What do you guys think are some easy Interstates, U.S. Routes, and other national-level highway elsewhere in the world to clinch? I think undoubtedly the easiest mainline Interstate to clinch is I-97. It's less than 18 miles and is shorter than a lot of 3DIs. An easy U.S. Route clinch near me is U.S. Route 222 which is only 93 miles. So now I want to hear from my fellow roadfans. Again, I'm not limiting this to the USA.
Among U.S. Routes - 266 is probably the easiest, since if you're driving I-40 it's an easy on-the-way detour to clinch. Besides that - 189 is a pretty well trafficked end-to-end corridor - if you're heading from SoCal to Yellowstone, that's a viable route. 163 has tourist appeal. 730 and 195 can both be clinched fairly easily under the right circumstances.
197 and 310 are short but a bit out of most people's normal travel patterns.
16 is an easy 2dus clinch, as is the current form of 91.
As far as interstates go, I-82 is a very easy clinch. The western I-86 is much shorter but usually out of people's way.
Right now, I-2 is one of the shortest mainlines, but it's rather out-of-the-way.
I-12 acts as more of a bypass of New Orleans to/from Baton Rouge. Rather dull, but an easy one.
I-16, if you want to connect I-75 in Macon to I-95 in Savannah; if you were driving to/from Florida's east coast.
I-4 is easy if you choose midday to do it; its US Route counterpart (US 92)...a lot more frustrating as it's mostly stoplight hell for 180 miles.
US 199 as a scenic way to do San Francisco to Portland/Seattle (as opposed to 80-505-5 from SF to Grants Pass)
US 46 as an alternate to I-80 in New Jersey; US 138 as an alternate for the western I-76 in Colorado
Would US 6N be considered "national level" in this realm? If so, that one is particularly short.
US 730 as a side trip from an I-82 clinching
US 201 for someone heading to Quebec City from Boston/New England
US 163 is one of the easier ones and you get Monument Valley out of the deal to boot. I wouldn't call US 199 "easy" given how balls to the wall the drive is but it is short at 80 miles.
I-68 is relatively easy to clinch as far as 2DIs go.
I-22 is roughly 210 miles between Birmingham and Memphis.
I think that, if you live in Arizona for any amount of time, it's just silly to not have bothered clinching both I-17 and I-19. Granted that there's very little reason a healthy person should go to Nogales anymore, but it's just 100km from Downtown Tucson, and you get to see all that crazy metric signing.
And there's no reason not to go to Flagstaff, even if you're just visiting, and even when it's cold.
I-12 is also a pretty easy clinch, but it's out of the way of most.
Quote from: coatimundi on September 01, 2016, 02:04:48 AM
I-12 is also a pretty easy clinch, but it's out of the way of most.
And miss the food in NOLA? Not a chance in hell! If I ever went on a clinching binge, I-12 would likely be one of the last to get done!
What about Autoroute 35 in Quebec?
Wisconsin has a few:
US 8 (With a hint of Michigan and Minnesota), I-41, I-43.
Speaking of Michigan - I-96
I-88 in Illinois, but that might break your budget for you uptight financial folk.
Quote from: 1 on September 01, 2016, 05:43:36 AM
What about Autoroute 35 in Quebec?
Being extended south to the border. If you clinch it now, the clinch won't last for long. But even after the extension, it will be pretty short, at only 55 km. But A-5 north of Ottawa is even shorter.
If you happen to be in Honolulu and have a rental car, you can clinch four Interstates (H-1, H-2, H-3, H-201) in a few hours.
Lots of easy ones in this side of the pond, albeit some are still under construction. For example I'll be reclaiming yet again a full clinch of (Spanish) A-21 next Saturday, which I had already done last year... for less than a month.
