Biggest claim to fame: control city.

[SkyPesos]

I never heard of Hermiston or Umatilla, OR until I found out both are used as control cities for I-82 at its I-84 junction, instead of the more obvious choices like Richland, Kennewick, Pasco (or just Tri Cities to group the previous 3 together), Yakima, or the next large city where most of the traffic on WB I-82 are headed to: Seattle.

[Scott5114]

McComb, MS.

In regards to Effingham, maybe it's a control city due to being at the interchange of two interstates. Even with that in mind, Memphis and Chicago are still the primary control cities on I-57.

Heh. I grew up around McComb, MS. And I agree.

Agreed so much you felt like it was worth responding to a post from the Obama administration to let us all know?

[thspfc]

Albert Lea, MN was the first one to come to mind. In Wisconsin, Wausau. It's signed for I-39 NB at the Portage split. It's a well known city within the state, but the large chunk of out-of-state travelers who pass through that interchange have no idea where it is beyond that it's on I-39 (which isn't even technically true because of WISDOT's termini oddities).

[kenarmy]

McComb, MS.

In regards to Effingham, maybe it's a control city due to being at the interchange of two interstates. Even with that in mind, Memphis and Chicago are still the primary control cities on I-57.

Heh. I grew up around McComb, MS. And I agree.

Here's another one on 55 in Mississippi: Grenada. I guess this would make sense though since its the largest city close to the half way point of Memphis and Jackson.

[TheStranger]

Here's one that is debatable but at the very least could be the solid Filipino example:

Balintawak, Quezon City.

Although the district is associated with the "Cry of Balintawak" skirmish between the Filipinos and Spanish colonizers in the 1800s, the monument for that event is further west along EDSA in Caloocan, and historians are not even sure if the event happened there or in another Quezon City district, Pugad Lawin.

In modern times, the 1968-era cloverleaf between the North Luzon Expressway, A. Bonifacio Avenue, and EDSA has been one of the main interchanges in Metro Manila, especially pre-December 2020 when almost all southbound traffic heading towards other parts of Quezon City or the rest of the region had to use the SB NLEX to EB EDSA loop ramp.  Skyway Stage 3's current terminus in the area has reemphasized the place as a highway junction, with the toll plaza also bearing the district's name.  At the Smart Connect (Harbor Link) interchange in Valenzuela, Balintawak and not Manila is the listed destination for SB NLEX from WB Mindanao Avenue Extension or NB Harbor Link.

[I-55]

McComb, MS.

In regards to Effingham, maybe it's a control city due to being at the interchange of two interstates. Even with that in mind, Memphis and Chicago are still the primary control cities on I-57.

Heh. I grew up around McComb, MS. And I agree.

Here's another one on 55 in Mississippi: Grenada. I guess this would make sense though since its the largest city close to the half way point of Memphis and Jackson.

Reminds me of a time when Grenada didn't have to share BGS's with Memphis.

[roadman65]

St Charles County, MO on I-270.

[CoreySamson]

I totally agree with the McComb and Grenada sentiments. Sticking with I-55, Hammond LA, and Blytheville AR also seem to apply.

[SkyPesos]

St Charles County, MO on I-270.

It's for sure an unusual control "city" (think it has been discussed multiple times in St. Louis related threads), but there's more that St. Charles is known for than that control city. Maybe I'm a bit biased here as someone that used to live in St. Charles County.

[kenarmy]

https://www.google.com/maps/@29.9928114,-90.0489109,3a,90y,218.51h,100.52t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sJiyge6t--vlKSkjSvqtk1g!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

Idk if this counts but I haven't seen a business district being signed like this. Why not use Downtown or Central or something else? And there's already a 90 Bus. that 10 has access to. 

[SkyPesos]

https://www.google.com/maps/@29.9928114,-90.0489109,3a,90y,218.51h,100.52t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sJiyge6t--vlKSkjSvqtk1g!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

Idk if this counts but I haven't seen a business district being signed like this. Why not use Downtown or Central or something else? And there's already a 90 Bus. that 10 has access to. 

Seeing "business district" as a control is new to me too, but I like it. A lot of European and Asian cities, specifically European cities, have a difference between downtown/city center and central business district. Although they're mostly the same here in the states, I'm somewhat used to calling downtowns that are also the city's main business district the CBD. I wouldn't mind seeing CBD as the control "city" in some cases.

