Interstate 88 Eastern

[@DWNY358]

While 'control cities' are, of course, the main point of this channel, I find it's been a fun experience getting to know the different parts of America seen from its interstate highways. For example, many equate the East Coast with urban I-95, but so many of the inland interstates in the East, like this one, are quite beautiful.

[@AdamSmith-gs2dv]

Upstate NY is quite underrated. The Adirondacks and Catskills are beautiful and Id take either of them over the Smokey Mountains

[@tylermarchand2996]

@user-jc6ye6dl8f I did a road trip in the northeast this past July. I 90 east out of Albany, I 91 north out of Springfield, and I 93 south to Concord had some gorgeous mountain scenery that is quite different from what I’m used to seeing east of the Sierra Nevadas. However, the heavy snow and intense smell of pine will always make these my choice for the mountains…

[@BBGOnYT]

This part of the country is so beautiful

[@AdamSmith-gs2dv]

People say the east is "ugly" but I disagree. The east coast is very beautiful

[@mjscheinberg]

My grandparents lived in Troy, NY -- one of the suburbs of Albany. They were excited when I-88 finally opened, replacing NY-7. But also for another reason: there is a "toll free zone" where I-88 hits the NYS Thruway (I-90 at that point) at Exit 25A. Because the interchange was completed with federal funds, NYS wanted it to be "free." Which is why you can take I-88 to the Thruway and not have to pay a toll if you're only on the Thruway for 1-2 exits. This was probably the first bit of road geek trivia I had ever learned...

[@AdamSmith-gs2dv]

It's also like that because there is no other way to get to I88 without going on the Thruway

[@Handle_Needs_3_Or_More_Charact]

By 1982, almost all of 88 was completed except for the last few miles outside Binghamton, which defaulted onto SR 7, which was partially limited access going into Binghamton. They finally upgraded the more northern section of the divided highway portion of SR 7 to interstate standards during the mid to late 80's. And the final piece was the connection between 7 and 81 over the river, which was done by 1989.

[@ReallyBadDriving]

It's a short but important interstate. Bypasses NYC traffic. Best way to get to Boston/New England from I-81 and from a lot of points west.

[@mbdg6810]

Hey Todd, From what i’ve seen on Google maps street view, I-88’s eastern terminus by I-90 does have End signs. They are located just after the last on-ramp before intersecting the thruway.

[@MrQuinnzard]

You should do an Interstate tier list after I-99. That'd definitely be a fun video.

[@ControlCityFreak]

Good idea!

[@LiteBulb88]

For those who remember the old AAA road atlases, they marked this route with black dots, indicating it was a significantly scenic route. I got to drive it in 2004 for a work trip and was not disappointed.

[@ControlCityFreak]

It definitely looks that way

[@kosjeyr]

Being born in 1990 I have a high interest in maps and the oldest map I own is from the 50s that my dad had.

[@midwestpanther98]

You reminded me to go get my free map from AAA

[@Lafly84]

@@ControlCityFreak It is a nice drive, but driving from Oneonta to Schenectady can be a crap shoot in the winter because of lake effect snow squalls.

[@LawyerCalhoun1]

When traveling from the Albany area to the south and west, this is the best way to totally avoid the congestion of New York City, New Jersey, Baltimore, Washington and Richmond. Take 88 to 81 south.

[@wordawakeningny]

Great video, sir. Yes, I 88 is beautiful. We are about to move to Walton, a town about 25 minutes south of Oneonta.

[@ControlCityFreak]

Thanks!

[@AdamSmith-gs2dv]

88 used to be one of the worst maintained highways in the country. It's gotten better now because they have slowly been tearing up the old concrete for asphalt

[@davidburrow5895]

I drove this years ago from Binghamton to Cooperstown. Amusingly it was under construction then as well. I think upstate New York is just about the most beautiful part of the country.

