65 Years Ago Today...

[CoreySamson]

On this day 65 years ago, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the Federal Highway Act, which gave birth to the interstate highway as we know it. Happy 65th birthday to the Interstate Highway System!

[SkyPesos]

Without it, who knows if this road forum would be as big as it is currently. Certainly, FritzOwl wouldn't be here 

[Max Rockatansky]

You both realize that freeways did exist before the Interstate System and a lot of states did have plans to develop more?  If anything there would probably me a lot more toll roads today if it wasn't Federal Highway Aid Act.

[CoreySamson]

You both realize that freeways did exist before the Interstate System and a lot of states did have plans to develop more?  If anything there would probably me a lot more toll roads today if it wasn't Federal Highway Aid Act.

Yes, I am very aware. But the Federal Highway Aid Act did contribute heavily to the roads we have today, so I thought I might as well post about its 65th anniversary.

[Ned Weasel]

You both realize that freeways did exist before the Interstate System and a lot of states did have plans to develop more?  If anything there would probably me a lot more toll roads today if it wasn't Federal Highway Aid Act.

Hell, maybe toll roads would be less controversial, and people wouldn't spend so much time questioning the virtue of user fees and just wishing the money would magically appear from thin air.

Woah, here's a Fictional Highways idea:  What if we had a national tollway system with system-wide E-ZPass, coast to coast?

[SkyPesos]

Woah, here's a Fictional Highways idea:  What if we had a national tollway system with system-wide E-ZPass, coast to coast?

Here's a map Froggie posted on another thread a couple of months ago. Maybe all those turnpikes would get built without the Interstate Highways Act. I made my own predictions for the eastern Midwest in fictional, though without the Interstate Highways Act, obviously the numbers would be different, or the turnpikes would be solely known by a name.

Looking at that map, here's some predictions I would make if those proposed turnpikes are built and grandfathered into the interstate system had the interstate system came a bit later to give time for these turnpikes to be built:

Chicago-Indianapolis-Cincinnati: Numbering would be a combination of I-74 and I-65. Assuming exit numbers increase going southeastward, so the zero point is the same as the Indiana Toll Road's, I-65's exit numbers would be backwards, like I-90 on the NY Thruway. Through Indianapolis, I think it may follow what currently is the northern loop of I-465 to bypass it, with the I-74 and I-65 designations switching at the northwest side of Indianapolis.

Vincennes-Cincinnati: This corridor currently doesn't have an interstate, but I think I-64 would likely be grandfathered onto this turnpike had it been built. I-64 was originally planned to use US 50 through Illinois from St Louis before Evansville threw a hissy fit and resulted it in getting rerouted onto US 460, so an existing Vincennes-Cincinnati turnpike would make the US 50 routing in IL a no-brainer. This would be a win for Cincinnati for a through E-W interstate, and a loss for Louisville and Lexington.

Elizabethtown-Louisville-Cincinnati: The Elizabethtown-Louisville segment was part of the old Kentucky Turnpike, which has been grandfathered as part of I-65. Louisville-Cincinnati would be part of I-71. Something else notable on the map is that all three turnpikes I listed so far come into Cincinnati from the Indiana border. There may be a free interstate spur connecting this turnpike to I-75 in Northern KY while the turnpike enters Indiana, merging with the Vincennes Turnpike in the process.

Second Ohio Turnpike: The interstate designations for this would most likely be I-71 from Cincinnati to Cleveland, then I-90 from Cleveland to PA border. Though what is interesting about this is that the map shows the second Ohio Turnpike bypassing Columbus completely. It gets pretty close to Dayton too that I could see I-75's route use a part of this turnpike too, then along the Toledo spur, bypassing Dayton completely. It bypasses Cleveland to the east, which could be along present I-271.

Michigan Turnpike: The map shows a turnpike along current I-75 in Michigan, bypassing Detroit to the west. If the turnpike was built, I think I-75 may use current I-275 to bypass Detroit. This turnpike also extends south into Ohio, along the eastern parts of Toledo (which I'll use I-280 for), to the second Ohio Turnpike near Columbus.

