AARoads Forum

National Boards => General Highway Talk => Topic started by: roadman65 on October 26, 2022, 08:30:43 AM

Title: Where State Lines are still prominent
Post by: roadman65 on October 26, 2022, 08:30:43 AM
In the past State Lines were perfect mileage controls on mileage guides.  Not so much today, but sporadically some signs still use these points like this
https://www.flickr.com/photos/54480415@N08/52451380944/in/dateposted-public

US 11 and I-59 in Louisiana.


Any others that are still used?
Title: Re: Where State Lines are still prominent
Post by: 1995hoo on October 26, 2022, 08:38:28 AM
Virginia has a mileage sign on the Inner Loop of the Capital Beltway just north of the Dulles interchange on which the second line reads "MD State Line 2¼."
Title: Re: Where State Lines are still prominent
Post by: NWI_Irish96 on October 26, 2022, 08:40:25 AM
M-103 southbound from Mottville

I think there are a couple more in Michigan approaching Indiana/Ohio but I can't find them right now.
Title: Re: Where State Lines are still prominent
Post by: MATraveler128 on October 26, 2022, 08:51:35 AM
As far as I’m aware, they don’t exist in Massachusetts or really anywhere in New England at least not on the Interstates unless I’m missing something.
Title: Re: Where State Lines are still prominent
Post by: jp the roadgeek on October 26, 2022, 09:08:11 AM
CTDOT uses them on their VMS's.  For example the ones on I-91 from Windsor north usually say

MA STATE LINE
xx MI
xx MIN
Title: Re: Where State Lines are still prominent
Post by: MATraveler128 on October 26, 2022, 09:16:47 AM
Quote from: jp the roadgeek on October 26, 2022, 09:08:11 AM
CTDOT uses them on their VMS's.  For example the ones on I-91 from Windsor north usually say

MA STATE LINE
xx MI
xx MIN

Now that I think of it, so does New Hampshire on I-93 southbound starting at Derry.
Title: Re: Where State Lines are still prominent
Post by: webny99 on October 26, 2022, 10:16:43 AM
Before reading the OP, I read the question as "Where is it still a Big Deal™ to cross a state line?"

Certainly not the case in the NY/NJ/CT tri-state area where you can cross back and forth on neighborhood streets without even thinking about it. Probably more so for the states that border the Mississippi River where you have to take a bridge or ferry, there are a limited number of crossings and it can feel notably different from one side of the other.

I live almost 2 hours from a state line, so it does seem like a big deal to me to cross into PA even though there's not a lot separating the Southern Tier from northern PA and the Erie area, culturally, geographically or otherwise. The Thruway does post the mileage to the PA line, but it's otherwise not very significant by state line standards. Crossing into Vermont, however, is a bit more notable. Lake Champlain forms about half of the boundary, on which you have to take a bridge or ferry, and there's a distinct difference from one side to the other. Vermont is more quaint and has a distinct New England vibe that the New York side does not.
Title: Re: Where State Lines are still prominent
Post by: 1995hoo on October 26, 2022, 10:42:55 AM
^^^^

On the other hand, I've noted how in the New York City area you often see the "Last Exit in New York" or "Last Exit in New Jersey" signs, at least on certain roads. I've always assumed, without any evidentiary basis, that the point of those signs is to warn someone crossing the river between New York and New Jersey that if you go past this exit, you will have to pay a toll to return. Similar to "Last US Exit" on I-87 northbound in Champlain or I-81 on Wellesley Island–there is a significant practical reason to warn unprepared drivers of the upcoming border crossing. In other words, it's not so much the crossing of the state line (or the border) that's the critical aspect so much as it is the attendant burden in the form of a toll or clearing Customs.
Title: Re: Where State Lines are still prominent
Post by: JayhawkCO on October 26, 2022, 11:08:38 AM
I'm sure there are probably some on US Routes and state highways that I'm forgetting, but they're used twice on Colorado interstates, for I-25 North to Wyoming and I-70 West to Utah:

(https://i.postimg.cc/7hZL66qW/I-25-State-Line.png)
(https://i.postimg.cc/VN7fhwq9/I-70-State-Line.png)

I-76 East just has a Julesburg sign before the city (one of the only instances I know with a distance sign only showing one destination on a Colorado interstate), and then transitions into Nebraska without another distance sign.

I-70 East lists Kanorado and Hays east of Burlington.

I-25 South lists Raton and Las Vegas south of Trinidad.
Title: Re: Where State Lines are still prominent
Post by: kphoger on October 26, 2022, 11:10:50 AM
Quote from: roadman65 on October 26, 2022, 08:30:43 AM
In the past State Lines were perfect mileage controls on mileage guides.