[@ElementElevators]

I-88 is quite a scenic road, like I-86. Something that I noticed a while ago while going southbound on I-81 is that there are "to I-88" shields on the sign for exit 6, just north of the 81/88 interchange, since there's no ramp directly from southbound 81 to eastbound 88. These are useful, although I doubt there's much traffic taking this route (much more coming on 81 from the south and 86 from the west).

[@TheSharkKing45]

They used to make gigantic locomotives out in Schenectady

[@Ramiestar]

I’ve traveled the entire length of this I-88 in both directions. Can confirm - it is scenic!

[@ControlCityFreak]

Never been on it at all but would definitely like to!

[@Arthur-dl2co]

In 6th grade at Athens, Pa., I remember taking a field trip to Cooperstown to see the Baseball Hall of Fame and the Farmer's Museum. (1972). I-88 was being constructed and the bus had to use NY 7. NY 17 (4 lane) was not yet opened between Nichols and Waverly (it did open late summer). It was a long day. Over a decade later, I did drive on 88 after visiting my Dad north of Albany. It is a nice drive. A thought after hearing comments about extending it to Elmira and to I-90; if they never finish parts of the Quickway to Interstate standards, maybe then extend I-88. Keep the Quickway as NY17. Wonder what everyone else's suggestion might be. Excellent video CCF.

[@ControlCityFreak]

Thanks!

[@MrShortWhiteGuy]

I remember back in March 1991, my family and I was going east on I-88 and from I-81, there was no direct access. To get to I-88, we had to drive on NY-7 through Binghamton to get to I-88. I recall some overhead signs saying Schenectady, but maybe they have taken them down. I once got on PA-29 in Wilkes-Barre from I-81 and drove down it. It later becomes NY-7, VT-9, NH-9, ME-9 & NB-1. I drove on it all the way to the Canadian border. It is a nice drive.

[@ControlCityFreak]

Nice!

[@craiglindecamp9589]

Getting to I-88 usually means I don’t have much longer before getting to the baseball hall of fame

[@drivingbritt9617]

I was thinking when my mom and I go up to New Hampshire we'll take this road, along with I-81, as a way to avoid all of the tolls and congestion on I-95 in the Northeast, and for just an all around more scenic route.

[@Lafly84]

You can run those two and then run I-90E to I-87N and cross over into Vermont for a more scenic trip. No tolls, otherwise you'll have to run the Mass Pike and pay.

[@drivingbritt9617]

@@Lafly84 We might! That sounds like a good idea.

[@jakebutler291]

Super random, but I never understood why the thruway just ignores Syracuse and Rochester, from both directions! It’s 90 east Albany and 90 west Buffalo…idk I feel like Syracuse and Rochester would be good control cities, right?

[@ControlCityFreak]

Fair point. Will get well into that next week

[@mxderateprod]

Here is a list of all the 2-digit Interstates that have perfect or nearly perfect signage: SIDE NOTE: The cities listed are the questionable control cities of the corresponding road. I-15 - *San Bernardino, Barstow* I-17 I-19 I-20 - *Monroe, Vicksburg, Meridian* I-24 - *"Interstate 57"* I-26 I-27 I-30 I-37 I-45 - *McKinney* I-57 - *Sikeston* I-65 I-71 I-74 (Western) I-83 - *York* I-85 - *Petersburg* I-87 (Northern) I-88 (Eastern) I-90 - *Albert Lea, Gillette, Sheridan* I-97 Let me know anymore that have perfect or nearly perfect signage.

[@ControlCityFreak]

Nice!

[@DC.402]

Gettin closer and close to i-90 can't wait

[@ControlCityFreak]

Gonna be cool!

[@DC.402]

@@ControlCityFreak most definitely. O enjoyed i-80 alot

[@tylermarchand2996]

@DC.402 Out of what’s left, I 90, 94 and 95 excite me the most (longest remaining routes), but 89, 91, 93 and (maybe) 99 will also provide good to great mountain scenery. Living at the base of the Sierra Nevadas, mountains are a part of my life.

