What is Your States Most Famous Route?

[Max Rockatansky]

"Lose Yourself" from the 8 Mile movie is this generation's Freebird. 

Chris

Is it though?  I couldn't even name the cover song of the Eight Mile movie until you mentioned it.  I don't even know what Freebird off the top my head even is.

Yeah.  "Lose Yourself" was and is huge.  Takes effort and having teenagers to break through our generational bubbles.

I haven't heard the song in years much less anything else written by Marshall Mathers.  Maybe I was too old for his music to really click with me.

Heh.  Hence my reference to "generational bubbles."

But are you guys not within the ball park of my age?  Considering the movie 8 Mile came out in November 2002 I would have been 20 years old when I saw it with my older brother.  I don't think either of us (both Detroit natives) came away thinking much other than it was neat to see our home city in a movie besides Robocop.  I certainly don't remember either of us running out to buy the last Marshall Mathers album (although my brother was big into the first 50 album).

That's why I brought up having teenagers.  I'm older than you.  My kids were teenagers during the height of Mr. Mathers' career.  Without them, I would have shrugged it off, too, but the fact of the matter is that his movie 8 Mile and the attention it got put 8 Mile in the younger generation's psyches.

No matter what the anticlimactic experience is of the road itself, the fact of the matter is 8 Mile's now the most famous road in Detroit by far.

I guess I'll just have respectfully disagree and leave it at that.  I can't imagine that song or movie will have staying power as time rolls on to keep Eight Mile anywhere near on the same tier as Woodward.  There seems to be enough to dissenting opinions that suggest it isn't a straight forward lock towards either opinion (I say this after talking about it elsewhere and getting similar mixed opinions).

[NWI_Irish96]

I never heard of Woodward until I actually went to Detroit. Eight Mile is of course in the title of a movie, and anyone who was a baseball fan before 2000 likely knows Michigan and Trumbull more than Woodward.

[Rothman]

"Lose Yourself" from the 8 Mile movie is this generation's Freebird. 

Chris

Is it though?  I couldn't even name the cover song of the Eight Mile movie until you mentioned it.  I don't even know what Freebird off the top my head even is.

Yeah.  "Lose Yourself" was and is huge.  Takes effort and having teenagers to break through our generational bubbles.

I haven't heard the song in years much less anything else written by Marshall Mathers.  Maybe I was too old for his music to really click with me.

Heh.  Hence my reference to "generational bubbles."

But are you guys not within the ball park of my age?  Considering the movie 8 Mile came out in November 2002 I would have been 20 years old when I saw it with my older brother.  I don't think either of us (both Detroit natives) came away thinking much other than it was neat to see our home city in a movie besides Robocop.  I certainly don't remember either of us running out to buy the last Marshall Mathers album (although my brother was big into the first 50 album).

That's why I brought up having teenagers.  I'm older than you.  My kids were teenagers during the height of Mr. Mathers' career.  Without them, I would have shrugged it off, too, but the fact of the matter is that his movie 8 Mile and the attention it got put 8 Mile in the younger generation's psyches.

No matter what the anticlimactic experience is of the road itself, the fact of the matter is 8 Mile's now the most famous road in Detroit by far.

I guess I'll just have respectfully disagree and leave it at that.  I can't imagine that song or movie will have staying power as time rolls on to keep Eight Mile anywhere near on the same tier as Woodward.  There seems to be enough to dissenting opinions that suggest it isn't a straight forward lock towards either opinion (I say this after talking about it elsewhere and getting similar mixed opinions).

Heh.  More comments saying Woodward is less popular than 8 Mile than the other way around in here, anyway.  But, okay.

[J3ebrules]

Thought I'd just put out what I would personally consider the most famous route in each state.  That way you can all tell me how wrong I am.

While I was reading this post, I was thinking it would be a neat idea to see what outsiders thought of the most famous routes outside their own state.

That would be a neat idea for a separate thread - what interstate, US, and state routes do you believe are the most famous - for every state you have NEVER visited. Would be interesting to see which roads really permeate pop/roadgeek culture.

[bwana39]

If Route 66 is not the answer for Texas, then I would think I-10 would be. Popularly known as the widest freeway in the world, plus it goes on for 880 miles. A lot of people seem to know that.

Personally I think the Old San Antonio Road or the Bankhead Highway.  The only accolade anyone outside Houston thinks of I-10 is indeed its length from Orange to Anthony.  The very reason you say "if it isn't US-66" is because we all know an interstate is just a couple of strips of concrete. It lacks the character (Soul?) of an old time highway.

