What is your city's center exit?

[bassoon1986]

Inspired by the thread about your city's zero point. For the major city listed on a freeway near you, what exit number do mileage signs for that city line up with?

For example, on distance signs for Shreveport along I-20, the "center" ends up being mile 19, and 19A is LA 1/US 71 Spring St. & Market St, the main downtown exit for Shreveport. However, signs on I-49 going northbound to Shreveport show the center as about mile marker 200. Exit 201 is the Inner Loop (LA 3132), and this mileage likely stems from the days when I-49 stopped there. A better center would be exit 206, the interchange with I-20 near downtown.

What are your cities, and which ones out there don't really make sense?

Tyler, TX is an odd one along I-20. It isn't a control city, but since the city lies further off of the highway, mileage to Tyler ends around mile marker 559. It could be listing the shortest amount of miles to the center of Tyler, rather than the point on I-20.

[TR69]

I haven't done an exhaustive survey, but from what I have noticed it appears that Louisville's mileage point is where 65, 64, and 71 meet.

[vdeane]

The Thruway's EB point for Albany is the exit 24 toll booths.  The NB point is the exit 23 toll booths.

[amroad17]

I haven't done an exhaustive survey, but from what I have noticed it appears that Louisville's mileage point is where 65, 64, and 71 meet.

It depends on where you are in Kentucky.  Along I-71, it varies from where I-64 and I-65 cross to Exit 4 (with the additional mile into downtown) along I-64.  Along I-64, it usually is like the second scenario descibed above.  Along I-65, in the southern part of the Commonwealth the mileage point is mm 132, in the central part it is mm 135, and in sections north of Elizabethtown it is mm 137--the southern end of the Kennedy Bridge.  It would be helpful to use one arbitrary point throughout the whole route.

Don't get me started on where the "center exit" is for Nashville along I-65 southbound.  Is it at mm 77 (too far south), mm 83 (yes), or at mm 87 (too far north) along I-65 in Tennessee?

BTW, for Cincinnati, it is halfway through the Ft. Washington Way trench.

[jp the roadgeek]

Not many mileage signs in CT, but I can think of one on the Wilbur Cross Parkway in Meriden that has "New Haven 21, Bridgeport 35, and New York City 91".  New Haven would line up with the CT 34 exit at MP 43, but it's actually 18 miles if you take the 13 miles to the Whitney Ave. exit, and the 5 miles along Whitney Ave.   Bridgeport would take into account the 30 miles to the CT 8 exit plus 5 of the 6 miles of CT 8 remaining.  91 to NYC would take you Randall's Island (64 miles of CT 15, 19 miles of the Hutch, and 8 miles of I-278). 

One I can think of in MA on I-91 at MP 0.8:  Springfield 4, Holyoke 16, and Brattleboro 63.  Springfield would put you at Exit 6 (Downtown Springfield).  Holyoke 16 would assume you take MA 141 to get to Holyoke (14 miles to Exit 17, then 2 miles on MA 141), but it would be only 13 if you take the 7 miles to I-391, then the 6 miles of I-391.  Brattleboro 63 would put you at Exit 2 in VT (54 miles to the VT border, then 9 miles in VT).

[pianocello]

Oh, like on mileage signs on Interstates?

I haven't traveled in Iowa recently enough to have done the math for Davenport, but I've calculated that Illinois' point for "Moline-Rock Island" on both I-80 and I-74 is either just north of downtown Bettendorf on I-74, or (more likely) the border between Moline and Rock Island on IL-92.

[slorydn1]

This sign here https://www.google.com/maps/@35.4894903,-78.2661971,3a,46.6y,147.59h,80.83t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sEfg9BJnI8L5McnCYN0TvMg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en
just east of Peedin Rd in Johnston County says it's 80 miles to New Bern. According to Google its 79.9 miles to the Exit 417 split on the Freedom Memorial bridge, so that seems about right to me. I guess (and Google has as well, apparently) this was updated to reflect mileage via the new Goldsboro bypass, as that sign used to say 79 miles to New Bern

[Rothman]

The Thruway's EB point for Albany is the exit 24 toll booths.  The NB point is the exit 23 toll booths.

If you go by the "Albany 12" sign on Free 90 WB, you actually end up at the US 9 exit (Exit 6). 

That said, I'm doubting that mileages are supposed to match up with exit numbers like this.

[roadman]

The Thruway's EB point for Albany is the exit 24 toll booths.  The NB point is the exit 23 toll booths.

If you go by the "Albany 12" sign on Free 90 WB, you actually end up at the US 9 exit (Exit 6). 

That said, I'm doubting that mileages are supposed to match up with exit numbers like this.

