The Eisenhower Interstate System

[Neo]

Here is an interesting map of the nation's Interstate system. Akin to a mass transit system's map:

[monsoon]

It must be an older map as it doesn't show I-40 going from Wilmington to the coast of California.

[Neo]

It must be an older map as it doesn't show I-40 going from Wilmington to the coast of California.

I-40 doesn't go to the coast as it stop in Barstow, CA. The portion from Raleigh to Wilmington wasn't completed until the late 80's. The above graphic is of the original Eisenhower system.

[jeffconn]

I-64 stopped at Richmond and didn't go to Hampton Roads, VA in the original plans? I thought that the Hampton Roads was planned from day one.

[Neo]

I-64 stopped at Richmond and didn't go to Hampton Roads, VA in the original plans? I thought that the Hampton Roads was planned from day one.

From what I could find, I-64 wasn't actually completed to the Hampton Roads area until 1976 when the parallel Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel was constructed. Before the I-64 designation, it was labeled as US Route 60/State Route 168. Bit more of the history of I-64 through Virginia can be found here: http://www.roadstothefuture.com/I64_VA_Desc.html

[Neo]

Here is another awesome representation of the interstate system that I found here:

[Spartan]

Both interesting maps. The first one shows 95 going through Columbia, SC and leaves out I-26 entirely. I'm assuming 26 was added later.

[Neo]

Both interesting maps. The first one shows 95 going through Columbia, SC and leaves out I-26 entirely. I'm assuming 26 was added later.

I-26 is there.

[Spartan]

Where? It would have a terminating point in Charleston, which is not on that map.

The second one you posted does show 26.

[Neo]

Where? It would have a terminating point in Charleston, which is not on that map.

The second one you posted does show 26.

Oops, I misread your post, you are correct, the first one doesn't show I-26 since it wasn't in the original plans.

[Norfolk4Life]

I-64 stopped at Richmond and didn't go to Hampton Roads, VA in the original plans? I thought that the Hampton Roads was planned from day one.

thats funny. we dont get included in anything. thats why we are located on the interstate's cul-de-sac and why the high speed rail corridor goes right by us.

speaking of the interstates, did you know there are only 7 drawbridges in the entire system and TWO of them are in our area? I think somebody in a position of power just dislikes us and shafts us anytime possible.

[Icetera]

thats funny. we dont get included in anything. thats why we are located on the interstate's cul-de-sac and why the high speed rail corridor goes right by us.

speaking of the interstates, did you know there are only 7 drawbridges in the entire system and TWO of them are in our area? I think somebody in a position of power just dislikes us and shafts us anytime possible.

Actually, it appears that Hampton Roads had the very first section of I-64 based on the link provided by Neo.

Route openings. The first section of I-64 to open to traffic was in Nov. 1957 with the 6-mile-long section in Hampton from VA-134 Magruder Boulevard to the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel (HRBT). The 7 miles from VA-134 to VA-143 Jefferson Avenue in Newport News opened in two sections in 1959 and 1960. The 24-mile-long section from the West Virginia border to Clifton Forge was opened in 3 sections in 1964 and 1966, and the 4.4-mile-long I-64 Clifton Forge Bypass was opened in Dec. 1971. The 43-mile-long section from US-522 at Gum Spring, through Richmond, to VA-249 at Bottoms Bridge, opened in 5 sections from 1966 to 1968. The 18-mile-long section from VA-143 Camp Peary Road north of Williamsburg to VA-143 Jefferson Avenue near Williamsburg-Newport News International Airport, opened in 1965. By 1968, travelers from Richmond to the HRBT could make the 78-mile trip on 45 miles of I-64, and 33 miles of rural 4-lane highway (US-60 and VA-168) between Bottoms Bridge and Williamsburg. The 21.4 miles of I-64 from Bottoms Bridge to Anderson Corner at VA-30 was opened in Dec. 1972, and the 4.0 miles from VA-30 to VA-168 at Norge was opened in Nov. 1974, and the 6.5 miles between Norge and VA-143 was completed in Aug. 1978, completing I-64 between Richmond and the HRBT. The 22 miles of I-64 between US-460 at Wards Corner in Norfolk and Bowers Hill in Chesapeake was completed in three phases in 1967 and 1969. The 6 miles of I-64 between the HRBT and Wards Corner was completed in three sections in 1971, 1974 and 1975, with the Willoughby Spit section being the last. The original 2-lane HRBT was opened on Nov. 1, 1957, and the parallel 2-lane HRBT was opened in 1976, marking the first completion of an Interstate highway throughout the Hampton Roads area. Backing up a bit timewise, the 52.4-mile-long section of I-64 from US-250 at Crozet west of Charlottesville to US-522 at Gum Spring opened in one day in Sept. 1970, the longest single Interstate opening in the Virginia Interstate system. The 12.4 miles from I-81 to US-250 at Afton Mountain opened in Sept. 1971, and 8.0 miles from Afton Mountain to Crozet opened in Dec. 1972, marking the completion of I-64 from I-81 at Staunton to I-95 in Richmond. The 6.6-mile-long I-64 Lexington Bypass opened in Oct. 1976; the 14.6 miles from Longdale Furnace, across North Mountain, to the Lexington Bypass, opened in Oct. 1978; and the 7.9 miles from Clifton Forge to Longdale Furnace opened on June 29, 1979, closing the last gap in I-64 and completing it through Virginia. I-64 traverses over 900 miles from Saint Louis, Missouri to Norfolk, Virginia, and the last 33 miles of the entire route opened in 1988, east of Beckley, West Virginia, marking completion of the entire route in the U.S.