Your State's "Main Street"

[Mapmikey]

If I had to pick for NC, I'd say I-40. It traverses the state from mountains to coast, and is in or within close proximity to most of our major cities. Think Piedmont Triad, Research Triangle, Wilmington, Asheville, etc. Which are all cities with historical significance. Overall, its geographic diversity, service to our cities, and history along it qualifies it for a "Main Street" of North Carolina.


If I had to pick a US route, I'd do 64. It does the same thing as I-40, traversing the entire state, east-west, while providing a good look at almost everything big we've got. US 70 could also meet this criteria.


There isn't really a state route, in my opinion, that could be deemed a main street.

Closest state route in NC that could be a Main Street would be NC 24.  I would pick US 70 myself or I-85 which IIRC has actually been called that.

I concur with US 460 for Virginia.

South Carolina I would pick US 76.

West Virginia is not easy to single out a particular current route.  How about the WV 4 from the late 1930s to the 1970s that ran from Huntington through Charleston then over to Elkins and over to Romney near the panhandle?  Current WV 2 does go to 5 of the 10 largest cities by population in West Virginia.

[webny99]

I think anything paralleled by an interstate can qualify historically, but not currently.

Any particular reason why?

We've established that one feature of a main street is that it is, well, an actual street, with at grade intersections and adjacent businesses and such.

Another feature of a main street is that it's busy/heavily used. Any roadway paralleled by an interstate probably met that criteria once upon a time (pre-interstate), but no longer does, due to all the traffic using the interstate. US 11 is a good example, as is US 20 west of Buffalo.

[jon daly]

I'm guessing the Berlin Turnpike in CT. (US-5/CT-15.) A lot of retail and motels on that stretch.

[vdeane]

I think anything paralleled by an interstate can qualify historically, but not currently.

Any particular reason why?

We've established that one feature of a main street is that it is, well, an actual street, with at grade intersections and adjacent businesses and such.

Another feature of a main street is that it's busy/heavily used. Any roadway paralleled by an interstate probably met that criteria once upon a time (pre-interstate), but no longer does, due to all the traffic using the interstate. US 11 is a good example, as is US 20 west of Buffalo.

Trouble is, with corridors that don't have a nearby interstate, there's usually a reason why there isn't a nearby interstate.  Take US 20, for example: throughout NY, with the exception of Avon-Skaneateles (so basically the long overlap with NY 5 to a little bit east) it's either near I-90 or passing through the middle of nowhere.

[NWI_Irish96]

I think anything paralleled by an interstate can qualify historically, but not currently.

Any particular reason why?

We've established that one feature of a main street is that it is, well, an actual street, with at grade intersections and adjacent businesses and such.

Another feature of a main street is that it's busy/heavily used. Any roadway paralleled by an interstate probably met that criteria once upon a time (pre-interstate), but no longer does, due to all the traffic using the interstate. US 11 is a good example, as is US 20 west of Buffalo.

Those two features make picking one in Indiana difficult.  The three best candidates are the Old Michigan Road from Madison to Michigan City, the Old National Road from Richmond to Terre Haute, and US 31 from Jeffersonville to South Bend.  However, all three have had at least part of them paralleled by an interstate.

One that hasn't is the Lincoln Highway from Fort Wayne to Dyer, but it's hard to think of the Main Street of Indiana not passing through Indianapolis.

[US 89]

I think anything paralleled by an interstate can qualify historically, but not currently.

Any particular reason why?

We've established that one feature of a main street is that it is, well, an actual street, with at grade intersections and adjacent businesses and such.

Another feature of a main street is that it's busy/heavily used. Any roadway paralleled by an interstate probably met that criteria once upon a time (pre-interstate), but no longer does, due to all the traffic using the interstate. US 11 is a good example, as is US 20 west of Buffalo.

Trouble is, with corridors that don't have a nearby interstate, there's usually a reason why there isn't a nearby interstate.  Take US 20, for example: throughout NY, with the exception of Avon-Skaneateles (so basically the long overlap with NY 5 to a little bit east) it's either near I-90 or passing through the middle of nowhere.

Also, usually the most important routes before 1956 were the ones that had the interstates built along their corridors. For example, before the interstates, Utah's main street was almost certainly US 91. But that corridor was important enough that I-15 was built, resulting in the decommissioning of most of 91. So I'd think that Utah's main street today is the historic US 91 corridor.

If we don't count routes paralleled or replaced by interstates, then the main street would be the US route that was just barely not important enough to get a parallel interstate, which doesn't seem fair.

[vdeane]

Also, usually the most important routes before 1956 were the ones that had the interstates built along their corridors. For example, before the interstates, Utah's main street was almost certainly US 91. But that corridor was important enough that I-15 was built, resulting in the decommissioning of most of 91. So I'd think that Utah's main street today is the historic US 91 corridor.

If we don't count routes paralleled or replaced by interstates, then the main street would be the US route that was just barely not important enough to get a parallel interstate, which doesn't seem fair.

Agreed.  Come to think of it, the "no freeways" assumption may need to be relaxed out west where interstates were more likely to be built right on top of the original route.

