Non-Interstate Route That carry a lot of Interstate Traffic

[ajlynch91]

Without mentioning US Routes (like 41) because in my opinion those were built for interstate traffic pre-Interstate, IL-132, and to a lesser extent IL-131 and IL-176 all typically have traffic on them coming to/from Six Flags Great America in Gurnee. Plenty of Wisconsin, Indiana, Michigan plates to be seen in this area. I've also seen a few Ohio and Iowa plates, among others. Not sure if this truly is "interstate" given the destination these cars are going to, but that's my two cents to the topic.

[Zzonkmiles]

US 301 from Callahan, FL to Ocala, FL along with FL 200 in those respected cities to connect them with both I-95 and I-75 counts as it is a bypass sort of Orlando.  Many out of state residents along the I-95 corridor north of Florida to Tampa and SW FL use this route to avoid the mess along I-4 and say that it saves so much time in addition to aggravation.

Excellent pick. I've used this "shortcut" before too instead of taking I-95 south to I-4. But the speed traps are notorious on US 301.

[hbelkins]

Nitpick.  35 no longer goes to St. Albans.  You were here the weekend before the new road opened, ending in Scott Depot.

I couldn't remember the name of the community where the intersection is now, which is why I said St. Albans.

[Henry]

I imagine that US 17 carries lots of interstate traffic where it runs along the Atlantic coastline, from Norfolk, VA to Savannah, GA. Ditto for the aforementioned US 13 from Norfolk to Wilmington, DE. Together, they would make a great coastal Interstate someday, if the right pieces fall into place.

[ekt8750]

GS Parkway (and its NY extension to the NYS Thruway) as well. Also, what constitutes Interstate traffic? There is a lot of short distance commuter traffic in metro areas that crosses state lines. E.g. NJ 440 and NJ 495 into New York and NJ 90, NJ-42, and NJ-55, and the Atlantic City Expressway into Philadelphia. If that doesn't count, US-40 gets traffic to Atlantic City from Delaware and points South.

If it were up to me NJ42/ACE would be I-76 (I'd make the Black Horse Pike NJ168 through to where it meets up with US322/40) and you could even upgrade NJ55 to an I-x76. 

Also PA33 could be a good candidate to be an I-78 child. That gets a pretty good amount of traffic and connects the Lehigh Valley with the Poconos.

[ekt8750]

I imagine that US 17 carries lots of interstate traffic where it runs along the Atlantic coastline, from Norfolk, VA to Savannah, GA. Ditto for the aforementioned US 13 from Norfolk to Wilmington, DE. Together, they would make a great coastal Interstate someday, if the right pieces fall into place.

Agreed. I've spent more than my fair share of time on both roads and they'd make a great Interstate alternative to 95. Delaware wouldn't go for it cause it would become a shunpike for DE1 unless they'd toll both roads and something would have to be done with that creepy old bridge over the C&D Canal in Georgetown.

[NE2]

Delaware wouldn't go for it cause it would become a shunpike for DE1

whaaaat

[codyg1985]

For Alabama, I would say US 231 and US 431 south of I-85 to Florida. People from Georgia, the mid-west, and the Carolinas, in addition to Alabama, use these routes to get to and from the beaches in the Florida panhandle.

For Mississippi, I would say US 49 southeast of Jackson to Gulfport, again, for beach traffic, but also for port access. You could also throw in US 98 between Hattiesburg and Mobile for folks going to the beaches in Alabama and Florida from the Mid-South area.

[Pink Jazz]

I imagine that US 17 carries lots of interstate traffic where it runs along the Atlantic coastline, from Norfolk, VA to Savannah, GA. Ditto for the aforementioned US 13 from Norfolk to Wilmington, DE. Together, they would make a great coastal Interstate someday, if the right pieces fall into place.

Agreed. I've spent more than my fair share of time on both roads and they'd make a great Interstate alternative to 95. Delaware wouldn't go for it cause it would become a shunpike for DE1 unless they'd toll both roads and something would have to be done with that creepy old bridge over the C&D Canal in Georgetown.

I know there has been the proposed Interstate 101, however, I do believe that the proposal would include DE-1 as part of it, rather than using US 13 through much of Delaware.

[silverback1065]

For Alabama, I would say US 231 and US 431 south of I-85 to Florida. People from Georgia, the mid-west, and the Carolinas, in addition to Alabama, use these routes to get to and from the beaches in the Florida panhandle.

For Mississippi, I would say US 49 southeast of Jackson to Gulfport, again, for beach traffic, but also for port access. You could also throw in US 98 between Hattiesburg and Mobile for folks going to the beaches in Alabama and Florida from the Mid-South area.

Does US 90 get this much traffic too?  I know it travels along the shore in a lot of states in the south.

[bing101]

US-101 Bayshore Freeway between San Francisco and San Jose and US-101 from Ventura to Los Angeles would be my picks.

Also CA-99 from the CA-51, I-305, US-50 and Business 80 interchange in Sacramento to the I-5 at CA-99 Interchange near Ridge Route/Grapevine has been mentioned has having interstate traffic for a state route.

