Longest Stretch of Road While Going "Straight"

[adwerkema]

What is the longest stretch of road where you can go "straight" through every intersection? In other words, how long can you drive without using your blinker to turn?

A few rules:
- Freeways are allowed
- Changing lanes is allowed
- Merging is allowed
- You may not exit a road if it involves the use of your blinker
Here's a few examples:

Stretch involving US-2 in Upper Michigan: 197 miles

Stretch involving US-2 in Montana: 411 miles

[hotdogPi]

There are probably some dead ends in northern Canada that are 300 miles long or more. As these are just two-lane rural roads the whole way, blinker use is not needed.

[kphoger]

What is the longest stretch of road that does not warrant the use of your blinker? In other words, if you went "straight" through every intersection, how far would you go?

A few rules:
- Freeways are allowed
- You may use your blinker when changing lanes
- You may use your blinker when merging onto a freeway
- You may Not exit a road/freeway if it involves the use of your blinker
- Roundabouts require the use of blinkers and are not allowed

Here's a few examples:

Stretch involving US-2 in Upper Michigan: 197 miles

Stretch involving US-2 in Montana: 411 miles

"May" use your blinker to change lanes when merging?  Just "may"?

[GaryV]

Stretch involving US-2 in Upper Michigan: 197 miles

I-75 from Sault Ste Marie to I-375 in Detroit is over 340 miles.  While some people might use their turn signal at the US-127 split, it's not required as it is 127 that is exiting.
Edit:  And if you were going northbound, that wouldn't apply.

Going south from Detroit, I'm not sure if there's any reason to use a blinker at least all the way to Lexington, and maybe not until Knoxville.

[hbelkins]

Going south from Detroit, I'm not sure if there's any reason to use a blinker at least all the way to Lexington, and maybe not until Knoxville.

Knoxville. I-75 southbound merges onto I-64 eastbound. Both interstates are two lanes, so the route becomes four lanes until the KY 922 exit. At the southern split, I-64 requires a left exit.

Once you get to Knoxville, I-75 narrows to one lane to merge onto I-640, and it's an exit situation (the through route becomes I-275.)

[adwerkema]

I-75 from Sault Ste Marie to I-375 in Detroit is over 340 miles. 

I would argue that you can continue on I-75 through the I-75/I-375 interchange without changing lanes (for both northbound and southbound). For going northbound, two of the four continuous lanes fork off for I-75 north. For going southbound, there are two lanes forking off for I-75 south: the left lane would not require changing lanes, while the right lane would require the use of a blinker.

[kphoger]

For going southbound, there are two lanes forking off for I-75 south: the left lane would not require changing lanes, while the right lane would require the use of a blinker.

It would, however, be impossible to be in that second-from-the-right lane of I-75 SB without having changed lanes, because it it's an added lane from the I-94 interchange (MP 53).

[adwerkema]

For going southbound, there are two lanes forking off for I-75 south: the left lane would not require changing lanes, while the right lane would require the use of a blinker.

It would, however, be impossible to be in that second-from-the-right lane of I-75 SB without having changed lanes, because it it's an added lane from the I-94 interchange (MP 53).

Agreed. However, the addition of that lane is far enough upstream to where I would consider it part of the mainstream (instead of an exit lane).

[kphoger]

For going southbound, there are two lanes forking off for I-75 south: the left lane would not require changing lanes, while the right lane would require the use of a blinker.

It would, however, be impossible to be in that second-from-the-right lane of I-75 SB without having changed lanes, because it it's an added lane from the I-94 interchange (MP 53).

Agreed. However, the addition of that lane is far enough upstream to where I would consider it part of the mainstream (instead of an exit lane).

What I meant is that you can't continue through on I-75 without using a blinker, if you've come from any farther north than I-94.  Doing so requires a lane change.

[adwerkema]

For going southbound, there are two lanes forking off for I-75 south: the left lane would not require changing lanes, while the right lane would require the use of a blinker.

It would, however, be impossible to be in that second-from-the-right lane of I-75 SB without having changed lanes, because it it's an added lane from the I-94 interchange (MP 53).

Agreed. However, the addition of that lane is far enough upstream to where I would consider it part of the mainstream (instead of an exit lane).

What I meant is that you can't continue through on I-75 without using a blinker, if you've come from any farther north than I-94.  Doing so requires a lane change.

Yes, totally agree with you. That being said, would you say that I-75 is not continuous through that I-75/I-375 interchange?

[kphoger]

So, now that the OP and thread title have been completely reworked, it's just a version of this with fewer restrictions?

Or, better yet, it started out as this (the same challenge reworked) but doesn't have to start from one's own neighborhood.

[adwerkema]

So, now that the OP and thread title have been completely reworked, it's just a version of this with fewer restrictions?

Or, better yet, it started out as this (the same challenge reworked) but doesn't have to start from one's own neighborhood.

^Yeah, that's pretty much what I'm getting at.

