What state posts the worst control cities? The best?

[MattHanson939]

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

And as far as in-state control cities, California is even hesitant to sign Los Angeles on I-40 west.

[Ted$8roadFan]

Pennsylvania has gotten a little better by signing "New York"  on I-95 heading north from Philadelphia now that the Turnpike/95 connection is partially complete. Not that Trenton was that bad.

[SP Cook]

If I signed WV:

Interstates:

64 - Lexington-Huntington-Charleston-Beckley-(single sign at 64-77 split for Richmond) - Lexington, VA
68 - (sign at 79 junction for Pittsburgh-Charleston)   Morgantown- Cumberland (Maryland should sign "To I-70/Baltimore/Washington" from that point)
70 - Columbus - Wheeling - Washington, PA
77 - Wytheville - Bluefield - (single sign at 77-64 split for Charlotte) - Beckley - Charleston (single sign at 77-79 split for Cleveland) - Parkersburg - Cleveland
79 - Charleston - (single sign at 77-79 split for Pittsburgh) - Morgantown - Pittsburgh
81 - Harrisburg, PA - Martinsburg - Roanoke
470 - Wheeling Bypass/Columbus/ To I 70 West - Wheeling Bypass/Washington, PA/ To I 70 East/To Pennsylvania Turnpike

Corridors:

D/US 50 - Cincinnati - Parkersburg/I-77 - Clarksburg/I-79
G/US 119 - Pikeville - Logan - Charleston
H/US 48 (when completed)- (sign the Weston exit for "New Route to Washington, DC") - Weston/I-79 - Elkins - Front Royal/I-66/81
L/US 19 - (supplemental sign at the exit "Morgantown") -Beckley/I-64/77 - New River Gorge National Park and Preserve/Sutton - Sutton/I-79 (sign the exit Beckley/New River Gorge National Park and Preserve/Direct Route South)
Q/US 460 - Grundy - Bluefield - Princeton - Blacksburg, VA

Other 4 lane through routes:

US 19/Z-Way - Bypass - To I-64 - Ghent/To I-77
US 22 - Cambridge, OH - Weirton - Pittsburgh
US 33 - Supplemental sign at exit "Columbus" - Columbus
US 35 - Supplemental sign at exit "Cincinnati-Dayton-Columbus" Charleston/I-64 - Point Pleasant - Ohio
US 52/ King Coal Highway - (if ever built) Bluefield/I-77 - Welch - Williamson - Kenova/I-64
US 121/ Coalfields Expressway - (if ever built) Beckley/I-64/77 - Welch - Grundy
US 340 - Berryville - Charles Town - Frederick, MD/I-70/470
US 522 - Winchester/I-81 - Berkeley Springs/To I-68/70 - Hancock/To I-68/70
WV 9 - Martinsburg - Charles Town - Leesburg
WV 10 (if ever completed) (swap WV 10 and WV 73 between US 119 and Logan) - Charleston/To US 119 - Logan - Man- Gilbert/To US 52
Ghent Connector (if ever built) Ghent/To I-77 - Welch/To - US 52

[Scott5114]

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.

A hard-core roadgeek commits a crime and is sentenced to jail. "You're going to Limon for a long time," says the judge.

"Objection, your honor," the roadgeek says. "Wouldn't it be better if I went to Denver or Topeka for a long time?"

[MattHanson939]

I think a lot of it has to do with the old US highway junctions. I-40 (old 66) east of Barstow intersects its next US highway in Needles. I-10 (old 60/70/99) intersected US 91/395 in San Bernardino, and I-8 (old 80) used to intersect US 99 in El Centro.

Most of the control cities in New Mexico also have to do with old US highway junctions, as well as the fact that the old US highways went right through these small towns.  Albuquerque currently doesn't have US highways serving the city.  However, I-40 (former 66) intersects US 491 (former 666) in Gallup, then intersects US 285 at Clines Corners (that wasn't even used as a control city on 66).  I-40 then intersects both US 54 and US 84 in Santa Rosa; then I-40 and US 54 run concurrently until Tucumcari where 54 splits to go to the Texas and Oklahoma panhandles and on to Wichita, Kansas.  Grants was the control city on I-40 west from Albuquerque prior to the early 2000s, even though there's no junction with a US highway; US 66 only went through that town before I-40 bypassed it sometime in the 1970s.

