What "old" roads are in your town and what are the historical significance behind them?
Where I live, there is Old Lakeshore Road for example. I believe this is because runs on the shore of Lake Erie and not further inland like NY-5.
There's an Old Highway 20 in eastern Limestone County and eastern Colbert County, which are old alignments of AL 20. Then you also have Old Highway 231 and Old Highway 431 roads scattered around the area, along with a few Old Lee Highways along US 72, one of which runs through Cherokee, AL, IIRC.
Almost all the "Old" routes I can think of are ones where a road was put on a new alignment, normally due to widening requiring more right-of-way (thus, Old Pickett Road is where a segment of Pickett Road ran until I was in high school, plus a short new piece connecting it to the new alignment). The only one I can think of that might–I say "might" because I don't know the name's origin–is Old Keene Mill Road. There is no "Keene Mill Road" superseding it and indeed Old Keene Mill is a major arterial. I've always assumed, without any evidence, that once upon a time someone named Keene owned a mill somewhere along there, hence "Old Keene Mill" as in "Keene's old mill."
I think my favorite example is that Route 123 (Ox Road) was rerouted in Burke when it was upgraded from a two-lane road, but since there was already an Old Ox Road due to a previous realignment, the orphaned segment was named Little Ox Road.
There is an Old Henry Road in Louisville. Interestingly, there is no, and AFAIK never has been, a corresponding Henry Road. Recently a segment of Old Henry Road was realigned, cutting off the former section of Old Henry. I was *really* hoping they'd rename the old alignment Old Old Henry Road, but, alas, they renamed it Old Henry Trace.
A small portion of Old Henry Road (the new alignment mentioned above) is designated KY 3084: https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view;pic=59 .
In Port Washington, NY, where I grew up, there's Old Shore Road, which I assume was an old alignment of Shore Road.
Quote from: Buffaboy on October 06, 2016, 01:06:32 AM
What "old" roads are in your town and what are the historical significance behind them?
Where I live, there is Old Lakeshore Road for example. I believe this is because runs on the shore of Lake Erie and not further inland like NY-5.
Old Lakeshore Rd, in this case, is an old alignment of US 20. From their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/HistoricUsRoute20MA - it then ran concurrent with today's NY 5 and then over to Big Tree Rd to connect with current US 20
In my area these are exceedingly common, so I'll just give one quite significant example.
In Philipstown, NY there is the Old Albany Post Road, which is an original stretch of the historic route from New York to Albany, much of which has evolved into US 9. This section, however, was bypassed ages ago and remains now as a town-maintained road.
What's significant is that this road, along with some adjacent stretches of intersecting roads (including the Old West Point Road), are deliberately maintained in a rustic state. The Post Road and its neighbors are currently surfaced in dirt/gravel, and efforts to pave them are regularly resisted (a short stretch at the southernmost end of the Post Road did receive a hard surface). There is even a community group dedicated to preserving and overseeing these roads, the Philipstown Old Roads Society: http://www.oldrdsoc.org (http://www.oldrdsoc.org)
I'm lucky to live a short distance from the Post Road and it is a beautiful and tranquil excursion, particularly at this time of year.
iPhone
From Bakersfield:
There is an "Old" State Road from Wofford Heights to Alta Sierra. I'm not certain on this but I'm pretty sure it's the old alignment of CA 155.
Old Ridge Route is the old alignment of US 99 through the Sierra Pelona Mountains. The history really speaks to itself...very important old route and it's a shame it isn't maintained.
There is an Old River Road which is named after the CDP of the same name and the Old Kern River bed.
Quote from: 1995hoo on October 06, 2016, 07:24:15 AM
Almost all the "Old" routes I can think of are ones where a road was put on a new alignment, normally due to widening requiring more right-of-way (thus, Old Pickett Road is where a segment of Pickett Road ran until I was in high school, plus a short new piece connecting it to the new alignment). The only one I can think of that might–I say "might" because I don't know the name's origin–is Old Keene Mill Road. There is no "Keene Mill Road" superseding it and indeed Old Keene Mill is a major arterial. I've always assumed, without any evidence, that once upon a time someone named Keene owned a mill somewhere along there, hence "Old Keene Mill" as in "Keene's old mill."
I think my favorite example is that Route 123 (Ox Road) was rerouted in Burke when it was upgraded from a two-lane road, but since there was already an Old Ox Road due to a previous realignment, the orphaned segment was named Little Ox Road.
You would actually be right on the Keene's Mill guess:
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages2.travbuddy.com%2F19289_12383404061349.jpg&hash=53ce78d24313fb79f96fc4eba03b064e1e74f247)
I'm a big fan of road names that preserve some kind of history of the region.
Woodward Avenue in Detroit literally put the world on wheels. It's the home of the first paved mile of concrete road (between 6 mile and 7 mile), the first 3-colored 4-way traffic signal (at Woodward & Michigan), and the home of Henry Ford's Highland Park assembly plant where a moving assembly line installed in 1913 mass produced the automobile. Today it's home to the annual Woodward Dream Cruise, the largest single-day classic car event in the world. Woodward also crosses the Davison freeway which was the first depressed freeway in the nation built in the early 40s.
Bortons Mill Road is only old at this one intersection
https://www.google.com/maps/@39.8972542,-75.0154013,3a,37.5y,21.84h,85.26t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s7BT6p1T1Y6j-jpewHZRAew!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!5m1!1e1
Even then, as you can see, it's only old on the traffic light blade, not the regular one. More curiously, it only became old some time between 2008 and 2012:
https://www.google.com/maps/@39.8973516,-75.0154713,3a,75y,21.84h,85.26t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sIzEzigwdRI8gF3qwxqNShw!2e0!7i3328!8i1664!5m1!1e1
I don't know the history of this change, but Challenge Grove park, which is relatively new to begin with underwent some renovations in the time period between 2008 and 2012. I don't recall whether the course of the road has changed as the park was built/renovated. It seems likely that the bridge over the Cooper River was once open to traffic, but what is clear is that there is no other Bortons Mill Road.
