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Interstate 35E

Interstate 35E

Interstate 35E is the name used for the eastern half of Interstate 35 in two segments where the highway 'splits' to serve different cities. I-35 is a long north-south interstate highway having termini in Laredo, Texas and Duluth, Minnesota, is the only existing interstate to be divided in this manner. The divisions occur in Minnesota and Texas, each of which have "twin cities" along the highway. Perhaps though it should be said that the split of Interstate 35 is simply the only remnant of an older, clumsy-albeit-logical, system of directional suffixes. Interstate 135 in Kansas was originally labeled I-35W, but the main route was still I-35, not I-35E. For the history of other suffixed routes, look particularly at Interstate 84 (former I-80N), Interstate 86 (former I-15E), Interstate 75 (part of which was I-75E), and Interstate 81 which once had I-81E, now numbered as the I-380 spur of Interstate 80. There were many others, however it was quickly seen that confusion reigned with branching directionally-suffixed routes that did not return to the parent. Since regardless of the route of I-35E or I-35W that one chooses, one eventually comes back to a unified I-35, the AASHTO committees allowed these to stay.

Interstate 35E in Minnesota

Interstate 35 splits in eastern Minnesota at Columbus Township to the north and Burnsville to the south. Interstate 35E serves the state capital of St. Paul, while I-35W runs through the state's largest city, Minneapolis. Unlike its western 'twin', it seems not to have supplanted any earlier highways. It is 41 miles in length, approximately two miles longer than I-35W. Mileposts and exits along the highway are numbered contiguously with the rest of Interstate 35 in the state, while the numbering starts at exit 1 in Forest Lake on I-35W. Interstate 35E in Minnesota was the subject of much controversy when it came time to build its final piece between Minnesota State Highway 5 and Interstate 94. The routing took it through numerous affluent areas whose residents did not like the prospect of traffic noise in their backyards. A compromise was reached where that portion of the interstate was built as a parkway with a speed limit of 45 miles per hour. However, there is nothing to differentiate the section from the regular freeway other than the posted speed limit and decorative shrubbery in the median. Ever since, the I-35E "parkway" has become a favorite speed trap for local police.

Interstate 35E in Texas

Interstate 35 splits in northern Texas at Denton to the north and Hillsboro, Texas to the south. The more easterly Interstate 35E passes through Dallas, while I-35W goes through Fort Worth. It supplants the old U.S. Highway 77 through most of its course. Denton, Dallas, and Waco are control cities on this highway. It is a less direct route than I-35W for destinations like Waco and points south, and places north of Denton on I-35. Additionally, because it passes through the much larger Dallas, Texas, I-35E has very heavy traffic. North of downtown Dallas it is the Stemmons Freeway, a prime example of a highway with frontage roads on each side to promote commercial development along the highway. South of downtown Dallas it is the R.L. Thornton Freeway. Interstate 35E is nearly 97 miles in length, almost 12 miles longer than its western counterpart. Like in Minnesota, mileposts on I-35E are contiguous with those on I-35. 35E 35E 35E

Interstate 35

Interstate 35 (often abbreviated I-35) is an interstate highway running north-south in the central United States. It stretches from Laredo, Texas on the U.S.-Mexico border to Duluth, Minnesota at Minnesota State Highway 61 (London Road) and 26th Avenue East. Many interstates used to have splits or spurs indicated with suffixed letters (N/S/E/W), but I-35 is the only one that still has such divisions. In two stretches, the highway splits into Interstate 35E (Dallas and St. Paul) and Interstate 35W (Fort Worth and Minneapolis). In both cases, the exit numbers follow I-35E, but everything else gives the two routes equal status.

Length

Major cities along the route

exit number
- Laredo, Texas
- San Antonio, Texas
- Austin, Texas
- Waco, Texas
- Dallas, Texas (I-35E)
- Fort Worth, Texas (I-35W)
- Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
- Wichita, Kansas
- Kansas City, Missouri
- Des Moines, Iowa
- Albert Lea, Minnesota
- Minneapolis, Minnesota (I-35W)
- Saint Paul, Minnesota (I-35E)
- Duluth, Minnesota

Intersections with other Interstates (from South to North)


- Interstate 10 in San Antonio, Texas
- Interstate 37 in San Antonio, Texas
- Interstate 35 splits into I-35E and I-35W in Hillsboro, Texas
- Interstate 20 in Dallas and in Fort Worth, Texas
- Interstate 30 in Dallas and in Fort Worth, Texas
- Interstate 45 in Dallas, Texas (via I-30 in the downtown Mixmaster)
- I-35E and I-35W rejoin in Denton, Texas
- Interstate 40 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
- Interstate 44 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
- Interstate 70 in Kansas City, Missouri
- Interstate 29 in Kansas City, Missouri
- Interstate 80 in Des Moines, Iowa
- Interstate 90 in Albert Lea, Minnesota
- Interstate 35 splits into I-35E and I-35W in Burnsville, Minnesota
- Interstate 94 in Minneapolis and in Saint Paul, Minnesota
- I-35E and I-35W rejoin in Forest Lake, Minnesota

Spur routes


- Dallas, Texas - I-635
- Oklahoma City, Oklahoma - I-235
- Wichita, Kansas - I-235
- Spur to Wichita, Kansas and Salina, Kansas - I-135 (see below)
- Spur to Topeka, Kansas - I-335 (part of the Kansas Turnpike)
- Kansas City, Missouri - I-435, I-635
- Des Moines, Iowa - I-235
- Duluth, Minnesota to Superior, Wisconsin - I-535 While numbered as loop routes for I-94, routes I-494 and I-694 in Minneapolis/St. Paul serve as loops for I-35 as well.
- Cancelled: Minneapolis, Minnesota - I-335

Notes

I-335
- When I-35 ends at Laredo, Texas, Mexico Highway 85 begins at Nuevo Laredo, on the other side of the Rio Grande.
- In Austin, Texas, elevated express lanes were constructed on either side of the original freeway. Prior to this expansion, this section included an at-grade railroad crossing, which is extremely unusual for a freeway.
- I-35 splits up into I-35W and I-35E in the Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas area. The official mile markers follow I-35E through Dallas -- I-35W, which is 85 miles in length, carries its own mileage from Hillsboro to Denton, as though it were an x35 loop.
- I-135, which branches off in Wichita, Kansas, is 95 miles (153 km) long. It carried the designation I-35W until the 1980s, despite never rejoining the main line of I-35. It terminates in Salina, Kansas at the intersection with Interstate 70 (though the controlled-access freeway continues north as US 81).
- In Kansas, all of I-335 and I-35 between Emporia and the Oklahoma border are toll roads (the Kansas Turnpike).
- At Medford, Minnesota, the on/off ramps lead to roundabouts rather than standard cross intersections. This is the first site in the state linked to a major highway to use roundabouts.
- Interstate 335 was planned as an additional bypass of the Twin Cities; that road was never built. It would have connected I-35W north of downtown Minneapolis westward to I-94 to ease congestion on the Lowry Hill Tunnel on I-94 (but studies later showed that the new freeway would actually have put more traffic in the tunnel). The eastern terminus of I-335 was to be where the Johnson St exit is now on I-35W north of downtown Minneapolis, and the interchange design there is unusual for a surface street, indicating that I-335 did get off the ground slightly before being killed in the 1970s.
- I-35 splits again into I-35W and I-35E in the Minneapolis/Saint Paul, Minnesota area. At one sharp turn in I-35W near the junction with I-94, it is advised to slow to 35 mph (55 km/h) (although many drivers are able to maintain the speed limit of 55 mph (90 km/h)). Additionally, it is not possible to go from westbound I-94 to northbound I-35W or from southbound I-35W to eastbound I-94 without resorting to surface streets.
- On I-35E in Minnesota between Minnesota State Highway 5 and Interstate 94, in both directions, trucks weighing more than 9,000 lbs (4,082 kg) are banned from the freeway, and the speed limit drops to 45 mph (70 km/h) but it is rarely obeyed.
- I-35 is part of the Avenue of the Saints between Clear Lake, Iowa, and St. Paul. A four-lane link has been completed between Clear Lake and Interstate 380 in Waterloo, Iowa.

