Unpopular Route Opinions

[kenarmy]

It doesn't have to pick up anything at the other end (*cough* the three I-69 branches).

You can't be OK with the I-69 branches.  That's, like, a requirement for signing up on the forum, isn't it?

There's many more reasons why the I-69 branches are bad that's not related to them not meeting up at both ends, but I think we all know.

Well, OK, I guess you can stay...

As a Texan, I find the three branches of IH 69 kind of neat in an "only in Texas"  kind of way.
I mean. Interstate 69C?

I still don't see why 37 couldn't have been extended down 69E.

[Avalanchez71]

- US 70 should go west of globe, not 60.

For me, in addition to that, US 66 west of Springfield should've stayed as US 60, makes more sense as a corridor than the US 60 what we have now, which seems like to take a more convoluted routing between Springfield and LA, because US 66 took the preferred routing. Not sure what the obsession of keeping LA to Chicago on a single number is. Why not route US 30 east of Pittsburgh on the US 22 corridor instead to have Chicago to NYC on a single number, if this is what they're going with?

Why US 70?  One could argue it had no business going west of Globe to begin with given it was always multiplexed with another US Route into Los Angeles (mostly US 60).  I could see an argument if US 60 moved to; AZ 260, AZ 87, and AZ 202 given that corridor is the arguably the more modern route of travel from Phoenix-Show Low once it gets to the mountains.

But, 70 is supposed to be further south than 60, and it would be right above US 80. Like sky said, 66 was the route being used from Springfield to LA and that made 60 way more indirect. And also, yes, I meant to put 72 and 76 as one route on there.

US 60 can be re-tooled to serve primarily Northern AZ without dipping into Phoenix. It could potentially replace several routes: AZ 260, AZ 169, part of AZ 69, AZ 89, and AZ 71. If slow curve and rough terrain are a consideration, the route would lose Salt River Canyon and gain Yarnell Hill.

US 70 would become the sole route for the corridor between Tempe and Lordsburg.

AZ 77 would become the sole route number (a few short jogs aside) between Tucson and Holbrook.

Yes I think it's a great idea!

Pitch this routing to the CEO of the DOT there and see if you can make it happen.

[Avalanchez71]

No one is using 43 honestly.

This is heavily used between Columbia, TN and Florence, AL.

I know a number of folks in western Alabama who would disagree with this.

45 is a wanna-be 51.

45 has more independent utility than 51, since much of 51 (including everything south of Memphis) has been overshadowed by Interstates.

US 49 has never been truncated

True, but 49 is only really important on a regional/national sense south of Jackson.  It's as much of a "wanna-be" corridor north of Jackson as what you claim 45 to be.

[kenarmy]

Interstate Edition:

- I-29 and I-49 should not be combined. I'm aware that there are other grid breakers, but an I-29 in NOLA and an I-49 in ND both sound weird.
- I-5 is messy and slapping an interstate on 99's corridor won't do justice.
- I-25 > I-15
- I-73 doesn't need to exist
- If you think it does, then "East" 74 shouldn't exist.
- I-42 is a joke.
(HELP, I had no idea there was a seperate I-87 in NC.)
- I-81 should end in Birmingham, I-59 should end in Meridian. (makes more sense than the current setup)
- I-55 would be perfect if it actually went to NOLA and got a new bridge in Memphis.
- US 80 is underrated. I mean it has I-20, I-10, I-8, I-16, I-85 (even more so down the pipeline) following its route for a decent distance. US 66 who?
- I-68 should be I-70.
- I-64 and I-44 shouldn't be combined and idk why people want this.
- Both I-88's are unnecessary.
- I-89 is too.
- I-476/ and the Atlantic City Expy is more deserving of a 2di number than I-99.
- I-49 is just fine terminating at Lafayette.
- Hear me out: I-75 to Chattanooga, all of I-24, then I-57, then I-43 as one continuous route.
- I-69's split routes are cute.
- I-22 ending at I-269 is a crime.
- I-20 should be the one going to CA! I-80 --> I-40 --> I-20.
- I-12 is the best intrastate interstate.

And I'll think of some more later 

[kphoger]

- I-69's split routes are cute.

Yeah, I think 'cute' is a decent way to describe it.  Kind of like how you might describe a child before he or she grows up and gets a real job.  I-69's split routes were cute on paper, but they're annoying now that they've grown up and gotten real jobs.

