Which state has the BEST overall highway/freeway connectivity?

[Rothman]

While Boston might be better off than some places in Mass, it really is lacking in proper freeway connections for the same reasons as Baltimore and DC, parts of the grid were not built and as a result too much traffic is forced onto what are supposed to be loops.

Pfft.  I-90 and I-93 are enough.

If they were enough I-95 would not have been designed to go into Boston in the first place. And that was long ago with lower traffic. I-90 serves no purpose for traffic coming from the south on I-95 without a long awkward dog leg. I-93 is better placed, but without the capacity from I-95 going directly to Boston it is too congested.

Inadequate capacity doesn't mean the connections aren't there.  I-95 to I-93 from the south is all that is needed.

[webny99]

Lexington not being connected to I-64 and/or I-75 is very odd for such a sizeable metro area.

How do you figure they aren't connected to Lexington?

There's no freeway or partially limited access highway from I-75/I-64 to New Circle Road (KY-4). which itself doesn't completely fit those categories in the section closest to the Interstate.  That's a totally different situation than Baltimore or Washington, where you have to go part-way around their respective beltways to reach the Central Business District.

They both enter Lexington so they are connected to Lexington. I've spent the night in Lexington quite a few times I know the area fairly well it's built up to I-75 I know that much.

Yeah, I have family in Lexington/Winchester and the idea that the Interstates don't connect to Lexington is pretty asinine, despite someone looking at Google Maps and concluding the feeder routes from the Interstate somehow "don't count."

Well, that escalated quickly. This is just a case of me not being specific enough. What I meant was that although I-64/I-75 enter Lexington's city limits, it is odd that they are disconnected from KY 4.

[webny99]

My Massachusetts list above was supposed to be a starting point for comparison using the metric "largest pair of cities that isn't connected".

I like this metric, but it can get iffy when there is an all interstate/freeway route but it's not necessarily the fastest route. For New York state, this occurs immediately between #1 NYC and #2 Buffalo. I would count them as having a freeway connection, including the alternative through PA/NJ, but others may disagree.

Excluding those type of issues, you can get quite a ways down the list. Unless I'm missing something, it looks like #10 Utica and #14 Binghamton are the largest unconnected pair.

[Dirt Roads]

Cities not connected in Kentucky:

• Lexington #2
• Nicholasville #11
• Radcliff #17
• Ashland #18
• Mount Washington #22
• Murray #23
• Danville #25
• Lawrenceburg #35
• Campbellsville #36
• Middlesboro #45
• Harrodsburg #47
• Maysville #48

Each of these, except Campbellsville and Maysville, is connected to the interstate and parkway system via a four-lane road.

The inclusion of "highway" in this throws some of these statements off, in my opinion.

Agreed, plus it is worse when West Virginia's concept of partially limited access highways (now Partially Controlled) is set as the standard bar.  I'm trying to bend as much as possible, but it seems fair that the vague term "highway/freeway" needs to adhere to some basic rules.  Heading down the path of my typical NHS rant, the standard that I used there was four lanes (or Super Two) and no sections where congestion was so bad that 45MPH was not possible (no matter what the posted speed limit says).  Throwing safety into the mix, it seems like [continuous median] and elimination of private driveways crossing the median seems reasonable.  WebNY99's admonition that there be no traffic signals seems impractical, but it also doesn't seem right to include four lane roads that have any stretch of consecutive traffic signals. 

As this effort progresses, I'm getting a collection of oddities that might need to factor into the analysis phase.  I'm also watching the New York discussions in how they discuss what we rail transit guys call "origin/destination pairs" (O/D pairs).  All of this plays into how many "holes" there are in our nationwide transportation system (and how to "fix" them).

For the record, I've always held that Kentucky's system of parkways was the gold standard for "local highway" networks, not just here in the United States but worldwide.

[Rothman]

Lexington not being connected to I-64 and/or I-75 is very odd for such a sizeable metro area.

How do you figure they aren't connected to Lexington?