[SouthEast176]

For state highways, PA 61 just because of Centralia and an abandoned section (my closest state route )

US Routes: 20, 30 or 6. Both 6 and 20 because they're the longest numbered highways of any kind in the country. 30 because of all the reasons stated before.


And I agree with the Turnpike as the most famous Interstate in the state.

[jaehak]

"IL - I-294.  Tri-State Tollway is pretty well known to people from at least, well, three states."

State St, Lake Shore Dr, Michigan Av, Lower Wacker Dr. and even the city Xways [Ike, JFK, Ryan] are more well known to average folks. IMHO.     I-90/55 and US 20/30/41 for route #s

I toyed with the idea of Lakeshore and Michigan Ave., but I'll stick with I-294.  I even thought about Clark for a minute just because of Wrigley.

Chris

LSD is way more famous than the Tri-state. How many movies and TV shows and songs does 294 show up in? Non-road geeks who haven't been to Chicago almost certainly don't know the Tri-state, but plenty know LSD.

100% agree with you on 8 Mile tho. I'd never heard of Woodward before seeing this thread.

[JayhawkCO]

"IL - I-294.  Tri-State Tollway is pretty well known to people from at least, well, three states."

State St, Lake Shore Dr, Michigan Av, Lower Wacker Dr. and even the city Xways [Ike, JFK, Ryan] are more well known to average folks. IMHO.     I-90/55 and US 20/30/41 for route #s

I toyed with the idea of Lakeshore and Michigan Ave., but I'll stick with I-294.  I even thought about Clark for a minute just because of Wrigley.

Chris

LSD is way more famous than the Tri-state. How many movies and TV shows and songs does 294 show up in? Non-road geeks who haven't been to Chicago almost certainly don't know the Tri-state, but plenty know LSD.

100% agree with you on 8 Mile tho. I'd never heard of Woodward before seeing this thread.

Yeah. I'm fine with Lakeshore. I'm 100% adamant about 8 Mile though.

[Bruce]

If we're going by being a destination that is known outside the region, Washington's has to be the North Cascades Highway (SR 20). Plenty of guidebooks point specifically to it, and it's special enough to have guide signs that spell out its name (a rarity in WA).

WA - Pike Street.  When people think Washington, they think Seattle.  When they think Seattle, they think of Pike's Place.

It's just Pike Place, no possessive. This is one of the Seattle shibboleths that can weed out transplants and tourists.

[Max Rockatansky]

The only reason I had to see Pike Place is due to the insanity of the FISH video that used to be popular with Human Resource types.  Sadly the reality of Pike Place doesn't match up to the cheerful madness of FISH.

For Washington other alternates I would have picked would be WA 20 through Deception Pass and Hurricane Ridge Road.  The Viaduct and various bridges would be contenders also.

[StogieGuy7]

LSD is way more famous than the Tri-state. How many movies and TV shows and songs does 294 show up in? Non-road geeks who haven't been to Chicago almost certainly don't know the Tri-state, but plenty know LSD.

100% agree with you on 8 Mile tho. I'd never heard of Woodward before seeing this thread.

This right here ^

No question that LSD is the most famous route in IL. As for MI, Woodward and 8 Mile are true of Detroit, but M-22 seems to be more famous to non-Detroiters.

[JayhawkCO]

If we're going by being a destination that is known outside the region, Washington's has to be the North Cascades Highway (SR 20). Plenty of guidebooks point specifically to it, and it's special enough to have guide signs that spell out its name (a rarity in WA).

WA - Pike Street.  When people think Washington, they think Seattle.  When they think Seattle, they think of Pike's Place.

It's just Pike Place, no possessive. This is one of the Seattle shibboleths that can weed out transplants and tourists.

Yeah. I knew that. I used to live in Belltown but just went too quickly. I guarantee you that non-Pacific Northwesterners have barely heard of North Cascades National Park much less the road that goes through it.

[JayhawkCO]

No question that LSD is the most famous route in IL. As for MI, Woodward and 8 Mile are true of Detroit, but M-22 seems to be more famous to non-Detroiters.

Are you saying non-Detroit Michiganders? Or non-Detroiters overall? I think that's where some this thread is getting a little confused. I'm talking about, in the country, which route is known by non-locals of that area. Sure, more people in Denver have heard of Colfax than probably any non-Coloradoans have heard of any particular route here, but that doesn't make it famous. It just makes it local and important. Fame should transcend locality. A good amount of folks know you take I-70 to go to the mountains, so that's the most "famous" route.

[TheHighwayMan3561]

I know it was discussed earlier in the thread, but 8 Mile became iconic with a certain generation in this country because of Eminem. I think there's no further argument (even though there will be ).