WV Turnpike Point Pleasant Spur: The map shows an extended WV turnpike north of Charleston, with a spur to Morgantown, and another spur to Point Pleasant. Combining this with the Vincennes-Cincinnati turnpike in Indiana, I think it's conceivable that I-64 would get routed in southern Ohio, and cross into WV at Point Pleasant, using this spur to Charleston. This his would leave Kentucky without an E-W 2di though.

PA Lake Erie Turnpike: As I mentioned above, if the Second Ohio Turnpike was completed to the PA border, this turnpike would be needed to connect the second Ohio Turnpike and the NY Thruway.

Map of my predictions for the Midwest grandfathered turnpikes into the interstate system. Green are the turnpikes, Orange are freeways.

[Road Hog]

Woah, here's a Fictional Highways idea:  What if we had a national tollway system with system-wide E-ZPass, coast to coast?

Here's a map Froggie posted on another thread a couple of months ago. Maybe all those turnpikes would get built without the Interstate Highways Act.

By now about all of them would've paid for themselves and be free. Except for the ones in Dallas.

[SkyPesos]

Woah, here's a Fictional Highways idea:  What if we had a national tollway system with system-wide E-ZPass, coast to coast?

Here's a map Froggie posted on another thread a couple of months ago. Maybe all those turnpikes would get built without the Interstate Highways Act.

By now about all of them would've paid for themselves and be free. Except for the ones in Dallas.

Pennsylvania Turnpike is the first turnpike built in the US and they're still collecting tolls.

[Road Hog]

Woah, here's a Fictional Highways idea:  What if we had a national tollway system with system-wide E-ZPass, coast to coast?

Here's a map Froggie posted on another thread a couple of months ago. Maybe all those turnpikes would get built without the Interstate Highways Act.

By now about all of them would've paid for themselves and be free. Except for the ones in Dallas.

Pennsylvania Turnpike is the first turnpike built in the US and they're still collecting tolls.

I said about all, not all.

[Max Rockatansky]

You both realize that freeways did exist before the Interstate System and a lot of states did have plans to develop more?  If anything there would probably me a lot more toll roads today if it wasn't Federal Highway Aid Act.

Hell, maybe toll roads would be less controversial, and people wouldn't spend so much time questioning the virtue of user fees and just wishing the money would magically appear from thin air.

Woah, here's a Fictional Highways idea:  What if we had a national tollway system with system-wide E-ZPass, coast to coast?

I tend to envision something akin to the Autopistas (D Roads) in Mexico.  Shunpiking probably would be a huge thing today like it is down south of the border.  There is a fair chance that a fully limited access roads across multiple states lines would not be very common and they would exist in segments alongside normal US Routes/State Highways.  Tolls would have to be by definition more accepted as a funding source.

[Bruce]

Here's a map Froggie posted on another thread a couple of months ago. Maybe all those turnpikes would get built without the Interstate Highways Act.

The Everett-Seattle-Tacoma tollway on the map was actually ruled to be unconstitutional shortly after the Interstate Highway Act was signed, so maybe it wouldn't have been built at all.

[Henry]

You both realize that freeways did exist before the Interstate System and a lot of states did have plans to develop more?  If anything there would probably me a lot more toll roads today if it wasn't Federal Highway Aid Act.

Hell, maybe toll roads would be less controversial, and people wouldn't spend so much time questioning the virtue of user fees and just wishing the money would magically appear from thin air.

Woah, here's a Fictional Highways idea:  What if we had a national tollway system with system-wide E-ZPass, coast to coast?

I tend to envision something akin to the Autopistas (D Roads) in Mexico.  Shunpiking probably would be a huge thing today like it is down south of the border.  There is a fair chance that a fully limited access roads across multiple states lines would not be very common and they would exist in segments alongside normal US Routes/State Highways.  Tolls would have to be by definition more accepted as a funding source.

Before the Autoroutes in Quebec had their tolls abolished, wasn't there a lot of shunpiking going on up there too?

Woah, here's a Fictional Highways idea:  What if we had a national tollway system with system-wide E-ZPass, coast to coast?

