There are a lot of routes that are short in nature, but are really important in the grand scheme of things. That tiny stretch makes the difference between the outskirts and downtown...or a quick jump on the interstate and a ride through surface streets. Which short streets serve a lot of importance? To keep it simple, here are my criteria:
The road must be ~5 miles TOTAL in length (not exact, within two or three miles either way is acceptable). So, please do not include "a portion of" a highway as part of this (for example, the portion of I-65 between I-80/94 and the Indiana Toll Road, or the Edens Spur portion of I-94 doesn't count; they're still long routes in the grand scheme of things).
Unnumbered roads can qualify as long as they have a consistent amount of traffic; so sparsely traveled county roads do not count.
Examples:
Indiana 520 in Town of Pines: At less than a quarter mile in length, this small route plays a big role west of Michigan City, connecting US 12 and 20. Coming from the west, this could be the difference between downtown/lakeshore and access to the southern outskirts. Coming from Michigan City, it can either be a quick shot to Chesterton-Porter or access to the South Shore stations and the Steel Mills.
The same could be argued for Indiana 212 on Michigan City's east end. At three miles, it serves a similar purpose to Indiana 520 (right down to connecting US 12 and 20, along with US 35). Coming from Michigan, it can quickly put you deep into Indiana, while giving quick access to New Buffalo for those coming from the south. Serves as a decent alternative to I-94, which sits close by.
Indiana 249: the 2.5 mile stretch from US 12 to US 20 (sensing a pattern here) gives access to the lakefront, US Steel Midwest, the Port of Indiana, I-94, and the Ogden Dunes South Shore station, all within 10-15 minutes of each other). By extension, the Crisman Road-Willowcreek Bypass that starts immediately south of Indiana 249 provides further access to Downtown Portage and the Indiana Toll Road.
An interstate example: I-865 - which, let's face it, is one long ramp from I-65 south to the northwest corner of I-465 and the northwest corner of I-465 to I-65 north. As simplistic as that sounds, taking that spoke out of play would cause considerable trouble for those traveling within the Northwest Quadrant of Indianapolis. It can even be considered a gateway to Cincinnati and points southeast for those coming from Chicago. Close to five miles in length.
Any routes in your area that serve this purpose? Speak on it here. Thank you in advance for your responses.
I-270 Spur MD. Much more tedious to get from I-70 to the NoVA suburbs of DC without it.
There are several streets that connect 12 to 20 west of Michigan City so I'd argue that 520 isn't all that important, it just happens to have a number where the other streets don't.
249 is probably the most important of the group as it services Port of Indiana
212 is a vital route to bypass Michigan City going to/from New Buffalo and points north.
865 probably shouldn't even be its own route number.
IN 101/KY 1039 is the Markland Bridge over the Ohio and then connecting to I-71 so a vital route in that area.
NJ/NY495 - 4.54 miles total from the Turnpike to 34th/Dyer, connecting the North Jersey suburbs, west-of-Hudson NY suburbs, Staten Island, and the rest of the country more broadly into Midtown Manhattan
RI 37 in Cranston due to there being no direct connection from I-295 south to I-95 north and also serves TF Green Airport.
I-238
The first one that came to mind was I-781. It's an important 4-mile connector between I-81 and Fort Drum, but arguably more importantly to the US 11 corridor and much of the North Country region, including Gouverneur, Canton, and Potsdam. Before I-781 was built, NY 342 served that movement, and it was one of the busiest two-lane roads in the state.
In the Syracuse area, NY 695 would fit. It's a short connector route between I-690 and NY 5 that provides an important connection in the freeway bypass of the Genesee St corridor.
And I know "sparsely traveled county routes" were explicitly excluded... but I still think Livingston CR 64 (Perry Rd) between NY 36 and US 20A might qualify. It's part of the fastest route between (a) the two largest cities in the state (Buffalo and NYC) and (b) the largest city in the US and the largest city in Canada (NYC and Toronto) which is pretty crazy when you think about it. The AADT is relatively low at 3800 (2019), but it would be more if not for the truck ban on US 20A through Warsaw.
I-781 was only built because Fort Drum would have closed without it. DOD demanded it.
Airport spur freeways (I-190 IL, TX-97 Spur, WI-119, Pena Blvd for example)
Quote from: cabiness42 on May 31, 2022, 10:00:09 PM
There are several streets that connect 12 to 20 west of Michigan City so I'd argue that 520 isn't all that important, it just happens to have a number where the other streets don't.
I agree with this 100%. There have been times where I connect using side streets. Mineral Springs Road, Indiana 49, Waverly Road, and Porter County Road 375 East (where the old Indiana Dunes Visitor Center used to be before it moved to its current location at the Indiana 49/US 20 interchange).
I mentioned 520 specifically because of the extreme close proximity of US 12 and 20 at that point (I believe this is the closest these two highways get without touching each other between MC and Gary, especially with the new split in place near Miller), as well as the fact this advantageous point is one of few points truckers are able to connect (the two other closest points being Indiana 49 and 212). From that standpoint, it at least deserves a nod.
Here in KC, I-670 comes to mind, being a more direct route for long-distance traffic going through downtown on I-70 compared to I-70 itself.
CA 262 since the next directly accessing road between I-880 and I-680 to the north is I-238.
