Control cities that aren’t reciprocated

Started by KCRoadFan, October 10, 2024, 11:53:45 PM

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KCRoadFan

On trips to visit relatives in Minnesota, I've noticed on the drive up I-35 that the northbound control city from Des Moines is Minneapolis, but heading back south from the Twin Cities the control city is not Des Moines, but rather Albert Lea - indeed, you don't even see Des Moines on the southbound signage until you're past Albert Lea.

That got me thinking: where else have you seen highways - interstate or otherwise - where the signage on a given road in City A points to City B, but the signs for the same road in City B, heading back the other way, have a control city other than City A? I'm sure there are lots. (In fact, I'd be somewhat surprised if some other member hasn't made a thread about this subject already.)


JayhawkCO

Lots for Colorado.

I-70 East in Colorado is Limon. I-70 West in Kansas sporadically does Denver.
I-76 East in Colorado is Fort Morgan. I-76 West in Nebraska is Denver.
I-25 North in Colorado is Fort Collins. I-25 South in Wyoming is Denver.

MATraveler128

In Brattleboro, VT, Springfield is used going south, but Massachusetts uses Greenfield instead of Brattleboro presumably because of MA 2.

Formerly BlueOutback7

Lowest untraveled number: 96

GaryV

I-75 southbound in the Upper Peninsula uses St. Ignace. Northbound in the LP uses Mackinac Bridge.

TheStranger

#4
Because of US 101's lengthy usage of San Francisco and Los Angeles at various points:

- The San Jose area (specifically, the suburb of Mountain View) is the first place LA is signed as a southbound control city.  Northbound, San Jose is not even mentioned at all until Salinas!  (Which is reflective of pre-1990 population trends when San Francisco used to be the larger city)

- SF is not signed from anywhere in the Los Angeles metro area at all (first sign for it appears in Ventura near Route 126)

---

thought of another example involving the Bay Area:

- I-80 is signed for San Francisco westbound starting in the Sacramento suburb of Foothill Farms, but the eastbound control cities for I-80 in SF are Oakland/Bay Bridge, with Sacramento only first getting a mention at the 80/880 split in West Oakland (at the foot of the bridge).

For that matter, Oakland does not begin to be a westbound control city on I-80 until the Crockett end of the Carquinez Bridge.
Chris Sampang

Bobby5280

Tulsa is mentioned as a control city in St Louis at the beginning of I-44. There is no mention of St Louis in Tulsa; Joplin and Claremore are control cities listed there.

ilpt4u

No mention of Chicago on I-55 in Memphis. We all know I-57 south is famously signed for Memphis at its origin at the south end of the Dan Ryan Expressway/I-94 in Chicago

I don't think Iowa, Indiana, or Wisconsin use "Illinois" on I-80, 90, or 94, respectively

roadman65

Birmingham is used I-59 SB from its east end near Chattanooga, but Chattanooga is not used from Birmingham.

Tampa is used from Lake City, FL for I-75, but at Tampa the destination Lake City is not used at all.
Every day is a winding road, you just got to get used to it.

Sheryl Crowe

TheHighwayMan3561

MN/ND:

I-94 Fargo -> Minneapolis
I-94 Minneapolis -> St. Cloud (which this one I can understand)

WI:
I-90 La Crosse -> Madison
I-90 Madison -> Wisconsin Dells
I make Poiponen look smart

roadman65

Florida
I-95 Daytona Beach> Miami
I-95 Miami> West Palm Beach

Every day is a winding road, you just got to get used to it.

Sheryl Crowe

PNWRoadgeek

I-5 in Oregon:

SB: Portland > Salem
NB: Eugene > Portland

I'm guessing the reason why they skip Salem going Northbound is because Portland is a bigger draw. So this one makes sense to me.
Applying for new Grand Alan.

roadman65

Quote from: PNWRoadgeek on October 11, 2024, 06:05:50 PMI-5 in Oregon:

SB: Portland > Salem
NB: Eugene > Portland

I'm guessing the reason why they skip Salem going Northbound is because Portland is a bigger draw. So this one makes sense to me.

From Ashland on I-5 NB> Eugene
From Eugene on I-5 SB> Roseburg

The next city of good size South of Eugene is Sacramento that is way to far away to be of any interest yet.
Every day is a winding road, you just got to get used to it.

Sheryl Crowe

US 89

I-80 west from Salt Lake City uses Reno on most signs, but go out to Reno and look back east and all you'll see are signs for Elko.

wanderer2575

A smaller one:  Sbd US-31 from Benton Harbor MI skips over Niles and uses South Bend IN, but nbd from South Bend uses Niles.

PNWRoadgeek

Quote from: US 89 on October 12, 2024, 01:08:26 AMI-80 west from Salt Lake City uses Reno on most signs, but go out to Reno and look back east and all you'll see are signs for Elko.
I get this because Elko is growing, SLC is quite far away, and Nevada wanting to sign a Nevada thing. I would prefer SLC though, especially considering that Utah signs Reno from SLC.
Applying for new Grand Alan.


