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National Boards => General Highway Talk => Topic started by: Road Hog on January 12, 2013, 12:46:36 AM

Title: Shortest Single-Digit State Highway
Post by: Road Hog on January 12, 2013, 12:46:36 AM
Think I found a candidate: AR 4 in Polk County, AR. Runs three miles from US 71 to the Oklahoma state line.

(As is AHTD custom, AR 4 resumes clear on the other side of the state in a 22-mile loop in Desha County. The part in the middle was redesignated US 278. So that's 25 total miles, but there can't be many that are shorter.)
Title: Re: Shortest Single-Digit State Highway
Post by: Kacie Jane on January 12, 2013, 12:54:20 AM
All three of NJ's single digit routes are well shorter than 25, and NJ 5 is just over three miles.

(The shortest in Washington is SR 8 at 20 miles, the rest of the single-digit routes are over 50.)
Title: Re: Shortest Single-Digit State Highway
Post by: CentralCAroadgeek on January 12, 2013, 01:00:48 AM
California's shortest single-digit would have to be the 6.7 mile CA-7 in the Imperial Valley. All it does is connect I-8 with the Mexican border.
Title: Re: Shortest Single-Digit State Highway
Post by: bulldog1979 on January 12, 2013, 01:35:04 AM
M-8 in Michigan: 5.491 miles through Detroit and Highland Park would be the shortest for Michigan, unless we could count only the Michigan segment of US 8 at 2.322 miles.
Title: Re: Shortest Single-Digit State Highway
Post by: NE2 on January 12, 2013, 01:55:28 AM
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Virginia_Route_6
Half a mile at most.
Title: Re: Shortest Single-Digit State Highway
Post by: Mark68 on January 12, 2013, 03:05:54 AM
Colorado State Highway 1, from US 285 in northern Fort Collins to I-25 in Wellington.

Approximately 10 miles.

State Highway 3 in Durango (mostly 8th Ave).

2 and a half miles.

State Highway 8 (Morrison Rd) from Wadsworth Blvd (SH 121) in Lakewood southeast to Morrison, then south to US 285.

8.68 miles.
Title: Re: Shortest Single-Digit State Highway
Post by: Brandon on January 12, 2013, 07:25:16 AM
Illinois 6 for a grand total of 10.11 miles.  It's also mostly freeway with the exception being the ramp to Illinois 29.  That may make it the shortest mostly freeway single-digit state route.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illinois_6
Title: Re: Shortest Single-Digit State Highway
Post by: mjb2002 on January 12, 2013, 07:38:34 AM
South Carolina Route 2, which is only in the Cities of Cayce and West Columbia.
Title: Re: Shortest Single-Digit State Highway
Post by: Takumi on January 12, 2013, 08:56:51 AM
NC's single digit routes are often pretty short. I think the only noteworthy one is 8. NC 2 is 5 miles long, 5 is 8 miles, all 4 versions of NC 6 were 8 miles or less, NC 7 is 12 miles, and old NC 3 (now NC 136) was 2 miles. None of Virginia's single digit state routes are under 10 miles; the shortest are VA 4 (11 miles) and VA 9 (13 miles) which both go to state borders.
Title: Re: Shortest Single-Digit State Highway
Post by: roadman65 on January 12, 2013, 09:28:45 AM
NJ 5 is only 3 miles in Bergen County, NJ. 
Title: Re: Shortest Single-Digit State Highway
Post by: deathtopumpkins on January 12, 2013, 10:54:15 AM
Pretty much every single-digit state highway in New England is fairly long. The only exception I can think of is NH 4, which is a 3.9 mile extension of ME 4 in Dover.
Annoyingly, it's only a few miles away from US 4.
Title: Re: Shortest Single-Digit State Highway
Post by: Alps on January 12, 2013, 11:26:33 AM
Quote from: Kacie Jane on January 12, 2013, 12:54:20 AM
All three of NJ's single digit routes are well shorter than 25, and NJ 5 is just over three miles.

(The shortest in Washington is SR 8 at 20 miles, the rest of the single-digit routes are over 50.)
All three? Which one are you creatively excluding? :P

NY: 2
CT: 3
RI: 4
MA: 4
VT: 3
PA: 3
DE: 3
MD: 8

That exhausts my area of knowledge.
Title: Re: Shortest Single-Digit State Highway
Post by: Eth on January 12, 2013, 12:51:32 PM
All of the ones in Georgia are pretty long; the shortest is SR 6, at 72 miles.  This probably has a lot to do with the fact that most of Georgia's single-digit-SR mileage follows US highways.
Title: Re: Shortest Single-Digit State Highway
Post by: WillWeaverRVA on January 12, 2013, 01:02:26 PM
VA 4 is the shortest at about 11 miles. VA 9 is the second shortest at 13 miles, but continues as WV 9 at the West Virginia state line.
Title: Re: Shortest Single-Digit State Highway
Post by: roadman65 on January 12, 2013, 01:23:32 PM
Quote from: Kacie Jane on January 12, 2013, 12:54:20 AM
All three of NJ's single digit routes are well shorter than 25, and NJ 5 is just over three miles.

