Indiana has self claimed to have the "Crossroads of America" within its boarders, these are the 3 intersections that I've been told were at one time the official xroads:
Downtown Indy at the junction of Meridian and Washington St (US 31 & 40)
Terre Haute at the junction of US 40 & 41
Merrelville at the junction of us 30 and 41.
What is everyone's opinion of where the REAL Xroads should be? Should it be an interchange between 2 interstates, or 2 us highways?
Honestly?
Missouri.
I'll point somewhere in the middle of the US....
Iowa or Missouri
There are a lot of places called the "Crossroads of America" Indiana claims many of them, even so far as to use the term on their map. Joliet, IL, is known as the "Crossroads of Mid-America" (and on its seal) due to the fact that the Mother Road (US-66) and the Lincoln Highway (US-30) originally crossed here.
Here.
https://www.google.com/maps/place//@40.4913066,-99.6239483,8.26z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0xad8352768ee1781a?hl=en
Why not.
Quote from: Brandon on October 13, 2015, 05:55:02 PM
There are a lot of places called the "Crossroads of America" Indiana claims many of them, even so far as to use the term on their map. Joliet, IL, is known as the "Crossroads of Mid-America" (and on its seal) due to the fact that the Mother Road (US-66) and the Lincoln Highway (US-30) originally crossed here.
Chicagoland has a better claim to "Crossroads of America" than Indiana, IMO. Not just all the major highways converging on or passing through the area, but also its importance as a major rail and air hub.
Quote from: Pete from Boston on October 13, 2015, 05:19:17 PM
Missouri.
Specifically, St. Louis.
Because it lies at a point that divides the nation culturally into North and South and into East and West.
It's a divide historically; The Missouri Compromise; Dred Scott, The Louisiana Purchase.
It's (almost) at the junction of our two largest rivers.
St. Louis is close the to center of population in the United States.
As an interstate crossroads, the importance of 44, 55 and 70 nationally gives St. Louis more significance than other cities in the region like Indianapolis.
Can anyone name a specific junction? Where does the longest N/S interstate cross the longest E/W? I'd say that could be the place. Or the same thing but the added goes through the most major cities.
Quote from: silverback1065 on October 13, 2015, 06:52:23 PM
Can anyone name a specific junction? Where does the longest N/S interstate cross the longest E/W? I'd say that could be the place. Or the same thing but the added goes through the most major cities.
Weston, Massachusetts. I-95 (longest N-S interstate) crosses I-90 (longest E-W interstate).
Quote from: noelbotevera on October 13, 2015, 07:01:51 PM
Quote from: silverback1065 on October 13, 2015, 06:52:23 PM
Can anyone name a specific junction? Where does the longest N/S interstate cross the longest E/W? I'd say that could be the place. Or the same thing but the added goes through the most major cities.
Weston, Massachusetts. I-95 (longest N-S interstate) crosses I-90 (longest E-W interstate).
That's my candidate then
US 281 and US 36 in Lebanon KS
Literally the center of America
A case could be made for Tennessee since it has borders with the most States.
Junction City, Kansas
Quote from: Buffaboy on October 13, 2015, 07:04:05 PM
US 281 and US 36 in Lebanon KS
Literally the center of America
No, US 85 and SD 168 in Castle Rock, SD! Get it right!
I don't think the "crossroads of America" could or should be assigned to a specific junction–US, Interstate, or otherwise. Longest N/S meets longest E/W is essentially meaningless.
In a broader sense, though, I can see Indiana's claim, particularly in a late 19th to early 20th century context. For most of that period, the #1 and #2 most populated cities in the country were New York and Chicago. In 1950, with the lone exception of LA as a western outpost, every city in the top 10 was somewhere between Boston, Washington, St. Louis, and Chicago. At that time, Phoenix–today the country's sixth largest city with a population of over a million–had barely 100,000 residents and was smaller than Reading, PA.
So in that world, where cars manufactured in Lansing would round the southern tip of Lake Michigan in rail cars on their way to Minneapolis–or where grain milled into flour in St. Louis would be shipped to grocery stores in Buffalo–Indiana was likely the geographic center of the nationwide movement of most of our goods and people.
As the center of population as steadily moved west and south, this has become less the case.
