2:18 Ha! New Jersey Turnpike was built, opening in 1951 to be the highway around Philadelphia, to I-95 / Delaware Turnpike, through the Delaware Memorial Bridge, and farther south. The fast road from VA and MD to New York City is not through Philadelphia.
The last town in New Jersey on I-95 North is Fort Lee. Fort Lee was the former home of "PALISADES AMUESMENT PARK". There was a hit song from the early 1960's called "Palisades Park". Thank you for calling the "Gov. Mario Cuomo Bridge" by it's preferred name of "Tappan Zee Bridge".
Thanks for the shout out. I definitely appreciate it. One thing I’ve never understood about I-95 in Maryland is that it never signs Philadelphia or Wilmington. It always skips right to New York. It would make a lot more sense and be less confusing to list either of those cities instead. Also, I-495 in Delaware is a better through route than you might think. It’s 3 lanes in each direction and has a 65 mph speed limit compared to I-95’s 2 lanes and 55 mph speed limit. Certainly one of the better bypass interstates.
If Interstate 95 didn't pass through Wilmington and Philadelphia and was routed over the Delaware Memorial Bridge and the entire New Jersey Turnpike, then it would make sense for the signs to say New York
I like how the NJ Turnpike separates the cars and the trucks, it works so well for keeping traffic moving and really shows how much traffic is just caused by trucks
When I was a young man, I had a job in DC and my girlfriend (now wife of 39 years) was in college in Boston, so I drove 95 to New York on many a weekend (from there I would take 87 or 287 to 684 to 84 to 90 to get to Boston). I know I used both service plazas in Maryland. And of course, I would take the Delaware Memorial Bridge to the NJTP until it brought be back to 95 because there was no direct 95 link then. I do remember fondly the eager anticipation of seeing her. I can't say I was that fond of 95.
The NJ Turnpike eastern spur (original section) is apparently going to become I-695, and the western spur will become mainline I-95 instead of 95W. I think it should be I-895 since both 695s would be very close. I-895 in NY is decommissioned and NY’s I-695 still exist.
Todd, Dicovered this series several months ago - it is fabulous! You do great work!!! But... been waiting for months to see the Baltimore skyline as you approach then pass by on 95 NB... and nothing! If you ever edit this, please reconsider!
For the NJ Turnpike split roadways, the Eastern Spur was the original Turnpike. The Western Spur came later. The Western Spur is internally known as I-95W. However both spurs are signed as I-95.
I'm speculating but the lack of a control city on 95 NB might be due to the long existing gap on 95 closed by the connector to the Penna Turnpike; same reason as having Trenton on the interchange signs. As it was only recently closed, signage is probably lagging being updated. Also to note that the Penna Turnpike connector isn't actually complete yet as the movements between the "new" 295 and 276 (and 95 NB to 276 WB) are also forthcoming.
I was gonna say this exact thing, but I am glad I looked to see if someone else said it first 😏😏 the 95 connector was JUST finished last year 🤔🤔 so I'm also positive that signature updating is in the works but that isn't a cheap task with so many that would need to be updated.
@@tysonstransitcam2190 OK .... nitpick at THAT detail. the overhead control city signage portion is still valid. and state DOT's everywhere are notorious for NOT replacing overhead signs unless they HAVE to.
I can't believe they sign New York City in Virginia and Maryland. To me, signing Philadelphia is important for I-95 from Baltimore, so they decide to ignore that. However, Delaware does sign Philly.
but i think Todd's point is valid ..... it would be a little odd to sign BOTH Philadelphia and NYC on northbound 95 around/out of the DMV cuz the fastest way to NYC is NOT going through Philadelphia ... but it would be odd to sign Wilmington (which is the decision point for going to Philadelphia/to NYC) from there. and while Philadelphia is a major metropolis in its own right .... most traffic from the DMV is going to NYC. it makes sense to sign Philadelphia in Delaware cuz the 95/295 split is where traffic will either head to Philadelphia or NYC via NJ.
Speaking of NYC, before the 278, I'll sign NYC there. The 278 will be signed for Staten Island while the NJTP will be signed for Manhattan. As we meet the 78, it'll be signed for Jersey City and Lower Manhattan while the 95 will be signed for the GWB and/or Upper Manhattan. As we cross through Upper Manhattan and The Bronx, instead of New Haven, I'll sign Bridgeport in this case since its Connecticut's largest city. After Bridgeport, its New Haven.
Let me critique the signage of I-95. •Washington, DC -Alexandria, VA | •Baltimore (for local-express lanes) •Baltimore | •New York City •Philadelphia | •New York City -Wilmington, DE | •Philadelphia (crossing into Delaware) -Chester, PA | •Philadelphia (leaving Wilmington, DE) •Philadelphia (leaving Chester, PA) -Trenton, NJ | •New York City (leaving Central Philly while crossing under the Benjamin Franklin Bridge) •New York City (via NJTP) •Manhattan (meeting I-278) •Upper Manhattan/GWB (meeting I-78) •Bridgeport, CT
If you decide to state highways after you are done, or us routes, I have a few good ones: US-95 (less known desert highway) WA-20 (southeastern Washington highway, runs from vantage straight southeast) WA-99 (coast, everyone knows this one) WA-3 (connects 101 on the sound side) OR-205 (fields is really cool, ~70 square mile dry lakebed) Us-20 (sisters mountains are beautiful) Ca-130 (mountain road) Us - 50 (commonly known as loneliest road in the us, might not work for control cities but still cool road) Us - 191 (utah desert stuff is cool) More urban roads: 101 in Phenox Us-30 Wa-16 Wa-522 Wa-161 Wa-7 (also mount rainier, not really urban) Or-217 Or-99e Or-99 Thanks for making epic videos, i love the progression on the channel and how much your passion for this stuff shows after more than 100 episodes. I also feel like signing Philadelphia should be done in Maryland, but that signing ny is fine. I mean, Seattle is signed from over 200 miles away on I-90, and Denver is signed from over 350 (excluding the crazy I-70 sign)
I think the main reason 78 west only gets Newark Airport is that the majority going west on 78 from the NJ Turnpike would take 287 to 78. It is definitely a time saver to take that route. Also, living in the terminus of where the Somerset Freeway should connected to 287... we sorely miss the Freeway that should have been. I have no sorrow for all those in the Princeton area who nonstop complain about all the traffic in town. You did it to yourself in the 1970s.... great job blocking the much needed road.
This may be a toll road thing, but at the I-95/I-78 interchange, only WB I-78 takes the driver off the Turnpike toll system and onto the NJDOT stretch. Maybe the NJ Turnpike Authority doesn't feel it's that important to sign anything other than Newark and the airport.
I-95 is my favorite intersrate just because of how many major cities it goes through. I always loved looking at the signage growing up, but what a headache it is driving on it now that I'm older lol
Most of the signage in Philly for 95 North was changed from Trenton to New York. There is definitely an overlay for NY on I-676 East for I-95 North. Also, I-95 (and for that matter, I-278 north of the RFK Bridge) always skips over Stamford and Bridgeport for New Haven. Bridgeport is actually the most populous city in CT.
I-95 in CT from NY line to New Haven is long corridor of continuous cities and suburbs (which then continue on I-91 through Hartford and Springfield). It makes sense to decide on New Haven because it is more famous outside the area (Yale) and is also a major interstate junction.
