What state posts the worst control cities? The best?

[gonealookin]

I want to know why Nevada gets a free pass on using Elko but even the suggestion that Utah sign Provo or St George instead of Las Vegas seems to be so unpopular.

I don't mind Elko.  ~518 miles from Reno to SLC is too long for some people even at 70-75-80 mph, especially those with kids, and Elko is by far the town with the most services out there and is more or less at the halfway point.

As to I-15 in Utah, others know more about that than I do so I'll mostly abstain, but I know that St. George has been booming as a retirement destination and it's probably quite a bit more worthy now than it would have been a few decades ago.

[ethanhopkin14]

I want to know why Nevada gets a free pass on using Elko but even the suggestion that Utah sign Provo or St George instead of Las Vegas seems to be so unpopular.

I don't mind Elko.  ~518 miles from Reno to SLC is too long for some people even at 70-75-80 mph, especially those with kids, and Elko is by far the town with the most services out there and is more or less at the halfway point.

This has made me think; I don't really mind extremely far control cities, or trumping one control city over another because it's size is larger than the other, because one of the things I get out of control cities is an overall heading to the highway. If I am heading to city B (and didn't really do much research other than "it's north of my current location") and I know city B is located on or just slightly off of the highway that goes to the further, bigger city A, then I follow those signs. Being a road nut, that situation rarely happens.  I can think of sometimes getting to one of the many suburbs of the big cities can be a challenge because I don't remember all of them, so control cities help there.  Say I know this suburb is north east of the big city I am in and it's on the road to the next big city, so I will follow those signs. 

Looking at your quote makes me go back to I-10 between San Antonio and El Paso.  570 miles between them and they are the only control cities, but given the area, that's all you really need.  It tells you when you are standing in San Antonio, this is the major highway going west. 

[hotdogPi]

You said a minimum of 100,000 people, and if it's greater than 400 miles, go the longer distance rather than going with a smaller city. Charleston WV is slightly under 50,000. Would you make an exception for Charleston?

[SEWIGuy]

I want to know why Nevada gets a free pass on using Elko but even the suggestion that Utah sign Provo or St George instead of Las Vegas seems to be so unpopular.

I don't mind Elko.  ~518 miles from Reno to SLC is too long for some people even at 70-75-80 mph, especially those with kids, and Elko is by far the town with the most services out there and is more or less at the halfway point.

This has made me think; I don't really mind extremely far control cities, or triumphing one control city over another because it's size is larger than the other, because one of the things I get out of control cities is an overall heading to the highway. If I am heading to city B (and didn't really do much research other than "it's north of my current location") and I know city B is located on or just slightly off of the highway that goes to the further, bigger city A, then I follow those signs. Being a road nut, that situation rarely happens.  I can think of sometimes getting to one of the many suburbs of the big cities can be a challenge because I don't remember all of them, so control cities help there.  Say I know this suburb is north east of the big city I am in and it's on the road to the next big city, so I will follow those signs. 

Looking at your quote makes me go back to I-10 between San Antonio and El Paso.  570 miles between them and they are the only control cities, but given the area, that's all you really need.  It tells you when you are standing in San Antonio, this is the major highway going west. 

This is exactly right.  Which is why in the Chicago area, Elgin isn't a better option than Rockford.  Sure Elgin is bigger population wise, but a lot of out of towners and even some locals, probably don't know where Elgin is exactly.  Rockford, being out of the metro area, makes more sense.

IMO, this is how most people who are "directionally challenged" use control cities.

[ethanhopkin14]

You said a minimum of 100,000 people, and if it's greater than 400 miles, go the longer distance rather than going with a smaller city. Charleston WV is slightly under 50,000. Would you make an exception for Charleston?

I think capital cities should get an exemption to the 100,000 pop rule. 

[US 89]

If you're going to have a population requirement, it should be for census urbanized area and not for city proper. Lots of cities have city-proper populations that don't really encompass how many people live there due to the prevalence of suburbs.

That said, I don't think a strict population requirement is a good idea. In the west, you'll have isolated cities that aren't all that big population-wise but act as regional hubs because they're the biggest thing for over 100 miles, so they feel a lot bigger than they are. Places like Elko NV and Richfield UT would fall into that category.

