David's General Interstate Plan
Purpose and Objectives
The National System of Interstate and Defense Highways was finally started in 1956 after decades of need. A uniform numbering system was laid out, and it was good. However, after decades of expansion, the Intersate system is on the verge of falling into chaos. The East is experiencing a shortage of numbers for north-south Interstates. Newer Interstates and competing freeways are short-circuiting the older Interstate routes, compromising their integrity as sensible long-distance routes. My general plan should serve to accomplish the following goals:
Make sure that each route is the most efficient path, or nearly the most efficient path between its termini.
Make the most efficient use of route numbers.
Relieve local number shortages.
Notes
Any suggestions involving new freeways are intended as long-term goals, while redesignations of existing highways are intended as immediate changes, where feasible. This page is probably doomed to be a perpetual work-in-progress. While this page is organized by state, updates are most likely to occur on a concept-by-concept basis. However, sometimes only part of a concept may be implemented at any given time, causing Interstates to appear to end at state borders. Essentially, the appearence of a route designation concept does not imply that the presentation of that concept is complete, nor does the appearance of changes in any given state imply that the list of changes for that state is complete. The last few sentences, this one included, were composed while I was terribly sleep-deprived, and this fact can be blamed for the bombastic nature of said sentences.
The Routes
Arkansas
New I-30: Extend from Little Rock northeast along I-67 to Newport, then diverge from US-67. Cross US-63 near Bono, and pass Paragould before entering Missouri near US-412.
Kentucky
New I-30: Follow the Purchase, Western Kentucky, and Bluegrass parkways, multiplexing with other Interstates where necessary.
Current I-471: Becomes I-74.
New I-73: Follow US-23 from Virginia border to West Virginia border 2 miles northwest of Fort Gay, WV.
New I-74: Follow I-471 from the Ohio border to I-275. Follow US-27 south to KY-9. Follow KY-9 east to Tollesboro. Bear southeast on a new corridor to meet I-64 at Upper Tygart. Multiplex with I-64 to Grayson. Bear southeast on a new corridor to the West Virginia border near Hubbardstown, WV.
Illinois
New I-44: Follow current I-55 in its entirety.
New I-144: Follow current I-155 in its entirety.
Current I-55: Becomes I-44.
New I-55: Follow current I-57 from Missouri border to current I-294, then north along the Tri-State Tollway to the Wisconsin border.
Current I-155: Becomes I-144.
Current I-255: Becomes I-270.
Current IL-255: Remains I-255, because I'm too lazy to look for other suitable, available numbers, and besides, if IDOT really wanted it to be like an extension of I-255, they would have given it exit numbers starting at 32, not 2.
Current I-355: Remains I-355 in light of forseeable connection to new I-55 with future expansion, possibly overtaking I-480.
Current I-57: Becomes I-55.
Current I-70: Becomes I-44, I-70.
New I-70: Follow current I-270 from the Missouri border to new I-44, then follow current I-70 to Indiana border.
Current I-270: Becomes I-70.
New I-270: Follow I-255 in its entirety.
New I-72: Follow current I-72 from Missouri border to new I-55. Multiplex with I-55 and I-74 to Indiana border.
Current I-80: Becomes I-80, I-280.
New I-80: Follow current I-80 from Iowa border to 4 miles west of IL-47 near Morris. New alignment southeast, meeting I-44 at Braceville. Continue east to intersect I-55 5 miles north of Kankakee. Continue east to Indiana border 1 mile north of Illinoi, IN.
New I-480: Begin at new I-80 at IN-113 7 miles northwest of Kankakee. Pass west of Kankakee Airport (the smaller one), and meet I-55 4 miles south of Kankakee.
New I-680: Follow current I-94 from current I-80 to new I-55 (south of Chicago).
New I-655: Follow current I-94 from I-90 to the Tri-State Tollway.
Current I-94: Becomes I-55, I-655, I-680, I-94.
New I-94: Follow current I-80 from new I-80 to Indiana border.
Current I-294: Truncated at current I-80. Segment eastward becomes I-94.
Indiana
Current I-65: Becomes I-65, I-165.
New I-65: Follow current I-65 from Kentucky border to I-465 northwest of Indianapolis. Follow I-465 north to I-865. Proceed on new highway northeast to intersect US-421 at Boone/Hamilton county line. Intersect IN-38 2 miles east of Sheridan. Join US-31 at Hamilton/Tipton County line and follow to 3 miles south of Howard County line. Bypass Kokomo to the east, intersecting US-35 3 miles east of Kokomo. Pass 1 mile west of Kokomo Municipal Airport and re-join US-31 1 mile north of Howard / Miami county line. Follow US-31 to Michigan border.
New I-165: Follow current I-65 from I-465 northwest of Indianapolis to I-90.
New I-365: Follow US-20 from new I-65 to 4 miles east of Elkhart. Future extension: proceed northeast to intersect I-90 2.5 miles east of Bristol.
New I-67: Follow US-131 from Michigan border to I-90. Future southward extension Cincinnati via Fort Wayne and Richmond is possible.
Current I-469: Becomes I-72, I-80, when both of those routes are designated.
Future I-72: Follow I-74 from Illinois border to 3 miles west of Veedersburg. Intersect current I-65 7 miles southeast of Lafayette. Intersect new I-65 4 miles north of Kokomo. Pass 3 miles north of Marion. Intersect with I-69 3 miles north of IN-18. Multiplex with I-69 to current I-469 south of Fort Wayne. Follow US-24 east to Ohio border.
Future I-272: Northwest quadrant bypass of Lafayette from I-72 to I-165.
Future I-472: Southwest quadrant bypass of Kokomo from I-72 to I-65.
