I-64 st louis experience

[Terry Lomax]

This week I had finally had occassion to utilize I-64 through st. louis.
Once you cross the river, the road leaves a lot to be desired as a true
interstate highway.

1) Given that I-64 ends in St Louis and I-44 begins there, why
are there two different I-numbers. Are there plans to bring
I-44 east and I-64 west? They could have just used I-64 for the
entire route, and called the downtown freeway something like
I-570.

They couldn't because 44 and 64 go in different directions. 44 goes
southwest to northeast; 64 goes northwest to southeast. A reasoning
for naming US 40 "I-64" is to help outsiders make their way through
the metro area; they were obviously assuming I-64 would be expressway
all the way to I-70 in Wentzville.

There's no place for I-44 to go east. I-70 continues in that general
direction in Illinois. The only other highway going east from STL is
US 50, and it looks like plans to upgrade that road were abandoned
(between Lebanon and Carlyle there are unused bridges for what would
have been a divided highway).

If you want to talk about unnecessary new numbers, heard on another
thread that an expressway from KC to Joplin would be called I-49. Why
can't they just use the number I-29 which would be a natural extension
of an existing highway? Some people might say they don't like having
29 east of 35, but this type of thing is happening elsewhere, for
example I-30 east of Little Rock will be north of I-40.

[MC Pee Pants]

Post by Terry Lomax
If you want to talk about unnecessary new numbers, heard on another
thread that an expressway from KC to Joplin would be called I-49. Why
can't they just use the number I-29 which would be a natural extension
of an existing highway? Some people might say they don't like having
29 east of 35

I-49 already exists in Lousiana, and has for at least 20 years, so the
highway would change numbers at one place on the route (unless the whole
route was renumbered, unlikely due to the confusion it would cause) and KC
is as good a place as any for the numbers to change.

Post by Terry Lomax
but this type of thing is happening elsewhere, for
example I-30 east of Little Rock will be north of I-40.

There are no plans at this time for I-30 to be extended. The US 67 freeway
could just as easily end up being an I-57 extension.

[jt august]

Post by Terry Lomax

1) Given that I-64 ends in St Louis and I-44 begins there, why
are there two different I-numbers. Are there plans to bring
I-44 east and I-64 west? They could have just used I-64 for the
entire route, and called the downtown freeway something like
I-570.

They couldn't because 44 and 64 go in different directions. 44 goes
southwest to northeast; 64 goes northwest to southeast. A reasoning
for naming US 40 "I-64" is to help outsiders make their way through
the metro area; they were obviously assuming I-64 would be expressway
all the way to I-70 in Wentzville.
There's no place for I-44 to go east. I-70 continues in that general
direction in Illinois. The only other highway going east from STL is
US 50, and it looks like plans to upgrade that road were abandoned
(between Lebanon and Carlyle there are unused bridges for what would
have been a divided highway).

Bzzt. We're so sorry, but that is incorrect.

I-70, the antion's oldest interstate highway, saw construction begin in
the St. Charles area, but was designated from inception to reach accross
the country on the path it currently has. (I-55 was started a few
months later as a north-south artery.)

I-44 was desinated to travel from St. Louis west roughly along the path
of infamous US-66. It was the newest of the interstate highways in St.
Louis city and county. I-64 was a east to southeast reaching arm that
originally never crossed the Mississippi River.

Some years back (I forget when, now), a congressional designation was
signed extending I-64 west to Wentzville. This was necessary to allow
federal highway funding to upgrade US-40 to the freeway standards that
corridor desperately needed. The newer span of the Daniel Boone bridge,
the major interchange upgrades to intersections with MO-94 and Route K,
and pending improvements reaching both to Wentzville and back in the
Richmond Heights areas would not be possible without the federal monies
that the Interstate Highway designation makes possible.

jt

[robert]

omg is there nothng elses in this world to deal with than fucking hiway numbers? get laid.

Post by Terry Lomax

This week I had finally had occassion to utilize I-64 through st. louis.
Once you cross the river, the road leaves a lot to be desired as a true
interstate highway.

1) Given that I-64 ends in St Louis and I-44 begins there, why
are there two different I-numbers. Are there plans to bring
I-44 east and I-64 west? They could have just used I-64 for the
entire route, and called the downtown freeway something like
I-570.

