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

[corco]

I would say Utah SRs 298 and 299. It's technically possible to clinch them in a car, but you'd have to be taking your driver's road test to obtain a Utah Driver's License and the instructor would have to direct you to drive the whole thing.

[hotdogPi]

E30. Three segments (Ireland, England, mainland Europe), 4000 miles total, requires clearing customs to/from Russia, and partially in Siberia.

[cl94]

I would say Utah SRs 298 and 299. It's technically possible to clinch them in a car, but you'd have to be taking your driver's road test to obtain a Utah Driver's License and the instructor would have to direct you to drive the whole thing.

I still find the concept of off-road testing locations interesting. My road test was on US 20A/NY 16/NY 78 and a bunch of other streets in East Aurora, NY.

[adventurernumber1]

That's very cool for those of you who have had the opportunity to ride on the "Highway" ferries (and in cl94's case with US 9, even been able to clinch the entire route by doing so). It would definitely be one heck of a ferry ride to know you are clinching a US Route in the process of riding it. 

I have been on a ferry from the Massachusetts mainland (near Falmouth) to the Martha's Vineyard island either at Vineyard Haven or Oak Bluffs (probably the former, IIRC), and then again in the other direction on the way back to Boston (this was on a trip in June 2013). If I recall correctly, the price for the ferry was somewhere over $100. I guess I thought all ferries were that expensive until now - around $50 (during peak travel times on the US 9 ferry) is still a good bit, but it's definitely better than the $120-$130 that may have been the fare for that Martha's Vineyard ferry I was on.   

Also, for what it's worth, when looking on Google Maps, what's interesting and strange that I noticed is that US 9 is overtly designated over the ferry in the Delaware Bay, but the same is not true for US 10 on Lake Michigan, as it is not overtly designated over the ferry there on Google Maps. I wonder if this means US 9 is more solidly associated with its ferry than US 10 is with its, or is Google Maps falling short of perfection?   

[cl94]

US 9 has been designated on the ferry since it was extended to Delaware, long before Google was even a thing. US 10 was only designated on the ferry in 2015 (it was originally discontinuous) and it is one of the few US routes that can only be clinched 5 months a year. But yeah, the time to get the Cape May-Lewes ferry is in the winter. Boat wasn't even half full and the price was reasonable.

[adventurernumber1]

US 9 has been designated on the ferry since it was extended to Delaware, long before Google was even a thing. US 10 was only designated on the ferry in 2015 (it was originally discontinuous) and it is one of the few US routes that can only be clinched 5 months a year. But yeah, the time to get the Cape May-Lewes ferry is in the winter. Boat wasn't even half full and the price was reasonable.

Oh okay. That makes a lot of sense. I did not realize that US 10 only officially became part of the ferry in very recent times (a few years ago), and that it was discontinuous before. And if US 10 can only be clinched five months a year (due to the ferry), then that probably means that US 10 is an even better contender for this thread than US 9. It sounds like if you come at the wrong time of year, US 10 would not only be a pain in the ass to clinch, but it'd be impossible to do so. 

[formulanone]

US 1 from Fort Lauderdale southward can be very difficult.

Quite doable on a Saturday or Sunday to Homestead/Florida City, but a generally not so interesting during weekday grind. At least it's several lanes wide in most places. Conversely, weekdays might have less traffic for the US 1 trek towards Key West; unless you're renting a car and flying out of their airport, or chartering a ferry elsewhere, you're probably completing the Overseas Highway trip twice.

One advantage is that it's hard to wind up off-route!

[Scott5114]

I would say Utah SRs 298 and 299. It's technically possible to clinch them in a car, but you'd have to be taking your driver's road test to obtain a Utah Driver's License and the instructor would have to direct you to drive the whole thing.

This seems like a situation where one might have to work at it in an honest way, simply stating that you have a goal of driving all state routes in Utah, that their test track is SR 298/299, and that you want to clinch it. Play the bureaucracy game and talk to people's supervisors until you get permission to do so, possibly with supervision.

On the other hand, the gate is wide open on the Street View of SR-299. If you're a decent actor, you could probably pretend to be lost.

SR-298 is probably the harder get of the two. Depending on what is and isn't SR-298 (in either case, how would you know for sure? unless there's shapefiles), it looks like most of it is disused, with part of it impassible due to what appears to be shipping containers stored on the roadway.