[@DC.402]

@@tylermarchand2996 definitely excited for 94 & 95 aswell

[@Mathman2021]

Lol. Here you go! 🤣🤣

[@ControlCityFreak]

Thanks!

[@Mathman2021]

@@ControlCityFreak NP

[@LeviRamsey]

When I was living in Western Massachusetts (and a bit poorer, so shunpiking was desirable), I preferred 88 to 84 as a means of getting to 81 and points west. I've only driven its length once or maybe twice in daylight, but dozens of times during the "witching hour", one of which resulted in emergency repairs the next morning in Binghamton to my Oldsmobile Eighty Eight.

[@alexjones3511]

We’re only two interstates away from I-90 now. I can only imagine how long the script you have for I-90 is going to be. Probably way longer than the I-80 one.

[@kosjeyr]

Well yeah as 90 goes coast to coast unlike 80...

[@markwilson4078]

We’re going to be on 90 for a LONG time! 😂

[@tylermarchand2996]

I actually think I 90 will be SHORTER than I 80. There’s the two hundred mile concurrency between Gary and Lorain that was already covered on I 80, and while I 80 has its scarce stretches (Reno-Salt Lake City-Cheyenne-Grand Island), I 90 can also be quite scarce along its route (Coeur d’Alene-Missoula-Bozeman-Billings-Rapid City-Sioux Falls)…

[@ControlCityFreak]

Script lol. These videos would take way longer if I actually wrote scripts

[@kosjeyr]

@Control City Freak you want script? "Well here we have the f'd up interchange at ..." 😆

[@FlySlateRyder_YT]

I looked at the south 87 west 90 interchange and there is small shield on the ground that says west 90 to 88 and the other south 87

[@GoldPhoenix]

I’m still trying to figure out why I’m compelled to watch this channel 😂 I’m a truck driver. I’ve traveled every road you’ve mentioned

[@briancatanzaro6053]

Cool video. This is one case where I prefer the "eastern" interstate over the "western" interstate, although I-88 western more like a "heartland" interstate.

[@ControlCityFreak]

Yeah eastern is definitely a lot more scenic byway n this case

[@shsav2012]

Looks like we’re getting two new states next week Vermont, New Hampshire

[@connorm1181]

Coming from chenango county ny, 88 is one of the most beautiful interstate highway views ever, very close next to i87 and the taconic/palisades/bear mountain parkways, however if you exit 88 pretty much anywhere between bainbridge and sidney and go north (most of chenango county) you will get some of the best sights of an extremely empty, lonely, and non historically important parts of the state, some of the most untouched and forgotten towns and hollows and villages of appalachia. Really beautiful stuff, however the best sights in NY in general are the ithaca/binghamton area

[@ControlCityFreak]

Yeah beautiful for sure

[@AdamSmith-gs2dv]

Also as someone who used to live in Albany you did a great job pronouncing Schenectady

[@kevinrussell3501]

I always thought that it made sense that I-88 should've been the number from where I-86 started in PA through Binghamton and continued on the current routing to Albany. Maybe they make the rest of I-86 to I-87 from Binghamton stay as I-86 or use a 3 digit number. This always made more sense to me. But following old NY state routes (17) is more important than properly numbering interstates?

[@DEEJAY440]

My Control Cities for I-88 East: Rotterdam / Albany Schenectady / Albany West: Binghamton

[@jeremyanderson1139]

Next week will be an interstate I'm very familiar with, Interstate 89

[@tylermarchand2996]

@jeremyabderson1139 It’ll be easy to sign: Concord-Lebanon OR White River Junction-Burlington-Montreal. I haven’t been on 89, but during a road trip around the country last summer, the route along I 90 east of Albany, I 91 north of Springfield and I 93 south to Concord was visually stunning. Even during the ‘relatively’ wet spring, the mountains west of Reno are nowhere near as green. But the granite mountains are still present…

[@highway2heaven91]

I think this is the first interstate where we’ve all agreed on the control cities in a while. I kind of think that I-90’s EB control city at the 88 interchange should also be NYC in addition to Albany but there are faster ways to reach NYC from I-88 so very few people would be going through this interchange to travel to NYC.

