# What's the longest continuously straight road in the US? The world? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 27, 2012, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-longest-continuously-straight-road-in-the-us-the-world/639059 "2012-10-27T18:01:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2012, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-longest-continuously-straight-road-in-the-us-the-world/639059/1 "2012-10-27T18:01:57Z")
Looking at a variety of maps, it seems that even in the flat states like North Dakota, Kansas, Nebraska, etc. even the straightest of roads has a bit of a jog in it after 30 or 40 miles, going off the straight and narrow a bit to avoid a gully, knob, wash, or uncommonly large anthill. Can anyone point me to the longest continuously straight road in the US? How about the world? I suspect Australia ought to be good for some unveering distances. ---
**Author:** ![Lanzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Lanzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lanzy)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2012, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-longest-continuously-straight-road-in-the-us-the-world/639059/2 "2012-10-27T18:08:43Z")
LMGTFY North Dakota Highway 46, is supposedly the straightest of them all – plumb line straight – the longest straight road in America. It stretches across 123 miles of north Dakota prairie from Hwy 30 in the west to a nameless county blacktop just past I-29 in the east, a steady 20 miles south of I-94. someone else can do the world ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2012, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-longest-continuously-straight-road-in-the-us-the-world/639059/3 "2012-10-27T18:12:53Z")
> [@Lanzy](#): > > LMGTFY > North Dakota Highway 46, is supposedly the straightest of them all – plumb line straight – the longest straight road in America. It stretches across 123 miles of north Dakota prairie from Hwy 30 in the west to a nameless county blacktop just past I-29 in the east, a steady 20 miles south of I-94. > someone else can do the world What about the curve by Little Yellowstone Park? ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2012, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-longest-continuously-straight-road-in-the-us-the-world/639059/4 "2012-10-27T18:16:50Z")
Yeah, but if you read more closely about that road, you get this: “its longest straight-as-an-arrow, lock your steering wheel and take a nap stretch – extends nearly 31 miles, from Gackle to Beaver Creek.” So I don’t buy it as the record at 123 miles. You didn’t think it’d be that easy, did you? ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2012, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-longest-continuously-straight-road-in-the-us-the-world/639059/5 "2012-10-27T18:46:09Z")
> [@Lanzy](#): > > LMGTFY > … 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2012, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-longest-continuously-straight-road-in-the-us-the-world/639059/6 "2012-10-27T18:50:14Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > 😕 That’s snark. “Let me Google that for you”. Googling led me to incomplete, if not wrong answers. So I asked here. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2012, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-longest-continuously-straight-road-in-the-us-the-world/639059/7 "2012-10-27T19:04:01Z")
The longest straight stretch of road in Australia is claimed to be on the Eyre Highway across the Nullarbor Plain, at 91 miles/147 km. I’ve taken a bus across it, and it’s pretty dam straight. The Nullarbor has the longest straight stretch of railroad in the world, 297 miles/478 km. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2012, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-longest-continuously-straight-road-in-the-us-the-world/639059/8 "2012-10-27T19:06:42Z")
I assume Lombard Street is out of the running. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2012, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-longest-continuously-straight-road-in-the-us-the-world/639059/9 "2012-10-27T19:13:47Z")
OK, the results so far: World record 91 miles, Eyre highway, Australia US record 35 miles, US-80 in Utah, Bonneville Salt flats. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2012, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-longest-continuously-straight-road-in-the-us-the-world/639059/10 "2012-10-27T19:18:19Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > Yeah, but if you read more closely about that road, you get this: “its longest straight-as-an-arrow, lock your steering wheel and take a nap stretch – extends nearly 31 miles, from Gackle to Beaver Creek.” > > So I don’t buy it as the record at 123 miles. > > You didn’t think it’d be that easy, did you? Googlemaps confirms this. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2012, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-longest-continuously-straight-road-in-the-us-the-world/639059/11 "2012-10-27T19:19:36Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > Googlemaps confirms this. Confirms which? The 31 miles or the 123 mile claim? ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2012, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-longest-continuously-straight-road-in-the-us-the-world/639059/12 "2012-10-27T19:30:17Z")
Lotsa wobbles on hiway 46 in ND, one at Gackle, one at county road 63, one at Little Yellowstone park. Still, I get a stretch that’s pretty straight from just south of Kindred to Little Yellowstone park that is about 43 miles. ---
**Author:** ![Mdcastle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/958977/32.png) [@Mdcastle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mdcastle)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2012, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-longest-continuously-straight-road-in-the-us-the-world/639059/13 "2012-10-27T19:35:23Z")
US 136 across central Illinois? ---
**Author:** ![RaftPeople](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@RaftPeople](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RaftPeople)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2012, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-longest-continuously-straight-road-in-the-us-the-world/639059/14 "2012-10-27T19:38:42Z")
Due to the curvature of the Earth, would a tunnel like the Chunnel be a better pick? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2012, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-longest-continuously-straight-road-in-the-us-the-world/639059/15 "2012-10-27T19:41:36Z")
> [@Mdcastleman](#): > > US 136 across central Illinois? Hm, 86 miles straight from west of Rantoul to just a few miles east of Havana!! **We have a new contender** for longest US straight road, it seems. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Desert\_Nomad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desert_nomad/32/177_2.png) [@Desert\_Nomad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desert_Nomad)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2012, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-longest-continuously-straight-road-in-the-us-the-world/639059/16 "2012-10-27T20:14:51Z")
Highway 85 across norther Saudi Arabia gets my vote… looks like well over 100 miles totally straight. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2012, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-longest-continuously-straight-road-in-the-us-the-world/639059/17 "2012-10-27T20:24:05Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > Can anyone point me to the longest continuously straight road in the US? How about the world? I suspect Australia ought to be good for some unveering distances. Just a thought but how are you defining straight? At what point does the curvature of the Earth become relevant? Consider a road 1 km from the South Pole that heads due East… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2012, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-longest-continuously-straight-road-in-the-us-the-world/639059/18 "2012-10-27T20:28:08Z")
> [@](#): > > Due to the curvature of the Earth, would a tunnel like the Chunnel be a better pick? Or better yet, the path Eärendil sailed. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2012, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-longest-continuously-straight-road-in-the-us-the-world/639059/19 "2012-10-27T20:33:39Z")
It sure isn’t anywhere near San Francisco. I’m sorry. I couldn’t resist a twofer. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2012, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-longest-continuously-straight-road-in-the-us-the-world/639059/20 "2012-10-27T21:00:32Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > Hm, 86 miles straight from west of Rantoul to just a few miles east of Havana!! > > **We have a new contender** for longest US straight road, it seems. > > Thanks! Not really. Look where it encounters Interstates 74, 55 and 155: in each one of those, 136 splits out a suicide or left turn lane, causing the primary lane to deviate from plumb. Looks like those segments are too short together to merit any kind of record. I was going to lobby for some 40-odd miles of Hwy 17 north of Alamosa Colorado just past the road to Sand Dunes NP, but it looks like the road has a very subtle wander to it. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-longest-continuously-straight-road-in-the-us-the-world/639059.md?page=2)