To me, I-59 is the most “south” interstate since it goes through Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana, probably the 4 most “south” states in the country lol. It would be cool if I-20, I-59, and I-85 all met in Atlanta
If you didn’t see it on the map, the directional inversion near Lexington is so that both sides can have right-side exits to rest areas which share access to a Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
What I would Sign on 85 north: Atlanta Greenville/Chattanooga (Until I-75 Split) Greenville Greenville/Spartanburg Spartanburg Charlotte Greensboro Durham/Raleigh (Until I-40 Split) Durham/Petersburg Petersburg
I 85 in South Carolina goes past 2 cemeteries only accessible via the interstate. 1 grave sight is in between exit 66 and 63 on the Southbound shoulder. The other grave sight is in the median of the interstate near exit 95. It's interesting that they decided to build the road so close to burial sights. Good video as always. Glad you kept Spartanburg signed :)
@@ControlCityFreak 6:53 Statesville is a big city. almost 30,000 people. Plus, Statesville is the next town down the road from Winston-Salem on 40. I don't get why you pick on Statesville every single time.
@@ethanconken9471 Statesville is NOT a big city. It’s the 38th biggest in NC. 30,000 can count as “big” in northern Idaho or central Nevada but not anywhere in Eastern Time Zone. I’m not picking on Statesville as a city but as a control point, there are more helpful points that could and should be signed for the benefit of long distance traffic.
I like Atlanta being signed too; however, the catch is that you have Charlotte to go through first, so I’d sign that over Atlanta in this case. Maybe on mileage signs put both Charlotte and Atlanta, but sign Charlotte on overheads and interchanges and then move on to Atlanta once you get to Charlotte. It still gives a sense of direction, and you still have to travel a while to get to Charlotte from Virginia anyway.
There's also intersections with non-Interstate US highways, and US 321 in Gastonia is one of them. North Carolina signs Gastonia for that reason, because that's the fastest route to get to Hickory (Local traffic here). There's also the I-285/85 split in Lexington, and that's another justification for signing it (however, I'd replace the signs as "I-285 North High Point/Winston-Salem" no Lexington, and "I-85 North Greensboro/Durham"). But North Carolina still serves long distance traffic at huge system interchanges. However, I don't justify signing Burlington, Oxford, or Henderson because those are not where the Interstates split at all, nor are they big enough to be control cities (It's just North Carolina doing its thing again). And Concord... might as well replace that with Greensboro (because Concord is a suburb of Charlotte).
I heard that I-85 could extend from I-20 & I-85 near Cuba Alabama, just east of Alabama/Mississippi state line to I-65 in Downtown Montgomery Alabama. It is unlikely to have future I-14 in both Alabama and Georgia, recently.
NCDOT became a little less provincial in the Greensboro area when adding Martinsville and Danville, both in Virginia, as control cities at those exits.
One thing I must say is that I think they should assign Charlotte straight from Downtown Atlanta. Both at the I75/I85 split and at the 285/85 junction, the signs should say I85 North-Greenville/Charlotte, not just Greenville alone. Yes, I know Greenville isn't small, and it has a sizeable metro area, but Charlotte is much bigger. Other than that, I agree with the signing of this highway.
What is ironic about I-85 for me is I have only been on it's last few southernmost miles and northernmost miles. It starts in Montgomery AL which was the original capitol of the Confederacy and it ends in Petersburg VA near Richmond which would also later be the capitol of the Confederacy.
This is one of very few interstates where I have been on its entire length. Traveling southbound on I-95 in Petersburg, 2 miles before the junction, that Atlanta-Durham sign always fascinated me because Atlanta is 500 miles away and depending on traffic, I-20 may be a faster route to get there!
I’ve also been on all of I-85, but not on one trip. I remember seeing the sign for Atlanta at the northern terminus. I thought to myself, they skipped over Charlotte?
I-20 most definitely isn’t faster and is a little out of the way bust definitely more fun to be driving than sitting in traffic outside of 2-85 for an hour
I believe having Atlanta control at the northern terminus of Interstate 85 is awesome. Traffic on Interstate 95 south coming from Washington DC and New York City going to Atlanta knows exactly what Interstate to take. Awesome signage. Southbound I 85 next week. I am excited for it.
I live off of 985, and Flowery Branch is a better sign option if you were to replace Gainesville. Gainesville is the Seat of Hall County, and is the hub of Northeast Georgia's Commerce (Pun Not intended). If you want touristy, Georgia would be Provincial and sign Helen instead of Asheville, and Helen is only worth a Exit Sign Mention, and No City north of Gainesville is worth any pull through, not even Toccoa with it's Amtrak station, or Cornelia with it's Apple in downtown.
I don't think Gainesville needs the GA after it as its in Georgia. That's normally only done if the city on the sign is in another state. I don't think it would be confused with Gainesville, FL here.
As someone who used to in Florida, I actually agree with this. I knew there was a Gainesville in Georgia when I was a kid(though only just vaguely), and despite the fact that the one in Florida was always still closer. So no, it would not be confused with Gainesville, FL even in the slightest even though the states neighbor each other.
Most people from the south should know the difference between the two cities, since farm fowl is as much ingrained in Southern DNA as hoagies in Pennsylvania or In-N-Out in California. Gainesville is the fowlest city ever…
This is one of my favorite highways to drive. It's scenic and generally flows pretty smoothly. Last time I drove it a couple years ago, shockingly, the pavement quality didn't even suck that badly!
So glad you’re doing I-85! Been looking forward to this for a long time! I live fairly close to it so we use it all the time whether we’re heading to Atlanta, Clemson, Charlotte, RDU, or the Megalopolis! Very convenient drive!
Interstate 85 is my favorite interstate. I have been on the entire interstate. My favorite scenery of I-85 is between Atlanta and Charlotte. I like looking at both the city skylines and the rivers and lakes.
668miles to Virginia and Alabama in a heartbeat to make some of the best road trip adventure in the coming years to come around from point of view too look beyond similar the moment for years
Did you guys here about I-685, they gonna put the second I-685 in North Carolina from Greensboro to I-95 at Dunn, northeast side of Fayetteville, and it also will run along with U.S. 421.
Fun fact: For anyone thinking that I-81 was the fastest route to Washington D.C., you're wrong. If you live anywhere close to I-85, for example, even far south as Montgomery, AL, then I-85 is the fastest route to go. Here's why I-85 is just as good as I-81 for going to D.C. 1. It's at least 190 miles shorter, which means that you could get off the interstate faster, as opposed to I-81, where you have to drive for a couple of hours before reaching the exits for Washington. 2. The speed limits are also much faster. If you combine this with I-85's shorter length, it shaves at least 1 or 2 hours of time off your trip. 3. For anyone who thought Petersburg wasn't a great area, that's just wrong. If you want to take a break, for example, Petersburg is the right place to stop. It contains gas for refueling, lodging for sleeping, and lots of restaurants. I myself went with my family to Petersburg when we drove to D.C. and it worked out perfectly. So yeah, I-85 works as a D.C. route.
Well yeah, if you’re on the 85 corridor than 85 will be the faster way. If you’re on the 59/81 corridor or anywhere west of it, 81 is faster. Also, Petersburg having gas/food/lodging isn’t really too unique for the region, and Richmond is only like 20 minutes further
I think I've been to every major city that I-85 goes through but I've never actually traveled on I-85 itself (except for the part where it runs concurrent with I-75 in Atlanta). I used to work for a company headquartered in Greenville and it's located right off of I-85 but I don't remember ever taking I-85 to get there.
Sir, I love your channel and I love watching every week. This is the kind of stuff that I would’ve loved as a kid and unfortunately, I had to figure out all this information myself along the way, but it’s so great to have a place for all this information to teach people that really want to know.
And then there's the eastern system interchange between I-40, I-785, and I-85. That is the best signage North Carolina gives because I-40 Westbound goes into Greensboro, I-785 goes to Danville (not control city worthy for a 2di), I-40 Eastbound goes to Raleigh, and I-85 goes to Durham. Looks like North Carolina is able to give us two GOOD control cities at once on both signs (and most of them are well-known cities at that)!
The wrong way portion is known as a Lane Inversion. You have one in I-5 between Lake Hughes Road (Castaic), and North of Templin Highway at the south end of the Grapevine. I-8 has one of these in eastern San Diego County.
@peterwarner358 There’s another one on I 8, headed east out of Yuma. One or more of the freeways in Birmingham do the same at an interchange, plus potentially at another interchange in Charlotte. Lane inversions also occur on some surface streets: a DDI is a modified version of a SPUI. In Reno, where I live, one was built in the 10s at Exit 32 on I 580 (old Exit 64 of U.S. 395). They are growing popular across the country, with one (maybe two) more planned in Reno in the foreseeable future.
Gastonia. A terrible choice. Sign Charlotte. However, where US 29 North runs concurrent with I-85, you missed the pull-through for I-85 North for Greensboro/Winston-Salem. That's GOOD North Carolina signage for ya. And it's TWO EXITS before the split with I-285, which is headed for Winston-Salem! You missed that pull-through sign!!! (Also, the reason Lexington is signed out of Salisbury is because of that split with I-285, so Lexington makes sense, not a terrible choice, but North Carolina would do better if they co-signed Winston-Salem/Greensboro from even Salisbury to begin with.)
I really enjoyed this video, Todd--very well done again. For historical purposes, let me note that the last five miles of I-85 in Petersburg were originally the southernmost portion of the Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike. I traveled this back in 1958 on a family vacation to Florida. Back then, those five miles were signed as I-195. I'm not sure that I-85 had been envisioned as yet back then.
My way it should be: Atlanta Charlotte Greensboro Durham Richmond I know I left off Greenville and Spartanburg, but they just weren’t well-known enough to make the primary list for me. They definitely deserve to be Secondaries in SC though. Also Richmond is much more well known than Petersburg.
I can see leaving off Spartanburg, but I would most certainly NOT remove Greenville. Greenville has a metro of 950k, and has two 3-digit Interstates. Also, your point about Greenville not being well known is COMPLETELY invalid! Almost everyone, especially in the southeast, has heard of Greenville.
The entire route of I-85 is roughly 666 miles long. It's longest segment is in NC at a length of 234 miles. It's a very fascinating interstate, especially from Durham to Petersburg.
