Only in these two states...

[hbelkins]

"U" is how Tom From Ohio abbreviated "US" in his infamous rants.

His "DUAAFAFO" screeds always ended with a line similar to this:

Also. U-23 = I-875?

[X99]

Probably wrong on this, but:

Nevada and South Dakota: only two states with two massively separated population centers.

Missouri

Washington, North Dakota

I don't think WA would count. Clark County, down in the southwest part of the state (containing Vancouver), is not substantially smaller than Spokane County nor the Spokane metro area. If you look at the Portland/Vancouver metro area as a whole, it obviously dwarfs Spokane.

If I were to name WA's big population centers, I would list Seattle, Spokane, and Vancouver.

I can take out North Dakota as well by saying it has four population centers: Fargo, Grand Forks, Bismarck, and Minot. The latter three of those are close enough in population and far enough apart to count as separate in my eyes.

Missouri is a little harder, but one could claim that Springfield/Joplin and Columbia/Jefferson City count as separate population areas, despite both regions having a much lower population than St Louis and Kansas City.

With that, I can update my original claim for Nevada and South Dakota: only two states with two massively separated population centers, and almost nothing in between.

[TheHighwayMan3561]

It comes down to perception though. To me I only think of Seattle and Spokane in WA, KC and STL in MO, etc. A local will obviously have a different and more informed view of what constitutes a population center worthy of mention.

[cl94]

Define "normal people" please.  That's a but rude.

If you post on this forum you're abnormal. Them's the breaks.

Ding ding ding! Normal people don't post on a roads forum. We're all abnormal. Not saying there's a problem with that.

[jakeroot]

It comes down to perception though.

Perception to help drive the research, sure. But at least for WA, you cannot just pretend that Vancouver (well, Clark County) doesn't exist.

With that, I can update my original claim for Nevada and South Dakota: only two states with two massively separated population centers, and almost nothing in between.

That would fit WA, definitely: Seattle, massive gap, Spokane. But since Seattle is at the two ends of major interstates, you also have to go south from Seattle. By doing so, you hit Clark County at the very southern edge of the state, which is in itself very large and part of an even larger metro area. WA is basically a triangle of metro areas.

[roadman65]

Kansas and New York both have a Main Street toll road that starts as N-S and ends E-W. Both have its main parts in both directions different two digits interstates and both serve the largest cities and state capitals.

[US 89]

Define "normal people" please.  That's a but rude.  Yes, apparently the use of "U-XX" is now limited to old timers and rural residents.  When I lived there (1985-97), hardly anyone was using SR-XX and in fact tended to refer to a state highway as a state highway.  Things change - and clearly now the SR-XX identifier is now what is in use.  But they did go by U-XX for many years.  A quick search turned up this example: "Ferron, Utah is located on U-10 at the mouth of Ferron Canyon, ten miles southwest of Castle Dale. It was named to honor A.D. Ferron, pioneer surveyor of Castle Valley, Emery, and Carbon counties."

Nobody is disputing that U-xx was used historically.

By the way, that quote is from a 1990 Utah place name guide written by a John Van Cott, who was born in 1911 ... which doesn't really make him a strong candidate to switch to a SR style given he predated the entire concept of numbered state highways in Utah.

[TheHighwayMan3561]

It comes down to perception though.

Perception to help drive the research, sure. But at least for WA, you cannot just pretend that Vancouver (well, Clark County) doesn't exist.

I didn't say it didn't matter or exist. But it's also part of the Portland metro, so to act like it's common national knowledge and only dummies wouldn't think of it or include it as a major WA population center is disingenuous. I was wrong. You made your point.

[jakeroot]

It comes down to perception though.

Perception to help drive the research, sure. But at least for WA, you cannot just pretend that Vancouver (well, Clark County) doesn't exist.

I didn't say it didn't matter or exist. But it's also part of the Portland metro, so to act like it's common national knowledge and only dummies wouldn't think of it or include it as a major WA population center is disingenuous. I was wrong. You made your point.

I wasn't trying to say you were wrong. I think WA is a good example of a state where there are at least two major population centers separated by little else. But I guess I thought it was fairly well known that the Portland metro area was made up of both OR and WA, and that the WA bit wasn't just a few small suburbs.

[GenExpwy]

Probably wrong on this, but:

Nevada and South Dakota: only two states with two massively separated population centers.

Missouri

Washington, North Dakota

I don't think WA would count. Clark County, down in the southwest part of the state (containing Vancouver), is not substantially smaller than Spokane County nor the Spokane metro area. If you look at the Portland/Vancouver metro area as a whole, it obviously dwarfs Spokane.

If I were to name WA's big population centers, I would list Seattle, Spokane, and Vancouver.

