We got home from Ohio last night. We'll get back to the usual fare in a day or so, but I wanted to say something about the interstate highway system. It's easy and generally appropriate to bash the federal government for its overreach and malfeasance, but one thing is clear -- the interstate highway system is a marvelous creation. Our route to Ohio included:
35W
94
90/94
39/90/94
39/90
39
55
74
74/465
465
70
75
While in Ohio we used 675 as we were bopping around Dayton
Our return trip included:
75
70
465
865
65
80/94
80
294
90
39/90
39/90/94
94
35W
We also used US Highway 35, US Highway 6, US Highway 30 and a few other state roads. It's really an amazing thing that we take for granted. We shared these roads with untold thousands of people and, except for the annoying toll roads in Illinois, our only expense was the gasoline and wear/tear on our vehicle. Yes, we all pay taxes for the roads, but it's a great value.
6 comments:
And the condition of those annoying toll roads - despite the constant construction - was probably the worst of all the routes you covered.
Pretty much.
Plus it will come in handy if we're ever invaded by conventional forces (which is why Eisenhower was so keen on it.)
Seriously, though, I once drove from Durham to Seattle in five days (could have done it in four, but I stopped off a couple of times to say hi to people.) And when I was (much) younger, I once made it from Tucson to Atlanta in 26 hours.
Even with cars, those trips would have been measured in weeks prior to the interstates. That's pretty remarkable.
(Sorry, that was 26 driving hours between Tucson and Atlanta...I stopped for about 5-6 in Dallas and slept a little, IIRC.)
Brian, not prior to interstates, but prior to paved highways, which got a big boost in the 1920s. Interestingly, we've been doing limited access highways since 1907 in New York. (my granddad made a living driving cattle along US 34 faster than the Burlington RR could carry them back in the 1940s and 1950s)
And on the light side, if war ever breaks out along I-90 between Rockford IL and the east coast, the Army had better get IPASS or they are done. :^)
And if the Army's driving 90/94 through Wisconsin they can be sure to run into some cheese-for-brains doing the speed-limit in the left lane, bottling everything up.
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