Are there any places where DOTs maintain internal testing facilities (i.e. for things like signage or paint materials, or staff training) that are carried under their own state highway number and are not open to the public?

[CNGL-Leudimin]

E30. Three segments (Ireland, England, mainland Europe), 4000 miles total, requires clearing customs to/from Russia, and partially in Siberia.

And the English section is unsigned, like all E routes in the UK. For maximum difficulty try E90, with four different sections (Iberia, Sicily, mainland Italy and Greece-Turkey), no direct ferry connection between Barcelona (always Spain) and Mazara del Vallo (Sicily, Italy), crossing the mafious regions of Sicily and Calabria as well as Kurdistan, and ending at the Iraqi border.

In Spain I'd nominate national highway N-260. Created from former comarcal routes just 30 years ago, large sections of it are still goat paths.

[US 89]

I would say Utah SRs 298 and 299. It's technically possible to clinch them in a car, but you'd have to be taking your driver's road test to obtain a Utah Driver's License and the instructor would have to direct you to drive the whole thing.

This seems like a situation where one might have to work at it in an honest way, simply stating that you have a goal of driving all state routes in Utah, that their test track is SR 298/299, and that you want to clinch it. Play the bureaucracy game and talk to people's supervisors until you get permission to do so, possibly with supervision.

On the other hand, the gate is wide open on the Street View of SR-299. If you're a decent actor, you could probably pretend to be lost.

SR-298 is probably the harder get of the two. Depending on what is and isn't SR-298 (in either case, how would you know for sure? unless there's shapefiles), it looks like most of it is disused, with part of it impassible due to what appears to be shipping containers stored on the roadway.

SR-298 is one of those roads that will probably get decommissioned in the next few years anyway, since a lot of it is fenced off and looks like it hasn't been maintained in many years.

A lot of the Utah SRs in the 281-320 block (especially 282-299) are random roads that UDOT just happens to maintain because they go to a state park or serve a state institution. And because the state maintains them, they get a number. A lot of those routes aren't signed.

SR-287 is another difficult one to clinch, since the north end of it is on the other side of the prison control gate. But the worst one (aside from 298/299 mentioned above) would probably be 293, which is the roads and parking lots at the state capital building. The western side of 293 is restricted parking and deliveries only.

Also, here's a link to the official UDOT highway reference map.

[Henry]

All former US highways in the west, with their alignments through towns being Business Loops of the Interstates that replaced them. Old US 99 is such an example, with all three state routes not being continuous with each other. And that silent concurrency with I-5 in Sacramento can be a dealbreaker if you don't know the area too well.

[cl94]

Utah also has SR 900 and SR 901. These are a collection of low-quality BLM roads designated as state routes solely to prevent transport of nuclear waste across them.

[formulanone]

I would say Utah SRs 298 and 299. It's technically possible to clinch them in a car, but you'd have to be taking your driver's road test to obtain a Utah Driver's License and the instructor would have to direct you to drive the whole thing.

This seems like a situation where one might have to work at it in an honest way, simply stating that you have a goal of driving all state routes in Utah, that their test track is SR 298/299, and that you want to clinch it. Play the bureaucracy game and talk to people's supervisors until you get permission to do so, possibly with supervision.

On the other hand, the gate is wide open on the Street View of SR-299. If you're a decent actor, you could probably pretend to be lost.

SR-298 is probably the harder get of the two. Depending on what is and isn't SR-298 (in either case, how would you know for sure? unless there's shapefiles), it looks like most of it is disused, with part of it impassible due to what appears to be shipping containers stored on the roadway.

SR-298 is one of those roads that will probably get decommissioned in the next few years anyway, since a lot of it is fenced off and looks like it hasn’t been maintained in many years.

A lot of the Utah SRs in the 281-320 block (especially 282-299) are random roads that UDOT just happens to maintain because they go to a state park or serve a state institution. And because the state maintains them, they get a number. A lot of those routes aren’t signed.

SR-287 is another difficult one to clinch, since the north end of it is on the other side of the prison control gate. But the worst one (aside from 298/299 mentioned above) would probably be 293, which is the roads and parking lots at the state capital building. The western side of 293 is restricted parking and deliveries only.

