What highway would be the biggest pain in the ass to clinch?

[SSOWorld]

One road that is impossible to do, Normandy Road in New Jersey, driving on it will get a military police officer to escort you off, and you have to visit a federal magistrate to pay the fine in person. It is used for movement between sections of naval weapons station earle.

Interstate H-3

https://goo.gl/maps/avHcF1HhqTM2

Here's the northern end - the way the paint is striped and the way the cones are set up - I think the end is within the base itself.

EDIT: Not sure if the GSV car made it around without an incident.

[oscar]

One road that is impossible to do, Normandy Road in New Jersey, driving on it will get a military police officer to escort you off, and you have to visit a federal magistrate to pay the fine in person. It is used for movement between sections of naval weapons station earle.

Interstate H-3

https://goo.gl/maps/avHcF1HhqTM2

Here's the northern end - the way the paint is striped and the way the cones are set up - I think the end is within the base itself.

EDIT: Not sure if the GSV car made it around without an incident.

No problema. If you're in the left lane approaching the sentry station, you can do a completely legal U-turn in front of the guard station. If you're in the right lane, and can't cut over into the left lane, just take a right turn into the parking lot (for people who need visitor passes to enter the base, or to visit the replica Iwo Jima memorial at the base entrance), then do a U-turn within the parking lot and then exit onto SB H-3 using the turnaround at the guard station.

HDOT officially ends H-3 short of the guard station, 26' NE of the box culvert visible in GMSV. So either manuever gets you a clinch of H-3's north end.

There are Hawaii state routes that technically end right at a base gate. The most notable one (west end of HI 92) has a right turn into a civilian area just before the gate, which you might consider "close enough". I did the "lost tourist" excuse to go through the gate and get turned around. But this was before 9/11, and also before HDOT fixed the signage on H-1 to make clear HI 92 goes to the naval base rather than the tourist attractions around Pearl Harbor, so the sentries may not be as cheerful as before about turning you around after the gate. There are other state routes that end at closed base gates (HI 50 and HI 76, at least), so you can drive up to the gate and turn around without hassle.

[vdeane]

For some reason, the legislatively defined corridor for I-69 includes all of I-94 east of Chicago.
http://www.peaktraffic.org/graphics/hpcfi.jpg

[Duke87]

RE: The above discussion on state numbered routes that have segments through military bases: Most of NC 172 runs through Camp Lejeune and is also closed off to all but military traffic.

Which would make me wonder why the part within the base hasn't been decommissioned. At the very least, it could be a maintenance headache if the Marines gave NCDOT a hard time about sending its work crews into the base.

If Wikipedia is to be believed, the entire length of NC 172 was open to the public until April 2007.

Which would make it like NJ 68: the entire road used to be open to the public, then DoD tightened security and restricted access. The designation hasn't been adjusted because an active decision needs to be made to do that, and people who are not roadgeeks do not generally care that the entire length of a given route cannot be freely driven.

With NJ 68 at least, the end is close enough to the gate that using the last legal turnoff is an iffy but not horrible fudge. NC 172... yeah, no way around that. There is no way to clinch NC 172, and therefore no way to clinch the North Carolina state highway system, without clearing security at Camp Lejeune. This means you either need to join the military or have some other reason to be on the base due to work. Or perhaps know someone who is stationed there you can go and visit, but it's not clear whether that is allowed on this particular base.

[oscar]

There is no way to clinch NC 172, and therefore no way to clinch the North Carolina state highway system, without clearing security at Camp Lejeune. This means you either need to join the military or have some other reason to be on the base due to work. Or perhaps know someone who is stationed there you can go and visit, but it's not clear whether that is allowed on this particular base.

Not all military bases are hostile to visitors. Do a little digging, and you might find a way in.

As I've noted in other threads, I've used military museums as my excuse to visit two different Army bases. Of course, I had to do some Internet research, including making sure the museum was open when I wanted to visit the base. For one of the bases, birdwatching would've been a sufficient excuse, so long as heightened security was not in effect.

In my case, it might help that I was born at Camp Lejeune. But it looks like NC 172 passes through a different part of the base than where the hospital was located, or where my family lived in the 1950s and early 1960s.

[bassoon1986]

There is no way to clinch NC 172, and therefore no way to clinch the North Carolina state highway system, without clearing security at Camp Lejeune. This means you either need to join the military or have some other reason to be on the base due to work. Or perhaps know someone who is stationed there you can go and visit, but it's not clear whether that is allowed on this particular base.

Not all military bases are hostile to visitors. Do a little digging, and you might find a way in.

As I've noted in other threads, I've used military museums as my excuse to visit two different Army bases. Of course, I had to do some Internet research, including making sure the museum was open when I wanted to visit the base. For one of the bases, birdwatching would've been a sufficient excuse, so long as heightened security was not in effect.

