Is I-444 an east-west or a north-south highway?

[bugo]

I-444 has an E-W leg and a N-S leg. It is plexed with US 75 for its entire length, and US 75 is signed N-S. It is also plexed with US 64 and OK 51 which are E-W highways. It branches off of I-244 which is an E-W highway. It is unsigned so there is no way of telling whether it is E-W or N-S by signage.  Which is it?

Was it ever signed? I've heard of I-444 shields being seen during construction and after it was opened.

Why is it unsigned in the first place?

[Scott5114]

444 ÷ 2 = 222, which is a whole number, so I would expect I-444 to nominally be an east-west highway.

It could also be like I-435 in Kansas City and several other highways and change from logical E-W to logical N-S midway through. The ODOT control section map shows I-444 split into two control sections, #94, which begins at I-244 and goes east to the BA Expressway, and #92, which begins at section #94 and goes north from there.

Really, though, I-444's logical direction is kind of a null question because logical direction only exists in terms of what is signed. It is a bit like asking about how much lift a dragon's wings generate. You could come up with a theoretical answer, but dragons don't exist in real life, so it can't be proven right.

[NE2]

Really, though, I-444's logical direction is kind of a null question because logical direction only exists in terms of what is signed. It is a bit like asking about how much lift a dragon's wings generate. You could come up with a theoretical answer, but dragons don't exist in real life, so it can't be proven right.

This. In many states, directions only have relevance for signs. (Some states do define a direction internally.)

[Brandon]

444 ÷ 2 = 222, which is a whole number, so I would expect I-444 to nominally be an east-west highway.

Being a 3di, the last digit does not count for direction.

[3467]

On 3dis I think its the first number( an odd or an even) that is supposed to mean something -Odd is a "spur"
even is a "loop".
A tread on how closely that one has been followed would be interesting

[Brandon]

On 3dis I think its the first number( an odd or an even) that is supposed to mean something -Odd is a "spur"
even is a "loop".
A tread on how closely that one has been followed would be interesting

Yes, it's the first digit that counts on a 3di, making it a loop or a spur.  Usually this seems to be adhered to (I-476 notwithstanding).  As for direction, I'll just use Illinois as an example.

I-172 is a north-south spur.
I-294 is a north-south loop.

Both end in an even digit, and both are signed north-south as they are 3di loops and spurs.

[3467]

Is that why Illinois cant seem to get IL 255 to be I-255 . It would be a spur off a loop!

[Brandon]

Is that why Illinois cant seem to get IL 255 to be I-255 . It would be a spur off a loop!

Yep. unless you happen to be PennDOT.  Then, you can get I-476 extended anywhere.

[Bickendan]

Is that why Illinois cant seem to get IL 255 to be I-255 . It would be a spur off a loop!

Yep. unless you happen to be PennDOT.  Then, you can get I-476 extended anywhere.

Why don't they extend it out to Oregon, just because?

[andy3175]

Is that why Illinois cant seem to get IL 255 to be I-255 . It would be a spur off a loop!

Yep. unless you happen to be PennDOT.  Then, you can get I-476 extended anywhere.

Why don't they extend it out to Oregon, just because?

Because they are still trying to extend I-84 west from PA to OR, and you can see how well that's going!

[US71]

444 ÷ 2 = 222, which is a whole number, so I would expect I-444 to nominally be an east-west highway.

Being a 3di, the last digit does not count for direction.

I-540 (AR) runs N-S
I-435 (KS-MO) runs all four directions

[kphoger]

Pandirectional.

[Brandon]

Pandirectional.

In other words, it's not just north-south, it's not just east-west, it swings both ways! 

[intelati49]

Pandirectional.

In other words, it's not just north-south, it's not just east-west, it swings both ways! 

I prefer omnidirectional