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114-624: Interstate 70 ( I-70 ) is a major east–west Interstate Highway in the United States that runs from I-15 near Cove Fort, Utah , to I-695 and Maryland Route 570 (MD 570) in Woodlawn , just outside Baltimore , Maryland. I-70 approximately traces the path of U.S. Route 40 (US 40; the old National Road ) east of the Rocky Mountains . West of the Rocky Mountains,

228-522: A concurrency or overlap. For example, I‑75 and I‑85 share the same roadway in Atlanta ; this 7.4-mile (11.9 km) section, called the Downtown Connector , is labeled both I‑75 and I‑85. Concurrencies between Interstate and US Highway numbers are also allowed in accordance with AASHTO policy, as long as the length of the concurrency is reasonable. In rare instances, two highway designations sharing

342-637: A 28-year-old brevet lieutenant colonel, accompanied the trip "through darkest America with truck and tank," as he later described it. Some roads in the West were a "succession of dust, ruts, pits, and holes." As the landmark 1916 law expired, new legislation was passed—the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1921 (Phipps Act). This new road construction initiative once again provided for federal matching funds for road construction and improvement, $ 75 million allocated annually. Moreover, this new legislation for

456-476: A change in the numbering system as a result of a new policy adopted in 1973. Previously, letter-suffixed numbers were used for long spurs off primary routes; for example, western I‑84 was I‑80N, as it went north from I‑80 . The new policy stated, "No new divided numbers (such as I-35W and I-35E , etc.) shall be adopted." The new policy also recommended that existing divided numbers be eliminated as quickly as possible; however, an I-35W and I-35E still exist in

570-478: A contract for pavement, other oddities happened with I-70 as well. As first proposed, the western terminus of I-70 was to be Denver . Utah and Colorado, however, pressured the federal government to extend the planned freeway farther west, arguing a direct link between Denver and Salt Lake City was vital for an effective highway system. The proposal was to follow what is now US 6 west and connect to I-15 at Spanish Fork, Utah . Federal planners, influenced by

684-466: A few hundred people served by I-70 is Salina . Upon leaving the valley near Salina, I-70 crosses the 7,923-foot (2,415 m) Salina Summit and then crosses a large geologic formation called the San Rafael Swell . Prior to the construction of I-70, the swell was inaccessible via paved roads and relatively undiscovered. Once this 108-mile (174 km) section was opened to traffic in 1970, it became

798-580: A national road grid with the passage of the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1921 . In 1926, the United States Numbered Highway System was established, creating the first national road numbering system for cross-country travel. The roads were state-funded and maintained, and there were few national standards for road design. United States Numbered Highways ranged from two-lane country roads to multi-lane freeways. After Dwight D. Eisenhower became president in 1953, his administration developed

912-576: A numbering scheme in which primary Interstates are assigned one- or two-digit numbers, and shorter routes which branch off of longer ones are assigned three-digit numbers where the last two digits match the parent route. The Interstate Highway System is partially financed through the Highway Trust Fund , which itself is funded by a combination of a federal fuel tax and transfers from the Treasury's general fund. Though federal legislation initially banned

1026-481: A proposal for an interstate highway system, eventually resulting in the enactment of the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 . Unlike the earlier United States Numbered Highway System, the interstates were designed to be all freeways, with nationally unified standards for construction and signage. While some older freeways were adopted into the system, most of the routes were completely new. In dense urban areas,

1140-540: A report called Toll Roads and Free Roads , "the first formal description of what became the Interstate Highway System" and, in 1944, the similarly themed Interregional Highways . The Interstate Highway System gained a champion in President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who was influenced by his experiences as a young Army officer crossing the country in the 1919 Motor Transport Corps convoy that drove in part on

1254-409: A single digit prefixed to the two-digit number of its parent Interstate Highway. Spur routes deviate from their parent and do not return; these are given an odd first digit. Circumferential and radial loop routes return to the parent, and are given an even first digit. Unlike primary Interstates, three-digit Interstates are signed as either east–west or north–south, depending on the general orientation of

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1368-769: A speed limit of 45 mph (70 km/h) because it is a parkway that consists of only one lane per side of the highway. On the other hand, Interstates 15, 80, 84, and 215 in Utah have speed limits as high as 70 mph (115 km/h) within the Wasatch Front , Cedar City , and St. George areas, and I-25 in New Mexico within the Santa Fe and Las Vegas areas along with I-20 in Texas along Odessa and Midland and I-29 in North Dakota along

1482-456: A speed limit of 80 mph (130 km/h). Other Interstates in Idaho, Montana, Oklahoma, South Dakota and Wyoming also have the same high speed limits. In some areas, speed limits on Interstates can be significantly lower in areas where they traverse significantly hazardous areas. The maximum speed limit on I-90 is 50 mph (80 km/h) in downtown Cleveland because of two sharp curves with

1596-467: A suggested limit of 35 mph (55 km/h) in a heavily congested area; I-70 through Wheeling, West Virginia , has a maximum speed limit of 45 mph (70 km/h) through the Wheeling Tunnel and most of downtown Wheeling; and I-68 has a maximum speed limit of 40 mph (65 km/h) through Cumberland, Maryland , because of multiple hazards including sharp curves and narrow lanes through