I don't think they were perfect.  They were pointless.  Hardly anyone's destination is the state line, unless there also happens to be a town there.
Title: Re: Where State Lines are still prominent
Post by: NWI_Irish96 on October 26, 2022, 11:40:48 AM
Quote from: kphoger on October 26, 2022, 11:10:50 AM
Quote from: roadman65 on October 26, 2022, 08:30:43 AM
In the past State Lines were perfect mileage controls on mileage guides.

I don't think they were perfect.  They were pointless.  Hardly anyone's destination is the state line, unless there also happens to be a town there.

Bank robbers in the movies
Title: Re: Where State Lines are still prominent
Post by: triplemultiplex on October 26, 2022, 12:14:28 PM
Quote from: NWI_Irish96 on October 26, 2022, 11:40:48 AM
Quote from: kphoger on October 26, 2022, 11:10:50 AM
Quote from: roadman65 on October 26, 2022, 08:30:43 AM
In the past State Lines were perfect mileage controls on mileage guides.

I don't think they were perfect.  They were pointless.  Hardly anyone's destination is the state line, unless there also happens to be a town there.

Bank robbers in the movies
Those seeking reproductive health care.
Title: Re: Where State Lines are still prominent
Post by: Scott5114 on October 26, 2022, 12:40:28 PM
Quote from: triplemultiplex on October 26, 2022, 12:14:28 PM
Quote from: NWI_Irish96 on October 26, 2022, 11:40:48 AM
Quote from: kphoger on October 26, 2022, 11:10:50 AM
Quote from: roadman65 on October 26, 2022, 08:30:43 AM
In the past State Lines were perfect mileage controls on mileage guides.

I don't think they were perfect.  They were pointless.  Hardly anyone's destination is the state line, unless there also happens to be a town there.

Bank robbers in the movies
Those seeking reproductive health care.

The protagonists in the movie Tank (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tank_(film)).
Title: Re: Where State Lines are still prominent
Post by: Amaury on October 26, 2022, 12:58:12 PM
There's a community called Stateline–or State Line–in Idaho at the Washington-Idaho border, which is on the I-90 signs. I don't know if this thread is about that, though, or state line in the literal/generic sense.
Title: Re: Where State Lines are still prominent
Post by: kphoger on October 26, 2022, 12:58:42 PM
Quote from: triplemultiplex on October 26, 2022, 12:14:28 PM

Quote from: NWI_Irish96 on October 26, 2022, 11:40:48 AM

Quote from: kphoger on October 26, 2022, 11:10:50 AM

Quote from: roadman65 on October 26, 2022, 08:30:43 AM
In the past State Lines were perfect mileage controls on mileage guides.

I don't think they were perfect.  They were pointless.  Hardly anyone's destination is the state line, unless there also happens to be a town there.

Bank robbers in the movies

Those seeking reproductive health care.

Are such facilities popping up outside of towns?  Maybe there are, I don't know, I don't keep up on that.
Title: Re: Where State Lines are still prominent
Post by: hbelkins on October 26, 2022, 01:07:06 PM
Virginia posts the mileage to the West Virginia state line on several routes that I have seen. There's also a "WV State Line" destination sign on US 460 at Grundy for eastbound VA 83.
Title: Re: Where State Lines are still prominent
Post by: skluth on October 26, 2022, 02:50:04 PM
Quote from: webny99 on October 26, 2022, 10:16:43 AM
Before reading the OP, I read the question as "Where is it still a Big Deal™ to cross a state line?"

Certainly not the case in the NY/NJ/CT tri-state area where you can cross back and forth on neighborhood streets without even thinking about it. Probably more so for the states that border the Mississippi River where you have to take a bridge or ferry, there are a limited number of crossings and it can feel notably different from one side of the other.

The Lower Mississippi is quite a mess at state boundaries which often follow old oxbows that have long since been filled in and become farmland. The current channel has been straightened by the Army Corps of Engineers but the 19th century borders haven't been changed to follow today's river.
Title: Re: Where State Lines are still prominent
Post by: TheHighwayMan3561 on October 26, 2022, 02:50:55 PM
The only one in MN I've seen personally is on US 14 westbound headed away from US 75 in Lake Benton. (This excludes "Canadian Border" mentions on other routes.)
Title: Re: Where State Lines are still prominent
Post by: Flint1979 on October 26, 2022, 06:34:45 PM
Quote from: NWI_Irish96 on October 26, 2022, 08:40:25 AM
M-103 southbound from Mottville

I think there are a couple more in Michigan approaching Indiana/Ohio but I can't find them right now.
I know of this one on M-52 south of Adrian. It also includes distance to US-20.

https://www.google.com/maps/@41.8722503,-84.0429294,3a,15y,197.2h,88.26t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sFoF9JZlwHcxmP20ikUFDqw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192
Title: Re: Where State Lines are still prominent
Post by: Dirt Roads on October 26, 2022, 09:37:46 PM
Quote from: hbelkins on October 26, 2022, 01:07:06 PM
Virginia posts the mileage to the West Virginia state line on several routes that I have seen. There's also a "WV State Line" destination sign on US 460 at Grundy for eastbound VA 83.

