Business Loop I-90 - Wallace
Completion of I-90 through Wallace occurred on September 12, 1991 with the opening of the viaduct bypassing town. This lead to the designation of the Wallace Business Loop along the former at-grade alignment of Interstate 90 through the city. Business Loop I-90 also follows old U.S. 10, which is routed along Bank Street, 5th Street and Front Street.
The route of Business Loop Interstate 90 through Wallace was renamed Harry F. Magnuson Way during a ceremony on May 1, 2010. Magnuson was the local business leader and philanthropist that led the effort to preserve Wallace from the proposed path of Interstate 90. His work led the preservation movement to add the town to the National Historic Register that aided in the relocation of the proposed Interstate 90 from through the street grid onto a 30 foot high bypass along the north edge of town.1,2
East
Business Loop I-90 commences from the Exit 60 diamond interchange with a connecting road joining North and South Frontage Roads on the west side of Wallace.
09/01/06
Business Loop I-90 follows the course of old U.S. 10 eastward along Front Street to 5th Street south and Bank Street east. A reassurance marker precedes the intersection with 7th Street at Downtown Wallace.
09/01/06
A set of 30 inch Eagle signals hang above the intersection of Bank and 7th Streets in downtown Wallace. The signalized intersection is the only in town, though the traffic lights operate in flash mode only with Bank Street traffic maintaining free flow. This was the intersection that once held the distinction of being the last along Interstate 90.
09/01/06
The Interstate 90 viaduct returns to view along Business Loop I-90 east as it exits the Wallace city center.
09/01/06
An end shield precedes the on-ramps for Interstate 90 from Business Loop I-90 east and SH-4.
09/01/06
Business Loop I-90 transitions into the eastbound beginning of SH-4 at the ramps for Interstate 90 west to Coeur d'Alene and east to Mullan. ID-4 follows Burke-Canyon Creek Road northeast to Woodland Park and Burke.
09/01/06
A freeway entrance sign directs motorists onto the westbound viaduct of Interstate 90 through Wallace from SH-4 west and Business Loop I-90 east.
09/01/06
A closer look shields for Business Loop I-90 west back into Wallace and SH-4 east to Burke, posted for the Exit 62 off-ramp of I-90.
09/01/06
West
The first shield for Business Loop I-90 stands just south of the ramps from Interstate 90 and the end of SH 4. Bank Street enters the Wallace Historic District immediately west of Exit 62 while the exchange lies wholly within the city limits.
09/01/06
The eastbound off-ramp from Interstate 90 to Bank Street slightly overlaps with Business Loop I-90 west as the route approaches 9th Street.
09/01/06
Buena Vista Heights spurs north to a handful of residences as Business Loop I-90 passes by a mine cart adorned with a sign celebrating the last stop light of Interstate 90. The light is found at the Wallace Mining Museum at Bank and 5th Streets.
09/01/06
Continuing west along Bank Street into the Wallace city center as the northern slopes of Mount Pulaski (elevation 5,348 feet) rise just west of town.
09/01/06
The intersection of Bank and 7th Streets once held the distinction of being the last along Interstate 90 with a traffic light. The signals here remain after the symbolic retiring of a one-piece four-way signal that was I-90's "last".
09/01/06
Business Loop I-90 passes by 6th Street ahead of the Wallace Mining Museum, which doubles as a tourist information center.
Though not pictured, a monument embedded within the pavement at the intersection of Sixth and Bank Streets proclaims Wallace as the "Center of the Universe". The monument was dedicated during a ceremony by Wallace Mayor Ron Garitone on September 25, 2004.3
09/01/06
An Interstate 90 trailblazer directs traffic onto 5th Street north as Bank Street becomes one way eastbound. An overhead sign used to direct the I-90 westbound mainline northward here.
09/01/06
5th Street leads the Business Loop north three blocks to Front Street. Cedar Street intersects 5th Street in this scene. A one-piece four-way traffic signal once was in use at Cedar and 6th Streets, as shown in this 1950s post card.
09/01/06
The second reassurance marker for Business Loop I-90 lies along 5th Street between Cedar and Pine Streets.
09/01/06
Pine Street leads one block east to the Northern Pacific Depot Railroad Museum. The depot was relocated 200 feet south due to construction of Interstate 90 in 1986 to its current location on 6th Street. Work to build the I-90 viaduct includes restoration of the historic Depot, which was turned over to the city of Wallace and reopened as a museum.4
09/01/06
Turning west again, Business Loop I-90 follows Front Street alongside the Interstate 90 viaduct and the South Fork of the Coeur D'alene River.
09/01/06
Business Loop I-90 turns north from Front Street at River Street for the North Frontage Road. The turn is not marked with signs however.
09/01/06
Entering the diamond interchange (Exit 60) with Interstate 90. The freeway heads east 114 miles from Wallace to Missoula, Montana.
09/01/06
Business Loop I-90 concludes at the westbound on-ramp to Interstate 90 for Kellogg and Coeur D'alene. North Frontage Road ties into the diamond interchange from alongside the westbound lanes to Silver Valley Road near Exit 60 at Silverton.
09/01/06
scenes
7th Street south at Business Loop I-90 (Bank Street) and the Shoshone County Courthouse in downtown Wallace.
09/01/06
7th Street north at Bank Street and Wallace's lone set of signals. Wallace City Hall lines one block to the north at Cedar Street.
09/01/06
References:
- Historic Wallace Idaho - Why we love living UNDER the Interstate.
- "Wallace road to be renamed Harry Magnuson Way." The Spokesman-Review, May 3, 2010.
- Historic Wallace Idaho - Center of the Universe.
- Building Big - Elevated Section of I-90 at Wallace,
http://idptv.state.id.us/buildingbig/hiways/i90wallace.htmlIDPTV.
Photo Credits:
- AARoads: 09/01/06
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Page Updated Tuesday July 09, 2013.