Which state has the BEST overall highway/freeway connectivity?

[webny99]

So...don't look at the data and just look at your own experience.  If I had a dime for every time I've had to throw out that argument...

And no, the traffic patterns do not warrant an urgent expansion along NY 67 or NY 29 or whatever other road.

Oh, I'm looking at the data all right, and it supports that NY 67, NY 29, and NY 30A south of Johnstown are serviceable rural trunk routes on the cusp of needing upgrades, with AADTs ranging from 6k to 12k and around 10% truck traffic. NY 67 would be even busier, but trucks tend to use NY 29/30A because there's a big truck stop in Fultonville and NY 67 goes right through Amsterdam and Ballston Spa. I agree that "urgent expansion" is not needed, but that was not my point.

[sprjus4]

For a route carrying medium to long range traffic, that certainly would be in reasonable range to widen one of the routes to 4 lanes.

[kphoger]

I-95 in North and South Carolina have traffic volumes that generally are adequate for a rural 4 lane interstate highway. But when I travel them during peak season, they're often congested. Is widening not necessary / should be thrown out, just because strict data says otherwise?

Many factors need to be looked at.

And peak congestion is one such factor, is it not?  I'm curious to know how big a part peak traffic factors into decisions (over "plain" AADT).

[Rothman]

^ It's funny, because over a hundred miles of widening are planned, with over 50 currently under construction 

Then your characterization of the data was incorrect.

[sprjus4]

^ It's funny, because over a hundred miles of widening are planned, with over 50 currently under construction 

Then your characterization of the data was incorrect.

How so?

[Rothman]

^ It's funny, because over a hundred miles of widening are planned, with over 50 currently under construction 

Then your characterization of the data was incorrect.

How so?

Because SCDOT would be unable to secure federal funding for a widening project without justification based upon data analysis.

[sprjus4]

There's data that definitely supports the need for widening, particular peak volumes. My point is that standard AADT data, without taking peak volumes into account, do not paint a full picture. I-95 is adequate off peak, it's only certain times of the year it's problematic.

[Dirt Roads]

I-95 in North and South Carolina have traffic volumes that generally are adequate for a rural 4 lane interstate highway. But when I travel them during peak season, they're often congested. Is widening not necessary / should be thrown out, just because strict data says otherwise?

Many factors need to be looked at.

And peak congestion is one such factor, is it not?  I'm curious to know how big a part peak traffic factors into decisions (over "plain" AADT).

I had to dabble in this world when arguing throughput capacity on planned PRT (personal rapid transit) systems that had overly optimistic throughputs.  We used to be able to get FHWA listings of the freeways with the highest peak VPHPL counts (vehicles per hour per lane).  The average Joe can't get to those numbers these days.  Anyhow, the main issue with I-95 in North Carolina is that the peak volume is usually related to holiday through traffic that is simply passing through the state.  Fayetteville is eventually getting a bypass to deal with local traffic issues.  If Rocky Mount ever gets big enough to have an I-95 rush hour, NCDOT will need to deal with that issue sometime.  Of course, if this problem ever gets bad enough that vacationers can't get here because of the traffic volumes on I-95, have no fear that NCDOT will find the money to deal with that issue.

[Rothman]

There's data that definitely supports the need for widening, particular peak volumes. My point is that standard AADT data, without taking peak volumes into account, do not paint a full picture. I-95 is adequate off peak, it's only certain times of the year it's problematic.

So, you were arguing against the biggest strawman ever.

[US 89]

I suppose I'll do the "closest pair unconnected" analysis for Utah. It's a little harder than it is in other states because so much of the population is in various suburbs in the Wasatch Front region, so I'll go by Census defined urban areas:

#1 Salt Lake City (1,178,533)


#2 Ogden-Layton (608,857)
1 --> 2 via I-15

#3 Provo-Orem (588,609)
1/2 --> 3 via I-15

#4 St George (134,109)
1/2/3 --> 4 via I-15

#5 Logan (113,927)
1/2/3/4 --> 5 via I-15 and US 91

US 91 isn't a freeway, but just about all of it is a four-lane expressway, which I think is just fine.

#6 Cedar City (40,899)
1/2/3/4 --> 6 via I-15
5 --> 6 via US 91 and I-15

#7 Tooele (34,892)
1 --> 7 via I-80 and SR 36
2 --> 7 via I-15, I-80, and SR 36
3 --> 7 via I-15 and I-80 (or SR 73) and SR 36
4/6 --> 7 via I-15, SR 100, US 50, SR 136, US 6, and SR 36
5 --> 7 via US 91, I-15, I-80, and SR 36

The key here is SR 36 is four lanes divided north of Tooele but only two to the south, so southward connectivity isn't great. The fastest way from the southwest Utah cities to Tooele is to leave I-15 at Fillmore and take a series of two-lane US highways and state routes north, which is almost half the mileage...but at a cost of only 20 minutes, you can stay on the interstates and go through Salt Lake, which is probably the right move if it's nighttime and you can guarantee there isn't traffic.

