What was it like While they were building the Interstates? And signs?

[noelbotevera]

In California, the US route that would later be overlaid would still be signed. This link shows routes that would later be decommissioned, but the interstate was not complete yet.

[Jim]

Is the gap between Belle Vista, AR and Pineville, MO signed along US 71?

You can see much of the southbound signage through that stretch, at least as of last summer, part way down this page:

http://www.teresco.org/pics/omahatonaples-20150722-24/23/roads.html

[Max Rockatansky]

On a much later note than the initial Interstate building of the 50s and 60s there was the State Road 84 version of Alligator Alley in the Big Cypress Swamp and Everglades prior to I-75.  I vaguely remember the road being tolled like modern Alligator Alley is and following much of the same alignment in the 80s with the exception of it almost being totally 2-lane east of Naples.  I remember a lot of I-75 south of Tampa was already finished by then so there could have been a I-75 sign or two in Alligator Alley but I was too young to remember that level of detail.  I want to say it was 92/93 when it was upgraded to freeway standards and became part of the final leg of I-75.  Other that the only options you had back then out of Naples was US 41 and partially Monroe County Route 94 to get to Miami.

[Bruce]

The Ramps to Nowhere (not the other ones near the Arboretum on State Route 520) were finally opened in 1991 after the completion of a new floating bridge across Lake Washington (though, the old one sank and had to be rebuilt by 1993).

Thanks so much for this, I've been looking forever for a date for this, but for some reason I've never been able to find one.  (So that does put it two months after Wallace, Idaho....)

However, you're somewhat mistaken.  The original Lacey V. Murrow Bridge (eastbound lanes) opened in 1940, and the Homer M. Hadley Bridge (westbound and reversible lanes) opened in 1989.  Then the old Murrow Bridge sank in 1990 (while it was already closed for renovation) and didn't reopen until 1993.   The opening of the ramps to nowhere (which falls in between those last two openings) had nothing to do with a new bridge, and everything to do with the completion of the last mile of I-90 from I-5 to Rainier Avenue around Beacon Hill.

I had thought that the construction (or, more accurately, the anticipated completion) of the new span spurred the completion of I-90 around the north side of Beacon Hill, as well as Mercer Island, both of which got lidded parks.

[roadman65]

Back in the year 1985, the Port Authority of NY and NJ added a Newark Airport sign at Exit 18 of I-78.  That was before the Watchung Reservation Section opened in Spring 1986, so it had motorists traveling EB exit there and use US 22 all the way to the airport.  In fact in Bound Brook at CR 527, there was a PANYNJ sign saying that Newark Airport was 20 miles ahead, with a follow up 10 miles sign later on either in Mountainside or Scotch Plains (I cannot remember where exactly).

When I-78 finally opened the 5 mile hold up in 1986, the sign's arrow was altered and instead of pointing to the Exit 18 ramp, it pointed to the through lanes.  The sign was attached to the Exit 18 sign bridge supports on the side nearest the ramp.  I believe it was NJDOT that patched over the old arrow when they added "Newark" to the pull through sign as that sign sat blank for decades. NJDOT did not sign "Newark" then most likely cause I-78 did not go there from that point and US 22 did.  When I-78 finally opened in Union County it gave the reason to sign it, of course.

Now, the signs are gone including the 20 and 10 mile signs on Route 22 itself, but for one year prior to I-78 being complete from Phillipsburg to Newark it did have sign directing EWR patrons to stay on US 22 all the way.

[noelbotevera]

Back in the year 1985, the Port Authority of NY and NJ added a Newark Airport sign at Exit 18 of I-78.  That was before the Watchung Reservation Section opened in Spring 1986, so it had motorists traveling EB exit there and use US 22 all the way to the airport.  In fact in Bound Brook at CR 527, there was a PANYNJ sign saying that Newark Airport was 20 miles ahead, with a follow up 10 miles sign later on either in Mountainside or Scotch Plains (I cannot remember where exactly).

Weren't you also detoured onto NJ 24 between both parts of I-78?  For a while prior to I-78 being completed through the reservation, NJ 24 was signed as I-78/NJ 24 temporarily, and NJ 24 and I-78 both split off into Local and Express lanes.

[roadman65]

NJ 24 was not the detour.  It was signed as TO NJ 24 WEST on the Spingfield, Union, Hillside, Newark, and from the NJT because NJ 24 did nothing to lead you back later on.

US 22 was the detour, if you could call it that, as it existed before I-78 did and was the existing roadway carrying the traffic from Newark to Phillipsburg before 1986.