[andrepoiy]

California is loath to posting out-of-state control cities. Portland, Reno, Las Vegas, Kingman, Phoenix, and Yuma aren't signed until there's absolutely no city of consequence to post. Same with the US routes, with the exception of 6 and 395

Caifornia and Ontario seem to be more and more similar the longer I spend on this forum

[invincor]

Is everyone here aware that there is a YouTube channel specifically dedicated to the topic of this thread?  It's by a man named Todd and the channel is called "Control City Freak" and he posts a new video every week.  He's going through all the Interstate highways, in numerical order, one-by-one, and this week's new video was about the eastern I-76. 

[Roadgeekteen]

California is loath to posting out-of-state control cities. Portland, Reno, Las Vegas, Kingman, Phoenix, and Yuma aren't signed until there's absolutely no city of consequence to post. Same with the US routes, with the exception of 6 and 395

https://www.google.com/maps/@33.7102081,-115.4002559,3a,39.3y,166.36h,94.87t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sQPnVgv0WmQZtE-peYk560g!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fpanoid%3DQPnVgv0WmQZtE-peYk560g%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D179.18895%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i16384!8i8192

Blythe is bad. Phoenix should be used east of Palm Springs.

[Brandon]

Is everyone here aware that there is a YouTube channel specifically dedicated to the topic of this thread?  It's by a man named Todd and the channel is called "Control City Freak" and he posts a new video every week.  He's going through all the Interstate highways, in numerical order, one-by-one, and this week's new video was about the eastern I-76. 

Saw it, and all I can say is...

Valley Forge, ugh.

[SkyPesos]

Is everyone here aware that there is a YouTube channel specifically dedicated to the topic of this thread?  It's by a man named Todd and the channel is called "Control City Freak" and he posts a new video every week.  He's going through all the Interstate highways, in numerical order, one-by-one, and this week's new video was about the eastern I-76.

They're a member of this forum.

Thread for the channel: https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=30194.0

[hbelkins]

If you go by that population and mileage guideline, would there be any control cities between Louisville and Richmond on I-64?

[Flint1979]

If you're going to have a population requirement, it should be for census urbanized area and not for city proper. Lots of cities have city-proper populations that don't really encompass how many people live there due to the prevalence of suburbs.

That said, I don't think a strict population requirement is a good idea. In the west, you'll have isolated cities that aren't all that big population-wise but act as regional hubs because they're the biggest thing for over 100 miles, so they feel a lot bigger than they are. Places like Elko NV and Richfield UT would fall into that category.

That's like Saginaw in Michigan which is a control city on I-75. The city today has a population of 44,202 (down from a peak of 98,265 in 1960), Saginaw Township which is right next to the city has a population of 41,679. So you look at that 44,202 and think Saginaw's not real big which it really isn't but it has an Urban population of right around 125,000 and a county population of about 190,000. Saginaw County is an above average county in land area for Michigan though it's 800 square miles. most of the population lives in the Saginaw Urban Area though.

[jaehak]

Is everyone here aware that there is a YouTube channel specifically dedicated to the topic of this thread?  It's by a man named Todd and the channel is called "Control City Freak" and he posts a new video every week.  He's going through all the Interstate highways, in numerical order, one-by-one, and this week's new video was about the eastern I-76.

They're a member of this forum.

Thread for the channel: https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=30194.0

Yep, that's me!

[Brandon]

Is everyone here aware that there is a YouTube channel specifically dedicated to the topic of this thread?  It's by a man named Todd and the channel is called "Control City Freak" and he posts a new video every week.  He's going through all the Interstate highways, in numerical order, one-by-one, and this week's new video was about the eastern I-76.

They're a member of this forum.

Thread for the channel: https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=30194.0

Yep, that's me!

And I can't wait for I-80.  It has Wyoming, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, and Elko.

[amroad17]

^ And Del Water Gap!