I'd be curious to hear your thoughts on Megalopolis theory and what it's full extent for I-95. Megalopolis: a string of contiguous urban and suburban areas. ps. I'm bias towards signing New York City from Washington DC. The half day trip between our political and economic capital is a very common hop.
@@ControlCityFreak similar thoughts, CT gets pretty desolate in points (my understanding is that there aren't any entirely rural counties on the corridor, but people like to grasp for straws to include things they want). How far down in VA would you you include any parts of Maine?
24:53 They do not change the control cities, instead when the sign flips, it will say ROADWAY CLOSED or ALL TRAFFIC KEEP LEFT...etc. if there road is blocked or if there is construction. In fact all retro NJ turnpike changeable signs are so clever adapting to emergencies.
I have a good video idea when you’re taking a break from I-95!! If you want you could do I-275 in Florida since you said in your I-75 South video that you would save I-275 in Florida for it’s own video!!
Born & raised in MD, I've got a few other notes that I can recall about 95 in my area. There was once a time in the 1970s and '80s where the exit numbering north of I-695, which was mileage-based since I-95 opened in central MD in 1971, reset itself back to 1 and the numbering became sequentially-based until the Delaware line, much like how the exit numbering resets in the Bronx when you go from the Cross Bronx to the Bruckner. Also, heading south out of Baltimore, the control city at the I-695 junction originally included Richmond in addition to Washington until sometime in the '80s, and the city appeared faintly visible until the new Clearview signs were installed in the late 2000s. Another thing I notice is that scarcity of mileage signage to various locations compared with to the stretch in the South. The first mileage sign for NYC used to appeared around where the ICC (MD 200) was built, appropriately 212 miles. There was also a mileage sign just past the Rest Area near Laurel, MD before being knocked down a few years ago. There are still a few southbound between Baltimore and DC, but as far as I know, none northbound at all between the two beltways. Any idea why it isn't a top priority to include them?
Over the course of making this channel, I’ve noticed milage signs are most prevalent when there is a minimum 2-3 mile gap between exits. Between Fredericksburg and Portland on 95, there just aren’t that many gaps that long
The section of I-95 from the New Jersey Turnpike to the PA/DE state line is rather new. For decades, there was a gap. I-95 just ended in the middle of the NJ Tpk then picked up near I-295. You are aware of the gap. This may be why the pass through signs didn't mention a control city.
Yes US 50 is secret I-595. A fun fact about US 50 when it was completed to freeway standards they considered making it a 2 digit interstate. They considered giving it the 68 number but they finally decided to keep it as a US highway and gave 68 to the road between Morgantown and Hancock.
They could have named it I-66 in Maryland, had it folliw DC 295 to I-395 at the 11th Street Bridge, continue jointly with 395 to V8rginia Route 110 and rename 110 to I66...where it would join I66 in Rosslyn.
I-95 runs as basically concurrent highways from the time it enters the NJ Turnpike coming from PA until it crosses the East River into the Bronx. It's the Inner/Outer roadways (aka Cars Only and Car-Truck-Buses lanes) until just north of Newark Airport when each set of lanes splits into the Eastern Spur and Western Spur (that's where there are actually 3 sections of 3 lanes each because of the long ramp from I-78 onto I-95 North); as the Eastern and Western Spurs come together (just after the Vince Lombardi Service Area), the roadway splits to/from I-80 - this is a bit more pronounced going southbound - until it meets and adopts I-80 East's local/express configuration; that flows into the Lower and Upper levels of the GWB, which stays split until crossing the East River into the Bronx. Going South, the part with I-80 has one set of lanes coming from I-80 East and US 46 East, and the other from I-80 West/I-95 South, until they mix and split into the Eastern and Western Spurs. Go look at the exit numbers used on I-95 after the Vince Lombardi Service Area - the Turnpike officially ends after the toll plazas at NJ 3/NJ 495 and the next exits adopt exit numbers from I-80...including the exit for US 46 which is before getting to I-80.
As a New Jersey/New York/Pittsburgh sports fan that hate all Philadelphia sports teams, I applaud Virginia's and Maryland's pretending that Philadelphia doesn't exist. Also I never understood signing I-78 west for the airport. The previous exit is the better way to get to the airport IMO. I would honestly sign it for downtown Newark because taking I-78 to rt. 21 is the best way to get there. Plus I hate taking I-280. The way I think this stretch of I-95 should be: Washington, Baltimore, New York, Philadelphia (after the turnpike split), New York, Stamford and then New Haven. I would sign Stamford because it is a very fast growing city in the region. It'll probably be CT's largest city by the end of the decade.
27:19 There’s a sign before that which actually puts Long Island as a control city on I-295 with the Throgs Neck Bridge. Not sure why it’s not on that sign.
@Tysons Transit Cam In this case I think going with the region makes sense. Long Island itself doesn't have a community large enough to sign, but does have almost 3 million people between Nassau & Suffolk County, so it would make sense to sign the region as a whole and if you are going to Long Island from there you must take the Whitestone or Throgs Neck Br
@timj684 I don’t think I’d sign anything on Long Island from I 95, considering it is impossible to get there without driving through New York, but “community large enough to sign” is highly dependent on how “community” is defined. I have no idea why places in the east do this, but “towns” and “townships” can be broken down into CDPs, villages or hamlets. If you prefer the broken down communities, then the largest one in the two counties is Brentwood (63k). However, if you DON’T prefer them, then the largest one is Hempstead (800k). Here, other major cities in the metro like Newark, Jersey City and Yonkers are much less significant. I’ve never lived anywhere with these “towns” and “townships”, but I personally think that Brentwood 63k and Hempstead 60k is a better representative of importance than Hempstead 800k (i.e. more than TRIPLE the population of New York’s “second largest” community, Buffalo)…
As a child I went back and forth (from NJ to grandparents' homes in Brooklyn and Queens) across the old Goethals bridge, which looked like it had been put together from an erector set and riveted by a high school shop class. It worked fine; it was just such a contrast with the grandeur of the Verrazano at the other side of Staten Island.
@zack9777 Does Woodbridge even count as a “city”? I thought it was a Township? I’m not saying I wouldn’t make it a control on the appropriate road; some roads in Nevada have CDPs as controls, considering how few “cities” the state has…
@@tylermarchand2996 In New Jersey, City,Township,Borough,Village,Town are forms of governments under Walsh Act, those terms before the city name mean nothing
Couple of notes: -Other interstate drawbridges: 5 over Columbia River in Portland 280 over Passaic River in Newark NJ 278 over Bronx River in NYC 110 in Biloxi 264 over Elizabeth River in Norfolk VA - I-895 in Maryland is the old I-95 prior to Ft. McHenry Tunnel rerouted I-95 closer to downtown Baltimore. -I-495 is better way to Philly versus I-95 through downtown Wilmington. 495 is a a wide 6-lane bypass with fewer exits while 95 is 4-lanes. -NJTP Spur Split signs are changeable and will route thru traffic away from accidents/events. Going north thru traffic usually routed on western spur unless there’s a football game at Meadowlands.
My dad had a esay pass to get through Pennsylvania and Ohio he only had to pay the toll at the Ohio turnpike and maybe Pennsylvania. Because i had family in parts of the great lakes and Indiana like gets a slip from the toll booth then he pays the toll in the Toldeo exit.
