Best county roads

[keithvh]

Kersey Road in Weld County, Colorado.  This road was significantly upgraded in 2014-2015.  It's now a 4-lane high-speed divided highway that connects I-76 (from the Hudson area, about 15 miles north of Denver's Airport) to Greeley. 

It gets a good deal of traffic, and is important for traffic flows from Greeley to eastern parts of the Denver Metro (and vice-versa).  It's often superior to US-85 in terms of time spent travelling.

It arguably should be a state highway (CO-79 extension?, which in itself could be extended south on other existing roads down to northeast of Colorado Springs), but right now it's only Weld County Road 49. 

The current interchange with I-76 is, admittedly, something that needs to be improved.

[JayhawkCO]

Kersey Road in Weld County, Colorado.  This road was significantly upgraded in 2014-2015.  It's now a 4-lane high-speed divided highway that connects I-76 (from the Hudson area, about 15 miles north of Denver's Airport) to Greeley. 

It gets a good deal of traffic, and is important for traffic flows from Greeley to eastern parts of the Denver Metro (and vice-versa).  It's often superior to US-85 in terms of time spent travelling.

It arguably should be a state highway (CO-79 extension?, which in itself could be extended south on other existing roads down to northeast of Colorado Springs), but right now it's only Weld County Road 49. 

The current interchange with I-76 is, admittedly, something that needs to be improved.

My favorite county road in Colorado I've been on is Moffat County 29.  It goes by the Motherwell Ranch and then hugs the Williams Fork River and passes through the top edge of the Flat Top Wilderness.  Pretty stunning little backroads drive.

Chris

[zzcarp]

Kersey Road in Weld County, Colorado.  This road was significantly upgraded in 2014-2015.  It's now a 4-lane high-speed divided highway that connects I-76 (from the Hudson area, about 15 miles north of Denver's Airport) to Greeley. 

It gets a good deal of traffic, and is important for traffic flows from Greeley to eastern parts of the Denver Metro (and vice-versa).  It's often superior to US-85 in terms of time spent travelling.

It arguably should be a state highway (CO-79 extension?, which in itself could be extended south on other existing roads down to northeast of Colorado Springs), but right now it's only Weld County Road 49. 

The current interchange with I-76 is, admittedly, something that needs to be improved.

My favorite county road in Colorado I've been on is Moffat County 29.  It goes by the Motherwell Ranch and then hugs the Williams Fork River and passes through the top edge of the Flat Top Wilderness.  Pretty stunning little backroads drive.

Chris

Both good choices. I agree that Weld County 49 would be a state highway normally, but with CDOT's dysfunction, Weld County went it alone and built a good corridor.

We have a lot of good county roads. I'd suggest Chaffee CR 306/Gunnison CR 209 - Cottonwood Pass. It's a great scenic drive over the continental divide from Buena Vista to the Taylor Reservoir.

Honorable mention goes to the Guanella Pass Road (Park CR 62/Clear Creek CR 381). It's a good shortcut from I-70 to US 285 as well as a very scenic road that provides access to Mt. Bierstadt (a 14er) and several of my favorite relatively close hiking trails.































For

[JayhawkCO]

Both good choices. I agree that Weld County 49 would be a state highway normally, but with CDOT's dysfunction, Weld County went it alone and built a good corridor.

We have a lot of good county roads. I'd suggest Chaffee CR 306/Gunnison CR 209 - Cottonwood Pass. It's a great scenic drive over the continental divide from Buena Vista to the Taylor Reservoir.

Honorable mention goes to the Guanella Pass Road (Park CR 62/Clear Creek CR 381). It's a good shortcut from I-70 to US 285 as well as a very scenic road that provides access to Mt. Bierstadt (a 14er) and several of my favorite relatively close hiking trails.

Yeah.  We have a ton of good ones.  Most of the 14er trailheads that I drive to are at least partly county maintained. 

