I dislike when state DOTs hide highways like that. They do the same towards U.S. Routes too in several states and its not necessary. If they want less confusion, reroute them.
My biggest pet peeve with hiding highways is that, sometimes it isn't necessary. Case in point: US-90 through Houston. On the east side, US-90 merges with I-10 at I-610, and on the west side it is an exit in Katy. Between those two points, there is no signage for US-90...it's just I-10. It's like US-90 has some weird gap in it. It didn't used to be like this. When I moved to Houston in 1980, there were signage all over the place showing I-10 and US-90 together through Houston. I could be wrong, but I want to say that the US-90 shield started disappearing when US-75 was decommissioned from Dallas to Galveston. My surprise is that TxDOT hasn't removed the US-59 shields from signage now that the road is I-69 (although at SH-99 Toll / Grand Parkway in Porter, Texas, they installed signage with only the I-69 emblem...no mention of US-59).
@@DominicMazoch I have an active amateur radio license. Call signs are KI5AOK. I even have a net I do on Monday nights at around midnight (actually Tuesday morning). Insomniac Trivia.
I live in Dallas and have traveled on I-345 many times. I've never understood why they didn't just extend I-45 to US-75, or better yet, extend 45 all the way to Oklahoma. I suppose at some point 75 isn't up to Interstate standards, but within the DFW metroplex, it all feels like one continuous expressway.
Yeah it’s basically interstate standard up until the OK border. They could run it up the Indian Nation Turnpike to I-40 after the south Oklahoma section is upgraded to interstate standard. I would like to see I-45 go to Topeka and possibly Omaha
@@arnathan1792 The road around Sherman and Denison is still below current Interstate standards, but, from what it looks like on Google Maps, TxDOT seems to be trying to rectify that issue. And it also looks like Oklahoma (or the Choctow Nation) is building interstate segments of US-75/US-69 to Durant. As for I-45 going to the Oklahoma border, I don't see why not. Wisconsin pulled that with I-41, ending it at the Illinois/Wisconsin border. As long as US-69 isn't decommissioned from Denison to the border.
Yep. There is construction near both sides of the border. So from Dallas to Tushka, OK is up to highway snuff. But from there to just North of McAllister. Is only state highway quality. With stop lights in most of the small towns. You'd have to elevate the roadway through towns like Atoka, Stringtown and Kiowa. Kind of like they are currently doing in Calera. Just south of Durant. Or risk cutting those small towns in half. Also. I've lived in the Metroplex for almost 14 years now. And never knew about this highway designation. I always thought it was just the start of 75.
An extended I-45 could serve as another cross-country trade corridor if connected to I-29 in Omaha via Tulsa and say Topeka and also be a more direct connection for the port of Houston to Canada rather than having to go through Kansas City.
I find it interesting how US 50 is the only route in the entire lower 48 that is home to TWO unsigned interstates. As you mentioned, I-305 in Sacramento and I-595 in Maryland
Back to Grand Rapids When the Interstate System was originally funded, I-96 was supposed to follow what is I-196 to Benton Harbor, and I-196 go to Muskegon...The contractor built a segment of both highways together, causing motorist confusion when the shields went from 96 to 196, and vice versa...Also the US route (16) the Interstate replaced also went to Muskegon...So the 96 and 196 designations were flipped, making I-196 the longest 3-digit Interstate at 80 miles
I’ve driven through Chattanooga on us 27, I remember when they rebuilt it when I got older and now it kinda does look like an interstate but I have stumbled upon an article online where this was unmarked interstate I-124
One that you missed was I-480X southeast of Cleveland. It connects US 422 and I-271 with I-480. It forms the northern part of a triangle with I-271 and I-480. It probably wasn't signed because it is fairly short, about 2 miles, and might confuse motorists in an area with a lot of freeways. The only signage is on the mile marker signs in the middle of the highway as it has no other route number.
@@ki5aok I think you can justify having the western terminus of US 422 being at the I-480/I-480N interchange, replace the current US 422 to downtown with OH 87, and renumber OH 87 as OH 887 between US 422/OH 8 and OH 175 if we really need to keep the Shaker Heights section of OH 87 as a state route.
@@RESIST_DIGITAL_ID_UK I-480N does not. I-480N is a glorified exit ramp from I-480 to I-271 North and US-422. What sense does it make to have a suffix route there? It's not like I-35W/E in Dallas/Fort Worth and Minneapolis/St. Paul, where both of those examples serve two cities and both merge back together to form I-35. I-480N is nothing more than a long exit ramp. It would make more sense to eliminate that designation (I-480 will still pass to the south) and extend US-422 over that route, for a distance of about 2 miles. Eliminating I-480N does not affect I-480.
Same. I’m from Houston so when I go to Dallas it’s just the same road to me. There’s a sign downtown that says “45 ENDS” but that’s about it. Didn’t know it was 345 lol
US Route 50 between I-95 (Capitol Beltway) and Annapolis (I-97) was signed as I-595 "for a minute," as the kids say today, so that explains why (as you stated) there's still a significant blank space on the signs over the highway. I even wrote an accident report or two using the I-595 designation instead of Route 50... no one noticed.
As a kid growing up in Marylnd I always wondered why the Route 50 on the signs was to the right, leaving a lot of blank space, and not centered like you would normally see. Then I learned about I-595
When National Weather Service releases a severe weather statement map it sometimes shows the I-595 because the only roads it shows for reference are interstates.
Interstate 595 was never signed in Maryland due to "branding" - especially between the DC - Maryland border to the Severn River Bridge - US 50 is the predominant brand.
I-444 in Tulsa has actually NEVER been signed since it was first opened in the 70s. The only physical sign I ever remember seeing was while it was initially under construction: the shield appeared on the construction sign. But once it opened, nothing.
@@iceresistance Sho nuff, wild looking on a sign hehe. To think I was right by it too, when I came back home to TX from NH, and took 155 to get to 412, so I could get over to Walnut Ridge, since I knew 67 to LR was a nice good hwy, as I used that hwy before to get to SW MI. Looks like 555 degrades to US 63 past there on the way to 67, although maybe it will eventually? That last time on 67, I saw signs saying future I-57, so stands to reason they'd upgrade 555, so ppl from that neck of the woods would have an interstate to get to Memphis and all that... like Memphis needs more traffic LOL. Did the whole 155 out past KY so I could purposely avoid Memphis.
@@JadeDragon407 155 is the only crossing over the Mississippi River between Cairo, Illinois and Memphis Also, 57 would link Chicago to Dallas via I-55 to I-57 and I-30.
One of my personal favorites is the section of CA57 between I210/CA210 and I10. When they extended the 210, it was built to interstate standards but still haven't gotten federal approval to make it an interstate (hence the CA210 designation), thus the section of CA57 that used to be I210 is still legally 210 but isn't signed that way.
More evidence that ANYTHING can show up on You Tube! Mike your channel has become one of my latest favorite "Nerd Channels". Clearly you do a lot of work on this content and it is much appreciated! Keep 'em coming!
I remember when US 27 in downtown Chattanooga was I-124, always wondered why that designation dissappeared. The road is interstate quality (nearly) for another 20 miles or so until it meets TN 111.
Yep, and it would have already been freeway all the way to the Huey if not for John Alario, who was worried an elevated freeway would hurt local business in Westwego.
Suggestion for a future video: Shortest interstates. In Pittsburgh we have I 579 which runs from I 279 north of downtown, across one bridge over the Allegheny river,crossing town to the beginning of a bridge over the Monongahela river, a whopping 2.73 miles. It’s predecessor, which just included the crosstown section, was at one time designated as I 479 and was 0.7 miles long
Likewise I-105 here in Eugene Oregon only runs for 3.49 miles. However it's concurrent with SR 126 and that designation runs another 5 miles or so on a complete freeway. I've wondered why I-105 couldn't just be the entire ~9 mile section of freeway
50 out of Washington is pure bliss. If your destination is North of Delaware, continuing on 301 until you meet DE-1 and eventually the turnpike is really an amazing drive. Kinda like that it's kept as a US route as people seem to avoid those in favor of the trusty blue shield.
@@jneale5204 How exciting! I'm grateful most of my journeys have been clear skies but I hit the fog a couple times this summer. Considerably more stressful drive on those days haha
i think america should just combined historical routes and roads into a new system called "Historic Route XX", complete with public museums and rest areas with historical landmarks. i think it would do the country wonders. people who drive on them, even briefly, can stop at the landmark or museum, and see what the road was like 50 years ago or even 100 years ago with pictures and such on wooden signage similar to what tennessee did with the civil war battle trail.
@@ivy_47ikr, theres a lot more routes than route 66 that has played vital roles in our current infrastructure design. like the lincoln highway. we definitely need more highways but we need more historical ones that do a lot. a museum you can drive on is a cool one imho.
@@ivy_47 The Feds have pretty much left that to individual states to organize and put up signage. US 66 is the best known, but there are others; some are still active Federal routes and some are decommissioned, like 66.