[Kacie Jane]

The Ramps to Nowhere (not the other ones near the Arboretum on State Route 520) were finally opened in 1991 after the completion of a new floating bridge across Lake Washington (though, the old one sank and had to be rebuilt by 1993).

Thanks so much for this, I've been looking forever for a date for this, but for some reason I've never been able to find one.  (So that does put it two months after Wallace, Idaho....)

However, you're somewhat mistaken.  The original Lacey V. Murrow Bridge (eastbound lanes) opened in 1940, and the Homer M. Hadley Bridge (westbound and reversible lanes) opened in 1989.  Then the old Murrow Bridge sank in 1990 (while it was already closed for renovation) and didn't reopen until 1993.   The opening of the ramps to nowhere (which falls in between those last two openings) had nothing to do with a new bridge, and everything to do with the completion of the last mile of I-90 from I-5 to Rainier Avenue around Beacon Hill.

I had thought that the construction (or, more accurately, the anticipated completion) of the new span spurred the completion of I-90 around the north side of Beacon Hill, as well as Mercer Island, both of which got lidded parks.

It's plausible you're right.  Though I'm still not clear which one you're referring to as the "new" span.  It's possible that the Hadley Bridge (and the failed/delayed renovation of the Murrow Bridge) and the "last mile" were part of the same project, but finished a couple of years apart.  But I think the difference is, the last mile was built more-or-less as planned (just a couple decades late), while expanding the floating bridge to a dual span (that is, building the Hadley Bridge) is something that was added after the fact.

So I think it's more likely coincidental that during the late 80s, increased traffic independently led to both the new bridge and finally putting Beacon Hill NIMBYs to rest around the same time.  (In other words, it's not a -> b, it's c -> a and c -> b.)

(Also, while I'm nitpicking, Beacon Hill is entirely west of Rainier Avenue and doesn't have a lid.  You're thinking of Judkins Park, part of which has been lidded since around the time the first Murrow Bridge was completed, but yes, the lid was extended west in late 80s.)

[Sykotyk]

On a much later note than the initial Interstate building of the 50s and 60s there was the State Road 84 version of Alligator Alley in the Big Cypress Swamp and Everglades prior to I-75.  I vaguely remember the road being tolled like modern Alligator Alley is and following much of the same alignment in the 80s with the exception of it almost being totally 2-lane east of Naples.  I remember a lot of I-75 south of Tampa was already finished by then so there could have been a I-75 sign or two in Alligator Alley but I was too young to remember that level of detail.  I want to say it was 92/93 when it was upgraded to freeway standards and became part of the final leg of I-75.  Other that the only options you had back then out of Naples was US 41 and partially Monroe County Route 94 to get to Miami.

I'm fairly certain I-75 ended around Naples to begin with in the original plans. The toll road for Alligator Alley was 2 lanes originally. Then, later, they decided to start I-75 in the Miami area and bring it across the toll road while adding a second carriageway.

[Max Rockatansky]

On a much later note than the initial Interstate building of the 50s and 60s there was the State Road 84 version of Alligator Alley in the Big Cypress Swamp and Everglades prior to I-75.  I vaguely remember the road being tolled like modern Alligator Alley is and following much of the same alignment in the 80s with the exception of it almost being totally 2-lane east of Naples.  I remember a lot of I-75 south of Tampa was already finished by then so there could have been a I-75 sign or two in Alligator Alley but I was too young to remember that level of detail.  I want to say it was 92/93 when it was upgraded to freeway standards and became part of the final leg of I-75.  Other that the only options you had back then out of Naples was US 41 and partially Monroe County Route 94 to get to Miami.

I'm fairly certain I-75 ended around Naples to begin with in the original plans. The toll road for Alligator Alley was 2 lanes originally. Then, later, they decided to start I-75 in the Miami area and bring it across the toll road while adding a second carriageway.

Actually it was downtown Tampa along what is now I-275.  I-4 took the rest of modern I-275 to St. Petersburg before dumping off onto US 19 which ran the original Skyway Bridge.  The extension of I-75 always called for the route to be run through the Everglades to Miami but it was originally supposed to be US 41/Tamiami Trail instead of Alligator Alley.  I want to say that it was the late 60s when the I-75 extension was finalized with the realignment through Alligator Alley a couple years later.  The modern I-75 was even signed as I-75E at one point east of Tampa.

Incidentally....I-4 makes infinitely more sense all the way back to I-75 via the Sunshine bridge and I-275 should be an odd three digit from where it splits off from I-75 in North Tampa.

