CHALLENGE: Driving coast-to-coast without using numbered routes?

[DandyDan]

I believe that the first "unnumbered" crossing of the Mississippi is the Parrish Avenue Bridge in Elk River, but it might be signed as CR-42.  The next one might be better, the University Bridge in St. Cloud.

There's plenty of crossings within St. Paul and Minneapolis that work as well. I don't know why I missed that earlier.

[Scott5114]

Now hang on just a minute here. Nothing says the entire route has to be within the United States, just that it has to go from one coast to the other. So perhaps it would be more feasible finding a route that cuts through Mexico to cross the Rockies.

[CNGL-Leudimin]

Nice point, I'm going to find a route that goes across Spain, using only provincial roads or lower (or in autonomous communities consisting of only one province, anything below "green" road status), as I'll finish way quicker than in the USA . Technically I can use any road in the Basque Country xD.

Now seriously, I'm still trying to connect Gunnison CO and Cibola AZ, which is the last remaining piece to solve this challenge. However, it may be easier to go through Northern Nevada and Utah, but then we get confronted by the Wasatch mountains to get to that relatively easy crossing of the divide that is the Great Divide Basin.

Edit: Definitely it can be done, although it requires using a great deal of unpaved roads, especially out West. I managed to find a route not using Interstate, US or state routes from the Great Divide Basin all the way to the Pacific Coast at Shelter Cove, California, although it requires a lot of backtracking: Near Logan, Utah it requires going all the way up to Idaho in order to avoid any state routes, and also I had to go into Idaho to cross the NV 225/ID 51 barrier, only to swing back South to Golconda, Nevada and go South of I-80 for a while to get across US 95. Luckily the Humboldt river has several unnumbered crossings around Winnemucca.

[TheGrassGuy]

If any of you find such a route, list it.

[CNGL-Leudimin]

I'm working on that Eastwards. I've now reached the Mississippi at St. Louis, there are a few key points. Missouri is surprisingly hard to cross, one has to go all the way to the MO D bridge (near I-44) to cross the Gasconde River (I thought there was another downstream, but I've found it's actually MO 89, not MO E). Osage River is easier to cross: just do it atop Bagnell Dam. Thence in a Northwest stairstep to the Platte River, but stay South of it, and cross the South Platte River at Brule, Nebraska. From there it should be relatively easy to reach the Great Divide Basin. Also, I didn't say in my addendum to the previous post, aim at Randolph, Utah from the Great Divide Basin, going that way it should be easy to cross several numbered highways. Other than the detour I detailed crossing Utah should be easy, and the route I noted will do it through Nevada. In California one has to stay South of CA 36 and cross the Sacramento river on CR A8.

I still have to find a route East from the Eads and MLK bridges back to the East Coast in order to accomplish the challenge.

And a further note (I don't need it for my route): If one wants to start or end in Washington state, one must cross the Priest Rapids Dam in order to get across the Columbia River. And it requires quite some backtracking too.

[Max Rockatansky]

I'm working on that Eastwards. I've now reached the Mississippi at St. Louis, there are a few key points. Missouri is surprisingly hard to cross, one has to go all the way to the MO D bridge (near I-44) to cross the Gasconde River (I thought there was another downstream, but I've found it's actually MO 89, not MO E). Osage River is easier to cross: just do it atop Bagnell Dam. Thence in a Northwest stairstep to the Platte River, but stay South of it, and cross the South Platte River at Brule, Nebraska. From there it should be relatively easy to reach the Great Divide Basin. Also, I didn't say in my addendum to the previous post, aim at Randolph, Utah from the Great Divide Basin, going that way it should be easy to cross several numbered highways. Other than the detour I detailed crossing Utah should be easy, and the route I noted will do it through Nevada. In California one has to stay South of CA 36 and cross the Sacramento river on CR A8.

I still have to find a route East from the Eads and MLK bridges back to the East Coast in order to accomplish the challenge.

And a further note (I don't need it for my route): If one wants to start or end in Washington state, one must cross the Priest Rapids Dam in order to get across the Columbia River. And it requires quite some backtracking too.

What road gets across the northern Sierras just south of 36?  There isn't a lot to work with between 32, 36, 172, 89, and 70. 