There's no freeway or partially limited access highway from I-75/I-64 to New Circle Road (KY-4). which itself doesn't completely fit those categories in the section closest to the Interstate.  That's a totally different situation than Baltimore or Washington, where you have to go part-way around their respective beltways to reach the Central Business District.

They both enter Lexington so they are connected to Lexington. I've spent the night in Lexington quite a few times I know the area fairly well it's built up to I-75 I know that much.

Yeah, I have family in Lexington/Winchester and the idea that the Interstates don't connect to Lexington is pretty asinine, despite someone looking at Google Maps and concluding the feeder routes from the Interstate somehow "don't count."

Well, that escalated quickly. This is just a case of me not being specific enough. What I meant was that although I-64/I-75 enter Lexington's city limits, it is odd that they are disconnected from KY 4.

No, this is another example of you moving the goalposts, since you said:

"Lexington not being connected to I-64 and/or I-75 is very odd for such a sizeable metro area."

[webny99]

Well, that escalated quickly. This is just a case of me not being specific enough. What I meant was that although I-64/I-75 enter Lexington's city limits, it is odd that they are disconnected from KY 4.

No, this is another example of you moving the goalposts, since you said:

"Lexington not being connected to I-64 and/or I-75 is very odd for such a sizeable metro area."

I lazily said Lexington when what I actually meant was Lexington's downtown and (mostly) freeway loop are disconnected from the interstates. I was not aware until looking it up that parts of I-64 and I-75 enter the way oversized city limits.

[Rothman]

Well, that escalated quickly. This is just a case of me not being specific enough. What I meant was that although I-64/I-75 enter Lexington's city limits, it is odd that they are disconnected from KY 4.

No, this is another example of you moving the goalposts, since you said:

"Lexington not being connected to I-64 and/or I-75 is very odd for such a sizeable metro area."

I lazily said Lexington when what I actually meant was Lexington's downtown and (mostly) freeway loop are disconnected from the interstates. I was not aware until looking it up that parts of I-64 and I-75 enter the way oversized city limits.

It's a whopping two miles from I-64/I-75 to downtown Lexington.  The idea they do not provide a connection to Lexington is just silly to us who are familiar with the city.

It's like saying I-81 isn't connected to Hazleton, PA just because it didn't plow right down Church Street.  Locals would look at you as if you had two heads.

[Dirt Roads]

South Carolina gets slapped here because of all the great little getaways that have attracted too many retirees:

• Sumter #9 (ooh, so close!)
• Hilton Head Island #12 (even closer)
• Myrtle Beach #13
• Aiken #15 (oops, got hit with the "Lexington rule")
• Conway #18
• Easley #24
• Greenwood #25
• North Myrtle Beach #27
• Clemson #28
• Port Royal #30
• Beaufort #32
• Moncks Corner #33
• James Island #37
• Seneca #43
• York #44
• Lancaster #45
• Georgetown #46
• Union #47
• Travelers Rest #49

Oh, the little things that drive you crazy.  Anderson is close enough to I-85, but then there's that finger of Lake Hartwell (Six and Twenty Creek) in between.  Plus, US-76 gets a "chicken lane" (TWLTL) just before you cross over.  It looks like I've already been too tough on South Carolina, so it can stay off the list for now.

Give SCDOT extra credit for extra effort!  US-17 cuts a diagonal through the Ellenborough section and Cannonborough section of Charleston.  Usually, a city street is an automatically disqualified, but this comes with a beautiful tree-line median that turns most of the grid into RIROs along the way.  Unfortunately, the Spring Street connection to Lockwood Drive doesn't make the cut.

[sprjus4]

Well, that escalated quickly. This is just a case of me not being specific enough. What I meant was that although I-64/I-75 enter Lexington's city limits, it is odd that they are disconnected from KY 4.

No, this is another example of you moving the goalposts, since you said:

"Lexington not being connected to I-64 and/or I-75 is very odd for such a sizeable metro area."

