*Busiest* Desolate Stretches Of Interstates

[thenetwork]

Can an Interstate be busy, yet have hardly any services or meaningful exits along it.  Sounds like an oxymoron, but it can happen.

Case in point:  Today in my work, I had to travel Interstate 80 across part of Wyoming between Green River and Creston Jct (taking SR-789 back to Colorado). 

Weather was clear for a winters day both in the skies and on the road.  A good amount of cross-country truckers and other travelers, as well as westbound trains on the paralleling Union Pacific line.  But between Rock Springs and Wamsutta, there is NOTHING.  No wonder when I was on our family's 2-week cross-country trip across America in 1983 I pretty much slept thru Wyoming on I-80.

It kind of reminded me of going across I-40 between Flagstaff AZ and Gallup, NM...but worse (at least there were still a few "towns" spaced out every half hour or so).

That being said, what other stretches of interstates have beefy traffic counts, but little to no civilization, with lack of destination exits (non- ranch access exits), towns and services?

[Roadgeekteen]

I-15 in California north of San Bernadino

[CoreySamson]

To a lesser extent, I-40 between Little Rock and Memphis and I-55 between Jackson and Memphis.

[Takumi]

I-95 between Petersburg and...well, Florida.

[SkyPesos]

A good portion of I-75 in KY, TN, southern GA and northern FL are pretty desolate compared to the busy traffic on the 6 lane rural interstate (except TN, it's still 4 lanes there).

[Max Rockatansky]

Pretty much all of I-17 north of Phoenix, especially on a Sedona 500 Sunday.

[thenetwork]

A lot of these interstates mentioned, though may sound desolate, have exits that connect to other highways and towns or have maybe a gas/c-store at many of the exits.

I'm looking more at interstates (like the mentioned I-15, I-40 and I-80 out west) that carry a lot of traffic, but there are no towns, paved connector roads nor services for long stretches

[Max Rockatansky]

That being the case I-5 between CA 99/Wheeler Ridge and I-580 probably meets the criteria.  Its definitely the preferred route for Bay Area-Los Angeles traffic.

[SkyPesos]

A lot of these interstates mentioned, though may sound desolate, have exits that connect to other highways and towns or have maybe a gas/c-store at many of the exits.

I'm looking more at interstates (like the mentioned I-15, I-40 and I-80 out west) that carry a lot of traffic, but there are no towns, paved connector roads nor services for long stretches

In that case, not a lot of interstates here in the east would quality. I'm guessing you won't count I-80 in PA either. Probably the best place to find those are the Appalachians here, and maybe a section of I-40 near the TN-NC border, I-77 in WV, I-79 in WV or I-81 in VA would qualify. Another place that may have some is the White Mountains in New England, though I'm not too familiar with that area.

[webny99]

For my area, this section of the NY Thruway through the Montezuma Wildlife Refuge is the closest you're going to get to being truly desolate but still have volumes upwards of 30K (around 35K as of the most recent data). It's 17 miles between exits, both of which have services. Of course, it's still not that desolate when compared to parts of the West and Midwest, but I'm just putting it out there because it's the best example you're going to find in NY state, if not the entire Northeast.

Parts of I-81 and I-95 might have the traffic volumes to qualify, but good luck finding a 17-mile stretch with no exits or a string of exits with no services.

[Rothman]

I-90, west of Westfield, MA.

[Konza]

I haven't been on much of I-10 in Arizona west of SR 85, but will opine that, east of there, outside the Phoenix and Tucson metro areas it (1) doesn't run close to many towns (Benson, Casa Grande, and Wilcox are all that immediately come to mind), (2) is pretty doggoned desolate, and (3) seems awfully busy to me.

Speed limit is 75 MPH more often than it isn't, but the traffic, especially truck traffic, is heavy enough that it's hard to keep the cruise control engaged.

[I-55]

I-20/59 between Meridian, MS and Tuscaloosa, AL

[bing101]

That being the case I-5 between CA 99/Wheeler Ridge and I-580 probably meets the criteria.  Its definitely the preferred route for Bay Area-Los Angeles traffic.