MN 280, which perhaps most prominently stood in for I-35W during the dark years of 2007-2009, but also serves as the main route to the Minnesota State Fairgrounds.
For Connecticut, I looked for routes that:
* have no obvious parallel routes of same or greater class. So a high-traffic frontage road for I-95 doesn't count, for example
* has AADT of at least 25k (I have 2015 data, so it's likely a little higher)
* would create significant detour if taken out of service.
Here's the top contenders (freeways in bold):
SR 796: 2.7 miles, 28k
SR 722: 0.3 miles, 37k; connects 25/8 to US 1
SR 598: 0.55 miles, 30k; Conland-Whitehead Hwy, former I-484
SR 508: 1.07 miles, 37k; CT 4 connector to I-84
I-291, 6.05 miles, 64k
CT 229, 5.81 miles, 29k; I-84 to Bristol
CT 218, 6.7 miles, 38k; Hartford NW surface beltway
CT 73, 3.46 miles, 29k; spur from CT 8 to Watertown
If I had to pick a freeway, it would be SR 508. Traffic to Farmington and points west is already bad. Imagine if you had to use US 6 to Birdseye Road or something like that.
For a surface route: it's a close one, but I'll nominate CT 218. Imagine trying to cross southern Bloomfield E/W and the only options were 178 or 305.
In California, I-980 was very very important when I-880 had to be reconstructed after the Loma Preita earthquake and is still very important, in Oakland, CA
https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=24601.msg2399295#msg2399295
Charleston, West Virginia has a couple notable ones:
The unnumbered 35th Street/36th Street twin bridges over the Kanawha River serve as a connector from I-64/I-77 (eastbound only Exit 98) and ramps from US-60 beneath to cross the river over to Kanawha City. That's about one mile, including streets on the Kanawha City side.
Also, the northernmost tip of Corridor G connects I-64/US-119 (Exit 58A) with the Southside Expressway (WV-61). That section of Oakwood Road is about 1/4-mile in length, and it has a route number that is not posted: "US-119 Connector".
I-395 in Baltimore.
Some examples for Ontario, using TM lengths:
The 409 - 4.41 km freeway link between the 401, 427, and Pearson airport in Toronto
The 420 - 3.20 km freeway link from the QEW toward the Rainbow Bridge in Niagara Falls
Allen Road - 5.12 km freeway off the 401 in Toronto (I get the impression it's a congested mess, so not sure if it's really that useful :-D)
Highbury Avenue - 4.55 km freeway from the 401 into London
The Linc (12.25 km freeway) and the Red Hill Valley Parkway (7.45 km freeway) make for a useful south bypass of Hamilton and serve the suburban "mountain" half of the city.
Highway 16 - 3.32 km road that connects the 416/401 in Johnstown to the Ogdensburg-Prescott Bridge (into NY).
Highway 85 - 9.64 km freeway off Highway 7 in Waterloo
Highway 148 - 7.34 km road that connects Pembroke to Quebec. Probably low traffic counts, but is one of the few road bridge crossings of the Ottawa River west of Ottawa.
This might be an interesting math exercise: AADT ÷ length
Quote from: kphoger on June 01, 2022, 10:41:52 AM
This might be an interesting math exercise: AADT ÷ length
About 5,000 AADT (personal estimate) divided by 350 feet: Fern St. in Methuen, MA (https://www.google.com/maps/@42.7400443,-71.1675148,3a,75y,358.83h,90t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sKqtSk1SvfDvDbjV2Pnnxtg!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fpanoid%3DKqtSk1SvfDvDbjV2Pnnxtg%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D359.1439%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i16384!8i8192)
In Seattle, several freeways come to mind, but none more so than WA 520, WA 167, I-705 and WA 99's Alaskan Way.
Quote from: webny99 on May 31, 2022, 10:28:29 PM
Before I-781 was built, NY 342 served that movement, and it was one of the busiest two-lane roads in the state.
From what I've heard, NY 342 was in fact the busiest two-lane road in the whole state before I-781 opened.
A few in my area:
KY 498. Known locally as "the cutoff road" and connects KY 52 to KY 11. A 2.5-mile route that bypasses what would otherwise be a 10-mile trip.
KY 1571. A ~five-mile route that cuts four miles of a steep, winding mountain crossing off KY 52 in Estill County.
KY 1425. This route originally had another name, but is now part of Man O'War Boulevard and it links I-75 to US 60 in Fayette County.
For Colorado, best I can come up with is I-270. It's 7.1 miles long, barely fitting in the OP's specs, but if it weren't there, the Mousetrap would be way more overrun that it already is. And, for the record, I despise I-270. It needs to be 2 lanes wider and have the buildup of trash left from the past few years cleaned up. But life in the metro would be worse without it.
I-405 in Portland, OR comes to mind. It's 4.25 miles long. I'd argue its most important use is connecting the US-26 freeway to I-5 (and by extension, I-84), though it also connects to US-30 and several downtown exits. I-405 is also one of only 2 freeway-grade bridges over the Willamette in Portland proper. Without I-405, the busy US-26 freeway, which carries a lot of through traffic due to no viable bypasses, would just dump into downtown streets.
I-238 was the first thing I thought of, but it was already mentioned.
I-195 (not quite so much VA 195 though), VA 27, VA 110, and I-464 fit the bill in Virginia.
