This is about state routes (or segments thereof) that have very low traffic counts within a state (1,500 or less). I have a few examples in PA:
- PA 314 between 611 and 715 (AADT 650 vehicles/day)
- PA 534 between 940 and 903 (AADT ~500 vehicles/day)
- PA 120 between 872 and 144 (AADT ~400 vehicles/day)
- PA 895 between 501 and Auburn (AADT ~780 vehicles/day)
- PA 54 between Girardville and Shenandonah (AADT ~1300 vehicles/day)
Alaska has a lot of them. Just for the most notable examples, among the dozen numbered routes:
-- The Dalton Highway (AK 11) has AADTs under 250.
-- The north end of the Steese Highway (at that point AK 6), to Circle on the Yukon River, had in 2018 an AADT of only 43.
-- One segment in the middle of the Denali Highway (AK 8) had an AADT of only 61.
-- The south end of the Mitkof Highway (isolated Petersburg segment of AK 7) had an AADT of only 22.
-- The east end of the Copper River Highway (Cordova segment of AK 10) had an AADT of 9. The funny thing is that part of the highway was cut off from the rest of the highway system by a prolonged (and still unfixed) bridge washout in the Copper River delta. Maybe those 9 vehicles are local traffic by members of the Eyak tribe, or shuttles that had been taking tourists to the Million Dollar Bridge after they took a boat around the bridge washout, or the traffic data sensors were tripped up by bears or moose.
Many of these roads/segments are closed in the winter, which might depress the AADTs if they aren't seasonally-adjusted.
If you want to go north of the border for remote:
SK 962 (accessible only in Uranium City, not sure if it's even signed)
SK 999 (accessible only in Camsell Portage (by air))
Both are north of Lake Athabasca, 22 miles-ish apart. There's a better chance you could connect the two, than any others.
In Manitoba, this applies to MB 636 which is purely in Churchill.
Kentucky has a metric crap ton of routes with segments below 50 cars a day.
Quote from: Roadgeek Adam on May 01, 2020, 07:46:36 PM
In Manitoba, this applies to MB 636 which is purely in Churchill.
MB 636 is definitely remote, with no road connection to the rest of the highway system. But it links Churchill to its airport, and also to polar bear viewing sites (which is how I clinched the route, though alas I didn't see any bears when I went on a tour there in the bears' off-season).
It's even paved for its entire length. The tour guide said the road was paved for the Queen, who made a royal visit to Churchill back when she was still an active traveler and often visited northern Canada. Because Her Majesty
must ride on pavement.
Quote
SK 999 (accessible only in Camsell Portage (by air))
Saskatchewan's Highways and Infrastructure ministry somehow came up with a traffic count on that highway. In 2016, the AADT was only 5. There are a few other northern 900-series highways with AADTs of 5, but none with lower AADTs.
Quote from: Hwy 61 Revisited on May 01, 2020, 06:49:26 PM
This is about state routes (or segments thereof) that have very low traffic counts within a state (1,500 or less). I have a few examples in PA:
- PA 314 between 611 and 715 (AADT 650 vehicles/day)
- PA 534 between 940 and 903 (AADT ~500 vehicles/day)
- PA 120 between 872 and 144 (AADT ~400 vehicles/day)
- PA 895 between 501 and Auburn (AADT ~780 vehicles/day)
- PA 54 between Girardville and Shenandonah (AADT ~1300 vehicles/day)
Most of West Virginia's primary US and state route network is under 1500 AADT. In most states, including PA, there are innumerable examples in rural areas.
Probably something out in the Berkshires or maybe around the Quabbin Reservoir for MA.
Quote from: Roadgeekteen on May 01, 2020, 08:38:13 PM
Probably something out in the Berkshires or maybe around the Quabbin Reservoir for MA.
There's more traffic than you'd think around the Quabbin.
But Berkshires -- especially near state border crossings to nowhere -- would be a good bet.
Quote from: Bitmapped on May 01, 2020, 08:33:20 PM
Quote from: Hwy 61 Revisited on May 01, 2020, 06:49:26 PM
This is about state routes (or segments thereof) that have very low traffic counts within a state (1,500 or less). I have a few examples in PA:
- PA 314 between 611 and 715 (AADT 650 vehicles/day)
- PA 534 between 940 and 903 (AADT ~500 vehicles/day)
- PA 120 between 872 and 144 (AADT ~400 vehicles/day)
- PA 895 between 501 and Auburn (AADT ~780 vehicles/day)
- PA 54 between Girardville and Shenandonah (AADT ~1300 vehicles/day)
Most of West Virginia's primary US and state route network is under 1500 AADT. In most states, including PA, there are innumerable examples in rural areas.
That section of WV 72 that's single lane has to be stupidity low.
By the way, PA 120, absolutely amazing road. Love the section between Renovo and Lock Haven.
I have a spreadsheet for MA:
8A in Heath: 160
183 in New Marlborough: 180, except it's probably a typo for 1800
112 in Worthington: 250
32 in Royalston: 300
32A in Petersham: 320
68 in Templeton: 360
7A in Sheffield: 400
101 in Phillipston: 460
140 Bypass in Gardner (never heard of it; does it even exist? 2001.): 490
143 in Worthington: 500
Only one entry per route is included.
In Colorado, there are four state highways that have AADT of <100 according to CDOT.
- CO78 - The unpaved portion (one of the only three unpaved state highways in CO along with CO 394 and CO 170) between the CO165 Junction and mile marker 9 near Beulah has an AADT of 40
- CO101 - The portion between Bent County Road P and its southern terminus at Bent County Road K has an AADT of 70
- CO389 - The portion between the New Mexico state line and Gault Street in Branson has an AADT of 70
- CO116 - The portion between CO89 and the Kansas state line has an AADT of 80
Bonus Picks:
- CO317 - For its entire length, no segment higher than an AADT of 110 (lowest maximum AADT of any highway in CO) and ends at unpaved Routt County Road 29
- CO318 - The portion between the Utah state line and Moffat County Road 10 has an AADT of 110, no part of the route is above 250, and then it connects to an unpaved (and I believe unsigned) Daggett County (Utah) Road 1364
Chris
Quote from: hbelkins on May 01, 2020, 07:47:16 PM
Kentucky has a metric crap ton of routes with segments below 50 cars a day.
