2017 Rand Mcnally Road Atlas

[US 41]

It comes out on April 15th. I need a new atlas so I'm looking forward to its release date. It will be interesting to see what happens on the Indiana page, due to all the decommissionings, I-69, and SR 641. I heard that I-555 is now a reality in Arkansas so hopefully it is in the new atlas too. Also being a Mexico road geek it will also be interesting to see if any of the "newer" toll roads will finally be added to the Mexico page. I'm sure the atlas is finalized by now, so we'll have to wait and see what made the cut.

[shadyjay]

It'll be interesting to see if the corrections I submitted to RMcN are in the new atlas.  For the element of surprise, I will refrain from mentioning my suggested corrections until I see the atlas with my own eyes.   

[TheHighwayMan3561]

I-555 probably came online too late for it to be included this year.

[Concrete Bob]

I am hoping to see the South Mountain Freeway as under construction on their Phoenix Metro map.  Will the divided highway sections of Loop 303 show as freeway between Grand Avenue and I-17? 

Additionally, I am hoping to see CA 99 as a full freeway (without the yellow overlay on construction zones) south of Merced.  Additionally, I would like to see a completed Anthony Henday Drive (AB 216) around Edmonton.  And, if I am lucky, I would like to see the Southwest Ring Road under construction on their Calgary inset. 

And, I hope to see a completed Willits, CA Bypass on US 101 showing up as a freeway, too.  And, while we are at it, CA 11 open to Enrico Fermi Drive in Otay Mesa, CA, with dashed "under construction" markings leading over to CA 125. 

And, anything relating to the Thomas Roads Improvement Program on the Bakersfield inset (178 and Morning Drive, 24th Street, Centennial Corridor, Hageman Flyover)...Zowie !!

For me, buying a new Rand Mc Nally atlas each year is as exciting as buying a new car.

[Rothman]

Coming out with a 2017 edition in April seems premature.

[ModernDayWarrior]

Coming out with a 2017 edition in April seems premature.

Seriously. 2016 will just barely be more than one-fourth over...

I'm way overdue for a new copy myself, though. I used to get them every year or every other year at least, but I think my most recent one is 2011 or 2012. My roadgeekdom is slipping, I guess... 

[ET21]

Coming out with a 2017 edition in April seems premature.

Seriously. 2016 will just barely be more than one-fourth over...

I'm way overdue for a new copy myself, though. I used to get them every year or every other year at least, but I think my most recent one is 2011 or 2012. My roadgeekdom is slipping, I guess... 

My last one is from 1998  Google Maps has kept me updated with newer roads, but I will be getting a fresh hardcopy

[Brandon]

Coming out with a 2017 edition in April seems premature.

Hell, car models don't even come out till later in the year.

[lordsutch]

Hell, car models don't even come out till later in the year.

The 2017 Chevy Volt begs to differ, having been on dealer lots for the last month or so.

[mgk920]

Hell, car models don't even come out till later in the year.

The 2017 Chevy Volt begs to differ, having been on dealer lots for the last month or so.

Now, how many have left dealer lots so far?



That said, I'd love to see much more detailed coverage of Mexico.

Mike

[Brandon]

Hell, car models don't even come out till later in the year.

The 2017 Chevy Volt begs to differ, having been on dealer lots for the last month or so.

Now, how many have left dealer lots so far?



That said, I'd love to see much more detailed coverage of Mexico.

Mike

That would be nice, as well as a proper map of Puerto Rico, between Pennsylvania and Rhode Island, as well as maps of the Virgin Islands, Guam, and American Samoa.  I'd also like better coverage of Canada.

[DandyDan]

Hell, car models don't even come out till later in the year.

The 2017 Chevy Volt begs to differ, having been on dealer lots for the last month or so.

As has the Hyundai Elantra.  I was at the dealership a couple weeks ago with my 2013 Elantra, just getting my oil changed and watching the TV when some sales guy comes up to me and asked if I wanted to test drive the 2017 Elantra.  I thought to myself "isn't it a little early for that?"

[US 41]

That said, I'd love to see much more detailed coverage of Mexico.

That would be nice, as well as a proper map of Puerto Rico, between Pennsylvania and Rhode Island, as well as maps of the Virgin Islands, Guam, and American Samoa.  I'd also like better coverage of Canada.

I'd probably add 4 more pages to Mexico, something like this.

1) NW Mexico= BCN, BCS, and Sonora.

2) Northern Mexico= Chih, Sinaloa, Durango, Coah, Zac, SLP, Tamps, and NL.

3) Central Mexico= Nayarit, Agua, Jalis, Guan, Quer, Hid, Tlax, Veracruz, Oax, Pueb, Guerro, Mexico, DF, Mor, Mich, Colima.

4) Yucatan Peninsula= Tabasco, Chiapas, Campeche, Yucatan, Quintana Roo.


For Canada I'd add 1 page showing a map of northern BC, NWT, and Yukon.

I actually wouldn't care if Puerto Rico got yanked from the atlas. It's not a state and you can't drive there from the North American continent.

[Jim]

It makes sense to me that the US and Canada get the state/province maps and Mexico doesn't.  Maybe it's just because I live in the north, but I would guess that many more US residents travel by car in Canada than in Mexico.  I know if I was ever going to drive in Mexico, I'd want a much better source than that small map RMcN has included all these years, and would just buy something else that provides the needed level of detail.  I for one wouldn't be interested in having the extra pages (and possible corresponding extra cost) to have a level of detail for all of Mexico sufficient to use for real navigation when I'm unlikely to be driving in Mexico.  That said, maybe a good compromise might be to add a small number of pages with city detail for major cities or even entire states in northern Mexico that attract the most American tourists.

