The Great Interstate Bracket Challenge

[US 89]

This is silly, but I'm bored so why not


EAST
95 (1,908 mi) vs. 66 (76 mi)
81 (855 mi) vs. 83 (85 mi)
76E (435 mi) vs. 99 (99 mi)
79 (343 mi) vs. 68 (113 mi)
87 (334 mi) vs. 88E (117 mi)
91 (290 mi) vs. 78 (144 mi)
84E (232 mi) vs. 93 (190 mi)
86E (222 mi) vs. 89 (191 mi)

SOUTH
10 (2,460 mi) vs. 12 (87 mi)
75 (1,786 mi) vs. 73 (101 mi)
55 (1,552 mi) vs. 4 (132 mi)
20 (1,539 mi) vs. 16 (167 mi)
65 (887 mi) vs. 22 (203 mi)
85 (666 mi) vs. 26 (306 mi)
49 (528 mi) vs. 24 (316 mi)
59 (445 mi) vs. 30 (367 mi)

MIDWEST
90 (3,020 mi) vs. 41 (176 mi)
70 (2,151 mi) vs. 72 (179 mi)
94 (1,585 mi) vs. 43 (192 mi)
35 (1,569 mi) vs. 96 (192 mi)
64 (954 mi) vs. 39 (306 mi)
44 (634 mi) vs. 71 (344 mi)
77 (613 mi) vs. 69 (355 mi)
74 (429 mi) vs. 57 (386 mi)

WEST
80 (2,900 mi) vs. 19 (63 mi/102 km)
40 (2,559 mi) vs. 86W (63 mi)
15 (1,434 mi) vs. 27 (124 mi)
5 (1,381 mi) vs. 37 (143 mi)
25 (1,063 mi) vs. 82 (144 mi)
84W (770 mi) vs. 17 (146 mi)
29 (751 mi) vs. 76W (187 mi)
8 (350 mi) vs. 45 (285 mi)

[webny99]

EAST
95 (1,908 mi) vs. 66 (76 mi)
The Main Street of the East Coast goes up against the 2di it would've met in real life, had those DC freeway cancellations not occurred in 1977.

81 (855 mi) vs. 83 (85 mi)
A Harrisburg Special, with the north-south freeway link through Appalachia battling the one that can get you into Baltimore in 90 minutes or less.

76E (435 mi) vs. 99 (99 mi)
This Bedford Special has the Turnpike going up against the most misplaced 2di in the nation.

79 (343 mi) vs. 68 (113 mi)
Yet another special (this time from Morgantown), will it be Charleston-Pittsburgh-Erie or Morgantown-Cumberland-Hancock?

87 (334 mi) vs. 88E (117 mi)
The original I-87 takes on a route it misses meeting by a few miles.

91 (290 mi) vs. 78 (144 mi)
The main link from CT to Canada meets one from eastern PA to NYC (with an urban Breezewood somewhere in Jersey City).

84E (232 mi) vs. 93 (190 mi)
Although they miss meeting each other by less than 60 miles, the former Hartford-Providence route takes on one that connects Boston to Manchester and beyond.

86E (222 mi) vs. 89 (191 mi)
The rebooted eastern I-86 goes up against a vital link between Boston and Montreal.

SOUTH
10 (2,460 mi) vs. 12 (87 mi)
The southernmost transcontinental 2di takes on the one that connects to it at both ends.

75 (1,786 mi) vs. 73 (101 mi)
The 2di that connects Tampa and Atlanta to Cincinnati and Detroit faces off against the one that has a hard time getting out of NC.

55 (1,552 mi) vs. 4 (132 mi)
It's New Orleans-St. Louis-Chicago against Tampa-Orlando-Daytona Beach.

20 (1,539 mi) vs. 16 (167 mi)
The only east-west 2di to pass through Atlanta squares off against the one connecting Macon to Savannah.

65 (887 mi) vs. 22 (203 mi)
This Birmingham Special has one stopping short of Chicago against one stopping short of Memphis.

85 (666 mi) vs. 26 (306 mi)
In the Spartanburg Special, a relatively short but important I-x5 takes on the one that links Appalachia to Charleston.