West Virginia used to post them as well, in places where the State Line was nowhere near a town (ergo, a deserving Control Destination).  One such location was on WV-39 heading towards Goshen.  I recall that there was also an old one on WV-127 only about a mile from the Virginia border that was fairly old, probably hailing from its old days as being WV-45 on both sides of Virginia. 

I also recall one heading westward on Cumberland Road back in the days when that route along the north side of East River Mountain made a nice shortcut from Old US-52 over the mountain over to US-19/US-460 on the Graham side (properly named Bluefield, Virginia).  That one was a different variation, since it didn't make sense to use "Bluefield, Va." as a Control Destination whilst you were still in "Bluefield, WV".  The old maps show that section of Cumberland Road as CR-21/1, which might have changed after US-21 was truncated.  That piece of road is now buried beneath Corridor Q.
Title: Re: Where State Lines are still prominent
Post by: plain on October 26, 2022, 11:17:14 PM
They're pretty common in VA. There's even a city installed one.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/tjyox7hhosMkfQ7f6
Title: Re: Where State Lines are still prominent
Post by: machias on October 27, 2022, 08:37:00 PM
The New York State Thruway counts down to Pa Line west of Buffalo.  A few generations of signs ago it was "Penna Line".
Title: Re: Where State Lines are still prominent
Post by: gonealookin on October 27, 2022, 09:04:20 PM
A local one, a Caltrans installation, on northbound US 395:

https://goo.gl/maps/PJUV9g2LYwRgD6iP6 (https://goo.gl/maps/PJUV9g2LYwRgD6iP6)

Why they use "Nevada State Line" on that instead of Gardnerville NV, the next significant town (about 30 miles distant), or Carson City (45 miles), I have no clue.
Title: Re: Where State Lines are still prominent
Post by: kalvado on October 27, 2022, 09:41:05 PM
Quote from: kphoger on October 26, 2022, 12:58:42 PM
Quote from: triplemultiplex on October 26, 2022, 12:14:28 PM

Quote from: NWI_Irish96 on October 26, 2022, 11:40:48 AM

Quote from: kphoger on October 26, 2022, 11:10:50 AM

Quote from: roadman65 on October 26, 2022, 08:30:43 AM
In the past State Lines were perfect mileage controls on mileage guides.

I don't think they were perfect.  They were pointless.  Hardly anyone's destination is the state line, unless there also happens to be a town there.

Bank robbers in the movies

Those seeking reproductive health care.

Are such facilities popping up outside of towns?  Maybe there are, I don't know, I don't keep up on that.
There are definitely stores located near the state line and seeking shoppers from across the line regardless of in-state town.
Alcohol, fireworks, marijuana, even gas - depending on legislative differences.
Title: Re: Where State Lines are still prominent
Post by: jeffandnicole on October 27, 2022, 09:46:18 PM
Quote from: kalvado on October 27, 2022, 09:41:05 PM
Quote from: kphoger on October 26, 2022, 12:58:42 PM
Quote from: triplemultiplex on October 26, 2022, 12:14:28 PM

Quote from: NWI_Irish96 on October 26, 2022, 11:40:48 AM

Quote from: kphoger on October 26, 2022, 11:10:50 AM

Quote from: roadman65 on October 26, 2022, 08:30:43 AM
In the past State Lines were perfect mileage controls on mileage guides.

I don't think they were perfect.  They were pointless.  Hardly anyone's destination is the state line, unless there also happens to be a town there.

Bank robbers in the movies

Those seeking reproductive health care.

Are such facilities popping up outside of towns?  Maybe there are, I don't know, I don't keep up on that.
There are definitely stores located near the state line and seeking shoppers from across the line regardless of in-state town.
Alcohol, fireworks, marijuana, even gas - depending on legislative differences.

