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After 61 Years, America’s Busiest Highway Is Almost Complete
The Atlantic ^ | January 20, 2018 | Robinson Meyer

Posted on 02/09/2018 8:09:01 AM PST by 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.

(Excerpt) Read more at theatlantic.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Extended News; Government; News/Current Events; US: New Jersey; US: Pennsylvania
KEYWORDS: closingthegap; construction; economy; eisenhower; highways; i295; i95; infrastructure; interstates; newjersey; njturnpike; paturnpike; pennsylvania; philadelphia; transportation; trenton
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1 posted on 02/09/2018 8:09:01 AM PST by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

Sometimes known as The Drug Corridor


2 posted on 02/09/2018 8:10:22 AM PST by AppyPappy (Don't mistake your dorm political discussions with the desires of the nation)
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

Can hardly wait to go on it in a self driving car!


3 posted on 02/09/2018 8:15:38 AM PST by Leep (The dims better watch it..Trump is CRAZY!!)
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To: AppyPappy
Miami would be a great place except for the drugs that Maine sends down to it.

/s

4 posted on 02/09/2018 8:16:14 AM PST by BipolarBob (At one time I held the world record as the worlds youngest person on the planet.)
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

Good thing New Jersey wasn’t 8nvoled in the Pyramids...they’d still not be built.


5 posted on 02/09/2018 8:17:34 AM PST by Bonemaker (invictus maneoHeÂ’s suddenly vocal after 8 years.)
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To: Bonemaker

New Jersey wanted to force people onto the tolled turnpike.


6 posted on 02/09/2018 8:22:07 AM PST by Ingtar
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To: Ingtar

Still not enough lanes. Pathetic this wasn’t completed.


7 posted on 02/09/2018 8:25:43 AM PST by PSUGOP
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To: Ingtar

The New Jersey Turnpike is I-95 and it has been a toll highway since day one.


8 posted on 02/09/2018 8:26:12 AM PST by Labyrinthos
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks
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.

Hopefully when that's done they can bulldoze Breezewood, PA and hook the Turnpike to I-70.

9 posted on 02/09/2018 8:31:09 AM PST by Poison Pill
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To: Leep
Can hardly wait to go on it in a self driving car!

Have a buddy who let's his self-driving Tesla do the work from north of Miami to Orlando. Of course, that's on the turnpike.

10 posted on 02/09/2018 8:31:33 AM PST by Road Warrior ‘04 (Molon Labe! (Oathkeeper))
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks
Interstate 95, the country’s most used highway, will finally run as one continuous road between Miami and Maine by the late summer.

It may be continuous now, but the best route is still NOT to stay on I95 between Trenton NJ and Wilmington Delaware.

11 posted on 02/09/2018 8:35:07 AM PST by FreeReign
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

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

Yeah, New Jersey doing something to improve anything.

PA’s new “governor” shut down a highway project that would connect Somerset PA to Maryland. There was 6 miles left.

about 10 hotels in Somerset were set to be built, providing hundreds of jobs both now and later. They are now stalled. Investors pulled out leaving piles of dirt in their place.

Hotels and restaurants already existing in the area had borrowed millions to improve and get ready for the new traffic. They too now default on payments and their facilities are left in shambles.

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


12 posted on 02/09/2018 8:35:22 AM PST by Celerity
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To: Poison Pill
Hopefully when that's done they can bulldoze Breezewood, PA and hook the Turnpike to I-70.

When they're done with that they can do the same with Bedford, PA and hook the Turnpike to I-99.

13 posted on 02/09/2018 8:37:05 AM PST by rllngrk33 (Tagline undergoing rennovations, please check back at a later date.)
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To: Celerity

I have nothing to add to this discussion other than stating that I DESPISE I-95.

.


14 posted on 02/09/2018 8:37:14 AM PST by Mears
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To: Poison Pill

“Hopefully when that’s done they can bulldoze Breezewood, PA and hook the Turnpike to I-70.”

OUCH I love Breezewood. Always holds a place in my heart. Even if I’m not stopping for a stay in one of the THOUSAND motels .. it was a landmark for me all my life.

But whatever I can do to get traffic off the Pike is my responsibility to the world. The Pennaturnpike is corrupt, staffed entirely by criminals and thieves. As a toll worker, my aunt long ago wrote a book detailing the crime, corruption and intimidation tactics to keep people quiet.


15 posted on 02/09/2018 8:37:39 AM PST by Celerity
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To: FreeReign

Okay, now I see what's going on. No more Delaware Memorial Bridge and the NJ Turnpike south of exit 7a.

16 posted on 02/09/2018 8:38:57 AM PST by FreeReign
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To: Labyrinthos
The New Jersey Turnpike is I-95 and it has been a toll highway since day one.

The southern part of the NJ Turnpike has never been I-95.

17 posted on 02/09/2018 8:41:53 AM PST by FreeReign
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

Another Interstate completed. That still leaves I-40 through Memphis with a gap.


18 posted on 02/09/2018 8:45:13 AM PST by Ruy Dias de Bivar
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I have always hated the word “turnpike”.

I also have a deep hatred of toll roads. Especially in areas with high fuel taxes. I can sometimes tolerate them on very beatiful bridges that are just stunning marvels of engineering, but on other bridges like the Chicago Skyway, which is an ugly bridge, not large or elegant and does not cross some deep canyon or raging river or mountain pass, but just costs 5 bucks to travel 3/4 of a mile each way and has literally been “under repair” ceaselessly for 30 years with another toll booth literally 2 miles down the road, it just makes my blood boil.

Thank god for ways and google. When I am in the midwest or the east coast, I will drive miles out of my way to avoid toll roads just on principle


19 posted on 02/09/2018 8:48:40 AM PST by dsrtsage (For Leftists, World History starts every day at breakfast)
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

The gap was lined with businesses that did everythng they could to keep the gap so drivers would stop for food, gas and lodging.


20 posted on 02/09/2018 9:12:58 AM PST by poinq
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