Control "cities" that aren't cities

[vtk]

Has anyone pointed out that the term "control city" is a roadgeek invention?  The MUTCD refers to such a sign legend as a "destination".  Destinations can certainly be points that aren't cities, or arguably entire states.  Only when we use the term "control city" do non-city destinations seem anomalous.

[D-Dey65]

So Steelers-Browns is definitely the oldest rivalry in the AFC, since they've been butting heads since the '40s.  The old AFL teams didn't start until the '60s.

Yes, but they were moved to the AFC when the AFL merged into the NFL.

But getting back on the subject, aren't there some non-cities used as control cities out on the Space Coast?

[SignBridge]

The term control city originated in earlier editions of the MUTCD at least as far back as the 1970's. And is still used in some sections of the Manual. Section 2E.13-Paragraph 1 refers to major destinations and control cities. Though the term destination is more commonly used in subsequent pages.

[vtk]

The term control city originated in earlier editions of the MUTCD at least as far back as the 1970's. And is still used in some sections of the Manual. Section 2E.13-Paragraph 1 refers to major destinations and control cities. Though the term destination is more commonly used in subsequent pages.

I stand corrected.  But clearly, "destination" is a better term, describing the exact purpose of the sign legend without imposing the arbitrary requirement that it name a city.

[SignBridge]

That's ironic 'cause over the last 10 years NYS DOT went on a campaign of replacing many more sensible destinations with city names, that are [in my opinion] less helpful in some cases. They called it a sign requirements program. 

[Roadgeekteen]

Not sure why nobody mentioned Cape Cod on MA 3, I-93, I-495, MA 25, and I-195.

[Occidental Tourist]

A few more California ones:
Mtn Resorts
Valley Blvd
Terminal Isl
Vincent Thomas Br
Marina del Rey
Monterey Peninsula

[fillup420]

North Carolina has a few around the state. Near me, I-40 has "RDU Airport"  posted pretty frequently around the triangle. I believe there is one for CLT Airport somewhere around charlotte. I have seen a couple on I-95 for Fort Bragg and Pope AFB. US 301 has a few exits on 95 with just "Local Traffic"  as control city. I also vaguely recall a sign on US 70 with "Crystal Coast"  as control city, but I have not been able to find it in recent times.


iPad

[tylert120]

A few more California ones:
Mtn Resorts
Valley Blvd
Terminal Isl
Vincent Thomas Br
Marina del Rey
Monterey Peninsula

I remember seeing a story once out of CA where "Beach Cities"  was being used but didn't really lead to beach cities.

[3467]

Illinois went to directional suburbs because every suburb that brushed the roads wanted to be on the signs..so it's all just street names . I don't know if they thought Iowa and Ohio were a similarly offended so the dropped Des Moines and Toledo on 80.

[bing101]

I-10 Eb east of San Bernardino 'Other Desert Cities'
CA 91 Wb 'Beach Cities'

I-605 Thru Traffic
CA-110 Downtown
CA-110 Hollywood


I-110  San Pedro


I remember San Francisco used to have a control city called Civic Center but that was when the Central Freeway was there as a possible extension for I-80 and  US-101 to touch CA-1 aka 19th ave in the city.

[bing101]

And I agree with those who say the control city name should not be used if you're already in that city. In Los Angeles, at the interchange of "the 405 and "the 101" it used to say "Los Angeles" even though you're well inside the city, where "Downtown L A" would have made more sense.

Still does, as a matter of fact!  I'm not sure "Downtown LA" is used very much as a control city, even when individual districts elsewhere (Echo Park, Hollywood) ARE.

Think about it in terms of an unfamiliar city–if you, a Long Islander, were headed east through the I-35/I-40 split in OKC, would "Wichita" and "Ft Smith" be more helpful, or "Remington Park" and "Tinker AFB"? The latter might be more helpful for locals but probably not for the folks from out of town–who are the most likely to need the signs!

It actually depends: are the out-of-towners thru thraffic, OR are they trying to navigate within the city itself?

I think that most signs should use two control cities whenever possible (not always possible, mind you), one for the long-distance control, and one for the nearest local control.  CalTrans is pretty good about this, especially in rural areas (i.e. San Luis Obispo/San Francisco on US 101 northbound near Pismo Beach), though there are many examples (often in downtowns) where they go much more local than one would expect.

There are no long-distance control cities in SF, with I-80 being Bay Bridge/Oakland and US 101 being either Civic Center/Golden Gate Bridge or San Jose, no mention of Sacramento, Los Angeles, or Eureka.

In downtown Los Angeles, the only long-distance control city in use is Sacramento for I-5 (replacing the old US 99-era Bakersfield that was in use until the 1980s), with 101 being signed north for Hollywood/Ventura (no mention of San Francisco), 5 south being given the Santa Ana control city (not San Diego) and 10 being signed either for Santa Monica or San Bernardino (not Phoenix).

There is at least one case here where the bridge absolutely would be a legitimate destination control city, and that is the Golden Gate Bridge on 101 in SF.