Also, getting to Miami from Tampa must have been miserable back in those days.  US 41 would have gone through a ton of civilization albeit nowhere as bad as today.  I'm not sure when US 27 was upgraded to four lanes from I-4 to Miami but there are a ton of two lane abandoned segments in the Everglades.  I'm fairly certain US 27 also followed what is now FL 17 from Haines City all the way south even on the CR 17 alignments around Lake Placid.  I know for a fact that FL 17 was US 27A at one point....that would leave really only the Turnpike as a viable fast option back in those days.

[jwolfer]

On a much later note than the initial Interstate building of the 50s and 60s there was the State Road 84 version of Alligator Alley in the Big Cypress Swamp and Everglades prior to I-75.  I vaguely remember the road being tolled like modern Alligator Alley is and following much of the same alignment in the 80s with the exception of it almost being totally 2-lane east of Naples.  I remember a lot of I-75 south of Tampa was already finished by then so there could have been a I-75 sign or two in Alligator Alley but I was too young to remember that level of detail.  I want to say it was 92/93 when it was upgraded to freeway standards and became part of the final leg of I-75.  Other that the only options you had back then out of Naples was US 41 and partially Monroe County Route 94 to get to Miami.

I'm fairly certain I-75 ended around Naples to begin with in the original plans. The toll road for Alligator Alley was 2 lanes originally. Then, later, they decided to start I-75 in the Miami area and bring it across the toll road while adding a second carriageway.

Actually it was downtown Tampa along what is now I-275.  I-4 took the rest of modern I-275 to St. Petersburg before dumping off onto US 19 which ran the original Skyway Bridge.  The extension of I-75 always called for the route to be run through the Everglades to Miami but it was originally supposed to be US 41/Tamiami Trail instead of Alligator Alley.  I want to say that it was the late 60s when the I-75 extension was finalized with the realignment through Alligator Alley a couple years later.  The modern I-75 was even signed as I-75E at one point east of Tampa.

Incidentally....I-4 makes infinitely more sense all the way back to I-75 via the Sunshine bridge and I-275 should be an odd three digit from where it splits off from I-75 in North Tampa.

Also, getting to Miami from Tampa must have been miserable back in those days.  US 41 would have gone through a ton of civilization albeit nowhere as bad as today.  I'm not sure when US 27 was upgraded to four lanes from I-4 to Miami but there are a ton of two lane abandoned segments in the Everglades.  I'm fairly certain US 27 also followed what is now FL 17 from Haines City all the way south even on the CR 17 alignments around Lake Placid.  I know for a fact that FL 17 was US 27A at one point....that would leave really only the Turnpike as a viable fast option back in those days.

I think US27 was four lanes to Lake Okeechobee by the late 1960s.  Remember Florida had a total population of 3million in 1950 when interstates were planned.. SW Florida was pretty rural

[Max Rockatansky]

On a much later note than the initial Interstate building of the 50s and 60s there was the State Road 84 version of Alligator Alley in the Big Cypress Swamp and Everglades prior to I-75.  I vaguely remember the road being tolled like modern Alligator Alley is and following much of the same alignment in the 80s with the exception of it almost being totally 2-lane east of Naples.  I remember a lot of I-75 south of Tampa was already finished by then so there could have been a I-75 sign or two in Alligator Alley but I was too young to remember that level of detail.  I want to say it was 92/93 when it was upgraded to freeway standards and became part of the final leg of I-75.  Other that the only options you had back then out of Naples was US 41 and partially Monroe County Route 94 to get to Miami.

I'm fairly certain I-75 ended around Naples to begin with in the original plans. The toll road for Alligator Alley was 2 lanes originally. Then, later, they decided to start I-75 in the Miami area and bring it across the toll road while adding a second carriageway.

Actually it was downtown Tampa along what is now I-275.  I-4 took the rest of modern I-275 to St. Petersburg before dumping off onto US 19 which ran the original Skyway Bridge.  The extension of I-75 always called for the route to be run through the Everglades to Miami but it was originally supposed to be US 41/Tamiami Trail instead of Alligator Alley.  I want to say that it was the late 60s when the I-75 extension was finalized with the realignment through Alligator Alley a couple years later.  The modern I-75 was even signed as I-75E at one point east of Tampa.

Incidentally....I-4 makes infinitely more sense all the way back to I-75 via the Sunshine bridge and I-275 should be an odd three digit from where it splits off from I-75 in North Tampa.

