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Interstate 77

Interstate 77

Interstate 77 is an interstate highway in the eastern United States. Its southern terminus is in Columbia, South Carolina at an intersection with Interstate 26; its northern terminus is in Cleveland, Ohio at an intersection with Interstate 90. It largely supplants the old U.S. Highway 21 between Cleveland and Columbia as one of the best north-south corridors through the middle Appalachians.

Length

Major cities along the route

Appalachians
- Columbia, South Carolina
- Charlotte, North Carolina
- Wytheville, Virginia
- Princeton, West Virginia
- Beckley, West Virginia
- Charleston, West Virginia
- Parkersburg, West Virginia
- Canton, Ohio
- Akron, Ohio
- Cleveland, Ohio

Intersections with other Interstates

- Interstate 26 in Columbia, South Carolina
- Interstate 20 in Columbia, South Carolina
- Interstate 85 in Charlotte, North Carolina
- Interstate 40 in Statesville, North Carolina
- Interstate 485 in Charlotte, which is the city's outerbelt
- Interstate 277 in Charlotte, which is the outerbelt of the city's downtown area
- Interstate 74 for 4 miles (6.4 km) near Mount Airy, North Carolina
- Interstate 81 for 9 miles (14.5 km) around Wytheville, Virginia
- Interstate 64 in Beckley, West Virginia. They stay joined until Charleston, West Virginia.
- Interstate 79 in Charleston, West Virginia
- Interstate 70 in Cambridge, Ohio
- Interstate 277 in Akron, Ohio (a connector route to Interstate 76 on the south side of Akron)
- Interstate 76 in Akron, Ohio (I-76 runs concurrently with I-77 for a few miles in downtown Akron)
- Interstate 271 in Richfield, Ohio
- Interstate 80 in Richfield/Brecksville, Ohio
- Interstate 480 in Independence, Ohio
- Interstate 490 in Cleveland, Ohio
- Interstate 90 in Cleveland, Ohio

Spur Routes

- I-277 - Charlotte, North Carolina
- I-277 - Akron, Ohio

Notes

- In South Carolina, the southern terminus of I-77 in Columbia, South Carolina was originally the interchange with SC 12 with mile markers signed accordingly. The portion between SC 760 and I-26 was planned to be an interstate spur named I-326. The decision to build the section between SC 12 and SC 760 was made before I-326 was opened, so the southern portion was never signed as such and the mile markers for I-77 were adjusted accordingly.
- In Rock Hill, South Carolina and Fort Mill, South Carolina, I-77 has been widened to eight lanes between Exit 75 and the North Carolina state line.
- I-77 in Charlotte, North Carolina is also known as the "Bill Lee Freeway". A small portion south of the city is called the "General Younts Expressway". The junction between I-77 and I-85 in Charlotte is a rather odd configuration. When I-77 crosses over I-85 (which runs in an east-west fashion through the interchange), the northbound lanes are to the west of the southbound lanes. Likewise, southbound I-77 is to the east of northbound I-77. The lanes return to their proper positions north and south of this interchange.
- As I-77 crosses over Lake Norman in northern Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, spectacular views of the largest man-made lake in North Carolina can be seen. This stretch of the interstate has a history of major accidents as motorists slow to look at the lake, boaters (who are sometimes nude), and lake homes. Once a speed boat landed on the interstate at this section after hitting the causeway the interstate crosses over.
- I-77 passes through the "Virginia High-Tech Corridor", which could strike some as ironic, since I-77 passes through one of the most rural sections of Virginia.
- The section of I-77 between Wytheville, Virginia, and Bluefield, West Virginia, contains two mountain tunnels, the East River Mountain Tunnel and the Big Walker Mountain Tunnel. Both tunnels permit lane changes while inside.
- The East River Mountain Tunnel is one of only two tunnels in the United States where a mountain tunnel crosses a state line. The other one is the Cumberland Gap Tunnel, connecting Tennessee and Kentucky.
- The West Virginia Turnpike is also signed as I-77 for its entire length. This 88 mile (142 km) section, between Charleston and Princeton is a toll road.
- During the 9 mile (14.4 km) stretch where I-77 and I-81 merge in Virginia, the driver is heading "both north and south" on a wrong-way multiplex.
- I-77 is also the "Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway", although it is never referred to as this and signage is sparse (possibly only in Ohio does the freeway carry this designation).
- There were originally plans to extend I-77 as far north as Detroit, along the Ohio Turnpike, I-75 and I-94. Had this extension taken place, the spur into Cleveland would have been renamed I-177.
- The steep grade on the side of a plateau near Fancy Gap, Virginia affords a breathtaking view of the region just north of Winston-Salem, featuring Pilot Mountain, although it is advisable for the driver to keep at least one eye on the road. (See photo) Pilot Mountain