[CNGL-Leudimin]

I'm using unpaved roads to get across some areas, some of which may not even be marked in Google Maps (notably the unpaved road I use between Golconda and Winnemucca, Nevada; although satellite imagery shows it does exist). This breaks OP's rules, a result of working with OpenStreetMap instead. In that area, I go from CR A3 to CA 89 at Greenville (crossing US 395 a bit North of the Southern CR A3 junction), then roughly Seneca-Butt Valley Reservoir-Butte Meadows to CA 32, then back North to get near CA 99 but without reaching it, and down to the CR A8 bridge (since the Sacramento River bridges in Red Bluff are either I-5 or CA 36).

I think I can work a coast-to-coast route by now. I only need to get across Pennsylvania and meet with noelbotevera's route across New Jersey to finish it. Thank God there's a bridge over the Susquehanna River at Harrisburg that doesn't form part of a numbered route (or at least a signed one).

[Max Rockatansky]

I'm using unpaved roads to get across some areas, some of which may not even be marked in Google Maps (notably the unpaved road I use between Golconda and Winnemucca, Nevada; although satellite imagery shows it does exist). This breaks OP's rules, a result of working with OpenStreetMap instead. In that area, I go from CR A3 to CA 89 at Greenville (crossing US 395 a bit North of the Southern CR A3 junction), then roughly Seneca-Butt Valley Reservoir-Butte Meadows to CA 32, then back North to get near CA 99 but without reaching it, and down to the CR A8 bridge (since the Sacramento River bridges in Red Bluff are either I-5 or CA 36).

I think I can work a coast-to-coast route by now. I only need to get across Pennsylvania and meet with the OP's route across New Jersey to finish it. Thank God there's a bridge over the Susquehanna River at Harrisburg that doesn't form part of a numbered route (or at least a signed one).

You might be able to identify the designations of the roads you're looking at on the Forest Service Interactive Map.   I figured there had to be something in the Cascades that I wasn't aware of that doesn't show up on Google Maps. 

[NWI_Irish96]

I'm using unpaved roads to get across some areas, some of which may not even be marked in Google Maps (notably the unpaved road I use between Golconda and Winnemucca, Nevada; although satellite imagery shows it does exist). This breaks OP's rules, a result of working with OpenStreetMap instead. In that area, I go from CR A3 to CA 89 at Greenville (crossing US 395 a bit North of the Southern CR A3 junction), then roughly Seneca-Butt Valley Reservoir-Butte Meadows to CA 32, then back North to get near CA 99 but without reaching it, and down to the CR A8 bridge (since the Sacramento River bridges in Red Bluff are either I-5 or CA 36).

I think I can work a coast-to-coast route by now. I only need to get across Pennsylvania and meet with the OP's route across New Jersey to finish it. Thank God there's a bridge over the Susquehanna River at Harrisburg that doesn't form part of a numbered route (or at least a signed one).

Lots of ways to get across Indiana but I'm wondering what route you have.

[CNGL-Leudimin]

I give up. I cannot find a route across the Appalachians (Pittsburgh to Harrisburg) without hitting a numbered road. It has proven impossible (for now, unless I'm missing something). Funny how I managed to get across the Wild West, yet I've hit a barrier in the East.

BTW, I've edited the post you quoted (as I corrected an attribution), so now it doesn't match.

[CNGL-Leudimin]

Looks like we have a winner! I was getting stuck in the Breezewood area, however I decided to backtrack to near Pittsburgh, work my way towards Altoona, cross the (West Branch) Susquehanna at Watsontown, go back South and I managed to meet the noelbotevera's route across Jersey. Thus, the complete route entirely without using a numbered highway (State, US or Interstate) goes from Deal, New Jersey on the Atlantic shore to Shelter Cove, California on the Pacific shore, crossing 13 states (NJ, PA, OH, IN, IL, MO, KS, NE, WY, UT, ID, NV and CA). For even more fun I used a parking lot in Rochester PA in order to avoid touching a numbered route (either PA 18 or PA 68). I also made use of extensive of unpaved roads out West to make this possible.