As someone who lives in Great Falls, Montana, I definitely use 315 a bit. It's essentially an overengineered on/off ramp from I-15, but it does serve as a connection to the Great Falls Marketplace plaza, as the only other connection would be a single residential road. It probably just made more sense to have it designated as an Interstate. For the other highways, The Business Loop just goes through downtown and ends at the Central Ave W bridge, US 89's Montana section ends in Yellowstone, Hwy 3 is the highway between Great Falls and Billings, and Hwy 200 is a long, continuous highway that stretches from Idaho to Minnesota - our highway ends at the border of North Dakota, where it becomes ND-200. A mini-interstate in its own right, but it definitely does not meet interstate standards.
I've driven in on I-124 plenty of times. An argument could be made that I-124 actually starts much further north as their is a state road that merges in with U.S. HWY 27 and the road is interstate standard from that point heading across the Tennessee river and straight to I-24
Until 1990, the freeway ended at the US 127 interchange just across the river. The section between TN 153 and TN 319 was built in the mid to late 70s, and the TN 111 section to Dunlap was upgraded to freeway in the early 2000s. The I-124 designation was established in the late 1950s, although the freeway to the north was authorized by the Appalachian Development Highway System, although I don't know that it was originally planned to be a freeway. But that is probably why the designation was never extended north.
I'm an I-595 kiddo (the one relevant to this video, not the FL one). Been up and down that road far too many times to count, since I grew up a few miles west of its eastern terminus at Ritchie Highway and MD-450 and used that very exit (going towards MD-450) five days a week to get to school for eight years.
I live in the Dallas area. It can be pretty tricky driving I-345. Going northbound on I-345 from I-30, you have to change lanes four times to the left just to stay on the highway. Adding a new highway sign to the mix would just add to the confusion! 😂
Technically there are four Interstate highways in Alaska (A-1 to A-4). Of course that is for funding purpose only and hence it is not signed. The same applies in Puerto Rico as well (PRI-1 to PRI-3).
I-296 actually breaks off from US 131 and runs west towards Alpine Ave / M-37, instead of the way you have it in the video, following north to the 96/131 near-cloverleaf. Back when Google Maps did show 296 it showed the correct routing. Like you said, it is a complex intersection.
Also, there are two unnumbered exits on the stretch you missed, due to the road being neither a part of 131 nor 96. One exit is to eastbound I-96 and the other is to North M-37. If this was signed as I-296, would this exit have to be numbered? Maybe that is another element of potential confusion considered when deciding not to sign it.
A simple explanation is that major US highways and Interstates often bypass the central cities. If someone wants to go the business district of the city they can take the route labeled "business" through the downtown area and then back to the main road. Often times these business highways are surface streets and not actual freeways.
There are also four unsigned Interstate routes in Alaska. All four are mostly two-lane, undivided, cross-traffic roads, with no "blue shields." They're designated as "Interstates" merely for US Government funding purposes.
An interesting video. Being originally from New York, I have driven on both I-478 and I-878, the latter many times trying to avoid the infamous Belt Parkway going by JFK Airport.
I’ve been a major roadway/Atlas/map geek since I was a little kid and I’m telling you mileage Mike, you and your videos are the best thing since sliced bread for me! I love these videos keep them coming especially the rarities that you discuss which have always peaked my interest… I’d love for you to do something on Ohio State Route 11 one day and why it’s not an interstate and what it was built for etc. because I live in Ashtabula Ohio at the northern terminus of Ohio State Route 11
I knew all of them except for 910 and I-305 in California. 7:37 Also, funny story for I-595 in MD: That originally was going to be I-97. 97 Would’ve started at I-95 and follow US 50 to I-97’s current Southern terminus and split off from there. There was going to be 2 children for I-97: I-197 and I-297. Sadly, all of that was cancelled and we now have I-595 instead.
Another 💡 idea Do some of the shortest Bus Routes in various cities! For instance in San Francisco the shortest MUNI Bus Route is the 88 Corbett Not sure exactly where it runs but I think it's somewhere out in the Haight District I believe!
124 was always a strange one to me, as if memory serves, before the construction, the route didn’t meet interstate standards (median width I believe was the culprit, all limited access though). I sure do miss those fun turns on the old route though! Chattanooga residents know what I’m talking about 😂
I don't know if the median was an issue, but it definitely didn't meet interstate standards. The curvy section from MLK to the Olgiati Bridge didn't even have shoulders, and this section was designed before the Interstate system was initiated. Now that it's been redesigned, I think they should consider resigning it, but now that there's a continuous freeway for about 50 miles some people would probably want it signed that far.
I noticed this When I used to stay in Sacramento California before moving to Texas 2:04 The W/X I-80 freeway through downtown Sacramento was secretly signed as 1-305 Thru Downtown into west Sacramento but wasn't signed as 305 at all it was signed as Business 80/ Highway 50. So your Not the Only One that's encountered this
Also 345 never made sense to me in downtown Dallas. It says 45 ends and the highway just continues on to US-75. Does signing it an interstate give it federal money or something? Idk
I-124 in Chattanooga not being signed drives me nuts. Especially after all the money was spent to upgrade it. Drivers being confused by signage is BS. Like not having an I-50 and I-60 in states with US 50 and US 60. BUT there is I-41 in Wisconsin. Idiots.
I-878 used to be a short highway that ran over the current sheridan blvd but it lost its interstate designation because of construction which made it more pedestrian friendly with bike lanes and trees and sidewalks and stoplights and shit like that
I've been to Portland, Maine a couple of times before. Don't recall going over the Hidden Interstate you mentioned here. If I ever do visit Portland again sometime, I'll have to keep an eye out. But if there is one thing you have taught so far is the highway numbers can get hecken weird and confusing.
Good presentation! Of all the highways I think the Falmouth spur should be posted, but as "TO 295" eastbound and "TO 95" westbound to benefit tourists. BTW, Falmouth is pronounced "Fal-mith" where "Fal" rhymes with pal and not fall.
I've been on 595 in Maryland. Didn't know it was an unsigned Interstate at the time, but I did learn that later on. It makes sense to me why it's not signed as such, though: everyone already knows it as US 50, and that works just fine, so why bother?
I would not call that hidden. Signage makes it clear that I-195/VA 195 function as one roadway despite I-195 exiting off of itself at the north end of VA 76.
I-305 for Sac Town is a 50/50 for me, but lately on Google Street view. The Guide Signs are posted as US 50 from the I-80 to California SR 99. Although, I prefer the Business Loop 80, it's already a Sacramento staple. It also gives the Californian variations of highway shields to identify route markers on its Freeways. Kinda like the East LA interchange, there's the Spade, Interstate and US Federal Shields on the BGS to categorized the Freeway Routes. Perhaps I-305 can be for a new Interstate from I-5 as a new Spur route to Yuba City. Helping to accommodate California SR 20. There are some Freeway Segments in Yuba City. Or even stretch it as far to reach I-80, a new Truck By-pass and avoiding the Sacramento Metro Area.
Today's Bus Loop 80 "splits" from today's Interstate 80 northeast of downtown Sacramento and heads southwest. After about 9 or 10 miles, it intersects with US 50/CA 99 in downtown Sacramento. It then joins those other two routes and heads west across the downtown for 3 or 4 miles (this is the unposted I-305 shown in this video). After that, it ends at today's Interstate 80 in West Sacramento. Up until 1982, today's Bus Loop 80 was posted as Interstate 80, and the freeway that "split" in the NE heads north of downtown Sacramento to West Sacramento was renamed to be today's Interstate 80. Until 1982, this freeway was known as Interstate 880. That number was then designated to an Interstate freeway from Oakland to San Jose (formerly CA 17).
I've driven on I-345 a few times. I'd like to see the elevated structure replaced with a trench/deck park combination, like the Woodall Rodgers Freeway across the north side of downtown Dallas.
The Queen Elizabeth Way in Ontario is similar to a hidden interstate. It is internally a "400 series" highway in Southern Ontario. Everyone refers to it as the QEW; it is officially numbered as Hwy 451 though.
If signage does nothing but denote an interstate number, and cause out of state drivers confusion, there is no need for the "blue shield". The roads are already efficiently signed.
296 in Grand Rapids MI is doubly confusing as 131 is built to interstate standards for a very long ways in both directions. 131 is also odd as a spur of US-31 as it is a huge force in the state and is a freeway for a very long ways. It would be interesting to go through super long spurs like that nationwide
I've been on I-296 and I-345. Way back when, I had seen the 296 designation on maps, but never on the freeway section itself and wondered why that was. That was eventually explained once I learned about hidden interstates.
