Why does any of this matter?
They are all endless boring concrete death traps to me.
They are all endless boring concrete death traps to me.
trent wrote: I think a highway that would go from St. Louis, through Des Moines would make a lot of sense.
Actually, from the "avenue of the saints" - the old Hwy 218 around Mt. Pleasant, IA, about 35 miles north of the missouri border - there is a connection with Hwy 34 westbound that ultimately connects with Hwy 163 which runs you into Des Moines. the process of getting all the routes and bypasses built and connected has been going on for about 20 years. The by-passes around Fairfield and Ottumwa are the furthest from being completed, based on my last drive up that way in May.
It's probably still another 3-5 years from being completely finished, but when it is, there will be four-lane divided roadways from St. Louis to Des Moines. It's great from travel time perspective, but I imagine it will only expedite the demise of the many small towns along the way. And that is sad. The "price of progress" I suppose.
I remember reading an article mentioning how there are only two major metropolitan areas that aren't connected directly linked by interstate. St. Louis to the Twin Cities and Memphis to Atlanta. I think the Memphis to Atlanta one is on track for completion in the early 2010's and will be called (snicker snicker) Interstate 69.
Does anyone know what the plans are with the highway and Hannibal? The modot website doesn't have anything.
http://www.modot.org/northeast/61_27AveofSts.htm
I agree, I miss that toll booth. I remember in the late 80's having to go to Iowa for the death of an uncle. Due to time, school and money I could only take one day off. Left St. Louis early in the morning and got to the toll booth around 6:30am and the old man was working. Went to the funeral and left northern Iowa around 7:30pm. Got to the toll booth around 10:00pm and the same old man was there.
It just doesn't seem the same to barrell by on the 4 lane highway.
I think a lot of Iowa's push for the 4 lane is the giant Wal Mart distribution center in Mt. Pleasant. Driving "The Avenue of the Saints" I've made a habit of counting in number of Wal Mart trucks I pass (either way). I've gotten to 89 in one trip.
BTW: I lived in Waterloo for a year as a kid. The only place more depressing in Iowa is Sioux City.
Does anyone know what the plans are with the highway and Hannibal? The modot website doesn't have anything.
http://www.modot.org/northeast/61_27AveofSts.htm
JMedwick wrote:As someone who took the Avenue of the Saints fairly reguarly between 2000 and 2005, the progress Iowa made was impressive. They worked quickly and made up alot of ground to get the project done, but Missouri is way behind. The saddest thing about seeing the whole project become four lanes is the loss of the little toll booth over the Des Moines River at the Missouri-Iowa boarder. Just a great little roadside stop. very quaint.
I agree, I miss that toll booth. I remember in the late 80's having to go to Iowa for the death of an uncle. Due to time, school and money I could only take one day off. Left St. Louis early in the morning and got to the toll booth around 6:30am and the old man was working. Went to the funeral and left northern Iowa around 7:30pm. Got to the toll booth around 10:00pm and the same old man was there.
It just doesn't seem the same to barrell by on the 4 lane highway.
I think a lot of Iowa's push for the 4 lane is the giant Wal Mart distribution center in Mt. Pleasant. Driving "The Avenue of the Saints" I've made a habit of counting in number of Wal Mart trucks I pass (either way). I've gotten to 89 in one trip.
BTW: I lived in Waterloo for a year as a kid. The only place more depressing in Iowa is Sioux City.
Memphis to Atlanta will actually be Interstate 22. Interstate 69 is the corridor running from Indianapolis to Mexico at Brownsville, Texas via Evansville, Memphis, Shreveport, and Houston.dweebe wrote:I remember reading an article mentioning how there are only two major metropolitan areas that aren't connected directly linked by interstate. St. Louis to the Twin Cities and Memphis to Atlanta. I think the Memphis to Atlanta one is on track for completion in the early 2010's and will be called (snicker snicker) Interstate 69.
Mill204 wrote:Memphis to Atlanta will actually be Interstate 22. Interstate 69 is the corridor running from Indianapolis to Mexico at Brownsville, Texas via Evansville, Memphis, Shreveport, and Houston.dweebe wrote:I remember reading an article mentioning how there are only two major metropolitan areas that aren't connected directly linked by interstate. St. Louis to the Twin Cities and Memphis to Atlanta. I think the Memphis to Atlanta one is on track for completion in the early 2010's and will be called (snicker snicker) Interstate 69.
You're right: my bad. When heading to New Orleans a few months ago I saw the sign south of Memphis and assumed that's what it was. From wikipedia:
Interstate 69 (abbreviated I-69) is an interstate highway in the Midwestern United States. It currently runs from Indianapolis, Indiana at Interstate 465 to the U.S. side of the Blue Water Bridge in Port Huron, Michigan, at the Canadian border, where it continues as Highway 402 in Ontario.