Quote from: tradephoric on October 06, 2016, 12:37:23 PM
Woodward Avenue in Detroit literally put the world on wheels. It's the home of the first paved mile of concrete road (between 6 mile and 7 mile), the first 3-colored 4-way traffic signal (at Woodward & Michigan), and the home of Henry Ford's Highland Park assembly plant where a moving assembly line installed in 1913 mass produced the automobile. Today it's home to the annual Woodward Dream Cruise, the largest single-day classic car event in the world. Woodward also crosses the Davison freeway which was the first depressed freeway in the nation built in the early 40s.
Doesn't it end at the city limit of Detroit?
For some time there was a old Old Hickory Blvd but it wasn't signed as such in Nashville, TN. It was just signed as Old Hickory Blvd but it was the old alignment of Old Hickory Blvd. The new alignment was also named Old Hickory Blvd but the point at which the old alignment began the new alignment was renamed as Hobson Pike. The road eventually became Hobson Pike but that was officaily after old Old Hickory Blvd until a few years ago.
The name Old Hickory Blvd is not an old Hickory Blvd but it relates to President Andrew Jackson.
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on October 06, 2016, 01:38:22 PM
Quote from: tradephoric on October 06, 2016, 12:37:23 PM
Woodward Avenue in Detroit literally put the world on wheels. It's the home of the first paved mile of concrete road (between 6 mile and 7 mile), the first 3-colored 4-way traffic signal (at Woodward & Michigan), and the home of Henry Ford's Highland Park assembly plant where a moving assembly line installed in 1913 mass produced the automobile. Today it's home to the annual Woodward Dream Cruise, the largest single-day classic car event in the world. Woodward also crosses the Davison freeway which was the first depressed freeway in the nation built in the early 40s.
Doesn't it end at the city limit of Detroit?
Woodward Avenue extends from downtown Detroit to Pontiac. The Woodward corridor is about 27 miles in length. I'm currently editing a video of a Woodward drive i did that should be finished in about a week.
Quote from: tradephoric on October 06, 2016, 02:00:02 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on October 06, 2016, 01:38:22 PM
Quote from: tradephoric on October 06, 2016, 12:37:23 PM
Woodward Avenue in Detroit literally put the world on wheels. It's the home of the first paved mile of concrete road (between 6 mile and 7 mile), the first 3-colored 4-way traffic signal (at Woodward & Michigan), and the home of Henry Ford's Highland Park assembly plant where a moving assembly line installed in 1913 mass produced the automobile. Today it's home to the annual Woodward Dream Cruise, the largest single-day classic car event in the world. Woodward also crosses the Davison freeway which was the first depressed freeway in the nation built in the early 40s.
Doesn't it end at the city limit of Detroit?
Woodward Avenue extends from downtown Detroit to Pontiac. The Woodward corridor is about 27 miles in length. I'm currently editing a video of a Woodward drive i did that should be finished in about a week.
Meant the Dream Cruise. Doesn't it still end at Eight Mile and not enter the city proper?
In Jamaica, VT, there's "Old Route 8", which is a former alignment of what is now VT 100. That stretch of 100 hasn't been VT 8 since around 1960. The "new" alignment of VT 8 was built in the late 1940s, which is a bit straighter and about a tenth of a mile shorter than the "old" route, which is/was just under a mile in length. In Brattleboro, VT, there's Old Ferry Road, which dead-ends at the Connecticut River and Old Guilford Road, which used to run to neighboring Guilford until I-91 cut it off. In Hinsdale, NH, there's Old Brattleboro Road, a former alignment of what's now NH 119 (aka Brattleboro Road).
Quote from: tradephoric on October 06, 2016, 12:37:23 PM
Woodward Avenue in Detroit literally put the world on wheels. It's the home of the first paved mile of concrete road (between 6 mile and 7 mile), the first 3-colored 4-way traffic signal (at Woodward & Michigan), and the home of Henry Ford's Highland Park assembly plant where a moving assembly line installed in 1913 mass produced the automobile. Today it's home to the annual Woodward Dream Cruise, the largest single-day classic car event in the world. Woodward also crosses the Davison freeway which was the first depressed freeway in the nation built in the early 40s.
And there's a section of Old Woodward in Birmingham.
There's an Old 99 in Oceana County that is a former route of old M-11 (West Michigan Pike). M-11 became US 31. That's OLD!
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on October 06, 2016, 02:50:29 PM
Quote from: tradephoric on October 06, 2016, 02:00:02 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on October 06, 2016, 01:38:22 PM
Quote from: tradephoric on October 06, 2016, 12:37:23 PM
Woodward Avenue in Detroit literally put the world on wheels. It's the home of the first paved mile of concrete road (between 6 mile and 7 mile), the first 3-colored 4-way traffic signal (at Woodward & Michigan), and the home of Henry Ford's Highland Park assembly plant where a moving assembly line installed in 1913 mass produced the automobile. Today it's home to the annual Woodward Dream Cruise, the largest single-day classic car event in the world. Woodward also crosses the Davison freeway which was the first depressed freeway in the nation built in the early 40s.
Doesn't it end at the city limit of Detroit?
Woodward Avenue extends from downtown Detroit to Pontiac. The Woodward corridor is about 27 miles in length. I'm currently editing a video of a Woodward drive i did that should be finished in about a week.
Meant the Dream Cruise. Doesn't it still end at Eight Mile and not enter the city proper?
Oh sorry. Yeah, the dream cruise ends at Eight Mile.