Also, getting to Miami from Tampa must have been miserable back in those days.  US 41 would have gone through a ton of civilization albeit nowhere as bad as today.  I'm not sure when US 27 was upgraded to four lanes from I-4 to Miami but there are a ton of two lane abandoned segments in the Everglades.  I'm fairly certain US 27 also followed what is now FL 17 from Haines City all the way south even on the CR 17 alignments around Lake Placid.  I know for a fact that FL 17 was US 27A at one point....that would leave really only the Turnpike as a viable fast option back in those days.

I think US27 was four lanes to Lake Okeechobee by the late 1960s.  Remember Florida had a total population of 3million in 1950 when interstates were planned.. SW Florida was pretty rural

Probably would fit since Corkscrew Road looks like it's been abandoned/unmaintained for at least 40 years.  There are sections that can't be driven either because of lack of maintenance or it got turned back over to private property.  Basically it's over built now for current traffic counts, I figure it used to have a lot more traffic before I-75 was built through the Everglades. I always thought it was the best way to get between Tampa and Miami.  Aside from having to deal with Florida 60 for awhile it was all smooth sailing compared to I-75.

[RG407]

Also, getting to Miami from Tampa must have been miserable back in those days.  US 41 would have gone through a ton of civilization albeit nowhere as bad as today.  I'm not sure when US 27 was upgraded to four lanes from I-4 to Miami but there are a ton of two lane abandoned segments in the Everglades.  I'm fairly certain US 27 also followed what is now FL 17 from Haines City all the way south even on the CR 17 alignments around Lake Placid.  I know for a fact that FL 17 was US 27A at one point....that would leave really only the Turnpike as a viable fast option back in those days.

When I was a kid in the 70's living in the Miami area, to get to Tampa we would take the Turnpike north to FL 60 at Yeehaw Junction.  My parents wanted to avoid the development along Tamiami Trail (US 41) along the west coast.

[Max Rockatansky]

Also, getting to Miami from Tampa must have been miserable back in those days.  US 41 would have gone through a ton of civilization albeit nowhere as bad as today.  I'm not sure when US 27 was upgraded to four lanes from I-4 to Miami but there are a ton of two lane abandoned segments in the Everglades.  I'm fairly certain US 27 also followed what is now FL 17 from Haines City all the way south even on the CR 17 alignments around Lake Placid.  I know for a fact that FL 17 was US 27A at one point....that would leave really only the Turnpike as a viable fast option back in those days.

When I was a kid in the 70's living in the Miami area, to get to Tampa we would take the Turnpike north to FL 60 at Yeehaw Junction.  My parents wanted to avoid the development along Tamiami Trail (US 41) along the west coast.

It's still not a bad way, my brother in-law still prefers that route.  The terrain was a little bit more scenic on US 27 or even parts of US 98/441 for my tastes as opposed to the Turnpike.  Speaking of the Turnpike there is a hell of an interesting history with how I-95 and the Turnpike got divided finally and run literally right next to each other nowadays.

[bzakharin]

There are two Interstates in my general area that were completed while I was here, I-295 and I-287. Oddly, I have no memory of how or even if the gaps were signed before that. With 295, I think the gap was at the northern end, so there wouldn't be discontinuous segments, but I-287 definitely existed in NYS and NJ south of Morristown with a gap in between, where you would be dumped onto US 202

[steviep24]

In Rochester, NY, before I390/NY390 and I590/NY590 were completed, the Outer Loop was signed as NY 47

[roadman65]

There are two Interstates in my general area that were completed while I was here, I-295 and I-287. Oddly, I have no memory of how or even if the gaps were signed before that. With 295, I think the gap was at the northern end, so there wouldn't be discontinuous segments, but I-287 definitely existed in NYS and NJ south of Morristown with a gap in between, where you would be dumped onto US 202

Before the Montville to Mahwah segment was completed it was never signed at all at the end of the freeway at US 202. 

Through Morristown, back in the 70's I cannot remember if the segment end at North Maple Avenue near Basking Ridge had any TO- I-287 signs then as well as the southern segment terminus of the Boonton and Parsippany section at NJ 10 leading you west on NJ 10 West to US 202 South or not.

I do know that the current use of Clifton and Dover for US 46 going southbound in Parsippany is because I-80 was completed years after I-287 was in that location.  US 46 filled in the gap between Denville and Exit 47, of course and NJDOT not updating the signs gives you a glimpse of how that was signed.

I have no idea why, though, Singac was used as a northbound control city for I-287 from Morris County 511 when that particular town (a section of Little Falls Township in Passaic County along NJ 23) was used.  There is even no direct route there at the former end in Montville except for US 202 and NJ 23, but Lincoln Park, a bigger town, would have been more suited for that entrance ramp.  For years in the 1970's and 1980's both Boonton and Singac graced the sign there on CR 511.

