I'm primarily thinking of 2di's, but it might be relevant for some of the longer 3di's as well.
On a national level, what is the "most important" segment of each interstate?
You can interpret that as you see fit, but you must be able to outline a case for why it is important relative to other segments for a wide range of parties. It must be a segment of at least 20 miles in length, with at least general start and endpoints specified. "I-XX in state XX" is not what I'm looking for.
Have fun - I am looking forward to some interesting discussion & will weigh in on some of the 2di's in the Northeast shortly!
I-94 - Chicago to Milwaukee
I-95, Richmond to Boston
I-55: St. Louis to Chicago.
I-35: Dallas/Fort Worth to San Antonio
I-70: St. Louis to Kansas City
I-27: Amarillo to Lubbock
I'm going to say I-95 from Baltimore to Boston because it's a major artery connecting 4 major cities and their metropolitan areas. Baltimore to DC becomes too much of a shitshow to really count; by then, I-495 becomes a big player. (Although you can similarly argue as to the importance of I-695 as a Baltimore beltway as well).
Is there a maximum length? Regardless I'd say
I-64: Richmond to Hampton Roads
I-85: Atlanta to Charlotte
I-81: Roanoke to Harrisburg
I-90: Chicago to Cleveland
I-87: NYC to Albany
I-93: Boston to Concord
I-10: Either Tucson to Phoenix or San Antonio to Houston, but Tucson and Phoenix are closer to each other, and I live in Arizona.
I-44: Oklahoma City to Tulsa.
I-71: Cleveland to Columbus.
I-5: San Diego to Los Angeles.
I-4: Tampa to Orlando.
I-97, Baltimore to Annapolis :bigass:
Quote from: hbelkins on August 02, 2019, 06:48:34 PM
I-97, Baltimore to Annapolis :bigass:
We can play that game with I-17 and I-19, too, can't we?
I-40 is an interesting case. It connects the three largest cities in Tennessee, and a number of important cities in North Carolina. But I think a case could be made that its most important segment is between Memphis and Little Rock.
I-24: Nashville to Chattanooga.
I-29: Kansas City to Council Bluffs.
I-74: Indianapolis to Cincinnati.
I-14 - (...)
for I-65, there are 3 segments that could be argued as "most important" , but I would venture to say the most important in my opinion is between Nashville and Louisville.
Quote from: Jmiles32 on August 02, 2019, 05:33:22 PM
Is there a maximum length?
No, but it can't be more than half the length of the route.
Quote from: Konza on August 02, 2019, 06:59:57 PM
Quote from: hbelkins on August 02, 2019, 06:48:34 PM
I-97, Baltimore to Annapolis
We can play that game with I-17 and I-19, too, can't we?
Not anymore! :-P
Quote from: J3ebrules on August 02, 2019, 05:13:54 PM
I’m going to say I-95 from Baltimore to Boston because it’s a major artery connecting 4 major cities and their metropolitan areas. Baltimore to DC becomes too much of a shitshow to really count; by then, I-495 becomes a big player. (Although you can similarly argue as to the importance of I-695 as a Baltimore beltway as well).
Honestly, 95 from Richmond to Boston. I-95 is at its second-widest point next to the Northern sections of the NJ Turnpike south of DC. And within this area, the least important part of 95 is north of Philly to the NJ Turnpike, because of the NJ Turnpike.
Quote from: jeffandnicole on August 02, 2019, 08:02:01 PM
And within this area, the least important part of 95 is north of Philly to the NJ Turnpike, because of the NJ Turnpike.
