Just out of curiosity, what would y'all say are the most and least important 3dis, based on the traffic they carry and the areas they serve?
Personally, I'd say I-405 in CA or I-285 in GA are some of the most important 3dis, with some of those 3dis that are just glorified exit ramps being some of the least important, along with maybe I-759 in AL.
A thread that I started in 2015 about most important: https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=14914
There have been several threads that are "useless 3dis", "3dis that are just ramps", etc., but this is slightly different, so discussion can continue here.
Quote from: 1 on August 30, 2017, 12:40:17 PM
A thread that I started in 2015 about most important: https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=14914
I had forgotten about that one.
Since the threads haven't been merged yet (good idea, mods!), I'll put my two cents worth in right here.
MOST IMPORTANT:
I-580 (CA); it does double-duty as part of a major interregional connector as well as an equally major commute artery (and perennial headache!). Relief routes (such as the northerly projected 4/239 combination and a full-fledged 152 freeway over Pacheco Pass) would be more than welcome!
Still working on that "least important" concept!
Least important has to be I-180 in Illinois to serve a village (Hennepin) of less than 1000 people.
Most important would be three of the I-495's (DC Beltway, LIE, MA. Sorry DE, NC, and ME)
Quote from: jp the roadgeek on August 30, 2017, 04:34:40 PM
Least important has to be I-180 in Illinois to serve a village (Hennepin) of less than 1000 people.
Most important would be three of the I-495's (DC Beltway, LIE, MA. Sorry DE, NC, and ME)
FTFY. Agree with IL I-180.
Least important is by far I-180 in Illinois. It goes from I-80 in the middle of nowhere Illinois to Hennepin a very small town of about 800 people. But in it's defense it was built to connect I-80 to a steel plant.
Now that I've had some time to think about it -- since the N-S portion of I-180 in IL at least serves as a connector to IL 29, the major road north from Peoria, it gains a bit of utility in that manner. I'd have to say that the least important 3di would be I-194 in ND; it's only a short segment of the Bismarck south loop; if it were to only be numbered the same as the loop's remainder, nobody would miss it at all (even though it's the only 3di in ND!).
Quote from: sparker on August 30, 2017, 09:20:03 PM
Now that I've had some time to think about it -- since the N-S portion of I-180 in IL at least serves as a connector to IL 29, the major road north from Peoria, it gains a bit of utility in that manner.
Having lived in Peoria for a short bit, while yes IL 29 can and is utilized for this, the main route for Northbound traffic is getting across the IL River and getting East to either I-39 or I-55 (usually via IL 116 or US 24), not following the River up to I-180 via IL 29. But I guess it is partially dependent where in the Peoria area you are and where you are going in terms of a "Point North"
If IL 29 gets a Freeway, or even Expressway, upgrade, then maybe I-180 might be more useful. Otherwise, I renominate for "worthless"
Least important is I-180 in Wyoming.
Quote from: Quillz on August 31, 2017, 12:38:27 AM
Least important is I-180 in Wyoming.
There is an argument to be made there -- since that I-180 is an Interstate in name only, and doesn't even try to conform to Freeway/Grade Separation requirements. It is essentially a City Arterial with a fancy designation. It does still serve WY's largest city, Cheyenne
I'm sure by traffic counts, it is much more utilized than the IL I-180, which is basically a Freeway to nowhere...
Have to agree with ilpt4u. Just because it is an arterial doesn't mean people don't use it.
Quote from: sparker on August 30, 2017, 09:20:03 PM
Now that I've had some time to think about it -- since the N-S portion of I-180 in IL at least serves as a connector to IL 29, the major road north from Peoria, it gains a bit of utility in that manner. I'd have to say that the least important 3di would be I-194 in ND; it's only a short segment of the Bismarck south loop; if it were to only be numbered the same as the loop's remainder, nobody would miss it at all (even though it's the only 3di in ND!).
If I-194 were extended across the bridge and actually were signed, it'd start to live up to being somewhat useful.
I-705 in Washington is basically an exit ramp for downtown Tacoma. 1.5 miles.
Quote from: kkt on September 04, 2017, 01:12:42 AM
I-705 in Washington is basically an exit ramp for downtown Tacoma. 1.5 miles.
Basically the same as I-375 in Detroit.
A couple of unimportant ones in New England to consider:
I-195, Saco, ME. About a 2-mile bypass of Saco (pop. 18000), which quickly becomes 2-lane ME 5, passing thru residential areas en route to Old Orchard Beach (pop. 8000). Rand McNally doesn't bother labeling it with an I-195 shield.