Yes but in Kentucky if your driveway is longer than 1/4 mile it's signed as a state highway.
Two I can find from MN:
MN 1, 35 between MN 89 and Pennington County 28
MN 308, 55. Seriously. MN 30& has to be the most useless state Highway here. For whatever reason when they realigned MN 89 to intersect MN 11 in a different spot, the old leg of the Y had to keep a number.
TN-103 in Dyer County has a short unpaved segment that runs to a dead end at the Mississippi River, with a total AADT of 20. I think that's going to be pretty hard to beat for the rest of the state.
Utah posted Excel spreadsheets showing AADT by segment, but the last updates were in 2017.
https://www.udot.utah.gov/main/uconowner.gf?n=3980335934579031
From that list, if you exclude four-digit county roads and state park access roads (3xx series), here are the ones that are <100:
UT 153, MP 18-40 (east of Beaver, winter closure): AADT 27
UT 124, MP 0-5 (Horse Canyon Mine access): AADT 31
UT 122, MP 0-6 (Hiawatha ghost town access): AADT 73
UT 275, MP 0-4 (Natural Bridges Natl. Monument access): AADT 85
Quote from: mrcmc888 on May 01, 2020, 10:58:25 PM
TN-103 in Dyer County has a short unpaved segment that runs to a dead end at the Mississippi River, with a total AADT of 20. I think that's going to be pretty hard to beat for the rest of the state.
We have a winner...
Or do we?
All of the public roads on the island of Tangier, Virginia (https://www.google.com/maps/place/Tangier,+VA+23440/@37.8237886,-76.0007688,15z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x89b989f7e80a49e3:0x63571185a03d2247!8m2!3d37.8262373!4d-75.9916035) (most of which is also the Town of Tangier) in the Chesapeake Bay are maintained by the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) (and have "town" route numbers, usually signed with a four-digit number starting with a 1, sometimes with a "T" prefix (examples here (https://www.google.com/maps/@37.8286984,-75.9925568,3a,75y,79.68h,68.21t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1slDNXZIFxhgVkiwqkgcS29A!2e0!7i13312!8i6656) and here (https://www.google.com/maps/@37.8210124,-75.9920403,3a,75y,154.25h,80.53t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sUkgLwQSvgnzQ_gnrHLpgWg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656)) as they do in the rest of the Commonwealth where VDOT maintains streets and roads within the corporate limits of a town).
Tangier has no bridge connection to "mainland" or Eastern Shore Virginia. Many residents get around on bikes or scooters and small motorcycles; or in golf carts, and do not own conventional cars or trucks that would be found elsewhere (though there are some cars and pickup trucks to be found on Tangier).
As a result, traffic counts on these state-maintained roads are very, very low.
EDIT: The highest traffic volume in 2017 on Tangier is an ADT of 410 on Main Street (SR-1301) and the lowest volume is north of the airport (SR-1315), with an ADT of 46 in 2014. I think these numbers have to include the scooters and motorcycles as well as cars and pickup trucks (I do not think there are enough cars and trucks available to result in counts as high as those reported).
CA 266 is probably the grand champion in California. AZ 288, AZ 366, AZ 261, AZ 273, AZ 373, and AZ 473 all come to mind in Arizona as being decidedly off grid.
I dont know any other route with low count in Michigan other than M-185 (0 cars), but cars are banned on M-185.
Quote from: cwf1701 on May 01, 2020, 11:39:54 PM
I dont know any other route with low count in Michigan other than M-185 (0 cars), but cars are banned on M-185.
But how many bicycles, horses, and carriages?...technically they count as traffic.
Connecticut lowest AADTs for signed routes, 2015 traffic log:
* CT 263, from CT 272 over TL into Winchester: 250 (263 was my guess for loneliest route before I checked)
* CT 181, near CT 20, Hartland: 250
Lowest AADT on a 2-digit route:
* CT 20, near CT 181, Hartland: 550
Hartland wins as the most desolate place in Connecticut. At the 20/181 intersection, old CT 20 continues eastward, on a route that was moved around 1940 when the Barkhamsted Reservoir opened. The Google Street View car drove about 50 feet along this road and just stopped, like "f*** that, not going any further." View: https://goo.gl/maps/gKvQ7vFJxAo6oJww8
AADT counts in the state seem to be rounded to the nearest 50 or 100.
I didn't try to look up any data, but I'd guess that these would be in the running for MI:
M-69
M-95
M-35 north of Gladstone
M-67
M-64, southern sections
M-77 north of Seney
Then there's some that exist to serve state parks, that would get very low counts at certain times of the year.
Quote from: jayhawkco on May 01, 2020, 08:54:13 PM
- CO318 - The portion between the Utah state line and Moffat County Road 10 has an AADT of 110, no part of the route is above 250, and then it connects to an unpaved (and I believe unsigned) Daggett County (Utah) Road 1364
That's Federal Aid Route 1364. The federal aid route system is unsigned in urban areas, but some of the more rural routes are occasionally signed with mini-pentagons like this (https://www.flickr.com/photos/155771219@N08/43068684831/). Generally those pop up at the end of routes but sometimes you might find a reassurance shield in the middle. Given the relative local significance of 1364 I wouldn't be surprised if there was at least one of those somewhere along the route.
Surprised no one's said TX-54.
Arkansas Highway 327 comes to mind for me, along with Arkansas Highway 219 west of Ozark (not the one that connects to I-40), as well as Arkansas Highway 370.