I can take out North Dakota as well by saying it has four population centers: Fargo, Grand Forks, Bismarck, and Minot. The latter three of those are close enough in population and far enough apart to count as separate in my eyes.

Missouri is a little harder, but one could claim that Springfield/Joplin and Columbia/Jefferson City count as separate population areas, despite both regions having a much lower population than St Louis and Kansas City.

With that, I can update my original claim for Nevada and South Dakota: only two states with two massively separated population centers, and almost nothing in between.

Minnesota (M/SP, Duluth) might be another example, and some people might look down their nose at the "Pennsyltucky"  between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.

[jeffandnicole]

Probably wrong on this, but:

Nevada and South Dakota: only two states with two massively separated population centers.

Missouri

Washington, North Dakota

I don't think WA would count. Clark County, down in the southwest part of the state (containing Vancouver), is not substantially smaller than Spokane County nor the Spokane metro area. If you look at the Portland/Vancouver metro area as a whole, it obviously dwarfs Spokane.

If I were to name WA's big population centers, I would list Seattle, Spokane, and Vancouver.

I can take out North Dakota as well by saying it has four population centers: Fargo, Grand Forks, Bismarck, and Minot. The latter three of those are close enough in population and far enough apart to count as separate in my eyes.

Missouri is a little harder, but one could claim that Springfield/Joplin and Columbia/Jefferson City count as separate population areas, despite both regions having a much lower population than St Louis and Kansas City.

With that, I can update my original claim for Nevada and South Dakota: only two states with two massively separated population centers, and almost nothing in between.

Minnesota (M/SP, Duluth) might be another example, and some people might look down their nose at the "Pennsyltucky"  between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.

While they're the 2 largest cities in PA totaling about 1.8 million in population, Pittsburgh only has 1/5th of the population of Philly, and there's still a fair amount in between, including 10 million people elsewhere in the state.

[hotdogPi]

These may not be as interesting as the ones I posted in the OP, but here's what I have for Massachusetts:

NH, VT, NY, CT, RI: They share a border with MA, and route numbers continue across state lines, so they all have a shared route that enters no other states.
ME: Were part of Massachusetts before 1820 (if you want to exclude MA/NH boundary disputes, also include an early bound)
WA: Have island counties; termini of I-90
OR: Termini of US 20
CA: Termini of US 6, has a state route freeway 57
PA: Termini of eastern I-84
MD: One of the 13 colonies that begins with M
KS: Lawrence is a medium-sized city
NC: Has a state route freeway 140
MI: Has a major city between 42°N and 42°30'N
OH: Marblehead is on a peninsula
IN: Has 11 electoral votes, and the most recent change was a decrease
IL: Congressional districts 1-9 are all held by Democrats
TX: Ends in a pronounced s
NJ: Known for its rotaries/traffic circles (pre-modern roundabout)
FL: Tom Brady
AL: Surprising Senate special election win in the 2010s (Scott Brown for MA, Doug Jones for AL)
MN: Had an election where Republicans won 49 states, and that state (and DC) was the only exception
WI: Has exactly 18 ZIP code hundred blocks

[ethanhopkin14]

WV and VA:  Only states with Virginia in their name.
ND and SD:  Only states with Dakota in their name.
NC and SC:  Only states with Carolina in their name.
NC and ND:  Only states with North in their name.
SC and SD:  Only states with South in their name.
NM and NV:  Only states to have a city named Las Vegas with an I-X5 running through it.
CO and PA:  Only states to have a city named Denver with I-76 running through it. 
TX, NM and FL:  All have a town named San Antonio with an I-X5 running through it or relatively close. 
TX and CO:  Only states with a headwaters of the Colorado River
TX and IL:  Only states with a city that has at least 4 major (X0 or X5) interstates in the metro area.
TX, CA, PA, OH, IN and GA:  Only states to have at least 4 major (X) or X5) interstates within their state boundaries.

[SkyPesos]

CA and FL: termini of I-10
TX and SC: termini of I-20
CA and NC: termini of I-40
UT and MD: termini of I-70
CA and NJ: termini of I-80
CA and WA: termini of I-5
CA and MT: termini of I-15
NM and WY: termini of I-25
TX and MN: termini of I-35
LA and IL: termini of I-55
AL and IN: termini of I-65
FL and MI: termini of I-75
AL and VA: termini of I-85
FL and ME: termini of I-95

I can go on, but think this is a good stopping point for now

[CNGL-Leudimin]

Nebraska and Nevada: Only States starting with N with only one word in their names.
Ohio and Pennsylvania: Only States bordering Canada without any border crossing (because the border is in the middle of a lake). If I worded that as an entire water boundary then that would be true of Michigan as well.
Minnesota and Washington: Have a section only accesible overland from Canada.

