How many states have "Secret" Routes?

[Max Rockatansky]

This thread is about secret route systems.

Yeah and (I assume that was directed at me)?  Regarding California you won't find those rogue shields on anything you can track down in Caltrans Postmile Tool, certainly not in the Legislative Route descriptions.  There is no for someone in field to know that the likes of CA 275 and CA 283 even exist as State Highways unless they had some sort of knowledge of the State inventory.  If we are going to use the spur of I-10 in downtown Los Angeles I would think the latter qualifies as well.  I would certainly think unsigned "U"  Postmile Routes would probably qualify as something of a secret. 

[Brandon]

Illinois has a number of these.  Outside of the Chicago District of IDOT they are occasionally given reference markers.  Inside the Chicago District of IDOT there are number of unmarked routes where they only way to tell whose road it is is by official maps.

Completely bizarre that Google is calling it "State Route 522".  There is no Route 522 in Illinois.

[roadman65]

NJ has three I'm aware of: the NJ Turnpike south of where I-95 joins up (unsigned route 700),
The Garden State Parkway (unsigned route 444), and the Atlantic City Expressway (unsigned route 446).

And there would have been even more had it not been for those meddlin' traffic signal blades (59, 64) and enhanced mileposts (13, 167)!

What about the Palisades Parkway?

[3467]

You can deduce there are at least a couple of thousand miles of them in Illinois subtracting the signed route mileage from IDOT miles. They are in the multi year plans. Look the end of the signed routes in each district but before local projects which are muni or county projects of special IDOT funding.
Some are major. Illinois 255 started there as unnumbered Alton Bypass. Lebanon bypass is in the current.

[hbelkins]

West Virginia has a handful of unsigned primary routes, such as Alt. WV 72.

Additionally, West Virginia also has some unsigned state routes, albeit still functioning as secondary routes:

WV-372 (East Lynn to Branchland)
WV-401 (West Liberty to I-40 near Valley Grove)
WV-471 (Cairo to Cisco)
WV-473 (Glenville to Burnt House)
WV-507 (Former Alt US-22 in Weirton), marked as CR-507
WV-701 (Pine Grove to Wileyville)
WV-703 (Wadestown to Rivesville), with a notation that these segments were never signed
WV-707 (portion north of WV-279 FBI Drive in Clarksburg), formerly all of FBI Drive was signed as CR-707
WV-922 (Reedsville to US-119 near Halleck)

There are also some existing roads that have assigned future state route numbers, where in many cases the roads have not yet been upgraded.  In a few cases, the route is not connected all the way through to the destinations.  None of these are in the same category as "secret" state routes overlaid on US highways (and/or Interstate highways) in Georgia and Florida.

You mean I don't have the WV primary system clinched?

And source for these numbers? The official county maps I have seen don't show them as primary (square) routes, but as county (circle) routes.

[formulanone]

Illinois has a number of these.  Outside of the Chicago District of IDOT they are occasionally given reference markers.  Inside the Chicago District of IDOT there are number of unmarked routes where they only way to tell whose road it is is by official maps.

Completely bizarre that Google is calling it "State Route 522".  There is no Route 522 in Illinois.

Google sometimes displays decommissioned routes as well as the secondary, hidden, secret ones. Not sure what the methodology is, but I guess it's only as good the information supplied combined with any overzealousness of its contributors...?

[Brandon]

Illinois has a number of these.  Outside of the Chicago District of IDOT they are occasionally given reference markers.  Inside the Chicago District of IDOT there are number of unmarked routes where they only way to tell whose road it is is by official maps.

Completely bizarre that Google is calling it "State Route 522".  There is no Route 522 in Illinois.

Google sometimes displays decommissioned routes as well as the secondary, hidden, secret ones. Not sure what the methodology is, but I guess it's only as good the information supplied combined with any overzealousness of its contributors...?

However, this is neither.  The secret route is a four digit number, and 522 has never existed in Illinois.

