Most "congenial" highway: most intersections without starting anything

[kurumi]

Connecticut state route 140 intersects 10 other signed routes: 75, 159, I-91, US 5, 191, 286 (via connector road), 83, 30, and 32/190. But no other highway terminates at CT 140. It doesn't "start anything".

There are probably longer routes that do this, and intersect more other routes. I'm guessing it's less likely in mountainous or shoreline areas, and more likely in flatter inland areas (no opinion here :-)), or places where overlaps are common (Maine).

What's the most congenial route you can find?

[TheHighwayMan3561]

MN 4 (167 miles): I-90, MN 60, MN 30, US 14, MN 68, MN 19, US 212, MN 7, US 12, MN 55, MN 23, I-94

[IowaTraveler]

The best example of this that I can find in Iowa is IA 1, which intersects 13 other highways over the course of 120 miles without being a terminus for any of them.

IA 1: IA 2, IA 16, US 34/IA 163, IA 78, IA 92, IA 22, US 218/IA 27, US 6, I-80, US 30, US 151.

[flan]

ND 15 intersects U.S. 52, ND 30, U.S. 281, ND 20, ND 1, ND 32, ND 18, and I-29/U.S. 81 in 134 miles and doesn't terminate any of those routes.

[michravera]

ND 15 intersects U.S. 52, ND 30, U.S. 281, ND 20, ND 1, ND 32, ND 18, and I-29/U.S. 81 in 134 miles and doesn't terminate any of those routes.

Because they run through the middle of their states, my guess is that I-5 in California and I-10 in Texas are going to dwarf anything elsewhere. While a number of local highways (Kamm Ave, Crows Landing Road, etc) were built out from CASR-99 to I-5, most of the numbered CASRs go both East and West (and occasionally north and south) from I-5.

[GaryA]

ND 15 intersects U.S. 52, ND 30, U.S. 281, ND 20, ND 1, ND 32, ND 18, and I-29/U.S. 81 in 134 miles and doesn't terminate any of those routes.

Because they run through the middle of their states, my guess is that I-5 in California and I-10 in Texas are going to dwarf anything elsewhere. While a number of local highways (Kamm Ave, Crows Landing Road, etc) were built out from CASR-99 to I-5, most of the numbered CASRs go both East and West (and occasionally north and south) from I-5.

Well, US 101 starts at I-5, as do CA-60, CA-14, CA-126, CA-99, and others.

I-20 starts at I-10 in TX, just to mention one major instance.

[paulthemapguy]

This is a fun exercise, and I'm happy you thought of it!  Basically go through the longest routes in a category and try to come up with a route that ends at it.

In Illinois, I think our winner is IL-49.  It never starts anything.

1: 119 ends at it.
9: 115 ends at it.
78: 40 ends at it.
17: 113 ends at it.
3: 155 ends at it.
116: 26 ends at it.
16: 29 ends at it.
29: 18 ends at it.
47: 165 ends at it.
4: 151 ends at it.
127: 185 ends at it.
100: 96 ends at it.
37: 161 ends at it.
13: 166 ends at it.
15: 242 ends at it.
49: ??

Farther down the list, 33 takes second, and 84 takes third. 84 qualifying for this surprised me because it runs along the edge of the state.  But it still doesn't catch any routes to give them a terminus.

[Great Lakes Roads]

It looks like Indiana SR 18 is the winner at 141 miles...

Second place goes to Indiana SR 55 at 109 miles...

Third place goes to Indiana SR 68 at 52 miles...

[roadman65]

How long before User 1 points out that there are plenty of urban short routes that start nothing. He might point out VA Route 162 in Williamsburg, VA of starting nothing is common scenario.

[hotdogPi]

How long before User 1 points out that there are plenty of urban short routes that start nothing. He might point out VA Route 162 in Williamsburg, VA of starting nothing is common scenario.

Why do you think I would mention that? The goal of this thread is to find routes where they intersect a lot of other routes without starting any; urban short routes don't intersect much because they're too short.

[roadman65]

How long before User 1 points out that there are plenty of urban short routes that start nothing. He might point out VA Route 162 in Williamsburg, VA of starting nothing is common scenario.

Why do you think I would mention that? The goal of this thread is to find routes where they intersect a lot of other routes without starting any; urban short routes don't intersect much because they're too short.

Hey sometimes your in that mood.

[roadman65]

In Florida I would say SR 436 May qualify. It crosses SR 528, SR 15, SR 552, SR 408, SR 50, SR 426, US 17-92, I-4, and SR 434.  County routes I'm not sure about as Red Bug Lake Road maybe unnumbered. If that is the case it may disqualify. However state and US routes though, it don't start.

[hbelkins]

Given Kentucky's plethora of state numbered routes, it would be hard to find one more than a few miles long.

[JayhawkCO]

I think I may have a winner. CO71 is 224.65 miles long, intersects NE71, CO14, I-76, US6, US34, US36, I-70, US24, US287, I-BL70, CO94, CO96, US50, CO202, CO266, CO10, and US350 and doesn't start any of them.