92-722: Interstate 95 ( I-95 ) is a part of the Interstate Highway System that runs north–south from Miami, Florida to Houlton, Maine . The highway enters Maine from the New Hampshire state line in Kittery and runs for 303 miles (488 km) to the Canada–United States border at Houlton. It is the only primary Interstate Highway in Maine. In 2004, the highway's route between Portland and Gardiner
184-535: 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
276-651: 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
368-476: 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
460-589: 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
552-502: A posted speed limit of 70 mph (110 km/h) in the early 1970s, but, as Maine then had no law against traveling less than 10 mph (16 km/h) over the posted limit, the de facto speed limit was 79 mph (127 km/h). In 1974, as part of a federal mandate, the speed limit was reduced to 55 mph (89 km/h), with a new law including a "less than 10 over" violation. In 1987, Congress allowed states to post 65 mph (105 km/h) on rural Interstate Highways. Following
644-491: 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,
736-600: A quasigovernmental agency and to continue to collect tolls in order to fund the maintenance of the section of highway controlled by the MTA. There are eleven total rest areas on I-95 in Maine, five of which are full service plazas operated by the MTA. Five of the rest areas are accessible from northbound only, four are accessible from southbound only, and two are accessible from both directions. The rest stops are open 24 hours and all provide restrooms and visitor information. Food and fuel services as well as ATMs are available only at
828-559: 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
920-409: 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
1012-801: 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
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#17327733438831104-460: 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
1196-474: 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
1288-613: Is a county in the U.S. state of Maine , named for the Penobscot people in Wabanakik. As of the 2020 census , the population was 152,199, making it the third-most-populous county in Maine. Its county seat is Bangor . The county was established on February 15, 1816, from part of Hancock County when the area was still part of Massachusetts . Penobscot County is home to the University of Maine . Penobscot County comprises
1380-476: Is a toll road for all of its length except south of York and between Auburn and Sabattus . Flat-fee tolls are paid upon entering the turnpike and at toll barriers in York, New Gloucester , and West Gardiner . As of November 1, 2021, it costs passenger vehicles $ 8.00 with cash and out-of-state E-ZPasses and $ 6.70 with a Maine issued E-ZPass to travel the entire length of the turnpike. The turnpike joined
1472-543: 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
1564-665: Is planning to reestablish the exit at this location by 2022 in order to relieve traffic congestion at the intersection of I-195 and Industrial Park Road, which can often back up to I-95. North of Augusta, there are two additional pairs of rest areas before I-95's northern terminus in Houlton. Separate facilities are located on each direction of I-95 in Hampden, just south of Bangor; and in Medway, about halfway between Bangor and Houlton. There are 24-hour restrooms at all four locations, while
1656-539: 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
1748-518: The 2010 census , there were 153,923 people, 62,966 households, and 38,917 families living in the county. The population density was 45.3 inhabitants per square mile (17.5/km ). There were 73,860 housing units at an average density of 21.7 units per square mile (8.4 units/km ). The county's racial makeup was 95.4% white, 1.2% American Indian, 0.9% Asian, 0.8% black or African American, 0.2% from other races, and 1.5% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.1% of
1840-474: 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
1932-552: 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
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#17327733438832024-630: 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
2116-529: 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
2208-673: 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 the passage of the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1921 . In 1926,
2300-777: The Piscataqua River Bridge , which connects Portsmouth, New Hampshire , with Kittery. At mile 0.38, the highway becomes the Maine Turnpike. The highway runs in a general northeasterly direction, parallel with US Route 1 (US 1), at this point. I-95 bypasses the Biddeford / Saco area, with a spur route, I-195 , connecting to Old Orchard Beach . I-295 splits eastward from I-95 at mile 44 in Scarborough toward Portland Downtown, and Maine's Midcoast region. At this point, I-95 turns inland to
2392-581: The Sebasticook River past Pittsfield to Newport . I-95 then continues east alongside US 2 from Newport to Bangor , where I-395 connects to the city of Brewer . The highway runs along the northern edge of Bangor's center, then turns northeast, following the Penobscot River past Orono and Old Town . (Prior to the early 1980s, I-95 was a super two highway north of Old Town). The highway continues north, still running near
2484-506: 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
2576-470: 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
2668-506: 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
2760-553: 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
2852-511: The Bangor, ME Metropolitan Statistical Area . According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the county has an area of 3,557 square miles (9,210 km ), of which 3,397 square miles (8,800 km ) is land and 160 square miles (410 km ) (4.5%) is water. The county highpoint is East Turner Mountain at 2,456 feet (749 m) next to Baxter State Park . At the 2000 census there were 144,919 people, 58,096 households, and 37,820 families living in
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2944-576: 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
