121-650: Interstate 5 ( I-5 ) is the main north–south Interstate Highway on the West Coast of the United States , running largely parallel to the Pacific coast of the contiguous U.S. from Mexico to Canada . It travels through the states of California , Oregon , and Washington , serving several large cities on the West Coast, including San Diego , Los Angeles , Sacramento , Portland , and Seattle . It
242-673: A Major League Baseball All-Star Game that was played at what is now SDCCU Stadium . In a 2002 letter to the United States Environmental Protection Agency , Marine Corps Commandant J.L. Jones stated to the Transportation Corridor Agencies (TCA), who operates the toll roads in Orange County , “Frankly, my preference is that the proposed toll road not be constructed on or near Camp Pendleton. This construction
363-535: A concurrency or overlap. For example, I‑75 and I‑85 share the same roadway in Atlanta ; this 7.4-mile (11.9 km) section, called the Downtown Connector , is labeled both I‑75 and I‑85. Concurrencies between Interstate and US Highway numbers are also allowed in accordance with AASHTO policy, as long as the length of the concurrency is reasonable. In rare instances, two highway designations sharing
484-651: A 28-year-old brevet lieutenant colonel, accompanied the trip "through darkest America with truck and tank," as he later described it. Some roads in the West were a "succession of dust, ruts, pits, and holes." As the landmark 1916 law expired, new legislation was passed—the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1921 (Phipps Act). This new road construction initiative once again provided for federal matching funds for road construction and improvement, $ 75 million allocated annually. Moreover, this new legislation for
605-740: A 6 percent grade to reach the Rogue Valley . The freeway passes through Ashland and Medford , running parallel to Oregon Route 99 , and turns west to follow the Rogue River to Grants Pass , where it intersects US 199 . I-5 then turns north and crosses a series of passes in the Klamath Mountains to reach the Umpqua Valley, where it follows the South Umpqua River to Roseburg . The highway enters
726-561: A Spanish expedition led by Captain Gaspar de Portolá explored northward from Loreto, Baja California Sur , seeking to reach Monterey Bay , something never before done overland by Europeans. On July 20 of that year , the expedition arrived in the area now known as Camp Pendleton, and as it was the feast day of St. Margaret , they christened the land in the name of Santa Margarita. The expedition went on to establish military outposts and Franciscan missions at San Diego and Monterey . During
847-476: A change in the numbering system as a result of a new policy adopted in 1973. Previously, letter-suffixed numbers were used for long spurs off primary routes; for example, western I‑84 was I‑80N, as it went north from I‑80 . The new policy stated, "No new divided numbers (such as I-35W and I-35E , etc.) shall be adopted." The new policy also recommended that existing divided numbers be eliminated as quickly as possible; however, an I-35W and I-35E still exist in
968-471: A continuous 5 percent grade for 5 miles (8.0 km). After passing Pyramid Lake , I-5 makes several turns as it follows a series of narrow valleys to reach the second-highest point of its entire length, Tejon Pass (elevation 4,144 ft or 1,263 m) in the Tehachapi Mountains . The freeway then traverses the narrow Grapevine Canyon and descends for 12 miles (19 km) into
1089-425: A fence law that forced Forster to construct fencing around the extensive rancho lands. It was purchased by wealthy cattleman James Clair Flood and managed by Irishman Richard O'Neill, who was eventually rewarded for his faithful service with half ownership. Under the guidance of O'Neill's son, Jerome, the ranch made a profit of nearly half a million dollars annually, and the house was modernized and refurbished. In
1210-670: A major highway serving the Inland Northwest region. I-5 continues through Yreka in the Shasta Valley and follows the Klamath River into the Siskiyou Mountains , where it crosses into Oregon. I-5 enters Oregon near Siskiyou Summit , which sits at 4,310 feet (1,310 m) and is the highest point on the highway. From the summit, I-5 descends by 2,300 feet (700 m) over 6 miles (9.7 km) at
1331-589: A numbering scheme in which primary Interstates are assigned one- or two-digit numbers, and shorter routes which branch off of longer ones are assigned three-digit numbers where the last two digits match the parent route. The Interstate Highway System is partially financed through the Highway Trust Fund , which itself is funded by a combination of a federal fuel tax and transfers from the Treasury's general fund. Though federal legislation initially banned
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#17327978868901452-491: A proposal for an interstate highway system, eventually resulting in the enactment of the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 . Unlike the earlier United States Numbered Highway System, the interstates were designed to be all freeways, with nationally unified standards for construction and signage. While some older freeways were adopted into the system, most of the routes were completely new. In dense urban areas,
1573-559: A report called Toll Roads and Free Roads , "the first formal description of what became the Interstate Highway System" and, in 1944, the similarly themed Interregional Highways . The Interstate Highway System gained a champion in President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who was influenced by his experiences as a young Army officer crossing the country in the 1919 Motor Transport Corps convoy that drove in part on
1694-528: A short spur into downtown Tacoma . The freeway turns north again after leaving Tacoma and its nearby seaport near Fife to traverse the suburbs of South King County . I-5 intersects its eastern bypass of Seattle , I-405 , in Tukwila near Seattle–Tacoma International Airport . The freeway generally follows the Green and Duwamish rivers into Seattle, passing Boeing Field and the industrial district in
1815-409: A single digit prefixed to the two-digit number of its parent Interstate Highway. Spur routes deviate from their parent and do not return; these are given an odd first digit. Circumferential and radial loop routes return to the parent, and are given an even first digit. Unlike primary Interstates, three-digit Interstates are signed as either east–west or north–south, depending on the general orientation of
