States with the most InterESTING Crossings

[webny99]

I keep misreading my own thread title as interesting instead of interstate.

So, why not do this as well? Which states have the most interesting crossings to other states?

I would nominate NY for most interesting, because you've got:
-All the NYC bridges and tunnels
-Rainbow Bridge, with a view of Niagara Falls,
-Thousand Islands Bridge, with a view of - you guessed it - the Thousand Islands
-Several scenic crossings between NY and VT
-Several scenic crossings between NY and PA in the Alleganies
-Historically, I-90's crossings both had toll barriers nearby, now they're AET (finally)
-The infamous I-99 crossing, one of very few (maybe the only?) freeways in the Northeast to be built across a state line in the 21st century
-I-86's brief foray into PA near Waverly
-I-84 passing within feet of the NY/NJ/PA tripoint.

What about your state? And what about the dullest, most boring crossings? You can consider international crossings if there are any as well as state borders.

[SkyPesos]

Assuming we're not limited to just interstates this time, here's my picks for Ohio:

- Roebling Bridge KY - My favorite bridge over the Ohio River from Ohio. The Brooklyn Bridge's older and less known brother.
- I-471 KY - Nicknamed the 'Big Mac' bridge here because the golden arch shape looks like McDonalds. McDonalds planned to open a floating restaurant next to this bridge decades ago, at where the current Hooters is, but I have no clue what happened to that plan.
The other Cincinnati crossings are meh to me. All (boring) steel truss bridges. Maybe Brent Spence can be 'interesting' for how much shit happens to it?

- US 62/68 KY - Cable stayed bridges are my favorite general bridge type, so had to include it.
- US 23 KY - ^^^
- Ironton-Russell Bridge KY - ^^^
- OH 775/WV 106 - ^^^
- US 22 WV - ^^^

- I-470 WV - Arch bridge
- US 50 WV - ^^^

No land crossings are included here, as they're like driving through any generic rural area in the state for the most part.

[hbelkins]

Kentucky's crossings into Virginia are, for the most part, interesting from a scenic perspective. And at least one of them from an engineering perspective.

US 23 was, at the time it was built, Kentucky's most expensive and expansive project.

The new US 460 crossing features the tallest bridge in Virginia.

The KY/VA 160 crossing is near Kentucky's highest point (Black Mountain).

US 421 isn't quite as spectacular, as the mountain isn't terribly steep.

A couple of the state route crossings, where a Kentucky state route becomes a Virginia secondary, are interesting. KY 38 and KY 932 are the ones I'm thinking about.

US 460 and KY 194 are nothing spectacular.

[webny99]

The new US 460 crossing features the tallest bridge in Virginia.

Even taller than this one?

[webny99]

Assuming we're not limited to just interstates this time, here's my picks for Ohio:
...

- US 22 WV -

- I-470 WV -

No, it doesn't have to be just interstates. Any route that crosses the state line is fine.

+1 for both of these. They're both peak OH-WV.

[FrCorySticha]

I'd argue that Montana's most interesting crossing into Wyoming is Beartooth Pass along US 212. It's a beautiful drive along a very curvy and steep grade up and over the Beartooth Mountains.

Of course, the two Interstate crossings into Idaho are interesting for similar reasons: they're both at the top of major mountain passes - Monida Pass for I-15, Lookout Pass for I-90.

Then there's the crossings in Yellowstone Park of (unofficial, unsigned) US 89, 191, 20, and 287 into Wyoming.

One of the more interesting crossings from a historical standpoint is MT Secondary 327 to ND Hwy 1804. The highway crosses right near the confluence of the Yellowstone and Missouri rivers, so has the Lewis and Clark expedition connection. It's also right next to Fort Union, a restored historic trading post. Definitely a crossing history buffs would find interesting.

[TheHighwayMan3561]

Why is the second half of "interesting" capitalized?

[webny99]

Why is the second half of "interesting" capitalized?

↓ To distinguish from the otherwise identical title "States with the most Interstate Crossings" ↓

I keep misreading my own thread title as interesting instead of interstate

[MCRoads]

There are 2 crossings I would like to point out first, before I give my favorite:

I-77 from VA to WV, thru the East River Mountain Tunnel

US 25E from KY to TN thru the Cumberland Gap Tunnel (this one barely misses a tri-point too!)

But, I think the most interesting state line crossing might be controversial. While the I-70 UT to CO crossing isn't interesting, the drive you take after certainly is! I-70 thru the Rockies is incredible in clear wether, but was downright terrifying when it was snowing.

[Max Rockatansky]

Arizona would be pretty up there for I-15 in the Virgin River Gorge and US 163 emerging towards Monument Valley in Utah alone. 

