What are your criteria for clinching a highway?

[A.J. Bertin]

Awesome discussion, everyone. Thanks so much for your insights. I like hearing all the different criteria.

Some of us are more strict than others. I like the "daytime hours" requirement and kinda wish I would have implemented that a long time ago, but it's too late now for me to go back and recalculate. It's not possible to be completely pedantic, although I kinda wish I could be. A few people mentioned the notion of getting off a highway at an interchange, re-entering the highway at the same interchange, and saying that it still counts as a clinch. I agree with that. Generally, if I can see the road between the exit and entrance ramps, that counts. (Although - I kinda wish I could still drive the entire road between the ramps at each interchange.)

When it comes to detours for a specific highway, I do not count that as a clinch.

When a highway changes alignments and takes on a new route, that generally results in an "un-clinch" and I'd have to go back and re-do it. The only problem with that is highways in all other parts of the country where I don't know about the re-alignments. (I wouldn't know what was un-clinched.) At least in Michigan, I generally have a better handle on which roads were re-aligned and can somewhat easily fix the un-clinches.

Someone mentioned M-185 in Michigan. Yep... one of the only (if not THE only) state highway in the U.S. that does not allow vehicular traffic. I've clinched that on a bicycle three times in my life.

For highways I traveled as a kid, I of course cannot count those a clinched because I was not behind the wheel. On the other hand, my criteria for clinching counties is not as strict. I don't have to be the driver to say that I've been in any given county. On my county page on Mob-Rule, I have two color codes: one for counties I visited before I was able to drive on my own, and one for counties I've been to since I had my own independent mobility.

That leads me to another question... what's more important to you... clinching highways or visiting different counties? For me I like to do both, but clinching highways for me takes precedence over adding new counties.

[agentsteel53]

If you stayed in Little Rock then you got more than 3 miles off the freeway.

"in" is probably not correct, then.  I found a quiet rural exit on the west side of town, got off the connecting two-lane road onto a side street, and went to sleep.  I was no more than 10 miles out, which - for the purpose of explaining a transcontinental journey - counts as "in Little Rock" well enough for me.

[agentsteel53]

what's more important to you... clinching highways or visiting different counties?

both.

the only system I want to systematically clinch is all the two-digit interstates.  I will skip random segments of two-lane routes in order to go grab counties.  I think the only major east-west non-interstate highways I've clinched are US-6 and US-66 (and 66 includes a lot of only I-44 in Missouri), and I only have a handful of the major north-south ones (83, 85, 89, 91, 93, 95, 99, 101). 

[formulanone]

I primarily prefer county-clinching, because it gives me a little more variety, usually involving different types of roads.

[hbelkins]

That leads me to another question... what's more important to you... clinching highways or visiting different counties?

Yes. 

I would consider them equally-weighted, with perhaps a slight emphasis to counties.

In states where I already have all the counties clinched, I will turn my attention to clinching routes. For instance, when I went to Monticello, NY recently, I passed through states in which I had clinched all counties, so I tailored my route to clinch roads. (All of US 209 and US 44 in New York). I will increasingly have to do this in these states in order to have new roadgeeking experiences.

If I am taking a trip to entirely new territory, I will look to clinch routes and make side trips to visit new counties if necessary. For instance, when I drove back home from Oklahoma City, I clinched I-44 in Missouri. However, I planned the route to enable me to get a few nearby counties by exiting the interstate and driving into those counties.

If it's an area where I may not visit again (such as my trip out to OKC) I will think "counties first." That's why I have a gap in I-40 east of OKC, but I have a whole bunch of counties in eastern Oklahoma.

[vdeane]

I favor roads.  Daylight preferred but not required.  I try to avoid getting off and then back on at interchanges but those are usually counted (though there are some situations where I wouldn't, such as I-81 at Pulaski, NY 17 west of Deposit, and I-81 at NY 12 is debatable).  No restrictions on passenger travel, few on kiddie travel.  I generally count busses, but there are exceptions from the school trip to DC due to poor visibility at night and being asleep for a good chunk of it.

[oscar]

When a highway changes alignments and takes on a new route, that generally results in an "un-clinch" and I'd have to go back and re-do it. The only problem with that is highways in all other parts of the country where I don't know about the re-alignments. (I wouldn't know what was un-clinched.) At least in Michigan, I generally have a better handle on which roads were re-aligned and can somewhat easily fix the un-clinches.

One handy tool for tracking alignment changes is the Updates section of the Clinched Highway Mapping site, http://cmap.m-plex.com/docs/hwyupdates.php  That list includes highway reroutings for all routes covered by CHM, since each highway system was added to the project (Interstates back to 2006, U.S. Highways in early 2009, and various dates for the other covered state and non-U.S. systems).  The list includes some fairly minor realignments that all but the fussiest users will ignore, but you can make your own call on that.