Dan Caroline It could be worse: Richmond to Savannah along 95 is the same, but 6 hours (Rocky Mount, Wilson, Fayetteville, Lumberton and Florence offer little if any reprieve). Even 10 between San Antonio and El Paso isn’t such a snore fest!
there's definitely at least 2 i 85 north Greensboro pull throughs u missed after the CLT airport one in charlotte. one near exit exit 42 and one right before 485 near concord. U can literally see it in the background of your screenshot 😂. and they do sign downtown charlotte for exit 36 as that's an expressway type link that's better suited for people coming to downtown from i 85 south.
I disagree for 985 being signed to Gainesville. It is the sole reason 985 was built, and it serves a major part of the Ever Growing Metro Atlanta area. You could sign it Flowery Branch as well, but Gainesville is where Lake Lanier is, for whoever is morbidly stupid enough to visit. Because the other options are signing it for Helen Georgia, the Alpine Village, or Cornelia, which should maybe get a pull through once 985 becomes 365.
Notes: It becomes a classic CCF video at 7:25 6:58 is probably one of the most “Boy Meets World” signs ever! Next to the exit on I-15 of course. No more NC videos after this one so we won’t have to put up with their provincialness any more…..oh yeah, I forgot I-95 :(
Moderate Productions That one is so small it may as well be combined with I 87 New York (out of the dual 86s, 87s and 88s, it has the most justification); 87 NC has a spur that’s longer than the primary for goodness sakes!!
Also on 85 from Montgomery, I’d sign Auburn as a secondary control city since there’s a major state university there. I’m willing to be a good amount of traffic on Saturdays in the fall is headed there.
@@spellcast1391 *Whenever* I-85 is extended to 59/20 near the Cuba/York area, there's a very, vey, very small chance that it'll be signed as Auburn/Atlanta once it passes Montgomery as the exits will have to be renumbered anyways, but most likely will be signed just for Atlanta.
I-85 of course goes from the first capital (ignoring the eventual extension) of the Confederacy (Montgomery) to Petersburg, just shy of the other capital (Richmond, ignoring the week or so that Danville, VA was the capital)... it is truly the most Southern of the x0/x5s, though not geographically so.
I think the Interstate grid could be brought back to its original intent by re-numbering I-99 in PA and NY as I-81 (next north-south Interstate east of I-79), I-81 from the Canadian border to TN could be re-numbered as I-85 (since it is a major north-south Interstate parallel to US Highway 11), and I-85 could be re-numbered as a currently unused even number like I-36 (since it is more east-west than north-south).
I like that idea; however, I think if we wanna go closer to the grid, 18 would make more sense as the replacement than 36 because of where in Alabama 85 starts. In Birmingham you not only have 20 leaving its concurrency with 59 to go on to Atlanta, but you also get 22’s eastern terminus there as well while this interstate starts in Montgomery, which is well to the south of Birmingham.
@@ControlCityFreak Now that you mention it, I-28 would be an excellent choice! There used to be a US-28 long ago in like Oregon, but that’s long since stopped existing.
I wouldn’t make 85 E/W. Any long distance travel on 85 is ultimately moving a state north of the state they were previously in. Also in Georgia and SC east is very synonymous with the beach and the coast. For instance I26 in sc is more north south than east west and runs at an angle similar to 85 however the east west road takes you to a beach and the north south road takes you to a city.
2:40 - 85 and 285 used to merge together then split less than 3 miles later back in the 1980s. they changed it to what you see now. Much better for overall traffic flow now.
So, here’s how I’ll break it down: I-85 Atlanta Gastonia/Charlotte Richmond, VA New York City via. I-95 Woodstock, CA VIA. I-95 Each section would be named or renamed as: I-85- Montgomery Frwy. I-85- S. Georgia Expy. I-85- (In Atlanta) Cross Atlanta Expy. I-85- (N. Of Atlanta to State Line) Atlanta Expy. I-85- Industrial Thwy. (All of I-85 in South Carolina). I-85- North Carolina State Thruway (Because NC Feels like NY) I-85- in Virginia, just I-85. If not, then Virginia Forest Hwy. that’s how I’ll sign it Northbound. Can’t wait for Southbound
I always wonder how signs with jarringly nonstandard fonts (like the ones at 2:08) make it to the production stage. Like maybe some untrained intern took over for a day?
I-85 will be even more East-West when the road gets extended west to I-20/I-59 near the Mississippi/Alabama border. I-85 will divert onto Alabama Route 108 and the old section within Montgomery is slated to become I-685.
Chances are that the corridor from Mississippi to Montgomery will become I-14. If that comes to fruition, there would be no need to sign it as I-85. In fact, if I were in charge of MDOT, I’d go ahead and duplex I-59 from Laurel to Meridian with I-14.
I appreciate I-85 a lot more after the fire where part of it collapsed going into downtown Atlanta. I could see the smoke from my house and right after it collapsed, the entire section of town I live in was gridlocked for a week. It would take 90 mins to drive a section that would normally take 5 mins (it was faster to walk for some trips). I was very happy when they got it fixed in record time! FYI...it happened right before the GA 400 split Todd featured in the video
@@ControlCityFreak A massive fire collapsed an Interstate 85 (I-85) bridge in Atlanta, Georgia, United States, on the evening of Thursday, March 30, 2017. After the 92-foot-long (28 m) section collapsed, I-85 was closed to traffic for 43 days between its split with I-75 and the interchange with State Route 400 (SR 400)---approximately two miles (3 km). Three sections of northbound I-85 and three sections of southbound I-85 were replaced at a cost of $15 million; re-opening of the interstate was on May 12.[1]
I remember that ...... I don't live in Atlanta, and I know central Atlanta needs NO help in creating massive gridlock on its streets, but that 85 closure was a traffic nightmare of epic proportions. it was amazing that it got done as fast as it did.
985 goes to Gainesville and that’s it. Large town with lots of factories and industrial areas as well as lakes and other activities. Literally no other option but north
Can't fault them for signing the CLT airport like that. Sometimes the CLT can be hard to find for those who don't know their way around. ... I'll see myself out.
For me, I would sign I-85 North as Auburn/Atlanta (Auburn University), Atlanta, Greenville, Spartanburg, Charlotte, Greensboro (may sign Concord inside I-485 as a secondary control city for the Charlotte Motor Speedway), Durham, Petersburg/Richmond.
pdawg119 Replace Concord with Chapel Hill-Raleigh, (for the 40/85 concurrency) and add Burlington (caught in a no man’s land belonging to neither Greensboro nor Durham), and our lists would pretty much be identical (I however go the extra mile to add in junctions that lead to off-the-road destinations like Columbus).
Due to the fact that I 85 skirts some cities and has multiple paths to said cities, this list could get very crowded. I’m actually glad it’s only Northbound today, as doing lists for both directions would’ve been a long mess. Here goes: AL 186 to U.S. 80 E Columbus (one of three routes to Columbus; this one bypasses Auburn) Auburn (Only 180k metro, but a MAJOR college town) U.S. 280 E Columbus (second route to Columbus; this AND 80 can be further taken to Albany and Macon) I 185 Columbus (the third route to Columbus, however, only really convenient for those in LaGrange) I 285 CW to I 75 N Dalton-Chattanooga and CCW to I 20 E Augusta/U.S. 78 E Athens (I 75 S Macon would only really be convenient for those in the College Park/ATL area) I 20 to Birmingham/Augusta I 985 Gainesville GA 316 to U.S. 29 N Athens (for those in Gwinnett County) U.S. 129 S Athens Anderson/SC 28 Augusta (for those in Anderson or the nearby college town Clemson) Greenville I 185 Downtown Greenville/Columbia Spartanburg Bus. 85 Downtown Spartanburg I 26 Asheville/Columbia SC 5 Rock Hill (urban area at the southern end of Metropolitan Charlotte; discontinuous from Central Charlotte’s urban sprawl) Gastonia (west end of Metropolitan Charlotte; again, discontinuous with central Charlotte, so eligible by my rules for mentioning) U.S. 74 W Asheville (more convenient for those near the state line than going to Spartanburg) U.S. 321 N Hickory (metro with 360k across four counties, 20% larger than Wilmington) I 485 CW to Beckley/Christiansburg (skip Huntersville and Statesville in favor of the next destinations along 77 and 81; Christiansburg is the gateway to Blacksburg/Virginia Tech)/CCW to Rock Hill/Columbia Charlotte I 77 Beckley/Christiansburg and Rock Hill-Columbia I 285 Winston-Salem (hence why Lexington is listed; also a historical furniture manufacturing hub) I 74 W Winston-Salem (for those in High Point) Greensboro I 73 N to U.S. 220 N Roanoke/I 40 W Winston-Salem Bus. 85 Downtown Greensboro Burlington (a metro of 175k that can’t really be considered a part of Greensboro or Durham; similar to Lakeland and Tampa/Orlando) NC 119 N Lynchburg (via either U.S. 29 N or U.S. 501 N) I 40 E Chapel Hill-Raleigh (get off at the U.S. 501 exit, and you’re automatically in Chapel Hill) Durham U.S. 501 N Lynchburg U.S. 58 E Norfolk-Virginia Beach Richmond U.S. 460 Lynchburg/Norfolk-Virginia Beach I 95 Richmond/Rocky Mount
You mention signing for rock hill. I live in Atlanta now, grew up in Greenville went to college in Clemson and my wife lived in rock hill when we dated and she went to grad school in Greensboro/Winston Salem so I have a lot of history with the road. I think it’s interesting that Clemson has a bottom line sign in anderson county despite being well off the road and the fastest way to get to Clemson is a small exit signed for Pendleton. I think it’s a shame that the whole York county SC part of Charlotte, which is really almost becoming its own metro because most people living there are living there in protest over mecklenburg county is never signed for those wishing to get off before the Nc border and head that way.
TheBIGJake111 Like I said, it isn’t contiguous with central Charlotte’s urban, but it is extremely close. Rock Hill very well could be it’s own metro, with 450k, but since I think there’s an amusement park that straddles the border, they’re forever linked…
Instead of Petersburg, I would sign it Richmond and Washington. I just passed Petersburg last week, I don't think anyone wants to go there. Just as a little heads up, the first sign for 85 south on I 95 south is a really good sign, but then at the exit, it changes.