Paseo Bridge Improvements

On September 1, 2005, MoDOT reopened the Paseo Bridge over the Missouri River in Kansas City, Missouri after completing a six-month rehabilitation project ahead of schedule. However, the rehab project is only a short-term fix; MoDOT is in the planning process of devising an eight-lane crossing for the interstate, either by building a duplicate bridge to house one direction of traffic or a new bridge or bridges. The project is backed by USD$50 million in funding procured by Senator Kit Bond in the 2005 Transportation Bill.

External links


- [http://www.kcstar.com/fyi/travel/i35/i35.htm Kansas City Star's "I-35 Odyssey, A Summer Travel Series"]
- [http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/infrastructure/history.htm Highway History - A Look at the History of the Federal Highway Administration] 35 35 35 35 35 35 35

Interstate Highway

The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, commonly called the Interstate Highway System, is a network of highways in the United States. The Interstate Highway System is a separate system within the larger National Highway System. With very few exceptions, Interstate highways are controlled-access freeways, allowing for safe high-speed driving when traffic permits. They are assigned a special level of funding at the federal level. Despite this federal funding, these highways are owned, designed, built and maintained by the state in which they are located, with the only exception being the federally-owned Woodrow Wilson Bridge on the Capital Beltway (I-95/I-495). The highways in the system are typically known as Interstate XX or I-XX; sometimes Interstate Highway XX (IH XX) or Interstate Route XX (IR XX) is used. In some areas the more generic Route XX or Highway XX is used. The system serves all major U.S. cities, and unlike its counterparts in most industrialized countries, often goes right through downtown areas rather than bypassing them. This facilitated the emergence of automobile-oriented postwar suburban development patterns, often pejoratively referred to as "urban sprawl". The system is prominent in the daily lives of most Americans. Virtually all goods and services are delivered via the Interstate Highways at some point. Many residents of American cities use the urban segments of the system to go to and from their jobs. Most long-distance journeys (for vacation or business) of less than 300 miles (500 km) use the interstate highway system at some point. Hawaii has several signed Interstates, but Alaska and Puerto Rico do not. The latter two do have roads designated as Interstates for funding purposes, but they are not currently or planned to be built to Interstate standards. The public controlled-access highways of Puerto Rico are the Autopistas (PR-22, PR-52, and PR-53).

History

Autopistas The interstate system was authorized by the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956, popularly known as the National Interstate and Defense Highways Act of 1956. It was lobbied for by major U.S. automobile manufacturers and championed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower, and was influenced by both his experiences as a young soldier crossing the country in 1919 following the route of the Lincoln Highway, and by his appreciation of the German autobahn network. Planning for a system of new superhighways began in the late 1930s, even before federal commitment to build the Interstate highway system came in the 1950s. Construction on the world's first public limited-access highway, the Bronx River Parkway, had begun in New York as early as 1907. By the 1920s, longer highways such as the New York City parkway system had been built as part of local or state highway systems. As automotive traffic increased, planners saw a need for such an interconnected national system to supplement the existing, largely non-freeway, U.S. Highway system.The General location of national system of interstate highways, including all additional routes at urban areas designated in September, 1955 maps what became the interstate system, and is informally known as the Yellow Book. Although construction on the Interstate Highway system continues, it was officially regarded as complete in 1991 (though 1.5 miles of the original planned system remain unconstructed as of 2005 [http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/programadmin/interstate.html]). The initial cost estimate for the system was $25 billion over twelve years; it ended up costing $114 billion, taking 35 years to complete. As of 2004, the system contains over 42,700 miles (68,500 km) of roads, all at least four lanes wide.

Standards

:Main article: Interstate Highway standards 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. These standards have become stricter over the years. One almost absolute standard is the controlled access nature of the roads. Except for a 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 hours).

Speed limits

Speed limits vary according to location. By initial planning, the Interstate system was designed to provide reasonable road safety at speeds of 75 to 80 miles per hour (120 to 130 km/h) except in limited stretches (such as steep mountain passes or urban cores) where many vehicles cannot maintain such speeds. Many western states had high speed limits. Kansas, for example, had a posted limit of 80 mph (130 km/h)[http://people.smu.edu/acambre/blog/PermaLink,guid,5575625c-bbd4-47a3-be9f-9d5517d3a06f.aspx]. Some states, such as Oregon, defined the limit as whatever was "reasonable and proper", which would not be allowed today (see Montana reference below). In 1974, the federal government enacted 55 mph (90 km/h) as a gasoline conservation measure in response to the 1973 energy crisis. After the end of the embargo this restriction was continued as a safety measure. It was very unpopular, especially in western states. The 55 mph cap was relaxed in 1987 to allow 65 mph (105 km/h) speeds on rural Interstates if the states so chose. During this interim period, some roads (such as I-335 in Kansas) were specifically designated as Interstates to take advantage of this higher speed limit. Shortly thereafter, 65 mph limits were allowed on roads not numbered as interstates but which were built to interstate standards. The 55/65 mph caps were eliminated in late 1995, fully returning speed limit control to the states. Many states maintain several different limits. For example, in California, most interstates are limited to 55 mph within a major city, 65 mph (105 km/h) for most of the suburban highway stretches, and up to 70 mph (115 km/h) throughout the desert and rural stretches of the state. In some states, commercial trucks have a lower speed limit than passenger automobiles. In some mountainous regions, the condition of the roadway mandates a lower speed limit than would otherwise have applied. While some states have maintained the 65 mph limit, other states have increased the limits to 70 or 75 mph (110 or 120 km/h). Generally, the highest speed limits are found in the South and Southwest, while the lowest are found in the Northeast. Soon after the end of the National Maximum Speed Limit, the state of Montana ended daytime speed limits for automobile traffic on Interstate Highways in the state, instead instructing motorists to maintain a "reasonable and prudent" speed. A few years later, the "reasonable and prudent" law was declared unconstitutional for being too vague and a limit of 75 mph (120 km/h) was enacted in its place. Texas recently enacted a law allowing 80 MPH speed limits on certain portions of Interstates 10 and 20 in far west Texas. However, these limits are on hold pending further study by the Texas Department of Transportation.

Dual-purpose design

In addition to being designed to support automobile and heavy truck traffic, interstate highways are also designed for use in military and civil defense operations within the United States, particularly troop movements. One potential civil defense use of the Interstate Highway System is for the emergency evacuation of cities in the event of a potential nuclear war. Although this use has never happened, the Interstate Highway System has been used to facilitate evacuations in the face of hurricanes and other natural disasters. An option for maximizing throughput is to reverse the flow of traffic on one side so that all lanes become outbound lanes. This procedure is known as Contraflow, and could be seen in the evacuations of New Orleans, Louisiana and Houston, Texas prior to hurricanes Katrina and Rita, respectively. Several Interstates in the South, including I-16 in Georgia, I-40 in North Carolina, I-65 in Alabama, I-10 & I-59 in Louisiana, and I-59 in Mississippi, are equipped and signed specifically for contraflow, with crossovers inland after major interchanges to distribute much of the traffic. This is however not limited to Interstates; US 49 from Gulfport to Jackson and State Road 528, in Central Florida, have the same setup. A widespread but false urban legend states 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.[http://www.tfhrc.gov/pubrds/mayjun00/onemileinfive.htm] However, the Germans in World War II used the Autobahns for just such a purpose.