1936-801: A speed limit of 45 mph (70 km/h) because it is a parkway that consists of only one lane per side of the highway. On the other hand, Interstates 15, 80, 84, and 215 in Utah have speed limits as high as 70 mph (115 km/h) within the Wasatch Front , Cedar City , and St. George areas, and I-25 in New Mexico within the Santa Fe and Las Vegas areas along with I-20 in Texas along Odessa and Midland and I-29 in North Dakota along
2057-460: A speed limit of 80 mph (130 km/h). Other Interstates in Idaho, Montana, Oklahoma, South Dakota and Wyoming also have the same high speed limits. In some areas, speed limits on Interstates can be significantly lower in areas where they traverse significantly hazardous areas. The maximum speed limit on I-90 is 50 mph (80 km/h) in downtown Cleveland because of two sharp curves with
2178-474: A suggested limit of 35 mph (55 km/h) in a heavily congested area; I-70 through Wheeling, West Virginia , has a maximum speed limit of 45 mph (70 km/h) through the Wheeling Tunnel and most of downtown Wheeling; and I-68 has a maximum speed limit of 40 mph (65 km/h) through Cumberland, Maryland , because of multiple hazards including sharp curves and narrow lanes through
2299-749: Is a network of controlled-access highways that forms part of the National Highway System in the United States . The system extends throughout the contiguous United States and has routes in Hawaii , Alaska , and Puerto Rico . In the 20th century, the United States Congress began funding roadways through the Federal Aid Road Act of 1916 , and started an effort to construct a national road grid with
2420-543: Is also commonly believed the Interstate Highway System was built for the sole purpose of evacuating cities in the event of nuclear warfare . While military motivations were present, the primary motivations were civilian. The numbering scheme for the Interstate Highway System was developed in 1957 by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO). The association's present numbering policy dates back to August 10, 1973. Within
2541-715: Is at the Mexican border at the San Ysidro Port of Entry , the busiest land border crossing in the Western Hemisphere ; the crossing handles a daily average of 70,000 vehicles and 20,000 pedestrians crossing northbound and connects with Mexican Federal Highway 1 in Tijuana . The freeway splits in San Diego 's San Ysidro neighborhood, with I-5 traveling northwest through Chula Vista and National City on
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#17327978868902662-515: Is in the Mainside Complex, at the southeastern end of the base, and the remote northern interior is an impact area. Daytime population is around 100,000. Recruits from nearby Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego spend four weeks at Pendleton's Edson Range receiving field training; after graduating from recruit training , newly minted infantry Marines return to the base's School of Infantry for further training. Camp Pendleton remains
2783-410: Is one more encroachment venture that will hinder [our] ability to prepare for war. It will also result in additional losses of natural areas that support endangered species, thus placing an even greater burden on Camp Pendleton to protect the region’s biodiversity.” In 2008, after the rejection of the proposed toll road extension of SR 241 through San Onofre State Beach Park for environmental reasons,
2904-500: Is ongoing. The original ranch house has been declared a National Historic Site as well as the Las Flores Adobe . The base's diverse geography, spanning over 125,000 acres (506 km ), plays host to year-round training for Marines in addition to all other branches of the U.S. military . Amphibious and sea-to-shore training takes place at several key points along the base's 17 miles (27 km) of coastline. The main base
3025-605: Is still listed as a control city on northbound I-5 between SR 99 and I-580. By the early 21st century, sections of I-5 had deteriorated due to a maintenance backlog as well as high traffic volumes. Several bridges in Oregon were reconstructed or repaired to accommodate use by heavy freight vehicles. On May 23, 2013, a bridge span collapsed over the Skagit River in Mount Vernon, Washington , sending two cars into
3146-750: Is the major West Coast base of the United States Marine Corps and is one of the largest Marine Corps bases in the United States. It is on the Southern California coast in San Diego County and is bordered by Oceanside to the south, San Clemente in Orange County to the north, Riverside County to the northeast, and Fallbrook to the east. The base was established in 1942 to train U.S. Marines for service in World War II . By October 1944, Camp Pendleton
3267-513: Is the only continuous Interstate highway to touch both the Mexican and Canadian borders. Upon crossing the Mexican border at its southern terminus, the highway continues to Tijuana , Baja California, as Mexican Federal Highway 1 (Fed. 1). Upon crossing the Canadian border at its northern terminus, it continues to Vancouver as British Columbia Highway 99 (BC 99). I-5
3388-539: Is to have the highway route extend from Tamaulipas , Mexico to Ontario , Canada. The planned I-11 will then bridge the Interstate gap between Phoenix, Arizona and Las Vegas, Nevada , and thus form part of the CANAMEX Corridor (along with I-19 , and portions of I-10 and I-15 ) between Sonora , Mexico and Alberta , Canada. Political opposition from residents canceled many freeway projects around
3509-662: The 1996 Republican National Convention , accompanying national anthem performers. Among the more famous performers who were accompanied by the Camp Pendleton color guard have been Frankie Laine , Herb Alpert , Wilson Phillips , Jewel , Trisha Yearwood and the Dixie Chicks , all of whom had performed the National Anthem at either a World Series game, Super Bowl , or, in Wilson Phillips' case,
3630-525: The Californios , became the landed gentry of Alta California . In 1841, two brothers, Pio Pico and Andrés Pico , became the first private owners of Rancho Santa Margarita. More land was later added to the grant, giving it the name of Rancho Santa Margarita y Las Flores , which stayed with the ranch until the Marine Corps acquired it in 1942. The design of the ranch's cattle brand is seen in
3751-599: The Central Pacific railroad also followed the route of the Siskiyou Trail. By the early 20th century, pioneering automobile roads were built along the path of the Siskiyou Trail, notably the Pacific Highway . The Pacific Highway ran from British Columbia to San Diego, California, and was the immediate predecessor of much of US 99. The route of US 99 was in turn used as a basis for much of
