Many of us might have subjective answers to the question, based on non-measurable criteria, such as "this route is the most scenic", or "that route connects the most important cities". But I'm wondering if it would be possible to throw out all the non-quantifiables and instead come up with a more objective answer to the question based only on measurable criteria. Obviously sort of tongue-in-cheek, but the answer could still be interesting. Some criteria that immediately come to mind:
Distance
- The greater the length of the route, the more points
- Routes of less than 300 miles get points subtracted
Longevity
- The longer the route has existed, the more points
- Maybe a bonus for routes that were among the 1926 originals?
States
- Negative points for intra-state routes
- More negative points for new intra-states commissioned after 1937 *gives US 57 the stink-eye*
- Maybe positive points for number of states passed through? (although that would tend to favor something like US 1 and penalize something like US 99)
Other
- Negative points if does not connect to implied parent route
- More negative points if never connected to implied parent route
- Negative points if number and direction conflict
Granted, the result would still be quite subjective, for a lot of reasons. For example, different DOTs did things differently (most routes in California would get penalized after 1964, but most other routes would get rewarded because most other DOTs kept their US route designations). The result would also be subject to how much weight is assigned to each of the criteria. So which of those criteria should get the most weight? Should any of the criteria above be excluded? And are there any other measurables that should be included?
For each route, integrate AADT over its length.
Out of the completely deleted US Routes the greatest probably hands down US 99 using only objective criteria. Trouble is, how do you factor for a US Route which had the majority of its corridor overtaken by Interstate? My thought is that ought to be worth some sort of legacy points if we are consider deactivated US Routes.
Off the top of my head I would assume US 1 would win this. It's a long route, has the longevity, has the child routes and serves a bunch big metro areas.
Quote from: usends on April 10, 2023, 05:13:07 PM
Many of us might have subjective answers to the question, based on non-measurable criteria, such as "this route is the most scenic", or "that route connects the most important cities". But I'm wondering if it would be possible to throw out all the non-quantifiables and instead come up with a more objective answer to the question based only on measurable criteria. Obviously sort of tongue-in-cheek, but the answer could still be interesting. Some criteria that immediately come to mind:
Distance
- The greater the length of the route, the more points
- Routes of less than 300 miles get points subtracted
Longevity
- The longer the route has existed, the more points
- Maybe a bonus for routes that were among the 1926 originals?
States
- Negative points for intra-state routes
- More negative points for new intra-states commissioned after 1937 *gives US 57 the stink-eye*
- Maybe positive points for number of states passed through? (although that would tend to favor something like US 1 and penalize something like US 99)
Other
- Negative points if does not connect to implied parent route
- More negative points if never connected to implied parent route
- Negative points if number and direction conflict
Granted, the result would still be quite subjective, for a lot of reasons. For example, different DOTs did things differently (most routes in California would get penalized after 1964, but most other routes would get rewarded because most other DOTs kept their US route designations). The result would also be subject to how much weight is assigned to each of the criteria. So which of those criteria should get the most weight? Should any of the criteria above be excluded? And are there any other measurables that should be included?
Length alone would nearly limit discussion to the x0 routes, mostly US 20, 30, 50, 60, 40, and 70 with a couple outlier routes such as US 64 and US 84, or US 2 if both segments were considered one route. But that would eliminate most N-S cross country routes as we're just a much longer east-west country than a north-south one. [/list][/list][/list]
US-6
US 30
Historically, US 66.
Among the current routes, US 20.
What about US 101?
For that, I would not count US 1 as an "implied parent route".
Quote from: oscar on April 10, 2023, 10:43:31 PM
What about US 101?
For that, I would not count US 1 as an "implied parent route".
AASHO certainly didn't, from what I always recall reading the "10" in "101" was considered the first digit. I would certainly agree US 101 probably hits the mark of the highest evolved US Route that has ever existed in any particular state (in this case being California). The Redwood Highway alone would probably be a contender for most scenic/interesting segment of US Route (which also includes US 199). As beautiful as US 101 in Oregon and Washington is it didn't really hit any large communities.
