MSA's with no four-lane connection to an interstate

[webny99]

Inspired by the post below:

Ithaca is one of the few MSAs in the lower 48 without 4-lane access to the rest of the country.

Which MSA's (let's say core cities of 10,000+ for simplicity) in your state still lack a four-lane connection to an interstate (and therefore the rest of the country)?
In each case, has anything been proposed?

Ithaca, NY is a very glaring example, with a population of 31,695, and 105K in Tompkins County. I'm not sure if anything has been 'officially' proposed to connect the city to I-86 or I-81 (or I-90, lol) but I'm sure others will weigh in.

[BrianP]

The largest I found in MD is Eldersburg which is a CDP of 30,531.  It's not densely populated. It's just a large area.  A planning study was done for MD 32 between I-70 and Eldersburg. 

While the forecasted traffic analysis shows that a full corridor upgrade to a four-lane highway will not be needed until at least 2040, shorter term improvements should be designed to be compatible with the ultimate four-lane vision.

So it won't be widened soon.
http://apps.roads.maryland.gov/WebProjectLifeCycle/ProjectInformation.aspx?projectno=AW031116

[Max Rockatansky]

Lake Havasu City, Cottonwood, and Show Low come to mind off the top of my head in Arizona for cities over 10k.  Lake Havasu in particular is odd given it has about 53k people and is only a short jog south of I-40, if I remember right most of AZ 95 north to I-40 is 2 or 3 lane.   AZ 89a north of Cottonwood is four lanes to Sedona but AZ 260 isn't to I-17.  Show Low is too remote to warrant a four lane road all the way to any Interstate in all directions, but US 60 is still a major trucking corridor. 

[SectorZ]

Pittsfield MA does not. There was a planned x90 to go up there that never happened and likely now never will.

[Eth]

Which MSA's (let's say core cities of 10,000+ for simplicity) in your state still lack a four-lane connection to an interstate (and therefore the rest of the country)?

The only one with a core city of 10k or more is Vidalia (city 10.4k, µSA 36k). Four-lane US 1 will get you from I-16 into Toombs County, but not quite to Vidalia itself. You'll have to suffer through about five miles of two-lane GA 130 (or only three miles of US 1 if you go via Lyons, but that would be longer).

[hotdogPi]

Here's NE2's thread about it, with him getting mad at people who misinterpret the question: https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=14911

[jakeroot]

The only way into the WA cities of Port Angeles (19k), Walla Walla (31k), or Wenatchee (33k) is two-lane highway. Port Angeles is on the 101, Walla Walla is off US-12 (freeway in the city, two lanes outside) and WA-125, and Wenatchee via US-2, US-97, and WA-28 (all eventually two lanes outside the city).

Port Angeles is many hours from I-5, Wenatchee around 45 minutes from I-90, and Walla Walla less than an hour from I-82 or I-84.

EDIT: I see two of my three cities were mentioned in that thread.

[webny99]

Here's NE2's thread about it, with him getting mad at people who misinterpret the question: https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=14911

Whoops.
Should have searched more extensively. But still, I think the topic has a lot of untapped potential. Especially if we include cities with 10K to 50K population, unlike the other thread.

[froggie]

^ In that scenario...

Minnesota:

Northfield (20,007)
Willmar (19,610)
Red Wing (16,459)
Buffalo (15,453)
Hutchinson (14,178)
Marshall (13,680)
New Ulm (13,522)
Waconia (10,697)
Grand Rapids (10,869)

Brainerd/Baxter did until 2003, when 4-laning of MN 371 south to Little Falls was completed.
Hastings did until 2013, when the new US 61 river bridge was completed (the old US 61 river bridge was 2 lanes, and MN 55 is still 2 lanes to the west).
Hugo did until ca. 2011, when construction at the I-35E interchange completed a 4-lane link via Washington CSAH 8/Anoka CSAH 14.
Willmar is expected to get a 4-lane link to I-94 via MN 23 in the next few years.  The 2-lane gaps on MN 23 on both sides of Paynesville got bond funding this year.

----------------

We have two in Vermont:  Rutland and Bennington.

[US 89]

Vernal, Utah has a population of about 11k, a micropolitan area of about 35k, and no four-lane connections. As much as I wish US 40 were four lanes between Heber City and Vernal, it's not, and AFAIK there are no plans to upgrade it. They are four-laning significant stretches of 40/191 in the Roosevelt area, but there are no plans for a 4-lane outside connection.

[Roadsguy]

The city and immediate area of Lebanon, PA has no four-lane connection to the nearest expressways (I-78, I-81, and the Turnpike/I-76). The MSA, however, is actually the entire county, which includes the aforementioned expressways as well as four-lane US 22.

I'm unaware of any others in Pennsylvania.

