Your state’s most important highway in each range?

[hotdogPi]

Greyhound uses NJ 73, not NJ 38.

[Flint1979]

Extended on mine for Michigan since I only did routes 0-99. I'll go above that now.

101-110: I'll go with M-102. It's 8 Mile Road on the Detroit border and runs between I-94 in Harper Woods and M-5 on the Livonia/Farmington Hills border.

111-120: I really would like to say M-119 it's the Tunnel of Trees north of Harbor Springs but I think M-117 in the U.P. which is one of the connections between US-2 and M-28 is above that. There are 10 routes in the U.P. that connect US-2 and M-28.

121-130: I'll go with M-123. It serves the Tahquamenon Falls area. There really isn't another good choice.

131-140: M-134. Doesn't really serve a very populated area but it's basically the only highway running east and west in the very eastern part of the U.P.

141-150: I'd have to go with M-142. It's a short cut across the thumb with a terminus at M-25 on both ends.

151-160: M-153 by far. This is the actual continuation of 0 Mile Road in the Detroit mile road system. It's called Ford Road and east of McGraw at the Dearborn-Detroit city line the 0 Mile continuation is Michigan Avenue (US-12).

161-170: There aren't any routes in Michigan between these numbers.

171-180: There is only one route (M-179) so obviously that's the winner. It serves the Yankee Springs area and runs between US-131 and M-37/M-43.

181-190: M-185. The loop around Mackinac Island and the only state highway in the U.S. to have a ban on automobiles.

191-200: I-196 by far. Connects the Grand Rapids area to I-94 near Benton Harbor.

201-210: This one is hard. M-203 is the longest highway in this range and only 17 miles long connecting Hancock to McLain State Park. M-204 is part of the Leelanau Scenic Heritage Route.

211-220: This range includes Michigan's shortest state highway M-212 and there isn't a significant route in this range.

221-230: Really none of them. M-221, M-222, M-227 are the only three. I would say M-222 connecting Allegan to US-131.

231-240: M-231 is the newest state highway unless another one has opened since 2015 and it is basically a scaled down version of a bypass route for US-31. M-239 would also get some votes for this one though as it connects I-94 to the Michigan/Indiana state line and connects to Indiana State Route 39 just outside of La Porte, Indiana.

241-250: M-247 is the only route in this range. It was once a part of M-47 but is now scaled down to this and M-47 uses US-10's old routing between Saginaw and Midland. M-13 and M-84 are also former parts of M-47. M-247 connects Bay City State Park to M-13.

271-280: I-275 by default.

291-300: M-294 in the Battle Creek area.

311-320: M-311 is the only route in this range. It's in the Battle Creek area.

331-340: M-331 is the only one in this range and it's an unsigned highway in Kalamazoo. At one time this route was a part of US-131.

371-380: I-375 I guess. I hate that highway though because it's one of the freeways that isolates downtown Detroit from the rest of the city.

471-480: I-475 being the only one and serving the Flint area.

491-500: I-496 being the only one and serving the Capital Area.

551-560: M-553 is the only highway in this range formerly a county road serving the Marquette area in the U.P. there use to be a M-554 that ended at M-553 it was less than a mile long and only lasted about 7 years before being turned back to local control.

671-680: I-675 in the Saginaw area is the only highway within this range. It's main purpose for being built was to bypass the old Zilwaukee Bridge which was a drawbridge. When the drawbridge was in the up position it would back traffic up on I-75 for miles. The longest backup that I know of from this bridge being in the up position was backed up all the way to Birch Run, a distance of about 17 miles so I-675 was an important highway serving as a freeway connection to downtown Saginaw and also as a bypass of the old bridge. The new Zilwaukee Bridge is 125 feet high and is a fixed span, this bridge had a major construction accident when it was being built and is now 30 years old.

691-700: I-696, an east-west northern beltline of Detroit. At one time this highway had two sections with the middle section still needing to be completed but now it's one of the busiest highways in the state.

[D-Dey65]

Twenties: US 20. NY 28 is definitely a competitor.

As much as I might be biased towards Long Island, I'd really have to go with NY 22 as the competitor with US 20.

Nineties: I-99, because why not?

Is it finished within New York yet? Because I'm still leaning towards I-95.

[wxfree]

Texas will be fun to write an answer for.

What's the most important FM road in the range of 2870 through 2879?