My vote goes to US-62, the only E-W US highway to connect Mexico to Canada, enter and depart Texas twice, as well as cross the Ohio River twice. It's even signed N-S in Pennsylvania and NY. I doubt that anyone here has ever clinched this road, however. I've been on it or crossed it in 6 out of the 10 states, the middle six. There inevitably quicker routes than this in most states to get elsewhere.
Quote from: Henry on April 10, 2023, 10:28:06 PM
Historically, US 66.
Among the current routes, US 20.
How many states that US 66 occupied was it the most important US Route? It certainly wasn't in California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas or Kansas. US 66 has a lot of pseudo history that isn't a true representation of the highway or it's level of importance. While I'd agree US 66 would be a top ten historically important US Route I find it wanting terms of being the "most historically important." US 40, US 20, US 30 and US 80 all come to mind as carrying more weight historically for east/west US Routes.
Among 3-digit routes not named US 101, I would put US 395 at the top of the list, in spite of not connecting to US 95. It's long and goes through a lot of different topography, but manages to miss major cities almost entirely.
I do have regional bias on this and I think US 101 is the overall winner.
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on April 10, 2023, 11:19:42 PM
Quote from: Henry on April 10, 2023, 10:28:06 PM
Historically, US 66.
Among the current routes, US 20.
How many states that US 66 occupied was it the most important US Route? It certainly wasn't in California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas or Kansas. US 66 has a lot of pseudo history that isn't a true representation of the highway or it's level of importance. While I'd agree US 66 would be a top ten historically important US Route I find it wanting terms of being the "most historically important." US 40, US 20, US 30 and US 80 all come to mind as carrying more weight historically for east/west US Routes.
What was the more important US route in New Mexico? If you're talking about US 80, I don't really see how you could argue in favor of it being more important to NM than US 66 without invalidating the reason you're saying US 66 wasn't the most important to AZ.
Quote from: Scott5114 on April 10, 2023, 11:56:04 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on April 10, 2023, 11:19:42 PM
Quote from: Henry on April 10, 2023, 10:28:06 PM
Historically, US 66.
Among the current routes, US 20.
How many states that US 66 occupied was it the most important US Route? It certainly wasn't in California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas or Kansas. US 66 has a lot of pseudo history that isn't a true representation of the highway or it's level of importance. While I'd agree US 66 would be a top ten historically important US Route I find it wanting terms of being the "most historically important." US 40, US 20, US 30 and US 80 all come to mind as carrying more weight historically for east/west US Routes.
What was the more important US route in New Mexico? I don't really see how US 80 would be more important to NM than US 66.
US 85, I'll give you US 66 as the most important east/west route for New Mexico. US 60 went through the middle of nowhere and US 70 jumped around a ton via realignments.
Where US 80 was certainly more important by far was Arizona. US 80 in generally was the most significant US Route corridor to exist in Arizona. It was the first fully paved and connected the two largest cities.
I'm inclined to go with US-1 and US-99. US-1 has the advantage of still existing, and being quite a bit longer, but both went through a lot of cities, and were very heavily traveled along most of their lengths.
For north-south, I haven't seen US 41 mentioned yet, so going to here. 2nd longest north-south US route (after US 1), alignment on a former auto trail (Dixie Highway's western branch), passes through major cities like Miami, Atlanta, Nashville, Chicago (Lake Shore Drive is still a very iconic road today), Milwaukee.
It has to be US 1, 40, or 66.
US 40 has been called "America's Main Street" .
My vote is cast accordingly.
I would vote for US 41. I have been connected to it geographically for most of my life, and I have been around for a long time. First, I currently live close to it, being in metro Atlanta. I spent most of my growing-up years in Evansville, IN, of which US 41 is the main N-S route, and crosses the Ohio River immediately south. I went to college at Purdue in West Lafayette IN, which is less than 30 miles to the east of US 41, and I used much of US 41 in Indiana to travel between college and home. My grandfather spent his last 15 years in Lehi Acres FL, which is near Ft. Myers, of which US 41 travels through. I-75 did not yet continue south of Tampa/St Petersburg while he was still alive. None of this counts the overall length and importance of the route, as well as the numerous cities that it travels through.
US 202 due to it going near Amherst. Now really, US 202 obviously won't be the best but it's always been a cool route to me due to being like a mega bypass of the Northeast Corridor.
