After 61 Years, America’s Busiest Highway Is Almost Complete

The Atlantic ^ | January 20, 2018 | Robinson Meyer

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

PENNINGTON, N.J.—The past few years have been thick with promises of shiny new infrastructure and the revival of American greatness.

Funny, then, that so little has been made of a quiet victory for U.S. infrastructure due later this year. By September 2018, one of the country’s most famous civil-engineering projects will finally complete construction, six decades after work on it began.

Interstate 95, the country’s most used highway, will finally run as one continuous road between Miami and Maine by the late summer. The interstate’s infamous “gap” on the Pennsylvania and New Jersey border will be closed, turning I-95 into an unbroken river of concrete more than 1,900 miles long. In so doing, it will also mark a larger milestone, say transportation officials—the completion of the original United States interstate system.

Construction to fix the I-95 gap began more than eight years ago in Pennsylvania, but it has now reached its final stage. This week, the New Jersey Department of Transportation began switching out road signs in preparation for the change.

But I-95’s completion isn’t a standalone feat. Local transportation planners claim it will herald a larger accomplishment.

“The original Interstate Highway Act had a network of highways across the nation that were associated it. Through some federal bills since then, that list was amended a little bit and made a little bit larger—but our understanding is that this is the final piece of that original interstate system,” says Jay Roth, a consultant at Jacobs Engineering Group who has worked to close the gap in I-95 for more than two decades.

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

I-95 is being routed on the PA turnpike and the NJ turnpike connector, which connects Bristol, PA to Florence, NJ. At Florence, I-95 will then follow the New Jersey turnpike, bypassing Trenton. But I-95 will still go through Newark, Chester and Philly, so in general, I agree with you. Just take the turnpike from the Delaware Memorial Bridge. :-)

[Dr. Zzyzx]

Hmmm... something is amiss.....
http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2013/08/20/i-405-in-la-named-busiest-interstate-in-any-us-city/

[Coleus]

I remember going to florida about 45 years ago with my parents driving down 95, so many times we had to detour...it’s about time they completed it, can’t we do anything right.

[New Jersey Realist]

The NJ Turnpike is the best route to take from Wilmington, DE to New York and points north. Stay away from 95 on the PA side!

[ROCKLOBSTER]

6 MILES OF ROAD and this dipstick governor had to shut it down.

Need to get some bulldozers out there and create a "construction zone" (dirt road)

[foreverfree]

I grew up with this road in Boothwyn, PA.

ff

[hinckley buzzard]

Back in the 1950’s Breezewood was a special place. For millions of postwar veterans and their families, heading South for a long awaited winter vacation, pre the interstates, Breezewood was a great turning point.

From across the whole Midwest, families came east on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, at the time the only divided highway, a national wonder in itself. Getting off at Breezewood, resting up, eating, maybe staying the night for an early start the next day, they then headed South on The Highway To The Sun. Florida in the winter was a dream back then, and Breezewood was the jumping off place. I’m sure it has seen its day, but for millions it once was more than an interim destination on a map, it was a great right turn full of promise.