As of early 2006, an extension southward from Indianapolis to the Mexican border in Texas is currently in various stages of planning and construction. On October 3, 2006 an 18-mile segment of I-69 will open between I-55 and US-61 in Tunica County, Mississippi.
and
Interstate 22 (abbreviated I-22), when completed, will follow the U.S. Highway 78 corridor along a 176 mile (283 km) route from Memphis, Tennessee to Birmingham, Alabama. The limited access freeway will connect Interstate 55 and Interstate 40 in the northwest to Interstate 65 and Interstate 20 in the southeast, passing through the cities of Holly Springs, Mississippi; New Albany, Mississippi; Tupelo, Mississippi; Hamilton, Alabama; and Jasper, Alabama.
The part of I-22 east of Fulton, Mississippi was approved in 1978 as Corridor X, part of the Appalachian Development Highway System. Parts of the highway have been under construction ever since, with the final portions in Northwest Alabama remaining to be completed. Funding for those sections has been a priority for U.S. Sen. Richard C. Shelby (R-Ala.), who serves as Chairman of the Senate Transportation Subcommittee. In 2004 Corridor X was designated as Future Interstate 22 by Public Law No: 108-199, and the designation was made official on April 18, 2005. In Alabama, green signs reading "FUTURE/I-22/CORRIDOR" at left and an I-22 shield with "FUTURE" instead of "INTERSTATE" at right were unveiled April 18, 2005.
A 94 mile (151 km) stretch from Graysville, Alabama to the Mississippi state line is scheduled to open in December 2006; the westernmost 65 miles (105 km) in Alabama (to Bevill Industrial Parkway southeast of Jasper) opened to traffic in a series of stages through November 22, 2005. Current plans call for Interstate 22 to be completed to I-65 in 2012.
At the western end of the route, the connection between Interstate 22 and the other interstates in the vicinity of Memphis is most likely to make use of the Interstate 269 Outer Memphis Beltway, which is currently in various stages of planning and construction.
m2tbone wrote:^Exit numbers should stay the same. This was already taken into account. The O'Fallon (Hwy. K) exit is #9 (about 9 miles from I-70), and that's where it currently becomes I-64.
Similar to Page (future I-364) exit numbers are done in such a way that they line up with the future alignment.
I know it had NO bearing what so ever -- and I know Doug cares not --- but I think changing 370 into an interstate and page extension into I-364 could be important. This along with extension of I-64 and future extension of 270 in the southeast of the metroplex could only help.
One big thing is that when you look at a national map... Dallas Ft. Worth, Chicago, even KC look a LOT bigger because they show where the interstates run.... we wouldn't be adding any new lanes (except in southeastern Illinois -- which would only encourage more development around Scott --- yes -- im talking sprawl) so I don’t see what harm it does.
One thing I don’t want is to do what Chicago does and refer to all the interstates by a name (Stevenson, Kennedy, Eisenhower etc) I like having them referred to by their interstate number – especially letting “farty” become I-64…. Once the construction is done in 2010.
BTW: I lived in Waterloo for a year as a kid. The only place more depressing in Iowa is Sioux City.
LOL. Thank you for this. I harbor deep, deep hatred for Sioux City. No one (who hasn't been there) ever understands...
Depending how you look at it, that 4-lane highway from St. Louis to Des Moines already exists. Just take 218N to 80W and hit Des Moines which is about as fast because the other route travels through too many small towns w/ lights. http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&s ... 83252&om=1
Taking the other route, it is or was easy to get off the proscribed path in Ottumwa. If they build that bypass, it'd make things much easier... I took these routes a lot when driving from my hometown of Ft. Madision, IA to Iowa State University in Ames. Growing up along the Mississippi River & Highway 61 in Iowa, I now find myself in St. Louis, along the Missisippi River and near Highway 61. Yay.
Taking the other route, it is or was easy to get off the proscribed path in Ottumwa. If they build that bypass, it'd make things much easier... I took these routes a lot when driving from my hometown of Ft. Madision, IA to Iowa State University in Ames. Growing up along the Mississippi River & Highway 61 in Iowa, I now find myself in St. Louis, along the Missisippi River and near Highway 61. Yay.
LaSalle wrote:trent wrote: I think a highway that would go from St. Louis, through Des Moines would make a lot of sense.
Actually, from the "avenue of the saints" - the old Hwy 218 around Mt. Pleasant, IA, about 35 miles north of the missouri border - there is a connection with Hwy 34 westbound that ultimately connects with Hwy 163 which runs you into Des Moines. the process of getting all the routes and bypasses built and connected has been going on for about 20 years. The by-passes around Fairfield and Ottumwa are the furthest from being completed, based on my last drive up that way in May.
It's probably still another 3-5 years from being completely finished, but when it is, there will be four-lane divided roadways from St. Louis to Des Moines. It's great from travel time perspective, but I imagine it will only expedite the demise of the many small towns along the way. And that is sad. The "price of progress" I suppose.