I noticed that an Interstate bracket challenge was created in the Mid South board. So let's continue the tradition in the best board on the forum. :-D
To keep the rules consistent with the Mid South edition, you're only voting based on the segment of said Interstate within the boundaries of the Midwest/Great Lakes/Rust Belt/whatever else you call it. I think we all have a loose idea of what that entails so let's not launch into yet another debate about the specific boundaries of the region.
I'm leaving out I-79 and I-86, because while they enter the Midwest-Great Lakes region under AARoads' definition, I never see any posts about Pennsylvania or New York in this board, so I don't see a point in including them.
So here is the bracket:
West Region
#1 seed: I-90 (first round bye)
#2 seed: I-94 (first round bye)
#3 seed: I-35 (first round bye)
#4 seed: I-55 (first round bye)
#5 seed: I-74 (first round bye)
#6 seed: I-88 (first round bye)
#7 seed: I-43
#8 seed: I-39
#9 seed: I-41
#10 seed: I-57
East Region
#1 seed: I-80 (first round bye)
#2 seed: I-70 (first round bye)
#3 seed: I-75 (first round bye)
#4 seed: I-71 (first round bye)
#5 seed: I-65 (first round bye)
#6 seed: I-96 (first round bye)
#7 seed: I-69 (first round bye)
#8 seed: I-77
#9 seed: I-76
First Round
West
#7 I-43 vs #10 I-57
#8 I-39 vs #9 I-41
East
#8 I-77 vs #9 I-76
Vote on those three matchups between now and Monday 3/22.
Second Round Preview
West
#1 I-90 vs winner of 8/9 matchup
#4 I-55 vs #5 I-74
#3 I-35 vs #6 I-88
#2 I-94 vs winner of 7/10 matchup
East
#1 I-80 vs winner of 8/9 matchup
#4 I-71 vs #5 I-65
#3 I-75 vs #6 I-96
#2 I-70 vs #7 I-69
I will count up the first round results and kick off the second round on Monday or Tuesday.
First Round
West
#7 I-43 vs #10 I-57
#8 I-39 vs #9 I-41
East
#8 I-77 vs #9 I-76
West:
I-57
I-39
East:
I-76
West:
I-43
I-39
East:
I-77
#7 I-43 vs #10 I-57
Chicago > Milwaukee. Also, Champaign is a nice college town ngl.
#8 I-39 vs #9 I-41
7 miles of non-multiplexed segment is better than 0 :D
East
#8 I-77 vs #9 I-76
Pittsburgh > Cleveland
Quote from: SkyPesos on March 15, 2021, 09:41:34 PM
#7 I-43 vs #10 I-57
Chicago > Milwaukee. Also, Champaign is a nice college town ngl.
Honestly, I like Carbondale over Champaign, but whatever. I wasn't impressed by Champaign-Urbana when I lived in Central IL. Haven't spent much time in Charleston, so no data on that college town along I-57
Quote from: SkyPesos on March 15, 2021, 09:41:34 PM
East
#8 I-77 vs #9 I-76
Pittsburgh > Cleveland
Come on now, I-76 wins because of the OH TP Bump!
I-57 over 43: bigger city, more important nationally
I-41 over 39: again, bugger metro areas
I-77 over 76: because FU PA TPK
First Round
West
#7 I-43 vs #10 I-57
#8 I-39 vs #9 I-41
East
#8 I-77 vs #9 I-76
First Round
West
#10 I-57
#8 I-39
East
#8 I-77
57
39
77
I-57
I-39
I-76
West
I-43
I-39
East
I-77
Here's my picks for the first round.
West
#7 I-43 vs #10 I-57
#8 I-39 vs #9 I-41
East
#8 I-77 vs #9 I-76
First Round
West
#7 I-43 vs #10 I-57
#8 I-39 vs #9 I-41
East
#8 I-77 vs #9 I-76
Chris
First Round Results
West
(10) I-57 upsets (7) I-43, 8-4
(8) I-39 beats (9) I-41, 10-2
East
(8) I-77 beats (9) I-76, 8-4
Second Round Matchups
West
(1) I-90 vs (8) I-39
(4) I-55 vs (5) I-74
(3) I-35 vs (6) I-88
(2) I-94 vs (10) I-57
East
(1) I-80 vs (8) I-77
(4) I-71 vs (5) I-65
(3) I-75 vs (6) I-96
(2) I-70 vs (7) I-69
Vote between now and Monday 3/29.