Also, here’s a link to the official UDOT highway reference map.

SR 320 looks to be the nearly-impossible one: "All Roads within the Emergency Operation (EVO) Facility - Including the parking lot and the Skill Pad in Utah County" (Any open track days?)

Seems that a lot of us wouldn't mind skipping above-mentioned SR 287.

[jakeroot]

WA 339, which is still on the books but is no longer under state jurusdiction.

How is that different from other legislated highways that are not maintained, like the unbuilt tunnel in the Cascades?

At least it exists. You can't clinch Hwy 168 because it physically doesn't exist (obviously).

You could clinch 168 by foot, just like 339. Does WSDOT consider 339 to exist on the ferry? If not, it no longer exists.

Yeah, I would not consider the county ferry to be part of State Route 339- it's just a random ferry that happens to travel the same trajectory.

I don't think it's possible to clinch either 168 or 339- WSDOT doesn't have right of way or state maintenance/a state operated ferry on either corridor, so it's impossible to know exactly where the highway is.

I must admit that I forgot that no state ferry runs between Vashon and Seattle proper (only Fauntleroy). I guess it is equally as unclinchable (unless you have a boat).

In order to clinch Highway 168, you would probably need to tunnel as one was included in the plan (Naches tunnel). Although, semantically, a tunnel is not mentioned in the RCW, so I guess you could get away with tracing the original route on foot.

[OrangeLantern]

IIRC US 6 is really badly signed. I'm guessing that would be pretty difficult to clinch since you don't know where you're going.

(The views from CA to CO would make up for it though)

[Bruce]

WA 339, which is still on the books but is no longer under state jurusdiction.

How is that different from other legislated highways that are not maintained, like the unbuilt tunnel in the Cascades?

At least it exists. You can't clinch Hwy 168 because it physically doesn't exist (obviously).

You could clinch 168 by foot, just like 339. Does WSDOT consider 339 to exist on the ferry? If not, it no longer exists.

Yeah, I would not consider the county ferry to be part of State Route 339- it's just a random ferry that happens to travel the same trajectory.

I don't think it's possible to clinch either 168 or 339- WSDOT doesn't have right of way or state maintenance/a state operated ferry on either corridor, so it's impossible to know exactly where the highway is.

The county water taxi was created to replace the state run after the legislature ordered WSF to drop all passenger-only service (partially because Bremerton's "fast" ferries were sued out of existence). I consider it to be the legitimate successor.

[triplemultiplex]

Ferry route clinches are quite relaxing, in my experience.
Just sit back and enjoy the ride.  They usually sell beer on the longer voyages; The Badger, the Lake Express, The Alaska Marine Highway's larger vessels.  Crack a brew and enjoy the view.
And in the case of the ferries between segments of AK 7; it's an amazing view.  Keep your eyes peeled for charismatic mega-fauna!

[US 89]

Utah also has SR 900 and SR 901. These are a collection of low-quality BLM roads designated as state routes solely to prevent transport of nuclear waste across them.

Totally forgot about those. When they were created, they were called "public safety interest highways" or something like that.

Another difficult Utah one is SR 276, which runs across Lake Powell via the Charles Hall Ferry. The ferry is only open Thursday through Saturday (and frequently closes even on those days), and it closes if the lake level drops below 3575 feet. The ferry isn't technically part of the route, but getting from one side of the lake to the other without using the ferry requires a significant amount of backtracking on both sides in order to get to the nearest bridge over the Colorado, which is SR-95. Getting from Bullfrog to Halls Crossing without using the ferry is 143 miles (and you actually wind up clinching the rest of SR-276 anyway).

Actually, this area is one of the most difficult to traverse simply because the Colorado River flows in large canyons, which makes it a huge obstacle to travel. In fact, between Fruita CO and Laughlin NV, there are only six bridges over the Colorado:
-UT 128 at Dewey
-US 191 at Moab
-UT 95 at Hite
-US 89 at Page
-US 89A at Marble Canyon
-I-11/US-93 at Hoover Dam

[MikeTheActuary]

I have entered the US on US-5 before and could never figure out the Customs situation on the US side. It's in a building on the side of the street after another street that stays in the US has already intersected it (Caswell Avenue). The Canadian customs you can't miss but the US customs it seems like you could drive right on by without clearing customs.