Quote from: Pete from Boston on October 13, 2015, 05:19:17 PM
Honestly?
Missouri.
To elaborate, when driving I-70 from its western end, things suddenly feel very different, very... eastern once one gets into Missouri. Coming from the east, on the other hand, Kansas City undeniably represents a step into the west.
Northern Missouri is so close to Chicago, yet at the other end the Ozarks blur into Arkansas, and undeniably southern state, without a thought.
Missouri is our cultural centerpoint, all geographical rules aside.
I'd shift further west than Kansas City - Kansas City is still well into humid America. Coming from the west, I feel like I've arrived in the east when I get to Kansas City. The real east-west shift is the arid-humid line, where irrigation becomes unnecessary and population density increases significantly. Generally, that's a little bit east of the US 83 (Nebraska and north) and US 81 (Kansas and south) corridor.
I would say Enid, Oklahoma is the crossroads of America. That's fairly close to the arid-humid line, is far enough south that there is barbeque and people start to have southern accents, but it's still definitely not southern. Dodge City might be another candidate, though that has cultural western connotations that to me disqualify it- though it is essentially one of the easternmost cities in the true west.
Alternatively, northern Delaware south of Brandywine country. While not geographically central, I feel like northern Delaware (excluding Brandywine) is possibly the part of the country that best represents completely generic America. Where I feel Enid is a town that well encapsulates all of the weird eccentricities of most regions in America, northern Delaware encapsulates essentially none of them. It just kind of is.
Perhaps it could be Kansas City, though. If people from the west feel like they've arrived east in KC, and people from the east feel like they've arrived west, that's worth noting. KC also has hints of southern and northern culture.
Here's an absurdist contender for the title:
9. Beebeetown
Originally called Officialredrydercarbineactiontwohundredshotrangemodelairrifle, the town was asked to come up with something a little shorter by the Post Office.
The name actually comes from the Beebee family, who settled the area in the 1840s. The name is also spelled Bebe, Beebe, and Beeby. It comes from the town of Beeby, in Leicestershire, England. It means "bee town." So, in other words, Beebeetown really means Beetowntown. How confusing.
This teeny crossroads is just north of Omaha, NE, not too far from the town of Missouri Valley (see "Honorable Mention," below).
(fron Weird Place Names)
Quote from: noelbotevera on October 13, 2015, 07:01:51 PM
Quote from: silverback1065 on October 13, 2015, 06:52:23 PM
Can anyone name a specific junction? Where does the longest N/S interstate cross the longest E/W? I'd say that could be the place. Or the same thing but the added goes through the most major cities.
Weston, Massachusetts. I-95 (longest N-S interstate) crosses I-90 (longest E-W interstate).
Interestingly this is not that far from where the longest N-S and E-W US routes historically met - US 1 and US 6 in Providence, RI.
Today, since California eliminated most of their part of US 6, US 20 is the longest E-W route. US 20 and US 1 do not intersect today but they used to intersect in Boston (even closer to where I-90 and I-95 meet) and still both come within the city limits.
Speaking in terms of divides between halves of the country, it is commonly asserted that US 81 is the border between east and west. US 50 can be said to play the same role for north and south. The two meet in Newton, KS, but they share a brief concurrency so you have two crossroads... and because US 81 is concurrent with I-135, they are interchanges, not intersections. One of them is only a partial interchange.
Honestly, a lot of freight goes through Indiana, it connects you to so many places it's insane.
I don't thing the Crossroads of America refers to the Mean center of the United States population or a geographic center. I think Indiana made the claim because: 1) Lake Michigan causes a bottleneck of cross-country traffic thru NW Indiana (for example US 30 and US 41 in Schererville, I-80/94 and I-65, etc.) and 2) Indianapolis really is a hub - especially now where there will soon be 9 freeway spokes in the hub.
Again, there are many much busier intersections elsewhere, but Indiana gets more than its share of long distance traffic. Still, it is just a motto, and any judgment is subjective.
Quote from: Jardine on October 13, 2015, 08:14:07 PM
Officialredrydercarbineactiontwohundredshotrangemodelairrifle
Are you sure that isn't a line from "A Christmas Story?"
You'll shoot your eye out, kid.