FYI, Rye is also the home of Rye Playland. It's an amusement park. Also, I live in New Brunswick, NJ, so I've been on that part of I-95 quite a bit. I tend to refer to it as the Turnpike, though.
THIS IS MY FAVORITE TH-cam CHANNEL WHEN I GOT THE HOBBY OF INTERSTATES I STARTED WATCHING THESE VID I STARTED WATCHING WHEN YOU DID I 93 My2nd faved interstate but 95 is my favorite
Into the late 1980s l, if not early 1990s, the JFK MEM HWY portion had "NJ Turnpike" as a control city. New York became the destination around the same time mileage based exit numbers replacing the sequential JFK MEM HWY exit numbers.
Going north once I crossover in to Maryland, I completely cutout Baltimore area and most of Maryland by using exit 19, Route 50 east and take that to Route 301 north. 🚛
As a Philly area person this is the interstate I've been on the most in my life. My exit USED TO be Exit 49, but once 95 was re-routed onto the Turnpike it became Exit 8 on 295. Also, I've spent much time in Central Jersey (Yes it exists), so every exit from 7A up to 10 is very nostalgic for me. (Exit 10 is about as far north in NJ as I like to go)
For a year or so you would have been exit 8 off of I-195 but they changed their mind. I was over in your neck of the woods when I would go plane spotting at Trenton Mercer Airport...I moved away but I can't wait to fly back to Jersey thru the new terminal (probably won't be till like 2027 though)
Nothing like the home stretch of 95 :) Once you hit Alexandria going north it's rare to not have stop and go. Notorious bit of highway. And the two Maryland service areas you showed are awful. The exits are extremely short and clog up the left lane since they're in the center. And you'd think the re-entry zone would be long enough for trucks to speed up since they're being dumped into the far-left lane. NOPE it's more like the on ramp joins and ends immediately.
Pennsylvania I 95 History. After the Turnpike was built the Delaware expressway was part of the Philly area expressway system. The last sections in Philadelphia were near airport and Broad Street area. The Delaware expressway was to follow the US 13 and 1 corridor into Trenton. When it was decided that improving the expressway in Trenton wasn't the best option, the Scudders Falls option was taken. After years of deciding what to do for the New Jersey Gap for the Canceled Somerset Freeway, the option to Construct a high speed Ramps the current I 95 to the Turnpike. In 2018 the Ramps were opened completing the last missing link on I 95. Last of the 56 Eisenhower Interstate System . Before that it was the missing link between Palm Beach Gardens and Vero Beach in Florida in the early 90s.
As I understand, correct me if I am wrong, I-895 In Baltimore follows the former routing of I-95. I drove it once in 1998. It’s set up where in either direction you cannot exit 895 until after stopping to pay the toll. I also remember that it was a 4 lane interstate as opposed to the 8 lane wide interstate 95.
Interesting that I see no signs in this video directing travelers seeking to reach I-70 or I-83 to use I-695 in the Baltimore area. Are there any? What about signage to connect to I-97? Just wondering as I live across the country in the other Washington.
21:00 from exit 13a to 15w you are driving through 6 miles of New Jersey's largest Metropolis, Newark. And amazingly the city is completely ignored by the NJ Turnpike. If the airport didn't exist there would be zero mention of the city. Newark finally appears as an afterthought for I280 West.
Well I mean, you're a stone's throw away away from a city that's 28 times bigger and infinitely more famous. Signing Newark from the south would be like signing Gary from the south or east.
You said you are not too worried about the $15 toll to cross the Hudson River on the GWB from NJ to NY. There aren’t a lot of Hudson crossings in the area. The Lincoln and Holland tunnels cost the same. The Tappan Zee is pretty far up the river.
@@ErikCB912 I agree. Todd seemed to say it would be easy to evade the toll when going from NJ toward CT because there are other ways to enter NYC. That can't be true. To get from NJ to CT, you need to cross the Hudson. There are not a lot of crossings.
I-95 suppose go through DC, instead it enters DC for a short period of time in the Potomac river. If Anacostia freeway gets a improvement project in the future along with US-50 from Anacostia freeway to the Capital Beltway. I-95 should be rerouted there and go along either I-695 and I-395 or I-295 back to the capitol beltway.
There is a drawbridge on I-5 crossing the Columbia River connecting Oregon and Washington. The northbound span opened in 1917, the twin southbound span opened in 1956 then signed as US 99. Currently there’s plans to replace the old drawbridge with a new bridge on I-5, I believe construction will be starting soon.
Yeah, these are the other movable spans on the interstate highway system: I-64 over the Elizabeth River in Chesapeake, VA I-264 over the Elizabeth River in Norfolk, VA I-5 over the Columbia River in Portland, OR I-280 over the Passaic River in NJ
Still think that you should pause to do some off branch content. My suggestion is to do the Philly area ones for the following reasons: 1. There’s only 3 offbranches of 95 there 2. Delaware deserves that attention, especially since you’re going to rank it after the final 95 video 3. That area is what most of this video is about 4. DC/Baltimore off branches can be part of the 97 video, just like 290 was part of 88’s. As for the off-branches in NY and New England, that can wait until you cover mainline 95
Before someone asks about Philly’s 76 off-branches, he covered 676 in the 76 video, and part of 476 in 81’s videos. The rest of 476 deserves a video all to itself as it is longer than 83, 97, and 99
I grew up in SE Massachusetts and would occasionally visit my father's relatives in the South when I was a kid. What I remember was that we never went into PA on I-95, but stayed on the NJ Turnpike all the way to the Delaware Memorial Bridge, and I guess picked up I-95 again in DE. I was actually a bit surprised to find out that I-95 goes into PA at all. Even 59 year olds can learn something new once in a while.
I have family in New England, and one time we drove from my grandma's old house near New Haven to DC. We went via the NJ Turnpike (this was years before the two halves of I-95 were connected); considering I-95's weird routing in central NJ, I'd have to imagine most people from central NJ northward drive to Wilmington and points south via the NJ Turnpike.
@@andyjay729 Yeah the Turnpike is optimized for long-haul travel through southern Jersey. 295 is the suburban bypass (good for shunpiking if it's not rush hour), and 95 is through the city (and you're crazy if you're doing 476-276 as an inland bypass: if you were going to bypass Philly to the west, you'd use 81!). The NJTP has a strong enough brand that it doesn't need no stinking Interstate number!
@@andyjay729 Whenever my parents and/or I traveled between PA and New England, I always avoided the New Jersey Turnpike in its entirety. Cutting from what is now 295 up NJ-31, to 202/206 to 287, and then giving New York a fairly wide berth by way of 684 or Saw Mill up to I-84.
I’m also from SE Massachusetts! Twice when I was a child we drove to Florida, following I-95. But we always took the NJ Turnpike, bypassing Philadelphia. As a result of this, I’ve traveled on portions of I-95 in every state except Pennsylvania.
4:05 That's correct; there's no toll on the express lanes, which begin just before VA Exit 177 (US-1). The express and local lanes rejoin after MD exit 3 (MD-210). The lane separation was constructed at the same time as the new Woodrow Wilson Bridge.