1710-587: Is 55 mph (89 km/h). From New Stanton to Breezewood , I-70 overlaps I-76 and the Pennsylvania Turnpike . This is one of only two tolled sections of I-70 (the other is in Kansas, where the portion of the Kansas Turnpike east of Topeka is signed I-70). Drivers on I-70 near Breezewood have to leave the freeway and travel a few blocks on US 30 past several traffic-lights before returning to

1824-534: Is also commonly believed the Interstate Highway System was built for the sole purpose of evacuating cities in the event of nuclear warfare . While military motivations were present, the primary motivations were civilian. The numbering scheme for the Interstate Highway System was developed in 1957 by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO). The association's present numbering policy dates back to August 10, 1973. Within

1938-579: Is approximately the southern city limits of "City of Kansas" when it was incorporated in 1853. The first two auto bridges in Missouri mark the city's original boundaries with the Buck O'Neil Bridge (US 169) being the west boundary while the Heart of America Bridge ( Route 9 ) is the east boundary. Another intersection of note is the second traverse of I-435 . This is primarily notable because it immediately precedes

2052-426: Is characterized by sharp curves, limited sight distance, narrow shoulders, and lack of merge lanes at interchanges. Traffic on cloverleaf ramps must weave in the right throughlane of traffic due to the lack of a third lane for entering and exiting traffic. Other on- and offramps effectively function as right-in/right-out interchanges, forcing vehicles to weave in and out of the exit lane. The speed limit on this stretch

2166-437: Is present for southbound I-71 traffic as well. The Split is being reconstructed ($ 1.4 billion) and is scheduled to be completed by mid-2026. I-670 connects John Glenn Columbus International Airport with I-270, I-71, and I-70. East of Columbus, I-70 passes through Zanesville and on to Cambridge , where it intersects I-77 . Continuing on toward West Virginia , I-70 intersects I-470 just east of St. Clairsville . I-470

2280-588: Is primarily used for through traffic and to avoid The Winter Festival of Lights traffic during the Christmas season from Oglebay Park . In March 1995, a hole (from a former coal mine) opened up on the eastbound side of I-70 in Guernsey County near Old Washington and caused traffic to be rerouted onto US 40 between Old Washington and Cambridge for several months. The portion of I-70 in West Virginia crosses

2394-525: Is to have the highway route extend from Tamaulipas , Mexico to Ontario , Canada. The planned I-11 will then bridge the Interstate gap between Phoenix, Arizona and Las Vegas, Nevada , and thus form part of the CANAMEX Corridor (along with I-19 , and portions of I-10 and I-15 ) between Sonora , Mexico and Alberta , Canada. Political opposition from residents canceled many freeway projects around

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2508-474: The Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex in Texas, and an I-35W and I-35E that run through Minneapolis and Saint Paul , Minnesota, still exist. Additionally, due to Congressional requirements, three sections of I-69 in southern Texas will be divided into I-69W , I-69E , and I-69C (for Central). AASHTO policy allows dual numbering to provide continuity between major control points. This is referred to as

2622-538: The Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956 into law. Under the act, the federal government would pay for 90 percent of the cost of construction of Interstate Highways. Each Interstate Highway was required to be a freeway with at least four lanes and no at-grade crossings. The publication in 1955 of the General Location of National System of Interstate Highways , informally known as the Yellow Book , mapped out what became

2736-603: The Grand Forks area have higher speed limits of 75 mph (120 km/h). As one of the components of the National Highway System , Interstate Highways improve the mobility of military troops to and from airports, seaports, rail terminals, and other military bases. Interstate Highways also connect to other roads that are a part of the Strategic Highway Network , a system of roads identified as critical to

2850-453: The I-70 killer , a serial killer who committed a string of murders within a few miles of it in several Midwestern states in the early 1990s. No suspect has ever been apprehended despite the widespread publicity the murders generated, including their being featured several times on the television show America's Most Wanted and Unsolved Mysteries . John Allen Muhammad and Lee Boyd Malvo ,

2964-827: The Interstate Highway System , or the Eisenhower Interstate System , is a network of controlled-access highways that forms part of the National Highway System in the United States . The system extends throughout the contiguous United States and has routes in Hawaii , Alaska , and Puerto Rico . In the 20th century, the United States Congress began funding roadways through the Federal Aid Road Act of 1916 , and started an effort to construct

3078-583: The Kansas River on the Intercity Viaduct into Downtown Kansas City, Missouri . After crossing the Intercity Viaduct , I-70 enters Missouri. It encounters a loop of freeways, called the Downtown Loop , which contains I-70 as well as I-35 , I-670 , US 24 , US 40 , US 71 , and US 169 . In the southern part of this loop, I-670 cuts directly through the downtown while I-70 bypasses

3192-515: The Lincoln Highway , the first road across America. He recalled that, "The old convoy had started me thinking about good two-lane highways... the wisdom of broader ribbons across our land." Eisenhower also gained an appreciation of the Reichsautobahn system, the first "national" implementation of modern Germany's Autobahn network, as a necessary component of a national defense system while he

3306-746: The Mississippi River on the Stan Musial Veterans Memorial Bridge , connecting with an extension of I-44 , which takes the former I-70 route through Downtown St. Louis to meet I-55 at its connection to the Poplar Street Bridge . The 1985 World Series between the Kansas City Royals and St. Louis Cardinals was nicknamed the "I-70 Series" because St. Louis and Kansas City are the two endpoints of I-70 in Missouri , and