Another good crossroads is Des Moines, Iowa. It's home to the I-35/I-80 junction, pretty much our crossroads.
Sandoval, Illinois. US 50 and US 51.
Quote from: triplemultiplex on October 13, 2015, 06:48:48 PM
Quote from: Pete from Boston on October 13, 2015, 05:19:17 PM
Missouri.
Specifically, St. Louis.
Because it lies at a point that divides the nation culturally into North and South and into East and West.
It's a divide historically; The Missouri Compromise; Dred Scott, The Louisiana Purchase.
It's (almost) at the junction of our two largest rivers.
St. Louis is close the to center of population in the United States.
As an interstate crossroads, the importance of 44, 55 and 70 nationally gives St. Louis more significance than other cities in the region like Indianapolis.
Indeed, this is very much the assessment given by roadgeek emeritus William Least Heat-Moon (on Missouri generally, not just St. Louis), and I would certainly cast my vote as well for that state if we're looking at this from a socio-cultural viewpoint.
Now, if we're talking roads-wise, it's got to be the intersection of I-35 and something, as I-35 is undeniably the spine of the American heartland as Interstates go. And I-70 is no slouch as an east-west heartland route (though 40 and 80 are also good candidates), so perhaps Kansas City?
Quote from: empirestate on October 13, 2015, 11:46:26 PM
Quote from: triplemultiplex on October 13, 2015, 06:48:48 PM
Quote from: Pete from Boston on October 13, 2015, 05:19:17 PM
Missouri.
Specifically, St. Louis.
Because it lies at a point that divides the nation culturally into North and South and into East and West.
It's a divide historically; The Missouri Compromise; Dred Scott, The Louisiana Purchase.
It's (almost) at the junction of our two largest rivers.
St. Louis is close the to center of population in the United States.
As an interstate crossroads, the importance of 44, 55 and 70 nationally gives St. Louis more significance than other cities in the region like Indianapolis.
Indeed, this is very much the assessment given by roadgeek emeritus William Least Heat-Moon (on Missouri generally, not just St. Louis), and I would certainly cast my vote as well for that state if we're looking at this from a socio-cultural viewpoint.
Now, if we're talking roads-wise, it's got to be the intersection of I-35 and something, as I-35 is undeniably the spine of the American heartland as Interstates go. And I-70 is no slouch as an east-west heartland route (though 40 and 80 are also good candidates), so perhaps Kansas City?
It's better than Iowa.
Quote from: SD Mapman on October 13, 2015, 11:52:28 PM
Quote from: empirestate on October 13, 2015, 11:46:26 PM
Quote from: triplemultiplex on October 13, 2015, 06:48:48 PM
Quote from: Pete from Boston on October 13, 2015, 05:19:17 PM
Missouri.
Specifically, St. Louis.
Because it lies at a point that divides the nation culturally into North and South and into East and West.
It's a divide historically; The Missouri Compromise; Dred Scott, The Louisiana Purchase.
It's (almost) at the junction of our two largest rivers.
St. Louis is close the to center of population in the United States.
As an interstate crossroads, the importance of 44, 55 and 70 nationally gives St. Louis more significance than other cities in the region like Indianapolis.
Indeed, this is very much the assessment given by roadgeek emeritus William Least Heat-Moon (on Missouri generally, not just St. Louis), and I would certainly cast my vote as well for that state if we're looking at this from a socio-cultural viewpoint.
Now, if we're talking roads-wise, it's got to be the intersection of I-35 and something, as I-35 is undeniably the spine of the American heartland as Interstates go. And I-70 is no slouch as an east-west heartland route (though 40 and 80 are also good candidates), so perhaps Kansas City?
It's better than Iowa.
Though OKC isn't a bad choice, either.
This discussion reminds me of a NYSDOT employee that went around trying to call the Northway/Thruway interchange the Crossroads of New York.
...
He sort of got laughed out of the room like the consultants that did that study some years ago saying that essentially the Williamsville Toll Barrier (I-290/I-90) on the Thruway was the worst freight bottleneck in the country.
I think St. Louis would be the ultimate choice for the title in question, because as previously mentioned, it's where East, West, North and South come together; the closest major city to the middle of the country; and the meeting point for four different interstates (44, 55, 64 and 70). And this is coming from a native Chicagoan!