Along Lake Superior's North Shore you will find a number of "Old North Shore Road" and "Old Shore Road". This was the road that predated US 61. The most significant section of this is the one that parallels the MN 61 expressway (I believe it carries the designation of St. Louis County Road 290 or 291), but there are others such as on the east side of Grand Marais.
In Mercer County, NJ, you have Old Trenton Rd. running between Cranbury Twp. and Hamilton Twp., at which point it becomes Edinburg Rd. I presumed that road preceded the construction of US-130 and/or NJ-33.
QuoteYou would actually be right on the Keene's Mill guess:
Thanks for that. All the times I've driven that road I've never noticed that marker. I'll have to keep my eyes peeled next time I go out in that direction. I use Route 644 almost every day but it's normally the Franconia Road portion.
There is a stretch of former PA 71 (decommissioned in the 1960s) near Charleroi, PA that is officially named "Old 71".
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Old+71,+Charleroi,+PA+15022/@40.1328823,-79.9296225,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x88350349b39375fd:0x41e954fd8eb8597e!8m2!3d40.1328823!4d-79.9274285 (https://www.google.com/maps/place/Old+71,+Charleroi,+PA+15022/@40.1328823,-79.9296225,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x88350349b39375fd:0x41e954fd8eb8597e!8m2!3d40.1328823!4d-79.9274285)
In Lucas County, Ohio, we have Old State Line Road which runs along the old Fulton Line, which formed the southern boundary of the disputed land which brought about the Toledo War in 1835.
http://www.toledowar.com/ (http://www.toledowar.com/) gives a really nice history on the Toledo War and talks a lot about the Fulton Line and explains why a lot of north-south roads in Fulton County make a jog at the Line.
There's a couple of "Old" streets near me, but my personal favorite "Old" road in Nebraska is Old Highway 8 going SE from Fremont, NE. Highway 8 is the precursor to US 275.
One that comes to mind around here is Old Browns Hill Rd (https://www.google.com/maps/@40.4126153,-79.9187307,1017m/data=!3m1!1e3), which was an extension of Browns Hill Rd and led to the bridge connecting Pittsburgh and Homestead until the Homestead Hi-Level Bridge (now Homestead Grays Bridge) was built in the late 1930s. Today it basically dead ends at the river and a little "lost world" neighborhood called Duck Hollow.
There's also the "Old William Penn Highway" which snakes around I-376 in Monroeville. I'm guessing that would have been the original alignment of U.S. 22.
Quote from: tradephoric on October 06, 2016, 12:37:23 PM
It's the home of the first paved mile of concrete road (between 6 mile and 7 mile)
That's a real interesting "first." I take it the length of the pavement is why it has to be differentiated from the actual first concrete street paved in Bellefontaine, Ohio.
I can't locate the older thread, but Connecticut has some fun "Old Route x" roads where present-day Route X has been renumbered. These include Old Route 89 (CT 289), Old Route 72 (CT 4), Old Route 25 (US 202).
Old Placerville Road in Rancho Cordova, which based on Historic Aerials doesn't appear to have ever even come close to going to Placerville.
Old San Francisco Road off of El Camino Real/Route 82 (former US 101) in Sunnyvale, which from at least 1948 (likely before that) to the mid-1960s had a curve at its eastern terminus at Wolfe Road that suggests this is likely an old US 101 alignment.
Old Mission Road in South San Francisco/Colma, former US 101. Called "Old Mission" colloquially but not signed as such.
The Old Road in Santa Clarita, former US 99.
Old Highway 395 in Fallbrook.
There are quite a few "old" roads around Jacksonville that are old alignments. Some of the longer ones are as follows
Old Middleburg Rd was replaced by SR 21/Blanding Blvd but has now been redirected as SR23.
Old St Augustine Rd is a former alignment of US 1, but is now multilaned suburban arterial, not a forgotten 2 lane
There are 3 sections of Old Kings Rd North and South of the river in Jacksonville and another in Flagler County. Kings Rd was the original road from Georgia to New Smyrna that crossed the St Johns River at present day downtown Jacksonville. There is a bypassed segment of Old Kings Rd in the south side of Jacksonville that is named Historic Kings Road. In North Jacksonville the new alignment is actually called New Kings Rd
Quote from: jwolfer on October 07, 2016, 01:57:55 PM
There are quite a few "old" roads around Jacksonville that are old alignments. Some of the longer ones are as follows
Old Middleburg Rd was replaced by SR 21/Blanding Blvd but has now been redirected as SR23.
Old St Augustine Rd is a former alignment of US 1, but is now multilaned suburban arterial, not a forgotten 2 lane
There are 3 sections of Old Kings Rd North and South of the river in Jacksonville and another in Flagler County. Kings Rd was the original road from Georgia to New Smyrna that crossed the St Johns River at present day downtown Jacksonville. There is a bypassed segment of Old Kings Rd in the south side of Jacksonville that is named Historic Kings Road. In North Jacksonville the new alignment is actually called New Kings Rd
Don't forget Old Dixie Highway near Bunnell which isn't far from you either.
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on October 07, 2016, 05:37:18 PM
Quote from: jwolfer on October 07, 2016, 01:57:55 PM
There are quite a few "old" roads around Jacksonville that are old alignments. Some of the longer ones are as follows
Old Middleburg Rd was replaced by SR 21/Blanding Blvd but has now been redirected as SR23.
Old St Augustine Rd is a former alignment of US 1, but is now multilaned suburban arterial, not a forgotten 2 lane
There are 3 sections of Old Kings Rd North and South of the river in Jacksonville and another in Flagler County. Kings Rd was the original road from Georgia to New Smyrna that crossed the St Johns River at present day downtown Jacksonville. There is a bypassed segment of Old Kings Rd in the south side of Jacksonville that is named Historic Kings Road. In North Jacksonville the new alignment is actually called New Kings Rd
Don't forget Old Dixie Highway near Bunnell which isn't far from you either.