If you are going between Kansas City and Omaha and don't feel like taking I-29, US 73 can be done in a couple hours. If you are bored in KC and looking to take a long drive, US 159 can be done, although I don't have any idea what circumstance would compel you to drive it end to end in one sitting other than just taking a long drive. Another one near me that could be done in one day is US 275. In western Nebraska and NE Colorado, US 138 could be done in a couple hours, I suspect.
US 276 in NC/SC is a nice drive and is a fairly easy clinch.
US 311 in NC wouldn't be too bad.
I-19 in AZ would be pretty easy if you're in the Tucson area,
I-17 in AZ looks like it would be fairly easy and very worthwhile.
Seems to me proximity to my house would be a factor.
I-87. :P
US 130 in NJ looks pretty simple outside rush hour. Eastern I-88 can be done in a couple of hours for those heading east from OH and PA to central and northern New England who want to shunpike the Thruway. US 4 for those going to Portsmouth, Kittery, or OOB from the Capital District looks simple enough. US 9W looks doable in a couple of hours. And US 1A in CT looks doable in a couple of minutes (US 1A in RI/MA may take a half hour in traffic).
I-72 isn't all that difficult either.
Dangit. I-88 would be easier than I-87. Silly me.
In SE Michigan, the easiest would be US-223.
Most of the ones I'd suggest have already been noted -- I-12, I-68, I-88 New York.
I'd add I-66 and I-99. Also possibilities are I-24 and I-79.
As far as US routes go, US 641 wouldn't be all that difficult. I know from experience that US 211 isn't either.
Quote from: corco on August 31, 2016, 06:59:12 PM
As far as interstates go, I-82 is a very easy clinch. The western I-86 is much shorter but usually out of people's way.
Clinched them both multiple times. The west I-86 is pretty much on the most direct route from Northern California to Yellowstone (using US 93 from I-80 to I-84), so I'll bet it gets "clinched" more times than one would instinctively think!
US-331 from Montgomery to the Gulf Coast is about 155 miles...and is the speed trap from hell.
I-295, I-495, I-695, I-895, I-278, I-478, I-678 in NY. Same with I-280 and I-287, If you live in the NYC Metro area you got a lot of interstates you can get to in a relatively small area.
I-73
I-41 and/or 43 are pretty frequently clinched during football season, I would imagine (although probably not all at once, in 41's case).
Quote from: sparker on September 01, 2016, 02:58:06 AM
Quote from: coatimundi on September 01, 2016, 02:04:48 AM
I-12 is also a pretty easy clinch, but it's out of the way of most.
And miss the food in NOLA? Not a chance in hell! If I ever went on a clinching binge, I-12 would likely be one of the last to get done!
Agreed, but Slidell is only a half hour from the French Quarter without traffic. People do that drive every day. As a roadgeek, I think it's worth a trip to see the I-10 Bonnet Carre Spillway viaduct, and the impressive I-310 interchange. The Zapp's factory is close by too. The problem is then what to do in Baton Rouge? But the easy answer is "turn around".
New Jersey has a few US routes that contained entirely or almost entirely within the state. US 130 was already mentioned. There's also US 46 and US 206.
US 360 could be done in an afternoon.
Quote from: coatimundi on September 01, 2016, 06:42:18 PM
Quote from: sparker on September 01, 2016, 02:58:06 AM
Quote from: coatimundi on September 01, 2016, 02:04:48 AM
I-12 is also a pretty easy clinch, but it's out of the way of most.
And miss the food in NOLA? Not a chance in hell! If I ever went on a clinching binge, I-12 would likely be one of the last to get done!
Agreed, but Slidell is only a half hour from the French Quarter without traffic. People do that drive every day. As a roadgeek, I think it's worth a trip to see the I-10 Bonnet Carre Spillway viaduct, and the impressive I-310 interchange. The Zapp's factory is close by too. The problem is then what to do in Baton Rouge? But the easy answer is "turn around".