It would take 350 10-point ranges, plus one to decide between 3550 and 3551.  FMs 4000 and 7550 would win by default because for some reason they're isolated on the numbering system.

[webny99]

Nineties: I-99, because why not?

Is it finished within New York yet? Because I'm still leaning towards I-95.

I-99 is complete and designated from I-86 south to the PA line.
However, my response of I-99 was made completely in jest. I-90 definitely takes the cake, and I-95 is a distant second. I-99 probably isn't even third - that honor goes to NY 96. Even NY 98 is much longer - though not necessarily more important - than I-99.

[doorknob60]

Guess I can try Idaho

0-9: US-2
10-19: I-15
20-29: US-20
30-39: ID-33 (US-30 honorable mention)
40-49: ID-41
50-59: ID-55
60-69: ID-69 or ID-67 (can't pick; 69 is an important suburban commuter route, 67 provides access to Mountain Home AFB)
70-79: ID-75
80-89: I-84
90-99: US-95. Sorry I-90, you're too short in Idaho.

There's only 5 highways 100-200 (6 if you count US-195, which I guess technically counts). Out of them, I-184 wins.

[MantyMadTown]

Taking a shot at WI:
0-9: TIE!!!: 2 and 8 cover important links well as the only two single-digit routes in WI (No state routes under 11).  2 bridges the UP with MN and 8 is a link with MSP to the UP.
10-19: 10 without a doubt.  takes central and western WI traffic to Appleton/Oshkosh (with US-45's help).
20-29: 29 is a major 4-lane expressway connecting MSP via Chippewa Falls with Green Bay and Wausau and a major E-W route.
30-39: 35 is quite the tourist line for running the rivers.  I-39 doesn't count - more later.
40-49: 41, both of them are self-explanatory as the city-side connection to 43's "express" to Green Bay
50-59: 51, Choosing 51 because 39 doesn't go beyond Wausau, but the route connects the UP with Illinois and beyond and links the tourist traps Manitowish and Minocqua
60-69: tough one.  67 connects many links to the Kettle Moraine scenic route.
70-79: 73 is a diagonal route that links major roads to back-road towns like Wis Rapids and Marshfield.
80-89: 83 is a nice local route in the southeast part of the state
90-99: 94, nuff said.
100-above: they're all short routes.  100 is a "belt" around Milwaukee. 441 is a SE belt around Appleton, 172 plays a shortcut south of GB.

South of Portage US 51 is separated from I-39 pretty much the entire route from Portage to Illinois. I would just use I-39 for that entire route.

[Flint1979]

Taking a shot at WI:
0-9: TIE!!!: 2 and 8 cover important links well as the only two single-digit routes in WI (No state routes under 11).  2 bridges the UP with MN and 8 is a link with MSP to the UP.
10-19: 10 without a doubt.  takes central and western WI traffic to Appleton/Oshkosh (with US-45's help).
20-29: 29 is a major 4-lane expressway connecting MSP via Chippewa Falls with Green Bay and Wausau and a major E-W route.
30-39: 35 is quite the tourist line for running the rivers.  I-39 doesn't count - more later.
40-49: 41, both of them are self-explanatory as the city-side connection to 43's "express" to Green Bay
50-59: 51, Choosing 51 because 39 doesn't go beyond Wausau, but the route connects the UP with Illinois and beyond and links the tourist traps Manitowish and Minocqua
60-69: tough one.  67 connects many links to the Kettle Moraine scenic route.
70-79: 73 is a diagonal route that links major roads to back-road towns like Wis Rapids and Marshfield.
80-89: 83 is a nice local route in the southeast part of the state
90-99: 94, nuff said.
100-above: they're all short routes.  100 is a "belt" around Milwaukee. 441 is a SE belt around Appleton, 172 plays a shortcut south of GB.

South of Portage US 51 is separated from I-39 pretty much the entire route from Portage to Illinois. I would just use I-39 for that entire route.

Then south of where it breaks from US-51 it only has about 10-15 miles before it starts it's multiplex with I-90 and I-94.