... and in fact, that part of I-95 had
zero importance until recently, as it did not exist. :-P
Quote from: Big John on August 02, 2019, 02:42:12 PM
I-94 - Chicago to Milwaukee
Would also nominate between downtown Minneapolis and St. Paul
I-40 between Winston-Salem and Wilmington
I-64 between Hampton Roads and I-95 / Richmond
I-95 between Richmond and DC
I-85 between I-40 / Durham and Charlotte
And for fun, here's some important segments on U.S. and state routes -
US-58 between I-64 / Chesapeake and I-85 / South Hill
US-29 between I-785 / Greensboro and I-66 / Gainesboro
US-70 between I-40 / Raleigh and Morehead City
US-64 between I-87 / Wendell and I-95 / Rocky Mount
US-264 between US-64 / Zebulon and Greenville
VA-168 / NC-168 / US-158 between I-64 / Chesapeake and the Outer Banks
I-70: New Stanton to Breezewood. :sombrero: :bigass: :popcorn:
<ducks>
Quote from: RoadWarrior56 on August 02, 2019, 07:56:07 PM
for I-65, there are 3 segments that could be argued as "most important" , but I would venture to say the most important in my opinion is between Nashville and Louisville.
Would argue Indianapolis and Gary; connects the state's two most populous metropolitan areas not to mention Indianapolis and Chicago and the campus of a B1G university.
Quote from: webny99 on August 02, 2019, 08:08:25 PM
Quote from: jeffandnicole on August 02, 2019, 08:02:01 PM
And within this area, the least important part of 95 is north of Philly to the NJ Turnpike, because of the NJ Turnpike.
... and in fact, that part of I-95 had zero importance until recently, as it did not exist. :-P
Honestly, if 95 were still incomplete, I would not have argued that the Jersey stretch is important. But now that it is the main route to NY from Philly, it works... in theory.
In reality; I still would cross into Jersey to 295 (for the higher speed limit, to avoid NE Philly traffic, and to shunpike a bit), then jump onto 195 to get onto the turnpike. I'm assuming that's what most area natives do, 95 completion notwithstanding?
So maybe I should amend a bit. 95's most important stretches would be Baltimore to Wilmington, Wilmington to Philly (not Baltimore to Philly because 495 is quicker), then I-195 to somewhere between Turnpike exits 14C and 18, depending on how you're getting into the city.
Some Regional Northeastern Interstates:
I-76: Monroeville to Philadelphia
I-78: GSP to the Holland Tunnel
I-81: I-77 to I-78
I-83: The JFX
I-84: East Hartford to Sturbridge
I-86: For now, I-390 to I-99. Future: Middletown to Harriman
I-87: NYC to Albany
I-88: The whole thing (no major part sticks out)
I-89: Ditto
I-91: New Haven to Hartford (I-95 to CT 15)
I-93: The Braintree Split to I-393
I-95: The Springfield Interchange to I-91 in New Haven (the inland route is the better route to Boston)
I-97: See I-88
I-99: The portion concurrent with US 322 through State College
Quote from: jeffandnicole on August 02, 2019, 08:02:01 PM
Quote from: J3ebrules on August 02, 2019, 05:13:54 PM
I'm going to say I-95 from Baltimore to Boston because it's a major artery connecting 4 major cities and their metropolitan areas. Baltimore to DC becomes too much of a shitshow to really count; by then, I-495 becomes a big player. (Although you can similarly argue as to the importance of I-695 as a Baltimore beltway as well).
Honestly, 95 from Richmond to Boston. I-95 is at its second-widest point next to the Northern sections of the NJ Turnpike south of DC. And within this area, the least important part of 95 is north of Philly to the NJ Turnpike, because of the NJ Turnpike.
For a short I-95 segment that meets the "must be a segment of at least 20 miles in length", the eastern side of the Capital Beltway, particularly the Woodrow Wilson Bridge and approaches.
I-10: Houston to Mobile
I-20: Birmingham to Atlanta
I-26: Columbia to Charleston
I-77: WV Tpk
I-81: everything south of I-84
I-85: Atlanta to Greensboro
Agreed with San Antonio to DFW for I-35, Chicago to St. Louis for I-55, Richmond to Hampton Roads for I-64, Richmond to Boston for I-95.
I'm still up in the air about I-65.