Another answer is: stay in Baton Rouge during Mardi Gras, when (a) you can't find a hotel room in NOLA -- they're all booked, and (b) if you could, the hoteliers would have jacked the price up by triple-digit percentages. Done this a couple of times, it's not a bad drive up I-10 (I don't drink, so the drive back is not an issue!). Stayed in Slidell once back in the '80's; don't drink the tap water there, it's pretty brackish! Definitely agree re the spillway bridge and the I-310 interchange; certainly breaks up the relative monotony of the NOLA-Baton trip! And I have driven on I-12 from Baton Rouge east to the Pontchartrain causeway (had to do that one!), but not east of there.
TX ones I know of::::
US 57, 96, 175, 181
Alt US 77, 90, 281
I- 2, 27, 37, 45, 110, 345, 410, 610, 635, 820
Out here CA way, I-8 is a pretty simple clinch if you're heading east from anywhere in SoCal; any of the other 5 1-2di's that serve the state would take some time & effort. Of course, since the state went on a tear 52 years ago and 86'ed much of the US highway system in the state, the only easily clinchable one left is 199. Although it's a somewhat lengthy proposition, clinching US 101 -- especially from south to north -- is a real pleasure (I've done it 3 times - 2 in segments, 1 on a deliberate dedicated trip). :spin:
Quote from: mariethefoxy on September 01, 2016, 04:22:25 PM
I-295, I-495, I-695, I-895, I-278, I-478, I-678 in NY. Same with I-280 and I-287, If you live in the NYC Metro area you got a lot of interstates you can get to in a relatively small area.
Just about any 3di would count for that matter, as they're all relatively short.
Interstate 27 is a good easy drive.
I'm surprised no one's posted US 350 yet. That won't take you that long.
Not that I've ever tried it myself, but according to Google Maps you can theoretically clinch both segments of US 422 in a little over 8 hrs depending on traffic (not accounting for gas/food/bathroom stops). Both segments are connected by US 22>I-99>PA Turnpike>US 15>I-83>US 322 in this case.
US 422 clincher (https://www.google.com/maps/dir/41.4989901,-81.6930579/40.0818216,-75.4009515/@40.2616356,-75.7021406,11.1z/data=!4m64!4m63!1m60!3m4!1m2!1d-81.5477457!2d41.4645351!3s0x8830fd24a36fec3d:0x7532f4637255341b!3m4!1m2!1d-81.2420623!2d41.3834523!3s0x883113d21710f40f:0xf48ec1c96dae388!3m4!1m2!1d-80.9750302!2d41.3099365!3s0x88316619e1af5a45:0x550d875394899437!3m4!1m2!1d-80.8070417!2d41.2339563!3s0x8833dffe2b4bfd4f:0xf5535f2f81bfdb76!3m4!1m2!1d-80.7068706!2d41.1685029!3s0x8833e6c6f9929509:0x5b7783c52d4cf238!3m4!1m2!1d-80.544029!2d41.0905574!3s0x8833ee7e80847b27:0x217cc0a2c0195dea!3m4!1m2!1d-80.201248!2d40.9680049!3s0x8833846c33fbbf9b:0x20ca164422ce2d64!3m4!1m2!1d-79.7695772!2d40.8540728!3s0x88336044faa244b7:0xc1b7df8c8782dd4c!3m4!1m2!1d-76.7068696!2d40.2579425!3s0x89c8bc6de02401b1:0x70f74709b619e6a8!3m4!1m2!1d-76.4533715!2d40.3393656!3s0x89c602a04b293f49:0xd43eb3f446605c4c!3m4!1m2!1d-76.1910763!2d40.3707357!3s0x89c6094cf3385b37:0x87e0aa7655def7ca!3m4!1m2!1d-75.9536735!2d40.3359934!3s0x89c6712c24bb885b:0x91aa59bdbf8a634b!1m0!3e0)
Since someone else brought up Quebec's Autoroutes, I guess I can bring up Ontario's 400-series (since the TCH isn't too important in Ontario :))
The 402, 405, 412, and 416 are probably the easiest, since most people who drive these do the whole highway at once. The 409 and 420 are also very short highways.
