Largest cities without multiple interstates

[chris08876]

The Capital of NJ, Trenton, has no interstates going through it if we look at just the extent of the city limits. South of it, and East of it, Hamilton Township has I-195 and I-295.

[chris08876]

Ah, here's another one, Allentown PA. Only has I-78 going through it on the Southern portion of the city limits, right by Queen City Municipal Airport.

[iheartthed]

Originally Posted by pj3000

That’s a kinda silly technicality for those two though.

All 4 of the interstates I listed are serving NYC, and with multiple loop routes.

The OP erred big time in suggesting that New York does not have multiple interstates.

I understood it to mean that OP is looking for places where the interstate was routed through the city.

[tdawg]

Here are the interstates that run within NYC's city limits: I-278, I-478, I-95, I-295, I-495, I-678, I-87.

[iheartthed]

Originally Posted by tdawg

Here are the interstates that run within NYC's city limits: I-278, I-478, I-95, I-295, I-495, I-678, I-87.

It's not clear from the OP whether we're considering spurs. Those bolded ones are interstate spurs, and not the actual interstate itself. I'd be surprised if any mid- or major-city in the U.S. does not at least have a spur. Even D.C. has a spur, although no actual interstate routes through the city limits.

[Steely Dan]

City of Chicago interstates:

I-90 - pass-through (co-routed w/ I-94 through most of the city)
I-94 - pass-through (co-routed w/ I-90 through most of the city)
I-55 - originates in the city
I-57 - originates in the city

I-290 - spur


Additional interstates in the metro area:

I-80 - pass-through in southern suburbs
I-88 - originates in Hillside, IL
I-65 - originates in Gary, IN

I-294 - inner suburban bypass
I-355 - outer suburban bypass



Of course, chicagoans generally tend to use the proper names of these expressways as opposed to their interstate numbers in most cases (ie. "the Kennedy", "the Ike", "the Dan Ryan", "the Stevenson", "the tri-state", "the skyway", etc.).

[sopas ej]

Originally Posted by iheartthed

I'd be surprised if any mid- or major-city in the U.S. does not at least have a spur. Even D.C. has a spur, although no actual interstate routes through the city limits.

I'll mention Fresno again; nearly half a million people live in the city proper, nearly 1 million live in its metro area.

Interstate 5 is the closest interstate route to Fresno proper; from downtown Fresno to I-5 is probably at least 50 miles: https://www.google.com/maps/place/Fr....7871247?hl=en

[iheartthed]

Originally Posted by sopas ej

I'll mention Fresno again; nearly half a million people live in the city proper, nearly 1 million live in its metro area.

Interstate 5 is the closest interstate route to Fresno proper; from downtown Fresno to I-5 is probably at least 50 miles: https://www.google.com/maps/place/Fr....7871247?hl=en

Yeah, Fresno must be one of the only places that fit this criteria. I stopped in there on the way to Yosemite a couple of years ago and I recall there not being an interstate grade highway for a long stretch leading to the city.

[sopas ej]

Originally Posted by iheartthed

Yeah, Fresno must be one of the only places that fit this criteria. I stopped in there on the way to Yosemite a couple of years ago and I recall there not being an interstate grade highway for a long stretch leading to the city.

Yeah, CA-99 is probably the only major highway in/near Fresno that has long continuous stretches that are freeway standard/limited access.

[LA21st]

Originally Posted by rsbear

And the 405, and the 110, and the 210, and the 105, and the 710 (which is he city limits border, so I'm counting it).

Those aren just freeways.

[BigDipper 80]

^Uh, what? All of those are Interstates. It doesn't matter if it's a spur or ring road, anything with an Interstate badge is considered an Interstate freeway.

[SpawnOfVulcan]

Huntsville, AL only has 1 interstate (I-565). Although, city limits do butt up against I-65 but I don't think it's actually within city limits.

[sopas ej]

Originally Posted by BigDipper 80

^Uh, what? All of those are Interstates. It doesn't matter if it's a spur or ring road, anything with an Interstate badge is considered an Interstate freeway.

They are indeed still interstates, built to interstate standards. Interstates with 3-digit route numbers are either spurs, bypasses, or circumferential routes. The funny thing is, the 405 in southern California is "supposed" to be a bypass (an alternate north/south route from the 5, connecting with the 5 in Santa Clarita on its northern end and in Irvine on its southern end) but it's just as congested, if not moreso, than the 5. A somewhat good north/south bypass through the LA area if you're driving from say norCal to San Diego is the 605; my father-in-law, before he retired, lives in the Sacramento area but would occasionally drive down to San Diego where he also owned property; going south, he would take the 5 to the 210 to the 605 to the 405 and then back to the 5. You totally bypass the congested heart of LA County that way, though over the years the 210 and 605, and then of course the 405 in Orange County, have gotten increasingly congested because more and more people have moved to the area over the years.