[OCGuy81]

I-5 entering Washington from Oregon is interesting as I think it's the only active drawbridge on the interstate system.

The Bridge of the Gods across the Columbia is cool too in that it carries the Pacific Crest Trail too.

[SkyPesos]

I-5 entering Washington from Oregon is interesting as I think it's the only active drawbridge on the interstate system.

I-495/I-95 over the Potomac is also a drawbridge.

And a state line crossing that I find interesting, with the few feet of DC while crossing between VA and MD.

[Max Rockatansky]

I-5 entering Washington from Oregon is interesting as I think it's the only active drawbridge on the interstate system.

The Bridge of the Gods across the Columbia is cool too in that it carries the Pacific Crest Trail too.

I-5 over Siskiyou Summit is interesting too.  US 97 has a nice view of Mount Shasta entering California on clear days.  US 101 of course enters Washington via the Astoria Bridge. 

The transition between California and Oregon via US 199 is pretty interesting due to the Collier Tunnel. 

[MCRoads]

I-5 entering Washington from Oregon is interesting as I think it's the only active drawbridge on the interstate system.

The Bridge of the Gods across the Columbia is cool too in that it carries the Pacific Crest Trail too.

It isn't, not by a long shot. The 3 other ones I can think of are the Woodrow Wilson Bridge on I-95, the Berkley Bridge on I-264, and the High Rise Bridge on I-64.

Here is a more extensive list:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Movable_bridges_on_the_Interstate_Highway_System

[gonealookin]

Nevada lost its most interesting one when US 93 was re-routed from Hoover Dam to the O'Callaghan-Tillman Bridge.  You can't see anything from your car when you're driving over that bridge (a deliberate safety decision).

The signature of Nevada border crossings is the casino within a short distance of the state line, because we don't want to waste any time grabbing out-of-staters money.  A place like Jackpot on US 93 at the Idaho border, with a big ole hotel/casino rising in the middle of nowhere is a shining example.  The city of West Wendover exists specifically to collect money from Utah; Primm likewise from California.  Ironically, on I-80 west of Reno, there's the Gold Ranch Casino in Nevada, but at the back of its parking lot and just across the state line in California there's a small store that sells California Lottery tickets.  When the California Lottery "Mega Millions" or "Powerball" builds up to one of those headline-generating jackpots, there will be a huge line of Nevadans buying lottery tickets in there.

[Flint1979]

I like how I-75 enters Ohio going from rural Michigan to urban Toledo and then on the other end of the state going into Kentucky I like the ride down to the I-71 split so that's pretty interesting plus going NB into Ohio from Kentucky you can view the Cincinnati skyline.

[TheHighwayMan3561]

Minnesota's most interesting crossing is probably the MN 36/WIS 64 bridge into Wisconsin, not so much the scenery (which is nice but not overly breathtaking) but the sweeping view of the new bridge as it curves. I do also enjoy the US 8 westbound entry from Wisconsin, dumping into the town of Taylors Falls, MN.

MN/IA? Forget it. (maybe MN/IA 76 is worth the curiosity)
MN/SD? Ha.
MN/ND? Try not to fall asleep.

[US 89]

Colorado is weird because its entrances are marked with the well-known “WELCOME TO COLORFUL COLORADO” signs... yet the vast majority of those signs are in places that aren’t really all that colorful. Most interesting crossing that comes to mind for that state for me is US 84 at the NM border, but something along the Wyoming border might beat it. SH 127 maybe?

[kphoger]

Why is the second half of "interesting" capitalized?

Because he's one of those annoying people who pronounce every syllable with equal weight:  in-ter-est-ing.  You know, instead of the normal way:  in-t'r'st-ing.

[webny99]

Why is the second half of "interesting" capitalized?

Because he's one of those annoying people ...

I think he knew that...

[webny99]

Colorado is weird because its entrances are marked with the well-known "WELCOME TO COLORFUL COLORADO"  signs... yet the vast majority of those signs are in places that aren't really all that colorful. Most interesting crossing that comes to mind for that state for me is US 84 at the NM border, but something along the Wyoming border might beat it. SH 127 maybe?

This one doesn't appear to have the Welcome sign, but certainly qualifies as interesting IMO. And this one, not just for the scenery but the fact that it goes back and forth across the state line.

[kphoger]

Also this one.

[US 89]

Also this one.

... which I just mentioned in my above post.

[kphoger]

Also this one.

... which I just mentioned in my above post.

Geez, I'm sorry.  I read half your post before moving on to the other ones after it.  I'm getting bad at this reading comprehension stuff...

[Roadgeekteen]

Massachusetts doesn't have any spectacular ones that I know of.