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Control Cities

Started by geoking111, February 10, 2009, 07:16:16 PM

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Road Warrior

Quote from: SyntheticDreamer on February 10, 2009, 11:17:38 PM
In Illinois, I-55 universally lists Chicago or St. Louis as its control cities, even though most other interstates have much smaller cities or towns as control cities. (*coughI-180cough*)

Case in point, at I-155's northern terminus at I-74, I-74 East has a control city of Bloomington. On I-74 itself, there is an overhead sign eastbound saying Indianapolis, and I believe westbound the control city is Peoria. Signage from the I-55 interchange with I-74 universally depicts Bloomington or Peoria. So really, the signage is inconsistent.

At no point on I-55 are Springfield (the state capital, to boot), Lincoln, or Bloomington depicted as control cities on signage, although there is one BGS on I-155 South before its terminus that lists Lincoln and St. Louis as control cities.

I-72 uses Springfield, but I think that's it.

EDIT: I also forgot I-255, whose control cities are "Interstate 270" (no shield) and Memphis. I didn't know there was a town called Interstate 270, Illinois.


I remember driving back from Chicago to Champaign, and the Control City on 57 South was Memphis.... not sure if thats changed since the mid 90's or not


Alex

Many of points above cover what I'd have said.

Some of the control cities I dislike:
Chester for Interstate 95 in both Delaware and Philadelphia. The city went from 100k in population to around 40k, no one goes there anyone, so get rid of it.

I dislike "Florida" and "Mississippi" as the control cities for Interstate 65's south end with Interstate 10.

Atlanta uses Tampa on Interstate 75 southbound signs in places, but in Tampa you get "Ocala" for northbound. I like the Tampa reference in Atlanta and would like to see it included from central Florida.

"Thru Traffic" on the 605 was brought up, I've seen that on the mainline of I-95 in Maine and I-89 in Vermont in addition to other places.  :crazy:

Signs for the I-95/295 southbound split did include Miami with Rocky Mount, NC. These were replaced by 2002 or 2003. The signs at the I-85/95 split still include both Atlanta and Miami. I love seeing Miami there. Otherwise Blacksburg and South Hill are crummy control points otherwise. Rocky Mount is not much better, especially since you see none of it from Interstate 95.

I dislike the use of Benson, Dunn, Smithfield along Interstate 95 in North Carolina.

NJ-NY is my all time least favorite control point. The signs originally displayed either New Jersey or New York, but in the late 1980s, they were all changed to the hyphenated postal abbreviations.

I like the Portland references on the mileage signs in northern California on Interstate 5. Interstate 70's west end sees Salt Lake City and Las Vegas, and there are mileage signs for Las Vegas along Interstate 70 west. Very cool.

akotchi

I've noticed that "Thru Traffic" tends to be used on pull through signs on the toll roads at the interchanges.

In the same vein as "NJ-NY," I seem to remember somewhere in New England seeing the destination "N.H.-Maine."  I think using state names is cheesy.
Opinions here attributed to me are mine alone and do not reflect those of my employer or the agencies for which I am contracted to do work.

mightyace

Quote from: akotchi on February 10, 2009, 11:42:16 PM
I think using state names is cheesy.

Especially if the state is Wisconsin! :-D :colorful: :wow:
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I'm out of this F***KING PLACE!

akotchi

Opinions here attributed to me are mine alone and do not reflect those of my employer or the agencies for which I am contracted to do work.

corco

Speaking of state name control cities- I get annoyed by Chicago. When you're cruising down the southbound Edens and you get to the Tri-State and the control city for the Tri-State is "Indiana" and for the Edens is "Chicago" is really annoying. To get to Indiana most times of day it's faster to take the Edens/Kennedy/Dan Ryan/Skyway to get to Indiana then to take the bloody Tri-State. It's a scam to get through traffic to pay tolls

wishfulanthony

Hehehe -- I find it nice to have a consistency of the control cities on freeways...