Yeah, I don’t think anyone would want to get off in Petersburg either. That said, I’m a little hesitant to sign Richmond despite it being the bigger draw because I have a feeling if they wanted 85 to go to Richmond, they would have angled it up that way from the start instead of stopping it where it is now. So I think there’s two solutions to how 85 could finish: 1. You keep the Petersburg signage as is, but put Richmond and DC on mileage signs while still on 85 once you get past the last major draw in North Carolina, kind of like how Omaha and Lincoln should have been on mileage signs on I-76 in Colorado 2. Do what Todd said and sign 85 for Richmond. We’re too far away from DC to have that be the bigger draw since you could also use 85 to get to Newport News or Virginia Beach depending on where you’re coming from, but Richmond is close enough that you could reasonably sign 85 for it.
Ok you get a pass this time for not mentioning it because the northbound sign has different control cities, but you MUST make mention of I-85 southbound Exit 66 in South Carolina. Goes to one of your favorite town names that we all love to hear you say!
And then there's signing Sanford. US 29 to I-85 to US 421 is the fastest route to Sanford if you're coming from High Point (but that's only essential for provincial traffic, and I'd leave it out on the pullthrough sign on Northbound I-85, because Durham on its own does the job fine).
So after a rewatch, I do agree with your way it should be northbound. The only thing I’d do different than you is go dual at the end by signing Petersburg and Richmond together. I do feel like if they wanted to get 85 signed for Richmond that it should have been angled that way from the beginning (hence why I was hesitant about signing Richmond at first), but it’s close enough that Richmond is your main draw at the end there. Plus, there’s not as much variety of where you might be going unlike when you get towards Meriden while driving on southbound I-91. Here, there’s no question traffic is headed towards Richmond, even if they want to go to places such as Norfolk, Newport News, or the like.
Pretty good choices, except for NC (who’s shocked?). Maybe from Montgomery co-sign Columbus or Auburn with Atlanta. And I definitely agree that Petersburg should probably be switched with Richmond.
@spellcast1391 I 185 is only really convenient for northbound traffic in LaGrange. In my list, I also include junctions that lead to off-the-road destinations. AL 186 to U.S. 80 E and U.S. 280 E in Opelika (adjacent to Auburn) both provide routes to Columbus from Montgomery.
If there's one road I miss driving on the least, it's this one. Spent way too much of my life in traffic on that one. One bit of trivia, I-185 and I-385 are the closest interstate spurs in the country which cross their parent interstate.
I know what you mean brother. I live in Richmond. More popular although traffic sometimes a headache... Side note: love the North Carolina Zoo. Haven't been there since I was young. Need to go back.!
As someone who drives down 85 between Atlanta & Charlotte many times a year, I feel like Spartanburg shouldn't be the mainline control city either direction. Nowadays Greenville is far larger, and Spartanburg is just too close & small to it to be a main control city. I think it could/should be a secondary control city (ex Spartanburg/Charlotte) but not the mainline. Plus 85 never actually enters the city limits of Spartanburg, unlike all the other cities
Technically, that's not true. As someone who lives off of exit 75 (SC highway 9), there are businesses on both sides of 85 with Spartanburg addresses. Same thing with businesses off of exit 78.
@westkana I mentioned in another comment that I don’t like the idea of shafting certain cities just because bigger ones are nearby. Besides, the mere 40k Spartanburg city population is very misleading (the metro is around 330k, actually bigger than other Southern metros like Tuscaloosa, Macon, Wilmington and Roanoke). Oh, and just because an interstate doesn’t enter city limits doesn’t mean said city is ineligible. My Interstate is I 80, and it never enters Des Moines, Chicago, Cleveland or New York, and barely skims others like Davenport and Sacramento (it technically does enter city limits, but I’m hesitant to say it is really a city freeway, as none of the surface street exits lead to Downtown, never crossing to the southern bank of the American River).
Spartanburg is a major business/industrial/ educational center in the state. It has 7 colleges, the SC School for the Deaf and Blind and a large medical center. Several corporations are headquartered in Spartanburg including Denny’s and Milliken. Spartanburg is located at the intersection of I-85 and 1-26. The area is growing rapidly with subdivisions and apartments being built everywhere.
Again, most of the traffic in North Carolina is local traffic, so that's why Gastonia, Concord, Lexington, Oxford, and Henderson are signed. (Lexington is where I-285 spawns off of I-85 towards Winston-Salem.)
@@mxderateprod It's not an excuse. Most of the traffic IS local traffic in North Carolina. The problem is that North Carolina focuses ONLY on the local traffic a lot.
Hey, you didn't start the video with "Yeah!" 😜 I'm also surprised you didn't mention the Giant Peachoid right off I-85 in Gaffney, SC. It was one of the more memorable landmarks I encountered on the way to Greenville. On the whole tho, great video, I-85 is signed pretty well apart from North Carolina (shakes fist at NCDOT)
Not official but I would call this the Southern State Capitals Road. Starts out in Montgomery goes through Atlanta comes within 100 miles of Columbia then goes near Raleigh and ends in Petersburg. This does go through populated areas, Montgomery, Atlanta, Greenville, Spartanburg Anderson, Charlotte, Greensboro, Winston- Salem High Point, Raleigh, Durham Chapel Hill and ending in Richmond Petersburg. Unusual because most 05 Interstates go from a Southern Tier State to a Northern Tier State. I 45 being the only Intrastate Interstate. Sort of like I 30 Starting at I 20 in the Dallas Ft Worth area ending at I 40 Little Rock ( North Little Rock). This i would say is somewhat sighed good. I 885 new to me. Someone said it was recently sighed in June. See you South bound.
For me, northbound I-85 would've signed the right cities as follows.: •Atlanta •Greenville, SC •Spartanburg, SC •Charlotte, NC -High Point, NC | •Greensboro, NC •Greensboro, NC •Durham, NC -Petersburg, VA | •Richmond, VA (I'll do the same with northbound I-95 after Rocky Mount, NC.) I mostly agree with you, Todd and I also found a solution to sign I-95 in the Southeastern US and I'll tell you: Richmond VA, Rocky Mount NC, Fayetteville NC, Florence SC, Savannah GA, Jacksonville FL, Daytona Beach FL and Miami. I just mentioned the primaries, but I also did the secondaries, but they only work depending on the direction which are: Petersburg VA (north and south), West Palm Beach FL (north only) and Fort Lauderdale FL (north only).
@@scpatl4now, about Charleston, SC, even though the angles mostly don't work, I think I'll accept that too, even though it's metro area is big and Dorchester County, SC touches I-95 and is part of Metropolitan Charleston, SC.
Crystal Clear with 8BE I’d just keep the references to Charleston and Columbia to the interchange. Similarly, it’d be best to save Raleigh and Wilmington for the 40/95 interchange. But yes. I 95 through the Carolinas is pretty rural. Outside of Florence, Lumberton, Fayetteville, Wilson and Rocky Mount (maybe Hilton Head Island), there’s not much between Richmond and Savannah.
Here’s Speedboy14’s the way it should be for I-85 North bound Atlanta Greenville Spartanburg Charlotte Greensboro Durham/Raleigh (until I-40/I-85 split) Durham Richmond
Da Pigbear There’s only one instance I can think of where two cities of the same name can be confused: if you’re coming into West Memphis 40/55, and the next metro area after Memphis is called Jackson along both routes. There are two “neighboring” Springfields, but St. Louis is in the way. And I also assume that most people know that the two Vancouvers are separated by Bellingham, Mount Vernon, Seattle/Tacoma, and Olympia.
I would go Atlanta, Greenville, Charlotte, Greensboro, Durham, Richmond. Spartanburg is too small to be a control city with it being so close to Charlotte and Greenville.
Spartanburg is a major industrial center in the state, and home to USC-Upstate, Wofford College, and Converse University. I feel it should a be control city.
The Awesomer85 I’m not really a fan of skipping cities just because there’s a larger one close by. Spartanburg has more than 300k metro, which is bigger than other Southern cities like Wilmington and Macon (maybe even Roanoke). The entire Upstate region is Exhibit A on why a lot more matters than just city populations. Spartanburg has only 40k of the county’s 330k, and Greenville only 70k out of four counties combining over 900k!
@@sunny1992s yes. Spartanburg actually has 7 colleges , is home to the SC School for the Deaf and Blind and has several corporate headquarters. Spartanburg County is home to BMW’s only North American plant, referred to as the Spartanburg plant. Also, I-26 crosses I-85 at Spartanburg.
Daniel Jackett If I’m thinking about the correct location, I thought it was called the Lowe’s Motor Speedway (that’s how the NASCAR track was branded in my mid-late 00’s atlases)…
Great video! I’m excited for SB I-85 and your disappointment with Virginia removing Miami and Atlanta at the I-85 SB and I-95 Junction. I have a question though. I know you were interested in doing I-476 the longest 3-digit interstate highway in the country but will you do I-376? It’s the second longest in Pennsylvania and pretty long itself. Plus you never got to really see downtown Pittsburgh even on I-79 so I think it would be cool. And the view on I-376 EB is amazing going through the Ft. Pitt tunnel (Never been myself) going from rural on one side to urban Pittsburgh on the other.
@@ControlCityFreak Out of the 2 of them I-376 is the more interesting one as I-279 is so short but you should do both as they both give great views of downtown. If you do decide to do I-279 check out I-579 as it’s hilariously small, (the smallest in the state)
Concord has about 100k people and Greensboro has slightly less than 300k. I'm okay with Concord. And I'm okay with Petersburg as a history guy, given its importance to the end of the Civil War.
Concord is not a well known city. And signing a city significantly smaller and only 30 miles closer than Richmond just because of its history makes it a pretty dumb control city.
I mainly know Petersburg from 85/95 split and because Frank Mason is from there. Then again, basically everything I know about cities I haven’t been to relates to maps or Kansas basketball
@@mxderateprod And truth to be told the only people who would know where Concord is at is race engineers, etc who work on NASCAR teams. Also the only time Concord is "well-known" is on the Coke 600 race weekend. For the most part Concord is fine being signe on a three-digit interstate but not as a two-digit interstate.