#8 Payson-Santaquin (31,132) - which somehow isn't lumped in with Provo yet?
1/2/3/4/6 --> 8 via I-15
5 --> 8 via US 91 and I-15
7 --> 8 via SR 36, I-80, and I-15 (note that it is only two minutes slower to use the two-lane SR 36/SR 73 or SR 73/US 6 routes to reach I-15)

#9 Brigham City (25,827)
1/2/3/4/6/8 --> 9 via I-15
5 --> 9 via US 91
7 --> 9 via SR 36, I-80, and I-15

#10 Heber City (25,059)
1 --> 10 via I-80 and US 40
2 --> 10 via I-15/I-80 (or I-84/I-80) and US 40
3 --> 10 via US 189
4/6/8 --> 10 via I-15 and US 189
5 --> 10 via US 91, I-15, I-80 (or I-84 and I-80), and US 40
7 --> 10 via SR 36, I-80, and US 40
9 --> 10 via I-15, I-80 (or I-84 and I-80), and US 40

US 40 is entirely freeway and four-lane expressway north of Heber, so that connection is great. It turns out it's a coin flip whether it's faster to take I-80/15 or I-80/84 from the north end of US 40 to Ogden. Only issue here is US 189 to get to places southwest, which is almost all four lanes other than a short 2-lane section by Deer Creek that I think is getting widened soon, as well as having to drive directly through downtown Provo.

#11 Vernal (19,620)
1 --> 11 via I-80 and US 40
2 --> 11 via I-15 or I-84, I-80, US 40
3 --> 11 via US 189 and US 40
4/6/8 --> 11 via I-15, US 6, (Emma Park Road), US 191, US 40 OR I-15, I-70, SR 10, US 6, US 191, and US 40
5 --> 11 via US 91, I-15, I-80 (or I-84 and I-80), US 40
7 --> 11 via SR 36, I-80, US 40
9 --> 11 via I-15, I-80 (or I-84 and I-80), US 40
10 --> 11 via US 40

This is the first one that truly requires a large amount of mileage on 2-lane roads - in fact, Vernal is the largest city in Utah not connected to any sort of 4-lane highway. Furthermore, there is no good way to get there from southwest Utah - the fastest way there in summer involves going up to Spanish Fork on I-15, taking US 6 east to US 191 using Emma Park Road (which closes in winter) as a shortcut, then on to US 40. If Emma Park is closed, it is in fact one minute shorter to take I-70 to SR 10 to Price, then take US 6 north to US 191. The SR 10 route involves more two-lane mileage, but avoids any potential Wasatch Front congestion. On either route, basically all of those non-interstate routes are two-lane roads.

[HighwayStar]

I-95 in North and South Carolina have traffic volumes that generally are adequate for a rural 4 lane interstate highway. But when I travel them during peak season, they're often congested. Is widening not necessary / should be thrown out, just because strict data says otherwise?

Many factors need to be looked at.

And peak congestion is one such factor, is it not?  I'm curious to know how big a part peak traffic factors into decisions (over "plain" AADT).

I had to dabble in this world when arguing throughput capacity on planned PRT (personal rapid transit) systems that had overly optimistic throughputs.  We used to be able to get FHWA listings of the freeways with the highest peak VPHPL counts (vehicles per hour per lane).  The average Joe can't get to those numbers these days.  Anyhow, the main issue with I-95 in North Carolina is that the peak volume is usually related to holiday through traffic that is simply passing through the state.  Fayetteville is eventually getting a bypass to deal with local traffic issues.  If Rocky Mount ever gets big enough to have an I-95 rush hour, NCDOT will need to deal with that issue sometime.  Of course, if this problem ever gets bad enough that vacationers can't get here because of the traffic volumes on I-95, have no fear that NCDOT will find the money to deal with that issue.

Kind of interesting that they won't let the average person have those numbers...

[webny99]

To attempt an answer to the original question, what are some states we can agree on as contenders for "best" overall connectivity?

I would put Illinois, Kansas, Michigan, North Carolina, and Ohio at the top of the list for starters. Georgia and Florida haven't been discussed much, I might put them in a fringe/top-ten tier that's pretty good but probably not #1, along with Indiana, New York, and Wisconsin. (10 states listed)

Separating "average" into two tiers, I would include Arizona, California, Colorado, Iowa, Kentucky, Minnesota, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Washington, and all of New England except Maine and Vermont in the first tier. (14 states listed)

In the second tier I would include Alabama, Idaho, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Mississippi, Montana, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, and Virginia. (14 states listed)

And finally, states that we can definitely eliminate from contention, even if placing them in a higher tier could be debated: Arkansas, Delaware, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming. (10 states listed)

Alaska and Hawaii are tough to rank, but I'd be glad for input on where they should be.

[JayhawkCO]

I don't understand why Colorado and Nebraska are so far down. 84% of Colorado's population is on the front range, so pretty much directly served by I-25. Nebraska has to be pretty similar with I-80.