I-80: major WB: San Francisco; major EB: Sacramento
I-280: major NB: San Francisco; major SB: San Jose
I-580: major WB: San Francisco (to WB 80), Oakland, San Rafael; major EB: Hayward, San Jose (to SB 880), Stockton
I-680: major NB: Sacramento; major SB: San Jose
I-880: major NB: San Francisco (to WB 80), Oakland; major SB: San Jose, Hayward
US-101: major NB: San Jose (from Santa Clara County downwards), San Francisco (Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties), Eureka (from Marin County onwards); major SB: San Francisco (from Marin County upwards), San Jose (San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties), Los Angeles (Santa Clara County downwards)

From my observation, the three main cities of the Bay Area (San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose) appear to be consistent for all the freeways, which helps me tell which part of the Bay Area I'm in.
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Chris

Signage is for those who are unknown to the area. Hence, control cities should be places with a considerable amount of population, and should be shown on non-detailed maps. So places like "the north" "southern suburbs" or "Hancock" are not places I would like to see as control cities.

SSOWorld

Chicago has a wierd way of setting things up.

Downtown, for going north on I-90/94 it's "Wisconsin"; south - "Indiana" (I-94 doesn't even mention Milwaukee until the Edens Junction)
The Chicago Skyway says "To Indiana Toll Road"
I-80 West is Iowa
I-294 is Wisconsin and Indiana (except near the airport where it says Indiana/O'Hare when paired with I-190)
I-355 - Southwest Suburbs
I-57 points to Memphis, despite ending well before that point.  I-290 points to "West Suburbs"
Scott O.

Not all who wander are lost...
Ah, the open skies, wind at my back, warm sun on my... wait, where the hell am I?!
As a matter of fact, I do own the road.
Raise your what?

Wisconsin - out-multiplexing your state since 1918.

TheStranger

#34
I've always found it irritating that "Sacramento" is a control city _WITHIN_ the Sacramento city limits!  (Granted, some of those areas - particularly the edges of Arden that did become part of the city in the 1950s/1960s and North Sacramento - only joined the incorporated territory after some of the freeways were built, but still.)

The most notable example I see daily is at US 50 along the onramps at Hornet Drive and Howe Avenue - both of them, still 2 or 3 miles west of the city limit at Watt Avenue, point to "Sacramento"; not "Downtown Sacramento" (the latter would make much more sense).  In fact, the only two times a route is signed for "downtown Sacramento" would be the two former US 40 freeway spurs, the exit for CA 275 off of Business 80/US 50 in the Yolo County community of West Sacramento, and CA 160 in the North Sacramento/Point West area of the city.

Another example I saw last night is at the interchange between El Camino Avenue and Business 80, where westbound Business 80 is signed for "Sacramento" even though the freeway is well within the city limits still (as is the 160/Business 80 interchange after that).

With the amount of people and jobs based in Roseville, I'm surprised that it is not at all used as a control city for eastbound I-80 or Business 80 within much of Sacramento County.  (It is a control city for 160 eastbound, which feeds into Business 80 eastbound - ironic because I-80 does reach Roseville while 160 never comes close, probably retaining that signed destination as a vestige of its past as US 40/99E.)  I can understand Elk Grove rarely getting a mention on signs as it did not emerge as a sizeable community until the last decade; likewise, I am not surprised at how little signage for Midtown Sacramento exists, even though Business 80 spends quite a bit of time in that district.
Chris Sampang

Revive 755

Quote from: SyntheticDreamer on February 10, 2009, 11:17:38 PM
At no point on I-55 are Springfield (the state capital, to boot), Lincoln, or Bloomington depicted as control cities on signage, although there is one BGS on I-155 South before its terminus that lists Lincoln and St. Louis as control cities.

I-72 uses Springfield, but I think that's it.

EDIT: I also forgot I-255, whose control cities are "Interstate 270" (no shield) and Memphis. I didn't know there was a town called Interstate 270, Illinois.

I believe there is a new sign on NB I-55 at the interchange with I-70 and I-270 that has Springfield listed under Chicago.  Unlike Indiana and probably some other states, Illinois does use secondary control cities on intersecting side roads:
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=38.795738,-89.897904&spn=0,359.956055&z=15&layer=c&cbll=38.795731,-89.898044&panoid=4YSwAaKqdlW43zWYbemyVw&cbp=12,139.61208894905303,,0,7.839755527388792
I just don't think they should use East St. Louis though as a secondary control city; they should just go ahead and use St. Louis or use Troy.

