Interactive timeline of the Interstate system

[Bruce]

Saw this pop up in my Google feed, but I'm not quite sure how accurate this graphic is. Seems pretty neat for the laymen, though.

https://www.geotab.com/evolution-of-interstate/

[US 89]

As cool as this appears, it looks like they score 0/5 for accuracy in Utah.

It shows that I-15 was not completed in Utah until 1997, but it was substantially complete by 1980, with the last piece being built in 1990.

On the other hand, they made the opposite error with I-70, I-84, and I-215. They show I-70 being completed in 1957, but at that time there weren't even roads along the San Rafael Swell portion! The road across the Swell had been built by 1970, but the freeway was not completed for another 20 years. Regarding I-84, their map has it there from the beginning, but the final segment in Utah was not completed until 1986. As for I-215, they show it opening in 1963, but that was when the first segment was completed. 215 was not completed until 1989, mostly due to local opposition to the southeast quadrant.

Also, they mention that I-80 was completed across the country in 1986. That is true, but the map shows I-80 being completed in Utah from 1956.

[Big John]

For I-43, it correctly shows the section from Milwaukee to Green Bay as completed in 1981, but the section from Beloit to Milwaukee was Wis 15 until 1989, while they also showed that section as I-43 in 1981.

[ce929wax]

It shows that I-15 was not completed in Utah until 1997, but it was substantially complete by 1980, with the last piece being built in 1990.

Yeah, I remember driving I-15 in Utah in August 1997 and it looked like it had been completed for awhile.

[hotdogPi]

The webpage refuses to acknowledge overlaps, like I-77/81.

Fortunately (for us), I-90 has no gap in Illinois. Unfortunately, I-94 does have one...

[briantroutman]

The crap factor is high with this one.

For Pennsylvania in 1956, they show I-70 from WV to MD (including the Turnpike section)–much of the "free"  sections hadn't been built by that time–but they show none of the rest of the Turnpike or Schuylkill Expressway–which actually had been built by then.

They also list as being built in their entirety: I-78 (some portions were open or under construction, but it was far from complete), I-79 (not yet built or even designed), I-80 (other than the Delaware Water Gap bridge, unbuilt), I-81 (unbuilt), I-83 (largely built, but still about two years from completion, and I-90 which was in final design but not yet constructed).

[DTComposer]

They seem to have muddled years routes were approved, years routes were completed, and other info. For example, in California they have I-280 and I-680 in 1956 (when they were approved, but they weren't completed until the early 1970s); but they have I-8, I-405, I-210 and I-605 popping up in 1964 (they were approved in 1956, but not completed until after 1964. I imagine they might have caught these numbers with the 1964 renumbering?).

I-505 was an original approved route (as I-5W), but doesn't show up until 1977 (which would be around when construction was completed).

I-15 doesn't show up in 1956 (even though it was also one of the original approved routes), but in 1957 - and then it includes the Riverside-San Diego portion (which wasn't added until 1968).

They get I-880 and I-710 right(ish) at 1984; but put I-105 at 1982 (approved in 1968, completed in 1993).

Great concept, poor execution.

[jon daly]

I just got a complete set of US Roadmaps for 1976 and was perusing them earlier today. One error that caught my eye is that this linked website shows I-75 completed from Tampa to Miami, Fla well before that, but it wasn't until the 1980s when that happened.

[NE2]

What a piece of shit.

[TheHighwayMan3561]

Yeah...I-35 in MN is all kinds of no. Shown complete in 1958, but:
-I-35 wasn't continuously complete between MSP and Duluth until 1977; there was still a gap between Midway Road and Boundary Avenue on the fringes of Duluth.
-the revised path south of Albert Lea (to follow US 65 rather than US 69, spearheaded by interests in northern Iowa) wasn't approved until at least 1965.
-I-35E wasn't complete until about 1991 after years of lawsuits tied up construction.

I think they generally did get I-94 right, when the section through north Minneapolis was finished about 1985 and I-494 was finished about the same time around the US 52/MN 110 area.