[Mapmikey]

West Virginia has a handful of unsigned primary routes, such as Alt. WV 72.

Additionally, West Virginia also has some unsigned state routes, albeit still functioning as secondary routes:

WV-372 (East Lynn to Branchland)
WV-401 (West Liberty to I-40 near Valley Grove)
WV-471 (Cairo to Cisco)
WV-473 (Glenville to Burnt House)
WV-507 (Former Alt US-22 in Weirton), marked as CR-507
WV-701 (Pine Grove to Wileyville)
WV-703 (Wadestown to Rivesville), with a notation that these segments were never signed
WV-707 (portion north of WV-279 FBI Drive in Clarksburg), formerly all of FBI Drive was signed as CR-707
WV-922 (Reedsville to US-119 near Halleck)

There are also some existing roads that have assigned future state route numbers, where in many cases the roads have not yet been upgraded.  In a few cases, the route is not connected all the way through to the destinations.  None of these are in the same category as "secret" state routes overlaid on US highways (and/or Interstate highways) in Georgia and Florida.

You mean I don't have the WV primary system clinched?

And source for these numbers? The official county maps I have seen don't show them as primary (square) routes, but as county (circle) routes.

See this link and check the two links on that page. The list is actually longer, but IMO these are not current state highways but may be someday ...http://www.vahighways.com/wvannex/route-log/wv701.htm

[oscar]

Illinois has a number of these.  Outside of the Chicago District of IDOT they are occasionally given reference markers.  Inside the Chicago District of IDOT there are number of unmarked routes where they only way to tell whose road it is is by official maps.

Completely bizarre that Google is calling it "State Route 522".  There is no Route 522 in Illinois.

Google sometimes displays decommissioned routes as well as the secondary, hidden, secret ones. Not sure what the methodology is, but I guess it's only as good the information supplied combined with any overzealousness of its contributors...?

And sometimes Google Maps just pulls stuff out of its ass, without regard to signage in the field or official route designations.

As you might gather, I don't trust Google Maps at all.

[Old Dominionite]

Some state-maintained routes in Virginia that serve state universities, parks, or institutions are intentionally not signed by VDOT, as the designation does not provide any meaningful navigational aid. In this sense those routes could be considered "secret."

[Dirt Roads]

West Virginia has a handful of unsigned primary routes, such as Alt. WV 72.

Additionally, West Virginia also has some unsigned state routes, albeit still functioning as secondary routes:

WV-372 (East Lynn to Branchland)
WV-401 (West Liberty to I-40 near Valley Grove)
WV-471 (Cairo to Cisco)
WV-473 (Glenville to Burnt House)
WV-507 (Former Alt US-22 in Weirton), marked as CR-507
WV-701 (Pine Grove to Wileyville)
WV-703 (Wadestown to Rivesville), with a notation that these segments were never signed
WV-707 (portion north of WV-279 FBI Drive in Clarksburg), formerly all of FBI Drive was signed as CR-707
WV-922 (Reedsville to US-119 near Halleck)

There are also some existing roads that have assigned future state route numbers, where in many cases the roads have not yet been upgraded.  In a few cases, the route is not connected all the way through to the destinations.  None of these are in the same category as "secret" state routes overlaid on US highways (and/or Interstate highways) in Georgia and Florida.

You mean I don't have the WV primary system clinched?

And source for these numbers? The official county maps I have seen don't show them as primary (square) routes, but as county (circle) routes.

See this link and check the two links on that page. The list is actually longer, but IMO these are not current state highways but may be someday ...http://www.vahighways.com/wvannex/route-log/wv701.htm

Mapmikey references the Control Destination listings from 1993 and 2015.  I'm pretty sure that these secret routes (or most of them) go back further, but I can't find any references.  Also, there was a slightly different version published in 2006.  I've got a direct reference, but not the actual listing.