Here's a somewhat odd control city from Iowa:
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=41.687784,-91.796007&spn=0,359.912109&z=14&layer=c&cbll=41.68777,-91.795872&panoid=7dYYPDAg9tLDa1aHmd_i7w&cbp=12,348.63467361304424,,0,8.050107788676849
I haven't found the town of "Village Museum" yet.

DrZoidberg

QuoteThe most notable example I see daily is at US 50 along the onramps at Hornet Drive and Howe Avenue - both of them, still 2 or 3 miles west of the city limit at Watt Avenue, point to "Sacramento"; not "Downtown Sacramento" (the latter would make much more sense).
Quote

Houston uses simply "Downtown" as a control city.
"By the way...I took the liberty of fertilizing your caviar."

TheStranger

Quote from: DrZoidberg on February 11, 2009, 02:14:25 PM
QuoteThe most notable example I see daily is at US 50 along the onramps at Hornet Drive and Howe Avenue - both of them, still 2 or 3 miles west of the city limit at Watt Avenue, point to "Sacramento"; not "Downtown Sacramento" (the latter would make much more sense).

Houston uses simply "Downtown" as a control city.

In San Francisco, "Downtown SF" is used as a control city off of I-280, as is "Sixth Street" (where the freeway terminates).  101 and 1 each have "Golden Gate Bridge" as control cities northbound, while 80 eastbound is "Bay Bridge/Oakland"; 101 at 280 and at 80 has "Civic Center" as a control city as well.

Chris Sampang

Ian

#38
With control cities in PA, it kinda bugs me that there is one city and on top of it, is a city thats farther than the first one.
Here is a list I made of some interesting control cities I have seen.
-I-95 north in NH, the thru signage says "Maine Pts." Not really that odd, but interesting.
-I-95 south in Kittery, ME (very southern part of I-95 in Maine), the control cities are "New Hampshire and "Massachusetts". Not cities, just states. I-95 in New Hampshire BTW is only like 8-10 miles.
-At exit 12A I believe off the Massachusetts Turnpike (the I-495 exit), one control city is "NH-Maine". I-495 heads straight (and ends) into I-95 in northern MA and instantly enters NH.
-On I-78 heading west in western New Jersey, the thru signage just says "Penna."!!
-On I-84 near Hartford, CT, I-84 intersects I-384. Now the control city is Providence. Yet I-384 is only like 6 miles and ends at US 44 and US 6. Those roads lead to Providence, but I-384 doesn't. Kinda odd to have freeway signs tell you to go on surface streets to get to a major city.
-At the north end of I-290 in Massachusetts, it intersects with I-495. The north sign has a control city of Lowell. Not only should it say that, but it should mention that it leads to New Hampshire and Maine.
-On I-95 north in Kittery, Maine, there is a control city that reads "Traffic Circle"!!!!!!!!!!!
-On I-95 at exit 4, the control cities are "NH Lakes" and "White Mts"
-On I-287 in White Plains, NY, at exit 9S-N, all the sign says, is "Hutchinson Pkwy", "Whitestone Br", and "Merritt Pkwy". The sign doesnt even mention that it leads right into Connecticut. It should say at least "Hartford, CT" or just plain "Connecticut"

So these are the odd control city "oddities" I have seen. I know there are more I have seen, but I just need to look  :-P.
Also, does anyone find it madning when you see a street name used at a control city?? Makes sense may be in cities, but when you see it anywhere else, it kinda makes me mad.
i.c.
UMaine graduate, former PennDOT employee, new SoCal resident.
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SSOWorld

A control city for a state highway in WI says "Weigh Station"   :pan:
Scott O.

Not all who wander are lost...
Ah, the open skies, wind at my back, warm sun on my... wait, where the hell am I?!
As a matter of fact, I do own the road.
Raise your what?

Wisconsin - out-multiplexing your state since 1918.

DrZoidberg

Here's an interesting question about control cities.  Which sign is the furthest from its control city?  (I think Miami on I-95 may win this, but let's see what else is out there.)

I think Portland as a control city on I-5 in northern CA may be a candidate.
"By the way...I took the liberty of fertilizing your caviar."

