States you have traveled through, but never made it on an interstate

[SSOWorld]

No states, but one federal district. (out of 48+1)

[jp the roadgeek]

Can't think of any, including DC (clipped a little of I-66 and I-395), and HI (was on part of H-1).  MO would be the only state, but I never left the airport.  Closest would be WV (I-81), and IN (I-70, part of which was duplexed with I-65)

[Eth]

The only one that I'd say currently counts for me is Ohio - crossed the river from Parkersburg, WV on what is almost certainly OH 618 to visit a family member's workplace just a few blocks into the state, then returned to West Virginia the same way. I haven't been to Ohio since (this was around 1997 or so).

My first visits to Alabama and Florida (on the same trip) also did not include any Interstate travel, but I have since accessed the Interstate system in those states. Same for DC, where my first visit didn't involve any roads at all, but rather the Metro and my own two feet.

And since we've mentioned airport layovers, Texas and Colorado would fall in that category for me.

The only changes since my last post are in the airport layover category: strike Texas off the list and replace it with Arizona.

So it's still just Ohio when it comes to states in which I've been on any road at all.

[ilpt4u]

I think it is only Utah for me, changing planes at SLC

Kansas is a maybe, but I still think I was on I-35 or I-435 at some point in KC, KS

[hbelkins]

Had to go back and look to see if I had answered previously. I had. Since then, I've been on interstates in Wisconsin, so Idaho remains the only state in which I've been in but never traveled on an interstate. I've since added California to my total of states visited, but was on I-80 and a couple of other Bay Area interstates when I was there, so it doesn't go on the list.

[Rothman]

Been to 49 states and DC.  Been on interstates in all of them.

[webny99]

Interesting question, which is probably why there's been almost 20 replies since the bump earlier today.

I thought I had none (out of 26 states visited), but then I remembered Montana. I did quite a bit of surface traveling during my 2016 trip to Flathead County, but never came even remotely close to an interstate!

Colorado I've visited via an airport layover only, so that would potentially count as well.

[dlsterner]

I've been to 33 states (counting DC as a "state").  I have been on an Interstate highway in each of them, save for the exceptions below:

Colorado, Missouri, and Texas - Airport only; never left the building.

Iowa - only SR 165, in Carter Lake

Arizona - only US 93, near Hoover Dam.  (Note:  This was in 2008, prior to the completion of the Mike O'Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge, when US 93 was routed over the top of Hoover Dam, and also prior to the I-11 designation)

So my answer is either 2 or 5, depending whether airport only clinches are counted.

[CtrlAltDel]

I have a grand total of zero. I have been on a 2di in every state I have visited, to wit:

Code Select Expand


IA I-29
IL I-55
MO I-44
OK I-44
TX I-40
NM I-40
AZ I-40
CA I-40
NV I-15
UT I-15
CO I-70
KS I-70
NE I-80
WI I-39/I-90
MI I-69/I-94
IN I-80/I-94
OH I-70
PA I-70
WV I-70
MD I-68
VA I-81
DE I-95
NJ I-95
CT I-95
RI I-95
MA I-93
NH I-95
ME I-95
VT I-89
NY I-87
AR I-55
LA I-55
MS I-55
AL I-10
FL I-10
GA I-95
SC I-95
NC I-26
TN I-26
KY I-75
HI I-H1
SD I-90
WY I-90
OR I-84
WA I-5
ID I-15
MT I-90
ND I-94
MN I-94

DC I-66


[NWI_Irish96]

I camped one night at Bear Lake in Idaho but was never on an Idaho interstate.

I camped one night at Fort Stevens State Park in Oregon but was never on an Oregon interstate.

Only foray into South Carolina was a few miles up US 17 from Savannah, GA, just to say I'd been to South Carolina.

Only trips to Nevada have been via plane to Las Vegas, so I've never driven anywhere in Nevada, but did ride a bus out to Hoover Dam.

My other 39 states visited have all involved at least some interstate highway travel.

Since this post, I have driven on interstates in South Carolina and Nevada, so just Idaho and Oregon now.

[doorknob60]

Two for me:
Maryland: Entered at US-301 at the DE border, left on US-50 at the DC border.
Wyoming: Been to Yellowstone NP, Grand Teton NP, and Jackson, crossing at West Yellowstone, MT or ID-33/WY-22.

A close call would be Delaware as I used US-13, DE-1, and US-301 to get through it, but I entered from NJ on I-295.

By the way, it's probably implied, but I'm not counting states where I've been only for airport layovers (those being TX, CO, and IL).

[hbelkins]

Two for me:
Maryland: Entered at US-301 at the DE border, left on US-50 at the DC border.

Did you follow the freeway from where US 301 and 50 merge on the eastern shore? If so, then you were on an unsigned interstate (I-595). The interstate designation begins at the MD 70 Annapolis interchange and extends to I-495.

[paulthemapguy]

I've been to Delaware via train from Philadelphia to Wilmington, but was never in a car within the state of Delaware.  So I haven't been on a road in Delaware, let alone an Interstate!

