Oddly Designated Control Cities

[TXtoNJ]

Not so much odd, but it's funny how El Paso is the control city in southern Tuscon. Even though it's a whole state and a half away.
BigMatt

Definitely up there with I-80 in Youngstown, Ohio having New York City as a control city, two states away.

[JustDrive]

NJ often uses just "Phila" for Philadelphia.

In Houston, many of the freeways list "Downtown" as their control city within the city limits.

US 101, I-5, CA 170, and both I-110 and CA 110 all have "Los Angeles" as their control cities within the L.A. city limits.

[JustDrive]

<<Insert routine complaint about I-580 Stockton>>

Doesn't I-580 also list Fresno at some point?  That is even worse.

Fresno is mentioned at Vasco Road west of the Altamont Pass, and again at the 205 split.

[golden eagle]

Not so much odd, but it's funny how El Paso is the control city in southern Tuscon. Even though it's a whole state and a half away.
BigMatt

Definitely up there with I-80 in Youngstown, Ohio having New York City as a control city, two states away.

Memphis is the control city for I-57 from Chicago, though you have to cross through two states in between and I-57 stops about two hours north of Memphis.

Isn't Atlanta a control city on I-85 in Virginia, despite having going through Raleigh-Durham and Charlotte along the way?

[Takumi]

Isn't Atlanta a control city on I-85 in Virginia, despite having going through Raleigh-Durham and Charlotte along the way?

At its beginning from I-95, yes.

[myosh_tino]

<<Insert routine complaint about I-580 Stockton>>

I'm not sure what the problem is with Stockton being a control city for I-580.  Back in the day, US 50 used to extend west of Sacramento roughly along present-day CA-99, CA-120, I-205 and I-580.  This routing took it through Stockton which is why older signs along I-580 in and around Oakland have Stockton listed as a control city.  Newer signs that show Stockton are most likely carbon copies of the sign they replaced.  Fresno is more of a stretch.

[agentsteel53]

At its beginning from I-95, yes.

I believe, somewhere around there, there is a sign on I-95 southbound with a Miami control city.

[TheStranger]

<<Insert routine complaint about I-580 Stockton>>

I'm not sure what the problem is with Stockton being a control city for I-580.  Back in the day, US 50 used to extend west of Sacramento roughly along present-day CA-99, CA-120, I-205 and I-580.  This routing took it through Stockton which is why older signs along I-580 in and around Oakland have Stockton listed as a control city.  Newer signs that show Stockton are most likely carbon copies of the sign they replaced.  Fresno is more of a stretch.

Isn't 580-205-5-120-99 the best all-freeway route to Fresno from Altamont?  Thus, signing 580 east from there for Fresno is interesting as it forces a driver to take an uncontrolled-access route at some point (132 to 99, or 5 to 152 to 99).

[1995hoo]

At its beginning from I-95, yes.

I believe, somewhere around there, there is a sign on I-95 southbound with a Miami control city.

Same interchange. I-95's advance signs for the I-85 exit alternate between signs with the local towns of Blackstone and South Hill–peculiarly listed with South Hill first even though it's further away–and signs with the longer-distance destinations of Durham and Atlanta (as others have suggested, the omission of Charlotte is a bit peculiar). In the same area, the pull-through signs for I-95 traffic list Rocky Mount, NC, and Miami. If memory serves, and if nothing has changed since my last trip through there, there are two such pull-through signs. Nowadays I usually use I-295 instead of passing through that area.

[Takumi]

^ Yes, there are two Miami signs. One is right at the split, and the other is just past it at exit 50. I-295 also used to be signed for Miami, but it was greened out and eventually replaced with Richmond Airport.

[CentralCAroadgeek]

<<Insert routine complaint about I-580 Stockton>>

Doesn't I-580 also list Fresno at some point?  That is even worse.

Fresno is mentioned at Vasco Road west of the Altamont Pass, and again at the 205 split.

Fresno is also mentioned on I-880 as a control city for I-238 east.

[Interstate Trav]

NJ often uses just "Phila" for Philadelphia.

In Houston, many of the freeways list "Downtown" as their control city within the city limits.

US 101, I-5, CA 170, and both I-110 and CA 110 all have "Los Angeles" as their control cities within the L.A. city limits.

I think that's mainly because when overhead signs say Los Angeles, they are reffering to Downtown Los Angeles.  It would be confusing if at the 101 405 jct 101 was signed for Santa Ana or San Bernardino.