[@mxderateprod]

Yeah. The last one we all agreed on was I-71.

[@spellcast1391]

No NYC on I-88 East. Binghamton traffic would’ve taken I-81 or I-86 once it’s done.

[@chuckonwubu1458]

I-90 EB really only needs NYC listed at the I-87 interchange. But the Thruway wouldn't mind people driving on it as much as possible.

[@tylermarchand2996]

@highway2heaven91 Next week should also be one where there’s near universal agreement: Concord-(something along the Connecticut River)-Burlington-Montreal.

[@highway2heaven91]

@@tylermarchand2996 I don’t know, Vermont seems like a provincial state so they could easily ignore Montreal going Northbound and go for St. Albans City instead. I want to check on GSV now but I’ll let Todd surprise me on Thursday.

[@truckercowboyed2638]

Seems like we've been on the i80s the longest thanks to so many double numbered east and western,like the two i84s etc...... thankfully the i90s only have one of each as far as I know

[@markwilson4078]

Yep! We also had 2 I-87’s, 2 videos for 81, and Western 84 was split into two parts also with Oregon getting its own video.

[@EpicThe112]

What they could have done was simply extend this onto the free section of Interstate 90 in Albany as planned in the 1990s. that way, Interstate 90 stays on the Thruway where it merges with I-87 at Exit 24 then split at Exit 21A I-90 East Mass Pike Springfield Boston

[@chuckonwubu1458]

If there were more x90 numbers available in NY, I wouldn't be surprised if I-90 was fully on the Thruway and an x90 was on current "Free 90"

[@LeviRamsey]

I-88 is basically a bypass of most of NY-7, and thought was given to extending it north of the Thruway to at least I-87 and possibly beyond (NY-7 becomes VT-9 which becomes NH-9 and then ME-9 to New Brunswick: the number change is obviously because there's US-9 in NY and US-7 in VT and route 9 is the old (pre-US-highway system) New England Interstate 9, at least until Wells, Maine (where it would intersect New England Route 1/US-1 and I-95), after which Maine extended it (largely along a corridor between the current and historical routing of 95 from there to Bangor and then east to New Brunswick as the faster way (without a ferry) to Saint John, Moncton, Nova Scotia, PEI, and Newfoundland). There was some lobbying from the three northern New England states (six senators for maybe 3 million people...) for a direct Interstate between southern Maine and Albany which would be "Masshole free" and bypass the MassPike. As a consequence of not building 88 beyond the Thruway, the Thruway is free for at least cars traveling between 88 and the 87/90 swap, though I believe trucks/buses/RVs are still tolled for that stretch.

[@bnywtrains9482]

I-88 is really that beautiful. Do it during the summer or fall to get the best of the leaves.

[@miked31784]

I can’t wait for I-89, the first interstate that I completed the whole thing and for the first time since I-29, you get to go through two new states without going through any previous states that you have done so far with Vermont and New Hampshire.

[@ControlCityFreak]

Gonna be cool!

[@spellcast1391]

For a route to be an I-88 it must be an “Intrastate Interstate” and have well known cities on each end.

[@ControlCityFreak]

lol

[@ChampionAidan]

Todd. You should do a video where you rank all of the state’s DOTs.

[@ControlCityFreak]

I’m just doing it regionally for now but will do something like that when I get em all done kzbin.info/aero/PLZKwnYHnQQJWB4mcUZWax_3ki_Bcg9fRW

[@ChampionAidan]

@@ControlCityFreak can’t wait

[@elli6220]

Driven this entire road through multiple times (have family in both Binghamton and Saratoga). It's a pretty pleasant drive but New York really needs to increase their speed limits.

[@Handle_Needs_3_Or_More_Charact]

Unfortunately, NY likely won't be doing that. They were one of the very last states to increase their speed limit to 65.

