The AARoads Blog

Almost devoid of snow, U.S. 61 northbound after its split with U.S. 67 in downtown Davenport, Iowa. A full day of rain washed most of the snow away, but it would return with a vengeance later Christmas day.

More snow fell then forecast, with the Quad Cities area receiving 3 to 4 inches. This photo, taken at 7:47 am, shows the condition of Interstate 74 near Exit 4 to U.S. 67. The overpass above was replaced in 2009, and the Clearview-fonted signage below was added in place of an overhead assembly.

Snow covered Illinois-Iowa Memorial Bridge across the Mississippi River.
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And, finally, we have the third part of the trip – from Antelope Canyon to New Mexico. Daniel Brim and I, driving a cargo van… always fun exploring narrow old roads in a big old vehicle like that!

Here’s a 1950s Indian road sign! Complete with peeling numbers on some of the oldest engineer grade (does not fade to green) scotchlite I have ever seen. They invented the stuff in 1950 and this is not much newer than that. 18×12 inches; somewhere in southeast Utah near the Four Corners area.

This might very well be a meteor in daytime! I just noticed this when I was processing these photos – note the smoke trail in the middle. I have the photo from 1 second before, and 4 seconds after, and they show nothing – but this one definitely has that black streak, which I believe to be a smoke trail from a very bright meteor.

Behold the birds. Pagosa Springs, Colorado has this lake, fountain assembly… and swans!

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Iowa trip day 2

Continuing the drive north from Sikeston to the Quad Cities, clouds dominated the day, and from Springfield northward, snow flakes joined the fray. Generally traveled northward along Interstate 55, with a loop onto the new I-64, I-270, and I-255 around St. Louis. Took Interstate 155 to Interstates 74/474 to the Quad Cities in light snow. Saw a pair of cars dislodged from the road, one of which was wrapped in barbed wire, the other perpendicular to the westbound carriageway within the median…

Southbound Interstate 55 at the loop ramp onto Interstate 57’s northbound beginning. It appears that the I-57 shield may be covering up a square shield?

No Interstate 57 shields were posted between the beginning and Exit 4. We settled for this shot on County Road B.

An older spec Interstate 55 Missouri shield in place on U.S. 60 eastbound at the northbound loop ramp to Interstate 55 at Interstate 57’s northbound beginning.

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Some notes and photos from a holiday drive northward from the Gulf Coast area to Iowa. Day 1 focused on the Interstate 55 corridor northward to Sikeston, Missouri. The day started out foggy, with lots of standing water from recent floodwaters over southern Mississippi. The the sun shined northward to Grenada, where murky skies set in and remained in place throughout the week

U.S. 84 shifted from its Main Street alignment through Collins onto a new four-lane bypass north of town. The old alignment was redesignated Mississippi 184. A new partial-cloverleaf interchange joins U.S. 49 with the relocated U.S. 84.

U.S. 49’s approach to Interstates 20 and 55 at Richland was upgraded to an expressway recently. The controlled-access route bypasses some of the businesses, now served by frontage roads, from the split with Old Highway 49 north to U.S. 49’s merge onto Interstate 20 west & 55 south.

Interstates 20 & 55 westbound near their split in south Jackson. Road work is underway presently to replace the westbound bridge over U.S. 51 / State Street.

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Photos from late August of this year, when Daniel Brim and I drove from California to New Mexico … in a moving van. Always fun doing three-point turns on narrow old alignments. We stopped at Antelope Canyon along the way – and this set will not include any pictures from there, as it ends just as we get there. The next batch will be the canyon itself.

Part of the collection of someone who wishes to remain anonymous. Well, the signs are visible to anyone from the public right-of-way, so you can go find them if you want! This style of directional sign, complete with glass reflectors, was used on high speed thoroughfares from 1933 to the early 50s.

Nevada state route 167 branches off of old US-91. The road is lit from the side by a truck stop immediately behind us, that serves Interstate 15.

The truck stop, now with actual truck.

The Virgin River Gorge – Arizona interstate route 15. Whereas old US-91 went around it, I-15 was blasted straight through, saving about 30 miles.

Fires in Los Angeles result in skies like this in Utah.

One from Dan, from the same general vicinity. His pictures can be found here. Go look, as his are generally like mine, except more awesome.