[MantyMadTown]

Taking a shot at WI:
0-9: TIE!!!: 2 and 8 cover important links well as the only two single-digit routes in WI (No state routes under 11).  2 bridges the UP with MN and 8 is a link with MSP to the UP.
10-19: 10 without a doubt.  takes central and western WI traffic to Appleton/Oshkosh (with US-45's help).
20-29: 29 is a major 4-lane expressway connecting MSP via Chippewa Falls with Green Bay and Wausau and a major E-W route.
30-39: 35 is quite the tourist line for running the rivers.  I-39 doesn't count - more later.
40-49: 41, both of them are self-explanatory as the city-side connection to 43's "express" to Green Bay
50-59: 51, Choosing 51 because 39 doesn't go beyond Wausau, but the route connects the UP with Illinois and beyond and links the tourist traps Manitowish and Minocqua
60-69: tough one.  67 connects many links to the Kettle Moraine scenic route.
70-79: 73 is a diagonal route that links major roads to back-road towns like Wis Rapids and Marshfield.
80-89: 83 is a nice local route in the southeast part of the state
90-99: 94, nuff said.
100-above: they're all short routes.  100 is a "belt" around Milwaukee. 441 is a SE belt around Appleton, 172 plays a shortcut south of GB.

South of Portage US 51 is separated from I-39 pretty much the entire route from Portage to Illinois. I would just use I-39 for that entire route.

Then south of where it breaks from US-51 it only has about 10-15 miles before it starts it's multiplex with I-90 and I-94.

But would you consider it to be the same route because of it? I think that the split of US 51 is important enough for it to be a separate route. If it was merged with I-39 all the way I would make the case for it to be the same route and the most important route in that range. But people take I-39 from Beloit all the way to Wausau, not 51.

As for the part of I-39 where it merges with I-90 and 94, I would still consider those separate interstates and it doesn't make I-39 "part" of those two interstates. They just share the same route. Doesn't make I-39 any less important. If anything it should make I-39 more important because it also carries traffic from those two routes.

[sparker]

Max and Quillz did such a good and extensive job of covering CA; don't have any major additions or modifications.  The only thing I'd offer is to elevate I-15's ranking over I-10 for the following reasons:  I-15 functions as a regional collector from L.A.'s port region as well as the various industrial/distribution centers scattered around the area to the west; it collects traffic from CA 91, CA 60, I-10, and I/CA-210 and shoots it over Cajon Pass to both I-40 and its own northern reaches.  And a case could be made for I-15 and I-40 as part of the principal commercial route from L.A. and its ports to all points east except the very southern tier.  I-10 obviously retains 2nd place in the grouping, but its value as a commercial conduit is largely confined to that tier.  And west of I-15, as mentioned earlier, there are three other major corridors delivering traffic to I-15 from the west besides I-10.  Once it has distributed WB traffic to CA 60, CA 91 (via I-215 south) or CA 210, I-10 is just another E-W L.A. metro freeway. 

[Flint1979]

Taking a shot at WI:
0-9: TIE!!!: 2 and 8 cover important links well as the only two single-digit routes in WI (No state routes under 11).  2 bridges the UP with MN and 8 is a link with MSP to the UP.
10-19: 10 without a doubt.  takes central and western WI traffic to Appleton/Oshkosh (with US-45's help).
20-29: 29 is a major 4-lane expressway connecting MSP via Chippewa Falls with Green Bay and Wausau and a major E-W route.
30-39: 35 is quite the tourist line for running the rivers.  I-39 doesn't count - more later.
40-49: 41, both of them are self-explanatory as the city-side connection to 43's "express" to Green Bay
50-59: 51, Choosing 51 because 39 doesn't go beyond Wausau, but the route connects the UP with Illinois and beyond and links the tourist traps Manitowish and Minocqua
60-69: tough one.  67 connects many links to the Kettle Moraine scenic route.
70-79: 73 is a diagonal route that links major roads to back-road towns like Wis Rapids and Marshfield.
80-89: 83 is a nice local route in the southeast part of the state
90-99: 94, nuff said.
100-above: they're all short routes.  100 is a "belt" around Milwaukee. 441 is a SE belt around Appleton, 172 plays a shortcut south of GB.

South of Portage US 51 is separated from I-39 pretty much the entire route from Portage to Illinois. I would just use I-39 for that entire route.

Then south of where it breaks from US-51 it only has about 10-15 miles before it starts it's multiplex with I-90 and I-94.

But would you consider it to be the same route because of it? I think that the split of US 51 is important enough for it to be a separate route. If it was merged with I-39 all the way I would make the case for it to be the same route and the most important route in that range. But people take I-39 from Beloit all the way to Wausau, not 51.