Allow me to make my case for US Route 6, using the stipulations given in the initial post.
In regards to distance, it's second longest, and used to actually be the longest before it was truncated from Long Beach. The route was original to 1926, but was extended and absorbed at least two other highways to get its current mileage. It also connects 14 different states.
It might not be the most efficient route between its endpoints (a quality which isn't even considered in this system), but US 6 has a high amount of local significance in many areas, from South Suburban Chicago, to Cape Cod, to Loveland Pass.
US 20 objectively might still do better at this system, but if we start getting into combining this assessment system with subjective qualities, like impact on culture, the tides may turn.
US 20 (longest)
Quote from: Poiponen13 on April 11, 2023, 03:18:44 PM
US 20 (longest)
You sure about that?
https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=27532.msg2527972#msg2527972
US 6 & US 50 goodnight.
I stand by US 20 since I can drive it all the way from Downtown Boston to Newport, Oregon.
Quote from: BlueOutback7 on April 12, 2023, 12:34:05 PM
I stand by US 20 since I can drive it all the way from Downtown Boston to Newport, Oregon.
Can you though? That gap in Yellowstone is in fact an actual route gap on AASHTO logs. That's more or less the rationale I've gone by in my head canon for always giving a slight edge to US 30. That and US 30 was always a cross country route whereas US 20 originally terminated at Yellowstone.
I think it might be good to get a solid top ten list to pair this down to and go from there. Here are the frequent mentions in this thread thus far:
US 1
US 6
US 20
US 30
US 40
US 41
US 50
US 66
US 99
US 101
US 101 by far as it's mostly expressway or freeway in California. Most of its two lane sections are in rural areas so not many stop lights even in OR and WA.
Quote from: MikieTimT on April 10, 2023, 11:08:06 PM
My vote goes to US-62
Quote from: Konza on April 11, 2023, 01:20:20 AM
It has to be US 1, 40, or 66.
US 40 has been called "America's Main Street" .
My vote is cast accordingly.
This is up for a vote now?
It's tough but i'd have to say US-50.
Quote from: StogieGuy7 on April 12, 2023, 02:54:14 PM
It's tough but i'd have to say US-50.
The knock here is California truncated it out of the Bay Area. The full extent of 50 seemed to me to be the best cross section of what many people consider quintessential American scenery,
Quote from: TheHighwayMan394 on April 12, 2023, 07:57:21 PM
Quote from: StogieGuy7 on April 12, 2023, 02:54:14 PM
It's tough but i'd have to say US-50.
The knock here is California truncated it out of the Bay Area. The full extent of 50 seemed to me to be the best cross section of what many people consider quintessential American scenery,
US 50 all things considered fared pretty well coming out of the 1964 Renumbering. Sacramento isn't the Bay Area but isn't exactly an unworthy terminus either. US 40 got a much harsher truncation. Strange to consider US 50 wasn't even planned to reach California in the 1925 draft of the US Route System. That probably speaks to the influence and pull of the Lincoln Highway Association not wanting a competitor at Lake Tahoe.
Imo truncations due to an interstate replacing or paralleling it shouldn't be counted against the route. They were chosen to be an interstate corridor in the first place because of how important and influential they were in the pre-interstates era. Also to not punish routes that went into states that had a policy of truncating parallel US routes vs states that didn't have that policy.
I'd almost view being replaced by an Interstate as something that would merit additional consideration. That's primarily the rationale I go by for ranking US 99 over US 101.
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on April 12, 2023, 08:22:47 PM
I'd almost view being replaced by an Interstate as something that would merit additional consideration. That's primarily the rationale I go by for ranking US 99 over US 101.
Yep, also why I view US 40 very highly despite being replaced by I-80 west of SLC and concurrent or parallel with I-70 east of the Rockies.
US-1 given that its directly parallel to I-95 on the east coast and cover the eastern seaboard very well.
1 exception is US-1 going through Key West Florida that makes it scenic.
Seems like US 287 is worth of at least SOME respect.
"Get your fun on Route 1." Hmm, it rhymes but the rhythm seems off.
"Get your plenty on Route 20." Stretching the definition of "rhyme" there, chief.
"Get your birdie on Route 30." But I hate golf.
