CA 3 (146 miles) and CA 139 (122 miles) come to mind as longer state highways in California that are somewhat lengthy but serve extremely niche regional corridors. Since we have a "short but important" thread, what are some other examples of the reverse unimportant longer highways?
IN 16 is a 105 mile road that does not connect any town larger than 2,000.
MA 62. It's 82 miles long (quite long for Massachusetts) and goes mostly through suburbs, but it keeps turning, never forming a major corridor or being a major traffic generator anywhere.
Quote from: NWI_Irish96 on June 02, 2022, 12:33:03 PM
IN 16 is a 105 mile road that does not connect any town larger than 2,000.
Texas—Oklahoma—Kansas 23264 miles, 3 states, no towns larger than 2500
1443 = Booker, TX
1393 = Beaver, OK
1388 = Meade, KS
2376 = Cimarron, KS
751 = Dighton, KS
99 = Gove City, KS
329 = Grainfield, KS
1285 = Hoxie, KS
And both endpoints are in the middle of nowhere.
VA 40, 227 miles long. The largest town it serves is Rocky Mount, which has less than 5,000 people.
CO71. 224 miles long and the largest city served is Rocky Ford, population 3,957.
If you include NE71 and SD71, it runs 429 miles and the only city larger than Rocky Ford that it serves is Scottsbluff, NE, population 15,039.
ME 6 in northern Maine is 207 miles long and really just connects Canada in two places. The largest city on its path is Dover-Foxcroft with only 4K people. There is no reason why it needs to be duplexed with US 201 from Jackman to the Canadian border,
MN 1 is Minnesota's longest state highway at 346 miles, but the largest city it visits is 8,000 and is not going to be the primary route people are going to take to get there. The other major city is Ely at 2,000, but the locals call that part of the route Highway 169.
US 160.
Quote from: hbelkins on June 02, 2022, 01:35:24 PM
US 160.
Don't disagree with you for the most part, but the portion between Walsenburg and its western terminus is important for sure.
US-63
If we're using the length/largest community served metric, AK-11 probably wins, even though it's actually very important.
Quote from: thspfc on June 02, 2022, 03:32:40 PM
US-63
Serves Rochester, a pretty decent sized city.
Quote from: thspfc on June 02, 2022, 03:34:16 PM
If we're using the length/largest community served metric, AK-11 probably wins, even though it's actually very important.
You could add in the Dempster, the James Bay Road, and the Trans-Taiga Road as well.
US 83 has the Road to Nowhere nickname, and outside of South Texas probably fits this bill.
OK-3 might fit the bill. It's 600 miles long and serves several major cities, but most of that length is just tacked onto other highways. The few random independent sections aren't particularly important.
I'm surprised nobody mentioned the Chicago - Kansas City highway yet! It's literally just tacked onto other routes in Illinois, and most people would just take I-55 to I-70 anyways so it's limited access rather than drive down a bunch of surface level expressways through beautiful... Macomb?
Does I-40 in California count? 150+ miles but serves no major population centers.
US 202. Over 600 miles long, and carrying a lot of traffic in some part of PA and NJ (a "bigshot freeway", to quote a roadgeek at Something Awful). But it bypasses larger cities, and is often overlapped with older, more familiar routes.
How common would it be to stay on US 202 for 100 miles or more, not just for curiosity, but because it's the best way to get where you're going?
US 127, at least in Ohio
Quote from: kurumi on June 02, 2022, 11:54:03 PM
US 202. Over 600 miles long, and carrying a lot of traffic in some part of PA and NJ (a "bigshot freeway", to quote a roadgeek at Something Awful). But it bypasses larger cities, and is often overlapped with older, more familiar routes.
How common would it be to stay on US 202 for 100 miles or more, not just for curiosity, but because it's the best way to get where you're going?
I've actually done that. Was driving home from MD to CT and wanted to avoid tolls, Philly, and NYC. So I took US 1 up to Chadd's Ford, then US 202 from there to I-287 in Somerville. And this was
before they built the parkway portion between Montgomeryville and Doylestown, so it was slow going at times from King of Prussia to PA 611.
US 202 was part of my main route to Boston and popular parts of northern New England when I was a kid.
Maine 100. It's 140 miles long yet concurrent with other things for over 70 miles of its routing. It's the US 202 of Maine state routes, and ironically has a 50 mile concurrency with it.
Quote from: Hobart on June 02, 2022, 10:38:47 PM
I'm surprised nobody mentioned the Chicago - Kansas City highway yet! It's literally just tacked onto other routes in Illinois, and most people would just take I-55 to I-70 anyways so it's limited access rather than drive down a bunch of surface level expressways through beautiful... Macomb?
My strategy is to pretend the CKC doesn't exist.
Quote from: JayhawkCO on June 02, 2022, 04:51:22 PM
Quote from: thspfc on June 02, 2022, 03:32:40 PM
US-63
Serves Rochester, a pretty decent sized city.
Sure, but it isn't a main route to or from the city - US-52 and I-90 carry much more traffic. US-63 is a 1,200 mile highway that doesn't serve a single city of more than 150,000 people. And this isn't in the west somewhere with vast open spaces.
Quote from: kphoger on June 03, 2022, 09:20:48 AM
Quote from: Hobart on June 02, 2022, 10:38:47 PM
I'm surprised nobody mentioned the Chicago - Kansas City highway yet! It's literally just tacked onto other routes in Illinois, and most people would just take I-55 to I-70 anyways so it's limited access rather than drive down a bunch of surface level expressways through beautiful... Macomb?
My strategy is to pretend the CKC doesn't exist.
So my son and I are considering a trip to KC in August to see the White Sox play a doubleheader at Kauffman Stadium. According to Google Maps:
via CKC: 8 hours
via I-55/I-270/I-70: 7 hours, 42 minutes
via I-55/I-72/CKC: 7 hours, 29 minutes
SC does a really good job assigning their state roads, so there really aren't a lot. All the ones in the Charleston area carry some level of importance.
The least important US highway in SC is probably US 178. Largest cities it serves are Greenwood, Orangeburg and Anderson, and it peels off before it goes up towards Clemson.
Ends at a non-descript stop sign west of Summerville with US 78.
SM-G998U
For Wisconsin state highways, I would nominate WI-27. It is near 300 miles long, but spends a lot of time duplexing with other highways, doesn't really hit any major cities, and is a pretty narrow and windy for most of its route.
Quote from: NWI_Irish96 on June 03, 2022, 09:27:36 AM
Quote from: kphoger on June 03, 2022, 09:20:48 AM
Quote from: Hobart on June 02, 2022, 10:38:47 PM
I'm surprised nobody mentioned the Chicago - Kansas City highway yet! It's literally just tacked onto other routes in Illinois, and most people would just take I-55 to I-70 anyways so it's limited access rather than drive down a bunch of surface level expressways through beautiful... Macomb?
My strategy is to pretend the CKC doesn't exist.
So my son and I are considering a trip to KC in August to see the White Sox play a doubleheader at Kauffman Stadium. According to Google Maps:
via CKC: 8 hours
via I-55/I-270/I-70: 7 hours, 42 minutes
via I-55/I-72/CKC: 7 hours, 29 minutes
What is US 36 like between I-35 and Hannibal (MO)?
Quote from: webny99 on June 03, 2022, 09:36:52 AM
Quote from: NWI_Irish96 on June 03, 2022, 09:27:36 AM
Quote from: kphoger on June 03, 2022, 09:20:48 AM
Quote from: Hobart on June 02, 2022, 10:38:47 PM
I'm surprised nobody mentioned the Chicago - Kansas City highway yet! It's literally just tacked onto other routes in Illinois, and most people would just take I-55 to I-70 anyways so it's limited access rather than drive down a bunch of surface level expressways through beautiful... Macomb?
My strategy is to pretend the CKC doesn't exist.
So my son and I are considering a trip to KC in August to see the White Sox play a doubleheader at Kauffman Stadium. According to Google Maps:
via CKC: 8 hours
via I-55/I-270/I-70: 7 hours, 42 minutes
via I-55/I-72/CKC: 7 hours, 29 minutes
What is US 36 like between I-35 and Hannibal (MO)?
Never driven it myself, others likely have. Aside from being the fastest route, that route appeals to me because I-72 west of I-55 is the biggest chunk of interstate in Illinois I have left to clinch and US 36 and I-35 in Missouri would be new for me as well.
Quote from: NWI_Irish96 on June 03, 2022, 09:27:36 AM
via I-55/I-72/CKCUS-36/I-35: 7 hours, 29 minutes
FTFY :biggrin:
This is the route I would take, personally. I haven't driven between the two cities since 2009, but I had planned a trip to Chicago for last fall–before our vehicle threw a rod and we no longer had vacation money–and that's the route I had planned.