[TheGrassGuy]

Looks like we have a winner! I was getting stuck in the Breezewood area, however I decided to backtrack to near Pittsburgh, work my way towards Altoona, cross the (West Branch) Susquehanna at Watsontown, go back South and I managed to meet the noelbotevera's route across Jersey. Thus, the complete route entirely without using a numbered highway (State, US or Interstate) goes from Deal, New Jersey on the Atlantic shore to Shelter Cove, California on the Pacific shore, crossing 13 states (NJ, PA, OH, IN, IL, MO, KS, NE, WY, UT, ID, NV and CA). For even more fun I used a parking lot in Rochester PA in order to avoid touching a numbered route (either PA 18 or PA 68). I also made use of extensive of unpaved roads out West to make this possible.

Your exact route? Like, make a list of routes on Google Maps or something?

[Evan_Th]

Looks like we have a winner! I was getting stuck in the Breezewood area, however I decided to backtrack to near Pittsburgh, work my way towards Altoona, cross the (West Branch) Susquehanna at Watsontown, go back South and I managed to meet the noelbotevera's route across Jersey. Thus, the complete route entirely without using a numbered highway (State, US or Interstate) goes from Deal, New Jersey on the Atlantic shore to Shelter Cove, California on the Pacific shore, crossing 13 states (NJ, PA, OH, IN, IL, MO, KS, NE, WY, UT, ID, NV and CA). For even more fun I used a parking lot in Rochester PA in order to avoid touching a numbered route (either PA 18 or PA 68). I also made use of extensive of unpaved roads out West to make this possible.

Hurrah!  Can you please share the exact route?  Perhaps on Google Maps?

EDIT:  Also, if I'm guessing the the same parking lot in Rochester you were thinking of, from Google Maps satellite view it's one-way:  https://goo.gl/maps/DaKe9bFRxTPDbDyd9 .  Unfortunately, I can't find any other way off the Madison St Bridge without hitting PA 18 or 68.

[CNGL-Leudimin]

Well, the exact route isn't really defined in several places (notably Kansas and Nebraska, with all those grid roads I didn't bother to plot an exact route through that, but also through Illinois thanks to that damn Wabash river). I did this by eyeballing through OpenStreetMap, and as a result some dirt roads out west may not even be marked in Google Maps (e.g. Golconda-Winnemucca on a beeline across a mountain pass, thus avoiding I-80). Here is the approximate route:
Deal NJ (Atlantic shore)-New Brunswick-cross the Delaware at Riegelsville PA (this is the noelbotevera route)-New Philadelphia-cross the North branch Susquehanna at Mifflinville-cross the West branch Susquehanna at Watsontown, then follow to Lewisburg-State College-old US 220 to Altoona-old US 22 (thanks Pennsylvania for not giving new sign numbers to old routes )-Indiana PA-Latrobe-Pittsburgh suburbs (cross the Allegheny at the Hulton bridge)-Rochester PA (use that parking lot to get to the Rochester-Bridgewater bridge across the Beaver River)-Columbus OH suburbs-cross the Wabash near Williamsport IN-cross the Mississippi through either the MLK or Eads bridge-St. Roberts MO-cross the Osage atop Bagnell dam-proceed Northwest to the Platte river but stay South of it-cross the South Platte at Brule NE-proceed Northwest until hitting Wyoming (from here on mostly dirt roads were used)-cross I-25 at exit 87-Great Divide Basin (I knew this is the best way to cross the Continental Divide)-Randolph UT-Logan-Franklin ID-Plymouth UT-cross US 93 in Nevada North of I-80-cross ID 51 near the Grasmere reservoir-Golconda NV-Winnemucca (on that dirt road that isn't marked in Google Maps)-CA CR A3-cross the Sacramento river near Tehama CA (see post #56)-Red Bluff-Alderpoint-Shelter Cove (Pacific shore).

Extra bonus: This route doesn't cross either the Ohio or Missouri rivers.

EDIT: Corrected the route across Missouri.