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3872-753: The Columbia River into Washington state. The highway enters Vancouver at the north end of the Interstate Bridge and immediately intersects Washington State Route 14 near the Fort Vancouver National Historic Site . The freeway passes near downtown Vancouver and continues north through the city's suburbs before being rejoined by I-205 at Salmon Creek . I-5 travels north along the Columbia River to Kelso and Longview , where it switches to following
3993-752: The Cowlitz River between the Willapa Hills and Cascade foothills. The freeway then turns northwest to traverse a prairie and the adjacent cities of Chehalis and Centralia while concurrent with US 12 . I-5 continues north to a junction with US 101 in Tumwater , near Olympia and the state capitol campus . The freeway skirts the southeast side of downtown Olympia and turns east to cross Joint Base Lewis–McChord (formerly Fort Lewis and McChord Air Force Base ). I-5 then turns north to enter Tacoma but bends east to intersect I-705 ,
4114-474: The Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex in Texas, and an I-35W and I-35E that run through Minneapolis and Saint Paul , Minnesota, still exist. Additionally, due to Congressional requirements, three sections of I-69 in southern Texas will be divided into I-69W , I-69E , and I-69C (for Central). AASHTO policy allows dual numbering to provide continuity between major control points. This is referred to as
4235-769: The East Los Angeles Interchange near downtown Los Angeles , I-5 intersects US 101 and begins a short concurrency with I-10 on a section of the Golden State Freeway . The freeway splits from I-10 and turns northwest to follow the Los Angeles River through Glendale and into Burbank . I-5 then leaves the river and travels across the San Fernando Valley , later crossing the Newhall Pass through
4356-727: The Eastside region. The freeway travels north through Everett , skirting the city's downtown and intersecting US 2 , and leaves the Seattle metropolitan area for the rural Skagit Valley . I-5 descends into the valley and travels through Mount Vernon and Burlington before climbing into the Chuckanut Mountains , where it turns west towards Bellingham Bay (part of the Salish Sea ). The freeway travels around downtown Bellingham and turns northwest to continue across
4477-552: The Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956 into law. Under the act, the federal government would pay for 90 percent of the cost of construction of Interstate Highways. Each Interstate Highway was required to be a freeway with at least four lanes and no at-grade crossings. The publication in 1955 of the General Location of National System of Interstate Highways , informally known as the Yellow Book , mapped out what became
4598-555: The Grand Forks area have higher speed limits of 75 mph (120 km/h). As one of the components of the National Highway System , Interstate Highways improve the mobility of military troops to and from airports, seaports, rail terminals, and other military bases. Interstate Highways also connect to other roads that are a part of the Strategic Highway Network , a system of roads identified as critical to
4719-705: The Korean War , $ 20 million helped expand and upgrade existing facilities, including the construction of Camp Horno . When Camp Pendleton trained the country's fighting force for the Korean and Vietnam Wars , approximately 200,000 Marines passed through the base on their way to the Far East. Beginning in 1954, Camp Pendleton has hosted a variation of Basic Training familiarization for teenagers age 14 to 17. This training, called "Devil Pups", promotes physical fitness, instills discipline and promotes love of country and
4840-529: The Lincoln Highway , the first road across America. He recalled that, "The old convoy had started me thinking about good two-lane highways... the wisdom of broader ribbons across our land." Eisenhower also gained an appreciation of the Reichsautobahn system, the first "national" implementation of modern Germany's Autobahn network, as a necessary component of a national defense system while he
4961-573: The Pacific coastline through the northern suburbs of San Diego. Between Oceanside and San Clemente , an 18-mile (29 km) stretch of the San Diego Freeway passes through Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton before entering Orange County . At Dana Point , I-5 turns inland and heads north through Mission Viejo to the El Toro Y interchange in Irvine , where I-405 splits and carries
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5082-756: The Ross Island Bridge (carrying US 26 ) before reaching an interchange with I-405 . I-5 and I-405 form a complete loop around downtown Portland , with I-5 crossing the Willamette River on the Marquam Bridge to run along the eastern riverfront. The freeway has interchanges with several major bridges crossing the Willamette, as well as the western terminus of I-84 near the Oregon Convention Center . From
5203-400: The San Joaquin Valley . At Wheeler Ridge near the south end of the valley, State Route 99 splits from the freeway to serve Bakersfield and other major cities in the Central Valley , while I-5 stays to the west. Now named the West Side Freeway, I-5 travels northwest along the edge of the Central Valley through farmland and avoids populated areas. The freeway is connected to several of
5324-413: The Santa Susana Mountains to reach the Santa Clarita Valley ; the Newhall Pass interchange with State Route 14 is notable for having separate lanes for truck traffic. The freeway passes the city of Santa Clarita and ascends into the Sierra Pelona Mountains , where the northbound and southbound lanes separate and cross sides for approximately 5 miles (8.0 km). The northbound ascent includes
5445-417: The Siskiyou Trail . This trail was based on an older network of Native American footpaths connecting the Pacific Northwest with California's Central Valley. By the 1820s, trappers from the Hudson's Bay Company were the first non-Native Americans to use the route of today's I-5 to move between today's Washington state and California. During the second half of the 19th century, mule trains, stagecoaches, and
5566-444: The US Department of Defense . The system has also been used to facilitate evacuations in the face of hurricanes and other natural disasters. An option for maximizing traffic throughput on a highway is to reverse the flow of traffic on one side of a divider so that all lanes become outbound lanes. This procedure, known as contraflow lane reversal , has been employed several times for hurricane evacuations. After public outcry regarding
5687-411: The US Highways , which increase from east to west and north to south). This numbering system usually holds true even if the local direction of the route does not match the compass directions. Numbers divisible by five are intended to be major arteries among the primary routes, carrying traffic long distances. Primary north–south Interstates increase in number from I-5 between Canada and Mexico along