I-80 → I-35 is a decent way to go, and it's the way I went last time I made the drive (starting from Lakeside, MI). The Iowa 80 truck stop in Walcott is worth a potty break, and downtown Des Moines is a surprisingly nice area to stop in if you have the extra time (I recommend Zombie Burger).
I-55 → I-70 is less of a decent way to go, just because of Saint Louis traffic. About the only thing that makes up for it is the Missouri River Bridge. The last time I drove the I-70 portion of that route was probably six years ago, and I haven't voluntarily been on I-55 in Illinois south of Springfield in probably 18 years–the latter specifically because of Saint Louis traffic issues.
But I have never driven US-36 between Chillicothe (MO) and Pittsfield (IL). It appears to be a lot less trafficked and just as scenic as any of the other options mentioned.
Quote from: kphoger on June 03, 2022, 09:48:05 AM
Quote from: NWI_Irish96 on June 03, 2022, 09:27:36 AM
via I-55/I-72/CKCUS-36/I-35: 7 hours, 29 minutes
FTFY :biggrin:
This is the route I would take, personally. I haven't driven between the two cities since 2009, but I had planned a trip to Chicago for last fall–before our vehicle threw a rod and we no longer had vacation money–and that's the route I had planned.
I-80 → I-35 is a decent way to go, and it's the way I went last time I made the drive (starting from Lakeside, MI). The Iowa 80 truck stop in Walcott is worth a potty break, and downtown Des Moines is a surprisingly nice area to stop in if you have the extra time (I recommend Zombie Burger).
I-55 → I-70 is less of a decent way to go, just because of Saint Louis traffic. About the only thing that makes up for it is the Missouri River Bridge. The last time I drove the I-70 portion of that route was probably six years ago, and I haven't voluntarily been on I-55 in Illinois south of Springfield in probably 18 years–the latter specifically because of Saint Louis traffic issues.
But I have never driven US-36 between Chillicothe (MO) and Pittsfield (IL). It appears to be a lot less trafficked and just as scenic as any of the other options mentioned.
First of all, the trip is dependent on the Sox getting their heads out of their asses and actually being worth watching in August.
The desire to clinch I-72 makes that definitely the route for one half of the trip if it happens.
I-80/I-35 would be a good candidate for the other half.
Quote from: JayhawkCO on June 02, 2022, 04:51:22 PM
Quote from: thspfc on June 02, 2022, 03:32:40 PM
US-63
Serves Rochester, a pretty decent sized city.
Also serves Waterloo Iowa, Columbia Mo, and Jonesboro Ark. Relative to their states, all important cities.
Quote from: Hobart on June 02, 2022, 10:38:47 PM
I'm surprised nobody mentioned the Chicago - Kansas City highway yet! It's literally just tacked onto other routes in Illinois, and most people would just take I-55 to I-70 anyways so it's limited access rather than drive down a bunch of surface level expressways through beautiful... Macomb?
Actually, if I am going to KC, I use I-80 and I-35. I think it is quicker.
Quote from: SeriesE on June 02, 2022, 11:22:31 PM
Does I-40 in California count? 150+ miles but serves no major population centers.
I would say it is an important link for Old 66 traffic between LA and OKC.
Quote from: TheHighwayMan394 on June 02, 2022, 05:14:14 PM
US 83 has the Road to Nowhere nickname, and outside of South Texas probably fits this bill.
Minot, Bismarck, Pierre, North Platte are all important cities to their states and 83 serves them.
Quote from: NWI_Irish96 on June 03, 2022, 09:27:36 AM
Quote from: kphoger on June 03, 2022, 09:20:48 AM
Quote from: Hobart on June 02, 2022, 10:38:47 PM
I'm surprised nobody mentioned the Chicago - Kansas City highway yet! It's literally just tacked onto other routes in Illinois, and most people would just take I-55 to I-70 anyways so it's limited access rather than drive down a bunch of surface level expressways through beautiful... Macomb?
My strategy is to pretend the CKC doesn't exist.
So my son and I are considering a trip to KC in August to see the White Sox play a doubleheader at Kauffman Stadium. According to Google Maps:
via CKC: 8 hours
via I-55/I-270/I-70: 7 hours, 42 minutes
via I-55/I-72/CKC: 7 hours, 29 minutes
My way to KC is 80 and 35. I can be in KC in 7 hours.
Quote from: SeriesE on June 02, 2022, 11:22:31 PM
Does I-40 in California count? 150+ miles but serves no major population centers.
|Max Rockatansky| would have to say for sure. But, considering that this thread started as a companion to one whose OP specifically states So, please do not include "a portion of" a highway as part of this, I think it doesn't really fit the spirit.
Quote from: hobsini2 on June 03, 2022, 11:03:58 AM
Quote from: JayhawkCO on June 02, 2022, 04:51:22 PM
Quote from: thspfc on June 02, 2022, 03:32:40 PM
US-63
Serves Rochester, a pretty decent sized city.
Also serves Waterloo Iowa, Columbia Mo, and Jonesboro Ark. Relative to their states, all important cities.
I believe that US-63 is the longest US route that doesn't serve a city of over 150,000 people.
Quote from: webny99 on June 03, 2022, 09:36:52 AM
Quote from: NWI_Irish96 on June 03, 2022, 09:27:36 AM
Quote from: kphoger on June 03, 2022, 09:20:48 AM
Quote from: Hobart on June 02, 2022, 10:38:47 PM
I'm surprised nobody mentioned the Chicago - Kansas City highway yet! It's literally just tacked onto other routes in Illinois, and most people would just take I-55 to I-70 anyways so it's limited access rather than drive down a bunch of surface level expressways through beautiful... Macomb?
My strategy is to pretend the CKC doesn't exist.
So my son and I are considering a trip to KC in August to see the White Sox play a doubleheader at Kauffman Stadium. According to Google Maps:
via CKC: 8 hours
via I-55/I-270/I-70: 7 hours, 42 minutes
via I-55/I-72/CKC: 7 hours, 29 minutes
What is US 36 like between I-35 and Hannibal (MO)?
4 lane divided expressway with some cross traffic segments. In all, not a bad way.
Quote from: hobsini2 on June 03, 2022, 11:10:43 AM
Quote from: NWI_Irish96 on June 03, 2022, 09:27:36 AM
Quote from: kphoger on June 03, 2022, 09:20:48 AM
Quote from: Hobart on June 02, 2022, 10:38:47 PM
I'm surprised nobody mentioned the Chicago - Kansas City highway yet! It's literally just tacked onto other routes in Illinois, and most people would just take I-55 to I-70 anyways so it's limited access rather than drive down a bunch of surface level expressways through beautiful... Macomb?
My strategy is to pretend the CKC doesn't exist.
So my son and I are considering a trip to KC in August to see the White Sox play a doubleheader at Kauffman Stadium. According to Google Maps:
via CKC: 8 hours
via I-55/I-270/I-70: 7 hours, 42 minutes
via I-55/I-72/CKC: 7 hours, 29 minutes
My way to KC is 80 and 35. I can be in KC in 7 hours.
Google Maps pegs 80/35 as 17 minutes slower than 55/72/36/35. I'm starting about 15-20 minutes farther away than you and usually beat Google Maps times by about 5% so that sounds about right.
Quote from: hobsini2 on June 03, 2022, 11:56:18 AM
Quote from: SEWIGuy on June 03, 2022, 11:48:53 AM
Quote from: hobsini2 on June 03, 2022, 11:03:58 AM
Quote from: JayhawkCO on June 02, 2022, 04:51:22 PM
Quote from: thspfc on June 02, 2022, 03:32:40 PM
US-63
US 183 perhaps? Other than going through Austin, there is nothing of consequence.
Serves Rochester, a pretty decent sized city.
Also serves Waterloo Iowa, Columbia Mo, and Jonesboro Ark. Relative to their states, all important cities.
I believe that US-63 is the longest US route that doesn't serve a city of over 150,000 people.
[Preview]
Quote from: SEWIGuy on June 03, 2022, 11:48:53 AM
Quote from: hobsini2 on June 03, 2022, 11:03:58 AM
Quote from: JayhawkCO on June 02, 2022, 04:51:22 PM
Quote from: thspfc on June 02, 2022, 03:32:40 PM
US-63
Serves Rochester, a pretty decent sized city.
Also serves Waterloo Iowa, Columbia Mo, and Jonesboro Ark. Relative to their states, all important cities.
I believe that US-63 is the longest US route that doesn't serve a city of over 150,000 people.
US 183, had it not been for Austin TX, doesn't serve any other cities over 70k. At least US 63 does.
Quote from: webny99 on June 03, 2022, 09:36:52 AMWhat is US 36 like between I-35 and Hannibal (MO)?
It is expressway with occasional interchanges and (I think) no traffic signals except at I-35. However, it was developed from the original two-lane US 36 by laying down a new carriageway without revising the geometry of the existing one, so as you travel in a given direction, there is a noticeable alternation between modern and less modern alignments. The speed limit is also lower--65 versus 70 for a typical rural Interstate in Missouri. Overall, it is a very capable alternative to I-70 for Chicago-Kansas City trips, though to an extent this says more about how awful I-70 is. ("Missouri loves company.")