[TheGrassGuy]

Well, the exact route isn't really defined in several places (notably Kansas and Nebraska, with all those grid roads I didn't bother to plot an exact route through that, but also through Illinois thanks to that damn Wabash river). I did this by eyeballing through OpenStreetMap, and as a result some dirt roads out west may not even be marked in Google Maps (e.g. Golconda-Winnemucca on a beeline across a mountain pass, thus avoiding I-80). Here is the approximate route:
Deal NJ (Atlantic shore)-New Brunswick-cross the Delaware at Riegelsville PA (this is the noelbotevera route)-New Philadelphia-cross the North branch Susquehanna at Mifflinville-cross the West branch Susquehanna at Watsontown, then follow to Lewisburg-State College-old US 220 to Altoona-old US 22 (thanks Pennsylvania for not giving new sign numbers to old routes )-Indiana PA-Latrobe-Pittsburgh suburbs (cross the Allegheny at the Hulton bridge)-Rochester PA (use that parking lot to get to the Rochester-Bridgewater bridge across the Beaver River)-Columbus OH suburbs-cross the Wabash near Williamsport IN-cross the Mississippi through either the MLK or Eads bridge-cross the Gasconde River at Jerome MO-cross the Osage atop Bagnell dam-proceed Northwest to the Platte river but stay South of it-cross the South Platte at Brule NE-proceed Northwest until hitting Wyoming (from here on mostly dirt roads were used)-cross I-25 at exit 87-Great Divide Basin (I knew this is the best way to cross the Continental Divide)-Randolph UT-Logan-Franklin ID-Plymouth UT-cross US 93 in Nevada North of I-80-cross ID 51 near the Grasmere reservoir-Golconda NV-Winnemucca (on that dirt road that isn't marked in Google Maps)-CA CR A3-cross the Sacramento river near Tehama CA (see post #56)-Red Bluff-Alderpoint-Shelter Cove (Pacific shore).

Extra bonus: This route doesn't cross either the Ohio or Missouri rivers.

GG my friend.

Next challenge: Renumber China's expressway system as interstates?

[kphoger]

Looks like we have a winner! I was getting stuck in the Breezewood area, however I decided to backtrack to near Pittsburgh, work my way towards Altoona, cross the (West Branch) Susquehanna at Watsontown, go back South and I managed to meet the noelbotevera's route across Jersey. Thus, the complete route entirely without using a numbered highway (State, US or Interstate) goes from Deal, New Jersey on the Atlantic shore to Shelter Cove, California on the Pacific shore, crossing 13 states (NJ, PA, OH, IN, IL, MO, KS, NE, WY, UT, ID, NV and CA). For even more fun I used a parking lot in Rochester PA in order to avoid touching a numbered route (either PA 18 or PA 68). I also made use of extensive of unpaved roads out West to make this possible.

Can you at least let me know how to get across the Continental Divide on your route?

[Evan_Th]

Deal NJ (Atlantic shore)-New Brunswick-cross the Delaware at Riegelsville PA (this is the noelbotevera route)-New Philadelphia-cross the North branch Susquehanna at Mifflinville-cross the West branch Susquehanna at Watsontown, then follow to Lewisburg-State College-old US 220 to Altoona-old US 22 (thanks Pennsylvania for not giving new sign numbers to old routes )-Indiana PA-Latrobe-Pittsburgh suburbs (cross the Allegheny at the Hulton bridge)-Rochester PA (use that parking lot to get to the Rochester-Bridgewater bridge across the Beaver River)-Columbus OH suburbs-cross the Wabash near Williamsport IN-cross the Mississippi through either the MLK or Eads bridge-cross the Gasconde River at Jerome MO-cross the Osage atop Bagnell dam-proceed Northwest to the Platte river but stay South of it-cross the South Platte at Brule NE-proceed Northwest until hitting Wyoming (from here on mostly dirt roads were used)-cross I-25 at exit 87-Great Divide Basin (I knew this is the best way to cross the Continental Divide)-Randolph UT-Logan-Franklin ID-Plymouth UT-cross US 93 in Nevada North of I-80-cross ID 51 near the Grasmere reservoir-Golconda NV-Winnemucca (on that dirt road that isn't marked in Google Maps)-CA CR A3-cross the Sacramento river near Tehama CA (see post #56)-Red Bluff-Alderpoint-Shelter Cove (Pacific shore).

Extra bonus: This route doesn't cross either the Ohio or Missouri rivers.