In my case, it might help that I was born at Camp Lejeune. But it looks like NC 172 passes through a different part of the base than where the hospital was located, or where my family lived in the 1950s and early 1960s.

Louisiana may have one, too. LA 467 goes through Fort Polk. I don't believe LA 10 passes through any gates, and LA 184 and LA 469 end at the north boundaries of the base. So that's a hindrance to clinching all the Louisiana state highways. Although I don't think any of us are anywhere close to clinching the couple thousand highways Louisiana has.


iPhone

[Mapmikey]

With NJ 68 at least, the end is close enough to the gate that using the last legal turnoff is an iffy but not horrible fudge. NC 172... yeah, no way around that. There is no way to clinch NC 172, and therefore no way to clinch the North Carolina state highway system, without clearing security at Camp Lejeune. This means you either need to join the military or have some other reason to be on the base due to work. Or perhaps know someone who is stationed there you can go and visit, but it's not clear whether that is allowed on this particular base.

Or just be older.  I drove NC 172 on the way to my honeymoon in Atlantic Beach in 1990.  At the tank crossings the asphalt gave way to a concrete strip to better handle those vehicles coming across.

[TBKS1]

If we can talk about roads from other countries, I would probably say Australia National Highway 1.

The highway itself is a giant ring road that goes across all of Australia's states and Northern Territory that's 9,000 miles long. I'm mainly just including it here because of how long it is, meaning it would take a very, very long time to completely clinch it. It might not be very difficult, but it would definitely be very time-consuming.

I don't think this has been mentioned here yet...

[bugo]

Arkansas. Mountainous and scenic in the west, practically almost flat in the east.

Actually, the northwestern half of Arkansas is typically highlands while the southeastern half is largely flat. The dividing line is roughly US 67. Eastern Arkansas towns like Pocahontas are hilly while western towns like Texarkana are generally flatter.

[KCRoadFan]

To some extent, two contenders might be US Highway 9 and US Highway 10. This is because both of them go on ferries over a body of water. US 9 goes on a ferry in the waters between Delaware and New Jersey, and US 10 crosses Lake Michigan between the states of Wisconsin and Michigan. If I recall correctly, it is quite expensive to put your car on a ferry, if that is what it takes to technically clinch these routes, so this would be rather complicated to do if you wanted to clinch US 9 or US 10. I would be interested to hear if anyone has ever clinched either or both of these routes in their entirety before. 

I have clinched US 9, including taking my car on the ferry a few years ago. I took the SS Badger auto ferry taking US 10 across Lake Michigan in 1996, but still have a lot of unclinched mileage elsewhere on that route.

I've clinched US-10 between Bay City and Ludington so I've clinched the Michigan section of the route unless you want to count going out into Lake Michigan for about 40 miles until you actually cross into Wisconsin. I haven't done the ferry across Lake Michigan, if I did I'd rather do the Muskegon to Milwaukee route since that's faster.

One roadgeek fantasy that I've had is for US 18 in Milwaukee to be extended to the ferry dock, cross the lake on the ferry, and then replace M-46 across Michigan in its entirety, from Muskegon to Port Sanilac (and then maybe replace M-25 from there to Port Huron; M-25 would then be truncated at Port Sanilac).

[Max Rockatansky]

Mineral King Road (planned CA 276/current Tulare Mountain Road 375) is difficult to clinch given it's geography.  Mineral King Road starts around an elevation of 1,400 feet above sea level and ends at about 7,800 feet above sea level within 25 miles.  The problem is that it takes a solid 75-90 minutes of really difficult and physical driving on a really bumpy one-lane road deck.  There is some several mile 18% grades in places which present another challenge that a driver normally wouldn't encounter.  Not impossible, but you're pretty much committed to a second clinch since they are no other ways out of Mineral King. 

[Flint1979]

To some extent, two contenders might be US Highway 9 and US Highway 10. This is because both of them go on ferries over a body of water. US 9 goes on a ferry in the waters between Delaware and New Jersey, and US 10 crosses Lake Michigan between the states of Wisconsin and Michigan. If I recall correctly, it is quite expensive to put your car on a ferry, if that is what it takes to technically clinch these routes, so this would be rather complicated to do if you wanted to clinch US 9 or US 10. I would be interested to hear if anyone has ever clinched either or both of these routes in their entirety before. 

I have clinched US 9, including taking my car on the ferry a few years ago. I took the SS Badger auto ferry taking US 10 across Lake Michigan in 1996, but still have a lot of unclinched mileage elsewhere on that route.

I've clinched US-10 between Bay City and Ludington so I've clinched the Michigan section of the route unless you want to count going out into Lake Michigan for about 40 miles until you actually cross into Wisconsin. I haven't done the ferry across Lake Michigan, if I did I'd rather do the Muskegon to Milwaukee route since that's faster.

One roadgeek fantasy that I've had is for US 18 in Milwaukee to be extended to the ferry dock, cross the lake on the ferry, and then replace M-46 across Michigan in its entirety, from Muskegon to Port Sanilac (and then maybe replace M-25 from there to Port Huron; M-25 would then be truncated at Port Sanilac).