Sacramento's control cities on the other hand tend to be much more like what you describe, Scott, with no local controls except for "Roseville" off of Route 160 north (old US 40/99E).  I-80 and Business 80/US 50 west are both signed for San Francisco, I-80 and Business 80 east for Reno, US 50 east for South Lake Tahoe (with some signage for Placerville), I-5 north almost entirely signed for Redding, I-5 south for Los Angeles, and Route 99 south for Fresno (formerly Los Angeles prior to I-5 being built).   Woodland does get mentioned a little bit on 5 north.

In that situation, I think that a few more local secondary controls would be very helpful (Elk Grove for 99 south, Stockton for 5 south, Roseville for 80 and Business 80 east, maybe Davis for 80 west).

San Jose gets some Long distance cities such as Los Angeles for US-101 South and I-280 South end and I-680 North as Sacramento but the rest of the freeways tend to have control cities within the Bay Area.

[TheStranger]

I-10 Eb east of San Bernardino 'Other Desert Cities'
CA 91 Wb 'Beach Cities'

I-605 Thru Traffic
CA-110 Downtown
CA-110 Hollywood


I-110  San Pedro


I remember San Francisco used to have a control city called Civic Center but that was when the Central Freeway was there as a possible extension for I-80 and  US-101 to touch CA-1 aka 19th ave in the city.

Civic Center is still the control for 101 north at the Alemany Maze interchange with 280.

SAMSUNG-SM-G930A

[bing101]

Somewhere upthread someone mentioned California rarely uses "Downtown" even when they're already within said city, CA-163 in San Diego being an exception. I-280 does use "Downtown San Jose" between I-880 and US-101, and I believe CA-87 does as well. That's the only other one I can think of.

One other exception that stands out to me is I-280 in SF, signed for downtown from US 101 north.

An awkward example though of the traditional practice is on US 50 east in West Sacramento (in another county, and on the other side of the Sacramento River) - the exit for (former) Route 275 east is "Downtown Sacramento", while US 50/Business 80 east is signed for "Sacramento/South Lake Tahoe."

CA-160 in Sacramento has the control city of Downtown Sacramento too.

[TheHighwayMan3561]

Minnesota:
"Wisconsin"  (various)
"Iron Range"  (I-35/MN 33)
"North Shore"  (I-35/MN 61)
"Canadian Border"  (used on some three-place signs)
"MN 61"  on MN 1 East south of Ely (similar to "I-15"  used on I-70 in Utah because there's nothing of note to use as an alternative)

Appears to no longer be in use, but "Mendota Bridge"  was used on MN 55 near the airport until a few years ago.

[CapeCodder]

Before I-64 was extended to Wentzville and the interchange there rebuilt, the control cities IIRC were:

US 40 East/US 61 South

-Forest Park

I-70 East

-Lambert Airport

40/61 West/North

-Kansas City
-Hannibal

I-70 West

-Kansas City

[US 89]

Although the practice seems to have declined a bit with sign replacements in recent years, I-215 in Utah is often signed with the destination of simply "Belt Route" at interchanges with other freeways.

[DTComposer]

A few more California ones:
Mtn Resorts
Valley Blvd
Terminal Isl
Vincent Thomas Br
Marina del Rey
Monterey Peninsula

I remember seeing a story once out of CA where "Beach Cities"  was being used but didn't really lead to beach cities.

Beach Cities is used on CA-91 westbound in Riverside County. CA-91 did lead to some of the "beach cities"  of L.A. County (Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach, Manhattan Beach) before it was truncated back to I-110, and you would still used the decommissioned route (via Artesia Boulevard) to get there.

CA-91 would also get you to the other beach cities in L.A. County (Santa Monica, Long Beach, etc.) by connecting to other routes, and to beach cities in Orange County (Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, etc.) by connecting to CA-55; but it is Hermosa/Manhattan/Redondo that the signage is specifically referring to (as evidenced by a mileage sign that lists 43 miles to "Beach Cities"  which I'm pretty sure got you to Artesia Blvd. and Pacific Coast Highway).

[hbelkins]

The "The's" in New Jersey. The Oranges, The Caldwells...

[TheGrassGuy]

The "The's" in New Jersey. The Oranges, The Caldwells...

Technically citieS.

[tolbs17]

https://www.google.com/maps/@35.8413385,-78.8860227,3a,37.8y,233.28h,93.51t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1su3I_GZIWzrUlnT1EmTLlhA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Where does 55 east take you? It takes you to Apex, not Cary.

[kphoger]

https://www.google.com/maps/@35.8413385,-78.8860227,3a,37.8y,233.28h,93.51t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1su3I_GZIWzrUlnT1EmTLlhA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Where does 55 east take you? It takes you to Apex, not Cary.

Are you trying to say Cary isn't a city?

[Roadgeekteen]

https://www.google.com/maps/@35.8413385,-78.8860227,3a,37.8y,233.28h,93.51t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1su3I_GZIWzrUlnT1EmTLlhA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Where does 55 east take you? It takes you to Apex, not Cary.

Are you trying to say Cary isn't a city?

I think that he should have posted that in the control cities not on the route thread.

[kphoger]

I'm pretty sure NC-55 goes through Cary's city limits...

[1995hoo]

I'm pretty sure NC-55 goes through Cary's city limits...

It does, multiple times, and if you're going in the direction tolbs17 cited, you pass through Cary city limits before reaching Apex.

Apex was considered out in the sticks when I lived in Durham (before tolbs17 was born, according to his profile).