Fun Fact about I-345 and US-75...US-75, according to TxDOT's highway database, ends at I-345. Here's the description: "Minute Order 085364, dated 01/28/1987; Adm. Ltr. 006-1987, dated 06/11/1987 From the Texas/Oklahoma S/L north of Denison via Denison, Sherman, McKinney, and Richardson to IH 345 in Dallas, a total approximate distance of 79.0 miles. (Grayson, Collin, and Dallas Counties) In a joint request by the Administration and Districts 12, 17, & 18, US 75 designation cancelled from Dallas southward to Galveston." So, technically, US-75 starts at the Woodall Rogers Freeway and continues to the Oklahoma border. I-345 is not multiplexed with US-75 despite what the signage suggests. This also explains why I-345's mileage is a continuation of I-45's mileage and that Exit 1 of US-75 is Spur 366 (or signed TO I-35E on the US-75/I-345 side and TO I-45/US-75 on the I-35E side).
As to cities and states not signing some highways -- There is a small section of I-465 in Indianapolis that, due to INDOT's desire to relocate highways out of downtown, is actually: I-465/I-74/US 31/US 36/US 40/US 52/US 421/IN 37/IN 67 (and let us not forget future I-69). INDOT just places a sign before 465 informing which way to go to follow these highways, and only has 74 and 465 signed.
I could almost throw a rock and have it land on US 50 about halfway between DC and Annapolis. I end up on that road to get almost snywhere. While I wuickly realized it was interstate quality, I had no idea it has an interstate designation. I used to commute on GA 400, which is also inrerstate quality for tye southern 30 or so miles, but does not have an interstate designation. And ive driven on US 285 between Santa Fe and Pojaque which is currently interstate quality, but also not a part of the interstate system. Given my experience with GA 400 and US 285, finding a highway that is interstate quality, but not a part of yhe interstate system was hardly surprising. This video surprised me eith the fact that US 50 here is a part of the Interstate system. Another thing I notoced is that US 50 near bith coasts appeared in rhis video.
One other factor: There are only five available spur designations (1, 3, 5, 7, and 9) and four loop designations (2, 4, 6, and 8) recognized under the Interstate System. This is toughest on I-95, which runs nearly 2000 miles (over 3000km) along the eastern seaboard, passing through Jacksonville, FL, Savannah, GA, Richmond, VA, Washington, DC, Baltimore, MD, Philadelphia, PA, New York City, NY, Providence, RI, and Boston, MA (before continuing to the Canadian border) - TEN major cities with only NINE available designations. Needless to say, they were forced to relax the "one designation per route" clause to allow one designation per state, but even this hits its limits in states like Texas and California - multiple major metropolitan areas gobbling up two or more official designations each. Most spur/loop designations for I-80 in California (an east-west route in a north-south state) are taken up by the Bay Area & Silicon Valley alone (including the fictitious "I-238", as they ran out of numbers).
Funny that you mention I-95 and not mention how in Maryland alone they've used up every designation except 995. Really going to make designations difficult if they ever construct future interstates in the state.
@@Silver_Turtle As near as I know, this is correct. Although if an aux route crosses a state border, I think they have to keep the same designation (for example the Capital Beltway in D.C. goes between MD and VA and is designated I-495, that route serves as each state's designation for I-495 so they can't use it for something else). As I mentioned in my previous comment though, it doesn't really matter for I-95 in MD because they've used up every designation except 995 (with 595 being an unsigned route detailed in this video). That might be tough on MD for future interstate projects.
One that wasn't covered was I-265 in Louisville, Kentucky, between the I-71 junction and the northern I-65 junction, as well as everything west of the southern I-65 junction. All official signage for these sections are for KY Hwy 841 or IN Hwy 265, though as of the completion of the Lewis & Clark bridge, they all make up a single, unbroken expressway.
Citing these examples, would I-78 through Jersey City on local streets and the Holland Tunnel technically be a rare example of a hidden mainline interstate?
I-169 is one you forgot. I-169 in Kentucky extends from I-69 to I-24. It takes part in the Pennyrile Parkway. It is 34.271 mi (55.154 km) long extending through Hopkinsville. Also makes interchanges with I-69, Future I-569, US-68, more.
I forgot about the 345 thing. Yea, last time I ran up to OK back in May, def don't remember see any signs anywhere mentioning it, just ending up mistakingly taking an exit just before 30 coming back to H-town because of some confusing labeling in trying to get to 45 but not 30. You sure gotta be careful up there, because there are some weird or not the best labeled spots. Same goes for US 287/I-35 in FW... sometimes they don't mention 287 when telling you which lanes are which hwys, so you wonder if you're at the cutoff yet (where 287 exits 35 and heads toward Wichita Falls/Amarillo). Looks like you were up there yourself, so hopefully you made the trip up 75 to Melissa and the B•I•G Buc-ee's they got there. >>;=) You can't Texas (and now some other states) without Buceeing. One day, you may have to do a vid just on the wildness of that place LOL. Auburn is the newest one I know about, finished being built / opened between Sep '22 when I went to NH and Jun when a friend of mine ran up to PA, and called me from there. Long as 595 in MD is, I'm surprised they don't go ahead and label that one. I get the ones being unlabeled that are a mile or less in length, but for the reason of "driver confusion" is a little bamfoozling. Now what is confusing or dislexically evil, is in Beaumont, TX... they have US 69/96 exiting I-10 in the same area; it'd be so easy to end up on the wrong one. Love your videos man; I've always liked interesting things about hwys, weird signs you see out there, or just odd road-related situations that are kinda funny (or are to my odd sense of humor LOL). Example.. was on US 50 getting from eastern WV to I-79 and there's about a 10mi stretch you go through that little stick-downy part of the end of MD, it'd be funny if you get to the 2nd part of WV and they would have a sign saying "Welcome BACK to West Virginia" >>:=p
Been on US50 many times as for signage does it make a difference? Also, you mentioned I878, I believe, in NYC being the shortage interstate but it it shorter tyhne I370 in md?
3:30 doesn’t the 805 in San ysidro connect to the border with Tijuana? Or does it not connect because it kinda starts like 0.2 miles north of the border?
Having lived in Maryland, I'm glad that I-595 remains unsigned. U.S. 50's eastern half is concurrent with U.S. 301. Having posted I-595 would be confusing to motorists.
In the Weehawken-Union City area in New jersey, 495 was once posted as an interstate. Later, it was downgraded to NJ state 495. It is an extremely busy highway carrying traffic to and from the Lincoln Tunnel. I think that the Manhattan portion of 495 shows it as an interstate.
I-45 Can Be Perfect For A Texas-Kansas Interstate Dallas To Tulsa And From Tulsa Can Run All The Way To I-35 Via US 69 In KCK I-49 Can Serve KCMO To NOLA I-45 Can Serve KCK To Houston/Galveston
When I first moved to the DMV I always thought it was weird that no interstates went to Annapolis on the map. Then I went to Annapolis on US 50 and was like "This IS an interstate 🤷🏾♂️" then a year later when I moved to an apartment along US 50 I realized that that route takes you all the way into DC before its no longer to interstate standards. Who knew? 😅 They really should mark that portion as 595
There's a reason why they don't, it's redundant. The entirety of 595 is just a segment of US-50, so it would be pointless and confusing. Maybe if somehow becomes discontinuous with 50 they'd bother signing it but for now, no.
@boltstrike2787 You seem very passionate about that for some reason 😂. It just makes it easier to tell what type of highway it is to me. I dont see what could be confusing about it 🤔. Before moving to the area, I looked at a map and assumed the entirety of US-50 was more like a boulevard like on the Virginia side. It was only once I moved there and had been there for a while that I realized it was basically an interstate, no different than 395, 295, or 695 (its actually in better condition than much of I-295 😬). Not saying you're wrong, I just disagree 🤷🏾♂️.
@@Clemsonjmal It's confusing because if you have too many route numbers clumped on the same road people will have trouble reading the signs and get lost. Best to avoid listing multiple routes if they don't diverge at some point. I don't think you need the distinction to tell what type of highway it is and there are some U.S. routes that are highways anyway and it's hard to tell which ones are up to interstate standards and which ones aren't. You just need to see what direction you need to go and the speed limit. The distinction helps you figure out which route is most recommended for which destination (which routes are meant for long distance, which ones are national, regional, and local, etc.). It's not going to tell you what's a highway and what's not.
@@boltstrike2787But then you have instances like I-41 in WI that contradict your thesis. US 41 was upgraded to interstate standards in 2015 and received signage indicating that it is now an interstate. I-41 is fully concurrent with US 41 from the WI/IL border to just north of Green Bay and the route is signed as both I-41 and US 41 simultaneously (along with I-94 or whatever other route is tagging along at any given point). They didn’t have to sign it as I-41 at all, but they did ostensibly to make it clear that it was a fully-fledged expressway up to Interstate highway standards. Or, how about the infamous I-99 in PA that never fails to get a rise out of us Interstate highway nerds? Ignoring for the moment that it doesn’t follow the numbering conventions of the IHS, it is 100% concurrent with US 220. By your logic, it shouldn’t have been signed at all, given it never diverges from US 220 and individuals already used to traveling that route didn’t need a new designation given. So, yes, I-595 could very well have been signed and I don’t buy the official excuse that it would “cause confusion.” If anything, it would make clear what segment of the route is up to Interstate highway standards, which could be helpful for anyone planning a trip through the area.
