How do new Interstate highways happen?

Back in the 1950s and 60s, America used to build thousands of miles of Interstate highways each month. But over the past 40 years, western America has not seen a single mile of new Interstate constructed. How Las Vegas and Phoenix teamed up to finally start building one which they desperately need.

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Thank you to Sondra Rosenberg with the Nevada Department of Transportation for speaking with me! I appreciate her popping the hood on the bureaucratic machine, so we can take a peek at the engine which gets highways built.

Sources:

[Emily_Quinn]

I thought I was the only one fascinated by the interstate! Love roads, geography, city planning and more!!!

[ClawBoss]

Love to see a video about abandoned highway projects in America. I know there’s at least 2 or 3 in the Philadelphia area alone.

[cristianjaimes]

The freeway walkway over the hoover dam on camera does no justice. The drop is absolutely insane. It's much higher than you anticipate.

[terrencejohnson]

Driving from Minnesota to Florida with my parents in the late 50’s. A small town every seven miles, with a speed limits as low as 15 MPH. Then we turned on a new freeway section, we sped along leaving the towns in the dust, with no delays. Seven miles later, it ran out and we were in pottsville once again. A moment of ecstasy and a glimpse into the future.

[crollwtide]

In those cities, it wasn't just about what land was the cheapest to acquire, but it was also about who couldn't fight back against the idea of having their communities bulldozed. One of the few successes against this was the case where I-40 was going to be built through Overton Park in downtown Memphis, but the citizens sued and won at the Supreme Court to stop that particular leg of construction. As a result, I-40 ended up looping around the core of Memphis to the north.

[EpicAdrianD]

This feels like an early 2000s History Channel documentary. I love it. Great Narration and production quality!

[Leonmiller]

As a truck driver I really appreciated this video.

[reddcube]

LA to Vegas to Phoenix : sounds like a great passenger rail line

[Rondu]

I found one i22 connecting Memphis, TN and Birmingham, AL. Opened June 20th 2016.

[mokokoco]

Can’t imagine how smooth people’s rides were back then with all of these new roads being built

[paulbrower]

Most western cities were far smaller in the 1950's than they are now. There have been extensions, like 15 south from near San Bernardino to San Diego as San Diego became a giant city. Phoenix and Las Vegas were much smaller cities back in the 1960's.

[justinzagar]

I'd love to see a whole video on highways that were partially cleared of land, but then abandoned.

[stephenmarcum]

I have to appreciate someone so excited about roads making good content out of something I thought I’d consider boring but Rob made it really interesting

[nathananderson]

Interstate 2 is also a recent addition down along the Mexico border in southern Texas connecting two legs of the I-69 corridor (I-69C and I-69E). So far, the interstate designation was simply applied to the existing US 83 freeway, but there is an extension underway on its western end that would bypass the towns of Penitas and La Joya. I-2 is expected to terminate in Laredo based on its mile markers presumably at I-69W and I-35. There is another project in between (Loop 195) which would bypass Roma and most of Rio Grande City, and could become a segment of I-2 in the future.

[barackobruhma]

As someone who has been to hoover dam, going through the dam sucks, especially with the military fortifying it so that it doesn't fall under the legion

[rileysmith]

I-69 in Texas is still several disconnected segments.

[elviswjr]

Maybe no new interstate freeways have been built but Phoenix has recently built a new 22 mile extension to their Loop 202 freeway. I was fortunate enough to drive it right after it was opened this year and maybe I'm just a nerd but it was exciting to drive on a brand new freeway. I even got the chance to drive on parts of it before it was fully opened and it was fun to see my GPS navigation apps freak out, not knowing what road I was on. I think we'll have fewer chances to see new freeways like this in the future so I feel privileged to have experienced it.

[Eschatonx]

Glad to see you back, haven't seen you in awhile

[TechTimeWithEric]

I'm sure someone in the comments will appreciate that when the vintage clip said "we have become a nation on wheels" the closed captioning said "we have become a nation on weed"

[kegwf]

As a truck driver I was really glad when they opened the Boulder City Bypass lol
They are making good progress on the 11 project east of 40, and some sections are now open.