My problem with Saint Louis being the Crossroads of America is that it's been notoriously shrinking in size over recent years.
It's predictable, but I'd say Chicago. Good water, rail, road, and air access to the most places in the US.
Quote from: Rothman on October 14, 2015, 12:32:37 PM
My problem with Saint Louis being the Crossroads of America is that it's been notoriously shrinking in size over recent years.
But to what extent is population a criterion? Certainly, nobody's claiming NYC as the crossroads. (Well, maybe Times Square, but that's sort of a different idea.)
iPhone
Quote from: silverback1065 on October 13, 2015, 07:03:10 PM
Quote from: noelbotevera on October 13, 2015, 07:01:51 PM
Quote from: silverback1065 on October 13, 2015, 06:52:23 PM
Can anyone name a specific junction? Where does the longest N/S interstate cross the longest E/W? I'd say that could be the place. Or the same thing but the added goes through the most major cities.
Weston, Massachusetts. I-95 (longest N-S interstate) crosses I-90 (longest E-W interstate).
That's my candidate then
I'm wondering if Weston might be supplanted in some distant time by Fremont, Indiana, when (if ever) I-69 is completed from border to border. I guess there is no sure way to know what the length of 69 will be, but I suspect it will be longer than I-95 due to its diagonal path.
How about Vandalia, Ohio? Intersection of US 40 (National Road) and former US 25 (Dixie Highway).
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fmillenniumhwy.net%2F2008_Dayton_meet%2FImages%2F299.jpg&hash=c9129a93e784e8e5f3258eb9f54d04368c43952c)
Quote from: Rothman on October 14, 2015, 12:32:37 PM
My problem with Saint Louis being the Crossroads of America is that it's been notoriously shrinking in size over recent years.
Only the city proper.
Quote from: corco on October 13, 2015, 08:08:59 PM
I'd shift further west than Kansas City - Kansas City is still well into humid America. Coming from the west, I feel like I've arrived in the east when I get to Kansas City. The real east-west shift is the arid-humid line, where irrigation becomes unnecessary and population density increases significantly. Generally, that's a little bit east of the US 83 (Nebraska and north) and US 81 (Kansas and south) corridor.
Jake Bear has long used US-81 as his personal demarcation between east and west, and I can't say that it's a bad place to put it. Within Oklahoma in particular, the portion of the state west of US-81 is starkly different from that east of it. I suppose whether the big question on whether US-83 is better is if you consider Dallas/Fort Worth and Wichita to be western or eastern cities; if they are eastern, then US-83 looks like a better dividing line.
OkDOT has signs up as you approach Oklahoma City declaring it to be "America's Corner", whatever that means, complete with a map that grossly exaggerates the size of Oklahoma relative to the rest of the country.
My list
Honorable Mentions (not quite good enough to make the list): Dayton, Kansas City, OKC, Chicago, Louisville, Atlanta, Birmingham
#5 Effingham, IL: May sound odd, but it is true. Currently the best route from Detroit to Laredo runs along I-70 and I-57. I-57 is basically I-55. Anyone not going to St. Louis will use I-57 to get across Illinois. It may move off the top 5 when I-69 is finished.
#4 Memphis, TN: It will pass Nashville on this list once I-69 is complete. I-22 also helps. Memphis is going to be well prepared thanks to the new bypass I-269.
#3 Nashville, TN: I-40, I-65, and I-24 all go through the state capital. You can access any city in the southern part of the US very easily.
#2 St. Louis, MO: Anyone going to the southwestern US from the east or Chicago is going to go through St. Louis, unless they chose to go south on I-57 at Effingham (#5). I-70, I-44, I-64, and I-55 are all major interstates in the US and they all go through St. Louis.
#1 Indianapolis, IN: It's easily #1 and when I-69 is complete from Indy to Laredo it will be unanimous. I-65, I-69, I-70, I-74, US 31 are the major highways that go through Indianapolis.
Quote from: kkt on October 14, 2015, 12:35:01 PM
It's predictable, but I'd say Chicago. Good water, rail, road, and air access to the most places in the US.
That would be my next choice!