49 (528 mi) vs. 24 (316 mi)
The future New Orleans-Kansas City 2di goes up against one that almost made it to St. Louis.

59 (445 mi) vs. 30 (367 mi)
US 11's companion in the Deep South takes on the shortest 2di to end in a 0.

MIDWEST
90 (3,020 mi) vs. 41 (176 mi)
The nation's longest 2di and overall #1 seed takes on the upstart I-41.

70 (2,151 mi) vs. 72 (179 mi)
One of the most important parts of a New York-Los Angeles drive goes up against one that barely makes it from IL to MO.

94 (1,585 mi) vs. 43 (192 mi)
In this Milwaukee Special, the Minneapolis-Chicago-Detroit link takes on Beloit-Green Bay.

35 (1,569 mi) vs. 96 (192 mi)
The Midwest's most prominent north-south 2di faces off against the one that connects Detroit to Lansing, Grand Rapids and Muskegon.

64 (954 mi) vs. 39 (306 mi)
The 2di whose main claim to fame was subsuming the US 40 freeway in St. Louis goes up against the Normal-Rockford-Madison-Wausau link.

44 (634 mi) vs. 71 (344 mi)
Will it be Route 66's successor between OKC and St. Louis or the 3C highway in OH?

77 (613 mi) vs. 69 (355 mi)
Another highway that loves the letter C takes on the OG I-69 from Indianapolis to Port Huron.

74 (429 mi) vs. 57 (386 mi)
The old-school Quad Cities-Peoria-Indianapolis-Cincinnati 2di takes on one with aspirations to connect Little Rock to Chicago.

WEST
80 (2,900 mi) vs. 19 (63 mi/102 km)
The second-longest 2di takes on its challenger that boasts a completely metric signing method.

40 (2,559 mi) vs. 86W (63 mi)
It's Barstow-Wilmington against the former I-15W.

15 (1,434 mi) vs. 27 (124 mi)
A well-established San Diego-Las Vegas-Salt Lake City-Pocatello-Great Falls-Canada route faces off against a small piece of the Port-to-Plains Corridor.

5 (1,381 mi) vs. 37 (143 mi)
The West Coast's Main Street squares off against the Corpus Christi-San Antonio connector.

25 (1,063 mi) vs. 82 (144 mi)
The Rockies' main 2di goes up against one that can be used as a shortcut between Salt Lake/Denver and Seattle.

84W (770 mi) vs. 17 (146 mi)
Old I-80N draws former AZ 69/79 as its challenger.

29 (751 mi) vs. 76W (187 mi)
The Kansas City-Dakotas route meets the former I-80S in the opening round.

8 (350 mi) vs. 45 (285 mi)
Does San Diego-Yuma-Casa Grande or Galveston-Houston-Dallas take this matchup?

There you go, again mostly going with the route I find more interesting, although I did go with several underdogs, especially in the South, most notably I-4, I-16, I-22, and I-37.

[frankenroad]

Hope I'm not too late....

EAST
95 > 66
81 > 83
76E > 99
79 > 68
87  > 88E
91 > 78
93 > 84E
89 > 86E

SOUTH
10 > 12
75 > 73
55 > 4
65 > 22
85 > 26
49 > 24
59 > 30

MIDWEST
90 > 41
70 > 72
94 > 43
35 > 96
64 > 39
44 > 71
77 > 69
74 > 57


WEST
80 > 19
40 >  86W
15 > 27
5 > 37
25 > 82
84W > 17
29 > 76W
8 > 45

[Henry]

The first round has now ended, and here are the results:

EAST
95 vs. 66
95 advances with a 27-1 victory over 66.

81 vs. 83
This one was no contest either, as 81 scores a 26-2 win over 83.

76E vs. 99
The eastern I-76 survives a somewhat challenging match with I-99, 20-8.

79 vs. 68
I-70's shunpike route gets a narrow 15-13 win over I-79.

87 vs. 88E
I-87 beats the eastern I-88 handily, 24-4, which means that neither iteration of 88 has survived.

91 vs. 78
78 wins the toughest battle of the East with a 15-13 win over 91.

84E vs. 93
By virtue of the Big Dig and Franconia Notch Parkway, I-93 takes this matchup, 20-8.

