Useless Multiplexes

[leifvanderwall]

These are my favorite useless multiplexes:
1) US 69, US 96, US 287 AT Beaumont, Texas - It should just be US 69. US 96 should not be a north-south highway; should be renamed US 559. US 287 should end at US 69 north of Beaumont.
2) US 50/400- One of them needs to go.
3) US 25, US 301, US 341 in Georgia- Perhaps US 25 should end at Statesboro.
4)US 1/23/301- US 301 should end in Georgia and US 23 should take over US 301's route in Florida.
5) I-64 with I-55/70- Interstate 64 should end at the jct. with I-55/70 in Illinois unless Interstate 64 should take over 44's route in Missouri and Oklahoma.
6) US 6 with US 50 and 191 in Nevada and Utah- US 6 should end in Colorado and the US 6 in Nevada and California should be renamed US 450.
7) In Ohio: US 250/SR 60, US 23/ SR 199, US 20A/SR 2 , I-90/SR 2
8) US 19/98 in Florida. If I had my way US 98 would not even enter Florida.

The highway system is not perfect.

[Coelacanth]

I'm sorry, but that explanation still doesn't make any sense to me.  Anyone consulting a map or atlas can plainly see which route is shorter regardless of what the highway number is, and those not consulting a map or atlas and not familiar with the area are likely to stay on I-94 through the Twin Cities.  If they're astute enough to realize that I-494 and I-694 are bypasses, they still won't know which route is shorter unless it's signed which way thru traffic is supposed to go, which once again means that the loop having 2 distinct route numbers would have no bearing whatsoever on travelers.

It is signed which way thru traffic is supposed to go. There are signs all over the place saying "Twin Cities Bypass Follow [I-694]". If there were only one number for the beltway they would have to say "Follow [I-x94] Northbound then Westbound" or whatever.

I think the real reason that there are two separate numbers is that someone at MHD back in the 1950s, before any actual beltways had been built anywhere by anyone, decided to do it that way. It doesn't have to be any more complicated than that, and it's obvious that changing the numbers now would be a lot more trouble than it's worth.

Then it appears as if many freeway numbers in the area (especially I-35W) exit onto other freeway segments several different times and serpentine through town.

I have no idea what you mean by this. 35W does twist and turn quite a bit, but at no point does it "exit onto other freeway segments". It's more or less a straight shot, with a couple of 90-degree curves thrown in to keep you awake.

[Terry Shea]

Then it appears as if many freeway numbers in the area (especially I-35W) exit onto other freeway segments several different times and serpentine through town.

I have no idea what you mean by this. 35W does twist and turn quite a bit, but at no point does it "exit onto other freeway segments". It's more or less a straight shot, with a couple of 90-degree curves thrown in to keep you awake.

According to the 2009 Rand McNally atlas, northbound I-35W  goes about straight north to exit 9, then it exits onto another freeway segment multiplexing with SR-62 eastward, then exits onto another freeway segment heading northerly into the city of Minneapolis, then exits onto another freeway segment multiplexing with I-94 again running easterly, then exits onto another freeway segment which runs northeasterly with a big hook in the middle of the segment, then exits onto one final long segment that heads about straight north and then turns northeasterly where it eventually rejoins I-35E.  That's what I'm talking about.  Instead of being 1 continuous freeway through the area it follows, by my count, 6 different freeway segments to get where it's going.  Never having been there, that may not exactly be the case, but that is how it looks according to the atlas. 

[Terry Shea]

Never having been there, that may not exactly be the case, but that is how it looks according to the atlas.

See my post right before yours...

In a nutshell, I-35W is a continuous freeway all the way through.  It does not multiplex with I-94 (each route has separate carriageways).  Likewise, when the Crosstown Commons reconstruction (I-35W/MN 62) is completed next year, I-35W and MN 62 will have separate carriageways.  But even before then, I-35W was the "through freeway" through the I-35W/MN 62 area.

But you do have to exit several times to stay on I-35W do you not? 