I lazily said Lexington when what I actually meant was Lexington's downtown and (mostly) freeway loop are disconnected from the interstates. I was not aware until looking it up that parts of I-64 and I-75 enter the way oversized city limits.

It's a whopping two miles from I-64/I-75 to downtown Lexington.  The idea they do not provide a connection to Lexington is just silly to us who are familiar with the city.

It's like saying I-81 isn't connected to Hazleton, PA just because it didn't plow right down Church Street.  Locals would look at you as if you had two heads.

The difference is there's a freeway loop around Lexington, and it's just interesting there's no freeway link between that and I-64/I-75.

No need to get so defensive, yikes. Just an observation about the area.

[amroad17]

Well, that escalated quickly. This is just a case of me not being specific enough. What I meant was that although I-64/I-75 enter Lexington's city limits, it is odd that they are disconnected from KY 4.

No, this is another example of you moving the goalposts, since you said:

"Lexington not being connected to I-64 and/or I-75 is very odd for such a sizeable metro area."

I lazily said Lexington when what I actually meant was Lexington's downtown and (mostly) freeway loop are disconnected from the interstates. I was not aware until looking it up that parts of I-64 and I-75 enter the way oversized city limits.

It's a whopping two miles from I-64/I-75 to downtown Lexington.  The idea they do not provide a connection to Lexington is just silly to us who are familiar with the city.

It's like saying I-81 isn't connected to Hazleton, PA just because it didn't plow right down Church Street.  Locals would look at you as if you had two heads.

The difference is there's a freeway loop around Lexington, and it's just interesting there's no freeway link between that and I-64/I-75.

No need to get so defensive, yikes. Just an observation about the area.

The freeway loop mentioned is not all freeway.  KY 4/New Circle Road is a surface arterial around the east of downtown Lexington from the northern US 25 interchange to the southern US 25 interchange.

Yes, I-64/75 do enter the "city limits"  of Lexington because Fayette County and Lexington are the same entity.

There are many four-lane highways used to get from I-64/75 into downtown Lexington.  Starting from the north, KY 922 (Exit 115), US 27/68 (113), US 60 (110), and KY 418 (104) all provide four-lane access.  KY 418 intersects, then becomes US 25/421 on that highway's northerly trek into the downtown area.  Man-O-War (108) indirectly feeds to the southern areas of Lexington.  Sure, these highways have traffic lights and some are prone to backups (mainly KY 922), however, it is only 1.5-2 miles between I-64/75 and New Circle between KY 922 and US 60 and another 1.5-2 miles to downtown.

There is connectivity, it is just not "freeway connectivity" .  So, according to some opinions offered, Lexington does not have the "BEST"  overall connectivity.  It is good though, as I have had few issues getting from I-64/75 to the downtown area whenever I have traveled there.

[Rothman]

Well, that escalated quickly. This is just a case of me not being specific enough. What I meant was that although I-64/I-75 enter Lexington's city limits, it is odd that they are disconnected from KY 4.

No, this is another example of you moving the goalposts, since you said:

"Lexington not being connected to I-64 and/or I-75 is very odd for such a sizeable metro area."

I lazily said Lexington when what I actually meant was Lexington's downtown and (mostly) freeway loop are disconnected from the interstates. I was not aware until looking it up that parts of I-64 and I-75 enter the way oversized city limits.

It's a whopping two miles from I-64/I-75 to downtown Lexington.  The idea they do not provide a connection to Lexington is just silly to us who are familiar with the city.

It's like saying I-81 isn't connected to Hazleton, PA just because it didn't plow right down Church Street.  Locals would look at you as if you had two heads.

The difference is there's a freeway loop around Lexington, and it's just interesting there's no freeway link between that and I-64/I-75.

No need to get so defensive, yikes. Just an observation about the area.

Webny can speak for himself...unless, you're his sockpuppet ().

I agree that it looks funny on the map that New Circle isn't connected to the Interstate, but the context was the claim that the Interstates do not provide a connection to Lexington.

[Flint1979]

New Circle Road is a state highway not an Interstate. I don't see why it would have to connect to I-64 or I-75 both of which do indeed enter Lexington city limits.