I have been through the then-called Battery Tunnel, and never knew it was I-478. The Interstate highway system in metro NYC is confusing because of the spurs and loops. I don't know if they connect to their main I- designation. If they are, it's a reach.
But suggest renumbering the highways so they'll make sense (like extend I-80 across the GWB and along the Cross Bronx, Throgs Neck and Clearview to the LIE), and everyone would have a heart attack!
I regularly travel on Maine's "Falmouth Spur", heading up to Boothbay from Massachusetts. Never knew it was a uniquely numbered Interstate. Maybe I'll win a bet or something. It's numbered 495. There are several other stretches of interstate with that designation - Washington DC, Massachusetts, among others. I'm wondering if there's a story there...
it makes more sense if you explain the numbers are connectors. ex.. 305 in sacramento. connects with US 5 ( NOT California state highway 99 as you claimed ) similarly the 805, the 405 also link up to 5. similarly the 280 in San Francisco, connects with US 80. the first number if it's even, both ends connect to an interstate ( or circles a city ), if it's odd. just 1 end connects to an interstate known as a spur. so 305 in sacramento is a spur route, that connects to interstate 5
I am in favor of reducing the number of signs that drivers need to pay attention to. Especially if there are multiple exits and entrances, each one labeled with its own sign. The two most confusing cities I've had to drive in are Grand Rapids and Baltimore. But by far the worst was Baltimore. Twice I've flown into Baltimore, both times at night, and both times my phone's GPS wouldn't work. I don't know why but it just wouldn't connect. So I had to try to use look at Maps to find my way around. But the combination of night time and poor signage/leaning signs/crooked signs, and the snaking nature of the roads made it impossible for me to find my way anywhere. One time I was parked on the side of the road, looking at the map trying to make heads or tails of where I was, and an 18 wheeler pulled up next to me to ask me if I knew how to find a particular road. I laughed and said that I was just as lost as he was. By contrast, I'm from the Phoenix area and much of the streets here are laid out in a grid pattern, which makes getting around much easier. Point is cities need to pay close attention to their signage, including how well that signage is displayed, and how clear road numbers and names are.
BTW, there are still three state capitals of the contiguous 48 which don't have Interstates: Dover, DE, Pierre, SD and Jefferson City, MO. All could be served by spurs from I-95, I-90 and I-70, respectively (Carson City, NV finally got I-580, which is being talked up for the I-11 project). Hawaii has the H-series for Honolulu, but Juneau, AK is still primarily accessible only by air and boat.
I’ve been on I-878. Also, they should just sign I-595. There’s just that weird space next to all the signage for US 50 from the Capital Beltway, so might as well
I can tell if I am on an interstate or future interstate by just how the shoulders look. The only time I am confused is when there is no shoulder on an interstate which generally happens in a big city or construction zone.
To be fair for I-595 AND I-97 in Maryland, both should be redesignated as I-895, which serves as the northern terminus for I-97. That way, the I-97 designation could be freed up for a proposed Interstate Highway that could run from I-64 in the Hampton Roads/Norfolk/Virginia Beach area (and possibly south into North Carolina) along the US 13 and Delaware Rt. 1 corridors to I-95 outside of Wilmington (and even run concurrent with I-95 to the existing three-state I-295, in which I-97 would replace I-295 between I-95 and I-295 in New Jersey, via the Delaware Memorial Bridge, but then continue on north on the NJ Turnpike to Exit 6, in which the highway would terminate and become the current I-95 alignment to North Jersey, NYC, and New England).
If I had to renumber or reroute the highways I would probably have made I-97 an extension of I-83 routed around Baltimore, and as a New Englander, I'm absolutely reclaiming 97 and 99 for some renumbering exercises up here.
First of all, technically no, I-97's northern terminus is I-695, the spur between 895 and 695 is unsigned as I-895A. Second, if you were going to reroute 895 along I-97, what would you sign the current section of 895 from 97 to 95?
I just had another thought. Could they find a way to connect I-395 to I-895A? I-395 is a stub interstate, mainly designed for drivers on I-95 to get to the harbor and sports stadiums, but if they could connect I-97 to I-395? Then you could redesignate I-97 as I-395 AND there would be a legitimate reason to do so (which is part of the problem with some of these redesignation ideas, they don't really serve a practical purpose that would improve traffic and are just redesignations for the sake of redesignations), since it would make it easier for drivers coming from Annapolis to get to those destinations in the city. If they could figure out a way to connect those two routes that might be a good solution.
@rwboa22: good idea about I-97! If it could run across the Chesapeake Bay bridge, down the Delmarva Peninsula and across the Bridge-Tunnel into Norfolk, it could connect th the highway that's being built in North Carolina and being signed as I-87 (south sector) into Raleigh. Calling it all I-97 makes infinitely more sense, since it mostly runs east of I-95. It would make a great alternate route around Wasington/Baltimore.
@@drtee51 Except I-97 goes straight to Baltimore, so it wouldn't make a good bypass around the Baltimore/Washington area. You'd want I-87 to either follow DE-1 to Wilmington or cross the Delaware Bay where the Cape May-Lewes Ferry runs and connect to the Garden State Parkway (maybe both at some point), that would legitimately bypass Baltimore.
I dislike when state DOTs hide highways like that. They do the same towards U.S. Routes too in several states and its not necessary. If they want less confusion, reroute them.
My biggest pet peeve with hiding highways is that, sometimes it isn't necessary. Case in point: US-90 through Houston. On the east side, US-90 merges with I-10 at I-610, and on the west side it is an exit in Katy. Between those two points, there is no signage for US-90...it's just I-10. It's like US-90 has some weird gap in it.
It didn't used to be like this. When I moved to Houston in 1980, there were signage all over the place showing I-10 and US-90 together through Houston. I could be wrong, but I want to say that the US-90 shield started disappearing when US-75 was decommissioned from Dallas to Galveston.
My surprise is that TxDOT hasn't removed the US-59 shields from signage now that the road is I-69 (although at SH-99 Toll / Grand Parkway in Porter, Texas, they installed signage with only the I-69 emblem...no mention of US-59).
Did you get lost weeb?
Probably not relevant but in Georgia they misplace US routes with state routes 😭
@@ki5aokI live in H-Town. I do agree with you. Are you a ham?
@@DominicMazoch I have an active amateur radio license. Call signs are KI5AOK. I even have a net I do on Monday nights at around midnight (actually Tuesday morning). Insomniac Trivia.
I live in Dallas and have traveled on I-345 many times. I've never understood why they didn't just extend I-45 to US-75, or better yet, extend 45 all the way to Oklahoma. I suppose at some point 75 isn't up to Interstate standards, but within the DFW metroplex, it all feels like one continuous expressway.
Yeah it’s basically interstate standard up until the OK border. They could run it up the Indian Nation Turnpike to I-40 after the south Oklahoma section is upgraded to interstate standard. I would like to see I-45 go to Topeka and possibly Omaha
@@arnathan1792 The road around Sherman and Denison is still below current Interstate standards, but, from what it looks like on Google Maps, TxDOT seems to be trying to rectify that issue. And it also looks like Oklahoma (or the Choctow Nation) is building interstate segments of US-75/US-69 to Durant.
As for I-45 going to the Oklahoma border, I don't see why not. Wisconsin pulled that with I-41, ending it at the Illinois/Wisconsin border. As long as US-69 isn't decommissioned from Denison to the border.
Yep. There is construction near both sides of the border. So from Dallas to Tushka, OK is up to highway snuff. But from there to just North of McAllister. Is only state highway quality. With stop lights in most of the small towns. You'd have to elevate the roadway through towns like Atoka, Stringtown and Kiowa. Kind of like they are currently doing in Calera. Just south of Durant. Or risk cutting those small towns in half.
Also. I've lived in the Metroplex for almost 14 years now. And never knew about this highway designation. I always thought it was just the start of 75.
75 and 45 feel like two different highways with different purposes. It'll be interesting how closely the 345 redo resembles 75
An extended I-45 could serve as another cross-country trade corridor if connected to I-29 in Omaha via Tulsa and say Topeka and also be a more direct connection for the port of Houston to Canada rather than having to go through Kansas City.
I find it interesting how US 50 is the only route in the entire lower 48 that is home to TWO unsigned interstates. As you mentioned, I-305 in Sacramento and I-595 in Maryland
Back to Grand Rapids
When the Interstate System was originally funded, I-96 was supposed to follow what is I-196 to Benton Harbor, and I-196 go to Muskegon...The contractor built a segment of both highways together, causing motorist confusion when the shields went from 96 to 196, and vice versa...Also the US route (16) the Interstate replaced also went to Muskegon...So the 96 and 196 designations were flipped, making I-196 the longest 3-digit Interstate at 80 miles
I guess that was the case at that time. Obviously I-476 (and others) are longer now.