Second Round Matchups
West
(1) I-90 vs (8) I-39
(4) I-55 vs (5) I-74
(3) I-35 vs (6) I-88
(2) I-94 vs (10) I-57
East
(1) I-80 vs (8) I-77
(4) I-71 vs (5) I-65
(3) I-75 vs (6) I-96
(2) I-70 vs (7) I-69
Second Round Matchups
West
(1) I-90 vs (8) I-39
This one is way too easy, considering I-39 multiplexes I-90 for a good portion of its route
(4) I-55 vs (5) I-74
Hometown bias
(3) I-35 vs (6) I-88
Minnesota section alone blows I-88 out of the water.
(2) I-94 vs (10) I-57
I-94 is pretty much the Main Street of the Upper Midwest. Also, I'm voting Ann Arbor over Champaign for college towns.
East
(1) I-80 vs (8) I-77
Too bad I-80 bypasses every large city in the Midwest it passes by, but overall importance and length in the Midwest is still more than I-77.
(4) I-71 vs (5) I-65
Had to go with Ohio's 3C cities over Indianapolis and Chicago. Also, hometown bias x2
(3) I-75 vs (6) I-96
Hometown bias x3
(2) I-70 vs (7) I-69
I-70 wins the Battle of Indianapolis for me over I-69 because of its Ohio segment. Also, bias for two of my former hometowns.
West:
I-90 over I-39. Even if US 51 were upgraded to I-39 south of Bloomington to Decatur and then south to I-57 at Salem, I would still pick I-90
I-55 over I-74. Even Regionally speaking only, the old US Route 66 between Chicago and St Louis is more important than Cincinnati to Davenport, Iowa
I-35 over I-88. Doesn't even need a rationalization. If I-88 took over the Eisenhower into Downtown Chicago from I-290...I-35 still wins
I-94 over I-57. I-94 is basically the Interstate that holds the NFC North together - with a spur to Green Bay that someone named I-43 instead of I-x94. I-57 is a glorified I-x55
East:
I-80 over I-77. Is what it is - even if I-80 is multiplexed thru much of the region, it is still a vital freight corridor on the national NYC-SF interstate
I-65 over I-71. This one is close, and the game rules I believe instruct a focus on the Region in-play, not the overall route. So basically looking at Indy-Chicago I-65 and Columbus-Cleveland I-71. I have to believe Indy-Chicago is the more vital link
I-75 over I-96. I-75 literally terminates I-96
I-69 over I-70. Upset Special. The "original" I-69 shows up, as a NAFTA/US-Canada transborder trade highway, enough to take out the linking of St Louis-Indy-Columbus in the Region
Chalk walks.
I-90
I-55
I-35
I-94
I-80
I-65
I-75
I-70
West
I-90
I-74
I-35
I-94
East
I-80
I-71
I-75
I-70
Quote from: thspfc on March 22, 2021, 10:53:33 PM
Second Round Matchups
West
(1) I-90 vs (8) I-39
(4) I-55 vs (5) I-74
(3) I-35 vs (6) I-88
(2) I-94 vs (10) I-57
East
(1) I-80 vs (8) I-77
(4) I-71 vs (5) I-65
(3) I-75 vs (6) I-96
(2) I-70 vs (7) I-69
Second Round Matchups
West
(1) I-90 vs (8) I-39
(4) I-55 vs (5) I-74
(3) I-35 vs (6) I-88
(2) I-94 vs (10) I-57
East
(1) I-80 vs (8) I-77
(4) I-71 vs (5) I-65
(3) I-75 vs (6) I-96
(2) I-70 vs (7) I-69
Second Round Matchups
West
(1) I-90 vs (8) I-39
If 39 disappeared, I don't think I'd notice
(4) I-55 vs (5) I-74
Within the region, I think I-74 does more, Illinois politics notwithstanding
(3) I-35 vs (6) I-88
Boo tolls.
(2) I-94 vs (10) I-57
Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Chicago, and Detroit vs southern suburbs of Chicago? No brainer.
East
(1) I-80 vs (8) I-77
Not close. Even despite the tolls.
(4) I-71 vs (5) I-65
Within the region I-71 is more important. Overall, I-65 is.
(3) I-75 vs (6) I-96
Cinci + Dayton + Toledo > Grand Rapids
(2) I-70 vs (7) I-69
I wish it were more important in Illinois, but otherwise, a stronger candidate
Chris
Second Round Matchups
West
(1) I-90 vs (8) I-39
(4) I-55 vs (5) I-74
(3) I-35 vs (6) I-88
(2) I-94 vs (10) I-57
East
(1) I-80 vs (8) I-77
(4) I-71 vs (5) I-65
(3) I-75 vs (6) I-96
(2) I-70 vs (7) I-69
West
(1) I-90 vs (8) I-39
(4) I-55 vs (5) I-74
(3) I-35 vs (6) I-88
(2) I-94 vs (10) I-57
East
(1) I-80 vs (8) I-77
(4) I-71 vs (5) I-65
(3) I-75 vs (6) I-96
(2) I-70 vs (7) I-69
Second Round Results
West
(1) I-90 beats (8) I-39, 9-1
(5) I-74 upsets (4) I-55, 6-4
(3) I-35 beats (6) I-88, 8-2
(2) I-94 shuts out (10) I-57, 10-0
East
(1) I-80 shuts out (8) I-77, 10-0
(5) I-65 upsets (4) I-71, 6-4
(3) I-75 beats (6) I-96, 7-3
(2) I-70 beats (7) I-69, 7-3
Quarterfinals
West
(1) I-90 vs (5) I-74
(3) I-35 vs (2) I-94
East
(1) I-80 vs (5) I-65
(3) I-75 vs (2) I-70
Vote between now and Monday 4/5.
