Google News Archive

[kurumi]

Try this search: http://news.google.com/archivesearch?q=%22interstate+designation%22+source%3Agoogle

The first parameter scans Google's News Archive for "interstate designation", and would include both free and paid archives if you stopped there.

The second parameter, "source:google" limits your search to newspapers Google itself has digitized, OCRed and indexed. Their interface, which lets you scan over the page to see the article in context (and attached photos and maps) is superior to many of the paid archives.

I haven't found a list of newspapers archived by Google. In Connecticut, they have the Day (New London), the Hour (Norwalk), the Sunday Herald (Bridgeport, defunct) among others. The OCR isn't perfect (I see things like "Interstate 1-95" frequently), but it's another good free tool for research.

Some (small) finds:
* OR 140 route number OK'ed, 1965: http://bit.ly/6O6Rqe
* Wisconsin renumbering, 1926: http://bit.ly/56Lsht
* Maine mulls moving US 1, 1931: http://bit.ly/5W6P7F
* PA to simplify numbering system, 1966: http://bit.ly/6VmSsv (scroll down for statewide construction status map)
* WA, OR fight over US 12 route, 1962: http://bit.ly/5O6Ond and http://bit.ly/7RUOBx (today's US 12 is not even close to Columbia R.)
* Sarasota, FL denied extension of US 19, 1954: http://bit.ly/5vY9ul
* California announces statewide numbering, 1934: http://bit.ly/8gUQqt
* Everglades highway opens, 1927: http://bit.ly/6nLyGy
* I-10 and I-110 in Pensacola, "Highways to Nowhere", 1963 (with map): http://bit.ly/8l32K3
* Last leg of I-279 to open, 1989: http://bit.ly/6BoCVZ
* Trouble in paradise? 1972: http://bit.ly/6H4IVv

[Bickendan]

That OR 140 article suggests that the intended outcome was for a US 140 designation, as the western terminus was intended to be Crescent City. Interesting: US 40's rollback to Utah might have been the death knell for the full CA/OR/NV 140 route.

[TheStranger]

That OR 140 article suggests that the intended outcome was for a US 140 designation, as the western terminus was intended to be Crescent City. Interesting: US 40's rollback to Utah might have been the death knell for the full CA/OR/NV 140 route.

I do wonder what would've happened to the existing California Route 140 in the Central Valley, had that multi-state route come into existence...

[roadfro]

I don't think the 140/Winnemucca to the Sea Highway would've entered California...unless it dipped south on the western end...

[J N Winkler]

London-Birmingham Motorway under construction:

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=9qUUAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Tq8DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6997,1689923&dq=motorway&hl=en

It later opened on November 2, 1959.

[agentsteel53]

I thought the Winnemucca-to-the-Sea highway was planned to take US-199 as its last leg. 

here is a topic from a couple months ago where that route was discussed

https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=1246.0

[Revive 755]

Bill passed for two tollways in Michigan:
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=DjITAAAAIBAJ&sjid=dgAEAAAAIBAJ&dq=toledo%20freeway%20system&pg=6021%2C1767885

Article regarding completion of the OH 2 freeway from downtown Toledo to downtown Cleveland:
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=0iYxAAAAIBAJ&sjid=yAEEAAAAIBAJ&dq=toledo%20freeway%20plan&pg=7161%2C2696556

Article on an apparently killed riverfront freeway in Toledo between I-75 and I-280:
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=eT0xAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ZgEEAAAAIBAJ&dq=toledo%20freeway%20plan&pg=6766%2C6624603

Map of planned Toledo expressway system:
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=BQswAAAAIBAJ&sjid=EQEEAAAAIBAJ&dq=toledo%20freeway%20plan&pg=5251%2C1924212

[Brandon]

Heh.  Even in 1958 when the Northwest Tollway (I-90) was opened, there appeared to be roadgeeks.  This article makes mention of a guy who had a hobby of driving new roads and bridges.
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=SwIqAAAAIBAJ&sjid=miYEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7151,114121&dq=illinois-tollway&hl=en

[Revive 755]

Article with map of part of Milwaukee's Lake Freeway:
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=qdwjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=5ScEAAAAIBAJ&dq=south-freeway&pg=7492%2C1614865

There's many articles whose authors don't know the type of road they are referring to; makes it hard to search for any as of yet undiscovered dead interstates.

EDIT:
Article on two proposed tollways connecting to I-155 in TN, one to I-24 at Clarksville, another down to Cornith, MS:
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=xOkrAAAAIBAJ&sjid=tgUGAAAAIBAJ&dq=interstate-155%20-ad&pg=5695%2C1422502

[Alex]

Indeed lots of good stuff to be found:

Interstate 165 construction, with a mentioning of Interstate 210 in Alabama
Sing Along With Signs in Alabama - the grooved pavement caused tires to make a noise that worried motorists into thinking something was wrong with their cars, so the highway department installed signs that the noise was caused by the highway, not their cars. I would like to see what those signs looked like.
A 1980s proposal to extend U.S. 641 south to Alabama.
1980 article on replacing the Cochrane Bridge in Mobile, Alabama with a new elevated highway leading north into Saraland.
Completion of Interstate 359

[bugo]

US 412

[mightyace]

US 412

In the article, the eastern end of US 412 was then Jackson, TN.  I checked on www.usends.com (http://www.usends.com/10-19/412/412.html) and saw that the current terminus near Columbia didn't happen until 1989.