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.

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

Columbia, South Carolina

Columbia is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of South Carolina. As of the 2000 Census, it has a population of 116,278. It is the county seat of Richland County, but a small portion of the city is located in Lexington County. The estimated population for the then two-county metropolitan area (Richland and Lexington) was 516,251 in 1999. In June 2003 the United States Census Bureau added four more counties — Fairfield, Calhoun, Kershaw, and Saluda — to Columbia's standard metropolitan statistical area. This boosted the metropolitan area's population to 679,456 — the 71st largest metropolitan statistical area in the nation and the largest in South Carolina. The 2004 estimated Columbia-Newberry consolidated statistical area population is 716,665. Columbia's daily newspaper is [http://www.thestate.com The State] and its alternative newspapers include [http://www.columbiametro.com Columbia Metropolita Magazine], [http://www.thecolumbiastar.com The Columbia Star], [http://www.free-times.com/ The Free Times], and the [http://www.scblackmedia.com/ SC Black News]. Columbia is home to the headquarters and production facilities of ETV (and ETV Radio), the state's public television and public radio networks. The city and its surroundings are served by Columbia Metropolitan Airport. Major highways serving Columbia include I-26, I-77, I-20, I-126, U.S. 1, U.S. 21, U.S. 176, U.S. 321, and U.S. 378. Columbia is home to the Columbia Inferno of the ECHL.

