Largest municipalities/incorporated places without a state highway/road/route?

[bulldog1979]

The ten largest cities without a state highway in Michigan that I can find are:

• Grosse Point Woods (16,135) in Wayne County
• Grosse Pointe Park (11,555) in Wayne County
• South Lyon (11,327) in Oakland County
• East Grand Rapids (10,694) in Kent County
• Beverly Hills"  (10,267) in Oakland County
• Ecorse (9,512) in Wayne County
• Grosse Pointe Farms (9,479) in Wayne County
• Plymouth (9,132) in Wayne County
• Flushing (8,389) in Genesee County
• Grand Blanc (8,144) in Genesee County

" Village

The other various villages lacking highways are all smaller, and none of the cities rank in the top 100 municipalities by population (which includes some townships). The city of Wyandotte at 25,883 would be the largest, but M-85 (Fort Street) forms part of its western boundary with the city limits along the center line. East Grand Rapids used to have part of US 16 on its northern boundary along Cascade Road, but that hasn't been a state highway in decades. M-37/M-44 on the East Beltline just misses the NW corner of the city by less than 100 feet.

[empirestate]

Well, it would be close if M-14 did indeed just trace the city limits, but it appears to have long stretches wholly inside the boundary (again, according to Google, which is presumably TIGER data, and thus as accurate as you're likely to find without actually going to city hall).

Just to check, I pulled up MDOT's Physical Reference Finder Map, which has the official city limits, and Ann Arbor has several state highways within its boundaries.

• Most of the ROW for US 23 on the east side is just outside the city limits, but between Packard and the south side of the cloverleaf for Washtenaw Avenue, it is in the city. Part of the ROW at the Plymouth Road interchange is in the city as well.
• Bus US 23/M-14 crosses through part of the city at the Huron River. M-14 continues through the city west to Maple Road, exits and then re-enters the city to the west side of the ramps for Miller Road.
• I-94 runs through the city from Wagner Road to Liberty Road, where the boundary runs next to the I-94 ROW. The line zig-zags back and forth to encompass sections of the ROW from there until the State Street interchange. From there until Ellsworth Road, I-94 is firmly within the city.
• Any segments of BL I-94 and Bus US 23 that aren't on the freeways are within the city, and yes, those are considered state highways by MDOT; the department has jurisdiction and control over business routes in the state

Yeah, that matches what I see in Google. So Ann Arbor definitely doesn't count, but the only reason it doesn't is M-14, since the OP is

just interested in the primary state routes

–meaning the M-routes, in this case. (Of course, US 23, I-94 and the business routes further disqualify Ann Arbor from the side question of largest municipalities with no highways under state jurisdiction, so it's just a no-go however you slice it.)

[hbelkins]

I would be hard-pressed to name a single incorporated municipality in Kentucky without a state highway. Perhaps some of those subdivision-as-incorporated-city places in Louisville might qualify, but I doubt any of them would qualify as "largest."

Heck some of Kentucky's smallest county seat towns have a US highway (Hyden, McKee, Frenchburg) or three two-digit state routes (Booneville) running through them.

[bassoon1986]

I would be hard-pressed to name a single incorporated municipality in Kentucky without a state highway. Perhaps some of those subdivision-as-incorporated-city places in Louisville might qualify, but I doubt any of them would qualify as "largest."

Heck some of Kentucky's smallest county seat towns have a US highway (Hyden, McKee, Frenchburg) or three two-digit state routes (Booneville) running through them.

Yep, same with Louisiana. Unless there's a part of New Orleans or Baton Rouge that doesn't have even a hyphenated neighborhood route, Louisiana may not have any.

[TheStranger]

California's largest city without a numbered route running through it is Huntington Park (58K) near Los Angeles, in part because the Route 90 freeway gap from Marina Del Rey to Orange County will never be completed.

Isn't Gardena just a tiny bit bigger? (59K) And CA-91 now ends at the Gardena city limit?

91 reaches Vermont Avenue (the city limit) - I feel honestly that'd be enough to count it as having a numbered route reach the area.  Also, heading west along Artesia, the route is still signed in spots as of 2014.

Huntington Park on the other hand has never had a numbered route through it and is a mile away from the nearest one (Long Beach Freeway/I-710).