[jon daly]

Here's NE2's thread about it, with him getting mad at people who misinterpret the question: https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=14911

Whoops.
Should have searched more extensively. But still, I think the topic has a lot of untapped potential. Especially if we include cities with 10K to 50K population, unlike the other thread.

I read that thread. What happened to kphoger? 224 posts in May and he dropped off the map.

[jakeroot]

What happened to kphoger? 224 posts in May and he dropped off the map.

He also disappeared from late January to late April. I guess some users just get caught up in life, and don't have any time for the forums. Obviously this site should be low priority for everyone except moderators and admins.

[ipeters61]

None I can think of in Delaware that have no access to some four lane highway.  DE-1, I-95, US-13, and US-113 leave the state pretty well covered.

In Connecticut, I'm thinking of Willimantic/Windham (Willimantic has population 17,000 and Windham, the town where it is located, has population 25,000), which has no four lane highway access to an interstate (barring some sections of US-6 to the east of town, and I'm not counting the Willimantic Bypass, built originally as part of the planned I-84 to Providence since that is a very local section of 4-lane highway).  I went to Eastern Connecticut State University, located in the town, so I am reasonably familiar with the area.  Continuing off that, UConn is located in Storrs/Mansfield (population 26,000), which can only access an interstate via US-44, CT-195, or going through Willimantic (see below).

You can get to an interstate from Willimantic going any of these routes:

• US-6 West to I-384 West to Manchester/Hartford/Springfield
• CT-32 North to CT-31 North to I-84 West (my preferred way to Manchester)
• CT-32 North to I-84 East to Boston
• CT-32 South to CT-2 East to I-395 South to New London/New Haven
• CT-66 West to I-691 West to New Haven/Waterbury
• US-6 East to I-395 North to Worcester
• US-6 East to I-295 to Providence

As far as I can remember, the shortest route to an interstate is the first one, at 11-ish miles of 2 lane highway.

[Max Rockatansky]

What happened to kphoger? 224 posts in May and he dropped off the map.

He also disappeared from late January to late April. I guess some users just get caught up in life, and don't have any time for the forums. Obviously this site should be low priority for everyone except moderators and admins.

He's stated a couple times that he checks out for a couple months at a time.  Dude is out and about quite a bit from what I've seen in his posts. 

[Hurricane Rex]

The only way into the WA cities of Port Angeles (19k), Walla Walla (31k), or Wenatchee (33k) is two-lane highway. Port Angeles is on the 101, Walla Walla is off US-12 (freeway in the city, two lanes outside) and WA-125, and Wenatchee via US-2, US-97, and WA-28 (all eventually two lanes outside the city).

Port Angeles is many hours from I-5, Wenatchee around 45 minutes from I-90, and Walla Walla less than an hour from I-82 or I-84.

EDIT: I see two of my three cities were mentioned in that thread.

You are forgetting about Pullman (30k) and Lewiston/Clarkston (45k). Lewiston is connected by US 95 (4 laned for a while but bot forever), US 12 and WA 129 (both 2 laned). Pullman by US 195, WA 27, 194 (all 2 lanes) and 270 (4 lanes until it hits US 95 in Idaho).

LG-TP260

[jon daly]

What happened to kphoger? 224 posts in May and he dropped off the map.

He also disappeared from late January to late April. I guess some users just get caught up in life, and don't have any time for the forums. Obviously this site should be low priority for everyone except moderators and admins.

Yeah. I'm sure I'll disappear for a bit soon when work picks up. I remember seeing him in every thread I was in, it seemed. Before I disabled them, his avatar was one that stood out for me.

[Hurricane Rex]

Oregon seems to have a bunch at least compared to normal.

Corvallis (OR 34 drops to 3 lanes crossing the Willamette) 55k, 75k with OSU students
McMinnville (bypasses aren't 4 lanes) 35k
Lebanon/Sweet Home (OR 34 drops to 2 lanes before Lebanon): although over 10,000 they aren't a principal city but I'm including it here anyways. 10k
Canby: same as Lebanon with metro status. 20k
Astoria: 10k (coast)
Newport 10k (coast)
Coos Bay: 15k (coast)
Kalamath Falls: 30k (bypass is only 2-4 lanes)
Prineville: 10k
Redmond: 30k (part of Bend metro)

And the big one:
Bend: 95k and for the entire metro: 170k (US 97 is 4 laned to 10 miles north and South). This has been a huge topic on fictional proposals as it is one of the largest cities in the lower 48 lacking a 4 lane connection to the interstate system.  Considering it likely will hit 100k soon, it should be higher on ODOT priority list to connect it up just for commerce. Most people's fictional I-7/9 goes through Bend in some way. There used to be a study to put an interstate through here but it was turned down (Bend was 50k at the time). There is a project planned that will expand the southern 4 lane section by 6 miles due to start in 2019. Then only 170 more to go

Edit: I also think Bend is the only TV market center without a 4 lane connection to a interstate. I could be wrong.