I-695 (NY)
Important connector road for the throgs neck bridge, only 1.77 miles in length.
MD 715, 1.06 miles, leads from US 40 to the main entrance of the Aberdeen Proving Ground.
Quote from: kphoger on June 01, 2022, 10:41:52 AM
This might be an interesting math exercise: AADT ÷ length
For my example (NJ495), NJDOT gives an AADT of 145,025 at Tonnelle Ave, so 145,025/4.54 give 31,944 AADT per mile :wow:
Two of them here in Charleston. Ashley Phosphate Rd is less than 5 miles, and was named after old phosphate mines, but it is the major road in North Charleston connecting the Dorchester County side to the Charleston County side. The state's largest shopping district is also right off that road. It has something like 70,000 or 90,000 cars per day, one of the highest for a non-interstate US or state highway in the state.
US 52 Connector is 0.9 miles but it is absolutely vital for those who live up in Goose Creek, Moncks Corner and further north as they can bypass the lights around Northwoods Mall.
IL-35 is a short state road, the shortest in Illinois, in the northwest corner. But connected to it is WI-35, the longest state road in Wisconsin. Also connected is US-151 and US-61. If you look at the map, you will see how important it is for the Dubuque/East Dubuque area.
unsigned TX Spur-366
length = 2.6 miles
2019 AADT = 201,888
I'm really stretching that 5-mile barrier here, but while QC 191 is only 9 miles (15 km) long, it provides the missing connections at the A-20/A-85 interchange in Rivière-du-Loup, that is A-20 WB/A-85 SB and A-85 NB/A-20 EB.
Interstate 283, at only 2.9 miles long, connects the PA Turnpike and PA 283 (a different road, signed with the same number but internally PA 300) with I-83 and US 322.
PA 581, at 7.36 miles. Imagine traffic in Harrisburg's Cumberland County suburbs without it.
Quote from: elsmere241 on June 01, 2022, 10:15:21 AM
I-395 in Baltimore.
Quote from: kphoger on June 01, 2022, 10:41:52 AM
This might be an interesting math exercise: AADT ÷ length
For I-395: 80,651 (just north of I-95) / 1.33 miles = 60,640 / mile
Indiana example: State Road 445 is less than three miles long and in a rural area, but it does provide a shortcut between SR 45 to the north and SR 54 to the west and now serves the additional function of connecting both to I-69.
MN 336, a four-lane connector between I-94 and US 10 just outside Moorhead.
MN 252 between I-94/694 and MN 610 in Brooklyn Park and Brooklyn Center
OH-711, a 4-lane divided highway between I-680 in Youngstown, Ohio and the dual interchange with I-80 East and OH-11 North in Liberty Township covering approximately 6+ miles. The original section built in the late 50's or early 60's began at I-680 and crossed the Mahoning River but ended at US-422. The short connection up Briar Hill to connect with 80 and 11, took another 30 years to become a reality.
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.1353387,-80.6646963,14z//
Quote from: coldshoulder on June 02, 2022, 08:07:23 PM
OH-711, a 4-lane divided highway between I-680 in Youngstown, Ohio and the dual interchange with I-80 East and OH-11 North in Liberty Township covering approximately 6+ miles. The original section built in the late 50's or early 60's began at I-680 and crossed the Mahoning River but ended at US-422. The short connection up Briar Hill to connect with 80 and 11, took another 30 years to become a reality.
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.1353387,-80.6646963,14z//
Another Northeast Ohio example: I-480N. Connects I-480 EB to I-271 NB, and even more important than originally planned because I-290 (now I-490) east of downtown Cleveland was cancelled. So the main freeway routing from downtown to eastern suburbs like Beachwood involves this short connector.
State Road 123 in Florida is a good example of this. It's about six miles long and shortens the distance between Fort Walton Beach and I-10.
WIS-129 - Shortcut around Lancaster (basically an inverted bypass of US-61 which the city wanted through town)
WIS-119 - Connects MKE airport to the interstate.
WIS-30 - A shortcut from Madison to I-94, which replaced it east of I-90.
How, then, about I-190, the spur into O'Hare International Airport, which not only connects ORD to downtown Chicago but to the Tri-State Tollway and thus the rest of metropolitan Chicago.
Quote from: SSOWorld on June 02, 2022, 11:30:36 PM
WIS-129 - Shortcut around Lancaster (basically an inverted bypass of US-61 which the city wanted through town)
WIS-119 - Connects MKE airport to the interstate.
WIS-30 - A shortcut from Madison to I-94, which replaced it east of I-90.
WI-172 as well.
Quote from: SSOWorld on June 02, 2022, 11:30:36 PM
WIS-119 - Connects MKE airport to the interstate.
Quote from: Konza on June 03, 2022, 01:25:23 AM
How, then, about I-190, the spur into O'Hare International Airport, ...
Already mentioned:
Quote from: thspfc on May 31, 2022, 10:34:23 PM
Airport spur freeways (I-190 IL, TX-97 Spur, WI-119, Pena Blvd for example)
Quote from: SkyPesos on June 02, 2022, 08:43:54 PM
Quote from: coldshoulder on June 02, 2022, 08:07:23 PM
OH-711, a 4-lane divided highway between I-680 in Youngstown, Ohio and the dual interchange with I-80 East and OH-11 North in Liberty Township covering approximately 6+ miles. The original section built in the late 50's or early 60's began at I-680 and crossed the Mahoning River but ended at US-422. The short connection up Briar Hill to connect with 80 and 11, took another 30 years to become a reality.