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Day 5 – Cincinnati to the Gulf Coast

A few highlights from the final day of traveling from the Cincinnati area back south toward the Gulf Coast of Florida…

The start of the morning has us heading north from the Covington area back into Cincinnati over the Brent Spence Bridge. Opened to traffic in 1963, this double-deck cantilever bridge carries Interstate 71 and Interstate 75 traffic from Kentucky into the western downtown area of Cincinnati, where the two interstates depart for Columbus (Interstate 71) and Dayton (Interstate 75), respectively. A study is currently underway to improve traffic flow and to replace the existing Brent Spence bridge. More than likely, a new structure will be built to replace the almost 47 year old bridge spanning the Ohio River.

Heading north on the lower deck of the Brent Spence Bridge toward the downtown area of Cincinnati. Photo taken 11/08/09.

Part of the trek around the Cincinnati area involved traveling Interstate 471. The short 5.75 mile expressway connects Interstate 71 in downtown Cincinnati with Interstate 275 and U.S. Highway 27 in Kentucky east of Covington and Newport. Originally planned in the 1960’s to connect Covington and Newport as the Riverside Expressway, Interstate 471 saw several changes in its controversial routing before being built in its current location. An interesting note about the expressway, the portion south of the Interstate 275 interchange is actually signed as Interstate 471, and not as Kentucky 471, its hidden route designation south of the greater Cincinnati beltway. So, the question must be asked, exactly where does Interstate 471 end? Most would say at the interchange with Interstate 275 but signs show otherwise…

This guide sign warns motorists that Interstate 471 ends 1/2 mile ahead. This sign is actually found just south of the interchange with Interstate 275 before the at-grade intersection with U.S. Highway 27. Photo taken 11/08/09.

Approaching the intersection with Alexandria Pike (U.S. Highway 27) and the beginning of northbound Interstate 471. Photo taken 11/08/09.

First northbound reassurance shield for Interstate 471 just north of the Alexandria Pike intersection and south of the interchange with Interstate 275. Photo taken 11/08/09.

The Smart Fix project along Interstate 40 between exits 388A (James White Parkway) and 389 (Hall of Fame Drive)in Knoxville, Tennessee is now complete and opened to traffic, as of June 12, 2009, 18 days ahead of schedule. The 14-month closure resulted in mainline Interstate 40 through traffic being rerouted onto Interstate 640 to avoid the construction area. The project included the widening of Interstate 40 into a six-lane urban arterial with four auxiliary lanes, rehabilitation and reconstruction of 13 bridges and other improvements, and a complete renovation of the interchange with Tennessee 158 (James White Parkway) at Exit 388A.

Traveling east along Interstate 40 after Exit 388A in Knoxville. This stretch of interstate was closed for 14 months as part of the Smart Fix project, a project at making a 40 year plus old section of Interstate 40 safer to traffic. Photo taken 11/08/09.

Newly reconstructed overpass for Hall of Fame Drive over Interstate 40 at Exit 389. This aesthetically pleasing overpass was reconstructed as part of the Smart Fix project along the interstate between exits 388A and 389. Photo taken 11/08/09.

More from my New Mexico trip of November 2008, including some actual New Mexico this time.

On the mountain pass between Chama, New Mexico, and Cumbres, Colorado – both states call this one highway 17. The sky was dark blue, just after sunrise – the snow is that bright, and there is just that little atmosphere, at 10,000 feet.

Sunset over the plains of northeast New Mexico. Old US-64 (now state highway 325) near Capulin Volcano.

An undisclosed location in northeast New Mexico, home to my friend Dale. Certainly no old signs to be found anywhere.

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Time for some photos from my trip from San Diego to eastern New Mexico and back, in November 2008. This batch is from the first day of my trip, and is heavily centered around Utah. Specifically: highway 95 in southeast Utah, crossing the Colorado River in red rock country.

The only button copy sign in Nevada. This one is very, very old.

Ominous clouds over old US-91 in southern Utah.

Red rock country. Utah, everybody.

Highway 95 at sunset.

Highway 95 somewhat past sunset. This wide-angle shot (about 140 degrees field of view!) is made possible by a fisheye lens and a rectilinear conversion tool. Large version of image is 7000 pixels wide!

