Road Trip from Joliet, IL up to The Dakotas

[geronimoabn]

US 34 in Mendota, IL


US 52 crossing the Mississippi River into Iowa.


US 52 in Sabula, IA


US 52 near Sabula, IA


US 52 near Bellevue, IA.


US 18 near Mason City, IA


US 18 Jct with I-35 near Clear Lake, IA


US 18 Jct with US 69 near Garner, IA


US 18 near Rock Valley, IA

End of part one (IL and IA)

[agentsteel53]

is that an 18" Great River Road shield?  neato!

[geronimoabn]

Part 2 (South Dakota)


US 281 & SD 44 near Corsica, SD


West bound on SD 44 near Winner, SD


West bound SD 44 near White River, SD


SD 44 Jct with BIA 2 near Potato Creek, SD (Pine Ridge Reservation)


SD 44 west bound approaching Badlands.


SD 44 west bound approaching Badlands.


SD 44 west bound in Badlands National Park.


SD 44 west bound in Badlands National Park.


SD 44 west bound approaching Jct with US 385


Northbound on US 385 just south of Deadwood, SD


End of US 385 at US 85 in Deadwood, SD


US 85 in Deadwood, SD


US 85 & US 14A just outside Deadwood, SD


North bound on US 85 just north of Belle Fourche,
SD


North bound on US 85 near Buffalo, SD

End part 2

[agentsteel53]

excellent Badlands photos!

find any older-spec 85, 385, and 14A shields in Deadwood and Lead?

[geronimoabn]

excellent Badlands photos!

find any older-spec 85, 385, and 14A shields in Deadwood and Lead?

No, sorry I didn't see anything older.  Do older ones exist and I missed them?

[agentsteel53]

No, sorry I didn't see anything older.  Do older ones exist and I missed them?

as of October 2011, there were several on mainline 85 and mainline 385.  the 385 ones are the first north and south reassurance exiting SD-87 (whose first reassurance is a US-87 shield!)

the 85s are at the junction of 85 and 385.

[geronimoabn]

Part 3 (North Dakota)


US 85 enters North Dakota.  I had never been to ND before. This clinches #49 out of 50 states for me.


US just south of Bowman, ND.  Even though I was heading north, I took a picture of the southbound marker because the light was better.


US 85 Jct with I-94 near Belfield, ND


Old US 10 west bound just before entering Medora, ND


I-94 Jct with ND 31 near New Salem, ND


ND 31 and Alt ND 200 near Pick City, ND


ND 31 near Riverdale, ND




Garrison Dam near Pick City, ND on ND 200


Mustard fields near Max, ND off US 83


US 52 & US 2 east bound in Minot, ND




US 2 east bound in Rugby, ND


Sunset near Leeds, ND on US 2


Heading north on US 281 near Churchs Ferry, ND


West bound on ND 66 near Loma, ND


US 81 & ND 66 near St. Thomas, ND


East bound on ND 66 at I-29 near Drayton, ND


Think these fine folk are getting their kicks?  ND 66 near Drayton, ND

End part 3

[geronimoabn]

No, sorry I didn't see anything older.  Do older ones exist and I missed them?

as of October 2011, there were several on mainline 85 and mainline 385.  the 385 ones are the first north and south reassurance exiting SD-87 (whose first reassurance is a US-87 shield!)

the 85s are at the junction of 85 and 385.

It seems I just plain missed them.  I was flying.  I ran over 2900 miles in 4 days.  My real purpose for this trip was to clinch North Dokata as a state I have visited. 

[agentsteel53]

ND - now there's a state where it is damn tough to find old shields.  as with Nebraska and Oregon, I don't believe they ever used the '61 spec black square: never seen one in any of those states, even as a historic photo. 

[NE2]

SD 44 Jct with BIA 2 near Potato Creek, SD (Pine Ridge Reservation)

Is this an older standard with "B.I.A." in the shield?