Quote from: DevalDragon on September 02, 2016, 08:18:02 PM
Interstate 27 is a good easy drive.
Agreed. When I was learning to drive, we went out to I-27 to give me some Interstate experience in a low-traffic area.
Quote from: SD Mapman on September 02, 2016, 09:17:37 PM
I'm surprised no one's posted US 350 yet. That won't take you that long.
But it'll feel that way. It has to be among Colorado's most boring highways.
If you're ever in southern Kansas (maybe doing a Doolin-Dalton Gang hangout tour after repeated listenings to the Eagles' "Desperado"), US 166 would only take a few hours to clinch (ever since it was truncated back from Springfield after I-44 was completed).
US 264. It begins at I-440 on the east side of Raleigh, and ends at US 64 just a few miles west of 64's east end on the Outer Banks. From Raleigh to Greenville 264 is a freeway, then past Greenville it drops to 2 lanes till its terminus. Great long alternative to 64 if you're heading to the coast!
Quote from: pianocello on September 01, 2016, 05:43:34 PM
I-41 and/or 43 are pretty frequently clinched during football season, I would imagine (although probably not all at once, in 41's case).
I don't think 43 would be either, because I would assume the Beloit football fans would just turn north at 41.
If you get to one end reasonably early in the morning, US 44 can be clinched in a day (I did it back in '92, east to west) -- but be prepared for a lot of city traffic (Providence, Hartford & associated suburbs).
Eastern I-86 is a pretty easy clinch. I-89 and I-91 are pretty easy as well.
Quote from: Rothman on September 06, 2016, 11:33:17 AM
Quote from: cl94 on September 06, 2016, 11:30:00 AM
Eastern I-86 is a pretty easy clinch.
Which one? :P
The one (segment) east of I-81 is a REALLY REALLY easy clinch! :biggrin:
Quote from: sparker on September 06, 2016, 04:04:38 PM
Quote from: Rothman on September 06, 2016, 11:33:17 AM
Quote from: cl94 on September 06, 2016, 11:30:00 AM
Eastern I-86 is a pretty easy clinch.
Which one? :P
The one (segment) east of I-81 is a REALLY REALLY easy clinch! :biggrin:
I was referring to the thing as a whole, but the eastern one takes about 10 minutes. Driving from I-90 to I-87 can even be done in a reasonably-short amount of time (5-6 hours) and the scenery is amazing. Does the clinch still count if we drive it before a section is designated? :-D
TCH 106 in Nova Scotia is another easy clinch.
And in honour of my 500th post (not related to this thread) :)
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4b/Ontario_Highway_500.svg/238px-Ontario_Highway_500.svg.png)
I-97
US 340 can be done in 3 hours. Can do one of the VA segments in a couple of minutes.
One wouldn't instinctively think of "easy clinches" and Texas in the same thought, but US 96 can be clinched in less than a day. Same with US 57, of course -- but the problem with that one is the distance involved getting TO the route, not over it! Oh -- US 181 -- at least you stand a good chance of finding some above-average food at either end, the termini being in decent-sized cities!
Quote from: freebrickproductions on September 02, 2016, 03:04:50 PM
Just about any 3di would count for that matter, as they're all relatively short.
I would agree. I did take a drive to Columbus just to clinch I-270 as a teenager. Later I did I-275 around Cincinnati. I also had insisted I-189 was the way we needed to go to see Lake Champlain in Vermont, just to clinch it.
I-83 between Harrisburg PA and Baltimore is only about 90 miles. US 113 in Md and DE is only about 75 miles' a lot of it 4 lane; but not a freeway.Also US 48 is about 80-85 miles in WV and VA. The western end leaves you pretty much in the middle of nowhere and seems like its going to be a LONG time until it is finished!!