I’ve driven through Chattanooga on us 27, I remember when they rebuilt it when I got older and now it kinda does look like an interstate but I have stumbled upon an article online where this was unmarked interstate I-124
One that you missed was I-480X southeast of Cleveland. It connects US 422 and I-271 with I-480. It forms the northern part of a triangle with I-271 and I-480. It probably wasn't signed because it is fairly short, about 2 miles, and might confuse motorists in an area with a lot of freeways. The only signage is on the mile marker signs in the middle of the highway as it has no other route number.
The reality on this is that I-480N should have been decommissioned and US-422 should've been extended until it met with I-480.
@@ki5aok I think you can justify having the western terminus of US 422 being at the I-480/I-480N interchange, replace the current US 422 to downtown with OH 87, and renumber OH 87 as OH 887 between US 422/OH 8 and OH 175 if we really need to keep the Shaker Heights section of OH 87 as a state route.
It's Beachwood. F*&^ Beachwood. Everyone drives like r*tards on that route between I-90, I-271 and I-480's east side.
@@ki5aok
Why? 480 acts as a sort of ring highway around Cleveland US 422 is just another connection going in and out of Cleveland proper.
@@RESIST_DIGITAL_ID_UK I-480N does not. I-480N is a glorified exit ramp from I-480 to I-271 North and US-422. What sense does it make to have a suffix route there? It's not like I-35W/E in Dallas/Fort Worth and Minneapolis/St. Paul, where both of those examples serve two cities and both merge back together to form I-35.
I-480N is nothing more than a long exit ramp. It would make more sense to eliminate that designation (I-480 will still pass to the south) and extend US-422 over that route, for a distance of about 2 miles. Eliminating I-480N does not affect I-480.
I probably rode with my brother on I-345 but that was years ago and we wouldn't have known there was such a thing.
Same. I’m from Houston so when I go to Dallas it’s just the same road to me. There’s a sign downtown that says “45 ENDS” but that’s about it. Didn’t know it was 345 lol
US Route 50 between I-95 (Capitol Beltway) and Annapolis (I-97) was signed as I-595 "for a minute," as the kids say today, so that explains why (as you stated) there's still a significant blank space on the signs over the highway. I even wrote an accident report or two using the I-595 designation instead of Route 50... no one noticed.
I actually clinched I-595 in FL in 2009 about 12 years before clinching I-595 in MD in 2021 even though I have always lived much closer to the latter.
Yeah, I live in Baltimore, and I only heard about that about 10 years ago.
As a kid growing up in Marylnd I always wondered why the Route 50 on the signs was to the right, leaving a lot of blank space, and not centered like you would normally see. Then I learned about I-595
When National Weather Service releases a severe weather statement map it sometimes shows the I-595 because the only roads it shows for reference are interstates.
Interstate 595 was never signed in Maryland due to "branding" - especially between the DC - Maryland border to the Severn River Bridge - US 50 is the predominant brand.
I-444 in Tulsa has actually NEVER been signed since it was first opened in the 70s. The only physical sign I ever remember seeing was while it was initially under construction: the shield appeared on the construction sign. But once it opened, nothing.
I also knew it existed, shows up on some maps.
Kind of a shame, because triple same-numbered hwys would be a rare breed
@@JadeDragon407 There is one in NE Arkansas that is signed, I-555 from Turrell to Jonesboro
@@iceresistance Sho nuff, wild looking on a sign hehe. To think I was right by it too, when I came back home to TX from NH, and took 155 to get to 412, so I could get over to Walnut Ridge, since I knew 67 to LR was a nice good hwy, as I used that hwy before to get to SW MI. Looks like 555 degrades to US 63 past there on the way to 67, although maybe it will eventually? That last time on 67, I saw signs saying future I-57, so stands to reason they'd upgrade 555, so ppl from that neck of the woods would have an interstate to get to Memphis and all that... like Memphis needs more traffic LOL. Did the whole 155 out past KY so I could purposely avoid Memphis.
@@JadeDragon407 155 is the only crossing over the Mississippi River between Cairo, Illinois and Memphis
Also, 57 would link Chicago to Dallas via I-55 to I-57 and I-30.
One of my personal favorites is the section of CA57 between I210/CA210 and I10. When they extended the 210, it was built to interstate standards but still haven't gotten federal approval to make it an interstate (hence the CA210 designation), thus the section of CA57 that used to be I210 is still legally 210 but isn't signed that way.
More evidence that ANYTHING can show up on You Tube! Mike your channel has become one of my latest favorite "Nerd Channels". Clearly you do a lot of work on this content and it is much appreciated! Keep 'em coming!
I remember when US 27 in downtown Chattanooga was I-124, always wondered why that designation dissappeared. The road is interstate quality (nearly) for another 20 miles or so until it meets TN 111.
Hold up!! The Westbank expressway is 910? Mileage Mike teaching me things I would’ve never known lol.
Yep, and it would have already been freeway all the way to the Huey if not for John Alario, who was worried an elevated freeway would hurt local business in Westwego.
@@SonnyBubba Are you serious? Wow lol. Now that’s just uppity as hell for Louisiana 😂
It's so funny how 910 is so hidden that even locals don't know it exists lol
Suggestion for a future video: Shortest interstates. In Pittsburgh we have I 579 which runs from I 279 north of downtown, across one bridge over the Allegheny river,crossing town to the beginning of a bridge over the Monongahela river, a whopping 2.73 miles. It’s predecessor, which just included the crosstown section, was at one time designated as I 479 and was 0.7 miles long
There is i-705 which runs 1.5 miles from i-5 in Tacoma into downtown Tacoma
I-370 in Maryland is 2.54 miles long. I-395 in Baltimore is 1.98 miles long. I-195 outside Baltimore runs 4.35 miles into BWI Airport.
Likewise I-105 here in Eugene Oregon only runs for 3.49 miles. However it's concurrent with SR 126 and that designation runs another 5 miles or so on a complete freeway. I've wondered why I-105 couldn't just be the entire ~9 mile section of freeway
50 out of Washington is pure bliss. If your destination is North of Delaware, continuing on 301 until you meet DE-1 and eventually the turnpike is really an amazing drive. Kinda like that it's kept as a US route as people seem to avoid those in favor of the trusty blue shield.
How do you like the Chesapeake Bay Bridge?
@@jneale5204 Gotta love it, the insanity makes it that much better. Although there's always a fender bender on the bridge when I roll through
I did some work over on the Eastern Shore and had to go across it once in really thick fog. Couldn't see 500 feet in front of me.
@@jneale5204 How exciting! I'm grateful most of my journeys have been clear skies but I hit the fog a couple times this summer. Considerably more stressful drive on those days haha
i think america should just combined historical routes and roads into a new system called "Historic Route XX", complete with public museums and rest areas with historical landmarks.
i think it would do the country wonders. people who drive on them, even briefly, can stop at the landmark or museum, and see what the road was like 50 years ago or even 100 years ago with pictures and such on wooden signage similar to what tennessee did with the civil war battle trail.
We have a lot of signs along former route 66 like this! It's pretty neat and ought to be more widespread
@@ivy_47ikr, theres a lot more routes than route 66 that has played vital roles in our current infrastructure design. like the lincoln highway.
we definitely need more highways but we need more historical ones that do a lot. a museum you can drive on is a cool one imho.
@@ivy_47 The Feds have pretty much left that to individual states to organize and put up signage. US 66 is the best known, but there are others; some are still active Federal routes and some are decommissioned, like 66.
@@ivy_47yep, also I think old US-80 got signage like that
Dallas just says “45 ends” I never knew the short void between that and 75 was an interstate.
I've been on US 50 in Maryland a zillion billion times, but I had no idea it was supposed to be I-595.
As someone who lives in Great Falls, Montana, I definitely use 315 a bit. It's essentially an overengineered on/off ramp from I-15, but it does serve as a connection to the Great Falls Marketplace plaza, as the only other connection would be a single residential road. It probably just made more sense to have it designated as an Interstate.
For the other highways, The Business Loop just goes through downtown and ends at the Central Ave W bridge, US 89's Montana section ends in Yellowstone, Hwy 3 is the highway between Great Falls and Billings, and Hwy 200 is a long, continuous highway that stretches from Idaho to Minnesota - our highway ends at the border of North Dakota, where it becomes ND-200. A mini-interstate in its own right, but it definitely does not meet interstate standards.
I've driven in on I-124 plenty of times. An argument could be made that I-124 actually starts much further north as their is a state road that merges in with U.S. HWY 27 and the road is interstate standard from that point heading across the Tennessee river and straight to I-24
Yeah, I do not understand why I-124 does not make it to the US 127 interchange. I clinched I-124 in March 2022.