Quote from: triplemultiplex on October 16, 2015, 12:13:37 AM
Quote from: Rothman on October 14, 2015, 12:32:37 PM
My problem with Saint Louis being the Crossroads of America is that it's been notoriously shrinking in size over recent years.
Only the city proper.
Sounds like an epic flight to the suburbs.
Quote from: Rothman on October 16, 2015, 02:28:31 PM
Quote from: triplemultiplex on October 16, 2015, 12:13:37 AM
Quote from: Rothman on October 14, 2015, 12:32:37 PM
My problem with Saint Louis being the Crossroads of America is that it's been notoriously shrinking in size over recent years.
Only the city proper.
Sounds like an epic flight to the suburbs.
Meaning no disrespect to St. Louis, but the metro area, while not shrinking, is basically stagnant: 0.66% growth from 2010 to 2014. Even taking St. Louis proper out of the equation, growth for the rest of the metro is 0.83%.
Average growth for the 50 largest metro areas over that time is 4.59%. Only metros growing slower than St. Louis are Buffalo, Hartford, Providence, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Detroit.
St. Louis is a good choice for being on the Mississippi River, inarguably a central path of commerce for the US.
iPhone
Terre Haute, Indiana, is actually where the official Crossroads of America is. It was named that since US 40 was the major route across the US and it ran from Atlantic City to San Francisco. US 40 was the busiest US Highway in the nation. US 41 on the other hand was the main route from Chicago to Miami. Both roads crossed in Terre Haute at the corner of Wabash Ave. and 7th Street.
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.in.gov%2Fhistory%2Fmarkers%2Fimages%2F8419981.jpg&hash=f868ce94ceeea5eb2ccb77df6b6e832561b255fc)
http://www.in.gov/history/markers/374.htm
Why is Chicago to Miami the main N-S route? Why not Chicago to New Orleans or Houston?
Quote from: kkt on October 16, 2015, 07:53:10 PM
Why is Chicago to Miami the main N-S route? Why not Chicago to New Orleans or Houston?
Do remember that this was when the US routes were just established, so not every route was their longest. That's why Chicago to Miami was the main north - south route.
Quote from: US 41 on October 16, 2015, 06:30:30 PM
Terre Haute, Indiana, is actually where the official Crossroads of America is.
Official according to who? The Indiana Historical Bureau? Not to say it's not a worthy candidate, but any state quasi-governmental agency could come up with their own, equally "official" designation with as good a rationale.
Here's my late night pseudo-scientific method: take the 50 largest metro areas (feel free to change the number or geography). Rank them twice:
-Aggregate number of Interstates used to get to the other 49 areas, using shortest possible routing (fewer is better).
-Aggregate mileage to get to the other 49 areas (lower is better).
Add the rankings together, metro with the lowest number wins.
I'm sure it would be a lot of work just to confirm Chicago or St. Louis, but maybe if I have a spare couple hours...
Bonus: add third ranking - number of the other 49 metros you can fly to non-stop.
I don't think population trends should be weighed too heavily.
Quote from: US 41 on October 16, 2015, 11:38:13 AM
#1 Indianapolis, IN: It's easily #1 and when I-69 is complete from Indy to Laredo it will be unanimous. I-65, I-69, I-70, I-74, US 31 are the major highways that go through Indianapolis.
Sooo, never?
Or right after I-74 makes it to Charleston, Myrtle Beach and Wilmington?
And why does US 31 enter into the equation? It's just a follower route; and then it goes to only mid-sized cities north of Indy.
I consider most of Indy's I-routes to be regional. 70 is the real deal, but 69 and 74 are and will remain only regionally important. Even I-65 is not always the best route to connect Chicago and Atlanta with I-57 & 24 being there. Compared to I-44 which is THE route between Chicago and the entire Southwest/Texas. I think it's no contest. St. Louis' connections beat Indy's.
Quote from: kkt on October 16, 2015, 07:53:10 PM
Why is Chicago to Miami the main N-S route? Why not Chicago to New Orleans or Houston?
It's not just Chicago. It's Copper Harbor - that makes all the difference. :bigass:
Quote from: GaryV on October 17, 2015, 10:27:17 AM
Quote from: kkt on October 16, 2015, 07:53:10 PM
Why is Chicago to Miami the main N-S route? Why not Chicago to New Orleans or Houston?
