What state posts the worst control cities? The best?

[bassoon1986]

Sort of surprised we got through 8 pages of the thread without a tier list, so here is one with the states I know of first

A+ - Consistent larger cities as controls on both long-distance interstates and US/SR freeways/expressways
- Michigan
- Washington

A - Consistent control cities for larger cities or junction points on long-distance interstates, but fails on the US/SR freeways/expressways
- Indiana InDOT
- Kentucky
- Ohio ODOT
- PTC

B - Mostly posts larger cities on long-distance interstates, with a bit of inconsistency here and there
- Missouri

C - Same as B, but also sneak in some non-city control cities in locations that doesn't make sense
- California ("other Desert Cities)
- Illinois ("Iowa" on I-80. "Indiana" and "Wisconsin" on I-90/94 makes sense though)
- ITR ("Ohio" when most of the ITR isn't even part of the fastest route from Chicago to Cincinnati or Columbus)
- ISTHA (directional suburbs)
- Massachusetts ("NH/Maine")
- New Hampshire ("All Maine Points")

D - Posts too many small towns that your average driver never heard of on interstates, doesn't post out of state control cities unless absolutely necessary
- New Mexico
- Pennsylvania PennDOT

F - Lacks control cities in a lot of places
- OTA ("Thru Traffic")

I would put Texas and Louisiana in A or B personally. They're pretty solid on interstates other than a couple slip ups (Gainesville on I-35 for Texas, Bay St. Louis on I-10 for Louisiana, among others).

Agreed. Louisiana may get a B for Bay St Louis. Other than that it's fine. Hammond and Slidell are just large enough to be shown at important junctions.

Where is Gainesville Tx ever listed? On a BGS I've only ever seen Denton and OKC


iPhone

[Scott5114]

Where is Gainesville Tx ever listed? On a BGS I've only ever seen Denton and OKC

Ramp signage north of Denton uses it, with no mention of OKC.

Between Gainesville and the state line, they use, I shit you not, Ardmore.

[ethanhopkin14]

Where is Gainesville Tx ever listed? On a BGS I've only ever seen Denton and OKC

Ramp signage north of Denton uses it, with no mention of OKC.

Between Gainesville and the state line, they use, I shit you not, Ardmore.

But before all that, you have this.

[Scott5114]

Where is Gainesville Tx ever listed? On a BGS I've only ever seen Denton and OKC

Ramp signage north of Denton uses it, with no mention of OKC.

Between Gainesville and the state line, they use, I shit you not, Ardmore.

But before all that, you have this.

That isn't much help if I get off the interstate, get gas, and am trying to find my way back to I-35, though.

[Roadgeekteen]

Where is Gainesville Tx ever listed? On a BGS I've only ever seen Denton and OKC

Ramp signage north of Denton uses it, with no mention of OKC.

Between Gainesville and the state line, they use, I shit you not, Ardmore.

But before all that, you have this.

That isn't much help if I get off the interstate, get gas, and am trying to find my way back to I-35, though.

What do you mean? What does the control city have to do with knowing that you have to get back on I-35 north?

[Scott5114]

Where is Gainesville Tx ever listed? On a BGS I've only ever seen Denton and OKC

Ramp signage north of Denton uses it, with no mention of OKC.

Between Gainesville and the state line, they use, I shit you not, Ardmore.

But before all that, you have this.

That isn't much help if I get off the interstate, get gas, and am trying to find my way back to I-35, though.

What do you mean? What does the control city have to do with knowing that you have to get back on I-35 north?

Why do you suppose they post control cities at interchanges?

[Flint1979]

Where is Gainesville Tx ever listed? On a BGS I've only ever seen Denton and OKC

Ramp signage north of Denton uses it, with no mention of OKC.

Between Gainesville and the state line, they use, I shit you not, Ardmore.

But before all that, you have this.

That isn't much help if I get off the interstate, get gas, and am trying to find my way back to I-35, though.

What do you mean? What does the control city have to do with knowing that you have to get back on I-35 north?