West Virginia DOT also has unsigned routes for parks and forests (P&F) routes, but the only ones for which that I can find reference are in the 2019 Reserved Route listing.  There are a number of "county" roads listed, but one future state route:  WV-125 (New River Parkway).  https://transportation.wv.gov/highways/StrategicPerformance/gti/Highway_Data_Services/Documents/Reserved_Route_Listing.pdf

[Dirt Roads]

West Virginia has a handful of unsigned primary routes, such as Alt. WV 72.

Additionally, West Virginia also has some unsigned state routes, albeit still functioning as secondary routes:

WV-372 (East Lynn to Branchland)
WV-401 (West Liberty to I-40 near Valley Grove)
WV-471 (Cairo to Cisco)
WV-473 (Glenville to Burnt House)
WV-507 (Former Alt US-22 in Weirton), marked as CR-507
WV-701 (Pine Grove to Wileyville)
WV-703 (Wadestown to Rivesville), with a notation that these segments were never signed
WV-707 (portion north of WV-279 FBI Drive in Clarksburg), formerly all of FBI Drive was signed as CR-707
WV-922 (Reedsville to US-119 near Halleck)

There are also some existing roads that have assigned future state route numbers, where in many cases the roads have not yet been upgraded.  In a few cases, the route is not connected all the way through to the destinations.  None of these are in the same category as "secret" state routes overlaid on US highways (and/or Interstate highways) in Georgia and Florida.

Oops!  I was hunting for additional state route data and something popped up on the websearch about WV-204.  I didn't recall that there were any of the secret routes below the number 350.  Looks like there are also unsigned routes WV-301 and WV-303.  The listing also includes WV-201, but this route is signed as WV-193. (Inconceivable!) 

Add the following to the list above (and there might be more):

WV-204 (Meadow Bridge to Danese)
WV-301 (Salt Rock to Milton)
WV-303 (Hamlin to unsigned WV-301 near Prarietown)

[wxfree]

Texas has the PASS (Principle Arterial Street System) system.  They're described as "city streets included in the State Highway System."  I'm not sure how to read that.  If US 58 runs along Main St., then Main St. isn't a city street on the state highway system, it's the city name for the part of that highway in the city.  It isn't a city street, it's just a city name.  That's how I see it.  I don't know what a city street on the state highway system is.  It seems to be state funding and designation for a city street, which should make it a state highway, but somehow doesn't.  It's a non-state highway part of the state highway system.  I've never seen one signed, but I seem to remember someone on here telling me that there is one signed, I think in San Antonio.

[Dirt Roads]

West Virginia has a handful of unsigned primary routes, such as Alt. WV 72.

Additionally, West Virginia also has some unsigned state routes, albeit still functioning as secondary routes:

WV-372 (East Lynn to Branchland)
WV-401 (West Liberty to I-40 near Valley Grove)
WV-471 (Cairo to Cisco)
WV-473 (Glenville to Burnt House)
WV-507 (Former Alt US-22 in Weirton), marked as CR-507
WV-701 (Pine Grove to Wileyville)
WV-703 (Wadestown to Rivesville), with a notation that these segments were never signed
WV-707 (portion north of WV-279 FBI Drive in Clarksburg), formerly all of FBI Drive was signed as CR-707
WV-922 (Reedsville to US-119 near Halleck)

There are also some existing roads that have assigned future state route numbers, where in many cases the roads have not yet been upgraded.  In a few cases, the route is not connected all the way through to the destinations.  None of these are in the same category as "secret" state routes overlaid on US highways (and/or Interstate highways) in Georgia and Florida.

You mean I don't have the WV primary system clinched?

Good question.  First off, I don't think any of these roads are listed as "state primary" routes.  But the LSR routes in West Virginia appear to be funded as "state primary" routes.  So yes, if you haven't run all of the LSR routes you probably don't have the WV primary system clinched.  There was a previous thread on LSR routes:  https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=22550.0

WV-507 was the only "secret" route that I had on my listing, but it looks like DOH treats it as an LSR (which means that it must have been posted and later downgraded).  By the time I clinched it, it was already marked as CR-507 (even though my map showed it as WV-507).  I had always assumed that it was never posted as WV-507 after decommissioning Alt US-22.