[Henry]

I once read that there were blank Interstate shields on stub extensions that ended a short distance away, such as I-95 on the southwestern side of Baltimore. Were there any other examples elsewhere?

[jeffandnicole]

There are two Interstates in my general area that were completed while I was here, I-295 and I-287. Oddly, I have no memory of how or even if the gaps were signed before that. With 295, I think the gap was at the northern end, so there wouldn't be discontinuous segments, but I-287 definitely existed in NYS and NJ south of Morristown with a gap in between, where you would be dumped onto US 202

There was a gap on 295, between Exits 57 & 61.  Motorists had to exit at Exit 57 (US 130 North), follow to 206, follow to 195 East, and then take the 295 North Ramp to get back to 295.  Southbound, similar story, except that the 195-295 ramp was wider.  The outside lane was for 295 South to 195 East, as the entire Interchange 60 ramp system didn't exist. When that interchange was constructed, they narrowed down the 195 E to 295 N ramp to the single lane we use today.

I imagine the detour route was signed, although I don't remember that as much.  Until the full-depth replacement of 295 occurred a few years ago, you could still faintly see the old line markings on 295 North where it narrowed down to the Exit 57 ramp.

[Rothman]

There are two Interstates in my general area that were completed while I was here, I-295 and I-287.

Heh.  When I was a kid, my father got a Rand McNally map that actually had I-287 prematurely marked as completed.  He got the bright idea to take the road around NYC.  After seeing some signage that made him worried, we pulled off at a manned rest area somewhere and were treated to stereotypical NYC area service ("What d'ya want?"  "287 isn't complete after Exit [whatever]."  [employee goes back to newspaper]).

[kkt]

In California, the US route that would later be overlaid would still be signed. This link shows routes that would later be decommissioned, but the interstate was not complete yet.

However, the signage of the superseded US routes was removed fairly quickly after the 1964 renumbering.  US 40 and US 50 signs were gone from the San Francisco Bay Area by the late 1960s when I was a frequent passenger in the back seat of my parents' VW bug.

[hm insulators]

In the early 1970s, I lived near Temporary I-15 in southern California, signed as such on what then was part of US 395 down to San Diego, while the permanent I-15 segments were being built. I-15 between San Diego and San Bernadino was a late addition to the original Interstate system.

I recall the I-15E signs when I was stationed at March AFB in the mid-Seventies.  The US 395 signs were still up but they would soon disappear...

Rick

I remember those too. Those "Temporary I-15 ' signs were there well into the '80s.

[Jardine]

In rural areas around here, most small towns rated an interchange when the interstates were built.  Typically, the interstates passed those small towns by 1/2 to at least a mile.  So, the contractors building the interstate would build the overpass and pave the ramps, but they did not pave the road to the nearby town.

IIRC, the town I lived near didn't get a paved road that last mile for almost 2 years.  Meanwhile, the new interstate was a popular way to get around, and the dirt and gravel cow path to the interstate saw very hard service and was a nightmare to drive on from all the mudholes and ruts from the trucks.

Getting that last bit of concrete was a very welcome finishing touch for the interstate !!

[hockeyjohn]

Two videos on YouTube from the early 1960's - one from Iowa State Highway Commission about a 55-mile stretch of US-30 (I had no idea the yellow pennant "NO PASSING ZONE" signs went back that far, btw) and the other from the South Carolina DOT - both providing an idea of how roads were when the interstate system was being initially built.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MD_WuK1b8E

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nJUlt8kur8


The other link is to the old GribbleNation site.   The last picture in the 1970-79 series shows how an un-completed stretch of I-95 was marked in N.C. along US-301.

http://www.gribblenation.com/ncpics/vintage/

[tckma]

Not sure if this counts, but I remember back when I lived in New England, for the longest time, the portion of I-93 past the Old Man of the Mountain, because it was a Super Two and therefore not to Interstate standards, was signed as "TO I-93," with a separate set of exit numbers (1, 2, and 3, IIRC).  I-93 exit numbers resumed where they left off after that section.  The thing is, you didn't need to exit the (I-93) highway to use this segment of the de facto I-93.  It was signed like that until about 2005 or 2006, when they re-signed it as I-93 and renumbered the exits to make them consecutive along the whole of I-93.  I seem to remember something about the state of New Hampshire getting a waiver for the Interstate standards for that section because it would be impossible to widen the highway to four lanes in that area without doing some serious damage to the environment.

Wikipedia explains this better than I just did.