Least Amount of Lanes Connecting Two States

[Alex4897]

So it occurred to me recently that between Delaware and New Jersey there are only 8 total lanes connecting the two states (omitting the Lewes-Cape May Ferry).  Are there any other states that have even less lanes connecting them?  (Omitting ferries and such)

[hotdogPi]

Appears to be 4 for Missouri-Tennessee: I-155 only.

[Thing 342]

Between MO and KY, there are only two unpaved roads that lead to unconnected orphans.

[getemngo]

What about states that are only connected via ferry?

There's at least two:
Minnesota-Michigan (Isle Royale)
New York-Rhode Island (Block Island)

Neither carry vehicles at all, though, and the states are generally not thought of as neighbors.

[hbelkins]

Between MO and KY, there are only two unpaved roads that lead to unconnected orphans.

There are no land connections between Kentucky and Missouri, therefore no roads. The only connection is the Hickman-Dorena Ferry. Kentucky and Missouri have the distinction of being the only two border states in the nation with no direct crossing. Where do you get the idea that there are roads directly connecting the two states?

What about states that are only connected via ferry?

There's at least two:
Minnesota-Michigan (Isle Royale)
New York-Rhode Island (Block Island)

Neither carry vehicles at all, though, and the states are generally not thought of as neighbors.

As noted above, there is no connection between KY and MO save the ferry.

[Thing 342]

Between MO and KY, there are only two unpaved roads that lead to unconnected orphans.

There are no land connections between Kentucky and Missouri, therefore no roads. The only connection is the Hickman-Dorena Ferry. Kentucky and Missouri have the distinction of being the only two border states in the nation with no direct crossing. Where do you get the idea that there are roads directly connecting the two states?

What about states that are only connected via ferry?

There's at least two:
Minnesota-Michigan (Isle Royale)
New York-Rhode Island (Block Island)

Neither carry vehicles at all, though, and the states are generally not thought of as neighbors.

As noted above, there is no connection between KY and MO save the ferry.

There are a few orphans caused by the shifting of the Mississippi that are part of KY that are connected to MO by dirt roads:

http://www.openstreetmap.org/#map=12/36.7400/-89.1527

[Brandon]

What about states that are only connected via ferry?

There's at least two:
Minnesota-Michigan (Isle Royale)
New York-Rhode Island (Block Island)

Neither carry vehicles at all, though, and the states are generally not thought of as neighbors.

Well, you can have zero lanes, and zero ferries between neighboring states.  As an example, you have Illinois-Michigan.

[US81]

Between MO and KY, there are only two unpaved roads that lead to unconnected orphans.

There are no land connections between Kentucky and Missouri, therefore no roads. The only connection is the Hickman-Dorena Ferry. Kentucky and Missouri have the distinction of being the only two border states in the nation with no direct crossing. Where do you get the idea that there are roads directly connecting the two states?

What about states that are only connected via ferry?

There's at least two:
Minnesota-Michigan (Isle Royale)
New York-Rhode Island (Block Island)

Neither carry vehicles at all, though, and the states are generally not thought of as neighbors.

As noted above, there is no connection between KY and MO save the ferry.

Sorry, that's not quite true. There are no bridges over the Mississippi between MO & KY but there are two places where the river flow shifted eastward, leaving small parts of KY on the west bank of the Mississippi. These are mapped as having road access from MO. 

[mhh]

There are zero lanes connecting Michigan with Illinois, zero lanes connecting Michigan with Minnesota, and only four lanes (all of them toll) connecting Michigan's two peninsulas.

[empirestate]

Well how many paved lanes are there between, say, Nevada and Idaho?

(I still can't wrap my head around those two states being neighbors. I've accepted Oregon/Nevada, but not Idaho/Nevada...)

[DevalDragon]

How the heck are Illinois and Michigan neighbors?

I've always found that annoying place called Indiana that gets in the way. Or Wisconsin, but that's another story...

Well, you can have zero lanes, and zero ferries between neighboring states.  As an example, you have Illinois-Michigan.

[corco]

Well how many paved lanes are there between, say, Nevada and Idaho?

(I still can't wrap my head around those two states being neighbors. I've accepted Oregon/Nevada, but not Idaho/Nevada...)

5- the two Idaho 51 lanes and the three US 93 lanes (passing lane at the border). The couple other connections are unpaved, unless I'm missing something. 

[New to Seattle]

How the heck are Illinois and Michigan neighbors?

They border somewhere in the middle of Lake Michigan. (And they get extra credit for a border as the two states with eponymous Sufjan Stevens albums....)

[getemngo]

How the heck are Illinois and Michigan neighbors?

I've always found that annoying place called Indiana that gets in the way. Or Wisconsin, but that's another story...

The water boundary on Lake Michigan. Look at Google Maps, and you'll see it. On the Illinois side, it runs from the IL/WI border to the South Side of Chicago, and on the Michigan side it runs from just north of South Haven to the MI/IN border.