[jbnati27]

Coming out with a 2017 edition in April seems premature.

Seriously. 2016 will just barely be more than one-fourth over...

I'm way overdue for a new copy myself, though. I used to get them every year or every other year at least, but I think my most recent one is 2011 or 2012. My roadgeekdom is slipping, I guess... 

I used to do the same thing. I'd get a new Rand McNally road atlas as soon as it was available. However, I've slipped a little bit, too. My most recent copy is a 2014. Something about Google Maps and Google Street view. However, that being said, there's still no substitute for a good old school road atlas.

[US 41]

It makes sense to me that the US and Canada get the state/province maps and Mexico doesn't.  Maybe it's just because I live in the north, but I would guess that many more US residents travel by car in Canada than in Mexico.  I know if I was ever going to drive in Mexico, I'd want a much better source than that small map RMcN has included all these years, and would just buy something else that provides the needed level of detail.  I for one wouldn't be interested in having the extra pages (and possible corresponding extra cost) to have a level of detail for all of Mexico sufficient to use for real navigation when I'm unlikely to be driving in Mexico.  That said, maybe a good compromise might be to add a small number of pages with city detail for major cities or even entire states in northern Mexico that attract the most American tourists.

This comment is probably pretty true. 9 out of 10 Americans probably wouldn't even consider driving south of the border. I know I get crazy looks all the time whenever I tell people that I've drove in Mexico.

Mexico also has it's own road atlas called the Guia Roji which has detailed maps of every Mexican estado and inset maps of decent sized Mexican cities. I wish I would have stopped and bought one at a PEMEX whenever I was in Ojinaga. I totally forgot all about it when I was down there in late February.

It would be nice however, if at the very least RandMcnally would put Mexico on 2 pages (page 128 and 129) instead of just 1 page (128). I think that would be the best compromise. It would also be really nice if they went back to the 2014 Mexico map that was a lot easier to read.

[Brandon]

I actually wouldn't care if Puerto Rico got yanked from the atlas. It's not a state and you can't drive there from the North American continent.

However, it is a US territory that is thisclose to being a state, and if you can't drive there is an issue, then you might as well dump Hawai'i as well.

[US 41]

I actually wouldn't care if Puerto Rico got yanked from the atlas. It's not a state and you can't drive there from the North American continent.

However, it is a US territory that is thisclose to being a state, and if you can't drive there is an issue, then you might as well dump Hawai'i as well.

I definitely see your point. But if we're going to include Puerto Rico, then it should also have maps of Guam, the US Virgin Islands, the American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands. Maybe they could just add a page called "US territories" that contains inset maps of the 5 small US territories. 

[Brandon]

I actually wouldn't care if Puerto Rico got yanked from the atlas. It's not a state and you can't drive there from the North American continent.

However, it is a US territory that is thisclose to being a state, and if you can't drive there is an issue, then you might as well dump Hawai'i as well.

I definitely see your point. But if we're going to include Puerto Rico, then it should also have maps of Guam, the US Virgin Islands, the American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands. Maybe they could just add a page called "US territories" that contains inset maps of the 5 small US territories. 

Exactly my point above (see Reply #10).

[triplemultiplex]

But Puerto Rico has more roads and people than all those other islands combined; there are freeways and large cities that deserve insets.  It's like comparing apples to crab apples.

[Jim]

But Puerto Rico has more roads and people than all those other islands combined; there are freeways and large cities that deserve insets.  It's like comparing apples to crab apples.

I'm also figuring that it's far more likely for someone in the main target audience of the atlas, the residents of the 50 US states and of Canada, to travel to PR than to those other places.  Even in the USVI, which surely attract a lot of American tourists compared to the other territory islands, are people likely to rent cars and drive?  I don't mean people like those of us in this group, because I know I'd try to get a chance to drive anywhere I go, I mean your typical tourist. I think they might be more likely to do so in PR.

[OCGuy81]

Curious if in Texas we'll see I-169, and see I-69 all the way through Houston.  I believe my 2015 still shows I-69 outside the I-610 loop.

[Henry]

Hell, car models don't even come out till later in the year.

The 2017 Chevy Volt begs to differ, having been on dealer lots for the last month or so.

As has the Hyundai Elantra.  I was at the dealership a couple weeks ago with my 2013 Elantra, just getting my oil changed and watching the TV when some sales guy comes up to me and asked if I wanted to test drive the 2017 Elantra.  I thought to myself "isn't it a little early for that?"

Speaking of Chevy, IIRC, the 1988 Beretta/Corsica came out in late 1986/early 1987, and we were like "isn't it a little too early for that?"

[kphoger]

As for México, I'd gladly settle for an accurate map of just the northern one-third of it (say, stop the map somewhere around Mazatlán or even farther north, as Americans are more likely to be driving north of there than south of there).  Kind of like how they cut off the Canadian provinces.  As it is, the Mexican page is worthless not just because it is so small, but also because what is shown isn't even accurate in many instances.  I'd also include a large inset for Monterrey, medium ones for Torreón and Chihuahua, and a couple of smaller ones.

As for Puerto Rico, I think it should be a one-page map.  It's similar to Connecticut in both land area and population.  San Juan and Ponce deserve insets.

[AsphaltPlanet]

The Routemaster Canada/USA atlas (which is similar to the RandMcNally atlas, but made by a Canadian map company) no longer includes Mexico in their atlas.