Number of in-state control cities on major interstates

[Beltway]

The first list of California cities by population gave me the top 100 and #100 was around 77000, so it might be closer to 200 (and remember that these are cities' official populations inside the city limits).

The vast majority being bedroom communities in 3 large metro areas.

[bzakharin]

BTW there is at least ONE mention of Fort Lee on NB I-95:

https://www.google.com/maps/@40.8312676,-74.0227595,3a,75y,33.85h,94.62t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sYCWaVqIP1fMsn7Ibg-eWAw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

I missed that because I was looking at entrances rather than pull-through signage. I find that pull-thrus are a lot harder to find because they don't appear at every exit, and on the NJ Turnpike's northern part often still say "Thru Traffic"

I-95 in NH: Portsmouth, Seabrook and Hampton (at least it did years ago)

See the list in my original post. Those are at entrances again

[PHLBOS]

I-95 in NH: Portsmouth, Seabrook and Hampton (at least it did years ago)

See the list in my original post. Those are at entrances again

Wrong, I re-checked your original post; it only covered Maine, New Jersey & Florida.  It did not cover New Hampshire.

Regarding the listings in Maine; such may be due to a sizable chunk of I-95 being the Maine Turnpike.  Those secondary control cities on the entrance ramp signs are the names of interchanges listed on the toll tickets.

[bzakharin]

I-95 in NH: Portsmouth, Seabrook and Hampton (at least it did years ago)

See the list in my original post. Those are at entrances again

Wrong, I re-checked your original post; it only covered Maine, New Jersey & Florida.  It did not cover New Hampshire.

Oh, sorry, got confused.

[kphoger]

Oklahoma barely participates in the control city game; on I-35 and I-40, the only >in-state< control city is Oklahoma City. On I-44 you also get Tulsa and Lawton.

Ummm...  FTFY.

I-35 north out of OKC is control-signed for Wichita.  I-35 south out of OKC is control-signed for Dallas.  I-40 west out of OKC is control-signed for Amarillo.  I-40 east out of OKC is control-signed for Fort Smith.  I-44 southwest out of Lawton is control-signed for Wichita Falls.

If in-state control cities were used instead, then it would be something like.....
I-35 Guthrie
I-35 Pauls Valley or Ardmore
I-40 Elk City
I-40 Shawnee or Henryetta
I-44 ..... shoot, I don't know, Walters?

[hbelkins]

Kentucky uses the logical ones of Lexington, Louisville and Paducah where appropriate. Ashland for I-64 is arguable. I don't get Fulton for I-69, though.

[Roadwarriors79]

Arizona only uses four in-state control cities on its interstates: Phoenix, Tucson, Flagstaff, and Nogales.

[jaehak]

I-5 SB in Oregon uses many small cities starting south from Portland is Salem ok that makes sense it's the capitol the next is Eugene also makes sense still major but the next is Roseburg and Grants Pass come on who as ever heard of those? Next up is Medford I get that one should be used right after Eugene but even after that they still won't use a California city they have to go with Ashland. It isn't until after that we get a California city but it isn't Sacramento or even Redding as you would expect is Yreka who has ever heard of that? While in California they use Portland for NB starting just after Redding while Oregon uses all these little places for the SB direction.

Oregon has what I think of as a "Topeka problem"  (since I'm from Kansas) when it comes to control cities.  In both Kansas and Oregon, the dominant metro in the state is right at the state line (KC and Portland) and the capital is a short distance away.  As the capitals in both states are mid-sized cities and capitals, it makes sense to sign them as a primary control.  However, in both cases, there's a string of cities of decreasing size and fame in-state, and no particularly large cities in the next state for quite a ways. This is also the case with 80 in Nebraska and 80 in Wyoming.

[hbelkins]

Oregon has what I think of as a "Topeka problem"  (since I'm from Kansas) when it comes to control cities.  In both Kansas and Oregon, the dominant metro in the state is right at the state line (KC and Portland) and the capital is a short distance away.  As the capitals in both states are mid-sized cities and capitals, it makes sense to sign them as a primary control.  However, in both cases, there's a string of cities of decreasing size and fame in-state, and no particularly large cities in the next state for quite a ways. This is also the case with 80 in Nebraska and 80 in Wyoming.

Topeka makes sense, since it's a major route junction (Kansas Turnpike/I-335), although most traffic from KC to Wichita is going to use free I-35 instead of paying a toll to go through Lawrence and Topeka.

Going west on I-70, Topeka and then Denver is logical. There's nothing in Kansas, really, that warrants an in-state control city designation, although Salina would probably work for a supplemental (Next Town/Salina/Denver on mileage signs.)

Coming back east, what does Colorado use? Limon (in-state), Salina, Topeka, or KC?

[kphoger]

most traffic from KC to Wichita is going to use free I-35 instead of paying a toll to go through Lawrence and Topeka.