I don't think there's a need for Gainesville to carry the GA sign. Maybe I could see it if it was a southbound sign, but I'm pretty sure most people know that Florida is south of Georgia and you're not going to be heading toward Gainesville, Florida by going north. And even if you were, there would probably be at least one decent-sized Georgia city you'd pass between Atlanta and Gainesville that would take precedence.
I guess that works. If I had to compare states to the ones 85 goes through (given NC is NM): Virginia ~ Ohio NC ~ New Mexico SC ~ Connecticut (mainly because just as 26 is the most South Carolina interstate, I consider 91 to be the most Connecticut interstate) Georgia ~ Nevada Alabama ~ Oregon
1:45 - It isn't possible to "Grill" fried chicken. I think they mean that they serve fried chicken, and they have a grill for burgers and stuff like that.
Since you mentioned it, you should really look at 585. I travel it everyday to work. It's not really an interstate as it's only 2 miles long, has only 2 numbered exits, no control city signs and changes to US 176 before it hits 85. The only interstate it hits is Business 85. Plus, it has long and awkward exit ramps. I think you might find it humorous.
Moderate Productions Actually, Greenville is closer to 950k metro, as Laurens (70k), Pickens (120k) and Anderson Counties (200k) are included. Since the city of Greenville itself is only 70k or so, this is exhibit A for why city populations can’t be the lone factor taken into account when discussing urban area sizes.
I think I'd even cut it down more- Atlanta, Charlotte, Richmond. The other cities can be there if states do the double city thing, but those are the three anchor cities on 85 IMO. As always a great video. I didn't realize 85 was SO diagonal- it's like 74's mirror. I'm actually looking forward to I-88 in Illinois- certainly a strange one with a very unceremonious beginning and end.
@@mxderateprod yeah, Greenville and Greensboro have both grown immensely in the past 30 years. Also, Durham is one of the two main component cities the RDU so it would make sense to keep Durham as well.
I feel like the section of 85 from Montgomery Alabama to meeting I 75 should be labeled as I 75 well I 75 from where it begins to beat 85 should be labeled as 85 but when they split into how they are now it’s fine
I love the ideas posted on using Interstate 81 as Interstate 85 and it would fit in the grid. I think that Georgia and the Carolinas, as well as Virginia, wouldn’t want to renumber it. An X0 or X5 has more cache than other numbers. I have an idea for a northern extension of I-85 as well as a southern extension. How about Interstate 85 replacing Interstate 65 from Mobile to Montgomery? Use the planned route from Montgomery to Cuba Alabama and sign it as Interstate 14 or 16. To the north, have Interstate 95 be rerouted around Petersburg and Richmond along Interstate 295 and have Interstate 85 replace it along this segment. This was actually planned to happen a few decades ago. Then I would have Interstates 85 and 95 be concurrent up to the Capital Beltway and use its western end up to the I-270 Spur, replace it then replace I-270 and have a concurrence with Interstate 70 up to Interstate 81 then replace I-81 to the Canadian border. I would extend Interstate 65 as well. From Montgomery to Dothan Alabama, how about the US 231 corridor? This has actually been planned for decades as Interstate 67. Then how about using US 84 from Dothan Alabama to Bainbridge Georgia and then US 27 and US 19 through Tallahassee FL southeasterly then through Perry and Chiefland to Lebanon Station, then on a new built extension of the Florida Turnpike (already planned), then using the Florida Turnpike south to Miami and Homestead? Northward, how about I-65 replacing I-94 from Gary Indiana to Eau Claire, WI, then using US 53 through the twin ports and end the highway at International Falls, Minnesota? Interstate 294 in Chicago can become Interstate 265, and I-355 can be extended northward and also southward as part of the Illiana Highway and could become I-665. The other section of I-94 from Gary to the Canadian border can become Interstate 92. Interstate 185 in Georgia can be extended south to Tallahassee and north to Calhoun Georgia and be renumbered Interstate 67. I-94 spurs in Wisconsin would become I-65 spurs and the toll highways associated with the Florida Turnpike would become I-65 spurs. In addition, how about US 231 from Dothan AL to Panama City FL becoming I-165 and the Suncoast Parkway becoming I-365? The Orlando Beltway could become I-265, the Beachline Expressway could be I-565, SR 408 could be I-765, the Sawgrass Expressway could be extended to I-95 and become either I-465, I-495, I-995 or I-475. I-65 could be routed over the Florida Turnpike Homestead Extension and the segment that connects to I-95 can be numbered I-965. A loop route can be built around Tallahassee and can be I-465 or I-665.
Mr Jones, your idea almost happened for real if I recall correctly, but the AASHTO and FHWA approved I-41 just to have the same number as US 41 which also uses the route. You could have I-57 multiplexed with I-65, since I-41 would be gone. I-41 should replace 69C in my opinion. I-43 should likewise replace 69E and it should be just I-69 to Laredo, Texas. I-43 in Wisconsin should be renumbered into I-51 or I-53. I-45 should be renumbered to I-47 and I-69 should be I-45, since it will be a border to border interstate and deserves to be an X5 far far more than the current I-45. While I’m at it, I-64 and I-44 could be combined and numbered as Interstate 60. I-87 should be one continuous route from NC to the Canadian border, otherwise renumber southern I-87 to I-44. I-587 could be renumbered into I-38 or I-995.
To me, I-59 is the most “south” interstate since it goes through Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana, probably the 4 most “south” states in the country lol. It would be cool if I-20, I-59, and I-85 all met in Atlanta
If you didn’t see it on the map, the directional inversion near Lexington is so that both sides can have right-side exits to rest areas which share access to a Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
This video really attracts me to disappear from where i'm living now to pop up there.
That makes TOTAL sense 😎
My Control Cities for I-85:
Atlanta
Greenville
Spartanburg
Charlotte
Greensboro
Durham / Raleigh
Durham
Petersburg / Richmond
Richmond
What I would Sign on 85 north:
Atlanta
Greenville/Chattanooga (Until I-75 Split)
Greenville
Greenville/Spartanburg
Spartanburg
Charlotte
Greensboro
Durham/Raleigh (Until I-40 Split)
Durham/Petersburg
Petersburg
I 85 in South Carolina goes past 2 cemeteries only accessible via the interstate. 1 grave sight is in between exit 66 and 63 on the Southbound shoulder. The other grave sight is in the median of the interstate near exit 95. It's interesting that they decided to build the road so close to burial sights. Good video as always. Glad you kept Spartanburg signed :)
Interesting!
interesting indeed.
@@ControlCityFreak 6:53 Statesville is a big city. almost 30,000 people. Plus, Statesville is the next town down the road from Winston-Salem on 40. I don't get why you pick on Statesville every single time.
@@ethanconken9471 Statesville is NOT a big city. It’s the 38th biggest in NC. 30,000 can count as “big” in northern Idaho or central Nevada but not anywhere in Eastern Time Zone. I’m not picking on Statesville as a city but as a control point, there are more helpful points that could and should be signed for the benefit of long distance traffic.
I-75 actually signs Atlanta from the jump in Petersburg. A really good long-distance signage despite being 500 miles away.
*95
@@ianp1745 85*
I’d use Durham instead
@@mxderateprod whoops, I was thinking that because you are exiting off of 95 onto 85, so I was thinking 95 and not 85
I like Atlanta being signed too; however, the catch is that you have Charlotte to go through first, so I’d sign that over Atlanta in this case. Maybe on mileage signs put both Charlotte and Atlanta, but sign Charlotte on overheads and interchanges and then move on to Atlanta once you get to Charlotte. It still gives a sense of direction, and you still have to travel a while to get to Charlotte from Virginia anyway.
I can only speculate the reason NC uses Concord as a control city is because that is where Charlotte Motor Speedway is located.
There's also intersections with non-Interstate US highways, and US 321 in Gastonia is one of them. North Carolina signs Gastonia for that reason, because that's the fastest route to get to Hickory (Local traffic here). There's also the I-285/85 split in Lexington, and that's another justification for signing it (however, I'd replace the signs as "I-285 North High Point/Winston-Salem" no Lexington, and "I-85 North Greensboro/Durham"). But North Carolina still serves long distance traffic at huge system interchanges. However, I don't justify signing Burlington, Oxford, or Henderson because those are not where the Interstates split at all, nor are they big enough to be control cities (It's just North Carolina doing its thing again). And Concord... might as well replace that with Greensboro (because Concord is a suburb of Charlotte).
I heard that I-85 could extend from I-20 & I-85 near Cuba Alabama, just east of Alabama/Mississippi state line to I-65 in Downtown Montgomery Alabama. It is unlikely to have future I-14 in both Alabama and Georgia, recently.
NCDOT became a little less provincial in the Greensboro area when adding Martinsville and Danville, both in Virginia, as control cities at those exits.
Well, if they should sign out-of-state control cities for I-73, they should sign Roanoke.
I live along I-85 so this has been one of the roads I've been looking forward to the most or counting down to when you get to it.
Awesome!
2:23 before they changed the signs on I-285, it use to say Macon and Tampa.
One thing I must say is that I think they should assign Charlotte straight from Downtown Atlanta. Both at the I75/I85 split and at the 285/85 junction, the signs should say I85 North-Greenville/Charlotte, not just Greenville alone. Yes, I know Greenville isn't small, and it has a sizeable metro area, but Charlotte is much bigger. Other than that, I agree with the signing of this highway.
craziest road signs ive seen are on 85 around greensboro… they’re huge
True
What is ironic about I-85 for me is I have only been on it's last few southernmost miles and northernmost miles. It starts in Montgomery AL which was the original capitol of the Confederacy and it ends in Petersburg VA near Richmond which would also later be the capitol of the Confederacy.
This is one of very few interstates where I have been on its entire length. Traveling southbound on I-95 in Petersburg, 2 miles before the junction, that Atlanta-Durham sign always fascinated me because Atlanta is 500 miles away and depending on traffic, I-20 may be a faster route to get there!
Oh Atlanta, I've spent many years going there in my trucking adventures, I don't have to tell you it's not my favorite for a reason
I’ve also been on all of I-85, but not on one trip. I remember seeing the sign for Atlanta at the northern terminus. I thought to myself, they skipped over Charlotte?