History

ECHL For nearly a century before the creation of Columbia by the General Assembly in 1786, the site of Columbia was important to the overall development of the state. The Congarees, a frontier fort on the west bank of the Congaree River, was the head of navigation in the Santee River system. A ferry was established by the colonial government in 1754 to connect the fort with the growing settlements on the higher ground on the east bank. State Senator John Lewis Gervais of Ninety Six introduced a bill that was approved by the legislature on March 22, 1786 to create a new state capital. There was considerable argument over the name for the new city. One legislator insisted on the name Washington, but Columbia won out by a vote of 11-7 in the state Senate. The site was chosen as the new state capital in 1786, due to its central location in the state. State legislature first met there in 1790. After remaining under the direct government of the legislature for the first two decades of its existence, Columbia was incorporated as a village in 1805 and then as a city in 1854. Columbia received a large stimulus to development when it was connected in a direct water route to Charleston, by the Santee Canal. This canal connected the Santee and Cooper Rivers in a 22-mile section. It was first chartered in 1786 and completed in 1800, making it one of the earliest canals in the United States. With increased railroad traffic, it ceased operation around 1850. The commissioners designed a town of 400 Blocks in a two-mile square along the river. The blocks were divided into half-acre lots and sold to speculators and prospective residents. Buyers had to build a house at least 30 feet long and 18 feet wide within three years or face an annual 5 percent penalty. The perimeter streets and two through streets were 150 feet wide. The remaining squares were divided by thoroughfares 100 feet wide. The width was determined by the belief that the dangerous and pesky mosquitoes could not fly more than 60 feet without dying of starvation along the way. Columbians still enjoy most of the magnificent network of wide streets. The commissioners comprised the local government until 1797 when a Commission of Streets and Markets was created by the General Assembly. Three main issues occupied most of their time: public drunkenness, gambling and poor sanitation. As the second planned city in the United States, Columbia began to grow rapidly. Its population was nearing 1,000 shortly after the turn of the century. Columbia received its first charter as a town in 1805. An intendent and six wardens would govern the town. John Taylor was the first elected intendent. He later served in both houses of the General Assembly, both houses of Congress and eventually as governor of the state. By 1816, there were 250 homes in the town and a population over 1,000. Columbia became chartered as a city in 1854, with an elected mayor and six aldermen. Two years later, they had a police force consisting of a full-time chief and nine patrolmen. The city continued to grow at a rapid pace. On February 17, 1865, during the American Civil War, much of Columbia was destroyed by fire while being occupied by Union troops under the command of General William Tecumseh Sherman. Controversy surrounding the burning of the city started soon after the war ended. General Sherman blamed the high winds and retreating Confederate soldiers for firing bales of cotton, which had been stacked in the streets. General Sherman denied ordering the burning, though he did order militarily significant structures, such as the Confederate Printing Plant, destroyed. First-hand accounts by local residents, Union soldiers and a newspaper reporter offer a sinister tale of revenge by Union troops for Columbia's and South Carolina's pivotal role in leading Southern states to secede from the Union. Today, tourists can follow the path General Sherman's army took to enter the city and see structures or remnants of structures that survived the fire. William Tecumseh Sherman Columbia had no paved streets until 1908, when 17 blocks of Main Street were surfaced. There were, however, 115 publicly maintained street crossings at intersections to keep pedestrians from having to wade through a sea of mud between wooden sidewalks. As an experiment, Washington Street was once paved with wooden blocks. This proved to be the source of much local amusement when they buckled and floated away during heavy rains. The blocks were replaced with asphalt paving in 1925. The first paid firemen were hired in 1903. A car was purchased for the chief that same year, evidently the first vehicle owned by the city. In 1934, the federal courthouse at Main and Laurel was purchased by the city for use as City Hall. Built of granite from nearby Winnsboro, Columbia City Hall is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Designed by Alfred Bult Millet, President Ulysses S. Grant's federal architect, the building was completed in 1876. Mullet, best known for his design of the Executive Office Building in Washington, D.C., had originally designed the building with a clock tower. Large cost overruns probably caused it to be left out. Copies of Mullet's original drawings can be seen on the walls of City Hall alongside historic photos of Columbia's beginnings.

Geography

Columbia is located at 34°1'1" North, 81°0'38" West (34.017105, -81.010759)1. Autumn, winter and spring are mild, with occasional winter nights below freezing but rarely extended cold. The city is at its most beautiful in the spring when masses of azaleas and other spring flowers bloom. Summers can be very hot, and the city, like other cities of the southeast, is prone to atmospheric inversions, which trap ozone and other pollutants over the area. One of Columbia's most interesting geographical features is its fall line, which is a boundary between an upland region and a coastal plain across which rivers from the upland region drop to the plain as falls or rapids. Columbia grew up at the fall line of the Congaree River which was the farthest inland point of river navigation. The energy of falling water also powered Columbia's early mills. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 330.8 km² (127.7 mi²). 324.3 km² (125.2 mi²) of it is land and 6.4 km² (2.5 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 1.95% water.

