What state posts the worst control cities? The best?

[someone17]

Let's see the feds tell MDOT they have to take down Mackinac Bridge as a control city.

https://www.google.com/maps/@43.4258518,-83.8906106,3a,25.4y,0.78h,93.6t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1skLh27M9_oknoClnuyrVMow!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

They don't use Sault Ste. Marie?

[ran4sh]

Maybe people that live in Medford have heard of it?

A lot of people who use I-5 have heard of Medford. 

</s>

I thought /s was mainly a reddit thing, when did people start using it elsewhere?

[GaryV]

Let's see the feds tell MDOT they have to take down Mackinac Bridge as a control city.

https://www.google.com/maps/@43.4258518,-83.8906106,3a,25.4y,0.78h,93.6t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1skLh27M9_oknoClnuyrVMow!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

They don't use Sault Ste. Marie?

Not until north of the Bridge.

But southbound from the Soo, they use St Ignace.

I guess none of us trolls down here know what's in the north except for the Bridge.

[Flint1979]

Let's see the feds tell MDOT they have to take down Mackinac Bridge as a control city.

https://www.google.com/maps/@43.4258518,-83.8906106,3a,25.4y,0.78h,93.6t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1skLh27M9_oknoClnuyrVMow!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

They don't use Sault Ste. Marie?

North of the bridge they do.

[Flint1979]

Let's see the feds tell MDOT they have to take down Mackinac Bridge as a control city.

https://www.google.com/maps/@43.4258518,-83.8906106,3a,25.4y,0.78h,93.6t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1skLh27M9_oknoClnuyrVMow!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

They don't use Sault Ste. Marie?

Not until north of the Bridge.

But southbound from the Soo, they use St Ignace.

I guess none of us trolls down here know what's in the north except for the Bridge.

I've always found that as kind of strange that they use St. Ignace in the U.P. but not Mackinac Bridge until you get to the US-2 exit.

[MattHanson939]

I disagree with I-5 South of Eugene. Roseburg? Really? At best, that's a secondary city. Same with Grants Pass but I get that one because of the junction with US 199. Medford is better. South of Medford, Redding/Sacramento.

I just found out that Medford is the control city on I-5 north from Ashland; and from Medford, Portland becomes the control city.  But within California, Portland is the control city from Redding on I-5 north.  But yes, I agree that Medford should the southbound control city from Eugene since it's the next largest city.

The reasoning of that is simple. The control cities are chosen by each state. What California signs and what Oregon signs can be two different things. Using Portland in California though is kind of early IMO. I'd go with Medford, Eugene, Salem then Portland. I wouldn't use Ashland at all and use Redding for SB I-5 into California.

I think California uses Portland from Redding, not just because it's bigger than either Medford, Eugene, or Salem; there's also an interstate junction in Portland.  And that could very well be the reason it's the northbound control from Medford, and the smaller cities are only signed going southbound. 

Similarly, on I-25 north from Albuquerque, Denver would be the most logical choice if NM wanted to sign big cities on its interstates (though I wouldn't have a problem dual signing Santa Fe-Denver).  Sure, you'll reach Pueblo and Colorado Springs first; but neither city has an interstate junction (despite C Springs being more than large enough to sign as a primary control city).  Denver has multiple interstate junctions, most notably the junction of I-25 and I-70.

[SkyPesos]

I don't like strictly using interstate junctions as control cities. That's why we end up with places no one heard of like Statesville, Benton, Mercer, Hazleton, instead of more sensible choices (some of them less than 100 miles away from a much larger and more well-known city)

[Scott5114]

Maybe people that live in Medford have heard of it?

A lot of people who use I-5 have heard of Medford. 

</s>

I thought /s was mainly a reddit thing, when did people start using it elsewhere?

I've seen it here and there throughout the Internet, mostly because there's no better way to denote sarcasm.

[hobsini2]

I disagree with I-5 South of Eugene. Roseburg? Really? At best, that's a secondary city. Same with Grants Pass but I get that one because of the junction with US 199. Medford is better. South of Medford, Redding/Sacramento.

I just found out that Medford is the control city on I-5 north from Ashland; and from Medford, Portland becomes the control city.  But within California, Portland is the control city from Redding on I-5 north.  But yes, I agree that Medford should the southbound control city from Eugene since it's the next largest city.

Nobody has heard of Medford. Use Sacramento. </s>

"Nobody"?  I think there may be some people here who have even if they have never been to Oregon. Just sayin.

