Control Cities

[Roadgeekteen]

I'm with Roadgeekteen. I've never heard the expression before. Signing BFE would be a very bad idea. If I saw it, I would have assumed it was an airport code.

Bielefeld Airport, Germany.

Ironically enough that place also doesn't exist

It does exist?

Google...

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

Oh never heard of it.

[kkt]

I'm with Roadgeekteen. I've never heard the expression before. Signing BFE would be a very bad idea. If I saw it, I would have assumed it was an airport code.

Bielefeld Airport, Germany.

Ironically enough that place also doesn't exist

It does exist?

Google...

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

Oh never heard of it.

the conspiracy, or Bielefeld?

[Roadgeekteen]

I'm with Roadgeekteen. I've never heard the expression before. Signing BFE would be a very bad idea. If I saw it, I would have assumed it was an airport code.

Bielefeld Airport, Germany.

Ironically enough that place also doesn't exist

It does exist?

Google...

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

Oh never heard of it.

the conspiracy, or Bielefeld?

The conspiracy. I've vaguely heard of Bielefeld.

[sbeaver44]

I intersected I-81 in VA twice yesterday at exits 264 and 273

Are you serious that Mt Jackson, New Market, and Edinburg are the signs for I-81 from US/VA 211 and VA 292/703?

From US 211 I'm not even sure I-81 N is the best route to Mt Jackson proper, with VA 292/703 being so north of most of town

I can accept Staunton southbound at Exit 264

[hobsini2]

I intersected I-81 in VA twice yesterday at exits 264 and 273

Are you serious that Mt Jackson, New Market, and Edinburg are the signs for I-81 from US/VA 211 and VA 292/703?

From US 211 I'm not even sure I-81 N is the best route to Mt Jackson proper, with VA 292/703 being so north of most of town

I can accept Staunton southbound at Exit 264

Interesting that it picks Mt Jackson going north but skips Harrisonburg, a much bigger city before Staunton, going south from US 211. Prime example of why some control cities need tweaking.

[sbeaver44]

Agreed–Skipping Harrisonburg is especially odd given the other two.  Given Staunton as a city and junction with I-64 I can accept it.

Winchester should be the North control city from New Market/Mt Jackson. 

[amroad17]

^ Many of these control cities at the interchanges between Harrisonburg and Strasburg on I-81 in Virginia do need an update.  They most likely have been carbon copied during each sign replacement round (at least two, maybe three).

[Flint1979]

I was in Harrisonburg about 5 months ago. I remember it as I spent the night in Staunton (actually Verona) but I thought Harrisonburg was a decent sized city that probably shouldn't be skipped as a control city on I-81. And Harrisonburg is bigger than Staunton too, it's actually almost dead on being the same size as my hometown of Saginaw, MI. Roughly the same population and land area making it the same density. Now if Saginaw isn't skipped over on I-75 which it isn't then Harrisonburg shouldn't be skipped over on I-81.

[Roadgeekteen]

On I-81 I would only sign Bristol, Roanoke, and Winchester in Virginia.

[hbelkins]

I would submit that many of the signs along minor intersecting routes are more for local traffic that's using I-81 to get to a nearby town, rather than one of the designated larger control cities.

As for the ones used for I-81, I'd eliminate Winchester and use Staunton, which is a major intersection with I-64, and then skip directly to Hagerstown. If you need one in the northern stretches of the Virginia portion of the route, use Strasburg because of I-66.

[Flint1979]

On I-81 I would only sign Bristol, Roanoke, and Winchester in Virginia.

That's crazy since Harrisonburg is twice the size of Winchester. Roanoke to Winchester is 175 miles with at least two worthy control cities in between.

[Flint1979]

I would submit that many of the signs along minor intersecting routes are more for local traffic that's using I-81 to get to a nearby town, rather than one of the designated larger control cities.

As for the ones used for I-81, I'd eliminate Winchester and use Staunton, which is a major intersection with I-64, and then skip directly to Hagerstown. If you need one in the northern stretches of the Virginia portion of the route, use Strasburg because of I-66.

Yeah that makes some sense too. But I would go with Harrisonburg then Hagerstown.

[Flint1979]

What about on state highways? Let's talk about the control cities on state highways.

In Saginaw on M-13 the southbound control city is Lansing. Even though M-13 doesn't take you to Lansing it takes you to I-69 which connects you to Lansing so the control city someone makes sense. Also M-13 is part of the fastest route between Saginaw and Lansing.

Northbound Owosso is used as a control city at the I-69 exit along with Saginaw being used. Saginaw is only used on the signs leading up to the exit though.

[Roadgeekteen]

What about on state highways? Let's talk about the control cities on state highways.

In Saginaw on M-13 the southbound control city is Lansing. Even though M-13 doesn't take you to Lansing it takes you to I-69 which connects you to Lansing so the control city someone makes sense. Also M-13 is part of the fastest route between Saginaw and Lansing.