Until 1990, the freeway ended at the US 127 interchange just across the river. The section between TN 153 and TN 319 was built in the mid to late 70s, and the TN 111 section to Dunlap was upgraded to freeway in the early 2000s. The I-124 designation was established in the late 1950s, although the freeway to the north was authorized by the Appalachian Development Highway System, although I don't know that it was originally planned to be a freeway. But that is probably why the designation was never extended north.
I'm an I-595 kiddo (the one relevant to this video, not the FL one). Been up and down that road far too many times to count, since I grew up a few miles west of its eastern terminus at Ritchie Highway and MD-450 and used that very exit (going towards MD-450) five days a week to get to school for eight years.
I drive I-95, then I-495, then I-295 every week for work. It’s a beautiful drive this time of year (autumn).
I think they should sign all the highways on a given route, especially when there is funding allocated to said highway.
US 75 is being upgraded to Interstate standards to the Red River. I45 to Tulsa would releave traffic off I35 and parts of I44.
I305 has a sister route in Stockton that connects i5 and the garden highway 99 as well just in a different city!
I live in the Dallas area. It can be pretty tricky driving I-345. Going northbound on I-345 from I-30, you have to change lanes four times to the left just to stay on the highway. Adding a new highway sign to the mix would just add to the confusion! 😂
Technically there are four Interstate highways in Alaska (A-1 to A-4). Of course that is for funding purpose only and hence it is not signed. The same applies in Puerto Rico as well (PRI-1 to PRI-3).
there is also i-480N in Warrensville Hts Oh from i-480 to i-271 / US-422
Ah. Good to know
Some should just be made part of existing interstates, others I have no idea why they keep the designation.
I-296 actually breaks off from US 131 and runs west towards Alpine Ave / M-37, instead of the way you have it in the video, following north to the 96/131 near-cloverleaf. Back when Google Maps did show 296 it showed the correct routing.
Like you said, it is a complex intersection.
Also, there are two unnumbered exits on the stretch you missed, due to the road being neither a part of 131 nor 96. One exit is to eastbound I-96 and the other is to North M-37.
If this was signed as I-296, would this exit have to be numbered? Maybe that is another element of potential confusion considered when deciding not to sign it.
The M6 freeway would be a far more logical I-296.
Being outside the US, can you do a vid on what is a Business Freeway, and what the differences are
A simple explanation is that major US highways and Interstates often bypass the central cities. If someone wants to go the business district of the city they can take the route labeled "business" through the downtown area and then back to the main road. Often times these business highways are surface streets and not actual freeways.
There are also four unsigned Interstate routes in Alaska. All four are mostly two-lane, undivided, cross-traffic roads, with no "blue shields." They're designated as "Interstates" merely for US Government funding purposes.
Same in Porto Rico.
An interesting video. Being originally from New York, I have driven on both I-478 and I-878, the latter many times trying to avoid the infamous Belt Parkway going by JFK Airport.
One thing the narration could've pointed out as an anomaly is that I-878 is one-way only its entire length AFAIK.
I’m a New Yorker as well. So I know a bit about it.
I’ve been a major roadway/Atlas/map geek since I was a little kid and I’m telling you mileage Mike, you and your videos are the best thing since sliced bread for me! I love these videos keep them coming especially the rarities that you discuss which have always peaked my interest… I’d love for you to do something on Ohio State Route 11 one day and why it’s not an interstate and what it was built for etc. because I live in Ashtabula Ohio at the northern terminus of Ohio State Route 11
The pennyroyal parkway is hidden I-169 even google maps shows it as I-169
I-169 shields are planned to be put up soon.
I knew all of them except for 910 and I-305 in California. 7:37 Also, funny story for I-595 in MD: That originally was going to be I-97. 97 Would’ve started at I-95 and follow US 50 to I-97’s current Southern terminus and split off from there. There was going to be 2 children for I-97: I-197 and I-297. Sadly, all of that was cancelled and we now have I-595 instead.
Another 💡 idea Do some of the shortest Bus Routes in various cities! For instance in San Francisco the shortest MUNI Bus Route is the 88 Corbett Not sure exactly where it runs but I think it's somewhere out in the Haight District I believe!
Great video
124 was always a strange one to me, as if memory serves, before the construction, the route didn’t meet interstate standards (median width I believe was the culprit, all limited access though). I sure do miss those fun turns on the old route though! Chattanooga residents know what I’m talking about 😂
I don't know if the median was an issue, but it definitely didn't meet interstate standards. The curvy section from MLK to the Olgiati Bridge didn't even have shoulders, and this section was designed before the Interstate system was initiated. Now that it's been redesigned, I think they should consider resigning it, but now that there's a continuous freeway for about 50 miles some people would probably want it signed that far.
I noticed this When I used to stay in Sacramento California before moving to Texas 2:04 The W/X I-80 freeway through downtown Sacramento was secretly signed as 1-305 Thru Downtown into west Sacramento but wasn't signed as 305 at all it was signed as Business 80/ Highway 50. So your Not the Only One that's encountered this
Also 345 never made sense to me in downtown Dallas. It says 45 ends and the highway just continues on to US-75. Does signing it an interstate give it federal money or something? Idk
Yeah it got federal funding
@@MileageMike485 ahhh gotcha
I live in Fort Worth but go to Dallas frequently so I'm on I-345 quite a bit.
I-124 in Chattanooga not being signed drives me nuts. Especially after all the money was spent to upgrade it. Drivers being confused by signage is BS. Like not having an I-50 and I-60 in states with US 50 and US 60. BUT there is I-41 in Wisconsin. Idiots.
I-878 used to be a short highway that ran over the current sheridan blvd but it lost its interstate designation because of construction which made it more pedestrian friendly with bike lanes and trees and sidewalks and stoplights and shit like that
That is I-895 that is now NY 895.
ohhh mb i got them confused@@Markkos1992
@@Markkos1992 But at one time it was designated I-878 as a spur of 278. Then later a planned part of it was conceived as a bypass of I-95.
I've been to Portland, Maine a couple of times before. Don't recall going over the Hidden Interstate you mentioned here. If I ever do visit Portland again sometime, I'll have to keep an eye out. But if there is one thing you have taught so far is the highway numbers can get hecken weird and confusing.
That would be the Falmouth Spur (unsigned I-495).
The Falmouth Spur (I-495) Runs from 95 to 295 Just North of Portland (I-95 Exit 52 to I-295 Exit 11/US-1)
I495 in Maine is not in Portland, but in nearby Falmouth. This is why it is locally known as the Falmouth spur, or connector.
Burying 345 is a good idea since it pretty much separated downtown from deep ellum. Which was, guess what, the “poorer” part of town.
Good presentation! Of all the highways I think the Falmouth spur should be posted, but as "TO 295" eastbound and "TO 95" westbound to benefit tourists.
BTW, Falmouth is pronounced "Fal-mith" where "Fal" rhymes with pal and not fall.
yeah. something like /ˈfælməθ/ (Fayl-myth)
Falmouth in what state? We have Falmouth in the cape cod massachusetts. But there's no 295 or 95 close to it
I've been on 595 in Maryland. Didn't know it was an unsigned Interstate at the time, but I did learn that later on. It makes sense to me why it's not signed as such, though: everyone already knows it as US 50, and that works just fine, so why bother?
the 60FPS driving footage tickles my brain in a good way
You should have mentioned us 301 being with s portion of us 50 in Maryland
I-195 in Richmond Virginia is hidden for about half of it, it's in a cut for half of it's length and a railroad is in middle of the road.
I would not call that hidden. Signage makes it clear that I-195/VA 195 function as one roadway despite I-195 exiting off of itself at the north end of VA 76.
I-305 for Sac Town is a 50/50 for me, but lately on Google Street view. The Guide Signs are posted as US 50 from the I-80 to California SR 99. Although, I prefer the Business Loop 80, it's already a Sacramento staple. It also gives the Californian variations of highway shields to identify route markers on its Freeways. Kinda like the East LA interchange, there's the Spade, Interstate and US Federal Shields on the BGS to categorized the Freeway Routes. Perhaps I-305 can be for a new Interstate from I-5 as a new Spur route to Yuba City. Helping to accommodate California SR 20. There are some Freeway Segments in Yuba City. Or even stretch it as far to reach I-80, a new Truck By-pass and avoiding the Sacramento Metro Area.
Today's Bus Loop 80 "splits" from today's Interstate 80 northeast of downtown Sacramento and heads southwest. After about 9 or 10 miles, it intersects with US 50/CA 99 in downtown Sacramento. It then joins those other two routes and heads west across the downtown for 3 or 4 miles (this is the unposted I-305 shown in this video). After that, it ends at today's Interstate 80 in West Sacramento.
Up until 1982, today's Bus Loop 80 was posted as Interstate 80, and the freeway that "split" in the NE heads north of downtown Sacramento to West Sacramento was renamed to be today's Interstate 80. Until 1982, this freeway was known as Interstate 880. That number was then designated to an Interstate freeway from Oakland to San Jose (formerly CA 17).
