Which is the greatest of all US routes? (objectively)

[roadman65]

US 101 by far as it's mostly expressway or freeway in California. Most of its two lane sections are in rural areas so not many stop lights even in OR and WA.

[kphoger]

My vote goes to US-62

It has to be US 1, 40, or 66.

US 40 has been called "America's Main Street" .

My vote is cast accordingly.

This is up for a vote now?

[StogieGuy7]

It's tough but i'd have to say US-50.

[TheHighwayMan3561]

It's tough but i'd have to say US-50.

The knock here is California truncated it out of the Bay Area. The full extent of 50 seemed to me to be the best cross section of what many people consider quintessential American scenery,

[Max Rockatansky]

It's tough but i'd have to say US-50.

The knock here is California truncated it out of the Bay Area. The full extent of 50 seemed to me to be the best cross section of what many people consider quintessential American scenery,

US 50 all things considered fared pretty well coming out of the 1964 Renumbering.  Sacramento isn't the Bay Area but isn't exactly an unworthy terminus either.  US 40 got a much harsher truncation.  Strange to consider US 50 wasn't even planned to reach California in the 1925 draft of the US Route System.  That probably speaks to the influence and pull of the Lincoln Highway Association not wanting a competitor at Lake Tahoe.

[SkyPesos]

Imo truncations due to an interstate replacing or paralleling it shouldn't be counted against the route. They were chosen to be an interstate corridor in the first place because of how important and influential they were in the pre-interstates era. Also to not punish routes that went into states that had a policy of truncating parallel US routes vs states that didn't have that policy.

[Max Rockatansky]

I'd almost view being replaced by an Interstate as something that would merit additional consideration.  That's primarily the rationale I go by for ranking US 99 over US 101. 

[SkyPesos]

I'd almost view being replaced by an Interstate as something that would merit additional consideration.  That's primarily the rationale I go by for ranking US 99 over US 101.

Yep, also why I view US 40 very highly despite being replaced by I-80 west of SLC and concurrent or parallel with I-70 east of the Rockies.

[bing101]

US-1 given that its directly parallel to I-95 on the east coast and cover the eastern seaboard very well.


1 exception is US-1 going through Key West Florida that makes it scenic.

[zachary_amaryllis]

Seems like US 287 is worth of at least SOME respect.

[Scott5114]

"Get your fun on Route 1." Hmm, it rhymes but the rhythm seems off.
"Get your plenty on Route 20." Stretching the definition of "rhyme" there, chief.
"Get your birdie on Route 30." But I hate golf.
"Go see Morty on Route 40." Who the heck is Morty?
"Get your nifty on Route 50." Does anyone say "nifty" anymore?
"It's mighty fine on Route 99." Okay, that's kind of catchy, I guess, but if we want to sing about the places it goes, we might have to mention Bakersfield, for crying out loud.
"Get your kicks on Route 6." Getting there, but the rhythm seems off on that one too...

[Max Rockatansky]

The amusing part is that I'll probably float doing a Bakersfield Meet for next year.  There is actually a fair amount of interest for the city given it has a lot of odd/notable items around it.

Also speaking of Bakersfield, why are we not considering US 466 for the 3ds?  There are a crap ton of significant pieces of Americana associated with the highway:

-  Hoover Dam
-  Las Vegas Boulevard
-  Grapes of Wrath/Tehachapi Pass
-  James Dean

[Roadgeekteen]

"Get your fun on Route 1." Hmm, it rhymes but the rhythm seems off.

Wouldn't exactly call most of route 1 north of Washington DC "fun".

[StogieGuy7]

It's tough but i'd have to say US-50.

The knock here is California truncated it out of the Bay Area. The full extent of 50 seemed to me to be the best cross section of what many people consider quintessential American scenery,

US 50 all things considered fared pretty well coming out of the 1964 Renumbering.  Sacramento isn't the Bay Area but isn't exactly an unworthy terminus either.  US 40 got a much harsher truncation.  Strange to consider US 50 wasn't even planned to reach California in the 1925 draft of the US Route System.  That probably speaks to the influence and pull of the Lincoln Highway Association not wanting a competitor at Lake Tahoe.