Colleges and universities

mi² Columbia is home to the main campus of the state's flagship university, the University of South Carolina, which was chartered in 1801 as South Carolina College and in 1906 as the University of South Carolina. The university has 350 degree programs and enrolls more than 25,500 students throughout 15 degree-granting colleges and schools. It is an urban university, located in downtown Columbia. The school has a world-renowned international business program, ranking No. 1 in the nation for its undergraduate international business program and No. 2 for its graduate international business program in the 2006 U.S. News & World Report college and graduate school guides. Columbia is also home to:
- Benedict College - Founded in 1870, Benedict is an independent co-educational college. Benedict is one of the fastest growing of the 39 United Negro College Fund schools. In addition to an increase in enrollment, Benedict has also seen an increase in average SAT scores, Honors College enrollee rates, capital giving dollars, and the number of research grants awarded.
- Columbia College - Founded in 1854, Columbia College is a private, four-year, liberal arts college for women with a coeducational Evening College and Graduate School. The College has been ranked since 1994 by U.S. News & World Report as one of the top ten regional liberal arts colleges in the South.
- Allen University - Allen University was founded in 1870 by the African Methodist Episcopal Church. It has a distinguished history and is widely recognized for its development of African-Americans who have made significant achievements and contributions in varied areas of specialization, nationally and internationally.
- Columbia International University - Columbia International University is a biblically based, private Christian institution committed to preparing men and women to know Christ and to make him known. Founded in 1923, CIU is recognized as having one of the leading ministry training programs in the world.
- Midlands Technical College - Midlands Tech is part of the nation's most renowned technical education system. It is a two-year, comprehensive, public, community college, offering a wide variety of programs in career education, four-year college-transfer options, and continuing education. Small classes, individualized instruction, and student support services are provided. Most of the college's teaching faculty holds masters and doctoral degrees.
- [http://www.ltss.edu/ Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary] - This institution, founded in 1830, is a seminary of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. One of the oldest Lutheran seminaries in North America, Southern is a fully accredited graduate school of theology preparing women and men for the ordained and lay ministries of the church. The beautiful wooded 17-acre campus is situated atop Seminary Ridge in Columbia, highest point in the Midlands area (midstate), near the center of South Carolina's capital city.

Downtown revitalization

Midlands Midlands In recent years, Columbia has been experiencing a downtown renaissance that shows no signs of slowing down in the near future. The most impressive redevelopment has occurred in the [http://www.vistacolumbia.com/ historic Congaree Vista], a 1200-acre district in the heart of the city. This historic area features a high concentration of historic buildings, which have been rehabilitated with contemporary flair. Of note is the adaptive reuse of the Confederate Printing Plant, which was used to print Confederate money, bonds, and handbills during the American Civil War, into a Publix grocery store, making Columbia one of only three cities in the Carolinas to have a downtown full-service grocery store. The grocery store garnered Columbia the 2005 Special Achievement Award for Economic Development from the International Downtown Association. Restaurants and bars, art galleries and museums, unique shops and professional office space, sporting arenas and entertainment venues add up to make the Congaree Vista popular with area residents and visitors. The Colonial Center is the largest arena in the state and is home to the University of South Carolina's men's and women's basketball teams. Another significant asset in the Vista is the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center, which opened in mid-2004. This state of the art facility contains nearly 150,000 square feet of exhibit, classroom and ballroom space, and has brought much new convention and meeting business to the Vista area, even exceeding the expectations of city leaders in its first year of operation. Construction on a new Hilton convention center hotel is underway, along with an 800 space parking garage. A significant portion of the Three Rivers Greenway is located in the Congaree Vista, and the University of South Carolina's [http://www.sc.edu/research/ Innovista Research Campus] will stretch across the historic district on over 200 acres. Main Street, Lady Street, and the [http://www.fivepointscolumbia.com Five Points] neighborhood are all undergoing beautification projects, conducted block by block, replacing curbs and gutters, adding brick pavers for sidewalks, angled parking, new street lights, plantings and site furnishings. Special efforts have been aimed at Main Street, which was once the center of the city's activity but suffered decline, like many other cities, due to retailers and shoppers moving out to suburban malls. The goal is to re-establish Main Street as a vibrant commercial and residential corridor. Thus far, efforts have been successful. The Meridian building, a 17-story $62 million office tower was completed in 2004 and [http://firstcitizensonline.com/ First Citizens] bank, which is the second-largest bank in the state, is in the process of completing a new $40 million, 170,000 square foot headquarters tower on Main Street. The historic Palmetto Building, also on Main Street, is presently undergoing renovations, preparing to become a five-star Sheraton hotel. Along with recent residential development, Main Street is beginning to enjoy a renewed surge in popularity in Columbia. The Congaree Vista district and Main Street aren't the only areas in downtown benefiting from new residential development. The 178-acre former state mental hospital’s central campus, located on Bull Street, is the last and largest tract of land to come available in urban Columbia in decades. The state of South Carolina has plans to sell the site--which represents a huge opportunity for the city of Columbia. The vision is a hallmark of new urbanism, the architectural movement that focuses on higher-density residential development interspersed with green space, offices and retail. For this future development, 1,300 residential units and 500,000 square feet of retail and office space are planned. The new Bull Street neighborhood also would feature a “town center” of stores and shops near its main entrance at Bull Street and Elmwood Avenue. This project is expected to have a rather significant economic impact on the city of Columbia--something unlike the city has seen within the past 50 years, according to the [http://www.cccfsc.org Central Carolina Community Foundation]’s Bull Street Committee, which will oversee the project.