I-20 most definitely isn’t faster and is a little out of the way bust definitely more fun to be driving than sitting in traffic outside of 2-85 for an hour
I believe having Atlanta control at the northern terminus of Interstate 85 is awesome. Traffic on Interstate 95 south coming from Washington DC and New York City going to Atlanta knows exactly what Interstate to take. Awesome signage. Southbound I 85 next week. I am excited for it.
A wildcard sign they can put on I-985 is Asheville since that's a way you can take to get to Asheville or western North Carolina.
I was just about to comment that. I'd support Asheville or Western NC on the I-985 sign. It is a pleasant ride up there and 4 lanes most of the way.
Advertisiting northeast GA and western Nc tourism would be a great ploy for the route. Maybe some kind of parkway title to get to those areas.
Yeah and also a brown sign with “The Great Smokie Mountains National Park “.
I live off of 985, and Flowery Branch is a better sign option if you were to replace Gainesville. Gainesville is the Seat of Hall County, and is the hub of Northeast Georgia's Commerce (Pun Not intended). If you want touristy, Georgia would be Provincial and sign Helen instead of Asheville, and Helen is only worth a Exit Sign Mention, and No City north of Gainesville is worth any pull through, not even Toccoa with it's Amtrak station, or Cornelia with it's Apple in downtown.
I don't think Gainesville needs the GA after it as its in Georgia. That's normally only done if the city on the sign is in another state. I don't think it would be confused with Gainesville, FL here.
I agree. I think enough people know Gainesville GA to not need the GA. If we were headed south, I might understand it, but not NB.
Came to say this. Gainesville FL is nearly six hours away in a state that I-85 doesn't touch.
Sign it for Asheville then
As someone who used to in Florida, I actually agree with this. I knew there was a Gainesville in Georgia when I was a kid(though only just vaguely), and despite the fact that the one in Florida was always still closer.
So no, it would not be confused with Gainesville, FL even in the slightest even though the states neighbor each other.
Most people from the south should know the difference between the two cities, since farm fowl is as much ingrained in Southern DNA as hoagies in Pennsylvania or In-N-Out in California. Gainesville is the fowlest city ever…
I used to live not far from I-71, but I now live close to I-85. Been waiting for ages for that
This is one of my favorite highways to drive. It's scenic and generally flows pretty smoothly. Last time I drove it a couple years ago, shockingly, the pavement quality didn't even suck that badly!
That's something I noticed too, I was always used to some pretty junky surface but a couple years ago it was butter smooth. Gorgeous drive.
So glad you’re doing I-85! Been looking forward to this for a long time! I live fairly close to it so we use it all the time whether we’re heading to Atlanta, Clemson, Charlotte, RDU, or the Megalopolis! Very convenient drive!
Interstate 85 is my favorite interstate. I have been on the entire interstate. My favorite scenery of I-85 is between Atlanta and Charlotte. I like looking at both the city skylines and the rivers and lakes.
Very cool!
Me too
When you said the Chattahoochee River, I immediately started singing that song. I'm definitely not as old as you! 😂😂
Lol
668miles to Virginia and Alabama in a heartbeat to make some of the best road trip adventure in the coming years to come around from point of view too look beyond similar the moment for years
1 mile away from being 669.
Ah, well, at least the final exit is 69.
Did you guys here about I-685, they gonna put the second I-685 in North Carolina from Greensboro to I-95 at Dunn, northeast side of Fayetteville, and it also will run along with U.S. 421.
Nice!
Fun fact: For anyone thinking that I-81 was the fastest route to Washington D.C., you're wrong. If you live anywhere close to I-85, for example, even far south as Montgomery, AL, then I-85 is the fastest route to go. Here's why I-85 is just as good as I-81 for going to D.C.
1. It's at least 190 miles shorter, which means that you could get off the interstate faster, as opposed to I-81, where you have to drive for a couple of hours before reaching the exits for Washington.
2. The speed limits are also much faster. If you combine this with I-85's shorter length, it shaves at least 1 or 2 hours of time off your trip.
3. For anyone who thought Petersburg wasn't a great area, that's just wrong. If you want to take a break, for example, Petersburg is the right place to stop. It contains gas for refueling, lodging for sleeping, and lots of restaurants. I myself went with my family to Petersburg when we drove to D.C. and it worked out perfectly.
So yeah, I-85 works as a D.C. route.
Well yeah, if you’re on the 85 corridor than 85 will be the faster way. If you’re on the 59/81 corridor or anywhere west of it, 81 is faster. Also, Petersburg having gas/food/lodging isn’t really too unique for the region, and Richmond is only like 20 minutes further
@@ControlCityFreakWell, I cant really argue with that.
I think I've been to every major city that I-85 goes through but I've never actually traveled on I-85 itself (except for the part where it runs concurrent with I-75 in Atlanta). I used to work for a company headquartered in Greenville and it's located right off of I-85 but I don't remember ever taking I-85 to get there.
It also run again with I-40
@@angelmalarkey7946 I've never been on that part of I-40. I've been to Greensboro, but not on that highway.
@@ReallyBadDriving o
Sir, I love your channel and I love watching every week. This is the kind of stuff that I would’ve loved as a kid and unfortunately, I had to figure out all this information myself along the way, but it’s so great to have a place for all this information to teach people that really want to know.
Thanks!
Todd, I am from Atlanta. Interstate 85 is one of my favorite Interstate in the whole system. I have traveled the entire length of I 85. Let's go!!
Awesome!
And then there's the eastern system interchange between I-40, I-785, and I-85. That is the best signage North Carolina gives because I-40 Westbound goes into Greensboro, I-785 goes to Danville (not control city worthy for a 2di), I-40 Eastbound goes to Raleigh, and I-85 goes to Durham. Looks like North Carolina is able to give us two GOOD control cities at once on both signs (and most of them are well-known cities at that)!
Yeah that’s a decent one
Yeah that’s a decent one
The wrong way portion is known as a Lane Inversion. You have one in I-5 between Lake Hughes Road (Castaic), and North of Templin Highway at the south end of the Grapevine. I-8 has one of these in eastern San Diego County.
@peterwarner358 There’s another one on I 8, headed east out of Yuma. One or more of the freeways in Birmingham do the same at an interchange, plus potentially at another interchange in Charlotte.
Lane inversions also occur on some surface streets: a DDI is a modified version of a SPUI. In Reno, where I live, one was built in the 10s at Exit 32 on I 580 (old Exit 64 of U.S. 395). They are growing popular across the country, with one (maybe two) more planned in Reno in the foreseeable future.
I also believe there will be a "lane inversion" once construction is complete on I-70 from Floyd Hill to Idaho Springs in Colorado.
Gastonia. A terrible choice. Sign Charlotte.
However, where US 29 North runs concurrent with I-85, you missed the pull-through for I-85 North for Greensboro/Winston-Salem. That's GOOD North Carolina signage for ya. And it's TWO EXITS before the split with I-285, which is headed for Winston-Salem! You missed that pull-through sign!!! (Also, the reason Lexington is signed out of Salisbury is because of that split with I-285, so Lexington makes sense, not a terrible choice, but North Carolina would do better if they co-signed Winston-Salem/Greensboro from even Salisbury to begin with.)
LYMAN!!! At least they didn’t make that a control city in Spartanburg since there is a Lyman South Carolina on I-85’s route.
I really enjoyed this video, Todd--very well done again.
For historical purposes, let me note that the last five miles of I-85 in Petersburg were originally the southernmost portion of the Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike. I traveled this back in 1958 on a family vacation to Florida. Back then, those five miles were signed as I-195. I'm not sure that I-85 had been envisioned as yet back then.
3:34, this is the infamous Spaghetti Junction in NE Atlanta Metro. The sheer number and elevation of the various ramps is a wonder to behold!
My way it should be:
Atlanta
Charlotte
Greensboro
Durham
Richmond
I know I left off Greenville and Spartanburg, but they just weren’t well-known enough to make the primary list for me. They definitely deserve to be Secondaries in SC though. Also Richmond is much more well known than Petersburg.
I can see leaving off Spartanburg, but I would most certainly NOT remove Greenville. Greenville has a metro of 950k, and has two 3-digit Interstates. Also, your point about Greenville not being well known is COMPLETELY invalid! Almost everyone, especially in the southeast, has heard of Greenville.
I-26 crosses I-85 at Spartanburg. The Spartanburg metro area has a population of about 330, 000.
I agree with this.
The entire route of I-85 is roughly 666 miles long. It's longest segment is in NC at a length of 234 miles. It's a very fascinating interstate, especially from Durham to Petersburg.
That drive through what seemingly is the same forest for 2 hours always puts me to sleep lmao.
Dan Caroline It could be worse: Richmond to Savannah along 95 is the same, but 6 hours (Rocky Mount, Wilson, Fayetteville, Lumberton and Florence offer little if any reprieve). Even 10 between San Antonio and El Paso isn’t such a snore fest!
SIX
SIX SIX
THE NUMBER OF THE BEAST
Is that why Johnny Sins is in Georgia?
there's definitely at least 2 i 85 north Greensboro pull throughs u missed after the CLT airport one in charlotte. one near exit exit 42 and one right before 485 near concord. U can literally see it in the background of your screenshot 😂. and they do sign downtown charlotte for exit 36 as that's an expressway type link that's better suited for people coming to downtown from i 85 south.
South Hill is a town located on US 58 which is accessible by exiting off I-85
I disagree for 985 being signed to Gainesville. It is the sole reason 985 was built, and it serves a major part of the Ever Growing Metro Atlanta area. You could sign it Flowery Branch as well, but Gainesville is where Lake Lanier is, for whoever is morbidly stupid enough to visit. Because the other options are signing it for Helen Georgia, the Alpine Village, or Cornelia, which should maybe get a pull through once 985 becomes 365.
Notes:
It becomes a classic CCF video at 7:25
6:58 is probably one of the most “Boy Meets World” signs ever! Next to the exit on I-15 of course.