[Buckeye Native 001]

Lexington KY has I-75 and I-64, but somehow brilliantly planned both to traverse through town without destroying the central city/Downtown Lexington.

[TWAK]

Originally Posted by sopas ej

I'll mention Fresno again; nearly half a million people live in the city proper, nearly 1 million live in its metro area.

Interstate 5 is the closest interstate route to Fresno proper; from downtown Fresno to I-5 is probably at least 50 miles: https://www.google.com/maps/place/Fr....7871247?hl=en

Yeah for sure it's Fresno, although the state wants to convert 99 into I-9 up to Stockton. I thought Bakersfield was kinda far from 5, but the city limits touch it and it's much closer than 50 miles.

[edale]

This is CA-99 in Fresno:

https://www.google.com/maps/@36.7418...7i16384!8i8192

While not technically an interstate, it sure looks and feels like one. And it goes right next to downtown Fresno.

I took 99 from Northern CA to LA a few months ago (as the 5 through the Central Valley is hellish) and most of it felt like a normal freeway. I think there were more stretches with 3 lanes than the 5 has through the CV.

As far as DC, how about 695 that cuts through SE and comes pretty close to the Mall actually. Again, looks and feels like an interstate to me:
https://www.google.com/maps/@38.8793...7i16384!8i8192

[LA21st]

Originally Posted by BigDipper 80

^Uh, what? All of those are Interstates. It doesn't matter if it's a spur or ring road, anything with an Interstate badge is considered an Interstate freeway.

I don't think thats what he's referring to though. Otherwise, why did he use SF and NYC as examples?

[LA21st]

Originally Posted by sopas ej

They are indeed still interstates, built to interstate standards. Interstates with 3-digit route numbers are either spurs, bypasses, or circumferential routes. The funny thing is, the 405 in southern California is "supposed" to be a bypass (an alternate north/south route from the 5, connecting with the 5 in Santa Clarita on its northern end and in Irvine on its southern end) but it's just as congested, if not moreso, than the 5. A somewhat good north/south bypass through the LA area if you're driving from say norCal to San Diego is the 605; my father-in-law, before he retired, lives in the Sacramento area but would occasionally drive down to San Diego where he also owned property; going south, he would take the 5 to the 210 to the 605 to the 405 and then back to the 5. You totally bypass the congested heart of LA County that way, though over the years the 210 and 605, and then of course the 405 in Orange County, have gotten increasingly congested because more and more people have moved to the area over the years.

It is funny that the 405 is a bypass lol. I consider the 405 to be the "main street" for the LA area. Although you can make in argument for the 10.

[sopas ej]

Originally Posted by edale

This is CA-99 in Fresno:

https://www.google.com/maps/@36.7418...7i16384!8i8192

While not technically an interstate, it sure looks and feels like one. And it goes right next to downtown Fresno.

I took 99 from Northern CA to LA a few months ago (as the 5 through the Central Valley is hellish) and most of it felt like a normal freeway. I think there were more stretches with 3 lanes than the 5 has through the CV.

Oh man, I actually think the 99 through the CV is more hellish than the 5. My sister and her brood moved to Chico about 8 or 9 years ago, and when I first went up to visit them, instead of the 5, which I used to not like through the Central Valley, I took the 99---and from about Bakersfield to Modesto, I kept seeing 1-800-GOT-JESUS and "Repent" and JESUS SAVES FROM HELL billboards everywhere... actual billboards, not just homemade signs that people have taped to overpasses, but billboards. And going through the actual towns and cities that are off the 99, you really see how conservative those areas are with their NRA signs and gun logos and whatnot.

As desolate and boring as I-5 can seem through the Central Valley, at least it's quicker with long stretches where the speed limit is 70 mph and you don't see those Jesus Guns signs. Having visited my sister and her family up in Chico a number of times already, I've gotten used to taking the 5 (and then the 99 when I get into Sacramento). Harris Ranch is often my pit-stop/halfway point where I take a break.

[sopas ej]

Originally Posted by LA21st

It is funny that the 405 is a bypass lol. I consider the 405 to be the "main street" for the LA area. Although you can make in argument for the 10.

Totally. The 405 goes through a highly populated area of LA; it kinda is the "main street" of the Westside; it goes through the west SFV, Brentwood, Westwood, past LAX, and into the South Bay and Long Beach.

I know what you mean about the 10. It's almost as if the 10 existed before the City of LA did, because driving from east to west, it's as if everything around it was created for views: As you enter LA on the 10 headed west, past Cal State LA, on the right, you see the skyscrapers of downtown, and then the highrises of the Mid-Wilshire/Miracle Mile, and then Century City, and then Westwood/West LA, before heading into Santa Monica, all with the backdrop of the Hollywood Hills/Santa Monica Mountains. And then on the left, you'll see the Baldwin Hills when you pass La Brea.