Best and worst Control City

[corco]

Yup - Los Angeles and San Francisco aren't control cities anymore (and that sign with the mileage to San Fran must have been removed) but Cheyenne and Reno still are. I don't know about Cheyenne, but Reno doesn't even use Salt Lake as a control city now (they opt for Elko instead).

Strangely, Cheyenne uses long distance control cities at the I-80/I-25 junction instead of the local ones that they use everywhere else for all but I-80 west. I-80 east is posted as Omaha (from I-80 east) and Sidney from all other approaches (other area exits use Pine Bluffs or Sidney, it's inconsistent). I-25 South is marked as Denver from I-80 and Fort Collins from I-25, and I-25 North is marked as Casper from all approaches (other exits in the area use Wheatland). Laramie is the only control city for I-80 west from all approaches.

[Interstate Trav]

Funny you would think by those standards that Salt Lake City would be the control point for I-80 west.

[SteveG1988]

Best, the Del Mem Br signs in NJ. Its awsome because...yeah the road ends up there and it is a good control city to tell people "hey take me to the bridge instead of the turnpike" NB gets Trenton and Camden

Worst is on I-195 and "shore points" yes it does go there, but that is not really all that conclusive as there are many shore points not served by that interstate

[kaothinterceptor]

Best: I-96's use of Canada as a control city LOL

Worst: I-696's incessant use of Port Huron as the control city (especially when you consider the fact that I-696 isn't anywhere near Port Huron

Second worst: Any sign on I-5 or I-80 that uses Roseville (Don't confuse me, CalTrans. Whenever I see the name Roseville, I think of I-696 and I-94, not I-5 and I-80.)

[MDOTFanFB]

Worst: I-696's incessant use of Port Huron as the control city (especially when you consider the fact that I-696 isn't anywhere near Port Huron

And another one the other way, I-696 goes nowhere near Lansing.

Some of my best: The control cities of the I-75 exits near where I live, such as Wyandotte and Taylor.

The worst: Thru Traffic on U.S. 24 NB at Ecorse Road in Taylor and the control city in both directions on I-275, it does not go anywhere near Flint or Toledo, but I-75 does pass through both cities.

[kaothinterceptor]

Worst: I-696's incessant use of Port Huron as the control city (especially when you consider the fact that I-696 isn't anywhere near Port Huron

And another one the other way, I-696 goes nowhere near Lansing.

Some of my best: The control cities of the I-75 exits near where I live, such as Wyandotte and Taylor.

The worst: Thru Traffic on U.S. 24 NB at Ecorse Road in Taylor and the control city in both directions on I-275, it does not go anywhere near Flint or Toledo, but I-75 does pass through both cities.

Yeah. Michigan does seem to like letting people know exactly where they are.

[Interstate Trav]

Worst: states as control cities, like in the Chicago and Mobile areas
Best: no real "best" for me, but if we go by uniqueness, I do like the "Other Desert Cities" along I-10 and the "Beaches" sign on I-8 westbound in San Diego

Wow finally I meet someone who likes the "other desert cities" sign.  I thought  I was the only one.

[Revive 755]

The worst: Thru Traffic on U.S. 24 NB at Ecorse Road in Taylor and the control city in both directions on I-275, it does not go anywhere near Flint or Toledo, but I-75 does pass through both cities.

Since I-275 was not completed back to I-75 north of Detroit I can agree with Flint being a bad choice.  I don't see a problem with Toledo on I-275, and definitely do not see a problem with the use of Port Huron on I-696.  Using Port Huron at least provides a way to let those unfamiliar with the area know that I-696 makes it all the way to I-94 instead of terminating at I-75.

[RustyK]

One I wish they would do, since they technically could:  I-5 North of Everett, WA uses Vancouver, BC.  It would be cool if south of Olympia or Centralia, I-5 South used Vancouver, WA.   (It doesn't, it uses Portland, which is some piddily little town just on the other side of Vancouver, WA.)