I-393, Concord, NH. Bypasses Concord, but then just quits halfway to such metropolises as Gossville and Epsom. Entire length is an overlap with US 4 and 202.
Interstate 155 in Missouri/Tennessee is pretty pointless as it multiplexes with US 412 for it's entirety.
Quote from: ColossalBlocks on September 04, 2017, 02:11:58 PM
Interstate 155 in Missouri/Tennessee is pretty pointless as it multiplexes with US 412 for it's entirety.
I-155 came first.
There's also far more useless 3dis wholly concurrent with US routes. I-180 (also concurrent with I-25 BL and US87 Bus) in WY as an example.
I-880 and I-710 both freeways are important because of Truck Traffic because of the destinations to the Ports.
Quote from: bing101 on September 04, 2017, 08:04:09 PM
I-880 and I-710 both freeways are important because of Truck Traffic because of the destinations to the Ports.
I-880 derives much of its truck traffic from a shunt over (shudder) I-238 from I-580, due to the fact that I-580 from the I-980/CA 24 interchange east to the Oakland city limits is closed to truck traffic; the I-880/238 combination functions as a "truck 580" as a result, funneling I-5 commercial traffic to & from the warehouse/port areas of Oakland and environs.
I-790 in New York. It doesn't even have it's own roadway and it barely gets mentioned on signs, though the latest efforts on that have improved visibility. Ask nearly anyone in Utica for directions to I-790 and they won't know what you're talking about.
I-305 Sacramento because of Downtown Sacramento Traffic is important. Plus I-680 from Benicia to San Jose portion because of east bay commuter traffic.
I-305 is least important for getting an interstate designation but its completely signed as only US-50 at the west end in Sacramento though.
Most: I's-495 (MA, NY, MD, VA), 195 (RI, MA) 390 (NY), 490 (NY), 287 (NY, NJ) 280 (NJ), 295 (NJ, DE) 476 (PA), 195 (NJ)
Least: I's-384 (CT), 495 (DE, PA), 895 (NY), 990 (NY), 587 (NY), 564 (VA), 189 (VT)
Top 5
I-405 CA
I-495 DC
I-495 NY
I-285 GA
I-110 CA
Bottom 5
I-180 WY
I-180 IL
I-895 NY
I-585 SC
I-375 MI
I'd say 494 is a pretty important 3di - parts of it carry nearly as much traffic as I-94 in MSP.
Quote from: RobbieL2415 on September 07, 2017, 03:42:40 PM
Most: I's-495 (MA, NY, MD, VA), 195 (RI, MA) 390 (NY), 490 (NY), 287 (NY, NJ) 280 (NJ), 295 (NJ, DE) 476 (PA), 195 (NJ)
Least: I's-384 (CT), 495 (DE, PA), 895 (NY), 990 (NY), 587 (NY), 564 (VA), 189 (VT)
I have to disagree with you DE's 495 (which does not enter PA btw). It is a great high speed bypass of Wilmington which causes backups on 95 all the time, not to mention the differences in speed limits, higher capacity on 495, etc.
One I personally think has to be fairly useless is I-129. The 3 or 4 times I was ever on it, there was no traffic.
Quote from: ekt8750 on September 15, 2017, 04:56:43 PM
Quote from: RobbieL2415 on September 07, 2017, 03:42:40 PM
Most: I's-495 (MA, NY, MD, VA), 195 (RI, MA) 390 (NY), 490 (NY), 287 (NY, NJ) 280 (NJ), 295 (NJ, DE) 476 (PA), 195 (NJ)
Least: I's-384 (CT), 495 (DE, PA), 895 (NY), 990 (NY), 587 (NY), 564 (VA), 189 (VT)
I have to disagree with you DE's 495 (which does not enter PA btw). It is a great high speed bypass of Wilmington which causes backups on 95 all the time, not to mention the differences in speed limits, higher capacity on 495, etc.
495 is indeed often very useful when 95 is a mess. It would be a better routing of 95 itself, but they've already played that game in the past.
It is interesting that on the PA I-95 SLD (http://www.dot.state.pa.us/public/Bureaus/BOMO/RM/RITS/Annual%20Electronic%20SLDs%20by%20County/District%206/Delaware%20Without%20Pipes.pdf), there is mention of "ramp to I-495 Delaware" on page 53 (note, the pages are backwards in the file) so indeed despite the gore point being before the state line, the road isn't 495 until the state line. Northbound, the merge happens south of the state line, so no mention of 495 on the northbound side of the straight line diagram.
