Spring is around the corner and what’s better than a quiet and scenic drive on a warm spring day? While you probably can’t search for a quiet drive on your GPS, Geotab has found each state’s best road for those looking for less traffic and better scenery.
Geotab, a global provider of IoT and connected transportation, released a study this morning that analyzes national road traffic data to determine which American routes are the least traveled. The company also ranked the top 10 quietest and least congested routes in the United States.
Utilizing traffic count data from the Highway Performance Monitoring System and the Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT) score, Geotab examined traffic across U.S. Interstates and Routes more than 10 miles long to identify the quietest route in each state. To help determine the ranking of the top 10 most scenic, quiet routes, Geotab sought input from renowned nature photographer, James Q Martin.
By combining the data and picturesque views, Alaska’s State Route 11 was named the quietest as well as the most scenic route in America. In comparison to the other quiet, scenic routes that were identified, Alaska’s State Route 11’s traffic numbers are dramatically sparse, averaging 196 vehicles per day. By comparison, the remaining nine selected routes averaged annual daily traffic of 2,976 vehicles, approximately 15 times busier than Alaska’s State Route 11.
“I chose Alaska's Dalton Highway as my favorite scenic, quiet route,” Martin said. “It is a road that reaches the top of the continent, and would literally allow you to see a polar bear in the right circumstances. All of these routes offer so much.”
Top 10 quietest and scenic roads in the U.S.
- Alaska’s State Route 11: 414 miles from Fairbanks to Deadhorse;
- Utah’s U.S. Route 50: 335 miles from Nevada state line to Colorado state line;
- Maine’s Old Canada Road (U.S. Route 201): 157 miles from Brunswick to Canadian border;
- Arizona’s U.S. Route 160: 256 miles from Tuba City to New Mexico state line;
- California’s State Route 139: 143 miles from Susanville to Oregon state line;
- Virginia’s Colonial Highway (State Route 90003): 23 miles from Yorktown to Jamestown;
- Louisiana’s Great River Road (U.S. Route 65): 101 miles from Clayton to Arkansas state line;
- Wyoming’s Beartooth Highway (U.S. Route 212): 35 miles along the Montana-Wyoming state line;
- New Hampshire’s U.S. Route 2: 35 miles from Maine state line to Vermont state line;
- Pennsylvania’s River Road (State Route 32): 41 miles from Falls Township to Kintnersville
In addition to picking the 10 most scenic, quiet routes, Geotab identified the overall least traveled routes from each state in America. While many of these routes are off the beaten path, Geotab’s newly launched interactive map, which includes photos and additional insights, has also been linked to Google Street Views to help highlight the must-sees on or near each route, making this a list of possible road trip destinations for travelers seeking the open road – or commercial drivers looking to avoid some taillights on the way to their destinations.
“The Internet of Things is expanding rapidly, and this includes increasing connectivity in the automotive realm,” said Mike Branch, vice president of business intelligence at Geotab. “Having a deeper understanding of the infrastructure that helps keep us moving today, can only steer us towards safer and more connected communities in the future.”
