The Interstate control city signage thread

[iheartthed]

Originally Posted by jmecklenborg

No, it's Clevelanders who think they're part of the east coast. The green overhead interstate highway signs on I-80 say "New York City" immediately east of Downtown Cleveland, even though it's 400+ miles away.

NYC becomes the control city when I-80E splits off from the turnpike, just outside of Youngstown, until the OH/PA border, which is less than 20 miles. (I've driven this route about 100 times.) Oddly, PA doesn't ever use NYC as the control city on I-80E, even when you get close to the New Jersey border crossing which is less than 70 miles from Manhattan. However, they did finally install a sign this year directing people to follow I-80E for New York.

[jmecklenborg]

Originally Posted by iheartthed

NYC becomes the control city when I-80E splits off from the turnpike, just outside of Youngstown, until the OH/PA border, which is less than 20 miles. (I've driven this route about 100 times.) Oddly, PA doesn't ever use NYC as the control city on I-80E, even when you get close to the New Jersey border crossing which is less than 70 miles from Manhattan. However, they did finally install a sign this year directing people to follow I-80E for New York.

I haven't been up there in over 10 years so I couldn't remember where, exactly, the signs change, but I seem to recall being in the Cleveland metro and seeing signs to NYC.

Clevelanders still think they're the sole express stop on the trains between Chicago and NYC. Back then, Cleveland was also home to the biggest company on the planet, Standard Oil. But that was all 50+ years ago at this point.

By contrast, I think that the east coast trains out of Columbus all went through Cleveland, and east coast trains out of Cincinnati went to Baltimore. I'm not an expert on old passenger train routes, so I might be off.

[ChiSoxRox]

Originally Posted by jmecklenborg

I haven't been up there in over 10 years so I couldn't remember where, exactly, the signs change, but I seem to recall being in the Cleveland metro and seeing signs to NYC.

The I-76/I-80 split by Youngstown has NYC control signs, although I-480 coming out of Cleveland and I-76 out of Akron seems to stick to Youngstown at a quick Streetview glance.

[Crawford]

Originally Posted by ChiSoxRox

The I-76/I-80 split by Youngstown has NYC control signs, although I-480 coming out of Cleveland and I-76 out of Akron seems to stick to Youngstown at a quick Streetview glance.

There are definitely NYC signs in Cleveland area. I remember them on the turnpike. It's weird, being that far.

Also weird to see Memphis signs on the Dan Ryan in Chicago.

[ChiSoxRox]

Originally Posted by Crawford

There are definitely NYC signs in Cleveland area. I remember them on the turnpike. It's weird, being that far.

Also weird to see Memphis signs on the Dan Ryan in Chicago.

Another fun one is this sign for Des Moines...in Indiana.

[wwmiv]

Originally Posted by ChiSoxRox

Another fun one is this sign for Des Moines...in Indiana.

Doesn’t this one make sense though? You continue straight to finish going thru Gary to Chicago and you take the exit to pass thru the south Chicago burbs, quad cities, and reach Des Moines as the next major city. Should the sign say Joliet or Davenport instead?

[MolsonExport]

Originally Posted by ChiSoxRox

Another fun one is this sign for Des Moines...in Indiana.

yes, I recall seeing this when I travelled to Chicago. Weird.

[Steely Dan]

Originally Posted by Crawford

Also weird to see Memphis signs on the Dan Ryan in Chicago.

A large reason for that is the fact that I-57 is one of the most unnecessary stretches of interstate, at least south of Champaign.

I guess they could have controlled the I-57 split off of the Dan Ryan with "Champaign", but they went with Memphis, nearly 500 miles away, LOL.


Another Chicago control sign oddity is the I-290 W split off of l-90/94 at the circle junction in downtown where the control signs literally say "west suburbs".

How's that for a control city?

[PHX31]

This interstate control city discussion is interesting and could be a good topic on it's own. There doesn't seem to be any actual federal standard, just guidance, and states seem to pick and choose differently, even within states and cities themselves. In the MUTCD:

The determination of major destinations or control cities is important to the quality of service provided by the freeway. Control cities on freeway guide signs are selected by the States and are contained in the "Guidelines for the Selection of Supplemental Guide Signs for Traffic Generators Adjacent to Freeways, 4th Edition/Guide Signs, Part II: Guidelines for Airport Guide Signing/Guide Signs, Part III: List of Control Cities for Use in Guide Signs on Interstate Highways," published by and available from the American Association of State and Highway Transportation Officials (see Section 1A.11).

Control cites (how some interstate signs can say "west suburbs" or whatever, I don't know..): https://transportation.org/traffic/i...ontrol-cities/

[sopas ej]

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

A
Another Chicago control sign oddity is the I-290 W split off of l-90/94 at the circle junction in downtown where the control signs literally say "west suburbs".

How's that for a control city?