Economy

new urbanism Columbia has quite a diversified economy, with the major employers in the area being South Carolina state government, the [http://www.palmettohealth.org/ Palmetto Health] hospital system, [http://www.southcarolinablues.com/bcbs/bcbs_redo.nsf Blue Cross Blue Shield of SC], and the University of South Carolina. Columbia is also home to the headquarters of [http://www.scana.com SCANA], a Fortune 500 company which supplies energy to the Carolinas. Other major employers in the Columbia area include Fort Jackson, the U.S. Army's largest training installation, [http://www.richlandone.org/ Richland School District One], Humana/TriCare, and the United Parcel Service, which operates its Southeastern Regional Hub at the Columbia Metropolitan Airport. Major manufacturers such as Square D, SMI Steel, Spirax Sarco, Michelin, International Paper, Pirelli Cables, Honeywell, Westinghouse Electric, Harsco Track Tech, Trane Intertape Polymer Group, Union Switch & Signal, Solectron, and Bose Corporation Technology have facilities in Columbia. The business climate in the Columbia region is a very solid one. There are over 70 foreign affiliated companies and fourteen Fortune 500 companies in the region. [http://www.coloniallife.com/home/ Colonial Life Supplemental Insurance], the second-largest supplemental insurance company in the nation, is headquartered in Columbia. Columbia also serves as the home of [http://www.siemensvdo.com/aboutus/ Siemens VDO Automotive Powertrain Diesel Systems North America] headquarters, which is a leading international automotive supplier of electronics and mechatronics. [http://www.firstcitizensonline.com First Citizens] bank, the second largest bank in the state, is currently in the process of constructing a new headquarters tower downtown. Columbia's economy is set to be revolutionized within the next few years with the establishment of the University of South Carolina's research campus, dubbed [http://www.sc.edu/research/innovista/ Innovista]. Spreading out over 200 acres in the historic Congaree Vista district downtown and combining 5 million square feet of research labs, office space, mixed-use retail and affordable residential housing, research will be aimed at the emerging technologies and intellectual clusters—biomedical, environmental, nanotechnology, and future fuels—that companies will find extremely valuable in the global economy. Phase I of the campus is presently under construction and is slated to be completed in late 2007 or early 2008. Many reputable publications and institutes recognize the strength and potential of the city's economy. [http://www.entrepreneur.com Entrepreneur.com, Inc.] listed Columbia 8th of 50 mid-sized metropolitan areas nationwide in its Entrepreneur and NPRC's [http://www.entrepreneur.com/bestcities/0,5271,498-Midsize,00.html 2005 Hot Cities for Entrepreneurs] rankings. [http://www.expansionmanagement.com Expansion Management], a high profile company dedicated to helping companies evaluate future locations, recently named Columbia as one of America's top business opportunity metros out of 70 metropolitan areas nationwide. The company also ranked Columbia 21st in its "America's 50 Hottest Cities" list for business expansions and relocations. POLICOM, a company that specializes in studying the dynamics of local economies, ranked the Columbia metropolitan region 54th of the 361 U.S. Census Bureau-designated metropolitan statistical areas nationwide in its 2004 [http://www.policom.com/EconomicStrength2004.pdf economic strength rankings]. In [http://www.forbes.com/2005/05/05/05bestplaces.html Forbes] 2005 "Best Places for Business and Careers" list, Columbia ranked 68th of 150 metropolitan areas over 345,000.