What's "minor" for me?  Bridge replacement realignments, usually.  Other realigns within the right-of-way.  Not if the route is moved to the other side of a river or mountain, or is switched to different streets or other roadways.  Other situations are "I know it when I see it".

For example, I thought I had all of US 101 clinched, but then a few miles of the highway were moved from one side of a river to the other, so I'm counting that as a de-clinch.  Since the relocation was in a part of northern California I rarely visit, it will be a long time if ever before I re-clinch.  Grrr.

[JMoses24]

I cannot be as strict as some of you.  Reason: I do not drive. I have tremors in my hands, which if I had an attack of those behind the wheel, would be bad.

That said: I count a road as clinched if I have been a passenger in thei vehicle or walked the route, AND this has occurred since I was 7 years old. If my mom drove an entire route when I was 2, it doesn't count, but the same route at age 10 does. The result is that all my listed clinches are interstate highways.

[agentsteel53]

For example, I thought I had all of US 101 clinched, but then a few miles of the highway were moved from one side of a river to the other, so I'm counting that as a de-clinch.  Since the relocation was in a part of northern California I rarely visit, it will be a long time if ever before I re-clinch.  Grrr.

which alignment is this?  I don't remember any recent major 101 realignments. 

[oscar]

For example, I thought I had all of US 101 clinched, but then a few miles of the highway were moved from one side of a river to the other, so I'm counting that as a de-clinch.  Since the relocation was in a part of northern California I rarely visit, it will be a long time if ever before I re-clinch.  Grrr.

which alignment is this?  I don't remember any recent major 101 realignments. 

See the November 2012 listings at http://cmap.m-plex.com/docs/hwyupdates.php?y=2012

[agentsteel53]

See the November 2012 listings at http://cmap.m-plex.com/docs/hwyupdates.php?y=2012

I assume it is this curve straightening?

http://goo.gl/maps/8MLkd

[NE2]

Given that the old road is no longer passable (literally decommissioned) I'd count that as clinched if you drove it pre-realignment.

What if a one-way pair is added to a route? I assume most people don't count the two directions separately, but what if you drove it in what's now the wrong direction?

[corco]

That leads me to another question... what's more important to you... clinching highways or visiting different counties? For me I like to do both, but clinching highways for me takes precedence over adding new counties.

Highways over counties- and like you my requirements for clinching a county are a lot less.

As far as realignments- I consider the route as it exists when I clinched it to be the entire route as long as the termini are the same.

Now, I say "I've clinched the entire state highway system in Washington" because as of December 2008 when I finished it, I had clinched every single route over its current alignment that was in the system as of December 2008. In the meantime, SR 397 has been extended. I still claim my clinch of the state despite having not driven that little stretch.                                                                                                       

[Alps]

My rules: I have to have traveled on the highway. Passenger, driver, doesn't matter. I've never slept on a highway that's new to me, fortunately. (Even as a kid, I never took naps.)
Toll roads: I can clinch a connecting highway by stopping just short of the barrier, as long as the toll plaza is visible from where I stop. The Taconic Parkway, for example, would not qualify for this definition, so I did drive the last 2 miles. For international borders, military bases, etc., as long as the route ends at the plaza, I take the last U-turn before it. For 1-block routes (some of the Virginia 3xx) or for surface routes ending at complex intersections, I count it if I U-turn within sight of the end (and "within sight" = "I could get out and walk it if I really wanted to", not "I can see 25 miles from this mountaintop").

[SteveG1988]

For me i count it as traveled if i go from end to end in a state. For example NJ route 90 i clinched since i did take it from the I-95 interchange (using all the available ramps too) in Philly to road end in NJ. I-295 i have driven end to end as well even as a passenger. I also count driving it at night, otherwise i would not be able to count driving the entire indiana toll road or chicago skyway. When a road splits like the NJTP i count the entire route except for that clinched, for example i have the mainline NJTP clinched except for the eastern spur. For intrastate routes, i have to see a END or something resembling an END sign and a Start Sign for it to count, unless i can prove it on a map that i traveled to the end point.

[agentsteel53]

For international borders, military bases, etc., as long as the route ends at the plaza, I take the last U-turn before it.

I only very rarely get anal about this; and always to joke with someone.  I noted to Kevin Trinkle (who has the entire AZ highway system done) the other day that I have several more feet of AZ-189 clinched than he does, because I actually used that road to cross into, and back from, Sonora. 

[SteveG1988]

NJ route 68 is one that has the end marker on Joint Base Dix-McGuire-Lakehurt at General Circle, prior to 9/11 you could clinch it, i clinched it pre and post via passenger/driving myself on base (i used to be in the USAF)

My modern policy would be the same as Steve Mountain's and just turn around as close to the plaza as legally possible.