[ilpt4u]

Not to mention Illinois's use of "Iowa"  and "Indiana"  for I-80, so throw in some Control "States"  for I-80 as well

[SkyPesos]

Not to mention Illinois's use of "Iowa"  and "Indiana"  for I-80, so throw in some Control "States"  for I-80 as well

Also "Ohio"  going EB on the Indiana Toll Road, and "Thru Traffic"  on the Ohio Turnpike.

Sucks that you have one road ruining the otherwise perfect control cities on interstates elsewhere in both states.

[ilpt4u]

Not to mention Illinois's use of "Iowa"  and "Indiana"  for I-80, so throw in some Control "States"  for I-80 as well

Also "Ohio"  going EB on the Indiana Toll Road, and "Thru Traffic"  on the Ohio Turnpike.

Sucks that you have one road ruining the otherwise perfect control cities on interstates elsewhere in both states.

I forgot about "Ohio"  on the ITR, but it certainly is. And "Thru Traffic"  on the Ohio Turnpike is hilarious  Always loved it!

Indiana isn't quite perfect (yet) on Controls, until they install NB Controls for the Southern Indiana I-69 segment. It is well past time to post "Indianapolis"  and add mileage signs in Southwestern Indiana along I-69, instead of the _____________ space on the BGSs

[ran4sh]

There is no actual Interstate-to-Interstate interchange for southern I-69 with I-465 or any other Indianapolis freeway yet, so at least for now I'm ok with Indianapolis being left off of the existing parts of southern Indiana I-69.

[US20IL64]

Gary certainly is not a good choice for a control city in the Chicago area.

Correct.

Indiana is fine, since it's once past the state line, there are many forks to differing parts of IN. Gary is a shrunken city, like East St. Louis. Iowa is OK too, general sense of direction. Once, the BGS at I-55 and 80 had Des Moines and Toledo, and my father thought they were too far away.

[SkyPesos]

Gary certainly is not a good choice for a control city in the Chicago area.

Correct.

Indiana is fine, since it's once past the state line, there are many forks to differing parts of IN. Gary is a shrunken city, like East St. Louis. Iowa is OK too, general sense of direction. Once, the BGS at I-55 and 80 had Des Moines and Toledo, and my father thought they were too far away.

I'm fine with "Indiana"  and "Wisconsin"  as I-90 and I-94 enter both states at different points, and at least one of them enter at a corner, with routes radiating to the rest of both states. In my mind, "Indiana"  also indirectly notes the connection with I-65 and Indianapolis. Otoh, "Iowa"  is too broad for me, like I don't think the fastest route from Chicago to Dubuque is via I-80, for example. Might as well post "other Plains Cities"  at that point. Similar case for "Ohio"  on the ITR (ignores the entire southern 4/5 of the state).

[Roadgeekteen]

Is everyone here aware that there is a YouTube channel specifically dedicated to the topic of this thread?  It's by a man named Todd and the channel is called "Control City Freak" and he posts a new video every week.  He's going through all the Interstate highways, in numerical order, one-by-one, and this week's new video was about the eastern I-76.

They're a member of this forum.

Thread for the channel: https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=30194.0

Yep, that's me!

Can't wait to see your thoughts on New England! Current binging your series, on I-20 now.

[zachary_amaryllis]

Best: Michigan, Wisconsin, Florida, Kentucky, Ohio, Tennessee, Missouri
Worst: Pennsylvania, Minnesota, California

I choose to believe that Pennsylvania's control cities are satirical.

It should be noted that control cities are easier for some states than others, because some states don't have many large cities.

If a state doesn't have large in-state cities, post out-of-state cities.

And like that, Limon and Burlington CO go *poof*. I mean, there wasn't much there anyway... remarkably, both are prison towns.

[Flint1979]

Is everyone here aware that there is a YouTube channel specifically dedicated to the topic of this thread?  It's by a man named Todd and the channel is called "Control City Freak" and he posts a new video every week.  He's going through all the Interstate highways, in numerical order, one-by-one, and this week's new video was about the eastern I-76.

They're a member of this forum.

Thread for the channel: https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=30194.0

Yep, that's me!

I just watched the one for I-75 NB everything from the 10 minute mark on up looks totally familiar.