The LEAST important/consequential interstate in your state

[The Nature Boy]

I will ask one question (based on my post above): How are we classifying importance here?

If you're talking importance based on its usage of a commuter route to one city in the state from its suburbs then you have an argument for I-95 in Boston and New York being important. However, I would lean towards intrastate importance being classified as an interstate highway's ability to connect multiple metro centers in the state. I-95 is important to Boston and New York commuters but that's really it. In MA, I'd argue that I-495 is more important actually. 

[DandyDan]

CO: I-76
NE: I-76

The x6s are getting no love in this thread.

That's all true, but it's also true that more I-80 traffic in Nebraska going west towards the I-76 interchange will take I-76.  So as useless as I-76 is for Nebraska traffic, it's actually useful, which is just plain weird.

[PHLBOS]

MA: I-95. It's canceled routing through Boston REALLY killed it off here in this state. I-91 goes through Springfield, which is something. I-95 goes through nothing. NOTHING. I-90 connects I-91 and I-93 and enters Boston (and I-93). So I-95 takes home here. US 1 EASILY replaces I-95 in this state.

Whoa there!  I would exactly call Woburn, Burlington, Waltham, Dedham, etc. (populated municipalities that I-95 passes through/near via the 128 corridor) nothing.  If those areas were nothing (your words); the Route 128 moniker/lore along the I-95 (& 93) occupied section(s) would've died at least a quarter-century ago.  Such a subject is covered on several other threads so I won't bother regurgitating its history here.  BTW, much of US 1 from Boston southward piggybacks along I-93 (& a short stretch of I-95).

I disagree. I-95 is heavily traveled even though it doesn't go through the actual city of Boston. It directs a lot of traffic out of downtown. It also provides access to Providence to the south and New Hampshire and Maine to the north.

Not to mention the fact that even though I-95 may not go through nor enter the City of Boston as originally planned; it certainly does serves the Greater/Metropolitan Boston Area (via 128).

[silverback1065]

CO: I-76
NE: I-76

The x6s are getting no love in this thread.

That's all true, but it's also true that more I-80 traffic in Nebraska going west towards the I-76 interchange will take I-76.  So as useless as I-76 is for Nebraska traffic, it's actually useful, which is just plain weird.

why is this i-76 at all? it's so short i feel like it should be i-x80 or i-x25 or i-x70

[Brandon]

CO: I-76
NE: I-76

The x6s are getting no love in this thread.

That's all true, but it's also true that more I-80 traffic in Nebraska going west towards the I-76 interchange will take I-76.  So as useless as I-76 is for Nebraska traffic, it's actually useful, which is just plain weird.

why is this i-76 at all? it's so short i feel like it should be i-x80 or i-x25 or i-x70

It's long enough for a 2di, and was I-80S before 1976.

[kkt]

I-76 is less than 200 miles.  That might be a lot on the East Coast, but it's not very much out west.

I'd go with I-870.  There is no other I-870 in the country, and it's mnemonic for connecting I-80 to I-70.

[silverback1065]

I-76 is less than 200 miles.  That might be a lot on the East Coast, but it's not very much out west.

I'd go with I-870.  There is no other I-870 in the country, and it's mnemonic for connecting I-80 to I-70.

i like it good idea

[noelbotevera]

MA: I-95. It's canceled routing through Boston REALLY killed it off here in this state. I-91 goes through Springfield, which is something. I-95 goes through nothing. NOTHING. I-90 connects I-91 and I-93 and enters Boston (and I-93). So I-95 takes home here. US 1 EASILY replaces I-95 in this state.

Whoa there!  I would exactly call Woburn, Burlington, Waltham, Dedham, etc. (populated municipalities that I-95 passes through/near via the 128 corridor) nothing.  If those areas were nothing (your words); the Route 128 moniker/lore along the I-95 (& 93) occupied section(s) would've died at least a quarter-century ago.  Such a subject is covered on several other threads so I won't bother regurgitating its history here.  BTW, much of US 1 from Boston southward piggybacks along I-93 (& a short stretch of I-95).

I disagree. I-95 is heavily traveled even though it doesn't go through the actual city of Boston. It directs a lot of traffic out of downtown. It also provides access to Providence to the south and New Hampshire and Maine to the north.

Not to mention the fact that even though I-95 may not go through nor enter the City of Boston as originally planned; it certainly does serves the Greater/Metropolitan Boston Area (via 128).

Yeah, fair point. I think we may all agree that I-95 is pretty unlikely to get a nomination in this thread.

[hotdogPi]

Yeah, fair point. I think we may all agree that I-95 is pretty unlikely to get a nomination in this thread.

Except it is the only option for Delaware, Rhode Island, and Maine (those states have no other possibilities).

[Zzonkmiles]

I forgot about I-95 in Georgia. I would say that I-95 is Georgia's most unimportant interstate.

I would definitely say I-59 is much less important to Georgia than I-95.

[iBallasticwolf2]

I forgot about I-95 in Georgia. I would say that I-95 is Georgia's most unimportant interstate.

I would definitely say I-59 is much less important to Georgia than I-95.

True I also forgot about that

[TheCatalyst31]

Some are going to hate me for this but I-41.  just as bad as... I-74 or... I-894, the Interstate it supplanted.