[TravelingBethelite]

Mokane, population 185, for MO 94 east at the junction of MO 94, US 54, and US 63. It is a rural, rugged road atop the bluffs on the northern side of the Missouri River, with little traffic until the junction with I-64 in Weldon Spring.

https://goo.gl/maps/hEwyv9oRnsRoLSJw7

[US 89]

Deming, NM is the westbound control for I-10 at its junction with I-25 in Las Cruces. Gotta love New Mexico and their attempts to have as few control cities as possible out of state.

[TJS23]

Needles, CA (I-40)
Bishop, CA (US 395, 6)
Eureka, CA (US 101)
Weed, CA (I-5)
Klamath Falls, OR (US 97)

a decent list in my opinion, doubt an east coaster whose never been to CA would know about these cities!

[bing101]

Thru Traffic I-605 in Los Angeles County, CA.

[bulldog1979]

Albert Lea, MN was the first one to come to mind. In Wisconsin, Wausau. It's signed for I-39 NB at the Portage split. It's a well known city within the state, but the large chunk of out-of-state travelers who pass through that interchange have no idea where it is beyond that it's on I-39 (which isn't even technically true because of WISDOT's termini oddities).

Wausau has had a bit of fame as the home to Wausau Insurance. They used to run commercials on 60 Minutes with people spelling the name of company and mispronouncing it: "W-A-U-S-A-U, 'war-sore'", among other catchphrases.

[kenarmy]

I can't for the life of me figure out why Slidell is a control city. On I-12 it makes somewhat sense, but on I-10 it makes 0. Why not just use Biloxi/ Gulfport east of New Orleans? It also isn't even that far out of New Orleans and they are in the same metropolitan area..

[TheStranger]

https://www.google.com/maps/@29.9928114,-90.0489109,3a,90y,218.51h,100.52t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sJiyge6t--vlKSkjSvqtk1g!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

Idk if this counts but I haven't seen a business district being signed like this. Why not use Downtown or Central or something else? And there's already a 90 Bus. that 10 has access to. 

Seeing "business district" as a control is new to me too, but I like it. A lot of European and Asian cities, specifically European cities, have a difference between downtown/city center and central business district. Although they're mostly the same here in the states, I'm somewhat used to calling downtowns that are also the city's main business district the CBD. I wouldn't mind seeing CBD as the control "city" in some cases.

Isn't New Orleans one of the few US cities where CBD is the term for what otherwise would be called "downtown" in other cities?  Philadelphia also has a different term (Center City), and I recall Charlotte's main business district is "uptown".

In the Philippines, "downtown" is not used often, because of the multiplicity of business districts as seen with the following Metro Manila areas:

- Manila's tourist/embassy waterfront area of Ermita vs. the Chinatown-esque Binondo vs. the historic retail and theater core of Quiapo, all of which have CBD characteristics
- Ayala Avenue is generally seen as the Makati CBD but Poblacion has enough development to be downtown-like too
- Quezon City doesn't have a core downtown but does have multiple areas that could be seen as CBDs (Cubao, North EDSA/South Triangle, Eastwood and Ortigas as seen below).
- the Ortigas CBD is shared between 3 different cities (Quezon City, Pasig, and Mandaluyong) even though the entire district is a unified conurbation in its own right
- Bonifacio Global City itself is one CBD with a distinct identity and relatively isolated from other large districts, even though it is in the city of Taguig (and has been subject to territory disputes with nearby Makati and Pateros)
- the Alabang area in Muntinlupa is much more well known on its own than the city it is located in, and is a major control city for Skyway, SLEX, and EDSA

---

Interestingly, in San Francisco while "Downtown SF" is a control city off I-280, I'm not even sure if that term has ever been officially defined.  I like to think of it as the area north of Market, east of Van Ness, and west of Embarcadero (which would incorporate Union Square, Civic Center, the Tenderloin, and even all the way up to Fisherman's Wharf) while more strictly it's probably Financial District which would include both the traditional north of Market skyscrapers and the later South of Market developments.

[kphoger]

Isn't New Orleans one of the few US cities where CBD is the term for what otherwise would be called "downtown" in other cities?  Philadelphia also has a different term (Center City), and I recall Charlotte's main business district is "uptown".

We've had topics about this before.  But anyway, Wichita also uses that term.  I've even seen the exit referred to as "CBD" on a portable VMS.