Terminology

While the name implies that these highways cross state lines, many Interstates do not. Rather, it is the system of interstates that connects states. There are interstate highways in Hawaii, funded in the same way as in the other states, but entirely within the populous island of Oahu. They have the designation of H-X, and connect military bases. Similarly, both Alaska and Puerto Rico have public roads that receive funding from the Interstate program, though these routes are not signed as Interstate Highways.

Primary routes

The numbering scheme for the Interstate Highway System (as well as the U.S. Highway System) is coordinated by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), though their authority is occasionally trumped by a number written into Federal law. Within the continental United States, primary Interstates (also called main line Interstates or two-digit Interstates) are given one- or two-digit route numbers. Most Interstates have two numbers; there are only three one-digit Interstates in the system: I-4, I-5 and I-8. Within this category, 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. Numbers divisible by 5 are intended to be primary routes, carrying traffic long distances. For example, I-5 runs from Canada to Mexico along the west coast (the only interstate to do so) while I-95 runs from Miami north to Canada. In addition, I-10 runs from Los Angeles, California to Jacksonville, Florida while I-90 runs from Seattle to Boston. However, not all primary routes traverse long distances. I-45 runs from Galveston, Texas north to Dallas, Texas, a distance of only 284 miles. It is the only primary route that does not cross state lines (see List of intrastate Interstate Highways). It should be noted that I-50 and I-60 do not exist (and there are no even-numbered Interstates between 46 and 62), mainly because they would most likely have passed through the same states that already have US 50 and US 60. AASHTO rules discourage Interstate and US Highways with the same number to exist in the same state, although I-24 and US 24 exist at opposite ends of Illinois. Some planned Interstates do not follow this guideline - I-69 will enter Texas (which has US 69), I-74 will have a multiplex with US 74 in North Carolina, and I-41 will do the same with US 41 in Wisconsin. Several two-digit numbers are shared between two roads at opposite ends of the country, namely I-76, I-84, I-86 and I-88. Some of these were the result of a change in the numbering system in the 1970s; 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. In the 1970s, AASHTO decided to eliminate these; some became additional two-digit routes, while others became three-digit routes (see below). Only two pairs of these exist; I-35 splits into I-35W and I-35E through both the Dallas-Fort Worth and the Minneapolis-St. Paul areas. Strict adherence to the directional nature of the system results in some amusing oddities. For a ten-mile stretch east of Wytheville, Virginia, the driver can be traveling on both North I-81 and South I-77 at the same time (and vice versa) (see also Wrong-way multiplex). For the sake of efficiency, some Interstates double up for short or sometimes long distances, as in the example above. Another notable example are Interstates I-90 and I-94, which double and then separate several times as they criss-cross the upper Midwest and Great Plains.

Three-digit Interstates

Three-digit route numbers, consisting of a single digit prefixed to the number of a primary Interstate highway, are used to designate usually short spur or loop routes from their "parent" route, either directly or via another three-digit Interstate. A route that spurs from its parent and ends at an intersection with no other Interstates is given an odd first digit; a route that returns to its parent is given an even first digit. The number given to the first digit of a route that spurs from the parent and ends at another Interstate depends on the state; some consider these routes spurs and give them odd numbers, while others consider them loop-style connectors and give them even numbers. For instance, I-90 in New York has a full set of three-digit Interstates - I-190, I-290, I-390, I-490, I-590, I-690, I-790, I-890 and I-990. Due to the large number of these routes, they can be repeated in different places along the mainline; no two three-digit Interstates in the same state can share a number. The Minneapolis-St. Paul area has a single loop around the entire Metro area. I-94 intersects the loop in two spots and runs directly through it separating it into a northern and southern half. The southern half of it is labeled I-494 while the northern half of it is labeled I-694. Charlotte, North Carolina has a single loop around the city that intersects with both I-77 and I-85, but the entire loop is known as I-485. The Baltimore-Washington metropolitan area has several spur routes off of I-95. The area has I-195, I-295, I-495, I-795 and I-895. It also has two routes numbered I-395 (in Baltimore and Washington) and two I-695s (one is signed, the other is a secret designation), as well as an unsigned route called I-595. No I-995 exists anywhere. New York City has numerous spur routes off of I-78 and I-95, but none of I-78's spur routes actually intersect with I-78. A three-digit spur off a letter-suffixed two-digit Interstate (see above) was given a number without a letter suffix, except for one case - I-184 in Idaho was I-180N.

Exceptions

:Main article: List of gaps in Interstate Highways Interstate 238 near Oakland, California is one of two major exceptions to the numbering scheme, as no Interstate 38 exists. This number exists because Interstate 238 replaced a segment of California Highway 238, and no appropriate number was available. The other exception is I-99 in Pennsylvania, which was written into law as I-99 by Pennsylvania Congressman Bud Shuster; I-99 (which is also U.S. Highway 220) is west of several Interstates that are numerically less than 99, and was the nearest available unused two-digit number. Some proposed future Interstate routes have been given similarly non-conforming designations by their legislative proponents. For example, backers of the proposed Third Infantry Division Highway, a route in Georgia and Tennessee, have suggested it be named Interstate 3, in honor of the division for which the highway is named [http://www.interstate-guide.com/i-003.html].

Other notable examples


- I-82 lies fully north of I-84, but I-84 was I-80N when I-82 got its number.
- I-85 diverts west of I-75 (intersecting it near Atlanta, Georgia) The following two-digit Interstates change signed direction from their normal (even=east-west, odd=north-south) direction:
- I-69
- I-76 (west) Two-digit interstates in Hawaii, as well as the "paper" interstates of Alaska and Puerto Rico, are numbered sequentially in order of funding, without regard to the rules on odd and even numbers. Business Loop and Business Spur Interstates are not subject to any of the Interstate standards. Their designation is simple - a Business Loop heads into a downtown area from its parent and returns to its parent; a Business Spur ends downtown, occasionally continuing from the end of the main Interstate. Business routes can split from either two- or three-digit Interstates, and can be repeated within a state. In a few cases, where an Interstate has been realigned, the old road has been designated a Business Loop because it is not up to standards.

Financing

About 72% ([http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policy/ohim/hs03/htm/hf10.htm 2003 FHWA summary]) of the construction and maintenance costs are funded through user fees, primarily gasoline taxes, collected by states and the federal government, and tolls collected on toll roads and bridges. The rest of the costs come out of the federal budget. In the eastern United States, large sections of some Interstate Highways planned or built prior to 1956 are operated as toll roads. The taxes dedicated to the construction and maintenance of highways are often criticized as a direct subsidy from the government to promote and maintain auto-oriented development as we know it today. The dominant role of the federal government in road finance has enabled it to pass laws in areas outside of the powers enumerated in the federal Constitution. By threatening to withhold highway funds, the federal government has been able to force state legislatures to pass a variety of laws. Examples include increasing the legal drinking age to 21, for a number of years reducing the maximum speed limit to 55 miles per hour, passing Megan's Law legislation, lowering the legal intoxication level to 0.08/1000, and other laws. This has proved to be controversial. Those who support this feel that it is a way to provide an impetus to states to pass uniform legislation. Others feel that using highway dollars in this fashion upsets the balance between federal and states' rights in favor of the federal government, and effectively holds funds as ransom in order to coerce state governments into passing laws that would not have otherwised been introduced. As American suburbs push ever outward, the costs incurred of maintaining freeway infrastructure has started to catch up with the economy, leaving little in the way of funds for new interstate construction. This has led to the proliferation of the toll road (turnpike) as the new method of building limited-access highways in suburban areas. Also, some interstates are being privately maintained now (VMS in Texas, I-35) in order to cut rising costs of maintenance and allow state departments of transportation to focus on serving the fastest growing regions in their respective states. The future of the interstate system as we know it is in question. It is entirely possible that parts of the system will have to be tolled in the future to meet maintenance and expansion demands, as is done with adding toll HOV/HOT lanes in certain cities like Minneapolis, Houston, Dallas, and Washington D.C.