On US-10 in Minnesota, IIRC, the pull-through signs on the freeway portions will alternate between Minneapolis and St. Paul, with the occasional Twin Cities.  I enjoy that.

[kaothinterceptor]

The worst: Thru Traffic on U.S. 24 NB at Ecorse Road in Taylor and the control city in both directions on I-275, it does not go anywhere near Flint or Toledo, but I-75 does pass through both cities.

Since I-275 was not completed back to I-75 north of Detroit I can agree with Flint being a bad choice.  I don't see a problem with Toledo on I-275, and definitely do not see a problem with the use of Port Huron on I-696.  Using Port Huron at least provides a way to let those unfamiliar with the area know that I-696 makes it all the way to I-94 instead of terminating at I-75.

See the Fictional Roads section for comments on this.

[Hot Rod Hootenanny]

Worst: I-696's incessant use of Port Huron as the control city (especially when you consider the fact that I-696 isn't anywhere near Port Huron

And another one the other way, I-696 goes nowhere near Lansing.

Some of my best: The control cities of the I-75 exits near where I live, such as Wyandotte and Taylor.

The worst: Thru Traffic on U.S. 24 NB at Ecorse Road in Taylor and the control city in both directions on I-275, it does not go anywhere near Flint or Toledo, but I-75 does pass through both cities.

Don't come to Columbus, the control cities for I-270 are Cleveland, Wheeling, Cincinnati, and Dayton/Indianapolis.

[huskeroadgeek]

To me it makes perfect sense to use distant control cities on 3dis that don't go anywhere near that city-especially when that route is used as a bypass. It makes sense to use Port Huron and Lansing for I-696 because that route is a bypass between I-94 and I-96. I also like using them on loops like I-270 around Columbus where the control city is the control city outbound on the next major route. I-435 in Kansas City(Missouri side), I-270 in St. Louis and I-285 in Atlanta do this too. This is a help to thru traffic using the loops as bypasses around the city.

[kaothinterceptor]

To me it makes perfect sense to use distant control cities on 3dis that don't go anywhere near that city-especially when that route is used as a bypass. It makes sense to use Port Huron and Lansing for I-696 because that route is a bypass between I-94 and I-96. I also like using them on loops like I-270 around Columbus where the control city is the control city outbound on the next major route. I-435 in Kansas City(Missouri side), I-270 in St. Louis and I-285 in Atlanta do this too. This is a help to thru traffic using the loops as bypasses around the city.

It makes no sense to me since I-696's eastern terminus is in my hometown.

[hobsini2]

3dis in general especially even ones are more times than not are bypasses for out of town people.  So having 696 say Port Huron might not make sense to you but for the average traveller it does.

[Interstate Trav]

3dis in general especially even ones are more times than not are bypasses for out of town people.  So having 696 say Port Huron might not make sense to you but for the average traveller it does.

One example is the 405 in Los Angeles, Northbound Sacramento and Southbound San Diego, near Santa Monica and Long Beach.  405 doesn't go near either city but connects to the 5 which takes you there.

[Hot Rod Hootenanny]

To me it makes perfect sense to use distant control cities on 3dis that don't go anywhere near that city-especially when that route is used as a bypass. It makes sense to use Port Huron and Lansing for I-696 because that route is a bypass between I-94 and I-96. I also like using them on loops like I-270 around Columbus where the control city is the control city outbound on the next major route. I-435 in Kansas City(Missouri side), I-270 in St. Louis and I-285 in Atlanta do this too. This is a help to thru traffic using the loops as bypasses around the city.

It makes no sense to me since I-696's eastern terminus is in my hometown.

And your hometown is what?

[kaothinterceptor]

Roseville, MI.

[SP Cook]

Some bad ones:  WV's used of Clarksburg north of Charleston, then Fairmont, then Morgantown, then Washington, PA.  None are towns of any significance, except maybe Morgantown.  Pittsburgh would make the most sense.

For sheer proventialism of wanting to use an in-state town, you cannot beat Newark on I-78 over NYC.