3420-512: The Missouri River , at its northern terminus. From I-635 to just past the US ;169 (7th Street) exit, I-70 runs adjacent Union Pacific Railroad 's Armourdale Yard. Here, I-670 (also designated "Alternate 70" on some signs) diverges, providing a more direct route that rejoins I-70 proper a few miles east in Missouri. The highway passes over the former stockyards and railyard when it crosses

3534-510: The Ohio River at Wheeling and runs through the Wheeling Tunnel . I-70 has only one throughlane in each direction at the tunnel. A major interchange was planned but never completed on the east side of the Wheeling Tunnel. Upon merging with I-470, I-70 goes uphill toward Dallas Pike. This part of the road is called "Two Mile Hill", which is known locally for the many accidents at the bottom of

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3648-560: The Pennsylvania state line near Hancock east across the central portion of the state toward Baltimore , following the route of the National Road , now known as US 40 . It is a major east–west highway in the state, serving the cities of Hagerstown and Frederick and bypassing Ellicott City . East of Frederick, the route was originally designated Interstate 70N ( I-70N ). The highway serves Washington DC , via I-270 , which

3762-609: The Truman Sports Complex (home of both Arrowhead and Kauffman stadiums) and also because the entrance ramps from I-435 northbound onto I-70 eastbound also serve as the exit ramps from I-70 into the Truman Sports Complex parking lots. This section of the Interstate is marked as the " George Brett Super Highway", named after the Kansas City Royals third-base player who played the entirety of his career (1973–1993) at Kauffman Stadium. The last Interstate intersection in

3876-499: The US Department of Defense . The system has also been used to facilitate evacuations in the face of hurricanes and other natural disasters. An option for maximizing traffic throughput on a highway is to reverse the flow of traffic on one side of a divider so that all lanes become outbound lanes. This procedure, known as contraflow lane reversal , has been employed several times for hurricane evacuations. After public outcry regarding

3990-464: The US Highways , which increase from east to west and north to south). This numbering system usually holds true even if the local direction of the route does not match the compass directions. Numbers divisible by five are intended to be major arteries among the primary routes, carrying traffic long distances. Primary north–south Interstates increase in number from I-5 between Canada and Mexico along

4104-541: The West Coast to I‑95 between Canada and Miami, Florida along the East Coast . Major west–east arterial Interstates increase in number from I-10 between Santa Monica, California , and Jacksonville, Florida , to I-90 between Seattle, Washington , and Boston, Massachusetts , with two exceptions. There are no I-50 and I-60, as routes with those numbers would likely pass through states that currently have US Highways with

4218-530: The dome car design was originally installed in the canyon. In the 1990s, the monument was relocated to the Colorado Railroad Museum in Golden to make way for the construction on Interstate 70 . The canyon is widely considered one of the most scenic natural features on the Interstate Highway System of the United States. Foot access to the canyon is available at four rest areas along Interstate 70 in

4332-498: The "South Split" and "North Split", respectively. The I-465 beltway provides access to Fishers via Interstate 69 , which is concurrent with I-465 at the eastern interchange with I-70. I-74 meets I-70 at the western interchange with I-465, eastern access to I-74 can take place via its concurrency around the southern portion of the I-465 loop. After passing through much of the near northeast side of Indianapolis , I-70 again encounters

4446-577: The Baltimore Beltway. Until November 2014, I-70 ended at a park-and-ride lot at MD 122 as the freeway enters the city of Baltimore at exit 94. Commuters park on the pavement where high-speed freeway lanes were to be. The former freeway from I-695 to MD 122 is being converted into a two-lane parkway to be renamed Cooks Boulevard, maintained by the Maryland State Highway Administration . The highway gave its name to

4560-634: The Colorado Rockies. The canyon also provided the route for the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad in the late 19th century. Through acquisitions, the line is currently part of the Union Pacific system, comprising part of its Central Corridor between Denver and Grand Junction . As Glenwood Canyon was one of the iconic scenic views along the California Zephyr passenger train, a monument to

4674-746: The Colorado receives the Eagle River , downstream in a west-southwest direction to just east of Glenwood Springs , on the mouth of the Roaring Fork . Most of the canyon is in Garfield County , with the upper portion near Dotsero lying in Eagle County . The canyon was formed relatively recently in Pleistocene time by the rapid cutting of the Colorado down through layers of sedimentary rock . The upper layers of

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4788-559: The Congress Hotel in Chicago. In the plan, Mehren proposed a 50,000-mile (80,000 km) system, consisting of five east–west routes and 10 north–south routes. The system would include two percent of all roads and would pass through every state at a cost of $ 25,000 per mile ($ 16,000/km), providing commercial as well as military transport benefits. In 1919, the US Army sent an expedition across

4902-507: The I-465 beltway, which carries a multitude of unsigned U.S. Highways and Indiana state roads. I-70 continues on nearly due east from this point, first traveling through suburban Indianapolis and then transitioning into rural east central Indiana, where it passes just to the south of New Castle . Upon reaching the Richmond area, US 35 joins I-70 just before both routes leave Indiana together and enter Ohio. I-70 enters Ohio just east of