Other areas will stay 2 lanes for a long time. Corvallis refuses to replace the one lane Van Brahn (IDK how to spell it)  but there once was a proposal to move it and build a new one but that fell through.







I'm also gonna tackle Montana:
Kalispell: 25k (US 93 is 4 lanes for part of the way to Missoula)
Havre: 10k

[jakeroot]

The only way into the WA cities of Port Angeles (19k), Walla Walla (31k), or Wenatchee (33k) is two-lane highway. Port Angeles is on the 101, Walla Walla is off US-12 (freeway in the city, two lanes outside) and WA-125, and Wenatchee via US-2, US-97, and WA-28 (all eventually two lanes outside the city).

Port Angeles is many hours from I-5, Wenatchee around 45 minutes from I-90, and Walla Walla less than an hour from I-82 or I-84.

EDIT: I see two of my three cities were mentioned in that thread.

You are forgetting about Pullman (30k) and Lewiston/Clarkston (45k). Lewiston is connected by US 95 (4 laned for a while but bot forever), US 12 and WA 129 (both 2 laned). Pullman by US 195, WA 27, 194 (all 2 lanes) and 270 (4 lanes until it hits US 95 in Idaho).

Ahh, sure enough. I ignored Lewiston because I thought it was mostly in Idaho. Which it is, but I forgot how much of the populace extends into WA (even if it's a different city).

No excuse for forgetting Pullman. I only have like two dozen friends who go to uni there. Wonder if the population is with or without college students.

What happened to kphoger? 224 posts in May and he dropped off the map.

He also disappeared from late January to late April. I guess some users just get caught up in life, and don't have any time for the forums. Obviously this site should be low priority for everyone except moderators and admins.

He's stated a couple times that he checks out for a couple months at a time.  Dude is out and about quite a bit from what I've seen in his posts. 

Sure seems to be. He has plenty to say about everything!

[paulthemapguy]

Examples in Illinois will be damn near impossible to find, what with all of our secondary Interstates.  I thought Paris might be an example, but its population is 9,000-- not 10,000.  I think Centralia and Washington both qualify.

[Brandon]

Examples in Illinois will be damn near impossible to find, what with all of our secondary Interstates.  I thought Paris might be an example, but its population is 9,000-- not 10,000.  I think Centralia and Washington both qualify.

Streator, population 13,700; Canton, population 14,700; and Kewaunee, population 12,900.  Of these, only Canton is proposed to be connected via IL-336 to I-72 and I-74.  There are no such plans for Streator or Kewaunee.

Washington is connected by four-lanes to the Peoria area and thus to I-74.  Centralia is connected by a four-lane US-51 to I-64.

[webny99]

What happened to kphoger? 224 posts in May and he dropped off the map.

He also disappeared from late January to late April. I guess some users just get caught up in life, and don't have any time for the forums. Obviously this site should be low priority for everyone except moderators and admins.

He's stated a couple times that he checks out for a couple months at a time.  Dude is out and about quite a bit from what I've seen in his posts.

Yep, he'll be back. To be honest, the forum is probably more interesting when he's around! Despire the fact that he's around less than half of the time, he sure makes up for it when he's here.

[ftballfan]

Traverse City, MI (surprisingly not an MSA, but a micropolitan area despite its population of nearly 150,000 in the four counties that the area contains) has no four-lane connection to an interstate and also not enough demand for one unless population were to suddenly double.

[jon daly]

What happened to kphoger? 224 posts in May and he dropped off the map.

He also disappeared from late January to late April. I guess some users just get caught up in life, and don't have any time for the forums. Obviously this site should be low priority for everyone except moderators and admins.

He's stated a couple times that he checks out for a couple months at a time.  Dude is out and about quite a bit from what I've seen in his posts.

Yep, he'll be back. To be honest, the forum is probably more interesting when he's around! Despire the fact that he's around less than half of the time, he sure makes up for it when he's here.

I'm probably overdoing nettiquette, but once I am active in a thread, I feel the need to be available in case someone responds to my post and an answer or other follow-up is required by me.

My boss is back next week, So I think I won't search "Show unread posts since last visit." and focus, instead, on "Show new replies to your posts."

[DandyDan]

In Iowa, the 3 NW Iowa micropolitan areas of Storm Lake, Spencer and Spirit Lake don't have a 4 lane connection to an interstate. Clinton and Burlington do not have a direct connection to an interstate that's 4 lanes, some of which could be blamed on Illinois.

In Nebraska, I don't think Columbus or Norfolk do, but they may be in the process of getting one.