Daily conversation: What is the worst possible answer?

[JayhawkCO]

03 APR 2026

What US highway should be redesignated as I-50, and why?

US730 - the most important US Route in the country.

[kphoger]

US-150. That way if there were any delay in manufacturing the new signs, they could easily effectuate a temporary fix by sending someone out with electrician's tape to put little black hyphens on the current shields so they'd read "1-50," which would satisfy the old maxim "close enough for government work."

Ah, give it the old New Jersey treatment!  I like it...

[PColumbus73]

03 APR 2026

What US highway should be redesignated as I-50, and why?

US 45, because it would annoy the roadgeeks

[GaryV]

03 APR 2026

What US highway should be redesignated as I-50, and why?

Following up on the posts about asking AI and getting a roadgeek-worthy answer, I asked Gemini:

In the world of highway planning, the question of "Interstate 50" is a classic paradox. Currently, there is no Interstate 50, and officially, there likely never will be.

If you were to choose a candidate for redesignation, the only logical choice—and the one most often debated by enthusiasts and planners—is U.S. Route 50.

The Primary Candidate: U.S. Route 50

U.S. 50 is a 3,000-mile transcontinental highway stretching from Ocean City, Maryland, to West Sacramento, California. It is the "right" choice for I-50 because:

Location: It occupies the exact latitudinal "slot" where an I-50 should exist in a perfect grid.

Infrastructure: Significant portions are already built to freeway standards. For example, the "Fix50" project in Sacramento is currently upgrading a major section of US 50 to handle modern interstate-level traffic and HOV lanes.

Connectivity: It links major hubs like Washington D.C., Cincinnati, St. Louis, Kansas City, and Sacramento—the exact "backbone" an I-50 would provide.

Why It Hasn't Happened (The "Why")

Despite the logic, several massive hurdles prevent this redesignation:

The Duplication Rule: The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) forbids an Interstate and a U.S. Route from having the same number in the same state. Since US 50 passes through 12 states, an I-50 would create constant confusion for emergency services and navigation.

Grid Mirroring: To avoid confusion, the systems were designed as mirrors. U.S. Routes increase in number from North to South (US 2 is in the north, US 98 in the south). Interstates increase from South to North (I-10 is in the south, I-90 in the north). This means they inevitably "collide" in the middle of the country around the 50/60 mark.

The "Loneliest Road" Identity: US 50 in Nevada is famously branded as "The Loneliest Road in America." Converting it to an Interstate would require bringing it up to federal standards (like removing at-grade intersections), which would destroy the scenic, historic character that makes the route a tourist destination.

The "Shadow" I-50: The Transamerica Corridor

In the 1990s, Congress designated "High Priority Corridors," including a "Transamerica Corridor" (Corridor 3). While some enthusiasts dubbed this the "Future I-50," it has mostly stalled due to:

Environmental Impact: Cutting through the Appalachian Mountains and western deserts is ecologically sensitive and expensive.

Redundant Funding: Most states prefer to spend federal funds on maintaining existing I-70 or I-80 routes rather than building an entirely new transcontinental freeway.

[xonhulu]

03 APR 2026

What US highway should be redesignated as I-50, and why?

All three of US 400, US 412 and US 425. Mostly to get rid of them.

And don't connect them, let I-50 have three non-contiguous segments. Cue roadgeek outrage....

[kphoger]

Following up on the posts about asking AI and getting a roadgeek-worthy answer, I asked Gemini:

officially, there likely never will be

Officially, likely, huh?

[Scott5114]

03 APR 2026

What US highway should be redesignated as I-50, and why?

US-466, because I think this is needed.

[Scott5114]

03 APR 2026

What US highway should be redesignated as I-50, and why?

Following up on the posts about asking AI and getting a roadgeek-worthy answer, I asked Gemini:

By posting in our forum, you automatically agree to the following:

What's not allowed:
Direct copy and pastes of bulk unedited output from or conversations with a generative artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot or other automatic text generator. The purpose of the forum is to facilitate discussion between humans interested in road transportation and related subjects. Long-term storage of machine-generated text is not within the forum's remit. If someone wishes to read machine-generated text, they can use the widely-available tools that exist to generate the text themselves at any time.

[kphoger]

I-110 (LA) should be renumbered as I-50 because it fits the grid between I-49 and I-55.

Also, I-170 (MO) should then be renumbered as I-52 for basically the same reason.

03 APR 2026

What US highway should be redesignated as I-50, and why?

[MikeTheActuary]

03 APR 2026

What US highway should be redesignated as I-50, and why?

New York's I-587 should be redesignated as I-50E.
Illinois' I-180 should be redesignated as I-50C.
Wyoming's I-180 should be redesignated as I-50W.

They are all such exemplary instances of the interstate standard and they are so vital to the national highway grid that they merit redesignation.

[The_Ginger]

03 APR 2026

What US highway should be redesignated as I-50, and why?

U.S. Route 250. This is the perfect highway for this for the following reasons:

• it fits in the grid perfectly (north-south route)
• high traffic counts
• the road is very high-quality

The best part is that the shields already have "50," so it would be easy to modify the existing shields to show "I-50."

[formulanone]

03 APR 2026

What US highway should be redesignated as I-50, and why?

US Route 86, with I-150 overlaid upon US 55.

[NE2]

Truckers, your shower is ready.

Multiple truckers use the same shower at the same time?  Wow, I was no naïve...

Sure, but if they catch you cranking the hog it's Buc-ee's for you.

[NE2]

03 APR 2026

What US highway should be redesignated as I-50, and why?

US 82. It's a logical extension of the Jekyll Island Causeway.

[NE2]

03 APR 2026

What US highway should be redesignated as I-50, and why?

Following up on the posts about asking AI and getting a roadgeek-worthy answer, I asked Gemini:

By posting in our forum, you automatically agree to the following:

What's not allowed:
Direct copy and pastes of bulk unedited output from or conversations with a generative artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot or other automatic text generator. The purpose of the forum is to facilitate discussion between humans interested in road transportation and related subjects. Long-term storage of machine-generated text is not within the forum's remit. If someone wishes to read machine-generated text, they can use the widely-available tools that exist to generate the text themselves at any time.

So it's the worst possible answer?

[TheCatalyst31]

03 APR 2026

What US highway should be redesignated as I-50, and why?

US 10, purely to start arguments over whether the SS Badger is part of the Interstate Highway System or not.

[PNWRoadgeek]

03 APR 2026

What US highway should be redesignated as I-50, and why?

I-366, keeping its speed limit of 85 mph.

[LilianaUwU]

April 4, 2026:

What does this sign mean?

[ModernDayWarrior]

April 4, 2026:

What does this sign mean?

"Are you now or have you ever been a member of the Communist Party?"

[xonhulu]

April 4, 2026:

What does this sign mean?

The sign can't figure out why it's attached to a bean-bag chair.

[Big John]

April 4, 2026:

What does this sign mean?

Jeopardy: What is a beanbag chair on a rug?

[pderocco]

April 4, 2026:

What does this sign mean?

That's the sign on the third rest room.

[The_Ginger]

April 4, 2026:

What does this sign mean?

There is no question.

[kphoger]

03 APR 2026

What US highway should be redesignated as I-50, and why?

US 10, purely to start arguments over whether the SS Badger is part of the Interstate Highway System or not.

That's the winning answer.

[vdeane]

April 4, 2026:

What does this sign mean?

We know we need a sign here, but are not sure which one