I was up there couple of months ago, to interview for my NEXUS card (the "interviews" in Derby Line are done at the Main St. station, not the I-91 port). 

I didn't actually cross the border at Derby Line, but I of course did the obligatory gawking drive down Caswell.

The GSV imagery of the US border station is out of date.  Bing Maps shows the new gantry and additional lighting that's been erected in the past couple of years, making the station obvious.  There's also some signage on Main St. between the border and Caswell that doesn't show in either GSV or Bing.

I'll admit that during my sightseeing drive-by, I was a little concerned about setting off some kind of alert for running the border, but I believe the umpteen border patrol vehicles and agents stationed around the area are well-practiced at identifying who's supposed to stop, and who is good-to-go.

In terms of highway-clinching at the border, agents on both sides of the line are aware of the concept of "flagpoling": crossing the border, turning around, and coming back.  Usually flagpoling is done for paperwork reasons (e.g., to apply for/pick up paperwork that can only be handled upon arrival).  You'd probably have to go inside the station on both sides of the line, explain yourself, and pick up a form in the country you're not entering...and possibly face a search.  Essentially, a bureaucratic headache, but not a big one if you're aware of the possibility and have the right mentality. 

Being friendly, relaxed, and extremely honest and compliant are part of the "right mentality".  Having an uncluttered vehicle also helps, as does an appreciation for a possible 10-30 minute break to stretch your legs.  All of the Canadian border officials I've encountered have been professional, and on the U.S. side...well, it sometimes helps to believe that some of them are only being grouchy to stress any bad guys into making a mistake.

I don't know that I'd try flagpoling for highway clinching purposes, but I have had the dubious honor of explaining county-counting to a couple of bemused guards before, when explaining why I was crossing, driving around for a little while, and taking a different route home.

[Flint1979]

I have entered the US on US-5 before and could never figure out the Customs situation on the US side. It's in a building on the side of the street after another street that stays in the US has already intersected it (Caswell Avenue). The Canadian customs you can't miss but the US customs it seems like you could drive right on by without clearing customs.

I was up there couple of months ago, to interview for my NEXUS card (the "interviews" in Derby Line are done at the Main St. station, not the I-91 port). 

I didn't actually cross the border at Derby Line, but I of course did the obligatory gawking drive down Caswell.

The GSV imagery of the US border station is out of date.  Bing Maps shows the new gantry and additional lighting that's been erected in the past couple of years, making the station obvious.  There's also some signage on Main St. between the border and Caswell that doesn't show in either GSV or Bing.

I'll admit that during my sightseeing drive-by, I was a little concerned about setting off some kind of alert for running the border, but I believe the umpteen border patrol vehicles and agents stationed around the area are well-practiced at identifying who's supposed to stop, and who is good-to-go.

In terms of highway-clinching at the border, agents on both sides of the line are aware of the concept of "flagpoling": crossing the border, turning around, and coming back.  Usually flagpoling is done for paperwork reasons (e.g., to apply for/pick up paperwork that can only be handled upon arrival).  You'd probably have to go inside the station on both sides of the line, explain yourself, and pick up a form in the country you're not entering...and possibly face a search.  Essentially, a bureaucratic headache, but not a big one if you're aware of the possibility and have the right mentality. 

Being friendly, relaxed, and extremely honest and compliant are part of the "right mentality".  Having an uncluttered vehicle also helps, as does an appreciation for a possible 10-30 minute break to stretch your legs.  All of the Canadian border officials I've encountered have been professional, and on the U.S. side...well, it sometimes helps to believe that some of them are only being grouchy to stress any bad guys into making a mistake.

I don't know that I'd try flagpoling for highway clinching purposes, but I have had the dubious honor of explaining county-counting to a couple of bemused guards before, when explaining why I was crossing, driving around for a little while, and taking a different route home.

That's what I was thinking since US-5's northern terminus is a couple of miles west of I-91's. But now that you say GSV is out of date I guess a new building has been built since I was there and GSV looks the same as when I was there.

I'd much rather try clinching US highways before Interstate's. Interstate's all seem the same to me, US highways have some uniqueness to them. The only US highway so far that I've clinched is US-223 and I only did that so I could say I drove on it since it was the only US highway in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan that I never drove on. On the other side of the bridge I have never driven on US-45 and that is now the only one I have never driven on in Michigan.