Quote from: oscar on May 01, 2020, 08:00:07 PM
Saskatchewan's Highways and Infrastructure ministry somehow came up with a traffic count on that highway. In 2016, the AADT was only 5. There are a few other northern 900-series highways with AADTs of 5, but none with lower AADTs.
Quote from: kurumi on May 02, 2020, 12:58:30 AM
AADT counts in the state seem to be rounded to the nearest 50 or 100.
I wonder if these two phenomena are related. It's possible that Saskatchewan has a floor of 5 AADT in their reporting.
Quote from: kphoger on May 02, 2020, 01:51:39 PM
Quote from: oscar on May 01, 2020, 08:00:07 PM
Saskatchewan's Highways and Infrastructure ministry somehow came up with a traffic count on that highway. In 2016, the AADT was only 5. There are a few other northern 900-series highways with AADTs of 5, but none with lower AADTs.
Quote from: kurumi on May 02, 2020, 12:58:30 AM
AADT counts in the state seem to be rounded to the nearest 50 or 100.
I wonder if these two phenomena are related. It's possible that Saskatchewan has a floor of 5 AADT in their reporting.
Except Saskatchewan also reports truck AADTs. For the 900-series northern secondary routes, the TAADTs are often zero, but there are a few TAADTs of 1. Looks like there's a lot of rounding to the nearest 5 (also for the 1-397 primary routes), but not always.
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on May 01, 2020, 11:34:28 PM
CA 266 is probably the grand champion in California. AZ 288, AZ 366, AZ 261, AZ 273, AZ 373, and AZ 473 all come to mind in Arizona as being decidedly off grid.
I'd take a calculated guess that the northern section of CA 169 might come close in that regard; it's barely more than a local street serving a line of houses along the lower Klamath River. The southern section actually serves as access to the Hoopa Native American reservation, so it sees pretty regular usage.
Quote from: sparker on May 02, 2020, 03:50:39 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on May 01, 2020, 11:34:28 PM
CA 266 is probably the grand champion in California. AZ 288, AZ 366, AZ 261, AZ 273, AZ 373, and AZ 473 all come to mind in Arizona as being decidedly off grid.
I'd take a calculated guess that the northern section of CA 169 might come close in that regard; it's barely more than a local street serving a line of houses along the lower Klamath River. The southern section actually serves as access to the Hoopa Native American reservation, so it sees pretty regular usage.
CA 229 would be right there too south of Creston. When drove by a Caltrans crew doing tree trimming on 229 they were getting five vehicles a day north of CA 58.
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on May 01, 2020, 11:34:28 PM
CA 266 is probably the grand champion in California.
AADT = 140 (NW endpoint)
AADT = 300 (SE endpoint)
Quote from: sparker on May 02, 2020, 03:50:39 PM
the northern section of CA 169 might come close in that regard;
AADT = 200 (Johnsons, CA)
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on May 02, 2020, 04:10:25 PM
CA 229 would be right there too south of Creston ... north of CA 58.
AADT = 140 (S endpoint)
Quote from: kphoger on May 02, 2020, 05:55:44 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on May 01, 2020, 11:34:28 PM
CA 266 is probably the grand champion in California.
AADT = 140 (NW endpoint)
AADT = 300 (SE endpoint)
Quote from: sparker on May 02, 2020, 03:50:39 PM
the northern section of CA 169 might come close in that regard;
AADT = 200 (Johnsons, CA)
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on May 02, 2020, 04:10:25 PM
CA 229 would be right there too south of Creston ... north of CA 58.
AADT = 140 (S endpoint)
What about 229's north terminus? I seem to recall it was something like 500 back in the 1990s.
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on May 02, 2020, 06:12:57 PM
What about 229's north terminus? I seem to recall it was something like 500 back in the 1990s.
Oh, OK, I just found a more up-to-date map and figured out how to navigate multiple data points at one location.
North terminus is right by town, so it's count is higher at 4450 AADT.
South terminus at CA-58 is 120 AADT.
Quote from: CoreySamson on May 02, 2020, 12:55:32 PM
Surprised no one's said TX-54.
A few different part of nearby FM-2185 have an AADT of 5
Quote from: kphoger on May 02, 2020, 06:38:49 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on May 02, 2020, 06:12:57 PM
What about 229's north terminus? I seem to recall it was something like 500 back in the 1990s.
Oh, OK, I just found a more up-to-date map and figured out how to navigate multiple data points at one location.
North terminus is right by town, so it's count is higher at 4450 AADT.
South terminus at CA-58 is 120 AADT.
Holy crap that's a huge variance for such a short highway, I didn't think it was that high at the north terminus. Weird to consider the north part of 229 was once US 466 all the way to the one-lane segment. Most of the one lane state highways have really low AADT numbers and 229 bears that out at it's south terminus.
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on May 02, 2020, 08:22:41 PM
Quote from: kphoger on May 02, 2020, 06:38:49 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on May 02, 2020, 06:12:57 PM
What about 229's north terminus? I seem to recall it was something like 500 back in the 1990s.
Oh, OK, I just found a more up-to-date map and figured out how to navigate multiple data points at one location.
North terminus is right by town, so it's count is higher at 4450 AADT.
South terminus at CA-58 is 120 AADT.
Holy crap that's a huge variance for such a short highway, I didn't think it was that high at the north terminus. Weird to consider the north part of 229 was once US 466 all the way to the one-lane segment. Most of the one lane state highways have really low AADT numbers and 229 bears that out at it's south terminus.
With that in mind, can someone come up with an AADT for CA 172, which is 1-lane for much of its short length (although close to recreational facilities).
Quote from: sparker on May 02, 2020, 09:03:52 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on May 02, 2020, 08:22:41 PM
Quote from: kphoger on May 02, 2020, 06:38:49 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on May 02, 2020, 06:12:57 PM
What about 229's north terminus? I seem to recall it was something like 500 back in the 1990s.