Quarterfinals
West
(1) I-90 vs (5) I-74
Because I'm penalizing I-80 for the lengthy concurrency here, I'll give this one to I-90.
(3) I-35 vs (2) I-94
I-94 hands down, with Madison, Milwaukee, Chicago and Detroit in addition to the Twin Cities they both serve.
East
(1) I-80 vs (5) I-65
I'm sorry I-80, but you pretty much don't go to any notable places in the Midwest that I-90 doesn't go to either, and you bypass Chicago and Cleveland too. Going to give I-65 this one for Indianapolis.
(3) I-75 vs (2) I-70
2 of the cities I've lived in the Midwest over 1.
Quarterfinals
West
(1) I-90 vs (5) I-74
(3) I-35 vs (2) I-94
East
(1) I-80 vs (5) I-65
(3) I-75 vs (2) I-70
West
(1) I-90 vs (5) I-74
(3) I-35 vs (2) I-94
East
(1) I-80 vs (5) I-65
(3) I-75 vs (2) I-70
Quote from: thspfc on March 29, 2021, 10:03:17 PM
Quarterfinals
West
(1) I-90 vs (5) I-74
(3) I-35 vs (2) I-94
East
(1) I-80 vs (5) I-65
(3) I-75 vs (2) I-70
Vote between now and Monday 4/5.
Quarterfinals
West
(1) I-90 vs (5) I-74
(3) I-35 vs (2) I-94
East
(1) I-80 vs (5) I-65
(3) I-75 vs (2) I-70
Quarterfinals
West
(1) I-90 vs (5) I-74
(3) I-35 vs (2) I-94
East
(1) I-80 vs (5) I-65
(3) I-75 vs (2) I-70
Chris
Quarterfinals
West
(1) I-90 vs (5) I-74
(3) I-35 vs (2) I-94
East
(1) I-80 vs (5) I-65
(3) I-75 vs (2) I-70
West
(1) I-90
(3) I-94
East
(1) I-80
(3) I-75
I-90
I-35
I-80
I-75
Quarterfinals Results
West
(1) I-90 shuts out (5) I-74, 9-0
(2) I-94 beats (3) I-35, 7-2
East
(1) I-80 beats (5) I-65, 5-4
(3) I-75 upsets (2) I-70, 5-4
Semifinals
West
(1) I-90 vs (2) I-94
East
(1) I-80 vs (3) I-75
Vote between now and Monday 4/12.
I-94
I-75
Semifinals
West
(1) I-90 vs (2) I-94
Detroit > Cleveland
East
(1) I-80 vs (3) I-75
I don't find I-80 to be that impressive in the Midwest + hometown bias for I-75
I-94 - it's the "business route" of the Midwest and I-90 is the bypass.
I-75 - because why not
I-94 over I-90. ORD and Cleveland are 90's claims in the Region. I-94 is literally the NFC North highway - it is the Region
I-80 over I-75. I-75 only exists in Ohio and Michigan in the Region. I-80 exists in Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and represents a "lower" E-W highway, compared to the Northerly I-94 routing. I-80 also sets up a better Title Game
Title Game of 80 versus 94! So good, they even share pavement in Illinois and Indiana, to get around Lake Michigan
I-90 as the longest interstate.
I-75 for the Mackinac bridge.
Semifinals
West
(1) I-90 vs (2) I-94
East
(1) I-80 vs (3) I-75
Quote from: thspfc on April 05, 2021, 10:18:40 PM
Semifinals
West
(1) I-90 vs (2) I-94
East
(1) I-80 vs (3) I-75
Semifinals
West
(1) I-90 vs (2) I-94
More big cities.
East
(1) I-80 vs (3) I-75
Similar. I barely count I-80 for being Chicago.
CHris
Quote from: TheHighwayMan394 on April 05, 2021, 11:43:08 PM
I-94 - it's the "business route" of the Midwest and I-90 is the bypass.
That's a really good way to describe it.
I-94
I-75
LM-Q620