5016-518: The Interstate Highway System, with an elevation of 11,158 feet (3,401 m). I-70 begins at an interchange with I-15 near Cove Fort . Heading east, I-70 crosses between the Tushar and Pahvant ranges via Clear Creek Canyon and descends into the Sevier Valley , where I-70 serves Richfield , one of two towns of more than a few hundred people along I-70's path in Utah. The second town with more than

5130-506: The Interstate Highway System. Assisting in the planning was Charles Erwin Wilson , who was still head of General Motors when President Eisenhower selected him as Secretary of Defense in January 1953. Some sections of highways that became part of the Interstate Highway System actually began construction earlier. Three states have claimed the title of first Interstate Highway. Missouri claims that

5244-485: The Interstate Highway program. The Interstates of Alaska and Puerto Rico are numbered sequentially in order of funding without regard to the rules on odd and even numbers. They also carry the prefixes A and PR , respectively. However, these highways are signed according to their local designations, not their Interstate Highway numbers. Furthermore, these routes were neither planned according to nor constructed to

5358-501: The Missouri River twice (as did the original US 40)—at Rocheport , about 15 miles (24 km) west of Columbia, and at St. Charles , about 20 miles (32 km) northwest of St. Louis. Most of the highway on this stretch is four lanes. Various proposals have been made to widen it (at an estimated cost of $ 3.5 billion) including turning it into a toll road. I-70 eventually gets into Greater St. Louis , and US 40 splits to

5472-820: The US to determine the difficulties that military vehicles would have on a cross-country trip. Leaving from the Ellipse near the White House on July 7, the Motor Transport Corps convoy needed 62 days to drive 3,200 miles (5,100 km) on the Lincoln Highway to the Presidio of San Francisco along the Golden Gate . The convoy suffered many setbacks and problems on the route, such as poor-quality bridges, broken crankshafts, and engines clogged with desert sand. Dwight Eisenhower , then

5586-631: The United States, including: In addition to cancellations, removals of freeways are planned: The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) has defined a set of standards that all new Interstates must meet unless a waiver from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is obtained. One almost absolute standard is the controlled access nature of the roads. With few exceptions , traffic lights (and cross traffic in general) are limited to toll booths and ramp meters (metered flow control for lane merging during rush hour ). Being freeways , Interstate Highways usually have

5700-413: The act was signed, and paving started September 26, 1956. The state marked its portion of I-70 as the first project in the United States completed under the provisions of the new Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956. The Pennsylvania Turnpike could also be considered one of the first Interstate Highways, and is nicknamed "Grandfather of the Interstate System". On October 1, 1940, 162 miles (261 km) of

5814-399: The cancellation of the Somerset Freeway . This situation was remedied when the construction of the Pennsylvania Turnpike/Interstate 95 Interchange Project started in 2010 and partially opened on September 22, 2018, which was already enough to fill the gap. However, I-70 remains discontinuous in Pennsylvania , because of the lack of a direct interchange with the Pennsylvania Turnpike at

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5928-404: The canyon are sandstone from Pennsylvanian and Mississippian . Sections of the lower canyon walls are made of Cambrian rock. The Mississippian layer that is prominent throughout much of the upper rim sections of the canyon is part of the Leadville Formation . In 1906, the canyon provided the route of the Taylor State Road , a gravel road that was the first route for automobiles through

6042-406: The choice of routing destroyed many well-established neighborhoods, often intentionally as part of a program of " urban renewal ". In the two decades following the 1956 Highway Act, the construction of the freeways displaced one million people, and as a result of the many freeway revolts during this era, several planned Interstates were abandoned or re-routed to avoid urban cores. Construction of

6156-483: The city. A series of signs warns truckers of the steep grade. As I-70 leaves the foothills, it goes through Denver and intersects I-25 , serving as the central east–west artery through the city. Leaving Denver, I-70 levels out and traverses the wide plains through eastern Colorado. East of Denver, I-70 makes a broad turn to the south-southeast for 30 miles (48 km), before reaching Limon and resuming its eastward journey toward Kansas. Coming from Colorado, I-70 enters

6270-538: The city. In some locations, low speed limits are the result of lawsuits and resident demands; after holding up the completion of I-35E in St. Paul, Minnesota , for nearly 30 years in the courts, residents along the stretch of the freeway from the southern city limit to downtown successfully lobbied for a 45 mph (70 km/h) speed limit in addition to a prohibition on any vehicle weighing more than 9,000 pounds (4,100 kg) gross vehicle weight . I-93 in Franconia Notch State Park in northern New Hampshire has

6384-608: The closest distances between two distinct auxiliary Interstates with the same child Interstate number. I-470 near Topeka, Kansas , and I-470 on the east side of Kansas City, Missouri , are approximately 72 miles (116 km) apart. This record is surpassed by I-291 around Hartford, Connecticut , and I-291 near Springfield, Massachusetts , which are unrelated but are 23 miles (37 km) apart. A breakdown of I-70's auxiliary routes follows: Interstate Highway [REDACTED] The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways , commonly known as

6498-401: The collection of tolls, some Interstate routes are toll roads , either because they were grandfathered into the system or because subsequent legislation has allowed for tolling of Interstates in some cases. As of 2022 , about one quarter of all vehicle miles driven in the country used the Interstate Highway System, which has a total length of 48,890 miles (78,680 km). In 2022 and 2023,