It's not just Chicago. It's Copper Harbor - that makes all the difference. :bigass:
Copper Harbor is just a dinky town in the middle of nowhere...
Quote from: Rothman on October 14, 2015, 12:32:37 PM
My problem with Saint Louis being the Crossroads of America is that it's been notoriously shrinking in size over recent years.
The core city has been shrinking, but the metro area has still seen slow population growth.
Quote from: triplemultiplex on October 17, 2015, 02:24:12 AM
I consider most of Indy's I-routes to be regional. 70 is the real deal, but 69 and 74 are and will remain only regionally important. Even I-65 is not always the best route to connect Chicago and Atlanta with I-57 & 24 being there. Compared to I-44 which is THE route between Chicago and the entire Southwest/Texas. I think it's no contest. St. Louis' connections beat Indy's.
The lack of a good route between Chicago and the Southeast is one reason I would vote against Chicago being the crossroads of America (the stoplight infested, lacking a decent connection to the Chicagoland freeway network US 41 doesn't count IMHO). The other reason is that a few of Chicago's connections are redundant: I-80 and I-88 reconnect at Quad Cities; I-55 and I-57 reconnect in Missouri; and then there's I-90 and I-94, which keep reconnecting to the west.
As for a specific interchange to be the Crossroads of America, I would have nominated the I-55/I-70/US 40 interchange at the west end of the PSB before the recent changes to that area.
And if someone wanted to base the crossroads title on freight flow (http://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/freight/freight_analysis/nat_freight_stats/docs/12factsfigures/figure3_11.htm), you could also make a case for Nashville, TN.
Quote from: noelbotevera on October 17, 2015, 10:43:38 AM
Quote from: GaryV on October 17, 2015, 10:27:17 AM
Quote from: kkt on October 16, 2015, 07:53:10 PM
Why is Chicago to Miami the main N-S route? Why not Chicago to New Orleans or Houston?
It's not just Chicago. It's Copper Harbor - that makes all the difference. :bigass:
Copper Harbor is just a dinky town in the middle of nowhere...
Copper Harbor is not in the middle of nowhere, it's beyond the edge of nowhere. :-)
Quote from: Brandon on October 17, 2015, 02:18:08 PM
Quote from: noelbotevera on October 17, 2015, 10:43:38 AM
Quote from: GaryV on October 17, 2015, 10:27:17 AM
Quote from: kkt on October 16, 2015, 07:53:10 PM
Why is Chicago to Miami the main N-S route? Why not Chicago to New Orleans or Houston?
It's not just Chicago. It's Copper Harbor - that makes all the difference. :bigass:
Copper Harbor is just a dinky town in the middle of nowhere...
Copper Harbor is not in the middle of nowhere, it's beyond the edge of nowhere. :-)
As evidenced by this https://www.flickr.com/photos/upnorthmemories/1572231694
Copper Harbor is another 45 miles or so beyond Houghton.
Chicago should be disqualified due to geography. It's too far north. The "Crossroads of America" should be somewhere closer to the geographical center of the country. A better argument could be made for Kansas City or Oklahoma City based on location.
But after having said that...
Quote from: triplemultiplex on October 17, 2015, 02:24:12 AMEven I-65 is not always the best route to connect Chicago and Atlanta with I-57 & 24 being there.
Anybody who would go from Atlanta to Chicago via Paducah is crazy. You're going too far west to eventually go east.
Quote from: Revive 755 on October 17, 2015, 12:28:34 PM
The lack of a good route between Chicago and the Southeast is one reason I would vote against Chicago being the crossroads of America (the stoplight infested, lacking a decent connection to the Chicagoland freeway network US 41 doesn't count IMHO).
Huh? I can think of several very good routes from Chicago to the southeast.
I-65 to I-24 to I-75.
I-65 to I-74 to I-75.
I-65 to I-70 to I-75 to US 35 to I-64 to I-77, or US 35 to US 23 to I-26.
Quote from: hbelkins on October 17, 2015, 07:46:48 PM
Anybody who would go from Atlanta to Chicago via Paducah is crazy. You're going too far west to eventually go east.