I-25 (former 85) starts at I-10 and intersects US 70 in Las Cruces, then intersects US 60 at Socorro; however, US 85 started in El Paso (and is still signed there - it's only unsigned when running concurrently I-10 and I-25).  Both 25 and 60 run concurrently until about 17 miles south of Belen where 60 splits to go east.  Once north of Albuquerque, I-25 intersects US 550 (formerly NM 44) in Bernalillo.  In Santa Fe, there's a junction with US 84/285; however, motorists headed towards Española or Los Alamos coming from Albuquerque usually get off the interstate at Exit 276 and use NM 599 to get to US 84/285, completely bypassing Santa Fe.  The next US highway junction is with 84 just 3 miles south of the town of Las Vegas, then with US 412 in Springer; and finally, I-25 intersects US 64 and 87 in Raton.

Belen also used to be the southbound control city on I-25 south from Albuquerque before the 2000s.

I-10 (old 80) intersects US 70 in Lordsburg, then intersects US 180 in Deming.  And 70 splits from I-10 in Las Cruces to go to Alamogordo and Roswell while the interstate turns south to go to El Paso.

[US 89]

Albuquerque currently doesn't have US highways serving the city.

It does still have US 85. NM just likes to pretend that doesn't exist.

[MattHanson939]

It does still have US 85. NM just likes to pretend that doesn't exist.

The interesting thing with US 85 was that the route itself wasn't decommissioned unlike some other US routes like US 66, US 80 west of Dallas, or US 60 west of Arizona.  It's just that it's unsigned when it runs concurrently with I-25 and a short stretch of I-10.
Heck, even it's not signed anymore on certain city streets in Santa Fe and Albuquerque; and instead it's signed as Business Loop I-25 in Truth or Consequences, Socorro, Belen, Las Vegas, Springer, and Raton.

[Flint1979]

Albuquerque currently doesn't have US highways serving the city.

It does still have US 85. NM just likes to pretend that doesn't exist.

It's because of some lame policy of NMDOT's. They only sign the route of greater significance while leaving the route of lesser significance unsigned. Doesn't make since to me. Michigan has a 73 mile concurrency with I-75 and US-23 and they are both well signed all the way through the concurrency. No one ever calls it 75 and 23 or 75/23, it just gets called I-75 but it is signed. I think MDOT does pretty well with signage.

[MattHanson939]

Albuquerque currently doesn't have US highways serving the city.

It does still have US 85. NM just likes to pretend that doesn't exist.

It's because of some lame policy of NMDOT's. They only sign the route of greater significance while leaving the route of lesser significance unsigned. Doesn't make since to me. Michigan has a 73 mile concurrency with I-75 and US-23 and they are both well signed all the way through the concurrency. No one ever calls it 75 and 23 or 75/23, it just gets called I-75 but it is signed. I think MDOT does pretty well with signage.

However, US 60 is signed on a 21 mile stretch of I-25 from Socorro until 60 splits from the interstate about midpoint between Socorro and Belen.  But that's the only exception.

https://www.google.com/maps/@34.1049382,-106.9010815,3a,75y,341.79h,88.26t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sn8HwagiDHZZHwIiJouqnDA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

Even Colorado doesn't sign US 85 along I-25...until you're north of Denver.

[hbelkins]

77 - Wytheville - Bluefield - (single sign at 77-64 split for Charlotte) - Beckley - Charleston (single sign at 77-79 split for Cleveland) - Parkersburg - Cleveland
79 - Charleston - (single sign at 77-79 split for Pittsburgh) - Morgantown - Pittsburgh

Any particular reason you'd use Parkersburg for I-77 but not Clarksburg for I-79?

[ethanhopkin14]

Albuquerque currently doesn't have US highways serving the city.

It does still have US 85. NM just likes to pretend that doesn't exist.

It's because of some lame policy of NMDOT's. They only sign the route of greater significance while leaving the route of lesser significance unsigned. Doesn't make since to me. Michigan has a 73 mile concurrency with I-75 and US-23 and they are both well signed all the way through the concurrency. No one ever calls it 75 and 23 or 75/23, it just gets called I-75 but it is signed. I think MDOT does pretty well with signage.