"Go see Morty on Route 40." Who the heck is Morty?
"Get your nifty on Route 50." Does anyone say "nifty" anymore?
"It's mighty fine on Route 99." Okay, that's kind of catchy, I guess, but if we want to sing about the places it goes, we might have to mention Bakersfield, for crying out loud.
"Get your kicks on Route 6." Getting there, but the rhythm seems off on that one too...
The amusing part is that I'll probably float doing a Bakersfield Meet for next year. There is actually a fair amount of interest for the city given it has a lot of odd/notable items around it.
Also speaking of Bakersfield, why are we not considering US 466 for the 3ds? There are a crap ton of significant pieces of Americana associated with the highway:
- Hoover Dam
- Las Vegas Boulevard
- Grapes of Wrath/Tehachapi Pass
- James Dean
Quote from: Scott5114 on April 13, 2023, 08:18:49 AM
"Get your fun on Route 1." Hmm, it rhymes but the rhythm seems off.
Wouldn't exactly call most of route 1 north of Washington DC "fun".
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on April 12, 2023, 08:02:54 PM
Quote from: TheHighwayMan394 on April 12, 2023, 07:57:21 PM
Quote from: StogieGuy7 on April 12, 2023, 02:54:14 PM
It's tough but i'd have to say US-50.
The knock here is California truncated it out of the Bay Area. The full extent of 50 seemed to me to be the best cross section of what many people consider quintessential American scenery,
US 50 all things considered fared pretty well coming out of the 1964 Renumbering. Sacramento isn't the Bay Area but isn't exactly an unworthy terminus either. US 40 got a much harsher truncation. Strange to consider US 50 wasn't even planned to reach California in the 1925 draft of the US Route System. That probably speaks to the influence and pull of the Lincoln Highway Association not wanting a competitor at Lake Tahoe.
Agree, though I'd still name it despite not reaching the Bay Area (it used to and still gets you close).
Look at the path: eastern MD, Washington DC, VA through the Blue Ridge, WV, southern OH, then through the Midwest into the highest parts of the CO Rockies, past Montrose and Grand Jct and on to central UT before taking a very scenic (and lonely) route through the Sevier Desert of W. UT and then across NV. Finally, it passes close to Lake Tahoe before crossing the Sierra Nevada and then makes the long downslope into Sacto. What's not to like about this path? It's actually far more interesting scenery than the old US 66 routing.
US-11
Quote from: Scott5114 on April 13, 2023, 08:18:49 AM
"Get your plenty on Route 20." Stretching the definition of "rhyme" there, chief.
Huh? How do
twenty and
plenty not rhyme?
Quote from: kphoger on April 13, 2023, 10:39:24 AM
Quote from: Scott5114 on April 13, 2023, 08:18:49 AM
"Get your plenty on Route 20." Stretching the definition of "rhyme" there, chief.
Huh? How do twenty and plenty not rhyme?
From Wiktionary (https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/twenty):
Quote(Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈtwɛnti/, [ˈtw̥ɛ̃nti]
(General American) enPR: twĕnʹtē, IPA(key): /ˈtwɛnti/, [ˈtw̥ɛɾ̃i], /ˈtwɛni/, [ˈtw̥ɛ̃ɾ̃i]
(parts of the US and Canada) IPA(key): /ˈtwʌn(t)i/, /ˈtwʊn(t)i/
Scott probably uses one of the two bolded pronunciations (I use the first one). For me, twenty rhymes with bunny.
twun-tee
Quote from: Scott5114 on April 13, 2023, 06:29:15 PM
twun-tee
In all my long life, I've never heard that pronunciation, neither in person, nor in movies, TV, or song. But if it is pronounced that way, I would expect some people might butcher "plenty" in the same way.
Quote from: pderocco on April 13, 2023, 11:58:42 PM
Quote from: Scott5114 on April 13, 2023, 06:29:15 PM
twun-tee
In all my long life, I've never heard that pronunciation, neither in person, nor in movies, TV, or song. But if it is pronounced that way, I would expect some people might butcher "plenty" in the same way.
Welcome to Oklahoma.
Plenty is plehn-tee. I don't think twun-tee and plehn-tee rhyme.