Duke87

Another unnecessarily ambiguous one:

I-87 North: Upstate
Typical New York attitude. It's all just "upstate". Nothing specific up there worth mentioning.  :-P





If you always take the same road, you will never see anything new.

ctsignguy

Quote from: I.C.Ligget on February 11, 2009, 04:34:23 PM

-On I-84 near Hartford, CT, I-84 intersects I-384. Now the control city is Providence. Yet I-384 is only like 6 miles and ends at US 44 and US 6. Those roads lead to Providence, but I-384 doesn't. Kinda odd to have freeway signs tell you to go on surface streets to get to a major city.


That was from when I-384 was SUPPOSED to be I-84 to Providence until that was cancelled in the early 80s...guess the signs were never refitted

as for my own control city oddities, I-270 around Columbus lists Cleveland, Cincinnati, Wheeling and either Dayton or Indianapolis as control cities...Dayton was put on in response to political pressure as Dayton leaders felt I-70 travelers were skipping on the Dayton experience as they headed west.....Dayton is like 10 miles south of I-70  O_o  Richmond IND would be the most reasonable next control city on I-70 west

and on older signed stretches I-270 around the city, on-ramps list control cities like Grove City, Obetz, Hilliard, Westerville and other suburbs...

http://s166.photobucket.com/albums/u102/ctsignguy/<br /><br />Maintaining an interest in Fine Highway Signs since 1958....

Alex

Quote from: Duke87 on February 11, 2009, 07:04:38 PM
Another unnecessarily ambiguous one:

I-87 North: Upstate
Typical New York attitude. It's all just "upstate". Nothing specific up there worth mentioning.  :-P


Several of the signs in NYC that listed Upstate as Interstate 87's destination were altered to Albany. Upstate is pretty silly, so I can't say that I'm sad to see the change.

Ian

Quote from: aaroads on February 11, 2009, 09:46:07 PM
Quote from: Duke87 on February 11, 2009, 07:04:38 PM
Another unnecessarily ambiguous one:

I-87 North: Upstate
Typical New York attitude. It's all just "upstate". Nothing specific up there worth mentioning.  :-P


Several of the signs in NYC that listed Upstate as Interstate 87's destination were altered to Albany. Upstate is pretty silly, so I can't say that I'm sad to see the change.

YOUSSIR!!! take that back!!!  :wow:
UMaine graduate, former PennDOT employee, new SoCal resident.
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Alex

Quote from: I.C.Ligget on February 11, 2009, 09:47:43 PM
Quote from: aaroads on February 11, 2009, 09:46:07 PM
Quote from: Duke87 on February 11, 2009, 07:04:38 PM
Another unnecessarily ambiguous one:

I-87 North: Upstate
Typical New York attitude. It's all just "upstate". Nothing specific up there worth mentioning.  :-P


Several of the signs in NYC that listed Upstate as Interstate 87's destination were altered to Albany. Upstate is pretty silly, so I can't say that I'm sad to see the change.

YOUSSIR!!! take that back!!!  :wow:

You like the Upstate destination I take it?

Ian

ya. Theres a lot of places there that I go to a lot. On Lake George in the Adirondacks, my aunt has a lake house. Plus that whole upstate area is a nice place to go. Very scenic. Ever been on the Adirondack Northway (I-87 north of I-90)?? Wow, what a drive.

i.c.
UMaine graduate, former PennDOT employee, new SoCal resident.
Youtube l Flickr

deathtopumpkins

I think that the upstate control city makes perfect sense. It does plainly state where the highway goes...
Disclaimer: All posts represent my personal opinions and not those of my employer.

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SSOWorld

Quote from: deathtopumpkins on February 12, 2009, 08:07:09 PM
I think that the upstate control city makes perfect sense. It does plainly state where the highway goes...
I wonder if there are signs with the control city saying "Down-east Maine"?
Scott O.

Not all who wander are lost...
Ah, the open skies, wind at my back, warm sun on my... wait, where the hell am I?!
As a matter of fact, I do own the road.
Raise your what?

Wisconsin - out-multiplexing your state since 1918.

Greybear

#49
On I-440 West at its western junction with I-30 and I-530, the control city for I-30 East is listed as simply "Downtown" instead of "Downtown Little Rock" or "Little Rock". Here is a pic to show what I mean.






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