Really strange early interstate numbering proposals.

[briantroutman]

And as far as strange numbering is concerned, what about the original plans to designate the last few miles of I-79 in Erie as I-179?

Proposed in 1958 as the current Interstate 79 alignment towards Erie, but would have turned to parallel the PA 99 alignment to end in Kearsarge.  Shown on General Drafting and Rand McNally maps from 1962 and 1963 respectively.

[Henry]

In addition, there was an I-177 that was to serve as a spur into Cleveland, back when I-77 was to extend to Detroit. Somehow, this was shelved due to some sort of feud between OH and MI.

[RoadWarrior56]

My personal favorite was I-59B around Birmingham, which ended up being changed to I-459.

[NE2]

I liked I-99, which was supposed to use Corridor O through western Pennsylvania.

[bugo]

An old school cutout on a freeway.  Nice.

[agentsteel53]

An old school cutout on a freeway.  Nice.

they happen.  that looks like a 21" cutout, which is barely freeway-spec.  I've seen oversized state-named cutouts from the following places:

CA - 27", 36"
CT - 21"
DE - 24"
KY - 30" or so (tough to tell from the photos)
MD - 24"
MI - 24", 36"
NV - 24"
NC - 36"
OR - 24", 36"
PA - 24"
SC - 21"
TX - 20", 24"
UT - 36"
VT - 24"
WV - 22" (tough to tell from the photo, definitely oversize)

probably others out there - and that's not counting the state-named shields that are on white or black squares and also oversized.

[briantroutman]

back when I-77 was to extend to Detroit...

This is the first I've ever heard of this. Would it have extended along the Ohio Turnpike and I-75? An extended OH 2 freeway?

[Brandon]

back when I-77 was to extend to Detroit...

This is the first I've ever heard of this. Would it have extended along the Ohio Turnpike and I-75? An extended OH 2 freeway?

That's where I think the problems came in.  The two sections, as far as I can tell, were disjointed.  The I-77 proposal in Michigan became a part of I-94 (Detroit to Port Huron).

[TheStranger]

And as far as strange numbering is concerned, what about the original plans to designate the last few miles of I-79 in Erie as I-179?

Effectively isn't this what exists today with the unsigned I-345 in Dallas?

[bugo]

For your enjoyment, there's the 1957 plan, before 3dis existed. What jumps out as wastes of a number:

• I-31 from Fargo north to the Canadian border (now I-29)

I-29 was originally to end in Sioux Falls at I-90.  The segment between I-90 and I-94 was later added.[/list]

[jp the roadgeek]

Before the bizarre I-81E, I believe the current I-380 in Pennsylvania was originally suggested as I-82.

Yes, but I-84 was to run across the north of PA (US6 corridor) and I-80 was to take the turnpike. I-78 was I-80N, with Philly being I-80S. I-82 was Scranton to I-95 near New York - a perfectly acceptable 2di route.

However, by that time, PA wanted a more southerly free route across the state than the I-84 route, so I-80 took over much of the I-82 route, and I-84 was curtailed at Scranton. The leftover bit of I-82 was too long for a 3di, compared with the existing ones (which were city routes), so it was to be a suffixed route. That's not that silly.

I-86 in CT was silly. I don't know why they changed from the original (when they wanted a Hartford-Providence interstate) plan of I-84 being left and the other interstate being I-82 - I guess duplicates, but then I-84N, rather than I-86, would have made more sense if they were still in the numbering phase that didn't have 2 I-76s.

IL's I-37 plan was pretty horrific.

Actually, the I-84 to Providence at one point was going to be I-82, and I-84 was (and once again is) the road to Sturbridge.  That changed when I-86 was made the new number for the proposed I-491 that was supposed to connect the Putnam Bridge to I-84 near the old movie theaters.  I-84 became the (since killed off) Providence route and I-86 took over I-84.