Not necessarily. I-65 veers to the east just about as much as I-57/I-24 veers to the west before the two routings meet in Nashville. The I-57/I-24 route is about 25 miles longer, but you avoid all the truck traffic on I-65 in Indiana, which is nice.
Quote from: CtrlAltDel on October 23, 2015, 02:19:30 AM
Quote from: hbelkins on October 17, 2015, 07:46:48 PM
Anybody who would go from Atlanta to Chicago via Paducah is crazy. You're going too far west to eventually go east.
Not necessarily. I-65 veers to the east just about as much as I-57/I-24 veers to the west before the two routings meet in Nashville. The I-57/I-24 route is about 25 miles longer, but you avoid all the truck traffic on I-65 in Indiana, which is nice.
Taking US 41 (SR 63 north of Terre Haute) and the Pennyrile Parkway across Indiana and Kentucky makes the most sense IMO. It is 32 miles shorter than I-65, and 67 miles shorter than the I-57 / I-24 route. Yes Terre Haute, Evansville, and the St. Johns areas will slow you down a little, but on the other hand I-65 also goes through the middle of Louisville and Indianapolis. It takes only 19 minutes longer than taking I-65 and most will save a gallon or more on gas. A lot of semi trucks go through Terre Haute on their way to Nashville from Chicago.
I also still think Terre Haute is a pretty reasonable candidate for being the Crossroads of America.
Quote from: US 41 on October 16, 2015, 11:38:13 AM
My list
Honorable Mentions (not quite good enough to make the list): Dayton, Kansas City, OKC, Chicago, Louisville, Atlanta, Birmingham
#5 Effingham, IL: May sound odd, but it is true. Currently the best route from Detroit to Laredo runs along I-70 and I-57. I-57 is basically I-55. Anyone not going to St. Louis will use I-57 to get across Illinois. It may move off the top 5 when I-69 is finished.
#4 Memphis, TN: It will pass Nashville on this list once I-69 is complete. I-22 also helps. Memphis is going to be well prepared thanks to the new bypass I-269.
#3 Nashville, TN: I-40, I-65, and I-24 all go through the state capital. You can access any city in the southern part of the US very easily.
#2 St. Louis, MO: Anyone going to the southwestern US from the east or Chicago is going to go through St. Louis, unless they chose to go south on I-57 at Effingham (#5). I-70, I-44, I-64, and I-55 are all major interstates in the US and they all go through St. Louis.
#1 Indianapolis, IN: It's easily #1 and when I-69 is complete from Indy to Laredo it will be unanimous. I-65, I-69, I-70, I-74, US 31 are the major highways that go through Indianapolis.
If you are going to include every four lane, St Louis beats Indy hands down. Along with Interstates 44, 55, 64, and 70, there's US 61 going to the Twin Cities and US 67 which is mostly four lanes to Little Rock. There are four x5 interstates east and west of I-55 which goes through St Louis. There is no I-50 in part because US 50, which has four x0 routes to the north and south, already bisects the country and runs through St Louis. US 40 also through St Louis.
St. Louis is a huge rail crossing because the Eads Bridge was the only way to cross the Mississippi south of the Quad Cities for decades. The Eads is now used for light rail but there are still two railroad bridges. Finally, almost all the bulk grain traffic goes by barge down the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers which meet in St Louis.
It also used to be a major airport when TWA was headquartered in STL, but Carl Icahn destroyed the company and its now part of American.
Chicago Heights, IL was touted as the "crossroads of America" with the Dixie Highway crossing the Lincoln Highway. Back in the day, this junction was probably a hot corner for traffic, but the function of its crossroads has been supplanted by multiple north-south Interstates like 55, 57 and 65, and Interstate 80 for east-west movements.
Quote from: noelbotevera on October 17, 2015, 10:43:38 AM
Quote from: GaryV on October 17, 2015, 10:27:17 AM
Quote from: kkt on October 16, 2015, 07:53:10 PM
Why is Chicago to Miami the main N-S route? Why not Chicago to New Orleans or Houston?
It's not just Chicago. It's Copper Harbor - that makes all the difference. :bigass:
Copper Harbor is just a dinky town in the middle of nowhere...