[@markwilson4078]

This part of the country is not keen on high speed limits. Like the other guy said, NY was one of the last states to go up to 65. We in CT used to be at 55 until we went up to 65. The winding roads, rush hour traffics, and forested areas we have in the northeast don’t facilitate high speeds.

[@tylermarchand2996]

@elli6220 It could be worse. Before 2016, Interstates in Oregon were capped at 65, while every surrounding state had speed limits of 70 (75 in Idaho and Nevada). But non interstates were the worst: never faster than 55, while, again, every other surrounding state had even undivided two lanes at 65 (70 in Nevada). East of the Cascades, Interstates are now 70, and select other highways are now 65. It makes driving through the Oregon desert more enjoyable.

[@barryhostetler1897]

When you do I-90 you can do in 3 part where I-90 Western from Seattle, Washington to South Dakota Minnesota State line then turn around back toward Seattle. Then I-90 Middle from Minnesota to Ohio/Pennsylvania State then Turn around back toward South Dakota. Then I-90 Eastern from Ohio/ Pennsylvania State line to Boston, Massachusetts then turn around toward Ohio

[@JessicaKasumi1990]

Incoming joke. It should be a right of passage to go 88 on I-88 and go back in time in a Delorean.

[@ControlCityFreak]

lol

[@kosjeyr]

Are you a Biff lover?

[@JessicaKasumi1990]

@@kosjeyr Great Scott! I love Doc Brown.

[@Mathman2021]

Hey. When you do I-90 can you please show my exit, Wisconsin-60 in Wisconsin Lodi/Arlington exit #

[@ControlCityFreak]

Maybe if I get a Super Sticker 😜

[@Mathman2021]

@@ControlCityFreak Take a look! 😆

[@mxderateprod]

@@todd9533Is this CCF? Just wondering

[@Mathman2021]

@@mxderateprod I guessing he is not… But not fully sure! We’ll see if he replies! 😁 @ControlCityFreak replied to my super thanks message, so I know he noticed it!

[@ControlCityFreak]

Yep, me, logged in with the wrong account lol. Thanks @Mathman!

[@catholicactionbibleonlyist1813]

I clinched i-88 the other being i-68 Buck O'Neill should have got Induced in 2006

[@alonzolane1092]

I'm with you on the baseball hof smh

[@scpatl4now]

Couldn't you also sign 88 west to Elmira? I know it ends before that, but 88 is what you would take to get there

[@tylermarchand2996]

@scpatl4now Leave that for I 86. Binghamton is the immediate priority...

[@ControlCityFreak]

agreed

[@spellcast1391]

I-86 goes there

[@JAldrich73]

I can’t wait for next week and I-89….all new states!

[@ControlCityFreak]

Gonna be cool!

[@drivingbritt9617]

I have a question, which direction driving on an east-west interstate highway is the 'right' way, eastbound or westbound? And for north-south interstates, is northbound or southbound the 'right' way? I ask because on east-west and north-south highways the exit/mile numbers increase from west to east and south to north respectively, and on Wikipedia when describing Interstates highways, they invariably only describe the highways' routes going eastbound for east-west highways, and northbound for north-south highways.

[@ControlCityFreak]

I generally always do it that way in these vids, but there’s been a couple of exceptions like 14 and 69.

[@drivingbritt9617]

@@ControlCityFreak I know, but the question I'm asking is in general, like driving these roads, do you think driving northbound and eastbound are the 'right' ways to drive these roads and southbound and westbound are the 'wrong' ways to drive these roads?

[@spellcast1391]

He does them both ways

[@spellcast1391]

@@drivingbritt9617 numbers are higher in North and East.

[@drivingbritt9617]

@@spellcast1391 The question is about which direction _driving_ is the correct way, not about looking at the road and the directions it travels.

