Most desolate current (surface road) business route?

Started by TheStranger, January 21, 2025, 01:17:47 PM

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TheStranger

Back in 2004, I did a multi-state roadtrip from the Sacramento area to Denver.  In the late afternoon portion of the second day of travel, I recall going through the I-80 business route somewhere in western Wyoming (either Rawlins or Rock Springs) and how it was not exactly the most thriving commercial strip I've seen in awhile.

This came back to mind today in seeing the thread of the US 395 bypass of Olancha and Cartago in rural California:
https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=31804.msg2964467#new

(photos courtesy gonealookin)



This is California's newest business route, which doesn't seem to have too many businesses on it to begin with.


With that in mind - and thinking of the history of Interstates bypassing old US routes through small towns etc. - are there any other contenders for isolated/sparse business routes like the above, in which there is very little practical activity on them?

(As the thread title hints at, business route freeways don't count)
Chris Sampang


Max Rockatansky

I-40 BL in Glenrio by a considerable margin.

JayhawkCO

Quote from: Max Rockatansky on January 21, 2025, 01:20:15 PMI-40 BL in Glenrio by a considerable margin.

Agreed. I-25 in Aguilar isn't too far away, but Radiator Springs Glenrio takes the cake.

kphoger

Quote from: JayhawkCO on January 21, 2025, 01:33:10 PMI-25 in Aguilar

I've driven the southern half of it, and I think I may have come across maybe three or four vehicles.
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oscar

Quote from: Max Rockatansky on January 21, 2025, 01:20:15 PMI-40 BL in Glenrio by a considerable margin.

It now serves a cannabis dispensary, on the New Mexico side of the state line. It's advertised on billboards along I-40, as the easternmost dispensary in New Mexico.

There are other desolate Interstate business routes along I-10. The one in Balmorhea comes to mind in the "about to dry up and blow away" category, but not quite as bad as Glenrio (the new dispensary notwithstanding).
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TheStranger

#5
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on January 21, 2025, 01:20:15 PMI-40 BL in Glenrio by a considerable margin.

My own photos of this from August 2021, through the remainder of the town, part of a Route 66 drive my friend and I did between Barstow and St. Louis.  Somehow this still felt less in the boonies than the portion of Old 66 immediately west of here in New Mexico that hasn't been paved since 1973!
DSC_6738 by Chris Sampang, on Flickr
DSC_6739 by Chris Sampang, on Flickr
DSC_6741 by Chris Sampang, on Flickr
DSC_6743 by Chris Sampang, on Flickr
Chris Sampang

JayhawkCO

Quote from: TheStranger on January 21, 2025, 02:38:20 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on January 21, 2025, 01:20:15 PMI-40 BL in Glenrio by a considerable margin.

My own photos of this from August 2021, through the remainder of the town, part of a Route 66 drive my friend and I did between Barstow and St. Louis.  Somehow this still felt less in the boonies than the section in New Mexico that hasn't been paved since 1973!

If I'm not mistaken, the NM part isn't officially BL40.

TheStranger

Quote from: JayhawkCO on January 21, 2025, 02:40:23 PMIf I'm not mistaken, the NM part isn't officially BL40.

Ah correct.  I meant more that old 66 just west of Glenrio is in some ways wilder than the old 66/current Business I-40 on the east side of the stateline - not that either one is particularly thriving!
Chris Sampang

epzik8

Quote from: TheStranger on January 21, 2025, 02:38:20 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on January 21, 2025, 01:20:15 PMI-40 BL in Glenrio by a considerable margin.

My own photos of this from August 2021, through the remainder of the town, part of a Route 66 drive my friend and I did between Barstow and St. Louis.  Somehow this still felt less in the boonies than the portion of Old 66 immediately west of here in New Mexico that hasn't been paved since 1973!
DSC_6738 by Chris Sampang, on Flickr
DSC_6739 by Chris Sampang, on Flickr
DSC_6741 by Chris Sampang, on Flickr
DSC_6743 by Chris Sampang, on Flickr
Quote from: TheStranger on January 21, 2025, 02:38:20 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on January 21, 2025, 01:20:15 PMI-40 BL in Glenrio by a considerable margin.

My own photos of this from August 2021, through the remainder of the town, part of a Route 66 drive my friend and I did between Barstow and St. Louis.  Somehow this still felt less in the boonies than the portion of Old 66 immediately west of here in New Mexico that hasn't been paved since 1973!
DSC_6738 by Chris Sampang, on Flickr
DSC_6739 by Chris Sampang, on Flickr
DSC_6741 by Chris Sampang, on Flickr
DSC_6743 by Chris Sampang, on Flickr

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TheCatalyst31

U.S. 67 has a business spur to Datto, AR, population 65. Given how many business routes Arkansas has I wouldn't be surprised if there are worse ones than that.



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