That would be strange. M-46 isn't far from my house and I'm on it everyday. I honestly think that it would be cool to call it US-18 instead. The only thing is that M-25 goes straight thru Port Sanillac and US-18 would need to turn to the south to get to Port Huron. Also it would be north of US-12 over here too.

[Flint1979]

Someone probably mentioned this but M-134 and M-154 would be a pain to clinch. Both require travel on ferries.

[skluth]

Someone probably mentioned this but M-134 and M-154 would be a pain to clinch. Both require travel on ferries.

As would NC 12 which has three segments connected by two ferries to Ocracoke Island. I've also seen parts get washed away by hurricane.

[hobsini2]

I would imagine trying to find the routing of all the Dixie Highway segments would be a pain in the arse.

A couple on the state level that come to mind because of length/time, access, lack of signage or changes of direction:

WIS 35 East Dubuque IL to Superior
WIS 23 Darlington to Sheboygan
WIS 32 Pleasant Prairie to Land O'Lakes
ILL 1 Cave In The Rock to Chicago

[Rothman]

Someone probably mentioned this but M-134 and M-154 would be a pain to clinch. Both require travel on ferries.

As would NC 12 which has three segments connected by two ferries to Ocracoke Island. I've also seen parts get washed away by hurricane.

I've clinched the southern end through the ferries.  If you're a casual tourist, it may be harder to clinch the long, slow section parallel to US 158.

[Roadgeekteen]

Any long US highway with significant urban street mileage, would be just a miserable slog.

[Flint1979]

I would imagine trying to find the routing of all the Dixie Highway segments would be a pain in the arse.

A couple on the state level that come to mind because of length/time, access, lack of signage or changes of direction:

WIS 35 East Dubuque IL to Superior
WIS 23 Darlington to Sheboygan
WIS 32 Pleasant Prairie to Land O'Lakes
ILL 1 Cave In The Rock to Chicago

I have the Saginaw Trail down pat but don't know where in Ohio it starts and ends. I've seen it in Kentucky.

[deathtopumpkins]

If you're a casual tourist, it may be harder to clinch the long, slow section parallel to US 158.

Not as hard as you'd think. US 158 is full of signals and clogged with traffic. NC 12 by comparison is almost entirely a residential 2-lane road, with only 2 signals. The speed limit may be lower (35 vs 50 IIRC) but it's not constant stop-and-go.

[Hot Rod Hootenanny]

I would imagine trying to find the routing of all the Dixie Highway segments would be a pain in the arse.

Twenty years ago, yes.
Nowadays, not so much.
https://2lanetraveler.com/home/dhmaps/

[formulanone]

I would imagine trying to find the routing of all the Dixie Highway segments would be a pain in the arse.

Twenty years ago, yes.
Nowadays, not so much.
https://2lanetraveler.com/home/dhmaps/

Clinching that would require a lot of dedication and doubling back. It really should have been two (or more) separate auto trails.

A textbook example of "design by committee". 

[froggie]

If you're a casual tourist, it may be harder to clinch the long, slow section parallel to US 158.

Not as hard as you'd think. US 158 is full of signals and clogged with traffic. NC 12 by comparison is almost entirely a residential 2-lane road, with only 2 signals. The speed limit may be lower (35 vs 50 IIRC) but it's not constant stop-and-go.

I would suspect this isn't always the case, especially on summer beach weekends.

[NWI_Irish96]

Until the new Cline Ave Bridge is finished, the western leg of IN 912 is closed. If you hadn't clinched it already, you'll have to wait until the new bridge opens (supposedly sometime this year, but I really doubt it).

There aren't any other highways in Indiana that would be considered terribly difficult to clinch.

IN 158 and IN 645 both end a couple hundred feet before reaching gates at Crane Naval Center. 158 has a spot to turn around between the highway end and the gate, but 645 does not. You have to do a multiple-point turnaround in the roadway.

[bassoon1986]

LA 10 in Louisiana would be a bit of a pain now that there is no ferry across the Atchafalaya River. It's a 25 mile detour to get around to the other side and LA 10 on the east side of the river is unpaved. Taking just 10 across all of Louisiana would be a pretty long haul.


iPhone

[Flint1979]

Until the new Cline Ave Bridge is finished, the western leg of IN 912 is closed. If you hadn't clinched it already, you'll have to wait until the new bridge opens (supposedly sometime this year, but I really doubt it).

There aren't any other highways in Indiana that would be considered terribly difficult to clinch.

IN 158 and IN 645 both end a couple hundred feet before reaching gates at Crane Naval Center. 158 has a spot to turn around between the highway end and the gate, but 645 does not. You have to do a multiple-point turnaround in the roadway.

I clinched IN-912 on accident trying to get around traffic on the Borman.