Sales Taxes.
Title: Re: Where State Lines are still prominent
Post by: JayhawkCO on October 27, 2022, 09:57:10 PM
Quote from: jeffandnicole on October 27, 2022, 09:46:18 PM
Quote from: kalvado on October 27, 2022, 09:41:05 PM
Quote from: kphoger on October 26, 2022, 12:58:42 PM
Quote from: triplemultiplex on October 26, 2022, 12:14:28 PM

Quote from: NWI_Irish96 on October 26, 2022, 11:40:48 AM

Quote from: kphoger on October 26, 2022, 11:10:50 AM

Quote from: roadman65 on October 26, 2022, 08:30:43 AM
In the past State Lines were perfect mileage controls on mileage guides.

I don't think they were perfect.  They were pointless.  Hardly anyone's destination is the state line, unless there also happens to be a town there.

Bank robbers in the movies

Those seeking reproductive health care.

Are such facilities popping up outside of towns?  Maybe there are, I don't know, I don't keep up on that.
There are definitely stores located near the state line and seeking shoppers from across the line regardless of in-state town.
Alcohol, fireworks, marijuana, even gas - depending on legislative differences.

Sales Taxes.

Or lack thereof.
Title: Re: Where State Lines are still prominent
Post by: Road Hog on October 27, 2022, 11:01:21 PM
In DFW almost all locations allow at least beer and wine sales, and more and more localities are permitting liquor. I was shocked in 2018 to learn that the city of Wylie was completely dry – not even beer.
Title: Re: Where State Lines are still prominent
Post by: Urban Prairie Schooner on October 28, 2022, 09:39:42 PM
Quote from: roadman65 on October 26, 2022, 08:30:43 AM
In the past State Lines were perfect mileage controls on mileage guides.  Not so much today, but sporadically some signs still use these points like this
https://www.flickr.com/photos/54480415@N08/52451380944/in/dateposted-public

US 11 and I-59 in Louisiana.


Any others that are still used?

In this instance, there are no more Louisiana communities or state highways to include as a control city/route, and the last exit (just before the state line) is a turnaround/boat ramp/road to an isolated gravel pit.

DOTD likes to use the route designation on the first line of an interstate mileage sign (second line is the next large city/main control point). With no route number, you have to improvise I guess. I have never seen a La. interstate mileage sign with less than 2 control points.
Title: Re: Where State Lines are still prominent
Post by: MASTERNC on October 29, 2022, 08:51:13 PM
DMS on I-95 in Maryland often use the Delaware State line as a travel time point north of the Susquehanna River.
Title: Re: Where State Lines are still prominent
Post by: Avalanchez71 on November 01, 2022, 06:42:31 PM
Prior to 2000 Tennesseans were known to head for the border with Kentucky to purchase lottery tickets.  Nowadays they head to the border for bingo.
Title: Re: Where State Lines are still prominent
Post by: kphoger on November 01, 2022, 06:47:22 PM
Quote from: Avalanchez71 on November 01, 2022, 06:42:31 PM
Prior to 2000 Tennesseans were known to head for the border with Kentucky to purchase lottery tickets.  Nowadays they head to the border for bingo.

In towns?
Title: Re: Where State Lines are still prominent
Post by: bassoon1986 on November 01, 2022, 06:54:15 PM
Quote from: Urban Prairie Schooner on October 28, 2022, 09:39:42 PM
Quote from: roadman65 on October 26, 2022, 08:30:43 AM
In the past State Lines were perfect mileage controls on mileage guides.  Not so much today, but sporadically some signs still use these points like this
https://www.flickr.com/photos/54480415@N08/52451380944/in/dateposted-public

US 11 and I-59 in Louisiana.


Any others that are still used?

In this instance, there are no more Louisiana communities or state highways to include as a control city/route, and the last exit (just before the state line) is a turnaround/boat ramp/road to an isolated gravel pit.

DOTD likes to use the route designation on the first line of an interstate mileage sign (second line is the next large city/main control point). With no route number, you have to improvise I guess. I have never seen a La. interstate mileage sign with less than 2 control points.
One of the only ones I can think of in Louisiana that do not show a numbered highway for the top line is I-20 west of exit 3. It shows Waskom and Dallas.


iPhone
Title: Re: Where State Lines are still prominent
Post by: Avalanchez71 on November 01, 2022, 06:57:39 PM
Quote from: kphoger on November 01, 2022, 06:47:22 PM
Quote from: Avalanchez71 on November 01, 2022, 06:42:31 PM
Prior to 2000 Tennesseans were known to head for the border with Kentucky to purchase lottery tickets.  Nowadays they head to the border for bingo.

In towns?
It looks like the parcel with the Gaming Hall is now annexed into the Town of Franklin, KY.  I didn't realize it was annexed into town.