(The shortest in Washington is SR 8 at 20 miles, the rest of the single-digit routes are over 50.)
I did not see this post as I scrolled through this thread.  Anyway if I saw it my post would have been then Ditto to Kacie Jane on NJ 5 being just over 3 miles.

I did though realize that the eastern segment of FL 2 is only 15 miles long.  Although all of FL 2 (both segments) are close to 70 miles in total length.

In PA you have PA 5 that is short to add to Steve's post that he could not think of.
Title: Re: Shortest Single-Digit State Highway
Post by: sandiaman on January 12, 2013, 02:11:47 PM
   In  the  Land  of  Enchantment:
  It  would  have  to  be  NM  7, at  the  entrance  to  Carlsbad  Caverns  National Park.  Less  than  a  mile  long.  On  the  other  hand,  NM  9  is  the  longest  state  highway,approximately  80  miles  in length.  It  runs  along  the  Mexican  border,  a  favorite  route   for  coyotes  and  drug  runners.
Title: Re: Shortest Single-Digit State Highway
Post by: NE2 on January 12, 2013, 03:03:20 PM
Quote from: sandiaman on January 12, 2013, 02:11:47 PM
On  the  other  hand,  NM  9  is  the  longest  state  highway,approximately  80  miles  in length.  It  runs  along  the  Mexican  border,  a  favorite  route   for  coyotes  and  drug  runners.
And spacebars?
Title: Re: Shortest Single-Digit State Highway
Post by: Kacie Jane on January 12, 2013, 03:12:37 PM
Quote from: Steve on January 12, 2013, 11:26:33 AM
Quote from: Kacie Jane on January 12, 2013, 12:54:20 AM
All three of NJ's single digit routes are well shorter than 25, and NJ 5 is just over three miles.

(The shortest in Washington is SR 8 at 20 miles, the rest of the single-digit routes are over 50.)
All three? Which one are you creatively excluding? :P

Somehow I forgot NJ 4.  :pan:  But it's 0.01 miles shorter than NJ 3, the longest of the three I remembered, so the remainder of my statement holds.
Title: Re: Shortest Single-Digit State Highway
Post by: sandiaman on January 12, 2013, 03:26:33 PM
I'm  so  sorry.
Title: Re: Shortest Single-Digit State Highway
Post by: Kacie Jane on January 12, 2013, 03:36:22 PM
May I smack him with a fish?  Please?
Title: Re: Shortest Single-Digit State Highway
Post by: hbelkins on January 12, 2013, 04:09:50 PM
I think Kentucky's champion would be KY 5, which I drove the entirety of yesterday. And the route is definitely signed, counter to a statement that well-known buffoon Carl Rogers made a few years ago.

Quote from: NE2 on January 12, 2013, 01:55:28 AM
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Virginia_Route_6
Half a mile at most.

And, as the Wiki article states, not posted. It's signed as To US 60 and To WV 61.
Title: Re: Shortest Single-Digit State Highway
Post by: english si on January 12, 2013, 04:56:40 PM
Even if you ignore the little places (Jersey, Isle of Man, Luxembourg, etc) and the incomplete networks/motorways numbered due to being part of route x that continues the route onwards, then you still have some very short 1-digit motorways in Europe:

Northern Ireland (OK, it's a province with its own numbering system) has the M3 at 1.2 miles, and the M5 at 1.5 miles
The A5 in the Netherlands was recently extended from 4.6 miles to 8.8 miles (and will nearly reach 10 miles when finished)
The A3 in France (the country which is the largest in size in the EU) is only 8.9 miles.