[kirbykart]

^I'd say over half of people in the US have heard of Medford, it's the largest city in southern Oregon.

[hotdogPi]

^I'd say over half of people in the US have heard of Medford, it's the largest city in southern Oregon.

I've only heard of it due to this forum and my interest in US politics. I wouldn't be surprised if the one in Massachusetts is better known.

[webny99]

^I'd say over half of people in the US have heard of Medford, it's the largest city in southern Oregon.

I've only heard of it due to this forum and my interest in US politics. I wouldn't be surprised if the one in Massachusetts is better known.

I've heard the city name Medford, but I wouldn't have known offhand that it was in southern Oregon.

[thspfc]

^I'd say over half of people in the US have heard of Medford, it's the largest city in southern Oregon.

I'd say definitely not.

I've heard the city name Medford, but I wouldn't have known offhand that it was in southern Oregon.

First city I thought of was the one in northern Wisconsin (pop. 4,300). I knew Medford, OR existed, but barely.

[ethanhopkin14]

Maybe people that live in Medford have heard of it?

A lot of people who use I-5 have heard of Medford. 

</s>

I thought /s was mainly a reddit thing, when did people start using it elsewhere?

I've seen it here and there throughout the Internet, mostly because there's no better way to denote sarcasm.

I have never seen that, but partly because I like the Andy Kaufman approach to life.  Do something or say something, then walk off and no one knows if it was a joke or if you are serious, and never tell anyone.

[SkyPesos]

^I'd say over half of people in the US have heard of Medford, it's the largest city in southern Oregon.

I've only heard of it due to this forum and my interest in US politics. I wouldn't be surprised if the one in Massachusetts is better known.

I've heard the city name Medford, but I wouldn't have known offhand that it was in southern Oregon.

First Medford to come to my mind is the one in Massachusetts, not Oregon's.

[JayhawkCO]

^I'd say over half of people in the US have heard of Medford, it's the largest city in southern Oregon.

I've only heard of it due to this forum and my interest in US politics. I wouldn't be surprised if the one in Massachusetts is better known.

I've heard the city name Medford, but I wouldn't have known offhand that it was in southern Oregon.

First Medford to come to my mind is the one in Massachusetts, not Oregon's.

And living out west, I've definitely heard of the Oregon one but only vaguely find the MA one familiar.

[kirbykart]

^I'd say over half of people in the US have heard of Medford, it's the largest city in southern Oregon.

I've only heard of it due to this forum and my interest in US politics. I wouldn't be surprised if the one in Massachusetts is better known.

I've heard the city name Medford, but I wouldn't have known offhand that it was in southern Oregon.

First Medford to come to my mind is the one in Massachusetts, not Oregon's.

And living out west, I've definitely heard of the Oregon one but only vaguely find the MA one familiar.

I live in New York and I've heard of Bedford, MA, not Medford. But I have heard of Medford before I came to this forum.

[Scott5114]

I am pretty sure that New Mexico is playing on a level here most of us mere mortals can't comprehend. Besides the questionable choices of Interstate control cities like Tucumcari, Santa Rosa, and Gallup (although that one obeys the Troup Rule), interchanges seem to have control cities of basically whatever random thing is near the exit, including gems like "Refinery" and "Continental Divide". Of course, in eastern New Mexico, there are plenty of interchanges with no control at all, so maybe I should be careful what I wish for. At least "Continental Divide" could be signed for NM 122, though.

[kirbykart]

New Mexico is insane.

[kirbykart]

I find it strange that Oklahoma only uses 3 in-state controls. It actually works alright, it just feels odd when you think about it.

[Scott5114]

I find it strange that Oklahoma only uses 3 in-state controls. It actually works alright, it just feels odd when you think about it.

That's because there's only three cities in Oklahoma that make sense as controls. When the Interstate system was built, the top three cities in terms of population were Oklahoma City, Tulsa, and Lawton, the three cities used as controls. Now, Norman and Broken Arrow are bigger than Lawton, but they're so close to Oklahoma City and Tulsa respectively that they lack the prominence needed to make a good control city. Any other cities in Oklahoma that could conceivably be used wouldn't be all that different than what New Mexico uses (Tucumcari and Santa Rosa are the same sort of town that Sayre, Weatherford, Ardmore, and Sallisaw are).