[MikieTimT]

The Eyre Highway in southern Australia across the Nullarbor.

[dlsterner]

What is the longest stretch of road where you can go "straight" through every intersection? In other words, how long can you drive without using your blinker to turn?

A few rules:
- Freeways are allowed
- Changing lanes is allowed
- Merging is allowed
- You may not exit a road if it involves the use of your blinker

I'm going to be a PITA here and suggest that a typical beltway around a major city would have the answer "Infinite".   

Perhaps these situations should be prohibited in the guidelines.

For a real-life example, check out former MLB pitcher Pascual Pérez and his adventure with I-285.

[webny99]

I'm going to be a PITA here and suggest that a typical beltway around a major city would have the answer "Infinite".

A lot of beltways might not work as well as it appears at first glance, due to changes in alignment at major junctions and a varying number of through lanes in general.

[thspfc]

You can get from the Pacific Ocean at Seattle to at least Tomah, WI on I-90. And you wouldn't really need to use your blinker when merging onto I-94 at Tomah, so in that case you could get to Chicago.

[MikeTheActuary]

The Eyre Highway in southern Australia across the Nullarbor.

Specifically, between Norseman WA and Ceduna SA for about 1200km.

[jp the roadgeek]

You could theoretically drive from JFK to the exit for Logan.  Leaving JFK, head north on I-678, which turns into the Hutch, which becomes CT 15 (Merritt and Wilbur Cross Parkways).  Proceed up the Berlin Turnpike, then onto the South Hartford Expressway (it's a slight bear right but it's the through route at the split) over the Charter Oak Bridge onto I-84.  At the east end of I-84, most lanes default onto eastbound I-90 (Mass Pike).  Follow the Pike to Logan. 

[dlsterner]

I'm going to be a PITA here and suggest that a typical beltway around a major city would have the answer "Infinite".

A lot of beltways might not work as well as it appears at first glance, due to changes in alignment at major junctions and a varying number of through lanes in general.

You do have a point - that's why I said "a typical" and not "any" in my post   Also, recall that the OP did allow lane changes.

That said, the beltways I'm most familiar with are Baltimore's and Washington's.  I-695 is probably disqualified with the goofy alignment in the southeast quadrant near the Windlass Freeway.  I-495 could have issues with its merges with I-270, but that would be up to interpretation I think.

I've also clinched the beltways around Charlotte, Atlanta, and Jacksonville, but not enough times to know if they satisfy the criteria.

[RobbieL2415]

Hartford to Drummondville, QC.
I-91, becoming QC-55 at the border
331 miles

[michravera]

What is the longest stretch of road where you can go "straight" through every intersection? In other words, how long can you drive without using your blinker to turn?

A few rules:
- Freeways are allowed
- Changing lanes is allowed
- Merging is allowed
- You may not exit a road if it involves the use of your blinker
Here's a few examples:

Stretch involving US-2 in Upper Michigan: 197 miles

Stretch involving US-2 in Montana: 411 miles

I don't think that I-5 has any lane weirdness for passenger cars from Downtown LA to Seattle. As far as I know, I-80 has no weirdness from West Sacramento to Cheyenne and probably to Omaha. You might have to change lanes and merge or keep right in some cases (as permitted in the rules of the OP). You might even have to stop for agricultural inspection. Trucks may have to take the truck bypasses.

[CNGL-Leudimin]

A few rules:
- You may not exit a road if it involves the use of your blinker

This means if I hit a roundabout I have to end there, since I'd have to use the blinker in order to exit. Thus, a run starting on the Santiago bridge in Zaragoza, Spain would end at a roundabout just South of Sabiñanigo, while just 10 years ago it would have gone into la France. However once both A-21 and A-23 are completed (Only God knows when) one will be able to go as far as the Boulevard Periphérique around Paris .

Edit: I dare you to beat this. 1455 miles, all "straight", almost all freeway except for crossing Madrid.

[sprjus4]

I've also clinched the beltways around Charlotte, Atlanta, and Jacksonville, but not enough times to know if they satisfy the criteria.

All three of those beltways would satisfy, aside from a couple left exits, they're continuous.

In Texas, both beltways around Houston (SH-8 and I-610) are continuous.

[Hot Rod Hootenanny]

The "Turnpike system," from the west end of the Chicago Skyway (I-90) all the way east to where the PA Turnpike extension meets the NJ Turnpike (I-90, I-90/80, I-80, I-76, I-76/70, I-76, I-276, I-95). 777 miles with no "turns" (but a high cost)

[ilpt4u]

The "Turnpike system," from the west end of the Chicago Skyway (I-90) all the way east to where the PA Turnpike extension meets the NJ Turnpike (I-90, I-90/80, I-80, I-76, I-76/70, I-76, I-276, I-95). 777 miles with no "turns" (but a high cost)

Got the 2 axle passenger vehicle toll fee for driving from Chicago's South Side to New Jersey via the Toll Roads?