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Day 3 – Petoskey to Sault Ste. Marie to Detroit

Started the day on a frosty morning in Petoskey, traveling up U.S. 31 through resort towns by scenic lakes and hills to its end at Interstate 75. Stopped by Fort Michilimackinac State Historic Park in Mackinaw City to view the Mackinaw Bridge in 27 degree wind. The Mackinac Bridge, nicknamed the "Mighty Mac" or "Big Mac", spans the Straits of Mackinac between Mackinaw City and St. Ignace. The Straits connects Lakes Michigan and Huron and separate the Upper and Lower Peninsulas of the state. Traveling a distance of 8,614 feet, the suspension bridge is the third longest in the world. Drivers travel the span for a total of five miles when incorporating its approaches.

The Mackinac Bridge opened on November 1, 1957 after three and a half years of construction to replace ferry services connecting U.S. 23 with U.S. 2 at St. Ignace. Towers of the signature span rise to a height of 554 feet and are sunk 210 feet into the submerged bedrock. Every Labor Day morning two lanes of the span are closed to vehicle traffic for the annual Bridge Walk.

Tolls are levied to cross the bridge in both directions at a rate of $3.00 per passenger vehicle. Speed limits are set at 45 for passenger cars and 20 mph for commercial trucks. There are no shoulders on the bridge and the inside lanes constitute an open steel grid to reduce both its load and improve its wind resistance.

Interstate 75 draws to a close at the customs station just north of the Exit 394 diamond interchange with Easterday Avenue in Sault Ste. Marie. The customs plaza lies at the foot of the tolled International Bridge leading north to Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. Fees to cross the cantilever bridge are set at $2.50 per passenger vehicle.

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Day 2 – Seymour, Indiana to Petoskey, Michigan

Heading north from southern Indiana to the capital city, Interstate 65 continues with four lanes and loads of tractor trailers. The constant beating the pavement takes from the moving freight prompted officials to resurface the route from Whiteland to Greenwood in 2007 as part of the INDOT Major Moves initiative. Expansion of the road to six lanes does not occur until Exit 99.

Interstate 65’s diamond interchange with Indiana 46 was upgraded to a single point urban interchange. In addition to the ramp reconfiguration, decorative arches were added to the Interstate 65 bridges over the state road.

Once in the downtown Indianapolis area, Interstate 65 briefly joins with Interstate 70 on the east side of the central business district. This stretch was rehabilitated in 2003 as part of the “Hyperfix 65/70″ project by INDOT. 33 bridge decks and 35 lane miles of concrete were repaired to go along with capacity improvements as part of a $30-million project. This stretch opened in 1976.

Morning traffic slows toward the Exit 113 split-diamond interchange, the main access point into downtown Indianapolis from Interstate 65 north. Pictured here are stacked ramps built at the split with Interstate 70 over a ghost ramp that was intended to join the freeways with unconstructed Interstate 69.

Encircling the city is Interstate 465, Indianapolis’ beltway and a myriad of vastly unsigned overlaps. They include U.S. 31, 36, 40, 52, 421, and Indiana 37 & 67. Construction is underway on two projects involving the 53-mile loop. The first is emergency work to repair a bridge at the Interstate 69 interchange that was damaged when a propane truck exploded in late October. The freeway was briefly closed in both directions so crews could assess the damage and make emergency repairs. Work currently shifts the westbound direction above the I-69 southbound on-ramp as crews finish repairs.

Additional work along Interstate 465 was completed in 2008 involving pavement rehabilitation from Fall Creek to Interstate 74, joining other recently completed work focused on widening of Interstate 465 between the split with Interstate 74 west and 56th Street. The $74.8-million work included the upgrading of the 38th Street interchange. Construction on this stretch, one of the oldest of the beltway, was completed between 2007 and 2009.

Accelerate 465 entails Interstate 465 southward from Interstate 74 to Interstate 70 on the southwest side of Indianapolis. Upgrading of the freeway will result in 12 foot travel lanes, a 30 foot paved median with jersey barrier within a minimum 216 foot right of way. Interchange improvements are included. At Interstate 74 / Crawfordville Road (U.S. 136), new ramps will join U.S. 136 with both freeways (currently not a direct movement). High speed flyover ramps will be added to the interchange with Interstates 74 and 465 and eliminate some of the loop ramps and associated weaving traffic movements. Work also will upgrade interchanges with West 10th Street, U.S. 36 (Rockville Road), U.S. 40 (Washington Street), the Sam Jones Expressway, and Interstate 70. The Interstate 70 work will replace the eastbound to northbound loop ramp with a 40-mph design speed flyover.

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