Control cities that are distant from the parent interstate

[hotdogPi]

US 64 from I-95 is signed for Nashville. Looking at a map, it clearly means Nashville, NC, just a few miles away. However, it's ambiguous enough, especially since I-95 has a lot of out-of-state traffic, that they probably would have signed it differently if it wasn't also the way to Nashville, TN, i.e. it could be signed for both. The distance from downtown Nashville to any part of US 64 is 60-70 miles at its closest point.

[ran4sh]

Chicago for I-80.

Another control city of I-80 that doesn't actually reach said city, New York. It's in the NYC area, but the highway ends in Hackensack, so you're just supposed to take 95 into the state/city.

Either that or go south to reach the Lincoln or Holland tunnel

[SEWIGuy]

Isn't the point of control cities that they get you going in the "right direction"  for those who are directionally challenged?  So even though I-80 doesn't go to Chicago, people by and large understand where they are heading when they take the "Chicago exit."

[hotdogPi]

Isn't the point of control cities that they get you going in the "right direction"  for those who are directionally challenged?  So even though I-80 doesn't go to Chicago, people by and large understand where they are heading when they take the "Chicago exit."

This is a trivia thread, not a "needs to be changed" thread.

[3467]

The control city for 88 on 80 which ends before Chicago while merging into 290 is Sterling where the Tollway begins.
Yet there is a mileage sign on 88 that includes Chicago. It's all part of the numbering issues in Chicago and the Quad Cities and the mix of IDOT and the Tollway.

I would add in the ancient days Joliet was used as a control city and it has mostly vanished.

[roadman65]

I-15 in NV from Las Vegas southward uses LA and not only do you have to use another interstate to reach, but turn in direction from I-15 South to I-10 West.

As far as destinations go, it should count those near or if far off the path, one familiar with the locations.

[hbelkins]

No one has mentioned LA for I-40 yet?

Or St. Louis for I-24?

US 64 from I-95 is signed for Nashville. Looking at a map, it clearly means Nashville, NC, just a few miles away. However, it's ambiguous enough, especially since I-95 has a lot of out-of-state traffic, that they probably would have signed it differently if it wasn't also the way to Nashville, TN, i.e. it could be signed for both. The distance from downtown Nashville to any part of US 64 is 60-70 miles at its closest point.

Or you could be Illinois, and sign an exit along I-64 for "Nashville IL" because you can get to Music City by taking two other interstates off I-64 (I-57 south to I-24 east).

[SkyPesos]

No one has mentioned LA for I-40 yet?

Or St. Louis for I-24?

(not counting cases where an interstate is signed for a city beyond its termination point, like I-40 for Los Angeles)

[US 89]

Spartanburg on I-85 comes to mind. It's a good control city choice, but I-85 misses Spartanburg's downtown and even city limits by several miles, as does Business 85. Generally you're using I-585 or I-26 to make that last connection.

Similar story for nearby Greenville. Although 85 does enter city limits there, it doesn't really come that close to the downtown area, which you get to on I-185 or I-385.

[roadman65]

Then one could argue San Angelo along I-10 in San Antonio, is that way despite US 87 going there that is co-signed there.  Some on here would say leave it to the interstates and being some parts of Texas ignore US routes on interstates just like Arkansas and New Mexico practice such as Houston with US 90 and Dallas with both US 77 and US 67, that would say if the San Antonio Region of TexDOT didn't sign US 87 at all while concurrent with I-10 but left San Angelo up it would be useless then.

[Dirt Roads]

Pittsburgh was mentioned on I-70 at Breezewood, but how about Pittsburgh along I-79.  Northbound, it's about 7 miles from I-79 along the Parkway West to get to the Golden Triangle, whereas southbound it is not quite 13 miles from Franklin Park along the Parkway North down to the Strip District.  Kind of out-of-the-way to head over to Primanti Bros. for a famous cheese steak.

[TheHighwayMan3561]

I-80 and Cleveland

[Ted$8roadFan]

I-84 in CT and MA. From the Mass. Pike (I-90), one of I-84's control cities is New York City (which is a main route from Boston, but required other highways). I-91 in Connecticut also has NYC as a control city while ending in New Haven. Also, I-84 east of Hartford is signed as Boston although it ends at the Mass. Pike 50 miles west of Boston.

[hobsini2]

A control city isn't useful if motorists coming from far away and unfamiliar with the area don't recognize it. And it's explicitly stated in the MUTCD that guide signage is supposed to prioritize unfamiliar motorists not from the area.