They couldn't because 44 and 64 go in different directions. 44 goes
southwest to northeast; 64 goes northwest to southeast. A reasoning
for naming US 40 "I-64" is to help outsiders make their way through
the metro area; they were obviously assuming I-64 would be expressway
all the way to I-70 in Wentzville.
There's no place for I-44 to go east. I-70 continues in that general
direction in Illinois. The only other highway going east from STL is
US 50, and it looks like plans to upgrade that road were abandoned
(between Lebanon and Carlyle there are unused bridges for what would
have been a divided highway).
If you want to talk about unnecessary new numbers, heard on another
thread that an expressway from KC to Joplin would be called I-49. Why
can't they just use the number I-29 which would be a natural extension
of an existing highway? Some people might say they don't like having
29 east of 35, but this type of thing is happening elsewhere, for
example I-30 east of Little Rock will be north of I-40.

[Tyrone Biggums]

Post by robert
omg is there nothng elses in this world to deal with than fucking
hiway numbers? get laid.

Your mom is busy tonight.

[Taking Retards To The Zoo]

Post by Tyrone Biggums

Post by robert
omg is there nothng elses in this world to deal with than fucking
hiway numbers? get laid.

Your mom is busy tonight.

She charges too much and has the crabs, too, I hear.

[unknown]

Post by Terry Lomax

This week I had finally had occassion to utilize I-64 through st. louis.
Once you cross the river, the road leaves a lot to be desired as a true
interstate highway.

1) Given that I-64 ends in St Louis and I-44 begins there, why
are there two different I-numbers. Are there plans to bring
I-44 east and I-64 west? They could have just used I-64 for the
entire route, and called the downtown freeway something like
I-570.

Route I-570 wouldn't techincally fly since the eventual terminus of the
Boone Freeway is at I-70 in Wentzville. MO Is reserving the remaining even
3di 70 number (I-870) for the Columbia area. The new route would have to be
an x64 or x55.

Post by Terry Lomax
They couldn't because 44 and 64 go in different directions. 44 goes
southwest to northeast; 64 goes northwest to southeast. A reasoning
for naming US 40 "I-64" is to help outsiders make their way through
the metro area; they were obviously assuming I-64 would be expressway
all the way to I-70 in Wentzville.

The two freeways "overlap" in the STL area. I-64 currently extends 31 miles
west of downtown to just past SR-K in O'Fallon. There are a few other items
to be finished to finally extend I-64 to I-70 in Wetnzville (which are
mentioned in another posting on this group). I-44 ends downtown at the I-55
split. The northeast-southeast direction boondoggle wouldn't prevent them
from naming the road either I-44 or I-64 (I-65 goes southeast from the
northern part to southwest in the southern part.

Post by Terry Lomax
There's no place for I-44 to go east. I-70 continues in that general
direction in Illinois. The only other highway going east from STL is
US 50, and it looks like plans to upgrade that road were abandoned
(between Lebanon and Carlyle there are unused bridges for what would
have been a divided highway).

Actually when the new Mississippi River Bridge opens (whenever it does) I-44
will be extended 5 or so miles "east" overlaying the current I-70 through
downtown (it will become the I-44 depressed section).

Post by Terry Lomax
If you want to talk about unnecessary new numbers, heard on another
thread that an expressway from KC to Joplin would be called I-49. Why
can't they just use the number I-29 which would be a natural extension
of an existing highway? Some people might say they don't like having
29 east of 35, but this type of thing is happening elsewhere, for
example I-30 east of Little Rock will be north of I-40.

[John Brocato]

Post by unknown
Actually when the new Mississippi River Bridge opens (whenever it does) I-44
will be extended 5 or so miles "east" overlaying the current I-70 through
downtown (it will become the I-44 depressed section).

Renaming this part of I-70 as I-44 is one of the worst numbering
decisions I have heard. (I-99 and I-238 may not be appropriate
designations, but they do not create confusion, as this will.) A
motorist will follow I-44 east, merge with I-55, and then two minutes
later be on I-44 west.

How will this be signed?
1) Continue to call this I-44 east (complete with Kansas City as
control city)
2) Change from I-44 east to I-44 west, as if a motorist made a
180-degree turn

It seems that a more appropriate designation would be something like
I-455, somewhat similar to Kansas City's I-670.