Bus Loop 80 from I80 to the 50 -99 interchange is unsigned California 51@@robertlindey2538
I never knew. Thanks for sharing.
Dam I never knew this. How many are there? I wonder which state has the most.
Spoke to soon lol all my questions were answered 😅
I've driven on I-345 a few times.
I'd like to see the elevated structure replaced with a trench/deck park combination, like the Woodall Rodgers Freeway across the north side of downtown Dallas.
The Queen Elizabeth Way in Ontario is similar to a hidden interstate. It is internally a "400 series" highway in Southern Ontario. Everyone refers to it as the QEW; it is officially numbered as Hwy 451 though.
You’re the first person I’ve ever heard talk about I345, so thanks. That’s neat to see.
it looks like that stretch has some kind of legacy, according to that headline.
LOVE your channel great info
If signage does nothing but denote an interstate number, and cause out of state drivers confusion, there is no need for the "blue shield". The roads are already efficiently signed.
296 in Grand Rapids MI is doubly confusing as 131 is built to interstate standards for a very long ways in both directions. 131 is also odd as a spur of US-31 as it is a huge force in the state and is a freeway for a very long ways. It would be interesting to go through super long spurs like that nationwide
I've been on I-296 and I-345. Way back when, I had seen the 296 designation on maps, but never on the freeway section itself and wondered why that was. That was eventually explained once I learned about hidden interstates.
North Carolina would definitely have hidden interstates signed 😂.
Fun Fact about I-345 and US-75...US-75, according to TxDOT's highway database, ends at I-345. Here's the description:
"Minute Order 085364, dated 01/28/1987; Adm. Ltr. 006-1987, dated 06/11/1987
From the Texas/Oklahoma S/L north of Denison via Denison, Sherman, McKinney, and Richardson to IH 345 in Dallas, a total approximate distance of 79.0 miles. (Grayson, Collin, and Dallas Counties) In a joint request by the Administration and Districts 12, 17, & 18, US 75 designation cancelled from Dallas southward to Galveston."
So, technically, US-75 starts at the Woodall Rogers Freeway and continues to the Oklahoma border. I-345 is not multiplexed with US-75 despite what the signage suggests. This also explains why I-345's mileage is a continuation of I-45's mileage and that Exit 1 of US-75 is Spur 366 (or signed TO I-35E on the US-75/I-345 side and TO I-45/US-75 on the I-35E side).
As to cities and states not signing some highways -- There is a small section of I-465 in Indianapolis that, due to INDOT's desire to relocate highways out of downtown, is actually:
I-465/I-74/US 31/US 36/US 40/US 52/US 421/IN 37/IN 67 (and let us not forget future I-69). INDOT just places a sign before 465 informing which way to go to follow these highways, and only has 74 and 465 signed.
I could almost throw a rock and have it land on US 50 about halfway between DC and Annapolis. I end up on that road to get almost snywhere. While I wuickly realized it was interstate quality, I had no idea it has an interstate designation.
I used to commute on GA 400, which is also inrerstate quality for tye southern 30 or so miles, but does not have an interstate designation.
And ive driven on US 285 between Santa Fe and Pojaque which is currently interstate quality, but also not a part of the interstate system.
Given my experience with GA 400 and US 285, finding a highway that is interstate quality, but not a part of yhe interstate system was hardly surprising. This video surprised me eith the fact that US 50 here is a part of the Interstate system.
Another thing I notoced is that US 50 near bith coasts appeared in rhis video.
One other factor: There are only five available spur designations (1, 3, 5, 7, and 9) and four loop designations (2, 4, 6, and 8) recognized under the Interstate System. This is toughest on I-95, which runs nearly 2000 miles (over 3000km) along the eastern seaboard, passing through Jacksonville, FL, Savannah, GA, Richmond, VA, Washington, DC, Baltimore, MD, Philadelphia, PA, New York City, NY, Providence, RI, and Boston, MA (before continuing to the Canadian border) - TEN major cities with only NINE available designations.
Needless to say, they were forced to relax the "one designation per route" clause to allow one designation per state, but even this hits its limits in states like Texas and California - multiple major metropolitan areas gobbling up two or more official designations each. Most spur/loop designations for I-80 in California (an east-west route in a north-south state) are taken up by the Bay Area & Silicon Valley alone (including the fictitious "I-238", as they ran out of numbers).
Funny that you mention I-95 and not mention how in Maryland alone they've used up every designation except 995. Really going to make designations difficult if they ever construct future interstates in the state.
I'm not totally sure [and possibly totally wrong]; but I think that each state has permission to use the nine designations.
@@Silver_Turtle As near as I know, this is correct. Although if an aux route crosses a state border, I think they have to keep the same designation (for example the Capital Beltway in D.C. goes between MD and VA and is designated I-495, that route serves as each state's designation for I-495 so they can't use it for something else). As I mentioned in my previous comment though, it doesn't really matter for I-95 in MD because they've used up every designation except 995 (with 595 being an unsigned route detailed in this video). That might be tough on MD for future interstate projects.
@@boltstrike2787 I know of many instances where this happens, and they do keep the same designation.
One that wasn't covered was I-265 in Louisville, Kentucky, between the I-71 junction and the northern I-65 junction, as well as everything west of the southern I-65 junction. All official signage for these sections are for KY Hwy 841 or IN Hwy 265, though as of the completion of the Lewis & Clark bridge, they all make up a single, unbroken expressway.
KY and IN are planning to finish signing the rest of I-265 at this point.
Citing these examples, would I-78 through Jersey City on local streets and the Holland Tunnel technically be a rare example of a hidden mainline interstate?
I-169 is one you forgot. I-169 in Kentucky extends from I-69 to I-24. It takes part in the Pennyrile Parkway. It is 34.271 mi (55.154 km) long extending through Hopkinsville. Also makes interchanges with I-69, Future I-569, US-68, more.
I forgot about the 345 thing. Yea, last time I ran up to OK back in May, def don't remember see any signs anywhere mentioning it, just ending up mistakingly taking an exit just before 30 coming back to H-town because of some confusing labeling in trying to get to 45 but not 30. You sure gotta be careful up there, because there are some weird or not the best labeled spots. Same goes for US 287/I-35 in FW... sometimes they don't mention 287 when telling you which lanes are which hwys, so you wonder if you're at the cutoff yet (where 287 exits 35 and heads toward Wichita Falls/Amarillo).
Looks like you were up there yourself, so hopefully you made the trip up 75 to Melissa and the B•I•G Buc-ee's they got there. >>;=) You can't Texas (and now some other states) without Buceeing. One day, you may have to do a vid just on the wildness of that place LOL. Auburn is the newest one I know about, finished being built / opened between Sep '22 when I went to NH and Jun when a friend of mine ran up to PA, and called me from there.
Long as 595 in MD is, I'm surprised they don't go ahead and label that one. I get the ones being unlabeled that are a mile or less in length, but for the reason of "driver confusion" is a little bamfoozling. Now what is confusing or dislexically evil, is in Beaumont, TX... they have US 69/96 exiting I-10 in the same area; it'd be so easy to end up on the wrong one. Love your videos man; I've always liked interesting things about hwys, weird signs you see out there, or just odd road-related situations that are kinda funny (or are to my odd sense of humor LOL). Example.. was on US 50 getting from eastern WV to I-79 and there's about a 10mi stretch you go through that little stick-downy part of the end of MD, it'd be funny if you get to the 2nd part of WV and they would have a sign saying "Welcome BACK to West Virginia" >>:=p
Have you done a video on roads that while signed as Interstates, don't meet interstate standards?
Been on US50 many times as for signage does it make a difference? Also, you mentioned I878, I believe, in NYC being the shortage interstate but it it shorter tyhne I370 in md?
3:30 doesn’t the 805 in San ysidro connect to the border with Tijuana? Or does it not connect because it kinda starts like 0.2 miles north of the border?
Wow, I lived near US 50 in Maryland my whole life and had no idea it was also an Interstate. Mind blown. You get a thumbs up just for that.
Having lived in Maryland, I'm glad that I-595 remains unsigned. U.S. 50's eastern half is concurrent with U.S. 301. Having posted I-595 would be confusing to motorists.
In the Weehawken-Union City area in New jersey, 495 was once posted as an interstate. Later, it was downgraded to NJ state 495. It is an extremely busy highway carrying traffic to and from the Lincoln Tunnel. I think that the Manhattan portion of 495 shows it as an interstate.
I-45 Can Be Perfect For A Texas-Kansas Interstate Dallas To Tulsa And From Tulsa Can Run All The Way To I-35 Via US 69 In KCK
I-49 Can Serve KCMO To NOLA
I-45 Can Serve KCK To Houston/Galveston
When I first moved to the DMV I always thought it was weird that no interstates went to Annapolis on the map. Then I went to Annapolis on US 50 and was like "This IS an interstate 🤷🏾♂️" then a year later when I moved to an apartment along US 50 I realized that that route takes you all the way into DC before its no longer to interstate standards. Who knew? 😅 They really should mark that portion as 595
There's a reason why they don't, it's redundant. The entirety of 595 is just a segment of US-50, so it would be pointless and confusing. Maybe if somehow becomes discontinuous with 50 they'd bother signing it but for now, no.