Some weird stuff: when in Center City, the control city for NB 95 says “Northeast Philadelphia” The bridge from PA to NJ on 95 was closed for a while because a structural steel girder sheered off completely, which is comforting when I drive on it. And as I requested (thanks!!!), PA-63 Woodhaven Rd is a freeway that goes from 95 to just past US 1 and ends in a stub end. It would have been interesting to see what would have been. Also, that’s usually my exit coming south on 95. I usually would get off at Academy Rd coming NB to get home, but that’s a boring exit.
Brings back memories of when I moved back to Georgia from New Hampshire. Spent the night In Wilmington. Thankfully, I still had my EZ pass from New Hampshire. The tolls added up, but not nearly as much as they would have been without it.
17:02 Going north used to be so confusing during the gap period. You would go north and completely wrap around the Trenton area then you would see “END 95” signs and you would be going south again. People who were not local to the area would be like “I just want to go to NYC 😂” Mapquest showed this so long after the gap was filled. Also, there is rumors of a brand new I-99 running from savannah to Christiana so Delaware might get a brand new 2-digit interstate! 😁
I'd rather call it I-101, just like how the west coast has a US 101, since there's already an I-99 in PA/NY. It also makes sense for Delaware since it could basically be an auxiliary route for DE 1, which it would replace north of Dover.
Sometimes I think I-95 should have been routed over the Delaware Memorial Bridge and the entire length of the New Jersey Turnpike instead of passing through Wilmington and Philadelphia.
And the latest Philly casualty? A mileage sign at the northbound rest area just past Laurel that included Philadelphia as one of the destinations (at 120 miles), where a truck was believed to have knocked it down a few years ago, left on the side of the road for a couple years, and has since been removed.
The I-95 corridor between the DC Metro and NYC is where the American theatre of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and 3 take place. And I can remember the memes about Seargent Foley: “Ramirez! Get on that sentry gun!” “Ramirez! Take out that enemy helicopter!” “Ramirez! Help us defend Burger Town!” “Ramirez! Use the predator drone!” Ah, the memes. You can actually see signs for I-395 in the “Wolverines!” mission of MW2 by the way. You ever played the original Modern Warfare trilogy?
Also, if you’re buying beer at the Total Wine at the last I-95 exit in Delaware and bringing it back to PA, you can meander down Darley Road to I-495 and get on NB 95 from there. They used to nab people leaving Total Wine and getting right back on 95 there to go into PA.
@@Ndalum07 why would they do that? Is it illegal to transport beer into PA? Or is it maybe a sales tax issue because Delaware doesn’t have any sales tax so people try to skirt the sales tax in PA?
@@ErikCB912 Yes, people in SE PA would often buy in Delaware because of the taxes and because you can buy everything together. At one point at least in PA, if you wanted a six-pack of Sam Adams, a case of Coors Light, and a bottle of Tito’s, you had to go to three different stores. And it’s illegal to cross state lines with booze.
@Ndalum07 When I lived in Pa way back in the early 80s. In Northwestern Pennsylvania you bought wine at the wineries of course my town had a lot being in concord grape 🍇 country. Beer at Beer Distributors or Bar. State Store for hard liquor. I not sure if that still is the norm or things have loosen up.
I know why there is a Western Spur of the New Jersey Turnpike. When you're coming in from the south and north, the western spur enables you to avoid going near the exit to the Lincoln Tunnel and coming in from the south, it will enable you to get to the George Washington Bridge a bit quicker
Virginia and Maryland: (signs New York)
Philadelphia: What, am I a joke to you?
2:18 Ha!
New Jersey Turnpike was built, opening in 1951 to be the highway around Philadelphia, to I-95 / Delaware Turnpike, through the Delaware Memorial Bridge, and farther south.
The fast road from VA and MD to New York City is not through Philadelphia.
Virginia and Maryland: yes
@newflyer2198, whenever I go to the beaches, my county ( Lancaster PA) has a New York sign on 283 going into route 30.
The last town in New Jersey on I-95 North is Fort Lee. Fort Lee was the former home of "PALISADES AMUESMENT PARK". There was a hit song from the early 1960's called "Palisades Park".
Thank you for calling the "Gov. Mario Cuomo Bridge" by it's preferred name of "Tappan Zee Bridge".
Thank you for taking the time to show all the little details of I-95. Keep up the good work Todd!
Thanks!
@@ControlCityFreak Your KC Chiefs won the Super Bowl against the Eagles. Fair and square
Thanks for the shout out. I definitely appreciate it. One thing I’ve never understood about I-95 in Maryland is that it never signs Philadelphia or Wilmington. It always skips right to New York. It would make a lot more sense and be less confusing to list either of those cities instead. Also, I-495 in Delaware is a better through route than you might think. It’s 3 lanes in each direction and has a 65 mph speed limit compared to I-95’s 2 lanes and 55 mph speed limit. Certainly one of the better bypass interstates.
There should be a big-green-sign in Delaware at about Exit-4 : "New York City follow I-295, US-40 to NJTP" .
If Interstate 95 didn't pass through Wilmington and Philadelphia and was routed over the Delaware Memorial Bridge and the entire New Jersey Turnpike, then it would make sense for the signs to say New York
The flipable signs on the turnpike aren't for different control cities, it can say 'roadway closed' or 'delays ahead'
I like how the NJ Turnpike separates the cars and the trucks, it works so well for keeping traffic moving and really shows how much traffic is just caused by trucks
Perhaps. Until you factor in all the roads that truck drivers aren’t allowed to use.
The only problem with the NJ Turnpike doing that and then once you get up to New York on the Cross Bronx Expressway then all that backs up
When I was a young man, I had a job in DC and my girlfriend (now wife of 39 years) was in college in Boston, so I drove 95 to New York on many a weekend (from there I would take 87 or 287 to 684 to 84 to 90 to get to Boston). I know I used both service plazas in Maryland. And of course, I would take the Delaware Memorial Bridge to the NJTP until it brought be back to 95 because there was no direct 95 link then.
I do remember fondly the eager anticipation of seeing her. I can't say I was that fond of 95.
I always take 95 Between DC and NYC When I’m traveling to New Jersey
The NJ Turnpike eastern spur (original section) is apparently going to become I-695, and the western spur will become mainline I-95 instead of 95W. I think it should be I-895 since both 695s would be very close. I-895 in NY is decommissioned and NY’s I-695 still exist.
Todd, Dicovered this series several months ago - it is fabulous! You do great work!!! But... been waiting for months to see the Baltimore skyline as you approach then pass by on 95 NB... and nothing! If you ever edit this, please reconsider!
Thanks! And I think I included the skyline in the 95 vid going in the other direction, NY-DC
For the NJ Turnpike split roadways, the Eastern Spur was the original Turnpike. The Western Spur came later. The Western Spur is internally known as I-95W. However both spurs are signed as I-95.
I'm speculating but the lack of a control city on 95 NB might be due to the long existing gap on 95 closed by the connector to the Penna Turnpike; same reason as having Trenton on the interchange signs. As it was only recently closed, signage is probably lagging being updated. Also to note that the Penna Turnpike connector isn't actually complete yet as the movements between the "new" 295 and 276 (and 95 NB to 276 WB) are also forthcoming.
I was gonna say this exact thing, but I am glad I looked to see if someone else said it first 😏😏
the 95 connector was JUST finished last year 🤔🤔 so I'm also positive that signature updating is in the works but that isn't a cheap task with so many that would need to be updated.