Here is a good question, what if the route gets majorly changed, as in instead of ending at the location it does now, I.E. I-195 In NJ at I-295 (exit 60), it ends several miles later, and possibly in another state. Would you have to re-clinch that section now that it is I-195 instead of I-295/95 in the case of I-195 in NJ taking over two other interstate routes.

[NE2]

Here is a good question, what if the route gets majorly changed, as in instead of ending at the location it does now, I.E. I-195 In NJ at I-295 (exit 60), it ends several miles later, and possibly in another state. Would you have to re-clinch that section now that it is I-195 instead of I-295/95 in the case of I-195 in NJ taking over two other interstate routes.

Do county counters have to revisit a county if it gets renamed?

[oscar]

For international borders, military bases, etc., as long as the route ends at the plaza, I take the last U-turn before it.

I only very rarely get anal about this; and always to joke with someone.  I noted to Kevin Trinkle (who has the entire AZ highway system done) the other day that I have several more feet of AZ-189 clinched than he does, because I actually used that road to cross into, and back from, Sonora. 

I hope you're either not the magnet for secondary searches at the border that I seem to be, or that you have the patience to tolerate them.

That doesn't stop me from insisting on a border crossing *for me* to count as clinched a highway that ends at the border.  But I do like the highways that end one or more intersections short of the border, such as I-35 in Texas and I-19 in Arizona. 

[vdeane]

I don't insist on actually crossing for borders and military bases etc.  Last point to turn off, provided you can see the US border post from that point (made an exception for NY 384, as the border post is shrouded by trees until you're right on top of it).  Bridges I insist on crossing (may make an exception for NY 182 at the Nexus-only Whirlpool crossing).

[formulanone]

Do county counters have to revisit a county if it gets renamed?

If mob-rule only counts it once (Dade -> Miami-Dade), then I suppose "no" is the definitive answer.

But it gives one the chance to re-photograph the county line sign...

[1995hoo]

Something I thought of this afternoon: To me either a "business" or "bypass" route, or any combination thereof, counts towards a clinch except for Green Interstates (which I consider separate routes). So, for example, if I hadn't already clinched US-29 in Virginia, and if I were on my way south and needed to stop for gas in Gretna, taking Business 29 all the way through would count towards the clinch.

[corco]

Yeah I consider the business route and the mainline to be two distinct routes, so I don't say "US 30 Business is US 30," but I also don't say "I haven't clinched x U.S. Route until I've clinched all bannered routes."

In situations where the mainline divides into banner routes (e.g. business/bypass) or suffixed routes, I follow whichever one the mileposts for the mainline follow - for instance, I set out to clinch Oklahoma 3 last July and took 3E to count the clinch, considering 3W to be a separate route. I guess some could argue that I can't clinch Oklahoma 3 without clinching 3E and 3W, but whatever.

[hbelkins]

Something I thought of this afternoon: To me either a "business" or "bypass" route, or any combination thereof, counts towards a clinch except for Green Interstates (which I consider separate routes). So, for example, if I hadn't already clinched US-29 in Virginia, and if I were on my way south and needed to stop for gas in Gretna, taking Business 29 all the way through would count towards the clinch.

In my youth, I distinctly remember a lot of US routes being signed as both Business and By-Pass (most banners include the hyphen, although I don't know why), especially in North Carolina.

Seems that's not really the case anymore. One route goes bannerless, and the other has either a Business or By-Pass banner. For me, it's the bannerless route that counts as the through route for a clinch.

There seems to be no rhyme or reason to how Kentucky signs its split routes. Along the US 127 corridor, the bannerless route seems to go through town and the bypass route gets a By-Pass banner. However, other places have the old route signed as Business.

[roadman65]

What about those highways in your state or region.  Would most of you count them, as you could easily travel them, and most likely did parts of them in many different days you live in the area.

I myself have traveled the whole length of US 92 in Florida, but not in one shot.  I also have been on all parts of US 192 and I-4.  Then you have the small designations in the Orlando area, like FL 434, FL 436, etc.  I would say I clinched them, but for the purpose of a road trip, I would say that I did not.

Someone mentioned a bus trip before, and I myself have ridden US 25 from I-26 near Hendersonville, NC to Augusta, GA as a Greyhound passenger, so I would say being I saw the road and its signs that I clinched that for sure.

Then, like it was pointed out earlier, you cannot really drive a whole interstate in one shot either, unless you have a trip especially between two sides of the country.  If we did cover them in sections, like that is the only way I will be able to clinch Texas interstates, and made it to see all of its mileage, then it counts.