Quote from: plain on August 03, 2019, 12:56:01 AM
I-10: Houston to Mobile
I-20: Birmingham to Atlanta
I-26: Columbia to Charleston
I-77: WV Tpk
I-81: everything south of I-84
I-85: Atlanta to Greensboro
Agreed with San Antonio to DFW for I-35, Chicago to St. Louis for I-55, Richmond to Hampton Roads for I-64, Richmond to Boston for I-95.
I'm still up in the air about I-65.
I would put Canton-Cleveland over the WV Turnpike.
Quote from: plain on August 03, 2019, 12:56:01 AM
I-85: Atlanta to Greensboro
I'd say Durham over Greensboro... the connection to Raleigh-Durham from the I-85 South corridor is a pretty large one.
Don't forget the segment has to be at least 20 miles in length.
I-95: I would buy Richmond to NYC before I bought DC to Boston. Compared to the Richmond to DC segment, I-95 is unimportant between New Haven and Providence.
It gets a lot more interesting if we say you can't "skip over" a large metropolitan area - you must end the segment and restart at each metro area you hit.
That leaves five major segments: Richmond to DC, DC to Baltimore, Baltimore to Wilmington, DE, Trenton to NYC, and NYC to New Haven, CT. You could make a case for any one of those five. I'd lean towards #4 (NJTP to GWB).
Good topic.
I-39: Tri-concurrency from Madison to Portage, but the Jane Addams tollway part is close
I-94: Downtown Chicago to downtown Milwaukee
I-43: The whole thing through Milwaukee
Western I-76: Brighton to I-70
Quote from: Konza on August 02, 2019, 06:59:57 PM
We can play that game with I-17 and I-19, too, can't we?
Depends on how one defines "important." In the case of I-17 and I-19, I define it as a segment that will screw up the entire length of the interstate if it is closed for some reason, and there is no alternative route.
I-17: New River Rd. to AZ 69 at Cordes Junction. There is no nearby alternative to this route other than the old, mostly unpaved Black Canyon Hwy (old AZ 69). If this segment of 17 is closed by a wreck or a wildfire (like what happened yesterday), anyone who's on that section is royally screwed. Between New River and metro Phoenix, and north of 69 to Flagstaff, there are alternative routes.
I-19: Green Valley to Nogales. Same situation, with no viable alternative route nearby. The only other route between Nogales and Tucson is AZ 82 to AZ 90 to I-10 at Benson. AZ 83 is there, between AZ 82 and I-10 at Vail, but I wouldn't drive a semi on it.
Here's what Travel Mapping data says:
2: McAllen to San Benito
4: Between FL 417's endpoints
5: Seattle to Tacoma
8: San Diego to El Centro
10: New Orleans to Pensacola
12: The half east of I-55
15: Inland Empire to St. George, UT
16: Eastern half, but there isn't really a good ending point on the west end
17: I-10's northern junction to AZ 303
19: Northern half, but there isn't really a good ending point on the south end
20: Anniston, AL to Augusta, GA
22: The half in Mississippi
24: Nashville to Chattanooga
25: Colorado Springs to Fort Collins
26: Spartanburg, SC to Asheville, NC
27: Northernmost 20 miles
29: Kansas City to Omaha
30: Texarkana to Little Rock
35: San Antonio to DFW
37: The part east of I-69E
39: The I-90 overlap, or if you ignore it, the segment south of I-90
40: I-75 to I-81, including overlap with I-75
41: Chicago to Milwaukee
43: Milwaukee to Manitowoc
44: The portion in Missouri (yes, there's jump at the state line)
45: Houston to The Woodlands
49: Unknown; the segments that have been Interstates for longer have more people regardless of importance
55: Chicago to St. Louis
57: I-24 to I-64
59: The I-20 overlap, or if you ignore it, the segment north of the overlap
64: Huntington, WV to where I-77 leaves I-64 on the south end (ignoring the I-81 overlap)
65: Louisville to Nashville
