Indiana I-64 question

[rmsandw]

What I always found interesting about this sign is that being in Chicago it has "Indiana" on the shields.  Plus, what shield use to be on it.  You can see the outlines of other shields in the background.

[agentsteel53]

What I always found interesting about this sign is that being in Chicago it has "Indiana" on the shields.  Plus, what shield use to be on it.  You can see the outlines of other shields in the background.

I think they just moved them around - there were at one point three routes, then they added a fourth.  probably the 65.  was that the last one completed in the Portage/Gary area?

[ShawnP]

Sign in Lanesville is on the westbound lane side and in good shape. The eastbound sign is of new standard and not 57. I have pics in the pretty fall foliage and recently in the snow. I have seen others taking pics so I know road geeks have seen it like me.

[rmsandw]

Would like to see the pics...

[mukade]

probably the 65.  was that the last one completed in the Portage/Gary area?

"the 65"?? Hoosiers don't speak Californian, of course.

Portage/Gary area?

- Gary:         95,707
- Hammond   76,545
- Portage         37,322
- Merrillville    33,416

Northwest Indiana or Gary-Hammond area would be better. Gary-Merrillville area if you're talking about largest cities on I-65. Portage is 5 miles east of I-65 at its closest point.

[agentsteel53]

"the 65"?? Hoosiers don't speak Californian, of course.

I was referring to a distinct shield on that green sign.  "the 65" is an unambiguous abbreviation for "the Interstate 65 highway marker". 

[ShawnP]

Once again thanks for the information guys as I used it to update the local paper.

[ShawnP]

Couple months ago found another Indiana I-64 sign in Crawford County but it was in really, really poor shape.

[Captain Jack]

Good luck finding US 460 signs.  US 460 was decommissioned in Indiana in November of 1976, well over 30 yrs ago.  Much of US 460 was also on the Lincoln Heritage Trail, so sign assemblies had US 460, SR 62 and a Lincoln Heritage Trail sign.  There were also a lot of classic 1940's spec cutout shields along that roadway well into the 1970's.  I needed my digital camera when I was a teen back there, hahaha, I could had taken pictures.

Two bits of trivia about US 460 in Indiana.  It was only commissioned west of its current terminus in the early 50's from what I had read, so it was only around in Indiana and Illinois for approximately 25 yrs.  It has been gone longer than it was ever here.  Also, the only section of US 460 in the State of Indiana that was not a duplex with another route was about 5 miles of the Diamond Avenue Expressway on the north side of Evansville.  The rest of it was either duplexed with SR 62 or SR 66.  That made it a real easy route number to decommission.

Funny, I still find myself scanning the roadside when I take SR 62, hoping to find something left from US 460. There was a barn a few miles into Illinois from New Harmony that was painted for Meramec Caverns, with a "stay on US 460 to US 66". I am not sure if it is still there, no easy way to get on that section with the bridge closed at New Harmony.

I always thought that was a pretty quick decommision. Has there been another US route in Indiana completely decommissioned in the last 50 years? I would think US 150 would be a better candidate. It meanders across the state with no real purpose or direction, most of the time duplexing with US 41 or 50.

[nwi_navigator_1181]

What I always found interesting about this sign is that being in Chicago it has "Indiana" on the shields.  Plus, what shield use to be on it.  You can see the outlines of other shields in the background.

This is discussed more in detail on the "Distant Interstate Trailblazers" thread, found in the Traffic Control sub-forum. In short, we believe the sign originally had just I-80 and I-90 shields, with I-65 and I-94 added soon after. It's in the realm of possibility that I-94 was one of the original two, depending on how old the sign is...but not too likely.

Regarding I-64, I find it interesting that I-64 was worked at the ends and met in the middle. That's very cool if you ask me. I passed I-64 every time I made my travels to Tennessee, but I hope to find a reason - any reason - to drive the Indiana portion of I-64. I've heard nothing but good things about that stretch.

[NWI_Irish96]

Good luck finding US 460 signs.  US 460 was decommissioned in Indiana in November of 1976, well over 30 yrs ago.  Much of US 460 was also on the Lincoln Heritage Trail, so sign assemblies had US 460, SR 62 and a Lincoln Heritage Trail sign.  There were also a lot of classic 1940's spec cutout shields along that roadway well into the 1970's.  I needed my digital camera when I was a teen back there, hahaha, I could had taken pictures.

Two bits of trivia about US 460 in Indiana.  It was only commissioned west of its current terminus in the early 50's from what I had read, so it was only around in Indiana and Illinois for approximately 25 yrs.  It has been gone longer than it was ever here.  Also, the only section of US 460 in the State of Indiana that was not a duplex with another route was about 5 miles of the Diamond Avenue Expressway on the north side of Evansville.  The rest of it was either duplexed with SR 62 or SR 66.  That made it a real easy route number to decommission.

Funny, I still find myself scanning the roadside when I take SR 62, hoping to find something left from US 460. There was a barn a few miles into Illinois from New Harmony that was painted for Meramec Caverns, with a "stay on US 460 to US 66". I am not sure if it is still there, no easy way to get on that section with the bridge closed at New Harmony.

I always thought that was a pretty quick decommision. Has there been another US route in Indiana completely decommissioned in the last 50 years? I would think US 150 would be a better candidate. It meanders across the state with no real purpose or direction, most of the time duplexing with US 41 or 50.

There is a pretty sizable stretch of US 150 from New Albany to Sholas that is not duplexed with anything, except for a brief segment near Paoli that is also IN 56.

[tdindy88]

Regarding I-64, I find it interesting that I-64 was worked at the ends and met in the middle. That's very cool if you ask me. I passed I-64 every time I made my travels to Tennessee, but I hope to find a reason - any reason - to drive the Indiana portion of I-64. I've heard nothing but good things about that stretch.

In short, it's unlike any other interstate in Indiana (although stretches of I-74 in the far southeast aren't bad and I-65 approaching Louisville could be worse.) After years of driving I-65 and I-69 in the north, driving I-64 in the south makes you almost forget that you're still in Indiana.

[Captain Jack]

Regarding I-64, I find it interesting that I-64 was worked at the ends and met in the middle. That's very cool if you ask me. I passed I-64 every time I made my travels to Tennessee, but I hope to find a reason - any reason - to drive the Indiana portion of I-64. I've heard nothing but good things about that stretch.

In short, it's unlike any other interstate in Indiana (although stretches of I-74 in the far southeast aren't bad and I-65 approaching Louisville could be worse.) After years of driving I-65 and I-69 in the north, driving I-64 in the south makes you almost forget that you're still in Indiana.

I-64 is by far the best interstate in Indiana. I was hoping for similar results for I-69, but unfortunately, the open section resembles the rest of I-69 in Indiana. The terrain gets better for the yet to be completed section before Bloomington, but I am sure with all the environmental protest, we won't see much in terms of median seperations and other scenic enhancements.

[ShawnP]

If you get a chance to hit I-64 east of Evansville to Louisville go for it. Very wide and not overly traveled with lots of good views.