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FU7Ghu2s.gif&hash=a331d0c6894859a11431ff498d8395765d4ca02f)
Quote from: hbelkins on October 17, 2015, 07:46:48 PM
Chicago should be disqualified due to geography. It's too far north. The "Crossroads of America" should be somewhere closer to the geographical center of the country. A better argument could be made for Kansas City or Oklahoma City based on location.
So therefore it should be Belle Fourche, SD. Problem solved.
I can think of three places that should be considered.
(1) Chicago, Illinois - I-80, I-88, I-90, I-94, I-55, I-57, and I-65 a huge airport, ocean access via the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence Seaway and it is the center of the national railroad network.
(2) St. Louis, Missouri - junction of I-70, I-44, I-64 and I-55, in addition to railroads and the Mississippi River.
(3) Kansas City, Missouri - Junction of I-70, I-29, I-49 and I-35. Plenty of railroads there and the Missouri River.
Quote from: SD Mapman on November 05, 2015, 12:08:51 PM
Quote from: hbelkins on October 17, 2015, 07:46:48 PM
Chicago should be disqualified due to geography. It's too far north. The "Crossroads of America" should be somewhere closer to the geographical center of the country. A better argument could be made for Kansas City or Oklahoma City based on location.
So therefore it should be Belle Fourche, SD. Problem solved.
Technically, the... Are we including Alaska/Hawai'i? 'Cause no American road
the Alaska Highway leads to either of those places. Lebanon, KS, folks, is the geographical center of the lower 48. Sillies. :pan:
Quote from: TravelingBethelite on November 09, 2015, 08:03:51 PM
Quote from: SD Mapman on November 05, 2015, 12:08:51 PM
Quote from: hbelkins on October 17, 2015, 07:46:48 PM
Chicago should be disqualified due to geography. It's too far north. The "Crossroads of America" should be somewhere closer to the geographical center of the country. A better argument could be made for Kansas City or Oklahoma City based on location.
So therefore it should be Belle Fourche, SD. Problem solved.
Technically, the... Are we including Alaska/Hawai'i? 'Cause no American road the Alaska Highway leads to either of those places. Lebanon, KS, folks, is the geographical center of the lower 48. Sillies. :pan:
Do you wanna extend I-8 over 2500 miles to Hawaii? Or do you wanna annex all of western Canada? Pick yer' poison.
Quote from: noelbotevera on November 09, 2015, 08:11:01 PM
Quote from: TravelingBethelite on November 09, 2015, 08:03:51 PM
Quote from: SD Mapman on November 05, 2015, 12:08:51 PM
Quote from: hbelkins on October 17, 2015, 07:46:48 PM
Chicago should be disqualified due to geography. It's too far north. The "Crossroads of America" should be somewhere closer to the geographical center of the country. A better argument could be made for Kansas City or Oklahoma City based on location.
So therefore it should be Belle Fourche, SD. Problem solved.
Technically, the... Are we including Alaska/Hawai'i? 'Cause no American road the Alaska Highway leads to either of those places. Lebanon, KS, folks, is the geographical center of the lower 48. Sillies. :pan:
Do you wanna extend I-8 over 2500 miles to Hawaii? Or do you wanna annex all of western Canada? Pick yer' poison.
Why choose? In Fictional Highways, we can do both!
Quote from: noelbotevera on November 09, 2015, 08:11:01 PM
Quote from: TravelingBethelite on November 09, 2015, 08:03:51 PM
Quote from: SD Mapman on November 05, 2015, 12:08:51 PM
Quote from: hbelkins on October 17, 2015, 07:46:48 PM
Chicago should be disqualified due to geography. It's too far north. The "Crossroads of America" should be somewhere closer to the geographical center of the country. A better argument could be made for Kansas City or Oklahoma City based on location.
So therefore it should be Belle Fourche, SD. Problem solved.
Technically, the... Are we including Alaska/Hawai'i? 'Cause no American road the Alaska Highway leads to either of those places. Lebanon, KS, folks, is the geographical center of the lower 48. Sillies. :pan:
Do you wanna extend I-8 over 2500 miles to Hawaii? Or do you wanna annex all of western Canada? Pick yer' poison.
That would one insane bridge!