It was completed in 2018, it’s been 5 years
@@tysonstransitcam2190 OK .... nitpick at THAT detail. the overhead control city signage portion is still valid. and state DOT's everywhere are notorious for NOT replacing overhead signs unless they HAVE to.
It’s still the most famous interstate so…
I can't believe they sign New York City in Virginia and Maryland. To me, signing Philadelphia is important for I-95 from Baltimore, so they decide to ignore that. However, Delaware does sign Philly.
Right?
I've seen that 95 North sign with NYC as the bottom line control city quite a bit. definitely cool to see.
but i think Todd's point is valid ..... it would be a little odd to sign BOTH Philadelphia and NYC on northbound 95 around/out of the DMV cuz the fastest way to NYC is NOT going through Philadelphia ... but it would be odd to sign Wilmington (which is the decision point for going to Philadelphia/to NYC) from there. and while Philadelphia is a major metropolis in its own right .... most traffic from the DMV is going to NYC.
it makes sense to sign Philadelphia in Delaware cuz the 95/295 split is where traffic will either head to Philadelphia or NYC via NJ.
Speaking of NYC, before the 278, I'll sign NYC there. The 278 will be signed for Staten Island while the NJTP will be signed for Manhattan. As we meet the 78, it'll be signed for Jersey City and Lower Manhattan while the 95 will be signed for the GWB and/or Upper Manhattan. As we cross through Upper Manhattan and The Bronx, instead of New Haven, I'll sign Bridgeport in this case since its Connecticut's largest city. After Bridgeport, its New Haven.
Let me critique the signage of I-95.
•Washington, DC
-Alexandria, VA | •Baltimore (for local-express lanes)
•Baltimore | •New York City
•Philadelphia | •New York City
-Wilmington, DE | •Philadelphia (crossing into Delaware)
-Chester, PA | •Philadelphia (leaving Wilmington, DE)
•Philadelphia (leaving Chester, PA)
-Trenton, NJ | •New York City (leaving Central Philly while crossing under the Benjamin Franklin Bridge)
•New York City (via NJTP)
•Manhattan (meeting I-278)
•Upper Manhattan/GWB (meeting I-78)
•Bridgeport, CT
If you decide to state highways after you are done, or us routes, I have a few good ones:
US-95 (less known desert highway)
WA-20 (southeastern Washington highway, runs from vantage straight southeast)
WA-99 (coast, everyone knows this one)
WA-3 (connects 101 on the sound side)
OR-205 (fields is really cool, ~70 square mile dry lakebed)
Us-20 (sisters mountains are beautiful)
Ca-130 (mountain road)
Us - 50 (commonly known as loneliest road in the us, might not work for control cities but still cool road)
Us - 191 (utah desert stuff is cool)
More urban roads:
101 in Phenox
Us-30
Wa-16
Wa-522
Wa-161
Wa-7 (also mount rainier, not really urban)
Or-217
Or-99e
Or-99
Thanks for making epic videos, i love the progression on the channel and how much your passion for this stuff shows after more than 100 episodes.
I also feel like signing Philadelphia should be done in Maryland, but that signing ny is fine. I mean, Seattle is signed from over 200 miles away on I-90, and Denver is signed from over 350 (excluding the crazy I-70 sign)
Thanks!
I think the main reason 78 west only gets Newark Airport is that the majority going west on 78 from the NJ Turnpike would take 287 to 78. It is definitely a time saver to take that route. Also, living in the terminus of where the Somerset Freeway should connected to 287... we sorely miss the Freeway that should have been. I have no sorrow for all those in the Princeton area who nonstop complain about all the traffic in town. You did it to yourself in the 1970s.... great job blocking the much needed road.
This may be a toll road thing, but at the I-95/I-78 interchange, only WB I-78 takes the driver off the Turnpike toll system and onto the NJDOT stretch. Maybe the NJ Turnpike Authority doesn't feel it's that important to sign anything other than Newark and the airport.
I-95 is my favorite intersrate just because of how many major cities it goes through. I always loved looking at the signage growing up, but what a headache it is driving on it now that I'm older lol
The squiggle arrow on the NJ Tpk exit signs are reminiscent from the old exit signs for the late 50's-60's.
For I-95 in NY, the section that is the New England Thruway is sequentially numbered. The rest is mostly mileage-based.
I think the Philadelphia Airport being a control city is kinda funny.
I would like to request Exit 32 in Maine or more specifically the City that it goes to, that is not signed. (AKA LYMAN).
Thanks, you got it!
Most of the signage in Philly for 95 North was changed from Trenton to New York. There is definitely an overlay for NY on I-676 East for I-95 North. Also, I-95 (and for that matter, I-278 north of the RFK Bridge) always skips over Stamford and Bridgeport for New Haven. Bridgeport is actually the most populous city in CT.
I-95 in CT from NY line to New Haven is long corridor of continuous cities and suburbs (which then continue on I-91 through Hartford and Springfield). It makes sense to decide on New Haven because it is more famous outside the area (Yale) and is also a major interstate junction.
I'd be curious to hear your thoughts on Megalopolis theory and what it's full extent for I-95.
Megalopolis: a string of contiguous urban and suburban areas.
ps. I'm bias towards signing New York City from Washington DC. The half day trip between our political and economic capital is a very common hop.
I know traditionally it’s BosWash, but NY/DC does seem more intertwined than NY-Boston
@@ControlCityFreak similar thoughts, CT gets pretty desolate in points (my understanding is that there aren't any entirely rural counties on the corridor, but people like to grasp for straws to include things they want).
How far down in VA would you you include any parts of Maine?
the NY-NJ sign in VA still exists actually, it’s just a few miles south of the springfield interchange, between exits 163 and 166
The NJ Turnpike is one of the best designed roads in the United States.
It really is
I'd say the Garden State Parkway is a good second best.
@@TheSkyGuy77I prefer garden state parkway over the new jersey turnpike.
I can't wait for I-95 New England because that will be the section of I-95 that I'm most familiar with
I am a traffic engineering intern in DE and I worked on a signage project on Exit 9 at marsh road in Delaware.. cool to see it shouted out here!
Awesome!
i280 in newark has a drawbridge
They have a drawbridge on interstate 110 in the state of Mississippi when you drive south of Diberville and that's going towards Biloxi Mississippi
The ramps in PA to complete the infamous I-95 gap opened on September 22, 2018. As others have said, some updates to signs have lagged.
495 through Wilmington has an interesting industrial landscape with views of the Delaware River, always take it.
24:53 They do not change the control cities, instead when the sign flips, it will say ROADWAY CLOSED or ALL TRAFFIC KEEP LEFT...etc. if there road is blocked or if there is construction. In fact all retro NJ turnpike changeable signs are so clever adapting to emergencies.
Oh cool!
New Haven instead of Boston...definitely an interesting choice. Although I-95 is a mess between NYC and Boston so I'll let you be the judge of that.
I-95 doesn’t go to Boston and New Haven CT could work. I-91 junction there too.
I remember when my Grandparents lived on Staten Island going I 287 and Route 440...
I have a good video idea when you’re taking a break from I-95!! If you want you could do I-275 in Florida since you said in your I-75 South video that you would save I-275 in Florida for it’s own video!!
