# Are all public roads interconnected? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 14, 2009, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-public-roads-interconnected/506403 "2009-08-14T14:26:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![taddvc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a3d4f5/32.png) [@taddvc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/taddvc)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2009, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-public-roads-interconnected/506403/1 "2009-08-14T14:26:24Z")
Here’s one I’ve never heard before. Is the web of paved, public roads, streets, highways and byways all completely interconnected? In other words, can I reach every single paved road in the continental United States without ever leaving blacktop? In other other words, are there any public roads in the lower 48 not connected to the greater “grid?” As I am planning a summer driving tour of the ENTIRE United States and have only a four-door sedan with no four-wheel drive, your prompt response would be greatly appreciated. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2009, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-public-roads-interconnected/506403/2 "2009-08-14T14:31:43Z")
There are areas where a dirt road is the only connection between 2 paved roads. And some of those dirt roads are in very bad shape so you need 4 wheel drive for them. I know of a road in Great Smoky Mtns National park that is paved but you can only get to it via a dirt road. I think they had plans to extend the paved road to the interstate but it did not happen. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2009, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-public-roads-interconnected/506403/3 "2009-08-14T14:34:48Z")
There are roads on islands that you can only reach by ferry. In addition, the roads on Point Roberts in Washington State can only be reached by driving outside the United States and through two border control points. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2009, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-public-roads-interconnected/506403/4 "2009-08-14T14:35:48Z")
There are lots of islands with no bridges. If you count ferries, then I suppose they are connected. There are other places that have roads but do not allow cars, like Fire Island in New York and Mackinac Island in Michigan. And, though not in the lower 48, there’s a large chunk of Alaska which is accessible only by sea or air. ---
**Author:** ![Kevbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e47774/32.png) [@Kevbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kevbo)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2009, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-public-roads-interconnected/506403/5 "2009-08-14T14:37:14Z")
plenty of gravel roads are fine for 2wd the better ones are preferable to bad pavement. ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2009, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-public-roads-interconnected/506403/6 "2009-08-14T14:39:09Z")
Are you including or exuding islands that can be reached only by ferry? ---
**Author:** ![spingears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2009, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-public-roads-interconnected/506403/7 "2009-08-14T14:39:39Z")
\*“I am planning a summer driving tour of the ENTIRE United States and have only a four-door sedan with no four-wheel drive, your prompt response would be greatly appreciated.” \*Is this for real or just a DA exercise in MM?? For all practical purposes you will find very few if any paved roads that cannot be navigated via the highway network (grid). ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2009, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-public-roads-interconnected/506403/8 "2009-08-14T14:43:52Z")
One good non-island example is [Stehekin, WA](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stehekin,_Washington) on Lake Chelan. (There are other places along the lake that might qualify.) ---
**Author:** ![taddvc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a3d4f5/32.png) [@taddvc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/taddvc)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2009, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-public-roads-interconnected/506403/9 "2009-08-14T15:07:05Z")
I was not including any islands not connected by bridge. I see that I have several responses to the original question… so here’s a follow-up: Are there any paved public roads not accessible by other public roads, paved or otherwise? Out of pure curiosity, I want to know if there are any paved or well-maintained public roads in the lower 48 mainland that are isolated from the rest of the highway/road system. ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2009, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-public-roads-interconnected/506403/10 "2009-08-14T15:09:07Z")
> [@taddvc](#): > > As I am planning a summer driving tour of the ENTIRE United States You’re gonna need a bigger summer. ---
**Author:** ![taddvc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a3d4f5/32.png) [@taddvc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/taddvc)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2009, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-public-roads-interconnected/506403/11 "2009-08-14T15:11:32Z")
You seem to have answered both my original and follow-up questions in the affirmative, assuming that at least one of the public roads in Stehekin is paved. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2009, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-public-roads-interconnected/506403/12 "2009-08-14T15:12:40Z")
> [@taddvc](#): > > I was not including any islands not connected by bridge. I see that I have several responses to the original question… so here’s a follow-up: Are there any paved public roads not accessible by other public roads, paved or otherwise? Out of pure curiosity, I want to know if there are any paved or well-maintained public roads in the lower 48 mainland that are isolated from the rest of the highway/road system. Not the lower 48, but Barrow, AK is not an island, yet the roads up there do not connect to any other roads. They bring the gas in by boat in August. ---
**Author:** ![fuzzypickles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9d8465/32.png) [@fuzzypickles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fuzzypickles)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2009, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-public-roads-interconnected/506403/13 "2009-08-14T15:23:25Z")
The North American road system is [not connected](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darian_Gap) to the South American road system. ---
**Author:** ![Fubaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@Fubaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fubaya)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2009, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-public-roads-interconnected/506403/14 "2009-08-14T15:25:55Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > I know of a road in Great Smoky Mtns National park that is paved but you can only get to it via a dirt road. I think they had plans to extend the paved road to the interstate but it did not happen. That’s local to me, which road is that? ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2009, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-public-roads-interconnected/506403/15 "2009-08-14T17:28:51Z")
> [@fuzzypickles](#): > > The North American road system is [not connected](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darian_Gap) to the South American road system. I just looked at the Darien Gap on Google Maps. I wonder what’s with this [perfect 90-degree corner](http://maps.google.com/maps?t=h&q=7.9,-77.46&ie=UTF8&ll=8.123302,-77.631454&spn=0.099754,0.147629&z=13&iwloc=A) of altered vegetation? National park boundary, or image artifact? ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2009, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-public-roads-interconnected/506403/16 "2009-08-14T17:36:11Z")
The term lower 48 never made since to me. How can Hawaii not be a lower state? ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2009, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-public-roads-interconnected/506403/17 "2009-08-14T17:36:21Z")
> [@Fubaya](#): > > That’s local to me, which road is that? There is a paved road in Cataloochee valley of the Smokies that is only reachable by a dirt road. When you get off I-40 at US 276 the road is paved but the part that goes over the mountain is not paved. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2009, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-public-roads-interconnected/506403/18 "2009-08-14T17:44:38Z")
There are a number of communities in Northern Ontario that are connected only by railway to “the South”. Are there similar in the Lower 48? ---
**Author:** ![NineToTheSky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5a626/32.png) [@NineToTheSky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NineToTheSky)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2009, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-public-roads-interconnected/506403/19 "2009-08-14T17:46:49Z")
> [@Colophon](#): > > I just looked at the Darien Gap on Google Maps. I wonder what’s with this [perfect 90-degree corner](http://maps.google.com/maps?t=h&q=7.9,-77.46&ie=UTF8&ll=8.123302,-77.631454&spn=0.099754,0.147629&z=13&iwloc=A) of altered vegetation? National park boundary, or image artifact? It’s where a high resolution image is abutting a low resolution one. It’s made me look into the Darien Gap. Fascinating. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2009, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-public-roads-interconnected/506403/20 "2009-08-14T17:47:25Z")
Whittier, Alaska used to be not connected via road, only by train or boat. But now you can drive there as well. It’s not far from Anchorage but there is a big mountain between there and Anchorage. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-public-roads-interconnected/506403.md?page=2)