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.1353387,-80.6646963,14z//
Another Northeast Ohio example: I-480N. Connects I-480 EB to I-271 NB, and even more important than originally planned because I-290 (now I-490) east of downtown Cleveland was cancelled. So the main freeway routing from downtown to eastern suburbs like Beachwood involves this short connector.
You briefly mentioned it, but I-490 seems to fit this bill as the major connection between I-77 and I-90 West. It was even more important when the I-90 innerbelt bridge had structural issues and had traffic limited plus during the reconstruction of the replacement George Voinovich bridge.
I submit Lower Wacker Dr in Chicago. It is a quasi-expressway under the Loop connecting I-290/Congress Pkwy with US 41/Lake Shore Dr but only 2.2 miles.
Quote from: Sctvhound on June 02, 2022, 08:25:32 AM
Two of them here in Charleston. Ashley Phosphate Rd is less than 5 miles, and was named after old phosphate mines, but it is the major road in North Charleston connecting the Dorchester County side to the Charleston County side. The state's largest shopping district is also right off that road. It has something like 70,000 or 90,000 cars per day, one of the highest for a non-interstate US or state highway in the state.
US 52 Connector is 0.9 miles but it is absolutely vital for those who live up in Goose Creek, Moncks Corner and further north as they can bypass the lights around Northwoods Mall.
I worked off Ashley Phosphate Rd for about a year, and the traffic going eastbound toward I-26 on school mornings was absolutely dreadful. Sometimes it would be crawling speed from Patriot Blvd all the way to 26. In the summer it was usually fine. Also, that railroad crossing was a major choke point, as the trains usually went ~15mph through there. I don't miss that at all.
Disappointed so many of you keep your minds out of the gutter. Not a single "That's what she said" in these threads.
Quote from: jeffandnicole on June 04, 2022, 04:05:12 PM
Disappointed so many of you keep your minds out of the gutter. Not a single "That's what she said" in these threads.
It's not the size of the highway that counts, it's how you use it.
Quote from: SSOWorld on June 02, 2022, 11:30:36 PM
WIS-129 - Shortcut around Lancaster (basically an inverted bypass of US-61 which the city wanted through town)
WIS-119 - Connects MKE airport to the interstate.
WIS-30 - A shortcut from Madison to I-94, which replaced it east of I-90.
WI-129 was awesome to have. Being able to bypass a town like Lancaster on my exploration trips was great.
Quote from: jeffandnicole on June 04, 2022, 04:05:12 PM
Disappointed so many of you keep your minds out of the gutter. Not a single "That's what she said" in these threads.
"It's not the length that matters, it's the flatness"
Quote from: dlsterner on June 04, 2022, 07:00:45 PM
Quote from: jeffandnicole on June 04, 2022, 04:05:12 PM
Disappointed so many of you keep your minds out of the gutter. Not a single "That's what she said" in these threads.
"It's not the length that matters, it's the flatness"
You don't need to "ride" the brakes when it's flat. ;-)
https://www.facebook.com/471696313008593/posts/pfbid0jVim88ANP6AcPYQ1yssayM2yY7sViyvK6G2akUjCFLt7VR9xGbJuN27ss8mPhAgql/?d=n
Quote from: dlsterner on June 04, 2022, 07:00:45 PM
Quote from: jeffandnicole on June 04, 2022, 04:05:12 PM
Disappointed so many of you keep your minds out of the gutter. Not a single "That's what she said" in these threads.
"It's not the length that matters, it's the flatness"
Ah, so that's how Carhorn got that Ohio girl . . .
Quote from: thspfc on June 04, 2022, 07:39:34 PM
Quote from: dlsterner on June 04, 2022, 07:00:45 PM
Quote from: jeffandnicole on June 04, 2022, 04:05:12 PM
Disappointed so many of you keep your minds out of the gutter. Not a single "That's what she said" in these threads.
"It's not the length that matters, it's the flatness"
Ah, so that's how Carhorn got that Ohio girl . . .
Hey girl, do you like songs driving songs between 60 to 100 beats per minute?
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on June 04, 2022, 07:45:24 PM
Quote from: thspfc on June 04, 2022, 07:39:34 PM
Quote from: dlsterner on June 04, 2022, 07:00:45 PM
Quote from: jeffandnicole on June 04, 2022, 04:05:12 PM
Disappointed so many of you keep your minds out of the gutter. Not a single "That's what she said" in these threads.
"It's not the length that matters, it's the flatness"
Ah, so that's how Carhorn got that Ohio girl . . .
Hey girl, do you like songs driving songs between 60 to 100 beats per minute?
One beautiful evening, Carhorn and Ohio girl go for a walk at Starved Rock State Park. Upon reaching the crest of the hill, they're out of breath. Actually, they're not out of breath at all, because it's barely even a hill. But anyways, they stop for a moment, next to an assortment of cars with license plates from all 50 states and 28 Canadian provinces. And some cornstalks.
