Unnecessary highways

[silverback1065]

I-990 was intended to go all the way to Lockport.  Some plans even had it extend along the NY 31 corridor and take over NY 531 to I-490 near Rochester.  However, it was never completed, and it doesn't strike me as particularly likely that it will (the northern stub is really more of a traffic calming device than a provision for a future extension; note that there is no stub SB).  Even as-is, it at least provides a freeway bypass of NY 263 around SUNY Buffalo on the busy Buffalo-Lockport corridor.

I can see a case where it would make more sense for it to be a state route freeway rather than an interstate, but it would seem that a similar case could be made for things like I-795 in MD, so I-990 is hardly unique there.

that still doesn't sound very useful 

[US20IL64]

"... makes the connection [to parent 90] by way of a "sibling" highway (I-290). I-990 is the highest numbered Interstate..."  :nod

More 9## 3di's are coming I am sure.

[achilles765]

While I don't have comments on how useful any of the I-69E/C/W routes were, I think that the designation is whack. It should've been I-69 and 2 I-x69s.

They are actually quite useful: they are major trucking routes that lead to US-Mexico bridges; and the Rio Grande Valley Region is growing very fast. 
I do agree that it would have been totally fine for I-69, with the other two being I-x69s...or make I-69E into I-37, turn the current I 37 from I69E/US77 in to Corpus Christi into I-137; then have Interstate 69 head along US 59 to Laredo, and have the stretch to Pharr (69C) be I-169.  Renumber the current 169 to I-369 and renumber the I-369 near Texarkana to I-969.

I don't really like a 9xx being use on possibly the longest 3di, and a pretty important one too.

But it makes sense since it is the last possible 3di in the state.

[hobsini2]

Wis 127 should be a county highway.  It parallels Wis 16 between Wis Dells and Portage and reaches no unique towns in between.  I believe it is also longer by a mile or two than 16.

Only reason it is a state highway IMO is because it was at one point US/Wis 16.

[SkyPesos]

While I don't have comments on how useful any of the I-69E/C/W routes were, I think that the designation is whack. It should've been I-69 and 2 I-x69s.

They are actually quite useful: they are major trucking routes that lead to US-Mexico bridges; and the Rio Grande Valley Region is growing very fast. 
I do agree that it would have been totally fine for I-69, with the other two being I-x69s...or make I-69E into I-37, turn the current I 37 from I69E/US77 in to Corpus Christi into I-137; then have Interstate 69 head along US 59 to Laredo, and have the stretch to Pharr (69C) be I-169.  Renumber the current 169 to I-369 and renumber the I-369 near Texarkana to I-969.

I don't really like a 9xx being use on possibly the longest 3di, and a pretty important one too.

But it makes sense since it is the last possible 3di in the state.

569? 769? All 4 even first digits? There's plenty of x69 numbers in TX available.

[Scott5114]

While I don't have comments on how useful any of the I-69E/C/W routes were, I think that the designation is whack. It should've been I-69 and 2 I-x69s.

They are actually quite useful: they are major trucking routes that lead to US-Mexico bridges; and the Rio Grande Valley Region is growing very fast. 
I do agree that it would have been totally fine for I-69, with the other two being I-x69s...or make I-69E into I-37, turn the current I 37 from I69E/US77 in to Corpus Christi into I-137; then have Interstate 69 head along US 59 to Laredo, and have the stretch to Pharr (69C) be I-169.  Renumber the current 169 to I-369 and renumber the I-369 near Texarkana to I-969.

I don't really like a 9xx being use on possibly the longest 3di, and a pretty important one too.

But it makes sense since it is the last possible 3di in the state.

569? 769? All 4 even first digits? There's plenty of x69 numbers in TX available.

Texas has, in the past, organized their 3dis based on their placement in the state, which is why San Antonio has 410 and Houston has 610 despite there never having been a planned 210, why they have a 635 but no 235 or 435, etc.

[achilles765]

While I don't have comments on how useful any of the I-69E/C/W routes were, I think that the designation is whack. It should've been I-69 and 2 I-x69s.

They are actually quite useful: they are major trucking routes that lead to US-Mexico bridges; and the Rio Grande Valley Region is growing very fast. 
I do agree that it would have been totally fine for I-69, with the other two being I-x69s...or make I-69E into I-37, turn the current I 37 from I69E/US77 in to Corpus Christi into I-137; then have Interstate 69 head along US 59 to Laredo, and have the stretch to Pharr (69C) be I-169.  Renumber the current 169 to I-369 and renumber the I-369 near Texarkana to I-969.

I don't really like a 9xx being use on possibly the longest 3di, and a pretty important one too.

But it makes sense since it is the last possible 3di in the state.

569? 769? All 4 even first digits? There's plenty of x69 numbers in TX available.