Non-chargeable Interstate routes

In addition to Interstate highways financed with federal funds (Chargeable Interstate routes), federal laws allow other highways to be signed as Interstates, if they meet the Interstate Highway standards and that they are logical additions or connections to the System. Called Non-Chargeable Interstate routes, these additions fall under two categories: # Routes that already meet Interstate standards. They can immediately be signed as Interstates once their proposed number is approved. # Routes designated as a future part of the system once they are upgraded to Interstate standards. Until then, it cannot be signed as an Interstate yet.

Signage

dollar Interstate Highways are signed by a number on a red, white and blue sign as shown to the right. In the original design, the state was formerly listed above the highway number, but in many states, this area is now left blank. The sign itself measures 36 inches high, and is 36 inches wide for two-digit interstates, or 45 inches for three-digit interstates. Business Loop and Business Spur Interstates use a special shield where the red and blue are replaced with green; the word BUSINESS appears instead of INTERSTATE, and the word SPUR or LOOP usually appears above the number. The majority of Interstates have exit numbers. All traffic signs and lane markings on the Interstates are supposed to be designed in compliance with the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD). However, there are many local and regional variations in signage. The state of California is now adapting to an exit numbering system after many years as being the only state in the country that did not use such a system. In most states, the exit numbers correspond to the mileage markers on the Interstates (with an exception being I-19 in Arizona, whose length is measured in kilometers instead of miles). Many northeastern states label exit numbers sequentially, regardless of how many miles have passed between exits. On even-numbered Interstates, mileage increases to the east and decreases to the west; and on odd-numbered Interstates, mileage increases to the north and decreases to the south. In both cases, the exit numbers increase and decrease accordingly.

Interstate oddities


- Vinita, Oklahoma — A McDonalds is built over the top of Interstate 44. It goes from one side of the interstate to the other, passing over the interstate. Customers can sit inside and eat while traffic drives beneath them. It is also purported to be the "world's largest".
- Kearney, Nebraska — The Great Platte River Road Archway Museum is built over top of Interstate 80. The 1,500 ton structure spans 308 feet across the interstate and houses a museum dedicated to frontier culture.
- Reno, Nevada — A Walgreens store sits on top of a segment of Interstate 80 in downtown Reno.
- Newton, Massachusetts — A Star Market supermarket is built over the top of Interstate 90. Traffic reporters refer to this point on the highway as the "Star Market overpass".
- Newton, Massachusetts — A Sheraton hotel is built over the top of Interstate 90.
- Boston, Massachusetts — The Prudential Tower in downtown Boston is built over top of Interstate 90 as well. A less known fact about Interstate 90 is that it is built over what used to be the largest railroad corridor in New England; photos from the 1950s show huge rail yards where I-90 now comes into the city. Many of the oddities on I-90 are the result of deals struck by the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority, Perini Corporation (which constructed the majority of the highway), and existing buildings at the time of construction. In return for not obstructing the highway project, the MTA went to lengths such as preserving the aforementioned Star Market.
- Atlanta, Georgia — The Civic Center MARTA station is located over the Downtown Connector (Interstate 75/85) at West Peachtree Street, making it the only subway station built over an Interstate highway.
- Illinois — The Illinois Tollway oasis is a type of rest area which spans the top of the interstate highway it is on. There are seven of them which are on the Tri-State Tollway (Interstates 80, 94 & 294), Northwest Tollway (Interstate 90) and the Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway (Interstate 88). Customers are able to sit inside the Oases and eat while traffic goes by beneath them. This type of development is common in the UK.
- Seattle, Washington — The [http://www.ci.seattle.wa.us/parks/parkspaces/FreewayPark.htm Seattle Freeway Park] sits on top of Interstate 5 (NB and SB, including HOV express lanes). The park is connected to the [http://www.wsctc.com Washington State Convention Center] connecting downtown to the [http://www.ci.seattle.wa.us/tour/capitol.htm Capitol Hill] and First Hill districts (locally, First Hill is also known as "Pill Hill" as this is Seattle's medical district). The park is multi-level and as such, there are areas where visitors are able to watch traffic pass by.
- Breezewood, Pennsylvania — There is a sign of a policeman pointing at you saying, "You! Slow Down!" You then have to drive a few blocks on US 30 before returning to I-70. This is a rare instance of a traffic light on an interstate.
- Jersey City, New Jersey — Interstate 78 follows a pair of one-way streets for a short distance between the Newark Bay Extension of the New Jersey Turnpike and the Holland Tunnel, which leads into New York City. Along with the aforementioned I-70, this is the only other primary interstate with traffic lights.

Criticism

In addition to the various economic issues, the system has roused criticism on aesthetic grounds. The efficiency and faster speeds of the system, made possible in part by engineering techniques that often tend to cut through the land rather than merely following it as with the older U.S. Highway, have inevitably resulted in a safer but less-scenic drive. When the cross-country I-40 was finally finished in the late 1980s, by completing the segment between Raleigh, North Carolina and Wilmington, North Carolina, Charles Kuralt stated, "It is now possible to travel from coast to coast without seeing anything!"

References

# 65 MPH Approved for Route, Wichita Eagle-Beacon, October 24, 1987 # Field, David. "On 40th birthday, interstates face expensive midlife crisis." Insight on the News, 29 July 1996, 40-42.

See also


- Autobahn
- Freeway
- Gas tax
- Highway patrol
- Non-motorized vehicle access on freeways
- List of roads and highways
- Mile-log
- Parkway
- Ramp meter
- Speed limit
- Toll road
- Traffic light
- United States highway
- National Highway System
- List of major freeway systems
- Controlled-access highway

External links


- [http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/programadmin/interstate.html Interstate Highway information]
- [http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/reports/routefinder/index.htm FHWA Route Log and Finder List]
- [http://www.tfhrc.gov/pubrds/septoct00/urban.htm FHWA Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center] - Analysis and History of Interstate Highway System
- [http://www.kurumi.com/roads/3di/ 3-digit Interstate Highways]
- [http://www.aaroads.com/ Pictures of all Interstates]
- [http://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?doc=88 One] of 100 milestone documents of American history
- Federal Highway Administration's [http://www.tfhrc.gov/pubrds/summer96/p96su10.htm article on the act]
- Fortune magazine on [http://www.fortune.com/fortune/fortune500/articles/0,15114,574088,00.html history of the Interstate Highway System]
- [http://www.geocities.com/michelleskinnerfreeway Another great Interstate Page], with facts on all 2-digit Interstates and links to their exit lists
- [http://www.ajfroggie.com/triskele Highway Heaven] Contains exit lists for most Interstate highways
- [http://www.triskele.com/fonts/index.html RoadGeek] - A complete set of TrueType fonts for simulating Interstate and other highway signage ja:ドワイト・デーヴィッド・アイゼンハワー全米州間国防高速道路網

Laredo, Texas

:Laredo redirects here. For the city in Cantabria, Spain, see Laredo, Spain. Laredo is the county seat of Webb County, Texas, United States, on the north bank of the Rio Grande (Río Bravo), across from Nuevo Laredo, Mexico. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 176,576. A July 1, 2003 Census estimate raised this number to 197,488. The Laredo Bucks is the city's professional hockey franchise. The city is served by Laredo International Airport.

