Smallest community as a control city

[golden eagle]

The smallest I can think of is Boutte, LA (pop. 2181). It's used as a control city for I-310 (though it now shares that designation with Houma). Boutte is not even an incorporated community.

[Scott5114]

The Delaware Water Gap is a geographic feature, not even a town.

[corco]

Has to go to Limon, Colorado, at least on a how frequently is it signed:population:how far away it is used ratio. Population 2081, used as a control city along:

I-70 east of I-25 and west of somewhere in Kansas
I-270 East
I-225 North
E-470 East between I-25 (northern junction) and I-70
E-470 West between I-25 (southern junction) and I-70
US-24 east of I-25
SH-94 East
US-40 west/287 North

and probably some others

So you can see it as far south as Colorado Springs


As far north as E-470 and I-270



as far east as Burlington (no pictures)
and as far west as US-285 at the C-470 interchange


It's essentially the primary control city for everything east of Denver and is prominently signed in Denver as the only control city. The only reason anybody in Colorado would know what Limon is is because of its signage as a control city. In fairness, there's not much else to use. Topeka is really far away (although Wyoming uses Omaha as a control city for I-80 east at the I-25 junction)

As far as control cities not signed from the interstate itself but from surface roads that junction with the interstate, I think Pine Bluffs WY (1153) is the smallest I've seen


Oh wait, there's Moorcroft too (population 807), which is used for I-90 East of Gillette and West of Sundance. There's no overhead signs between Gillette and Moorcroft, but given Wyoming's practices I would expect they would read "MOORCROFT"

[Bryant5493]

Bay St. Louis is used as a control city on I-10 East from New Orleans. Gulfport or Biloxi would be better as control cities, as they're bigger. But, hey...


Be well,

Bryant

[rawmustard]

The Delaware Water Gap is a geographic feature, not even a town.

But there is a Pennsylvania borough adjacent to the feature. Population 744 according to the 2000 census.

[golden eagle]

Bay St. Louis is used as a control city on I-10 East from New Orleans. Gulfport or Biloxi would be better as control cities, as they're bigger. But, hey...


Be well,

Bryant

I never understood that. Gulfport, Biloxi or even Mobile would've been much better options.

[huskeroadgeek]

Funny-I was just thinking about this recently. Limon, CO is what I thought of as probably the smallest. Another small one would be Santa Rosa, NM(pop. 2534) used for I-40 East from I-25 in Albuquerque.

[hbelkins]

How about Lewisburg, WV, the control city on I-64 east from Beckley? Population approximately 3,600.

[Chris]

Hancock, Maryland?

[Truvelo]

Here in the UK control cities are based on traffic importance rather than size.

[usends]

How about Vantage, WA... not even an incorporated town, but the 2000 census estimated population was 70.  See the last photo on this page:
http://usends.com/90-99/295/295.html
Places like Vantage and Limon are used as controls not for their populations, but rather because they're situated at well-known highway junctions.

[Mr. Matté]

Checking the Census website, the population of Breezewood is blank so could we treat it as 0?

[Mr_Northside]

I'm not entirely sure.... but I don't think Breezewood is an actual municipality.  Their population is probably counted as being a part of whatever township Breezewood is in... (If I'm correct that it isn't an actual municipality.)

EDIT (as I actually bothered to look it up):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bedford_County,_Pennsylvania#Municipalities

It would appear to be East Providence Township.

[Hot Rod Hootenanny]

I'm not entirely sure.... but I don't think Breezewood is an actual municipality.  Their population is probably counted as being a part of whatever township Breezewood is in... (If I'm correct that it isn't an actual municipality.)

EDIT (as I actually bothered to look it up):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bedford_County,_Pennsylvania#Municipalities

It would appear to be East Providence Township.

Breezewood is uncorporated. That just means they can't have their "own rules" seperate from the township.  And for the purpose of this thread, doesn't have an official population (thus the census saying "0").

[jdb1234]

In Alabama, this one takes the cake:



According to the US census bureau, Brookside has a population of 1,326

[Bryant5493]

^^

Which exit is this on?


Be well,

Bryant

[architect77]

The population of my hometown, Louisburg NC, has remained at about 3,500 people for the last 40 years. But because US-401 runs straight thru town, it is a popular control city, giving the county seat of Franklin Co. much more exposure than it probably deserves.

The green squares indicate large signage on interstates using Louisburg as the control city. There might be more than I haven't seen.

[Dougtone]

The Delaware Water Gap is a geographic feature, not even a town.

While the Delaware Water Gap is a geographic feature, there is also a small town, err, borough, in Pennsylvania called Delaware Water Gap.  PA 611 goes through this town, and I-80 is not far away.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delaware_Water_Gap,_Pennsylvania

[jdb1234]

^^

Which exit is this on?

Brookside is at Exit 91 on Corridor X.  The photo was taken at Exit 89.  At least ALDOT did not use Coalburg as a control city when the extension to Coalburg Road opened.