Why are some states not signing indirect cities on roads

[roadman65]

I noticed there has been a purge lately, especially in NJ, to sign control cities that the road passes through rather than the off highway cities of importance to motorists.

The Garden State Parkway in NJ has recently done it at Exit 63 replacing Camden with Pemberton.  Also Exit 98 SB guides on the c/d road omitted Point Pleasant for Brielle most likely cause Route 34 really don't go there even though most traffic once completing travel on Route 34 then travel Route 35 south into Point Pleasant.  Plus Point Pleasant is a major beach destination for tourists where Brielle is " just there occupying land."

Then other examples in other states where the practice is common for a city on a route over a city most traveled to via a connecting route.

What is really going on?

[Roadgeekteen]

I know. Local traffic already should know where they are, have the control cities help long-distance travelers.

[I-55]

I-57 is the complete anti-argument, with a control city of Memphis over 500 miles away (134 miles from the terminus of the route, and to get to downtown you take I-40 from I-55) skipping Kankakee, Champaign/Urbana, and Marion (which are on the route).

[SkyPesos]

Does Colorado and Utah have any Las Vegas signage remaining in I-70 West? Imo it's better than using small towns that no one heard of.

[Flint1979]

I-57 is the complete anti-argument, with a control city of Memphis over 500 miles away (134 miles from the terminus of the route, and to get to downtown you take I-40 from I-55) skipping Kankakee, Champaign/Urbana, and Marion (which are on the route).

I think that's because I-57's purpose is really a long distance bypass of I-55 so it's set up for long distance travel.

[US 89]

Does Colorado and Utah have any Las Vegas signage remaining in I-70 West? Imo it's better than using small towns that no one heard of.

As far as I know, there has never been Las Vegas signage in Colorado.

It is used at a few interchanges in Utah, but only once you get past Richfield (easternmost reference I'm aware of). And I would argue in the case of I-70 in Utah (or any western rural interstate), smaller cities are totally fine just because that part of Utah is so sparse that those towns are major waypoints and destinations for gas/food/etc. Most interchanges on 70 use control cities from a list of Las Vegas/Jct. I-15, Richfield, Salina, Green River, and Grand Junction... and that's fine, because the vast majority of people using those interchanges are going to be familiar with those smaller cities.

Exceptions do exist, of course. The western terminus of 70 is signed from 15 with a dual control of Richfield/Denver. And then for some reason the SR 10 interchange has Denver as an eastbound control.

[SEWIGuy]

I-57 is the complete anti-argument, with a control city of Memphis over 500 miles away (134 miles from the terminus of the route, and to get to downtown you take I-40 from I-55) skipping Kankakee, Champaign/Urbana, and Marion (which are on the route).

I think that's because I-57's purpose is really a long distance bypass of I-55 so it's set up for long distance travel.

I bet the vast majority of traffic that leaves Chicago on I-57 doesn't make it to Memphis.

[webny99]

I-57 is the complete anti-argument, with a control city of Memphis over 500 miles away (134 miles from the terminus of the route, and to get to downtown you take I-40 from I-55) skipping Kankakee, Champaign/Urbana, and Marion (which are on the route).

I think that's because I-57's purpose is really a long distance bypass of I-55 so it's set up for long distance travel.

I bet the vast majority of traffic that leaves Chicago on I-57 doesn't make it to Memphis.

No, but is there a high volume going to any other place in particular?

You could possibly make a case for Champaign, but other than that, Memphis makes sense.

[SEWIGuy]

I-57 is the complete anti-argument, with a control city of Memphis over 500 miles away (134 miles from the terminus of the route, and to get to downtown you take I-40 from I-55) skipping Kankakee, Champaign/Urbana, and Marion (which are on the route).

I think that's because I-57's purpose is really a long distance bypass of I-55 so it's set up for long distance travel.

I bet the vast majority of traffic that leaves Chicago on I-57 doesn't make it to Memphis.

No, but is there a high volume going to any other place in particular?

You could possibly make a case for Champaign, but other than that, Memphis makes sense.

I think Champaign makes sense. 

But I kind of get the impression that Illinois uses control cities more to indicate direction than anything else.  That is why you see "Iowa" on I-80 west just outside of Chicago and "Wisconsin" and "Indiana" on the Tri-State.

[Roadgeekteen]

I-57 is the complete anti-argument, with a control city of Memphis over 500 miles away (134 miles from the terminus of the route, and to get to downtown you take I-40 from I-55) skipping Kankakee, Champaign/Urbana, and Marion (which are on the route).

I think that's because I-57's purpose is really a long distance bypass of I-55 so it's set up for long distance travel.

I bet the vast majority of traffic that leaves Chicago on I-57 doesn't make it to Memphis.

Memphis just means "due south" I guess.