Oh, OK, I just found a more up-to-date map and figured out how to navigate multiple data points at one location.
North terminus is right by town, so it's count is higher at 4450 AADT.
South terminus at CA-58 is 120 AADT.
Holy crap that's a huge variance for such a short highway, I didn't think it was that high at the north terminus. Weird to consider the north part of 229 was once US 466 all the way to the one-lane segment. Most of the one lane state highways have really low AADT numbers and 229 bears that out at it's south terminus.
With that in mind, can someone come up with an AADT for CA 172, which is 1-lane for much of its short length (although close to recreational facilities).
Didn't see a single vehicle on it when I drove it last back in 2017. I would imagine the East terminus is by far busier than the western terminus.
Quote from: sparker on May 02, 2020, 09:03:52 PM
AADT for CA 172
Western endpoint (Mineral) to postmile 5.77: 180 AADT
Eastern endpoint to postmile 5.77: 150 AADT
Quote from: kphoger on May 03, 2020, 05:41:24 PM
Quote from: sparker on May 02, 2020, 09:03:52 PM
AADT for CA 172
Western endpoint (Mineral) to postmile 5.77: 180 AADT
Eastern endpoint to postmile 5.77: 150 AADT
So you're saying people don't like driving over Mineral Summit?...
(https://live.staticflickr.com/4289/34674008734_cff53f178d_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/UQ2mLN)IMG_1026 (https://flic.kr/p/UQ2mLN) by Max Rockatansky (https://www.flickr.com/photos/151828809@N08/), on Flickr
I'm sincerely surprised that CA 172 apparently beat out CA 266.
How much traffic is there on CA 299 between Cedarville and the NV state line (where it becomes an unpaved road, once but no longer NV 8A)?
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on May 04, 2020, 12:36:21 AM
Quote from: kphoger on May 03, 2020, 05:41:24 PM
Quote from: sparker on May 02, 2020, 09:03:52 PM
AADT for CA 172
Western endpoint (Mineral) to postmile 5.77: 180 AADT
Eastern endpoint to postmile 5.77: 150 AADT
So you're saying people don't like driving over Mineral Summit?...
(https://live.staticflickr.com/4289/34674008734_cff53f178d_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/UQ2mLN)IMG_1026 (https://flic.kr/p/UQ2mLN) by Max Rockatansky (https://www.flickr.com/photos/151828809@N08/), on Flickr
I'm sincerely surprised that CA 172 apparently beat out CA 266.
It's not that folks don't relish driving on a 1-lane highway (which was LRN 29, the primary route up the hill from Red Bluff until the mid-30's), it's just that it bypasses the west CA 36/89 junction, north of which (on 89) is the southern entrance to Lassen Volcanic N.P., the principal tourist/recreational attraction in the area. When old LRN 86 was built as the cutoff from the western end of CA 172 up the hill to that junction, SSR 36 was relocated over it, leaving the now-CA 172 "loop" as an unsigned road -- so most traffic simply stayed on 36 unless their destination was specifically on the Mineral loop. And from that point on not much has changed, as evidenced by the sparse AADT on 172 (thanks to the Wichita Stat-man for that info!).
New York has two potential candidates due to the method of reporting.
-The east end of NY 344 (AADT 86, counter east of the western Bash Bish Falls parking lot) is the lowest recorded AADT in the system, but since the segment covers the entire route and the counter is placed after the turnoffs for most destinations, this is not reflective of the entire route.
-NY 421 has a recorded AADT of 130, with the counter placed at the intersection with NY 30. The long segment west of Warren Point was not counted, but given the lack of destinations out there, I would not be surprised if AADT on that segment is well under 30 even during the summer.
As far as through routes (not dead ends or connect to a numbered route across a state/international border), our winner is NY 30 with an AADT of 257 at its northern end. NY 189 has an AADT of 259 near its southern end, but has an asterisk thanks to the Canadian checkpoint being closed.
I will not bother attempting to list all routes with a segment under 1000, because there are far too many to keep track of. Most 2-lane roads through the Adirondacks and Catskills have at least one such section, as well as several routes in rural parts of Central NY and the Southern Tier.
Quote from: GaryA on May 04, 2020, 02:12:43 PM
How much traffic is there on CA 299 between Cedarville and the NV state line (where it becomes an unpaved road, once but no longer NV 8A)?
Good call!
AADT @ Nevada state line = 70
Quote from: kphoger on May 04, 2020, 06:21:55 PM
Quote from: GaryA on May 04, 2020, 02:12:43 PM
How much traffic is there on CA 299 between Cedarville and the NV state line (where it becomes an unpaved road, once but no longer NV 8A)?
Good call!
AADT @ Nevada state line = 70
That way is so back country you can still find NV 8A shields in the wild.
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on May 04, 2020, 08:26:17 PM
That way is so back country you can still find NV 8A shields in the wild.
Indeed, there was one visible from the end of CA 299's pavement, when I was out there in 2017.
From PA https://www.penndot.gov/ProjectAndPrograms/Planning/Maps/Pages/Traffic-Volume.aspx (https://www.penndot.gov/ProjectAndPrograms/Planning/Maps/Pages/Traffic-Volume.aspx)
AADTs seem to be rounded to 50
150:
PA 144 Clinton Co S of Renovo
PA 127 Forest Co S of PA 227
PA 127 Warren Co S of QR 3002
PA 170 Wayne Co btwn QR 4025 and PA 247
PA 381 Westmoreland Co Cook Twp
PA 484 Fulton Co between PA 26 and PA 731
PA 731 Fulton Co between PA 484 and QR 3004
PA 915 Fulton Co between I-70 and QR 4005
100:
PA 244 Potter Co between Oswayo and QR 4011
PA 284 All (Lycoming Co)
PA 381 Westmoreland Co Cook Twp
PA 666 Forest Co Kingsley-Howe Twp Line
PA 858 Susquehanna Co btwn QR 4017 and QR 4014
50:
PA 858 Susquehanna Co bwtn PA 706 and QR 4017
Quote from: oscar on May 04, 2020, 08:37:15 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on May 04, 2020, 08:26:17 PM
That way is so back country you can still find NV 8A shields in the wild.