5808-404: The University District near the University of Washington campus and Green Lake before leaving the city. The section between downtown Seattle and Northgate includes a set of reversible express lanes that add extra capacity in the peak direction of travel. I-5 continues through the northern suburbs of Seattle and turns northeasterly in Lynnwood , where it is rejoined by I-405, which serves
5929-437: The West Coast to I‑95 between Canada and Miami, Florida along the East Coast . Major west–east arterial Interstates increase in number from I-10 between Santa Monica, California , and Jacksonville, Florida , to I-90 between Seattle, Washington , and Boston, Massachusetts , with two exceptions. There are no I-50 and I-60, as routes with those numbers would likely pass through states that currently have US Highways with
6050-468: The Willamette Valley near Cottage Grove and forms the boundary between the cities of Eugene and Springfield . After crossing the Willamette River , I-5 intersects Oregon Route 126 , which carries I-105 , and Oregon Route 569 ; both highways provide connections to Eugene and Springfield. I-5 then travels due north through farmland on the east side of the Willamette River, passing a junction with US 20 in Albany , and bisects eastern Salem near
6171-401: The state capitol campus . It is connected to downtown Salem by Oregon Route 22 and the Salem Parkway , which joins I-5 as the freeway crosses the 45th parallel near Keizer . From Salem, I-5 turns northeast and passes Woodburn before crossing the Willamette River on the Boone Bridge in Wilsonville , at the south end of the Portland metropolitan area . The freeway travels through
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#17327978868906292-402: The Congress Hotel in Chicago. In the plan, Mehren proposed a 50,000-mile (80,000 km) system, consisting of five east–west routes and 10 north–south routes. The system would include two percent of all roads and would pass through every state at a cost of $ 25,000 per mile ($ 16,000/km), providing commercial as well as military transport benefits. In 1919, the US Army sent an expedition across
6413-411: The I-84 interchange to a second junction with I-405 near the Fremont Bridge , I-5 is concurrent with US 30 , which continues west towards Astoria . Through North Portland , the freeway runs below street level until it crosses the Columbia Slough to bisect Delta Park . I-5 continues across Hayden Island to the Interstate Bridge , a pair of vertical-lift bridges which carry the highway over
6534-407: The Interstate Highway System. Assisting in the planning was Charles Erwin Wilson , who was still head of General Motors when President Eisenhower selected him as Secretary of Defense in January 1953. Some sections of highways that became part of the Interstate Highway System actually began construction earlier. Three states have claimed the title of first Interstate Highway. Missouri claims that
6655-424: The Interstate Highway program. The Interstates of Alaska and Puerto Rico are numbered sequentially in order of funding without regard to the rules on odd and even numbers. They also carry the prefixes A and PR , respectively. However, these highways are signed according to their local designations, not their Interstate Highway numbers. Furthermore, these routes were neither planned according to nor constructed to
6776-447: The John J. Montgomery Freeway and I-805 serving the eastern neighborhoods. I-5 follows the shore of San Diego Bay and intersects State Route 15 (a continuation of I-15 ) near Naval Station San Diego . The freeway then travels around downtown San Diego and San Diego International Airport before reaching a junction with I-8 . I-5 bisects the University of California, San Diego campus, merging with I-805 nearby, and follows
6897-611: The Marine Corps. The camp's stables display a plaque and statue commemorating a horse, Sergeant Reckless , which served with the Marine Corps in Korea. In 1975 Camp Pendleton was the first U.S. military base to provide accommodations for Vietnamese evacuees in Operation New Arrivals . Over 50,000 refugees came to the base in the largest humanitarian airlift in history. Camp Pendleton has continued to grow through renovations, replacing its original tent camps with more than 2,626 buildings and over 500 miles of roads. Preservation of Camp Pendleton heritage and Marine Corps history
7018-413: The San Diego Freeway designation. I-5 continues northwest as the Santa Ana Freeway through several Orange County and Los Angeles County suburbs and passes near Disneyland in Anaheim . The freeway intersects I-605 in Downey and I-710 in Commerce before reaching the city of Los Angeles . Southern Californians often refer to I-5 as "the 5" or as the Santa Ana Freeway in the Los Angeles area. At
7139-418: The TCA filed for permission to build on the northwestern portion of the base. A spokesman for Camp Pendleton denied the request in 2010, stating that they could only allow the toll road to run through the San Onofre State Beach Park because their training missions could not be completed without the proposed land. In fact, the California gnatcatcher , an endangered species , resides on the northwestern portion of
7260-506: The US to determine the difficulties that military vehicles would have on a cross-country trip. Leaving from the Ellipse near the White House on July 7, the Motor Transport Corps convoy needed 62 days to drive 3,200 miles (5,100 km) on the Lincoln Highway to the Presidio of San Francisco along the Golden Gate . The convoy suffered many setbacks and problems on the route, such as poor-quality bridges, broken crankshafts, and engines clogged with desert sand. Dwight Eisenhower , then
7381-631: The United States, including: In addition to cancellations, removals of freeways are planned: The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) has defined a set of standards that all new Interstates must meet unless a waiver from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is obtained. One almost absolute standard is the controlled access nature of the roads. With few exceptions , traffic lights (and cross traffic in general) are limited to toll booths and ramp meters (metered flow control for lane merging during rush hour ). Being freeways , Interstate Highways usually have
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#17327978868907502-444: The West Coast Clean Transit Corridor Initiative. The program is a collaboration of nine utilities and two agencies representing municipal utilities, and aims to enable electric freight and delivery trucks to operate along the entire West Coast corridor. I-5 will have a complete set of auxiliary routes (i.e. 105, 205, 305, 405, 505, 605, 705, 805, 905), with the completion of I-905 in San Diego County . Currently, I-80 and I-90 are