3036-549: The E-ZPass electronic toll collection network in 2005, replacing the former Maine-only system designated Transpass that was implemented in 1997. The tolls on the Maine Turnpike were not supposed to be permanent. Toll collections were to stop once the MTA paid off the debt from the road's construction. In the 1980s, the bonds were going to be paid off, but the Maine Legislature authorized the MTA in 1982 to continue as
3128-481: The Hampden facilities each feature a state-operated Maine information center available during daytime hours. A final rest area, which also contained a state-operated Maine information center, was located in Houlton, and was accessible from both directions of I-95 by taking exit 302. The rest area has since been decommissioned and demolished as of mid-2022. In 2019, MaineDOT began signing emergency routes along roads near I-95. The routes generally lead from one exit to
3220-515: 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
3312-493: 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
3404-661: The MTA increased on August 11, 2014. The sections from milemarker 2.1 in Kittery to milemarker 44.1 in Scarborough and the section from milemarker 52.3 in Falmouth to milemarker 109 in Augusta increased from 65 to 70 mph (105 to 113 km/h). The section from milemarker 44.1 in Scarborough to milemarker 52.3 in Falmouth increased from 55 to 60 mph (89 to 97 km/h). The Maine Turnpike
3496-592: The MTA to change speed limits with the approval of the Maine State Police . Per that law, MaineDOT increased the 65-mile-per-hour (105 km/h) limit to 70 mph (110 km/h) on several sections of I-95 on May 27, 2014. These areas included the section from milemarker 114 just outside Augusta to mile 126 just before Waterville . In addition, the section from Fairfield (just north of Waterville) to Bangor also saw an increase to 70 mph (110 km/h). Speed limits on sections controlled by
3588-612: The MTA. Today, this highway, which ends at Houlton instead of Fort Kent, is signed as I-95 throughout and the Maine Turnpike between the New Hampshire line at Kittery and the junction with US 202 near Augusta. In 2015, the MTA purchased the segment from the Piscataqua River Bridge to milemarker 2.2 of I-95 from the Maine Department of Transportation (MaineDOT). The Maine Turnpike had
3680-465: The Maine Turnpike (which was I-495 prior to 2004) through Gray to Auburn and Lewiston , bypassing the latter two cities to the south. The highway then runs in an easterly direction to meet the northern terminus of I-295 at Gardiner . From there, I-95 parallels the Kennebec River past Augusta and Waterville . The highway then crosses the river at Fairfield and then turns northeast along
3772-764: The US following the October 1940 opening of the Pennsylvania Turnpike . For these reasons, the Maine Turnpike was named a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark by the American Society of Civil Engineers in 1999. In 1956, one year after the Portland–Augusta extension opened, Congress created the Interstate Highway System . The remaining sections to be built—from Augusta to Fort Kent—would be publicly funded freeways instead of toll roads under
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3864-806: 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
3956-778: 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
4048-481: 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
4140-478: The age of 18 living with them, 51.50% were married couples living together, 9.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.90% were non-families. 26.70% of households were one person and 10.00% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.88. The age distribution was 22.80% under the age of 18, 11.30% from 18 to 24, 29.00% from 25 to 44, 23.80% from 45 to 64, and 13.10% 65 or older. The median age
4232-612: 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
4324-406: 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
4416-664: 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
4508-401: 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,
4600-507: 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
4692-407: 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
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#17327733438834784-688: The county. The population density was 43 people per square mile (17 people/km ). There were 66,847 housing units at an average density of 20 per square mile (7.7/km ). The county's racial makeup was 96.60% White, 0.49% Black or African American, 1.00% Native American, 0.70% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.23% from other races, and 0.96% from two or more races. 0.61% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 17.8% were of English , 17.3% United States or American, 14.0% French , 13.0% Irish and 6.7% French Canadian ancestry. 95.8% spoke English and 2.3% French as their first language. There were 58,096 households, of which 30.10% had children under
4876-623: 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
4968-448: 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
5060-496: 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
5152-450: 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
5244-492: 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
5336-426: 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
5428-515: 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
5520-614: 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
5612-479: The five major plazas. The plazas are at the following locations: There is a rest area and tourist welcome center located on the turnpike northbound at milepost 3 in Kittery. There are weigh stations located on the turnpike northbound and southbound in York at milepost 4 (southbound) and milepost 6 (northbound). There are ramps to and from the northbound turnpike to the Saco Ramada Hotel and Conference Center in Saco at milepost 35. The ramps are from
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#17327733438835704-429: 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,
5796-435: 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
5888-506: 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