However, US 60 is signed on a 21 mile stretch of I-25 from Socorro until 60 splits from the interstate about midpoint between Socorro and Belen.  But that's the only exception.

https://www.google.com/maps/@34.1049382,-106.9010815,3a,75y,341.79h,88.26t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sn8HwagiDHZZHwIiJouqnDA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

Even Colorado doesn't sign US 85 along I-25...until you're north of Denver.

In New Mexico, the shorter duplexes are signed.
https://goo.gl/maps/AaqUdnD7RPRvZMAA7

[SP Cook]

Any particular reason you'd use Parkersburg for I-77 but not Clarksburg for I-79?

Well, several.  Clarksburg is not a place most out of state motorists have ever heard of, and is probably no one's destination.  Yes, it is a junction with a Corridor, but so is Weston.  It is now under 15K population and economically insignificant.  Morgantown, most people have heard of because of WVU, and it has a population of over 30K, now the 3rd largest city in the state.  Meanwhile Parkersburg is 4th, just slightly below Morgantown, and there is nothing else to use north of it that is any better until you get to Akron or Cleveland or such, which is too far.  More people have heard of Parkersburg.

[hbelkins]

I'd use Cambridge, Ohio, north of Charleston, since it's where I-77 and I-70 cross. Although to be truthful, I doubt a whole lot of traffic makes the transition from one interstate to the other there, unless that's the preferred route for traffic between Charleston and Wheeling.

[Flint1979]

Any particular reason you'd use Parkersburg for I-77 but not Clarksburg for I-79?

Well, several.  Clarksburg is not a place most out of state motorists have ever heard of, and is probably no one's destination.  Yes, it is a junction with a Corridor, but so is Weston.  It is now under 15K population and economically insignificant.  Morgantown, most people have heard of because of WVU, and it has a population of over 30K, now the 3rd largest city in the state.  Meanwhile Parkersburg is 4th, just slightly below Morgantown, and there is nothing else to use north of it that is any better until you get to Akron or Cleveland or such, which is too far.  More people have heard of Parkersburg.

Why does it matter if out of state motorists have ever heard of the place? Morgantown does make more sense but I was just wondering why it matters if out of state motorists have ever heard of it. These states that use more in state control cities as long as they can probably have several examples of cities out of state motorists have heard of. I mean I guess I can kind of see what you are getting at but if it's a regional Interstate then smaller control cities will probably be used.

[Rothman]

Any particular reason you'd use Parkersburg for I-77 but not Clarksburg for I-79?

Well, several.  Clarksburg is not a place most out of state motorists have ever heard of, and is probably no one's destination.  Yes, it is a junction with a Corridor, but so is Weston.  It is now under 15K population and economically insignificant.  Morgantown, most people have heard of because of WVU, and it has a population of over 30K, now the 3rd largest city in the state.  Meanwhile Parkersburg is 4th, just slightly below Morgantown, and there is nothing else to use north of it that is any better until you get to Akron or Cleveland or such, which is too far.  More people have heard of Parkersburg.

Why does it matter if out of state motorists have ever heard of the place? Morgantown does make more sense but I was just wondering why it matters if out of state motorists have ever heard of it. These states that use more in state control cities as long as they can probably have several examples of cities out of state motorists have heard of. I mean I guess I can kind of see what you are getting at but if it's a regional Interstate then smaller control cities will probably be used.

Because locals tend to inflate the importance of their dinky, insignificant towns.

[Scott5114]

Why does it matter if out of state motorists have ever heard of the place?

If you're in-state you probably have a decent enough idea of where you're going to not need a control city in the first place.

[fillup420]

NC is bad with many interchanges on the same freeway using different places. One notable  place is Asheville using Hickory on I-26 and I-240 (west end), Statesville on I-240 (East end), and Black Mountain from the Tunnel Road Connector all for the same I-40 EB ramps. Then Greensboro was also used on a mileage sign east of I-26.

I-95 using various places too in NC along the stretch from Eastover to Kenly.

I agree that NC can sometimes post cities that don't make a lot of sense. One that always stuck out to me was this one at US 74/I-485 southern junction. They used the control city on I-85 for northbound, and the control city for I-77 going southbound. It has since been changed to Huntersville and Pineville, which makes sense.