Indeed, there was one visible from the end of CA 299's pavement, when I was out there in 2017.
If I remember right there was actually quite a few East of there also. I took it during an off road touring trip back around 2008.
For Indiana:
The southern tip of IN 161 has an AADT of 37
The southern tip of IN 111 has an AADT of 42
The northern tip of IN 458 has an AADT of 84
I've actually clinched all three of these roads.
The winner in Virginia is the unpaved portion of VA 91 with a traffic count of 40 in 2018. North of that segment is consistently below 200 up to Tazewell.
Also on the low end:
VA 298 southmost segment in West Point is 70 (jumps to 1100 in the next segment!)
For through route segments:
VA 40 near Woolwine - 120
VA 252 near south end - 130
VA 18 at south end - 170
VA 42 west of US 52 - 140
VA 598 - 130
The US route segments that I saw with the lowest traffic counts are:
US 58 near Grayson Highlands SP - 300
US 250 at the WV border - 270
Quote from: cabiness42 on May 04, 2020, 09:01:18 PM
For Indiana:
The southern tip of IN 161 has an AADT of 37
The southern tip of IN 111 has an AADT of 42
The northern tip of IN 458 has an AADT of 84
I've actually clinched all three of these roads.
IN 161 has to be much more than 37 at its south end as its south end is at a bridge that connects directly with downtown Owensboro (and was US-231 for years)
Quote from: ftballfan on May 05, 2020, 09:45:52 AM
Quote from: cabiness42 on May 04, 2020, 09:01:18 PM
For Indiana:
The southern tip of IN 161 has an AADT of 37
The southern tip of IN 111 has an AADT of 42
The northern tip of IN 458 has an AADT of 84
I've actually clinched all three of these roads.
IN 161 has to be much more than 37 at its south end as its south end is at a bridge that connects directly with downtown Owensboro (and was US-231 for years)
That was a typo. Supposed to be IN 166.
North Carolina: Likely NC 90 to Edgemont, which is unpaved with a 2016 AADT of 100.
The lowest I can find in MI (below 1,000):
M-64 along Lake Gogebic: 282 (Gogebic County) and 333 (Ontonagon County)
M-48 between M-134 and Caribou Lake Rd: 301
M-212 (entire length): 320
M-203 between McLain State Park and Calumet: 372
M-149 between Elkhorn and Palms Book State Park: 450
M-73 (entire length): 464
M-183 between Fayette and Garden: 526
M-64 between White Pine and Silver City: 529
M-64 south of Marenisco: 543
M-138 between Akron/Thomas Rds and Akron: 550
M-157 (entire length): 550
M-48 between Goetzville and Stalwart: 579
M-48 between M-129 and Mackinac Trail south of Rudyard: 585
M-134 on Drummond Island: 587
M-149 between US-2 and Elkhorn: 603
M-138 in Fairgrove: 639
M-94 between Sawyer Airport and US-41: 649
M-35 between Gwinn and Palmer: 650
M-69 between Foster City and Perronville: 686
M-64 between Silver City and the Cranberry River: 693
M-48 between Caribou Lake Rd and Goetzville: 706
M-48 between Stalwart and M-129: 707
M-38 between M-26 and Nisula: 708
M-61 between M-115 and M-66: 710
M-94 between Hiawatha and M-28: 760
M-138 between Fairgrove and Akron/Thomas Rds: 766
M-134 between Prentiss Bay and M-48: 783
M-18 between Roscommon and M-72: 784
US-45 between Rockland and Ontonagon: 789
M-77 north of M-28: 804
M-188 in Eaton Rapids: 818
BUS US-131 on the south side of Constantine: 822
M-64 between Bergland and White Pine: 825
M-94 between Manistique and Hiawatha: 839
US-23 between Ocqueoc Rd and Cheboygan: 846
M-36 between M-52 and Gregory: 859 (M-36's AADT rapidly jumps heading east, getting above 15,000 10-15 miles later)
M-142 between M-25 and Pigeon: 888
M-183 between US-2 and Garden: 889
US-23 between Hoeft State Park and Ocqueoc Rd: 932
M-25 in Port Hope: 932
M-134 between Cedarville and Prentiss Bay: 941
M-18 between Meredith and M-55: 946
M-183 in Garden: 955
M-138 between Akron and M-24: 959
M-203 between Hancock and McLain State Park: 965
M-25 between Port Austin and Port Hope: 975
M-26 between US-41 and Silver River Falls: 975
M-49 south of Camden: 994
M-72 between M-65 and Barton City: 997
M-199 between Michigan Ave and I-94: 998
Not basing this on traffic counts, just vibes and personal experience: NY 14 north of Lyons. The way it jogs east in Lyons and then turns east again north of town makes it feel like the "back way" out of Lyons, and that combined with light traffic, narrow shoulders, and bumpy pavement makes it feel really remote and almost a little spooky.
Meanwhile, parallel CR 242 (Maple Street Rd) traverses the west side of the ridge and provides a smoother and more scenic route to NY 104 and points north/west (and hence, it's also noticeably busier in my experience but just "normal" busy, not eerily empty like NY 14). This route is also surprisingly a mile shorter between Lyons and Sodus Point, plus it avoids Alton, so I'd say it's pretty easily the preferred N/S route all things considered.
I was going to mention CA-266, but Max already did. Has a single connection to the rest of the state (and prior to 1986, was even shorter than it is now), and itself is a pretty thinly traveled route that is mainly used as alternate access to and from US-95 or US-6.