Wait I thought CA-118 at I-210 interchange is within San Fernando City Limits right?

Nope: https://goo.gl/maps/xmI9c

The east city limit at Foothill Boulevard (and the Pacoima Wash) is only a few feet away from 210 though.  Prior to the mid-1950s, US 6 & 99 ran along San Fernando Road through the heart of town.

[JCinSummerfield]

Well, it would be close if M-14 did indeed just trace the city limits, but it appears to have long stretches wholly inside the boundary (again, according to Google, which is presumably TIGER data, and thus as accurate as you're likely to find without actually going to city hall).

Just to check, I pulled up MDOT's Physical Reference Finder Map, which has the official city limits, and Ann Arbor has several state highways within its boundaries.

• Most of the ROW for US 23 on the east side is just outside the city limits, but between Packard and the south side of the cloverleaf for Washtenaw Avenue, it is in the city. Part of the ROW at the Plymouth Road interchange is in the city as well.
• Bus US 23/M-14 crosses through part of the city at the Huron River. M-14 continues through the city west to Maple Road, exits and then re-enters the city to the west side of the ramps for Miller Road.
• I-94 runs through the city from Wagner Road to Liberty Road, where the boundary runs next to the I-94 ROW. The line zig-zags back and forth to encompass sections of the ROW from there until the State Street interchange. From there until Ellsworth Road, I-94 is firmly within the city.
• Any segments of BL I-94 and Bus US 23 that aren't on the freeways are within the city, and yes, those are considered state highways by MDOT; the department has jurisdiction and control over business routes in the state

Yeah, that matches what I see in Google. So Ann Arbor definitely doesn't count, but the only reason it doesn't is M-14, since the OP is

just interested in the primary state routes

–meaning the M-routes, in this case. (Of course, US 23, I-94 and the business routes further disqualify Ann Arbor from the side question of largest municipalities with no highways under state jurisdiction, so it's just a no-go however you slice it.)

Man, you folks are getting anal.  The original post was about STATE highways, not interstates or US routes, or their business routes.  I am well aware that decades ago, Ann Arbor set their city limits at the highways that encircled the city, and have since progressed beyond them in spots.  Had the question been inclusive for federal highways, I wouldn't have bothered posting it.

[SSOWorld]

Ok people

If Interstates and U.S. Routes don't count - Rochester, MN Wins!

But I'm considering US and Interstate routes part of the state's highway system, so good luck finding an incorporated place not on a highway.

[TheHighwayMan3561]

Ok people

If Interstates and U.S. Routes don't count - Rochester, MN Wins!

But I'm considering US and Interstate routes part of the state's highway system, so good luck finding an incorporated place not on a highway.

This. How anyone can argue that Interstates and US routes don't count is silly in my view.

[cl94]

Ok people

If Interstates and U.S. Routes don't count - Rochester, MN Wins!

But I'm considering US and Interstate routes part of the state's highway system, so good luck finding an incorporated place not on a highway.

This. How anyone can argue that Interstates and US routes don't count is silly in my view.

Most states count both as state routes. Take New York for example. Officially, I-87 is Route 87I. Heck, PA's markers even list I-90 as "SR 90".

[TEG24601]

Using NE2s prompt because there are hundreds of populated cities with US routes or interstates but no primary state highways in the US:

Point Roberts WA and Alta WY 

Montana's system is so extensive that there isn't much. Fort Smith (pop 161) is probably the biggest. Wyoming does a really good job with coverage too.  Idaho has dozens of well-known place names that don't have state highway access, but I can't think of one larger than Garden Valley (394) off the top of my head.

White Swan, Washington is fairly large with 3,033, and it's unique because it had a state highway until 1992.

I think you will find that Point Roberts and White Swan are not towns or cities, they are simply a CDP (Census Designated Place) with a post office.  My hometown of Langley (pop 1015) is the latest city to fall under RWC concerning State Routes (requiring a State Route to serve populations over 1000), but one has not yet been designated, instead we got a compromise, of a Signed Route, sponsored by the state, and maintained by the City and County called the "Langey Loop".  No number, no assistance in maintenance, we just bought the templates from the state, and the county road shop makes them.  They can't be bothered to make the signs correctly, either.  They put the Arrows in the body of the sign, instead of making a standard sign, then using MUTCD approved directional arrows below, it makes it look tacky.

http://apps.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=47.17.001

[froggie]

If Interstates and U.S. Routes don't count - Rochester, MN Wins!