[doorknob60]

I think it has to be US 95 in Idaho, since that's the only road that connects north to south

I almost agree, and that was my first thought too, but I'd be a lot more inclined to agree if US-95 directly served Boise (like if it followed ID-55). Having the "main street" skirt around the capital and largest city, and also the 2nd and 3rd largest cities, feels a bit off. Which is why I'm possibly more inclined to say US-30. Sure, it does nothing for Northern Idaho (but US-95 does nothing for Eastern Idaho), but it serves Caldwell, Nampa, Meridian, Boise, Twin Falls, and Pocatello, which is a lot more noteworthy cities than US-95 serves (just Lewiston, Moscow, and Coeur d'Alene, if we set the population cut off to 20,000).

[slorydn1]

If I had to pick for NC, I'd say I-40. It traverses the state from mountains to coast, and is in or within close proximity to most of our major cities. Think Piedmont Triad, Research Triangle, Wilmington, Asheville, etc. Which are all cities with historical significance. Overall, its geographic diversity, service to our cities, and history along it qualifies it for a "Main Street" of North Carolina.


If I had to pick a US route, I'd do 64. It does the same thing as I-40, traversing the entire state, east-west, while providing a good look at almost everything big we've got. US 70 could also meet this criteria.


There isn't really a state route, in my opinion, that could be deemed a main street.

I'm more inclined to agree with you here. Not because it's an interstate, either. But because it's general routing was US-70 and before that NC-10. It ties Asheville to Winston Salem, Greensboro, Durham, and Raleigh and even though the final I-40 east routing takes it to the larger port at Wilmington, US-70 continues east to Goldsboro (Seymour Johnson AFB), Kinston, New Bern (the colonial capitol) Havelock (MCAS Cherry Point) and lastly the smaller port at Morehead City.

Shoot, forget I-40-I think I just made a case for US-70!

[TheHighwayMan3561]

Without Interstates
MN: US 52
ND: US 10

WI is hard for this. US 41 doesn't go to Madison.  US 12 doesn't go to Milwaukee. US 51 doesn't go anywhere north of Madison (Wausau doesn't count). Maybe US 18 or the historic WIS 30, but that ignores almost the whole state.

[ET21]

Without Interstates
MN: US 52
ND: US 10

WI is hard for this. US 41 doesn't go to Madison.  US 12 doesn't go to Milwaukee. US 51 doesn't go anywhere north of Madison (Wausau doesn't count). Maybe US 18 or the historic WIS 30, but that ignores almost the whole state.

Maybe I-94? Hits Milwaukee and Madison, the Dells, and Eau Claire

[TheHighwayMan3561]

Without Interstates
MN: US 52
ND: US 10

WI is hard for this. US 41 doesn't go to Madison.  US 12 doesn't go to Milwaukee. US 51 doesn't go anywhere north of Madison (Wausau doesn't count). Maybe US 18 or the historic WIS 30, but that ignores almost the whole state.

Maybe I-94? Hits Milwaukee and Madison, the Dells, and Eau Claire

That's my answer, but then there was an addendum about excluding Interstates.

[Buck87]

I-71 for Ohio

Cleveland-Columbus-Cincinnati

Not a street.
Either US 42 (Cincy, skirts Cols, CLE) or US 40/National Rd for Ohio.

I didn't see anything in the OP disqualifying freeways and other people ahead of me in the thread had brought up interstates

...but anyway, if we have to pick a street level route then it's pretty much gotta be OH 3, for the exact same reason I picked 71:
Cleveland-Columbus-Cincinnati

[webny99]

If we don't count routes paralleled or replaced by interstates, then the main street would be the US route that was just barely not important enough to get a parallel interstate, which doesn't seem fair.

Which is why I said that US routes paralleled by interstates can count historically, but not currently.

I think as far as the spirit of the thread goes, high traffic volumes are by far the more important of my two criteria. I'd rather start nominating freeways than nominating little-used US routes just because they used to be important. Although the historical nods are always interesting, I think high traffic volumes should be the number one pre-requisite.

[swhuck]

Texas: Interstate -- I-35
Non-Interstate -- US90

[Aaron Camp]

For Illinois, I consider IL-1 to be the state's "main street".

[SSR_317]

Those two features make picking one in Indiana difficult.  The three best candidates are the Old Michigan Road from Madison to Michigan City, the Old National Road from Richmond to Terre Haute, and US 31 from Jeffersonville to South Bend.  However, all three have had at least part of them paralleled by an interstate.

One that hasn't is the Lincoln Highway from Fort Wayne to Dyer, but it's hard to think of the Main Street of Indiana not passing through Indianapolis.

Our state is particularly difficult due to it's shape, long in a N-S sense and narrow in an E-W direction. That being said, I would concur with your choices, but would add a couple more to make it a "Top 5": The US 50 corridor in southern IN (metro Cincy to Vincennes) and the US 41 corridor from "da Region" to Evansville via Terre Haute.

BTW, there were TWO routes for the Lincoln Highway in the Hoosier State, the one you mentioned on US 30 from east of Ft. Wayne to Dyer, and the one that ran along US 33 from Ft. Wayne up to Elkhart & South Bend, then along US 20 to Lake County.