[Revive 755]

Article mentioning I-57 in Wisconsin having funding issues:
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=obkoAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ZikEAAAAIBAJ&dq=north-freeway%20-ad&pg=7221%2C5149090

[xonhulu]

That OR 140 article suggests that the intended outcome was for a US 140 designation, as the western terminus was intended to be Crescent City. Interesting: US 40's rollback to Utah might have been the death knell for the full CA/OR/NV 140 route.

What surprised me in the article was that the highway between Klamath Falls and White City was formerly OR 64.  I thought the former route was OR 236, although by the old route-numbering scheme 64 makes sense.  This may require some research.

[xonhulu]

Article mentioning I-57 in Wisconsin having funding issues:

So why was it eventually number I-43 instead?

[english si]

So why was it eventually number I-43 instead?

I'm guessing the long multiplex with I-94 would see it off. That said, why not a higher number? Obviously US 51 and 53 in WI rule them out, and I-49 exists, but I-47 would have allowed more flexibility - Future I-41 could have been I-43, which would make it more palatable to some people.

[Revive 755]

^ I think the nearby presence of WI 57 helped lead to the number being changed to 43.

EDIT: Another article regarding I-57 in Wisconsin, this one indicating considerable opposition to the route:
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=CEwaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=higEAAAAIBAJ&dq=interstate-57%20green-bay%20-ad&pg=7310%2C4365577 (may need to scroll right).

Article where the US 141 route was chosen:
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=jTgdAAAAIBAJ&sjid=zCgEAAAAIBAJ&dq=interstate-57%20green-bay%20-ad&pg=5002%2C3379637

Article mentioning that I-57 was to use the Stadium Freeway in Milwaukee:
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=k78dAAAAIBAJ&sjid=oCgEAAAAIBAJ&dq=interstate-57%20green-bay%20-ad&pg=2851%2C1949999

EDIT2:
Article indicating a major disagreement of the northern terminus of I-24 between Missouri and Illinois, possible truncation of I-57 at I-24:
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=AM0fAAAAIBAJ&sjid=mNgEAAAAIBAJ&dq=interstate-57%20-ad&pg=3492%2C6561120

Article mentioning the number change for the route from I-57 to I-43:
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=P80VAAAAIBAJ&sjid=rhEEAAAAIBAJ&dq=interstate-43%20green-bay%20-ad&pg=5282%2C342196

[Revive 755]

Found an article from 1974 on studies for three highways from Kansas City:  One to Chicago with a Mississippi River crossing around Hannibal (US 24 and now IL 336?), one to Baton Rouge, and another to Brunswick, Georgia
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=gswhAAAAIBAJ&sjid=gp4FAAAAIBAJ&dq=cape%20girardeau%20baton%20rouge%20corridor&pg=3650%2C4226246
f
EDIT:  Found an article with more details on two of the proposed routes.  The Kansas City - Brunswick route would pass near Batesville or Jonesboro, AR, and Memphis TN (earliest proposal for what is now going to be I-555 and I-22?).  Both this and the KC-Baton Rouge route would pass through Springfield, MO.
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=n80fAAAAIBAJ&sjid=3NgEAAAAIBAJ&dq=highway%20springfield%20memphis&pg=2654%2C1048476

EDIT2:  Running the interstate designation search, I've turned up a semi-serious proposal in the late 80's for an I-11 in Idaho using the US 95 corridor:
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=mTMuAAAAIBAJ&sjid=3NAFAAAAIBAJ&dq=interstate-designation&pg=4789%2C2260791

[CL]

The Deseret News has archived every issue through Google from 1850 to now. It's proven to be such an invaluable resource for researching roads and all the designations its carried and everything.

[mgk920]

^ I think the nearby presence of WI 57 helped lead to the number being changed to 43.

'I-57' was originally planned to follow WI 57.  It was renumbered when its routing was changed to follow US 141.

As for US 41, I still strongly favor it becoming 'I-57' with US 41 then being rerouted to replace WI 57 between I-43 (Port Washington split) and Green Bay.  The other sections of WI 57 can be renumbered to something else (NE of Green Bay) or decommissioned (south of Port Washington).

Mike

[Hot Rod Hootenanny]

Found an article from 1974 on studies for three highways from Kansas City:  One to Chicago with a Mississippi River crossing around Hannibal (US 24 and now IL 336?), one to Baton Rouge, and another to Brunswick, Georgia
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=gswhAAAAIBAJ&sjid=gp4FAAAAIBAJ&dq=cape%20girardeau%20baton%20rouge%20corridor&pg=3650%2C4226246
f
EDIT:  Found an article with more details on two of the proposed routes.  The Kansas City - Brunswick route would pass near Batesville or Jonesboro, AR, and Memphis TN (earliest proposal for what is now going to be I-555 and I-22?).  Both this and the KC-Baton Rouge route would pass through Springfield, MO.
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=n80fAAAAIBAJ&sjid=3NgEAAAAIBAJ&dq=highway%20springfield%20memphis&pg=2654%2C1048476

The KC to BR route was the original proposal for I-49.  I remember seeing an article about this said highway, from the mid 70s, in the Baton Rouge Advocate while researching for something else several years back.  Of course by the time LaDOTD was publishing their plans for I-49, the south end had changed from Baton Rouge to Lafayette.

[Revive 755]

Turned up an article on rejected routings for the Lake Freeway in Wisconsin around Racine (with a map):
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=RXYfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=jCgEAAAAIBAJ&dq=lake-freeway%20kenosha&pg=7273%2C2061345