I'd say I-39 is less important to Wisconsin than I-41. Neither one should really be an interstate, but at least the independent part of I-41 connects all the big cities around Lake Winnebago to Green Bay and Milwaukee. I'd say that's more important than connecting Madison to Wausau and Stevens Point (and not much else).

And California's least important 2di is definitely I-38. 

[TXtoNJ]

CO: I-76
NE: I-76

The x6s are getting no love in this thread.

That's all true, but it's also true that more I-80 traffic in Nebraska going west towards the I-76 interchange will take I-76.  So as useless as I-76 is for Nebraska traffic, it's actually useful, which is just plain weird.

why is this i-76 at all? it's so short i feel like it should be i-x80 or i-x25 or i-x70

It's long enough for a 2di, and was I-80S before 1976.

Does anyone know if CO pushed for renumbering it to 76 in order to celebrate the state's centennial?

[kurumi]

CO: I-76
NE: I-76

The x6s are getting no love in this thread.

That's all true, but it's also true that more I-80 traffic in Nebraska going west towards the I-76 interchange will take I-76.  So as useless as I-76 is for Nebraska traffic, it's actually useful, which is just plain weird.

why is this i-76 at all? it's so short i feel like it should be i-x80 or i-x25 or i-x70

It's long enough for a 2di, and was I-80S before 1976.

Does anyone know if CO pushed for renumbering it to 76 in order to celebrate the state's centennial?

"The Rambler" (FHWA site) did some research on Pennsylvania's I-76 numbering, but gave no answer for the western instance.

[bassoon1986]

Louisiana's would be I-59. Apparently it doesn't get too much love in any of its states.

[noelbotevera]

Illinois may be I-64. Between Evansville and St. Louis, there's really no major cities between that stretch that are above at least 100K people. East St. Louis is failing, and Southern Illinois...hoo it may be desolate out there (as in people, not scenery).

[RoadWarrior56]

I would not agree with the last post.  I-64 in Southern Illinois west of I-57 is very heavily traveled and an important route, not only from Evansville, Louisville and points east, but it also indirectly picks up I-24 traffic from the southeast US that uses I-57 as a connector between I-24 and I-64.  The most direct route to the central and northern plains from Atlanta uses that section of I-64.  I have taken it.  The traffic is lighter on I-64 east of I-57, but I would nominate I-72 in western IL as a less important route, among others.

[noelbotevera]

I would not agree with the last post.  I-64 in Southern Illinois west of I-57 is very heavily traveled and an important route, not only from Evansville, Louisville and points east, but it also indirectly picks up I-24 traffic from the southeast US that uses I-57 as a connector between I-24 and I-64.  The most direct route to the central and northern plains from Atlanta uses that section of I-64.  I have taken it.  The traffic is lighter on I-64 east of I-57, but I would nominate I-72 in western IL as a less important route, among others.

I meant as in intrastate traffic. I-72 connects I-57 to points west, via US 36. I-64's duplex around Mt. Vernon connects it with points east, but I-64's cities that it passes through further east are smaller than Chicago (I-57's terminus).

[Zzonkmiles]

I guess it's too late for me to say that I meant the least important insterstate TO a particular state. Maybe it doesn't serve any major cities or it only has a very minor economic impact on the state. Maybe it's in an isolated corner of the state or maybe it's only a moderately important interstate in a state of tremendously important ones. Obviously, some interstates are super critical even if they are only in a state for a few miles (I-70 in WV, I'm looking at YOU), but there may be other interstates in the same state that, even though longer, may ultimately serve fewer state residents or travel through less significant corridors.

[rbt48]

In Nebraska, the choice is between I-80 and I-76.  I-76 wins easily. 

[golden eagle]

I-69 for Tennessee.

Same in Mississippi. I could also argue for I-59. The most urbane area you'll pass through is Hattiesburg (population about 47K).

[empirestate]

I guess it's too late for me to say that I meant the least important insterstate TO a particular state.

Not at all; the suspense has been killing us!

[CentralPAGal]

IMO, in PA its either current I-99 (how original, right?), or I-176.

As horrible as US 422 (Very narrow, and *gasp* left hand on and off ramps at PA 10), and the fact that it is not all freeway to the southeast, I think, at least on paper, 422 makes more sense traveling between Philly and Reading (Disclaimer* Have not actually traveled that stretch of 422). Coming from the Harrisburg or Lancaster areas to Reading, There's US 222. I-176 just kinda sits there in the middle.

Ditto on I-380 and I-476 north of I-80. there's a redundancy going on there...

[hotdogPi]

IMO, in PA its either current I-99 (how original, right?), or I-176.

As horrible as US 422 (Very narrow, and *gasp* left hand on and off ramps at PA 10), and the fact that it is not all freeway to the southeast, I think, at least on paper, 422 makes more sense traveling between Philly and Reading (Disclaimer* Have not actually traveled that stretch of 422). Coming from the Harrisburg or Lancaster areas to Reading, There's US 222. I-176 just kinda sits there in the middle.

Ditto on I-380 and I-476 north of I-80. there's a redundancy going on there...

In that case, I-99. Only Interstates with two digits are being considered in this thread.