[Max Rockatansky]

The Big Boy statue at 8 Mile and I-275 fortunately has always been there for me when I've needed to disappoint a family member regarding their perception of Metro Detroit.

[TheGrassGuy]

Alabama: US-78 (Selma to Montgomery route)
Alaska: AK-2 (Alaska Highway)
Arizona: Historic US-66
Arkansas: AR-7
California: CA-1 (Pacific Coast Highway) or US-101
Colorado: US-34 (Trail Ridge Road)
Connecticut: I-95 or CT-169
Delaware: I-95 (Delaware Turnpike)
Florida: US-1 (Overseas Highway)
Georgia: I-75?
Hawaii: HI-36/360 (Hana Highway)
Idaho: US-12 or I-84
Illinois: Lake Shore Drive
Indiana: I-65?
Iowa: ?
Kansas: I-35
Kentucky: ?
Louisiana: I-10
Maine: Park Loop Road
Maryland: I-495
Massachusetts: I-90, I-93 or I-95
Michigan: M-185
Minnesota: I-94?
Mississippi: Natchez Trace Parkway
Missouri: Historic US-66
Montana: Going-to-the-sun Road
Nebraska: ?
Nevada: Las Vegas Strip
New Hampshire: I-93
New Jersey: Boardwalk in A.C. if that counts as a road, otherwise Park Place in A.C.
New Mexico: Historic US-66
New York: Broadway
North Carolina: Blue Ridge Parkway
North Dakota: Enchanted Highway
Ohio: I-75?
Oklahoma: Historic US-66
Oregon: US-101
Pennsylvania: I-76?
Rhode Island: Ocean Drive
South Carolina: ?
South Dakota: SD-14?
Tennessee: I-40?
Texas: I-10
Utah: UT-7 or US-89
Vermont: VT-100
Virginia: Blue Ridge Parkway
Washington: I-5
West Virginia: I-77?
Wisconsin: ?
Wyoming: Grand Loop Road

[Max Rockatansky]

Did you mean UT 9?

[TheGrassGuy]

Did you mean UT 9?

Yes, whoops.

[US 89]

Did you mean UT 9?

Yes, whoops.

I'd think Utah 12 is more famous than 9. 9 does have some number recognition among the general public but most people still think of it as just "the road to Zion". 12 is better known as a route itself.

Georgia: I-75?

Peachtree Street.

[formulanone]

Alabama: better known for the Mobile Tunnel or Edmund Pettus Bridge than any specific route.

Interstate 65 - hits every major city metro in the state

US Route - I'll suggest 80 due to the Selma-to-Montgomery March

State Route - uh, nothing really registers with the public outside of the areas they serve. 59 goes to the Gulf Shores, 182 along that gulf coast, so that might be the winner. 176 should be better-known but I'm okay with its anonymity.

[Max Rockatansky]

Did you mean UT 9?

Yes, whoops.

I'd think Utah 12 is more famous than 9. 9 does have some number recognition among the general public but most people still think of it as just "the road to Zion". 12 is better known as a route itself.

Georgia: I-75?

Peachtree Street.

I would agree UT 12 is more famous, especially nowadays given it has been promoted a lot in recent years.  UT 9 is still pretty up there with other stuff like US 163, the Moki Dugway and I-70 in the Swell.

[plain]

For New Jersey, I agree with the Turnpike. It easily beats out even the GSP.

For Virginia, while I'm sure many people know about the Beltway and the Blue Ridge Pkwy, I'd argue that the most famous "road" is the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel.

[Bruce]

The only reason I had to see Pike Place is due to the insanity of the FISH video that used to be popular with Human Resource types.  Sadly the reality of Pike Place doesn't match up to the cheerful madness of FISH.

For Washington other alternates I would have picked would be WA 20 through Deception Pass and Hurricane Ridge Road.  The Viaduct and various bridges would be contenders also.

Well, the fish throwing is still a thing done for tourists.

The rest of the market is real nice if you want to stumble upon a new shop every so often. I still can't say I've really explored every nook and cranny of the market even though I've been dozens of times.

[Scott5114]

The only reason I had to see Pike Place is due to the insanity of the FISH video that used to be popular with Human Resource types.  Sadly the reality of Pike Place doesn't match up to the cheerful madness of FISH.

I remember seeing that and thinking it was so stupid I looked it up after I got home. I found a video where some random person found one of the guys in the FISH video at work and asked him about whether his job was actually like that, and the guy basically said the producers took them being silly at work out of context and spun an entire web of HR nonsense around it that didn't actually have anything to do with the way they actually did business at Pike Place.

[Rothman]

I've been to Pike Place a bunch of times and seen the fish throwing and chanting and whatnot.  They don't seem to sell that much fish, for all the showmanship.