86E vs. 89
The Thruway's free alternative goes down hard against I-89, 22-6.

SOUTH
10 vs. 12
We have some shutouts to report, starting with 10's 28-0 score over 12.

75 vs. 73
Different contenders, same score, with 75 advancing.

55 vs. 4
It's 55 moving on with a 20-8 win over 4.

20 vs. 16
16 barely avoids the shutout, but still loses to 20, 26-1.

65 vs. 22
The Battle of Birmingham goes to 65, by a score of 21-7.

85 vs. 26
This was the closest match of the tournament at this point, and 26 pulls the mighty upset against 85, with a narrow 15-14 victory. (With the tiebreaker, I give it to I-26)

49 vs. 24
24 cruises to a 21-7 win over 49.

59 vs. 30
59 survives against 30 with a 18-10 win.

MIDWEST
90 vs. 41
90 rolls to a 28-1 win over 41.

70 vs. 72
70 obliterates 72 by the same score.

94 vs. 43
Another shutout to report, as 94 blanks 43, 29-0.

35 vs. 96
35 gets a comfortable 23-6 win over 96.

64 vs. 39
64 cranks out a 24-5 victory over 39.

44 vs. 71
In this hotly contested match, 44 ekes out a 18-11 win over 71.

77 vs. 69
69 advances, 17-12, over 77.

74 vs. 57
In a matchup of 2di's with extensions planned for them, 57 takes a close 16-13 match over 74.

WEST
80 vs. 19
80 eliminates the metric-minded 19 with a 21-7 victory.

40 vs. 86W
40 rolls to a 26-3 win over the western 86, and thus eliminating another set of twins altogether.

15 vs. 27
15 has no problem getting past 27, 26-2.

5 vs. 37
Score a 23-5 win for 5.

25 vs. 82
25 rides a mile high to a 27-1 rout of 82.

84W vs. 17
The western I-84 gets a 18-10 win over I-17, and avenges its eastern twin's loss.

29 vs. 76W
The western I-76 fails to join its eastern twin in the second round, falling, 20-8, to I-29.

8 vs. 45
The West's tightest contest goes to 8, with a 16-12 win over 45.

Now here are the second-round matchups:

EAST
95 vs. 89
It's a matchup of two routes that blew their chance at meeting up somewhere north of Boston.

68 vs. 87
Can the famous shunpike route score another upset against the New York-Montreal link?

81 vs. 93
Here, we have a matchup of scenic 2di's that have mountains serving as the main backdrop.

76E vs. 78
While these two don't actually meet with the latter stopping short of Harrisburg, they'll face each other in the second round.

SOUTH
10 vs. 59
I-10 takes on the other 2di it meets in Slidell.

20 vs. 65
Birmingham Special 2.0, need I say more?

75 vs. 24
In the Battle of Chattanooga, the two routes that make up a nonstop trip from Atlanta to Nashville take on each other.

55 vs. 26
The 2di that has a gradual buildup from the Blue Ridge Mountains to the sparkling coast city of Charleston (and vice versa) tries to take down another I-x5.

MIDWEST
90 vs. 57
While they both get you to Chicago but haven't met there since the former switched routings with 94, this is our second-round meeting.

35 vs. 64
Will it be the one with a pair of E/W splits or the one with a wrong-way ending in Tidewater?

70 vs. 69
While they won't actually meet each other for a few more years, these two Indianapolis 2di's battle it out here.

94 vs. 44
Who will reign supreme in this matchup of I-x4's?

WEST
80 vs. 8
The mighty 80 takes on a route that's exactly a tenth of its number.

5 vs. 25
West Coast or Rocky Mountains?

40 vs. 29
While I-49 prevented these two from meeting each other, we have this matchup to make up for that.

15 vs. 84W
In the Utah Special, 15 goes up against the western 84.

Results will be posted next week.

[CtrlAltDel]

(With the tiebreaker, I give it to I-26)

What is the tiebreaker here?