MN 30...

[TEG24601]

Ok people

If Interstates and U.S. Routes don't count - Rochester, MN Wins!

But I'm considering US and Interstate routes part of the state's highway system, so good luck finding an incorporated place not on a highway.

This. How anyone can argue that Interstates and US routes don't count is silly in my view.

They are all routes... maintained by the state or a state designated entity.

Now, Indiana could cause some consternation, what with IDOT's idiotic removal of State Roads from within city limits with bypass routes, you might find an independent suburb of Indianapolis, Ft. Wayne, or Lafayette that would count.


Speedway, IN may come close, since no State Road, US Route, or Interstate enters the city, but I-465 and I-74 meet at the edge of the city limits.

[empirestate]

Ok people

If Interstates and U.S. Routes don't count - Rochester, MN Wins!

But I'm considering US and Interstate routes part of the state's highway system, so good luck finding an incorporated place not on a highway.

This. How anyone can argue that Interstates and US routes don't count is silly in my view.

Eh, doesn't surprise me, the way some of us like to explore every angle of every different minutia that we can think of. It's no different than asking for the largest place with no US routes (Interstate and State routes being OK) or no Interstates (US and State routes being OK). I personally agree that it's more interesting to find the largest places with none of these types of routes, rather than just the State kind, but if the OP is specifically interested only in State routes, and you think that BS, I guess you'll just have to take it up with him. :-)

[TheHighwayMan3561]

Then I guess in that case...if we're going to go to the technicality bin and discount Rochester for MN 30 clipping a couple blocks of the city limits near the airport, the undisputed winner is probably Moorhead at 40,000. (MN 336 is nearby, but fully outside the city limits)

Disputed:
Woodbury (65K; MN 95 follows the city line but never actually enters it)
Lakeville (58K; used to have decommissioned MN 50 running through it)

[Brandon]

Now, Indiana could cause some consternation, what with IDOT's idiotic removal of State Roads from within city limits with bypass routes, you might find an independent suburb of Indianapolis, Ft. Wayne, or Lafayette that would count.

Minor quibble, IDOT is Illinois, InDOT is Indiana.  InDOT even uses InDOT as on their trucks, items, and website.

[froggie]

but if the OP is specifically interested only in State routes

In his reply to SPUI, he seemed to agree with the premise of state-maintained routes (i.e. including Interstates and US routes).  There's enough here to where we could probably include both...largest city/town lacking a designated state route, and largest town lacking any state/US/Interstate highway.

Woodbury (65K; MN 95 follows the city line but never actually enters it)

MnDOT defines MN 95 as being in Woodbury here and not in Afton, so I'd go with Lakeville as the "largest without state route" winner, while Andover is the largest without any state-maintained route.

[Kacie Jane]

Ok people

If Interstates and U.S. Routes don't count - Rochester, MN Wins!

But I'm considering US and Interstate routes part of the state's highway system, so good luck finding an incorporated place not on a highway.

This. How anyone can argue that Interstates and US routes don't count is silly in my view.

Eh, doesn't surprise me, the way some of us like to explore every angle of every different minutia that we can think of. It's no different than asking for the largest place with no US routes (Interstate and State routes being OK) or no Interstates (US and State routes being OK). I personally agree that it's more interesting to find the largest places with none of these types of routes, rather than just the State kind, but if the OP is specifically interested only in State routes, and you think that BS, I guess you'll just have to take it up with him. :-)

There's a difference between asking the biggest town without a U.S. Route (but state routes are okay) or asking the biggest town without a state route.

Take Forks, WA. Reasonably sized town, though smaller than many of the ones on this thread. Happened to be the first one I thought of served only by a U.S. Route.  And because it's served by a U.S. Route, it already has a highway maintained by the state running through it. There's no good reason for them to sign another route just for the heck of it. It's already on the "state highway system", even if it's not part of the "system of highways signed with George Washington's head".