[@SpongeTracks37]

SpongeTracks's the way it should be Westbound: Binghamton Eastbound: Albany/Schenectady Can't wait for 89 next week, hard one to sign, I'll let you know VT is not great at signing in my opinion, at least for 89, also I can't wait to see your thoughts on 189

[@tylermarchand2996]

@SpongeTracks37 Well, Vermont is very limited as to what could be signed because of how small it is. Burlington is the only one everyone will agree on, but outside of that, I’d only put Montreal for 89 North, Sherbrooke for I 91 North, Concord (or Manchester) for I 93 South, Springfield for I 91 South, and White River Junction for where 89 and 91 meet (all the towns along this stretch of the Connecticut River add up to well over 200k)…

[@mxderateprod]

@@tylermarchand2996 Lebanon NH is the biggest one so it could be signed on both 89 and 91 Concord is fine for SB. It is in fact the capital and not too much smaller than Manchester. Lastly, I could make a case for Montpelier SB only, at least as a secondary.

[@tylermarchand2996]

@@mxderateprod Yeah, the 89/91 junction isn't easy to sign. Lebanon is the largest city in the area, but the two highways meet on the Vermont side of the Connecticut River. I would normally list Hartford as the control (the largest town on the Vermont side of the river, one of only four communities with so much as 10k in this region, and where the interchange is physically located), but this isn't too far away from another Hartford with about 1.2M people, which is still past Springfield (not to mention there's another Springfield on the Vermont side of the river in this same area). That is why my choice was White River Junction, the specific village in Hartford that the interchange borders...

[@mxderateprod]

@@tylermarchand2996 It doesn't matter if it doesn't go there. Tons and tons of roads are signed for places they don't go to, or even enter the state of.

[@spellcast1391]

@@mxderateprod Okay. I-89 North Lebanon Burlington Montreal I-89 South Burlington Lebanon Concord Bow?

[@davidfreesefan23]

I’m looking forward to I-90 in a couple weeks!

[@ControlCityFreak]

Gonna be cool!

[@alexthemtaandr211weatherfa2]

Three or four parts

[@tylermarchand2996]

@alexthemtaandr211weatherfa2 If Todd can get I 80 into two videos, he can do the same for I 90. 260 if I 90’s miles were already covered in the 80 videos (Gary-Elyria), which largely (or more than) cancels out the extra length that I 90 has over 80. Eastern 90 may be relatively dense compared to I 80 (Madison-Rockford-Chicago Skyway and Cleveland-Erie-Buffalo-Rochester-Syracuse-Utica-Albany-Springfield-Worcester-Boston), but it will also be countered with an equally sparse west (Coeur d’Alene-Missoula-Bozeman-Billings-Rapid City-Sioux Rapids)…

[@ControlCityFreak]

@@tylermarchand2996 gonna be minimum 3

[@SonicandHighwayDude401]

For those who like Milage Exits; here are all 25 Exits for I-88 eastern: Exit WB 1- NY 7 W *EB Merge* Exit 2- NY 12A Exit 4- NY 369/NY 7B Exit 7- NY 7 E Exit 12- Martin Hill Rd Exit 16- NY 79 Exit 23- NY 41 Exit 29- NY 206 Exit 33- NY 8 Exit 37- to NY 7 Exit 40- NY 357 Exit 46- to NY 7 Exit 53- NY 205/NY 991D Exit EB 55- Main St *WB Merge* Exit 56- NY 23/NY 28 S Exit 58- Co Rt 47 Exit 61- NY 28 (I-88's POI: Coopersville) Exit 71- Co Rt 56 Exit 76- Hollenbeck Rd Exit 87- NY 10 S Exit 90- Hite Rd Exit 95- NY 145 Exit 101- NY 30A Exit 111- US 20/NY 7 Exit 116- NY 7

[@ControlCityFreak]

Cool!

[@SonicandHighwayDude401]

@@ControlCityFreak Thanks. It's kinda my thing.