But if I had to choose only one, it would be the "REAL Mother Road": the National Road along what is now US 40. That route met both the US 31 and US 421/Michigan Road corridors in downtown Indy, giving my city its nickname as the "Crossroads of America".

[froggie]

Without Interstates
MN: US 52
ND: US 10

WI is hard for this. US 41 doesn't go to Madison.  US 12 doesn't go to Milwaukee. US 51 doesn't go anywhere north of Madison (Wausau doesn't count). Maybe US 18 or the historic WIS 30, but that ignores almost the whole state.

Maybe I-94? Hits Milwaukee and Madison, the Dells, and Eau Claire

That's my answer, but then there was an addendum about excluding Interstates.

The addendum didn't come from the OP, so based on the OP I'd say you're good.

That said, I'd make an argument for either US 10 or US 61 in Minnesota.  Both may miss Minneapolis proper, but 10 does hit the suburbs (and actually did go through Minneapolis prior to 1934) and goes through more in central and northern Minnesota than US 52 does.  US 52 might as well end at St. Paul these days.  61, meanwhile, goes through Duluth, which until recently was the largest city in the state outside the Metro.  61 also largely follows Constitutional Route 1, at least north of the Metro...one could argue that C.R. 1 was the state's original "main street".


For Vermont, I'd go with US 2 historically...since it's the route connecting the state capitol and largest city and went beyond in both cases.  Today, it's clearly I-89.

[hotdogPi]

Today, it's clearly I-89.

Clearly? I could see a case for US 7. Rutland and Bennington have population over 10k, but nothing on I-89 does except Burlington and its immediate suburbs.

[ilpt4u]

For Illinois, I consider IL-1 to be the state's "main street".

Excluding Interstate Corridors, IL 1 is a contender...US 51 also, but that is also I-39 North of the Blo-No, so it's not a "street" the whole route, from Cairo to South Beloit

IL 1 is not a freeway, from Cave in Rock to Chicago

[noelbotevera]

For Pennsylvania, I'm going to choose US 30. US 322 doesn't do much in the western part of the state, and only becomes important when it reaches State College. Further east, it misses on cities such as Lancaster and Reading, instead marching straight towards Philadelphia. Thus, it provides the fastest route from Harrisburg to Philadelphia, going between cities instead of through them.

Which was only true for about 25 years. In 1951, the Pennsylvania Turnpike opened east of Harrisburg to Philadelphia, effectively making this corridor obsolete. Nowadays, US 322 goes through nowhere (Ohio State Line to State College), provides a quick way to the capital (State College to Harrisburg), and then doesn't do much again (Harrisburg to the Philadelphia area). Even within the Philadelphia area, I can't think of a reason why you'd use it, aside from the free entry into New Jersey.

US 30 on the other hand, could be used as a long distance route. It services a fair amount of people - Pittsburgh and Philadelphia namely - and hasn't been supplanted by many Interstates (only the Pennsylvania Turnpike from Pittsburgh to Breezewood). Even nowadays, US 30 is still used around my area as the fastest way to head west. The only areas it misses are the northern part of the state; which isn't much of a big deal.

[froggie]

Today, it's clearly I-89.

Clearly? I could see a case for US 7. Rutland and Bennington have population over 10k, but nothing on I-89 does except Burlington and its immediate suburbs.

I-89 is the main road that connects the largest city and state capitol these days, nevermind being the one that the majority of you southern New Englanders use to get to/from Vermont and some of the more popular locations in the state.  It is by far the busiest roadway in the state.

[jeffandnicole]

...I can't think of a reason why you'd use it (US 322) aside from the free entry into New Jersey.

Just a side note: ALL roads from PA are free into NJ.  The toll is only collected Westbound into PA.

[stwoodbury]

Washington: I-5 / US 99.

About 5 million people live on the corridor, which is over two-thirds of the state's population. Serves the Seattle metro area and three of its anchor suburbs, the state capital, and some major regional centers (Mount Vernon-Burlington, Bellingham, Chehalis-Centralia, Kelso-Longview, Vancouver).

I would say that if I-90 is not Washington's "Main Street"  then it is a definite runner up to I-5 since it connects Western Washington to Eastern Washington, it is slightly longer than I-5 (299 vs 275 miles), it serves three major population centers (Seattle, Bellevue, and Spokane), and it is used to connect the Seattle-Tacoma metro area to other major population centers like Yakima and the Tri-Cities. Also it is a major connection from Washington to the rest of the USA.


iPhone

[7/8]

For Ontario, I would say the 401 (freeway) or Highway 2 before the late 90's downloading* (non-freeway) would be the best options. Even though the 401 is a lot busier and it goes through the KW area (hometown bias), I would give the edge to Highway 2 since it has a more "main street" feel and it goes through the heart of the GTHA.

A case could be made for Highway 11 (again, pre-downloading) as "the longest street in the world" (i.e. Yonge St), but most Ontarians live in the south of the province, so Highway 2 passes through a lot more civilization .

* Here's a map of the old Highway 2