I know that road well.
Finding it interesting that while a particular road that spans from Castaic to the northern limits of Los Angeles (Sylmar) is called "The Old Road", it doesn't have any meaning. It's a modern alignment that would have been intended to represent old US-99 but in truth it does not.
Sierra Hwy, on the other hand, represents old U.S. 6 very well as San Fernando Road (Blvd in Burbank) does old U.S. 99.
Quote from: jwolfer on October 07, 2016, 05:39:20 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on October 07, 2016, 05:37:18 PM
Quote from: jwolfer on October 07, 2016, 01:57:55 PM
There are quite a few "old" roads around Jacksonville that are old alignments. Some of the longer ones are as follows
Old Middleburg Rd was replaced by SR 21/Blanding Blvd but has now been redirected as SR23.
Old St Augustine Rd is a former alignment of US 1, but is now multilaned suburban arterial, not a forgotten 2 lane
There are 3 sections of Old Kings Rd North and South of the river in Jacksonville and another in Flagler County. Kings Rd was the original road from Georgia to New Smyrna that crossed the St Johns River at present day downtown Jacksonville. There is a bypassed segment of Old Kings Rd in the south side of Jacksonville that is named Historic Kings Road. In North Jacksonville the new alignment is actually called New Kings Rd
Don't forget Old Dixie Highway near Bunnell which isn't far from you either.
I know that road well.
Hopefully it isn't underwater right now. :-/
I know.. we still don't have regular power. Generator running for fridge and some lights.. cable is out but internet working..
Old Happy Hill Road in Chester, VA. Oldish alignment of Happy Hill Road. The current Happy Hill alignment was built in the 90s as South Happy Hill Road, then was switched around 2000 when the intersection was reconfigured. A lot of traffic still uses the old alignment because it's faster despite having a lower speed limit.
Quote from: SSOWorld on October 07, 2016, 06:35:11 PM
Finding it interesting that while a particular road that spans from Castaic to the northern limits of Los Angeles (Sylmar) is called "The Old Road", it doesn't have any meaning. It's a modern alignment that would have been intended to represent old US-99 but in truth it does not.
Not entirely true...the part through the Newhall Pass itself (Sierra Highway to Calgrove) is definitely former US-99, as is the section from just north of Valencia Boulevard to just north of Castaic Junction, as well as a small stretch north of Castaic itself. So I'd say it's about half "old" road (the rest being directly under I-5) and half "new" roads to connect those segments.
Old Spanish Trail is the most well known of roads in the area with "Old" in the name. It's named for the auto trail than ran from St. Augustine, FL to San Diego, CA.
http://www.drivetheost.com/history.html
Quote from: jlwm on October 08, 2016, 02:03:50 AM
Old Spanish Trail is the most well known of roads in the area with "Old" in the name. It's named for the auto trail than ran from St. Augustine, FL to San Diego, CA.
http://www.drivetheost.com/history.html
Actually I'd say that title would have go to the National "Old" Trails Road since the route from Santa Fe to Los Angeles would become US 66.
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on October 08, 2016, 09:24:12 AM
Quote from: jlwm on October 08, 2016, 02:03:50 AM
Old Spanish Trail is the most well known of roads in the area with "Old" in the name. It's named for the auto trail than ran from St. Augustine, FL to San Diego, CA.
http://www.drivetheost.com/history.html
Actually I'd say that title would have go to the National "Old" Trails Road since the route from Santa Fe to Los Angeles would become US 66.
I specified that it's one of the most well known roads in this area (Houston) with Old in the name. That road didn't come anywhere near Houston.
Quote from: jlwm on October 08, 2016, 06:32:05 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on October 08, 2016, 09:24:12 AM
Quote from: jlwm on October 08, 2016, 02:03:50 AM
Old Spanish Trail is the most well known of roads in the area with "Old" in the name. It's named for the auto trail than ran from St. Augustine, FL to San Diego, CA.
http://www.drivetheost.com/history.html
Actually I'd say that title would have go to the National "Old" Trails Road since the route from Santa Fe to Los Angeles would become US 66.
I specified that it's one of the most well known roads in this area (Houston) with Old in the name. That road didn't come anywhere near Houston.
Quick read the post, probably would have paid more attention to the I45 avatar if I was on the computer. Regardless I suppose it still applies for a lot of localities, especially between Barstow and Needles.
One that came to mind in regards to where I used to live in Phoenix, the Old Beeline Highway from Sunflower to Mount Ord. Basically it's an older alignment of AZ 87 that can't be used as a through route since it was turned over to private hands but it takes a much longer path up the mountain west of the current expressway.
You also have "Old US Highway 80" west of AZ 85 near Gila Bend.
Also there is an Old Highway 279 near Camp Verde which used to be part of AZ 279 before it was replaced by AZ 260.
Cedar Point Chaussee...lol
This road actually has historical value. It was completed on July 19th, 1914, and was a paved road. This was five years after Woodward Avenue in Detroit was paved. It was then considered an engineering marvel.
Basically prior to the Cedar Point Causeway which is four lanes, this was used to get to the original entrance of Cedar Point, which was then reconstructed after storms destroyed the Chaussee and the entrance, which was completed in 1920 and met the truncated Chaussee. However, on June 12th, 1957, the Causeway was constructed and finished, but the Chaussee remains as an alternative.
Luckily both are accessed by the same road, US 6. However you are discouraged for whatever reason, as the entrance is unmarked and the signs tell you to turn left back onto US 6. I think they prefer you to use the Causeway, but then again if you're rewarded for your tenacity with low traffic.
There's several Old Alabama Roads in northern Metro Atlanta, derived from the early 1800's era dirt road connecting parts of South Carolina with Alabama.