Chris

[democratic nole]

CR 146 in Tallahassee (Miccosukee Road) is a pretty canopy road for significant stretches:

https://goo.gl/maps/eDjazYoa7Sm4XGsN8

[Takumi]

Virginia has secondary routes instead of county routes, but Chesterfield-Powhatan-Amelia 604 has some nice scenery.

[dvferyance]

Kersey Road in Weld County, Colorado.  This road was significantly upgraded in 2014-2015.  It's now a 4-lane high-speed divided highway that connects I-76 (from the Hudson area, about 15 miles north of Denver's Airport) to Greeley. 

It gets a good deal of traffic, and is important for traffic flows from Greeley to eastern parts of the Denver Metro (and vice-versa).  It's often superior to US-85 in terms of time spent travelling.

It arguably should be a state highway (CO-79 extension?, which in itself could be extended south on other existing roads down to northeast of Colorado Springs), but right now it's only Weld County Road 49. 

The current interchange with I-76 is, admittedly, something that needs to be improved.

I agree that one should be a state highway. I could be mistaken but wasn't that once part of CO-37 at one point? I thought it was once a state highway.

[TheGrassGuy]

For New Jersey, I nominate either Skyline Drive or Old Mine Road.

[CapeCodder]

Massachusetts isn't supposed to have any county roads, although there is one shield error in existence. However, roads that are not state-maintained are town-maintained... and the town of Nantucket is the entirety of its county. It happens to be an island, so there are some good ocean views, although I wouldn't know which roads are the best, never having been there.

On the main roads for the most part you won't find ocean views. Tom Nevers Road, Hummock Pond Road, and Baxter Road have ocean views. The best of these three is Baxter Road, but its future is in jeopardy as erosion eats away at the bluff it's on. For a really good overview of the middle to eastern part of the island head out to Altar Rock. The journey out there is interesting, as it's not on a main road. The views from up there are nice.

You have to go out of town on the Polpis Road and make a right at the intersection with Quaise Road. This is Altar Rock Road and it leads you to the highest point on the island.

Pro tip: Make sure your vehicle is offroad capable as the roads that create a  spider web throughout the  moors are in rough shape.

If you want to go the other way, head out from town on Milestone ('Sconset) Road and bang a gentle left onto Barnard Valley Road. You'll come to a fork. Take the left fork. The KACK Vortac Dome will be on your right.

I lived on Nantucket from 1988-1996 and spent summers with my grandparents there. I practically know every road on the island, but in recent years there has been a building boom and many of the old roads are gone. One road; Rugged Road has changed so much that I don't recognize it anymore.

[CoreySamson]

I don't really know. It seems the best county roads would be out in West Texas, but out there the FM roads basically take their place. Probably the best one I know of is CR 257. It runs next to the sea from Surfside Beach to San Luis Pass, so it has a good view of that. Plus it has a tollbooth on the San Luis Pass bridge, which I bet not many county roads have.

[JayhawkCO]

Kersey Road in Weld County, Colorado.  This road was significantly upgraded in 2014-2015.  It's now a 4-lane high-speed divided highway that connects I-76 (from the Hudson area, about 15 miles north of Denver's Airport) to Greeley. 

It gets a good deal of traffic, and is important for traffic flows from Greeley to eastern parts of the Denver Metro (and vice-versa).  It's often superior to US-85 in terms of time spent travelling.

It arguably should be a state highway (CO-79 extension?, which in itself could be extended south on other existing roads down to northeast of Colorado Springs), but right now it's only Weld County Road 49. 

The current interchange with I-76 is, admittedly, something that needs to be improved.

I agree that one should be a state highway. I could be mistaken but wasn't that once part of CO-37 at one point? I thought it was once a state highway.

Correct.  Kersey Road and then connecting briefly to Weld CR 60.5 and then CR 55 constituted CO37 which was decommissioned in 2007.

Chris

[thspfc]

In Wisconsin, I'd say Dodge County 'A' from US 151 in Beaver Dam to WI 26 a bit SW of Juneau.  It is a recently paved concrete highway that is better than many major state highways.

