Distant Interstate Trailblazers

[theline]

^ It sure looks like button copy on my screen.  It may have been there since the Skyway opened in 1958.

[agentsteel53]

^^^

Are those button copy numerals on the I-65 sign?

nope.  I've seen the sign in person.  just kinda beaten-up sheeting.

[Alps]

Looks like there are state names on those interstates shields.  Wonder which state it is?

it looks like one interstate shield may be a slightly later addition?

Look carefully, there were only two shields originally. I bet you it was 80 and 90.

[Brandon]

Looks like there are state names on those interstates shields.  Wonder which state it is?

it looks like one interstate shield may be a slightly later addition?

Look carefully, there were only two shields originally. I bet you it was 80 and 90.

You sure about that?  It could be I-90 and I-94.  I-94 was the Skyway and the Toll Road in the 1960s, and I-90 went down the Calumet Expressway to I-80 before both jumped to the Toll Road at the Burns Harbor Interchange.  This sign could be that old.

[NE2]

This sign probably had three shields: http://www.flickr.com/photos/metroblossom/1595620009/

[nwi_navigator_1181]

This one is nowhere close to record-breaking, but there was a "TO I-65 NORTH" trailblazer coming from Purdue University's Ross Ade Stadium in West Lafayette. One time, my father and I followed it thinking it would take us back to the interstate through Lafayette either via Indiana 25 or 26. Little did we know, the trailblazers were designed to get us to I-65 via U.S. 231...about 20 miles from the starting point! I think it still stands to this day.

We tailgate right by those signs and yes, they do still stand...trailblazers to I-65 NB go quite a ways out until you're on US 231 heading north.  For a heavily attended game and crush of traffic right afterward, it does make some sense to route people so, but the signs are really applicable only 7 days a year.  The never-ending construction at some of the approaches to campus from I-65 does make the route via 231 from the north a reasonable alternative even if not signed anymore.

Let me ask you this. Come to think of it, isn't there a "TO I-65 SOUTH" sign lying right next to the "NORTH" sign? If so, where did it direct drivers? Given the logic INDOT is using here (which makes perfect sense in the grand scheme of things), I would think it 's letting drivers ride out U.S. 52 to its automatic merge with I-65 South (near Lebanon, some 30-40 miles south of Ross Ade). That's my line of thinking, but that's just me.

Regarding the aged Skyway/Toll Road sign, good catch on the outlines there. I'd also be willing to bet they were for I-80 and I-90. However, pending the age of the sign, an argument can be made for I-94, since it initially occupied the Skyway/Toll Road to Lake Station. Either way, that trailblazer is a fascinating piece of history.

EDIT: Brandon ninja'd me. We're on the same page.

[tdindy88]

I'd assume that it would be for I-65 southbound traffic via US 52 to the former SR 25, SR 26 and current SR 38 exits and not to follow US 52 all the way to Lebanon (not that it is a bad drive.) Now that I've looked through some area pictures, there are I-65 shields at US 52 and SR 26 (or should I say South Street.) I'd almost bet there is one too at US 52 and old SR 25 (whatever it's called.)

[jcarte29]

Today on my way up (west) I-40 I noticed a green trailblazer for I-795 in Goldsboro, about 25 miles off the actual exit (Exit 355, NC 403). This is also the same exit for those going to Mt Olive (town and college). And if I can ever figure out how to post a pic here I will gladly add it lol cause I did pull over to capture a pic.

[theline]

Regarding the aged Skyway/Toll Road sign, good catch on the outlines there. I'd also be willing to bet they were for I-80 and I-90. However, pending the age of the sign, an argument can be made for I-94, since it initially occupied the Skyway/Toll Road to Lake Station. Either way, that trailblazer is a fascinating piece of history.

I'm guessing too that the signs were originally 80 and 90. The Indiana portion of I-94 was delayed in construction. It was supposed at the time that Indiana dragged their feet to avoid competition with the ITR, which would have suffered from lost tolls.