What do you think control cities are there for?

[bing101]

Pennslyvania is pretty bad with its obscure towns on I-80. For best, I like Arizona's control cities (although Yuma could be used).

Pennsylvania how much of this is that they put small towns as control cities on the grounds of gas and lodging reasons. I know interstates are supposed to have large cities as control cities on a 2di.

[kirbykart]

Pennslyvania is pretty bad with its obscure towns on I-80. For best, I like Arizona's control cities (although Yuma could be used).

Yeah, wow is this bad. Nobody is going to Sharon, PennDOT. Or the worst offender, Delaware Water Gap. It's weird because they do OK with control cities on other interstates, just not I-80.

[MATraveler128]

Pennslyvania is pretty bad with its obscure towns on I-80. For best, I like Arizona's control cities (although Yuma could be used).

Yeah, wow is this bad. Nobody is going to Sharon, PennDOT. Or the worst offender, Delaware Water Gap. It's weird because they do OK with control cities on other interstates, just not I-80.

I-81 in Pennsylvania uses Hazleton as far south as Harrisburg instead of Scranton or even Wilkes-Barre. I get that Hazleton is a major Interstate junction (I-80), but I figure more people are looking for I-84 to bypass metro New York.

[Ted$8roadFan]

Pennslyvania is pretty bad with its obscure towns on I-80. For best, I like Arizona's control cities (although Yuma could be used).

Pennsylvania how much of this is that they put small towns as control cities on the grounds of gas and lodging reasons. I know interstates are supposed to have large cities as control cities on a 2di.

I do wonder how influential the local business lobby is in some of these regions, PA included, in dictating local control cities instead of regional ones (i.e. Sharon, Clarion, Del. Water Gap) in order to increase commerce in their towns.

[Ted$8roadFan]

Pennslyvania is pretty bad with its obscure towns on I-80. For best, I like Arizona's control cities (although Yuma could be used).

Yeah, wow is this bad. Nobody is going to Sharon, PennDOT. Or the worst offender, Delaware Water Gap. It's weird because they do OK with control cities on other interstates, just not I-80.

I remember reading a while back that in Maine, many local officials in the central part of the state were adamant that the DOT not sign Bar Harbor/Mount Desert Island on I-95 until Bangor, even though leaving 95 at  US 1 from Brunswick was more a more scenic drive up the Mid-Coast. In PA's case, I wouldn't be surprised if local political/business leaders along I-80 had similar influence.

[bing101]

Isn't smaller towns limited by the City limits sign along the way on a 2di. I know on 3di's suburban and medium size cities could be used as control cities given the significance to commuters in a certain area. However 2di's are supposed to mainly focus on large cities and state capitals for truck traffic reasons.

[Flint1979]

Since this isn't just limited to Interstate's I would like to nominate Clare, MI on US-127, it seems like an ok control city on US-10 because US-10 shifts there and runs concurrently with US-127 for a few miles. I think US-127's control cities should be Hudson, Jackson, Lansing, Mount Pleasant, Mackinac Bridge. I'd just replace Clare with Mt. Pleasant than Mackinac Bridge north of Mount Pleasant which is the control city at that point therefore Clare stops being the control city before you even get to Clare which makes it an even worse control city IMO. The Mackinac Bridge is an excellent control city for northern Michigan btw.

[kirbykart]

I think Illinois is one of the worst states for control cities, and I know this isn't exactly a unique opinion. Besides the obvious "Iowa", "Suburbs", and "East St. Louis", there are also some pretty inexplicable choices, like "Jacksonville" on I-72^, and no mention of Bloomington-Normal on I-55, even though it's a decent-sized city and the junction of 3 interstates.
^To be fair, there's not a lot to work with here, but I'm pretty sure more people have heard of Hannibal, MO than Jacksonville, IL.