[un1]

How about I-99 almost all of it's length is multiplexed with US-220.

[Terry Shea]

M-44 being multiplexed with M-37 south of I-96 is useless and redundant.  M-44 is an east-west route along Belding Road then turns south along Northland Dr and East Beltline, even though it is still signed as East/West.  At I-96, M-44 is multiplexed with M-37 southward to M-11 where M-44 ends.  M-37 continues along the same roadway (now called Broadmoor Ave) southerly through Caledonia, Middleville and Battle Creek before ending at I-94.  MDOT had removed the M-44 designation along the multiplexed portion of the East Beltline for a period of time and then later resigned it.  Useless, redundant and a waste of taxpayer money too.

[bugo]

In most places, the multiplex is shown with seperate shields; the one notable exception out here (if it hasn't been mentioned already) is US 1/US 9 in New Jersey. (There's also a I-55/I-70 shield somewhere in downtown St. Louis I've seen on the web somewhere...)

There are combo US 56/412 signs in New Mexico.  Also, there's a 44/55/65/70 combo shield somewhere in St Louis.

[cjk374]

US 79 and US 80 have combo shields in Shreveport and Minden, LA.

[Revive 755]

2) I-55/I-70/I-64 Multiplex at St. Louis unless I-64 takes over the I-44 route.

Strongly disagree; I-64's presence in Missouri provides an alternate source for three digit interstates.  I-70 is already low on available three digit routes and it is very easy to find places to use up the remaining ones.

[Sykotyk]

I've seen a 65/70 combo sign in Indianapolis.

Sykotyk

[ComputerGuy]

(former, removed 2006)

US 197 and SR 14, The Dalles to Maryhill (US 97)

[74/171FAN]

Some more VA ones(this could be important to some): US 522/VA 3 and VA 3/VA 14(why does VA 3 have to go to Gloucester in the wrong direction than the rest of its route)

[national highway 1]

OK 51 is concurrent with US 60 for 61 miles from the TX State Line to Seiling, then is concurrent for another 9 miles with US 270, US 281 & OK 3.

[roadman65]

How about US 23 in Florida!  US 23 should end in Waycross, GA!
US 319 with US 98 in the Florida Panhandle!

[pianocello]

OK 3 shouldn't exist at all northwest of Oklahoma City.

I think US-36 in Illinois should be transfered to the two-lane road instead of on I-72 (I also think former US highways 12 and 16 in Michigan could have been saved if MDOT didn't sign the US highway on the new interstates)

[agentsteel53]

US-12 has not been truncated in Michigan.  You mean US-10? 

[Rupertus]

I think that's old US 12, aka Michigan Avenue, which followed the same Kalamazoo-Jackson-Ann Arbor path that I-94 now takes. Part of it is known today as M-96, from Kalamazoo to Marshall. The current US 12 used to be US 112 until I-94 was built.

[national highway 1]

These are my favorite useless multiplexes:
2) US 50/400- One of them needs to go.
5) I-64 with I-55/70- Interstate 64 should end at the jct. with I-55/70 in Illinois unless Interstate 64 should take over 44's route in Missouri and Oklahoma.
6) US 6 with US 50 and 191 in Nevada and Utah- US 6 should end in Colorado and the US 6 in Nevada and California should be renamed US 450.
The highway system is not perfect.

2)I'm suggesting US 400 should be truncated back to Dodge City KS, because US 50 was always there, back in 1926.
5) Why? I-64 would meet US 64 in Oklahoma.
6) The loop of US 6 from Green River UT to Spanish Fork to Delta should be renumbered US 450 (II), while the western section of US 6 from US 93 at Ely NV, to US 395 at Bishop CA should be renumbered US 650 (II).

