Crossroads of your state

[thspfc]

Idaho gets tricky, but I'd say the crossroads is probably I-84 and Idaho 55 in Eagle. It's the busiest interchange in the state and connects Idaho's main east-west corridor with its main north-south corridor.

It really surprises me that that interchange is busier than I-84 and I-184.

[US 89]

Idaho gets tricky, but I'd say the crossroads is probably I-84 and Idaho 55 in Eagle. It's the busiest interchange in the state and connects Idaho's main east-west corridor with its main north-south corridor.

It really surprises me that that interchange is busier than I-84 and I-184.

Eh, I'm not too surprised. I-184 is just a spur from I-84 into Boise and doesn't really serve any long distance traffic. Plus I'd bet a good amount of the traffic heading into Boise from the western suburbs is probably already on surface streets anyway. SH 55 has the distinction of being both a major local traffic route and a long-distance highway.

[NWI_Irish96]

IL, the obvious answers are Chicago and the Saint Louis/East Saint Louis Mississippi River Bridges, just due to the convergence of major highways around Chicago, and the River crossings at STL

Bloomington/Normal is a more state-centric Crossroads, with US 66/I-55 going Southwest/Northeast St Louis to Chicago, US 150/I-74 going Southeast/Northwest from Indiana to Iowa, and then US 51/I-39 going due South/North, Cairo and Carbondale and Ohio and Mississippi River crossings to Rockford and Wisconsin

I would go with Bloomington/Normal. I-55 gets you to Chicago, Springfield and St. Louis; I-74 gets you to Champaign/Urbana, Peoria, Quad Cities, and I-39 gets you to Rockford.

[Sctvhound]

Columbia is almost certainly the crossroads of South Carolina, not surprising since it is the state capital.

I-20, I-26, I-77 all intersect there, all going to the most populous parts of the state, with almost every major city connected except for Myrtle Beach (and I-20 connects you to US 76 and US 501 which get you there).

Also I-126, SC 277, and with US highways, US 1, 176, 321, 378 all go through Columbia. Basically any point in SC is within 3 hours of downtown Columbia. That's why basically all the big state events are held there including HS sports state championships.

[Roadgeekteen]

Worcester?

[Rothman]

Worcester?

Pfft.  Springfield.

[Roadgeekteen]

Worcester?

Pfft.  Springfield.

I just thought that Springfield was a little too far from the states population center.

[kphoger]

Crossroads aren't necessarily near the population center.

I mean, if Indiana is the crossroads of America, then why is it so far away from New York and Los Angeles?

[Roadgeekteen]

Crossroads aren't necessarily near the population center.

I mean, if Indiana is the crossroads of America, then why is it so far away from New York and Los Angeles?

Now that I'm thinking about it Springfield does seem to be a better choice.

[TheHighwayMan3561]

Since this was referenced to in a recent thread and no one done Missouri yet...

Missouri is one of the more difficult states to do as there isn't a N-S interstate through the center of the state, and the two largest cities (KC and StL) are on the edges. With KC, you have I-29 to the NW, I-35 to the NE, I-70 to the East and I-49/US 71 to the South. StL have I-55 to the South, US 67 to the South, I-44 to the SW, I-70 to the West and US 61 to the NW. Both cities lack a continuous 4 lane connection to the state capital (Jefferson City) under a single route number, but I-70/US 63 and I-70/US 54 works well. As for the largest cities, Kansas City lacks a direct freeway connection to Springfield (I-49/MO 7/MO 13 is the current 4 lane routing) and the southeastern portion of the state, and St Louis lacks a freeway connection to the northern portion of the state, as US 61 is only an expressway.

I'll give the win to St Louis for this one, as the missing KC-Springfield freeway is placed against them.

I think Missouri is an interesting case study actually. While in the thread we are looking at just within Missouri itself, I think including neighboring states can provide another angle to these discussions. In my long-haul trip experiences (obviously colored by location and my choice of road trip destinations), I find KC has been much harder to avoid than St. Louis.

[bassoon1986]

For Louisiana I'm kind of between Lafayette and Alexandria. Louisiana is also an odd state in terms of its shape. Lafayette has one route designation to each of the 3 largest cities (Shreveport, Baton Rouge, and New Orleans). But Alexandria just about catches a route to every major city. Aesthetically on a map it has routes in all directions: N, S, E, W and the diagonals. And there's either a BGS or a mileage sign to every large city other than maybe Houma or Slidell.


iPhone

[achilles765]

I'll take a stab at Texas. My vote goes to San Antonio.

