Large universities not served by Interstate

[Rothman]

For Massachusetts, the biggest that is not close at all to an interstate is Bridgewater State U which is ninth in enrollment amongst Mass schools. Given it's close enough to be served by the 6-lane freeway that is MA 24, your next choices that aren't arguably served by a freeway at all are Salem State (arguable given its kinda close to I-95 and MA 128's expressway section), then the ones in Berkshire County (Berkshire CC, Williams, and Mass College of Liberal Arts).

I think Williams is further away from I-91 than Bridgewater is from I-95 or I-495.

[wriddle082]

Here are a few that might be considered mid-majors:

Troy State University
Western Carolina University
Liberty University
Coastal Carolina University
Cornell University
Washington State University
University of Idaho

[SkyPesos]

For Massachusetts, the biggest that is not close at all to an interstate is Bridgewater State U which is ninth in enrollment amongst Mass schools. Given it's close enough to be served by the 6-lane freeway that is MA 24, your next choices that aren't arguably served by a freeway at all are Salem State (arguable given its kinda close to I-95 and MA 128's expressway section), then the ones in Berkshire County (Berkshire CC, Williams, and Mass College of Liberal Arts).

Just wondering, what is the main access road to UMass Amherst and Amherst College from the interstate highways system? From what I see on google maps, there is not a divided 4 lane road, but a couple of 2 lane options from I-90 and I-91.

[Rothman]

For Massachusetts, the biggest that is not close at all to an interstate is Bridgewater State U which is ninth in enrollment amongst Mass schools. Given it's close enough to be served by the 6-lane freeway that is MA 24, your next choices that aren't arguably served by a freeway at all are Salem State (arguable given its kinda close to I-95 and MA 128's expressway section), then the ones in Berkshire County (Berkshire CC, Williams, and Mass College of Liberal Arts).

Just wondering, what is the main access road to UMass Amherst and Amherst College from the interstate highways system? From what I see on google maps, there is not a divided 4 lane road, but a couple of 2 lane options from I-90 and I-91.

MA 9 is four lanes now into Hadley from I-91.  Used to be two west of Hadley Center...then it's two for a short section and then four again...

MA 116 was designed to provide the main access to UMass (freeway section).

[SectorZ]

For Massachusetts, the biggest that is not close at all to an interstate is Bridgewater State U which is ninth in enrollment amongst Mass schools. Given it's close enough to be served by the 6-lane freeway that is MA 24, your next choices that aren't arguably served by a freeway at all are Salem State (arguable given its kinda close to I-95 and MA 128's expressway section), then the ones in Berkshire County (Berkshire CC, Williams, and Mass College of Liberal Arts).

I think Williams is further away from I-91 than Bridgewater is from I-95 or I-495.

Yes, but I was putting them in order by their size. Bridgewater is the biggest school of those. It has an enrollment five times that of Williams.

[bing101]

UC Santa Cruz is far from an interstate 27 Miles away from I-880, & I-280.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_State_Route_17

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_State_University,_Monterey_Bay

CSU Monterey, Sonoma State, CSU Stanislaus and CSU Channel Islands are universities not located near an interstate

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_State_University,_Bakersfield

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonoma_State_University

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_State_University,_Stanislaus

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_State_University_Channel_Islands

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_California,_Merced

UC Merced is the other UC not located near an Interstate.

[Thing 342]

Using NCAA Division I FBS membership as sufficient criteria for being "large", and "an interstate passes through the county/equivalent in which it is located" as sufficient criteria for being "served by", we have the following list:

School, County, State
Appalachian State, Watuauga, NC
Central Michigan, Isabella, MI
Coastal Carolina, Horry, SC
Colorado, Boulder, CO
East Carolina, Pitt, NC
Georgia, Athens-Clarke, GA
Liberty, City of Lynchburg, VA
Mississippi State, Oktibbeha, MS
Mississippi, Lafayette, MS
Ohio, Athens, OH
Oregon State, Benton, OR
Texas A&M, Brazos, TX
Troy, Pike, AL
Washington State, Whitman, WA

