How were gaps in Interstates signed...

[bugo]

...in the early days of Interstates?  Were there TO I-xx signs posted along the parallel US highways?  Or did you have to guess which way to go when the Interstate abruptly ended?

[huskeroadgeek]

I believe in at least some areas they used the "TEMP" banner on the parallel highway. Most interstates had been finished by the time my memories of travel began, but I do remember traveling in 1984 on a portion of I-90 near the Montana/Wyoming border that had not yet been finished, and the parallel US 87 was designated with "Temp I-90" shields.

[agentsteel53]

...in the early days of Interstates?  Were there TO I-xx signs posted along the parallel US highways?  Or did you have to guess which way to go when the Interstate abruptly ended?

TO or TEMPORARY banners existed.  Sometimes the old road was simply signed as the interstate.

here is an I-80 in Nevada that has had the TO and arrow added well after the WEST and shield, when the intersection was built.  This is old US-40.  Note the different materials used in two of the four signs.



how about an intersection with I-80?  Again, US-40.

[agentsteel53]

until recently, this reassurance marker existed in California on US-66, with a hastily slapped on TO banner underneath.

[J N Winkler]

It did vary from state to state, but in the era of first Interstate construction Georgia DOT used the Interstate shield with "TEMPORARY" and "END" banners on the approach to the last usable exit on a completed length of Interstate.  This combination appeared twice:  half a mile before the exit with a "1/2 MILE" banner, and at the exit itself without the distance banner.  The exit ramp was frequently signed with a curve sign with sawhorses placed across the mainline to protect the unfinished section.  Georgia DOT signing plans don't show how parallel routes were treated, but presumably state sign crews put up "TO" banners with the Interstate shield along the state highway running in the same corridor as the unfinished Interstate.

[Brandon]

Michigan used "TEMP" or "TEMPORARY" on the stretches of I-69 around Lansing.  I would suspect similar for other interstates.

[RoadWarrior56]

I was a kid through young adulthood when most of the interstates were constucted.  In the midwest and south, which is mostly where we lived and traveled, my recollections are that "TO" trailblazer assemblies with the interstate shields were used on most gaps that were not excessively long.  This was especially the case in the 1970's and later, as drivers became more accustomed long stretches of open interstates being the exception, rather than the rule.

I do recall that in the early to mid 1960's, there were fewer interstate trailblazer signs, as open interstate stretches were fewer and farther between.  Drivers were more accustomed to long stretches of two-lane US routes.  In those cases, I have memories of TO trailblazer assemblies pointing to the parallel US route at locations where the interstate ended.

In reference to Georgia, my family took many trips between Indiana and Florida in the 1960's and 1970's.  The final gap of I-75 was a 25 to 30 mile stretch between Marietta and US 411 near Cartersville.  Besides frequent trailblazers to I-75 along US 41 and other connecting routes, there was a series of special signs that were along the connecting roadways that warned drivers of delays, at-grade intersections, and to be cheerful, etc.  I belive they had smiley faces, or pictures of the sun, etc on them.  This final gap was in place for up to 7-8 years, being that I-75 was not finished through Georgia until 1978 or 1979.

[US71]

...in the early days of Interstates?  Were there TO I-xx signs posted along the parallel US highways?  Or did you have to guess which way to go when the Interstate abruptly ended?

Well, in Missouri & Illinois US 66 was posted with I-44 and I-55, so IIRC there were some "TO" signs as well as signs saying something like:

I-44 ends
continue on US 66 to St Louis

Plus in Illinois, US 66 wasn't always posted as East-West but with "Chicago" or "St. Louis"

[akotchi]

I recall when sections of I-95 were incomplete in North and South Carolina (this is in the mid-'70's), mainline signing approaching the ends said "Temporary End."  I think signing along the parallel roads (U.S. 15 and U.S. 301, for example) included either "To/95" or "Detour/95."

[SP Cook]

West Virginia, working backwards from memory:

I-64's infamous gap, the last original interstate finished where the alternative was two lane, was a unique case, since it involved, heading east, taking an exit that was not mandatory (since 64 ended up as a multiplex with I-77, which was finished earlier, so one could easily stay on I-77).  So there was a sign that said "64 ENDS, use 60" eight miles back and then what is now signed as the Belle exit was signed as "64 ENDS, US 60, Lewisburg", with an overhead that read "WV Turnpike- I-77 - Beckley" for not using the exit.  Heading west, the Sam Black Church exit was simply the end of the road, with traffic forced down the ramp and a sign at the bottom that read "US 60 - Charleston" and other than the distance signs to Charleston, no further indications.

The WV Turnpike's two lane sections were signed with the unique TP shield (which was phased out as the road was rebuilt) co-signed with "TO 77".  

Much earlier, the main parts of 79, which was mostly built from north to south, just ended with a force down the ramp and a sign at the bottom reading "Charleston".  