[national highway 1]

Since Wyoming is the state of multiplexes, I'll analyze them:
1) US 14/16/20 It should be US 20 only, US 14 should end in Greybull and US 16 should end in Worland.
2) US 26/89/189/191 US 189 should end at Daniel Jct at US 191. There is no need for US 189 to go up US 191 & US 26/89 into Jackson.
3) WY 789/US 310, WY 789/US 14/16/20 WY789/US 16/20, WY 789/US 20, WY 789/US 287, WY 789/I-80/US 30 Too many multiplexes for WY 789. I don't know why WY 789 is duplexed all the way to the MT border with US 310.
In fact, let US 310 take over WY 789 and CO 13 all the way to I-70 at Rifle. Plus WY 789 could take a more direct route along WY 135 between Riverton & Jeffrey City.
4) US 18/85, US 18/20The only reason US 18 exists between Mule Ck Jct and Orin is so that it can reach I-25. US 18 should head NORTH on US 85 and turn west at Newcastle onto US 16 west, and then take WY 450 to Wright, then WY 59 north for a short duplex and then west on WY 387 to meet I-25/US 87 at Exit 227, west of Edgerton.

[froggie]

Or, better yet, just end US 18 at US 85.

[Beeper1]

Pretty much all of ME-100, and most of ME-9 south/west of Bangor can be removed.

[roadfro]

3) WY 789/US 310, WY 789/US 14/16/20 WY789/US 16/20, WY 789/US 20, WY 789/US 287, WY 789/I-80/US 30 Too many multiplexes for WY 789. I don't know why WY 789 is duplexed all the way to the MT border with US 310.
In fact, let US 310 take over WY 789 and CO 13 all the way to I-70 at Rifle. Plus WY 789 could take a more direct route along WY 135 between Riverton & Jeffrey City.

I seem to remember some discussion on this forum (or maybe elsewhere) that WY 789 was planned to be part of a multi-state Highway 789, but the other states involved either didn't get on board with the idea or discontinued their portions.

[ftballfan]

I-296 and US-131 in Grand Rapids, but I-296 hasn't been signed for 30 years or more. IMHO, I-296 should take over M-6 around Grand Rapids.

M-37 and M-44 between I-96 and M-11 in Grand Rapids and Kentwood. M-44 was shortened to end at I-96, then was re-extended to M-11 just recently. Maybe MDOT has plans to reroute M-37 along I-96 and M-6 and extend M-44 along Broadmoor Ave (current M-37) to M-6.

I-96 and I-275 west of Detroit. IMHO, I-275 should end at the interchange with I-96 and M-14.

M-22 and M-72 in Traverse City. M-22 continues from the intersection at M-72 to the intersection at US-31/M-37. IMHO, M-22 should be scaled back to M-72.

[bulldog1979]

I-296 and US-131 in Grand Rapids, but I-296 hasn't been signed for 30 years or more. IMHO, I-296 should take over M-6 around Grand Rapids.

M-37 and M-44 between I-96 and M-11 in Grand Rapids and Kentwood. M-44 was shortened to end at I-96, then was re-extended to M-11 just recently. Maybe MDOT has plans to reroute M-37 along I-96 and M-6 and extend M-44 along Broadmoor Ave (current M-37) to M-6.

I-96 and I-275 west of Detroit. IMHO, I-275 should end at the interchange with I-96 and M-14.

M-22 and M-72 in Traverse City. M-22 continues from the intersection at M-72 to the intersection at US-31/M-37. IMHO, M-22 should be scaled back to M-72.

I-296 hasn't been signed since about 1979 or 1980, but as long as it is part of the Interstate Highway System, an Interstate number, hidden or not, will remain on that stretch of roadway. MDOT could have asked for an Interstate number for M-6, but they didn't feel the need. If they did, they could have asked to have I-296 moved to the South Beltline and redesignated the freeway near downtown as I-896.

M-44 was supposed to be retruncated last year, but the signs are still up. I like Barry Camp's suggestion to truncate M-37 at I-96 in Walker and reroute M-44 down Plainfield Avenue, replacing the CONN M-44 designation. Then East Beltline Avenue could be designated M-87 and replace M-37 south to Battle Creek.

[Chicagosuburban]

I-39 is multiplexed with US-51 for its entire length in Illinois, and again north of Portage, WI...