PennDOT disagrees 

But seriously, seeing NYC as a control city on I-80 EB in Ohio (which is a perfect control city imo) then various small cities in PA until close to the NJ border doesn't really help unfamiliar motorists.

NYC in Ohio doesn't help? I beg to differ when long range traffic from Cleveland and west has to chose either 80 or 76 to get to NYC. Or did you mean the small cities along 80 in PA and NJ? Then I agree.

[SkyPesos]

A control city isn't useful if motorists coming from far away and unfamiliar with the area don't recognize it. And it's explicitly stated in the MUTCD that guide signage is supposed to prioritize unfamiliar motorists not from the area.

PennDOT disagrees 

But seriously, seeing NYC as a control city on I-80 EB in Ohio (which is a perfect control city imo) then various small cities in PA until close to the NJ border doesn't really help unfamiliar motorists.

NYC in Ohio doesn't help? I beg to differ when long range traffic from Cleveland and west has to chose either 80 or 76 to get to NYC. Or did you mean the small cities along 80 in PA and NJ? Then I agree.

Meant the small cities in PA. I mentioned that NYC on I-80 in OH is "perfect"  in that post.

[jp the roadgeek]

I-84 in CT and MA. From the Mass. Pike (I-90), one of I-84's control cities is New York City (which is a main route from Boston, but required other highways). I-91 in Connecticut also has NYC as a control city while ending in New Haven. Also, I-84 east of Hartford is signed as Boston although it ends at the Mass. Pike 50 miles west of Boston.

In addition, one of the controls in Boston for I-90 West is New York.  I-90 never comes within 150 miles of NYC.  I suppose it's correct if it's a control state.

[Flint1979]

I-84 in CT and MA. From the Mass. Pike (I-90), one of I-84's control cities is New York City (which is a main route from Boston, but required other highways). I-91 in Connecticut also has NYC as a control city while ending in New Haven. Also, I-84 east of Hartford is signed as Boston although it ends at the Mass. Pike 50 miles west of Boston.

In addition, one of the controls in Boston for I-90 West is New York.  I-90 never comes within 150 miles of NYC.  I suppose it's correct if it's a control state.

Which is probably is but NYC is a control city at the exit where I-84 ends along with Hartford and Albany, NY is a control city on I-90 there along with Springfield.

[hbelkins]

I-84 in CT and MA. From the Mass. Pike (I-90), one of I-84's control cities is New York City (which is a main route from Boston, but required other highways). I-91 in Connecticut also has NYC as a control city while ending in New Haven. Also, I-84 east of Hartford is signed as Boston although it ends at the Mass. Pike 50 miles west of Boston.

In addition, one of the controls in Boston for I-90 West is New York.  I-90 never comes within 150 miles of NYC.  I suppose it's correct if it's a control state.

Which is probably is but NYC is a control city at the exit where I-84 ends along with Hartford and Albany, NY is a control city on I-90 there along with Springfield.

Once upon a time, we had an active "Best route from  NYC to Boston" thread here. This reminded me of that.

[transplanted]

Some great examples here. Seems like the prototypical case is a large city along a coast (or lake) where the 2DI takes an easier/less developed route and passes it by a bit inland. That leads to 5/SF, 84/NY, 15/LA, 80/Chicago, and 80/Cleveland. Also of course this has to be part of a major inter-city route, like Vegas-LA or Boston-NYC. It's a bit of a special case, but in Upstate NY 90 is signed for NYC as well as Boston, because the Thruway turns south at Albany to follow 87. That fits the law of my question, if not the spirit..

[gonealookin]

Stockton on both I-238 (!) and I-580.

There used to be a "Fresno" reference on the ramp from southbound I-880 to I-238.  That was one of the biggest headscratchers of all to me.  It's not there anymore.

[Revive 755]

Chicago for I-80.

Also Chicago for I-88.

The other direction of I-88 has Moline-Rock Island, neither of which I-88 reaches.

Then there's Memphis on I-57.

EDIT:  Nevermind, overlooked the bit excluding cities beyond the termini of an interstate.

[MATraveler128]

I-75 is signed for Tampa even though it just misses the city limits. Although it used to enter Tampa back when it was routed on today's I-275.

[golden eagle]

I-57 southbound is signed for Memphis throughout all of Illinois, but it terminates (for now) at Sikeston, MO, about 140 miles north of Memphis.