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How far can you travel in your area without using a freeway of any sort?

Started by bzakharin, February 05, 2017, 12:50:36 PM

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bzakharin

To clarify, I'm talking about situations where not using a freeway is the fastest route.
Although I expect less populated states to have a lot more impressive distances, you can cross the entirety of NJ west to east just by using NJ 38, CR 644, NJ 70, NJ 37, and NJ 35. That's 66 miles:
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Riverton,+New+Jersey/Island+Beach+State+Park
Similarly, but a bit further south NJ 49, CR 670, and NJ 47:
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Pennsville+Township,+New+Jersey/Cape+May+Airport,+507+Terminal+Dr+%23102,+Rio+Grande,+NJ+08242


hotdogPi

In northeastern Massachusetts, MA 114 is best from Salem to Lawrence (for some, but not all, start and end points), about 20 miles. Almost any other 20-mile route in the area (considering southern New Hampshire outside the area) will involve a freeway.
Clinched, minus I-93 (I'm missing a few miles and my file is incorrect)

Traveled, plus US 13, 44, and 50, and several state routes

I will be in Burlington VT for the eclipse.

dfilpus

In Virginia, South Boston to Culpeper is 164 miles by US 360, county roads, US 522. It is a little faster then via US 29, which has some freeway stretches.

oscar

Not "my area" exactly, but I've been there a lot -- Canada's Yukon and the Northwest Territories have nothing resembling a freeway, so it's easy to come up with four-digit distances.  For example, Fort Smith NT to Inuvik NT is about 1965 miles (including a lot of non-freeway and sometimes unpaved highways in the Yukon and northern British Columbia). The extension of NT 8 from Inuvik to the Arctic coast at Tuktoyaktuk will extend that distance to well over 2000 miles.

More in "my area" you can drive from my home in Arlington into West Virginia, and most or all the way across West Virginia into Ohio, using US 50 (with US 29 to bypass the parts of US 50 with scattered interchanges). But you'd probably save time (depending on how badly FUBAR'd I-66 is that day) to take the Interstate and pick up US 50 in Fair Oaks VA.
my Hot Springs and Highways pages, with links to my roads sites:
http://www.alaskaroads.com/home.html

gonealookin

I can make it 520 miles before even intersecting a freeway:  Stateline, NV to Cedar City, UT.

Anything involving US 50 puts me on freeway in Carson City for a short distance (soon to be a bit longer), and while I could go straight though Cedar City some distance farther, at some point I'm going to be routed north or south and onto I-15, or down through Las Vegas.

michravera

Quote from: bzakharin on February 05, 2017, 12:50:36 PM
To clarify, I'm talking about situations where not using a freeway is the fastest route.
Although I expect less populated states to have a lot more impressive distances, you can cross the entirety of NJ west to east just by using NJ 38, CR 644, NJ 70, NJ 37, and NJ 35. That's 66 miles:
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Riverton,+New+Jersey/Island+Beach+State+Park
Similarly, but a bit further south NJ 49, CR 670, and NJ 47:
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Pennsville+Township,+New+Jersey/Cape+May+Airport,+507+Terminal+Dr+%23102,+Rio+Grande,+NJ+08242
The ground rules require some clarification.
I have driven from Manteca, CA to Las Vegas, NV without even *SEEING* a freeway until in the shadows of Las Vegas (something around 700 km). I had, of course, just turned off of CASR-99.

I have driven from Sly Park, CA (where the US-50 freeway ends for good) to Las Vegas, NV without ever even having a freeway *AVAILABLE* until the shadows of Las Vegas (about 750 km).

I haven't driven the whole distance of them myself, but I suspect that you can take US-6 from its west end in Eastern California or US-50 from just outside of Carson City and not have a freeway available until you are almost to or well inside Colorado. If you had started in Manteca on CASR-120 near CASR-99 and gone through Yosemite and then caught US-6, you can easily get over 1000 km. I might be missing the US-50/I-70 junction.