66: Gainesville, VA to DC
68: Cumberland, MD to I-70
69: Unknown; same issue as I-49
70: Columbus, OH to I-270 in Maryland
71: Louisville to Cincinnati
72: The part west of Springfield
73: Northern half, but there isn't really a good ending point on the south end
74 (the real one): Bloomington, IL to Cincinnati
75: Chattanooga to Macon
76 (W): Pretty much the same throughout
76 (E): Where I-70 splits (western junction) to Harrisburg
77: I-74/US 52 in NC to Charleston, WV
78: Allentown to I-287
79: Pittsburgh metro to I-68
80: I-80/90 overlap
81: I-77 to I-78
82: Pretty much the same throughout, although both endpoints have a bit more
83: Pretty much the same throughout
84 (W): Westernmost 20 miles, if you ignore the overlap with I-15
84 (E): Danbury, CT to I-90
85: Greenville to Durham (if you include overlaps, the I-40 overlap is far above the rest)
86 (W): Pretty much the same throughout
86 (E): Western segment, east of I-390
87: Overlap with I-287
88 (W): I-39 to Chicago
88 (E): Pretty much the same throughout
89: Montpelier to Burlington
90: I-80/90 overlap
91: I-691 to Springfield
93: Inside I-95/MA 128
94: Chicago metro
95: Wilmington, DE to Richmond (highest of all Interstates)
96: Lansing to I-275
97: Northern half, if you ignore the "20 mile" requirement
99: State College to I-80
Quote from: 1 on August 03, 2019, 03:25:03 PM
Here's what Travel Mapping data says:
41: Chicago to Milwaukee
I-41 doesn't go to Chicago. :pan:
Unless they mean state line to Milwaukee.
Quote from: Big John on August 03, 2019, 03:39:09 PM
Quote from: 1 on August 03, 2019, 03:25:03 PM
Here's what Travel Mapping data says:
41: Chicago to Milwaukee
I-41 doesn't go to Chicago. :pan:
Unless they mean state line to Milwaukee.
I meant state line to Milwaukee. (It was my mistake, not Travel Mapping's.)
Quote from: 1 on August 03, 2019, 03:25:03 PM
Here's what Travel Mapping data says:
That's interesting. The only one that I disagree with outright, is I-71, which should be Cleveland to Columbus.
"Most traveled" is certainly one measure of importance, but I'm not sure if it's the best measure.
It needs to be some combination of high traffic volumes, lack of alternate routes, and strategic (ie, used for a wide variety of trips).
Quote from: webny99 on August 03, 2019, 03:45:00 PM
Quote from: 1 on August 03, 2019, 03:25:03 PM
Here's what Travel Mapping data says:
"Most traveled" is certainly one measure of importance, but I'm not sure if it's the best measure.
It needs to be some combination of high traffic volumes, lack of alternate routes, and strategic (ie, used for a wide variety of trips).
There's something to be said for the route's local importance- specifically whether or not it connects metropolitan areas of local and/or regional importance.
I-69: Indianapolis to Lansing via Fort Wayne.
Connects two state capitals and IN's two largest cities.
BTW, the "new" portions of I-69 south of Indy SHOULD HAVE (IMHO) been designated as I-63 to Memphis, and other route numbers south of there. But the POLITICIANS saw otherwise, designating the designation in legislation for the entire corridor south of Indy to México.
Similarly, the E-W portion in MI through Flint should have been called I-98 or something else with an even number. Then, I-69 should have been continued north from Lansing to terminate at I-75, eliminating the ridiculous renumbering of old US 27 to US 127.
I-80 San Francisco to Sacramento
I-880 to the Port of Oakland
I-710 to the port of Long Beach.
Quote from: 1 on August 03, 2019, 03:25:03 PM
Here's what Travel Mapping data says:
Being a more visual person, here is what that looks like on a map:
(https://i.imgur.com/ra68zyf.png)
I'm not sure if it means anything, but there you go.