Future I-672: Southwest quadrant bypass of Marion from I-72 to I-69.
Current I-80: Becomes I-94, I-90.
New I-80: Enter from Illinois 1 mile north of Illinoi. Proceed east, crossing current I-65 4 miles north of IN-10. Intersect US-231 2 miles north of Demotte. Intersect US-421 3 miles south of La Crosse. Pass north of Kankakee State Fish and Wildlife Area and proceed east to connect with US-30 near Donaldson. Follow US-30 east to Ohio border.
Michigan
New I-65: Follow US-31 from Indiana border to Ludington.
New I-67: Follow US-131 from Indiana border to Cadillac, or wherever the limited-access portion ends. Possible future extension to Traverse City.
Current I-75: Becomes I-175, I-375.
New I-73: Enter from Ohio either multiplexed with new I-75 or near Southland. Pass between Adrian and Tecumseh. Pass between Michigan Intl Speedway and Brooklyn. Connect with US-127 4 miles south of Jackson. Follow US-127 north to I-75 near Grayling.
New I-75: Follow US-23 from Ohio border to just past exit 90, then north along current routing to Canada border.
New I-175: Follow current I-75 from Ohio border to Exit 53, then east along I-94 to I-69.
New I-375: Follow current I-375 from downtown Detroit to I-75, then north along current I-75 to re-routed I-75 south of Flint.
Current I-94: Truncated at Exit 215. Segment to east becomes I-175.
New I-294: Follow MI-60 from I-94 Exit 136 to Spring Arbor Rd. Proceed southeast and east to meet I-73 about 5 miles south of Jackson.
Missouri
New I-30: Enter from Arkansas near US-412 and follow that route to I-55 at current I-155. Then follow I-155 into Tennessee.
New I-44: Extend from Exit 290 along current I-55 to Illinois border.
Current I-55: Becomes I-55, I-155, I-44.
New I-55: Follow I-55 from Arkansas border to Sikeston, then north along current I-57 to Illinois border.
Current I-155: Becomes I-30.
New I-155: Follow current I-55 from Sikeston to I-44.
>li>Current I-255: Becomes I-270.
Current I-57: Becomes I-55.
Current I-70: Becomes I-70, I-570.
New I-70: Follow current I-70 from Kansas border to I-270. Follow current I-270 east to Illinois border.
New I-270: Follow current I-270 from I-70 south to current I-55. Follow I-255 east to Illinois border.
New I-570: Follow current I-70 from I-270 to I-64.
Ohio
New I-464: Follow the "Tri-State Outerbelt" near Chesapeake.
Current I-471: Becomes I-74.
Future I-72: Follow US-24 from Indiana border to new I-75.
New I-73: Enter Ohio from West Virginia (initially, at current US-52 crossing; when feasible, nearer Ceredo, WV) and follow US-52 to Sciotoville. Follow OH-823 to US-23, and US-23 (see Columbus Plan for more detail in Pickaway, Franklin, and Delaware counties) to near OH-105 between Bemberville and Woodville. Proceed north-northwest to I-90 at current I-280. Follow current I-280 along its entire length. Proceed west along current I-75 and current I-475 to new I-75. Continue west and northwest to Michigan border near Southland, or multiplex with new I-75 north to Michigan border.
New I-473: Loop through Pickaway, Madison, Union, Delaware, Licking, and Fairfield counties. (see Columbus Plan.)
New I-673: Designation to be applied to south/easternmost segment of I-73 / US-52 upon completion of a more westerly Ohio River crossing for I-73.
New I-74: Follow existing I-74 from Indiana border to I-75. Follow I-75 south, I-71 east, and I-471 south to Kentucky border.
Current I-75: Becomes I-75, I-175.
New I-75: Follow current routing from Kentucky border to Exit 192, then north along US-23 to Michigan border.
New I-175: Take over current I-75 from exit 192 to Michigan border.
Current I-475: Becomes I-75, I-73.
Current I-76: Becomes I-80, I-76.
New I-76: Follow current I-80 from I-90 near Elyria to current I-76. Follow current I-76 to Pennsylvania border.
Current I-80: Becomes I-90, I-76, I-80.
New I-80: Follow US-30 from Indiana border to I-75 at Beaverdam. Multiplex with I-75 to 5 miles southwest of Findlay. Proceed east to OH-15 at US-68 and follow OH-15 east and US-23 south to Upper Sandusky. Follow US-30 east to Mansfield. Multiplex with I-71 north to Lodi. Follow current I-76 east to North Jackson. Follow current I-80 east to Pennsylvania border.
Current I-280: Becomes I-73.
Current I-480: Remains I-480. Future extensions possible. From west end, extend south following OH-83 to I-71 / new I-80. From east end, extend south to meet new I-80 3 miles east of OH-43, or extend southeast along OH-14 to new I-80.
Tennessee
New I-30: Follow I-155 from Missouri border to Troy, then US-51 into Kentucky.
Current I-155: Becomes I-30.
New I-73: Follow US-23 and I-181 in its entirety.
Current I-181: Becomes I-73.
West Virginia
New I-73: Follow US-52 from Kentucky border 2 miles northwest of Fort Gay north to Ohio border. At a future date, eliminate multiplex with I-64 with a new Ohio River crossing at Ceredo.
New I-673: US-52 from I-64 to Ohio border, to be designated upon completion of Ohio River crossing at Ceredo.
New I-74: Enter from Kentucky at Hubbardstown and multiplex with I-73 south to 2 miles north of Fort Gay. Follow US-52 southeast to Bluewell. Proceed east, passing north of Mercer County Airport, to meet I-77 near Mile 1. Multiplex with I-77 south to Virginia border.