CASR-82 "El Camino Real" runs almost 80 km (50mi) not only as non-freeway, but without extensive distances without traffic signals. If I remember right, the only freeway it crosses in the northern 40 miles is CASR-92 (CASR-84 isn't freeway there, if I remember right).

If you have the patience for it, I suspect tthat you could drive all of the way around San Framcisco Bay without ever driving on a freeway, but you would necessarily cross some.

In many places in the Bay Area and Southern California, the old boulevards and roads that were used in the pre-freeway era are viable short commute alternatives to the freeways. Stevens Creek, Milpitas, Warm Srings, Fremont, International, Sepulveda, Hollywood, etc.



jwolfer

Jacksonville to Miami is pretty direct routing and with some days perhaps paster than i95 using a combo of us17, SR 19 and us27

LGMS428


Max Rockatansky

Quote from: jwolfer on February 05, 2017, 03:58:31 PM
Jacksonville to Miami is pretty direct routing and with some days perhaps paster than i95 using a combo of us17, SR 19 and us27

LGMS428

When I lived in East Orlando I often took the following route to get to Miami which was actually substantially shorter than the Turnpike and about even time wise:

-  FL/CR 15
-  US 441
-  FL 715
-  FL 80
-  US 27

This could be even extended via FL 997 and U.S. 1 to get to Key West.  Usually the Turnpike Extension was pretty fluid southbound but backed up to Bird Road most weekdays northbound.  Usually FL 997 was slightly faster given that it kept you moving at least coming home from Key West. 

Edit:

I couldn't make a presentable map on my phone earlier....370 miles:

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Wawa,+6500+S+Semoran+Blvd,+Orlando,+FL+32822/Holopaw,+Saint+Cloud,+FL/Pahokee,+FL/Whitehead+Street,+Key+West,+FL/@25.6365098,-81.0255478,9z/data=!4m31!4m30!1m5!1m1!1s0x88e7636c31cc6cc3:0x9156fac38af6bb3a!2m2!1d-81.3109837!2d28.4695329!1m5!1m1!1s0x88ddec1f61dbb001:0x7de9006b9d8ae909!2m2!1d-81.07613!2d28.135847!1m10!1m1!1s0x88d94a0426b6b867:0x37685c52b68fd3fb!2m2!1d-80.665335!2d26.8200607!3m4!1m2!1d-80.4800839!2d25.727355!3s0x88d9953451535e07:0xc8727d638a3e7d62!1m5!1m1!1s0x88d1b6e84f4d1dbf:0x6dca1d383e3e8686!2m2!1d-81.802068!2d24.5526952!3e0?hl=en


jwolfer

Quote from: Max Rockatansky on February 05, 2017, 04:06:22 PM
Quote from: jwolfer on February 05, 2017, 03:58:31 PM
Jacksonville to Miami is pretty direct routing and with some days perhaps paster than i95 using a combo of us17, SR 19 and us27

LGMS428

When I lived in East Orlando I often took the following route to get to Miami which was actually substantially shorter than the Turnpike and about even time wise:

-  FL/CR 15
-  US 441
-  FL 716
-  FL 80
-  US 27

This could be even extended via FL 997 and U.S. 1 to get to Key West.  Usually the Turnpike Extension was pretty fluid southbound but backed up to Bird Road most weekdays northbound.  Usually FL 997 was slightly faster given that it kept you moving at least coming home from Key West.
Before Clermont got built up us27 was an excellent alternate to 95/FLTP/75

LGMS428


bzakharin

Quote from: michravera on February 05, 2017, 03:55:22 PM
Quote from: bzakharin on February 05, 2017, 12:50:36 PM
To clarify, I'm talking about situations where not using a freeway is the fastest route.
Although I expect less populated states to have a lot more impressive distances, you can cross the entirety of NJ west to east just by using NJ 38, CR 644, NJ 70, NJ 37, and NJ 35. That's 66 miles:
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Riverton,+New+Jersey/Island+Beach+State+Park
Similarly, but a bit further south NJ 49, CR 670, and NJ 47:
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Pennsville+Township,+New+Jersey/Cape+May+Airport,+507+Terminal+Dr+%23102,+Rio+Grande,+NJ+08242
The ground rules require some clarification.
I have driven from Manteca, CA to Las Vegas, NV without even *SEEING* a freeway until in the shadows of Las Vegas (something around 700 km). I had, of course, just turned off of CASR-99.