However, another possible candidate would be the southern section of CA-169. It was originally intended to reach US-101, but a gap remains to this day. As a result, this portion exists only to provide access to some small native communities. It does provide access to the Redwood Curtain via Bald Hills Road, but that's a twisty dirt road that I only did once in my Jeep Wrangler and even then, I felt kind of uneasy doing it. Otherwise, its only proper access to the rest of the state is CA-96.
Quote from: sparker on May 02, 2020, 03:50:39 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on May 01, 2020, 11:34:28 PM
CA 266 is probably the grand champion in California. AZ 288, AZ 366, AZ 261, AZ 273, AZ 373, and AZ 473 all come to mind in Arizona as being decidedly off grid.
I'd take a calculated guess that the northern section of CA 169 might come close in that regard; it's barely more than a local street serving a line of houses along the lower Klamath River. The southern section actually serves as access to the Hoopa Native American reservation, so it sees pretty regular usage.
Ah, the exact opposite of what I just said! But you make a good point, the northern half is really just a local street these days. I guess we could meet in the middle and say CA-169 as a whole doesn't get a lot of traffic, given its location.
On a similar note, you could also bring up CA-200. It's just three miles and is just an alternate connection between US-101 and CA-299. (Historically, this was once part of US-299). I don't know the traffic counts off hand but there is almost zero reason to take this as it's less than a mile north of the freeway alignment of CA-299. Even McKinleyville on the west end doesn't require using this route.
Quote from: oscar on May 04, 2020, 08:37:15 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on May 04, 2020, 08:26:17 PM
That way is so back country you can still find NV 8A shields in the wild.
Indeed, there was one visible from the end of CA 299's pavement, when I was out there in 2017.
I was there in 2020, and didn't recall seeing any 8A shields. So I think it finally got removed, unless it was farther back than what you described. (I took my photo right on the border line).
WI 122 is probably the winner for Wisconsin. It has an AADT of 60 near its south end at WI 77, and the rest of the route isn't a whole lot busier, plus it ends at the Michigan state line and isn't a state highway on the other side. Wisconsin has a GIS app for AADT that also includes county highways, so it takes some guesswork to find the lowest traffic counts, but here are some other ones I found:
WI 107 between CTH J and CTH S in Lincoln County - 90
WI 55 between Argonne and WI 70 - 120
WI 88 between CTH E and CTH T in Buffalo County - 170
WI 130 between CTH N and WI 154 - 180
WI 131 between WI 60 and Steuben - 180
WI 169 between Copper Falls State Park and the Ashland County line - 180
WI 52 between WI 55 and CTH A - 220
WI 102 between CTH YY and WI 86 - 220
WI 121 between CTH Q and the Buffalo County line - 220
WI 86 between CTH D and the Price county line - 300
WI 78 between Wiota and CTH M - 320
WI 80 between CTH P and WI 133 - 320
WI 127 between CTH O and CTH XX in Columbia County - 320
WI 171 between WI 35 and WI 27 - 340
WI 40 between WI 48 and the Sawyer county line - 400
WI 133 between Cassville and CTH V - 400
Quote from: dfilpus on May 05, 2020, 10:15:08 AM
North Carolina: Likely NC 90 to Edgemont, which is unpaved with a 2016 AADT of 100.
US 19W (paved) at the NC-TN state line supposedly had 70 AADT in 2022...
ODOT says the AADT of OR-27 (the segment north of US-20) is 16. I believe it, it's an unpaved road that kind of winds around Prineville Reservoir. There's a well used paved and much straighter county route 6 miles to the west which is much more suitable for thru traffic, making OR-27 functionally obsolete. Though it remains on the state highway system.
My nominee for Maryland is most of 335, which goes through western Dorchester's swamps.
For Oregon, it would be Cornucopia Highway No. 413 (no shield) from Carson to Cornucopia at 12 AADT, and OR-27 from US-20 to MP24 at 16 AADT.
Others under 50: OR-74 around Little Butter Creek Rd, with 26 AADT (under 200 for the majority of the route, excluding Heppner) and OR-46 to Oregon Caves National Monument, with 46 AADT (down from 100/day a few years back, never realized it was unpopular).
Lowest over the whole route: OR-216 with 65-249 AADT (a small connector road between US-97 and US-197) or nearby OR-207 at 85-218 AADT.
And in my area, there's OR-202 (past Youngs River Rd) and OR-103, both in the hundreds. Pretty useful if you're heading to 26 while avoiding a delay on 101 (or going to Jewell, but there's virtually nothing besides a school and preserve).
Quote from: TheCatalyst31 on February 11, 2024, 12:48:50 AM
WI 122 is probably the winner for Wisconsin. It has an AADT of 60 near its south end at WI 77, and the rest of the route isn't a whole lot busier, plus it ends at the Michigan state line and isn't a state highway on the other side. Wisconsin has a GIS app for AADT that also includes county highways, so it takes some guesswork to find the lowest traffic counts, but here are some other ones I found:
WI 107 between CTH J and CTH S in Lincoln County - 90
WI 55 between Argonne and WI 70 - 120
I drove that roughly 20 mile stretch of WI-55 about a decade ago on a beautiful Fall weekday, and I don't think I saw more than five other cars. When I saw this thread title, this was the first Wisconsin highway than came to mind.
I don't believe I have ever been on WI-122, but that part of WI-107 is no more than a glorified local road. At least WI-55 looks and feels like a full-fledged state highway.
For Massachusetts there are several that might qualify mainly in the western half of the state but I'm going to say MA 71 in Great Barrington.