Quote from: CtrlAltDel on August 04, 2019, 07:56:15 PM
Quote from: 1 on August 03, 2019, 03:25:03 PM
Here's what Travel Mapping data says:
Being a more visual person, here is what that looks like on a map:
(https://i.imgur.com/ra68zyf.png)
I'm not sure if it means anything, but there you go.
What is this data based on? I guess I have a hard time believing that I-5 is more crucial through SeaTac than in Southern California.
Quote from: CtrlAltDel on August 04, 2019, 07:56:15 PM
Quote from: 1 on August 03, 2019, 03:25:03 PM
Here's what Travel Mapping data says:
Being a more visual person, here is what that looks like on a map:
(https://i.imgur.com/ra68zyf.png)
I'm not sure if it means anything, but there you go.
I'm confused with I-15.
Quote from: thspfc on August 04, 2019, 08:20:54 PM
Quote from: CtrlAltDel on August 04, 2019, 07:56:15 PM
Quote from: 1 on August 03, 2019, 03:25:03 PM
Here's what Travel Mapping data says:
Being a more visual person, here is what that looks like on a map:
(https://i.imgur.com/ra68zyf.png)
I'm not sure if it means anything, but there you go.
What is this data based on? I guess I have a hard time believing that I-5 is more crucial through SeaTac than in Southern California.
It's the Travel Mapping site. More people on that website have been on that particular segment in Washington than in Southern California.
Quote from: Roadgeekteen on August 04, 2019, 09:05:04 PM
Quote from: CtrlAltDel on August 04, 2019, 07:56:15 PM
Quote from: 1 on August 03, 2019, 03:25:03 PM
Here's what Travel Mapping data says:
Being a more visual person, here is what that looks like on a map:
(https://i.imgur.com/ra68zyf.png)
I'm not sure if it means anything, but there you go.
I'm confused with I-15.
I understand Barstow to Vegas...Vegas to St George tho? That much O/D traffic to St George, or a decent percentage of traffic continuing on the handful of Utah State Routes out of St George?
I'll put my own take on this:
4--Tampa-St. Petersburg to Daytona Beach*
5--San Diego to Sacramento
8--San Diego to Casa Grande*
10--Los Angeles to Phoenix
12--Baton Rouge to Slidell*
15--San Diego to Las Vegas
16--Macon to Savannah*
17--Phoenix area
19--Nogales to Tucson*
20--Birmingham to Columbia
22--Memphis to Birmingham*
24--Paducah to Chattanooga
25--Albuquerque to Cheyenne
26--Asheville to Charleston
27--Lubock to Amarillo*
29--Kansas City to Fargo
30--Dallas-Fort Worth to Little Rock*
35--San Antonio to Kansas City
37--Corpus Christi to San Antonio*
39--Springfield to Madison
40--Memphis to Knoxville
43--Milwaukee to Green Bay
44--OKC to St. Louis
45--Houston to Dallas
49--Lafayette to Shreveport
55--St. Louis to Chicago
57--Champaign-Urbana to Chicago
59--Slidell to Chattanooga
64--Richmond to Norfolk-Virginia Beach
65--Birmingham to Indianapolis
66--Front Royal to Washington*
68--Morgantown to Hancock*
69--Indianapolis to Flint
70--Kansas City to St. Louis
71--Cincinnati to Cleveland
72--Springfield to Champaign-Urbana
73--Rockingham to Greensboro
74--Indianapolis to Cincinnati
75--Tampa to Saginaw
76--Akron to Philadelphia-Camden
77--Cambridge to Cleveland
78--Harrisburg to New York*
79--Pittsburgh to Erie
80--San Francisco to Sacramento
81--Harrisburg to Syracuse
82--Tri-Cities area
83--Baltimore to Harrisburg*
84--Portland to Boise
85--Atlanta to Raleigh-Durham
86--Erie to Binghamton
87--New York to Albany
88--Aurora to Chicago
89--Manchester to Burlington
90--Chicago to Boston
91--New Haven to Springfield
93--Boston to Concord
94--Minneapolis-St. Paul to Detroit
95--Richmond-Petersburg to Boston
96--Grand Rapids to Detroit
97--Annapolis to Baltimore*
99--Bedford to Altoona
Quote from: webny99 on August 02, 2019, 08:08:25 PM
Quote from: jeffandnicole on August 02, 2019, 08:02:01 PM
And within this area, the least important part of 95 is north of Philly to the NJ Turnpike, because of the NJ Turnpike.