-2 of the major cross country routes: I-10 and I-35. These are also arguably the 2 busiest ones in Texas
-Most of its highways connect to the other major cities in Texas: 35 hits DFW, Waco, Austin, and Laredo, 37 gets to Corpus, 10 gets Houston and El Paso, 281 makes it to the Valley, and 87 gets San Angelo, Lubbock and Amarillo
-It's not totally central to the center of Texas, but more like south-central which isn't bad



iPhone

I was trying to think of the right one for Texas and, even though Austin is in the center of the state and the capital and "heart," I think you are right about it being San Antonio.  Even though its down in the south-central region, it is truly a major crossroads: Interstates 10, 35, and 37; US 90, US 87, US 181, and US 281; plus SH 130 and SH 16.  And it connects directly to almost every other major city: Houston and El Paso on IH 10, Laredo, DFW, Waco, Austin on IH 35, Corpus Christi on IH 37, the valley on both IH 37 and US 281, and Wichita Falls and Amarillo on US 287, and even Lubbock on US 87. 

[roadman65]

Because of Florida is a peninsula. It's hard to say what crossroads meet at a common place.

If you arrive by I-75 you split at I-10 for Jacksonville and the First Coast. Then at the Turnpike for Eastern Florida and Orlando.  Then remain on I-75 for Tampa Bay and SW Florida. 

For the Panhandle you would exit I-75 in GA at various places and for Pensacola, you would exit in TN at I-24 for I-59 to I-65 and not enter Florida at all.


I-95 serves all East Coast Cities, but it has Jacksonville for west to the Panhandle and Tampa Bay as well as SW Florida via cut off at US 301 for the latter two. Orlando is only 40 miles from I-95 so I consider it straight through I-95.  So you might say sort of Jacksonville is a crossroads only for it.

[US 89]

Wichita Falls and Amarillo on US 287

US 287 doesn't go to San Antonio, but you can still connect directly to Wichita Falls on US 281 and Amarillo on US 87.

[SkyPesos]

Since this was referenced to in a recent thread and no one done Missouri yet...

Missouri is one of the more difficult states to do as there isn't a N-S interstate through the center of the state, and the two largest cities (KC and StL) are on the edges. With KC, you have I-29 to the NW, I-35 to the NE, I-70 to the East and I-49/US 71 to the South. StL have I-55 to the South, US 67 to the South, I-44 to the SW, I-70 to the West and US 61 to the NW. Both cities lack a continuous 4 lane connection to the state capital (Jefferson City) under a single route number, but I-70/US 63 and I-70/US 54 works well. As for the largest cities, Kansas City lacks a direct freeway connection to Springfield (I-49/MO 7/MO 13 is the current 4 lane routing) and the southeastern portion of the state, and St Louis lacks a freeway connection to the northern portion of the state, as US 61 is only an expressway.

I'll give the win to St Louis for this one, as the missing KC-Springfield freeway is placed against them.

I think Missouri is an interesting case study actually. While in the thread we are looking at just within Missouri itself, I think including neighboring states can provide another angle to these discussions. In my long-haul trip experiences (obviously colored by location and my choice of road trip destinations), I find KC has been much harder to avoid than St. Louis.

Since you're in MN, makes sense that you'll pass through KC more than StL, as that's the one freeway connection that St Louis is missing (to Iowa and MN), and I-35 goes through both KC and the twin cities. If a hypothetical interstate between Chattanooga and St Paul, passing through Nashville, St Louis, Cedar Rapids and Rochester, using current I-24 and AotS, existed, you probably could see yourself pass through St Louis on trips to the southeast more.

[achilles765]

My personal pick for Texas would likely be Dallas, since so many routes from the north and east converge there. San Antonio would be 2nd pick, and I'd say Victoria for 3rd (heck, that region is actually called the Crossroads!).

OK, I thought San Antonio and agreed with the poster who suggested it, but this one kinda makes sense too.  DFW does have a lot of major crossroads: Interstates 20, 30, 35, 45; US 67, US 75, US 77, US 80, US 287, SH 114, SH 121

[Flint1979]

I'd say for the whole state it'd probably be US-10 and US-127 in Clare. There is even a Michigan Welcome Center in the median there.

[Roadgeekteen]

Because of Florida is a peninsula. It's hard to say what crossroads meet at a common place.

If you arrive by I-75 you split at I-10 for Jacksonville and the First Coast. Then at the Turnpike for Eastern Florida and Orlando.  Then remain on I-75 for Tampa Bay and SW Florida. 

For the Panhandle you would exit I-75 in GA at various places and for Pensacola, you would exit in TN at I-24 for I-59 to I-65 and not enter Florida at all.