The timings people have been quoting for this itinerary are variable and I-35/US 36/I-72/I-55 has less of an advantage over I-35/I-80 at some times of day than at others. For example, Google Maps just now quotes 7 hours 54 minutes/510 miles for the former and 8 hours 3 minutes/526 miles for the latter. There is also more slack to the design of I-80 in both Illinois and Iowa, so there is more scope for speeding; the tradeoff is having to deal with transcontinental truck traffic.
Quote from: JayhawkCO on June 02, 2022, 01:12:11 PM
CO71. 224 miles long and the largest city served is Rocky Ford, population 3,957.
If you include NE71 and SD71, it runs 429 miles and the only city larger than Rocky Ford that it serves is Scottsbluff, NE, population 15,039.
It hits Limon also, and we established that's a pretty important control city.
*ducks*
Quote from: zachary_amaryllis on June 03, 2022, 12:08:26 PM
Quote from: JayhawkCO on June 02, 2022, 01:12:11 PM
CO71. 224 miles long and the largest city served is Rocky Ford, population 3,957.
If you include NE71 and SD71, it runs 429 miles and the only city larger than Rocky Ford that it serves is Scottsbluff, NE, population 15,039.
It hits Limon also, and we established that's a pretty important control city.
*ducks*
Todd from Control City Freak would like to see you in his office. :)
Quote from: J N Winkler on June 03, 2022, 12:07:52 PM
There is also more slack to the design of I-80 in both Illinois and Iowa, so there is more scope for speeding; the tradeoff is having to deal with transcontinental truck traffic.
That last time I drove the route, it was on a Sunday morning, and the speed limit in Illinois was still 65 mph. Except to occasionally slow down for a trucker to complete a passing maneuver, my speedometer needle never dipped below 80 the whole way from Morris (IL) to Newton (IA).
Quote from: hobsini2 on June 03, 2022, 12:06:11 PM
Quote from: SEWIGuy on June 03, 2022, 11:48:53 AM
Quote from: hobsini2 on June 03, 2022, 11:03:58 AM
Quote from: JayhawkCO on June 02, 2022, 04:51:22 PM
Quote from: thspfc on June 02, 2022, 03:32:40 PM
US-63
Serves Rochester, a pretty decent sized city.
Also serves Waterloo Iowa, Columbia Mo, and Jonesboro Ark. Relative to their states, all important cities.
I believe that US-63 is the longest US route that doesn't serve a city of over 150,000 people.
US 183, had it not been for Austin TX, doesn't serve any other cities over 70k. At least US 63 does.
LOL, ok... So outside of a city of a million people, US-183 doesn't go anywhere important. :rolleyes:
Quote from: SEWIGuy on June 03, 2022, 12:21:04 PM
Quote from: hobsini2 on June 03, 2022, 12:06:11 PM
Quote from: SEWIGuy on June 03, 2022, 11:48:53 AM
Quote from: hobsini2 on June 03, 2022, 11:03:58 AM
Quote from: JayhawkCO on June 02, 2022, 04:51:22 PM
Quote from: thspfc on June 02, 2022, 03:32:40 PM
US-63
Serves Rochester, a pretty decent sized city.
Also serves Waterloo Iowa, Columbia Mo, and Jonesboro Ark. Relative to their states, all important cities.
I believe that US-63 is the longest US route that doesn't serve a city of over 150,000 people.
US 183, had it not been for Austin TX, doesn't serve any other cities over 70k. At least US 63 does.
LOL, ok... So outside of a city of a million people, US-183 doesn't go anywhere important. :rolleyes:
You did dismiss US 63 in Rochester for the same thing. 183 is not the important highway in Austin. That's 35 and 290. Just saying.
Quote from: JayhawkCO on June 02, 2022, 04:51:22 PM
Quote from: thspfc on June 02, 2022, 03:32:40 PM
US-63
Serves Rochester, a pretty decent sized city.
Also a pretty major highway in Missouri and Arkansas, and part of the fastest route from Kansas City to Memphis and points beyond in both directions.
Quote from: webny99 on June 03, 2022, 09:36:52 AM
What is US 36 like between I-35 and Hannibal (MO)?
Quote from: hobsini2 on June 03, 2022, 11:50:04 AM
4 lane divided expressway with some cross traffic segments. In all, not a bad way.
Quote from: J N Winkler on June 03, 2022, 12:07:52 PM
It is expressway with occasional interchanges and (I think) no traffic signals except at I-35. However, it was developed from the original two-lane US 36 by laying down a new carriageway without revising the geometry of the existing one, so as you travel in a given direction, there is a noticeable alternation between modern and less modern alignments. The speed limit is also lower--65 versus 70 for a typical rural Interstate in Missouri. Overall, it is a very capable alternative to I-70 for Chicago-Kansas City trips, though to an extent this says more about how awful I-70 is. ("Missouri loves company.")
The timings people have been quoting for this itinerary are variable and I-35/US 36/I-72/I-55 has less of an advantage over I-35/I-80 at some times of day than at others. For example, Google Maps just now quotes 7 hours 54 minutes/510 miles for the former and 8 hours 3 minutes/526 miles for the latter. There is also more slack to the design of I-80 in both Illinois and Iowa, so there is more scope for speeding; the tradeoff is having to deal with transcontinental truck traffic.
Interesting. Coming from a state (and part of the country) where nothing higher than 55 mph is posted except on full freeways, that sounds like the kind of road I wish we had more of, which is to say a very reasonable route even for a long distance trip. The main issue with divided non-freeways is traffic signals, and if there aren't any of those, there wouldn't seem to be much downside to that route considering it's almost 30 miles shorter.
Besides the fact that I-70 in Missouri goes a bit out of the way, what are its issues? Pavement quality, truck traffic, or both (or perhaps something else)?
Quote from: webny99 on June 03, 2022, 02:50:41 PM
Besides the fact that I-70 in Missouri goes a bit out of the way, what are its issues? Pavement quality, truck traffic, or both (or perhaps something else)?
Saint Louis traffic. Truck traffic. Traffic, traffic, traffic.
Quote from: hobsini2 on June 03, 2022, 12:57:21 PM
Quote from: SEWIGuy on June 03, 2022, 12:21:04 PM
Quote from: hobsini2 on June 03, 2022, 12:06:11 PM
Quote from: SEWIGuy on June 03, 2022, 11:48:53 AM
Quote from: hobsini2 on June 03, 2022, 11:03:58 AM
Quote from: JayhawkCO on June 02, 2022, 04:51:22 PM
Quote from: thspfc on June 02, 2022, 03:32:40 PM
US-63
Serves Rochester, a pretty decent sized city.
Also serves Waterloo Iowa, Columbia Mo, and Jonesboro Ark. Relative to their states, all important cities.
I believe that US-63 is the longest US route that doesn't serve a city of over 150,000 people.
US 183, had it not been for Austin TX, doesn't serve any other cities over 70k. At least US 63 does.
LOL, ok... So outside of a city of a million people, US-183 doesn't go anywhere important. :rolleyes:
You did dismiss US 63 in Rochester for the same thing. 183 is not the important highway in Austin. That's 35 and 290. Just saying.
Comparing Austin to Rochester is an interesting choice.
Quote from: SEWIGuy on June 03, 2022, 03:55:52 PM
Quote from: hobsini2 on June 03, 2022, 12:57:21 PM
Quote from: SEWIGuy on June 03, 2022, 12:21:04 PM
Quote from: hobsini2 on June 03, 2022, 12:06:11 PM
Quote from: SEWIGuy on June 03, 2022, 11:48:53 AM
Quote from: hobsini2 on June 03, 2022, 11:03:58 AM
Quote from: JayhawkCO on June 02, 2022, 04:51:22 PM
Quote from: thspfc on June 02, 2022, 03:32:40 PM
US-63
Serves Rochester, a pretty decent sized city.
Also serves Waterloo Iowa, Columbia Mo, and Jonesboro Ark. Relative to their states, all important cities.
I believe that US-63 is the longest US route that doesn't serve a city of over 150,000 people.
US 183, had it not been for Austin TX, doesn't serve any other cities over 70k. At least US 63 does.
LOL, ok... So outside of a city of a million people, US-183 doesn't go anywhere important. :rolleyes:
You did dismiss US 63 in Rochester for the same thing. 183 is not the important highway in Austin. That's 35 and 290. Just saying.
Comparing Austin to Rochester is an interesting choice.
Just saying you dismissed 63 in Rochester for the exact same reason I dismissed 183 in Austin. It's the principle. That's all. Not saying Austin is not an important big city. But be honest with your assessment. Can you even name another city over 70k that 183 goes through? I can't. At least 63 does have a few 70k+ cities it connects. And before it was rerouted to Louisiana in 1999, it did go to the Memphis area.
