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[roadman65]

I-5 in Northern California has a drastic change passing through Red Bluff.  North of that particular city is a mix of trees and rolling hills, but south of it, you experience flat agricultural plains.

Name other cities of small size that the land around an interstate or other major freeway designation changes and is very noticeable when driving through it.

[Dirt Roads]

It's not considered a single freeway, but taking the straight north-south route across Charleston, West Virginia using I-64 eastbound across the Fort Hill Bridge and then staying straight onto I-77 northbound shows how narrow the city is along the Kanawha River.  After crossing that river, you first run parallel to the Elk River with downtown on the east side and a semi-commercial zone on the West Side.  After the I-64/I-77 interchange, you enter the Elk River trench with an older residential section along the Interstate and a narrow industrial corridor on the east side.  But once you get to the I-77/I-79 interchange, its almost completely forested (with a glimpse of the Yeager Airport atop the ridge to the east.

It's about 3 miles from Corridor G -to- I-79.

Should I mention that going the other way, I-64 runs alongside the huge former Union Carbide chemical complex (now Dow) in South Charleston.  A drastic change in scenery, but probably not what the OP was looking for.

[Hobart]

I'm gonna go for the low hanging fruit here!

Literally any road that runs east and west through Denver is a great example of this. Heading east into Denver, you drive through eastern Colorado, which is still relatively flat like Kansas or Nebraska, but once you start going west out of Denver, you hit the Rockies almost immediately.

My dad lived in Aurora for a few months back in the 80's, and he said it was a lot like that. Aurora is quite flat, but you can see the mountains a relatively short distance away.

[TheHighwayMan394]

I-90 in Chamberlain, SD, where you cross the Missouri River. West side (known as "West River") is more arid ranch land typical of Plains scenery, while "East River" is the more traditional, greener rolling farmland of the Midwest.

[JayhawkCO]

I'm gonna go for the low hanging fruit here!

Literally any road that runs east and west through Denver is a great example of this. Heading east into Denver, you drive through eastern Colorado, which is still relatively flat like Kansas or Nebraska, but once you start going west out of Denver, you hit the Rockies almost immediately.

My dad lived in Aurora for a few months back in the 80's, and he said it was a lot like that. Aurora is quite flat, but you can see the mountains a relatively short distance away.

More specifically in the mountains though, I'll pick Vail. East of Vail, it's the typical alpine Colorado that people picture. Once west, immediately more "Utah style" red rock is visible.

[doorknob60]

US-97 through Bend, OR. The north side of the city is typical high desert shrubs and such, not many large trees. South side of the city is Ponderosa Pine (I believe, not an expert) forests and a lot greener. Transition is clearly visible even from Google Maps satellite, Bend is right on the border (with even different parts of the city itself looking significantly different from each other). https://www.google.com/maps/@44.0400793,-121.3246234,29387m/data=!3m1!1e3

[roadman65]

I am going to also add Wichita to it.  East of the city your in the Flint Hills with rolling prairies while west of that city is flat open land with no trees.  US 54/400 is the freeway and ditto for I-35.

Hutchinson, KS is another one. South, East, and West is open flat farmlands as far as the eye can see, go north on Plum Street and see some forested areas.

Though no continuous freeways N- S through Hutch, K-14 comes close to it as it does see some of those trees toward Nickerson. K-14 is a super two around Hutchinson and it's concurrency with US 50 is eye range of the open ness south of that city.

[US 89]

For the same reason as people have mentioned Denver, I’ll go Salt Lake City on I-80. Heading west, it’s the obvious break point between the Rockies of Wyoming/Utah and the much drier Great Basin deserts to the west.

Also, there’s a clear shift at Oklahoma City on I-40, going from the green rolling wooded hills of the Ozarks and Ouachitas to the much flatter and drier treeless High Plains.

[machias]

Syracuse, New York on I-81.  Coming from the south you're in the Appalachian Mountains. Pass through the city to the north and it's the flatter land between Lake Ontario and the Tug Hill Plateau.

[Rothman]

Syracuse, New York on I-81.  Coming from the south you're in the Appalachian Mountains. Pass through the city to the north and it's the flatter land between Lake Ontario and the Tug Hill Plateau.

That transition happens over a very long distance.

[amroad17]

Syracuse, New York on I-81.  Coming from the south you're in the Appalachian Mountains. Pass through the city to the north and it's the flatter land between Lake Ontario and the Tug Hill Plateau.

That transition happens over a very long distance.

Not really, probably only 3 miles.  There are decent-sized hills (approx. 650-700 ft. above sea level) along I-81 up to the I-81/I-481 interchange (16A), from that point you drive down a hill to the S. Salina/Brighton interchange (17), then it is flatter land through downtown (approx. 400 ft. above sea level) and north of the city by Mattydale and the airport.  This flatter land (approx. 380 ft. above sea level) continues through Cicero, Central Square, and north to the Tug Hill area.

