I (literally and without hyperbole) can throw a rock from my back yard and hit the southbound lanes of Interstate 55. Of course, to drive on said interstate I’d need to travel about 3/4 mile to get to the exit.
Related story: when a friend who grew up here came to visit a few years ago, her son, who had spent most of his life in California, got confused when they turned off the Interstate. They drove for a few miles, and he finally asked “how long is it to Grandpa’s house?” He was astonished when they told him it was still several hours away. He’d never been anywhere that was more than about 30 minutes off the Interstate before.
I had the opposite thing happen when I was a wee yooper. The first time my parents took me to a city - Milwaukee - I was absolutely astounded by the ramps and bridges that are pretty common in any city where two major highways come together. I think I still have the drawing I made. I’d never seen anything like that before in my life. I think I was about 8 or 9 years old.
A few miles from two entrances to I-94 and about a mile to the beginning/end of I-794.
I had some employees that were around a turn from I-94 that was a common places for cars and trucks to flip (they’re in the process of widening it). It was common for them to find random car parts in their yards. Even if there hadn’t been an accident, you’d be surprised how often lugnuts, tailpipes, chunks of metal or plastic, hubcaps etc, make their way off the freeway if you live in the right spot. I’d imagine the fact that they lived on the outside edge of a bend made it easier for small things to make their way towards the houses.
Hmmm, I’ve only lived further than 10 miles from an Interstate twice, and one of these times was near UCF which was 3 miles from the East West Expressway (an elevated toll road). Even a place like Mayville, NY where I’ve spent a few months with my dad is less than 10 miles from two Interstates!
But when I stayed in Ithaca for 2 years, it was…wow, only 24 miles from I-81. (technically, Route 13 in Ithaca is also a limited-access elevated highway for a bit, but I don’t count that because it doesn’t connect to the rest of the American elevated highway system.) I can’t believe the furthest I’ve ever lived from an Interstate is 24 miles.