5980-402: 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
6072-431: 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
6164-401: 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
6256-581: 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
6348-440: The next exit and are meant to be used when sections of the highway must be closed due to an accident or other disruption. In such an event, electronic signs will be activated and flaggers deployed to direct drivers to use the appropriate emergency route to lead them around the closure and maintain traffic flow. Northbound routes are designated with a single letter, while southbound routes are designated with double letters. This system
6440-422: The north, bypassing Portland Downtown while providing access to Portland International Jetport . I-95 narrows from six lanes to four lanes at mile 49 near the Portland- Falmouth border. At mile 53 in Falmouth, the highway meets unsigned I-495 , also called the Falmouth Spur. Until January 2004, I-95 followed the Falmouth Spur and I-295 between Falmouth and Gardiner. I-95 continues north along its concurrency with
6532-404: 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
6624-430: 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. Penobscot County, Maine Penobscot County
6716-561: 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
6808-401: The original exit 5 which was replaced when I-195 was opened just to the north. The hotel was built on the site of the old toll plaza. Ramps connecting the hotel to and from the southbound turnpike were removed as part of the widening project in the early 2000s when hotel ownership opted not to pay nearly $ 1 million (equivalent to $ 1.55 million in 2023) to build a new bridge. The MTA
6900-656: 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 ),
6992-473: The population. In terms of ancestry, 20.9% were English , 17.2% were Irish , 9.4% were American , 7.1% were German , 6.0% were French Canadian , and 5.9% were Scottish . Of the 62,966 households, 27.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.1% were married couples living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 38.2% were non-families, and 28.0% of households were made up of individuals. The average household size
7084-411: 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
7176-479: The relaxation, Maine increased its speed limit. In May 2011, a bill was introduced to raise the speed limit on I-95 from Old Town to Houlton from 65 to 75 mph (105 to 121 km/h). It passed, with Maine the first state east of the Mississippi River since the 1970s to establish a 75-mile-per-hour (121 km/h) speed limit. A further law passed in 2013 by the Maine Legislature allowed MaineDOT and
7268-649: The river, toward Howland . Near Lincoln , I-95 runs north through uninhabited forest land, crossing the Penobscot River at Medway . The highway goes northeast and east, passing a series of small Aroostook County farming towns before reaching Houlton , where it connects to US 2 and New Brunswick Route 95 at the international border. North of Bangor, traffic levels drop noticeably, with an annual average daily traffic of only about 5,000 in northern Penobscot County and going down to as low as 2,000 to 4,000 in Houlton. The Maine Turnpike Authority (MTA)
7360-537: 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
7452-419: 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
7544-503: 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
7636-495: 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
7728-441: Was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.82. The median age was 39.9 years. The county's median household income was $ 42,658 and the median family income was $ 54,271. Males had a median income of $ 41,094 versus $ 31,910 for females. The county's per capita income was $ 22,977. About 10.1% of families and 15.7% of the population were below the poverty line , including 20.4% of those under age 18 and 9.2% of those age 65 or over. As
7820-485: Was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 95.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.30 males. The median household income was $ 34,274 and the median family income was $ 42,206. Males had a median income of $ 32,824 versus $ 23,346 for females. The per capita income for the county was $ 17,801. About 9.70% of families and 13.70% of the population were below the poverty line , including 15.00% of those under age 18 and 11.10% of those age 65 or over. At
7912-408: Was changed so that it encompasses the entire Maine Turnpike (including the former I-495 between Falmouth and Gardiner), a toll road running from Kittery to Augusta . As an Interstate Highway, all of I-95 in Maine is included in the National Highway System , a network of roads important to the country's economy, defense, and mobility. I-95 enters Maine as a six-lane highway from New Hampshire on
8004-591: Was created by the Maine Legislature in 1941 to build and operate a toll highway connecting Kittery and Fort Kent . In 1947, the first section of highway, designated the Maine Turnpike, opened between Kittery and Portland . In 1953, the MTA began construction on an extension to the state capital at Augusta using the former right-of-way of the Portland–Lewiston Interurban railway from Portland through West Falmouth. The original turnpike
8096-551: 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
8188-488: Was first used when a section of highway was closed due to the death of a Maine State Trooper in an accident. 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 , is a network of controlled-access highways that forms part of
8280-422: 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
8372-494: 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
8464-429: Was the largest construction project in the state's history until the construction of the extension, which opened to the public on December 13, 1955. The Maine Turnpike was the first highway in the nation that was funded using revenue bonds . It remains self-financed and does not receive funding from the state or federal government. When the first section opened in 1947, it was only the second long-distance superhighway in
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