[TheStranger]

I'll format it in much the same way CtrlAltDel did:

CA: home state. all 2dis except for I-40 and all current 3dis
HI: I-H1
OR: I-5
WA: I-5
NV: I-80, I-580, I-15, I-515 (future I-11)
UT: I-80, I-15, possibly I-215
AZ: I-40
WY: I-80, I-25
CO: I-25, I-270
TX: I-35
IL: I-90/I-94, I-190
TN: I-65, I-40, I-24
KY: I-64, I-65, I-71, I-264, I-265, I-75, I-275
IN: I-65, I-70, I-69
OH: I-275, I-71, I-270, I-90, I-77
MD: I-95, I-495
DE: I-95, I-295
PA: I-95, I-676, then-future I-86
NY: I-90, I-190, I-290, I-88, then-future I-86, I-95, I-278, I-478, I-78
NJ: I-95, I-278, I-287, I-78, I-295
CT: I-95
RI: I-95
MA: I-90, I-93, I-95

I have very little memory of my 1992 DC trip other than going to Smithsonian and being driven down surface streets, so I can't quite tell if we ever used 395 to go to Arlington or if my family kept us away from the freeways on that one.  This also would apply to Virginia as well.

[US 89]

I suppose I can make a list as well, where a bold route denotes a clinch in that state:

AL - 20, 22, 59, 65
AZ - 15, 17, 40
AR - 40, 55, 555
CA - 5, 8, 80, 280, 305, 580, 805
CO - 25, 70, 76, 225
DC - 395
FL - none
GA - 16, 20, 24, 75, 85, 95, 185, 285, 575, 675, 985
ID - 15, 84, 86
IL - 55, 64, 70, 255, 270
IN - 65
IA - 29, 80
KS - 35
KY - 64, 65, 71, 264
ME - 95
MD - none
MA - 90, 93, 95
MI - airport only
MN - airport only
MS - 22, 55, 69, 269
MO - 29, 35, 44, 49, 55, 64, 70, 170, 255, 270, 435, 670
MT - 15, 90
NE - 80, 180
NV - 15, 80
NH - 95
NJ - boat only
NM - 25, 40
NY - 495, 678
NC - 40, 95, 140
OK - 35, 40, 44, 235, 240, 244, 444
OR - 82, 84
SC - 85, 526
SD - 29, 229
TN - 24, 40, 55, (69), 75, 124
TX - 10, 14, 20, 27, 30, 35, 35W, 35E, 37, 45, 69, 345, 410, 610, 820
UT - 15, 70, 80, 84, 215
VA - 395
WA - 5, 82, 90, 405
WY - 25, 80, 180

[bulldog1979]

I've been to 13 states and DC. I've been on Interstates in all of them except VA, DC and NY. For NY, I've only been to JFK for a layover, and I've only used the Metro or walked in VA and DC.

[michravera]

I had a layover at Detroit Airport. Only time I've been anywhere near Michigan.

Didn't leave the airport though, so kind of a weak clinch!

I have been to the Miami International Airport about a dozen times, but never anywhere else in Florida, so, of course, no interstates. I have been to West Yellowstone, MT, but nowhere else in Montana, so, therefore, no interstate.

[Max Rockatansky]

Been to 48 States, the only one I didn't touch an Interstate was Kansas since I was following Old US 66. 

[Flint1979]

Oklahoma and Kansas for me.

[formulanone]

Looks like Idaho (clipped US 12, and had to head back to work) and Utah (still just airport-only visits) are my newest answers, since I originally posted.

I have been on Interstate highways in 45 other states.

[Hot Rod Hootenanny]

Only state I've traveled through, without using an interstate....Kansas, last year (because I couldn't follow I-29, from St. Joseph, Missouri to Omaha/Council Bluffs, due to flooding along the Missouri River).

[Konza]

If I've been in South Dakota, I'm reasonably sure I wasn't on an Interstate there.

[kphoger]

To answer this question another way, using a much more informal definition of "making it"...

There's only one state in which I've "made it" with my wife on an Interstate–and that's only if you count a parking area as part of the Interstate itself.  Missouri.  On all other states' Interstate highways, I have remained celibate.

[doorknob60]

Two for me:
Maryland: Entered at US-301 at the DE border, left on US-50 at the DC border.

Did you follow the freeway from where US 301 and 50 merge on the eastern shore? If so, then you were on an unsigned interstate (I-595). The interstate designation begins at the MD 70 Annapolis interchange and extends to I-495.

I did, wasn't actually aware that designation existed, interesting. Probably a good call leaving it unsigned though, US-50 is a perfectly good designation (I feel the same way about I-580 in Nevada on US-395, but oh well).

Since I'm replying, might as well expand on my list:

OR: All (I-5, I-82, I-84, I-105, I-205, I-405)
WA: I-5, I-82, I-90, I-182, I-205, I-405 (only missing I-705)
CA: I-5, I-8, I-10, I-15, I-80, and too many 3dis to remember or count
ID: All (I-15, I-84, I-86, I-90, I-184)
NV: I-15, I-80, I-215, I-515 (been on what is now I-580, but was not signed at the time)
UT: I-15, I-80, I-84, I-215
MT: I-15, I-90
AZ: I-15
MA: I-90, I-93, I-95, I-495
RI: I-95
CT: I-95
NY: I-78, I-95, and probably a couple others on a bus traveling between JFK and Manhattan (likely 678 and 495)
NJ: I-78, I-95, I-195, I-295
PA: I-76, I-95, I-276
DE: I-295
MD: Unsigned I-595
VA: I-64, I-264, I-464, I-664
WY: None

[US 89]

I did, wasn't actually aware that designation existed, interesting. Probably a good call leaving it unsigned though, US-50 is a perfectly good designation (I feel the same way about I-580 in Nevada on US-395, but oh well).

I don't really mind having I-580 signed, but renumbering the exits on it was a dumb idea (even if required) because the freeway continues on to the north with US 395 exit numbers. In my opinion the 32-exit gap at I-80 is much more confusing for the average driver than whether or not there are interstate shields on the part south of 80.