Another 485 strange one is this one. Why sign Spartanburg for 85 south, when it has to go through Charlotte first? From this spot, it would make more sense to direct thru traffic for 85 south to stay on 485 until its southern junction with 85. There is no good reason for Spartanburg-bound traffic to exit 485 and go through downtown Charlotte, when the 485 loop is a great bypass for that part of 85. Also, why sign for 77 south? No one at this spot will be heading this direction to get to 77 south. They would've gone the opposite direction on 485 to meet up with 77 near the SC line.

[ran4sh]

Any particular reason you'd use Parkersburg for I-77 but not Clarksburg for I-79?

Well, several.  Clarksburg is not a place most out of state motorists have ever heard of, and is probably no one's destination.  Yes, it is a junction with a Corridor, but so is Weston.  It is now under 15K population and economically insignificant.  Morgantown, most people have heard of because of WVU, and it has a population of over 30K, now the 3rd largest city in the state.  Meanwhile Parkersburg is 4th, just slightly below Morgantown, and there is nothing else to use north of it that is any better until you get to Akron or Cleveland or such, which is too far.  More people have heard of Parkersburg.

Why does it matter if out of state motorists have ever heard of the place? Morgantown does make more sense but I was just wondering why it matters if out of state motorists have ever heard of it. These states that use more in state control cities as long as they can probably have several examples of cities out of state motorists have heard of. I mean I guess I can kind of see what you are getting at but if it's a regional Interstate then smaller control cities will probably be used.

See MUTCD 2E.02

"The development of a signing system for freeways and expressways is approached on the premise that the signing is primarily for the benefit and direction of road users who are not familiar with the route or area."

While that's not exactly the same thing as in state vs out of state, it's more likely for out of state users to be non-familiar vs. in state users.

Not sure why you think some Interstates are merely "regional". It's a national network

[Flint1979]

Any particular reason you'd use Parkersburg for I-77 but not Clarksburg for I-79?

Well, several.  Clarksburg is not a place most out of state motorists have ever heard of, and is probably no one's destination.  Yes, it is a junction with a Corridor, but so is Weston.  It is now under 15K population and economically insignificant.  Morgantown, most people have heard of because of WVU, and it has a population of over 30K, now the 3rd largest city in the state.  Meanwhile Parkersburg is 4th, just slightly below Morgantown, and there is nothing else to use north of it that is any better until you get to Akron or Cleveland or such, which is too far.  More people have heard of Parkersburg.

Why does it matter if out of state motorists have ever heard of the place? Morgantown does make more sense but I was just wondering why it matters if out of state motorists have ever heard of it. These states that use more in state control cities as long as they can probably have several examples of cities out of state motorists have heard of. I mean I guess I can kind of see what you are getting at but if it's a regional Interstate then smaller control cities will probably be used.

See MUTCD 2E.02

"The development of a signing system for freeways and expressways is approached on the premise that the signing is primarily for the benefit and direction of road users who are not familiar with the route or area."

While that's not exactly the same thing as in state vs out of state, it's more likely for out of state users to be non-familiar vs. in state users.

Not sure why you think some Interstates are merely "regional". It's a national network

It doesn't matter how big a city is or if people have heard of it out of state. Control cities exist as guidance along a route and the states choose the control cities anyway.

And that's because some interstates are regional. I-96 is most certainly regional, I-39, 41 and 43 are all regional. No kidding it's a national network that doesn't mean every interstate is a nationwide interstate.

[Flint1979]

Any particular reason you'd use Parkersburg for I-77 but not Clarksburg for I-79?

Well, several.  Clarksburg is not a place most out of state motorists have ever heard of, and is probably no one's destination.  Yes, it is a junction with a Corridor, but so is Weston.  It is now under 15K population and economically insignificant.  Morgantown, most people have heard of because of WVU, and it has a population of over 30K, now the 3rd largest city in the state.  Meanwhile Parkersburg is 4th, just slightly below Morgantown, and there is nothing else to use north of it that is any better until you get to Akron or Cleveland or such, which is too far.  More people have heard of Parkersburg.

Why does it matter if out of state motorists have ever heard of the place? Morgantown does make more sense but I was just wondering why it matters if out of state motorists have ever heard of it. These states that use more in state control cities as long as they can probably have several examples of cities out of state motorists have heard of. I mean I guess I can kind of see what you are getting at but if it's a regional Interstate then smaller control cities will probably be used.

Because locals tend to inflate the importance of their dinky, insignificant towns.