People and culture

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there are 116,278 people in the city proper, organized into 42,245 households, and 22,136 families. The population density is 358.5/km² (928.6/mi²). There are 46,142 housing units at an average density of 142.3/km² (368.5/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 49.22% White, 45.98% Black or African American, 1.73% Asian, 0.25% Native American, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 1.36% from other races, and 1.36% from two or more races. 3.03% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race. There are two synagagues in Columbia which are located within a few hundred yards of each other on the same street. At last count, there are 661 places of worship in the city. 42,245 households out of which 25.4% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 31.5% are married couples living together, 17.6% have a female householder with no husband present, and 47.6% are classified as "nonfamilies", which consist of persons living alone, roommate situations, and other non-traditional families. 37.0% of all households are made up of individuals and 9.8% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.21 and the average family size is 2.97. In the city the population is spread out with 20.1% under the age of 18, 22.9% from 18 to 24, 30.1% from 25 to 44, 16.6% from 45 to 64, and 10.3% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 29 years. For every 100 females there are 96.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 93.4 males. Some notable Columbians include; Julian Harris, Trevor Weatherhead, Jay Knisley, and Brian Bellinger.

Neighborhoods

married couples
- [http://www.columbiadevelopment.org/arsenal_cdc.asp?sub1=nd&sub2=ah Arsenal Hill]
- [http://www.midnet.sc.edu/cottontown/ Cottontown/Bellevue Historic District]
- [http://www.columbiasc.net/cofc_aac_neighborhood_earlewood.html Earlewood]
- [http://www.eauclairecommunity.com/ Eau Claire]
- [http://www.historicelmwoodpark.org/ Elmwood Park]
- [http://www.forest-hills.org/ Forest Hills]
- Granby Mill Village
- Heathwood
- [http://www.midnet.sc.edu/hrhna/ Hollywood-Rose Hill]
- [http://www.oldshandon.org/ Old Shandon]
- Olympia Mill Village
- [http://www.rosewoodcommunity.net/ Rosewood]
- [http://www.columbiasc.net/neighborhoods/sherwoodforest/sforest.htm Sherwood Forest]
- [http://www.columbiasc.net/una/una.htm University Hill]
- Wales Garden
- [http://www.columbiasc.net/neighborhood_waverly_home.htm Historic Waverly]
- Wheeler Hill
- [http://www.columbiasc.net/neighborhoods/yorkshire.htm Yorkshire]
- Northeast Columbia