Quote from: hobsini2 on June 03, 2022, 05:10:41 PM
Quote from: SEWIGuy on June 03, 2022, 03:55:52 PM
Quote from: hobsini2 on June 03, 2022, 12:57:21 PM
Quote from: SEWIGuy on June 03, 2022, 12:21:04 PM
Quote from: hobsini2 on June 03, 2022, 12:06:11 PM
Quote from: SEWIGuy on June 03, 2022, 11:48:53 AM
Quote from: hobsini2 on June 03, 2022, 11:03:58 AM
Quote from: JayhawkCO on June 02, 2022, 04:51:22 PM
Quote from: thspfc on June 02, 2022, 03:32:40 PM
US-63
Serves Rochester, a pretty decent sized city.
Also serves Waterloo Iowa, Columbia Mo, and Jonesboro Ark. Relative to their states, all important cities.
I believe that US-63 is the longest US route that doesn't serve a city of over 150,000 people.
US 183, had it not been for Austin TX, doesn't serve any other cities over 70k. At least US 63 does.
LOL, ok... So outside of a city of a million people, US-183 doesn't go anywhere important. :rolleyes:
You did dismiss US 63 in Rochester for the same thing. 183 is not the important highway in Austin. That's 35 and 290. Just saying.
Comparing Austin to Rochester is an interesting choice.
Just saying you dismissed 63 in Rochester for the exact same reason I dismissed 183 in Austin. It's the principle. That's all. Not saying Austin is not an important big city. But be honest with your assessment. Can you even name another city over 70k that 183 goes through? I can't. At least 63 does have a few 70k+ cities it connects. And before it was rerouted to Louisiana in 1999, it did go to the Memphis area.
I'm not dismissing either one. I'll include both. US-63 is the longest route in the US system that doesn't serve a city over 150,000.
Quote from: SEWIGuy on June 03, 2022, 05:19:04 PM
Quote from: hobsini2 on June 03, 2022, 05:10:41 PM
Quote from: SEWIGuy on June 03, 2022, 03:55:52 PM
Quote from: hobsini2 on June 03, 2022, 12:57:21 PM
Quote from: SEWIGuy on June 03, 2022, 12:21:04 PM
Quote from: hobsini2 on June 03, 2022, 12:06:11 PM
Quote from: SEWIGuy on June 03, 2022, 11:48:53 AM
Quote from: hobsini2 on June 03, 2022, 11:03:58 AM
Quote from: JayhawkCO on June 02, 2022, 04:51:22 PM
Quote from: thspfc on June 02, 2022, 03:32:40 PM
US-63
Serves Rochester, a pretty decent sized city.
Also serves Waterloo Iowa, Columbia Mo, and Jonesboro Ark. Relative to their states, all important cities.
I believe that US-63 is the longest US route that doesn't serve a city of over 150,000 people.
US 183, had it not been for Austin TX, doesn't serve any other cities over 70k. At least US 63 does.
LOL, ok... So outside of a city of a million people, US-183 doesn't go anywhere important. :rolleyes:
You did dismiss US 63 in Rochester for the same thing. 183 is not the important highway in Austin. That's 35 and 290. Just saying.
Comparing Austin to Rochester is an interesting choice.
Just saying you dismissed 63 in Rochester for the exact same reason I dismissed 183 in Austin. It's the principle. That's all. Not saying Austin is not an important big city. But be honest with your assessment. Can you even name another city over 70k that 183 goes through? I can't. At least 63 does have a few 70k+ cities it connects. And before it was rerouted to Louisiana in 1999, it did go to the Memphis area.
I'm not dismissing either one. I'll include both. US-63 is the longest route in the US system that doesn't serve a city over 150,000.
Is it though?
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Route_191
To that end I thought of US 191 when I did the original post. It's hard for me to call a highway that has so much scenery National Park lane as "not important" subjectively. But sure, if population is the only criteria we are going to use then US 191 would fit the bill. The Coronado Trail in Arizona I believe has the lowest traffic count of any US Route segment.
Quote from: webny99 on June 03, 2022, 02:50:41 PMInteresting. Coming from a state (and part of the country) where nothing higher than 55 mph is posted except on full freeways, that sounds like the kind of road I wish we had more of, which is to say a very reasonable route even for a long distance trip. The main issue with divided non-freeways is traffic signals, and if there aren't any of those, there wouldn't seem to be much downside to that route considering it's almost 30 miles shorter.
The main drawback is roadway geometry on the older sections--65 feels uncomfortably fast on them and you have to keep your eyes peeled for traffic making ill-judged right turns out of side roads, since the much shorter sight distance translates to reduced time to react.
Quote from: webny99 on June 03, 2022, 02:50:41 PMBesides the fact that I-70 in Missouri goes a bit out of the way, what are its issues? Pavement quality, truck traffic, or both (or perhaps something else)?
To add to Kyle's answer:
* Most (all?) of rural I-70 in Missouri was built with its median at the 40-foot minimum width allowed by standards, so headlamp glare at night is bad.
* Many lengths have two-way frontage roads ("outer roads" in MoDOT-speak) with grossly deficient horizontal and vertical alignment that are too close to the traveled way of I-70 proper. This, too, contributes to glare at night.
* Ramp geometry used to be, and may still be, especially unforgiving in Columbia, one of the first segments to be built (open by 1960). (Some interchanges have been redeveloped--e.g., there are now dumbbell roundabouts at Exit 125 and a dogbone at Exit 127--so the situation in terms of tight merges may be improved.)
* Between Columbia and St. Louis, there are curves sharp enough to require signs, as well as long grades in the vicinity of Mineola Hill. I suspect this has been somewhat mitigated by a recently completed design-build project (https://www.modot.org/mineola-hill-climbing-lanes-design-build) to add climbing lanes.
Overall, despite recent improvements--all of which have necessarily been modest owing to MoDOT's funding issues--I-70 in Missouri is still (to adapt the famous children's book (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_and_the_Terrible,_Horrible,_No_Good,_Very_Bad_Day) title) terrible, horrible, no good, very bad.
How about US385?
Quote from: Rothman on June 03, 2022, 09:49:08 PM
Quote from: paulthemapguy on June 03, 2022, 09:34:20 PM
How about US385?
Main acceas to Big Bend.
Not just that. Yes, I've driven US-385 from Fort Stockton to Big Bend, but that stretch isn't what really makes it
not unimportant.
I've also driven US-385 from Brownfield to Odessa, and that stretch is important enough to be a four-lane divided highway. In fact, I've used the Brownfield—Seminole portion not only driving to and from Big Bend NP, but also on last year's family road trip from Wichita to Guadalupe Mountains NP (the Lubbock—Carlsbad portion). It's quite a useful corridor, although the latter smaller portion is admittedly multiplexed.
Then I've also driven US-385 from Hereford to Dalhart, which has frequent passing lanes in the hills north of Vega and a four-lane divided stretch north of Hartley.
It's been forever since I was up in the Black Hills of South Dakota, so I'm not sure how important US-385 is there, but I see it's four lanes from the Nebraska line up to Hot Springs, and the portion north of Custer also appears to be well trafficked.
Quote from: J N Winkler on June 03, 2022, 06:44:11 PM
Quote from: webny99 on June 03, 2022, 02:50:41 PMBesides the fact that I-70 in Missouri goes a bit out of the way, what are its issues? Pavement quality, truck traffic, or both (or perhaps something else)?
To add to Kyle's answer:
...
Overall, despite recent improvements--all of which have necessarily been modest owing to MoDOT's funding issues--I-70 in Missouri is still (to adapt the famous children's book (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_and_the_Terrible,_Horrible,_No_Good,_Very_Bad_Day) title) terrible, horrible, no good, very bad.
Wow! I see now that the median in many sections is very narrow compared to what I'm used to on rural interstates, but unlike the similarly-narrow PA Turnpike, is often a grass median instead of jersey barrier. Between that and the heavy truck traffic I think I might find it mildly interesting to drive during the day, but can imagine it would be almost intolerable at night.
Quote from: kphoger on June 03, 2022, 10:39:38 PM
It's been forever since I was up in the Black Hills of South Dakota, so I'm not sure how important US-385 is there, but I see it's four lanes from the Nebraska line up to Hot Springs, and the portion north of Custer also appears to be well trafficked.
The section between Needles Highway and Custer seemed like a major through route and was plenty busy when I was on it in summer 2018.
Quote from: webny99 on June 04, 2022, 12:44:08 PM
Quote from: kphoger on June 03, 2022, 10:39:38 PM
It's been forever since I was up in the Black Hills of South Dakota, so I'm not sure how important US-385 is there, but I see it's four lanes from the Nebraska line up to Hot Springs, and the portion north of Custer also appears to be well trafficked.