US 630 :pan:
US 2. So important, it's both in New York/New England and from Michigan to Washington. No other US highway is like it. :bigass:
Get your fun on route number 1. There, a bit less awkward.
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on April 10, 2023, 10:52:56 PM
Quote from: oscar on April 10, 2023, 10:43:31 PM
What about US 101?
For that, I would not count US 1 as an "implied parent route".
AASHO certainly didn't, from what I always recall reading the "10" in "101" was considered the first digit. I would certainly agree US 101 probably hits the mark of the highest evolved US Route that has ever existed in any particular state (in this case being California). The Redwood Highway alone would probably be a contender for most scenic/interesting segment of US Route (which also includes US 199). As beautiful as US 101 in Oregon and Washington is it didn't really hit any large communities.
US-101 in Oregon and California is basically what CA-1 is through California. Seems more of a scenic alternate than anything else, while serving some communities here and there.
With that, I would agree US-101 (or US-99) would have to be one of the "objectively" best US routes.
Quote from: Quillz on April 17, 2023, 06:57:05 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on April 10, 2023, 10:52:56 PM
Quote from: oscar on April 10, 2023, 10:43:31 PM
What about US 101?
For that, I would not count US 1 as an "implied parent route".
AASHO certainly didn't, from what I always recall reading the "10" in "101" was considered the first digit. I would certainly agree US 101 probably hits the mark of the highest evolved US Route that has ever existed in any particular state (in this case being California). The Redwood Highway alone would probably be a contender for most scenic/interesting segment of US Route (which also includes US 199). As beautiful as US 101 in Oregon and Washington is it didn't really hit any large communities.
US-101 in Oregon and California is basically what CA-1 is through California. Seems more of a scenic alternate than anything else, while serving some communities here and there.
With that, I would agree US-101 (or US-99) would have to be one of the "objectively" best US routes.
Which is I always kind of ranked US 99 higher. The amount major of cities US 99 hit north of the Bay Area was far greater than US 101. Arguably the most important city US 101 hit north of the Bay Area is Olympia (which was also served by US 99).
I would say it has to be an east-west US highway, as the interstates just don't have the same personality. An east-west route will capture more of the country than a north south route.
However, this is one of those things where a top 5 list makes far more sense, as a single route cannot possibly go through a representative sample of the country.
Quote from: Scott5114 on April 14, 2023, 12:40:37 AM
Quote from: pderocco on April 13, 2023, 11:58:42 PM
Quote from: Scott5114 on April 13, 2023, 06:29:15 PM
twun-tee
In all my long life, I've never heard that pronunciation, neither in person, nor in movies, TV, or song. But if it is pronounced that way, I would expect some people might butcher "plenty" in the same way.
Welcome to Oklahoma.
Plenty is plehn-tee. I don't think twun-tee and plehn-tee rhyme.
Twenty is twehn-tee. I've never heard anyone say twun-tee.
Quote from: pderocco on April 17, 2023, 07:43:30 PM
Twenty is twehn-tee. I've never heard anyone say twun-tee.
Apparently, the Okies must have stopped taking Route 66 to California, then.
Quote from: pderocco on April 17, 2023, 07:43:30 PM
Quote from: Scott5114 on April 14, 2023, 12:40:37 AM
Quote from: pderocco on April 13, 2023, 11:58:42 PM
Quote from: Scott5114 on April 13, 2023, 06:29:15 PM
twun-tee
In all my long life, I've never heard that pronunciation, neither in person, nor in movies, TV, or song. But if it is pronounced that way, I would expect some people might butcher "plenty" in the same way.
Welcome to Oklahoma.
Plenty is plehn-tee. I don't think twun-tee and plehn-tee rhyme.
Twenty is twehn-tee. I've never heard anyone say twun-tee.
At least Scott keeps the second "T" in there. I say "twen-nee".
Quote from: pderocco on April 17, 2023, 07:43:30 PM
I've never heard anyone say twun-tee.
*raises hand*Quote from: Hobart on April 18, 2023, 12:55:43 AM
At least Scott keeps the second "T" in there. I say "twen-nee".
That's what my pronounciation turns into when I say it moderately fast.
I don't know any Okies. Do Okies go to Wundy's for burgers?