As for the part of I-39 where it merges with I-90 and 94, I would still consider those separate interstates and it doesn't make I-39 "part" of those two interstates. They just share the same route. Doesn't make I-39 any less important. If anything it should make I-39 more important because it also carries traffic from those two routes.

Honestly, south of Rockford I don't see any reason to have it called I-39 over US-51 since it's the same route. The route of I-39 being an Interstate doesn't make much sense, you could have the whole thing called US-51, at Rockford you have I-90 than I-94 at Madison so US-51 wouldn't need to follow those routes and north of Beloit it could follow it's current route and have the stretch between I-90/94 and where US-51 and I-39 split north of Portage called an I-x90 or I-x94 odd number to that split then US-51 north of it. You get to Wassau and the freeway just stops being I-39 and continues as the same type of freeway north of there as US-51. So I'm saying the entire route of I-39 except for the short stretch between I-90/94 and the US-51 split north of Portage should be US-51. What's funny is that I-39, I-41 and I-43 are all east of much of I-55's routing, the only part of I-55 that isn't east of them is between Springfield and Chicago.

I like US-51 it follows I-55 for a long time too and goes through some run down cities.

[MantyMadTown]

Yeah that pretty brings up the point that the interstate numbering is very weird in lots of areas. There should be a renumbering scheme in place to make sure the interstates are numbered in their proper location.

[Flint1979]

Yeah that pretty brings up the point that the interstate numbering is very weird in lots of areas. There should be a renumbering scheme in place to make sure the interstates are numbered in their proper location.

You could but that would bring up a lot of confusion I think. Actually with the exception of the stretch around Portage, I-39 shares a route with at least one other route number in it's entirety. Another thing, north of Portage where does it get it's exit numbers from because they are not based on the mileage of I-39, the first exit north of the split is 84 and it's at I-39's mile 79 in the state.

I guess I just don't understand why a highway is signed as an Interstate for 100 miles then just stops being an Interstate when the routing of a US highway multiplexes it for the entire length except for the 8 mile stretch around Portage. It seems more like one of the longer 3-di's than a mainline Interstate. The freeway keeps going for another 50 miles to just north of US-8 and I wouldn't have it be a freeway all the way to Hurley but I still think it should just be US-51 and not I-39 at all but keep the freeway.

[TheHighwayMan3561]

Another thing, north of Portage where does it get it's exit numbers from because they are not based on the mileage of I-39, the first exit north of the split is 84 and it's at I-39's mile 79 in the state.

US 51?

[Flint1979]

Another thing, north of Portage where does it get it's exit numbers from because they are not based on the mileage of I-39, the first exit north of the split is 84 and it's at I-39's mile 79 in the state.

US 51?

Really? This is on a stretch where it's not multiplexed with US-51.

[froggie]

If it's not concurrent with US 51, it's not north of Portage.  Are you referring to where 39 is adjacent to or south of Portage?  In that case, they'd be based off of WI 78, as that's what it was between 90/94 and 51 on the north side of Portage before I-39 was extended.

[TheHighwayMan3561]

If it's not concurrent with US 51, it's not north of Portage.  Are you referring to where 39 is adjacent to or south of Portage?  In that case, they'd be based off of WI 78, as that's what it was between 90/94 and 51 on the north side of Portage before I-39 was extended.

I'm not sure WIS 78 fits either, as it's 92 miles in length and the first I-39 exit beyond the Cascade is Exit 84.

Maybe it's just another US 10-type hackjob.

[Flint1979]

Ok I did some further reading up on I-39 and it's mileage is indeed based on US-51 north of Portage. Wisconsin SR-78 is 92 miles long and the first exit is 84 so I'm not thinking it was based on that highway's mileage.

[tribar]

Yeah that pretty brings up the point that the interstate numbering is very weird in lots of areas. There should be a renumbering scheme in place to make sure the interstates are numbered in their proper location.

No they shouldn't. Why waste the time and money to change countless signs and potentially confuse locals by changing roads they're familiar with just so the grid can be perfect? It's never going to be perfect.

[Flint1979]

Yeah that pretty brings up the point that the interstate numbering is very weird in lots of areas. There should be a renumbering scheme in place to make sure the interstates are numbered in their proper location.

No they shouldn't. Why waste the time and money to change countless signs and potentially confuse locals by changing roads they're familiar with just so the grid can be perfect? It's never going to be perfect.

Creating I-41 was equally as time wasting.