The section between Needles Highway and Custer seemed like a major through route and was plenty busy when I was on it in summer 2018.
US 385 in the Black Hills is one of the primary highways in the area. It gets a bunch of the tourism traffic during the busy months of year.
US 191 is going to be a tough one to beat if we are looking for the most consistently remote US Route.
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on June 03, 2022, 05:48:58 PM
Quote from: SEWIGuy on June 03, 2022, 05:19:04 PM
Quote from: hobsini2 on June 03, 2022, 05:10:41 PM
Quote from: SEWIGuy on June 03, 2022, 03:55:52 PM
Quote from: hobsini2 on June 03, 2022, 12:57:21 PM
Quote from: SEWIGuy on June 03, 2022, 12:21:04 PM
Quote from: hobsini2 on June 03, 2022, 12:06:11 PM
Quote from: SEWIGuy on June 03, 2022, 11:48:53 AM
Quote from: hobsini2 on June 03, 2022, 11:03:58 AM
Quote from: JayhawkCO on June 02, 2022, 04:51:22 PM
Quote from: thspfc on June 02, 2022, 03:32:40 PM
US-63
Serves Rochester, a pretty decent sized city.
Also serves Waterloo Iowa, Columbia Mo, and Jonesboro Ark. Relative to their states, all important cities.
I believe that US-63 is the longest US route that doesn't serve a city of over 150,000 people.
US 183, had it not been for Austin TX, doesn't serve any other cities over 70k. At least US 63 does.
LOL, ok... So outside of a city of a million people, US-183 doesn't go anywhere important. :rolleyes:
You did dismiss US 63 in Rochester for the same thing. 183 is not the important highway in Austin. That's 35 and 290. Just saying.
Comparing Austin to Rochester is an interesting choice.
Just saying you dismissed 63 in Rochester for the exact same reason I dismissed 183 in Austin. It's the principle. That's all. Not saying Austin is not an important big city. But be honest with your assessment. Can you even name another city over 70k that 183 goes through? I can't. At least 63 does have a few 70k+ cities it connects. And before it was rerouted to Louisiana in 1999, it did go to the Memphis area.
I'm not dismissing either one. I'll include both. US-63 is the longest route in the US system that doesn't serve a city over 150,000.
Is it though?
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Route_191
To that end I thought of US 191 when I did the original post. It's hard for me to call a highway that has so much scenery National Park lane as "not important" subjectively. But sure, if population is the only criteria we are going to use then US 191 would fit the bill. The Coronado Trail in Arizona I believe has the lowest traffic count of any US Route segment.
Ah. Good call. That's what I get for thinking I know where a route goes, when I just need to look at a map. (I thought it went through SLC.)
Quote from: SEWIGuy on June 04, 2022, 12:56:21 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on June 03, 2022, 05:48:58 PM
Quote from: SEWIGuy on June 03, 2022, 05:19:04 PM
Quote from: hobsini2 on June 03, 2022, 05:10:41 PM
Quote from: SEWIGuy on June 03, 2022, 03:55:52 PM
Quote from: hobsini2 on June 03, 2022, 12:57:21 PM
Quote from: SEWIGuy on June 03, 2022, 12:21:04 PM
Quote from: hobsini2 on June 03, 2022, 12:06:11 PM
Quote from: SEWIGuy on June 03, 2022, 11:48:53 AM
Quote from: hobsini2 on June 03, 2022, 11:03:58 AM
Quote from: JayhawkCO on June 02, 2022, 04:51:22 PM
Quote from: thspfc on June 02, 2022, 03:32:40 PM
US-63
Serves Rochester, a pretty decent sized city.
Also serves Waterloo Iowa, Columbia Mo, and Jonesboro Ark. Relative to their states, all important cities.
I believe that US-63 is the longest US route that doesn't serve a city of over 150,000 people.
US 183, had it not been for Austin TX, doesn't serve any other cities over 70k. At least US 63 does.
LOL, ok... So outside of a city of a million people, US-183 doesn't go anywhere important. :rolleyes:
You did dismiss US 63 in Rochester for the same thing. 183 is not the important highway in Austin. That's 35 and 290. Just saying.
Comparing Austin to Rochester is an interesting choice.
Just saying you dismissed 63 in Rochester for the exact same reason I dismissed 183 in Austin. It's the principle. That's all. Not saying Austin is not an important big city. But be honest with your assessment. Can you even name another city over 70k that 183 goes through? I can't. At least 63 does have a few 70k+ cities it connects. And before it was rerouted to Louisiana in 1999, it did go to the Memphis area.
I'm not dismissing either one. I'll include both. US-63 is the longest route in the US system that doesn't serve a city over 150,000.
Is it though?
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Route_191
To that end I thought of US 191 when I did the original post. It’s hard for me to call a highway that has so much scenery National Park lane as “not important” subjectively. But sure, if population is the only criteria we are going to use then US 191 would fit the bill. The Coronado Trail in Arizona I believe has the lowest traffic count of any US Route segment.
Ah. Good call. That's what I get for thinking I know where a route goes, when I just need to look at a map. (I thought it went through SLC.)
Pre-interstate US 191 got kind of close - it went southwest from West Yellowstone basically along what’s now US 20 and I-15 to Brigham City, UT.
At any rate, today’s US 191 does have some semi-important segments, but almost all of them are concurrent with something else. One exception might be the part between I-70 and US 491, which doesn’t have a huge amount of traffic but is part of the Salt Lake City-Albuquerque route (and by extension, the long distance corridor from the Pacific Northwest to Texas and points beyond).
Quote from: US 89 on June 04, 2022, 04:12:38 PM
Quote from: SEWIGuy on June 04, 2022, 12:56:21 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on June 03, 2022, 05:48:58 PM
Quote from: SEWIGuy on June 03, 2022, 05:19:04 PM
Quote from: hobsini2 on June 03, 2022, 05:10:41 PM
Quote from: SEWIGuy on June 03, 2022, 03:55:52 PM
Quote from: hobsini2 on June 03, 2022, 12:57:21 PM
Quote from: SEWIGuy on June 03, 2022, 12:21:04 PM
Quote from: hobsini2 on June 03, 2022, 12:06:11 PM
Quote from: SEWIGuy on June 03, 2022, 11:48:53 AM
Quote from: hobsini2 on June 03, 2022, 11:03:58 AM
Quote from: JayhawkCO on June 02, 2022, 04:51:22 PM
Quote from: thspfc on June 02, 2022, 03:32:40 PM
US-63
Serves Rochester, a pretty decent sized city.
Also serves Waterloo Iowa, Columbia Mo, and Jonesboro Ark. Relative to their states, all important cities.
I believe that US-63 is the longest US route that doesn't serve a city of over 150,000 people.
US 183, had it not been for Austin TX, doesn't serve any other cities over 70k. At least US 63 does.
LOL, ok... So outside of a city of a million people, US-183 doesn't go anywhere important. :rolleyes:
You did dismiss US 63 in Rochester for the same thing. 183 is not the important highway in Austin. That's 35 and 290. Just saying.
Comparing Austin to Rochester is an interesting choice.
Just saying you dismissed 63 in Rochester for the exact same reason I dismissed 183 in Austin. It's the principle. That's all. Not saying Austin is not an important big city. But be honest with your assessment. Can you even name another city over 70k that 183 goes through? I can't. At least 63 does have a few 70k+ cities it connects. And before it was rerouted to Louisiana in 1999, it did go to the Memphis area.
I'm not dismissing either one. I'll include both. US-63 is the longest route in the US system that doesn't serve a city over 150,000.
Is it though?
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Route_191
To that end I thought of US 191 when I did the original post. It's hard for me to call a highway that has so much scenery National Park lane as "not important" subjectively. But sure, if population is the only criteria we are going to use then US 191 would fit the bill. The Coronado Trail in Arizona I believe has the lowest traffic count of any US Route segment.
Ah. Good call. That's what I get for thinking I know where a route goes, when I just need to look at a map. (I thought it went through SLC.)
Pre-interstate US 191 got kind of close - it went southwest from West Yellowstone basically along what's now US 20 and I-15 to Brigham City, UT.
At any rate, today's US 191 does have some semi-important segments, but almost all of them are concurrent with something else. One exception might be the part between I-70 and US 491, which doesn't have a huge amount of traffic but is part of the Salt Lake City-Albuquerque route (and by extension, the long distance corridor from the Pacific Northwest to Texas and points beyond).
US 191 also has the distinction of being the only US Route signed in the boundaries of Yellowstone National Park. It is in fact signed through the Gallatin Mountains in the western park boundary.