Quote from: freebrickproductions on August 30, 2017, 12:36:48 PM
Just out of curiosity, what would y'all say are the most and least important 3dis, based on the traffic they carry and the areas they serve?
Personally, I'd say I-405 in CA or I-285 in GA are some of the most important 3dis, with some of those 3dis that are just glorified exit ramps being some of the least important, along with maybe I-759 in AL.
Also I would add I-110 and even I-210 in southern California.
Quote from: RobbieL2415 on September 07, 2017, 03:42:40 PM
Most: I's-495 (MA, NY, MD, VA), 195 (RI, MA) 390 (NY), 490 (NY), 287 (NY, NJ) 280 (NJ), 295 (NJ, DE) 476 (PA), 195 (NJ)
Least: I's-384 (CT), 495 (DE, PA), 895 (NY), 990 (NY), 587 (NY), 564 (VA), 189 (VT)
564 is short, but far from unimportant.
I guess the most important 3di will be the one that you use the most :D
I-580 in CA is a de-facto 2di and part of our main Interstate connection from SF to LA.
In NYC, I-278 may be a mess, but it's useful for getting around 4 out of 5 boroughs.
Also in the NY metro area, I-287 is quite useful, esp. for bypassing the city.
In LA, I-405 and I-110/CA 110 are major essential routes.
Least? Why not I-359 in Tuscaloosa, since it's multi-plexed with US-11 and AL-69 for its entire route.
For the most important 3di, I would have to say Interstate 580 (CA). It, along with Interstate 476 (PA) and Interstate 390 (NY), essentially functions like a 2di. There are some 3dis that are not like this, but they are indeed still very important - usually beltways, partial beltways, or urban interstates such as I-405 (CA), I-110 (CA), I-495 (NY), I-495 (MA), I-495 (VA/MD), I-285 (GA), I-294 (IL), I-287 (NJ/NY), and more. However, my pick for the most important 3di will remain I-580 in California. It truly is just so incredibly important - like others have said, it is a vital interregional corridor, it is vital just the same for locals and commuters, and it is very long and very used, and more.
For the least important 3di, I truly cannot decide. There are so, so many "glorified exit ramp" 3dis, some of which are quite important, and some of which are not so important. In my opinion, there really are a lot of candidates for the least important 3di, but I personally, at this moment, cannot narrow it down to one.
I know Interstate 180 (IL) had an initial purpose which is no longer relevant. I think someone said that even today, I-180 may be part of a potential corridor to Peoria, but I don't know enough about that to comment on it myself. I-180 is definitely in the realm of least important, but it does, of course, have its arguments.
Regarding Interstate 564 (VA), someone mentioned it, but I would have to agree with someone else in arguing that the interstate is probably actually quite important. I just looked at I-564 on Google Maps, and it at least looks like there is a whole lot going on right around where I-564 ends. I don't know what exactly it is (maybe someone can elaborate on that), but it definitely looks pretty big (perhaps a port of some sort, but I haven't a clue). Interstate 564 could potentially be one of the (or the) most important very short three-digit interstates.
So once again, there are probably a larger number of "least important" 3dis than "most important" 3dis, because of the sheer number of different 3dis that have little importance, comparatively. So this is seemingly why it is much harder to pick a "least important 3di" than it is to pick a "most important 3di."
Quote from: adventurernumber1 on October 28, 2017, 09:53:04 PM
Regarding Interstate 564 (VA), someone mentioned it, but I would have to agree with someone else in arguing that the interstate is probably actually quite important. I just looked at I-564 on Google Maps, and it at least looks like there is a whole lot going on right around where I-564 ends. I don't know what exactly it is (maybe someone can elaborate on that), but it definitely looks pretty big (perhaps a port of some sort, but I haven't a clue).
It's only a huge Naval base. Since it's the "National System of Interstate and Defense Highways", the freeway link to the base is a particularly appropriate 3di.
Military needs also explain Hawaii's Interstate network, thousands of miles from any other state. However, Hawaii's only 3di isn't all that important even though H-201 serves some of the many military bases in the Honolulu area.
I-980 Oakland,CA is least important due to the fact that its a continuation of CA-24 and was intended to be part of the Southern Crossing but that issue has been outright out of discussion anyways.
Quote from: bing101 on October 29, 2017, 12:38:05 AM
I-980 Oakland,CA is least important due to the fact that its a continuation of CA-24 and was intended to be part of the Southern Crossing but that issue has been outright out of discussion anyways.
980 still carries quite a bit of traffic. If it were suddenly gone, lots of people would miss it.
The obvious least important is Wyoming 180. It's not even a freeway, and there are other, more appropriate route numbers concurrent with it.