location in the lower 48 farthest from an interstate highway

[Molandfreak]

(good job idiot google maps switching to kilometers when the start point is within ~5 miles of Canada, despite the fact that the entire route is in the US.)

Lol, I was wondering about that

[agentsteel53]

I can get the distance from the UP to I-39 down to 237 miles using a few old alignments and strategically located dirt roads.

is there a point near the Morgan crossing that takes us farther from I-15, without then getting too close to I-94?

[agentsteel53]

I have found this point southeast of Morgan, MT:

http://goo.gl/maps/8kd9a

a trip from Great Falls to Miles City via this point is 504 miles, so I believe it is 252 miles from each of I-94 and I-15.

[Molandfreak]

http://goo.gl/maps/qWcJM

[webfil]

Pales in comparsion to some of the western examples, but in up in Allagash, ME you can drive more than 130 miles away from I-95, which is impressive for New England.

Estcourt Junction is even further, accessible via logging roads in the US or via provincial highways in Quebec.

As through traffic is forbidden (and enforced) in Northern Maine Woods, one cannot enter that territory at some checkpoint and leave at another one.

Thus, entering the United States at Escourt (Pohénégamook), Saint-Pamphile, Saint-Just and Sainte-Aurélie ports of entry require you to leave by the same POE, meaning you have to leave US to reach I-95. That condition added to this thread's requirements, here are some distances via Northern Maine Woods checkpoints from I-95 via Canada :

• If you find yourself having entered NMW at Estcourt customs and reach Caribou Checkpoint, that would be 294 miles from I-95's exit 286
• Having entered at Saint-Pamphile and reaching Oxbow Checkpoint, you find yourself at 340 miles from I-95's exit 217
• Having entered at Saint-Pamphile and reaching Caribou Checkpoint, you find yourself at 356 miles from I-95's exit 217
• Saint-Pamphile POE to I-95 exit 217 : 238 miles
• Saint-Just POE to I-95 exit 217 : 202 miles

[agentsteel53]

http://goo.gl/maps/qWcJM

oops, forgot that Glendive is closer than Miles City and is therefore the more appropriate point to use.

[agentsteel53]

As through traffic is forbidden (and enforced) in Northern Maine Woods, one cannot enter that territory at some checkpoint and leave at another one.

holy non-determinism.

what if I hiked/snowmobiled/four-wheelered to the Caribou checkpoint from somewhere else within Maine, and found myself there without any Canadian point of entry paperwork, as I had never been in Canada?  then how far would it be to I-95 for me? 

[webfil]

As through traffic is forbidden (and enforced) in Northern Maine Woods, one cannot enter that territory at some checkpoint and leave at another one.

holy non-determinism.

E=mc² 
You cannot pretend to be absolute when calculating earth surface distances outside orthodromy, especially when asking for a "shortest longest" distance 

what if I hiked/snowmobiled/four-wheelered to the Caribou checkpoint from somewhere else within Maine, and found myself there without any Canadian point of entry paperwork, as I had never been in Canada?  then how far would it be to I-95 for me? 

Well if you'd enter NMW at Caribou checkpoint, you'd have to leave at Caribou. Saint-Pamphile checkpoint staff would not let you reach the customs.

You would reach I-95 within 58 miles from Caribou.

[agentsteel53]

Well if you'd enter NMW at Caribou checkpoint, you'd have to leave at Caribou. Saint-Pamphile checkpoint staff would not let you reach the customs.

You would reach I-95 within 58 miles from Caribou.

that could be our answer there.

237 miles from the end of High Rock Bay Road to the beginning of I-39.  (unless we find a point in Montana that is farther from both Great Falls and Glendive, which I do not believe exists.)

or, 356 miles from Caribou Checkpoint, ME to I-95 if your papers clear you only for Saint-Pamphile Checkpoint exit. 

I just cannot completely wrap my head around this restriction (got shit sleep last night, so I can't wrap my head around much of anything, really.) - given that some traffic can get to I-95 within 58 miles from Caribou Checkpoint, just because you cannot doesn't mean that I-95 isn't 58 miles away.

fucking non-determinism.  I should have made the original question be "location in the lower 48 farthest from an interstate highway, assuming you have the correct paperwork to minimize your distance".  but I didn't.  so Caribou it is.

[agentsteel53]

E=mc² 

you mean iħ ∂/∂tΨ = ĤΨ? 

You cannot pretend to be absolute when calculating earth surface distances outside orthodromy, especially when asking for a "shortest longest" distance 

I think given the definition of "public road", we can say that Google Maps is a close enough approximation to known centerline mileages.  even if centerline mileage is an illusion, it is a useful one.

[webfil]

E=mc² 

you mean iħ ∂/∂tΨ = ĤΨ? 

Only if the cat is dead, not dead or undead.

[agentsteel53]

Only if the cat is dead, not dead or undead.

oh good grief.  do not attempt to calculate distances to interstates in Alanland. 

[Molandfreak]

http://goo.gl/maps/Bmon2
I think this is as close as we're going to get to the UP.

[vdeane]

The "shortest longest" point is obviously located in Alanland

[agentsteel53]

http://goo.gl/maps/Bmon2
I think this is as close as we're going to get to the UP.

that can be taken down to 218.

http://goo.gl/maps/RKflF

[CNGL-Leudimin]

Alaska was intentionally forgotten–it's not in the lower 48!

Damn, I didn't read the full title .

Anyway, I just found the southernmost tip of the Big Bend NP in Texas isn't that far of an interstate, just 157 miles (252 km) away from I-10 at Fort Stockton...

[NE2]

There's some discussion here, concentrating on actual settlements: http://www.theatlanticcities.com/commute/2012/10/how-far-can-you-live-interstate-highway/3449/

[SD Mapman]

Only if the cat is dead, not dead or undead.

oh good grief.  do not attempt to calculate distances to interstates in Alanland.

No, the cat is 50% alive and 50% dead (link)
I don't think this has anything to do with Alanland.

[vdeane]

Schrodinger bought all his cats from Alanland.

[jbnv]

I don't think this has anything to do with Alanland.

It has nothing and everything to do with Alanland.

[djlynch]

Within Texas, it's 153 miles from the Boquillas border crossing in Big Bend National Park to I-10 at Fort Stockton or from a spot on FM 170 between Terlingua and Presidio to I-10 at the interchange for Balmorhea.

Prior to I-2 and I-69 being signed, a border crossing near McAllen would have come in just ahead, at 154 miles to the end of I-35 in Laredo and 155 miles to the I-37/US 77 interchange in Robstown.