[vdeane]

Colorado Springs->points east
Fort Collins->anywhere on I-80 that isn't Cheyenne

[JayhawkCO]

Colorado Springs->points east
Fort Collins->anywhere on I-80 that isn't Cheyenne

Now we're concerned with other states? I thought the whole discussion has been related to "how well does the freeway system connect the people of a certain state".

[roadman65]

I would say Vermont Ranks well as it only has two primary interstates and one full interchange to intersect them.

[webny99]

Colorado Springs->points east
Fort Collins->anywhere on I-80 that isn't Cheyenne

Now we're concerned with other states? I thought the whole discussion has been related to "how well does the freeway system connect the people of a certain state".

It is primarily about the connectivity within a state, but connections to nearby major cities/interstate corridors should be considered too.

Throw in Pueblo to points east, and you could also argue that a secondary/alternative corridor is needed between the western Denver suburbs/Boulder and Loveland/Fort Collins, in addition to the gap in E470 discussed earlier. I know most of the population is along the I-25 corridor, but it's still doing a lot of heavy lifting for the state as a whole.

Nebraska could probably move up a tier, but I was trying to get 10 states in the last tier and I don't see an obvious candidate to replace it.

[webny99]

I would say Vermont Ranks well as it only has two primary interstates and one full interchange to intersect them.

Not to mention that they're both N/S corridors, and that one interstate junction is on the very eastern edge of the state. The E/W connectivity is really pretty poor, you know it's bad when the fastest route from Saratoga Springs, NY to Portsmouth, NH goes all the way down to I-90 through southern MA!

[Dirt Roads]

To attempt an answer to the original question, what are some states we can agree on as contenders for "best" overall connectivity?

I would put Illinois, Kansas, Michigan, North Carolina, and Ohio at the top of the list for starters. Georgia and Florida haven't been discussed much, I might put them in a fringe/top-ten tier that's pretty good but probably not #1, along with Indiana, New York, and Wisconsin. (10 states listed)

At a glance, Illinois appears to be well connected.  But the top cities "not connected" are:

•           Waukegan #9
•           Evanston #14
•           Orland Park #21
•           Plainfield #33
•           Belleville #37
•           Crystal Lake #40
•           Streamwood #44
•           Quincy #45

Mount Prospect (#24) ought to be on this list, but its hard to make that argument and not think of nearby Cicero (#11) being similar.
You could make an argument that Plainfield (#33) ought not be on this list, but the natural barrier of the twin lakes says otherwise.
There's a bunch of stop lights along North Avenue (IL-64) to get into Carol Stream (#42), but I try to be forgiving in these circumstances.
Ouch!  Quincy has it's own Interstate spur route (I-172), but then its downtown is not connected to it directly.

[Dirt Roads]

Kansas doesn't look so good in comparison.  Here's the cities that are "not connected":

•           Leavenworth #12
•           Garden City #14
•           Dodge City #15
•           Derby #16
•           Pittsburg #22
•           Liberal #23
•           Great Bend #26
•           Arkansas City #30
•           Winfield #31
•           Atchison #35
•           Parsons #37
•           Augusta #38
•           Coffeyville #39
•           Chanute #40
•           Independence #41
•           Spring Hill #44
•           Fort Scott #47

[Dirt Roads]

Wow!  Michigan looks mighty good in comparison:

•          Clinton #8
•          Waterford #21
•          Commerce #42

West Bloomfield (#24) ought to be on this list as well, but it is fairly close to several freeways, plus the Northwestern Highway (MI-10) and Telegraph Road (US-24) are awfully close to counting as "highways".  Could go either way here.

[Road Hog]

Just eyeballing it and not simply accepting stats as fact, Arkansas is probably right in the middle. They have plenty of 4-lane "spokes" from Little Rock both freeway and expressway and the east-west connectivity (mainly US 64) is improving. Other parts of the state are playing catch-up but it's getting better.

[Roadgeekteen]

I would say Vermont Ranks well as it only has two primary interstates and one full interchange to intersect them.

Vermont actually isn't great with no US 7 interstate. But not sure if more interstates are really needed with the states low population.

[Flint1979]

Wow!  Michigan looks mighty good in comparison:

•          Clinton #8
•          Waterford #21
•          Commerce #42

West Bloomfield (#24) ought to be on this list as well, but it is fairly close to several freeways, plus the Northwestern Highway (MI-10) and Telegraph Road (US-24) are awfully close to counting as "highways".  Could go either way here.

Northwestern and Telegraph both are highways.

[Dirt Roads]

Wow!  Michigan looks mighty good in comparison:

•          Clinton #8
•          Waterford #21
•          Commerce #42

West Bloomfield (#24) ought to be on this list as well, but it is fairly close to several freeways, plus the Northwestern Highway (MI-10) and Telegraph Road (US-24) are awfully close to counting as "highways".  Could go either way here.

Northwestern and Telegraph both are highways.

I'm not inclined to agree.  But they certainly add positively to the "connectivity" into West Bloomfield.  A number of the more populous cities and townships in Michigan don't have well-defined downtowns and/or industrial districts, both of which factor heavily into whether the city is "well connected" to the [in-state] freeway/highway network.