Congratulations!  I started trying to follow your route but found a few issues:

* The Rochester PA parking lot is one-way, as I described upthread.
* Google Maps marks Old US 220 in PA as "Alt US 220", and the top of the Bagnell Dam as "Bus US 54".  Fortunately, OP says we can ignore these, but it'd be nice to find another way.
* West of Jerome, MO, I'm having trouble finding a four-way intersection to cross MO 28.  Do you remember where you did this?
* The Brule NE bridge across the South Platte is Nebraska Link 51A, a signed secondary route.  Again, OP says we can ignore these... but is there another bridge?

[CNGL-Leudimin]

Well, the OP didn't specify it should be drivable in both ways. It would be hard to go around that parking lot, though, it would need to go all the way up to New Castle to cross the Beaver River (edit: it's not that hard after all). You're right about Jerome, after I discovered the bridge I had planned to use was actually MO 89 I went there and went East, but forgot to go West. However I found a workaround by continuing alongside I-44 to St. Roberts and then cross the Gasconde River at the end of MO Y (that route touches Bus I-44, though). Strangely OSM doesn't mark neither Alt US 220 (which is signed) nor Bus US 54. I managed to go around Alt US 220 by going through a golf course, and around NE Link 51A by dipping into Colorado and crossing the South Platte at (c)Ovid . Avoiding Bus US 54 requires a longer detour, though.

Can you at least let me know how to get across the Continental Divide on your route?

I use unpaved roads across the Great Divide Basin. Some may not even be marked in Google Maps (as I used OpenStreetMap to plot a route). I first identified that area as an easy route to cross the Divide (although Southwestern New Mexico looks easy as well, but then we got the Rio Grande and that huge military zone to the East), then suggested to use OSM... and then I decided to find a route by myself, first by going West to the Pacific, then back East to the Atlantic. Crossing the Appalachians turned out to be a huge PITA (even more so than the route across the Mountain West).

EDIT: I've found another way between Golconda and Winnemucca that doesn't require crossing a mountain range and is marked in Google Maps. And of course it isn't I-80 , but it's pretty close to it.

[skluth]

* West of Jerome, MO, I'm having trouble finding a four-way intersection to cross MO 28.  Do you remember where you did this?

Follow the old US 66 (Outer Road - mostly parallel to I-44) to Missouri Av just outside Ft Wood, then north to wherever your route goes because you're now west of MO 28 at Dixon.

[Evan_Th]

I spent all too much time today tracing out @CNGL-Leudimin's route on the map from beginning to end!  Here's a somewhat-more-detailed list of waypoints, from Rochester PA (where I started keeping track) west:

* Rochester PA (use that parking lot to get to the Rochester-Bridgewater bridge across the Beaver River)  EDIT:  Or to avoid that one-way parking lot, dodge a bit upstream to New Brighton, use the Fallston Bridge there, and then cross PA 51 at 8th St and rejoin the previous route.
* Carrollton OH
* Uhricksville OH
* Port Washington, OH
* Ragersville, OH
* Appleton, OH
* Delaware, OH
* Bellefontaine, OH
* Port Jefferson, OH
* Eaton, IN
* Independence, IN, bridge across the Wabash
* Thomasboro IL
* Dalton City IL
* Greenville IL
* Grantfork IL
* Collinsville IL
* MLK or Eads bridge across the Mississippi at St. Louis
* Union MO
* St Clair MO ( NW side) - follow N Service Rd W
* St. Roberts, MO, and then cross the Gasconde River at the end of MO Y (that route touches Bus I-44, though)
* Iberia MO
* Ulman MO
* -cross the Osage atop Bagnell Dam (Alt US 54)
* Independence MO
* Kansas City
* Table Rock NE
* TECUMSEH NE
* HASTINGS NE
* HEARTWELL NE
* WELLFLEET NE
*   cross the South Platte at Brule NE-
* Broadwater NE
* Scottsbluff NE (from here, a lot of dirt roads, following Open Streets Map - which I also had to use once in PA for a forest road not on Google Maps)
* Torrington WY
* cross I-25 at exit 87
* SINCLAIR WY
* GREEN RIVER, WY, in the Great Divide Basin
* Big Island Rd bridge over Green River, just north of Big Island, WY
* BLAZON JUNCTION, WY
* -Randolph UT
* Paradise, UT
* -Logan, UT
* -Franklin ID
* -Plymouth UT
* Snowville, UT
*  -cross US 93 in Nevada North of I-80
* Red Elephant Butte (mountain peak), NV
* North edge Bruneau-Jarbidge Rivers Wilderness Area, ID
* -cross ID 51 near the Grasmere reservoir
* -Golconda NV
* -Winnemucca (on that dirt road that isn't marked in Google Maps)
* Jungo, NV
* decommissioned NV 34
* North border Poodle Mt Wilderness Study Area, NV
* -CA CR A3
* Buntingville, CA
* Westwood, Chester, and Paradise, Chico
* cross Sacramento River at Vina on South Ave / Rhode Island Ave (slightly south of CNGL-Leudimin's route that crosses it in Tehama)
*Red Bluff, and Alderpoint, CA
* Shelter Cove (Pacific shore).