[ethanhopkin14]

Nebraska and Nevada: Only States starting with N with only one word in their names.
Ohio and Pennsylvania: Only States bordering Canada without any border crossing (because the border is in the middle of a lake). If I worded that as an entire water boundary then that would be true of Michigan as well.
Minnesota and Washington: Have a section only accesible overland from Canada.

Minnesota and Alaska:  Only states with territory north of the 49th Parallel.   

[kphoger]

Minnesota and Washington: Have a section only accesible overland from Canada.

Except that...

But there is a passenger ferry from Pt Roberts to Bellingham that was set up last year due to the pandemic border closure.

Oh, wait.  I misunderstood your post.  I thought you meant that the only way to get there was overland from Canada.  What you really meant is that the only overland way to get there is from Canada.

[ran4sh]

TX, CA, PA, OH, IN and GA:  Only states to have at least 4 major (X) or X5) interstates within their state boundaries.

IL, TN

[oscar]

Minnesota and Washington: Have a section only accesible overland from Canada.

Alaska, too. Hyder AK is accessible overland only via Stewart BC.

Maine has some communities on the Quebec border that are easier to access from Quebec, but might also be accessible without a border crossing via unpaved private toll roads.

[ethanhopkin14]

TX, CA, PA, OH, IN and GA:  Only states to have at least 4 major (X) or X5) interstates within their state boundaries.

IL, TN

oops

[kphoger]

Minnesota and Washington: Have a section only accesible overland from Canada.

Alaska, too. Hyder AK is accessible overland only via Stewart BC.

Maine has some communities on the Quebec border that are easier to access from Quebec, but might also be accessible without a border crossing via unpaved private toll roads.

I was thinking of Hyder too, but I think the point is that that "section" of Alaska is theoretically–if you don't mind some adventurous river crossings–also "accessible" overland from the rest of Alaska by some world-class intrepid hiking.

[KCRoadFan]

It comes down to perception though.

Perception to help drive the research, sure. But at least for WA, you cannot just pretend that Vancouver (well, Clark County) doesn't exist.

With that, I can update my original claim for Nevada and South Dakota: only two states with two massively separated population centers, and almost nothing in between.

That would fit WA, definitely: Seattle, massive gap, Spokane. But since Seattle is at the two ends of major interstates, you also have to go south from Seattle. By doing so, you hit Clark County at the very southern edge of the state, which is in itself very large and part of an even larger metro area. WA is basically a triangle of metro areas.

With the Tri-Cities and Yakima in the southeast, wouldn't it be a rectangle?

[hotdogPi]

It comes down to perception though.

Perception to help drive the research, sure. But at least for WA, you cannot just pretend that Vancouver (well, Clark County) doesn't exist.

With that, I can update my original claim for Nevada and South Dakota: only two states with two massively separated population centers, and almost nothing in between.

That would fit WA, definitely: Seattle, massive gap, Spokane. But since Seattle is at the two ends of major interstates, you also have to go south from Seattle. By doing so, you hit Clark County at the very southern edge of the state, which is in itself very large and part of an even larger metro area. WA is basically a triangle of metro areas.

With the Tri-Cities and Yakima in the southeast, wouldn't it be a rectangle?

Which rectangle? Out of the five metro areas (Seattle, Clark County, Spokane, Yakima, and Tri-Cities), the only set of four that creates anything resembling a rectangle is the one excluding Yakima, which you explicitly mentioned.

[jakeroot]

It comes down to perception though.

Perception to help drive the research, sure. But at least for WA, you cannot just pretend that Vancouver (well, Clark County) doesn't exist.

With that, I can update my original claim for Nevada and South Dakota: only two states with two massively separated population centers, and almost nothing in between.

That would fit WA, definitely: Seattle, massive gap, Spokane. But since Seattle is at the two ends of major interstates, you also have to go south from Seattle. By doing so, you hit Clark County at the very southern edge of the state, which is in itself very large and part of an even larger metro area. WA is basically a triangle of metro areas.

With the Tri-Cities and Yakima in the southeast, wouldn't it be a rectangle?

Which rectangle? Out of the five metro areas (Seattle, Clark County, Spokane, Yakima, and Tri-Cities), the only set of four that creates anything resembling a rectangle is the one excluding Yakima, which you explicitly mentioned.

I would guess that he was grouping Yakima and the Tri-Cities. Which is a stretch.

The Tri-Cities alone is at least half the size of Spokane, so it's usually not considered to be as major of a metro area compared to the other three. I only suggest including Clark County in the list because it's basically the same size as Spokane; the same cannot be said for the Tri-Cities, which is about half the size of Spokane and Clark County.

[ethanhopkin14]

MO and KY: Only states to share a border and have no direct road access between them.
MO and TN: Only states to border 8 states.