Interstate landmarks

[SectorZ]

Do they need to be human-made landmarks?

If not, then I'll submit, pre-2003, the Old Man of the Mt. in Franconia NH on I-93.

If so, then I think the Zakim Bridge also on I-93 in Boston works.

Is there enough of the "Old Man's Face" to make it out these days?  I would love to see it when I go to New England in August.

From wikipedia, this gives you an idea of what it looks like now and what it used to look like. There is really nothing at all left. Still nice to stop at, there's a lot of historical stuff about it there. Franconia Notch in general is just an amazing place, and there's lot of others things to see in there.

[Flint1979]

Some roadside crosses have been mentioned

Effingham, Illinois hosts a giant cross, just off the I-57NB/I-70EB multiplexed lanes, just north of the South Split
https://www.google.com/maps/@39.1055335,-88.5731039,3a,75y,13.58h,90t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sHlFx-_lpHZxdrL0oJrDEsw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

For me anyway I think that's the most famous cross on the interstate.

[Flint1979]

I-75 roars 125 ft above the Saginaw River on the Zilwaukee Bridge.

Umm, Mackinac Bridge?  That's a more iconic landmark than Zilwaukee.

The reason that the Zilwaukee Bridge is pictured and not the Mackinac Bridge is because I was 185 miles from the Mackinac Bridge and sitting right under the Zilwaukee Bridge when I thought of making the thread. Although not as famous as the Mackinac Bridge the Zilwaukee Bridge is still a landmark along I-75. Plus the Zilwaukee Bridge is famous for its own reasons.

[skluth]

The view of the Arch when coming into St Louis on the PSB was always thrilling when I lived in STL. Partly because I knew I was almost home, but I heard from plenty of visitors who said they were surprised at the sight when driving into the city for the first time.

[skluth]

Another Midwestern interstate landmark is driving into Downtown Chicago on the Eisenhower under the old post office building.

[skluth]

Finally, two Western interstate landmarks

Virgin River Gorge on I-15
I-70 west of Denver (includes Eisenhower Tunnel, Glenwood Canyon, and the San Rafael Reef cut)

[SSOWorld]

Another Midwestern interstate landmark is driving into Downtown Chicago on the Eisenhower under the old post office building.

Except I-290 ended before that point.

[CoreySamson]

The Leaning tower of Texas:

https://goo.gl/maps/iGU8ysJbgNxA4CWK8

Funny that you mention this, but Groom (where that water tower is located) also has a giant cross very similar to the one in Effingham:
https://www.google.com/maps/@35.2107322,-101.1280662,3a,70.5y,96h,90.98t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sRXrCRMZeqR3UuXawXgOvRQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

And speaking of giant crosses off of I-40:
https://www.google.com/maps/@35.1861458,-89.8119379,3a,33.3y,177.97h,95.76t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1scQ6_C94Z2anL46mm7n-A1w!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

And off of I-4, there are these dinosaurs:
https://www.google.com/maps/@28.0271831,-82.1916278,3a,76.1y,0.18h,86.63t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sg00RMjB6ngf04YTGQpORDQ!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

[Scott5114]

Then, of course, you also have the Pyramid off of I-40 in Memphis:
https://www.google.com/maps/@35.1531646,-90.05255,3a,77.8y,1.73h,92.06t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s0z-knJkCAq8yWo2TzG7ShA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

Which is, according to Wikipedia, the ninth largest pyramid in the world. (The top spot was...not expected.)

What is it, the Luxor?

[MCRoads]

Then, of course, you also have the Pyramid off of I-40 in Memphis:
https://www.google.com/maps/@35.1531646,-90.05255,3a,77.8y,1.73h,92.06t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s0z-knJkCAq8yWo2TzG7ShA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

Which is, according to Wikipedia, the ninth largest pyramid in the world. (The top spot was...not expected.)

What is it, the Luxor?

No, it is the Pyongyang Hotel in N. Korea. They also have the largest stadium in the world, as well. Too bad literally no one cares, because they are North Korea.

[SSOWorld]

Just Kim's inflated ego in PRK - a.k.a. North Korea.

Speaking of landmarks, take I-15 north of Zzyzx Road in the black of night.  See that beam?  Much less approaching a large metro area in the bottom of a valley from the rim of it.

[SkyPesos]

Just Kim's inflated ego in PRK - a.k.a. North Korea.

Speaking of landmarks, take I-15 north of Zzyzx Road in the black of night.  See that beam?  Much less approaching a large metro area in the bottom of a valley from the rim of it.

The Zzyzx Road sign is a landmark on its own. I know a couple of non-roadgeeks that know about it. Same with the "Boring Oregon City" sign.

[jmd41280]

The World's Largest Paint Can along I-81 south near Shippensburg, PA.

[Dirt Roads]

The World's Largest Paint Can along I-81 south near Shippensburg, PA.

Yikes.  That scary close to those powerlines.  Not that I have any problem with zzzzzzap electrostatic discharge zzzzzzap or anything.

[Henry]

Off I-5 in Seattle, there's the Space Needle.