The Wilson bridge may be the only drawbridge on a mainline interstate, but I-110 in Biloxi also has a drawbridge over the Back Bay.
I'm glad Luke requested for 7A for and one way towards the GSP and my exit for the GSP is Exit 82A! Great video and feeling the Jersey love ❤
Born & raised in MD, I've got a few other notes that I can recall about 95 in my area. There was once a time in the 1970s and '80s where the exit numbering north of I-695, which was mileage-based since I-95 opened in central MD in 1971, reset itself back to 1 and the numbering became sequentially-based until the Delaware line, much like how the exit numbering resets in the Bronx when you go from the Cross Bronx to the Bruckner. Also, heading south out of Baltimore, the control city at the I-695 junction originally included Richmond in addition to Washington until sometime in the '80s, and the city appeared faintly visible until the new Clearview signs were installed in the late 2000s.
Another thing I notice is that scarcity of mileage signage to various locations compared with to the stretch in the South. The first mileage sign for NYC used to appeared around where the ICC (MD 200) was built, appropriately 212 miles. There was also a mileage sign just past the Rest Area near Laurel, MD before being knocked down a few years ago. There are still a few southbound between Baltimore and DC, but as far as I know, none northbound at all between the two beltways. Any idea why it isn't a top priority to include them?
Over the course of making this channel, I’ve noticed milage signs are most prevalent when there is a minimum 2-3 mile gap between exits. Between Fredericksburg and Portland on 95, there just aren’t that many gaps that long
495 is way faster than taking 95 thru Wilmington usually. Speed limit is 65 but most people do 90 🤣
The section of I-95 from the New Jersey Turnpike to the PA/DE state line is rather new. For decades, there was a gap. I-95 just ended in the middle of the NJ Tpk then picked up near I-295. You are aware of the gap. This may be why the pass through signs didn't mention a control city.
I wish the NJ turnpike and Delaware was designated I-95E prior to the gap being completed in 2018.
Yes US 50 is secret I-595. A fun fact about US 50 when it was completed to freeway standards they considered making it a 2 digit interstate. They considered giving it the 68 number but they finally decided to keep it as a US highway and gave 68 to the road between Morgantown and Hancock.
They could have named it I-66 in Maryland, had it folliw DC 295 to I-395 at the 11th Street Bridge, continue jointly with 395 to V8rginia Route 110 and rename 110 to I66...where it would join I66 in Rosslyn.
15:45…I’ve stayed at that Holiday Inn before a few years ago! It was the only time I’ve ever been to Philadelphia.
How was it?
@@ControlCityFreak it was great! Pretty cozy, and they had shuttle service. And I had a nice view of the bridge!
@@elizabethorsillo7187 Right on, sounds good!
I’ve driven on this entire section and, yes, it is busy!
I-280 in New Jersey has a draw bridge.
Also Truck 1-9 does not go across the Skyway. The Skyway doesn't allow trucks, the truck route goes around it.
The signs on 95 in the DC area can be misleading. One nickname for the Springfield Interchange is Malfunction Junction.
I-95 runs as basically concurrent highways from the time it enters the NJ Turnpike coming from PA until it crosses the East River into the Bronx. It's the Inner/Outer roadways (aka Cars Only and Car-Truck-Buses lanes) until just north of Newark Airport when each set of lanes splits into the Eastern Spur and Western Spur (that's where there are actually 3 sections of 3 lanes each because of the long ramp from I-78 onto I-95 North); as the Eastern and Western Spurs come together (just after the Vince Lombardi Service Area), the roadway splits to/from I-80 - this is a bit more pronounced going southbound - until it meets and adopts I-80 East's local/express configuration; that flows into the Lower and Upper levels of the GWB, which stays split until crossing the East River into the Bronx. Going South, the part with I-80 has one set of lanes coming from I-80 East and US 46 East, and the other from I-80 West/I-95 South, until they mix and split into the Eastern and Western Spurs.
Go look at the exit numbers used on I-95 after the Vince Lombardi Service Area - the Turnpike officially ends after the toll plazas at NJ 3/NJ 495 and the next exits adopt exit numbers from I-80...including the exit for US 46 which is before getting to I-80.
As a New Jersey/New York/Pittsburgh sports fan that hate all Philadelphia sports teams, I applaud Virginia's and Maryland's pretending that Philadelphia doesn't exist.
Also I never understood signing I-78 west for the airport. The previous exit is the better way to get to the airport IMO. I would honestly sign it for downtown Newark because taking I-78 to rt. 21 is the best way to get there. Plus I hate taking I-280.
The way I think this stretch of I-95 should be:
Washington, Baltimore, New York, Philadelphia (after the turnpike split), New York, Stamford and then New Haven. I would sign Stamford because it is a very fast growing city in the region. It'll probably be CT's largest city by the end of the decade.
The spilt in the north section of the NJ Tpk was once numbered I-95W and I-95E. It only lasted a few years and went back to I-95 on both sections.
The Eastern Spur is the original turnpike and in my opinion, it should be I-95 while the Western Spur should either be I-395 or I-495
WHY NOT 595 OR 695
27:19 There’s a sign before that which actually puts Long Island as a control city on I-295 with the Throgs Neck Bridge. Not sure why it’s not on that sign.
A region isn’t the best control city. If you had to choose a town, what would you choose? I’d choose Hicksville.
@Tysons Transit Cam In this case I think going with the region makes sense. Long Island itself doesn't have a community large enough to sign, but does have almost 3 million people between Nassau & Suffolk County, so it would make sense to sign the region as a whole and if you are going to Long Island from there you must take the Whitestone or Throgs Neck Br
@timj684 I don’t think I’d sign anything on Long Island from I 95, considering it is impossible to get there without driving through New York, but “community large enough to sign” is highly dependent on how “community” is defined. I have no idea why places in the east do this, but “towns” and “townships” can be broken down into CDPs, villages or hamlets.
If you prefer the broken down communities, then the largest one in the two counties is Brentwood (63k). However, if you DON’T prefer them, then the largest one is Hempstead (800k). Here, other major cities in the metro like Newark, Jersey City and Yonkers are much less significant.
I’ve never lived anywhere with these “towns” and “townships”, but I personally think that Brentwood 63k and Hempstead 60k is a better representative of importance than Hempstead 800k (i.e. more than TRIPLE the population of New York’s “second largest” community, Buffalo)…
Hehe, I always use Exit 1 in DE to get back on at ex. 109 in MD. 😂
21:12 the 278 bridge that takes you to Staten Island is called the Goethals bridge
As a child I went back and forth (from NJ to grandparents' homes in Brooklyn and Queens) across the old Goethals bridge, which looked like it had been put together from an erector set and riveted by a high school shop class. It worked fine; it was just such a contrast with the grandeur of the Verrazano at the other side of Staten Island.
The bridge on I-278 that crosses into Staten Island is called the Goethals bridge.
Woodbrige is control city from Garden State Parkey from Exit 82 on the parkway
@zack9777 Does Woodbridge even count as a “city”? I thought it was a Township? I’m not saying I wouldn’t make it a control on the appropriate road; some roads in Nevada have CDPs as controls, considering how few “cities” the state has…
@@tylermarchand2996 In New Jersey, City,Township,Borough,Village,Town are forms of governments under Walsh Act, those terms before the city name mean nothing
Couple of notes:
-Other interstate drawbridges:
5 over Columbia River in Portland
280 over Passaic River in Newark NJ
278 over Bronx River in NYC
110 in Biloxi
264 over Elizabeth River in Norfolk VA
- I-895 in Maryland is the old I-95 prior to Ft. McHenry Tunnel rerouted I-95 closer to downtown Baltimore.