Quote from: SEWIGuy on February 12, 2024, 09:25:20 PM
Quote from: TheCatalyst31 on February 11, 2024, 12:48:50 AM
WI 122 is probably the winner for Wisconsin. It has an AADT of 60 near its south end at WI 77, and the rest of the route isn't a whole lot busier, plus it ends at the Michigan state line and isn't a state highway on the other side. Wisconsin has a GIS app for AADT that also includes county highways, so it takes some guesswork to find the lowest traffic counts, but here are some other ones I found:
WI 107 between CTH J and CTH S in Lincoln County - 90
WI 55 between Argonne and WI 70 - 120
I drove that roughly 20 mile stretch of WI-55 about a decade ago on a beautiful Fall weekday, and I don't think I saw more than five other cars. When I saw this thread title, this was the first Wisconsin highway than came to mind.
I don't believe I have ever been on WI-122, but that part of WI-107 is no more than a glorified local road. At least WI-55 looks and feels like a full-fledged state highway.
A LOT of those remote, low traffic state (and county) highways in the Wisconsin northwoods are amazing, high quality 'alone time' drives.
:cool:
Mike
M-48 for Michigan. I spend a lot of time in that part of the U.P. and was traveling on it one day near Goetzville coming from the southern terminus at M-134 I had traveled that distance and not seen another car the entire time. I thought to myself it's been awhile since I saw a car, then I got into Goetzville a really small town in the U.P. and stopped at Yooperman's which is a bar. When I got in there I thought I'm going to look up what the least traveled highway in Michigan is because I think I might be on it right now. Sure enough I looked it up and it was M-48.
According to another list the loneliest road in Michigan is US-45.
Quote from: Quillz on February 10, 2024, 09:59:14 PM
Quote from: oscar on May 04, 2020, 08:37:15 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on May 04, 2020, 08:26:17 PM
That way is so back country you can still find NV 8A shields in the wild.
Indeed, there was one visible from the end of CA 299's pavement, when I was out there in 2017.
I was there in 2020, and didn't recall seeing any 8A shields. So I think it finally got removed, unless it was farther back than what you described. (I took my photo right on the border line).
I was there in 2015, and didn't see any 8A, but I didn't go more than a few yards over the line, so I could have missed it if it was a hundred yards down the road.
It wouldn't surprise me if the AADT of 70 is typically 35 people driving to the end and back, just to say they've driven to the end of 299.
Quote from: TBKS1 on May 02, 2020, 01:49:53 PM
Arkansas Highway 327 comes to mind for me, along with Arkansas Highway 219 west of Ozark (not the one that connects to I-40), as well as Arkansas Highway 370.
Franklin County, where Ozark sits, has several state highways that tail off from paved to dirt roads where the state just has the county maintain the remnants of the routes. AADTs are all below 200. AR-215 in its various segments is one in particular.
The road in Arkansas most likely to qualify for the spirit of this thread though is AR-220 along Lee Creek between Devil's Den State Park and the Old 12 Cross Roads. AADT is 50. It was a dirt highway until the 2010's, when they finally blacktopped it. Took all of less than a year before one of the lanes closed due to a landslide onto the westbound lane, and all they did was put up a long term set of portable traffic signals at each end of the slide for the longest time until they got around to stabilizing the road in several places that slid. Now it has the full 2 lanes restored with riprap on hillsides and patched asphalt, but still only 50 cars a day. Pretty drive, but convenient to nothing unless you want to ride ATVs in the Ozark National Forest. I think I've driven it more when it was a dirt road than when blacktopped. You needed a truck back then, though, as there were numerous big rocks protruding through the "roadbed" that would have torn up the underside of a low slung car.
Quote from: MikieTimT on February 15, 2024, 08:32:37 AM
The road in Arkansas most likely to qualify for the spirit of this thread though is AR-220 along Lee Creek between Devil's Den State Park and the Old 12 Cross Roads. AADT is 50. It was a dirt highway until the 2010's, when they finally blacktopped it. Took all of less than a year before one of the lanes closed due to a landslide onto the westbound lane, and all they did was put up a long term set of portable traffic signals at each end of the slide for the longest time until they got around to stabilizing the road in several places that slid. Now it has the full 2 lanes restored with riprap on hillsides and patched asphalt, but still only 50 cars a day. Pretty drive, but convenient to nothing unless you want to ride ATVs in the Ozark National Forest. I think I've driven it more when it was a dirt road than when blacktopped. You needed a truck back then, though, as there were numerous big rocks protruding through the "roadbed" that would have torn up the underside of a low slung car.
If I am looking at the right road, wouldn't it be a main route to Devil's Den State Park from points south, or would most traffic use I-49 to AR 74? An AADT of 50 seems really low for what is ultimately a through route between Cedarville and I-49.
Quote from: webny99 on February 15, 2024, 10:54:13 AM
Quote from: MikieTimT on February 15, 2024, 08:32:37 AM
The road in Arkansas most likely to qualify for the spirit of this thread though is AR-220 along Lee Creek between Devil's Den State Park and the Old 12 Cross Roads. AADT is 50. It was a dirt highway until the 2010's, when they finally blacktopped it. Took all of less than a year before one of the lanes closed due to a landslide onto the westbound lane, and all they did was put up a long term set of portable traffic signals at each end of the slide for the longest time until they got around to stabilizing the road in several places that slid. Now it has the full 2 lanes restored with riprap on hillsides and patched asphalt, but still only 50 cars a day. Pretty drive, but convenient to nothing unless you want to ride ATVs in the Ozark National Forest. I think I've driven it more when it was a dirt road than when blacktopped. You needed a truck back then, though, as there were numerous big rocks protruding through the "roadbed" that would have torn up the underside of a low slung car.
If I am looking at the right road, wouldn't it be a main route to Devil's Den State Park from points south, or would most traffic use I-49 to AR 74? An AADT of 50 seems really low for what is ultimately a through route between Cedarville and I-49.
I can't recall a time I drove it that I actually met oncoming traffic except near the endpoints. If you look at a topographic map, you'll see what kind of terrain the road cuts through. It is technically a through route, but Cedarville isn't exactly a destination point, and as crazy as it seems, it's actually quicker by 5 minutes to take AR-162, which itself ceases to be state maintained and becomes a county road over to Rudy and get on I-49 there. The state highways coming out of Devil's Den State Park are as curvy and hilly as those over to Cedarville, so as direct as it looks on a map, it's still longer in time unless you're driving a sports car and going Dukes of Hazzard through the mountains. Not that I've ever done that...
