Busy freeways that you saw built and cannot believe that they did not once exist

[skluth]

Another that just came to my mind for here in Wisconsin is US(I)-41 between Ashland Ave and Lombardi Ave, along with connecting WI 172, in Ashwaubenon (suburban Green Bay) - opened in about 1974.  Before then, all of that through traffic on US 41, now being upgraded to six and eight lanes, went north on Ashland and then took a 90 degree intersection turn to continue west on Lombardi, right past Lambeau Field, before returning to its current routing.



Mike

Mike, I was in high school when the 172 bridge connecting Allouez and Ashwaubenon was built. At the time, 172 ended at Webster Av and you could bicycle on the bridge which was useful for the short time I worked at Prange's on the west side. It also made it much easier to get to Packer games. When I go back to GB, I'm amazed at how much traffic 172 carries.

[Stephane Dumas]

I remember when A-55 between Sherbrooke and Drummondville was a super-2. I also remember the missing gap between St-Celestin and A-20.

Hard to believe now we can travel on the Laurentides park on a 4-lanes PQ-175.

For those who didn't taked TCH-417 or old Hwy-17 between Pointe-Fortune and Ottawa.  There was PQ-148 who was the main throughfare on the North shore of Ottawa River what was a part of A-50 was a little bypass of Lachute and a part of today PQ-158 between St-Esprit and Joliette.

[roadfro]

Late to this topic, but...

One for me was US 95 in northwestern Las Vegas. North of Rainbow Blvd/Summerlin Pkwy interchange, this was all 4-lane divided expressway when I was growing up, with all overpasses between there and Ann Road being very dangerous two-way stop at-grade intersections. The upgrade to freeway happened in roughly 1988-90, with further expansions/improvements completed in 2001 and 2013.

Another one is just the mere existence of the I-215/CC 215 beltway in Las Vegas. From my house, you can somewhat see Lone Mountain, and growing up there was a lot of empty space between my neighborhood and there. It still messes with my head that the busy 215 beltway now exists and runs *behind* Lone Mountain.