[NWI_Irish96]

Now here are the second-round matchups:

EAST
95 vs. 89

68 vs. 87

81 vs. 93

76E vs. 78

SOUTH
10 vs. 59

20 vs. 65

75 vs. 24

55 vs. 26

MIDWEST
90 vs. 57

35 vs. 64

70 vs. 69

94 vs. 44

WEST
80 vs. 8

5 vs. 25

40 vs. 29

15 vs. 84W

[clong]

EAST
95 vs. 89
Not even a thought for me - I'll take 95.

68 vs. 87
Went with 87 goes near West Point.

81 vs. 93
More useful connector.

76E vs. 78
Not sure why.

SOUTH
10 vs. 59
Much more important corridor and less pine trees.

20 vs. 65
In the town where they meet, 65 is king.

75 vs. 24
Even though I don't love it's "get to a city and turn" routing in TN.

55 vs. 26
River over Mountains.

MIDWEST
90 vs. 57
Maybe 57 will grow up one day and be a big-boy interstate.

35 vs. 64
So grand they had to split it twice.

70 vs. 69
For now anyway.

94 vs. 44
44 SW ending isn't fantastic.

WEST
80 vs. 8
No contest.

5 vs. 25
Again.

40 vs. 29
Cross country prevails.

15 vs. 84W
Vegas, baby!

[Great Lakes Roads]

EAST
95 vs. 89

68 vs. 87

81 vs. 93

76E vs. 78

SOUTH
10 vs. 59

20 vs. 65

75 vs. 24

55 vs. 26

MIDWEST
90 vs. 57

35 vs. 64

70 vs. 69

94 vs. 44

WEST
80 vs. 8

5 vs. 25

40 vs. 29

15 vs. 84W

[CNGL-Leudimin]

Here are my picks. I don't pick any Interstate that got over my first round picks.
East:
95
87
81
76

South:
10
20 (hard matchup)
75
55

North:
90
35
70
94

West:
80
5
40
15

[FrCorySticha]

EAST
95 vs. 89
68 vs. 87
81 vs. 93
76E vs. 78

SOUTH
10 vs. 59
20 vs. 65
75 vs. 24
55 vs. 26

MIDWEST
90 vs. 57
35 vs. 64
70 vs. 69
94 vs. 44

WEST
80 vs. 8
5 vs. 25
40 vs. 29
15 vs. 84W

[corco]

The first round has now ended, and here are the results:

I hereby protest the outcome of this tournament due to the dozens of ineligible fake interstate highways that were included. I-86 (W) is the only possible winner of this tournament.

[US 89]

EAST
95 vs. 89
68 vs. 87
81 vs. 93
76E vs. 78

SOUTH
10 vs. 59
20 vs. 65
75 vs. 24
55 vs. 26

MIDWEST
90 vs. 57
35 vs. 64
70 vs. 69
94 vs. 44

WEST
80 vs. 8
5 vs. 25
40 vs. 29
15 vs. 84W

[Big John]

EAST
95

87

93

76E

SOUTH
10

65

75

55

MIDWEST
90

35

70

94?

WEST
80

5

40

15

[JayhawkCO]

EAST
95 vs. 89
Main street East Coast U.S.A.

68 vs. 87
One for the little guy.

81 vs. 93
Higher percentage of 93's mileage is pretty.

76E vs. 78
Ick.  I guess cheering for the Holland Tunnel?

SOUTH
10 vs. 59
Longest bridge in the U.S.

20 vs. 65
No real reason.  I like Mobile.

75 vs. 24
Alligator Alley > Lookout Mountain

55 vs. 26
Scenery rules.

MIDWEST
90 vs. 57
The western portion of 90 gives it the win.

35 vs. 64
Lived in Minneapolis and Kansas City.  Gets my vote by default.

70 vs. 69
Colorado.  Utah.

94 vs. 44
Teddy Roosevelt National Park.

WEST
80 vs. 8
80 is very boring for most of its journey.

5 vs. 25
5 is the ugliest highway in California.

40 vs. 29
Asheville is nice.

15 vs. 84W
Columbia. River. Gorge.