The late-day sun pierces through the trees. This is it: Carhorn drops to one knee and reaches for his pocket. Then, he asks the question he's been waiting to ask for so long:
"Is Illinois flat?"
He awaits the jubilant response of "no" .
The response is "yes" .
Carhorn tries to sway her. But no amount of Wallethub nor Lake County GSV can make Illinois not flat.
Disgusted, Carhorn looks for a slope down which to throw the ring he bought, but there isn't one.
Carhorn leaves, though not before honking at 7 racist Wisconsin drivers in the parking lot.
For anybody else, such an abrupt rejection would be heartbreaking. But Carhorn feels that he's dodged a bullet. Ohio girl must not be familiar with Illinois GSV. Does she even follow Wallethub? Probably not.
So, everybody lived happily ever after. Or maybe not, who knows.
Quote from: thspfc on June 04, 2022, 08:11:25 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on June 04, 2022, 07:45:24 PM
Quote from: thspfc on June 04, 2022, 07:39:34 PM
Quote from: dlsterner on June 04, 2022, 07:00:45 PM
Quote from: jeffandnicole on June 04, 2022, 04:05:12 PM
Disappointed so many of you keep your minds out of the gutter. Not a single "That's what she said" in these threads.
"It's not the length that matters, it's the flatness"
Ah, so that's how Carhorn got that Ohio girl . . .
Hey girl, do you like songs driving songs between 60 to 100 beats per minute?
One beautiful evening, Carhorn and Ohio girl go for a walk at Starved Rock State Park. Upon reaching the crest of the hill, they're out of breath. Actually, they're not out of breath at all, because it's barely even a hill. But anyways, they stop for a moment, next to an assortment of cars with license plates from all 50 states and 28 Canadian provinces. And some cornstalks.
The late-day sun pierces through the trees. This is it: Carhorn drops to one knee and reaches for his pocket. Then, he asks the question he's been waiting to ask for so long:
"Is Illinois flat?"
He awaits the jubilant response of "no" .
The response is "yes" .
Carhorn tries to sway her. But no amount of Wallethub nor Lake County GSV can make Illinois not flat.
Disgusted, Carhorn looks for a slope down which to throw the ring he bought, but there isn't one.
Carhorn leaves, though not before honking at 7 racist Wisconsin drivers in the parking lot.
For anybody else, such an abrupt rejection would be heartbreaking. But Carhorn feels that he's dodged a bullet. Ohio girl must not be familiar with Illinois GSV. Does she even follow Wallethub? Probably not.
So, everybody lived happily ever after. Or maybe not, who knows.
Truly a story of love, loss and flatness...
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on June 04, 2022, 08:46:36 PM
Quote from: thspfc on June 04, 2022, 08:11:25 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on June 04, 2022, 07:45:24 PM
Quote from: thspfc on June 04, 2022, 07:39:34 PM
Quote from: dlsterner on June 04, 2022, 07:00:45 PM
Quote from: jeffandnicole on June 04, 2022, 04:05:12 PM
Disappointed so many of you keep your minds out of the gutter. Not a single "That's what she said" in these threads.
"It's not the length that matters, it's the flatness"
Ah, so that's how Carhorn got that Ohio girl . . .
Hey girl, do you like songs driving songs between 60 to 100 beats per minute?
One beautiful evening, Carhorn and Ohio girl go for a walk at Starved Rock State Park. Upon reaching the crest of the hill, they're out of breath. Actually, they're not out of breath at all, because it's barely even a hill. But anyways, they stop for a moment, next to an assortment of cars with license plates from all 50 states and 28 Canadian provinces. And some cornstalks.
The late-day sun pierces through the trees. This is it: Carhorn drops to one knee and reaches for his pocket. Then, he asks the question he's been waiting to ask for so long:
"Is Illinois flat?"
He awaits the jubilant response of "no" .
The response is "yes" .
Carhorn tries to sway her. But no amount of Wallethub nor Lake County GSV can make Illinois not flat.
Disgusted, Carhorn looks for a slope down which to throw the ring he bought, but there isn't one.
Carhorn leaves, though not before honking at 7 racist Wisconsin drivers in the parking lot.
For anybody else, such an abrupt rejection would be heartbreaking. But Carhorn feels that he's dodged a bullet. Ohio girl must not be familiar with Illinois GSV. Does she even follow Wallethub? Probably not.
So, everybody lived happily ever after. Or maybe not, who knows.
Truly a story of love, loss and flatness...
What about the part about the Entenmann's truck driver and the HIV piss bottle?
Quote from: dlsterner on June 04, 2022, 09:24:01 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on June 04, 2022, 08:46:36 PM
Quote from: thspfc on June 04, 2022, 08:11:25 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on June 04, 2022, 07:45:24 PM
Quote from: thspfc on June 04, 2022, 07:39:34 PM
Quote from: dlsterner on June 04, 2022, 07:00:45 PM
Quote from: jeffandnicole on June 04, 2022, 04:05:12 PM
Disappointed so many of you keep your minds out of the gutter. Not a single "That's what she said" in these threads.
"It's not the length that matters, it's the flatness"
Ah, so that's how Carhorn got that Ohio girl . . .
Hey girl, do you like songs driving songs between 60 to 100 beats per minute?