That depends greatly on what part of KC they're coming from.  If coming from KCI, the Speedway, or Bonner Springs, a driver is pretty likely to use KTA the whole way.

Coming back east, what does Colorado use? Limon (in-state), Salina, Topeka, or KC?

Limon and then...well, nothing, really.

[michravera]

The first list of California cities by population gave me the top 100 and #100 was around 77000, so it might be closer to 200 (and remember that these are cities' official populations inside the city limits).

The vast majority being bedroom communities in 3 large metro areas.

Chico, Marysviille, Yuba City, Red Bluff, Merced, Madera, and Redding are a bedroom communities for which city now? LA, San Diego, or San Jose?
Tulare and Visalia are bedroom communities for which of those?

We can argue about Santa Clarita, Salinas, Santa Rosa, Palmdale, Lancaster, Escondido, and even Yucca Valley and Stockton, but CASR-99 has a *LOT* of cities that have nothing to do with The Bay Area, LA, or San Diego. And quite a few that have nothing to do with Fresno, Bakersfield, or Sacramento either. They are just there with their own importance. Not terribly important to everyone, but pretty important to the 100000 or so people who live there!

I remember navigating for my father back in 1968 along CASR-99. There was a decent sized town every couple of minutes and what seemed like big ones every 15 or 20.

[mapman1071]

Arizona only uses four in-state control cities on its interstates: Phoenix, Tucson, Flagstaff, and Nogales.

Arizona only uses four in-state control cities on its interstates: Phoenix, Tucson, Flagstaff, and Nogales.

forgot one Yuma

[bing101]

The first list of California cities by population gave me the top 100 and #100 was around 77000, so it might be closer to 200 (and remember that these are cities' official populations inside the city limits).

The vast majority being bedroom communities in 3 large metro areas.

Well if you live in Solano County, CA you just happen to be counted as a commuter county of both Sacramento and San Francisco and I-80 in Solano County getting both cities though. Also I remember that cities like Temecula gets mentioned as both the commuter city for San Diego and Los Angeles though with I-15. But for the rest of California I would not be so quick to say that though.

[pdx-wanderer]

I-84 eastbound in Oregon has lots of small control cities with The Dalles, Hermiston, Pendleton, Baker City, La Grande and Ontario, but they should be secondary control cities and the obvious Boise being given primary status. Though Idaho uses Ontario instead of Portland and Mountain Home instead of Twin Falls (or Salt Lake) so who knows.

[iowahighways]

Des Moines is the most frequently-used control city on I-35 and I-80 in Iowa, given that the two highways meet there.

West of Des Moines, Council Bluffs is the main control city over Omaha, likely because that's where I-80 intersects with I-29. East of there, Iowa City and Davenport show up on distance signs along I-80, with Davenport being the main control city. Chicago, despite the occasional mention in West Des Moines and the Iowa City area, doesn't become the main control city until you enter Davenport.

I-35 north of Des Moines uses Minneapolis as the main control city, but Ames and Mason City occasionally show up on distance signs.

[bassoon1986]

Louisiana has quite a few in-state control cities for its size and population.

Shreveport
Monroe
Alexandria
Opelousas
Lafayette
Lake Charles
Baton Rouge
New Orleans
Hammond
Slidell

If Future I-49 South uses existing ones from US 90, Morgan City would be another one. I've never understood why New Iberia is not used instead.


iPhone

[thenetwork]

I-80 in Pennsylvania. <mic drop>

[kphoger]

[jaehak]

Oregon has what I think of as a "Topeka problem"  (since I'm from Kansas) when it comes to control cities.  In both Kansas and Oregon, the dominant metro in the state is right at the state line (KC and Portland) and the capital is a short distance away.  As the capitals in both states are mid-sized cities and capitals, it makes sense to sign them as a primary control.  However, in both cases, there's a string of cities of decreasing size and fame in-state, and no particularly large cities in the next state for quite a ways. This is also the case with 80 in Nebraska and 80 in Wyoming.

Topeka makes sense, since it's a major route junction (Kansas Turnpike/I-335), although most traffic from KC to Wichita is going to use free I-35 instead of paying a toll to go through Lawrence and Topeka.

Going west on I-70, Topeka and then Denver is logical. There's nothing in Kansas, really, that warrants an in-state control city designation, although Salina would probably work for a supplemental (Next Town/Salina/Denver on mileage signs.)

Coming back east, what does Colorado use? Limon (in-state), Salina, Topeka, or KC?

I agree. However, going west 70 uses Topeka, then Salina, then Hays, then alternates between Limon and Denver. Eastbound from Denver uses Limon, then Salina, then Topeka.

[DTComposer]

The first list of California cities by population gave me the top 100 and #100 was around 77000, so it might be closer to 200 (and remember that these are cities' official populations inside the city limits).