7623-419: The West Coast Electric Highway, a partnership between the states of California, Oregon, and Washington to build and maintain a network of charging stations for electric vehicles . The pact was formed in 2009 and the first charging stations—spaced 25 to 50 miles (40 to 80 km) apart—opened in 2011. In 2019, the three states also broke ground on a similar charging network for electric trucks along I-5 called
7744-413: The act was signed, and paving started September 26, 1956. The state marked its portion of I-70 as the first project in the United States completed under the provisions of the new Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956. The Pennsylvania Turnpike could also be considered one of the first Interstate Highways, and is nicknamed "Grandfather of the Interstate System". On October 1, 1940, 162 miles (261 km) of
7865-437: The base still includes breeding habitat for birds such as the western snowy plover and California gnatcatcher . The coastal bluffs have many of the few existing specimens of the Pendleton button-celery , which was named for the base. Rare mammals on the base include the Pacific pocket mouse and Stephens's kangaroo rat . Fourteen American bison were introduced from the San Diego Zoo between 1973 and 1979. They roam
7986-402: The base's logo today. In 1863, an Englishman named John (Don Juan) Forster (Pio Pico's brother-in-law) paid off Pico's gambling debts in return for the deed to the ranch. During his tenure as owner, he expanded the ranch house, built in 1827, and developed the rancho into a thriving cattle industry. Forster's heirs were forced to sell the ranch in 1882 because of a series of droughts and
8107-400: The base. The TCA funded a study in 2013 to remove the California gnatcatcher from the endangered species list, which would have made it easier to negotiate the construction and planning of the 241's extension through the San Onofre State Beach Park. Areas 11-16 are collectively known as "Mainside." Camp Pendleton was built on a wide swath of coastal land that once supported an estuary at
8228-471: The base. Wartime training facilities at the base included landing craft school, amphibious tractor school, beach battalion school, amphibious communications school , Naval Construction Battalion Training Center and a medical field service school at the naval hospital at Santa Margarita Ranch, now Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton . The facility was used as a discharge base for soldiers returning from Europe and Asia after World War II ended in 1945. During
8349-399: The cancellation of the Somerset Freeway . This situation was remedied when the construction of the Pennsylvania Turnpike/Interstate 95 Interchange Project started in 2010 and partially opened on September 22, 2018, which was already enough to fill the gap. However, I-70 remains discontinuous in Pennsylvania , because of the lack of a direct interchange with the Pennsylvania Turnpike at
8470-406: The choice of routing destroyed many well-established neighborhoods, often intentionally as part of a program of " urban renewal ". In the two decades following the 1956 Highway Act, the construction of the freeways displaced one million people, and as a result of the many freeway revolts during this era, several planned Interstates were abandoned or re-routed to avoid urban cores. Construction of
8591-538: The city. In some locations, low speed limits are the result of lawsuits and resident demands; after holding up the completion of I-35E in St. Paul, Minnesota , for nearly 30 years in the courts, residents along the stretch of the freeway from the southern city limit to downtown successfully lobbied for a 45 mph (70 km/h) speed limit in addition to a prohibition on any vehicle weighing more than 9,000 pounds (4,100 kg) gross vehicle weight . I-93 in Franconia Notch State Park in northern New Hampshire has
8712-401: The collection of tolls, some Interstate routes are toll roads , either because they were grandfathered into the system or because subsequent legislation has allowed for tolling of Interstates in some cases. As of 2022 , about one quarter of all vehicle miles driven in the country used the Interstate Highway System, which has a total length of 48,890 miles (78,680 km). In 2022 and 2023,
8833-507: The construction and improvement of highways. The nation's revenue needs associated with World War I prevented any significant implementation of this policy, which expired in 1921. In December 1918, E. J. Mehren, a civil engineer and the editor of Engineering News-Record , presented his "A Suggested National Highway Policy and Plan" during a gathering of the State Highway Officials and Highway Industries Association at
8954-407: The contiguous United States, primary Interstates—also called main line Interstates or two-digit Interstates—are assigned numbers less than 100. While numerous exceptions do exist, there is a general scheme for numbering Interstates. Primary Interstates are assigned one- or two-digit numbers, while shorter routes (such as spurs, loops, and short connecting roads) are assigned three-digit numbers where
9075-623: The discontinuity, but they have been blocked by local opposition, fearing a loss of business. The Interstate Highway System has been expanded numerous times. The expansions have both created new designations and extended existing designations. For example, I-49 , added to the system in the 1980s as a freeway in Louisiana , was designated as an expansion corridor, and FHWA approved the expanded route north from Lafayette, Louisiana , to Kansas City, Missouri . The freeway exists today as separate completed segments, with segments under construction or in
9196-448: The dissemination of public information. As a result, the 2005 evacuation of New Orleans, Louisiana, prior to Hurricane Katrina ran much more smoothly. According to urban legend , early regulations required that one out of every five miles of the Interstate Highway System must be built straight and flat, so as to be usable by aircraft during times of war. There is no evidence of this rule being included in any Interstate legislation. It
9317-580: The early 1940s, both the Army and the Marine Corps were looking for land for a large training base. The Army lost interest in the project, but in February 1942 it was announced that the 122,798 acres (497 km ) of Rancho Santa Margarita y Las Flores would be transformed into the largest Marine Corps base in the country. It was named for Major General Joseph Henry Pendleton who had long advocated