Just outside Emerson, Georgia, Old Alabama Road has been realigned, resulting in a small stretch of Old Old Alabama Rd (https://www.google.com/maps/@34.1160268,-84.7730138,16.71z).
There's "The Old Mail Road" in Grey County, Ontario. Here is what the historical plaque says (source - http://ontarioplaques.com/Plaques/Plaque_Grey16.html (http://ontarioplaques.com/Plaques/Plaque_Grey16.html)):
QuoteFor some years prior to the by-law which established it as a public road in 1846, this route had been travelled by settlers destined for the newly-opened townships of Osprey, Collingwood, Euphrasia and St. Vincent. From its junction near Duntroon with an extension of the Sunnidale Road, it ran some 34 km northwesterly to Griersville. Though it was entitled to maintenance by statute labour, the road was chronically in poor repair. Nevertheless, it remained an official road until its usefulness ended when the Ontario, Simcoe and Huron Railway reached Collingwood in 1855. Save for this 8 km section still in use between Griersville and Heathcote, little evidence remains of the pioneer road.
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/gallery/13639_11_10_16_4_23_56.jpeg)
Old Floydsburg Road is a back road that connects Crestwood and Pewee Valley in central Kentucky. At one point it's one lane wide (still two directions of travel) as it dives into a wooded ravine and then writhes up the other side. Dangerous, but fun!
This particular blade is in Pewee Valley, with the town's namesake bird on the sign.
A couple of southern California examples: Old Topanga Canyon Road connects Topanga Canyon Blvd. (California 27) with Mulholland Highway. In the mountains near Lake Arrowhead, once upon a time many, many years ago there was a toll road which still exists (no longer toll, of course) and it's called Old Toll Road.
Most on the Peninsula are old alignments for current routes:
Old Denbigh Blvd: Newport News portion of an old alignment of VA-173
Old York-Hampton Highway: Old alignment of (or precursor to?) US-17.
Old Courthouse Rd: Old alignment of US-60.
Old Ft. Eustis Blvd: Old alignment of VA-105.
Old Escalante Road from Widstoe to Escalante, UT. Try it some time...that along with Hell's Backbone will give you idea how not so far removed southern Utah is from dirt tracks and/or wagon routes.
Between Bethesda and Rockville, MD, you have "Old Georgetown Rd." (MD-187) Presumably, this was from before MD-355/Rockville Pike was built north of Bethesda. But at some point this road was rerouted near its northern terminus, disconnecting the stub that runs behind the Mid-Pike Plaza (once a Korvette's). Apparently that road was called "Old Old Georgetown Rd.", until it was renamed "Hoya Rd."; after Georgetown University's sports teams, in a sort of shout-out to the road's former name.
"Old Post Road" is a common name for former alignments of US 9 between New York City and Albany. This is because the old alignment is the historic Albany Post Road. The Post Road follows NY 9H where US 9 detours to Hudson, so old alignments along 9H are also called "Old Post Road". Elsewhere on US 9, Old Loudon Road is the old alignment through Latham, the new one sometimes referred to as "New Loudon Road". In the Albany area, it is not uncommon for new alignments to get the "new" prefix with the old alignment keeping the old name.
Generally in New York, old alignments of state/US highways are named "old route X" or, if the road has a local name, "old [local name]".
I was looking at a map yesterday and was reminded of North Carolina having some odd roads designated, for example, "Old NC 10" (said route located between Durham and Hillsborough). What I found odd about it when I lived there was that the "Old NC" routes didn't necessarily correspond to a current route number–for example, the Old NC 10 I just mentioned was superseded by US-70 and I-85. I wonder if the "Old" referred to a former, decommissioned system of state routes whose roads had never been given any sort of new names?
Quote from: cl94 on October 18, 2016, 11:16:38 PM
"Old Post Road" is a common name for former alignments of US 9 between New York City and Albany. This is because the old alignment is the historic Albany Post Road. The Post Road follows NY 9H where US 9 detours to Hudson, so old alignments along 9H are also called "Old Post Road". Elsewhere on US 9, Old Loudon Road is the old alignment through Latham, the new one sometimes referred to as "New Loudon Road". In the Albany area, it is not uncommon for new alignments to get the "new" prefix with the old alignment keeping the old name.
Generally in New York, old alignments of state/US highways are named "old route X" or, if the road has a local name, "old [local name]".
When I lived in Albany, I would take many roadtrips with Dougtone and many other road enthusiasts here in the forum, and very frequently, "Old State Rd" would usually be an old alignment of a route (sometimes either a state or U.S. route).
A question in regards to an "Old State Rd" is in the capital region - NY 406 from eastern Schenectady County in to Albany County ending at NY 155 in the Albany Pine Bush. Is this an old alignment of US 20 - or is it an "old state legislative route"? Map here: https://www.google.com/maps/@42.7295994,-73.9295758,13.53z
I know I needed to highlight "Old State Rd" on that previous link, so I did an itinerary - but ignore the dip to US 20 - it's there because of an old dilapidated bridge being closed. https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Albany+Pine+Bush+Preserve/42.7244896,-73.9362421/42.7411928,-73.9660003/42.7394665,-73.970024/42.7509132,-74.0205298/@42.7343814,-73.9694709,13.03z/data=!4m12!4m11!1m5!1m1!1s0x0:0x10e3ed25d957150a!2m2!1d-73.8648068!2d42.7186615!1m0!1m0!1m0!1m0!3e0
Given what I can find, I'm thinking it's an old alignment of pre-renumbering NY 7, possibly dating to when NY 5 ran along it via the Cherry Valley Turnpike. Before 1926, NY 5 ran along US 20's route. Even if it predates the numbered route system, I think it might be the original Cherry Valley Turnpike.