The best one overall (that I know of) is the A8 on the Isle of Man - unsigned, half a mile, most of which seems to have been downgraded (physically) recently, giving you this (http://goo.gl/maps/iJQS9) 260 yard route that google gives as a 3 minute walk. I found it when looking on the Government's GIS service. It wasn't the original A8, so it seems like they declared this road an A road and took the lowest free number. Jersey's A7 is 1.5 miles and signed.
Title: Re: Shortest Single-Digit State Highway
Post by: mjb2002 on January 12, 2013, 06:07:52 PM
SAM RITTENBURG BLVD in Charleston would qualify as well. That is the name for South Carolina Route 7, the only other single digit route in the state that is less than ten miles.
Title: Re: Shortest Single-Digit State Highway
Post by: DandyDan on January 13, 2013, 01:08:27 AM
MO 1 is 7.2 miles in the KC area.  The southern K-8 is 1.3 miles and goes south from Kiowa into Oklahoma.
Title: Re: Shortest Single-Digit State Highway
Post by: apeman33 on January 13, 2013, 01:24:13 AM
Quote from: DandyDan on January 13, 2013, 01:08:27 AM
MO 1 is 7.2 miles in the KC area.  The southern K-8 is 1.3 miles and goes south from Kiowa into Oklahoma.

Like AR 4, each used to be much longer. IIRC, U.S. 281 took over most of what was K-8.
Title: Re: Shortest Single-Digit State Highway
Post by: bassoon1986 on January 13, 2013, 12:27:59 PM
Louisiana's arent too short considering most of the single digit hwys are in the hundreds of miles across the state.

LA 3 - 29 miles
LA 5 - 35 miles
LA 6 - 54 miles
LA 9 - 100 miles
Title: Re: Shortest Single-Digit State Highway
Post by: ctsignguy on January 13, 2013, 12:43:32 PM
The winner is Ohio 1.......0 miles since 1967
Title: Re: Shortest Single-Digit State Highway
Post by: huskeroadgeek on January 13, 2013, 04:27:04 PM
Nebraska's would be NE 5, at 11 miles. While it isn't one of the shortest 1 digit state highways in the country, it's probably one of the least important-it goes through no towns(although it does reach the edge of the small town of Deshler at its southern end) and only serves as a connector between NE 4 and US 136.
Title: Re: Shortest Single-Digit State Highway
Post by: Alps on January 13, 2013, 11:09:21 PM
Quote from: roadman65 on January 12, 2013, 01:23:32 PM
Quote from: Kacie Jane on January 12, 2013, 12:54:20 AM
All three of NJ's single digit routes are well shorter than 25, and NJ 5 is just over three miles.

(The shortest in Washington is SR 8 at 20 miles, the rest of the single-digit routes are over 50.)
I did not see this post as I scrolled through this thread.  Anyway if I saw it my post would have been then Ditto to Kacie Jane on NJ 5 being just over 3 miles.

I did though realize that the eastern segment of FL 2 is only 15 miles long.  Although all of FL 2 (both segments) are close to 70 miles in total length.

In PA you have PA 5 that is short to add to Steve's post that he could not think of.
Your reading comprehension woes continue. Read my post. PA 3.
Title: Re: Shortest Single-Digit State Highway
Post by: Dr Frankenstein on January 13, 2013, 11:35:51 PM
Québec: 5. The only one.
Ontario: Probably the contemporary 2. Formerly 834.6 kilometres (518.6 miles), successively decommissioned into its current form at approximately a sad 700 metres. Yes, METRES. Two fifths of a mile.
Title: Re: Shortest Single-Digit State Highway
Post by: BrianP on January 14, 2013, 11:30:21 AM
For Maryland it is MD 8.
Title: Re: Shortest Single-Digit State Highway
Post by: Rover_0 on January 14, 2013, 01:30:00 PM
No one mentioned UT-8? Barely a mile long (1.303 per Wikipedia), though I can see it becoming part of the future St. George Beltway (on the west side of town).
Title: Re: Shortest Single-Digit State Highway
Post by: agentsteel53 on January 14, 2013, 02:17:13 PM
Quote from: NE2 on January 12, 2013, 01:55:28 AM
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Virginia_Route_6
Half a mile at most.

was that ever a much longer route?  reason I ask is, because out of the 10 or so fully embossed WV shields I know of, three are route 6.
Title: Re: Shortest Single-Digit State Highway
Post by: NWI_Irish96 on January 14, 2013, 03:12:11 PM
For Indiana, the eastern segment of IN 4 is 5.9 miles.
Title: Re: Shortest Single-Digit State Highway
Post by: NE2 on January 14, 2013, 04:19:46 PM
Quote from: agentsteel53 on January 14, 2013, 02:17:13 PM
Quote from: NE2 on January 12, 2013, 01:55:28 AM
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Virginia_Route_6
Half a mile at most.

was that ever a much longer route?  reason I ask is, because out of the 10 or so fully embossed WV shields I know of, three are route 6.

