Smallest town

[andrewkbrown]

What is the smallest town where an Interstate cuts through the middle of it, as opposed to bypassing it?

I've thought about this during my many trips through both Zanesville, Ohio and Cumberland, Maryland; small towns that to me, seem unusual to have an interstate cut through it with multiple interchanges. I assume there may be even smaller towns like these.

[Alex]

Wallace, Idaho comes to mind. Interstate 90 travels along a viaduct hugging a mountainside just outside of downtown.

[roadfro]

Any of the towns along I-80 in rural Nevada would be likely candidates...Fernley, Lovelock, Winnemucca, Battle Mountain, Carlin, Wells, Wendover. Most of these have about 3 exits off of I-80 that are somewhat central to the town.

I guess it depends on the definition of the town and cutting through the middle. Most of the towns I mentioned have I-80 just skirting to one side of the developed areas (homes & businesses).

Elko is the only one of these communities that has a good number of homes on both sides of I-80. Although I'd guess that the homes on the north side came after the interstate was built, as there's far more development on the south side where original US 40 (now Idaho St/SR 535) passes through. 

[3467]

Not an Interstate but a freeway US 34 slices right past downtown Burlington Iowa and makes a direct connection to the strip development on US 61. Its 30,000 maybe a little smaller than Zanesville
The Bridge and the Bluffs made it possible.
Dubuque sort of but its larger and acess is not 100% controlled
I-74 cits rightthrough downtown Moline and Bettendorf -Small if counted as separate towns. It also runs through downtown Peoria and East Peoria.

[corco]

According to WYDOT data, I-80 does indeed clip the incorporation limits of Buford, Wyoming, population 1

[Riverside Frwy]

Corco is right.......

Buford, WY:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Buford,+Wyoming&sll=36.879621,-95.712891&sspn=40.835751,89.824219&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Buford,+Albany,+Wyoming&ll=41.122265,-105.301552&spn=0.018977,0.043859&t=h&z=15

Wow, there is nothing but a post office.

[corco]

That post office is also a gas station and former restaurant. Across the way (also within city limits) is a seasonal fireworks stand

[Bickendan]

Manned by the same employee/resident, right?

[corco]

I assume most of the workers commute from Vedauwoo

[US71]

According to WYDOT data, I-80 does indeed clip the incorporation limits of Buford, Wyoming, population 1

1 ? I was there 3 years ago, and I thought it was 2?


Buford is a jumping off point for the wilderness areas to the north: lots of camping, etc. Very rugged, very primitive.

The Buford Trading Post has almost everything you need: gas, deli, groceries... even FAX service.

[mightyace]

While nowhere near that small, I-80 does pass through the town limits of Bloomsburg, PA, but that's not a heavily developed part of town.

[mgk920]

There are OODLES of very tiny places, especially in the west, where the necessities of topography dictated that the interstate cut the town in half.  A fairly stark example that immediately comes to my mind is Pompeys Pillar, MT (I-94).

An interesting case here - although not an interstate, plans for the US 54/400 bypass freeway at Greensburg, KS changed when the city of about 1.4K was 95% destroyed by a tornado a few years ago.  While it was originally planned to take a fairly conventional routing around the city to the south, with nearly all of the city no longer there and in the way, their government decided to instead have it routed about halfway between their main street (existing US 54/400) and the railroad three blocks to the north.  The impetus was to have their rebuilt downtown area right next to, visible and easily accessible from the traffic that it will carry.

Mike

[bugo]

An interesting case here - although not an interstate, plans for the US 54/400 bypass freeway at Greensburg, KS changed when the city of about 1.4K was 95% destroyed by a tornado a few years ago.  While it was originally planned to take a fairly conventional routing around the city to the south, with nearly all of the city no longer there and in the way, their government decided to instead have it routed about halfway between their main street (existing US 54/400) and the railroad three blocks to the north.  The impetus was to have their rebuilt downtown area right next to, visible and easily accessible from the traffic that it will carry.

And this road will no doubt built with a low speed limit.  The original true bypass would have been better.

[Chris]

According to WYDOT data, I-80 does indeed clip the incorporation limits of Buford, Wyoming, population 1

1 ? I was there 3 years ago, and I thought it was 2?
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2234/2261497185_f87425d1e9.jpg

A population decline of 50% in 3 years? Wyoming now officially belongs to the Rust Belt

[Roadgeek Adam]

Interstate 10 - Exit 159 of Plateau TX - Population: 5
Interstate 10 - Exit 166 - Boracho Station TX

[corco]

It's down to 1 now...once I get back to Wyoming I'll take a picture of the sign. Hard times hit Buford! Actually, the old trading post burnt down a few years ago, and when the new one was rebuilt, the population went from two to one

[mgk920]

An interesting case here - although not an interstate, plans for the US 54/400 bypass freeway at Greensburg, KS changed when the city of about 1.4K was 95% destroyed by a tornado a few years ago.  While it was originally planned to take a fairly conventional routing around the city to the south, with nearly all of the city no longer there and in the way, their government decided to instead have it routed about halfway between their main street (existing US 54/400) and the railroad three blocks to the north.  The impetus was to have their rebuilt downtown area right next to, visible and easily accessible from the traffic that it will carry.

And this road will no doubt built with a low speed limit.  The original true bypass would have been better.

I doubt that, as it will be built as a full, interstate-compatible freeway.

See: http://www.ksdot.org/Greensburg.asp for the latest KDOT info on this project.

Mike

[Bickendan]

According to WYDOT data, I-80 does indeed clip the incorporation limits of Buford, Wyoming, population 1

1 ? I was there 3 years ago, and I thought it was 2?
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2234/2261497185_f87425d1e9.jpg

A population decline of 50% in 3 years? Wyoming now officially belongs to the Rust Belt

Well, there's my nomination for QOTW. One of my old Geography professors would be amused by that, too.

[Hot Rod Hootenanny]

It's down to 1 now...once I get back to Wyoming I'll take a picture of the sign. Hard times hit Buford! Actually, the old trading post burnt down a few years ago, and when the new one was rebuilt, the population went from two to one

I'm surprised that Andy Field hasn't chimed in on the subject of Buford.

[agentsteel53]

I'm surprised that Andy Field hasn't chimed in on the subject of Buford.

Andy Field had better get himself alive! 

[agentsteel53]

in any case...



I need to find my photo of Johnsondale, CA (population 1 1/2) - but this is a sufficiently interesting lower bound.

[xonhulu]

Now as soon as they build that Fairbanks-to-Nome interstate, Buford has some competition...

[mapman]

I need to find my photo of Johnsondale, CA (population 1 1/2) - but this is a sufficiently interesting lower bound.

How'd they count a half-person?  Is it some sort of half-human, half-animal thing?   

[Bickendan]

Nah, probably a 'Nam vet.

[agentsteel53]

How'd they count a half-person?  Is it some sort of half-human, half-animal thing?   

one full-time forest ranger, one seasonal.