Capital connectivity

[bassoon1986]

Louisiana:

Baton Rouge to Austin, TX: I-10 west to I-35 north, or to US 290 or TX 71

Baton Rouge to Little Rock, AR: quickest way is US 61 north, US 425 north and I-530. (US 425 was created to make this corridor more of a single route between the capitals although it doesn't connect them completely. Poor choice of a number, too). Staying purely in the interstate system it's either 10-49-30 or 12-55-40

Baton Rouge to Jackson, MS: I-12 east to I-55 north. No single route between these two cities either. The only other option is US 61 north to I-20 east or to the Natchez Trace Parkway.

[empirestate]

As a reminder, the question to look at first and foremost is whether a capital connects to each of its bordering states' capitals by a single Interstate route. If "yes", great, you're done; and special prizes to those states that are all "yes"es.

The way you worded your OP suggested that in the case of "connecting to all neighboring states", US routes could be included.

Then consider it hereby clarified that a capital only "wins" if it's connected by single-numbered Interstates to every neighboring capital. (I've also clarified this in the OP.) Single US-route connections, or multiple Interstate connections, count merely as "consolation prizes".

Also, how would you clarify "multiple Interstates" versus "on-the-system-but-doesn't-connect"?  For example, sure you could get from Concord, NH to Augusta, ME via an all-Interstate route, but it would require dipping into Massachusetts and nobody in their right mind would follow such a route.

Well, that's pretty much your answer: if you find yourself devising a route that nobody in his right mind would follow, I'd count that as "on-the-system-but-doesn't-connect". Use your own judgement; I have no hard-and-fast rule for this (since I usually stop thinking about it if the primary question isn't satisfied.)

[froggie]

Then consider it hereby clarified that a capital only "wins" if it's connected by single-numbered Interstates to every neighboring capital.

Probably a safe bet, given the responses thus far plus a quick rudimentary search, that there are no winners in this case...

[hbelkins]

From Indianapolis:
-Frankfort, Kentucky via US 421 (or I-65 and I-64)

I hadn't even thought of that, and I've done most of the Indy-to-Frankfort route in one sitting.

Richmond, VA directly connects to most of its neighbors ...I-64 to both Charleston, WV and Frankfort, KY

Beat me to it.

[pianocello]

Des Moines has only 1/3 of the way to "winning": It's a straight shot up I-35 to St. Paul (for the purposes of this thread, I-35E and I-35 would be considered one route), and I-80 hits Lincoln.

There is no direct connection between Des Moines and Springfield, Pierre, Madison, or Jefferson City, but I noticed that the original 1926 routing of US 63 went between Des Moines between Jefferson City. That routing only lasted 8 years before it was rerouted and extended northward, so there's not even a consolation prize there.

[froggie]

Then consider it hereby clarified that a capital only "wins" if it's connected by single-numbered Interstates to every neighboring capital.

Probably a safe bet, given the responses thus far plus a quick rudimentary search, that there are no winners in this case...

Did a little more detailed of a check.  If "winning" is strictly defined as a capital connecting via a single Interstate to each of its neighbors, then there are no winners.  A few come close, but none connect to all of their neighbors in this way.

Going strictly with US routes only, there are a couple winners (namely Maine and Rhode Island).  Going with an either/or of Interstate and US routes adds a few more (IN, NH, and SC).  The "multiple-Interstate" option yields several (IN, MA, NC, SC, VA, WA, CA is arguable).

[hotdogPi]

I've been trying to find any city (not just capitals) that directly connects Interstates to capitals of neighboring states, but I can't. Vancouver, WA comes close (Salem by I-5, Boise by I-84, but I-84 is on the wrong side of the river in Oregon instead of in Washington).

[Thing 342]

I've been trying to find any city (not just capitals) that directly connects Interstates to capitals of neighboring states, but I can't. Vancouver, WA comes close (Salem by I-5, Boise by I-84, but I-84 is on the wrong side of the river in Oregon instead of in Washington).

Spartanburg (or pretty much any city along I-85 in SC) would work if one stretches the Raleigh metro area to include Durham, as both it and Atlanta are along I-85.

[triplemultiplex]

St. Paul, MN directly connects to 3 of its 4 US neighbors (but not South Dakota):  I-35 to Des Moines, IA; and I-94 to both Madison, WI and Bismarck, ND.

What about Lansing? 

[froggie]

What about Lansing?

OP basically excluded large bodies of water (specifically excluding Juneau).  As MN/MI is a large-body-of-water-only border, I excluded it.

[empirestate]

What about Lansing?

OP basically excluded large bodies of water (specifically excluding Juneau).  As MN/MI is a large-body-of-water-only border, I excluded it.

Yes, MN would "win" if it weren't otherwise disqualified by SD. However, Lansing-Madison would be required for MI to win, since it does have a land border with WI, even though the connection between the capitals isn't much more plausible than Juneau.

[SectorZ]

The only one that Vermont has is I-89 between Montpelier, VT and Concord, NH.

Concord, NH, meanwhile, does directly connect to all of its US neighbors if one includes US routes:  I-89 to Montpelier, VT; I-93 to Boston, MA; and US 202 to Augusta, ME.  Conversely, Augusta, ME connects to its only US neighbor via the aforementioned US 202.

I-89 just barely misses Concord. It gets close, but it doesn't touch it.

It ends in Bow, which may be considered Concord's metro area.

I-89 does dip into the southwest corner of the city, with exits 2 and 3 being within the city limits. I'd say that qualifies 89 as going directly to Burlington from Concord.

[bdmoss88]

Montgomery, Alabama has three out of four.
I-85 to Atlanta
I-65 to Nashville
US-80 to Jackson
US-231 and I-10 to Tallahassee

[doorknob60]

Carson City -
Boise via I-580, I-80, I-5/I-15, and I-84

I see why you're doing this, but I don't think that can count (although for the specific purpose of this thread, maybe it's OK? I don't like it though). The "proper way" (US-95) is 449 miles. Going on I-15 is 888 miles. That's twice as long! But still better than I-5, which is 1053 miles. I don't think it's fair to say that there is an Interstate Highway connection between Carson City and Boise.

If it was something more reasonable like Carson City to Salem (518 mi vs 677 mi) I'd let it slide, but that can't count in my opinion.

With that said, I think Oregon can count:
Washington: I-5
California: I-5
Idaho: I-5 and I-84 (not the shortest route, but arguably a better route; even Google suggests this route first)
Nevada: I-5, I-80 and I-580 (this is the questionable one but it's not double the mileage or anything close to that so it's OK)

[empirestate]

Carson City -
Boise via I-580, I-80, I-5/I-15, and I-84

I see why you're doing this, but I don't think that can count (although for the specific purpose of this thread, maybe it's OK? I don't like it though). The "proper way" (US-95) is 449 miles. Going on I-15 is 888 miles. That's twice as long! But still better than I-5, which is 1053 miles. I don't think it's fair to say that there is an Interstate Highway connection between Carson City and Boise.

If it was something more reasonable like Carson City to Salem (518 mi vs 677 mi) I'd let it slide, but that can't count in my opinion.

This is a definite case of "on the system but no connection".