[sprjus4]

New Circle Road is a state highway not an Interstate. I don't see why it would have to connect to I-64 or I-75 both of which do indeed enter Lexington city limits.

I never said I-75 or I-64 don't connect to Lexington?

I never said New Circle Road was an interstate?

I never said it has to connect to I-64 or I-75?

I'm simply pointing out it is interesting that a sizable metro like Lexington has a disconnected freeway system.

Again... no need to get all defensive.

[Rothman]

New Circle Road is a state highway not an Interstate. I don't see why it would have to connect to I-64 or I-75 both of which do indeed enter Lexington city limits.

I never said I-75 or I-64 don't connect to Lexington?

I never said New Circle Road was an interstate?

I never said it has to connect to I-64 or I-75?

I'm simply pointing out it is interesting that a sizable metro like Lexington has a disconnected freeway system.

Again... no need to get all defensive.

This is getting weird.

[Flint1979]

New Circle Road does see a lot of traffic at rush hour due to the lack of freeways within the loop but it's not a full freeway around Lexington either. There are driveways and intersections as well.

[sprjus4]

New Circle Road is a state highway not an Interstate. I don't see why it would have to connect to I-64 or I-75 both of which do indeed enter Lexington city limits.

I never said I-75 or I-64 don't connect to Lexington?

I never said New Circle Road was an interstate?

I never said it has to connect to I-64 or I-75?

I'm simply pointing out it is interesting that a sizable metro like Lexington has a disconnected freeway system.

Again... no need to get all defensive.

This is getting weird.

[hotdogPi]

To break this subtopic: Can anyone else do a "largest pair unconnected" analysis for other states? It was #2-#6 for Massachusetts.

For Connecticut:

#1: Bridgeport

#2: Stamford
1-2: I-95

#3: New Haven
1-2: I-95
2-3: I-95

#4: Hartford
1-4: I-95 → I-91; pretty direct
2-4: I-95 → I-91; pretty direct
3-4: I-91

#5: Waterbury
1-5: CT 8
2-5: I-95 → CT 8; pretty direct
3-5: No good connection.


For Maine:

#1: Portland

#2: Lewiston
1-2: I-95

#3: Bangor
1-3: I-95
2-3: I-95

#4: South Portland
Adjacent to Portland, it doesn't need to be considered separately.

#5: Auburn
Adjacent to Lewiston, it doesn't need to be considered separately.

#6: Biddeford
1-6: I-95
2-6: I-95
3-6: I-95

#7: Sanford
1-7: Sanford has no freeways, and there is no direct route for Portland to Sanford.



New Hampshire wasn't going to rank top (this is a "best" thread, not a "worst" thread), but it fails on #3-#4 with Nashua-Derry.

[webny99]

To break this subtopic: Can anyone else do a "largest pair unconnected" analysis for other states?

I tried New York below; although I didn't do a full written breakdown, I did go through each city and came up with #10-#14:

I like this metric, but it can get iffy when there is an all interstate/freeway route but it's not necessarily the fastest route. For New York state, this occurs immediately between #1 NYC and #2 Buffalo. I would count them as having a freeway connection, including the alternative through PA/NJ, but others may disagree.

Excluding those type of issues, you can get quite a ways down the list. Unless I'm missing something, it looks like #10 Utica and #14 Binghamton are the largest unconnected pair.

[hbelkins]

New Circle Road was first built as a surface bypass of US 25 in the 1950, probably before the interstate routings were drawn up.

The best route from the interstates to New Circle is North Broadway (US 27/68). There are fewer traffic lights on it than on Newtown Pike (KY 922). If you are going north on I-75/west on I-64 and want to make the connection to the outer loop of New Circle (to get to the BG Parkway, for example) it is faster to take 27/68 than 922 because there are fewer signals on 27/68 and New Circle combined than the stretch of Newtown between the interstates and New Circle.

My understanding is that when the interstate system was conceived, Lexington officials made the conscious decision to keep the interstates out of downtown.