9438-496: The eastern end of the concurrency near Breezewood . Traveling in either direction, I-70 traffic must exit the freeway and use a short stretch of US 30 (which includes a number of roadside services) to rejoin I-70. The interchange was not originally built because of a legacy federal funding rule, since relaxed, which restricted the use of federal funds to improve roads financed with tolls. Solutions have been proposed to eliminate
9559-450: The economy. Not just as a public works measure, but for future growth. Clay's committee proposed a 10-year, $ 100 billion program ($ 1.13 trillion in 2023), which would build 40,000 miles (64,000 km) of divided highways linking all American cities with a population of greater than 50,000. Eisenhower initially preferred a system consisting of toll roads , but Clay convinced Eisenhower that toll roads were not feasible outside of
9680-530: The edge of downtown . I-5 intersects two transcontinental highways in the Sacramento area: US 50 (and unsigned I-305 ) south of downtown and I-80 in the northern suburbs. After an unsigned concurrency with State Route 99 in northern Sacramento, the freeway turns west to pass the city's airport and resumes its northwestern path at Woodland . It then intersects I-505 , another Bay Area connector, near Dunnigan . The freeway continues north along
9801-571: The establishment of a West Coast training base. Construction began in April as a temporary facility built to minimum standards of wood frame construction. After five months of furious building activity, the 9th Marine Regiment , under then Colonel Lemuel C. Shepherd Jr. , marched from Camp Elliott in San Diego to Camp Pendleton to be the first troops to occupy the new base. On September 25, 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt officially dedicated
9922-819: The exception of portions south of Los Angeles and in the Central Valley of California. The freeway was built in segments between 1956 and 1978, including expressway sections of US 99 that were built earlier to bypass various towns along the route. US 99 was removed in 1972. I-5 is a major Interstate Highway that spans 1,381 miles (2,223 km) and runs north–south through the West Coast states of California , Oregon , and Washington . It connects several major metropolitan areas as well as agricultural regions, seaports, and freight destinations. The freeway ranges from four lanes in some rural sections to 22 lanes in Orange County, California , where it had been widened and reconstructed. The southern terminus of I-5
10043-492: The existing, largely non-freeway, United States Numbered Highways system. By the late 1930s, planning had expanded to a system of new superhighways. In 1938, President Franklin D. Roosevelt gave Thomas MacDonald , chief at the Bureau of Public Roads, a hand-drawn map of the United States marked with eight superhighway corridors for study. In 1939, Bureau of Public Roads Division of Information chief Herbert S. Fairbank wrote
10164-426: The federal government, Interstate Highways are owned by the state in which they were built. With few exceptions , all Interstates must meet specific standards , such as having controlled access, physical barriers or median strips between lanes of oncoming traffic, breakdown lanes , avoiding at-grade intersections , no traffic lights , and complying with federal traffic sign specifications. Interstate Highways use
10285-515: The first three contracts under the new program were signed in Missouri on August 2, 1956. The first contract signed was for upgrading a section of US Route 66 to what is now designated Interstate 44 . On August 13, 1956, work began on US 40 (now I-70) in St. Charles County. Kansas claims that it was the first to start paving after the act was signed. Preliminary construction had taken place before
10406-564: The first time sought to target these funds to the construction of a national road grid of interconnected "primary highways", setting up cooperation among the various state highway planning boards. The Bureau of Public Roads asked the Army to provide a list of roads that it considered necessary for national defense. In 1922, General John J. Pershing , former head of the American Expeditionary Force in Europe during
10527-556: The highest speed limits in a given area. Speed limits are determined by individual states. From 1975 to 1986, the maximum speed limit on any highway in the United States was 55 miles per hour (90 km/h), in accordance with federal law. Typically, lower limits are established in Northeastern and coastal states, while higher speed limits are established in inland states west of the Mississippi River . For example,
10648-553: The highly populated coastal regions. In February 1955, Eisenhower forwarded Clay's proposal to Congress. The bill quickly won approval in the Senate, but House Democrats objected to the use of public bonds as the means to finance construction. Eisenhower and the House Democrats agreed to instead finance the system through the Highway Trust Fund , which itself would be funded by a gasoline tax. In June 1956, Eisenhower signed
10769-617: The highway now designated I‑70 and I‑76 opened between Irwin and Carlisle . The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania refers to the turnpike as the Granddaddy of the Pikes, a reference to turnpikes . Milestones in the construction of the Interstate Highway System include: The initial cost estimate for the system was $ 25 billion over 12 years; it ended up costing $ 114 billion (equivalent to $ 425 billion in 2006 or $ 618 billion in 2023 ) and took 35 years. The system
10890-459: The inefficiency of evacuating from southern Louisiana prior to Hurricane Georges ' landfall in September 1998, government officials looked towards contraflow to improve evacuation times. In Savannah, Georgia , and Charleston, South Carolina , in 1999, lanes of I-16 and I-26 were used in a contraflow configuration in anticipation of Hurricane Floyd with mixed results. In 2004, contraflow
11011-787: The last major undeveloped portion of the California coastline south of Santa Barbara , save for a few relatively small state parks. In 2015 the site was proposed for a large civilian airport. Since August 2004, Camp Pendleton has been one of five locations in the Department of Defense to operate the Standard Terminal Automation Replacement System (STARS) air radar. The STARS radar allows the facility to simulate air traffic for training purposes. Camp Pendleton's five-man color guard has participated in many sporting events in San Diego and at