One beautiful evening, Carhorn and Ohio girl go for a walk at Starved Rock State Park. Upon reaching the crest of the hill, they're out of breath. Actually, they're not out of breath at all, because it's barely even a hill. But anyways, they stop for a moment, next to an assortment of cars with license plates from all 50 states and 28 Canadian provinces. And some cornstalks.
The late-day sun pierces through the trees. This is it: Carhorn drops to one knee and reaches for his pocket. Then, he asks the question he's been waiting to ask for so long:
"Is Illinois flat?"
He awaits the jubilant response of "no" .
The response is "yes" .
Carhorn tries to sway her. But no amount of Wallethub nor Lake County GSV can make Illinois not flat.
Disgusted, Carhorn looks for a slope down which to throw the ring he bought, but there isn't one.
Carhorn leaves, though not before honking at 7 racist Wisconsin drivers in the parking lot.
For anybody else, such an abrupt rejection would be heartbreaking. But Carhorn feels that he's dodged a bullet. Ohio girl must not be familiar with Illinois GSV. Does she even follow Wallethub? Probably not.
So, everybody lived happily ever after. Or maybe not, who knows.
Truly a story of love, loss and flatness...
What about the part about the Entenmann's truck driver and the HIV piss bottle?
You'll have to wait for the sequel "Fifty Shades of Flat."
Hennepin-122 in Minnesota is an important link across the river between the East and West Banks of the U of M Minneapolis, and it also links the campus in general directly to downtown.
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on June 04, 2022, 09:52:55 PM
Quote from: dlsterner on June 04, 2022, 09:24:01 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on June 04, 2022, 08:46:36 PM
Quote from: thspfc on June 04, 2022, 08:11:25 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on June 04, 2022, 07:45:24 PM
Quote from: thspfc on June 04, 2022, 07:39:34 PM
Quote from: dlsterner on June 04, 2022, 07:00:45 PM
Quote from: jeffandnicole on June 04, 2022, 04:05:12 PM
Disappointed so many of you keep your minds out of the gutter. Not a single "That's what she said" in these threads.
"It's not the length that matters, it's the flatness"
Ah, so that's how Carhorn got that Ohio girl . . .
Hey girl, do you like songs driving songs between 60 to 100 beats per minute?
One beautiful evening, Carhorn and Ohio girl go for a walk at Starved Rock State Park. Upon reaching the crest of the hill, they're out of breath. Actually, they're not out of breath at all, because it's barely even a hill. But anyways, they stop for a moment, next to an assortment of cars with license plates from all 50 states and 28 Canadian provinces. And some cornstalks.
The late-day sun pierces through the trees. This is it: Carhorn drops to one knee and reaches for his pocket. Then, he asks the question he's been waiting to ask for so long:
"Is Illinois flat?"
He awaits the jubilant response of "no" .
The response is "yes" .
Carhorn tries to sway her. But no amount of Wallethub nor Lake County GSV can make Illinois not flat.
Disgusted, Carhorn looks for a slope down which to throw the ring he bought, but there isn't one.
Carhorn leaves, though not before honking at 7 racist Wisconsin drivers in the parking lot.
For anybody else, such an abrupt rejection would be heartbreaking. But Carhorn feels that he's dodged a bullet. Ohio girl must not be familiar with Illinois GSV. Does she even follow Wallethub? Probably not.
So, everybody lived happily ever after. Or maybe not, who knows.
Truly a story of love, loss and flatness...
What about the part about the Entenmann's truck driver and the HIV piss bottle?
You'll have to wait for the sequel "Fifty Shades of Flat."
C'mon Man!!!
Quote from: fillup420 on June 03, 2022, 06:25:37 PM
Quote from: Sctvhound on June 02, 2022, 08:25:32 AM
Two of them here in Charleston. Ashley Phosphate Rd is less than 5 miles, and was named after old phosphate mines, but it is the major road in North Charleston connecting the Dorchester County side to the Charleston County side. The state's largest shopping district is also right off that road. It has something like 70,000 or 90,000 cars per day, one of the highest for a non-interstate US or state highway in the state.
US 52 Connector is 0.9 miles but it is absolutely vital for those who live up in Goose Creek, Moncks Corner and further north as they can bypass the lights around Northwoods Mall.
I worked off Ashley Phosphate Rd for about a year, and the traffic going eastbound toward I-26 on school mornings was absolutely dreadful. Sometimes it would be crawling speed from Patriot Blvd all the way to 26. In the summer it was usually fine. Also, that railroad crossing was a major choke point, as the trains usually went ~15mph through there. I don't miss that at all.
Yeah for being such a short road is is probably the biggest bottleneck in the Charleston area outside I-26.
Also, SC 30, for only being 3 miles long is absolutely vital to get from downtown Charleston to/from James Island.
Quote from: thspfc on June 04, 2022, 08:11:25 PM
One beautiful evening, Carhorn and Ohio girl ...
So, everybody lived happily ever after. Or maybe not, who knows.
That was beautiful. Thank you for sharing.
Quote from: DJ Particle on June 04, 2022, 10:37:10 PM
Hennepin-122 in Minnesota is an important link across the river between the East and West Banks of the U of M Minneapolis, and it also links the campus in general directly to downtown.
Stop changing the subject.