Visual & performing arts, libraries, and museums

married couples married couples
- Town Theatre is the country's oldest community theatre in continuous use. Located a block from the University of South Carolina campus, its playhouse is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Since 1917, the theatre has produced plays and musicals of wide general appeal.
- Trustus Theatre is Columbia's professional theatre company. Founded 10 years ago, Trustus brought a new dimension to theatre in South Carolina's capital city. Patrons enjoy a relaxed Soho-style setting as they watch new shows directly from the stages of New York as well as classic shows rarely seen in Columbia.
- Columbia Marionette Theatre has the distinction of being the only free standing theatre in the nation devoted entirely to marionette arts. Young and old alike enjoy the one-of-a-kind marionette productions presented at the theatre.
- The South Carolina Shakespeare Company performs the plays of Shakespeare and other classical works throughout the state. Audiences are always full, proving the Bard's words remain as delightful today as they did centuries ago.
- The South Carolina State Museum is a comprehensive museum with exhibits in science, technology, history and the arts. It is the state's largest museum and one of the largest museums in the Southeast.
- The Columbia Museum of Art features changing exhibits throughout the year. Located at the corner of Hampton and Main Streets, the museum offers amazing art, lectures, films and guided tours.
- EdVenture is the South's largest children's museum. Its state-of-the-art facility is located next to the South Carolina State Museum on Gervais Street. This delightful museum allows children to explore and learn while having fun.
- McKissick Museum is located on the University of South Carolina campus. The museum features changing exhibitions of art, science, regional history and folk art.
- The Confederate Relic Room and Museum showcases a relic collection from the Colonial period to the space age. The museum houses a wonderful collection of relics from the South Carolina confederate period.
- The Richland County Public Library, named the 2001 National Library of the Year, serves area citizens through its main library and nine branches. The spectacular 242,000 square foot main library has an outstanding book collection, provides reference services, utilizes innovative technology, houses a wonderful children's collection and displays distinct artwork.
- The South Carolina State Library provides library services to all citizens of South Carolina through the interlibrary loan service utilized by the public libraries located in each county. Individuals are also welcome to visit the State Library to use materials from the collection.
- The Columbia City Ballet is Columbia's internationally renowned ballet. Artistic Director William Starrett, formerly of the New York City Ballet, runs the company. The Columbia City Ballet specializes in top quality productions, including a Columbia favorite, Dracula.
- The South Carolina Philharmonic Orchestra is Columbia's resident orchestra. Under the direction of Maestro Nicholas Smith, the Philharmonic produces a full season of outstanding orchestral performances each year. World-renowned musicians come to Columbia to perform as guest artists with the orchestra.
- The Columbia City Jazz Company operates under the auspices of the Columbia City Ballet. Despite being a young company, Columbia City Jazz has already made themselves well known locally and regionally through exhibitions at competitions and community functions.
- The South Carolina Symphonic Chorale has been performing throughout the community since 1930. Under the direction of Dr. Timothy Koch, the group strives to stimulate and broaden interest in musical activities and to actively engage in the rehearsal and rendition of choral music.

Parks and outdoor recreational opportunities

Dracula Dracula One of the best known parks in the state of South Carolina, Finlay Park has hosted just about everything from festivals and political rallies to road races and Easter Sunrise services. This beautiful 18-acre park has had two lives; first dedicated in 1859 as Sidney Park, named in honor of Algernon Sidney Johnson, a Columbia City Councilman, the park experienced an illustrious but short tenure. The park fell into disrepair after the Civil War and served as a site for commercial ventures until the late 1900's. In 1990, the park was reopened and has become a beautiful diamond in the downtown area, offering a green oasis in contrast to the glass, asphalt and concrete in the urban environment. It serves as the site for such events as Kids Day, The Summer Concert Series, plus many more activities. In 1992, the park was renamed Finlay Park, in honor of Kirkman Finlay, Mayor of Columbia who had a vision to reenergize the area known as the Vista, between Main Street and the river, and recreate the beautiful site known as Sidney Park. Granby Park opened in November 1998 as a gateway to the rivers of Columbia, adding another access to the many river activities available to residents. Granby is part of the Three Rivers Greenway, a system of green spaces along the banks of the rivers in Columbia, adding another piece to the long-range plan and eventually connecting to the existing Riverfront Park . Granby is a 24 acre linear park with canoe access points, fishing spots, bridges and 1/2 mile of nature trail along the banks of the Congaree River. Memorial Park is a four-acre tract of land in the Congaree Vista between Main Street and the river. The property is bordered by Hampton, Gadsden , Washington and Wayne Streets and is one block south of Finlay Park. This park was created to serve as a memorial to those who served their county and presently has monuments honoring the USS Columbia warship and those that served with her during WWII, the China-Burma-India Theater Veterans of WWII, causalities of the Pearl Harbor attack of December 7, 1941 who were from South Carolina, and the State Vietnam War Veterans. The park was dedicated in November 1986 along with the unveiling of the South Carolina Vietnam Monument . In June 2000, the Korean War Memorial was dedicated at Memorial Park. In the [http://www.fivepointscolumbia.com/ Five Points] district of downtown Columbia is the park dedicated to the legacy and memory of one of the major civil rights leaders in America, Martin Luther King Jr. Park. The park features a beautiful water sculpture and a community center. One of Columbia's greatest assets is Riverbanks Zoo & Garden. Riverbanks is home to more than 2,000 magnificent and fascinating animals and one of the nation's most beautiful and inspiring botanical gardens. The lush 170-acre site features dynamic natural habitat exhibits, scenic river views, spectacular valley overlooks and significant historic landmarks. For more than 30 years, Riverbanks has provided individuals, families and groups with a common place to connect with and learn about the world's wildlife and wild places. Twice awarded the Governor's Cup for South Carolina's Most Outstanding Tourist Attraction, Riverbanks is the premier family choice for education and recreation in the Southeast. Situated along the meandering Congaree River in central South Carolina, Congaree National Park is home to champion trees, primeval forest landscapes, and diverse plant and animal life. This 22,200-acre park protects the largest contiguous tract of old-growth bottomland hardwood forest remaining in the United States. Known for its giant hardwoods and towering pines, the park’s floodplain forest includes one of the highest canopies in the world and some of the tallest trees in the eastern United States. Congaree National Park provides a sanctuary for plants and animals, a research site for scientists, and a place for you to walk and relax in a tranquil wilderness setting. In November 1996, the [http://www.riveralliance.org/3rg.htm River Alliance] proposed that a 12-mile linear park system be created to link people to their rivers. This was named the Three Rivers Greenway, and the $18 million estimated cost was agreed to by member governments (the cities of Cayce, Columbia, and West Columbia) with the proviso that the Alliance recommend an acceptable funding strategy. While the funding process was underway, an existing City of Columbia site located on the Congaree River offered an opportunity to be a pilot project for the Three Rivers Greenway. The Alliance was asked to design and permit for construction by a general contractor this component. This approximately one-half mile segment of the system was opened in November 1998. It is complete with 8-foot wide concrete pathways, vandal-proof lighting, trash receptacles, water fountains, picnic benches, overlooks, bank fishing access, canoe/kayak access, a public restroom and parking. These set the standards for the common elements in the rest of the system. Eventually, pathways will run from Granby to the Riverbanks Zoo. Boaters, sportsmen, fishermen will have access to the area, and additional recreational uses are being planned along the miles of riverfront.