[amroad17]

I think Illinois is one of the worst states for control cities, and I know this isn't exactly a unique opinion. Besides the obvious "Iowa", "Suburbs", and "East St. Louis", there are also some pretty inexplicable choices, like "Jacksonville" on I-72^, and no mention of Bloomington-Normal on I-55, even though it's a decent-sized city and the junction of 3 interstates.
^To be fair, there's not a lot to work with here, but I'm pretty sure more people have heard of Hannibal, MO than Jacksonville, IL.

Jacksonville (IL) is probably a holdover, and a carbon copy, from when I-72 west of I-55 and Springfield was just the US 36 freeway.

As far as Illinois, I am not a fan of "state" control points.  I would prefer Des Moines, Milwaukee, Toledo, and Detroit over Iowa, Indiana, and Wisconsin.

[amroad17]

Pennslyvania is pretty bad with its obscure towns on I-80. For best, I like Arizona's control cities (although Yuma could be used).

Yeah, wow is this bad. Nobody is going to Sharon, PennDOT. Or the worst offender, Delaware Water Gap. It's weird because they do OK with control cities on other interstates, just not I-80.

I-81 in Pennsylvania uses Hazleton as far south as Harrisburg instead of Scranton or even Wilkes-Barre. I get that Hazleton is a major Interstate junction (I-80), but I figure more people are looking for I-84 to bypass metro New York.

Unfortunately, there are no large cities/towns along I-80 in Pennsylvania.  The larger ones are Sharon (pop. 13,000), Bloomsburg (pop. 14,000) and Hazleton (pop. 30,000), which is actually about 7.5 miles south of the I-80/PA 309 interchange (262).  Williamsport (pop. 27,000) is also used, however, the city is almost 17 miles north of I-80 using US 15.  The control cities used are usually around 5,000-10,000 in population.

I have posted before that Pennsylvania should use Sharon, DuBois, Williamsport, Hazleton, and Stroudsburg as the main control points.  No Mercer, Clarion, Clearfield, Bellefonte, Milton, or Bloomsburg.  These last six mentioned are on mileage signs along I-80 currently, which should be good enough.

Yes, I-81 NB is signed for Hazleton from Harrisburg.  I believe that PennDOT should use two control cities on the NB overhead signs for both I-81 (Hazleton, Scranton) and I-78 (Allentown, New York City).  At least there is a mileage sign posted for Wilkes-Barre and Scranton just north of the I-81/I-78 interchange. https://goo.gl/maps/61kjfKG3N1rgwM8j6   

[Roadgeekteen]

Pennslyvania is pretty bad with its obscure towns on I-80. For best, I like Arizona's control cities (although Yuma could be used).

Yeah, wow is this bad. Nobody is going to Sharon, PennDOT. Or the worst offender, Delaware Water Gap. It's weird because they do OK with control cities on other interstates, just not I-80.

I-81 in Pennsylvania uses Hazleton as far south as Harrisburg instead of Scranton or even Wilkes-Barre. I get that Hazleton is a major Interstate junction (I-80), but I figure more people are looking for I-84 to bypass metro New York.

Unfortunately, there are no large cities/towns along I-80 in Pennsylvania.  The larger ones are Sharon (pop. 13,000), Bloomsburg (pop. 14,000) and Hazleton (pop. 30,000), which is actually about 7.5 miles south of the I-80/PA 309 interchange (262).  Williamsport (pop. 27,000) is also used, however, the city is almost 17 miles north of I-80 using US 15.  The control cities used are usually around 5,000-10,000 in population.

I have posted before that Pennsylvania should use Sharon, DuBois, Williamsport, Hazleton, and Stroudsburg as the main control points.  No Mercer, Clarion, Clearfield, Bellefonte, Milton, or Bloomsburg.  These last six mentioned are on mileage signs along I-80 currently, which should be good enough.

Yes, I-81 NB is signed for Hazleton from Harrisburg.  I believe that PennDOT should use two control cities on the NB overhead signs for both I-81 (Hazleton, Scranton) and I-78 (Allentown, New York City).  At least there is a mileage sign posted for Wilkes-Barre and Scranton just north of the I-81/I-78 interchange. https://goo.gl/maps/61kjfKG3N1rgwM8j6

Skip DuBois. It has only 7 thousand people with a declining population. At least Hazelton has over 20 thousand people. Would prefer just New York and Cleveland, but the others are fine.

