AARoads Forum

What is the most important 3di? If I forgot one that might be considered the most important, I will add it to the poll.

You are allowed to change your vote at any time.

Things that I will NOT add to the poll:

1. US routes, state routes, and roads outside the United States. "3di" means "3 digit Interstate".
2. 2dis with a leading 0 (like I-095).
3. Interstates created solely by FritzOwl.

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Duh! The only one where a forum member here has allowed us to drive 85 mph!

And where's Interstate 180 (Illinois)? How did you forget it...  :hmmm:

I-580 in California? It connects the Bay Area to I-5 and southern California

I-270 Maryland should be on the list.

I-495 (PA), all ramp of it.

You missed a pretty important part 495, the one you live closest to.

I-710 and I-880 these are truckers freeways. As in access to the port of Oakland and Port of Los Angeles and Long Beach.

Funny to see 238 on the list and not 580. Also funny to see 278 and not 678 in NYC. My vote is for 610 in Houston, only way to cross downtown Houston without crashing.

Quote from: NE2 on February 28, 2015, 08:24:54 PM
I-495 (PA), all ramp of it.

Nope.  It was edged out by I-684 in CT and I-587.

I-680 California, I-210 California and I-280 California have significance too,

I-180 (WY) is so important that they overlooked the poor standards just to get the link on the Interstate network!

I295 in NJ is fairly important as it provides a bypass for traffic going around philly that do not want to pay a toll for the turnpike.

By request, 580 has been added to the list.

I-095, that's great!  I nominate I-35E (I Three Fifty E).

Looking at the list, I would have to say either I-405 or I-495. I just can't figure out which one is more important though. By important, are we talking about how if the road were to spontaneously explode into a trillion pieces, traffic problems would overflow onto surrounding roadways?

When can we nominate a 4 digit di?  I'll put H201 up there as the most important.

I270 In Mayland. It connects 70 to the DC Metro Area, bypassing baltimore in the process. I think that should be on the list.

I-270 has been added to the poll.

I-444

What, no I-290 (IL)?  Ike would not be happy his Interstate isn't on the list, LOL.

I-476. It connects three of the five largest metropolitan areas in Pennsylvania.

I initially thought it'd have to be Interstate 495 (The Capital Beltway), and that's what I voted (but I cannot figure out how to change my vote). But now that I think about it, if I-495 were to just disappear, Interstate 95 would still keep the eastern part of the beltway in business, and I didn't think about the fact that there's still a few limited-access arterials within the beltway. Though I-495 is a very important interstate indeed, I have changed my mind about thinking it'd be the most important 3di. I'm now inclined to say that Interstate 476 could be the most important 3di. It's length says a lot to begin with, and it connects Philadelphia, Allentown, & the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre area. It is also important in serving the western side of the Philadelphia area. Though, very close runner-ups are Interstate 580 (it connects Northbound I-5 traffic to the Bay Area, it importantly serves Oakland, runs along the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge, and more), Interstate 405 (we all know how bad its traffic is to prove it), and I-287 (serving as a partial beltway for the largest metro area in the country, not much else needs to be said).

I-135 in Kansas.

I would nominate I-285 in Atlanta to be added to the list. The traffic volumes are incredible. Without this beltway, traffic in and around Atlanta would grind to a standstill.

But out of the available options, I voted for I-495 in DC. You've got several military bases, the HQ of the federal government, the Washington and Baltimore metro areas, and all the long-distance traffic competing for space here.

Quote from: Scott5114 on March 01, 2015, 05:59:54 PM
I-135 in Kansas.

I'd argue that 335 is more important than 135, because it's part of the Kansas Turnpike and links Wichita to the state capital.

While it probably wouldn't win nationwide, you could make a strong argument for I-495 (NY). After all, it is the only Interstate serving what's essentially the 7th New England state. :D

If I didn't vote for I-285 around Atlanta, I would probably vote for I-270 around St. Louis.

I-285 added.

As of the time of this post, I-366 has garnered seven votes as the unchallenged Fictional Highways candidate. In the spirit of healthy competition, I suggest that I-438 (https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=7552.msg170579#msg170579), the suggested 3di redesignation of a truly visionary transcontinental 2di (https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=7552.msg170402#msg170402), be added to the list. A transcontinental 3di merits consideration.

476 is the backbone of my daily commute so I had to vote for it. Its addition to the highway system in this region was a big boon. I couldn't imagine having to traverse PA 320 or have to cut through Philly every day to get to work.

If I-366 is in the list, then I-338 (The best proposal ever) should be there.

Having previously lived in L.A. and Chicago, I'm having a hard time deciding between I-405 and I-294.

Quote from: ekt8750 on March 02, 2015, 11:33:35 AM
476 is the backbone of my daily commute so I had to vote for it. Its addition to the highway system in this region was a big boon. I couldn't imagine having to traverse PA 320 or have to cut through Philly every day to get to work.

Prior to late December 1991; many commuters in the Greater Philly area indeed did just such.

Every time I'm in KC, I'm always on I-435, regardless of what I'm doing there.

I put I-580 (California), because if it disappeared tomorrow there's not a good alternative.  Via I-80, way the hell out of the way, or via Pacheco Pass, way out of the way as well as too small for the traffic it has already.

