MDPD6320
Gainesville, Florida
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Hi,
I hope someone can answer this question:
If someone were going to travel from Chicago to Florida in 1972
what roads would they most likely take? Were the Interstates available as completed roadways?
I'd appreciate any help with this little research project.
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rv2go
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US 27 would take you most of the way to Florida.
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paulj
Seattle
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Wikipedia has articles on interstates and many highways. For example typing 'wiki i75' on my search bar gave me the one on I75. It describes the route in each of states and gives something of the history.
Most if not all of the I_5 (NS) and I_0 (EW) were completed by the late 60's. I remember on a 1968 trip, the section of 2 lane highway on I70 in the middle of Utah was an anomaly. Shortly before that there was a National Geographic issue devoted to the interstate system. Maybe you could find that in a library.
I took a bus from Miami to Chicago around 1972, but don't recall how much we used interstates and how much other highways. Probably a mix.
My guess is that I75 and I65 were both available, with possibly a US highway to cross from one to the other at some point.
Check the Dixie Highway article as well. That was an earlier set of routes that ran from Miami to Chicago.
* This post was
edited 10/09/09 01:01am by paulj *
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skipnchar
Topeka Kansas USA
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By 1972 most all of the MAJOR interstate highways were already completed. There have been a LOT of additional roads finished since then but the coast to coast and border to border were done. Hard to say what a particular person might have taken but I would think that commercial travel would have been MOSTLY on Interstate system. Which routes would have depended on the stops on their schedule.
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jambo101
Montreal (Lasalle)
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If you look on any map the old road is usually paralleling the interstate..I really like taking the old roads as the pace is less hectic as every one else is out on the interstate going as fast as they can to who knows where.also on the back roads you get to see a part of the country that has long since been bypassed by the interstate,good time to get on the interstate is when traveling either through or around major cities. Wish i had more time to take the road less travelled but sometimes ya just gotta make time.
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amxpress
Clayton, NC
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I-65 to Nashville, I-24 to Chattanooga, I-75 to Florida.
There was occasional construction delays/detours along the way. The ones I remember were in Tennessee near the I-65/I-24 interchange and through the mountain area. Also North Georgia and North of Atlanta.
I moved from Chicago to Atlanta in 1971, drove the route many times back then.
Prior to the Interstates being completed, we took US 41 most of the way. As sections of the Interstate were completed, we were re-routed from US 41 to the "new" Interstate.
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MDPD6320
Gainesville, Florida
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Thank you all for your help. Maps etc. are great but there is nothing as good as personal knowledge. It was exactly what I needed.
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Me & Her
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 .. It just so happens I pulled out my 1967 Rand McNally Road Atlas that we use for following the old(er) roads and one of the most direct routes from Chicago to Florida would be US-41. It would take you down the south side of the SunShineState to the Naples area and east across the southern tip to Miami.
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thomhack
central florida
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I 75 was not completed just north of Atlanta Ga. in 1972. US 41 was used until it opened if memory serves. Various portions of I-75 in Kentucky were open intermittently during this time. In fact I-75 through downtown Atlanta in those days had cross traffic. Except for the stretch just north of Atlanta I-75 was largely complete ( except for sections in South Florida to Miami). As far as getting to Chicago was concerned I can't help you beyond Atlanta. Hope this helps.
* This post was
edited 10/10/09 06:36pm by thomhack *
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