-I-495 is better way to Philly versus I-95 through downtown Wilmington. 495 is a a wide 6-lane bypass with fewer exits while 95 is 4-lanes.
-NJTP Spur Split signs are changeable and will route thru traffic away from accidents/events. Going north thru traffic usually routed on western spur unless there’s a football game at Meadowlands.
Oh yeah. Gotta love the absolute insanity of the Springfield Interchange. It freaks me out whenever I have to go through it
My dad had a esay pass to get through Pennsylvania and Ohio he only had to pay the toll at the Ohio turnpike and maybe Pennsylvania. Because i had family in parts of the great lakes and Indiana like gets a slip from the toll booth then he pays the toll in the Toldeo exit.
4:20 you forgot about the draw bridge on Interstate 5 between Oregon and Washington
And the one on I 110 in Biloxi Mississippi.
and the Berkley Bridge on I-264 in Norfolk!
And I-280 in New Jersey
FYI, Rye is also the home of Rye Playland. It's an amusement park. Also, I live in New Brunswick, NJ, so I've been on that part of I-95 quite a bit. I tend to refer to it as the Turnpike, though.
My grandparents used to live in Springfield so I am familiar with the Springfield interchange. It’s nickname is The Spaghetti Bowl.
THIS IS MY FAVORITE TH-cam CHANNEL WHEN I GOT THE HOBBY OF INTERSTATES I STARTED WATCHING THESE VID I STARTED WATCHING WHEN YOU DID I 93 My2nd faved interstate but 95 is my favorite
495 going thru Wilm. Del. Is 6 lanes, and 65 mph, and I believe more direct to the Pa line.
Into the late 1980s l, if not early 1990s, the JFK MEM HWY portion had "NJ Turnpike" as a control city. New York became the destination around the same time mileage based exit numbers replacing the sequential JFK MEM HWY exit numbers.
There's a drawbridge on I-5 across the Columbia River between Oregon and Washington.
And if you count three-digit interstates, there's a drawbridge on I-110 in Biloxi, MS.
Going north once I crossover in to Maryland, I completely cutout Baltimore area and most of Maryland by using exit 19, Route 50 east and take that to Route 301 north.
🚛
As a Philly area person this is the interstate I've been on the most in my life. My exit USED TO be Exit 49, but once 95 was re-routed onto the Turnpike it became Exit 8 on 295. Also, I've spent much time in Central Jersey (Yes it exists), so every exit from 7A up to 10 is very nostalgic for me. (Exit 10 is about as far north in NJ as I like to go)
For a year or so you would have been exit 8 off of I-195 but they changed their mind. I was over in your neck of the woods when I would go plane spotting at Trenton Mercer Airport...I moved away but I can't wait to fly back to Jersey thru the new terminal (probably won't be till like 2027 though)
I know that 95 ain’t as long as the big 10’s interstates but, there’s more to talk about in this case
I280 in Newark has a drawbridge & flashers.
Nothing like the home stretch of 95 :) Once you hit Alexandria going north it's rare to not have stop and go. Notorious bit of highway. And the two Maryland service areas you showed are awful. The exits are extremely short and clog up the left lane since they're in the center. And you'd think the re-entry zone would be long enough for trucks to speed up since they're being dumped into the far-left lane. NOPE it's more like the on ramp joins and ends immediately.
I used to live in NJ and had MD EZ pass because you could request the License Plate Mount without a need.
Thr Linc has been named the same since it opened in 2004. Spectrum 2, not so much.
The NCIS HQ is also on MCB Quantico 1:49
Been on the Whitestone Bridge
When going on family trips growing up (and from time to time) we always use The Throgs Neck Bridge
When you finish the 1/2 digit interstates you should do an episode on ranking the interstates with the best control cities
I might do that. Tough to say because it would definitely favor short and intrastate roads
OK
13:47 i would've put Pittsburgh, PA and Denver , CO two of the major Cities on 76.
One problem: 76 is two different roads and that 76 goes nowhere near Denver.
Lol
The state capital I would sign that 76(the eastern one) for would be Harrisburg. Not Denver.
Pennsylvania I 95 History. After the Turnpike was built the Delaware expressway was part of the Philly area expressway system. The last sections in Philadelphia were near airport and Broad Street area. The Delaware expressway was to follow the US 13 and 1 corridor into Trenton. When it was decided that improving the expressway in Trenton wasn't the best option, the Scudders Falls option was taken. After years of deciding what to do for the New Jersey Gap for the Canceled Somerset Freeway, the option to Construct a high speed Ramps the current I 95 to the Turnpike. In 2018 the Ramps were opened completing the last missing link on I 95. Last of the 56 Eisenhower Interstate System . Before that it was the missing link between Palm Beach Gardens and Vero Beach in Florida in the early 90s.
As I understand, correct me if I am wrong, I-895 In Baltimore follows the former routing of I-95. I drove it once in 1998. It’s set up where in either direction you cannot exit 895 until after stopping to pay the toll. I also remember that it was a 4 lane interstate as opposed to the 8 lane wide interstate 95.
Interesting that I see no signs in this video directing travelers seeking to reach I-70 or I-83 to use I-695 in the Baltimore area. Are there any? What about signage to connect to I-97? Just wondering as I live across the country in the other Washington.
@Ron D Thank you.
The bridge from 13 on the Turnpike is the Goethals Bridge.
21:12 It's the Goethals Bridge, drive across it alot
21:00 from exit 13a to 15w you are driving through 6 miles of New Jersey's largest Metropolis, Newark. And amazingly the city is completely ignored by the NJ Turnpike. If the airport didn't exist there would be zero mention of the city. Newark finally appears as an afterthought for I280 West.
Well I mean, you're a stone's throw away away from a city that's 28 times bigger and infinitely more famous. Signing Newark from the south would be like signing Gary from the south or east.
Newark would work going Southbound for I-95 but not north.
@@spellcast1391 and that's exactly how it is now signed.😅
I’m a New England guy so I use this road a lot
You said you are not too worried about the $15 toll to cross the Hudson River on the GWB from NJ to NY. There aren’t a lot of Hudson crossings in the area. The Lincoln and Holland tunnels cost the same. The Tappan Zee is pretty far up the river.
The Tappan Zee bridge isn’t even a NJ-NYC crossing. It connects Westchester and Rockland counties.
@@ErikCB912 I agree. Todd seemed to say it would be easy to evade the toll when going from NJ toward CT because there are other ways to enter NYC. That can't be true. To get from NJ to CT, you need to cross the Hudson. There are not a lot of crossings.
I-95 suppose go through DC, instead it enters DC for a short period of time in the Potomac river. If Anacostia freeway gets a improvement project in the future along with US-50 from Anacostia freeway to the Capital Beltway. I-95 should be rerouted there and go along either I-695 and I-395 or I-295 back to the capitol beltway.