Chris

[jmd41280]

EAST
95
87
81
76

SOUTH
10
65
75
26

MIDWEST
90
35
70
94

WEST
80
5
40
15

[Scott5114]

95 68 81 76E
10 20 24 55
57 35 70 44
80 25 40 15

[M3100]

M3200 choices
{shamelessly stole format from another poster & changed some votes to my selections}:

EAST
95 vs. 89
68 vs. 87
81 vs. 93
76E vs. 78

SOUTH
10 vs. 59
20 vs. 65
75 vs. 24
55 vs. 26

MIDWEST
90 vs. 57
35 vs. 64
70 vs. 69
94 vs. 44

WEST
80 vs. 8
5 vs. 25
40 vs. 29
15 vs. 84W

[jflick99]

EAST
95 vs. 89
68 vs. 87
81 vs. 93
76E vs. 78

SOUTH
10 vs. 59
20 vs. 65
75 vs. 24
55 vs. 26

MIDWEST
90 vs. 57
35 vs. 64
70 vs. 69
94 vs. 44

WEST
80 vs. 8
5 vs. 25
40 vs. 29
15 vs. 84W

[Buck87]

EAST
95
68
81
76E

SOUTH
10
20
75
26

MIDWEST
90
64
70
94

WEST
80
5
40
15

[Max Rockatansky]

EAST
95 vs. 89
68 vs. 87
81 vs. 93
76E vs. 78

SOUTH
10 vs. 59
20 vs. 65
75 vs. 24
55 vs. 26

MIDWEST
90 vs. 57
35 vs. 64
70 vs. 69
94 vs. 44

WEST
80 vs. 8
5 vs. 25
40 vs. 29
15 vs. 84W

[Konza]

Now here are the second-round matchups:

EAST
95 vs. 89
It's a matchup of two routes that blew their chance at meeting up somewhere north of Boston.

68 vs. 87
Can the famous shunpike route score another upset against the New York-Montreal link?

81 vs. 93
Here, we have a matchup of scenic 2di's that have mountains serving as the main backdrop.

You have to like i-81's function in the greater grid.

76E vs. 78
While these two don't actually meet with the latter stopping short of Harrisburg, they'll face each other in the second round.

I-78 serves a vital purpose connecting NYC to the southwest, but the edge goes to the route that was vital enough that it predated the Interstate system by over fifteen years.

SOUTH
10 vs. 59
I-10 takes on the other 2di it meets in Slidell.

20 vs. 65
Birmingham Special 2.0, need I say more?

Chicago-Indianapolis-Louisville-Nashville beats out anywhere I-20 goes.

75 vs. 24
In the Battle of Chattanooga, the two routes that make up a nonstop trip from Atlanta to Nashville take on each other.

55 vs. 26
The 2di that has a gradual buildup from the Blue Ridge Mountains to the sparkling coast city of Charleston (and vice versa) tries to take down another I-x5.

Ridin' on the City of New Orleans...

MIDWEST
90 vs. 57
While they both get you to Chicago but haven't met there since the former switched routings with 94, this is our second-round meeting.

35 vs. 64
Will it be the one with a pair of E/W splits or the one with a wrong-way ending in Tidewater?

Gotta go with the almost border to border north south route here.

70 vs. 69
While they won't actually meet each other for a few more years, these two Indianapolis 2di's battle it out here.

Even if extended all the way to the Rio Grande Valley, I-69 will only pass through one city with a major league baseball team, while I-70 connects Baltimore (with a spur into Washington, DC), St. Louis, Kansas City, and Denver.

94 vs. 44
Who will reign supreme in this matchup of I-x4's?

I-94 is longer and connects more and larger metropolitan areas.

WEST
80 vs. 8
The mighty 80 takes on a route that's exactly a tenth of its number.

5 vs. 25
West Coast or Rocky Mountains?

I-5 goes border to border and simply connects larger cities, while I-25 doesn't even make it into Montana.

40 vs. 29
While I-49 prevented these two from meeting each other, we have this matchup to make up for that.

15 vs. 84W
In the Utah Special, 15 goes up against the western 84.

If I-15 did not extend north of of Salt Lake City, it would still beat the western I-84.

Results will be posted next week.