[cl94]

I have entered the US on US-5 before and could never figure out the Customs situation on the US side. It's in a building on the side of the street after another street that stays in the US has already intersected it (Caswell Avenue). The Canadian customs you can't miss but the US customs it seems like you could drive right on by without clearing customs.

I was up there couple of months ago, to interview for my NEXUS card (the "interviews" in Derby Line are done at the Main St. station, not the I-91 port). 

I didn't actually cross the border at Derby Line, but I of course did the obligatory gawking drive down Caswell.

The GSV imagery of the US border station is out of date.  Bing Maps shows the new gantry and additional lighting that's been erected in the past couple of years, making the station obvious.  There's also some signage on Main St. between the border and Caswell that doesn't show in either GSV or Bing.

I'll admit that during my sightseeing drive-by, I was a little concerned about setting off some kind of alert for running the border, but I believe the umpteen border patrol vehicles and agents stationed around the area are well-practiced at identifying who's supposed to stop, and who is good-to-go.

In terms of highway-clinching at the border, agents on both sides of the line are aware of the concept of "flagpoling": crossing the border, turning around, and coming back.  Usually flagpoling is done for paperwork reasons (e.g., to apply for/pick up paperwork that can only be handled upon arrival).  You'd probably have to go inside the station on both sides of the line, explain yourself, and pick up a form in the country you're not entering...and possibly face a search.  Essentially, a bureaucratic headache, but not a big one if you're aware of the possibility and have the right mentality. 

Being friendly, relaxed, and extremely honest and compliant are part of the "right mentality".  Having an uncluttered vehicle also helps, as does an appreciation for a possible 10-30 minute break to stretch your legs.  All of the Canadian border officials I've encountered have been professional, and on the U.S. side...well, it sometimes helps to believe that some of them are only being grouchy to stress any bad guys into making a mistake.

I don't know that I'd try flagpoling for highway clinching purposes, but I have had the dubious honor of explaining county-counting to a couple of bemused guards before, when explaining why I was crossing, driving around for a little while, and taking a different route home.

That's what I was thinking since US-5's northern terminus is a couple of miles west of I-91's. But now that you say GSV is out of date I guess a new building has been built since I was there and GSV looks the same as when I was there.

I'd much rather try clinching US highways before Interstate's. Interstate's all seem the same to me, US highways have some uniqueness to them. The only US highway so far that I've clinched is US-223 and I only did that so I could say I drove on it since it was the only US highway in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan that I never drove on. On the other side of the bridge I have never driven on US-45 and that is now the only one I have never driven on in Michigan.

Again, you can get US 5 without crossing the border because you can park your car half a block away, walk to the actual border, stick your hand out, and call it a day. There are even stores right up against the border. Multiple forum members (myself included) have done that and customs didn't care. There's usually a CBP car sitting at the border to tell people entering the US how to report and they can see you didn't cross the border.

[english si]

E30. Three segments (Ireland, England, mainland Europe), 4000 miles total, requires clearing customs to/from Russia, and partially in Siberia.

You've missed off Wales (linked to the English bit)! And at least there's a ferry for the Ireland-Wales crossing, unlike the England-Netherlands bit.

I raise you the E22. Not as long (3362.46 miles vs 3840.59 miles, according to TM, the E22 is shorter than the continental bit of the E30 by 1.99 miles), but 4 segments (that unlike the E30 don't really go together), also reaching Siberia, and lower-quality roads on average.

I guess you don't have to get a Belarusian visa, but...

Though really something like AH1 takes the cake - only one ferry, but massively long and lots of terrible roads as it.

And if border issues are a problem, then one of the Mashreq routes that goes through Israel (not that they recognise that) - if you are doing one that also goes via Syria you will have to two-passport it as a stamp from one country stops you going to another.

[Flint1979]

I have entered the US on US-5 before and could never figure out the Customs situation on the US side. It's in a building on the side of the street after another street that stays in the US has already intersected it (Caswell Avenue). The Canadian customs you can't miss but the US customs it seems like you could drive right on by without clearing customs.

I was up there couple of months ago, to interview for my NEXUS card (the "interviews" in Derby Line are done at the Main St. station, not the I-91 port). 