Agree, though I'd still name it despite not reaching the Bay Area (it used to and still gets you close).

Look at the path: eastern MD, Washington DC, VA through the Blue Ridge, WV, southern OH, then through the Midwest into the highest parts of the CO Rockies, past Montrose and Grand Jct and on to central UT before taking a very scenic (and lonely) route through the Sevier Desert of W. UT and then across NV. Finally, it passes close to Lake Tahoe before crossing the Sierra Nevada and then makes the long downslope into Sacto.  What's not to like about this path? It's actually far more interesting scenery than the old US 66 routing.

[kirbykart]

US-11

[kphoger]

"Get your plenty on Route 20." Stretching the definition of "rhyme" there, chief.

Huh?  How do twenty and plenty not rhyme?

[7/8]

"Get your plenty on Route 20." Stretching the definition of "rhyme" there, chief.

Huh?  How do twenty and plenty not rhyme?

From Wiktionary:

(Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈtwɛnti/, [ˈtw̥ɛ̃nti]
(General American) enPR: twĕnʹtē, IPA(key): /ˈtwɛnti/, [ˈtw̥ɛɾ̃i], /ˈtwɛni/, [ˈtw̥ɛ̃ɾ̃i]
(parts of the US and Canada) IPA(key): /ˈtwʌn(t)i/, /ˈtwʊn(t)i/

Scott probably uses one of the two bolded pronunciations (I use the first one). For me, twenty rhymes with bunny.

[Scott5114]

twun-tee

[pderocco]

twun-tee

In all my long life, I've never heard that pronunciation, neither in person, nor in movies, TV, or song. But if it is pronounced that way, I would expect some people might butcher "plenty" in the same way.

[Scott5114]

twun-tee

In all my long life, I've never heard that pronunciation, neither in person, nor in movies, TV, or song. But if it is pronounced that way, I would expect some people might butcher "plenty" in the same way.

Welcome to Oklahoma.

Plenty is plehn-tee. I don't think twun-tee and plehn-tee rhyme.

[Bickendan]

US 630

[skluth]

US 2. So important, it's both in New York/New England and from Michigan to Washington. No other US highway is like it. 

[Takumi]

Get your fun on route number 1. There, a bit less awkward.

[Quillz]

What about US 101?

For that, I would not count US 1 as an "implied parent route".

AASHO certainly didn't, from what I always recall reading the "10"  in "101"  was considered the first digit.  I would certainly agree US 101 probably hits the mark of the highest evolved US Route that has ever existed in any particular state (in this case being California).  The Redwood Highway alone would probably be a contender for most scenic/interesting segment of US Route (which also includes US 199).  As beautiful as US 101 in Oregon and Washington is it didn't really hit any large communities. 

US-101 in Oregon and California is basically what CA-1 is through California. Seems more of a scenic alternate than anything else, while serving some communities here and there.

With that, I would agree US-101 (or US-99) would have to be one of the "objectively" best US routes.

[Max Rockatansky]

What about US 101?

For that, I would not count US 1 as an "implied parent route".

AASHO certainly didn't, from what I always recall reading the "10"  in "101"  was considered the first digit.  I would certainly agree US 101 probably hits the mark of the highest evolved US Route that has ever existed in any particular state (in this case being California).  The Redwood Highway alone would probably be a contender for most scenic/interesting segment of US Route (which also includes US 199).  As beautiful as US 101 in Oregon and Washington is it didn't really hit any large communities. 

US-101 in Oregon and California is basically what CA-1 is through California. Seems more of a scenic alternate than anything else, while serving some communities here and there.

With that, I would agree US-101 (or US-99) would have to be one of the "objectively" best US routes.

Which is I always kind of ranked US 99 higher.  The amount major of cities US 99 hit north of the Bay Area was far greater than US 101.  Arguably the most important city US 101 hit north of the Bay Area is Olympia (which was also served by US 99).