Consistently Least Scenic Highway in your state

[NWI_Irish96]

We had a thread for most scenic, but how about least scenic:

For Indiana it has to be IN 16.

It's 105 miles long.

The largest town it travels through has a population of 1,777.

It crosses one interstate but doesn't have an interchange.

There is one river crossing, the Tippecanoe River at Buffalo, that can be considered to be scenic in the broadest sense of the word. I guess if you're really desperate, the Eel River crossing can be seen as somewhat scenic.

The east terminus is 2 miles from the edge of the Huntington retail corridor, which is by far the closest the highway comes to any type of retail center.

There are no elevation changes to speak of, no winding through wooded areas or along rivers. Pretty much just corn and soybean fields.

I know there are plenty of very boring stretches of road, but for a road to be over 100 miles long and not have anything at all is something.

[STLmapboy]

MO-33

[Max Rockatansky]

CA 137 literally has no scenic value to it.  I-5 does have some scenic segments like the Grapevine Grade but it drags badly in places like San Joaquin Valley on the long route side.  I suspect some might say CA 99 but there is too much uniqueness in the old freeway grades and former US 99 segments to say it doesn't have much to offer.  A lot of the short urban State Highways like CA 114, CA 109, CA 262, and CA 77 are devoid of scenery. 

AZ 72 probably the most boring State Highway followed by AZ 74.  Both are pretty much straight and don't offer much in the way of terrain variances. 

With Florida hands down Florida's Turnpike wins for least scenic.  They entire toll road is a bore to look at and a bore to drive. 

[plain]

VA 35 is probably the least scenic route I've driven in the state.

[sprjus4]

I suspect some might say CA 99 but there is too much uniqueness in the old freeway grades and former US 99 segments to say it doesn't have much to offer.

That, and the fact it parallels railroad along a lot of its length, and has to shift alignment at a lot of exits to accommodate ramps.

[TheHighwayMan3561]

US 12
MN 32
US 59
US 71
MN 4

[NWI_Irish96]

US 12
MN 32
US 59
US 71

US 12 passes by the biggest ball of twine in Minnesota. Automatically ineligible to be least scenic.

[KeithE4Phx]

I-10 in Arizona, at least between metro Phoenix and Tucson.  Long-haul trucks clogging the road ruin the few areas that may be halfway decent.  The most boring stretch of major highway in the state.

[Roadgeekteen]

I-95

[JayhawkCO]

Assuming we're sticking to state highways like my thread of the most scenic, I'm going to nominate CO53.  It runs just for a couple miles through a shitty part of industrial Denver with almost no redeeming value.  You can't even really see the mountains from it and there's no "wide open spaces" vibe like you can at least get from the eastern Colorado "less scenic" routes.  Just a lot of auto body shops, pot holes, parking lots, and questions of "why does this state highway exist?".

Chris

[gonealookin]

Nevada will offer NV 233.  It departs I-80 a ways west of West Wendover and, while NV 233 itself is only about 34 miles, together with Utah 30 it provides a route around the west and north sides of the Great Salt Lake and accompanying desert to I-84.  Not a lot to see out there.  It was a paradise for lizards when young Brigham saw it first; he said, "I've seen some nasty deserts, Lord, but this one here's the worst."

[Roadgeekteen]

Nevada will offer NV 233.  It departs I-80 a ways west of West Wendover and, while NV 233 itself is only about 34 miles, together with Utah 30 it provides a route around the west and north sides of the Great Salt Lake and accompanying desert to I-84.  Not a lot to see out there.  It was a paradise for lizards when young Brigham saw it first; he said, "I've seen some nasty deserts, Lord, but this one here's the worst."

I think that it looks kinda nice, not the best road but not the least scenic.

[Flint1979]

M-57, especially the stretch between M-52 and US-127 but it's bad even west of US-127 as well. Just farm field after farm field after farm field, then you come to Carson City, a true hick town. Towards it's western end it's not as bad but I'd rank the stretch through Genesee County as non scenic. East of M-13 you pass through Montrose, another small town then in between Montrose and Clio you pass a landfill. Clio is nothing special and neither is anything else on M-57.

[NWI_Irish96]

Assuming we're sticking to state highways like my thread of the most scenic, I'm going to nominate CO53.  It runs just for a couple miles through a shitty part of industrial Denver with almost no redeeming value.  You can't even really see the mountains from it and there's no "wide open spaces" vibe like you can at least get from the eastern Colorado "less scenic" routes.  Just a lot of auto body shops, pot holes, parking lots, and questions of "why does this state highway exist?".

Chris

I didn't require that it be a state highway, but I figured in almost every case it would be. Interstates go through population centers, and while cities aren't inherently scenic, at the very least they break up the monotony. I guess it's possible a US Highway could beat out a state highway for least scenic.

[thspfc]

I'd say WI-26. Nothing but corn.

[GaryV]

M-57, ....

I'll see your M-57 and raise you M-85.  A lot of industrial areas (near a quarry, steel, cement and petroleum); loads of retail.

[Flint1979]

M-57, ....