Even earlier, the free part of 77, also built north to south mostly, and 64, mostly built west to east, just ended with signage that read "Charleston" at the bottom of the force ramp.

[ctsignguy]

I also recall when the Interstates were being built, but the only instance i DO recall of signing as before was on I-75 north of Dayton in the 60s....at some point, US 25 was diverted off Dixie highway onto this new-fangled four-lane highway from the old Wagoner Ford traffic circle north toward Vandalia...when I-75 was built northward, it connected directly to that stretch of US 25, but the confirmation markers abruptly changed, with a large cutout NORTH US 25 shield and next to it was a similar-sized I-75 shield with (TO) above it (I-75 essentially resumed as such north of the I-70 split....the next few miles were dominated by 4-6 full intersections with stoplights....)

[xcellntbuy]

What I am most familiar with in the past was in New York's Capital District, Interstate 90 through the Albany area was not completed until the late 1970's.  For most of that time until completion of the 20-mile free highway through Albany and Rensselaer Counties, Interstate 90 was signed continuously over the Berkshire Spur of the New York State Thruway, over the Castleton bridges and concurrently with Interstate 87 from Exit 21A through Exit 24.  Exit 21A was originally built as a high-speed ramp system for Interstate 90-favored traffic.  Today, the outside lanes are painted out as a very wide shoulder and not nearly as well-maintained.

Today's Interstate 90 through Albany was just the "Northside Arterial" and originally was built from the Northway interchanges (Exits 1N-S) as far east as Everett Road (Exit 5).  Another piece was opened in 1973 from US 4 (Exit 9) to a temporary set of ramps that ended on North Pearl Street (NY 32).  The Patroon Island Bridge may have opened earlier.  Exit 7 for Washington Avenue in Rensselaer has always been a half interchange of eastbound exit and westbound entrance onto Interstate 90.

Lots of hillside grading, a long diagonal Interstate 90 railroad overpass east of the Everett Road exit, the proposed Interstate 687 (now Corporate Woods Blvd., now Exit 5A), very high overpasses and many ramps for US 9 (Exit 6) and connecting Interstate 787 ("Riverside Arterial" originally un-numbered, now Exit 6A) took a very long time to build.

Around 1975 or 1976, Interstate 90 was extended east toward Exit 10, Miller Road.  A one mile long grade just east of US 4 took some time to build this four-mile six-lane section from Exits 9 to 10.  Once Exit 10 was opened, a further one mile east, the "TO Interstate 90" signs began to pop up following Miller Road to the intersection of US 9 and US 20 (Columbia Turnpike) 8/10 of a mile north.  Since US 9 and 20 was and still is four lanes, Interstate 90 could more comfortably accomodate the traffic.

The "TO Interstate 90" signs continued five miles south along US 9 through the Town of Schodack until the last five miles of Interstate 90 were constructed.  Interstate 90 pavement switches to asphalt from its original concrete, and narrows from six lanes to four, over almost completely undeveloped flat land.  The reconstruction of Berkshire Spur Exit B1 would be completed in 1977 or 1978.  Interstate 90 then rejoined the Thruway at the old Exit B1 and continues east to Massachusetts as it does today.

[vdeane]

What I am most familiar with in the past was in New York's Capital District, Interstate 90 through the Albany area was not completed until the late 1970's.  For most of that time until completion of the 20-mile free highway through Albany and Rensselaer Counties, Interstate 90 was signed continuously over the Berkshire Spur of the New York State Thruway, over the Castleton bridges and concurrently with Interstate 87 from Exit 21A through Exit 24.  Exit 21A was originally built as a high-speed ramp system for Interstate 90-favored traffic.  Today, the outside lanes are painted out as a very wide shoulder and not nearly as well-maintained.

That's different, though, as that was how I-90 was supposed to be routed.  I don't know why it was changed.

[Tom]

Michigan used "TEMP" or "TEMPORARY" on the stretches of I-69 around Lansing.  I would suspect similar for other interstates.

In the 1960's, before I-75 was completed between Bay City and Grayling, the US-10 freeway from Bay City to Clare, and the US-27 (now US-127) freeway from Clare to south of Grayling (at I-75/M-18/M-76 interchange) had the co-designation of "TO I-75."

[Alex]

From what I can remember, before the last segment of Interstate 95 opened by Philadelphia International Airport, Interstate 95 trailblazers (banner, shield, arrow) were posted along PA 291.

I traveled through Columbia, SC in 1988 and TEMP I-77 shields were affixed to guide signs for I-20 west to I-26 east.

[mgk920]

I remember from some 1970s roadtrips while growing up, seeing signs saying "FOR CONTINUATION OF I-(XX), FOLLOW (XX)".

Mike

[TheStranger]

Until I-215 south of Route 60 (along old US 395) was complete in the mid-1990s, I've read that it was signed as State Route 215 in one direction, and Temp I-215 the other.