[plain]

They fucked Virginia all up. Seriously, I-85 was completed first, but they show both I-64 and I-95 as completed before I-85 (and in 1959 no less  )

[Roadsguy]

In PA, they show the Blue Route completed at the same time as the Northeast Extension, and the entire main section of I-99 opening all at once in the '90s from the Turnpike to I-80. No no no no no...

Plus it shows just one big bulk segment of I-86 opening at one time, also in the '90s.

[sparker]

Really?  I-5 completed in CA in '74?  It emptied out onto the original US 99 expressway (4-lane with no median barrier but double striped lines) between Vollmers and Castle Crags in the upper Sacramento River canyon until 1992, when the freeway was finally completed.  These folks should go back to Square One, get their facts straight, and redo the whole presentation; it's an inaccurate depiction as is!

[formulanone]

I-95 shows as complete in Florida in 1957. Proposed, maybe.

Jacksonville was the only section completed in 1960, much of it wasn't completed until 1968-1978, with the big gap not finished for another 30 years.

[Bickendan]

Notable errors: Break in I-90 near Ranchester/Sheridan, WY.
Lack of I-580 south of Reno (but I-2, 14, 69C and E make it in!).
Lack of segment openings -- notable with I-84 (then 80N) in Oregon; none of it appears until 1980.

[thenetwork]

1956:  Nothing was seen in Ohio.  FALSE!  Parts of the Ohio Turnpike were finished and opened.  The Willow Freeway and Shoreway in Cleveland (US-21 and SR-2, respectively) were done. 

[SSR_317]

The webpage refuses to acknowledge overlaps, like I-77/81.

Fortunately (for us), I-90 has no gap in Illinois. Unfortunately, I-94 does have one...

Some folks consider the Chicago Skyway to be a "gap" in I-90. Not I, but just sayin'...

[SSR_317]

There are errors & glaring omissions in Indiana as well. The NE portion of I-465 was the LAST section of Indy's beltway to open, not the first as depicted. I-164 (now replaced by I-69) is nowhere to be seen, as is the majority of the southern extension of I-69 (Sections 1-4 between Evansville & Bloomington) which have been open for a few years now.

While I give the creators of this interactive map a B+ for the idea and for putting it together, I have to give them an F for accuracy. Fact checking seems to be a lost art these days, unfortunately.

[hotdogPi]

The majority of mistakes are caused by the webpage only going by route and state, which means not being to differentiate different segments of the same route within the same state.

[DJStephens]

They should have consulted with a public works historian or perhaps a member on this site.   

[SSR_317]

The majority of mistakes are caused by the webpage only going by route and state, which means not being to differentiate different segments of the same route within the same state.

Yes, and you can't even do that for "classic" I-69 in Indiana, as they have no shield to click on for it in IN.

I'm sure our community here could a great job of coming up with a construction segment timeline for every Interstate freeway in each state, both 2-DIs & 3-DIs. I've been working on that myself, on and off, over the past couple of years for Indiana's Interstates & I'm sure others have been doing the same in their areas. Perhaps with a little coordination, the powers that be here might set aside a dedicated forum for such a project so all that information could eventually be stored in one place for easy reference.

[hotdogPi]

Yes, and you can't even do that for "classic" I-69 in Indiana, as they have no shield to click on for it in IN.

Zoom in as far as you can, then click on the route. It should work even if there isn't a shield there.

[SSR_317]

Yes, and you can't even do that for "classic" I-69 in Indiana, as they have no shield to click on for it in IN.

Zoom in as far as you can, then click on the route. It should work even if there isn't a shield there.

Tried that, but it didn't work. But thanks anyway!

[ErmineNotyours]

Heck, just use Google Street View to go to any part of an Interstate that goes over a bridge and you may see the year stamped right on the bridge.  Doesn't take much effort to check for accuracy.

[Charles2]

Numerous errors left and right in Alabama...too many to list.