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on June 04, 2022, 04:16:54 PM
Quote from: US 89 on June 04, 2022, 04:12:38 PM
Quote from: SEWIGuy on June 04, 2022, 12:56:21 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on June 03, 2022, 05:48:58 PM
Quote from: SEWIGuy on June 03, 2022, 05:19:04 PM
Quote from: hobsini2 on June 03, 2022, 05:10:41 PM
Quote from: SEWIGuy on June 03, 2022, 03:55:52 PM
Quote from: hobsini2 on June 03, 2022, 12:57:21 PM
Quote from: SEWIGuy on June 03, 2022, 12:21:04 PM
Quote from: hobsini2 on June 03, 2022, 12:06:11 PM
Quote from: SEWIGuy on June 03, 2022, 11:48:53 AM
Quote from: hobsini2 on June 03, 2022, 11:03:58 AM
Quote from: JayhawkCO on June 02, 2022, 04:51:22 PM
Quote from: thspfc on June 02, 2022, 03:32:40 PM
US-63
Serves Rochester, a pretty decent sized city.
Also serves Waterloo Iowa, Columbia Mo, and Jonesboro Ark. Relative to their states, all important cities.
I believe that US-63 is the longest US route that doesn't serve a city of over 150,000 people.
US 183, had it not been for Austin TX, doesn't serve any other cities over 70k. At least US 63 does.
LOL, ok... So outside of a city of a million people, US-183 doesn't go anywhere important. :rolleyes:
You did dismiss US 63 in Rochester for the same thing. 183 is not the important highway in Austin. That's 35 and 290. Just saying.
Comparing Austin to Rochester is an interesting choice.
Just saying you dismissed 63 in Rochester for the exact same reason I dismissed 183 in Austin. It's the principle. That's all. Not saying Austin is not an important big city. But be honest with your assessment. Can you even name another city over 70k that 183 goes through? I can't. At least 63 does have a few 70k+ cities it connects. And before it was rerouted to Louisiana in 1999, it did go to the Memphis area.
I'm not dismissing either one. I'll include both. US-63 is the longest route in the US system that doesn't serve a city over 150,000.
Is it though?
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Route_191
To that end I thought of US 191 when I did the original post. It's hard for me to call a highway that has so much scenery National Park lane as "not important" subjectively. But sure, if population is the only criteria we are going to use then US 191 would fit the bill. The Coronado Trail in Arizona I believe has the lowest traffic count of any US Route segment.
Ah. Good call. That's what I get for thinking I know where a route goes, when I just need to look at a map. (I thought it went through SLC.)
Pre-interstate US 191 got kind of close - it went southwest from West Yellowstone basically along what's now US 20 and I-15 to Brigham City, UT.
At any rate, today's US 191 does have some semi-important segments, but almost all of them are concurrent with something else. One exception might be the part between I-70 and US 491, which doesn't have a huge amount of traffic but is part of the Salt Lake City-Albuquerque route (and by extension, the long distance corridor from the Pacific Northwest to Texas and points beyond).
US 191 also has the distinction of being the only US Route signed in the boundaries of Yellowstone National Park. It is in fact signed through the Gallatin Mountains in the western park boundary.
Though not necessarily reflective of its importance relative to its length, US-191 is at least one of the few 3di routes that are more important than their parent.
Quote from: thspfc on June 04, 2022, 07:46:28 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on June 04, 2022, 04:16:54 PM
Quote from: US 89 on June 04, 2022, 04:12:38 PM
Quote from: SEWIGuy on June 04, 2022, 12:56:21 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on June 03, 2022, 05:48:58 PM
Quote from: SEWIGuy on June 03, 2022, 05:19:04 PM
Quote from: hobsini2 on June 03, 2022, 05:10:41 PM
Quote from: SEWIGuy on June 03, 2022, 03:55:52 PM
Quote from: hobsini2 on June 03, 2022, 12:57:21 PM
Quote from: SEWIGuy on June 03, 2022, 12:21:04 PM
Quote from: hobsini2 on June 03, 2022, 12:06:11 PM
Quote from: SEWIGuy on June 03, 2022, 11:48:53 AM
Quote from: hobsini2 on June 03, 2022, 11:03:58 AM
Quote from: JayhawkCO on June 02, 2022, 04:51:22 PM
Quote from: thspfc on June 02, 2022, 03:32:40 PM
US-63
Serves Rochester, a pretty decent sized city.
Also serves Waterloo Iowa, Columbia Mo, and Jonesboro Ark. Relative to their states, all important cities.
I believe that US-63 is the longest US route that doesn't serve a city of over 150,000 people.
US 183, had it not been for Austin TX, doesn't serve any other cities over 70k. At least US 63 does.
LOL, ok... So outside of a city of a million people, US-183 doesn't go anywhere important. :rolleyes:
You did dismiss US 63 in Rochester for the same thing. 183 is not the important highway in Austin. That's 35 and 290. Just saying.
Comparing Austin to Rochester is an interesting choice.
Just saying you dismissed 63 in Rochester for the exact same reason I dismissed 183 in Austin. It's the principle. That's all. Not saying Austin is not an important big city. But be honest with your assessment. Can you even name another city over 70k that 183 goes through? I can't. At least 63 does have a few 70k+ cities it connects. And before it was rerouted to Louisiana in 1999, it did go to the Memphis area.
I'm not dismissing either one. I'll include both. US-63 is the longest route in the US system that doesn't serve a city over 150,000.
Is it though?
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Route_191
To that end I thought of US 191 when I did the original post. It's hard for me to call a highway that has so much scenery National Park lane as "not important" subjectively. But sure, if population is the only criteria we are going to use then US 191 would fit the bill. The Coronado Trail in Arizona I believe has the lowest traffic count of any US Route segment.
Ah. Good call. That's what I get for thinking I know where a route goes, when I just need to look at a map. (I thought it went through SLC.)
Pre-interstate US 191 got kind of close - it went southwest from West Yellowstone basically along what's now US 20 and I-15 to Brigham City, UT.
At any rate, today's US 191 does have some semi-important segments, but almost all of them are concurrent with something else. One exception might be the part between I-70 and US 491, which doesn't have a huge amount of traffic but is part of the Salt Lake City-Albuquerque route (and by extension, the long distance corridor from the Pacific Northwest to Texas and points beyond).
US 191 also has the distinction of being the only US Route signed in the boundaries of Yellowstone National Park. It is in fact signed through the Gallatin Mountains in the western park boundary.
Though not necessarily reflective of its importance relative to its length, US-191 is at least one of the few 3di routes that are more important than their parent.
In a modern sense yes, but in a historical sense I could make a strong argument for US 91 as being the most overlooked US Route.
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on June 04, 2022, 07:50:03 PM
Quote from: thspfc on June 04, 2022, 07:46:28 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on June 04, 2022, 04:16:54 PM
Quote from: US 89 on June 04, 2022, 04:12:38 PM
Quote from: SEWIGuy on June 04, 2022, 12:56:21 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on June 03, 2022, 05:48:58 PM
Quote from: SEWIGuy on June 03, 2022, 05:19:04 PM
Quote from: hobsini2 on June 03, 2022, 05:10:41 PM
Quote from: SEWIGuy on June 03, 2022, 03:55:52 PM
Quote from: hobsini2 on June 03, 2022, 12:57:21 PM
Quote from: SEWIGuy on June 03, 2022, 12:21:04 PM
Quote from: hobsini2 on June 03, 2022, 12:06:11 PM
Quote from: SEWIGuy on June 03, 2022, 11:48:53 AM
Quote from: hobsini2 on June 03, 2022, 11:03:58 AM
Quote from: JayhawkCO on June 02, 2022, 04:51:22 PM
Quote from: thspfc on June 02, 2022, 03:32:40 PM
US-63
Serves Rochester, a pretty decent sized city.
Also serves Waterloo Iowa, Columbia Mo, and Jonesboro Ark. Relative to their states, all important cities.
I believe that US-63 is the longest US route that doesn't serve a city of over 150,000 people.
US 183, had it not been for Austin TX, doesn't serve any other cities over 70k. At least US 63 does.
LOL, ok... So outside of a city of a million people, US-183 doesn't go anywhere important. :rolleyes:
You did dismiss US 63 in Rochester for the same thing. 183 is not the important highway in Austin. That's 35 and 290. Just saying.
Comparing Austin to Rochester is an interesting choice.
Just saying you dismissed 63 in Rochester for the exact same reason I dismissed 183 in Austin. It's the principle. That's all. Not saying Austin is not an important big city. But be honest with your assessment. Can you even name another city over 70k that 183 goes through? I can't. At least 63 does have a few 70k+ cities it connects. And before it was rerouted to Louisiana in 1999, it did go to the Memphis area.
I'm not dismissing either one. I'll include both. US-63 is the longest route in the US system that doesn't serve a city over 150,000.
Is it though?
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Route_191
To that end I thought of US 191 when I did the original post. It's hard for me to call a highway that has so much scenery National Park lane as "not important" subjectively. But sure, if population is the only criteria we are going to use then US 191 would fit the bill. The Coronado Trail in Arizona I believe has the lowest traffic count of any US Route segment.