Adding in state-flagship universities:
New Hampshire (FCS), Strafford, NH
South Dakota (FCS), Clay, SD
Idaho (FCS), Latah, ID
Alaska (DII), Fairbanks North Star, AK*

* - not including the on-paper Alaska interstates

[US 89]

Using NCAA Division I FBS membership as sufficient criteria for being "large", and "an interstate passes through the county/equivalent in which it is located" as sufficient criteria for being "served by", we have the following list:

Clemson (Pickens County, SC)
Utah State (Cache County, UT)

[dkblake]

For Massachusetts, the biggest that is not close at all to an interstate is Bridgewater State U which is ninth in enrollment amongst Mass schools. Given it's close enough to be served by the 6-lane freeway that is MA 24, your next choices that aren't arguably served by a freeway at all are Salem State (arguable given its kinda close to I-95 and MA 128's expressway section), then the ones in Berkshire County (Berkshire CC, Williams, and Mass College of Liberal Arts).

I think Williams is further away from I-91 than Bridgewater is from I-95 or I-495.

Yes, but I was putting them in order by their size. Bridgewater is the biggest school of those. It has an enrollment five times that of Williams.

I'm confused by this- Bridgewater State is 3 miles from 495. The exit is off 24, sure, but it's the immediate exit off of 495 exit 7A. Williams is about an hour drive from the Mass Pike or I-91, and UMass is further from 91 (or 90) than Bridgewater is from 495.

Using NCAA Division I FBS membership as sufficient criteria for being "large", and "an interstate passes through the county/equivalent in which it is located" as sufficient criteria for being "served by", we have the following list:

Clemson (Pickens County, SC)
Utah State (Cache County, UT)

I'd add Fresno State, which is 50-60 miles away from I-5.

[Stormwalker]

It should be noted that Texas A&M is not only not served by an Interstate, there is no freeway route to Bryan/College Station at all.  TX State Highway 6 has a freeway bypass of B/CS, but once you get outside of town (unless it's been upgraded since I was last there a few years back), Highway 6 is just your typical two-lane at-grade Texas state highway.

The other major way to get to College Station (coming from either Dallas or Houston) is to take I-45 to Madisonville and then take US 190 (which is also just a two-lane) from Madisonville to College Station.  If you're coming from Dallas, this is actually the preferred way, because the other option (I-35 to Waco, and Highway 6 to B/CS) involves a lot more stops. B/CS is a lot closer to Houston than Dallas, though, so coming from Houston it's faster to take the more direct route.

I once had a very interesting experience on that route, when a wheel bearing failed in my 1965 Mustang (a pox upon the mechanic who had told me that sound was just "noisy gears"!) and had the right rear wheel try to come off the car on US 190 just outside of Madisonville.  At 55 mph.  At night (which is why I was actually driving the speed limit, that old Mustang did not have the best headlights ever).  It was an... interesting experience.  By the time the I got the car stopped, the wheel and a good length of axle were extended out from the right side of the car like an outrigger (which made getting onto the right shoulder a little interesting, too!).  That was... my freshman year at A&M, I think?  Something like 1994.  My girlfriend and I had gone on a day trip to Houston and were on our way home; we had taken Highway 6 down to Houston, and so we had decided to make the return trip the other way.

The part of that experience that really sticks in my memory, though, was hearing the sound of it coming loose, feeling the car get really squirrelly all of the sudden, and my girlfriend sticking her head out the window (I only have lap belts in that Mustang - which I still have, not shoulder harnesses) to see what had happened and then looking back at me and looking like she'd seen a ghost.  She wasn't actually able to explain to me what she'd seen until I had the car stopped and could go look for myself, but I knew from her expression that I needed to get the car stopped really quickly!

My family has jokes about Fairfield, Buffalo, and Madisonville forming the "Bermuda Triangle of Texas" (even though that would make a very thin triangle, as they are all on I-45 between Dallas and Houston) from all the different car and motorcycle problems my father and I had in those three towns during our years at Texas A&M - him in the '70's, and me in the '90's.

[kphoger]

Texas A&M is the second largest university in the country, and it does not have an Interstate within 50 miles.

That's probably not what the OP was thinking, but it looks like the TX-6 freeway doesn't connect to any other freeways in either direction.

