Concerning US 40 potentially being built with "runways"

[Alex4897]

Today me and my English teacher were discussing the nations highways.  She said that she had read somewhere that US 40 was built with every few miles out of a certain distance as straight for the purpose as being used as runways in the case of emergency (possibly because of WWI?).  I know that Interstates were not built as such and the rumors surrounding them doubling as runways are a myth, and a quick inspection of the entirety of US 40 reveals that the whole thing could not have followed this standard.  She also brought up that US 40 in and around Delaware and eastern Maryland was closed immediately following the 9/11 terrorist attacks (which she thought supported her claim that US 40 was built to serve aircraft in emergencies.)
The discussion led me to ask these questions:

Was any stretch of US 40 built with every few miles as completely straight for the sake of aircraft?

Was any portion of any US road (federal or Interstate) built with every few miles as completely straight for the sake of aircraft?

Was US 40 (or any other highway distant from the 9/11 terrorist attacks) shut down immediately following the attacks?  (not including roads leading to airports and such)


If anyone could answer any of these it'd be greatly appreciated.

[Laura]

As far as I know, that is a myth, but I do know that planes have landed on highways before. This past January, a plane landed on the Major Deegan Expressway in the Bronx. In 2011, a plane landed on I-80 in NJ. In 2010, a plane landed on the NJ turnpike.

[briantroutman]

I don't know the true answer, but I think it's relevant to point out that in order for that theory to work, you'd need regular straight stretches and no vertical interruptions–no overpasses, no overhead signs, etc. Without both of those things, a runway wouldn't work.

[agentsteel53]

no vertical interruptions

an expressway with at-grade crossings and signage off to the side, as opposed to overhead, would fit this description.  furthermore, this is a style of road that was built frequently in the 1930s and 1940s... so I wouldn't put it past MD/DE to build a four-laner of this sort at just about the right time.

[Alex4897]

no vertical interruptions

an expressway with at-grade crossings and signage off to the side, as opposed to overhead, would fit this description.  furthermore, this is a style of road that was built frequently in the 1930s and 1940s... so I wouldn't put it past MD/DE to build a four-laner of this sort at just about the right time.

Which was the point that she had made.

[jeffandnicole]

I don't recall US 40 being shut down after 9/11 in this area. If it was, it wouldn't be for aircraft. For starters, the New Castle Airport is already directly on Rt 40 in this area! Plus, the Dover Air Force Base is just 50 miles to the south. And with other major airports nearby (PHL, BWI), it wouldn't be necessary to close roadway for planes to land on.

Much of the area is residential and commercial anyway, with trees and power lines along and/or in the median of Rt 40 thru the entire stretch. An large airplane wouldn't be able to safely land on the highway with all the obstructions.

[theline]

I know the question isn't about interstates, but this Snopes.com article addresses the tale about interstate "airstrips" http://www.snopes.com/autos/law/airstrip.asp#t0Dl3GLOZ6mPSF60.99

It offers a possible origin for the legend:

. . . the closest any of this came to touching base with reality was in 1944, when Congress briefly considered the possibility of including funding for emergency landing strips in the Federal Highway-Aid Act. . . . At no point was the idea kited of using highways or other roads to land planes on; the proposed landing strips would have been built alongside major highways, with the highways serving to handle ground transportation access to and from these strips.

The reasons stated in the article for not landing planes on interstates seems to apply as well to US 40 as originally built.

A few years ago, a private plane landed on busy SR-933 in the middle of the town or Roseland, IN, just north of the University of Notre Dame. It was remarkable that there was no ground traffic and no injuries.

[ET21]

From last September, a plane lands on Lake Shore Drive
http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/Small-Plane-Makes-Emergency-Landing-on-Lake-Shore-Drive-224766662.html

[Alex4897]

After discussing the topic again today, she clarified that US 40 was shut down immediately west of North East, MD, to somewhere around the bridge over the Susquehanna following the attacks to funnel traffic onto I-95.  Can someone verify this and/or provide some explanation?