History

The town of Laredo was founded in 1755 while the area was part of a region called Nuevo Santander in the Spanish colony of New Spain. In 1840 Laredo was the capital of the independent Republic of Rio Grande, set up in rebellion to the dictatorship of Antonio López de Santa Anna and brought back into Mexico by military force. In 1846 during the Mexican-American War the town was occupied by the Texas Rangers. After the war the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo ceded the land to the United States. A referendum was taken in the town, which voted overwhelmingly to be part of Mexico rather than the United States. However, the U.S. Military refused the petition, and the bulk of the population moved over the river into Mexican territory to found the new town of Nuevo Laredo. In 1849 the military set up Fort McIntosh (originally Camp Crawford) by the town. Laredo was rechartered as a city in 1852. Laredo is one of the oldest border crossing points along the U.S.-Mexico border, and the nation's busiest inland port. In 2005, Laredo celebrated the 250th anniversary of its founding.

Geography

2005 Laredo is located at 27°31'28" North, 99°29'26" West (27.524445, -99.490593). According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 206.0 km² (79.6 mi²). 203.2 km² (78.5 mi²) of it is land and 2.8 km² (1.1 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 1.37% water. Laredo is at the southern end of Interstate 35, which spans from Duluth, Minnesota, to Laredo. Also according to the United States Census Bureau, at a 2000 census, Laredo is the second fastest growing city in the United States.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there are 176,576 people, 46,852 households, and 39,964 families residing in the city. The population density is 868.9/km² (2,250.5/mi²). There are 50,319 housing units at an average density of 247.6/km² (641.3/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 82.27% White, 0.37% African American, 0.44% Native American, 0.46% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 13.94% from other races, and 2.49% from two or more races. 94.13% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race. There are 46,852 households out of which 52.3% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.0% are married couples living together, 18.7% have a female householder with no husband present, and 14.7% are non-families. 12.7% of all households are made up of individuals and 5.2% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 3.70 and the average family size is 4.05. In the city the population is spread out with 35.5% under the age of 18, 11.4% from 18 to 24, 29.5% from 25 to 44, 15.8% from 45 to 64, and 7.8% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 27 years. For every 100 females there are 92.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 87.2 males. The median income for a household in the city is $29,108, and the median income for a family is $30,449. Males have a median income of $24,070 versus $19,202 for females. The per capita income for the city is $11,084. 29.6% of the population and 25.2% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 37.7% of those under the age of 18 and 26.1% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

External links


- [http://www.laredotexas.gov/ Official Laredo, Texas Site]
- [http://www.wildtexas.com/parks/results.php?nearby_cities=Laredo Laredo Area Parks]
- [http://www.cityoflaredo.com/history.html History]
- [http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/LL/hdl2.html The Handbook of Texas Online: Laredo, Texas] Category:Cities in Texas Category:Webb County, Texas

Duluth, Minnesota

Duluth is a town in and the county seat of St. Louis County, Minnesota, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 86,918. (Because of the growth of the city and the boundaries, there are around an extra 92,000 people on the outer-boundaries, making the population [including outer-suburbs and villages.] 184,000.) It is a seaport at the westernmost point on the north shore of Lake Superior, perhaps farther from the ocean than any other seaport. It is linked to the Atlantic Ocean via the Great Lakes and then either the Erie Canal/New York State Barge Canal or the Saint Lawrence Seaway. The current mayor of Duluth is Herb Bergson, who is serving his first term, he was arrested in December 2005 for drunken driving. Herb Bergson Duluth forms a single metropolitan area with Superior, Wisconsin, together called the Twin Ports. The two cities share a harbor and are one of the most important ports on the Great Lakes. Among the items shipped out are iron ore (taconite) and grain. Both cities have museums devoted to the local nautical heritage, and Duluth has the world's only freshwater aquarium, the Great Lakes Aquarium. A major destination for tourists is the Aerial Lift Bridge spanning the short canal into Duluth's harbor. It is a vertical lift bridge, and notable in that it was originally built as an exceedingly rare aerial transfer bridge. The city is named for Daniel Greysolon, Sieur du Luth, the first known European explorer of the area. The northern terminus of Interstate 35 is in Duluth. The highway extends south through the state to the Twin Cities, and continues its southerly course to the city of Laredo, Texas.

History

Native American tribes had occupied the Duluth area for thousands of years. The original inhabitants are believed to be members of Paleo-Indian cultures, followed by the "Old Copper" peoples, who hunted with spear points and knives and fished with metal hooks. Around the time of Christ's birth, the Woodlands people, known for their burial mounds and pottery, occupied the area. They also cultivated wild rice, a crop that continues to be harvested today by tribes in the region and is often seen being sold in the area, especially in Wisconsin. In 1679, the first white man known to visit the location of present-day Duluth and the city's namesake, Sieur du Lhut, arrived to settle rivalries between two Indian nations, the Dakota and the Ojibwe, to advance fur trading missions in the area. His work allowed for this to occur, with the Ojibwe becoming middlemen between the French and the Dakota. As a result, the area prospered, and as early as 1692, the Hudson Bay Company set up a small post at Fond du Lac. It was not until 1792 that the next trading post, on the Wisconsin side of the St. Louis River, was opened by Jean Baptiste Cadotte of the North West Company. A fire destroyed the post in 1800, but a German emigre, John Jacob Astor, constructed a post on the river's Minnesota side. The store initially floundered as a result of the Indians' insistence in trading with established English and French partners. However, Astor managed to convince the United States Congress to ban foreigners from trading in American territory. His American Fur Company was re-formed in 1816-17. Hard times hit the post once again by 1839 due to fashionable Europeans choosing silk hats over those made from beaver pelts. Interest in the area was piqued in the 1850s as rumours of copper mining began to circulate. A government land survey in 1852, followed by a treaty with local tribes in 1854, secured wilderness for gold-seeking explorers, a "land rush", and the development of iron ore mining in the area. Around the same time, newly-constructed channels and locks in the East permitted large ships to access the area. A road connecting Duluth to the Twin Cities was also constructed. Eleven small towns on both sides of the St. Louis River were formed, establishing Duluth's roots as a city. By 1857, copper resources were found to be scarce, and the area's economic focus shifted to timber harvesting. A nation-wide financial crisis led to nearly three quarters of the city's early pioneers leaving. In the late 1860s, a financier Jay Cooke (after whom the Jay Cooke State Park is named), convinced the Lake Superior and Mississippi Railroad to create an extension from St. Paul to Duluth. The railroad opened areas due north and west of Lake Superior to iron ore mining. Duluth's population on New Year's Day, 1869 consisted of fourteen families; by the Fourth of July, 3,500 people were present to celebrate. The city thrived, and the area's hillside and downtown areas were populated by early residents. In the 1900s, the city's port passed New York City in gross tonnage handled, elevating it to being the leading port in the United States. Meanwhile, there were ten newspapers, six banks, and an eleven-story skyscraper, the Torrey Building, already present in the town. In 1907, U.S. Steel announced that a $5 - $6 million plant would be constructed in the area. Although it took eight years for steel to actually be produced, predictions held that Duluth's population would rise to 200,000 to 300,000. With the plant came Morgan Park, a once-independent company town that now stands as a city neighborhood. On June 15, 1920, Elias Clayton, Elmer Jackson, and Isaac McGhie, (three black men) were falsely accused of raping a woman named Irene Tusken and jailed. On that fateful night, they were abducted from the city jail by a lynch mob and hung from a lamppost in the middle of downtown Duluth. This tragedy wouldn't gain the light of day for almost eighty years. During much of the twentieth century, the city was an industrial port town, with a cement plant, nail mill, wire mills, and the U.S. Steel plant. In 1916, during World War I, a shipbuilding plant on St. Louis River produced eight vessels simultaneously. A neighborhood was formed around this operation, today known as Riverside. Similar industrial operations were heightened during the Second World War. Population growth continued after the war, with a peak of 106,884 reached in 1960. Due to foreign competition, the steel plant closed in 1971, presenting a major blow to the city. Other industrial activity followed suit, along with an air base. Within a decade, unemployment rates surged to 15 percent, emptying local stores and creating long job application lines. With the decline of the city's industrial core, the local economic focus shifted to tourism. The downtown was renewed with red brick streets and skywalks, and distasteful warehouses along the waterfront were converted into cafés, shops, and restaurants, forming Canal Park as a largely tourism-oriented district. The city is a now a fairly popular Midwestern tourist attraction, and is a convenient base for trips to the North Shore via Highway 61, or to fishing and wilderness expeditions in Minnesota's far north. It continues to function as a regional hub for a large stretch of area encompassing northeastern Minnesota, northwestern Wisconsin, and the western Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The population continues to decline, according to the U.S. Census and projections.