It should be noted that Texas A&M is not only not served by an Interstate, there is no freeway route to Bryan/College Station at all.  TX State Highway 6 has a freeway bypass of B/CS, but once you get outside of town (unless it's been upgraded since I was last there a few years back), Highway 6 is just your typical two-lane at-grade Texas state highway.

[Stormwalker]

Texas A&M is the second largest university in the country, and it does not have an Interstate within 50 miles.

That's probably not what the OP was thinking, but it looks like the TX-6 freeway doesn't connect to any other freeways in either direction.

It should be noted that Texas A&M is not only not served by an Interstate, there is no freeway route to Bryan/College Station at all.  TX State Highway 6 has a freeway bypass of B/CS, but once you get outside of town (unless it's been upgraded since I was last there a few years back), Highway 6 is just your typical two-lane at-grade Texas state highway.

Whoops, somehow I saw the original comment on Texas A&M, and saw the "freeway" vs. "Interstate" discussion, but missed that the note about Highway 6 had already been made.

[Dirt Roads]

Texas A&M is the second largest university in the country, and it does not have an Interstate within 50 miles.

That's probably not what the OP was thinking, but it looks like the TX-6 freeway doesn't connect to any other freeways in either direction.

It should be noted that Texas A&M is not only not served by an Interstate, there is no freeway route to Bryan/College Station at all.  TX State Highway 6 has a freeway bypass of B/CS, but once you get outside of town (unless it's been upgraded since I was last there a few years back), Highway 6 is just your typical two-lane at-grade Texas state highway.

The OP (in a different thread) asked "What are some large universities not served by Interstate, or even a 4 lane expressway?"  But in a similar vein, the concept of having a freeway out of town doesn't necessarily mean that the city/university is served by the freeway system.

I've slowly been pulling together a listing of cities and towns that are underserved by both the Interstate system and their respective State DOTs.  The data includes the impact of traffic generators such as colleges, ports/intermodal facilities, large airports and other factors.  Depending on whether you rank peak inbound/outbound traffic generator or population  as more important, College Station and Bend, Oregon swap places at the top of this list.  This study flagged College Station in both directions (same routes described by Stormwalker), so I'm also wondering if there needs to be a new focus for places that are underserved in multiple directions.

[Stormwalker]

Texas A&M is the second largest university in the country, and it does not have an Interstate within 50 miles.

That's probably not what the OP was thinking, but it looks like the TX-6 freeway doesn't connect to any other freeways in either direction.

It should be noted that Texas A&M is not only not served by an Interstate, there is no freeway route to Bryan/College Station at all.  TX State Highway 6 has a freeway bypass of B/CS, but once you get outside of town (unless it's been upgraded since I was last there a few years back), Highway 6 is just your typical two-lane at-grade Texas state highway.

The OP (in a different thread) asked "What are some large universities not served by Interstate, or even a 4 lane expressway?"  But in a similar vein, the concept of having a freeway out of town doesn't necessarily mean that the city/university is served by the freeway system.

I've slowly been pulling together a listing of cities and towns that are underserved by both the Interstate system and their respective State DOTs.  The data includes the impact of traffic generators such as colleges, ports/intermodal facilities, large airports and other factors.  Depending on whether you rank peak inbound/outbound traffic generator or population  as more important, College Station and Bend, Oregon swap places at the top of this list.  This study flagged College Station in both directions (same routes described by Stormwalker), so I'm also wondering if there needs to be a new focus for places that are underserved in multiple directions.

I believe it.  One of the reasons I haven't been to an A&M football game in years (haven't been to Kyle Field since the latest renovations, in fact) is that gameday traffic on the way into town from Dallas was kinda nightmarish last time I did make it to one.  At least my fellow Aggies are usually friendlier than other random people on the road, but when there's only one lane going your way on either route for quite some distance, it's less a matter of friendliness and more a matter of too blasted many cars on too little pavement.

[JoePCool14]

Depending on how exactly we're defining "large universities", the University of Wisconsin-Platteville is close to 100 miles give-or-take a few to the nearest Interstate in all directions. However, US-151 runs right by town, which is a 4-lane expressway with grade separation at major intersections.