Whereas if we're discussing cities not on the U.S. highway system, we're typically discussing somewhat larger cities. And if I'm discussing it from the perspective of someone in Fresno, I'm whining about not being part of the national network of highways. And you could argue till you're blue in the face that 99 is an adequate substitute (and outside this hypothetical, I'd agree with you), but in the eyes of many it's not.  Whereas you can't make a legitimate argument that US 101 is not an adequate substitute for a Washington's head highway to connect Forks to the rest of the state.


TL;DR: If we're discussing U.S. Routes, of course highways of a lower classification don't count. If we're discussing state routes, of course highways of a higher classification should count.  (But I purposely stayed away from comparing U.S. Routes and Interstates, since I don't think anyone really agrees on how those should coexist.)

[JJBers]

Sorry for being 2 years late, but I'm pretty sure that Connecticut has no towns without a state route, but I'll do a list of the largest towns without US Routes:
1. Waterbury (109k)
2. New Britain (73k)
3. Middletown (47k)
Now without Interstates:
1. Bristol (60k)
2. Torrington (35k)
3. Glastonbury (34k)

[mgk920]

I'll have to scour the state for others, but here in Appleton area, the Villages of Combined Locks (3328 - 2010 USCensus) and Kimberly (6468) both have no state highways within their borders.  Kimberly goes west to WI 441, but the ROW itself is in Appleton (only a very tiny part of the NB on-ramp at College Ave is in Kimberly).  I also know that the Village of Shorewood Hills (Madison suburb - 1565) has no state highways within its borders.  There are many other isolated little 'dot on the map' incorporated munis statewide that are also not on state highways.

Mike

[DJDBVT]

Towns and similar divisions in Vermont with no state highways (with 2010 populations):

Brookline (467)
Sandgate (405)
Stannard (216)
Granby (88)
Victory (62)
Somerset (5)
Lewis (0)
Avery's Gore (0)
Warner's Grant (0)

Definitions of a State Highway for the purpose of this reply: A public way that is both numbered and signed, regardless of maintenance responsibility, excluding National Forest Highways.

[US 89]

Towns and similar divisions in Vermont with no state highways (with 2010 populations):

Brookline (467)
Sandgate (405)
Stannard (216)
Granby (88)
Victory (62)
Somerset (5)
Lewis (0)
Avery's Gore (0)
Warner's Grant (0)

Definitions of a State Highway for the purpose of this reply: A public way that is both numbered and signed, regardless of maintenance responsibility, excluding National Forest Highways.

How can you call a place a town if it has a population of 0? Wouldn't these be better termed ghost towns?

[SectorZ]

Towns and similar divisions in Vermont with no state highways (with 2010 populations):

Brookline (467)
Sandgate (405)
Stannard (216)
Granby (88)
Victory (62)
Somerset (5)
Lewis (0)
Avery's Gore (0)
Warner's Grant (0)

Definitions of a State Highway for the purpose of this reply: A public way that is both numbered and signed, regardless of maintenance responsibility, excluding National Forest Highways.

How can you call a place a town if it has a population of 0? Wouldn't these be better termed ghost towns?

Welcome to New England. While Vermont calls them towns, they have no government. NH calls these very low to not-at-all populated places townships, and the state manages their affairs.

[DJDBVT]

How can you call a place a town if it has a population of 0? Wouldn't these be better termed ghost towns?

Somerset is the only town on the list that could conceivably be called a ghost town. A former logging town, it's peak population was just over 300 in the mid 1850s. The town once boasted several mills and railway access, all of which are long gone. There are still a number of camps and seasonal residences, and the town's single-room schoolhouse still stands. The town was disincorporated by the state in 1937. The other areas on the list with lower populations never had more than a handful of residents at any one time and were never incorporated. There are several other low- or no-population towns in the state that have a state highway within their borders.

[dvferyance]

New Berlin WI pop 40,000 just has barely one WI-59 clips the very NW corner of the city. WI-24 once served it but even then only the very SE corner. Many of the main roads aren't even county highways. That is the closest that comes to mid for a larger city in Wisconsin without a state highway.

[mgk920]

New Berlin WI pop 40,000 just has barely one WI-59 clips the very NW corner of the city. WI-24 once served it but even then only the very SE corner. Many of the main roads aren't even county highways. That is the closest that comes to mid for a larger city in Wisconsin without a state highway.

Isn't the entire length of WI 59's (Greenfield Ave) eastbound side in New Berlin?

Mike