Face it H.B., we are now old enough that there many reasons that we have become Unclinched!  I started keeping a mental track of clinched highways back in the 1960s and 1970s, well before I could drive.  It's getting really hard to keep track of all of the routes/counties/states that shouldn't be counted anymore.

[US 89]

I've never seen one signed, but I seem to remember someone on here telling me that there is one signed, I think in San Antonio.

Yep, Wurzbach Parkway is signed as PA 1502, both from I-35 and on the road itself.

[Bitmapped]

West Virginia has a handful of unsigned primary routes, such as Alt. WV 72.

Additionally, West Virginia also has some unsigned state routes, albeit still functioning as secondary routes:

WV-372 (East Lynn to Branchland)
WV-401 (West Liberty to I-40 near Valley Grove)
WV-471 (Cairo to Cisco)
WV-473 (Glenville to Burnt House)
WV-507 (Former Alt US-22 in Weirton), marked as CR-507
WV-701 (Pine Grove to Wileyville)
WV-703 (Wadestown to Rivesville), with a notation that these segments were never signed
WV-707 (portion north of WV-279 FBI Drive in Clarksburg), formerly all of FBI Drive was signed as CR-707
WV-922 (Reedsville to US-119 near Halleck)

There are also some existing roads that have assigned future state route numbers, where in many cases the roads have not yet been upgraded.  In a few cases, the route is not connected all the way through to the destinations.  None of these are in the same category as "secret" state routes overlaid on US highways (and/or Interstate highways) in Georgia and Florida.

Oops!  I was hunting for additional state route data and something popped up on the websearch about WV-204.  I didn't recall that there were any of the secret routes below the number 350.  Looks like there are also unsigned routes WV-301 and WV-303.  The listing also includes WV-201, but this route is signed as WV-193. (Inconceivable!) 

Add the following to the list above (and there might be more):

WV-204 (Meadow Bridge to Danese)
WV-301 (Salt Rock to Milton)
WV-303 (Hamlin to unsigned WV-301 near Prarietown)

None of these routes actually exist. They were someone's dream for a vastly expanded WV route network documented in a Traffic Engineering Directive from 25+ years ago. They've never been officially designated or signed. All of the roads along their apparent routes still have their original county route designations.

You mean I don't have the WV primary system clinched?

Good question.  First off, I don't think any of these roads are listed as "state primary" routes.  But the LSR routes in West Virginia appear to be funded as "state primary" routes.  So yes, if you haven't run all of the LSR routes you probably don't have the WV primary system clinched.  There was a previous thread on LSR routes:  https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=22550.0

WV-507 was the only "secret" route that I had on my listing, but it looks like DOH treats it as an LSR (which means that it must have been posted and later downgraded).  By the time I clinched it, it was already marked as CR-507 (even though my map showed it as WV-507).  I had always assumed that it was never posted as WV-507 after decommissioning Alt US-22.

"LSR" routes are county routes, they just generally get better signage comparable to if they were a WV route. Some have been WV or US routes in the past like CR 21 (former US 21) or CR 151 (former US 33), but others like CR 857 have never been state routes. There is no inherent automatic funding difference in WVDOH's funding scheme based on if the road has a US/WV/county route shield, or if it is one of those "LSR" routes. Also, that "LSR" designation isn't an official classification. They are county routes, and I've never seen that designation used outside of the one control cities Traffic Engineering Directive.

For route-clinching purposes, if you have all of the WV system routes, you're good.

[Bickendan]

The ORH system in Oregon.

[bing101]

All Interstates and US routes in Georgia have a hidden state designation, if that counts. I-75, for example, is also GA-401.

Also, there's something weird going on with I-10 in Los Angeles. I couldn't tell for sure what it is, though.

I-10 has an unsigned spur which connects to US 101.  It was once part of US 60/70/99 and was briefly I-105.

It's CA-10 and El Monte Busway.

