Dallas Central Expressway (US 75) in the 1970s and 1980s

[gmpny]

I love seeing all the old cars. I forgot what a highway looked like that wasn't filled with cookie cutter SUVs.

[robert.m.c]

Trying to merge onto 75-Central in the 80s involved a lot of praying.

[larrygro]

Even a few 50s cars still rolling around at that time.

[sbclaridge]

0:38 turns out it did take (about) two decades from the time of this footage in 1978; the North Central Expressway reconstruction south of I-635 was completed in 1999. The High Five Interchange between I-635 and US-75 was completed in 2005.

[anthonybianchini]

Love see all those beautiful Oldsmobiles, 98s, 88s, Cutlass Sumpremes, oh my!

[telcobilly]

I lived off of the Meadow exit off of Central in '79-'80. 2br apt back then was $185pm. I was just down the street from the first Chili's on the corner of Meadow and Greenville. What a blast from the past!

[naksookow]

Wow, at 1:34 that is the famous Scott Pelley who would later be on CBS News. I knew it right when he started talking. The transcript has his name misspelled as he clearly says his name is Scott Pelley when the segment concludes. This is cool. You don’t see network level TV personalities in their old roles very often.

[stephendavidbailey]

In the 1970's rode up and down Central daily on a motorcycle. I sure wouldn't do that now.

[rjl]

Almost all, 90%+ USA made cars... few BMWs, Mercedes, etc. Good days for sure..!

[larryhorse]

75 is backed up from McKinney to Dallas during rush hour now.

[OJ_]

You know those people who say they were "born in the wrong generation" and "wish they could live back in the 80's or 90's"?

Well, I'm not really one of those people in the slightest sense of the word, but if someone asked me if I wanted to visit the 70's, 80's, and 90's each for a week respectively (with a car, ability to legally drive, and bring back anything from then with me back to now) I'd take that up in a heartbeat.

I'd love to drive down the old freeways with colourful and unique traffic, visit the Twin Towers and see the stunning views from the top, maybe even buy a 32x and a copy of Knuckles Chaotix before they both became expensive and rare.

If only...

[pheerbeard]

legend has it that those teens at 2:09 and 2:32 are still there to this day changing that tire...

[Cityplace]

Almost unrecognizable from the post-1992 NCX. Great footage!

[kylemlm]

I remember getting stuck 4 hours on 75 while under the new expansion in the late 80s. Bunch of us played hacky sack until they removed center gaurd rail.

[GeekBoyMN]

I remember Central in the 80s with those short on ramps. I was living in Houston by the time it was rebuilt in the 90s. It was much better when I moved back in 2008 but ended up leaving Texas a few years later and I hear it's backed up a lot now.

[zone]

The entire time I lived in Plano 1980-1993 there was consistent construction on I75 and that didn't include the California style sweeping off and on ramps or the Bush tollway project. One big improvement was lengthening of the sudden on and off ramps. and redesigning the two way service roads.

[Joe-Exit]

I remember the construction started around 93 or 94 from downtown up to Walnut Hill Lane exit. Central Expy was rebuilt from Walnut Hill through Plano by then.

[projectw.a.a.p.f.t.a.d]

I still remember those times I'm the 80s. Slot of older cars didn't age well and you'd here mufflers dragging every so often.

[jonathanlindsey]

75 flowed better then than it does now...

[mbrant]

Ahh the days of a stoplight at the entrance ramps! There sure were a LOT of pintos then, I guess most of them just blew up.