John Brocato

[David Loewe, Jr.]

Post by John Brocato

Post by unknown
Actually when the new Mississippi River Bridge opens (whenever it does) I-44
will be extended 5 or so miles "east" overlaying the current I-70 through
downtown (it will become the I-44 depressed section).

Renaming this part of I-70 as I-44 is one of the worst numbering
decisions I have heard. (I-99 and I-238 may not be appropriate
designations, but they do not create confusion, as this will.) A
motorist will follow I-44 east, merge with I-55, and then two minutes
later be on I-44 west.
How will this be signed?
1) Continue to call this I-44 east (complete with Kansas City as
control city)
2) Change from I-44 east to I-44 west, as if a motorist made a
180-degree turn

Do you understand that less than a mile of the "new" section of I-44
will trend west, right? I-70 from the PSB to Locust trends *east*.
From Locust to O'Fallon Street, the road runs within a few degrees of
true north.

Post by John Brocato
It seems that a more appropriate designation would be something like
I-455, somewhat similar to Kansas City's I-670.

[unknown]

Post by John Brocato

Post by unknown
Actually when the new Mississippi River Bridge opens (whenever it does) I-44
will be extended 5 or so miles "east" overlaying the current I-70 through
downtown (it will become the I-44 depressed section).

Renaming this part of I-70 as I-44 is one of the worst numbering
decisions I have heard. (I-99 and I-238 may not be appropriate
designations, but they do not create confusion, as this will.) A
motorist will follow I-44 east, merge with I-55, and then two minutes
later be on I-44 west.
How will this be signed?
1) Continue to call this I-44 east (complete with Kansas City as
control city)
2) Change from I-44 east to I-44 west, as if a motorist made a
180-degree turn

It will probably be marked I-44 East with a designation of "Downtown" at the
ramp to the PSB, similar to how I-70 is marked now. Today I-70 isn't marked
"Kansas City" on the I-70 mainline until you get to Branch St. Since the
ramps from the PSB to what is currently I-70 East will be removed, I bet you
won't see Kansas City as a control city until the new ramps from the new
bridge merge onto I-70, the section from the PSB to the new bridge will
probably be labeled "I-44 East" without a control city or destination (and
technically that section goes pretty much North/South from/to the bridge)

Post by John Brocato
It seems that a more appropriate designation would be something like
I-455, somewhat similar to Kansas City's I-670.
John Brocato

[Terry Lomax]

Post by John Brocato

Post by unknown
Actually when the new Mississippi River Bridge opens (whenever it does) I-44
will be extended 5 or so miles "east" overlaying the current I-70 through
downtown (it will become the I-44 depressed section).

Renaming this part of I-70 as I-44 is one of the worst numbering
decisions I have heard. (I-99 and I-238 may not be appropriate
designations, but they do not create confusion, as this will.) A
motorist will follow I-44 east, merge with I-55, and then two minutes
later be on I-44 west.
How will this be signed?
1) Continue to call this I-44 east (complete with Kansas City as
control city)
2) Change from I-44 east to I-44 west, as if a motorist made a
180-degree turn
It seems that a more appropriate designation would be something like
I-455, somewhat similar to Kansas City's I-670.

An ultra-short new number would be lame. I don't think you could land
a plane on I-670. Where would the new bridge's route reconnect with
55/70 on the Illinois side? If it's before I-64 diverges, they could
call the depressed section I-55 and have the new bridge be 55/70. If
it's after I-64 diverges, then calling the depressed section I-55
would move the numbering problem to a short stretch in Illinois.

My solution: don't build the new bridge! Save a kazillion bucks,
protect the environment, and for sake of argument, no numbering
hassles. Keep the signs at the outskirts advising through travelers
to take 255 and 270 instead of going through downtown. If you want to
get to KC from 55/70, take 270. If you want to get to KC from 64,
stay on 64. If you're going southwest, take 255/270 to 44. Through
traffic should not be on I-70 between 270 and downtown.

A good idea would be to make I-70 a toll road in MO, with the
easternmost toll booth between Earth City and 5th St. Make the 370
and 364 bridges toll bridges (the "the" refers to bridges; I would
never use the LA terminology of calling highways "the").