It was the number for part of US 250: http://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~33741~1171457:Rand-McNally-junior-auto-road-map-D
Title: Re: Shortest Single-Digit State Highway
Post by: TheHighwayMan3561 on January 14, 2013, 04:30:05 PM
Minnesota's shortest single-digit state route is MN 3, which still clocks in at 43 miles but lives in the shadows between I-35 and US 52 so it's only a marginally important local-type route anyway.
Title: Re: Shortest Single-Digit State Highway
Post by: US71 on January 14, 2013, 04:58:17 PM
Considering Arkansas' chopped up highway numbering, I would say AR 4 between Cove, Ar and the OK Line (about 3 miles)
Title: Re: Shortest Single-Digit State Highway
Post by: NE2 on January 14, 2013, 05:40:55 PM
Quote from: US71 on January 14, 2013, 04:58:17 PM
Considering Arkansas' chopped up highway numbering, I would say AR 4 between Cove, Ar and the OK Line (about 3 miles)
As did Road Hog when creating this thread :bigass:
Title: Re: Shortest Single-Digit State Highway
Post by: CNGL-Leudimin on January 16, 2013, 02:49:24 PM
Quote from: english si on January 12, 2013, 04:56:40 PM
Even if you ignore the little places (Jersey, Isle of Man, Luxembourg, etc) and the incomplete networks/motorways numbered due to being part of route x that continues the route onwards, then you still have some very short 1-digit motorways in Europe:

Northern Ireland (OK, it's a province with its own numbering system) has the M3 at 1.2 miles, and the M5 at 1.5 miles
The A5 in the Netherlands was recently extended from 4.6 miles to 8.8 miles (and will nearly reach 10 miles when finished)
The A3 in France (the country which is the largest in size in the EU) is only 8.9 miles.

The best one overall (that I know of) is the A8 on the Isle of Man - unsigned, half a mile, most of which seems to have been downgraded (physically) recently, giving you this (http://goo.gl/maps/iJQS9) 260 yard route that google gives as a 3 minute walk. I found it when looking on the Government's GIS service. It wasn't the original A8, so it seems like they declared this road an A road and took the lowest free number. Jersey's A7 is 1.5 miles and signed.

This is not the case of Spain, since every national single digit designation runs for a good lenght, with the shortest one being the AP-9 at just 100 miles for the mainline.

But going regional (State-like level) the trophy goes to the weird-numbered expressway* ARA-A1 at only 3 miles.

*I usually translate the Spanish words "autovía" and "autopista" (They are now the same concept) to motorway, but since the US doesn't use that word, I used expressway instead.
Title: Re: Shortest Single-Digit State Highway
Post by: Brandon on January 17, 2013, 09:40:15 AM
Quote from: CNGL-Leudimin on January 16, 2013, 02:49:24 PM
*I usually translate the Spanish words "autovía" and "autopista" (They are now the same concept) to motorway, but since the US doesn't use that word, I used expressway instead.

Motorway is a British/Irish term for the roads.  In Anglo-North America (US and Canada), "freeway" and "expressway" tend to be used.  Quebec uses "autoroute", and Mexico and Peurto Rico use "autopista".

There could be a whole thread on the terms used and what each means in differing locales.  As an example, "freeway" and "expressway" mean the same in many eastern US cities, but in some states and provinces, a "freeway" is the controlled-access road with interchanges while an "expressway" has at-grade intersections.
Title: Re: Shortest Single-Digit State Highway
Post by: Road Hog on January 17, 2013, 12:53:14 PM
Quote from: Brandon on January 17, 2013, 09:40:15 AM
Quote from: CNGL-Leudimin on January 16, 2013, 02:49:24 PM
*I usually translate the Spanish words "autovía" and "autopista" (They are now the same concept) to motorway, but since the US doesn't use that word, I used expressway instead.

Motorway is a British/Irish term for the roads.  In Anglo-North America (US and Canada), "freeway" and "expressway" tend to be used.  Quebec uses "autoroute", and Mexico and Peurto Rico use "autopista".

There could be a whole thread on the terms used and what each means in differing locales.  As an example, "freeway" and "expressway" mean the same in many eastern US cities, but in some states and provinces, a "freeway" is the controlled-access road with interchanges while an "expressway" has at-grade intersections.

Feel free to correct me, but I understand the British use "dual carriageway" to describe what we'd call a divided road with at-grade intersections (which are more often than not roundabouts over there).
Title: Re: Shortest Single-Digit State Highway
Post by: english si on January 17, 2013, 02:21:36 PM
No, a dual carriageway is simply any divided road.