Same with I-5 or 170 before reaching Downtown.

[Interstate Trav]

Another thing i find interesting is that in Las Vegas at the old Blue Diamond Road interchange I-15 North was signed Las Vegas, now it has a big overhead Sign for Salt Lake City.  Even though your 7 miles from the Las Vegas City limits and almost 10 miles from Downtown. 

I always thought that Las Vegas should be the control point for I-15 north until about the I-215 jct then if they want to add Salt Lakc eCity, fine, but also include Downtown Las Vegas. 

[agentsteel53]

Indio is a control city for CA-79 south on signs on I-15 north approaching Temecula.  Indio is northeast of Temecula.

it is the logical way to go: 79 south (which heads geographically east) to 371 to 74.  it's the route numbers that are a bit wonky.

[TheStranger]

Another thing i find interesting is that in Las Vegas at the old Blue Diamond Road interchange I-15 North was signed Las Vegas, now it has a big overhead Sign for Salt Lake City.  Even though your 7 miles from the Las Vegas City limits and almost 10 miles from Downtown. 

I always thought that Las Vegas should be the control point for I-15 north until about the I-215 jct then if they want to add Salt Lakc eCity, fine, but also include Downtown Las Vegas. 

Similarly, once I-5 enters the Sacramento city limits, "Los Angeles" becomes the southbound control city - over 7 or 8 miles north of downtown.

[JustDrive]

Isn't 580-205-5-120-99 the best all-freeway route to Fresno from Altamont?  Thus, signing 580 east from there for Fresno is interesting as it forces a driver to take an uncontrolled-access route at some point (132 to 99, or 5 to 152 to 99).

That's probably why Bakersfield got erased from mileage signs on I-5 south of 152.  The secondary control cities are "Jct 46" or "Jct 58".

[roadman65]

How about Trenton on US 1 North  for the I-95  Northbound ramp in Oxford Valley, PA?  The Capital of New Jersey lies just a few miles north on US 1, that is full freeway, compared to heading north on I-95, then heading south on NJ 29 which is longer and out of the way.

How about Apopka being used for the TOLL FL 414 WEST ramp near Apopka, FL from US 441.  What is interesting is Downtown Apopka and the city proper are just a couple of miles north on US 441 from this interchange.  US 441 is the main street of this community, so why does FL 414 that does not go there have it as control city?  True at Keene Road and FL 429 both exits are signed "Apopka NEXT 2 EXITS" upon reaching these two roads.  Then if you use FL 429 into Apopka you will find that its only exit for that is US 441.  Sound familiar?  Basically if you follow the FL 414 signs for Apopka and use the FL 429 exit, you will make a circle around and back and end up coming into Apopka from the other side of town on the same road you are currently on.

Why is also Lakeland used as control city for FL 570 at both terminuses on I-4 when FL 570 is the beltway of Lakeland and like I-355 should have radial control points from adjacent highway places like Mulberry (FL 37) or Bartow (US 98)?  Okay, well Exit 27 (FL 570 West terminus) uses Bartow and Winter Haven, but still to Lakeland you have four other direct routes into this city between the two interchanges. 

Orlando was once used on FL 112  Eastbound at I-95 Northbound near Miami in conjunction with airport signage leaving Miami Airport that did mention Orlando for a destination.  I never understood that one, as I do not think many travelers will fly into Miami to go to Orlando.  This of course is unsual and maybe the signs were removed since ther.  Even in Orlando leaving MCO you do not have Miami signage for rental car users.  The closest thing to it is the FL Turnpike that does have shields leaving both North and South exits but no Miami.

[Interstate Trav]

Another thing i find interesting is that in Las Vegas at the old Blue Diamond Road interchange I-15 North was signed Las Vegas, now it has a big overhead Sign for Salt Lake City.  Even though your 7 miles from the Las Vegas City limits and almost 10 miles from Downtown. 

I always thought that Las Vegas should be the control point for I-15 north until about the I-215 jct then if they want to add Salt Lakc eCity, fine, but also include Downtown Las Vegas. 

Similarly, once I-5 enters the Sacramento city limits, "Los Angeles" becomes the southbound control city - over 7 or 8 miles north of downtown.

I would think they would want to sign Downtown Sacramento and add Los Angeles.  Sacramento seems to sign control cities like Arizona and Nevada do.  Where as Los Angeles and San Francisco sign much closer points.