[webny99]

To break this subtopic: Can anyone else do a "largest pair unconnected" analysis for other states?

I tried New York below; although I didn't do a full written breakdown, I did go through each city and came up with #10-#14

Predictably, I decided to do the full breakdown for New York after all, to the same end:

#1 New York City pop. 8.8m

#2 Buffalo pop. 278k
1<>2 via NY33/I-90/I-81/NY17/I-87

#3 Yonkers pop. 212k
1<>3 via I-87
2<>3 via I-87/NY17/I-81/I-90/NY33

#4 Rochester pop. 211k
1<>4 via I-90/I-81/NY17/I-87
2<>4 via I-490/I-90/NY33
3<>4 via I-90/I-81/NY17/I-87

#5 Syracuse pop. 149k
1<>5 via I-81/NY17/I-87
2<>5 via I-690/I-90/NY33
3<>5 via I-81/NY17/I-87
4<>5 via I-690/I-90/I-490

#6 Albany pop. 99k
1<>6 via I-87
2<>6 via I-90/NY33
3<>6 via I-87
4<>6 via I-90/I-490
5<>6 via I-90/I-481/I-690

#7 New Rochelle pop. 77k
N/A (suburb of #1)

#8 Mount Vernon pop. 67k
N/A (suburb of #1)

#9 Schenectady pop. 67k
1<>9 via I-890/I-90/I-87
2<>9 via I-890/I-90/NY33
3<>9 via I-890/I-90/I-87
4<>9 via I-890/I-90/I-490
5<>9 via I-890/I-90/I-481/I-690
6<>9 via I-890/I-90

#10 Utica pop. 65k
1<>10 via I-90/I-87
2<>10 via I-90/NY33
3<>10 via I-90/I-87
4<>10 via I-90/I-490
5<>10 via I-90/I-481/I-690
6<>10 via I-90
9<>10 via I-90/I-890

#11 White Plains pop. 60k
N/A (suburb of #1)

#12 Troy pop. 51k
1<>12 via I-787/I-87
2<>12 via NY7/I-87/I-90/NY33
3<>12 via I-787/I-97
4<>12 via NY7/I-87/I-90/I-490
5<>12 via NY7/I-87/I-90/I-481/I-690
6<>12 via I-787
9<>12 via NY7/I-87/I-90/I-890
10<>12 via NY7/I-87/I-90

#13 Niagara Falls pop. 49k
1<>13 via I-190/I-290/I-90/I-81/NY17/I-87
2<>13 via I-190
3<>13 via I-190/I-90/I-81/NY17/I-87
4<>13 via I-190/I-290/I-90/I-490
5<>13 via I-190/I-290/I-90/I-690
6<>13 via I-190/I-290/I-90
9<>13 via I-190/I-290/I-90
10<>13 via I-190/I-290/I-90/I-890
12<>13 via I-190/I-290/I-90/I-87/NY7

#14 Binghamton pop. 48k
1<>14 via NY17/I-87
2<>14 via I-81/I-90/NY33
3<>14 via NY17/I-87
4<>14 via I-81/I-90/I-490
5<>14 via I-81
6<>14 via I-88/I-90
9<>14 via I-88/I-90/I-890
10<>14 via NY12 >> no direct connection

[TheHighwayMan3561]

1/2/4/6-11. Twin Cities Area

3. Rochester
1 <-> 3: US 52

5. Duluth
1 <-> 5: I-35
3 <-> 5: I-35 and US 52 (easy transition in downtown St. Paul, all freeway/expressway)

12. St. Cloud

1 <-> 12: I-94
3 <-> 12: US 52
5 <-> 12: I-35, TH 23 (as outlined, no good connection between them)

[JayhawkCO]

Colorado

#1 Denver (715,522)