Here's a map Froggie posted on another thread a couple of months ago. Maybe all those turnpikes would get built without the Interstate Highways Act. I made my own predictions for the eastern Midwest in fictional, though without the Interstate Highways Act, obviously the numbers would be different, or the turnpikes would be solely known by a name.

Looking at that map, here's some predictions I would make if those proposed turnpikes are built and grandfathered into the interstate system had the interstate system came a bit later to give time for these turnpikes to be built:

Chicago-Indianapolis-Cincinnati: Numbering would be a combination of I-74 and I-65. Assuming exit numbers increase going southeastward, so the zero point is the same as the Indiana Toll Road's, I-65's exit numbers would be backwards, like I-90 on the NY Thruway. Through Indianapolis, I think it may follow what currently is the northern loop of I-465 to bypass it, with the I-74 and I-65 designations switching at the northwest side of Indianapolis.

Vincennes-Cincinnati: This corridor currently doesn't have an interstate, but I think I-64 would likely be grandfathered onto this turnpike had it been built. I-64 was originally planned to use US 50 through Illinois from St Louis before Evansville threw a hissy fit and resulted it in getting rerouted onto US 460, so an existing Vincennes-Cincinnati turnpike would make the US 50 routing in IL a no-brainer. This would be a win for Cincinnati for a through E-W interstate, and a loss for Louisville and Lexington.

Elizabethtown-Louisville-Cincinnati: The Elizabethtown-Louisville segment was part of the old Kentucky Turnpike, which has been grandfathered as part of I-65. Louisville-Cincinnati would be part of I-71. Something else notable on the map is that all three turnpikes I listed so far come into Cincinnati from the Indiana border. There may be a free interstate spur connecting this turnpike to I-75 in Northern KY while the turnpike enters Indiana, merging with the Vincennes Turnpike in the process.

Second Ohio Turnpike: The interstate designations for this would most likely be I-71 from Cincinnati to Cleveland, then I-90 from Cleveland to PA border. Though what is interesting about this is that the map shows the second Ohio Turnpike bypassing Columbus completely. It gets pretty close to Dayton too that I could see I-75's route use a part of this turnpike too, then along the Toledo spur, bypassing Dayton completely. It bypasses Cleveland to the east, which could be along present I-271.

Michigan Turnpike: The map shows a turnpike along current I-75 in Michigan, bypassing Detroit to the west. If the turnpike was built, I think I-75 may use current I-275 to bypass Detroit. This turnpike also extends south into Ohio, along the eastern parts of Toledo (which I'll use I-280 for), to the second Ohio Turnpike near Columbus.

WV Turnpike Point Pleasant Spur: The map shows an extended WV turnpike north of Charleston, with a spur to Morgantown, and another spur to Point Pleasant. Combining this with the Vincennes-Cincinnati turnpike in Indiana, I think it's conceivable that I-64 would get routed in southern Ohio, and cross into WV at Point Pleasant, using this spur to Charleston. This his would leave Kentucky without an E-W 2di though.

PA Lake Erie Turnpike: As I mentioned above, if the Second Ohio Turnpike was completed to the PA border, this turnpike would be needed to connect the second Ohio Turnpike and the NY Thruway.

Map of my predictions for the Midwest grandfathered turnpikes into the interstate system. Green are the turnpikes, Orange are freeways.

I'm seeing a glaring similarity between the reimagined I-75 and I-73. Of course, had the Michigan Turnpike been built, there probably would've been a better chance to complete I-73 (and even I-74) right now, coupled with the upgrades to US 23 south of Columbus. However, the US 52 parts would still be a challenge, given the terrain, but still, one can dream.

Hard to believe that the Interstate system first got started 65 years ago!

[Hot Rod Hootenanny]

It blows my mind how many posters on here were born AFTER I found this turnpike map and added it to Roadfan.com

[amroad17]

It blows my mind how many posters on here were born AFTER I found this turnpike map and added it to Roadfan.com

So, the two "other turnpikes" would have had mileage-based exit numbers while the now Ohio Turnpike would have had sequential exit numbers--increasing to the west?  Interesting!