Quote from: cl94 on October 19, 2016, 06:02:27 PM
Given what I can find, I'm thinking it's an old alignment of pre-renumbering NY 7, possibly dating to when NY 5 ran along it via the Cherry Valley Turnpike. Before 1926, NY 5 ran along US 20's route. Even if it predates the numbered route system, I think it might be the original Cherry Valley Turnpike.
Thank you very much. That has bugged me for a very long time!!! :D
Shelbyville, Kentucky. An old alignment for KY 53. As a matter of fact, Google Maps marks it as "Old Ky 53 Rd".
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/gallery/13639_19_10_16_6_56_15.jpeg)
Old Black Canyon Highway through Black Canyon City, Arizona. This was part of AZ 69 when it ran from downtown Phoenix to Prescott before I-17 came to be.
Somewhere I have a photo of a sign from Old New Road in Boyle County, Ky., but I can't find it offhand to post it.
In Trumbull County in northeastern Ohio, there is Warren-Sharon Road, a two-lane road more commonly referred to as "Old 82". It runs parallel with "new" 82, (likely built in the early 1960's), a four-lane divided highway that is a state route, about 1/2 mile to the south.
Not that this is the "Old" Road in the sense the OP meant but a large part of CA 247 is called "Old Woman Springs Road."
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1255.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fhh630%2FMadMaxRockatansky73%2F31_zpse3xvncaw.jpg&hash=2a8bf280eff07ee7e06ef98688d12f773b7e6a12)
And this is far better a write up on why the road was named as such than I can possibly do:
http://www.desertusa.com/dusablog/i-have-always-drove-by-and-wondered-what-that-place-looks-like-old-woman-springs-ranch.html
In Manitowoc County, WI there is an Old Wooden Bridge Lane. The name speaks for itself and contains an old wooden bridge over a railroad.
https://www.google.com/maps/@44.0787891,-87.8363914,3a,15y,177.93h,89.16t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sCW3RD0JtY2Dpe-neDqwK-A!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en
There are a few former state-maintained streets in the greater San Jose and East Bay areas that have or have had at one time "old" included in their names. The best-known of these is right here in San Jose; the former US 101 Bypass alignment in the vicinity of the I-880/US 101 interchange, currently Old Bayshore Highway. The portion just west of I-880 actually serves as part of the transition scheme from I-880 south to US 101 north (no room for a direct ramp; it's also a relatively obtuse angle). Aside from its freeway-to-freeway transition usage, it's also provides access to the industrial area just north of the interchange.
The original alignment of SSR 17/LRN 5 north of central San Jose, formerly Oakland Road prior to the completion of the Nimitz (old CA 17, now I-880) freeway, was re-signed as "Old Oakland Road" from the intersection of Hedding St. and 13th Street in San Jose; it struck out northeast from that intersection and extended to Milpitas, where it became Main St. It was maintained as part of CA 238 (and signed as such) from 1964 to 1973, when the I-680 freeway was completed to US 101 and I-280; at that time it was relinquished to the cities of San Jose and Milpitas; the latter severed the through route when it reconfigured its downtown area, while San Jose dropped the "Old" part of Oakland Road, returning it to its original name, which it carries today.
Other former state routes include Old Warm Springs Road in the south part of Fremont, connecting South Fremont Blvd. with Grimmer Blvd, but originally extending south toward Milpitas; it was originally part of SSR 17/LRN 69 prior to the construction of the now-I-880 freeway, CA 17 before its 1986 Interstate signage. The remaining portion of this road features the original 2-lane segmented concrete pavement, typical of CA highways deployed in the 1920's & 1930's. Also, in the eastern portion of Castro Valley, Old Dublin Road is part of the original US 50/LRN 5 alignment; it's a short segment south of the current I-580 alignment; most of the old road has been directly subsumed by the freeway.
There are a few instances of non-state highways with "old" designations; Old Almaden Road is part of the original road from central San Jose south to the Almaden Valley; Old Almaden is east of the current Almaden Expressway (County G8), and situated near the city's Auto Mall along the western reaches of Capitol Expressway.
Old Halls Ferry Road in Saint Louis County. That used to be one of the main routes into the heart of North County. That was until New Halls Ferry took over. NHF is almost a due NW road, whereas the old version twists and curves.
Old Coulterville Road is an old Gold Rush era road out of Coulterville to Big Oak Flat Road which is in Yosemite. Apparently it was used as a more accessible route from Coulterville if you didn't want to travel all the way north and up what is now the Old Priest Grade to Big Oak Flat and Groveland to take their road to Yosemite.
An old intersection! There is no "new" counterpart for Old Forest Road. I think it's referring to the old forest, not an old road.
Pewee Valley, KY.
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/gallery/13639_27_10_16_3_56_06.jpeg)
Shout out to Kansas members!
What is the significance of Old Lawrence Road in Wichita?
Quote from: TR69 on October 27, 2016, 03:59:47 PM
An old intersection! There is no "new" counterpart for Old Forest Road. I think it's referring to the old forest, not an old road.
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Old Man Willow agrees with your analysis.
Here's one without an obvious "new" route: Old Niskayuna Road (https://www.google.com/maps/@42.7227632,-73.7671812,14.66z) in Latham and Loudonville, NY. I honestly have no idea if/what the "old" refers to anything other than it being an old road, as the general road network in the area minus the airport bypasses and the expressways was in place by the 30s based on the old maps I can find. The oblique angle this road hits US 9/NY 378 at makes for some nasty rush hour backups, though.
South of San Jose is Old Santa Cruz Highway, the original routing of CA-17 (bypassed by the current alignment c. 1940).
A much shorter example is Old Blossom Hill Road in Los Gatos, a ~1000-foot stretch that seems to have been bypassed by 1950.
Quote from: DTComposer on November 04, 2016, 11:41:19 PM
South of San Jose is Old Santa Cruz Highway, the original routing of CA-17 (bypassed by the current alignment c. 1940).