[SkyPesos]

- I-89 is too.

I-89 is part of the fastest route between Boston and Montreal, and it's one of the routes for E-W travel in upper New England. How is that useless?

[kenarmy]

- I-89 is too.

I-89 is part of the fastest route between Boston and Montreal, and it's one of the routes for E-W travel in upper New England. How is that useless?

But It's only 10 mins shorter than I-91/3 and that Canada route. There's 3dis that do it better.

[jmacswimmer]

- I-68 should be I-70.

Out of total curiosity, how would you have I-70 jump down to the I-68 corridor on the west end?  And would the orphaned Breezewood-Hancock stretch get a 3di number?

- I-20 should be the one going to CA! I-80 --> I-40 --> I-20.

I think I posted in another thread a while ago about a fictional idea where I-10 & I-20 overlap from I-20's current terminus to the I-8/I-10 interchange, with I-10 then following I-8's current route to San Diego and I-20 following I-10's current route to Phoenix & LA.  Perhaps for no other reason than getting another x0 to the west coast and dethroning I-80/I-90 for longest interstate overlap title

[SkyPesos]

- I-89 is too.

I-89 is part of the fastest route between Boston and Montreal, and it's one of the routes for E-W travel in upper New England. How is that useless?

But It's only 10 mins shorter than I-91/3 and that Canada route. There's 3dis that do it better.

How about the E-W travel in upper New England part?

Kind of curious, would you call I-71 between Cincinnati and Columbus useless because it's only 20 minutes shorter than I-75/675/70?

[SkyPesos]

- I-68 should be I-70.

Out of total curiosity, how would you have I-70 jump down to the I-68 corridor on the west end?  And would the orphaned Breezewood-Hancock stretch get a 3di number?

- I-20 should be the one going to CA! I-80 --> I-40 --> I-20.

I think I posted in another thread a while ago about a fictional idea where I-10 & I-20 overlap from I-20's current terminus to the I-8/I-10 interchange, with I-10 then following I-8's current route to San Diego and I-20 following I-10's current route to Phoenix & LA.  Perhaps for no other reason than getting another x0 to the west coast and dethroning I-80/I-90 for longest interstate overlap title

I-70 could get to I-68 via PA 43 to Uniontown and US 40 from there to I-68. This is the fastest routing on Google Maps from midwest cities near I-70 like StL, Indy, Cincy and Columbus to DC and Baltimore. Note that US 40 is a 2 lane road. Though this leaves the part of I-68 west of US 40, I-70 between PA 43 and New Stanton and I-70 between Breezewood and I-68 unnumbered.

As for getting more x0 to the west coast without being FritzOwl, I have this on my fictional compilation thread
Interstate - Western Terminus
I-10 - San Diego
I-20 - Los Angeles
I-40 - Bakersfield
I-70 - San Francisco
I-80 - Portland
I-90 - Seattle

[kenarmy]

- I-68 should be I-70.

Out of total curiosity, how would you have I-70 jump down to the I-68 corridor on the west end?  And would the orphaned Breezewood-Hancock stretch get a 3di number?

Y'all are going to hurt me for this one, but I think I-70 should follow I-79. I don't like I-70's march from Hancock to Breezewood and I think it would be better suited as a 3di.

- I-89 is too.

I-89 is part of the fastest route between Boston and Montreal, and it's one of the routes for E-W travel in upper New England. How is that useless?

But It's only 10 mins shorter than I-91/3 and that Canada route. There's 3dis that do it better.

How about the E-W travel in upper New England part?

Kind of curious, would you call I-71 between Cincinnati and Columbus useless because it's only 20 minutes shorter than I-75/675/70?

I guess you could argue that, but I mean it's not anything that impressive for a 2di anyway. Maybe if it had a bridge over the lake to I-87. If I-71 was only between Cincinnati and Columbus, then yes I would. When I say useless, I say it is an aspect of all the 2dis btw.

[Dirt Roads]

- I-68 should be I-70.

<snipped> And would the orphaned Breezewood-Hancock stretch get a 3di number?

How about I-776 still routed through Breezewood? 

[kenarmy]

- I-68 should be I-70.

<snipped> And would the orphaned Breezewood-Hancock stretch get a 3di number?

How about I-776 still routed through Breezewood? 

Well maybe the 3di can just end at US 30 instead of swinging around.