Ah. Good call. That's what I get for thinking I know where a route goes, when I just need to look at a map. (I thought it went through SLC.)
Pre-interstate US 191 got kind of close - it went southwest from West Yellowstone basically along what's now US 20 and I-15 to Brigham City, UT.
At any rate, today's US 191 does have some semi-important segments, but almost all of them are concurrent with something else. One exception might be the part between I-70 and US 491, which doesn't have a huge amount of traffic but is part of the Salt Lake City-Albuquerque route (and by extension, the long distance corridor from the Pacific Northwest to Texas and points beyond).
US 191 also has the distinction of being the only US Route signed in the boundaries of Yellowstone National Park. It is in fact signed through the Gallatin Mountains in the western park boundary.
Though not necessarily reflective of its importance relative to its length, US-191 is at least one of the few 3di routes that are more important than their parent.
In a modern sense yes, but in a historical sense I could make a strong argument for US 91 as being the most overlooked US Route.
Hmm, I had no idea that US-91 once ran all the way up and down the country. Interesting
What about multistate (ID/MT/ND/MN) 200?
Quote from: kphoger on June 03, 2022, 11:11:26 AM
Quote from: SeriesE on June 02, 2022, 11:22:31 PM
Does I-40 in California count? 150+ miles but serves no major population centers.
|Max Rockatansky| would have to say for sure. But, considering that this thread started as a companion to one whose OP specifically states So, please do not include "a portion of" a highway as part of this, I think it doesn't really fit the spirit.
Oh I interpreted that requirement having to consider everything within a state only. If it must apply to the entire route regardless of state boundaries, then yeah I agree it doesn't count.
Quote from: DJ Particle on June 04, 2022, 10:41:44 PM
What about multistate (ID/MT/ND/MN) 200?
I'd almost agree with MSR 200, that large parts of it really aren't an important through route. I doubt a lot of traffic crosses ND and eastern MT on 200. However, the part of MT 200 that duplexes with US 87, 89, and 191 is a major corridor for central MT. Also, 10 Ave. S and I-315, which is MT 200's route through Great Falls, is the busiest highway in MT.
I'd also point out that Rogers Pass on MT 200 is the first crossing of the Continental Divide south of Marias Pass on US 2, at a distance of almost 100 miles! That definitely makes it important.
Another I thought of is US-6.
To quote the Wikipedia article:
QuoteUS 6 does not serve a major transcontinental corridor, unlike other highways. George R. Stewart, author of U.S. 40: Cross Section of the United States of America, initially considered US 6, but realized that "Route 6 runs uncertainly from nowhere to nowhere, scarcely to be followed from one end to the other, except by some devoted eccentric".
Quote from: thspfc on June 04, 2022, 08:15:28 PM
Hmm, I had no idea that US-91 once ran all the way up and down the country. Interesting
Yep, it followed the route that is today I-15.
Quote from: FrCorySticha on June 05, 2022, 12:28:07 AM
Quote from: thspfc on June 04, 2022, 08:15:28 PM
Hmm, I had no idea that US-91 once ran all the way up and down the country. Interesting
Yep, it followed the route that is today I-15.
Teton Dam flood did a number on it.
CA 299 is the third longest state route in California at ~306 miles. Like the routes Max mentioned in the thread beginning it goes through remote corridors with far less traffic than CA 1 and CA 99, the only two longer state routes. Even though it is a (ocean) border to border route it ends at a gravel road at the Nevada border.
For Oregon, OR 380 comes to mind, running from Prineville to Paulina via Post. All the longer Routes have some more significant functions.
Quote from: SeriesE on June 05, 2022, 12:27:32 AM
Another I thought of is US-6.
To quote the Wikipedia article:
QuoteUS 6 does not serve a major transcontinental corridor, unlike other highways. George R. Stewart, author of U.S. 40: Cross Section of the United States of America, initially considered US 6, but realized that "Route 6 runs uncertainly from nowhere to nowhere, scarcely to be followed from one end to the other, except by some devoted eccentric".
I guess overall one could make that case 6 just meanders from MA to CA. However, 6 is certainly a busy corridor in New England. It's the main route between Hartford and Providence. It is a bypass of NYC. It is an alternate to 80 for much of it's route from PA to NE. It is a busy corridor in Utah for SLC-Denver traffic.
Quote from: Techknow on June 05, 2022, 01:10:12 AM
CA 299 is the third longest state route in California at ~306 miles. Like the routes Max mentioned in the thread beginning it goes through remote corridors with far less traffic than CA 1 and CA 99, the only two longer state routes. Even though it is a (ocean) border to border route it ends at a gravel road at the Nevada border.
The thing with CA 299 is that it is one of the few highways that will handle getting larger freight traffic to the coast. It might not get a ton of traffic but it is a hugely important corridor to the North Coast region of California.
Quote from: webny99 on June 03, 2022, 02:50:41 PM
Besides the fact that I-70 in Missouri goes a bit out of the way, what are its issues? Pavement quality, truck traffic, or both (or perhaps something else)?
It wasn't that bad when I drove it last summer between St Louis and Kansas City (was able to maintain a speed of at least 77 mph on most of the 70 mph speed limit section), but you may encounter trucks taking up both lanes side-by-side sometimes due to the heavy truck traffic. Since my start/end point was in the western suburbs of St Louis, I switched to I-64 in the metro area, but for those bypassing St Louis, I-270 is a major construction zone right now, and I-70 in St Charles County have 2 notable construction zones looking forward (one near exit 208, other between exits 225 and 229).
Quote from: hobsini2 on June 05, 2022, 12:26:19 PM
Quote from: SeriesE on June 05, 2022, 12:27:32 AM
Another I thought of is US-6.
To quote the Wikipedia article:
QuoteUS 6 does not serve a major transcontinental corridor, unlike other highways. George R. Stewart, author of U.S. 40: Cross Section of the United States of America, initially considered US 6, but realized that "Route 6 runs uncertainly from nowhere to nowhere, scarcely to be followed from one end to the other, except by some devoted eccentric".
I guess overall one could make that case 6 just meanders from MA to CA. However, 6 is certainly a busy corridor in New England. It's the main route between Hartford and Providence. It is a bypass of NYC. It is an alternate to 80 for much of it's route from PA to NE. It is a busy corridor in Utah for SLC-Denver traffic.
It's also pretty busy in the Chicago area.
Quote from: TheHighwayMan394 on June 02, 2022, 01:35:04 PM
MN 1 is Minnesota's longest state highway at 346 miles, but the largest city it visits is 8,000 and is not going to be the primary route people are going to take to get there. The other major city is Ely at 2,000, but the locals call that part of the route Highway 169.
MN 30 (265 miles) also comes to mind. It technically enters the city limits of Rochester, but nobody would bat an eye if the whole thing were turned over to the counties east of St. James.
NC 194 is an 85 or so mile piecemeal route that mostly serves local, niche connections. There are some important thru routes like heading to Tennessee from Boone or Avery County, but the entire route is more or less for locals.
NC 197 is 56 miles and serves mostly as a connector road to ridiculously sparse mountain areas in the High Country and near the TN border. It has some edge cases as a thru route - I took it with a friend to drive from Erwin to Mount Mitchell, but other than that, you'll hardly see anyone who isn't beginning or ending their trip on this route. It's the quickest way to just about nowhere.
Unless you're beginning your trip in its immediate vicinity, the 108 or so miles of US 264 heading to the OBX on the peninsula are pretty useless for anyone that doesn't live there.
NC 903 is another one of those long, niche, local, piecemeal routings that serves as a bunch of different local connectors under one number. The same goes for NC 210 and NC 111, all of which are a pretty decent length. North Carolina has a lot of these examples.
US 19W is of moderate length for a US highway within a state, so it's a bit of a stretch to put it on this thread, but it's almost totally useless. In Tennessee, it more or less follows I-26, making it very redundant, and in North Carolina the road is hauntingly sparse. I drove its length from Temple Hill to Cane River and didn't see a single car, and it only has an AADT of like, 60.
Quote from: index on June 05, 2022, 05:09:13 PM
NC 194 is an 85 or so mile piecemeal route that mostly serves local, niche connections. There are some important thru routes like heading to Tennessee from Boone or Avery County, but the entire route is more or less for locals.
NC 197 is 56 miles and serves mostly as a connector road to ridiculously sparse mountain areas in the High Country and near the TN border. It has some edge cases as a thru route - I took it with a friend to drive from Erwin to Mount Mitchell, but other than that, you'll hardly see anyone who isn't beginning or ending their trip on this route. It's the quickest way to just about nowhere.
Unless you're beginning your trip in its immediate vicinity, the 108 or so miles of US 264 heading to the OBX on the peninsula are pretty useless for anyone that doesn't live there.
NC 903 is another one of those long, niche, local, piecemeal routings that serves as a bunch of different local connectors under one number. The same goes for NC 210 and NC 111, all of which are a pretty decent length. North Carolina has a lot of these examples.
