Highway Conspiracy Theories

[Max Rockatansky]

My wife just introduced me to this concept via a conspiracy theory about Belmont Subway in Fresno.  Said underpass structure was completed in 1932 and once carried US 99 to the Belmont Traffic Circle (the first such circle in California incidentally).  Apparently there is a social media video going around claiming a vampire lives in Belmont Subway.  The video claims that the High Speed Rail Authority Authority is demolishing the structure to kill and/or entomb the alleged vampire. 

FWIW Belmont Subway was part of the Fresno Road Meet in 2023.  To my knowledge there was no vampire related incursions.

Edit:  My investigator found the Belmont Subway Vampire video for me.

https://www.tiktok.com/@witchdarktales/video/7310886729601322270?_t=ZT-8uZjjCOKMBC&_r=1

[Big John]

Was there any teeth in the story?

[kurumi]

The video claims that the High Speed Rail Authority Authority is demolishing the structure to kill and/or entomb the alleged vampire.

This sounds like the 1967 film Quatermass and the Pit.

There are a few theories I remember from CT:
* the original steel-grate Sikorsky Bridge was installed upside down (not true)
* CT and RI fought over the I-95 corridor; CT wanted it to follow the CT Turnpike to Killingly and use US 6 across RI to Providence (likely, but haven't seen it that explicitly in writing)
* I-84 in Hartford was built to accommodate the owner of G. Fox department store, with multiple exits to downtown and their flagship store (maybe, but there's plenty of blame to spread around for that design)

[kphoger]

That Interstate highways have to have a straight section every so many miles in order to accommodate airplane landings.

[TheHighwayMan3561]

That US 666 carried a curse that was lifted upon renumbering to 491.

[Mr. Matté]

Most of these seem more like urban legends rather than conspiracies, though the I-84 / department store one is the closest per the common definition.

The "Robert Moses built the Parkway bridges low so the buses from the city can't go to his parks" does seem like a more typical conspiracy theory.

[Max Rockatansky]

Was there any teeth in the story?

The version I watched didn't even touch on if the supposed vampire even harmed anyone.

[kphoger]

Great.  Now I've learned that Oxford's recent trial run of camera-enforced traffic filtering is just the first step in an international conspiracy to confine citizens to their own neighborhoods, strip them of their possessions and other fundamental rights, and all in the name of climate action.

[Dirt Roads]

Rumors abound that the Mothman continues to roam WV-62 just north of Point Pleasant, West Virginia.

Of course, I'm intrigued that the Men in Black conspiracy was started by someone who grew up very close to where my family lived in Braxton County, but the conspiracy didn't take off until they returned to West Virginia after the Silver Bridge Disaster in Point Pleasant.

[Henry]

That I-80 is the "real" longest 2di, because the Chicago Skyway on I-90 does not count, thus breaking it into two separate sections.

[kphoger]

That I-80 is the "real" longest 2di, because the Chicago Skyway on I-90 does not count, thus breaking it into two separate sections.

Illinois Nazis.  I hate Illinois Nazis.

[TheCatalyst31]

The Interstate ley line post.

[vdeane]

That I-80 is the "real" longest 2di, because the Chicago Skyway on I-90 does not count, thus breaking it into two separate sections.

I remember the phrase "bootleg interstate" being thrown around for a while.

[hotdogPi]

That I-80 is the "real" longest 2di, because the Chicago Skyway on I-90 does not count, thus breaking it into two separate sections.

I remember the phrase "bootleg interstate" being thrown around for a while.

That was in reference to the I-80/90 overlap being illegitimate rather than the Skyway.

[kphoger]

That Interstate highways have to have a straight section every so many miles in order to accommodate airplane UFO landings.

Most of these seem more like urban legends rather than conspiracies

Better?

[hbelkins]

My dad had an interesting conspiracy theory concerning the opening of the Mountain Parkway.

Prior to that road's opening in 1963, the primary route from Lee County to Lexington was via KY 52, KY 1571, and KY 89 via Irvine and Winchester. My dad said that when the Mountain Parkway opened, the state restriped KY 52 to eliminate what few passing zones there were, in order to force traffic to prefer the Mountain Parkway.

[Rothman]

My dad had an interesting conspiracy theory concerning the opening of the Mountain Parkway.

Prior to that road's opening in 1963, the primary route from Lee County to Lexington was via KY 52, KY 1571, and KY 89 via Irvine and Winchester. My dad said that when the Mountain Parkway opened, the state restriped KY 52 to eliminate what few passing zones there were, in order to force traffic to prefer the Mountain Parkway.

Heh.  I like this one.

As my mother said, back in the days when the road was the creek bed...

[NE2]

As my mother said, back in the days when the road was the creek bed...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SMART_Tunnel

[PColumbus73]

This might fall into rumor or conspiracy theory, but I heard from somewhere that part of the reason SC 31 / Carolina Bays Pkwy doesn't connect to US 17 was that Burroughs & Chapin, who own a ton of properties in the Myrtle Beach area, were afraid it would draw business away from Myrtle Beach. Or didn't want to lose business, something to that effect.

[mapman1071]

Most of these seem more like urban legends rather than conspiracies, though the I-84 / department store one is the closest per the common definition.

The "Robert Moses built the Parkway bridges low so the buses from the city can't go to his parks" does seem like a more typical conspiracy theory.

It is not, RM did not want the poor and those of color (they would not own cars) to visit his parks.

[Rothman]

The lack of direct connection between I-84 EB and I-91 NB wasn't due to G. Fox?  Probably not totally, but I'm betting forcing people "downtown" was an argument made.

[Bruce]

That freeways were deliberately routed through areas with large non-white populations to economically devastate them in the name of "urban renewal".

This one has been proven, though. There's so many blatant examples and even ones being attempted today.

[oscar]

That US 666 carried a curse that was lifted upon renumbering to 491.

US 666 reportedly had a high fatal accident rate, though that might've had more to do with liquor stores with drive-thru windows, than the route number. I don't know if the death rate went down after the route number was changed.

It certainly had a sign theft problem.

[kphoger]

It certainly had a sign theft problem.

I've only been on US-666 one time when it carried that number.  I only saw a single route shield for it, and that was way up on a signal mast arm, where people couldn't get to it.

[english si]

This sounds like the 1967 film Quatermass and the Pit.

Or the 2002 film Reign of Fire.

Though this is similar, but the opposite. These have some paranormal thing being uncovered by the construction of the railway (in both film cases, the London Underground) whereas here, the construction is about burying the monster.

The video claims that the High Speed Rail Authority Authority is demolishing the structure to kill and/or entomb the alleged vampire.