[PurdueBill]

I'd assume that it would be for I-65 southbound traffic via US 52 to the former SR 25, SR 26 and current SR 38 exits and not to follow US 52 all the way to Lebanon (not that it is a bad drive.) Now that I've looked through some area pictures, there are I-65 shields at US 52 and SR 26 (or should I say South Street.) I'd almost bet there is one too at US 52 and old SR 25 (whatever it's called.)

Taking 52 all the way through town wouldn't be very fast--I think that the route they used to post on some signs (including one that used to be posted by where Smitty's supermarket used to be) was to use 52 EB to now-former 25 NB/Schuyler Ave to I-65.  On Cherry Lane and McCormick Road, the signs only point to I-65 NB and US 52 WB--theoretically one wouldn't exit the lots that way if heading south.  In reality, though, sometimes you have no choice which way to turn if you exit the lot soon after the game.  One can always do like I like to do and be one of the last ones out, dragging the tailgate on a while, and the cones are taken away, signals returned to normal modes instead of humans overriding them (and causing backups), traffic has cleared, and you can turn any direction at the corners again.

[codyg1985]

I remember seeing "TO I-40" trailblazers driving home from Tennessee in years past. I saw them on both TN 69 and TN 22 after passing TN 100. Thing was, I-40 was 25 to 30 miles away.

A similar thing can be found along I-155 eastbound approaching the split with US 412 east in Dyersburg, TN: http://goo.gl/maps/gW3Bb

At this point, I-40 is 43 miles away by following US 412. I can't remember if there are any trailblazers farther west.

[DandyDan]

Has there ever been a Nebraska I-29 shield posted?

this is the closest you're gonna find - but this sign is gone.  under that tape job may very well be a Nebraska.



currently, all the I-29 trailblazers in Nebraska look like this:

Not true.  There are several up by Eppley Airfield which are neutered.  There's also a few in downtown Omaha as well, and I think one of them in Bellevue is as well.  There may even be one in Plattsmouth.  But all of them I have seen which have a state's name on it say Iowa.  One thing I have no idea about is whether they got a To I-29 in Brownville or Rulo and whether they would have a Missouri I-29 shield.  Unfortunately, I don't have pictures to prove it.

[agentsteel53]

Not true.  There are several up by Eppley Airfield which are neutered.  There's also a few in downtown Omaha as well, and I think one of them in Bellevue is as well.  There may even be one in Plattsmouth.  But all of them I have seen which have a state's name on it say Iowa.  One thing I have no idea about is whether they got a To I-29 in Brownville or Rulo and whether they would have a Missouri I-29 shield.  Unfortunately, I don't have pictures to prove it.

thanks!  my exploration of the easternmost roads in Nebraska is clearly incomplete.  there is this one, which I had forgotten about.  it's in Omaha somewhere.  dunno if this is precisely a trailblazer, but it is definitely a counterexample.


and it turns out we have this one on our shield gallery as well.  looks like standard Nebraska spec.

[Brandon]

^^ I-29-N?  That's one for the error gallery.

[DandyDan]

Not true.  There are several up by Eppley Airfield which are neutered.  There's also a few in downtown Omaha as well, and I think one of them in Bellevue is as well.  There may even be one in Plattsmouth.  But all of them I have seen which have a state's name on it say Iowa.  One thing I have no idea about is whether they got a To I-29 in Brownville or Rulo and whether they would have a Missouri I-29 shield.  Unfortunately, I don't have pictures to prove it.

thanks!  my exploration of the easternmost roads in Nebraska is clearly incomplete.  there is this one, which I had forgotten about.  it's in Omaha somewhere.  dunno if this is precisely a trailblazer, but it is definitely a counterexample.


and it turns out we have this one on our shield gallery as well.  looks like standard Nebraska spec.

That shield with "I-29N" is in Council Bluffs, although I don't know precisely where it is.  I would guess it's close to the Mid-America Center and Horseshoe Casino, because if you are at one of those places, to go to I-29 south requires a trip in the opposite direction, away from I-480.  Presumably, the city of Council Bluffs put that shield up.