I didn't actually cross the border at Derby Line, but I of course did the obligatory gawking drive down Caswell.

The GSV imagery of the US border station is out of date.  Bing Maps shows the new gantry and additional lighting that's been erected in the past couple of years, making the station obvious.  There's also some signage on Main St. between the border and Caswell that doesn't show in either GSV or Bing.

I'll admit that during my sightseeing drive-by, I was a little concerned about setting off some kind of alert for running the border, but I believe the umpteen border patrol vehicles and agents stationed around the area are well-practiced at identifying who's supposed to stop, and who is good-to-go.

In terms of highway-clinching at the border, agents on both sides of the line are aware of the concept of "flagpoling": crossing the border, turning around, and coming back.  Usually flagpoling is done for paperwork reasons (e.g., to apply for/pick up paperwork that can only be handled upon arrival).  You'd probably have to go inside the station on both sides of the line, explain yourself, and pick up a form in the country you're not entering...and possibly face a search.  Essentially, a bureaucratic headache, but not a big one if you're aware of the possibility and have the right mentality. 

Being friendly, relaxed, and extremely honest and compliant are part of the "right mentality".  Having an uncluttered vehicle also helps, as does an appreciation for a possible 10-30 minute break to stretch your legs.  All of the Canadian border officials I've encountered have been professional, and on the U.S. side...well, it sometimes helps to believe that some of them are only being grouchy to stress any bad guys into making a mistake.

I don't know that I'd try flagpoling for highway clinching purposes, but I have had the dubious honor of explaining county-counting to a couple of bemused guards before, when explaining why I was crossing, driving around for a little while, and taking a different route home.

That's what I was thinking since US-5's northern terminus is a couple of miles west of I-91's. But now that you say GSV is out of date I guess a new building has been built since I was there and GSV looks the same as when I was there.

I'd much rather try clinching US highways before Interstate's. Interstate's all seem the same to me, US highways have some uniqueness to them. The only US highway so far that I've clinched is US-223 and I only did that so I could say I drove on it since it was the only US highway in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan that I never drove on. On the other side of the bridge I have never driven on US-45 and that is now the only one I have never driven on in Michigan.

Again, you can get US 5 without crossing the border because you can park your car half a block away, walk to the actual border, stick your hand out, and call it a day. There are even stores right up against the border. Multiple forum members (myself included) have done that and customs didn't care. There's usually a CBP car sitting at the border to tell people entering the US how to report and they can see you didn't cross the border.

Well if that's the case then it's easy. But what my issue with that border crossing was is not knowing where to clear customs.

[CNGL-Leudimin]

Though really something like AH1 takes the cake - only one ferry, but massively long and lots of terrible roads as it.

Yup. That is one hell of a route. Not only has a convoluted route, it also crosses dangerous areas such as Afghanistan or Burma. And to top that it goes right through Best Korea .

[SteveG1988]

I've never crossed an international border, so forgive me if this is a dumb question. But, for example, if you're just trying to clinch a route that crosses into Canada, do the Canadian border patrol actually ask why you're crossing into Canada? I mean, aside from the time hassle, is there any other reason to not cross the border for maximum completeness?

They hope that you plan on doing conventional touristy things, preferably involving your spending lots of money. They also try to find out if you really have some suspicious or strange reason for entering Canada, or plan on doing something they don't like such as smuggling drugs or kiddie porn (sometimes mentioned as a bogus reason to search your laptop), or taking jobs away from Canadians. Route-clinching and other roadgeeky reasons are often to them in the "suspicious or strange" category.

They won't turn you away without better reason, but they can subject you to a vehicle search, which is not a pleasant beginning for your visit to Canada.

After an implausibly short visit to Canada, U.S. border agents might wonder what you were really doing up there, and whether you're bringing back drugs, kiddie porn, etc. (border agents on both sides of the border seem to think that stuff is more abundant on the other side of the border), so you might draw a PITA vehicle search on your return to the U.S.

You do not want the pain in the ass search, i went to a Furry convention in Toronto, i left the USA via buffalo, came back via thousand Islands, 90 minutes later i had my laptop, and phone searched. "we did not know what a furry convention was, so we searched you, next time you may want to show us a brochure" It does help to cross and return at the same location you left the country.