6612-431: The construction and improvement of highways. The nation's revenue needs associated with World War I prevented any significant implementation of this policy, which expired in 1921. In December 1918, E. J. Mehren, a civil engineer and the editor of Engineering News-Record , presented his "A Suggested National Highway Policy and Plan" during a gathering of the State Highway Officials and Highway Industries Association at

6726-407: The contiguous United States, primary Interstates—also called main line Interstates or two-digit Interstates—are assigned numbers less than 100. While numerous exceptions do exist, there is a general scheme for numbering Interstates. Primary Interstates are assigned one- or two-digit numbers, while shorter routes (such as spurs, loops, and short connecting roads) are assigned three-digit numbers where

6840-567: The discontinuity, but they have been blocked by local opposition, fearing a loss of business. The Interstate Highway System has been expanded numerous times. The expansions have both created new designations and extended existing designations. For example, I-49 , added to the system in the 1980s as a freeway in Louisiana , was designated as an expansion corridor, and FHWA approved the expanded route north from Lafayette, Louisiana , to Kansas City, Missouri . The freeway exists today as separate completed segments, with segments under construction or in

6954-448: The dissemination of public information. As a result, the 2005 evacuation of New Orleans, Louisiana, prior to Hurricane Katrina ran much more smoothly. According to urban legend , early regulations required that one out of every five miles of the Interstate Highway System must be built straight and flat, so as to be usable by aircraft during times of war. There is no evidence of this rule being included in any Interstate legislation. It

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7068-418: The duo responsible for the DC sniper attacks , were apprehended at a rest stop on I-70 near Myersville, Maryland , in 2002. The 1985 World Series was a contest between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Kansas City Royals and won by the Royals. As these cities are primarily connected by I-70, the media has often called the series and the two teams' interleague rivalry the I-70 Series. I-70 has one of

7182-621: The east side of Dayton. Springfield is the next city, the site of Buck Creek State Park . I-70 then encounters Columbus . Columbus is bounded by I-270 and is roughly centered on the intersection of I-70 and I-71 , which share the same asphalt through a notoriously congested 1.5-mile (2.4 km) stretch locally known as the "South Innerbelt" or, more commonly, "The Split". This stretch has I-71 concurrent with I-70, where I-71 enters and exits from opposite sides of I-70, causing traffic getting on I-70 from I-71 northbound to have to cross four lanes of I-70 traffic to continue on I-71. A similar issue

7296-445: The eastern end of the concurrency near Breezewood . Traveling in either direction, I-70 traffic must exit the freeway and use a short stretch of US 30 (which includes a number of roadside services) to rejoin I-70. The interchange was not originally built because of a legacy federal funding rule, since relaxed, which restricted the use of federal funds to improve roads financed with tolls. Solutions have been proposed to eliminate

7410-450: The economy. Not just as a public works measure, but for future growth. Clay's committee proposed a 10-year, $ 100 billion program ($ 1.13 trillion in 2023), which would build 40,000 miles (64,000 km) of divided highways linking all American cities with a population of greater than 50,000. Eisenhower initially preferred a system consisting of toll roads , but Clay convinced Eisenhower that toll roads were not feasible outside of

7524-439: The existing, largely non-freeway, United States Numbered Highways system. By the late 1930s, planning had expanded to a system of new superhighways. In 1938, President Franklin D. Roosevelt gave Thomas MacDonald , chief at the Bureau of Public Roads, a hand-drawn map of the United States marked with eight superhighway corridors for study. In 1939, Bureau of Public Roads Division of Information chief Herbert S. Fairbank wrote

7638-407: The fact the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad occupied the south bank, and many temporary construction projects took place to keep US 6 open, at the time the only east–west road in the area. Much of the highway is elevated above the Colorado River . The speed limit in this section is 50 mph (80 km/h) due to the limited sight distance and sharp corners. The Eisenhower Tunnel ,

7752-426: The federal government, Interstate Highways are owned by the state in which they were built. With few exceptions , all Interstates must meet specific standards , such as having controlled access, physical barriers or median strips between lanes of oncoming traffic, breakdown lanes , avoiding at-grade intersections , no traffic lights , and complying with federal traffic sign specifications. Interstate Highways use

7866-411: The first three contracts under the new program were signed in Missouri on August 2, 1956. The first contract signed was for upgrading a section of US Route 66 to what is now designated Interstate 44 . On August 13, 1956, work began on US 40 (now I-70) in St. Charles County. Kansas claims that it was the first to start paving after the act was signed. Preliminary construction had taken place before

7980-429: The first time sought to target these funds to the construction of a national road grid of interconnected "primary highways", setting up cooperation among the various state highway planning boards. The Bureau of Public Roads asked the Army to provide a list of roads that it considered necessary for national defense. In 1922, General John J. Pershing , former head of the American Expeditionary Force in Europe during

8094-423: The first time, which allows travelers to bypass the downtown traffic via I-435, which encircles the Kansas City metropolitan area . Further down the highway in Kansas City, approximately three miles (4.8 km) before the 18th Street Expressway, I-70 is intersected again by another auxiliary route. This route, I-635 , runs from I-35 at its southern terminus up to I-29 , just about five miles (8.0 km) across

8208-464: The freeway through Glenwood Canyon Colorado was the last major section of freeway on I-70 to be completed and widely heralded as an environmental and engineering success. As a result of freeway revolts in the Baltimore area, I-70 was not completed east of MD 122 to its planned terminus at I-95 within the city of Baltimore, and it now ends at a four-way symmetrical stack interchange with I-695 ,