[TheGrassGuy]

Woah, here's a Fictional Highways idea:  What if we had a national tollway system with system-wide E-ZPass, coast to coast?

Here's a map Froggie posted on another thread a couple of months ago. Maybe all those turnpikes would get built without the Interstate Highways Act. I made my own predictions for the eastern Midwest in fictional, though without the Interstate Highways Act, obviously the numbers would be different, or the turnpikes would be solely known by a name.

Looking at that map, here's some predictions I would make if those proposed turnpikes are built and grandfathered into the interstate system had the interstate system came a bit later to give time for these turnpikes to be built:

Chicago-Indianapolis-Cincinnati: Numbering would be a combination of I-74 and I-65. Assuming exit numbers increase going southeastward, so the zero point is the same as the Indiana Toll Road's, I-65's exit numbers would be backwards, like I-90 on the NY Thruway. Through Indianapolis, I think it may follow what currently is the northern loop of I-465 to bypass it, with the I-74 and I-65 designations switching at the northwest side of Indianapolis.

Vincennes-Cincinnati: This corridor currently doesn't have an interstate, but I think I-64 would likely be grandfathered onto this turnpike had it been built. I-64 was originally planned to use US 50 through Illinois from St Louis before Evansville threw a hissy fit and resulted it in getting rerouted onto US 460, so an existing Vincennes-Cincinnati turnpike would make the US 50 routing in IL a no-brainer. This would be a win for Cincinnati for a through E-W interstate, and a loss for Louisville and Lexington.

Elizabethtown-Louisville-Cincinnati: The Elizabethtown-Louisville segment was part of the old Kentucky Turnpike, which has been grandfathered as part of I-65. Louisville-Cincinnati would be part of I-71. Something else notable on the map is that all three turnpikes I listed so far come into Cincinnati from the Indiana border. There may be a free interstate spur connecting this turnpike to I-75 in Northern KY while the turnpike enters Indiana, merging with the Vincennes Turnpike in the process.

Second Ohio Turnpike: The interstate designations for this would most likely be I-71 from Cincinnati to Cleveland, then I-90 from Cleveland to PA border. Though what is interesting about this is that the map shows the second Ohio Turnpike bypassing Columbus completely. It gets pretty close to Dayton too that I could see I-75's route use a part of this turnpike too, then along the Toledo spur, bypassing Dayton completely. It bypasses Cleveland to the east, which could be along present I-271.

Michigan Turnpike: The map shows a turnpike along current I-75 in Michigan, bypassing Detroit to the west. If the turnpike was built, I think I-75 may use current I-275 to bypass Detroit. This turnpike also extends south into Ohio, along the eastern parts of Toledo (which I'll use I-280 for), to the second Ohio Turnpike near Columbus.

WV Turnpike Point Pleasant Spur: The map shows an extended WV turnpike north of Charleston, with a spur to Morgantown, and another spur to Point Pleasant. Combining this with the Vincennes-Cincinnati turnpike in Indiana, I think it's conceivable that I-64 would get routed in southern Ohio, and cross into WV at Point Pleasant, using this spur to Charleston. This his would leave Kentucky without an E-W 2di though.

PA Lake Erie Turnpike: As I mentioned above, if the Second Ohio Turnpike was completed to the PA border, this turnpike would be needed to connect the second Ohio Turnpike and the NY Thruway.

Map of my predictions for the Midwest grandfathered turnpikes into the interstate system. Green are the turnpikes, Orange are freeways.

No Indy beltway?

[GaryV]

So the Interstate System is old enough to retire?  I'm sure that would please a lot of people.  Not a majority by far, but a lot.

[Ned Weasel]

So the Interstate System is old enough to retire?  I'm sure that would please a lot of people.  Not a majority by far, but a lot.

I don't want to start seeing Interstates get so badly signed that some of them are impossible to follow by signs.

[Roadgeekteen]

to the interstate system!

[Max Rockatansky]

Amusing to think that in the first five decades of the 20th Century saw massive improvements in road networks that jumped from occasionally surfaced streets to limited access highways.  I know improvements in limited access roads haven't been "static" but it kind of feels like there has been a stagnation once the bulk of the Interstate System had been built up.