I-95 serves all East Coast Cities, but it has Jacksonville for west to the Panhandle and Tampa Bay as well as SW Florida via cut off at US 301 for the latter two. Orlando is only 40 miles from I-95 so I consider it straight through I-95.  So you might say sort of Jacksonville is a crossroads only for it.

I would go with Orlando for Florida.

[hobsini2]

Wisconsin is a tough one probably the closest we have is I-39 and WI-29 in Wausau the most major junction in the central part of the state.

I don't think Wisconsin is all that difficult. Madison is it in my mind. Major highways going in all 8 directions. East - 94, Northeast/Southwest - 151, North/South - 51, West - 18, Northwest/Southeast - 39/90.  And considering that 3 of the busiest interchanges in the state are consecutive on I-39/90, that's a huge reason.
Wausau is more secondary.

[thspfc]

Wisconsin is a tough one probably the closest we have is I-39 and WI-29 in Wausau the most major junction in the central part of the state.

I don't think Wisconsin is all that difficult. Madison is it in my mind. Major highways going in all 8 directions. East - 94, Northeast/Southwest - 151, North/South - 51, West - 18, Northwest/Southeast - 39/90.  And considering that 3 of the busiest interchanges in the state are consecutive on I-39/90, that's a huge reason.
Wausau is more secondary.

I would argue that Fond du Lac is more of a crossroads than Wausau.

[Roadgeekteen]

Wisconsin is a tough one probably the closest we have is I-39 and WI-29 in Wausau the most major junction in the central part of the state.

I don't think Wisconsin is all that difficult. Madison is it in my mind. Major highways going in all 8 directions. East - 94, Northeast/Southwest - 151, North/South - 51, West - 18, Northwest/Southeast - 39/90.  And considering that 3 of the busiest interchanges in the state are consecutive on I-39/90, that's a huge reason.
Wausau is more secondary.

I would argue that Fond du Lac is more of a crossroads than Wausau.

Fond Du Lac isn't much of a crossroads, just US 151 and I-41.

[thspfc]

Wisconsin is a tough one probably the closest we have is I-39 and WI-29 in Wausau the most major junction in the central part of the state.

I don't think Wisconsin is all that difficult. Madison is it in my mind. Major highways going in all 8 directions. East - 94, Northeast/Southwest - 151, North/South - 51, West - 18, Northwest/Southeast - 39/90.  And considering that 3 of the busiest interchanges in the state are consecutive on I-39/90, that's a huge reason.
Wausau is more secondary.

I would argue that Fond du Lac is more of a crossroads than Wausau.

Fond Du Lac isn't much of a crossroads, just US 151 and I-41.

And WI-23. WI-23 is the most important E/W route in the eastern half of the state north I-94 and south of US-10. US-45 also runs through Fond du Lac, though it's more of a local route than 41, 151, and 23.

[empirestate]

Because of Florida is a peninsula. It's hard to say what crossroads meet at a common place.

If you arrive by I-75 you split at I-10 for Jacksonville and the First Coast. Then at the Turnpike for Eastern Florida and Orlando.  Then remain on I-75 for Tampa Bay and SW Florida. 

For the Panhandle you would exit I-75 in GA at various places and for Pensacola, you would exit in TN at I-24 for I-59 to I-65 and not enter Florida at all.


I-95 serves all East Coast Cities, but it has Jacksonville for west to the Panhandle and Tampa Bay as well as SW Florida via cut off at US 301 for the latter two. Orlando is only 40 miles from I-95 so I consider it straight through I-95.  So you might say sort of Jacksonville is a crossroads only for it.

I would go with Orlando for Florida.

Probably. On one hand, Orlando doesn't fall between any two Panhandle-only points, nor on any points along or near the Gulf coast (which is a lot of possibilities). But on the other, it will fall on a great many possible trips between the east and west sides of the peninsula.

Gainesville might be another choice, as there are probably a lot of trips originating in Jacksonville that won't go through Orlando but might pass Gainesville.

[achilles765]

Wichita Falls and Amarillo on US 287

US 287 doesn't go to San Antonio, but you can still connect directly to Wichita Falls on US 281 and Amarillo on US 87.
[/quote

my mistake.  I meant that but did not type it in properly.  thank you

[bwana39]

I would think Dallas, particularly Downtown Dallas. I am sure some people would be equally vehement  that it is Houston. Some MIGHT argue San Antonio. It is academic that AUSTIN is not the center of anything except for governmental bureaucracy.  Arlington would like to claim it for their own as being the center of DFW.