[vtk]

Most of US 40 was not built as such. It, like other US routes, was assigned to existing, older roads. The National Road, which comprised part of US 40, had already existed for about a century at that time.

It's possible that a specific bypass segment of US 40 might have later been built to accommodate aircraft, but to say this about the entire route is utter nonsense.

[cpzilliacus]

After discussing the topic again today, she clarified that US 40 was shut down immediately west of North East, MD, to somewhere around the bridge over the Susquehanna following the attacks to funnel traffic onto I-95.  Can someone verify this and/or provide some explanation?

I do not believe that ever happened.  If it had, I would have remembered it.

[jeffandnicole]

While it does appear Route 40 is straight in that stretch, the large amount of trees/forest on either side of the highway would preclude an airplane from making a safe landing.  The plane couldn't even lane in the middle of the highway because of the median.

There was a lot of confusion and hasty decision making during and just after the terrorist attacks.  If it was shut down, it might have been due to a concern regarding something.  A quick Google search doesn't reveal anything.

[realjd]

After discussing the topic again today, she clarified that US 40 was shut down immediately west of North East, MD, to somewhere around the bridge over the Susquehanna following the attacks to funnel traffic onto I-95.  Can someone verify this and/or provide some explanation?

I can. On 9/11, many roads through and near military bases were closed. SR-A1A here in FL was closed between Satellite Beach and Cocoa Beach for several months due to the proximity of the highway to military buildings. It didn't reopen until they were able to build a blast wall between the highway and the buildings. Other similar things occurred nationwide.

Closing that stretch of US-40 makes sense in this context. If it did indeed happen, it was because the US Army wanted to keep traffic away from Aberdeen Proving Grounds.

[Jardine]

And if a sizable plane was landed, for instance, on Hwy 40, what do you do with it then?  No ground handling equipment nearby, no aviation fuel or lubricants, no parts if the plane has a mechanical issue, no local ATC, and you've blocked a major highway with something it is going to be a problem to get rid of.

[WichitaRoads]

Today me and my English teacher were discussing ...

Does you English teacher know you have poor grammar? It should be: "Today, my English teacher and I were..."

Sorry! A bad grammar flub like that with a sentence discussing your English teacher cries out for a correction. 

I'll step off now. 

ICTRds

[mrsman]

Today me and my English teacher were discussing ...

Does you English teacher know you have poor grammar? It should be: "Today, my English teacher and I were..."

Sorry! A bad grammar flub like that with a sentence discussing your English teacher cries out for a correction. 

I'll step off now. 

ICTRds

I wanted to say something like that, but I thought that the site frowned upon grammar corrections. 

[Kacie Jane]

Today me and my English teacher were discussing ...

Does your English teacher know you have poor grammar?

I'm sorry. I'm truly a horrible person.

[renegade]

Today me and my English teacher were discussing ...

Does you English teacher know you have poor grammar? It should be: "Today, my English teacher and I were..."

Sorry! A bad grammar flub like that with a sentence discussing your English teacher cries out for a correction. 

I'll step off now. 

ICTRds

I wanted to say something like that, but I thought that the site frowned upon grammar corrections.

Sorry ... that one begged for corrections

[WichitaRoads]

Today me and my English teacher were discussing ...

Does your English teacher know you have poor grammar?

I'm sorry. I'm truly a horrible person.

Not horrible... just dishing it back to me! I thought I read my post three or four times to avoid that. Oh well.

ICTRds

[Alex4897]

Today me and my English teacher were discussing ...

Does your English teacher know you have poor grammar?

I'm sorry. I'm truly a horrible person.

Not horrible... just dishing it back to me! I thought I read my post three or four times to avoid that. Oh well.

ICTRds

I should've known this was inevitable when I posted this. 

[Brandon]

"I hate Illinois Grammar Nazis."
- "Joliet" Jake Blues