[The High Plains Traveler]

http://goo.gl/maps/luk9q At the junction of U.S. 50 and 287 on the north side of Lamar, CO. Not a record for this thread, but I-70 is 110 miles away. I guess the trailblazer is there because of 287 being the Ports to Plains Highway, heading toward Denver.

I guess Google is atoning for its use of "U.S. xx in Illinois" labels by appending ironic descriptions to the highway name here.

[NE2]

Same with most saying, "Nowhere near a record" but there is an I-95 trailblazer on US 17/92 in Sanford, FL, which is 27 miles away. In Bristol, FL, at the intersection of FL 20 and FL 12, there are I-10 trailblazers, with a distance of 21 miles.

SR 60 and US 27: 24 miles to I-4.

[Jim]

http://goo.gl/maps/luk9q At the junction of U.S. 50 and 287 on the north side of Lamar, CO. Not a record for this thread, but I-70 is 110 miles away. I guess the trailblazer is there because of 287 being the Ports to Plains Highway, heading toward Denver.

Better view of this one from my 2004 ride through that area.

[webfil]

Not an interstate, but A-15 (Quebec) trailblazers can be seen along I-87 for as far south as Lake George, NY, which is at a distance of a little over 120 miles.

Holy...wow. That's awesome. Entirely pointless in my opinion, but seriously awesome.

On this side of the border, I-91 trailblazers can be seen on QC A-20 in Drummonville (131 km/81 mi. north of the border crossing) and A-10 in Brossard (142 km/88 mi. northeast).

The one on A-10 is quite horribly misleading ; crossing the border from exit 121 leads you to Vermont...

[StogieGuy7]

The one on A-10 is quite horribly misleading ; crossing the border from exit 121 leads you to Vermont...

While you are correct, from that point, the vast majority of people traveling to population centers in VT would take I-89.  On the other hand, those headed to NH or eastern MA (Boston area) would follow I-91.  So, it's not horribly misleading because a lot more people are headed to Manchester, Concord, Nashua and/or Boston than destined for St. Johnsbury.  If you live in White River Jct. or southward, you'd even take I-89 to access I-91 because it's shorter. 

[Interstatefan78]

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=watsonville&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Watsonville,+Santa+Cruz,+California&gl=us&ei=f303TJ2WMIKosQPgoPFR&ved=0CCIQ8gEwAA&ll=36.927442,-121.745274&spn=0.008405,0.021136&t=h&z=16&layer=c&cbll=36.92753,-121.745251&panoid=-ksPY_jhq3Mpr7RIwfwRKw&cbp=12,45.41,,0,1.25

I remember seeing this sign in Watsonville about 60 miles west of I-5.  I'm pretty sure there's several To I-5 signs along the Pacific Coast on US-101, as well, but I don't remember any off the top of my head.

I'm pretty sure CA-46 list has this too, but is Lost Hills (I-5) 54 miles from Paso Robles (US-101 Exit 231)

[corco]

Here's a nice one in Lethbrige, Alberta, the only interstate trailblazer I know of in the province- it's a good 64 miles or so from I-15

[Revive 755]

I-90 has one for I-290 and IL 53 a short distance east of I-39:

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=rockford,+il&hl=en&ll=42.246946,-88.93364&spn=0.027035,0.066047&sll=42.032432,-88.091192&sspn=0.215992,0.528374&hnear=Rockford,+Winnebago,+Illinois&t=m&z=15&layer=c&cbll=42.246917,-88.933515&panoid=tI7Pd70X0-7jHHGVKjIwNg&cbp=12,141.52,,1,-0.53

[Mapmikey]

Not an interstate but perhaps an honorable mention...

There is a TO TCH-1 sign on NL 430 in St. Anthony, NL

http://goo.gl/maps/aRgTv

This is 257 miles away...

Mapmikey

[PHLBOS]

Along I-287 Northbound prior to the NJ-NY state line, there are two supplemental signs that include I-84 shields for the I-87/84 interchange located over 30 miles away: one of them is definitely NY-spec'd (either NYSDOT or NYSTA) Scroll down for pic of sign posted south of MM 65.9 while the other is NJDOT-spec'd beyond MM 64.6.