Now, I've seen maps that say "Indefinite Boundary" on that line, and I don't know what the legal status of the middle of Lake Michigan is. Maybe a surveyor can chime in? But it makes sense that, because all of Lake Michigan is within US jurisdiction, all of Lake Michigan is part of a state, and a Michigan/Illinois line would have to exist somewhere.

[briantroutman]

Between MO and KY, there are only two unpaved roads that lead to unconnected orphans.

There are no land connections between Kentucky and Missouri, therefore no roads...

Sorry, that's not quite true. There are no bridges over the Mississippi between MO & KY but there are two places where the river flow shifted eastward, leaving small parts of KY on the west bank of the Mississippi. These are mapped as having road access from MO.

Apparently, this went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court in 1870.
https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/78/395/case.html

[CNGL-Leudimin]

There are no lanes connecting any state with either Alaska or Hawaii.

[GaryV]

How the heck are Illinois and Michigan neighbors?

I've always found that annoying place called Indiana that gets in the way. Or Wisconsin, but that's another story...

The water boundary on Lake Michigan. Look at Google Maps, and you'll see it. On the Illinois side, it runs from the IL/WI border to the South Side of Chicago, and on the Michigan side it runs from just north of South Haven to the MI/IN border.

Now, I've seen maps that say "Indefinite Boundary" on that line, and I don't know what the legal status of the middle of Lake Michigan is. Maybe a surveyor can chime in? But it makes sense that, because all of Lake Michigan is within US jurisdiction, all of Lake Michigan is part of a state, and a Michigan/Illinois line would have to exist somewhere.

Homeowners own the bottom of inland lakes in MI, but not the bottoms of the Great Lakes.  They own only up to the water line.

So who does own the bottom of the Great Lakes?  The states or the feds?  If the states, then MI and IL do touch, as do MI and MN.

Back on track, there are 12 lanes connecting MI and ON - that's probably one of the fewest lanes per mile ratio of a border.

[english si]

Back on track, there are 12 lanes connecting MI and ON - that's probably one of the fewest lanes per mile ratio of a border.

Morocco-Algeria will own that, with 0 lanes, and a great many miles. Of course, if disputes stop and borders reopen, then Algeria have a 6-lane motorway that ends right at the border, waiting...

[KEVIN_224]

One of those few borders involving a land road and a major river is with Nebraska and Carter Lake, Iowa. Eppley Airfield is the airport for the Omaha area. Due to a old bend in the Missouri River which got changed with a major flood, a tiny piece of Iowa lies west of the river. Driving from that airport into Omaha requires a brief foray into Iowa territory on Abbott Drive (IA Route 165). East Locust Street a few blocks north of that becomes just Locust Street at the Nebraska line. So...at least 6 lanes with these crossings? (Abbott Drive is 4 lanes total).

[pianocello]

Iowa and Wisconsin only have 8 lanes crossing their border of nearly 100 miles. That's fewer than I expected, even with the river.

[Jardine]

Colorado and Arizona have 0 lanes.

Utah and New Mexico have 0 lanes.

[Jardine]

A curiosity about Abbott Drive across Carter Lake, Iowa, is that since there are no intersections with any other Iowa roads or streets there, legally, cabs driving on it are not engaged in interstate commerce.

That concludes this episode of 'Oddities in the Law'.

[mhh]

Back on track, there are 12 lanes connecting MI and ON - that's probably one of the fewest lanes per mile ratio of a border.

Sorry to nitpick, but I count 14 lanes: 4 on the Ambassador Bridge, 2 in the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel, 3 on the new (eastbound) Blue Water Bridge, 3 on the old (westbound) Blue Water Bridge, and 2 on the International Bridge. There's also a truck ferry between Detroit and Windsor, a car ferry between Algonac and Walpole Island and a car ferry between Marine City and Sombra.

[Zeffy]

I can tell you who doesn't win least amount - NJ and PA crossings:

US 206 - 2 lanes
I-80 - 6 lanes
I-78 - 6 lanes
NJ 12 - 2 lanes
US 202 - 6 lanes (?)
NJ 179 / Bridge St, Lambertville - 2 lanes
NJ 29 bridge, Titusville - 2 lanes
I-95 (north of Trenton)  - 6 lanes
Calhoun St Bridge, Trenton - 2 lanes
Trenton Makes / Lower Trenton Bridge - 2 lanes
US 1 in Trenton - 6 lanes
I-276 / PA Tpk Extension - 6 lanes
NJ 413 bridge, Burlington - 2 lanes
NJ 73 / Tacony Bridge - 3 lanes (2 for NJ -> PA, 1 for PA -> NJ)
NJ 90 / Betsy Ross Bridge - 6 lanes
I-676 / US 30 (Ben Franklin Bridge) in Camden - 6 lanes
I-76 / Walt Whitman Bridge in Camden - 6 lanes
US 322 / Commodore Barry Bridge - 4 lanes

In total, NJ and PA have a whopping 75 lanes between each border. Now that's a lot of crossings.

[golden eagle]

There are only two highways connecting Mississippi and Arkansas: US 49 between Lula, MS, and Helena-West Helena, AR; and US 82 betwwen Greenville and Lake Village, AR. I believe both are two lanes.