[Flint1979]

I can't remember what post this was in but either yesterday or the day before I noticed that upon entering Illinois from Indiana on I-80/94 exit 160 appears before 161 does and we all know that the exit numbers increase as you are going east so the last exit in Illinois should have the highest number. However exit 160 appears before 161 does and looking at the sign I thought to myself I bet the exit ramp for 160 is before 161 and sure enough that's the case. So why are the numbers backwards there? This is obviously I-80's mileage in the state since I-80 is 163 miles in Illinois to I-94's 77 miles. And then for some odd reason it uses I-294's mileage along the I-80/294 multiplex.

[TheHighwayMan3561]

Ok I did some further reading up on I-39 and it's mileage is indeed based on US-51 north of Portage. Wisconsin SR-78 is 92 miles long and the first exit is 84 so I'm not thinking it was based on that highway's mileage.

I think this was a sensible move so you don't suddenly have mileposts shifting by about 5, which could cause confusion with regard to road safety.

[stchuckroadgeek]

For Missouri here is my take(although slightly St. Louis centric).

0-9 - MO 5 -  Lake of Ozarks enough said
10 - 19 - MO 19
20 - 29 - I-29
30 - 39 - I-35
40 - 49 - Statewide I-44, St. Louis - Highway Farty
50 - 59 - I-55
60 - 69 - US 63
70 - 79 - I-70 - KC to STL enough said
80 - 89 - Nothing that I know
90 to 99 - MO 94 - Major Suburban Route in St. Louis Area
100 to 109 - MO 100 - Manchester Road and also parts of old US 66
110 to 169 - MO 115
170 to 179 - I-170
180 to 199 - MO 180
200 to 299 - I-270
300 to 399 - MO 370
400 to 499 - I-435
500 to 599 - None
600 to 699 - I-670

[hotdogPi]

100 to 109 - MO 100 - Manchester Road and also parts of old US 66
110 to 169 - MO 115
170 to 179 - I-170
180 to 199 - MO 180

That's not how ranges work.

[apeman33]

I guess I can try Kansas:

1-9: None of the routes that exist go through an especially important town except K-4, which goes through Topeka. So I guess that by default.
10-19: K-10 without a doubt.
20-29: U.S. 24
30-39: I-35
40-49: The parts of U.S. 40 that aren't concurrent with I-70.
50-59: The part of U.S. 50 that aren't concurrent with I-35 or I-435
60-69: U.S. 69
70-79: I-70
80-89: U.S. 83 since U.S. 81 is mostly concurrent with I-135.
90-99: The part of K-96 that remains because the only place of importance K-99 passes through is Emporia.
100-109: None of these routes are very long. I'm picking K-105 over K-102 or K-103 but they are probably of equal importance.
110-119: K-113 due to its function as a bypass of Manhattan.
120-129: K-126, the pick in a range without a really important route.
130-139: I-135
140-149: K-140
150-159: K-156
160-169: A close call but I'm going with U.S. 169
170-179: K-177
180-189: U.S. 183
190-199: K-196
200-209: K-204 (the only other one is K-209)
210-219: None of the routes in this range is longer than two miles and they're all spurs that lead into small towns. Therefore, K-211, K-214, K-215, K-216 and K-218 (the ones that currently exist) are all tied.
220-229: K-223 and K-228, the only ones that currently exist, are tied.
230-239: I-235
240-249: Like most of the 200s so far, all these routes are extremely short. The longest is 6 miles. However, K-249 wins because of its function as a shortcut between K-99 and K-58 in Madison.
250-259: K-254
260-269: More K-spurs, the longest about 8 miles. Tie for K-260, K-261, K-264, K-266, K-267 and K-268.
270-279: U.S. 270 has no real importance since it only exists in Kansas because Oklahoma won't truncate the redundant part of it in the northwest part of the state. K-276, K-278 and K-279 are short spurs, so a 3-way tie with those.
280-289: Tough call between U.S 281 and U.S. 283. The edge might go to 281 because it goes through a couple of more important towns.
290-299: There were only ever two and they don't exist anymore.
300-399: I-335
400-499: There is U.S. 400, I-435 and I-470. That's it. And I'd argue they're equally important because of their functions. However, even though I don't have anything against the number, U.S. 400 west of Wichita is a joke. That leaves I-435 and I-470 and in that case, I'd argue I-435 is much, much more important.
And the rest: The only numbers higher than 470 in Kansas are I-635 and I-670. I-670 is very short on the Kansas side, so it's 635 by default.