US 19W is of moderate length for a US highway within a state, so it's a bit of a stretch to put it on this thread, but it's almost totally useless. In Tennessee, it more or less follows I-26, making it very redundant, and in North Carolina the road is hauntingly sparse. I drove its length from Temple Hill to Cane River and didn't see a single car, and it only has an AADT of like, 60.
I took US-19W one time and didn't think much of how long it was taking me since I wanted to use a scenic route but if I had to drive between Bluff City and Cane River I don't think I'd use it for it's southern 30 miles. North of that it just follows I-26 like you said.
Quote from: SEWIGuy on June 03, 2022, 09:32:21 AM
For Wisconsin state highways, I would nominate WI-27. It is near 300 miles long, but spends a lot of time duplexing with other highways, doesn't really hit any major cities, and is a pretty narrow and windy for most of its route.
I present WIS 32 to you. Yes it connects major cities, but it clearly is a redundant route to all those major routes it is concurrent with.
In the post-Interstate era, I suppose you could make a case for US 11 being "Long but not important".
Although 1600-plus miles long, it has been mostly supplanted by I-81 and I-59 (also I-40 and I-75 briefly) for most of its length (except for far northern New York).
Quote from: dlsterner on June 05, 2022, 08:35:10 PM
In the post-Interstate era, I suppose you could make a case for US 11 being "Long but not important".
Although 1600-plus miles long, it has been mostly supplanted by I-81 and I-59 (also I-40 and I-75 briefly) for most of its length (except for far northern New York).
True for most of NY, but I do wonder more about its southern split.
Quote from: Rothman on June 05, 2022, 10:34:52 PM
Quote from: dlsterner on June 05, 2022, 08:35:10 PM
In the post-Interstate era, I suppose you could make a case for US 11 being "Long but not important".
Although 1600-plus miles long, it has been mostly supplanted by I-81 and I-59 (also I-40 and I-75 briefly) for most of its length (except for far northern New York).
True for most of NY, but I do wonder more about its southern split.
Also true for most of PA. I think it's probably more important in the North Country than it is anywhere in PA unless you count the US 15 overlap.
Quote from: hobsini2 on June 05, 2022, 12:26:19 PM
Quote from: SeriesE on June 05, 2022, 12:27:32 AM
Another I thought of is US-6.
To quote the Wikipedia article:
QuoteUS 6 does not serve a major transcontinental corridor, unlike other highways. George R. Stewart, author of U.S. 40: Cross Section of the United States of America, initially considered US 6, but realized that "Route 6 runs uncertainly from nowhere to nowhere, scarcely to be followed from one end to the other, except by some devoted eccentric".
I guess overall one could make that case 6 just meanders from MA to CA. However, 6 is certainly a busy corridor in New England. It's the main route between Hartford and Providence. It is a bypass of NYC. It is an alternate to 80 for much of it's route from PA to NE. It is a busy corridor in Utah for SLC-Denver traffic.
Not to mention it's THE main central highway for Cape Cod.
Quote from: hobsini2 on June 05, 2022, 12:26:19 PM
Quote from: SeriesE on June 05, 2022, 12:27:32 AM
Another I thought of is US-6.
To quote the Wikipedia article:
QuoteUS 6 does not serve a major transcontinental corridor, unlike other highways. George R. Stewart, author of U.S. 40: Cross Section of the United States of America, initially considered US 6, but realized that "Route 6 runs uncertainly from nowhere to nowhere, scarcely to be followed from one end to the other, except by some devoted eccentric".
I guess overall one could make that case 6 just meanders from MA to CA. However, 6 is certainly a busy corridor in New England. It's the main route between Hartford and Providence. It is a bypass of NYC. It is an alternate to 80 for much of it's route from PA to NE. It is a busy corridor in Utah for SLC-Denver traffic.
The part in Utah between Spanish Fork and Green River does see a fair amount of SLC-Denver traffic (though the main route for this connection is I-80), but that segment is probably even more significant as a key link in a greater Pacific Northwest-Texas trucking corridor via Salt Lake and Albuquerque.
IA 175 gets my vote. It's 221 miles long through ten counties, but runs through only four county seats (Onawa, Ida Grove, Eldora, and Grundy Center) and doesn't go through any place with more than 3,000 people.
Quote from: DJ Particle on June 05, 2022, 11:53:50 PM
Quote from: hobsini2 on June 05, 2022, 12:26:19 PM
Quote from: SeriesE on June 05, 2022, 12:27:32 AM
Another I thought of is US-6.
To quote the Wikipedia article:
QuoteUS 6 does not serve a major transcontinental corridor, unlike other highways. George R. Stewart, author of U.S. 40: Cross Section of the United States of America, initially considered US 6, but realized that "Route 6 runs uncertainly from nowhere to nowhere, scarcely to be followed from one end to the other, except by some devoted eccentric".
I guess overall one could make that case 6 just meanders from MA to CA. However, 6 is certainly a busy corridor in New England. It's the main route between Hartford and Providence. It is a bypass of NYC. It is an alternate to 80 for much of it's route from PA to NE. It is a busy corridor in Utah for SLC-Denver traffic.
Not to mention it's THE main central highway for Cape Cod.
And the US-6 / 6th Avenue Freeway serves the west side of the Denver metro area while also being an alternative to I-70 in that part of town.
Oh yeah, and US-6 is the main route to Cedar Point amusement park in Ohio, especially when coming from Cleveland. :D
Quote from: Molandfreak on June 05, 2022, 04:32:52 PM
Quote from: TheHighwayMan394 on June 02, 2022, 01:35:04 PM
MN 1 is Minnesota's longest state highway at 346 miles, but the largest city it visits is 8,000 and is not going to be the primary route people are going to take to get there. The other major city is Ely at 2,000, but the locals call that part of the route Highway 169.
MN 30 (265 miles) also comes to mind. It technically enters the city limits of Rochester, but nobody would bat an eye if the whole thing were turned over to the counties east of St. James.
MN 9 except from Benson to Morris sounds like this as well. MN 9 is just dumb in general; the section between MN 23 and US 12 really should be posted E-W.
For Kansas, its least important state highway is probably K-9, its second longest. It is about 317 miles long, runs east-west through the northern part of the state, passes through just two small county seats (Beloit/Mitchell County and Concordia/Cloud County), and on the official state transportation map is shown mainly with a line that is black (two-lane, "other highway") rather than red (also two-lane, but "principal highway"). It has no red segments other than brief overlaps with more important routes.
Other than it's southern end between 166 and 101, most of CA-33 is redundant of I-5. I would argue that north of CA-198, it doesn't serve much of a purpose at all.
Quote from: J N Winkler on June 09, 2022, 01:30:13 AM
For Kansas, its least important state highway is probably K-9, its second longest. It is about 317 miles long, runs east-west through the northern part of the state, passes through just two small county seats (Beloit/Mitchell County and Concordia/Cloud County), and on the official state transportation map is shown mainly with a line that is black (two-lane, "other highway") rather than red (also two-lane, but "principal highway"). It has no red segments other than brief overlaps with more important routes.
I considered suggesting K-9, but I decided against it only because it goes through Concordia and I was specifically looking for a route that only goes through smaller towns. But I agree, that's a great candidate.
CR 501 in NJ is 53 miles long, but, where it doesn't overlap with NJ (and NY) 440, it only exists to access local communities from bigger roads. Unlike other long county routes, which traverse rural areas with an otherwise underdeveloped road network, CR 501 parallels I-287, then NJ 440, then I-95, then the Palisades Parkway and US 9W.
US 8. I think Rhinelander is the biggest city on its route and is <10K.
Quote from: skluth on June 09, 2022, 04:37:49 PM
US 8. I think Rhinelander is the biggest city on its route and is <10K.
It was much more important before it was replaced by I-35/W northeast of Minneapolis.
Quote from: DJ Particle on June 04, 2022, 10:41:44 PM
What about multistate (ID/MT/ND/MN) 200?
Along those same lines, there's WY/NE/IA/IL 92. Yes, it goes through Omaha and the Quad Cities (at least the Illinois part), but you wouldn't use it to go between the two.
Quote from: bzakharin on June 09, 2022, 12:41:55 PM
CR 501 in NJ is 53 miles long, but, where it doesn't overlap with NJ (and NY) 440, it only exists to access local communities from bigger roads. Unlike other long county routes, which traverse rural areas with an otherwise underdeveloped road network, CR 501 parallels I-287, then NJ 440, then I-95, then the Palisades Parkway and US 9W.
More broadly, some of the 500 series county routes in New Jersey are longer than any state route. CR 519 is the longest one, and it runs entirely through the middle of nowhere in the western and northwestern areas of the state.
Michigan has M-57, which runs from the outskirts of Grand Rapids to the northeast suburbs of Flint, but only goes through one city with a population above 3,000 (Greenville) and goes through zero county seats.