I-11 Opens

[Mark Sedenquist]

There has been much talk about the opening of the first brand new Interstate Highway since 1992 on the news. Megan and I attended the grand opening of a 10-mile section of this road on August 9th. The grand plan is to build a new highway from Nogales to Canada. The most likely part of the route that will eventually be built will be Nogales to Reno, Nevada. Beyond that, the routing seems... challenging.

It's a pretty drive (the section that bypasses Boulder City, Nevada) and there is very good chance of seeing mountain sheep on the sides of the road.

Here is a view of the road looking south towards Lake Mead, very close to the brand new viewpoint:

Courtesy of RTC and Nevada DOT

Some of the VIPs at this event (how many do you recognize? -- Please share below!)

Courtesy of RTC

Not exactly a ribbon cutting -- but still a cool photo

Courtesy of RTC

And Megan captured a really cool video of the first public vehicles to drive on this section of the highway: BE SURE TO TURN UP THE SOUND -- THAT IS THE BEST PART OF THE VIDEO.

As a Road Geek -- I find the naming of this highway a bit odd. This new highway runs mostly east of I-15 and west of I-17 and north & south routes are odd numbers -- but it would have been tough to find an odd number between 15 and 17. I guess the logic is that since the northern section will be between I-5 and I-15 that I-11 makes perfect sense.

What are your thoughts about this new highway?

[Mark Sedenquist]

The RTC and Nevada DOT threw a really nice event. Lots to drink and full luncheon. We didn't have time to stay for the meal.

Mark

[Mark Sedenquist]

Vegas Golden Knights Cheerleaders getting ready to cheer for the ribbon cutting


The "hot" t-shirt look of the day

[glc]

Google Maps wasted no time, they are already showing I-11.

I noticed another new Interstate highway the other day - US-41 from Milwaukee to Green Bay is now I-41. I think this is unique - replacing a US highway with an Interstate carrying the same number.

[AZBuck]

I checked, and this new road is already marked on Google Maps®. While there are still no "Street View" images loaded, I would expect those to be posted in relatively short order.

AZBuck

[Mark Sedenquist]

Yes, it is interesting that Google Maps had it so quickly. On the morning of the 9th there was indication of I-11 past the US-93 anywhere -- but it was there by the afternoon. Pretty funny.

Mark

[AZBuck]

When the Interstate Highway System was first laid out, it adopted the same general numbering system as the 'old' US Highway system, namely that east-west roads would carry even numbers and north-south roads would carry odd numbers. But in order to avoid confusion, the Interstate system would have its lower highway numbers in the south and west rather than in the north and east as was the case with the US system. Indeed, it was explicitly decided to NOT have an I-50 or an I-60 because they would be too close to US-50 and US-60.

Over the years, that well-meaning scheme has fallen prey to political and practical realities. I-41 and I-11 are not the first 'misplaced' Interstates. The first one I was aware of was I-99 in Pennsylvania. It's on the wrong side of not only I-95 but also I-81, I-83, I-87, I-89, I-91 and I-93, and it exists entirely within one state. But it had a powerful congressional sponsor, so it exists.

Similarly, I-41 in Wisconsin breaks the 'rule' that there be no confusion between a US and an Interstate highway number. Wisconsin initially tried to get Illinois to agree to have this route designated as a continuation of I-55 which would have made sense, but for some reason Illinois objected. The next best option was for Wisconsin to go it alone and ask for a different designation. I-41, I-47, I-594, and I-643 were all proposed. Why they settled on the one 'wrong' designation (I-41) is beyond me, but they did. One result of this, and the fact that I-41 is duplexed with other Interstate routes in the Milwaukee area, is that on the south side of that city there is one of only two cases where a single roadbed has three Interstate designations (I-41, I-43, and I-894 as well as US-41) and one of only two instances where a single roadbed is designated as going in two opposite directions (I-41 South and I-43 North, and vice versa). The combination of those two exceptions makes that stretch of roadway unique.

As currently proposed I-11 in southern Arizona will not be duplexed with I-19 which would make some sense, but would instead run parallel to, and a mile or two west of, I-19 between Tucson and Nogales. I seriously doubt that will happen in the end.

AZBuck

[Mark Sedenquist]

And even crazier, there is speculation that I-11 would be developed along a brand new corridor on the eastern side of the Las Vegas valley.

I was just chatting with Tom Herbertson (mapping guru) about this Interstate Highway naming conventions that have run amok. I-99 is one of the funnier roads in America -- VERY SHORT HIGHWAY.

Mark

[NowthatIamretired]

I have always wondered about I-74 in North Carolina. That’s completely out of place numbering wise. Anyone know that story?

[AZBuck]

That portion of I-74 is a continuation of the more appropriately numbered I-74 that goes between the Quad Cities of Iowa/Illinois and Cincinnati. There the numbering fits the system: an east-west road between I-80 to the north and I-70 to the south. But by continuing southeast to mostly south from Cincinnati, it starts to lose the justification for that number designation, Indeed, when this section of road was first proposed it was to carry an I-73 designation. But again, politics got in the way, states couldn't agree, and we are left with something less than satisfying. I will note that there is always a problem with setting up a system based on a hypothetical north-south/east-west grid when the reality of topography and best available routing means that at least some roads will have to be something other than either/or.

AZBuck