8322-473: The freeway. This stretch of I-70 is one of the few gaps on the Interstate Highway System. I-70 continues on almost due south to the Maryland border after leaving I-76 (Pennsylvania Turnpike) at Breezewood. This section is posted at 55 mph (89 km/h) and is heavily patrolled. After the border, it meets I-68 's eastern end and turns east toward Baltimore and Washington DC . In Maryland , I-70 runs from

8436-483: The highest speed limits in a given area. Speed limits are determined by individual states. From 1975 to 1986, the maximum speed limit on any highway in the United States was 55 miles per hour (90 km/h), in accordance with federal law. Typically, lower limits are established in Northeastern and coastal states, while higher speed limits are established in inland states west of the Mississippi River . For example,

8550-712: The highest vehicular tunnel in North America and the longest tunnel built under the Interstate program, passes through the Continental Divide . Because of the rugged and narrow terrain of the Rocky Mountains , I-70 is one of few roads connecting Colorado's ski resorts with Denver . Descending through the eastern foothills of the Rocky Mountains, one can see the Denver skyline on a clear day. This can fool truckers and other unsuspecting drivers because one must still traverse 10 miles (16 km) of steep grade road before reaching

8664-542: The highly populated coastal regions. In February 1955, Eisenhower forwarded Clay's proposal to Congress. The bill quickly won approval in the Senate, but House Democrats objected to the use of public bonds as the means to finance construction. Eisenhower and the House Democrats agreed to instead finance the system through the Highway Trust Fund , which itself would be funded by a gasoline tax. In June 1956, Eisenhower signed

8778-607: The highway now designated I‑70 and I‑76 opened between Irwin and Carlisle . The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania refers to the turnpike as the Granddaddy of the Pikes, a reference to turnpikes . Milestones in the construction of the Interstate Highway System include: The initial cost estimate for the system was $ 25 billion over 12 years; it ended up costing $ 114 billion (equivalent to $ 425 billion in 2006 or $ 618 billion in 2023 ) and took 35 years. The system

8892-644: The highway passes within sight of both the Royals' Kauffman Stadium and, at the time, the Cardinals' Busch Stadium . After crossing the Stan Musial Veterans Memorial Bridge , I-70 merges with I-55, while I-64 splits off I-55. When the routes intersect I-270, I-55 stays on its own pavement using the mileposts from the Poplar Street Bridge, while I-70 heads east on I-270's pavement using I-270's mileposts. Because of this arrangement, when I-55/I-70 intersects I-270 from

9006-572: The hill. I-70 has brought major development in Ohio County , the only county the route passes through in West Virginia, in the past few years. On the north side of the highway, a former strip mine was developed into a retail area called The Highlands . This stretch of I-70 is the shortest that I-70 is in any state, traveling only 15 miles (24 km) from the Ohio River to the Pennsylvania border. I-70

9120-520: The immediate Kansas City metro area is with I-470 in Independence . After passing Kansas City, I-70 traverses the length of Missouri, west to east. It passes through the largest city between Kansas City and St. Louis, Columbia , which is about halfway between the two major cities and the home of the University of Missouri . The terrain is rolling with some hills and bluffs near rivers. I-70 also crosses

9234-454: The inefficiency of evacuating from southern Louisiana prior to Hurricane Georges ' landfall in September 1998, government officials looked towards contraflow to improve evacuation times. In Savannah, Georgia , and Charleston, South Carolina , in 1999, lanes of I-16 and I-26 were used in a contraflow configuration in anticipation of Hurricane Floyd with mixed results. In 2004, contraflow

9348-436: The interchange with US 40 at Richmond, Indiana . Immediately to the east of this border, travelers notice a unique teal-blue arch that spans the width of the freeway, with a "Welcome to Ohio" greeting sign above the eastbound lanes. A sign thanking travelers for visiting Ohio is mounted on the other side of the arch for westbound travelers. Continuing eastbound, I-70 intersects I-75 north of Dayton , followed by I-675 on

9462-431: The last two digits match the parent route (thus, I-294 is a loop that connects at both ends to I-94 , while I-787 is a short spur route attached to I-87 ). In the numbering scheme for the primary routes, east–west highways are assigned even numbers and north–south highways are assigned odd numbers. Odd route numbers increase from west to east, and even-numbered routes increase from south to north (to avoid confusion with

9576-473: The longest stretch of Interstate Highway with no services and the first highway in the U.S. built over a completely new route since the Alaska Highway . It also became the longest piece of Interstate Highway to be opened at one time. Although opened in 1970, this section was not formally complete until 1990, when a second steel arch bridge spanning Eagle Canyon was opened to traffic. Since I-70's construction,

9690-450: The mainline. Some auxiliary highways do not follow these guidelines, however. The Interstate Highway System also extends to Alaska , Hawaii , and Puerto Rico , even though they have no direct land connections to any other states or territories. However, their residents still pay federal fuel and tire taxes. The Interstates in Hawaii, all located on the most populous island of Oahu , carry