Technically, the mileage signs are supposed to indicate distances to the city or town center (usually town or city hall), not to the nearest exit.  However, for years, many toll agencies (and some state DOTs) would indicate the distance to the exit instead.  One of the best (or worst, depending upon your point of view) examples of the latter practice is the MassPike, where the current distance signs indicating Springfield actually measure to the I-90/I-291 interchange, which is in Chicopee - these signs are being replaced with correct ones under the re-signing work.

[vdeane]

Technically the Thruway ones actually do lead to points in Albany, just at the edges rather than the center.

The Thruway's EB point for Albany is the exit 24 toll booths.  The NB point is the exit 23 toll booths.

If you go by the "Albany 12" sign on Free 90 WB, you actually end up at the US 9 exit (Exit 6). 

That said, I'm doubting that mileages are supposed to match up with exit numbers like this.

That's pretty accurate.  The "Albany 15" sign on the Northway SB points to the I-87/I-90 interchange.

Since I dug that up anyways, I decided to do Rochester.  I-490 WB points to I-590.  I-490 EB points to I-390 (actually, the Erie Canal, but close enough).  I-390 NB points to I-490 via I-590 (which has the control city "Downtown Rochester" where it splits off from I-390; I-390 has "Airport/Greece").

[empirestate]

Technically the Thruway ones actually do lead to points in Albany, just at the edges rather than the center.

The Thruway's EB point for Albany is the exit 24 toll booths.  The NB point is the exit 23 toll booths.

If you go by the "Albany 12" sign on Free 90 WB, you actually end up at the US 9 exit (Exit 6). 

That said, I'm doubting that mileages are supposed to match up with exit numbers like this.

That's pretty accurate.  The "Albany 15" sign on the Northway SB points to the I-87/I-90 interchange.

Since I dug that up anyways, I decided to do Rochester.  I-490 WB points to I-590.  I-490 EB points to I-390 (actually, the Erie Canal, but close enough).  I-390 NB points to I-490 via I-590 (which has the control city "Downtown Rochester" where it splits off from I-390; I-390 has "Airport/Greece").

That all makes sense, since I recall that NYSDOT policy is measuring distance to the corporate limits. For I-490 WB, that puts it amidst the 590 interchange (likewise for 390 via 590); for I-490 EB, it's at the Erie Canal.

[Tschiezberger123]

Elkhart, IN:

I-80/I-90 (Indiana Toll Road):

Exit 96: CR 17 (far east side, CR 17 is 5300 E)

Exit 92: IN 19/Cassopolis St (downtown, Cassopolis St is 400 E)

US 20:

Exit 96: CR 17 (same as above)

Exit 95: Old US 20/ Toledo Rd (south side, Toledo Rd is 1300 S)

Exit 93: US 33 (south)/S Main St (north) (downtown, S Main St angles toward downtown

Exit 90: IN 19/S Nappanee St (west side, Nappanee St is 2100 W)

[amroad17]

The Thruway's EB point for Albany is the exit 24 toll booths.  The NB point is the exit 23 toll booths.

The Thruway, from what I see, uses these points eastbound:

    - Buffalo, mm 426
    - Rochester, mm 360
    - Syracuse, mm 282 (Exit 36, I-81)
    - Utica, mm 234
    - Albany, mm 148 (Exit 24)
    - New York, mm 0 (Westchester Co./Bronx line)

Thruway westbound:

    - Albany, mm 143 (Exit 23)
    - Utica, mm 233
    - Syracuse, mm 282
    - Rochester, mm 363
    - Buffalo, mm 423

Of course, these mileages more than likely-especially in the cases of Rochester and Buffalo--are included in highways that interchange with the Thruway outside said cities, such as I-490.

New York usually lists mileages to the city line, not to the center of the city.  For example, I-81 NB has Syracuse listed about where mm 81 is, the southern city line of Syracuse and I-81 SB has Syracuse listed about where mm 88 is, the northwestern city line of Syracuse.  Both these places have City of Syracuse LGS's there.

[JMoses24]

There is a mileage sign in Crittenden, KY that lists Covington at 25 miles, which would equate to the Fifth Street exit off I-75.

The ramp from I-75 northbound, however, is about ¾ mile long.  If one continues northbound on I-75, then at 25 miles you are at the Ohio state line. 26 miles correctly, though, corresponds with Cincinnati -- and roughly puts you about a third of a mile south of the exit to Ezzard Charles Drive on I-75, and the US 50/I-71 split for I-71.

[PHLBOS]

A literal interpretation of the thread title:

For Center City Philadelphia (Central Philadelphia on signs):

I-676/US 30 (aka the Vine Expressway) - PA 611/Broad St. exit.