[@tylermarchand2996]

@thederphog If you’re doing this going forward, then you’re going to have lots of fun along 89, 91 and 93. Assuming you haven’t done it yet, I 87 will need this treatment, and maybe part of I 81. I also imagine 90 along the Dewey Thruway, and 95 from Delaware north will be fun…

[@CrystalClearWith8BE]

All of us agree that eastbound I-88 NY is signed for Albany while westbound I-88 NY is signed for Binghamton. Speaking of eastbound I-88 NY, we don't need to sign Schenectady, even though the highway terminates east near there and it's a satellite of Albany in New York State's Capital District. It's best to put Schenectady on the mileage signs, only as we approach the Capital District of the state.

[@ControlCityFreak]

Agreed

[@tylermarchand2996]

@crystalclearwith8be292 I have a contrary position on eastbound. Albany and Schenectady should alternate on the mileage signs. “Satellite” is just a fancy word for “suburb”, and, in my eyes, suburbs should NEVER have more than half the population of the “parent” city. If Schenectady had less than 50k, then I’d be 100% in favor of skipping it on mileage signs (alas, 67k > half of 100k).

[@mxderateprod]

@@tylermarchand2996Suburbs should never be signed. I can see a case for Aurora going WB and 88 western, but other than that, no suburbs.

[@tylermarchand2996]

@@mxderateprod I was never in favor of having Aurora be a bottom line; just that 80 and 88 have signs indicating the approach to Chicago (Joliet TO CHICAGO or Aurora TO CHICAGO) from Iowa. As for this 88, I am saying that Schenectady is too close in population to Albany (67k vs 100k) to be a suburb, which is why I say alternate on the travel signs...

[@ControlCityFreak]

@@tylermarchand2996 I don’t think Schenectady is a suburb, but Albany is far more important and well known. That rule doesn’t quite work either. Mesa is on the way to half the population of Phoenix, but it’ll never not be a suburb. Can’t think of an example in the US offhand, but Quezon City is bigger than the city proper of Manila, but it’s definitely still a suburb

[@geraldnagytenneson]

The way I think it should be EAST: Albany WEST: Binghamton

[@damienredd9068]

I 88 is the best major interstate highway in the world

[@ControlCityFreak]

Lol

[@alexthemtaandr211weatherfa2]

No interstate 80 and 35

[@spellcast1391]

Which one? This one or the Illinois one? I think the Illinois one is better because it serves more people and is newer

[@alexthemtaandr211weatherfa2]

@@spellcast1391 I’ve been on Illinois 88 and the famous interstate 80.

[@tylermarchand2996]

This I 88 is very easy to sign: Binghamton westbound and alternating between Albany and Schenectady eastbound. I say alternate between cities if there are other cities in the same metro that have MORE THAN HALF of the population of the largest city. Schenectady has 67k vs 100k in Albany, so it qualifies here (that’s not to mention other “towns” that border Albany and have HIGHER populations than Schenectady!). The way I look at things, if a smaller metropolitan city has a population roughly similar to that of the biggest city, then it malpractice to just dismiss it as a “suburb”. Biloxi, Fort Worth, Saint Paul and St. Petersburg are major cities that clearly AREN’T suburbs, because they have populations not that far off from their slightly larger counterparts…

[@highway2heaven91]

Suburbs are generally considered to be secondary cities that rely on the main city and could not stand on their own. Places like Fort Worth and Saint Paul could clearly stand on their own. So can Tacoma.

[@mxderateprod]

Why can’t you just dual control it?

[@Handle_Needs_3_Or_More_Charact]

@@highway2heaven91 Schenectady and Troy are very much considered equal to Albany in the capital region and all three are named together when referring to the metro area.