[SkyPesos]

Isn't New Orleans one of the few US cities where CBD is the term for what otherwise would be called "downtown" in other cities?  Philadelphia also has a different term (Center City), and I recall Charlotte's main business district is "uptown".

In the Philippines, "downtown" is not used often, because of the multiplicity of business districts as seen with the following Metro Manila areas:

- Manila's tourist/embassy waterfront area of Ermita vs. the Chinatown-esque Binondo vs. the historic retail and theater core of Quiapo, all of which have CBD characteristics
- Ayala Avenue is generally seen as the Makati CBD but Poblacion has enough development to be downtown-like too
- Quezon City doesn't have a core downtown but does have multiple areas that could be seen as CBDs (Cubao, North EDSA/South Triangle, Eastwood and Ortigas as seen below).
- the Ortigas CBD is shared between 3 different cities (Quezon City, Pasig, and Mandaluyong) even though the entire district is a unified conurbation in its own right
- Bonifacio Global City itself is one CBD with a distinct identity and relatively isolated from other large districts, even though it is in the city of Taguig (and has been subject to territory disputes with nearby Makati and Pateros)
- the Alabang area in Muntinlupa is much more well known on its own than the city it is located in, and is a major control city for Skyway, SLEX, and EDSA

---

Interestingly, in San Francisco while "Downtown SF" is a control city off I-280, I'm not even sure if that term has ever been officially defined.  I like to think of it as the area north of Market, east of Van Ness, and west of Embarcadero (which would incorporate Union Square, Civic Center, the Tenderloin, and even all the way up to Fisherman's Wharf) while more strictly it's probably Financial District which would include both the traditional north of Market skyscrapers and the later South of Market developments.

For what I know about Shanghai, it's somewhat similar to what you described for Manila; each of the business districts are referred to by their name instead of CBD or downtown, although a case can be made for calling Lujiazhi the CBD. While "downtown" would more refer to Huangpu district, which is where the Bund, Peopls's Square, Nanjing Road, etc are located.

[SkyPesos]

Here's a way to satisfy Weed, CA
- Renumber US 395 to US 97
- Renumber current US 97 to US 420

[Hot Rod Hootenanny]

McComb, MS.

In regards to Effingham, maybe it's a control city due to being at the interchange of two interstates. Even with that in mind, Memphis and Chicago are still the primary control cities on I-57.

Heh. I grew up around McComb, MS. And I agree.

Actually, McComb, MS was the birthplace of Ellias McDaniel, better known to the general public as Bo Diddley.

[kenarmy]

McComb, MS.

In regards to Effingham, maybe it's a control city due to being at the interchange of two interstates. Even with that in mind, Memphis and Chicago are still the primary control cities on I-57.

Heh. I grew up around McComb, MS. And I agree.

Actually, McComb, MS was the birthplace of Ellias McDaniel, better known to the general public as Bo Diddley.

Britney Spears was born there too what an iconic birthplace.

[achilles765]

McComb, MS.

In regards to Effingham, maybe it's a control city due to being at the interchange of two interstates. Even with that in mind, Memphis and Chicago are still the primary control cities on I-57.

Heh. I grew up around McComb, MS. And I agree.

Actually, McComb, MS was the birthplace of Ellias McDaniel, better known to the general public as Bo Diddley.

Britney Spears was born there too what an iconic birthplace.

Britney was actually from Kentwood Louisiana. Which is also where I'm originally from. But, the closest hospital to Kentwood was in McComb and that's where everyone always gave birth. Including my mother.
But it leads to the weird situation where you're from Louisiana but we're born in Mississippi. I hated living right on a state line. My high school was in Mississippi and so was our address even though Louisiana was literally across the street from my house.
When I went to lsu, I was classified as out of state. Thank god I had a full scholarship

[KCRoadFan]

I can't for the life of me figure out why Slidell is a control city. On I-12 it makes somewhat sense, but on I-10 it makes 0. Why not just use Biloxi/ Gulfport east of New Orleans? It also isn't even that far out of New Orleans and they are in the same metropolitan area..

Slidell is at the junction where I-10 meets I-12 and I-59 - although, presumably, eastbound I-10 signs in New Orleans could conceivably read "10 EAST TO 59 - Mobile, Birmingham" ; also, approaching the Slidell interchange, you could have a supplementary guide sign which reads "Gulfport, Biloxi FOLLOW 10 EAST - Meridian, Tuscaloosa FOLLOW 59 NORTH" . Just a thought.