[codyg1985]

For Alabama, I would say US 231 and US 431 south of I-85 to Florida. People from Georgia, the mid-west, and the Carolinas, in addition to Alabama, use these routes to get to and from the beaches in the Florida panhandle.

For Mississippi, I would say US 49 southeast of Jackson to Gulfport, again, for beach traffic, but also for port access. You could also throw in US 98 between Hattiesburg and Mobile for folks going to the beaches in Alabama and Florida from the Mid-South area.

Does US 90 get this much traffic too?  I know it travels along the shore in a lot of states in the south.

US 90 only hugs the shore along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. In Alabama, US 90 is a bit further inland, and US 98 is also somewhat inland as well. In Florida, US 98 hugs the coast. I would say that those probably get a lot of out-of-state travelers, but they wouldn't use it on a long-distance basis, while the north-south ones would.

[Pete from Boston]

NJ 17

[SSOWorld]

WIS 29 is a good candidate as a direct to Green Bay/Appleton (the latter combined with US-10 via WIS 13 or I-39) from the Twin Cities westward.

[NE2]

I'm still confused about the purpose of this thread. Is it supposed to be a road that carries a lot of traffic from other states (in which case US 160 NM wins)? Or a road that carries a lot of traffic connecting between Interstate Highways?

[cpzilliacus]

I'm still confused about the purpose of this thread. Is it supposed to be a road that carries a lot of traffic from other states (in which case US 160 NM wins)? Or a road that carries a lot of traffic connecting between Interstate Highways?

Yes.

How about U.S. 522 in Maryland and West Virginia.

Also U.S. 15 in Maryland.

Also Baltimore-Washington Parkway ("secret" Md. 295 on the federal part).

Also D.C. 295.

Also U.S. 340 across the northern tip of Loudoun County, Va.

[silverback1065]

I'm still confused about the purpose of this thread. Is it supposed to be a road that carries a lot of traffic from other states (in which case US 160 NM wins)? Or a road that carries a lot of traffic connecting between Interstate Highways?

Yes.

How about U.S. 522 in Maryland and West Virginia.

Also U.S. 15 in Maryland.

Also Baltimore-Washington Parkway ("secret" Md. 295 on the federal part).

Also D.C. 295.

Also U.S. 340 across the northern tip of Loudoun County, Va.

D.C. 295 raises two questions.  Why isn't it just I-295? Since it is officially D.C. 295 why isn't it signed as D.C. 295?  I don't remember ever seeing any shields unless i overlooked them all.

[froggie]

I know there has been the proposed Interstate 101,

Not officially.  That was a business/private-consultant proposal.  The closest to an official proposal there has been was when the Virginia General Assembly ordered VDOT to study an I-99 along the Eastern Shore.  In short, lack of funding or interest was the result.

D.C. 295 raises two questions.  Why isn't it just I-295? Since it is officially D.C. 295 why isn't it signed as D.C. 295?  I don't remember ever seeing any shields unless i overlooked them all.

You must've overlooked them.  It is signed as DC 295.  The reason it isn't an Interstate is because it isn't even close to being Interstate standard.  Plus, it does not follow the originally proposed I-295 (which would've been west of the Anacostia north of Barney Circle).

[Laura]

VA 207, US 301, and DE 896 make a great bypass of I-95 and friends between Bowling Green, VA and Newark, DE

[doorknob60]

One striking one is US 93 in Nevada. As soon as 93 splits from I-15 heading north, more than half the cars have Idaho license plates outside of towns, some 422 miles south of the Idaho line. This being because 93 is the fastest route to Las Vegas for everybody west of American Falls and south of Grangeville, which is about a million people, and there's maybe 10,000 people living in Nevada on 93 between that junction and the state line, and much of that population can get to Salt Lake faster than Vegas (therefore not using US 93) when they want to go to a big city.

Similarly, US-95 in Oregon has very few Oregon drivers on it. It's mostly Idaho, Nevada and California. Looking at a map, it's what you'd expect, but kinda funny. There also seems to be (with my limited experience) more cops there than most rural stretches of highway, to prey on the out of state drivers with their evil 55 speed limit.

By a different interpretation of the OP, US-395 in Washington between Pasco and Ritzville is essentially an interstate already, in terms of traffic, and the way the road is built (4 lane divided expressway, 70 MPH).

[StogieGuy7]

U.S. Highway 6 in Utah, between I-70 in Green River and I-15 in Spanish Fork.  This is the shortest way from much of Colorado, NM, and points southeast to Salt Lake City and points north and northwest (via I-15 and I-84).  That road carries a ton of interstate traffic and, as it's still not designed for it, is quite dangerous. 

[SP Cook]

US 35 never ended in St. Albans. Owned.

Sad really.

http://route.transportation.org/Pages/U.S.NumberedHighways-1989Edition(current).aspx

Page 63.

[cl94]

NJ/NY 440
US 46 east of I-287
US 7
NJ 3

Are we counting the Chicago Skyway as an Interstate? If not, add it to the list.

[silverback1065]

The entirety of US 41 south of I-80/94 in Indiana.  SR 37 south of Indianapolis.

[dfwmapper]

US 87 in New Mexico
US 69 in Oklahoma

Does AZ 64 count? The vast, vast majority of people using it are tourists from somewhere else headed to the Grand Canyon.