[bing101]

This thread is about secret route systems.

Yeah and (I assume that was directed at me)?  Regarding California you won't find those rogue shields on anything you can track down in Caltrans Postmile Tool, certainly not in the Legislative Route descriptions.  There is no for someone in field to know that the likes of CA 275 and CA 283 even exist as State Highways unless they had some sort of knowledge of the State inventory.  If we are going to use the spur of I-10 in downtown Los Angeles I would think the latter qualifies as well.  I would certainly think unsigned "U"  Postmile Routes would probably qualify as something of a secret.

CA-244 is also on that list too.

[Max Rockatansky]

This thread is about secret route systems.

Yeah and (I assume that was directed at me)?  Regarding California you won't find those rogue shields on anything you can track down in Caltrans Postmile Tool, certainly not in the Legislative Route descriptions.  There is no for someone in field to know that the likes of CA 275 and CA 283 even exist as State Highways unless they had some sort of knowledge of the State inventory.  If we are going to use the spur of I-10 in downtown Los Angeles I would think the latter qualifies as well.  I would certainly think unsigned "U"  Postmile Routes would probably qualify as something of a secret.

CA-244 is also on that list too.

Kind of, but also not really.  Highways line CA 244 and CA 222 don't have shields but have in-field Postmile Paddles.  Some others I know for sure don't have shields and Postmile Paddles are; CA 211 and what little is left of CA 225.  (Come to think of it CA 211 might have a bridge ID which would display a Postmile and thusly make the Route not hidden/secret). 

[oscar]

Some others I know for sure don't have shields and Postmile Paddles are; CA 211 and what little is left of CA 225.  (Come to think of it CA 211 might have a bridge ID which would display a Postmile and thusly make the Route not hidden/secret). 

When I clinched CA 211 in 2017, there was one key junction with no route signage to mark a turn (I think in Fernbridge, just north of the Eel River bridge) which made it hard to follow the route, but IIRC route signage was otherwise adequate.

[Max Rockatansky]

Some others I know for sure don't have shields and Postmile Paddles are; CA 211 and what little is left of CA 225.  (Come to think of it CA 211 might have a bridge ID which would display a Postmile and thusly make the Route not hidden/secret). 

When I clinched CA 211 in 2017, there was one key junction with no route signage to mark a turn (I think in Fernbridge, just north of the Eel River bridge) which made it hard to follow the route, but IIRC route signage was otherwise adequate.

I want to say that I did 211 from southbound 101.  I might have an answer as to the current signage status come Columbus Day weekend. 

[cpzilliacus]

In Maryland, every road open to the public has a route number. There are dozens of suffixed state
routes that are frequently leftovers in the state system after reconstruction or realignment that
remain under state maintenance for no especially good reason and are almost never signed.

But roads maintained by the counties and by the municipalities all have "secret" route numbers that
are never put on a sign.  This also applies to the federal parkways - the Baltimore-Washington Parkway
has a "secret" state route number (MD-295), the other NPS motor roads (Suitland Parkway and Clara
Barton Parkway and the roads in National Park Service properties like Catoctin Mountain Park and
Assateague Island National Seashore have "secret" federal government route numbers that are
similarly never signed.

[Old Dominionite]

This thread started making me think about whether or not some routes that are currently signed should be considered "secret."

I think of Virginia's vast secondary highway system. In rural areas it makes sense to sign many of these routes, as they provide some measure of navigational aid where roads are relatively far and few between. However, in more densely-populated suburban and urban areas (e.g., Fairfax County, Loudoun County, Prince William County, Chesterfield County, etc.), signing residential streets and most arterials (even with just VDOT's signature white blade) makes no sense. These signed route numbers provide little to no navigational aid, especially since the general public typically refers to these roads by their names. I find it a colossal waste of money.

[DJ Particle]

This also applies to the federal parkways - the Baltimore-Washington Parkway
has a "secret" state route number (MD-295)

Isn't the northernmost end of the parkway actually signed as MD-295?