I'll see your M-57 and raise you M-85.  A lot of industrial areas (near a quarry, steel, cement and petroleum); loads of retail.

I never thought M-85 was that bad in the Downriver suburbs but in the city of Detroit it's really nothing interesting as it just runs next to I-75. Now as for M-57 it just has the same scenery over and over and over for miles and it's not an interesting scenery. I think perhaps the most non-scenic part of M-57 is the part in Gratiot County.

[Max Rockatansky]

M-57, ....

I'll see your M-57 and raise you M-85.  A lot of industrial areas (near a quarry, steel, cement and petroleum); loads of retail.

I never thought M-85 was that bad in the Downriver suburbs but in the city of Detroit it's really nothing interesting as it just runs next to I-75. Now as for M-57 it just has the same scenery over and over and over for miles and it's not an interesting scenery. I think perhaps the most non-scenic part of M-57 is the part in Gratiot County.

I kind of dig the dystopian levels of industry on M-85.  I kind of always gave me a weird RoboCop vibe.

[Perfxion]

I-345

[Flint1979]

M-57, ....

I'll see your M-57 and raise you M-85.  A lot of industrial areas (near a quarry, steel, cement and petroleum); loads of retail.

I never thought M-85 was that bad in the Downriver suburbs but in the city of Detroit it's really nothing interesting as it just runs next to I-75. Now as for M-57 it just has the same scenery over and over and over for miles and it's not an interesting scenery. I think perhaps the most non-scenic part of M-57 is the part in Gratiot County.

I kind of dig the dystopian levels of industry on M-85.  I kind of always gave me a weird RoboCop vibe.

Are you talking about closer to the city of Detroit and in the city of Detroit? M-85 just seems like a normal highway going through Southgate/Wyandotte, Riverview and Trenton. But I can see what you mean in Detroit and Lincoln Park.

[Roadgeekteen]

M-57, especially the stretch between M-52 and US-127 but it's bad even west of US-127 as well. Just farm field after farm field after farm field, then you come to Carson City, a true hick town. Towards it's western end it's not as bad but I'd rank the stretch through Genesee County as non scenic. East of M-13 you pass through Montrose, another small town then in between Montrose and Clio you pass a landfill. Clio is nothing special and neither is anything else on M-57.

It's nice if you like farms.

[jp the roadgeek]

Have to go with CT 8.  Any road that passes through the pits known as Bridgeport and Waterbury qualifies.  Then you have a lot of twisty turny suburbia south of Waterbury and a whole lot of nothing save for a brief break in Torrington until you get to US 44.  There's a nice stretch between CT 20 and the MA border, but by then, you've been beaten with an ugly stick.

[Max Rockatansky]

M-57, ....

I'll see your M-57 and raise you M-85.  A lot of industrial areas (near a quarry, steel, cement and petroleum); loads of retail.

I never thought M-85 was that bad in the Downriver suburbs but in the city of Detroit it's really nothing interesting as it just runs next to I-75. Now as for M-57 it just has the same scenery over and over and over for miles and it's not an interesting scenery. I think perhaps the most non-scenic part of M-57 is the part in Gratiot County.

I kind of dig the dystopian levels of industry on M-85.  I kind of always gave me a weird RoboCop vibe.

Are you talking about closer to the city of Detroit and in the city of Detroit? M-85 just seems like a normal highway going through Southgate/Wyandotte, Riverview and Trenton. But I can see what you mean in Detroit and Lincoln Park.

Yes, pretty much as you exit onto it from I-75. 

[Flint1979]

M-57, especially the stretch between M-52 and US-127 but it's bad even west of US-127 as well. Just farm field after farm field after farm field, then you come to Carson City, a true hick town. Towards it's western end it's not as bad but I'd rank the stretch through Genesee County as non scenic. East of M-13 you pass through Montrose, another small town then in between Montrose and Clio you pass a landfill. Clio is nothing special and neither is anything else on M-57.

It's nice if you like farms.

No one is going to enjoy farms as a form of scenery. Looking at beans and corn for miles is not interesting.

[Flint1979]

M-57, ....

I'll see your M-57 and raise you M-85.  A lot of industrial areas (near a quarry, steel, cement and petroleum); loads of retail.

I never thought M-85 was that bad in the Downriver suburbs but in the city of Detroit it's really nothing interesting as it just runs next to I-75. Now as for M-57 it just has the same scenery over and over and over for miles and it's not an interesting scenery. I think perhaps the most non-scenic part of M-57 is the part in Gratiot County.

I kind of dig the dystopian levels of industry on M-85.  I kind of always gave me a weird RoboCop vibe.

Are you talking about closer to the city of Detroit and in the city of Detroit? M-85 just seems like a normal highway going through Southgate/Wyandotte, Riverview and Trenton. But I can see what you mean in Detroit and Lincoln Park.

Yes, pretty much as you exit onto it from I-75.

Ok so down by Lawndale and Springwells area yeah that's a pretty non-scenic part of M-85 but at least you can see the Detroit skyline and Ambassador Bridge if you are heading north/east but going south/west it's rather non-scenic.