[WillWeaverRVA]

Longwood University in Farmville, Virginia is 57 miles from I-64 in Zion Crossroads, although there is a freeway bypass of Farmville (US 15/460). Although Longwood isn't particularly large (enrollment of around 6,000), it is one of the oldest colleges in Virginia.

[SkyPesos]

Depending on how exactly we're defining "large universities", the University of Wisconsin-Platteville is close to 100 miles give-or-take a few to the nearest Interstate in all directions. However, US-151 runs right by town, which is a 4-lane expressway with grade separation at major intersections.

It seems like we're using D1 colleges for "˜large', though I'll look through USNWR's T150 colleges list for this thread later, since some of those colleges are not D1.

EDIT: List of USNWR Top 150 universities (2021 list) more than 7 miles from the nearest interstate exit:
1 - Princeton
18 - Cornell
30 - UC Santa Barbara (US 101 is a freeway east to LA)
47 - University of Georgia
49 - Pepperdine
63 - University of Connecticut
66 - Texas A&M
74 - Virginia Tech (US 460 is a freeway to I-81)
88 - SUNY Stony Brook
97 - UC Merced
97 - UC Santa Cruz
103 - Miami University
103 - University of Colorado Boulder (US 36 is a freeway to Denver)
124 - Clarkson University
143 - University of New Hampshire

[hotdogPi]

Depending on how exactly we're defining "large universities", the University of Wisconsin-Platteville is close to 100 miles give-or-take a few to the nearest Interstate in all directions. However, US-151 runs right by town, which is a 4-lane expressway with grade separation at major intersections.

It seems like we're using D1 colleges for "˜large', though I'll look through USNWR's T150 colleges list for this thread later, since some of those colleges are not D1.

I thought we were going by attendance. Limiting it to D1 excludes schools that value their academics more than their sports.

[tolbs17]

Can we have this thread moved to General Highway Talk since we are talking about highways in this thread? I made a school one and it's there.

Anyways. ECU in Greenville, NC was one of them until I-587 got approved.

Coastal Carolina University in Myrtle Beach is also another one until I-73 gets there.

California state University in Fresno, CA is another one.

[SSOWorld]

Depending on how exactly we're defining "large universities", the University of Wisconsin-Platteville is close to 100 miles give-or-take a few to the nearest Interstate in all directions. However, US-151 runs right by town, which is a 4-lane expressway with grade separation at major intersections.

not quite that large - it's one of the smaller ones.. now.

[NWI_Irish96]

Northwestern is near I-94 but I would not say it is well served by it.

[CtrlAltDel]

EDIT: List of USNWR Top 150 universities (2021 list) more than 7 miles from the nearest interstate exit:
1 - Princeton
18 - Cornell
30 - UC Santa Barbara (US 101 is a freeway east to LA)
47 - University of Georgia
49 - Pepperdine
63 - University of Connecticut
66 - Texas A&M
74 - Virginia Tech (US 460 is a freeway to I-81)
88 - SUNY Stony Brook
97 - UC Merced
97 - UC Santa Cruz

Huh. I got my PhD at one of these and work at another.

[kkt]

Can we have this thread moved to General Highway Talk since we are talking about highways in this thread? I made a school one and it's there.

Anyways. ECU in Greenville, NC was one of them until I-587 got approved.

Coastal Carolina University in Myrtle Beach is also another one until I-73 gets there.

California state University in Fresno, CA is another one.

Fresno is only about half an hour from I-5...

How about Cal Poly Humbolt, they're about 3 hours from I-5.

[Ted$8roadFan]

UMass Amherst was historically a little off the beaten path (I-91) until the Coolidge Bridge was widened and MA 9 four-laned through Hadley.

Even with the MA 116 freeway, most people still just drove MA 9 to University Drive to get to the Southwest dorms.

Yes, as a UMass alum, I have many fond memories of using many side streets in Hadley to avoid Route 9 back in the days before it was widened.

[Ted$8roadFan]

UConn in Storrs and URI in Kingston are a fair distance away from Interstates 84 and 95, respectively.