Isn't the I-369 route going to eventually be a giant loop.  I feel like I read that somewhere.  In that case, it can be I-869.  I want to preserve 369,569,769 for the hundreds and hundreds of miles between Brownsville and Texarkana. We really should get at least one I-X69 in both Corpus Christi and Houston

[achilles765]

While I don't have comments on how useful any of the I-69E/C/W routes were, I think that the designation is whack. It should've been I-69 and 2 I-x69s.

They are actually quite useful: they are major trucking routes that lead to US-Mexico bridges; and the Rio Grande Valley Region is growing very fast. 
I do agree that it would have been totally fine for I-69, with the other two being I-x69s...or make I-69E into I-37, turn the current I 37 from I69E/US77 in to Corpus Christi into I-137; then have Interstate 69 head along US 59 to Laredo, and have the stretch to Pharr (69C) be I-169.  Renumber the current 169 to I-369 and renumber the I-369 near Texarkana to I-969.

I don't really like a 9xx being use on possibly the longest 3di, and a pretty important one too.

But it makes sense since it is the last possible 3di in the state.

569? 769? All 4 even first digits? There's plenty of x69 numbers in TX available.

Texas has, in the past, organized their 3dis based on their placement in the state, which is why San Antonio has 410 and Houston has 610 despite there never having been a planned 210, why they have a 635 but no 235 or 435, etc.

Though now there's a chance for an I-210 in El Paso, TX 130 could be I-235, SH 45 could be I-435.

[SkyPesos]

Texas has, in the past, organized their 3dis based on their placement in the state, which is why San Antonio has 410 and Houston has 610 despite there never having been a planned 210, why they have a 635 but no 235 or 435, etc.

That seems unusual to me, compared to just using the lowest first digit available when needed. Like Ohio's 3di are planned from west to east, or south to north initially (similar to TX here), as seen with the x80s in the state, but after that, it's just numbered based on when it was designated. Like for the x75s, chronologically, 275 came first, 475 came second, and 675 is the most recent one, and going from south to north on I-75, you meet 275, then 675, then 475.

[gr8daynegb]

Wis 127 should be a county highway.  It parallels Wis 16 between Wis Dells and Portage and reaches no unique towns in between.  I believe it is also longer by a mile or two than 16.

Only reason it is a state highway IMO is because it was at one point US/Wis 16.

Think it serves as an alternate route of sorts......but yeah I'd agree should be a county trunk, not a state highway

[JoePCool14]

Currently sitting on US-151 on my way back to Platteville (not driving, don't worry). As nice as it is having this expressway to get us here and down to Dubuque... it's probably unnecessary. US-20 needed this more.

[skluth]

Currently sitting on US-151 on my way back to Platteville (not driving, don't worry). As nice as it is having this expressway to get us here and down to Dubuque... it's probably unnecessary. US-20 needed this more.

US 20 doesn't go through Wisconsin. Illinois can build their own roads (and probably will make you pay for it). I agree the US 151 expressway through the Driftless Area is nice.

FWIW, I never understood why Illinois doesn't just build a new toll road from Freeport to Galena.

[US20IL64]

"... Illinois can build their own roads (and probably will make you pay for it)..."

Well, at least I-39, 72 [extension], 172 and 255 are free. These are recent non-toll Interstates.

The Toll Authority is based in Downers Grove, mainly for Northern IL.

[LilianaUwU]

I could argue that QC-191 (in Rivière-du-Loup) is useless, but that's only if there was a direct connection from A-20 WB to A-85 SB and A-85 NB to A-20 EB.

Additionally, QC-158 overlapping QC-148 between their junction in Mirabel and downtown Lachute seems useless, but that's because QC-148 originally went south of Lachute on Avenue Béthany, Chemin Charles-Léonard and Chemin Charles-Parent... well, that overlap is still useless.

[JoePCool14]

Currently sitting on US-151 on my way back to Platteville (not driving, don't worry). As nice as it is having this expressway to get us here and down to Dubuque... it's probably unnecessary. US-20 needed this more.

US 20 doesn't go through Wisconsin. Illinois can build their own roads (and probably will make you pay for it). I agree the US 151 expressway through the Driftless Area is nice.

FWIW, I never understood why Illinois doesn't just build a new toll road from Freeport to Galena.

I'm aware US-20 has nothing to do with Wisconsin. I'm just saying that it should have been four-laned before US-151.

I don't think building a toll road from Freeport to Galena would go over very well. I also am not sure how much revenue it would really generate.

[thspfc]

Currently sitting on US-151 on my way back to Platteville (not driving, don't worry). As nice as it is having this expressway to get us here and down to Dubuque... it's probably unnecessary. US-20 needed this more.

US 20 doesn't go through Wisconsin. Illinois can build their own roads (and probably will make you pay for it). I agree the US 151 expressway through the Driftless Area is nice.

FWIW, I never understood why Illinois doesn't just build a new toll road from Freeport to Galena.

I'm aware US-20 has nothing to do with Wisconsin. I'm just saying that it should have been four-laned before US-151.

One state is broke and the other is not.