When US-412 is upgraded to I-??, Enid will probably become a control city for I-?? westbound, as that is one of the current control cities for the Cimarron Turnpike (it also uses Stillwater as a secondary control). I doubt I-35 will be affected, as Enid is quite a bit west of it, so Wichita remains the sensible choice. I-?? eastbound will almost certainly use Springdale, as new signage installed in Tulsa for US-412 since the plan to make it an interstate was released uses Springdale as a control (before, it was Siloam Springs).

[roadman65]

I find it strange that Oklahoma only uses 3 in-state controls. It actually works alright, it just feels odd when you think about it.

NJ for its small size has many for local roads on highways that cross the state.  I-80, though keeps it simple, with New York at particularly ever EB guide and mostly Delaware Water Gap WB ( though some use Paterson and Stroudsburg at guides WB related).

I-78 sort of as the few entrances assigned control cities manage to keep Newark Consistent as well as Clinton going WB. Easton and NYC now at some mainly I-287 at Bedminster.

I-295, I don't think uses them at all from ramps, but pull throughs use Camden and Trenton NB and always Del. Mem Br S Bound except from I-195/ NJ 29 using the one of a kind Princeton (NB) and Camden SB.

[Osthagen]

Personally, I think the whole system of "control" cities and the signage thereof is in need of a rejig - with what we have now, we end up with a system in which long-distance interstate are signed to uberlocal control-cities that nobody outside the local area has heard of, and where mileage signs are woefully inconsistent, etc.

Control cities should be divided into 2 tiers: "control" and "super-control". "Super-Control" cities would be big places of national, strategic importance; I'm talking destinations like Boston, Chicago, New York, Phoenix and the like - these would be spread at a roughly equal distance along the route (though in really remote areas, they'll inevitably be more spread out). One would always appear on signage, and once reached, would be replaced by the next one.
"Control" cities would be other major destinations that a route passes through, or the location of a major junction.

Taking the I-10 as an example, working West, your Super-Control cities would be:
Jacksonville
Tallahassee
Mobile
New Orleans
Houston
San Antonio
El Paso
Phoenix
Los Angeles

And again using the I-10, the number of Control Cities are too many to list, but they'd include places like:
Lake City (for I-75)
Pensacola
Baton Rouge
Lafayette (for I-49)
etc, etc

Plus, you'd have any numerber of local destinations along your route .

On interchange directional signs, you'd have the following information:
- the next Super Control city
- the next Control city

So, for example, on the I-10 going west at Jacksonville, a direction sign would read "Lake City, Tallahassee".

Mileage signs would contain the following:
- the next super-control city
- the next 2 control cities
- plus one more local destination.

[ilpt4u]

Personally, I think the whole system of "control" cities and the signage thereof is in need of a rejig - with what we have now, we end up with a system in which long-distance interstate are signed to uberlocal control-cities that nobody outside the local area has heard of, and where mileage signs are woefully inconsistent, etc.

Control cities should be divided into 2 tiers: "control" and "super-control". "Super-Control" cities would be big places of national, strategic importance; I'm talking destinations like Boston, Chicago, New York, Phoenix and the like - these would be spread at a roughly equal distance along the route (though in really remote areas, they'll inevitably be more spread out). One would always appear on signage, and once reached, would be replaced by the next one.
"Control" cities would be other major destinations that a route passes through, or the location of a major junction.

Taking the I-10 as an example, working West, your Super-Control cities would be:
Jacksonville
Tallahassee
Mobile
New Orleans
Houston
San Antonio
El Paso
Phoenix
Los Angeles

And again using the I-10, the number of Control Cities are too many to list, but they'd include places like:
Lake City (for I-75)
Pensacola
Baton Rouge
Lafayette (for I-49)
etc, etc

Plus, you'd have any numerber of local destinations along your route .

On interchange directional signs, you'd have the following information:
- the next Super Control city
- the next Control city

So, for example, on the I-10 going west at Jacksonville, a direction sign would read "Lake City, Tallahassee".

Mileage signs would contain the following:
- the next super-control city
- the next 2 control cities
- plus one more local destination.

Some states already do this, with Primary/Long Distance and Major and Secondary/Smaller and Local Controls

[US 89]

The thing though is then people would just get into fights over whether someplace was big enough to be "control" or whether it deserves "super-control" status. As an example, you have Tallahassee as a super-control and Pensacola as a regular control...but Pensacola's metropolitan area is significantly larger.