I have driven from Sly Park, CA (where the US-50 freeway ends for good) to Las Vegas, NV without ever even having a freeway *AVAILABLE* until the shadows of Las Vegas (about 750 km).

I haven't driven the whole distance of them myself, but I suspect that you can take US-6 from its west end in Eastern California or US-50 from just outside of Carson City and not have a freeway available until you are almost to or well inside Colorado. If you had started in Manteca on CASR-120 near CASR-99 and gone through Yosemite and then caught US-6, you can easily get over 1000 km. I might be missing the US-50/I-70 junction.

CASR-82 "El Camino Real" runs almost 80 km (50mi) not only as non-freeway, but without extensive distances without traffic signals. If I remember right, the only freeway it crosses in the northern 40 miles is CASR-92 (CASR-84 isn't freeway there, if I remember right).

If you have the patience for it, I suspect tthat you could drive all of the way around San Framcisco Bay without ever driving on a freeway, but you would necessarily cross some.

In many places in the Bay Area and Southern California, the old boulevards and roads that were used in the pre-freeway era are viable short commute alternatives to the freeways. Stevens Creek, Milpitas, Warm Srings, Fremont, International, Sepulveda, Hollywood, etc.



It's not really about seeing a freeway. Nor is it about the possibility of travelling between two points without a freeway (that's almost always possible). It's about when the quickest trip between two points does not involve a freeway.

I've also never driven either of the routes I mentioned in their entirety. The longest I've personally driven without entering a freeway is 23 miles, from home to exit 31 on the Atlantic City Expressway, mostly via NJ 73.

Max Rockatansky

Quote from: jwolfer on February 05, 2017, 04:09:07 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on February 05, 2017, 04:06:22 PM
Quote from: jwolfer on February 05, 2017, 03:58:31 PM
Jacksonville to Miami is pretty direct routing and with some days perhaps paster than i95 using a combo of us17, SR 19 and us27

LGMS428

When I lived in East Orlando I often took the following route to get to Miami which was actually substantially shorter than the Turnpike and about even time wise:

-  FL/CR 15
-  US 441
-  FL 716
-  FL 80
-  US 27

This could be even extended via FL 997 and U.S. 1 to get to Key West.  Usually the Turnpike Extension was pretty fluid southbound but backed up to Bird Road most weekdays northbound.  Usually FL 997 was slightly faster given that it kept you moving at least coming home from Key West.
Before Clermont got built up us27 was an excellent alternate to 95/FLTP/75

LGMS428

Still is from Orlando if you can tolerate the tourist brigade descending on Disney all at once on I-4 for a couple miles. 

epzik8

"My area" is Harford County, Maryland, which is just northeast of Baltimore, which is filled with freeways. But I-95 is the only true freeway within Harford County, and it passes some miles south of county seat Bel Air. I'm north of Bel Air, and it's about a 15-mile drive to my exit off I-95 (exit 74, Maryland Route 152). I'm a bit further from I-83, and the exit I usually take off I-83 is Pennsylvania exit 4 in Shrewsbury.

If I lived in Southern Maryland or most of the Eastern Shore, I wouldn't have a choice but to not use freeways.
From the land of red, white, yellow and black.
____________________________

My clinched highways: http://tm.teresco.org/user/?u=epzik8
My clinched counties: http://mob-rule.com/user-gifs/USA/epzik8.gif

cl94

Greenfield, MA. 75 miles from my apartment in Troy with zero limited-access segments. If I-88 was ever completed across Vermont, that would likely be faster.

If we don't count super-2s as "freeways", Woodstock, VT is 110 miles. A good portion of this was the planned route of I-92.
Please note: All posts represent my personal opinions and do not represent those of my employer or any of its partner agencies.