Are you sure? The entry about Hwy 17 on cahighways.org indicates that Old Santa Cruz Hwy *may* be an old alignment.
Quote from: myosh_tino on November 06, 2016, 03:18:31 PM
Quote from: DTComposer on November 04, 2016, 11:41:19 PM
South of San Jose is Old Santa Cruz Highway, the original routing of CA-17 (bypassed by the current alignment c. 1940).
Are you sure? The entry about Hwy 17 on cahighways.org indicates that Old Santa Cruz Hwy *may* be an old alignment.
According to the Richard Beal book on Highway 17, the particular section of the current route that bypassed Old Santa Cruz Highway was completed in 1938, a couple of years after the route was first signed as such - but Old Santa Cruz Highway was certainly part of the state highway (as LRN 5) for years prior to that.
Although based on other
Another one is Old West Road (https://www.google.com/maps/@43.2176182,-73.6882846,16z) in Moreau, NY. Definitely not a "New West Road" in the area.
Old Highway 50 just south of NV 28 on the east shore of Lake Tahoe which an old alignment of US 50 north of the current one:
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Old+Hwy+50,+Carson+City,+NV+89703/@39.0850875,-119.9366574,15z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x80999da799bf61dd:0xecf4a0e2045558e7!8m2!3d39.0867198!4d-119.921637?hl=en
Another two-for-one, this time in Huntington, Indiana. There should be a "TO" banner on the IN 9 trailblazer assembly. Photo taken April 2000.
GSV in August 2011 shows that the old shield and directional arrow have been replaced, but still without a "TO" banner.
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/gallery/13639_21_11_16_10_16_36.png)
West of Toledo, OH, there's an "Old Airport Highway". This is because SR-2 was routed on a new almost-freeway grade alignment (with at-grades, no overpasses) just to the south of there. The old route runs alongside a railroad and has many residential properties. It connects to the "new" Airport Highway at the east end, but has a cul-de-sac on the west side.
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.6097504,-83.756214,17z (https://www.google.com/maps/@41.6097504,-83.756214,17z)
The road is named Airport Highway since it was long the primary route to the Toledo Express Airport. However, SR-2 is probably not the best route to get there anymore from most of the city. This is because an exit from the Ohio Turnpike (I-80/90) was built near the airport, as well as at I-75. There are also more traffic signals on the route than there used to be.
There are quite a few "old" roads in the Richmond, Va metro, mainly due to the fact that the road was cut off by interstate interchanges and rerouted to newer alignments.
For instance, the following were a result of I-295 and/or its interchanges:
- Old Woodlawn St by Exit 9
- Old Charles City Rd near Exit 25, in this case cut off long before that exit existed
- Old Williamsburg Rd by Exit 28
- Old Hanover Rd by Exit 31
- Old Mountain Rd and Old Springfield Rd, both by Exit 49
There's also Old Midlothian Tpk inside Richmond itself, which was a result of US 60 being routed over bridges to cross a railroad and VA 161. I believe this was the first instance of a rerouting due to an overpass and interchange in the metro (late 1940s or early 1950s judging by the bridges)
There are several other "old" roads in the area too that has resulted from reroutings due to other reasons as well.
In southern Reno, NV, there's a street called "Old Virginia Road". I believe this to be an older alignment of Virginia Street, given that it's just east of Virginia Street, and the current alignment of Virginia is much wider and straighter than that of Old Virginia. Note that Virginia Street was originally designated US 395 (now the rarely-signed US 395 Business) prior to the construction of the current freeway alignment. Note also that there are a few sections of Old Virginia Road in areas not built up commercially, that still have the feel of an old two-lane state highway.
Old Skull Valley Road in Skull Valley, AZ basically is an older alignment of modern Yavapai County Route 10.
I spent a few days in Santa Fe last month, and did a little research on the streets that enter the city and approach the historic (1610) Plaza. Coming in from the east, you exit I-25 at Old Pecos Trail. Following this north, it immediately intersects Old Las Vegas Highway, which is old U.S. 85 paralleling I-25 to the east for a distance. Then, Old Pecos Trail runs into and becomes Old Santa Fe Trail. Interestingly the old maps shone little light on the derivation of these names, since Old Santa Fe Trail into the Plaza area was formerly named College Avenue.
Confusingly, Old Santa Fe Trail east of its intersection with today's Old Pecos Trail was originally named Pecos Road. I don't know why there would be both a Pecos and Santa Fe Trail, since there has always been but one road that goes over Glorieta Pass and down to the town of Pecos, on the river of the same name.
I also forgot to add that the original route of U.S. 64-84-285 leaving the Plaza area to the north is named Old Taos Highway. This was bypassed, first by Guadalupe Street, and then St. Francis Drive, as the exit north for those highways (64 of course is long gone).
Just north of Bishop California there is road called lower rock Creek RD. Also known as, and signed as "Old Sherwin Grade". It is the former alignment of US 395 going up Sherwin Grade before the expressway was built.
Mammoth Lakes California has a road named "Old Mammoth Road" It takes you to old mammoth.
In the small community of Keeler California there is a road named "Old State HWY" It's the old alignment of SR 190
US 395 ALT between Carson City and Reno is sometimes signed as "Old 395"
I believe the former alignment of SR 58 in Barstow is called "Old State Route 58"
US 74 in North Carolina has been almost completely moved onto expressway/freeway alignments over the years. One can find many instances of "Old Charlotte Hwy" or "Old US 74" especially between Asheville and Charlotte. There is even a 60 mile-long US 74A that is well signed as such.
US 421 is another route that has had many realignments throughout its life. I have driven the stretch between Boone and the southern terminus south of Wilmington many times. There are at least 30 little loop roads called "Old Hwy 421" or variants of such.
iPhone
Old Winter Garden Road in Orlando has no Winter Garden Road. Its old only because it was the original alignment for nearby FL 50 and its predecessors. Ditto for Old Cheney Highway on the east side in which all of State Road 50 in Brevard County is indeed named Cheney Highway.