No more NC videos after this one so we won’t have to put up with their provincialness any more…..oh yeah, I forgot I-95 :(
Yep, not out of the woods yet
I-87 NC too
Moderate Productions That one is so small it may as well be combined with I 87 New York (out of the dual 86s, 87s and 88s, it has the most justification); 87 NC has a spur that’s longer than the primary for goodness sakes!!
@@tylermarchand2996 It’s probably gonna be a shorts video. But it is still Nc
The I-88’s you could do Illinois in one video
Also on 85 from Montgomery, I’d sign Auburn as a secondary control city since there’s a major state university there. I’m willing to be a good amount of traffic on Saturdays in the fall is headed there.
Alabama will never give Auburn that kind of billing, even though Tuscaloosa is signed as a control city heading west from Birmingham.
Joseph McCovery Sounds like Alabama is taking sides in the rivalry. Whatever happened to being impartial?
Auburn could be a good secondary
@@spellcast1391 *Whenever* I-85 is extended to 59/20 near the Cuba/York area, there's a very, vey, very small chance that it'll be signed as Auburn/Atlanta once it passes Montgomery as the exits will have to be renumbered anyways, but most likely will be signed just for Atlanta.
@@JMccovery The Cuba-to-Montgomery portion could end up being part of the I-14 extension. To me, that would negate any need to extend I-85.
I-85 of course goes from the first capital (ignoring the eventual extension) of the Confederacy (Montgomery) to Petersburg, just shy of the other capital (Richmond, ignoring the week or so that Danville, VA was the capital)... it is truly the most Southern of the x0/x5s, though not geographically so.
I think the Interstate grid could be brought back to its original intent by re-numbering I-99 in PA and NY as I-81 (next north-south Interstate east of I-79), I-81 from the Canadian border to TN could be re-numbered as I-85 (since it is a major north-south Interstate parallel to US Highway 11), and I-85 could be re-numbered as a currently unused even number like I-36 (since it is more east-west than north-south).
I like that idea; however, I think if we wanna go closer to the grid, 18 would make more sense as the replacement than 36 because of where in Alabama 85 starts. In Birmingham you not only have 20 leaving its concurrency with 59 to go on to Atlanta, but you also get 22’s eastern terminus there as well while this interstate starts in Montgomery, which is well to the south of Birmingham.
I'd probably go with 28 personally.
@@ControlCityFreak Now that you mention it, I-28 would be an excellent choice! There used to be a US-28 long ago in like Oregon, but that’s long since stopped existing.
I wouldn’t make 85 E/W. Any long distance travel on 85 is ultimately moving a state north of the state they were previously in. Also in Georgia and SC east is very synonymous with the beach and the coast. For instance I26 in sc is more north south than east west and runs at an angle similar to 85 however the east west road takes you to a beach and the north south road takes you to a city.
2:40 - 85 and 285 used to merge together then split less than 3 miles later back in the 1980s. they changed it to what you see now. Much better for overall traffic flow now.
Yeah looks like it
Yeah .... I'm glad that GADOT reconfigured it this way .... 285 probably has the most traffic for any 3-digit interstate NOT in Los Angeles.
So, here’s how I’ll break it down:
I-85
Atlanta
Gastonia/Charlotte
Richmond, VA
New York City via. I-95
Woodstock, CA VIA. I-95
Each section would be named or renamed as: I-85- Montgomery Frwy.
I-85- S. Georgia Expy.
I-85- (In Atlanta) Cross Atlanta Expy.
I-85- (N. Of Atlanta to State Line) Atlanta Expy.
I-85- Industrial Thwy. (All of I-85 in South Carolina).
I-85- North Carolina State Thruway (Because NC Feels like NY)
I-85- in Virginia, just I-85. If not, then Virginia Forest Hwy. that’s how I’ll sign it Northbound. Can’t wait for Southbound
I always wonder how signs with jarringly nonstandard fonts (like the ones at 2:08) make it to the production stage. Like maybe some untrained intern took over for a day?
4:37 What about co-signing Charlotte WITH Spartanburg? Would that make sense?
I-85 will be even more East-West when the road gets extended west to I-20/I-59 near the Mississippi/Alabama border. I-85 will divert onto Alabama Route 108 and the old section within Montgomery is slated to become I-685.
Chances are that the corridor from Mississippi to Montgomery will become I-14. If that comes to fruition, there would be no need to sign it as I-85. In fact, if I were in charge of MDOT, I’d go ahead and duplex I-59 from Laurel to Meridian with I-14.
I appreciate I-85 a lot more after the fire where part of it collapsed going into downtown Atlanta. I could see the smoke from my house and right after it collapsed, the entire section of town I live in was gridlocked for a week. It would take 90 mins to drive a section that would normally take 5 mins (it was faster to walk for some trips). I was very happy when they got it fixed in record time! FYI...it happened right before the GA 400 split Todd featured in the video
Oh wow, didn’t know about that
@@ControlCityFreak March 30th 2017...there is even a Wikipedia page about it. Closed that section of 85 in both directions for 43 days
@@ControlCityFreak A massive fire collapsed an Interstate 85 (I-85) bridge in Atlanta, Georgia, United States, on the evening of Thursday, March 30, 2017. After the 92-foot-long (28 m) section collapsed, I-85 was closed to traffic for 43 days between its split with I-75 and the interchange with State Route 400 (SR 400)---approximately two miles (3 km). Three sections of northbound I-85 and three sections of southbound I-85 were replaced at a cost of $15 million; re-opening of the interstate was on May 12.[1]
@@ControlCityFreak Yeah, search it on TH-cam. There are numerous videos of it.
I remember that ...... I don't live in Atlanta, and I know central Atlanta needs NO help in creating massive gridlock on its streets, but that 85 closure was a traffic nightmare of epic proportions. it was amazing that it got done as fast as it did.
I-26 & I-85 should trade freeways
985 goes to Gainesville and that’s it. Large town with lots of factories and industrial areas as well as lakes and other activities. Literally no other option but north
You should get out more. You have all these opinions but clearly don’t have a clue what you are talking about.
Lessco Brandon Specifically, poultry processing plants.
I’m down for signing Asheville
Can't fault them for signing the CLT airport like that. Sometimes the CLT can be hard to find for those who don't know their way around.
... I'll see myself out.
lol
For me, I would sign I-85 North as Auburn/Atlanta (Auburn University), Atlanta, Greenville, Spartanburg, Charlotte, Greensboro (may sign Concord inside I-485 as a secondary control city for the Charlotte Motor Speedway), Durham, Petersburg/Richmond.
pdawg119 Replace Concord with Chapel Hill-Raleigh, (for the 40/85 concurrency) and add Burlington (caught in a no man’s land belonging to neither Greensboro nor Durham), and our lists would pretty much be identical (I however go the extra mile to add in junctions that lead to off-the-road destinations like Columbus).
Due to the fact that I 85 skirts some cities and has multiple paths to said cities, this list could get very crowded. I’m actually glad it’s only Northbound today, as doing lists for both directions would’ve been a long mess. Here goes:
AL 186 to U.S. 80 E Columbus (one of three routes to Columbus; this one bypasses Auburn)
Auburn (Only 180k metro, but a MAJOR college town)
U.S. 280 E Columbus (second route to Columbus; this AND 80 can be further taken to Albany and Macon)
I 185 Columbus (the third route to Columbus, however, only really convenient for those in LaGrange)
I 285 CW to I 75 N Dalton-Chattanooga and CCW to I 20 E Augusta/U.S. 78 E Athens (I 75 S Macon would only really be convenient for those in the College Park/ATL area)
I 20 to Birmingham/Augusta
I 985 Gainesville
GA 316 to U.S. 29 N Athens (for those in Gwinnett County)
U.S. 129 S Athens
Anderson/SC 28 Augusta (for those in Anderson or the nearby college town Clemson)
Greenville
I 185 Downtown Greenville/Columbia
Spartanburg
Bus. 85 Downtown Spartanburg
I 26 Asheville/Columbia
SC 5 Rock Hill (urban area at the southern end of Metropolitan Charlotte; discontinuous from Central Charlotte’s urban sprawl)
Gastonia (west end of Metropolitan Charlotte; again, discontinuous with central Charlotte, so eligible by my rules for mentioning)
U.S. 74 W Asheville (more convenient for those near the state line than going to Spartanburg)
U.S. 321 N Hickory (metro with 360k across four counties, 20% larger than Wilmington)
I 485 CW to Beckley/Christiansburg (skip Huntersville and Statesville in favor of the next destinations along 77 and 81; Christiansburg is the gateway to Blacksburg/Virginia Tech)/CCW to Rock Hill/Columbia
Charlotte
I 77 Beckley/Christiansburg and Rock Hill-Columbia
I 285 Winston-Salem (hence why Lexington is listed; also a historical furniture manufacturing hub)
I 74 W Winston-Salem (for those in High Point)
Greensboro
I 73 N to U.S. 220 N Roanoke/I 40 W Winston-Salem
Bus. 85 Downtown Greensboro
Burlington (a metro of 175k that can’t really be considered a part of Greensboro or Durham; similar to Lakeland and Tampa/Orlando)
NC 119 N Lynchburg (via either U.S. 29 N or U.S. 501 N)
I 40 E Chapel Hill-Raleigh (get off at the U.S. 501 exit, and you’re automatically in Chapel Hill)
Durham
U.S. 501 N Lynchburg
U.S. 58 E Norfolk-Virginia Beach
Richmond
U.S. 460 Lynchburg/Norfolk-Virginia Beach
I 95 Richmond/Rocky Mount
Nice, but definitely wouldn’t sign all those
You mention signing for rock hill. I live in Atlanta now, grew up in Greenville went to college in Clemson and my wife lived in rock hill when we dated and she went to grad school in Greensboro/Winston Salem so I have a lot of history with the road.
I think it’s interesting that Clemson has a bottom line sign in anderson county despite being well off the road and the fastest way to get to Clemson is a small exit signed for Pendleton.
I think it’s a shame that the whole York county SC part of Charlotte, which is really almost becoming its own metro because most people living there are living there in protest over mecklenburg county is never signed for those wishing to get off before the Nc border and head that way.
TheBIGJake111 Like I said, it isn’t contiguous with central Charlotte’s urban, but it is extremely close. Rock Hill very well could be it’s own metro, with 450k, but since I think there’s an amusement park that straddles the border, they’re forever linked…
@@tylermarchand2996 I’ve advocated for Auburn to be a secondary control city from Montgomery.