I think it the town is at a major junction that usiys a good enough choice for a control city. Like Statesville, NC being the junction of I-77 and I-40. On a nationwide scale 77 might not be a major route but it is in Ohio, the Virginia's and the Carolinas.

[SkyPesos]

I think it the town is at a major junction that usiys a good enough choice for a control city. Like Statesville, NC being the junction of I-77 and I-40. On a nationwide scale 77 might not be a major route but it is in Ohio, the Virginia's and the Carolinas.

In that case, would you prefer Cambridge to be used as a control city on I-70 and I-77 as it's the junction of those two interstates over what they currently use heading towards it (Wheeling for I-70 EB, Columbus for I-70 WB, Cleveland for I-77 NB, Marietta for I-77 SB)?

[Gnutella]

The main problem in Pennsylvania is that many of the Interstates do not directly serve the major cities, and many of the junctions are closest to small towns. This is why I believe that multiple control cities can be useful. Here's how I'd use them:


I-70 EB

West Virginia state line to I-79: Pittsburgh
I-79 to Pennsylvania Turnpike (I-76): Baltimore/Washington DC
Pennsylvania Turnpike (I-76) concurrency: Harrisburg/Philadelphia/Baltimore/Washington DC
Pennsylvania Turnpike (I-76) to Maryland state line: Baltimore/Washington DC

I-70 WB

Maryland state line to Pennsylvania Turnpike (I-76): Pittsburgh
Pennsylvania Turnpike concurrency (I-76): Pittsburgh
Pennsylvania Turnpike (I-76) to West Virginia state line: Wheeling/Columbus

Pennsylvania Turnpike (I-76) EB

Ohio state line to I-79: Pittsburgh
I-79 to I-70: Harrisburg/Philadelphia
I-70 concurrency: Harrisburg/Philadelphia/Baltimore/Washington DC
I-70 to I-83: Harrisburg/Philadelphia
I-83 to I-676: Philadelphia
I-676 to PA 291: Philadelphia Int'l Airport
PA 291 to New Jersey state line: Gloucester City/Atlantic City

Pennsylvania Turnpike (I-76) WB

New Jersey state line to I-95: Philadelphia Int'l Airport/Philadelphia
I-95 to I-676: Center City Philadelphia
I-676 to I-283: Harrisburg/Pittsburgh
I-283 to I-70: Pittsburgh
I-70 concurrency: Pittsburgh
I-70 to I-376: Pittsburgh
I-376 to Ohio state line: Youngstown/Cleveland

I-78 EB

I-81 to Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension (I-476)/U.S. 22: Allentown/Bethlehem/New York
Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension (I-476)/U.S. 22 to New Jersey state line: New York

I-78 WB

New Jersey state line to PA 378: Bethlehem/Allentown/Harrisburg
PA 378 to PA 309: Allentown/Harrisburg
PA 309 to I-81: Harrisburg

I-79 NB

West Virginia state line to I-376: Pittsburgh
I-376 to I-90: Erie/Buffalo
I-90 to U.S. 20: Erie
U.S. 20 to terminus: Downtown Erie

I-79 SB

Terminus to I-279: Pittsburgh
I-279 to I-79: Morgantown/Wheeling/Columbus
I-79 to West Virginia state line: Morgantown/Charleston

I-80 EB

Ohio state line to I-99: State College/New York
Future I-99 concurrency: Williamsport/Rochester/New York
Future I-99 to I-81: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton/New York
I-81 to New Jersey state line: New York

I-80 WB

New Jersey state line to I-380: Scranton/Wilkes-Barre
I-380 to PA 115: Wilkes-Barre
PA 115 to I-180: Williamsport/State College
I-180 to I-99: State College
Future I-99 concurrency: State College
I-99 to Ohio state line: Youngstown/Cleveland

I-81 NB

Maryland state line to I-83: Harrisburg
I-83 to I-78: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton/Allentown/New York
I-78 to PA 309: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton
PA 309 to PA 307: Scranton
PA 307 to New York state line: Binghamton/Syracuse

I-81 SB

New York state line to U.S. 6/U.S. 11: Scranton/Wilkes-Barre
U.S. 6/U.S. 11 to PA 115: Wilkes-Barre
PA 115 to I-83: Harrisburg
I-83 to Maryland state line: Hagerstown/Martinsburg