Geography & Climate

U.S. Census U.S. CensusAccording to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 226.2 km² (87.3 mi²). It is Minnesota's second largest city in terms of land area, surpassed only by Hibbing. 176.1 km² (68.0 mi²) of it is land and 50.0 km² (19.3 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 22.11% water. Duluth's geography is dominated by a rather steep, San Francisco-like hill which represents a transition from the elevation of Lake Superior's beach to that of the inland. For example, the Sky Harbor airport's weather station, near the lake on the Park Point sandbar has an elevation of 607 ft (185 m) [http://www.wunderground.com/US/MN/Duluth/KDYT.html], while Duluth International Airport atop the hill is at 1,427 ft (435 m) [http://www.wunderground.com/US/MN/Duluth/KDLH.html]. As a result, Duluth is primarily a southwest-northeast city. A considerable amount of development on the hill's upslope gives Duluth a reputation for deathly steep streets. Some neighborhoods, such as Piedmont Heights and Bayview Heights, are atop the hill, at times giving scenic views of the city. Perhaps the most rapidly developing part of the city is a commercial auto-oriented shopping strip "over the hill". The city's climate is known for long, cold winters and cool summers, hence the nickname "the air-conditioned city". During the winter months, temperatures often remain below freezing for periods of weeks. A normal winter brings consistent snow cover from December through March. Summers are cool and comfortable, with daytime temperatures averaging in the 70-80°F range (21-26°C) due to the cooling easterly winds of the lake (as opposed to occasional temperatures over 90°F (32°C) inland), although temperatures may remain below 50°F (10°C) even during June afternoons along the Lake Superior shore, even when the inland temperature is in the 70s°F (mid-20s°C). Great local variations are also common, due to the rapid change in elevation between the hill and shore-side.

Demographics

weather station As of the census2 of 2000, there are 86,918 people, 35,500 households, and 19,915 families residing in the city. The population density is 493.4/km² (1,278.1/mi²). There are 36,994 housing units at an average density of 210.0/km² (544.0/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 92.65% White, 1.63% Black or African American, 2.44% Native American, 1.14% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.29% from other races, and 1.82% from two or more races. 1.06% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race. There are 35,500 households out of which 26.6% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.4% are married couples living together, 11.4% have a female householder with no husband present, and 43.9% are non-families. 34.5% of all households are made up of individuals and 13.3% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.26 and the average family size is 2.90. In the city the population is spread out with 21.3% under the age of 18, 16.2% from 18 to 24, 26.1% from 25 to 44, 21.3% from 45 to 64, and 15.1% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 35 years. For every 100 females there are 93.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 89.7 males. The median income for a household in the city is $33,766, and the median income for a family is $46,394. Males have a median income of $35,182 versus $24,965 for females. The per capita income for the city is $18,969. 15.5% of the population and 8.6% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 15.4% of those under the age of 18 and 9.5% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

Neighborhoods

Central


- Canal Park
- Central Hillside
- Downtown Duluth
- East Hillside
- Park Point

Eastern Duluth


- Chester Park / UMD
- Congdon Park
- Endion
- Hunter's Park
- Lakeside - Lester Park
- Morley Heights / Parkview
- North Shore

Neighborhoods above the hill


- Duluth Heights
- Kenwood
- Piedmont Heights
- Woodland

West Duluth


- Bayview Heights
- Cody
- Denfeld
- Fairmount
- Irving
- Oneota
- Spirit Valley

West of West Duluth


- Fond du Lac
- Gary - New Duluth
- Norton Park (Duluth)
- Morgan Park
- Riverside
- Smithville

"West End" / Lincoln Park


- Lincoln Park

Colleges and universities


- University of Minnesota Duluth
- College of St. Scholastica
- Lake Superior College
- Duluth Business University

K-12 Education

Catholic Schools

Catholic elementary schools in Duluth are under the administration of the Diocese of Duluth.
- Holy Rosary School (K-8)
- St. James School (PreK-8)
- St. John's School (PreK-6)
- St. Michael's Lakeside School (PreK-6)

Public Elementary Schools


- Congdon Park (K-5)
- Grant Magnet (K-5)
- Homecroft (K-5)
- Lakewood (K-5)
- Laura McArthur (K-5)
- Lester Park (2-5)
- Lincoln Park (K-8)
- Lowell Music Magnet (K-5)
- Nettleton Magnet (K-5)
- Piedmont (K-5)
- Rockridge (K-1)
- Stowe (K-5)

Public Middle Schools


- Morgan Park (6-8)
- Ordean (6-8)
- Woodland (6-8)

Public High Schools


- Central High School (7-12)
- Denfeld High School (9-12)
- East High School (Duluth, MN) (9-12)
- Harbor City International School (Duluth, MN) (9-12)

Alternative Public Schools


- Adult Learning Center
- Chester Creek Academy
- Merritt Creek Academy
- Secondary Technical Center
- Unity
- Woodland Hills Academy

Private and Charter Schools (non-Catholic)


- Harbor City International School (Public, independent)
- Kenwood Edison Charter School
- Lakeview Christian Academy (PK-12)
- The Marshall School (5-12)
- Montessori School of Duluth (Preschool/Elementary)
- Raleigh Edison Charter School
- Stone Ridge Christian School
- Summit School
- Washburn Edison Charter School

Professional Sports History

Duluth-Superior Dukes - Northern League Independent Professional Baseball 1993-2002. Played at Wade Stadium. Won Northern League Championship in 1997, Northern League Central Championship 2000. Moved to Kansas City and Became the T-Bones after the 2002 season. Duluth once fielded a team called the Kelleys (officially the Kelley Duluths after the Kelley-Duluth Hardware Store) from 1923-1925 and the Eskimos (officially Ernie Nevers' Eskimos after their star player) from 1926-1927 in the National Football League. The Eskimos were then sold and became the Orange, NJ Tornadoes.

