Largest city served by only one type of route

[InterstateNG]

San Angelo, TX;
Population - 92,300
US 67, 87, 277
Tom Green County Pop. 110,000
No interstate no plans for any interstate extension..
BigMatt

San Angelo is served by state routes.

[prenatt1166]

The only notable city in my area is St. Marys, PA which is just under 15,000 residents, but is only served by two state routes (PA 120/PA 255), without any US or interstates directly serving the community.

[roadfro]

Any US-only cities that beat Bend?

Ely, NV

Ely, NV has a 2010 population of 4,255. While it does have only US Highways (US 6, US 50 & US 93), it doesn't beat Bend.

Nevada's largest city that would fit this description is probably Boulder City. With a 2010 census population of 15,023, the only state maintained highway served by the community is US 93 (US 95 also technically serves the city, since it passes through undeveloped lands away from the core of town that have been annexed by the city). Bend's population is still higher, though.

[TheStranger]

Route 42 isn't even a state highway, so Norwalk, CA would count.

I think it comes down to several things:

1. Is Route 42 signed at all in the area?  (Its legislative status isn't so relevant because it hasn't been a legislative route since 1968, but had been actively signed for decades afterward)  AFAIK there's at least the one at the 5/42 split.   But I agree that if it's not being actively signed beyond that, then Norwalk's a great candidate.
2. Has Norwalk been surpassed in population by South Gate at some point?  They're close enough that this could happen, depending on what the year-to-year totals are.

Since 42 was more actively signed in the 1990s, there's a distinct possibility that South Gate was the clear winner in largest Interstate-only city from 1984 to the late 1990s (from when I-710 was first signed along former Route 7).

[agentsteel53]

1. Is Route 42 signed at all in the area?  (Its legislative status isn't so relevant because it hasn't been a legislative route since 1968, but had been actively signed for decades afterward)

I believe the newest signs date to the early 90s.  I know of button copy signs with the 42 shield on them, as opposed to porcelain.

AFAIK there's at least the one at the 5/42 split.

there is.  the sign dates to 1965, I believe.  I was once stuck in traffic underneath it and read off the date stamp, but I forget what it is. 

an interesting fact about that sign is that the gantry holding it is the older style, with only vertical (no diagonal) trusses.  It dates to about 1950-1956.  One of the very last ones of that style left in the state!

2. Has Norwalk been surpassed in population by South Gate at some point?  

I have never even heard of the town of South Gate.  I barely know that Norwalk is its own incorporated community.  I think we need some more impressive candidates on this thread, not "Generic Suburb of Los Angeles XYZ".

[froggie]

At one point, Rochester, MN would have beaten Bend...but they recently annexed land that crosses MN 30.

[TheStranger]

2. Has Norwalk been surpassed in population by South Gate at some point? 

I have never even heard of the town of South Gate.  I barely know that Norwalk is its own incorporated community.  I think we need some more impressive candidates on this thread, not "Generic Suburb of Los Angeles XYZ".

This would require a little bit more digging as I think that "generic suburbs" would continue to show up here - if not those of Los Angeles, I'm thinking other California cities.  (For instance, Richmond comes very close were it not for a sliver of Route 123; Murietta would qualify if one of its borders wasn't directly adjacent to Route 79) 

Norwalk was the largest city to qualify for Interstates-only listed on Wikipedia's top-250-cities-in-the-US-by-size page:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_cities_by_population

[BigMattFromTexas]

San Angelo is served by state routes.

Ha, oops forgot those existed for a second.. Surprisingly there's only one "major" state highway here in Angelo.. But then again we have FM roads, and RM roads, and loops..
BigMatt

[agentsteel53]

Norwalk was the largest city to qualify for Interstates-only listed on Wikipedia's top-250-cities-in-the-US-by-size page:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_cities_by_population

really?  shitty little Norwalk is among the top 250 of cities?  I think not.  Norwalk is a city about as much as Bart Simpson is the actual leader of Springfield's mob.

[golden eagle]

In Mississippi, I believe Natchez may be the largest city that is served only by US routes. 61, 65 and 84 all come through the city. I'll need to look at a state map to verify if there are any state routes that run through Natchez.

I'll also need to check about the Clarksdale area. Currently, 49, 61 and 278 run through the area. There is MS 6 and MS 322, but I don't know if they actually run through the city. I was in the Clarksdale area earlier this month, but I didn't notice if the two state routes go through there. 278 is multiplexed with 6, but in situations like these, I'll give the it to the higher classification.

[ftballfan]

In Mississippi, I believe Natchez may be the largest city that is served only by US routes. 61, 65 and 84 all come through the city. I'll need to look at a state map to verify if there are any state routes that run through Natchez.

I'll also need to check about the Clarksdale area. Currently, 49, 61 and 278 run through the area. There is MS 6 and MS 322, but I don't know if they actually run through the city. I was in the Clarksdale area earlier this month, but I didn't notice if the two state routes go through there. 278 is multiplexed with 6, but in situations like these, I'll give the it to the higher classification.