[flowmotion]

<<Insert routine complaint about I-580 Stockton>>

I'm not sure what the problem is with Stockton being a control city for I-580.  Back in the day, US 50 used to extend west of Sacramento roughly along present-day CA-99, CA-120, I-205 and I-580.  This routing took it through Stockton which is why older signs along I-580 in and around Oakland have Stockton listed as a control city.  Newer signs that show Stockton are most likely carbon copies of the sign they replaced.  Fresno is more of a stretch.

Yep, I'm fully aware of the roadgeek trivia*, and Stockton still not a sensible control city. I would prefer Los Angeles, with Tracy as a secondary control.

*Why did US 50 detour south through Stockton and Tracy in the first place? This hasn't been the primary route to Sacramento since the Carquinez Bridge was built in 1927.

[agentsteel53]

*Why did US 50 detour south through Stockton and Tracy in the first place? This hasn't been the primary route to Sacramento since the Carquinez Bridge was built in 1927.

it was the southern branch of the Lincoln Highway.  the routes which became US-40 and US-50 offered two alternatives.  one was longer and the other had a ferry.

[Interstate Trav]

Indio is a control city for CA-79 south on signs on I-15 north approaching Temecula.  Indio is northeast of Temecula.

it is the logical way to go: 79 south (which heads geographically east) to 371 to 74.  it's the route numbers that are a bit wonky.

The one problem is that Hwyy 74 near Palm Desert is a windy canyon.  If your towing a trailer your better off, taking 79 North to I-10 East.

[Occidental Tourist]

I like that Artesia is a control city on the 91 west.  More f*ckery from District 12.  Like when they renamed the Newport Freeway.

[roadfro]

Another thing i find interesting is that in Las Vegas at the old Blue Diamond Road interchange I-15 North was signed Las Vegas, now it has a big overhead Sign for Salt Lake City.  Even though your 7 miles from the Las Vegas City limits and almost 10 miles from Downtown. 

I always thought that Las Vegas should be the control point for I-15 north until about the I-215 jct then if they want to add Salt Lakc eCity, fine, but also include Downtown Las Vegas.

This thought doesn't account for the fact that there is a lot more that is considered "Las Vegas" beyond the city limits of the City of Las Vegas. All unincorporated areas of the urban Las Vegas Valley are considered to be part of "Las Vegas" and have "Las Vegas" as a mailing address--the Strip, McCarran Airport, and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) are all located outside Las Vegas city limits. The Blue Diamond/I-15 interchange lies within unincorporated Las Vegas, so it is logical to use the next control point.

Also, if you're talking about the original interchange, that was built at a time when urban Las Vegas did not extend to the interchange, so it was more appropriate to use Las Vegas on signs.

[TheStranger]

Another thing i find interesting is that in Las Vegas at the old Blue Diamond Road interchange I-15 North was signed Las Vegas, now it has a big overhead Sign for Salt Lake City.  Even though your 7 miles from the Las Vegas City limits and almost 10 miles from Downtown. 

I always thought that Las Vegas should be the control point for I-15 north until about the I-215 jct then if they want to add Salt Lakc eCity, fine, but also include Downtown Las Vegas. 

Similarly, once I-5 enters the Sacramento city limits, "Los Angeles" becomes the southbound control city - over 7 or 8 miles north of downtown.

I would think they would want to sign Downtown Sacramento and add Los Angeles.  Sacramento seems to sign control cities like Arizona and Nevada do.  Where as Los Angeles and San Francisco sign much closer points.

I feel sometimes Sacramento-area control cities are too biased in favor of longer-distance destinations - Roseville for instance is only used as a control city on Route 160 north, and downtown Sacramento only for 160 south (and former 275 east).  Wouldn't Roseville, Elk Grove, and Folsom all be worth mentioning?  Or Stockton, for that matter.

50 east has very few signs for Placerville in the area now - most of the ones in use today have South Lake Tahoe as the control.

In SF, at least "downtown San Francisco" gets used (280 north), though it is fascinating that at the 280/1 split on the Daly City/San Francisco border, 280 north is signed for "San Francisco" even though both roads immediately enter the SF city limits.

[JustDrive]

Wasn't there a sign for Stockton on former 160 in Sacramento near the W-X portion of Business 80?

Also, L.A. should use "Downtown" more often as a "control city."  The only place where I've seen it used is on the 110 South at the Four Level and on 10 West to 110 North.