I-95 - Exit 22 (I-676/US 30)

I-76 - Exit 344 (I-676 East/US 30 East)
________________________________________

For Downtown Boston/Financial District:

I-93 - Exit 23 (Gov't Center on northbound signs/Purchase St. on southbound signs)

I-93 South - Exit 20A (South Station)

I-90 East - Exits 24A (South Station) & 24B (I-93 North)

I-90 West - Exit 24 (I-93; after exiting, follow ramp signage to I-93 North)

[bzakharin]

The Atlantic City Expressway has "Philadelphia 26" at MM 29. The ACE ends at MM 44 which is NJ 42's MM 6. NJ 42 ends at MM 14. From there it's almost exactly 3 miles via I-76 to the state and City line, so that is used as the distance.

In the other direction, the mileage to Atlantic City is to MM 0, which is at Exit 1, the Brigantine connector, 2.7 miles into the city and 2.5 miles after the first exit in Atlantic City, exit 2.

[epzik8]

I'm going to do Baltimore, and that's about I-95 exit 54 (Hanover Street). Between there and where I-83 spills out onto President Street is probably the center point. Just past Exit 109, Elkton, on I-95 south, it says Baltimore is 57 miles away, which is a bit high; it's probably 52 or 53 miles.

[cl94]

It's worth noting that the Thruway's mileage to Albany ends up being almost right at the city line on both sides. Ditto for the Northway's.

As mentioned earlier, when New York posts a distance, it's generally to the city line. If another road crosses the city line closer than the route the sign is posted on, the shorter distance gets posted. For example, I-87 NB lists distance to Saratoga Springs based on where US 9 crosses the south city line, which is almost a mile south of where I-87 crosses it. Distance to Lake George is based on the village line, not the town line 2 miles to south.

[TheHighwayMan3561]

For Duluth on I-35 NB it's I-535/US 53 (Exits 255 A & B).

[AlexandriaVA]

At first I thought DC's "central" exit would be the terminus of 395 at NY Avenue. That is probably the closest exit to what is considered "central"/downtown DC. However, the closer exit to the true centroid of DC is probably exit 4A on I-295, South Capitol Street.

I would add Seminary Road off 395 (exit 4) as it is close to the centroid and has a "central" feel to it for my namesake of Alexandria.

[Bickendan]

Portland:
I-5: NB: 299B (I-405)
SB: 302A (Broadway Br), 300B (Morrison Bridge)
I-84: '0A' (no exit number) (Morrison Bridge)
I-405: NB: 1A (Harbor Dr), 1B (4th Ave), 1D (Salmon St/14th Ave)
SB: 2A (Burnside St)
US 26: EB: 74(B) (Market St)
WB: Naito Pkwy, 4th Ave, 6th Ave (all non-freeway junctions)
US 30: EB: I-405 south, I-5(302A) (Broadway Br), I-5(301) (I-5 itself)
WB: I-84('0') (to Morrison Bridge), I-405(3) (I-405 itself)
OR 99W: NB: Barbur Blvd (at Naito Pkwy), Morrison St
SB: 3rd Ave (at Everett St), Morrison St
OR 99E: Madison St (Hawthorne Br), Belmont St (Morrison Br), Couch St (Burnside Br), Lloyd Blvd & Multnomah St (Steel Br), Broadway (Broadway Br)

[roadfro]

Reno:
I-80 - Exit 13: Virginia Street (unsigned US 395 Bus) / Downtown
Sparks:
I-80 - Exit 18: SR 445/Pyramid Way

Las Vegas:
I-15 - Exit 42: I-515/US 95
US 95 - Exit 76: I-15
North Las Vegas:
I-15 - Exit 45: Lake Mead Blvd (SR 147)


Except for the major cities listed above, I believe NDOT's typical practice on determining distances is to use the city/town's Post Office (downtown location) as the place of measurement. For distances along freeways, I think the distance is still measured to the post office, routing you via the freeway exit closest to the post office. (However, I'm not sure that this is consistently applied, or meshes with distances on NDOT official maps.)


As an example: I-80 eastbound, between Reno-Sparks and Fernley, after passing the USA Pkwy (SR 439) interchange, the distances to Fernley and Elko are given as 14 and 269 miles, respectively.
According to Google Maps, the distance from the sign to the US Post Office on Main Street in Fernley is 14.1 miles–measuring to the west Fernley exit (most direct route to that post office) gives you about 12.4 miles, and measuring to the east Fernley exit is about 14.8 miles (which would round up to 15).
Similarly, the distance from that sign to the post office on 3rd St in Elko is 269 miles if you use the Downtown Elko exit. Getting off I-80 at the west Elko exit actually makes it 268 miles to that post office.