[Avalanchez71]

As far as getting you out of California it is doable so long as you originate south of CA 58.  It takes some really badass roads to get to Arizona but it can be done.  The truck is getting to either the Mojave or Sonoran Desert but not boxed into having to take a State Maintained road. An example I would use to get out of Los Angeles to the Mojave:

-  San Fernando Road
-  Sierra Highway
-  Railroad Avenue
-  Bouquet Canyon Road
-  Seco Canyon Road
-  Copper Hill Drive
-  San Francisquito Canyon Road

That route would avoid the CA 14U segment of Sierra Highway.  There is Los Angeles County Route N2 at Elizabeth Lake Road which must be joined, but that's not a state facility.  From there think that I could come up with a route to Nevada via the Mojave Preserve.  It might be possible via old rail siding and mine roads to head through the Sonoran Desert to cross into Arizona via Cibola.  The Bradshaw Trail definitely is the way to go to get towards Cibola, so a more southerly route is probably needed for that.

The Los Angeles County roads are not marked much anyway are they?

[Avalanchez71]

Don't forget that a lot of (most?) VA and NC backroads are secondaries, as well.

Every road in NC that is not a city road is a state secondary unless it is a primary state highway.

[CNGL-Leudimin]

I spent all too much time today tracing out @CNGL-Leudimin's route on the map from beginning to end!  Here's a somewhat-more-detailed list of waypoints, from Rochester PA (where I started keeping track) west:

Except I sketched my route to avoid Kansas City and to cross the Kansas river somewhere between Topeka and Manhattan. But kudos for finding a straighter route. Also, per your description it seems you cross the Great Divide Basin alongside (but not on) I-80, while my route does so closer to the historical Oregon Trail. And you cross the Wabash River upstream of Attica IN, while I did so downstream. And I didn't realize there was another unnumbered bridge across the Beaver River not far from the one that requires using a parking lot...

In addition, I think I didn't use any unpaved roads East of the Mississippi, but I have to double check Pennsylvania again.

[Evan_Th]

Here's a link to the waypoints I listed above, on Google Maps!  https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1LrEXo1akfSxw7BQ0xxZNF1XTvPtTCP5x&usp=sharing

Also, I dug into the Beaver River some more and discovered that the Fallston Bridge has been closed the last few years.  I did graph a route through New Castle, but then I looked some more and discovered there's another parking lot that works with the original Madison St Bridge!  You can cut through straight from the end of Monroe St (crossing PA 18) through a gas station parking lot straight onto the bridge on Madison St.  This isn't marked on the map, but Google and Bing street view agree it's possible.  So, the Madison St Bridge is now again a possible route in both directions!

[CNGL-Leudimin]

As I thought, your route deviates considerably from mine in some places. I had devised the route to go to Harrisonville MO, then in a straight shot (or more exactly, stairstepping) to near the Kearney Arch. I also have a more direct route across the Great Divide Basin to the Big Island Bridge, staying about 15-20 miles North of I-80. Finally, I had a different crossing of the Sierras (or they are the Cascades already? I'm not sure on how to call the main ridge between I-80 and Lassen Volcanic NP): From CR A3 I went Greenville-Seneca-Butte Meadows-McClure Place-Tehama.

I decided to recognize your routes across Ohio and Illinois, though, since they are more direct than I had.