There are still some remnant Fort Chiswell signs on I-77 in NC.  NC insisted on using that town until Virginia actually finished I-77 to Wytheville.   Nobody under 40 even remembers  or knows where Fort Chiswell even is, or was.

But the all time worst is on I-68 West - "Alternate Route to Ohio and The West".  I-68 ends 110 miles from there, nowhere near Ohio or "the West", whatever that is.

Good ones: I always liked any variation on "International Boundry".  The "State of New York" and "New York City" in French in Quebec are cool.  While not on interstates, the old "Beach Route" at turns on the 2 lanes in northern South Carolina are sweet.

[Mr_Northside]

Some bad ones:  WV's used of Clarksburg north of Charleston, then Fairmont, then Morgantown, then Washington, PA.  None are towns of any significance, except maybe Morgantown.

I imagine they are of significance to the state of West Virginia (especially Morgantown)

For sheer proventialism of wanting to use an in-state town, you cannot beat Newark on I-78 over NYC.

Personally... I have no beef with states using their own towns/cities.  For instance, the oft-cited example of I-80 thru PA... None of the towns used as control cities may be THAT big, but I'd be a little peeved if state tax dollars were used to replace those signs with ones that ignore towns/cities in the state in favor of ones that are out-of-state.  While I'd expect many here on a road forum to focus more on the technical aspect (for lack of a better term?) of a control city on a BGS... It does also function as a sort-of advertisement as well. (So, at, say I-80's IC with I-79, I much prefer to see "Clarion" used than NYC)

But the all time worst is on I-68 West - "Alternate Route to Ohio and The West".  I-68 ends 110 miles from there, nowhere near Ohio or "the West", whatever that is.

At the risk of being nitpickey... That's mostly how they try to get you sold on taking the route, but it's not really used as a "Control City".
But you are right about it being nowhere near Ohio or the West.

[hobsini2]

This whole arguement over control cities been used for "instate" destinations over major cities can all be solved by simply using 2 control cities on the pull through signs. The Instate destination on top of the major city.  If the next instate destination is also considered a major city, then use just the one.  So for example, on I-80 going east in PA, Bloomsburg and New York City would be on the same sign.

[Brandon]

3dis in general especially even ones are more times than not are bypasses for out of town people.  So having 696 say Port Huron might not make sense to you but for the average traveller it does.

However, I do take issue with "Rockford" for I-290.  Makes no sense to local or interstate travelers to use from I-294 for Rockford.

[hobsini2]

3dis in general especially even ones are more times than not are bypasses for out of town people.  So having 696 say Port Huron might not make sense to you but for the average traveller it does.

However, I do take issue with "Rockford" for I-290.  Makes no sense to local or interstate travelers to use from I-294 for Rockford.

I can see that objection but using 290 from 294 NB as opposed to 90 is quicker to get to 90/53/290 despite the slow loop ramp.

[SP Cook]

I-80 opinion.  The purpose of a control city, if you had to define it, is to be a city destination that a common person would have heard of, providing the traveler with information.  I-80 is unique in that it travels across woodlands, probably there are less people living within 10 miles of either side of any 100 mile stretch of the road in PA than any interstate anywhere in the eastern USA.  Further it misses, by just enough for them not to be used, several legitimate places such as State College, Williamsport, and S-WB.  What could they use beside NYC?  The only alternative would be "New Jersey" and "Ohio".

[hbelkins]

My newest nomination would be "Plymouth Meeting" on I-476 northbound in the Philadelphia area. Why not "Allentown?"

And what the heck kind of town name is Plymouth Meeting, anyway?

[Mr_Northside]

This whole arguement over control cities been used for "instate" destinations over major cities can all be solved by simply using 2 control cities on the pull through signs. The Instate destination on top of the major city.  If the next instate destination is also considered a major city, then use just the one.  So for example, on I-80 going east in PA, Bloomsburg and New York City would be on the same sign.

I really like that idea.