11132-431: The last two digits match the parent route (thus, I-294 is a loop that connects at both ends to I-94 , while I-787 is a short spur route attached to I-87 ). In the numbering scheme for the primary routes, east–west highways are assigned even numbers and north–south highways are assigned odd numbers. Odd route numbers increase from west to east, and even-numbered routes increase from south to north (to avoid confusion with
11253-454: The mainline. Some auxiliary highways do not follow these guidelines, however. The Interstate Highway System also extends to Alaska , Hawaii , and Puerto Rico , even though they have no direct land connections to any other states or territories. However, their residents still pay federal fuel and tire taxes. The Interstates in Hawaii, all located on the most populous island of Oahu , carry
11374-753: The maximum speed limit is 75 mph (120 km/h) in northern Maine, varies between 50 and 70 mph (80 and 115 km/h) from southern Maine to New Jersey, and is 50 mph (80 km/h) in New York City and the District of Columbia. Currently, rural speed limits elsewhere generally range from 65 to 80 miles per hour (105 to 130 km/h). Several portions of various highways such as I-10 and I-20 in rural western Texas, I-80 in Nevada between Fernley and Winnemucca (except around Lovelock) and portions of I-15 , I-70 , I-80 , and I-84 in Utah have
11495-650: The mouth of the Santa Margarita River and extensive salt marsh habitat. Outlying land within the base is made up of floodplain , oak woodlands , coastal dunes and bluffs, coastal sage scrub , chaparral , and several types of wetlands, including ephemeral wetlands such as vernal pools . Wildfire is not uncommon. Research in ecology takes place on undeveloped areas of the base, which contain examples of rare and endangered California habitat types. The Department of Defense has issued management plans for various ecosystems on this territory. Land within
11616-771: The next 30 years, 21 missions were established, the most productive one being Mission San Luis Rey , just south of the present-day Camp Pendleton. At that time, San Luis Rey Mission had control over the Santa Margarita area. After 1821, following the Mexican War of Independence from Spain, some of the former members of the Portolà expedition who had stayed on (mostly garrison soldiers) were awarded large land grants ( ranchos ) by Mexican governors. The retired soldiers were joined as rancheros by prominent businessmen, officials, and military leaders. They and their children,
11737-404: The number of fatalities on the Interstate Highway System amounted to more than 5,000 people annually, with nearly 5,600 fatalities in 2022. The United States government's efforts to construct a national network of highways began on an ad hoc basis with the passage of the Federal Aid Road Act of 1916 , which provided $ 75 million over a five-year period for matching funds to the states for
11858-455: The official Interstate Highway standards . On one- or two-digit Interstates, the mile marker numbering almost always begins at the southern or western state line. If an Interstate originates within a state, the numbering begins from the location where the road begins in the south or west. As with all guidelines for Interstate routes, however, numerous exceptions exist. Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton
11979-569: The only two Interstates to have complete sets of auxiliary routes. Several routes, including I-305 and I-505 in Oregon, were planned but left unbuilt due to local opposition . Interstate Highway System [REDACTED] The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways , commonly known as the Interstate Highway System , or the Eisenhower Interstate System ,
12100-561: The original Interstate Highway System was proclaimed complete in 1992, despite deviations from the original 1956 plan and several stretches that did not fully conform with federal standards . The construction of the Interstate Highway System cost approximately $ 114 billion (equivalent to $ 618 billion in 2023). The system has continued to expand and grow as additional federal funding has provided for new routes to be added, and many future Interstate Highways are currently either being planned or under construction. Though heavily funded by
12221-569: The passage of the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1921 . In 1926, the United States Numbered Highway System was established, creating the first national road numbering system for cross-country travel. The roads were state-funded and maintained, and there were few national standards for road design. United States Numbered Highways ranged from two-lane country roads to multi-lane freeways. After Dwight D. Eisenhower became president in 1953, his administration developed
12342-656: The planning phase between them. In 1966, the FHWA designated the entire Interstate Highway System as part of the larger Pan-American Highway System, and at least two proposed Interstate expansions were initiated to help trade with Canada and Mexico spurred by the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Long-term plans for I-69 , which currently exists in several separate completed segments (the largest of which are in Indiana and Texas ),
12463-411: The prefix H . There are three one-digit routes in the state ( H-1 , H-2 , and H-3 ) and one auxiliary route ( H-201 ). These Interstates connect several military and naval bases together, as well as the important communities spread across Oahu, and especially within the urban core of Honolulu . Both Alaska and Puerto Rico also have public highways that receive 90 percent of their funding from
12584-680: The process. I-5 intersects I-90 near Seattle's Chinatown–International District on the south side of downtown Seattle . The freeway turns northwest and bisects downtown Seattle in a trench, with some sections covered by Freeway Park and the Washington State Convention Center . It then turns north to intersect Washington State Route 520 near Eastlake and crosses the Ship Canal Bridge over Portage Bay , which lies between Lake Union and Lake Washington . I-5 continues through northern Seattle, passing
12705-506: The rest of the San Francisco Bay Area. Original plans called for a loop Interstate with a directional suffix, I-5W. This route now roughly corresponds to I-580 from I-5 south of Tracy to Oakland, I-80 from Oakland to Vacaville , and I-505 from Vacaville to I-5 near Dunnigan. I-5W and most of the other Interstates around the country with directional suffixes were eventually renumbered or eliminated. Nevertheless, San Francisco
12826-471: The route of today's I-5. A major deviation from the old US 99 route is the Westside Freeway portion of I-5 in California's Central Valley. To provide a faster and more direct north–south route through the state, the decision was made to build a new freeway to the west and bypass Fresno, Bakersfield, and the rest of population centers in the area instead of upgrading the existing highway (which