Season-by-season

Amateur sports

The Duluth Huskies are a college summer wood bat league baseball team which is based in Duluth and plays in the Northwoods League. The team plays its home games at Wade Stadium. They are made up from some of the top college baseball players in the country. Season begins around the 1st of June and ends in mid August. They play 34 home games. The Duluth-Superior Shoremen are a semi-pro football team based in Duluth's Public Schools Stadium. They play for the Mid-American Football League, and placed second in that league's championship game last year. Grandma's Marathon is Duluth's annual marathon in June, named after its original sponsor, Grandma's Restaurant. The course of the marathon starts just outside Two Harbors, Minnesota, runs down Old Highway 61, the old route for Minnesota State Highway 61, along the North Shore of Lake Superior and finishes in one of Duluth's tourism neighborhoods, Canal Park. The same route is also taken during the North Shore Inline Marathon which takes place in September, drawing racers from all over the world. The Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon is Duluth's annual sled dog race organized in February and named after John Beargrease, the son of the Anishinabe Chief Moquabimetem and one of the first mail carriers between Two Harbors, Minnesota and Grand Marais, Minnesota. He and his brothers carried mail by sled dog, boat, and horse for almost twenty years between the two towns, where there was no road. Competitors can choose between two distances; the longer 400-mile course takes a round trip from Duluth to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area, and the 150-mile course departs from Duluth and ends in Tofte, Minnesota. The marathon was first held in 1980 and is acknowledged as a training ground for the larger and more elite Iditarod sled dog race. The University of Minnesota Duluth Bulldog hockey games are a major event in town during the cold Duluth winter. Players have become minor celebrities, glad-handing with fans around town and enjoying pats on the back from classmates. Games are televised locally and thousands watch the games in person at the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center (DECC)

Famous people


- Bill Berry - former member of the band R.E.M.
- Bob Dylan - born in Duluth, but grew up in Hibbing, Minnesota
- Lorenzo Music - voice of the animated cartoon cat Garfield
- Gena Lee Nolin
- Phil Solem - member of the band The Rembrandts, who perform the theme song to the television show Friends
- Low - the slowcore rock band. All three members are from Duluth
- Don LaFontaine - movie trailer voice
- David Oreck - an American salesman and businessman

Politics

In 2004, Duluth was center to a controversial legal battle between the City Council, local residents, and the ACLU. The debate and eventual lawsuit revolved around a marble fixture inscribed with the ten commandments which resided on the lawn of City Hall. The city eventually agreed to remove the fixture, and it now resides on private property in Canal Park. The city was also featured in the New York Times article "The Next Retirement Time Bomb"[http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/11/business/yourmoney/11retire.html], because Duluth recently conducted a financial study of the health care benefits it has promised its retired city workers. It turned out that its future health care obligations would bankrupt the city government. Duluth is held in the article to be considered representative of many local governments that have not kept tabs on its future health-care obligations promised to retired workers. A task force appointed by Don Ness, Council President, presented a plan to deal with the health care obligations problem to the city council on December 12, 2005. The plan involves changes in retiree benefits, changes in the number of existing health care plans and other provisions including increases in property taxes, increases in water and other utilities. The plan is aggressive and both responsible towards existing committments and divides the cost between all the stakeholders. The task force was headed by Arend Sandbult, former President of Minnesota Power and Light, what is now Allete (ALE).

Media

ten commandments ten commandments Local AM Radio Stations:
- 560 - WEBC - "The Fan" Sports Talk
- 610 - KDAL - News/Talk/Full Service
- 710 - WDSM - News/Talk
- 850 - WWJC - Christian Format
- 970 - WGEE - Sports
- 1230 - WKLK - Standards
- 1490 - KQDS - News/Talk Local FM Radio Stations:
- 88.5 - W203AL - Family Radio (KEAR) Translator
- 89.5 - WRFJ - "The Refuge" - Christian Contemporary
- 90.5 - KDNI - Christian
- 91.3 - KUWS - University of Wisconsin-Superior - Carries Wisconsin Public Radio "Ideas" Network
- 92.1 - WWAX - "The Beat" - Adult Hits
- 92.9 - WSCD - Minnesota Public Radio Classical
- 93.7 - WGHF-LP - Carries programming from the Three Angels Broadcasting Network
- 94.1 - K231BI - "94X" - Hard Rock. Translator of KZIO, Two Harbors, 104.3 (also audible in most of the area).
- 94.9 - KQDS - Classic Rock
- 95.7 - KDAL - "Magic 95.7" - Adult Contemporary
- 96.5 - WKLK - Classic Rock
- 97.3 - KDNI - Christian
- 98.9 - KTCO - "Kat Country" - Country
- 100.5 - WSCN - Minnesota Public Radio Talk
- 101.7 - KLDJ - "Kool 101.7" - Oldies
- 102.5 - KRBR - "The Bear" - Hard Rock
- 103.3 - KUMD - University of Minnesota Duluth Radio. Member of the Independent Public Radio network.
- 104.3 - KZIO - "94X" - Hard Rock. Also appears on 94.1 as a translator for areas of Duluth with weaker reception of this Two Harbors, Minnesota-based station.
- 105.1 - KKCB - "B 105" Country
- 105.9 - WEGZ - Christian
- 107.3 - WNXR - Oldies
- 107.7 - KBMX - "Mix 108" - Adult Hits Local Television Stations: Duluth has experienced firsthand the consequences of media consolidation. On March 8, 2005 the sale of Duluth's CBS affiliate was announced to Malara Broadcast Group of Sarasota, Florida. The group agreed to pay Granite Broadcasting Group, which already runs the NBC affiliate KBJR, to take over the operations for KDLH. The majority of the newstaff of KDLH was dismissed.
- KDLH 3 CBS (KDLH-DT ATSC on channel 33)
- KBJR 6 NBC (KBJR-DT ATSC on channel 19)
- WDSE 8 PBS (WDSE-DT ATSC multiplex on channel 38)
- WDIO 10 ABC (WDIO-DT ATSC on channel 43)
- KQDS 21 Fox (KQDS-DT ATSC on channel 17)
- K58CM 58 Trinity Broadcasting Network Local newspapers:
- Duluth News Tribune
- The Reader Weekly (alternative weekly, free)
- The Budgeteer (semi-weekly, free)
- The Ripsaw (alternative bi-monthly, free)

Transportation

The area marks the northern endpoint of Interstate 35, which stretches south to Laredo, Texas. U.S. highways that serve the area are U.S. Highway 53 La Crosse, Wisconsin to International Falls, Minnesota, and U.S. Highway 2 in Everett, Washington to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. There are many state highways that serve the area as well. Minnesota State Highway 23 runs diagonally across Minnesota, indirectly connecting Duluth to Sioux Falls, South Dakota. MN-33 provides a bypass of Duluth connecting Interstate 35 to U.S. Highway 53 providing access from the Minneapolis/St. Paul area to the Iron Range while bypassing Duluth. Minnesota State Highway 61 provides access to Thunder Bay, Ontario via the breath taking North Shore of Lake Superior. State Highway MN-194 provides Duluth's "Central Entrance" and 6th Avenue East. WI-13 reach along Lake Superior's South Shore. Wisconsin State Highway 35 runs along Wisconsin's western boarder. Duluth International Airport serves the city and nearby Superior, Wisconsin. Duluth is a major shipping port for taconite. The former Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range Railway, now Canadian National Railway operates tacconite-hauling trains in the area. The local bus system is run by the Duluth Transit Authority, which services not only the Duluth area, but Superior, WI, as well. The DTA runs a system of buses manufactured by Gillig. Duluth is also serviced by Greyhound Lines, with daily service to the Twin Cities, as well as Thunder Bay, ON, Wisconsin, Michigan, and the Iron Range.

Power Supply

Duluth, Minnesota gets electric power by the HVDC Square Butte, which ends near the town.

Surrounding and Nearby Communities


- Superior, Wisconsin sits across the bay from the city and is a long-time rival. Although Superior has little over one-third the population of Duluth, it remains a self-contained city rather than a suburb.
- Hermantown is probably the most suburban of adjacent communities. Once the rural town of Herman, the city was incorporated in 1975 and has experienced a great amount of both residential and commercial growth since, largely in the form of suburban housing developments and auto-oriented businesses along the Miller Trunk (Hwy 53) corridor.
- Proctor borders the city's West Duluth neighborhood district, and has traditionally been a railroad town. It is built on more of an urban scale (by Duluth standards), but today largely functions as a suburb.
- Cloquet, a city of 11,201 (2000), is located roughly twenty-five miles from Duluth. The city has its own downtown and industrial job sector, though many residents commute to Duluth. Carlton, Esko, and Scanlon are its own satellite towns.
- Two Harbors is located a short drive up Minnesota Highway 61.
- The Mesabi Range, while about an hour's drive north on U.S. Highway 53, is intricately connected to the city, having traditionally sent iron ore to the harbor for shipping. Duluth is the commercial, governmental, and media center for a region encompassing all of St. Louis County.