From Google Maps, it looks like MS-555 enters Natchez proper. Also, add in US-98 and US-425 forn the US highways in Natchez. And in Clarksdale, it looks like MS-322 goes right through downtown.

[golden eagle]

In Mississippi, I believe Natchez may be the largest city that is served only by US routes. 61, 65 and 84 all come through the city. I'll need to look at a state map to verify if there are any state routes that run through Natchez.

I'll also need to check about the Clarksdale area. Currently, 49, 61 and 278 run through the area. There is MS 6 and MS 322, but I don't know if they actually run through the city. I was in the Clarksdale area earlier this month, but I didn't notice if the two state routes go through there. 278 is multiplexed with 6, but in situations like these, I'll give the it to the higher classification.

From Google Maps, it looks like MS-555 enters Natchez proper. Also, add in US-98 and US-425 forn the US highways in Natchez. And in Clarksdale, it looks like MS-322 goes right through downtown.

Since I haven't found my state map, I'll take your word for it. I do believe, however, that Philadelphia may be the largest city in the state that is served only by state highways. That distinction could've gone to Oxford, had it not been for US 278 multiplexing with MS 6.

[hbelkins]

The "largest" city in Kentucky to only be served by one type of route would likely be a quite small town that only has state routes. I was going to nominate Hazard but then I realized that the Hal Rogers Parkway enters the city limits. Most other towns of any size in Kentucky are on US routes.

[ftballfan]

My hometown, Manistee, MI (pop. ~6000), is only served directly by US-31. M-55 and M-22 end at US-31 northeast of town. Also, M-110 used to end right at the city boundary (in fact, the city limit sign is just past its former terminus at US-31).

[Interstate Trav]

Amboy California, who's population is about 20 I think, is served by two roads.

[huskeroadgeek]

In Nebraska, Fremont(pop. 26,397) is served by 3 US routes(US 30, US 77, US 275) and no state or Interstate routes.

[roadfro]

Nevada's largest city that would fit this description is probably Boulder City. With a 2010 census population of 15,023, the only state maintained highway served by the community is US 93

I need to correct myself...

Nevada's largest settlement that fits the description of the thread is actually Pahrump, Nevada, which has become quite the bedroom community for the Las Vegas area in the last decade or so. (Technically speaking, Pahrump is an unincorporated town, not a city--for the intended purpose of the thread, I think it qualifies.) Pahrump had a 2010 census population of 41,654. It is only served by state highways, with SR 160 being the main road of the town and SR 372 acting as a spur to California.

Boulder City is the largest incorporated city in Nevada with only one type of route, as well as the largest settlement in Nevada with only US highways serving it.

[Stephane Dumas]

La Tuque in Quebec is around 20 000 of population and only served by PQ-155. Also, Sept-ÃŽles with 35 000 is only served by PQ-138.

[Kacie Jane]

2. Has Norwalk been surpassed in population by South Gate at some point? 

I have never even heard of the town of South Gate.  I barely know that Norwalk is its own incorporated community.  I think we need some more impressive candidates on this thread, not "Generic Suburb of Los Angeles XYZ".

This would require a little bit more digging as I think that "generic suburbs" would continue to show up here - if not those of Los Angeles, I'm thinking other California cities.  (For instance, Richmond comes very close were it not for a sliver of Route 123; Murietta would qualify if one of its borders wasn't directly adjacent to Route 79) 

Norwalk was the largest city to qualify for Interstates-only listed on Wikipedia's top-250-cities-in-the-US-by-size page:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_cities_by_population

If we want to exclude suburbs that qualify only because they happen to be carved into a grid of freeways (I'd imagine my Mercer Island example would also be one of these), I'll nominate Ferndale, Washington (pop. 11,415) served only by I-5.  SR 539 is located a good 4 miles outside city limits to the east.

[Hot Rod Hootenanny]

Since I don't believe there are any municipalities in Ohio served only by US routes,
The largest city served only by state highways would be Middletown (between Cincy and Dayton) at 51,000

[DTComposer]

As far as a non-suburb (at least in terms of non-contiguous urban development), how about Vacaville, CA?

Population 92,248, only served by I-80 and I-505.

[froggie]

In Mississippi, I believe Natchez may be the largest city that is served only by US routes. 61, 65 and 84 all come through the city. I'll need to look at a state map to verify if there are any state routes that run through Natchez.

MS 555 and a couple of unsigned routes.

I'll also need to check about the Clarksdale area. Currently, 49, 61 and 278 run through the area. There is MS 6 and MS 322, but I don't know if they actually run through the city.

MS 322 hits the western part of the city, but even discounting that, you've had MS 149 and MS 161 ever since the bypass was finished about 10 years ago.

[TheStranger]

As far as a non-suburb (at least in terms of non-contiguous urban development), how about Vacaville, CA?

Population 92,248, only served by I-80 and I-505.

I think its population may be a tad higher now - not sure - but it certainly would fit, especially since Route 179 (the Pleasant Valley Road corridor) has never been signed or maintained by CalTrans.