I-83 NB

Maryland state line to I-83 Business: York/Harrisburg
I-83 Business to PA 581: Harrisburg
PA 581 to 2nd Street: Downtown Harrisburg
2nd Street to I-283: Hershey/Lebanon/Reading
I-283 to I-81: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton

I-83 SB

I-81 to I-283: Harrisburg/Baltimore
I-283 to 2nd Street: Downtown Harrisburg/Baltimore
2nd Street to I-83 Business: York/Baltimore
I-83 Business to Maryland state line: Baltimore

I-84 EB

I-81 to New York state line: Newburgh/Hartford

I-84 WB

New York state line to I-81: Scranton/Wilkes-Barre

I-86 EB

I-90 to New York state line: Jamestown/Elmira

I-86 WB

New York state line to I-90: Erie/Cleveland

I-90 EB

Ohio state line to I-79: Erie/Buffalo
I-79 to New York state line: Buffalo

I-90 WB

New York state line to PA 430: Erie/Cleveland
PA 430 to Ohio state line: Cleveland

I-95 NB

Delaware state line to I-476: Philadelphia
I-476 to Philadelphia International Airport: Philadelphia Int'l Airport/Philadelphia
Philadelphia International Airport to I-676: Center City Philadelphia
I-676 to I-476: Trenton/New York
I-476 to New Jersey state line: New York

I-95 SB

New Jersey state line to Betsy Ross Bridge: Philadelphia
Betsy Ross Bridge to I-676: Center City Philadelphia
I-676 to Philadelphia International Airport: Philadelphia Int'l Airport/Wilmington/Baltimore/Washington DC
Philadelphia International Airport to Delaware state line: Wilmington/Baltimore/Washington DC

I-99 NB

Pennsylvania Turnpike (I-70/I-76) to 17th Street: Altoona/State College
17th Street to U.S 322 Business: State College
U.S. 322 Business to I-80: Williamsport/Rochester
Future I-80 concurrency: Williamsport/Rochester
I-80 to I-180: Williamsport/Rochester
I-180 to New York state line: Rochester

I-99 SB

New York state line to I-180: Williamsport/State College
I-180 to I-80: State College
Future I-80 concurrency: State College
I-80 to U.S 322: State College
U.S. 322 to 17th Street: Altoona/Pittsburgh
17th Street to U.S. 22: Bedford/Pittsburgh
U.S. 22 to Pennsylvania Turnpike (I-76): Bedford

I-176 NB

PA Turnpike (I-76) to U.S 422: Reading

I-176 SB

U.S. 422 to Pennsylvania Turnpike (I-76): PA Turnpike

I-180 EB

Future I-99 to I-80: Milton/Harrisburg

I-180 WB

I-80 to future I-99: Williamsport

I-276 EB

I-76 to I-95: Trenton/New York

I-276 WB

I-95 to I-76: Harrisburg/Pittsburgh

I-279 NB

I-376 to I-579: [none]
I-579 to I-79: Wexford/Erie

I-279 SB

I-79 to U.S. 19: Pittsburgh
U.S. 19 to I-579: Downtown Pittsburgh
I-579 to I-376: Carnegie/Pittsburgh Int'l Airport

I-283 NB

Pennsylvania Turnpike to I-83: Harrisburg

I-283 SB

I-83 to Pennsylvania Turnpike: Lancaster

I-295 NB

I-95 to New Jersey state line: Trenton

I-295 SB

New Jersey state line to I-95: Philadelphia

I-376 EB

I-80 to U.S. 422: New Castle/Pittsburgh
U.S. 422 to PA 68: Beaver/Pittsburgh
PA 68 to Pittsburgh International Airport: Pittsburgh Int'l Airport/Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh International Airport to PA 121: Pittsburgh
PA 121 to I-279: Downtown Pittsburgh
I-279 to Forbes Avenue: Univ of Pittsburgh/Carnegie Mellon Univ
Forbes Avenue to PA 791: Penn Hills/Monroeville
PA 791 to PA 48: Monroeville
PA 48 to U.S. 22: Altoona/State College
U.S. 22 to Pennsylvania Turnpike (I-76): Harrisburg/Philadelphia