Mike

They should move WI 26 onto CTH A. It's a better road and even the trucks use it over 26 through Juneau.

That's a fine idea. I've always thought that WI-26 should be concurrent with US-151 around Waupun as well.

[hobsini2]

If we are going PURELY on scenery, I have 3 in Green Lake County, Wisconsin that are very pretty or scenic.
In the fall, County W south of Wis 23-73 near Princeton.
https://www.google.com/maps/@43.823496,-89.1028123,3a,75y,318.17h,86.52t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sdP9pjniTrIjX9CegHEiQtw!2e0!7i3328!8i1664

Another great one in the fall is County D north of Princeton in the White River Marsh area.
https://www.google.com/maps/@43.9326855,-89.1247143,3a,75y,67.4h,77.91t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sdqQqddC_t0WJsT4l4SNUXg!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo2.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DdqQqddC_t0WJsT4l4SNUXg%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D128.67351%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i3328!8i1664

County D in the spring closer to the Marsh, lots of wildlife.
https://www.google.com/maps/@43.9385025,-89.1094726,3a,75y,267.24h,72.06t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sYk24PR1ykZ3yoT97iR9oyA!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo2.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DYk24PR1ykZ3yoT97iR9oyA%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D74.895096%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i3328!8i1664

County K in the Summer is a pretty stretch along Green Lake.
https://www.google.com/maps/@43.777353,-89.0579085,3a,75y,83.9h,84.94t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1s-0ENV-L0oh22SAnD6Bj4tQ!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo0.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3D-0ENV-L0oh22SAnD6Bj4tQ%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D356.74005%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i3328!8i1664

[thspfc]

If we are going PURELY on scenery, I have 3 in Green Lake County, Wisconsin that are very pretty or scenic.
In the fall, County W south of Wis 23-73.
https://www.google.com/maps/@43.823496,-89.1028123,3a,75y,318.17h,86.52t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sdP9pjniTrIjX9CegHEiQtw!2e0!7i3328!8i1664

Another great one in the fall is County D north of Princeton in the White River Marsh area.
https://www.google.com/maps/@43.9326855,-89.1247143,3a,75y,67.4h,77.91t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sdqQqddC_t0WJsT4l4SNUXg!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo2.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DdqQqddC_t0WJsT4l4SNUXg%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D128.67351%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i3328!8i1664

County D in the spring closer to the Marsh, lots of wildlife.
https://www.google.com/maps/@43.9385025,-89.1094726,3a,75y,267.24h,72.06t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sYk24PR1ykZ3yoT97iR9oyA!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo2.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DYk24PR1ykZ3yoT97iR9oyA%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D74.895096%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i3328!8i1664

County K in the Summer is a pretty stretch along Green Lake.
https://www.google.com/maps/@43.777353,-89.0579085,3a,75y,83.9h,84.94t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1s-0ENV-L0oh22SAnD6Bj4tQ!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo0.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3D-0ENV-L0oh22SAnD6Bj4tQ%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D356.74005%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i3328!8i1664

CTH-F in La Crosse County?

[hobsini2]

In Wisconsin, I'd say Dodge County 'A' from US 151 in Beaver Dam to WI 26 a bit SW of Juneau.  It is a recently paved concrete highway that is better than many major state highways.

Mike

They should move WI 26 onto CTH A. It's a better road and even the trucks use it over 26 through Juneau.

That's a fine idea. I've always thought that WI-26 should be concurrent with US-151 around Waupun as well.

Absolutely A should be a state highway between 26 and Fox Lake. I use it all the time and there is always traffic on it.