Instead of Petersburg, I would sign it Richmond and Washington.
I just passed Petersburg last week, I don't think anyone wants to go there.
Just as a little heads up, the first sign for 85 south on I 95 south is a really good sign, but then at the exit, it changes.
I 100 percent agree nobody wants to stop in Petersburg
Yeah, I don’t think anyone would want to get off in Petersburg either. That said, I’m a little hesitant to sign Richmond despite it being the bigger draw because I have a feeling if they wanted 85 to go to Richmond, they would have angled it up that way from the start instead of stopping it where it is now. So I think there’s two solutions to how 85 could finish:
1. You keep the Petersburg signage as is, but put Richmond and DC on mileage signs while still on 85 once you get past the last major draw in North Carolina, kind of like how Omaha and Lincoln should have been on mileage signs on I-76 in Colorado
2. Do what Todd said and sign 85 for Richmond. We’re too far away from DC to have that be the bigger draw since you could also use 85 to get to Newport News or Virginia Beach depending on where you’re coming from, but Richmond is close enough that you could reasonably sign 85 for it.
Ok you get a pass this time for not mentioning it because the northbound sign has different control cities, but you MUST make mention of I-85 southbound Exit 66 in South Carolina. Goes to one of your favorite town names that we all love to hear you say!
885 in Durham is the newest Interstate to open in the US. it just opened June 30
Oh awesome!
And then there's signing Sanford. US 29 to I-85 to US 421 is the fastest route to Sanford if you're coming from High Point (but that's only essential for provincial traffic, and I'd leave it out on the pullthrough sign on Northbound I-85, because Durham on its own does the job fine).
So after a rewatch, I do agree with your way it should be northbound. The only thing I’d do different than you is go dual at the end by signing Petersburg and Richmond together. I do feel like if they wanted to get 85 signed for Richmond that it should have been angled that way from the beginning (hence why I was hesitant about signing Richmond at first), but it’s close enough that Richmond is your main draw at the end there. Plus, there’s not as much variety of where you might be going unlike when you get towards Meriden while driving on southbound I-91. Here, there’s no question traffic is headed towards Richmond, even if they want to go to places such as Norfolk, Newport News, or the like.
Pretty good choices, except for NC (who’s shocked?). Maybe from Montgomery co-sign Columbus or Auburn with Atlanta. And I definitely agree that Petersburg should probably be switched with Richmond.
Columbus and I-185 could be used Southbound from Atlanta. It doesn’t angle right northbound
Petersburg is okay and would use it on I-95 South from Richmond
@spellcast1391 I 185 is only really convenient for northbound traffic in LaGrange. In my list, I also include junctions that lead to off-the-road destinations. AL 186 to U.S. 80 E and U.S. 280 E in Opelika (adjacent to Auburn) both provide routes to Columbus from Montgomery.
@@tylermarchand2996 I’d be okay with Columbus GA signed Southbound(From Atlanta) on I-85 but not northbound.
8:27 it *is* in fact a hell of a zoo... you ought to check it out if you ever end up that way... and like zoos
Look at Exit 66 for your SB video. And lets appreciate the fact that SC doesn't sign that city [unlike Colorado, Kansas, and Wyoming (hint, hint)]
7:58 I-5 in California does the same thing just north of exit 176
4:38 at least it’s not signed for Lyman, SC 😂
If there's one road I miss driving on the least, it's this one. Spent way too much of my life in traffic on that one. One bit of trivia, I-185 and I-385 are the closest interstate spurs in the country which cross their parent interstate.
Gotta love Atlanta
Those two Interstates are in Greenville South Carolina, not Atlanta Georgia.
North Carolina DOT: "Move over, Missouri, Mississippi, and Pennsylvania. Amateur provincial hour is OVER!"
lol
I know what you mean brother. I live in Richmond. More popular although traffic sometimes a headache...
Side note: love the North Carolina Zoo. Haven't been there since I was young. Need to go back.!
7:18 Concord - that’s the Avett Brothers’ town!
As someone who drives down 85 between Atlanta & Charlotte many times a year, I feel like Spartanburg shouldn't be the mainline control city either direction. Nowadays Greenville is far larger, and Spartanburg is just too close & small to it to be a main control city. I think it could/should be a secondary control city (ex Spartanburg/Charlotte) but not the mainline. Plus 85 never actually enters the city limits of Spartanburg, unlike all the other cities
Technically, that's not true. As someone who lives off of exit 75 (SC highway 9), there are businesses on both sides of 85 with Spartanburg addresses. Same thing with businesses off of exit 78.
@@brendonhallman191 Spartanburg address =/= entering the city limits of Spartanburg
@westkana I mentioned in another comment that I don’t like the idea of shafting certain cities just because bigger ones are nearby. Besides, the mere 40k Spartanburg city population is very misleading (the metro is around 330k, actually bigger than other Southern metros like Tuscaloosa, Macon, Wilmington and Roanoke).
Oh, and just because an interstate doesn’t enter city limits doesn’t mean said city is ineligible. My Interstate is I 80, and it never enters Des Moines, Chicago, Cleveland or New York, and barely skims others like Davenport and Sacramento (it technically does enter city limits, but I’m hesitant to say it is really a city freeway, as none of the surface street exits lead to Downtown, never crossing to the southern bank of the American River).
Spartanburg is a major business/industrial/ educational center in the state. It has 7 colleges, the SC School for the Deaf and Blind and a large medical center. Several corporations are headquartered in Spartanburg including Denny’s and Milliken. Spartanburg is located at the intersection of I-85 and 1-26. The area is growing rapidly with subdivisions and apartments being built everywhere.
You should take 85 business/us 29/ us 70 on southbound
Again, most of the traffic in North Carolina is local traffic, so that's why Gastonia, Concord, Lexington, Oxford, and Henderson are signed. (Lexington is where I-285 spawns off of I-85 towards Winston-Salem.)
I’m sure there’s plenty of Atlanta to eastern seaboard traffic there
@@ControlCityFreak Not as much as North Carolina local traffic, though.
@@samseddmedia Thats not a good excuse to sign those horrible control cities
If North Carolina wants to do this they should do two cities on the sign with the non major one on the top and a major one at the bottom
@@mxderateprod It's not an excuse. Most of the traffic IS local traffic in North Carolina. The problem is that North Carolina focuses ONLY on the local traffic a lot.
That or Cleveland Ave and head east if you missed 285 over at the airport.
Hey, you didn't start the video with "Yeah!" 😜
I'm also surprised you didn't mention the Giant Peachoid right off I-85 in Gaffney, SC. It was one of the more memorable landmarks I encountered on the way to Greenville.
On the whole tho, great video, I-85 is signed pretty well apart from North Carolina (shakes fist at NCDOT)
🤣🤣🤣 We had a name for it...but it isn't family friendly.
Thanks!
@@ControlCityFreak ☺
Not official but I would call this the Southern State Capitals Road. Starts out in Montgomery goes through Atlanta comes within 100 miles of Columbia then goes near Raleigh and ends in Petersburg. This does go through populated areas, Montgomery, Atlanta, Greenville, Spartanburg Anderson, Charlotte, Greensboro, Winston- Salem High Point, Raleigh, Durham Chapel Hill and ending in Richmond Petersburg. Unusual because most 05 Interstates go from a Southern Tier State to a Northern Tier State. I 45 being the only Intrastate Interstate. Sort of like I 30 Starting at I 20 in the Dallas Ft Worth area ending at I 40 Little Rock ( North Little Rock). This i would say is somewhat sighed good. I 885 new to me. Someone said it was recently sighed in June. See you South bound.
For me, northbound I-85 would've signed the right cities as follows.:
•Atlanta
•Greenville, SC
•Spartanburg, SC
•Charlotte, NC
-High Point, NC | •Greensboro, NC
•Greensboro, NC
•Durham, NC
-Petersburg, VA | •Richmond, VA (I'll do the same with northbound I-95 after Rocky Mount, NC.)
I mostly agree with you, Todd and I also found a solution to sign I-95 in the Southeastern US and I'll tell you: Richmond VA, Rocky Mount NC, Fayetteville NC, Florence SC, Savannah GA, Jacksonville FL, Daytona Beach FL and Miami. I just mentioned the primaries, but I also did the secondaries, but they only work depending on the direction which are: Petersburg VA (north and south), West Palm Beach FL (north only) and Fort Lauderdale FL (north only).
After Florence SC you could also sign Charleston SC since 95 and 26 split to go to Charleston about 40 miles north of Charleston
@@scpatl4now, about Charleston, SC, even though the angles mostly don't work, I think I'll accept that too, even though it's metro area is big and Dorchester County, SC touches I-95 and is part of Metropolitan Charleston, SC.
Crystal Clear with 8BE I’d just keep the references to Charleston and Columbia to the interchange. Similarly, it’d be best to save Raleigh and Wilmington for the 40/95 interchange. But yes. I 95 through the Carolinas is pretty rural. Outside of Florence, Lumberton, Fayetteville, Wilson and Rocky Mount (maybe Hilton Head Island), there’s not much between Richmond and Savannah.
The only major I have travelled the whole length on.
Me too! I saw the Montgomery end when I stayed with my sister in the Mobile area (town of Daphne) in 2021.
Here’s Speedboy14’s the way it should be for I-85 North bound
Atlanta
Greenville
Spartanburg
Charlotte
Greensboro
Durham/Raleigh (until I-40/I-85 split)
Durham
Richmond
3:52 in defense your going north bound so people wouldn’t be heading towards Florida and plus going to Gainesville fl stay on 75
Da Pigbear There’s only one instance I can think of where two cities of the same name can be confused: if you’re coming into West Memphis 40/55, and the next metro area after Memphis is called Jackson along both routes.
There are two “neighboring” Springfields, but St. Louis is in the way. And I also assume that most people know that the two Vancouvers are separated by Bellingham, Mount Vernon, Seattle/Tacoma, and Olympia.
Hey goin south on 85 can we take 285 in GA the control cities om there are interesting because they sign the 2digit control cities instead of suburbs
Not this time. 285 will be it’s own video at some point
@@ControlCityFreak nice
What happened to Charlotte
For real
I would go Atlanta, Greenville, Charlotte, Greensboro, Durham, Richmond.