In Edison, NJ there is an Old Post Road that parallels US 1, but as the US route was originally on the Lincoln Highway, that is now NJ 27 in the area, it cannot be an old alignment of it. However Old Post Road does loop off of Woodbridge Avenue, part of Middlesex County Route 514, so it most likely is an old alignment of that road. In addition there is a road called King George Post Road running through Raritan Center east of the Old Post Road's eastern terminus, so I assume the "Post" in that name is derived from the "Post" in Old Post and might of been connected at one time.
This little spur is named Old SR 665, even though it splits off of SR 317, dating to the 70s when 317 was extended westward to US 23, replacing 665 in the process.
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fuploads.tapatalk-cdn.com%2F20161211%2F5db9c8795a65aa469567bbb3592078bc.jpg&hash=8d50973f1772935d781d546842e10346b2424e89)
Old Creamery Road in San Luis Obispo County at Harmony is a older alignment of CA 1.
Here in Craven County we have numerous "Olds" but the big ones that I know some of the history behind are:
Old US 70 (SR-1005) between Dover and New Bern which was obviously the old 2 lane alignment of US-70 before the freeway was built.
Old Cherry Point Rd (SR-1113) was once upon a time US-70 and before that, NC-10. Long time locals tell me (no hard proof) that what is now the westbound lanes of US-70 was the original 2 lane coming west out of Havelock until the Fisher's Landing Rd intersection and then US-70 went up what is now the westbound service road and then up along Old Cherry Point Rd from there (none of what is now US-70 from Fishers landing to New Bern existed back then).
We also have Old Brick Rd in Ernul, Old Pollocksville Rd SW of New Bern, Old Vanceboro Rd N of Bridgeton, and Old Washington Rd N of Vanceboro, all of which may or may not have been old alignments of US-17 (I have nothing I can pass along to either prove or disprove that theory that I have been able to locate).
We have Old County Road 17, an older alignment of CR 17 before the new alignment was completed in 2012.
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.5645789,-85.8866008,302m/data=!3m1!1e3 (https://www.google.com/maps/@41.5645789,-85.8866008,302m/data=!3m1!1e3)
Quote from: roadman65 on December 06, 2016, 09:04:56 AM
In Edison, NJ there is an Old Post Road that parallels US 1, but as the US route was originally on the Lincoln Highway, that is now NJ 27 in the area, it cannot be an old alignment of it. However Old Post Road does loop off of Woodbridge Avenue, part of Middlesex County Route 514, so it most likely is an old alignment of that road. In addition there is a road called King George Post Road running through Raritan Center east of the Old Post Road's eastern terminus, so I assume the "Post" in that name is derived from the "Post" in Old Post and might of been connected at one time.
Those likely were roads built so the mail (post) could be delivered from one place to another. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post_road
Old Mobile Highway in my hometown of Pascagoula, Miss., is an old alignment of US 90 which connected the two cities. Annoyingly, it was caught up in an attempt to retroactively standardize 100% of E-W thoroughfares as Avenues and 100% of N-S thoroughfares as Streets. While that's been largely abandoned, there are still a handful of "Old Mobile Avenue" signs hanging around.
Old Pascagoula Road in Mobile County, Ala., is part of an old US 90 alignment as well.
Columbia Park Trail, and Kennedy Road in Benton County, WA were once part of U.S. 410
I know this is an "old" topic, but my personal favorite in and around Bensalem/Longhorne in Pennsylvania, off of US 1, is "Old Lincoln Highway" - probably an original alignment of THE Lincoln Highway!
I grew up in Chapel Hill, NC. There was an "Old NC 86" northwest of Chapel Hill, from before NC highway 86 was moved to its new alignment in IIRC the 1960's. There's also an "Old Durham Road" and "Old Chapel Hill Road" which're the old alignment of US 15-501 between Durham and Chapel Hill, and a short "Old Pittsboro Rd" from before Business 15-501 south toward Pittsboro was aligned to a smoother path downhill.
I'm less sure about "Old Greensboro Road west of Carrboro" - the new Greensboro Road, NC 54 to US 70, is pretty old.
But the most historical is definitely Old NC 10 in central Orange County. NC 10 was the main east-west highway across North Carolina; this part of it was realigned to not have so many railroad crossings and then replaced by US 70 long ago.
Old 51 Road in Arbor Vitae WI.
Old Highway in Mariposa County California which was once Legislative Route 18 and a precursor to CA 140:
https://www.gribblenation.org/2019/06/old-highway-mariposa-county-old.html?m=1
Old Hwy 18 in Stevens Point/Amhearst WI/
Related thread (but not a duplicate, probably no need to merge): https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=6379.0
Similarly, in Lexington, KY there is New Circle Road (KY 4). However, there was never a "Circle Road" nor an "Old Circle Road."
There's an Old M-11 in Honor, MI (M-11 became US-31 in 1926)
Bloomington, IN: The original road to Martinsville (18??-1950, also known as Dixie Highway, State Road 22, and the first IN 37), north of the city, is officially called Old 37, but is sometimes called Old Martinsville Rd.
Actually, it should be called "Old Old 37," but the 2nd alignment of 37 (1950-72) is either called North Walnut St. or Business 37 North. The latter should disappear in time, once I-69 is finished to Indy and 37 ends at 69 south of Bloomington.
Central Wisconsin, roughly Oshkosh to Monico: At a half-dozen or so places along US 45, the old alignment branches off the current route, and is called Old 26 Rd. US 45 north of Oshkosh was State Trunk Highway 26 prior to 1934.
All of the ones I can think of are either former alignments for the road, or had an old establishment that was moved/destroyed located on the road.