External links


- [http://www.ci.duluth.mn.us/ City of Duluth] - Official Website
- [http://www.duluth.k12.mn.us/ Duluth Public Schools]
- [http://www.duluthhuskies.com/ Duluth Huskies Baseball Page]
- [http://www.superiorwi.us/dsdukes/ Duluth-Superior Dukes Tribute Page]
- [http://www.css.edu College of St. Scholastica]
- [http://www.lsc.cc.mn.us Lake Superior College]
- [http://www.d.umn.edu University of Minnesota Duluth]
- [http://www.dbumn.com Duluth Business University]
- [http://www.duluthsuperior.com/mld/duluthtribune/ Duluth News Tribune]
- [http://www.duluth.com Duluth.com]
- [http://www.duluthchamber.org Duluth Chamber of Commerce]
- [http://www.visitduluth.com Tourist Information]
- [http://www.duluth.lib.mn.us Duluth Public Library]
- [http://www.crh.noaa.gov/dlh/ National Weather Service - Duluth]
- [http://www.duluthtransit.com Duluth Transit Authority]
- [http://www.downtownduluth.com Greater Downtown Council]
- [http://www.duluth-mn-usa.com/ Vintage Pictures of Duluth]
- [http://www.duluthshippingnews.com Duluth Shipping News]
- [http://www.northernimages.com/ Northern Images Photography - Contains scenic pictures of Duluth and surrounding areas.]
- [http://www.templeisraelduluth.org/ Temple Israel] - Union for Reform Judaism
- [http://www.grandmasmarathon.com/ Grandma's Marathon Official Website]
- [http://www.beargrease.com/ Legend of John Beargrease]
- [http://www.duluthsuperior.com/mld/duluthsuperior/sports/11011863.htm/ Duluth News Tribune article on 2005 race]
- [http://www.startribune.com/stories/459/5283579.html/ Media consolidation in Duluth]
- [http://www.superiorwi.us/ Superior Community Links Page]
- [http://www.claytonjacksonmcghie.org/ The Clayton, Jackson, McGhie Memorial]
- [http://www.perfectduluthday.com/ Perfect Duluth Day]

References


- 2005-2006 Qwest Dex Phone Directory (Twin Ports Edition)
- Frederick, Chuck. Duluth: the city and the people. American Geographical & World Publishing, 1994.
- Duluth Lynchings Online Resource - http://collections.mnhs.org/duluthlynchings/
- The Lynchings in Duluth - http://www.mnhs.org/market/mhspress/products/087351386X.html Category:Cities in Minnesota Category:Coastal cities Category:Duluth-Superior Category:St. Louis County, Minnesota

Texas

Texas is a state located in the United States of America. The 28th U.S. state, Texas joined the United States in 1845. Its postal abbreviation is TX. The state name derives from a word in a Caddoan language of the Hasinai, táysha (or tejas, as the Spaniards spelled it), meaning friends or allies. Spanish explorers mistakenly applied the word to the people and their location. With an area of 696,241 km2 and a population of 22.5 million, Texas is the second largest U.S. state in both area and population, and the largest state in the contiguous 48 states in area. (Alaska is the largest U.S. state in area and California is the most populous.) Texas has historically had a "larger than life" reputation, especially in cowboy films.

History

Texas can claim that "Six Flags" have flown over its soil: the Fleur-de-lis of France, and the national flags of Spain, Mexico, the Republic of Texas, the United States of America and the Confederate States of America. Native American tribes that once lived inside the boundaries of present-day Texas include Apache, Atakapan, Bidai, Caddo, Comanche, Cherokee, Kiowa, Tonkawa, and Wichita. Currently, there are three federally recognized Native American tribes which reside in Texas: the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas, the Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas, and the Ysleta Del Sur Pueblo of Texas. On November 6, 1528 shipwrecked Spanish conquistador Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca became the first known European to set foot on Texas. A member of the Narváez expedition, he was later enslaved by a Native American tribe of the upper Gulf coast, and explored what are now the U.S. states of Texas, New Mexico and Arizona on foot from coastal Louisiana to Sinaloa, Mexico, over a period of roughly six years. He returned to Europe in 1537, where he wrote about his experiences in a work called La relación ("The Tale"). Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca] Prior to 1821, Texas was part of the Spanish colony of New Spain. After Mexican independence in 1821, Texas became part of Mexico and in 1824 became the northern section of Coahuila y Tejas. On 3 January 1823, Stephen F. Austin began a colony of 300 American families along the Brazos River in present-day Fort Bend County and Brazoria County, centered primarily in the area of what is now Sugar Land. This group became known as the "Old Three Hundred." The "Conventions" of 1832 and 1833 responded to rising unrest at the policies of the ruling Mexican government. Policies that most irritated the Texians included the Mexican ban on slavery, the forcible disarmament of Texian settlers, and the expulsion of illegal immigrants from the United States of America. The example of the Centralista forces' suppression of dissidents in Zacatecas also inspired fear of the Mexican government. Zacatecas On March 2, 1836, the "Convention of 1836" signed the Texas "Declaration of Independence," declaring Texas an independent nation. On April 21, 1836 the Texans won their independence when they defeated the Mexican forces of Santa Anna at the Battle of San Jacinto. Santa Anna himself passed into captivity, and on May 14, Republic of Texas officials and General Santa Anna signed the treaty of Velasco. The Republic of Texas included all the area now included in the state of Texas, although its self-proclaimed western and northwestern borders extended as far west as Santa Fe and as far northwest as present-day Wyoming, respectively. In 1845, Texas was admitted to the United States as a constituent state of the Union. Annexation was mutually beneficial to Texas and the United States. Texas was in a very susceptible position following independence, with a weak government, little industry, and minimal infrastructure. The U.S. could not allow such a tenuous nation to sit right on its border. Texas also lay partially in the way of the U.S. expansion to the Pacific, and its "Manifest Destiny." The major stumbling block of annexation, besides the potential for war with Mexico, was the fact that Texas was a slave state and potentially would tip the balance between free and slave states due to its huge size. Some southerners were pushing for the ability to divide Texas into multiple states, thereby increasing the number of slave states even more. A compromise was reached in that if Texas were divided, any states north of the Missouri Compromise would be free states. During the Civil War, Texas seceded from the Union and joined the Confederate States of America. In 1870, the United States Congress readmitted Texas into the Union. Texas today is a state thoroughly steeped in tradition, yet equally embracing of new social and technological developments. From the state capital of Austin (also headquarters of Dell Computers and known as "Silicon Hills") to the cosmopolitan air of Dallas, to the oil-and-finance rich industry of Houston to the Latinesque cultures of San Antonio and El Paso, the state tourism slogan truly fits: "Texas: It's like a whole other country."

Geography

1870

Location

Texas borders New Mexico on the west, Oklahoma on the north (across the Red River), and Louisiana (across the Sabine River) and Arkansas on the east. To the southwest, across the Rio Grande, Texas borders the Mexican states of Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo León, and Tamaulipas. To the southeast of Texas lies the Gulf of Mexico. Texas lies in the south-central part of the United States of America. Texas is considered to form part of the US South and part of the U.S. Southwest. Some regions of Texas are associated with the Southwest more than the South, while other regions are associated with the South more than the Southwest. Texas shares some cultural elements with both regions, with more similarities with the South, especially Arkansas and Louisiana, in East Texas, and more similarities with the Southwest, especially Mexico and New Mexico, in West Texas and South Texas. Texas is so large in its east-west expanse that El Paso, in the western corner of the state, is closer to San Diego, California than to Beaumont, near the Louisiana state line; Beaumont, in turn is closer to