4:20 there is another draw bridge on I-5 at the oregon-washington border
There is a drawbridge on I-5 crossing the Columbia River connecting Oregon and Washington. The northbound span opened in 1917, the twin southbound span opened in 1956 then signed as US 99. Currently there’s plans to replace the old drawbridge with a new bridge on I-5, I believe construction will be starting soon.
Yeah, these are the other movable spans on the interstate highway system:
I-64 over the Elizabeth River in Chesapeake, VA
I-264 over the Elizabeth River in Norfolk, VA
I-5 over the Columbia River in Portland, OR
I-280 over the Passaic River in NJ
Still think that you should pause to do some off branch content. My suggestion is to do the Philly area ones for the following reasons:
1. There’s only 3 offbranches of 95 there
2. Delaware deserves that attention, especially since you’re going to rank it after the final 95 video
3. That area is what most of this video is about
4. DC/Baltimore off branches can be part of the 97 video, just like 290 was part of 88’s. As for the off-branches in NY and New England, that can wait until you cover mainline 95
Before someone asks about Philly’s 76 off-branches, he covered 676 in the 76 video, and part of 476 in 81’s videos. The rest of 476 deserves a video all to itself as it is longer than 83, 97, and 99
I grew up in SE Massachusetts and would occasionally visit my father's relatives in the South when I was a kid. What I remember was that we never went into PA on I-95, but stayed on the NJ Turnpike all the way to the Delaware Memorial Bridge, and I guess picked up I-95 again in DE. I was actually a bit surprised to find out that I-95 goes into PA at all. Even 59 year olds can learn something new once in a while.
I have family in New England, and one time we drove from my grandma's old house near New Haven to DC. We went via the NJ Turnpike (this was years before the two halves of I-95 were connected); considering I-95's weird routing in central NJ, I'd have to imagine most people from central NJ northward drive to Wilmington and points south via the NJ Turnpike.
@@andyjay729 Yeah the Turnpike is optimized for long-haul travel through southern Jersey. 295 is the suburban bypass (good for shunpiking if it's not rush hour), and 95 is through the city (and you're crazy if you're doing 476-276 as an inland bypass: if you were going to bypass Philly to the west, you'd use 81!).
The NJTP has a strong enough brand that it doesn't need no stinking Interstate number!
@@andyjay729 Whenever my parents and/or I traveled between PA and New England, I always avoided the New Jersey Turnpike in its entirety. Cutting from what is now 295 up NJ-31, to 202/206 to 287, and then giving New York a fairly wide berth by way of 684 or Saw Mill up to I-84.
I’m also from SE Massachusetts! Twice when I was a child we drove to Florida, following I-95. But we always took the NJ Turnpike, bypassing Philadelphia.
As a result of this, I’ve traveled on portions of I-95 in every state except Pennsylvania.
There is another drawbridge on the I-110 in Biloxi Mississippi, crossing the Biloxi Back Bay and Bayou Bernard.
4:05 That's correct; there's no toll on the express lanes, which begin just before VA Exit 177 (US-1). The express and local lanes rejoin after MD exit 3 (MD-210). The lane separation was constructed at the same time as the new Woodrow Wilson Bridge.
Some weird stuff: when in Center City, the control city for NB 95 says “Northeast Philadelphia”
The bridge from PA to NJ on 95 was closed for a while because a structural steel girder sheered off completely, which is comforting when I drive on it.
And as I requested (thanks!!!), PA-63 Woodhaven Rd is a freeway that goes from 95 to just past US 1 and ends in a stub end. It would have been interesting to see what would have been. Also, that’s usually my exit coming south on 95. I usually would get off at Academy Rd coming NB to get home, but that’s a boring exit.
I have not watched yet, but I am predicting there is a Super Bowl 57 reference in this video.
I am correct!
I-5 crossing the Columbia river in Portland also has a drawbridge…or did last time I was there in 2018
Brings back memories of when I moved back to Georgia from New Hampshire. Spent the night In Wilmington. Thankfully, I still had my EZ pass from New Hampshire. The tolls added up, but not nearly as much as they would have been without it.
17:02 Going north used to be so confusing during the gap period. You would go north and completely wrap around the Trenton area then you would see “END 95” signs and you would be going south again. People who were not local to the area would be like “I just want to go to NYC 😂” Mapquest showed this so long after the gap was filled.
Also, there is rumors of a brand new I-99 running from savannah to Christiana so Delaware might get a brand new 2-digit interstate! 😁
I'd rather call it I-101, just like how the west coast has a US 101, since there's already an I-99 in PA/NY. It also makes sense for Delaware since it could basically be an auxiliary route for DE 1, which it would replace north of Dover.
It's not even the only interstate drawbridge in Virginia.
Sometimes I think I-95 should have been routed over the Delaware Memorial Bridge and the entire length of the New Jersey Turnpike instead of passing through Wilmington and Philadelphia.
Or I-95W for wilmington/philadelpelphia and I-95E NJT.
I've lived in MD my entire life and I also always found it weird that Philadelphia was on none of the signs.
And the latest Philly casualty? A mileage sign at the northbound rest area just past Laurel that included Philadelphia as one of the destinations (at 120 miles), where a truck was believed to have knocked it down a few years ago, left on the side of the road for a couple years, and has since been removed.
The I-95 corridor between the DC Metro and NYC is where the American theatre of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and 3 take place.
And I can remember the memes about Seargent Foley:
“Ramirez! Get on that sentry gun!”
“Ramirez! Take out that enemy helicopter!”
“Ramirez! Help us defend Burger Town!”
“Ramirez! Use the predator drone!”
Ah, the memes. You can actually see signs for I-395 in the “Wolverines!” mission of MW2 by the way.
You ever played the original Modern Warfare trilogy?
13:05 I-95 cuts directly through Chester. And yes, at least 2 exits in Chester.
Whitestone Bridge is also signed for Queens.
It’s actually better to take I-495 in Wilmington. It’s a little bit quicker, wider, and less windy than 95.
Also, if you’re buying beer at the Total Wine at the last I-95 exit in Delaware and bringing it back to PA, you can meander down Darley Road to I-495 and get on NB 95 from there. They used to nab people leaving Total Wine and getting right back on 95 there to go into PA.
@@Ndalum07 why would they do that? Is it illegal to transport beer into PA? Or is it maybe a sales tax issue because Delaware doesn’t have any sales tax so people try to skirt the sales tax in PA?
@@ErikCB912 Yes, people in SE PA would often buy in Delaware because of the taxes and because you can buy everything together. At one point at least in PA, if you wanted a six-pack of Sam Adams, a case of Coors Light, and a bottle of Tito’s, you had to go to three different stores. And it’s illegal to cross state lines with booze.
@Ndalum07 When I lived in Pa way back in the early 80s. In Northwestern Pennsylvania you bought wine at the wineries of course my town had a lot being in concord grape 🍇 country. Beer at Beer Distributors or Bar. State Store for hard liquor. I not sure if that still is the norm or things have loosen up.
I know why there is a Western Spur of the New Jersey Turnpike. When you're coming in from the south and north, the western spur enables you to avoid going near the exit to the Lincoln Tunnel and coming in from the south, it will enable you to get to the George Washington Bridge a bit quicker
True, and to the Meadowlands as well
Depends the time as well. The eastern spur reduces distance compare to the western spur. Sometimes, the eastern spur can quicker depending the time.