JayhawkCO

Another obvious one, at Flagstaff, I-40 west is for LA. In Barstow, I-40 east is Needles.

PNWRoadgeek

Quote from: JayhawkCO on October 12, 2024, 11:41:54 AMAnother obvious one, at Flagstaff, I-40 west is for LA. In Barstow, I-40 east is Needles.
This I don't get, I-40 should absolutely be signed for Flagstaff out of Barstow. Needles is just there because California absolutely needs to sign a California thing before you leave. That's also why they sign Ludlow on mileage signs. You could also argue Kingman, especially once I-11 is finished(It might never be, but when it eventually is finished)

And get this, once you enter California on I-40 west, BARSTOW is signed. Again, use LA, but this is more egregious than Flagstaff. The reason why is because I-40 is one of the main routes to LA from the Central US. Why Barstow and not LA? Just because Barstow is where I-40 ends. No, no no no no no. LA, please.

The signs on I-10 are just as bad, though I'll excuse that because of Other Desert Cities.
Applying for new Grand Alan.


roadman65

Youngstown, OH-  I-80 East New York
New York ( Teaneck, NJ) I-80 West Paterson ( NJ).
Every day is a winding road, you just got to get used to it.

Sheryl Crowe

Flint1979

Quote from: GaryV on October 11, 2024, 10:45:45 AMI-75 southbound in the Upper Peninsula uses St. Ignace. Northbound in the LP uses Mackinac Bridge.

Actually in the U.P. it changes to Mackinac Bridge at exit 348 and the last two U.P. exits use Mackinac Bridge.

ElishaGOtis

Quote from: roadman65 on October 11, 2024, 01:59:38 PMBirmingham is used I-59 SB from its east end near Chattanooga, but Chattanooga is not used from Birmingham.

Tampa is used from Lake City, FL for I-75, but at Tampa the destination Lake City is not used at all.

Same thing with Ocala. I'm guessing it had something to do with the cities being far smaller back when the freeways were first built. Plus, it passes through 3 different FDOT districts: 2, 7, and 5.

St. Petersburg also used to be a control city for I-75 before it was realigned. I think the last remaining sign was only just removed a few weeks ago at I-10, if I'm not mistaken...
I can drive 55 ONLY when it makes sense.

NOTE: Opinions expressed here on AARoads are solely my own and do not represent or reflect the statements, opinions, or decisions of any agency. Any official information I share will be quoted from another source.

lepidopteran

Not sure, but I don't think there are any I-80 EB control city signs for "Del Water Gap", whereas there are several in the WB direction.  The closest EB sign I can find is at I-380 for Stroudsburg.

roadfro

Quote from: PNWRoadgeek on October 12, 2024, 11:10:30 AM
Quote from: US 89 on October 12, 2024, 01:08:26 AMI-80 west from Salt Lake City uses Reno on most signs, but go out to Reno and look back east and all you'll see are signs for Elko.
I get this because Elko is growing, SLC is quite far away, and Nevada wanting to sign a Nevada thing. I would prefer SLC though, especially considering that Utah signs Reno from SLC.
I-80 east used to be signed for "Salt Lake" within Reno. Those signs were replaced and control city changed to "Elko" sometime in the 2000s or early 2010s (those were some of the last surviving dark green porcelain signs left in Nevada).

At least according a website I recall seeing years ago that had reproduced an 'official' control cities list (maybe from AASHTO or FHWA?) from years past, Elko should have been signed all along.
Roadfro - AARoads Pacific Southwest moderator since 2010, Nevada roadgeek since 1983.

ElishaGOtis

Quote from: roadfro on October 13, 2024, 03:32:42 PM
Quote from: PNWRoadgeek on October 12, 2024, 11:10:30 AM
Quote from: US 89 on October 12, 2024, 01:08:26 AMI-80 west from Salt Lake City uses Reno on most signs, but go out to Reno and look back east and all you'll see are signs for Elko.
I get this because Elko is growing, SLC is quite far away, and Nevada wanting to sign a Nevada thing. I would prefer SLC though, especially considering that Utah signs Reno from SLC.
I-80 east used to be signed for "Salt Lake" within Reno. Those signs were replaced and control city changed to "Elko" sometime in the 2000s or early 2010s (those were some of the last surviving dark green porcelain signs left in Nevada).

At least according a website I recall seeing years ago that had reproduced an 'official' control cities list (maybe from AASHTO or FHWA?) from years past, Elko should have been signed all along.


This is supposed to be the most up to date list, but in reality it's missing quite a bit (I.e. mostly the new interstates like 14, parts of 26, 41, 42, extensions of 49 and 69, 68, 99, and a few others) ... https://transportation.org/traffic/resources/interstate-control-cities/
I can drive 55 ONLY when it makes sense.

NOTE: Opinions expressed here on AARoads are solely my own and do not represent or reflect the statements, opinions, or decisions of any agency. Any official information I share will be quoted from another source.



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