[thspfc]

East:
I-95: because I-89 doesn't enter any large metropolitan areas
I-68: Toss up but I'll go with I-68 because it seems scenic and I would have driven it this spring if China virus didn't happen
I-93: Another close one, I'll take I-93
I-76: bc no Breezewood (well, to an extent)

South:
I-10
I-20 because Atlanta skyline > Nashville skyline
I-24 because of Monteagle
I-26 because of the mountains (interesting that I did not vote for I-26 against I-85 in the first round, yet here I am)

Midwest:
I-90 (duh)
I-35: Really good matchup of similar Interstates here. I'll give I-35 the narrow edge because it can claim both the Minneapolis and St. Paul stretches as its own, giving it more impressive urban stretches than I-64.
I-70 (duh)
I-94 because it is one of my all time favorite highways (see profile pic), and Chicago + Milwaukee + MSP trumps St. Louis and the Oklahoma cities any day of the week

West:
I-80 because that's just how it is, and you gotta respect its possession of the nation's farthest control city not signed by IDOT
I-5: I thought about taking one of the only Western Interstates that I've actually driven but then I actually thought for a second and decided on I-5
I-40: They're both a little bland but I'll take I-40 because it's more scenic
I-84: Maybe unpopular but give me I-84, so much scenery packed into its relatively short length

Good to see that we got almost all of the incomplete/short/boring Interstates out of the way in round 1.

[Henry]

(With the tiebreaker, I give it to I-26)

What is the tiebreaker here?

The final tally was actually a 14-14 tie in the case of I-26 vs. I-85, and so I had to cast the deciding vote (which I will do in the event a tie is recorded in any matchup in the tournament). I'll admit I was going to vote for I-85 based on the fact that it goes through many major metropolitan areas in the Southeast, but then read the comments of I-26's scenic nature, and that's what convinced me to give it the win instead.

[webny99]

EAST
95 vs. 89
It's a matchup of two routes that blew their chance at meeting up somewhere north of Boston.
68 vs. 87
Can the famous shunpike route score another upset against the New York-Montreal link?
81 vs. 93
Here, we have a matchup of scenic 2di's that have mountains serving as the main backdrop.
76E vs. 78
While these two don't actually meet with the latter stopping short of Harrisburg, they'll face each other in the second round.

SOUTH
10 vs. 59
I-10 takes on the other 2di it meets in Slidell.
20 vs. 65
Birmingham Special 2.0, need I say more?
75 vs. 24
In the Battle of Chattanooga, the two routes that make up a nonstop trip from Atlanta to Nashville take on each other.
55 vs. 26
The 2di that has a gradual buildup from the Blue Ridge Mountains to the sparkling coast city of Charleston (and vice versa) tries to take down another I-x5.

MIDWEST
90 vs. 57
While they both get you to Chicago but haven't met there since the former switched routings with 94, this is our second-round meeting.
35 vs. 64
Will it be the one with a pair of E/W splits or the one with a wrong-way ending in Tidewater?
70 vs. 69
While they won't actually meet each other for a few more years, these two Indianapolis 2di's battle it out here.
94 vs. 44
Who will reign supreme in this matchup of I-x4's?

WEST
80 vs. 8
The mighty 80 takes on a route that's exactly a tenth of its number.
5 vs. 25
West Coast or Rocky Mountains?
40 vs. 29
While I-49 prevented these two from meeting each other, we have this matchup to make up for that.
15 vs. 84W
In the Utah Special, 15 goes up against the western 84.

[I-55]

EAST
95 vs. 89     Relevance

68 vs. 87     I learned many good lessons on this route

81 vs. 93     Widen to 6 lanes in VA, until then I-81 isn't good enough

76E vs. 78    Keep the extension dreams alive!

SOUTH
10 vs. 59     As I've said before this is one of my most driven routes

20 vs. 65     My gateway to the South

75 vs. 24     For my college application essay

55 vs. 26     Need I say more?

MIDWEST
90 vs. 57     Also responsible for me driving on I-64

35 vs. 64    Country Roads

70 vs. 69    It's only getting better

94 vs. 44     Continuing my bigotry toward I-44 not being I-64

WEST
80 vs. 8      Iowa may not be the most scenic but I've at least been there

5 vs. 25      Reasons

40 vs. 29     Don't mess with I-40. Even where it ain't in Texas.   

15 vs. 84W The other one killed I-40