Interesting, but it somehow makes sense to me (even though I don't know which suburbs they're referring to), because here in SoCal, on the 91 Freeway east of Orange County, the control city going west is "Beach Cities." I know which beach cities they're referring to, but I would imagine someone not from the area wouldn't know. But then as you get into Orange County, the control city becomes "Los Angeles," and then when you get to the 5 it becomes "Artesia," and then as you enter LA County it becomes "THRU TRAFFIC," and then into Long Beach it becomes " WEST."

Originally Posted by PHX31

This interstate control city discussion is interesting and could be a good topic on it's own. There doesn't seem to be any actual federal standard, just guidance, and states seem to pick and choose differently, even within states and cities themselves.

Funny, because on my recent road trip through Arizona, in Phoenix, for the 10 going west, the control city is "Los Angeles." However, in Los Angeles, the control city going east from LA is "San Bernardino," and then if I remember correctly, the next control city is "Redlands/Palm Springs," and then from there it's "Indio and Other Desert Cities" (hehe), and then going east from Indio, you see "Blythe/Phoenix."

[iheartthed]

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

A large reason for that is the fact that I-57 is one of the most unnecessary stretches of interstate, at least south of Champaign.

I guess they could have controlled the I-57 split off of the Dan Ryan with "Champaign", but they went with Memphis, nearly 500 miles away, LOL.


Another Chicago control sign oddity is the I-290 W split off of l-90/94 at the circle junction in downtown where the control signs literally say "west suburbs".

How's that for a control city?

I feel like Chicago doesn't really rely much on control cities. Most of the signs in Chicago seem to be pointing drivers towards states. Can't really even think of another place that uses states as the control instead of a large city like Chicago does.

Also, I find it amusing that Chicago is the control city on I-94W starting inside the city of Detroit, but I don't think Detroit is ever the control city in Illinois at all. How did all of those Michigan and Michigan State alums find their way home this week?

[MolsonExport]

Originally Posted by Crawford

Also weird to see Memphis signs on the Dan Ryan in Chicago.

that really puzzled me when I drove to Chicago this summer (from London, Ontario). Memphis? jeez, my understanding of geography was challenged.

[Six Corners]

The Des Moines sign is odd because Davenport should really be the next control city, at least it is when you're coming from Des Moines. When you're in Illinois they use neither Des Moines nor Davenport, instead it's just "Iowa."

[BG918]

I’ve always found it odd that in St Louis the signs for I-44 say Tulsa, while in Tulsa the signs say Joplin. I would think Springfield would make more sense for both cities..?

[Emprise du Lion]

Originally Posted by BG918

I’ve always found it odd that in St Louis the signs for I-44 say Tulsa, while in Tulsa the signs say Joplin. I would think Springfield would make more sense for both cities..?

I'd never thought about it, but I would assume that was done in order to not confuse people as to what Springfield. St. Louis is far closer to Springfield, IL than it is Springfield, MO, and you have a few miles in the city where 44 and 55 are the same interstate. I'm sure you'd have at least a few oblivious drivers thinking they're going the wrong way.

[ChiSoxRox]

Originally Posted by Emprise du Lion

I'd never thought about it, but I would assume that was done in order to not confuse people as to what Springfield. St. Louis is far closer to Springfield, IL than it is Springfield, MO, and you have a few miles in the city where 44 and 55 are the same interstate. I'm sure you'd have at least a few oblivious drivers thinking they're going the wrong way.

In Memphis, I-55 specifies Jackson, Miss due to the proximity of Jackson, TN.

[BG918]

Originally Posted by Emprise du Lion

I'd never thought about it, but I would assume that was done in order to not confuse people as to what Springfield. St. Louis is far closer to Springfield, IL than it is Springfield, MO, and you have a few miles in the city where 44 and 55 are the same interstate. I'm sure you'd have at least a few oblivious drivers thinking they're going the wrong way.

Why not use Joplin then, and why Joplin instead of St Louis in Tulsa? Curious how they make these decisions

[JManc]

I fly into Syracuse a lot and the signs connecting I-81 to I-90 (Thruway) split off to 90W Buffalo and 90E Albany and wish they would use the closest cities; Rochester and Utica respectively.

[MolsonExport]

The 401 Eastbound past Toronto uses Kingston as a Control sign, then Cornwall (the latter is a two-bit city of 45K). Montreal (4.4 million) is ignored, aside from a few mileage distance signs.

[Zeej]

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

The 401 Eastbound past Toronto uses Kingston as a Control sign, then Cornwall (the latter is a two-bit city of 45K). Montreal (4.4 million) is ignored, aside from a few mileage distance signs.

Meanwhile, Toronto (despite being 550kms away) and not Kingston is the A20W control city in Montreal.

Personally, I prefer the more standardized Interstate system (Quebec kind of adopts this) where the next large city is generally the control. I remember taking road trips down the East Coast as a child being excited at the prospect of veering right to Boston/Buffalo or staying course to New York (driving through Albany). Somehow the possibilities were exhilarating, to a nerdy kid.