#2 Colorado Springs (478,961)
1 <> 2 via I-25

#3 Aurora (386,261)
Suburb of #1

#4 Fort Collins (169,810)
1 & 3 <> 4 via I-25
2 <> 4 via I-25

#5 Lakewood (155,984)
Suburb of #1

#6 Thornton (141,867)
Suburb of #1

#7 Arvada (124,402)
Suburb of #1

#8 Westminster (116,317)
Suburb of #1

#9 Pueblo (111,876)
1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8 <> 9 via I-25
2 <> 9 via I-25
4 <> 9 via I-25

#10 Greeley (108,795)
Arguable if it connects to the freeway system, but its metro area certainly does
1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8 <> 10 via I-25
2 <> 10 via I-25
4 <> 10 via I-25
9 <> 10 via I-25

If it doesn't end there, then...

#11 Centennial (108,418)
Suburb of #1

#12 Boulder (108,250)
1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8 <> 12 via US36
2 <> 12 via I-25 & US36
4 <> 12 via I-25, Northwest Parkway, & US36
9 <> 12 via I-25 & US36
10 <> 12 via I-25, Northwest Parkway, & US36

#13 Longmont (98,885)
Suburb of #12

#14 Loveland (76,378)
Suburb of #4

#15 Broomfield (74,112)
Suburb of #1

#16 Castle Rock (73,158)
Suburb of #1

#17 Grand Junction (65,560)
1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 11, 15, 16 <> 17 via I-70
2 <> 17 - No direct connection
4, 14 <> 17 - No direct connection
9 <> 17 - No direct connection
10 <> 17 - No direct connection
12, 13 <> 17 - No direct connection

Again, as stated elsewhere, going from Fort Collins or Colorado Springs to Grand Junction has an all freeway route that isn't thaaaaaat far away from a straight shot, but strictly speaking, there isn't a direct routing.

[Dirt Roads]

To break this subtopic: Can anyone else do a "largest pair unconnected" analysis for other states?

North Carolina:

#1 Charlotte -to- #6 Fayetteville

• US-74*//NC-144*//US-401* = 132 miles = 2h 32m
• NC-24* = 132 miles = 2h 44m
• I-85//US-421*//NC-87** = 182 miles = 2h 51m
• I-85/I-40//I-95

               *None of these qualifies as a "highway".
               **NC-87/NC-24 southeast of Spout Springs is congested, but hard to disqualify as a highway

#1 Charlotte -to- #8 Wilmington

• US-74*//I-74/US-74 = 198 miles = 3h 10m
• I-77//I-20//I-95//I-74/US-74*** = 283 miles = 4h 04m
• I-85/I-40 = 299 miles = 4h 18m

               *US-74 west of Rockingham does not qualify as a "highway"
               ***US-74 and US-74/US-76 east of NC-41 near Lumberton fully qualifies as a "partially-limited access highway"

#8 Wilmington -to- #12 Greenville

• I-40//NC-41*//NC-111*/NC-241*//NC-11 = 115 miles = 2h 08m
• US-17//NC-43* = 131 miles = 2h 44m
• I-40//US-117*//I-795//I-587 = 163 miles = 2h 45m
• I-40//I-95//I-587

               *None of these qualify as "highways".

[JayhawkCO]

Dirt Roads' post has me questioning my own methodology. For this exercise, if the quickest way (not shortest way) includes all freeways, i.e. Colorado Springs to Grand Junction, would that be considered "connected"? Even Pueblo to Grand Junction, right now according to Google Maps, taking I-25->CO470->I-70 is one minute quicker than taking the more direct US50, and it's the beginning of rush hour.

[Dirt Roads]

Dirt Roads' post has me questioning my own methodology. For this exercise, if the quickest way (not shortest way) includes all freeways, i.e. Colorado Springs to Grand Junction, would that be considered "connected"? Even Pueblo to Grand Junction, right now according to Google Maps, taking I-25->CO470->I-70 is one minute quicker than taking the more direct US50, and it's the beginning of rush hour.

I think it is fair to say that if the all freeway (or all freeway plus "highways") path is the quickest (or even close timewise), that should qualify as "connected" (even if you have to backtrack a bit).  But perhaps the OP should weigh in with an opinion.