn't go through any significant towns.

But, but, but ... but ......

Isn't it important enough that they want to upgrade it into I-73?

 

Basically I-73 in Michigan is dead and I don't think Ohio has any intention of building their stretch either. They concluded several years ago that there was a lack of need for an expressway there. The Lenawee County Road Commission isn't interested in the freeway at all.

[Quillz]

Within California, it might be the alignment of US-6 or US-95. The former provides access into Nevada, albeit an extremely remote area. Granted, this is post-1964. Prior, it made it all the way to the ocean. The latter makes use of concurrencies and isn't really used much unless you need to get to Needles from Blythe. US-199 was mentioned, but it's actually a pretty useful connector between the ocean and some of the larger cities of Oregon (Eugene, Portland, both indirectly).

Within Oregon, it might be US-30 east of the Portland metro area, as it effectively exists only as a frontage road/business loop for I-84. Most of the other US highways within the state (26, 97, etc.) all have their own alignments and reach areas that interstates do not.

[CapeCodder]

US 4. The route just doesn't seem important, although it probably is.

[hotdogPi]

US 4. The route just doesn't seem important, although it probably is.

US 4 can be thought of in four segments with approximately equal length:

1. US 4 in New York. It mostly parallels I-87, but there are only a few major routes crossing the VT/NY border, and this is one of them.
2. US 4 in Vermont. Major, at least by Vermont standards.
3. US 4 in New Hampshire west of Concord. This is probably the least important of the four segments, as I-89 is much faster.
4. US 4 east of Concord, NH. This is also a major route.

Note that NY 7/VT 9/NH 9 is much more direct than taking segments 1, 2, and 3 of US 4, or even segments 1 and 2 along with I-89. US 4 is not a route you would go long distances on.

[bzakharin]

Aren't there interstates parallel to many US routes? I mean US 1 has I-95, right? Does that mean US 1 should be decommissioned (yes, I know about Overseas Highway)? I think many US routes have been downgraded to local traffic and short distance travel between the interstate and a point of interest. These days the difference between US and state highways is blurred already, since long multi-state routes that keep their numbers across states exist in many parts of the country (the big ones in my area would be PA/NJ 73, NJ/NY 17, NJ/NY/NJ 440. New England has many more).

[Flint1979]

Aren't there interstates parallel to many US routes? I mean US 1 has I-95, right? Does that mean US 1 should be decommissioned (yes, I know about Overseas Highway)? I think many US routes have been downgraded to local traffic and short distance travel between the interstate and a point of interest. These days the difference between US and state highways is blurred already, since long multi-state routes that keep their numbers across states exist in many parts of the country (the big ones in my area would be PA/NJ 73, NJ/NY 17, NJ/NY/NJ 440. New England has many more).

The biggest one would be SR 200 which connects from Idaho to Minnesota, traveling through Idaho, Montana, North Dakota and Minnesota.

[paulthemapguy]

I agree with US266, which has been mentioned twice thus far.  Google doesn't even label it with the golden color it usually gives to US highways.

US163 goes to some wonderful tourist destinations, so I'm not going to hate on it.  I will hate its numbering, though.