Large or medium-sized cities with no grade separation

[hotdogPi]

Lynn, MA has 90k people and no road grade separation at all. My guess is that it's the largest in the United States.

Are there any other large or medium-sized (50k+, but it's not a hard minimum) cities/towns/etc. in the United States without grade separation? (I'm considering roads only; railroads don't count.) EDIT: Pedestrian overpasses/underpasses don't count either.

We probably can't find one above 160k due to this thread (disclaimer: I started that thread too), unless there's a larger city where a freeway clips the corner with no interchanges.

[webny99]

I'm trying to think of cases which could qualify for one thread and not the other. Quite honestly, I don't think the results will be that much different. Since grade separation almost always involves freeways, I think we'll get many of the same cities for both. Looking for places where a freeway enters with no interchanges or overpasses might be the best place to start.

I would not be at all surprised either if Lynn, MA, is the largest contender.

[briantroutman]

A few "almosts"  in Pennsylvania.

Upper Darby (pop. 82,795) on the western edge of Philadelphia almost qualifies. However there's one railroad overpass on US 13 at the Fernwood/Yeadon station where Railroad Avenue sneaks underneath on one side and an unnamed continuation of 1st Street wraps underneath the overpass on the other.

Lancaster (pop. 59,218) as recently as the 1950s had square borders which didn't touch the current locations of any of the "Lancaster"  freeways. And as far as I know, there are no other grade separations among Lancaster's city streets. But since then, however, the city has annexed some irregular tracts of land which touch the US 30 freeway in three places.

York (pop. 43,859) is another Lancaster-like example, although it looks as if York is still untouched by the freeway that serves it, and I haven't found any grade separations elsewhere within the city limits. So it appears York would qualify...if not for being under the 50K minimum you specified.

If other examples exist, I tend to think they'd be similar to the Lynn and Upper Darby examples: Rather densely populated municipalities within a major metro area that by happenstance of their location and density weren't in the path of cross-metro freeways but also weren't significant enough to warrant freeway spurs leading to their cores.

[ftballfan]

In Michigan, if suburbs are included, Inkster would probably win. Kentwood is barely disqualified as I-96 clips the northeast corner of the city, and Forest Hill Ave crosses over I-96 in that corner

[oscar]

Juneau, Alaska has no grade separations. It's "medium-sized" by Alaska standards (Anchorage being the only large city), but its population is only in the low 30,000s.

In Hawaii, I think both Hilo and Kailua-Kona have no grade separations, and with somewhat higher populations than Juneau, but still not anywhere near Lynn's.

[Hurricane Rex]

The largest I can find in Oregon is Lake Oswego although it cuts it really close. Population 40,000.

[bing101]

Juneau, Alaska has no grade separations. It's "medium-sized" by Alaska standards (Anchorage being the only large city), but its population is only in the low 30,000s.

In Hawaii, I think both Hilo and Kailua-Kona have no grade separations, and with somewhat higher populations than Juneau, but still not anywhere near Lynn's.

Maui in Hawaii has no grade separations too.

[US 89]

Logan, Utah appears to be the largest city in Utah with no grade separation. City population is 50K, but the metro area population is 130K which includes Cache County and neighboring Franklin County, ID.

[sparker]

Two CA "high desert" towns, Apple Valley (about 70K as of 2010 census) and Adelanto (about 32K for same timeframe) don't have any grade separations; the sole facility that -- as of yet -- would feature such is I-15; the two incorporated cities that sit astride that freeway are Hesperia and Victorville; Adelanto's "main street" is US 395, currently a surface road, while Apple Valley sits east of Victorville along CA 18; neither town contacts I-15.  Things may change in the future, however; the proposed Palmdale-Victorville/"E-220" toll corridor will, according to current plans, bisect Adelanto, cross I-15, and become a free CA 18 realignment expressway with some grade separations at major arterials in the north area of Apple Valley.   However, it's still unfunded, so the grade separation situation is likely to persist for some time to come.

[tdindy88]

Noblesville, Indiana (a suburb north of Indianapolis) has over 60,000 people and barely borders I-69 to the south. Otherwise, no grade separation on any roadways. This may change in a few years when SR 37 becomes grade separated.

[oscar]

Juneau, Alaska has no grade separations. It's "medium-sized" by Alaska standards (Anchorage being the only large city), but its population is only in the low 30,000s.

In Hawaii, I think both Hilo and Kailua-Kona have no grade separations, and with somewhat higher populations than Juneau, but still not anywhere near Lynn's.

Maui in Hawaii has no grade separations too.

It has two, on HI 32 in Wailuku.

Once you get into rural areas, the Big Island has at least one grade separation (HI 200 over a military road), and Kauai may have one for an old cane haul road, so no fair counting those islands' total populations rather than just the urban area populations.

[triplemultiplex]

Juneau, Alaska has no grade separations. It's "medium-sized" by Alaska standards (Anchorage being the only large city), but its population is only in the low 30,000s.

The municipal boundaries of Juneau, such as these things are in Alaska, include a huge area:


As such, the region's lone interchange is technically in Juneau even if it is actually away from the core of the city.  There are also bridges over a frontage road nearby.
http://mapper.acme.com/?ll=58.35756,-134.51894&z=17&t=S

[MarkF]

Juneau, Alaska has no grade separations. It's "medium-sized" by Alaska standards (Anchorage being the only large city), but its population is only in the low 30,000s.

In Hawaii, I think both Hilo and Kailua-Kona have no grade separations, and with somewhat higher populations than Juneau, but still not anywhere near Lynn's.

Maui in Hawaii has no grade separations too.

It has two, on HI 32 in Wailuku.

Once you get into rural areas, the Big Island has at least one grade separation (HI 200 over a military road), and Kauai may have one for an old cane haul road, so no fair counting those islands' total populations rather than just the urban area populations.

Another Maui grade separation is on the Lahaina Bypass, HI3000.

[Road Hog]

It appears the Arkansas winner is Paragould (pop. 28,958). Wasn't even served by a US highway until 412 and 49 were extended to it sometime in the 1980s.

[SD Mapman]

It appears the Arkansas winner is Paragould (pop. 28,958). Wasn't even served by a US highway until 412 and 49 were extended to it sometime in the 1980s.

That's about the same size as SD's winner, Aberdeen (28,415). However, Paragould is about the 20th largest city in Arkansas and Aberdeen is SD's 3rd largest...