12947-537: The route, without regard to the route number. For instance, I-190 in Massachusetts is labeled north–south, while I-195 in New Jersey is labeled east–west. Some looped Interstate routes use inner–outer directions instead of compass directions, when the use of compass directions would create ambiguity. Due to the large number of these routes, auxiliary route numbers may be repeated in different states along
13068-590: The rural Fraser Lowland . I-5 terminates at the Peace Arch Border Crossing on the Canadian border , adjacent to the eponymous monument , in Blaine . The highway becomes British Columbia Highway 99 , which continues northwest to Vancouver . An extensive section of this highway (over 600 mi (970 km)), from approximately Stockton, California, to Portland, Oregon, follows the track of
13189-419: The same numbers, which is generally disallowed under highway administration guidelines. Several two-digit numbers are shared between unconnected road segments at opposite ends of the country for various reasons. Some such highways are incomplete Interstates (such as I-69 and I-74 ) and some just happen to share route designations (such as I-76 , I-84 , I‑86 , I-87 , and I-88 ). Some of these were due to
13310-503: The same roadway are signed as traveling in opposite directions; one such wrong-way concurrency is found between Wytheville and Fort Chiswell , Virginia, where I‑81 north and I‑77 south are equivalent (with that section of road traveling almost due east), as are I‑81 south and I‑77 north. Auxiliary Interstate Highways are circumferential, radial, or spur highways that principally serve urban areas . These types of Interstate Highways are given three-digit route numbers, which consist of
13431-702: The southern suburbs of Portland , intersecting I-205 in Tualatin and Oregon Route 217 in Tigard before entering the city proper. I-5 then turns northeast to follow Barbur Boulevard (part of Route 99W) and navigate the Terwilliger curves . The freeway continues north through the South Waterfront neighborhood, crossing under the Portland Aerial Tram and the western approach to
13552-558: The valley's main cities, including Fresno , Merced , and Modesto , by other highways. Near Tracy , I-580 splits from I-5 to provide the first of several connections to the San Francisco Bay Area ; I-205 northeast of Tracy also provides a connection through I-580. The freeway continues north through Stockton to Sacramento , where it follows the Sacramento River through the southern suburbs and along
13673-495: The war, complied by submitting a detailed network of 20,000 miles (32,000 km) of interconnected primary highways—the so-called Pershing Map . A boom in road construction followed throughout the decade of the 1920s, with such projects as the New York parkway system constructed as part of a new national highway system. As automobile traffic increased, planners saw a need for such an interconnected national system to supplement
13794-460: The water and requiring traffic in both directions to bypass the crossing. The Washington State Department of Transportation used a temporary structure to restore access across the river while a permanent bridge replacement was built. That process was completed September 15, 2013. On December 18, 2017, an Amtrak train derailed on an overpass crossing I-5 near Tacoma, Washington, and blocked several lanes of traffic. The I-5 corridor forms part of
13915-605: The western edge of the Sacramento Valley , passing through farmland and several small towns before reaching the end of the valley at Red Bluff . I-5 then traverses the rugged Shasta Cascade region, passing through Redding and crossing Shasta Lake before beginning its ascent towards Mount Shasta . The freeway follows the Sacramento River upstream to the southwestern slopes of the mountain and turns northwest to reach Weed , where it intersects US 97 ,
14036-401: Was declared a "permanent installation," and by 1946 it became the home of the 1st Marine Division . It was named after Major General Joseph Henry Pendleton (1860–1942), who had long advocated setting up a training base for the Marine Corps on the West Coast. Today it is home to myriad Operating Force units, including the I Marine Expeditionary Force and various training commands. In 1769,
14157-551: Was employed ahead of Hurricane Charley in the Tampa, Florida area and on the Gulf Coast before the landfall of Hurricane Ivan ; however, evacuation times there were no better than previous evacuation operations. Engineers began to apply lessons learned from the analysis of prior contraflow operations, including limiting exits, removing troopers (to keep traffic flowing instead of having drivers stop for directions), and improving
14278-401: Was originally created in 1956 as part of the Interstate Highway System, but it was predated by several auto trails and highways built in the early 20th century. The Pacific Highway was built in the 1910s and 1920s by the states of California, Oregon, and Washington, and was later incorporated into U.S. Route 99 (US 99) in 1926. I-5 largely follows the route of US 99, with
14399-422: Was proclaimed complete in 1992, but two of the original Interstates— I-95 and I-70 —were not continuous: both of these discontinuities were due to local opposition, which blocked efforts to build the necessary connections to fully complete the system. I-95 was made a continuous freeway in 2018, and thus I-70 remains the only original Interstate with a discontinuity. I-95 was discontinuous in New Jersey because of
14520-643: Was re-designated as part of SR 99). This re-route through California's Central Valley was the last section of I-5 to be constructed, with the final segment dedicated and opened to traffic near Stockton, California, on October 12, 1979. Representatives from both Canada and Mexico attended the dedication to commemorate the first contiguous freeway connecting the North American countries. It cost an estimated $ 2.3 billion in 1979 dollars (equivalent to $ 7.79 billion in 2023 dollars) to construct all of I-5. This direct route also bypasses San Francisco and
14641-494: Was serving as Supreme Commander of Allied Forces in Europe during World War II . In 1954, Eisenhower appointed General Lucius D. Clay to head a committee charged with proposing an interstate highway system plan. Summing up motivations for the construction of such a system, Clay stated, It was evident we needed better highways. We needed them for safety, to accommodate more automobiles. We needed them for defense purposes, if that should ever be necessary. And we needed them for
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