Northbound Owosso is used as a control city at the I-69 exit along with Saginaw being used. Saginaw is only used on the signs leading up to the exit though.

Interesting that it's the fastest route. It's 4 minutes faster than I-69 to I-75.

[Flint1979]

What about on state highways? Let's talk about the control cities on state highways.

In Saginaw on M-13 the southbound control city is Lansing. Even though M-13 doesn't take you to Lansing it takes you to I-69 which connects you to Lansing so the control city someone makes sense. Also M-13 is part of the fastest route between Saginaw and Lansing.

Northbound Owosso is used as a control city at the I-69 exit along with Saginaw being used. Saginaw is only used on the signs leading up to the exit though.

Interesting that it's the fastest route. It's 4 minutes faster than I-69 to I-75.

Not all that much it's over 10 miles shorter. And M-13 has a 55 mph speed limit.

[Flint1979]

Here's another thing. I'm sitting at a Culver's on Gratiot Road in Shields right now which is a little west of Saginaw but still part of Saginaw. Shields is part of Thomas Township but I just asked Google for the directions to Lansing from here and they tell me to take M-46 west to M-52 south to M-57 west to US-127 south. From where I'm at right now going all the way back to I-75 would be out of my way.

I'm kind of surprised that it doesn't tell me to take M-52 to I-69 though. Instead cutting 20 mi west on M-57 to go to US-127. Unless they have me bypassing Owosso for some reason.

[Roadgeekteen]

Another interesting one is a random Chelmsford sign on MA 27 near Wayland.

[roadman65]

Why does ODOT not use Seattle for a control city on I-5 for I-205? Going SB at I-84 Salem is used as well as I-5 SB ( although that is WDOT there) to show it's nature as a bypass.

Oregon City is instead used at its south end.

[hobsini2]

Why does ODOT not use Seattle for a control city on I-5 for I-205? Going SB at I-84 Salem is used as well as I-5 SB ( although that is WDOT there) to show it's nature as a bypass.

Oregon City is instead used at its south end.

Not sure why. The I-84, Bus US 30 and Airport interchanges all use Salem and Seattle.

[Roadgeekteen]

Why does ODOT not use Seattle for a control city on I-5 for I-205? Going SB at I-84 Salem is used as well as I-5 SB ( although that is WDOT there) to show it's nature as a bypass.

Oregon City is instead used at its south end.

What does Washington use at the northern end?

[kphoger]

Why does ODOT not use Seattle for a control city on I-5 for I-205? Going SB at I-84 Salem is used as well as I-5 SB ( although that is WDOT there) to show it's nature as a bypass.

Oregon City is instead used at its south end.

What does Washington use at the northern end?

Seattle.
https://goo.gl/maps/x9tyRNKSPjmxunqP7
https://goo.gl/maps/z8am9Pc2ceF1mfRH6
https://goo.gl/maps/qwGKzv6yhS3cqKGr8

Or did you mean the northern end of 205?  In that case, it's also Seattle.

[Roadgeekteen]

Why does ODOT not use Seattle for a control city on I-5 for I-205? Going SB at I-84 Salem is used as well as I-5 SB ( although that is WDOT there) to show it's nature as a bypass.

Oregon City is instead used at its south end.

What does Washington use at the northern end?

Seattle.
https://goo.gl/maps/x9tyRNKSPjmxunqP7
https://goo.gl/maps/z8am9Pc2ceF1mfRH6
https://goo.gl/maps/qwGKzv6yhS3cqKGr8

Or did you mean the northern end of 205?  In that case, it's also Seattle.

I was talking about from I-5 to I-205 south, and it looks like they use Salem.

[Flint1979]

I have traveled through the M-13 exit off I-69 (Exit 123) several times before. The control cities are actually Lennon and Saginaw. Saginaw is the only one mentioned on the exit signs on the highway then Lennon is mentioned on the exit ramp. Of course after you start traveling north on M-13 you pass this sign that has Owosso on it.
https://www.google.com/maps/@42.9670537,-83.9288583,3a,15y,33.74h,88.77t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sRr_qm1XJClsX1_fu2Fhgfg!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

Also in Saginaw where I said that Lansing is the control city on M-13 south. This is on M-46 east.
https://www.google.com/maps/@43.4101245,-83.9561932,3a,15y,126.27h,90.34t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sY46R6Wf_xgmyV4Ud-CASzw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

[dvferyance]

On I-81 I would only sign Bristol, Roanoke, and Winchester in Virginia.

I don't even think Bristol is necessary. Who has ever heard of it? I would use Knoxville south of Roanoke.

[Roadgeekteen]

On I-81 I would only sign Bristol, Roanoke, and Winchester in Virginia.

I don't even think Bristol is necessary. Who has ever heard of it? I would use Knoxville south of Roanoke.

It represents the Tri-City region in Northeastern Tennessee.