Quote from: Flint1979 on February 13, 2024, 01:00:16 PM
M-48 for Michigan. I spend a lot of time in that part of the U.P. and was traveling on it one day near Goetzville coming from the southern terminus at M-134 I had traveled that distance and not seen another car the entire time. I thought to myself it's been awhile since I saw a car, then I got into Goetzville a really small town in the U.P. and stopped at Yooperman's which is a bar. When I got in there I thought I'm going to look up what the least traveled highway in Michigan is because I think I might be on it right now. Sure enough I looked it up and it was M-48.
According to another list the loneliest road in Michigan is US-45.
Also, Ontonagon is definitely a 'ghost town' in training. :no:
Mike
Quote from: mgk920 on February 15, 2024, 02:08:30 PM
Quote from: Flint1979 on February 13, 2024, 01:00:16 PM
M-48 for Michigan. I spend a lot of time in that part of the U.P. and was traveling on it one day near Goetzville coming from the southern terminus at M-134 I had traveled that distance and not seen another car the entire time. I thought to myself it's been awhile since I saw a car, then I got into Goetzville a really small town in the U.P. and stopped at Yooperman's which is a bar. When I got in there I thought I'm going to look up what the least traveled highway in Michigan is because I think I might be on it right now. Sure enough I looked it up and it was M-48.
According to another list the loneliest road in Michigan is US-45.
Also, Ontonagon is definitely a 'ghost town' in training. :no:
So, just like most of the UP then.
Quote from: MikieTimT on February 15, 2024, 11:41:43 AM
Quote from: webny99 on February 15, 2024, 10:54:13 AM
Quote from: MikieTimT on February 15, 2024, 08:32:37 AM
The road in Arkansas most likely to qualify for the spirit of this thread though is AR-220 along Lee Creek between Devil's Den State Park and the Old 12 Cross Roads. AADT is 50. It was a dirt highway until the 2010's, when they finally blacktopped it. Took all of less than a year before one of the lanes closed due to a landslide onto the westbound lane, and all they did was put up a long term set of portable traffic signals at each end of the slide for the longest time until they got around to stabilizing the road in several places that slid. Now it has the full 2 lanes restored with riprap on hillsides and patched asphalt, but still only 50 cars a day. Pretty drive, but convenient to nothing unless you want to ride ATVs in the Ozark National Forest. I think I've driven it more when it was a dirt road than when blacktopped. You needed a truck back then, though, as there were numerous big rocks protruding through the "roadbed" that would have torn up the underside of a low slung car.
If I am looking at the right road, wouldn't it be a main route to Devil's Den State Park from points south, or would most traffic use I-49 to AR 74? An AADT of 50 seems really low for what is ultimately a through route between Cedarville and I-49.
I can't recall a time I drove it that I actually met oncoming traffic except near the endpoints. If you look at a topographic map, you'll see what kind of terrain the road cuts through. It is technically a through route, but Cedarville isn't exactly a destination point, and as crazy as it seems, it's actually quicker by 5 minutes to take AR-162, which itself ceases to be state maintained and becomes a county road over to Rudy and get on I-49 there. The state highways coming out of Devil's Den State Park are as curvy and hilly as those over to Cedarville, so as direct as it looks on a map, it's still longer in time unless you're driving a sports car and going Dukes of Hazzard through the mountains. Not that I've ever done that...
That all makes sense. I am certainly not disputing that it is very lightly traveled, but I wouldn't be surprised if the AADT has increased a bit now that it is a paved route either. The lack of connectivity to I-49 in that area is striking.
For Illinois, it looks like the west end of IL 155 is the lowest, at 200 ADT. So remote, in fact, that I didn't even know that route existed.
Second place, which I was about to type in here before I decided it would be wise to double check, is the east end of IL 14. It leads to an abandoned bridge over the Wabash River, but it still manages to get 400 ADT. I guess there's a small number of farms, and maybe oil fields, in that area.
Quote from: ftballfan on May 05, 2020, 10:40:21 AM
The lowest I can find in MI (below 1,000):
M-64 along Lake Gogebic: 282 (Gogebic County) and 333 (Ontonagon County)
...
MDOT shows an AADT of 1 for M-185. Obviously this is because M-185 is the main route around Mackinac Island, which is famous for not having cars (aside from certain law enforcement, emergency, and maintenance personnel). I highly doubt that pedestrians are being counted here.
Quote from: pianocello on February 15, 2024, 07:00:13 PM
Second place, which I was about to type in here before I decided it would be wise to double check, is the east end of IL 14. It leads to an abandoned bridge over the Wabash River, but it still manages to get 400 ADT. I guess there's a small number of farms, and maybe oil fields, in that area.
The counter was probably placed pretty close to Illinois 1 because staff didn't feel like driving all the way out to the former bridge and back.
Quote from: pderocco on February 13, 2024, 07:57:41 PM
Quote from: Quillz on February 10, 2024, 09:59:14 PM
Quote from: oscar on May 04, 2020, 08:37:15 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on May 04, 2020, 08:26:17 PM
That way is so back country you can still find NV 8A shields in the wild.
Indeed, there was one visible from the end of CA 299's pavement, when I was out there in 2017.
I was there in 2020, and didn't recall seeing any 8A shields. So I think it finally got removed, unless it was farther back than what you described. (I took my photo right on the border line).
I was there in 2015, and didn't see any 8A, but I didn't go more than a few yards over the line, so I could have missed it if it was a hundred yards down the road.
It wouldn't surprise me if the AADT of 70 is typically 35 people driving to the end and back, just to say they've driven to the end of 299.
It was there in July of 2022.