How about I-5 from Sacramento to Redding it seems to be the other part of I-5 that meets this criteria for Pacific Northwest traffic.

[Max Rockatansky]

That being the case I-5 between CA 99/Wheeler Ridge and I-580 probably meets the criteria.  Its definitely the preferred route for Bay Area-Los Angeles traffic.

How about I-5 from Sacramento to Redding it seems to be the other part of I-5 that meets this criteria for Pacific Northwest traffic.

I personally don't think so, that stretch gets really calm north of CA 113 and doesn't really pick up again until Red Bluff. 

[cl94]

I-76 and I-80 across central PA are among the best you'll get in the east.

Nothing in northern New England gets enough traffic to qualify. Everything remotely desolate in NY is pretty dead.

[Crown Victoria]

It's not an Interstate (many could argue it deserves a designation yesterday), but Florida's Turnpike could qualify between Fort Pierce and Kissimmee. For 92 miles northbound and 87 miles southbound, there are only two service plazas and one interchange, with gaps of 32 miles (Fort Pierce to Fort Drum Service Plaza) and 37 miles (Yeehaw Junction to Canoe Creek Service Plaza) between services, while traveling through a very lightly populated part of Florida but carrying traffic directly between two of Florida's most populated areas.

[WillWeaverRVA]

I-95 between Petersburg and...well, Florida.

I'd say I-64 on both sides of Richmond counts as well.

[21stCenturyRoad]

I-15 between SoCal and Las Vegas
I-75 and I-95 for all of FL pretty much, especially in season.
I-95 south of Richmond
I-35 between San Antonio and DFW
I-5 in the Central Valley

[SkyPesos]

I-75 and I-95 for all of FL pretty much, especially in season.

You have an idea of how busy Alligator Alley is? That may be the best example for a busy freeway and using the op's strict standard for desolate (no exits to gas stations/restaurants/convenience stores) here in the east.

[thspfc]

I second I-15 between San Bernardino and Vegas. I-90/94 from Madison to Tomah. I-70 from Denver to around Vail.

[kphoger]

I-70 from Denver to around Vail.

Idaho Springs is hardly "nothing".  Might even through Georgetown in there too.

[thspfc]

I-70 from Denver to around Vail.

Idaho Springs is hardly "nothing".  Might even through Georgetown in there too.

If I-70 through there is not "desolate", then there are like five truly desolate Interstate stretches in the country. And Silverthorne, Dillon, Frisco, Copper Mountain, and Vail are all more notable than Idaho Springs anyways . . .

[vdeane]

I-76 and I-80 across central PA are among the best you'll get in the east.

Nothing in northern New England gets enough traffic to qualify. Everything remotely desolate in NY is pretty dead.

I actually looked up the AADT of that stretch of I-80 in Wyoming.  It's only 6-7k.  What's "beefy" by the OP's standards is "pretty dead" by our standards, so things like the Northway might qualify.

[kphoger]

I-70 from Denver to around Vail.

Idaho Springs is hardly "nothing".  Might even through Georgetown in there too.

If I-70 through there is not "desolate", then there are like five truly desolate Interstate stretches in the country. And Silverthorne, Dillon, Frisco, Copper Mountain, and Vail are all more notable than Idaho Springs anyways . . .

Well, I've personally had multiple reasons to get off I-70 at Idaho Springs, and I'm sure I'm not the only one.

Not counting access to hike St Mary's Glacier, which uses a nearby exit instead)...  My family got off the highway there during one of our recent road trips to fill up with gas and eat lunch.  At the west end, there's a big Kum & Go, plus two other smaller gas stations.  At the east end, there's a big Phillips 66 station, plus a smaller Exxon, as well as McDonald's and Carl's Jr.  In between is a whole host of gift shops, hotels/motels, local restaurants (I recommend Smokin Yard's BBQ) and cafés, a hot spring pool and spa, and various other tourist draws.

https://thisisidahosprings.com/idaho-springs-colorado-tourism/