The vast majority being bedroom communities in 3 large metro areas.

Chico, Marysviille, Yuba City, Red Bluff, Merced, Madera, and Redding are a bedroom communities for which city now? LA, San Diego, or San Jose?
Tulare and Visalia are bedroom communities for which of those?

We can argue about Santa Clarita, Salinas, Santa Rosa, Palmdale, Lancaster, Escondido, and even Yucca Valley and Stockton, but CASR-99 has a *LOT* of cities that have nothing to do with The Bay Area, LA, or San Diego. And quite a few that have nothing to do with Fresno, Bakersfield, or Sacramento either. They are just there with their own importance. Not terribly important to everyone, but pretty important to the 100000 or so people who live there!

I remember navigating for my father back in 1968 along CASR-99. There was a decent sized town every couple of minutes and what seemed like big ones every 15 or 20.

To be fair, looking at the Wiki list of 100 largest California cities (2015 Census population estimates), we find:

8 cities I would consider to be anchors of major metro areas
(Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose, San Francisco, Fresno, Sacramento, Bakersfield, Stockton)

6 cities I would consider to be secondary anchors of major metro areas
(Long Beach, Oakland, Anaheim, Santa Ana, Riverside, San Bernardino)

8 cities I would consider to be anchors of smaller areas
(Modesto, Salinas, Visalia, Santa Maria, Santa Barbara, Redding, Chico, Indio)

8 cities I would consider to be satellite cities
(Oxnard, Santa Clarita, Santa Rosa, Lancaster, Palmdale, Victorville, Ventura, Hesperia)

The other 70 cities I would consider suburbs or bedroom communities
(42 in Los Angeles/Orange County/Inland Empire; 16 in Bay Area; 7 in San Diego; 3 in Sacramento; 1 in Fresno; 1 in Stockton)

[mwb1848]

I love dramatic, far-flung control cities: Like San Antonio on I-10 in El Paso, Tampa on I-75 in Atlanta and Los Angeles on I-40 in Arizona.

[skluth]

Illinois tends to use secondary control cities that are in state rather than out of state.  Examples:

This approach makes sense to me, although I do find East Saint Louis a little silly.

It's really not silly at all. At the I-55/70/270 interchange, both I-55/70 southbound and I-270 westbound go to St Louis. Only I-55/70 goes to East St Louis (and downtown St Louis). There is a narrow strip of St Louis City that goes upriver along Riverview until just north of the I-270/New Chain of Rocks Bridge. While I-255 southbound from Collinsville doesn't go to St Louis, the South County Mehlville/Oakville area is mostly unincorporated and uses St Louis for its addresses. East St Louis clarifies where the highway goes once you reach the STL metro.

[Flint1979]

Fargo/Moorhead alternates on the bottom line on the freeway.

Yeah, what you said:

MN is weird in places

I have never been able to figure out why on earth they alternate Fargo and Moorhead on distance signs for hundreds of miles. For crying out loud, just pick one, preferably Fargo, and stick with it the whole way! Alternating them does nothing but generate confusion, IMO; it's almost like they couldn't decide between the in-state destination and the larger city and ended up compromising clarity through indecision.

That makes sense. If I was to get on at an interchange where it said Fargo then got off knowing I haven't even been to Fargo yet and saw Moorhead I'd be kind of confused. If they didn't want to use an out of state city they should have went with Moorhead the entire way. Fargo is quite a bit bigger than Moorhead though so I'd probably think Fargo should be the control city there.

[Flint1979]

I have never been able to figure out why on earth they alternate Fargo and Moorhead on distance signs for hundreds of miles. For crying out loud, just pick one, preferably Fargo, and stick with it the whole way! Alternating them does nothing but generate confusion, IMO; it's almost like they couldn't decide between the in-state destination and the larger city and ended up compromising clarity through indecision.

Perhaps because they are effectively sister-cities that just happen to be on opposite sides of a river and state border.  Both cities are in the MPO name.  Fundamentally, it's not much different than alternating between Minneapolis and St. Paul on distance signage (which happens on I-35 and IIRC I-94 as well).

I'm thinking that with I-94 most of the time east of the Twin Cities it's St. Paul and west of the Twin Cities it's Minneapolis but I can't remember if this is the way it is or not. I-35 should probably use both cities since it branches off to run in both cities. I know that coming off WI-29 and US-12 northwest of Eau Claire only St. Paul is on the sign there.

[jaehak]

I love dramatic, far-flung control cities: Like San Antonio on I-10 in El Paso, Tampa on I-75 in Atlanta and Los Angeles on I-40 in Arizona.

Cheers to that. I'm a big proponent of "real cites"  as control cities. Local traffic know the roads anyway, and rinky dink control cities that nobody has ever heard of are useless for through traffic. Totally in favor of concepts like 5 North - Portland in Sacramento or 80 East - Omaha in Cheyenne.