Nebraska Link 28B is the highway that bridges the gap in the freeway that goes from Omaha to Fremont that's between US 6 and US 275. More broadly, some of Nebraska's link highways are connections between two highways that can't have a direct connection because of a bridge over railroad crossings. A number of them connect US 30, which has Union Pacific tracks paralleling it across the state, to a N-S highway.
One in Nebraska which is numbered is NE 110, which connects US 20, and ultimately I-129 and I-29, to NE 35, which goes southwest from South Sioux City to Norfolk.
A few more short, important roads for the military
I-564 into Norfolk Naval Station, VA
All-American Freeway to Fort Bragg (that NC has not designated this an interstate yet is mind-boggling)
IL 158 to access Scott AFB, IL
BL I-44 to Fort Leonard Wood, MO
TX 601 to access Fort Bliss, TX including Biggs Field
California also has a few short, but very important roads connecting the state road network to Mexico
CA 186
CA 7 (extremely important for truck traffic)
CA 188
CA 11 (soon to be even more important for truck traffic)
I-579 in Pittsburgh. It's only three miles long, but it allows traffic to move to and from areas north, south and east of downtown Pittsburgh without having to use the Fort Pitt or Fort Duquesne Bridges.
Quote from: zzcarp on June 03, 2022, 03:46:37 PM
Quote from: SkyPesos on June 02, 2022, 08:43:54 PM
Quote from: coldshoulder on June 02, 2022, 08:07:23 PM
OH-711, a 4-lane divided highway between I-680 in Youngstown, Ohio and the dual interchange with I-80 East and OH-11 North in Liberty Township covering approximately 6+ miles. The original section built in the late 50's or early 60's began at I-680 and crossed the Mahoning River but ended at US-422. The short connection up Briar Hill to connect with 80 and 11, took another 30 years to become a reality.
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.1353387,-80.6646963,14z
(http://[/url)
Another Northeast Ohio example: I-480N. Connects I-480 EB to I-271 NB, and even more important than originally planned because I-290 (now I-490) east of downtown Cleveland was cancelled. So the main freeway routing from downtown to eastern suburbs like Beachwood involves this short connector.
You briefly mentioned it, but I-490 seems to fit this bill as the major connection between I-77 and I-90 West. It was even more important when the I-90 innerbelt bridge had structural issues and had traffic limited plus during the reconstruction of the replacement George Voinovich bridge.
Quote from: zzcarp on June 03, 2022, 03:46:37 PM
Quote from: SkyPesos on June 02, 2022, 08:43:54 PM
Quote from: coldshoulder on June 02, 2022, 08:07:23 PM
OH-711, a 4-lane divided highway between I-680 in Youngstown, Ohio and the dual interchange with I-80 East and OH-11 North in Liberty Township covering approximately 6+ miles. The original section built in the late 50's or early 60's began at I-680 and crossed the Mahoning River but ended at US-422. The short connection up Briar Hill to connect with 80 and 11, took another 30 years to become a reality.
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.1353387,-80.6646963,14z//]
Another Northeast Ohio example: I-480N. Connects I-480 EB to I-271 NB, and even more important than originally planned because I-290 (now I-490) east of downtown Cleveland was cancelled. So the main freeway routing from downtown to eastern suburbs like Beachwood involves this short connector.
You briefly mentioned it, but I-490 seems to fit this bill as the major connection between I-77 and I-90 West. It was even more important when the I-90 innerbelt bridge had structural issues and had traffic limited plus during the reconstruction of the replacement George Voinovich bridge.
Quote from: zzcarp on June 03, 2022, 03:46:37 PM
Quote from: SkyPesos on June 02, 2022, 08:43:54 PM
Quote from: coldshoulder on June 02, 2022, 08:07:23 PM
OH-711, a 4-lane divided highway between I-680 in Youngstown, Ohio and the dual interchange with I-80 East and OH-11 North in Liberty Township covering approximately 6+ miles. The original section built in the late 50's or early 60's began at I-680 and crossed the Mahoning River but ended at US-422. The short connection up Briar Hill to connect with 80 and 11, took another 30 years to become a reality.
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.1353387,-80.6646963,14z//
Another Northeast Ohio example: I-480N. Connects I-480 EB to I-271 NB, and even more important than originally planned because I-290 (now I-490) east of downtown Cleveland was cancelled. So the main freeway routing from downtown to eastern suburbs like Beachwood involves this short connector.
You briefly mentioned it, but I-490 seems to fit this bill as the major connection between I-77 and I-90 West. It was even more important when the I-90 innerbelt bridge had structural issues and had traffic limited plus during the reconstruction of the replacement George Voinovich bridge.
Also in the same neighborhood, what about the Jennings Freeway (SR-176)? Took over 30-some years to complete, but it is the alternative north-south freeway between downtown and i-480 whenever I-77 is messed up, and is the only quick way to access any points south of I-480 between I-71 and I-77 and even Brooklyn as it damn near impossible to reach via I-71
I would like to add M-8 in Michigan. useful as a connection on the east side from I-75 to M-10, I-94 and I-96 and all points west.
Cincinnati Area:
The Norwood Lateral/OH 562
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ohio_State_Route_562
What it says on the tin, a short (under 4 miles) but vital connection between I-71 and I-75.
(Ronald Reagan Cross-County a few miles North does the same but extends beyond its lateral functions, and does not have a full interchange with 75)
My only complaint is that the Lateral should have been built wider and to interstate standards. With only four lanes total and substandard ramps, it is not a great drive. And it’s now too late to upgrade it.