I-376 WB

Pennsylvania Turnpike (I-76) to Braddock Avenue: Pittsburgh
Braddock Avenue to Bates Street: Univ of Pittsburgh/Carnegie Mellon Univ/Downtown Pittsburgh
Bates Street to Stanwix Street: Downtown Pittsburgh
Stanwix Street to PA 50: Carnegie/Pittsburgh Int'l Airport
PA 50 to U.S. 22/U.S. 30: Weirton/Pittsburgh Int'l Airport
U.S. 22/U.S. 30 to Pittsburgh International Airport: Pittsburgh Int'l Airport
Pittsburgh International Airport to PA 68: Beaver/New Castle
PA 68 to U.S. 224: New Castle
U.S. 224 to I-80: Sharon

I-380 EB

I-84 to I-80: East Stroudsburg/New York

I-380 WB

I-80 to I-84: Scranton

I-476 NB

I-95 to Ridge Pike: Norristown/Allentown
Ridge Pike to U.S. 22: Allentown
U.S. 22 to PA 115: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton
PA 115 to I-81: Scranton
I-81 to I-81: Binghamton/Syracuse

I-476 SB

I-81 to I-81: Wilkes-Barre/Philadelphia
I-81 to U.S. 22: Allentown/Philadelphia
U.S. 22 to I-76: Philadelphia
I-76 to I-95: Philadelphia Int'l Airport/Wilmington/Baltimore/Washington DC

I-579 NB

Boulevard of the Allies to I-279: [none]

I-579 SB

I-279 to Boulevard of the Allies: TO I-376 East/Univ of Pittsburgh/Carnegie Mellon Univ

I-676 EB

I-76 to I-95: [none]
I-95 to New Jersey state line: Camden/Atlantic City

I-676 WB

New Jersey state line to I-95: Center City Philadelphia
I-95 to I-76: [none]

[packerhawk24]

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!

I like how "Toledo" got used as far west as Joliet on that route, yet "Cleveland" never is until you're in Toledo itself.

[SEWIGuy]

Any particular reason you'd use Parkersburg for I-77 but not Clarksburg for I-79?

Well, several.  Clarksburg is not a place most out of state motorists have ever heard of, and is probably no one's destination.  Yes, it is a junction with a Corridor, but so is Weston.  It is now under 15K population and economically insignificant.  Morgantown, most people have heard of because of WVU, and it has a population of over 30K, now the 3rd largest city in the state.  Meanwhile Parkersburg is 4th, just slightly below Morgantown, and there is nothing else to use north of it that is any better until you get to Akron or Cleveland or such, which is too far.  More people have heard of Parkersburg.

Why does it matter if out of state motorists have ever heard of the place? Morgantown does make more sense but I was just wondering why it matters if out of state motorists have ever heard of it. These states that use more in state control cities as long as they can probably have several examples of cities out of state motorists have heard of. I mean I guess I can kind of see what you are getting at but if it's a regional Interstate then smaller control cities will probably be used.

See MUTCD 2E.02

"The development of a signing system for freeways and expressways is approached on the premise that the signing is primarily for the benefit and direction of road users who are not familiar with the route or area."

While that's not exactly the same thing as in state vs out of state, it's more likely for out of state users to be non-familiar vs. in state users.

Not sure why you think some Interstates are merely "regional". It's a national network

It doesn't matter how big a city is or if people have heard of it out of state. Control cities exist as guidance along a route and the states choose the control cities anyway.

I would guess the correlation of a city being big, and how well it is known, is a pretty strong one.  I can think of a few examples, mainly touristy areas, but I think if given a choice, picking the larger city makes the most sense.

[hbelkins]

I think it the town is at a major junction that usiys a good enough choice for a control city. Like Statesville, NC being the junction of I-77 and I-40. On a nationwide scale 77 might not be a major route but it is in Ohio, the Virginia's and the Carolinas.

In that case, would you prefer Cambridge to be used as a control city on I-70 and I-77 as it's the junction of those two interstates over what they currently use heading towards it (Wheeling for I-70 EB, Columbus for I-70 WB, Cleveland for I-77 NB, Marietta for I-77 SB)?

Yes, I would not have issues with Cambridge being used on I-70. And I'd use Akron before Cleveland on I-77 because it's an interstate crossroads in addition to being a decent-sized city.

And I disagree with the use of Marietta, as the main thing there is a bridge crossing the Ohio River.