I may be a little slow, but I had never made that connection before that I-76 might be related to the year of Independence 1776 until today.
I'm sure this was intentional, but is this something road geeks generally know about, or did I just make this brilliant connection 40 years after I should have?
Quote from: TempoNick on October 11, 2021, 09:40:53 AM
I may be a little slow, but I had never made that connection before that I-76 might be related to the year of Independence 1776 until today.
I'm sure this was intentional, but is this something road geeks generally know about, or did I just make this brilliant connection 40 years after I should have?
I believe so too, or maybe it was such a big coincidence that they numbered it that way.
In the same vein, I-76 in Denver may have been numbered to celebrate the year CO became a state (1876). And even more ironically, both I-76s were formerly I-80S!
https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/infrastructure/i76.cfm
Quote from: jmacswimmer on October 11, 2021, 10:27:17 AM
https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/infrastructure/i76.cfm
The fact that it's a coincidence is odder than if it were intentional. Ben Franklin managing from the grave.
Thanks!
If they tried hard enough, they could give route numbers to cities which coincided with other years of various historic events.
If they really wanted to make a statement, 676 could've been I-776.
US 61 goes through the state that used to use a confederate flag in their state flag until very recently, and the Civil War started in 1861.
Quote from: SkyPesos on October 11, 2021, 07:34:23 PM
the state that used to use a confederate flag in their state flag until very recently
There are several of these, although some are based on other Confederate flags.
I-76 was originally I-80S. So this theory is coincidental.
I must say, its still a pretty cool coincidence even if it wasn't intentional.
Quote from: roadman65 on October 12, 2021, 12:02:14 AM
I-76 was originally I-80S. So this theory is coincidental.
Related to this, the story I've heard behind the recently-designated I-87 in North Carolina is that 87 was chosen to reflect the year the U.S. Constitution was signed. North Carolina originally wanted 89 to reflect NC's statehood in 1789, and I-50 was also proposed. Not sure if there is any truth behind all of this, or if it's just urban legend.
Also the Savannah to Knoxville interstate was proposed to be named I-3 after the Third Division Infantry hence the out of grid number if it went through. Although some say they used up all the odd numbers in the 80 and 90 range for that, I saw on line it was proposed cause of that division of the US military.
1776 is very important to Philadelphia. Their basketball team are the 76ers. Even if coincedental, it is fitting that I-76 is routed there. All the more so, since it fits into the numbering scheme.
CA-49, which runs through gold country, was absolutely numbered to refrerence the gold rushers who were also known as 49ers for the 1849 gold rush.
Quote from: SkyPesos on October 11, 2021, 07:34:23 PM
US 61 goes through the state that used to use a confederate flag in their state flag until very recently, and the Civil War started in 1861.
US 61 doesn't go through Georgia...
Quote from: KCRoadFan on December 20, 2021, 02:54:51 PM
Quote from: SkyPesos on October 11, 2021, 07:34:23 PM
US 61 goes through the state that used to use a confederate flag in their state flag until very recently, and the Civil War started in 1861.
US 61 doesn't go through Georgia...
Does go through Mississippi.
I thought it got the number because 72, 74, and 78 were already used and they were trying to get rid of the suffixes.