[agentsteel53]

Until I-215 south of Route 60 (along old US 395) was complete in the mid-1990s, I've read that it was signed as State Route 215 in one direction, and Temp I-215 the other.

I had no idea about this!  there are some signs left that have state 215 shields obviously covered up with I-215 ones.  they are at the intersections - and I think I remember one with both NORTH and SOUTH on the same green sign!

[TheStranger]

Until I-215 south of Route 60 (along old US 395) was complete in the mid-1990s, I've read that it was signed as State Route 215 in one direction, and Temp I-215 the other.

I had no idea about this!  there are some signs left that have state 215 shields obviously covered up with I-215 ones.  they are at the intersections - and I think I remember one with both NORTH and SOUTH on the same green sign!

From Cameron Kaiser's site:
http://www.floodgap.com/roadgap/395/u2/

stead of calling the still-yet-to-be-upgraded portions TEMP I-215, however, Caltrans opted for a curious directional dichotomy: northbound traffic rode along "TO I-215" -- signed with a TO banner instead of a TEMP banner -- but southbound traffic was signed along CA 215 with a state shield (the portions that were already Interstate grade were, of course, given a regular Interstate shield in the same fashion as other dual sign routes such as I-110/CA 110), and this dual signage system persisted until the last of the at-grade intersections along the old US 395 expressway were converted or bypassed.

[mightyace]

IIRC, when I road with my folks out to South Dakota in 1972, I don't remember seeing any "TO I-90" banners on the long unfinished stretches in Minnesota.  I don't remember any in South Dakota other than a trailblazer when I-90 resumed on each end of the section around Chamberlin.

I also don't recall any signage on the gaps in I-81 from Carlisle to the I-83 junction NE of Harrisburg.  Even the George N. Wade bridge across the Susquehanna, which was finished first for some strange reason, was simply signed as TO US 11-15 and TO US 22-322 until it was connected with the rest of the highway.

[thenetwork]

The only unfinished freeway I can remember vividly in Ohio was the "Missing Link" segment of I-480 in the mid 80s.  The way they signed I-480 through the missing link was something close to the following:

TO (shield) I-480 EAST (or) WEST
Follow (shield) OH-17/Brookpark Road
(left arrow)

This was a very easy connection, since the ramps on either end of the competed I-480 ended as "T" intersections at OH-17/Brookpark Road.  I don't recall any TO I-480 or TEMP I-480 trailblazers anywhere along the 5-7 miles of Brookpark Road, just the OH-17 reassurance signs.  The TO I-480 signs only cropped up after the missing link was finished, directing drivers from Brookpark Road to the closest interchange with I-480.

In fact, before the last segment of I-480 was done, I-77 drivers only saw BGS's labeling I-480 West as "TO (shield) OH-17/Brookpark Road", while I-71 North drivers saw labeling for I-480 East AS I-480 East, even though both segments ended roughly 2 miles from their respective cross-interstates.

[Michael in Philly]

I grew up in a New Jersey suburb which is now close to exits 41,43 and 44 off I-78.  When I was in high school, it was unopened from exit 41 to some point farther east.  We all knew that piece (I mean the open piece west of exit 41) as "78," so it was certainly marked for people getting on it westbound.  But I remember, on the way home from my high-school prom in 1982 (my best friend driving), we were heading southbound on I-287 looking for 78 eastbound and ended up on US 22 (which is farther south than 78, so we'd have had to pass 78 to get to it).  If memory serves, there'd been a cryptic "Local Traffic" we ignored.  I'm guessing that 78 eastbound at 287 was just signed "Local Traffic" because they didn't want anyone else getting on it.

By the way, to this day on 78 eastbound approaching 287, the exit sign for 287 north reads "I-287 north, to US 202, US 206, I-80."  It's unusual to see signs directing to parallel routes 20 miles away, so I'm guessing that I-80 indication has been there since the days when 78 had a gap, as an indication of how to get to New York.

[FLRoads]

As a kid I clearly remember seeing "TEMP" I-275 shields in place along U.S. 19 in St. Petersburg (FL) in the early to mid 80's, between 22nd Avenue South and where the interstate currently merges with U.S. 19 south of 54th Avenue South. Further south in Sarasota and Charlotte Counties also I remember some big black on yellow signs along I-75 and U.S. 41 alerting motorists of the temporary end of the interstate in the area. I believe these signs were placed on U.S. 41 as well since most, if not all, traffic used U.S. 41 to bridge the gaps of open interstate in Southwest Florida.

[rickmastfan67]

Saw this posted over @ Wikipedia showing how the temporary end of I-95 in Florida @ US-17 was signed:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:95exitus17.jpg

[Scott5114]

Saw this posted over @ Wikipedia showing how the temporary end of I-95 in Florida @ US-17:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:95exitus17.jpg

I'm not sure whether we got permission from Summa to use that. Might need to delete it. Hold on, I'm going to look into this.