[Flint1979]

The worst of them all is Illinois. I don't mind using the states in the Chicago area like Wisconsin and Indiana because you generally know what parts of each state you're going to come into but I would use Milwaukee instead of Wisconsin, it's the largest city in Wisconsin and almost anybody is going to know where Milwaukee is. I would use both Milwaukee and Rockford on the Kennedy where 90/94 run concurrently then use both at the Kennedy/Edens split for each respective highway. But I think the worst one of them all is Interstate 57 on I-24. I mean you could have used Marion, Mount Vernon or St Louis. The control cities seem to be out of whack along the whole route west of Nashville.

[ran4sh]

The worst of them all is Illinois. I don't mind using the states in the Chicago area like Wisconsin and Indiana because you generally know what parts of each state you're going to come into but I would use Milwaukee instead of Wisconsin, it's the largest city in Wisconsin and almost anybody is going to know where Milwaukee is. I would use both Milwaukee and Rockford on the Kennedy where 90/94 run concurrently then use both at the Kennedy/Edens split for each respective highway. But I think the worst one of them all is Interstate 57 on I-24. I mean you could have used Marion, Mount Vernon or St Louis. The control cities seem to be out of whack along the whole route west of Nashville.

I thought you said that the control city has to be on the route.

[Flint1979]

The worst of them all is Illinois. I don't mind using the states in the Chicago area like Wisconsin and Indiana because you generally know what parts of each state you're going to come into but I would use Milwaukee instead of Wisconsin, it's the largest city in Wisconsin and almost anybody is going to know where Milwaukee is. I would use both Milwaukee and Rockford on the Kennedy where 90/94 run concurrently then use both at the Kennedy/Edens split for each respective highway. But I think the worst one of them all is Interstate 57 on I-24. I mean you could have used Marion, Mount Vernon or St Louis. The control cities seem to be out of whack along the whole route west of Nashville.

I thought you said that the control city has to be on the route.

A control city should be on the route but what control city isn't that I mentioned?

[TheHighwayMan3561]

The worst of them all is Illinois. I don't mind using the states in the Chicago area like Wisconsin and Indiana because you generally know what parts of each state you're going to come into but I would use Milwaukee instead of Wisconsin, it's the largest city in Wisconsin and almost anybody is going to know where Milwaukee is. I would use both Milwaukee and Rockford on the Kennedy where 90/94 run concurrently then use both at the Kennedy/Edens split for each respective highway. But I think the worst one of them all is Interstate 57 on I-24. I mean you could have used Marion, Mount Vernon or St Louis. The control cities seem to be out of whack along the whole route west of Nashville.

If Crash_It was in charge:

I-90 West: Rockford/Albert Lea
I-94 West: St. Paul/Fargo

[amroad17]

Pennslyvania is pretty bad with its obscure towns on I-80. For best, I like Arizona's control cities (although Yuma could be used).

Yeah, wow is this bad. Nobody is going to Sharon, PennDOT. Or the worst offender, Delaware Water Gap. It's weird because they do OK with control cities on other interstates, just not I-80.

I-81 in Pennsylvania uses Hazleton as far south as Harrisburg instead of Scranton or even Wilkes-Barre. I get that Hazleton is a major Interstate junction (I-80), but I figure more people are looking for I-84 to bypass metro New York.

Unfortunately, there are no large cities/towns along I-80 in Pennsylvania.  The larger ones are Sharon (pop. 13,000), Bloomsburg (pop. 14,000) and Hazleton (pop. 30,000), which is actually about 7.5 miles south of the I-80/PA 309 interchange (262).  Williamsport (pop. 27,000) is also used, however, the city is almost 17 miles north of I-80 using US 15.  The control cities used are usually around 5,000-10,000 in population.