Travel Mapping (updated weekly)

corco

When I lived in Helena, the fastest summer route to Sidney - 441 miles - did not involve any freeway mileage.

Similarly, I'd bet the US 2 corridor generally takes the cake. The fastest route from Bonners Ferry, Idaho to Bemidji, Minnesota - a distance of 1,443 miles - does not involve any freeway.

From Boise, the greatest distance is probably north - it's 379 off-freeway miles to Coeur d'Alene, and that's the fastest way to get up there in the summer.

Buck87

Playing around with google maps directions, the farthest place I could find from my hometown where the top suggested route did not include any freeways was 153 miles (Bellevue, OH to Stockport, OH)

CNGL-Leudimin

Supporter of the construction of several running gags, including I-366 with a speed limit of 85 mph (137 km/h) and the Hypotenuse.

Please note that I may mention "invalid" FM channels, i.e. ending in an even number or down to 87.5. These are valid in Europe.

froggie

Quote from: cl94If we don't count super-2s as "freeways", Woodstock, VT is 110 miles. A good portion of this was the planned route of I-92.

Except that US 7 is a 4-lane freeway for just over one exit north of Bennington, so this one wouldn't count anyway...

TheHighwayMan3561

self-certified as the dumbest person on this board for 5 years running

Inyomono395

I've driven from Bishop, CA to Cedar City, UT 404 miles and from Bishop, CA to Twin Falls, ID 537 miles without a freeway and definitely the most direct route.

Max Rockatansky

Quote from: TheHighwayMan394 on February 05, 2017, 07:05:20 PM
When do we cross the line from expressway to freeway?

I'd say anything that sustained grade separation with limited access for a sustained period of time.  The Florida route I offered up from Orlando to Miami/Key West has a couple expressway ramps but those roads definitely what anyone would define as a freeway.  On U.S. 27 approaching I-75 there is a divide in the road and a full ramp but at grade intersections immediately in both directions.  U.S. 1 on the 18 mile stretch of the Overseas Highway is a divided two-lane with some ramps but there are far more at grade intersections....I wouldn't even really call it a "super two" because it is a wretched design.  Even further down on Boca Chica Key there is a full four lane divide and a ramp but at grade intersections immediately on either direction of travel.  i guess the question is what does the OP consider to be sustained enough access control to make that leap from expressway to freeway?

bing101




Wow the longest drive without a Freeway I been to was on Big Island Hawaii via a tour bus ride due to the fact that they have no interstates. Also Maui tour due to no freeway.

SignGeek101

Well since Manitoba has no freeways (at least in my mind), the fastest route anywhere doesn't have a freeway. I can't realistically go farther west than Alberta (all major routes have freeways) and farther northeast than Rivière-Chalifour Quebec while staying on provincially maintained roads (QC 167).

Here are a few examples of trips I could make over 1000 km (620 mi) without coming into contact with a freeway. In fact, for most of the following trips, the fastest route is two-lane highway (and for the first one I've been told gravel road).

https://goo.gl/maps/kwqh7VbmzZH2

https://goo.gl/maps/fAGqx3gWrhG2

https://goo.gl/maps/c5wvQZMBbM12

https://goo.gl/maps/RNyh8UCrEwF2

The farthest overall realistically is probably close to 2200 km (1370 mi).

Of course, the closest freeway is not even in the country (I-29).


coatimundi

Probably says something about where I live that I can only get to Chualar, 24 miles away, by surface roads, and I believe that's the farthest. We have so many freeway stubs around us.

bulldog1979

On a typical trip from my hometown in the Central UP, I can go about 3-3.5 hours to the east/southeast before I end up on I-75 north of St. Ignace, and it's probably about the same to the west before I hit the US 53 freeway near Superior. I think the US 141 and US 41 freeway segments in WI are maybe a bit closer, but if I'm angling southwesterly out of the UP in WI, I may not see a freeway for over 4 hours (US 53 north of Eau Claire) or use one until I hit I-35 at the western end of US 8, 6 hours after I left home.



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