I-471
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstate_471
Under 6 miles.
Additional bridge over the Ohio River, direct connection from Downtown Cincinnati to Eastern portion of Northern Kentucky suburbs, and via 275 to Clermont County. Also serves as an I-71 relief route.
Dayton Area:
OH 844
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ohio_State_Route_844
Connects I-675 to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and to parking for Wright State University.
Important commuter route. Dead on weekends, vital and busy on weekdays.
There immediately come to mind:
- Interstate 345 (Dallas) - This 1.4-mile-long unsigned interstate is a key connector between US Route 75 and Interstate 45. It still boggles this mind that this isn't part of Interstate 45. It has a high daily vehicle volume, yet some anti-car activists, citing that it split Deep Ellum from downtown Dallas, want to tear it down and make it a street. This freeway is at the end of it's life and also needs expansion.
- Interstate 305 (Sacramento) - This 5.64-mile-long unsigned interstate is a key freeway between Interstate-80 in West Sacramento and Southbound CA-99/CA-51 (unsigned), and is part of both Business Interstate 80 and US-50. It is also a key segment for Sacramento. It retains it's Interstate status for funding reasons.
- International Parkway (Dallas) - This 6-mile-long highway is the backbone for accessing the DFW International airport. Enough said.
- Interstate 238 (San Francisco/Oakland Bay area) - This 2.23-mile-long Interstate is the problem child as there is no Interstate 38 in California, and Interstate 38 only exists as a song by 38 Spesh. It is directly connected to CA-238.
- CA Route 160 (North Sacramento section) - Technically speaking, CA Route 160 is TWO routes, with a major section running through downtown Sacramento being deleted and the signs removed in 2003. This 2.23-mile-long segment goes from CA-51/Business 80 to downtown Sacramento, and was even an important route in the pre-automotive days.
Interstate 535, between Duluth, MN and Superior, WI. One of three bridges in this region that cross the St. Louis River.
CA 149 is only 4 miles long, but it does form a four-lane bypass of CA 99 south of Chico as the direct high-speed route towards Sacramento.
Quote from: SSOWorld on June 02, 2022, 11:30:36 PM
WIS-129 - Shortcut around Lancaster (basically an inverted bypass of US-61 which the city wanted through town)
WIS-119 - Connects MKE airport to the interstate.
WIS-30 - A shortcut from Madison to I-94, which replaced it east of I-90.
Also, WI 125 - busy Four lane surface street the whole way, College Ave connects I-41 to downtown Appleton, WI.
mike
Quote from: skluth on June 07, 2022, 03:35:16 PM
A few more short, important roads for the military
I-564 into Norfolk Naval Station, VA
All-American Freeway to Fort Bragg (that NC has not designated this an interstate yet is mind-boggling)
IL 158 to access Scott AFB, IL
BL I-44 to Fort Leonard Wood, MO
TX 601 to access Fort Bliss, TX including Biggs Field
I-781 in New York (Fort Drum)?
Mike
Quote from: mgk920 on August 03, 2022, 12:24:15 PM
Quote from: skluth on June 07, 2022, 03:35:16 PM
A few more short, important roads for the military
I-564 into Norfolk Naval Station, VA
All-American Freeway to Fort Bragg (that NC has not designated this an interstate yet is mind-boggling)
IL 158 to access Scott AFB, IL
BL I-44 to Fort Leonard Wood, MO
TX 601 to access Fort Bliss, TX including Biggs Field
I-781 in New York (Fort Drum)?
I-H3 also.
Quote from: mgk920 on August 03, 2022, 12:24:15 PM
Quote from: skluth on June 07, 2022, 03:35:16 PM
A few more short, important roads for the military ...
I-781 in New York (Fort Drum)?
Yes, and indeed there was already some discussion of I-781 earlier in the thread:
Quote from: webny99 on May 31, 2022, 10:28:29 PM
The first one that came to mind was I-781. It's an important 4-mile connector between I-81 and Fort Drum, but arguably more importantly to the US 11 corridor and much of the North Country region, including Gouverneur, Canton, and Potsdam. Before I-781 was built, NY 342 served that movement, and it was one of the busiest two-lane roads in the state.
Quote from: Rothman on May 31, 2022, 10:30:31 PM
I-781 was only built because Fort Drum would have closed without it. DOD demanded it.
Quote from: vdeane on June 01, 2022, 12:50:05 PM
From what I've heard, NY 342 was in fact the busiest two-lane road in the whole state before I-781 opened.
Quote from: JayhawkCO on August 03, 2022, 12:38:20 PM
Quote from: mgk920 on August 03, 2022, 12:24:15 PM
Quote from: skluth on June 07, 2022, 03:35:16 PM
A few more short, important roads for the military
I-564 into Norfolk Naval Station, VA
All-American Freeway to Fort Bragg (that NC has not designated this an interstate yet is mind-boggling)
IL 158 to access Scott AFB, IL
BL I-44 to Fort Leonard Wood, MO
TX 601 to access Fort Bliss, TX including Biggs Field
I-781 in New York (Fort Drum)?
I-H3 also.
I believe that I-H3 is too long for the OP's criteria.
Mike