Basically, south of Syracuse is the foothills of the Appalachians.  The land scenery does change, however, the man-made scenery is just like most other US cities.

[webny99]

The change is really from one side of Syracuse to the other, which you could interpret as either including or excluding the city itself. (I thought the OP was looking for the latter.)

[michravera]

I-5 in Northern California has a drastic change passing through Red Bluff.  North of that particular city is a mix of trees and rolling hills, but south of it, you experience flat agricultural plains.

Name other cities of small size that the land around an interstate or other major freeway designation changes and is very noticeable when driving through it.

CASR-41 (Morrow Bay to Yosemite via Fresno) goes through about 7 changes of scenery.

[CoreySamson]

Little Rock on I-40 most definitely applies. It's very hilly on the western approach (and when approaching from the SW on I-30), but on the east side of town, it transitions to flat farmland typical of the Arkansas delta region.

[Scott5114]

For the same reason as people have mentioned Denver, I’ll go Salt Lake City on I-80. Heading west, it’s the obvious break point between the Rockies of Wyoming/Utah and the much drier Great Basin deserts to the west.

Also, there’s a clear shift at Oklahoma City on I-40, going from the green rolling wooded hills of the Ozarks and Ouachitas to the much flatter and drier treeless High Plains.

And going further west, there's a pretty jarring transition at Sedillo NM, where the High Plains pretty abruptly ends. Then you're in the Sandia Mountains, and once you get through those, you're in Albuquerque, and the West really begins.

[Rothman]

Syracuse, New York on I-81.  Coming from the south you're in the Appalachian Mountains. Pass through the city to the north and it's the flatter land between Lake Ontario and the Tug Hill Plateau.

That transition happens over a very long distance.

Not really, probably only 3 miles.  There are decent-sized hills (approx. 650-700 ft. above sea level) along I-81 up to the I-81/I-481 interchange (16A), from that point you drive down a hill to the S. Salina/Brighton interchange (17), then it is flatter land through downtown (approx. 400 ft. above sea level) and north of the city by Mattydale and the airport.  This flatter land (approx. 380 ft. above sea level) continues through Cicero, Central Square, and north to the Tug Hill area.

Basically, south of Syracuse is the foothills of the Appalachians.  The land scenery does change, however, the man-made scenery is just like most other US cities.

I still disagree.  It really isn't a dramatic change as the OP intends.  The plateau is surely different once you get up there into the shorter trees and brush.  But going from the southern hills, through the valley (due to the rivers/lakes) and then up into the plateau?  That's a lot ot miles to get the real transition.

[vdeane]

How about I-87 with Glens Falls?  South of there is one of the most boring roads in the state.  North of there is the Adirondacks.

[Bickendan]

US-97 through Bend, OR. The north side of the city is typical high desert shrubs and such, not many large trees. South side of the city is Ponderosa Pine (I believe, not an expert) forests and a lot greener. Transition is clearly visible even from Google Maps satellite, Bend is right on the border (with even different parts of the city itself looking significantly different from each other). https://www.google.com/maps/@44.0400793,-121.3246234,29387m/data=!3m1!1e3

Hood River, Oregon, and White Salmon, Washington across the river. To the west, you have the temperate rain forest. To the east, you have the drier high desert. 

[Henry]

Los Angeles has at least three different scenery changes: To the north (on I-5) you have the mountains, to the west (on US 101) and south (also on I-5) you have the coastline, and to the east (on I-10) you have the desert.

[Hunty2022]

Charlottesville on I-64.

West of it you have mountains and hilly landscapes.
East of it you have smaller hills and more flat landscapes.

[hobsini2]

I would say Ft Worth on I-20 is one especially at the west junction of I-820. East of the city is forested areas. West of the city, very open and much drier climate.

Of course, my favorite one that I experienced this summer. West of Reno is the town of Verdi NV on I-80. East of Verdi, it is high desert. West of Verdi is the Sierra Nevadas and tons of pine forests almost all the way to Sacramento.

[Techknow]

CA 13 freeway in Oakland, CA. As TheStranger once pointed out somewhere, the freeway goes through hills at the south end (example GSV) but gets tucked into trees in the north half (check GSV anywhere else in the freeway) in the city limits!

[Henry]

I-90 begins just south of downtown Seattle, and then transitions into mountains and forest almost immediately to the east.

[Bruce]

I-90 begins just south of downtown Seattle, and then transitions into mountains and forest almost immediately to the east.

Issaquah is where the change is really apparent. Goes from suburban sprawl to trees and mountains in a snap.

[epzik8]

I-95 in Delaware goes from winding through downtown Wilmington to two lanes with very little development in a matter of a couple of miles.