[@markwilson4078]

I know nothing about Biloxi, but I agree and disagree after that. Fort Worth could stand as their own city, but it is so close to Dallas that they have to be signed together if you are going for Fort Worth (unless you have already taken the split I-35). St. Paul also has that I-35 split, but the reason it can stand on its own is because it is Minnesota’s capital city. Move it out of there St. Paul no longer has a leg to stand on. St. Petersburg is an interesting case. They are far enough from Tampa that the two cities are in different counties (I know this because I grew up in the Tampa Bay Area). Because of St. Petersburg being in Pinellas County, 275 could and should sign it on its own going southbound. Going northbound, you do need to dual sign it if you have already gotten off 75 to go to the Sunshine Skyway, but from I-75, staying on 75 is the best way to Tampa from Manatee County because that county still borders Hillsborough County where you have Tampa. That all said, St. Petersburg’s identity comes from Tampa since Pinellas is still a county that borders the actual Tampa Bay. The one Rays game I was at took place in St. Petersburg even though they are the Tampa Bay Rays. My aunt lives in the county not far from there and last I remember she gets the Tampa Tribune for her newspaper. Every bridge you have to cross to get from Hillsborough County over goes over the Tampa Bay. There are other counties that are identified as part of the Bay Area, but Pinellas is the biggest one that does not house Tampa itself.

[@ControlCityFreak]

@@markwilson4078 I have a long history with St Pete and have lived there before. It’s definitely it’s own city. It has a real downtown and I didn’t know anyone who drove across the bridge to work. For lots of folks in St Pete Tampa is just for the airport, Bucs games (both of these barely into Tampa), Lightning games, a night out in Ybor once every couple years, and Busch Gardens.

[@ericalbright4943]

Let Pete In!!!

[@ControlCityFreak]

Right? Bonds too

[@kosjeyr]

Being born in Illinois: THIS IS NOT THE REAL 88! 🤣🤣🤣

[@spellcast1391]

I think you could make an argument it is. I would agree with you. Even though the Western I-88 was created second, I’ve heard of that one first(granted I live near it)

[@spellcast1391]

Idk the combined populations of the major cities. It mirrors I-88 Western a bit. Moline-Rock Island on the West Side, Suburban Chicago(Hillside) on the East Side. I-88 Eastern continues the pattern.

[@roadgeek1961]

The last of the 2 digit Interstate that the duplicate. An Intrastate Interstate being completely in New York State. From Binghamton to the Capital District of Albany. Connecting travelers from Canada, Northern New England as a Bypass to the I 95 Boston to Washington DC corridor, let's people travel to Florida. History. Part of the 1968 extension of the original 1956 Interstate system, work began in 1968. Wrapped up in 1989 Connecting New York SR 7 with I 81. A more scenic route than the New York Thruway via I 88 and I 86. Fairly simple Eastbound Albany. Westbound Binghamton. Next week Northern New England.

[@InternetKilledTV21]

Nice pronunciation of Schenectady! So many times I've heard "Shuh"-nectady. They did just completely re-pave a ton of 88 with federal money, but I think it should be redesignated as NY-7, which traces basically the same route.

[@champan250]

The I-86 (eastern) should not exist, the section west of Binghamton should be part of I-88

[@ControlCityFreak]

Good point, will probably be a good while until 86 is extended

[@tylermarchand2996]

@chapman250 Everyone talks about the gap between Binghamton and Middletown, but if I’m not mistaken, there’s also another gap near the portion that dips into Sayre?

[@Ramiestar]

Then you have I-88 beginning and ending at I-90. The route from Erie to Albany (though Corning, Binghamton, and Oneonta) could very well be an I-x90.

[@LeviRamsey]

@@Ramiestar At 350-ish miles, that would be far longer than any other 3di (and longer than a substantial portion of legitimate 2dis). The comparison would be I-57 (57 comes within a few miles of 55 in Chicago), and it's not a slam dunk that 57 wins that comparison.

[@markwilson4078]

@@RamiestarI-12 already begins and ends with I-10, so it wouldn’t be crazy to have 88 begin and end on 90 in that sense. That said, if they extended 86 anywhere else, then the other extended 88 would no longer be feasible. Of course, if 86 and 88 became one interstate, I would rather it be 88 because it would be too long to be a 3di at this point. Even 395 in CT that goes into Massachusetts is nowhere near this long.

[@miked31784]

First one here