[jeffandnicole]

There was a very notable landmark along I-295 in NJ, until brush along the highway has mostly obscured the view:  The Navy "ship", located between Exits 40 and 43:  https://goo.gl/maps/YxG7AM5grD3s3enb9  .  Many thought it was a landlocked ship, but no, it was simply a building.  The white building to the left is a more recent addition, and is much more plain in nature.

[jp the roadgeek]

or this one...

https://goo.gl/maps/QmS1vC6EWGqhg3Cn7

This one is iconic (and a welcome sign to see after you've survived The Mixmaster driving eastbound)

[Rothman]

Just thought of the Edgewood Road Bridge on I-95 west of the GWB.  As my father used to say, that bridge was a sign you could exhale again.

[sparker]

On NB I-5 coming into Sacramento, there's the famous "spaceship" water tower (when you see it, you know you're essentially in Sacramento!).  The Benicia Bridge on I-680 was always the most prominent landmark on that route; with the addition of the 2nd (NB) bridge, it's even more so, with the RR drawbridge between the two freeway spans.  Primm, NV on NB I-15 used to be a hole-in-the-wall where one could get some initial gambling in before proceeding on to Vegas; now it's a destination resort on its own.  Finally, one of the most recent -- the O'Callaghan-Tillman arch bridge on I-11 at the Colorado River just downstream from Hoover Dam -- the 2nd highest road bridge in the country after Royal Gorge and by far the highest on the Interstate system. 

[hobsini2]

Cadillac Ranch just outside Amarillo

And in Southington, CT 

Up until a few years ago when ownership changed hands, this was the Cadillac Ranch in Bartlett, IL.
https://www.google.com/maps/@42.0111014,-88.2116485,3a,76.3y,218.99h,90.9t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sYF_RH-K97fflrUNehfD_Xg!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

[hobsini2]

Some roadside crosses have been mentioned

Effingham, Illinois hosts a giant cross, just off the I-57NB/I-70EB multiplexed lanes, just north of the South Split
https://www.google.com/maps/@39.1055335,-88.5731039,3a,75y,13.58h,90t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sHlFx-_lpHZxdrL0oJrDEsw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

For me anyway I think that's the most famous cross on the interstate.

Flint, go out on I-40 in Groom, Texas. I believe this one is bigger than Effingham. I have seen both live.
https://www.google.com/maps/@35.2118991,-101.1218723,3a,74.1y,224.98h,74.34t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sszVuYd3RZM1Bu3_-AvE_6A!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

[hobsini2]

Do they need to be human-made landmarks?

If not, then I'll submit, pre-2003, the Old Man of the Mt. in Franconia NH on I-93.

If so, then I think the Zakim Bridge also on I-93 in Boston works.

Is there enough of the "Old Man's Face" to make it out these days?  I would love to see it when I go to New England in August.

From wikipedia, this gives you an idea of what it looks like now and what it used to look like. There is really nothing at all left. Still nice to stop at, there's a lot of historical stuff about it there. Franconia Notch in general is just an amazing place, and there's lot of others things to see in there.

I really appreciate that.

[Terry Shea]

I-75 roars 125 ft above the Saginaw River on the Zilwaukee Bridge.

Umm, Mackinac Bridge?  That's a more iconic landmark than Zilwaukee.

The reason that the Zilwaukee Bridge is pictured and not the Mackinac Bridge is because I was 185 miles from the Mackinac Bridge and sitting right under the Zilwaukee Bridge when I thought of making the thread. Although not as famous as the Mackinac Bridge the Zilwaukee Bridge is still a landmark along I-75. Plus the Zilwaukee Bridge is famous for its own reasons.

I think you mean infamous.

[SSR_317]

...  Finally, one of the most recent -- the O'Callaghan-Tillman arch bridge on I-11 at the Colorado River just downstream from Hoover Dam -- the 2nd highest road bridge in the country after Royal Gorge and by far the highest on the Interstate system.

Sad thing is, that if you only drive across it (in either direction) you'd never know you were passing so high over the Colorado River, as the passage is only marked by signs on either side denoting the state you are entering. This was by design, to prevent drivers on the bridge from slowing down in hopes of seeing nearby Hoover Dam (and because of prevailing high winds there in Black Canyon), the barrier walls were made extra tall. You can, however, see the pedestrian walkway on the upstream side of the structure. But you have no clue just how high above the river you really are.

Also, I'd nominate this landmark, along NB I-11 just past the Horizon Drive interchange in Henderson. https://www.google.com/maps/@36.0139677,-114.9914346,3a,15y,318.35h,86.76t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sVGMr_zfY0h_YlL61dTsORA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192 You can see the Stratosphere Tower dead ahead at this point, as the entire Las Vegas valley begins to spread out ahead of and below you. But if driving, don't do too much sightseeing here, as traffic (as you can see in that image from this past March) is often quite heavy! And Vegas drivers are all too often quite insane (most are transplants or tourists, and seemingly have brought their worst driving habits to the southern Nevada desert with them)!

[I-55]

The red arches carrying I-65 over the SPUI at Columbus, IN (Exit 68).