9804-737: The maximum speed limit is 75 mph (120 km/h) in northern Maine, varies between 50 and 70 mph (80 and 115 km/h) from southern Maine to New Jersey, and is 50 mph (80 km/h) in New York City and the District of Columbia. Currently, rural speed limits elsewhere generally range from 65 to 80 miles per hour (105 to 130 km/h). Several portions of various highways such as I-10 and I-20 in rural western Texas, I-80 in Nevada between Fernley and Winnemucca (except around Lovelock) and portions of I-15 , I-70 , I-80 , and I-84 in Utah have

9918-514: The military, agreed to extend the proposed route of I-70, but not to serve Salt Lake City; the military wanted to better connect Southern California with the Northeastern U.S. This led to I-70's constructed route through the San Rafael Swell terminating at Cove Fort. Many motorists include I-70 as part of their cross-country drives between New York City and Los Angeles (which are accessible to I-70 via other Interstates). Completed in 1992,

10032-404: The number of fatalities on the Interstate Highway System amounted to more than 5,000 people annually, with nearly 5,600 fatalities in 2022. The United States government's efforts to construct a national network of highways began on an ad hoc basis with the passage of the Federal Aid Road Act of 1916 , which provided $ 75 million over a five-year period for matching funds to the states for

10146-452: The official Interstate Highway standards . On one- or two-digit Interstates, the mile marker numbering almost always begins at the southern or western state line. If an Interstate originates within a state, the numbering begins from the location where the road begins in the south or west. As with all guidelines for Interstate routes, however, numerous exceptions exist. Glenwood Canyon The canyon stretches from near Dotsero , where

10260-561: The original Interstate Highway System was proclaimed complete in 1992, despite deviations from the original 1956 plan and several stretches that did not fully conform with federal standards . The construction of the Interstate Highway System cost approximately $ 114 billion (equivalent to $ 618 billion in 2023). The system has continued to expand and grow as additional federal funding has provided for new routes to be added, and many future Interstate Highways are currently either being planned or under construction. Though heavily funded by

10374-633: The planning phase between them. In 1966, the FHWA designated the entire Interstate Highway System as part of the larger Pan-American Highway System, and at least two proposed Interstate expansions were initiated to help trade with Canada and Mexico spurred by the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Long-term plans for I-69 , which currently exists in several separate completed segments (the largest of which are in Indiana and Texas ),

10488-448: The prairie, farmlands, and rolling hills of Kansas. This portion of I-70 was the first segment to start being paved and to be completed in the Interstate Highway System. It is given the nickname "Main Street of Kansas", as the Interstate extends from the western border to the eastern border of the state, covering 424 miles (682 km) and passing through most of the state's principal cities in

10602-411: The prefix H . There are three one-digit routes in the state ( H-1 , H-2 , and H-3 ) and one auxiliary route ( H-201 ). These Interstates connect several military and naval bases together, as well as the important communities spread across Oahu, and especially within the urban core of Honolulu . Both Alaska and Puerto Rico also have public highways that receive 90 percent of their funding from

10716-409: The process. In Salina , I-70 intersects with the north terminus of I-135 . In Topeka , I-70 intersects I-470 , twice. At the eastern intersection, the Kansas Turnpike merges, with I-70 becoming a toll road . This is one of only two sections of I-70 that are tolled. (The other is part of the Pennsylvania Turnpike .) I-70 carries this designation from Topeka to Kansas City, the eastern terminus of

10830-406: The route of I-70 was derived from multiple sources. The Interstate runs through or near many major U.S. cities, including Denver , Topeka , Kansas City , St. Louis , Indianapolis , Columbus , Pittsburgh , and Baltimore. The sections of the Interstate in Missouri and Kansas have laid claim to be the first Interstate in the United States. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has claimed

10944-524: The route, without regard to the route number. For instance, I-190 in Massachusetts is labeled north–south, while I-195 in New Jersey is labeled east–west. Some looped Interstate routes use inner–outer directions instead of compass directions, when the use of compass directions would create ambiguity. Due to the large number of these routes, auxiliary route numbers may be repeated in different states along

11058-419: The same numbers, which is generally disallowed under highway administration guidelines. Several two-digit numbers are shared between unconnected road segments at opposite ends of the country for various reasons. Some such highways are incomplete Interstates (such as I-69 and I-74 ) and some just happen to share route designations (such as I-76 , I-84 , I‑86 , I-87 , and I-88 ). Some of these were due to

11172-503: The same roadway are signed as traveling in opposite directions; one such wrong-way concurrency is found between Wytheville and Fort Chiswell , Virginia, where I‑81 north and I‑77 south are equivalent (with that section of road traveling almost due east), as are I‑81 south and I‑77 north. Auxiliary Interstate Highways are circumferential, radial, or spur highways that principally serve urban areas . These types of Interstate Highways are given three-digit route numbers, which consist of

11286-523: The section of I-70 through Glenwood Canyon in Colorado , completed in 1992, to be the last piece of the Interstate Highway System , as originally planned, to open to traffic. The construction of I-70 in Colorado and Utah is considered an engineering marvel, as the route passes through the Eisenhower Tunnel , Glenwood Canyon, and the San Rafael Swell . The Eisenhower Tunnel is the highest point along

11400-431: The south, along with US 61 , which does not have a concurrency with I-70. In late 2009, the intersecting road was upgraded to Interstate standards along with the completion of the overhaul of I-64 . After this interchange, I-70 intersects two auxiliary routes, I-270 and I-170 . After passing several bedroom communities in north St. Louis County , I-70 enters the city limits of St. Louis. It turns east to cross