[Avalanchez71]

Why does US 79 end in Russellville, KY?  It looks like it continue on to Indianapolis via KY SR 79 and IN SR 135.

[froggie]

If you're going to argue that 89 is unnecessary, then the same argument can be applied to 59 south of Meridian.

kenarmy is probably not aware that Quebec is working on completing a direct freeway connection between 89 and A-35.  He's probably also unaware that 89 is generally better than going through Franconia Notch or over the Sheffield Heights in the winter.

[Roadgeekteen]

- I-89 is too.

I-89 is part of the fastest route between Boston and Montreal, and it's one of the routes for E-W travel in upper New England. How is that useless?

But It's only 10 mins shorter than I-91/3 and that Canada route. There's 3dis that do it better.

How is I-89 unnecessary? It serves the two largest metro areas in Vermont.

[sturmde]

I-81 can't replace I-59.  Then you'd have a ridiculous 40/75/81 triplex.  Tennessee isn't North Carolina.
.
You could renumber I-59 north of Birmingham as I-67.  Or I-61.  Or keep it I-59 and change the southern I-59 to I-61 or I-63.  Then it's just I-20 from Meridian to Birmingham.
.
I-42 is hella better than NC proposing I-36.  And it'll at least go to an ocean..
.
Just terminate I-70 heading east at I-76.  Run I-99 along 76 to Breezewood and then down I-70 and I-270.  Let I-68 run east to Baltimore, run around 695 south and take over 97.  99 ends at DC at 495... which at least starts to make one iota of sense.

[SkyPesos]

Just terminate I-70 heading east at I-76.  Run I-99 along 76 to Breezewood and then down I-70 and I-270.  Let I-68 run east to Baltimore, run around 695 south and take over 97.  99 ends at DC at 495... which at least starts to make one iota of sense.

If you're going to truncate one route at New Stanton, have it be 76, and 70 can continue on to Philadelphia. The x0 interstate gets priority in situations like this.

[Evan_Th]

I-81 can't replace I-59.  Then you'd have a ridiculous 40/75/81 triplex.  Tennessee isn't North Carolina.
.
You could renumber I-59 north of Birmingham as I-67.  Or I-61.  Or keep it I-59 and change the southern I-59 to I-61 or I-63.  Then it's just I-20 from Meridian to Birmingham.

Or if Alabama builds the Meridian-Montgomery freeway, extend I-20 over that and have it replace I-85 west of Atlanta.  Then, extend I-22 over the Birmingham-Atlanta freeway.  That leaves I-59 by itself.  And I-85, well, will still be longer than I-45.

[Roadgeekteen]

This recent conversation should be moved to fictional.

[kenarmy]

If you're going to argue that 89 is unnecessary, then the same argument can be applied to 59 south of Meridian.

kenarmy is probably not aware that Quebec is working on completing a direct freeway connection between 89 and A-35.  He's probably also unaware that 89 is generally better than going through Franconia Notch or over the Sheffield Heights in the winter.

I actually agree with the thing about 59.

- I-89 is too.

I-89 is part of the fastest route between Boston and Montreal, and it's one of the routes for E-W travel in upper New England. How is that useless?

But It's only 10 mins shorter than I-91/3 and that Canada route. There's 3dis that do it better.

How is I-89 unnecessary? It serves the two largest metro areas in Vermont.

Guys I don't mean like 100% useless, I just think compared with the other interstates it's just meh.

[US 89]

US 6, 49, and 98 are just meh compared to all the other US highways out there.

[kenarmy]

US 6, 49, and 98 are just meh compared to all the other US highways out there.

US 49 connects a capital with the coast and has a bridge over the MS, US 98 is a verryyyy important (49 is too) evacuation route, and don't get me started on all the major destinations it goes through. I shouldn't even have to explain US 6. What other highways are you talking about? Surely not US 89  . But wait this is unpopular opinions-

[Roadgeekteen]

US 6, 49, and 98 are just meh compared to all the other US highways out there.

What do you have against US 6? It literally goes from California to Cape Cod.

[SkyPesos]

US 6, 49, and 98 are just meh compared to all the other US highways out there.

What do you have against US 6? It literally goes from California to Cape Cod.

Think it's because 6, 49 and 98 happens to be the 3 US routes in kenarmy's sig. Not sure if he actually hates 6 or not; 6 is a US route I don't see a lot of people dislike, and it goes through Utah too.