[hobsini2]

If we are going PURELY on scenery, I have 3 in Green Lake County, Wisconsin that are very pretty or scenic.
In the fall, County W south of Wis 23-73.
https://www.google.com/maps/@43.823496,-89.1028123,3a,75y,318.17h,86.52t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sdP9pjniTrIjX9CegHEiQtw!2e0!7i3328!8i1664

Another great one in the fall is County D north of Princeton in the White River Marsh area.
https://www.google.com/maps/@43.9326855,-89.1247143,3a,75y,67.4h,77.91t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sdqQqddC_t0WJsT4l4SNUXg!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo2.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DdqQqddC_t0WJsT4l4SNUXg%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D128.67351%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i3328!8i1664

County D in the spring closer to the Marsh, lots of wildlife.
https://www.google.com/maps/@43.9385025,-89.1094726,3a,75y,267.24h,72.06t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sYk24PR1ykZ3yoT97iR9oyA!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo2.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DYk24PR1ykZ3yoT97iR9oyA%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D74.895096%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i3328!8i1664

County K in the Summer is a pretty stretch along Green Lake.
https://www.google.com/maps/@43.777353,-89.0579085,3a,75y,83.9h,84.94t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1s-0ENV-L0oh22SAnD6Bj4tQ!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo0.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3D-0ENV-L0oh22SAnD6Bj4tQ%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D356.74005%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i3328!8i1664

CTH-F in La Crosse County?

You mean by Granddad's Bluff? Yeah that's a beautiful drive too.

[thspfc]

In Wisconsin, I'd say Dodge County 'A' from US 151 in Beaver Dam to WI 26 a bit SW of Juneau.  It is a recently paved concrete highway that is better than many major state highways.

Mike

They should move WI 26 onto CTH A. It's a better road and even the trucks use it over 26 through Juneau.

That's a fine idea. I've always thought that WI-26 should be concurrent with US-151 around Waupun as well.

Absolutely A should be a state highway between 26 and Fox Lake. I use it all the time and there is always traffic on it.

The sticking point could be that Juneau is, for some reason, the seat of Dodge County, so it might be tough to pry WI-26 away from Juneau.

[hobsini2]

In Wisconsin, I'd say Dodge County 'A' from US 151 in Beaver Dam to WI 26 a bit SW of Juneau.  It is a recently paved concrete highway that is better than many major state highways.

Mike

They should move WI 26 onto CTH A. It's a better road and even the trucks use it over 26 through Juneau.

That's a fine idea. I've always thought that WI-26 should be concurrent with US-151 around Waupun as well.

Absolutely A should be a state highway between 26 and Fox Lake. I use it all the time and there is always traffic on it.

The sticking point could be that Juneau is, for some reason, the seat of Dodge County, so it might be tough to pry WI-26 away from Juneau.

Honestly, just make A become something like Wis 226 and have it posted as the through truck route.

[mgk920]

In Wisconsin, I'd say Dodge County 'A' from US 151 in Beaver Dam to WI 26 a bit SW of Juneau.  It is a recently paved concrete highway that is better than many major state highways.

Mike

They should move WI 26 onto CTH A. It's a better road and even the trucks use it over 26 through Juneau.

That's a fine idea. I've always thought that WI-26 should be concurrent with US-151 around Waupun as well.

Absolutely A should be a state highway between 26 and Fox Lake. I use it all the time and there is always traffic on it.

The sticking point could be that Juneau is, for some reason, the seat of Dodge County, so it might be tough to pry WI-26 away from Juneau.

Honestly, just make A become something like Wis 226 and have it posted as the through truck route.

Ultimately, IMHO, WisDOT should reroute WI 26 to a new-ROW grade (a Super Two freeway on a four lane ROW) from US 151 at the southeast corner of Beaver Dam generally southeastward to feed into the existing highway about halfway between the new WI 16/60 interchange and the current County 'A' intersection.  To keep present-day WI 26 through Juneau on the state highway system, I would replace WI 26 on its section south of WI 33 with an extended WI 28.

Until then, yes, I would reroute WI 26 to replace County 'A' south of US 151, with the same WI 28 extension.  Also take WI 26 off of Waupun city streets.  I do note in that how it was built, several intersections were intended to be upgraded at later times.

Mike