11514-665: The southeast, the exit number is 20 and, in the opposite direction, it is exit 15. I-70 was rerouted from the Poplar Street Bridge to the Stan Musial Veterans Memorial Bridge north of Downtown St. Louis, which opened in February 2014. I-70 passes through numerous county seats in Illinois, among them Vandalia , the state capital from 1818 to 1839. It runs concurrently with I-57 around Effingham and then proceeds east toward Indiana. I-70 enters Indiana just to

11628-432: The swell has been noted for its desolate beauty. The swell has since been nominated for national park or national monument status on multiple occasions. If the swell is granted this status, it arguably would be the first time a national park owes its existence to an Interstate Highway. Most of the exits in this span are rest areas, brake check areas, and runaway truck ramps with few traditional freeway exits. I-70 exits

11742-661: The swell near Green River . From Green River to the Colorado state line, I-70 follows the southern edge of the Book Cliffs . Entering from Utah, I-70 descends into the Grand Valley , where it meets the Colorado River , which provides its path up the western slope of the Rocky Mountains . Here, I-70 serves the Grand Junction metropolitan area before traversing more mountainous terrain. The last section of I-70 to be completed

11856-595: The taller buildings a few blocks north near the Missouri River . Westbound I-670 is also designated Alternate I-70. Most of the Interstates in this loop are in their second mile, so all exits (no matter which Interstate the road carries) are numbered 2 and suffixed with every letter of the alphabet except for I, O, and Z, leading to the loop's nickname, the Alphabet Loop. The section of I-70 in Downtown Kansas City

11970-602: The turnpike. About halfway between Topeka and Kansas City , I-70 passes through Lawrence (home to the University of Kansas ). The tolled portion of the turnpike ends near Bonner Springs , just west of Kansas City. There is also a third auxiliary route in Topeka, I-335 , which runs from I-470 south to meet up with I-35 in the Flint Hills town of Emporia . Just past the Bonner Springs Toll Plaza, I-70 crosses I-435 for

12084-488: The visages of Lucas Oil Stadium and the JW Marriott Indianapolis hotel, with the city's skyline as their backdrop, now dominate the view to the north from the freeway. After passing just to the south of the world headquarters for Eli Lilly and Company , I-70 and I-65 have a brief concurrency through the eastern side of Downtown Indianapolis . The junction points of these two major routes are known locally as

12198-490: The war, complied by submitting a detailed network of 20,000 miles (32,000 km) of interconnected primary highways—the so-called Pershing Map . A boom in road construction followed throughout the decade of the 1920s, with such projects as the New York parkway system constructed as part of a new national highway system. As automobile traffic increased, planners saw a need for such an interconnected national system to supplement

12312-497: The west of Terre Haute and then crosses the Wabash River before skirting the city's south side. After passing through miles of gently rolling terrain in rural west-central Indiana, the freeway approaches the major Indianapolis metropolitan area . The main entrance to Indianapolis International Airport was relocated to I-70's exit 68 on November 11, 2008. Upon nearing the central business district of Indiana's capital city,

12426-541: Was employed ahead of Hurricane Charley in the Tampa, Florida area and on the Gulf Coast before the landfall of Hurricane Ivan ; however, evacuation times there were no better than previous evacuation operations. Engineers began to apply lessons learned from the analysis of prior contraflow operations, including limiting exits, removing troopers (to keep traffic flowing instead of having drivers stop for directions), and improving

12540-536: Was initially envisioned to go through Downtown Pittsburgh but now goes south of it. Its originally planned route was later incorporated into I-376 , as well as parts of I-76 and I-79 . I-70 also overlaps I-79 near the Pittsburgh suburb of Washington for three miles (4.8 km). The 38 miles (61 km) of I-70 between Washington and New Stanton is a substandard section of the highway. This section of I-70 used to be Pennsylvania Route 71 (PA 71). It

12654-460: Was once designated Interstate 70S ( I-70S ). Uniquely, I-70 indirectly serves a branch of the Washington Metro at Shady Grove station via I-370 , which only connects to I-270. I-70 was planned to end at I-95 in Baltimore, but, due to local opposition, it was only built to MD 122 . The section east of I-695 is now MD 570 . Besides being the first Interstate to receive

12768-422: Was proclaimed complete in 1992, but two of the original Interstates— I-95 and I-70 —were not continuous: both of these discontinuities were due to local opposition, which blocked efforts to build the necessary connections to fully complete the system. I-95 was made a continuous freeway in 2018, and thus I-70 remains the only original Interstate with a discontinuity. I-95 was discontinuous in New Jersey because of

12882-543: Was serving as Supreme Commander of Allied Forces in Europe during World War II . In 1954, Eisenhower appointed General Lucius D. Clay to head a committee charged with proposing an interstate highway system plan. Summing up motivations for the construction of such a system, Clay stated, It was evident we needed better highways. We needed them for safety, to accommodate more automobiles. We needed them for defense purposes, if that should ever be necessary. And we needed them for

12996-405: Was the 15-mile (24 km) Glenwood Canyon . This stretch was completed in 1992 and was an engineering marvel due to the extremely difficult terrain and narrow space in the canyon , which requires corners that are sharper than normal Interstate standards . Construction was delayed for many years due to environmental concerns. The difficulties in building the road in the canyon were compounded by

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