I have posted before that Pennsylvania should use Sharon, DuBois, Williamsport, Hazleton, and Stroudsburg as the main control points.  No Mercer, Clarion, Clearfield, Bellefonte, Milton, or Bloomsburg.  These last six mentioned are on mileage signs along I-80 currently, which should be good enough.

Yes, I-81 NB is signed for Hazleton from Harrisburg.  I believe that PennDOT should use two control cities on the NB overhead signs for both I-81 (Hazleton, Scranton) and I-78 (Allentown, New York City).  At least there is a mileage sign posted for Wilkes-Barre and Scranton just north of the I-81/I-78 interchange. https://goo.gl/maps/61kjfKG3N1rgwM8j6

Skip DuBois. It has only 7 thousand people with a declining population. At least Hazelton has over 20 thousand people. Would prefer just New York and Cleveland, but the others are fine.

I mentioned DuBois because this is where US 219 crosses I-80.  This also would be the area in which the Continental One Expressway would be built, if it ever came to fruition.  Besides, you would need a control point in between the 210 mile distance between Sharon and Williamsport.  DuBois is nearly halfway between the two.

Remember, control cities are not always based on population (Limon, CO; Wytheville, VA; Carlisle, PA; Corning, NY; Lewisburg, WV).  Control points are designed as waypoints along a certain routing.  Some routes may not reach those points (I-57, Memphis; I-24, St. Louis), however, they are routes one would need to take to reach that certain city from their area.

[7/8]

The worst of them all is Illinois. I don't mind using the states in the Chicago area like Wisconsin and Indiana because you generally know what parts of each state you're going to come into but I would use Milwaukee instead of Wisconsin, it's the largest city in Wisconsin and almost anybody is going to know where Milwaukee is. I would use both Milwaukee and Rockford on the Kennedy where 90/94 run concurrently then use both at the Kennedy/Edens split for each respective highway. But I think the worst one of them all is Interstate 57 on I-24. I mean you could have used Marion, Mount Vernon or St Louis. The control cities seem to be out of whack along the whole route west of Nashville.

I thought you said that the control city has to be on the route.

A control city should be on the route but what control city isn't that I mentioned?

St. Louis isn't on I-57. Still, I respectfully disagree that the highway has to reach the control city in cases where most traffic leaves the highway for that city. It's good that St. Louis is signed on I-24 at I-57 since lots of traffic is heading there. https://maps.app.goo.gl/X7wrrr4hQu9Laz6o9

[Flint1979]

The worst of them all is Illinois. I don't mind using the states in the Chicago area like Wisconsin and Indiana because you generally know what parts of each state you're going to come into but I would use Milwaukee instead of Wisconsin, it's the largest city in Wisconsin and almost anybody is going to know where Milwaukee is. I would use both Milwaukee and Rockford on the Kennedy where 90/94 run concurrently then use both at the Kennedy/Edens split for each respective highway. But I think the worst one of them all is Interstate 57 on I-24. I mean you could have used Marion, Mount Vernon or St Louis. The control cities seem to be out of whack along the whole route west of Nashville.

I thought you said that the control city has to be on the route.

A control city should be on the route but what control city isn't that I mentioned?

St. Louis isn't on I-57. Still, I respectfully disagree that the highway has to reach the control city in cases where most traffic leaves the highway for that city. It's good that St. Louis is signed on I-24 at I-57 since lots of traffic is heading there. https://maps.app.goo.gl/X7wrrr4hQu9Laz6o9

I-24 ends and is heading toward St. Louis. The other examples of like using Raliegh on I-95 or Albany, GA on I-75 don't make any sense as both 75 and 95 are through routes that don't end there. US-127 in Michigan doesn't go to the Mackinac Bridge but is the control city from Mount Pleasant going north pretty much the same difference although there are two Interstates that you would use to get to St. Louis. I'd probably just use Marion. Kentucky and/or Tennessee shouldn't be using St. Louis, I can't remember which one does it.