[geronimoabn]

Last part (Minnesota)


US 75 at MN 11


East bound on MN 11 at US 59 near Karlstad, MN


East bound on MN 11 near Warroad, MN


East bound on MN 11 near Warroad, MN


MN 72 in Baudette, MN


US 71 and MN 11 just outside of International Falls, MN


South bound on US 53 just outside of International Falls, MN



South bound US 53 near Virginia, MN


South bound US 53 in Superior, WI


Back home in Joliet, IL on US 30 after over 2900 miles in 4 days.

Thanks for viewing.

[geronimoabn]

SD 44 Jct with BIA 2 near Potato Creek, SD (Pine Ridge Reservation)

Is this an older standard with "B.I.A." in the shield?

This shield took me by surprise.  It was on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation and I don't know anything about it. 

[bugo]

What's the speed limit on old US 10?  I've seen county roads in North Dakota with 65 MPH speed limits and windy narrow dirt roads with a speed limit of 55 MPH.

[geronimoabn]

What's the speed limit on old US 10?  I've seen county roads in North Dakota with 65 MPH speed limits and windy narrow dirt roads with a speed limit of 55 MPH.

I'm not certain, but I believe it was 55 at that point where I took the picture.  It's right as you are coming off WB I-94 heading into Medora which is a bit of a tourist trap as it's the entrance to Theodore Roosevelt National Park.

[agentsteel53]

I have seen many shields which say "BIA".  I believe all are in South Dakota - if not, then they are primarily there.

on that shield, unfortunately, BIA is in Arialveticaversteskpoo.

[geronimoabn]

I have seen many shields which say "BIA".  I believe all are in South Dakota - if not, then they are primarily there.

Guess that would make sense since it seems B.I.A. stands for "bureau of indian affairs."
http://www.northernplainshighways.org/sdakota/sd1-30.html

[agentsteel53]

Arizona shields tend to say INDIAN.

anyone know when these routes were first implemented on paper, and when they were first signed?

[bugo]

ND - now there's a state where it is damn tough to find old shields.  as with Nebraska and Oregon, I don't believe they ever used the '61 spec black square: never seen one in any of those states, even as a historic photo. 

The oldest sign I found in North Dakota was a 61ish spec sign that looked to be maybe 30 years old.  It was on a side street in Minot.

[bugo]

SD 44 Jct with BIA 2 near Potato Creek, SD (Pine Ridge Reservation)

Is this an older standard with "B.I.A." in the shield?

Here's one from Nebraska:



I've seen signs that had other writing in place of "BIA" but I can't remember what they said.

[agentsteel53]

The oldest sign I found in North Dakota was a 61ish spec sign that looked to be maybe 30 years old.  It was on a side street in Minot.

I'd really like to see a picture of that.  not even our Michael Summa stuff from the 70s features any '61 spec US shields.

in all my exploration of North Dakota, I've seen precisely two signs that might be an older standard. 



that's not quite '57 spec (too thin border)

there's also a shield on I-29 mainline northbound that has something resembling a '61 spec layout with a state name and large numbers.  I need to dig up a photo of it.

[CL]

Great photos, especially of that beautiful terrain in parts two and three.

Does Iowa still utilize 1957-specification Interstate shields?

[agentsteel53]

Great photos, especially of that beautiful terrain in parts two and three.

Does Iowa still utilize 1957-specification Interstate shields?

generally, yes.  they do have the occasional '70-spec show up.

[bugo]

I thought I had a picture of the older US 83 shield in Minot but I guess I didn't get a picture of it.  It had C series numbers.  It was definitely older than most of the signs in the state.

[agentsteel53]

I thought I had a picture of the older US 83 shield in Minot but I guess I didn't get a picture of it.  It had C series numbers.  It was definitely older than most of the signs in the state.

dang.  I have seen some 1970 spec shields with C numbers... they are indeed older in general. 

[Scott5114]

Speaking of old signs in this part of the country, I was caught by surprise by a full button-copy gantry in Superior WI approaching the Bong Bridge (I believe it is US 53; US 2 was using it as a detour).