Quote from: hbelkins on March 01, 2015, 07:03:16 PM

Quote from: Scott5114 on March 01, 2015, 05:59:54 PM
I-135 in Kansas.

I'd argue that 335 is more important than 135, because it's part of the Kansas Turnpike and links Wichita to the state capital.

335 is a ghost town, though. The majority of Kansas Turnpike traffic leaves at Emporia.

I-135 serves a more regional purpose, linking Wichita and points south to western Kansas and central Nebraska (i.e. I-80 at York).

Any 3dI that was originally a suffixed 2dI should be an option in the poll.

Quote from: Scott5114 on March 02, 2015, 08:28:02 PM

Quote from: hbelkins on March 01, 2015, 07:03:16 PM

Quote from: Scott5114 on March 01, 2015, 05:59:54 PM
I-135 in Kansas.

I'd argue that 335 is more important than 135, because it's part of the Kansas Turnpike and links Wichita to the state capital.

335 is a ghost town, though. The majority of Kansas Turnpike traffic leaves at Emporia.

I-135 serves a more regional purpose, linking Wichita and points south to western Kansas and central Nebraska (i.e. I-80 at York).

Yes, I-335 is quite empty. But I bet it wouldn't be so empty if it weren't tolled. When I head north, I exit at Emporia and go through downtown KC, just so the toll will be cheaper, even though there's greater risk of hitting traffic through downtown.

I-135 shouldn't be an Interstate because US-81. History be darned.

You don't have to go through downtown KC if you take I-35. I-435 is easily accesable from I-35.

Quote from: vtk on March 02, 2015, 11:09:55 PM
Any 3dI that was originally a suffixed 2dI should be an option in the poll.

Fuck I-670 (OH).

Quote from: NE2 on March 03, 2015, 08:46:31 AM

Quote from: vtk on March 02, 2015, 11:09:55 PM
Any 3dI that was originally a suffixed 2dI should be an option in the poll.

Fuck I-670 (OH).

Yeah I'm not trying to claim that should be in the poll.  It only barely counts under the criterion I put forward, subject to interpretation.  What I had in mind was I-70S/270 MD (which I voted for), I-35W/135 KS, I-80N/480 OH.  (That last one was a thing, right?)  Are there others I'm not remembering?

In an alternate reality where I-10 through NOLA was originally I-10S and then changed to I-x10, it could have been a front runner.

Quote from: vtk on March 03, 2015, 10:15:08 AM

Quote from: NE2 on March 03, 2015, 08:46:31 AM

Quote from: vtk on March 02, 2015, 11:09:55 PM
Any 3dI that was originally a suffixed 2dI should be an option in the poll.

Fuck I-670 (OH).

Yeah I'm not trying to claim that should be in the poll.  It only barely counts under the criterion I put forward, subject to interpretation.  What I had in mind was I-70S/270 MD (which I voted for), I-35W/135 KS, I-80N/480 OH.  (That last one was a thing, right?)  Are there others I'm not remembering?

There was I-80N in Iowa, which connected I-29 and I-80 in northern Pottawattamie County, Iowa, which is now I-680.  I wouldn't call I-680 important in the overall scheme of things, though.  I-680 in Iowa and Nebraska should really be 2 different 3di's, the original I-680 which is the Omaha bypass, and the original I-80N, which functions primarily as the Sioux City-Des Moines connector, although I do know some North Omaha people going east will use it.  I've driven the eastern part of I-680 end to end twice, and I have never seen much traffic on it.

I-276 should get an honorable mention as it helps connect the NJ turnpike with points west.

Another honorable mention would perhaps be I-280 in Ohio.  It's a gateway to-and-from Detroit & Michigan, allowing travelers coming from the east along I-80 & I-90 (Cleveland and Northeastern cities) to bypass the snake-like I-75 through Toledo.

Quote from: sandwalk on March 04, 2015, 11:58:57 AM
Another honorable mention would perhaps be I-280 in Ohio.  It's a gateway to-and-from Detroit & Michigan, allowing travelers coming from the east along I-80 & I-90 (Cleveland and Northeastern cities) to bypass the snake-like I-75 through Toledo.

True, but some of the traffic between Detroit and places east of Buffalo might prefer to go north of Lake Erie instead.

I-390 (NY), maybe? Major connector between the Rochester area and the Southern Tier.

Quote from: WNYroadgeek on March 04, 2015, 09:01:00 PM
I-390 (NY), maybe? Major connector between the Rochester area and the Southern Tier.

Uh, guys...I'm as much of a hometown booster as anybody, but I have a really hard time making a case for I-390 (or I-280, for that matter) as the most important 3di. Heck, I couldn't even convince myself of I-495...

(For the record, my vote would probably be for the 405, or maybe 285 or the Capital Beltway.)

Gotta give some love to I-196 (MI).

It covers a long distance (80 miles from I-94 to I-96) and serves as a major link from Chicago to Grand Rapids and makes a decent alternative for those who want to get to Lansing (in lieu of I-94/69).

I-238...

Because it is the only 3di that doesn't need a parent.

I second New York's I-495. Only limited-access truck route across much of Long Island and it is effectively a lifeline. There is no alternate east of the Clearview if you're not driving a passenger car.