Spartanburg is too small to be a control city with it being so close to Charlotte and Greenville.
I agree for NB, because Charlotte is so much bigger, but not for SB because Greenville isn't much bigger.
Spartanburg is a major industrial center in the state, and home to USC-Upstate, Wofford College, and Converse University. I feel it should a be control city.
The Awesomer85 I’m not really a fan of skipping cities just because there’s a larger one close by. Spartanburg has more than 300k metro, which is bigger than other Southern cities like Wilmington and Macon (maybe even Roanoke). The entire Upstate region is Exhibit A on why a lot more matters than just city populations. Spartanburg has only 40k of the county’s 330k, and Greenville only 70k out of four counties combining over 900k!
@@sunny1992s yes. Spartanburg actually has 7 colleges , is home to the SC School for the Deaf and Blind and has several corporate headquarters. Spartanburg County is home to BMW’s only North American plant, referred to as the Spartanburg plant. Also, I-26 crosses I-85 at Spartanburg.
And it actually has pretty good control city’s
Yep!
I’m just surprised it didn’t drop the ball going northbound in Alabama! 😂
Well, welcome to 2025, Control City Freak.
The racing game Midnight Club 3 is the reason I know Buckhead, Atlanta exists.
A reason for Concord
Charlotte Motor Speedway
Daniel Jackett If I’m thinking about the correct location, I thought it was called the Lowe’s Motor Speedway (that’s how the NASCAR track was branded in my mid-late 00’s atlases)…
@@tylermarchand2996 The same track
Lowes has not had naming rights in about 15 years, so it reverted back to Charlotte Motor Speedway
Great video! I’m excited for SB I-85 and your disappointment with Virginia removing Miami and Atlanta at the I-85 SB and I-95 Junction. I have a question though. I know you were interested in doing I-476 the longest 3-digit interstate highway in the country but will you do I-376? It’s the second longest in Pennsylvania and pretty long itself. Plus you never got to really see downtown Pittsburgh even on I-79 so I think it would be cool. And the view on I-376 EB is amazing going through the Ft. Pitt tunnel (Never been myself) going from rural on one side to urban Pittsburgh on the other.
Yeah will definitely do 376 or 279 at some point, if not both
@@ControlCityFreak Out of the 2 of them I-376 is the more interesting one as I-279 is so short but you should do both as they both give great views of downtown. If you do decide to do I-279 check out I-579 as it’s hilariously small, (the smallest in the state)
@copyrightedperson8157 I thought 495 (the outer Boston loop) was the longest 3DI?
@@tylermarchand2996 Nope I-495 is the second longest, but I-476 is a bit longer
I think I understand concord: alot of tourists go there...I mean...there is literally half of a sport located there
Concord has about 100k people and Greensboro has slightly less than 300k. I'm okay with Concord. And I'm okay with Petersburg as a history guy, given its importance to the end of the Civil War.
Concord is not a well known city. And signing a city significantly smaller and only 30 miles closer than Richmond just because of its history makes it a pretty dumb control city.
I mainly know Petersburg from 85/95 split and because Frank Mason is from there. Then again, basically everything I know about cities I haven’t been to relates to maps or Kansas basketball
@@mxderateprod And truth to be told the only people who would know where Concord is at is race engineers, etc who work on NASCAR teams.
Also the only time Concord is "well-known" is on the Coke 600 race weekend. For the most part Concord is fine being signe on a three-digit interstate but not as a two-digit interstate.
@@DMAN_2314 Agreed
I don't think there's a need for Gainesville to carry the GA sign. Maybe I could see it if it was a southbound sign, but I'm pretty sure most people know that Florida is south of Georgia and you're not going to be heading toward Gainesville, Florida by going north. And even if you were, there would probably be at least one decent-sized Georgia city you'd pass between Atlanta and Gainesville that would take precedence.
Dan Angell I can name three: Macon, Warner-Robins and Valdosta.
@@tylermarchand2996 Only Macon should be a control city though
@@tylermarchand2996 I know, I was intentionally being vague because that's I-75 and a totally different video.
In terms of control city signage, if Tennessee is the Arizona of the South, then North Carolina is the New Mexico of the South. lol
True
I guess that works. If I had to compare states to the ones 85 goes through (given NC is NM):
Virginia ~ Ohio
NC ~ New Mexico
SC ~ Connecticut (mainly because just as 26 is the most South Carolina interstate, I consider 91 to be the most Connecticut interstate)
Georgia ~ Nevada
Alabama ~ Oregon
1:45 - It isn't possible to "Grill" fried chicken. I think they mean that they serve fried chicken, and they have a grill for burgers and stuff like that.
Since you mentioned it, you should really look at 585. I travel it everyday to work. It's not really an interstate as it's only 2 miles long, has only 2 numbered exits, no control city signs and changes to US 176 before it hits 85. The only interstate it hits is Business 85. Plus, it has long and awkward exit ramps. I think you might find it humorous.
Cool, thanks!
If I am not mistaken. It may be the only or one of only a few spurs that intersect a business route but not the mainline that they are numbered after.
Not that Greenville is a bad control city from Atlanta, but would Charlotte be a better choice?
Greenville is pretty substantial and well known enough to be signed on it's own. (550k metro, two 3-digits)
Moderate Productions Actually, Greenville is closer to 950k metro, as Laurens (70k), Pickens (120k) and Anderson Counties (200k) are included. Since the city of Greenville itself is only 70k or so, this is exhibit A for why city populations can’t be the lone factor taken into account when discussing urban area sizes.
I think I'd even cut it down more- Atlanta, Charlotte, Richmond. The other cities can be there if states do the double city thing, but those are the three anchor cities on 85 IMO.
As always a great video. I didn't realize 85 was SO diagonal- it's like 74's mirror. I'm actually looking forward to I-88 in Illinois- certainly a strange one with a very unceremonious beginning and end.
I would still sign Greenville and Greensboro.
@@mxderateprod yeah, Greenville and Greensboro have both grown immensely in the past 30 years. Also, Durham is one of the two main component cities the RDU so it would make sense to keep Durham as well.
I feel like the section of 85 from Montgomery Alabama to meeting I 75 should be labeled as I 75 well I 75 from where it begins to beat 85 should be labeled as 85 but when they split into how they are now it’s fine
Or make 81 I-85
85 to Atlanta should just say Delta with a Delta Airlines logo.
Lol
I love the ideas posted on using Interstate 81 as Interstate 85 and it would fit in the grid. I think that Georgia and the Carolinas, as well as Virginia, wouldn’t want to renumber it. An X0 or X5 has more cache than other numbers. I have an idea for a northern extension of I-85 as well as a southern extension. How about Interstate 85 replacing Interstate 65 from Mobile to Montgomery? Use the planned route from Montgomery to Cuba Alabama and sign it as Interstate 14 or 16. To the north, have Interstate 95 be rerouted around Petersburg and Richmond along Interstate 295 and have Interstate 85 replace it along this segment. This was actually planned to happen a few decades ago. Then I would have Interstates 85 and 95 be concurrent up to the Capital Beltway and use its western end up to the I-270 Spur, replace it then replace I-270 and have a concurrence with Interstate 70 up to Interstate 81 then replace I-81 to the Canadian border. I would extend Interstate 65 as well. From Montgomery to Dothan Alabama, how about the US 231 corridor? This has actually been planned for decades as Interstate 67. Then how about using US 84 from Dothan Alabama to Bainbridge Georgia and then US 27 and US 19 through Tallahassee FL southeasterly then through Perry and Chiefland to Lebanon Station, then on a new built extension of the Florida Turnpike (already planned), then using the Florida Turnpike south to Miami and Homestead? Northward, how about I-65 replacing I-94 from Gary Indiana to Eau Claire, WI, then using US 53 through the twin ports and end the highway at International Falls, Minnesota? Interstate 294 in Chicago can become Interstate 265, and I-355 can be extended northward and also southward as part of the Illiana Highway and could become I-665. The other section of I-94 from Gary to the Canadian border can become Interstate 92. Interstate 185 in Georgia can be extended south to Tallahassee and north to Calhoun Georgia and be renumbered Interstate 67. I-94 spurs in Wisconsin would become I-65 spurs and the toll highways associated with the Florida Turnpike would become I-65 spurs. In addition, how about US 231 from Dothan AL to Panama City FL becoming I-165 and the Suncoast Parkway becoming I-365? The Orlando Beltway could become I-265, the Beachline Expressway could be I-565, SR 408 could be I-765, the Sawgrass Expressway could be extended to I-95 and become either I-465, I-495, I-995 or I-475. I-65 could be routed over the Florida Turnpike Homestead Extension and the segment that connects to I-95 can be numbered I-965. A loop route can be built around Tallahassee and can be I-465 or I-665.
If I were renumbering 81 to 85, I'd go ahead and add I-59 since it feels like the natural extension of 81.
@@ControlCityFreak 👍
I would actually extend I-57 up I-94 and I-41 to Green Bay instead, decommissioning I-41.
Mr Jones, your idea almost happened for real if I recall correctly, but the AASHTO and FHWA approved I-41 just to have the same number as US 41 which also uses the route. You could have I-57 multiplexed with I-65, since I-41 would be gone. I-41 should replace 69C in my opinion. I-43 should likewise replace 69E and it should be just I-69 to Laredo, Texas. I-43 in Wisconsin should be renumbered into I-51 or I-53. I-45 should be renumbered to I-47 and I-69 should be I-45, since it will be a border to border interstate and deserves to be an X5 far far more than the current I-45. While I’m at it, I-64 and I-44 could be combined and numbered as Interstate 60. I-87 should be one continuous route from NC to the Canadian border, otherwise renumber southern I-87 to I-44. I-587 could be renumbered into I-38 or I-995.
Dave's the Way it Should Be:
Atlanta
Greenville
Spartanburg/Charlotte
Charlotte
Greensboro
Raleigh/Durham
Durham
Richmond
Agreed
Solid
I know what North Carolina and Illinois have in common they both sign secondaries at interchanges
Yep!
@@ControlCityFreak North Carolina is worse at major junctions