@boltstrike2787 You seem very passionate about that for some reason 😂. It just makes it easier to tell what type of highway it is to me. I dont see what could be confusing about it 🤔. Before moving to the area, I looked at a map and assumed the entirety of US-50 was more like a boulevard like on the Virginia side. It was only once I moved there and had been there for a while that I realized it was basically an interstate, no different than 395, 295, or 695 (its actually in better condition than much of I-295 😬). Not saying you're wrong, I just disagree 🤷🏾♂️.
@@Clemsonjmal It's confusing because if you have too many route numbers clumped on the same road people will have trouble reading the signs and get lost. Best to avoid listing multiple routes if they don't diverge at some point.
I don't think you need the distinction to tell what type of highway it is and there are some U.S. routes that are highways anyway and it's hard to tell which ones are up to interstate standards and which ones aren't. You just need to see what direction you need to go and the speed limit. The distinction helps you figure out which route is most recommended for which destination (which routes are meant for long distance, which ones are national, regional, and local, etc.). It's not going to tell you what's a highway and what's not.
@@boltstrike2787But then you have instances like I-41 in WI that contradict your thesis. US 41 was upgraded to interstate standards in 2015 and received signage indicating that it is now an interstate. I-41 is fully concurrent with US 41 from the WI/IL border to just north of Green Bay and the route is signed as both I-41 and US 41 simultaneously (along with I-94 or whatever other route is tagging along at any given point). They didn’t have to sign it as I-41 at all, but they did ostensibly to make it clear that it was a fully-fledged expressway up to Interstate highway standards.
Or, how about the infamous I-99 in PA that never fails to get a rise out of us Interstate highway nerds? Ignoring for the moment that it doesn’t follow the numbering conventions of the IHS, it is 100% concurrent with US 220. By your logic, it shouldn’t have been signed at all, given it never diverges from US 220 and individuals already used to traveling that route didn’t need a new designation given.
So, yes, I-595 could very well have been signed and I don’t buy the official excuse that it would “cause confusion.” If anything, it would make clear what segment of the route is up to Interstate highway standards, which could be helpful for anyone planning a trip through the area.
Department of Motor Vehicles?
I have been through the then-called Battery Tunnel, and never knew it was I-478. The Interstate highway system in metro NYC is confusing because of the spurs and loops. I don't know if they connect to their main I- designation. If they are, it's a reach.
But suggest renumbering the highways so they'll make sense (like extend I-80 across the GWB and along the Cross Bronx, Throgs Neck and Clearview to the LIE), and everyone would have a heart attack!
The I-78 ones do not. I believe the rest generally do (minus I-495, which connects to I-95 via I-295).
The interstates are hidden for halloween. They jump out at you when you least expect it.
Can you go over the SR federal funded highways. I've noticed in Georgia that there are a few SR signed highways that are not federal funded.
I regularly travel on Maine's "Falmouth Spur", heading up to Boothbay from Massachusetts. Never knew it was a uniquely numbered Interstate. Maybe I'll win a bet or something.
It's numbered 495. There are several other stretches of interstate with that designation - Washington DC, Massachusetts, among others. I'm wondering if there's a story there...
Great work. I enjoyed this. I, too, am an infrastructure wonk.
3:07 You show a Montana 200 shield but I heard spoken 300, not 200.
I would sign I-124 and I-194 the rest can remain unsigned.
it makes more sense if you explain the numbers are connectors. ex.. 305 in sacramento. connects with US 5 ( NOT California state highway 99 as you claimed )
similarly the 805, the 405 also link up to 5.
similarly the 280 in San Francisco, connects with US 80.
the first number if it's even, both ends connect to an interstate ( or circles a city ), if it's odd. just 1 end connects to an interstate known as a spur.
so 305 in sacramento is a spur route, that connects to interstate 5
You forgot I-169 in Kentucky which replaced the southern portion of the former Pennyrille Parkway in 2019
I used to live in great Falls Montana and I remember that road I been on that road a lot
I444 in Oklahoma in the 80's and early 90's. The signage was and still is confusing, and road repairs never stop. Lol.
Possible to do a video on Vision Zero's plan, intention, execution, success//failures in New York City?
I am in favor of reducing the number of signs that drivers need to pay attention to. Especially if there are multiple exits and entrances, each one labeled with its own sign. The two most confusing cities I've had to drive in are Grand Rapids and Baltimore. But by far the worst was Baltimore. Twice I've flown into Baltimore, both times at night, and both times my phone's GPS wouldn't work. I don't know why but it just wouldn't connect. So I had to try to use look at Maps to find my way around. But the combination of night time and poor signage/leaning signs/crooked signs, and the snaking nature of the roads made it impossible for me to find my way anywhere.
One time I was parked on the side of the road, looking at the map trying to make heads or tails of where I was, and an 18 wheeler pulled up next to me to ask me if I knew how to find a particular road. I laughed and said that I was just as lost as he was.
By contrast, I'm from the Phoenix area and much of the streets here are laid out in a grid pattern, which makes getting around much easier.
Point is cities need to pay close attention to their signage, including how well that signage is displayed, and how clear road numbers and names are.
I may have driven three of these routes, grand rapids, Dallas and New Orleans.
BTW, there are still three state capitals of the contiguous 48 which don't have Interstates: Dover, DE, Pierre, SD and Jefferson City, MO. All could be served by spurs from I-95, I-90 and I-70, respectively (Carson City, NV finally got I-580, which is being talked up for the I-11 project). Hawaii has the H-series for Honolulu, but Juneau, AK is still primarily accessible only by air and boat.
I’ve been on I-878. Also, they should just sign I-595. There’s just that weird space next to all the signage for US 50 from the Capital Beltway, so might as well
I can tell if I am on an interstate or future interstate by just how the shoulders look. The only time I am confused is when there is no shoulder on an interstate which generally happens in a big city or construction zone.
I used to live in muskegon, rode with my family in gr on i-296
NY-895, which used to be I-895 Sheridan Expressway, which is still part of the National network and only 1/2 miles long...
So that’s why recently when I was trucking from OK on US 75 down towards Houston the gps had me continue onto I-345. I wondered what was going on😳
I-390 in Illinois also falls under this, I think.
390, though a freeway, is an Illinois state route.
To be fair for I-595 AND I-97 in Maryland, both should be redesignated as I-895, which serves as the northern terminus for I-97. That way, the I-97 designation could be freed up for a proposed Interstate Highway that could run from I-64 in the Hampton Roads/Norfolk/Virginia Beach area (and possibly south into North Carolina) along the US 13 and Delaware Rt. 1 corridors to I-95 outside of Wilmington (and even run concurrent with I-95 to the existing three-state I-295, in which I-97 would replace I-295 between I-95 and I-295 in New Jersey, via the Delaware Memorial Bridge, but then continue on north on the NJ Turnpike to Exit 6, in which the highway would terminate and become the current I-95 alignment to North Jersey, NYC, and New England).
If I had to renumber or reroute the highways I would probably have made I-97 an extension of I-83 routed around Baltimore, and as a New Englander, I'm absolutely reclaiming 97 and 99 for some renumbering exercises up here.
First of all, technically no, I-97's northern terminus is I-695, the spur between 895 and 695 is unsigned as I-895A. Second, if you were going to reroute 895 along I-97, what would you sign the current section of 895 from 97 to 95?
I just had another thought. Could they find a way to connect I-395 to I-895A? I-395 is a stub interstate, mainly designed for drivers on I-95 to get to the harbor and sports stadiums, but if they could connect I-97 to I-395? Then you could redesignate I-97 as I-395 AND there would be a legitimate reason to do so (which is part of the problem with some of these redesignation ideas, they don't really serve a practical purpose that would improve traffic and are just redesignations for the sake of redesignations), since it would make it easier for drivers coming from Annapolis to get to those destinations in the city. If they could figure out a way to connect those two routes that might be a good solution.
@rwboa22: good idea about I-97! If it could run across the Chesapeake Bay bridge, down the Delmarva Peninsula and across the Bridge-Tunnel into Norfolk, it could connect th the highway that's being built in North Carolina and being signed as I-87 (south sector) into Raleigh. Calling it all I-97 makes infinitely more sense, since it mostly runs east of I-95. It would make a great alternate route around Wasington/Baltimore.
@@drtee51 Except I-97 goes straight to Baltimore, so it wouldn't make a good bypass around the Baltimore/Washington area. You'd want I-87 to either follow DE-1 to Wilmington or cross the Delaware Bay where the Cape May-Lewes Ferry runs and connect to the Garden State Parkway (maybe both at some point), that would legitimately bypass Baltimore.
Cool