... and in fact, that part of I-95 had zero importance until recently, as it did not exist. :-P
95 existed...just not on the route that exists now. Someone driving between the PA Turnpike and points North on 95 never missed 95, and someone headed from Philly to the Trenton/Princeton area never missed 95. If your points of travel were between Philly and points south, it was very important and useful.
Quote from: J3ebrules on August 02, 2019, 11:39:56 PM
Honestly, if 95 were still incomplete, I would not have argued that the Jersey stretch is important. But now that it is the main route to NY from Philly, it works... in theory.
In reality; I still would cross into Jersey to 295 (for the higher speed limit, to avoid NE Philly traffic, and to shunpike a bit), then jump onto 195 to get onto the turnpike. I'm assuming that's what most area natives do, 95 completion notwithstanding?
Going North, most natives would just take 95, because the natives are used to the traffic. Going South, I would imagine many would take 95 to Philly as well, especially if they have EZ Pass, because the cost is going to be about the same. I doubt many are taking 295 any significant difference to save about $1 in tolls.
Quote from: Roadgeekteen on August 04, 2019, 09:28:20 PM
Quote from: TheHighwayMan394 on August 04, 2019, 09:26:52 PM
Quote from: texaskdog on August 04, 2019, 09:18:45 PM
Quote from: TheHighwayMan394 on August 02, 2019, 02:44:13 PM
I-95, Richmond to Boston
I-95 doesn't go to Boston
Oh come on.
I mean yeah it technically does not enter city limits but it serves the area.
any sane person would use a different road.....once they fought it it should have been moved out of the area lol
Quote from: Hot Rod Hootenanny on August 02, 2019, 11:08:07 PM
I-70: New Stanton to Breezewood. :sombrero: :bigass: :popcorn:
<ducks>
That could be true, actually. To the east is the massive conurbation along and near I-95, from Washington DC to the southern half of the New York metropolitan area. To the west is a loosely-formed conurbation along and near I-90, from Cleveland to Milwaukee, and several more decent-sized metropolitan areas along and near I-70, from Columbus to St. Louis. When I-70 runs concurrently with the Pennsylvania Turnpike, it becomes a conduit for all long-distance traffic between those conurbations, beginning on the eastern exurban fringe of Pittsburgh, and passing through some of the most difficult terrain east of the Mississippi River. It's exactly why the Allegheny Mountain Tunnel replacement project is so important, because the entire segment of I-70 concurrent with the Turnpike needs to be widened to six lanes.
Quote from: Henry on August 05, 2019, 10:32:37 AM
I'll put my own take on this:
39--Springfield to Madison
What Springfield??
Quote from: ilpt4u on August 04, 2019, 09:32:21 PM
Quote from: Roadgeekteen on August 04, 2019, 09:05:04 PM
Quote from: CtrlAltDel on August 04, 2019, 07:56:15 PM
Quote from: 1 on August 03, 2019, 03:25:03 PM
Here's what Travel Mapping data says:
Being a more visual person, here is what that looks like on a map:
(https://i.imgur.com/ra68zyf.png)
I'm not sure if it means anything, but there you go.
I'm confused with I-15.
I understand Barstow to Vegas...Vegas to St George tho? That much O/D traffic to St George, or a decent percentage of traffic continuing on the handful of Utah State Routes out of St George?
I'd bet a lot of that traffic is exiting on UT 9 to go to Zion National Park.
I-88 IL: DeKalb to Chicago