Festivals

- [http://www.scstatefair.org The South Carolina State Fair] is held annually in Columbia in the month of October. Rides, food and games attract local and widespread attendants. Exhibits featuring art, crafts, flowers and livestock cover the fairgrounds.
- St. Patrick’s Day Festival in Five Points is certainly a Columbia favorite. Held each March, this event features live bands, arts and crafts and a smorgasbord of tasty delights.
- Riverfest Celebration is an annual festival held in early spring. The celebration includes a 5K River Run, musical entertainment, arts and crafts and food vendors.
- Earth Day at Finaly Park is held each spring. This event brings together environmental booths and vendors as well as traditional festival favorites.
- [http://www.3riversmusicfestival.org/board.htm Three Rivers Music Festival] is a three-day event that provides a wide array of national and regional musical acts. The festival also offers a variety of foods and beverages to enjoy while listening to the music.
- The Greek Festival is held annually in September at the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Columbia. Traditional Greek dances, ceremonies, music, theatre, food and beverages are all part of this four-day festival.
- The Irmo Okra Strut is a two-day festival held during the last weekend in September. The festival features a street dance, 10K road race, golf tournament, arts and crafts, rides, food and South Carolina’s largest festival parade.
- Main Street Jazz brings world-renowned performers to Columbia each spring. Elegant dining is available on Main Street to compliment the music of some of the world’s greatest jazz musicians.
- Vista Lights is held each year in Mid-November. Open house walking tours and receptions, entertainment by local musicians and carriage rides through Columbia’s antique district are all highlights of this festival.
- Jubilee: Festival of Heritage is a one-day event held at the historic Mann-Sims Cottage to recognize African-American heritage. The festival includes arts and crafts, storytelling and music and dance performances.

Venues

Congaree River Congaree River The Colonial Center, which opened in 2002, is South Carolina's premiere arena and entertainment facility. Seating 18,000 for college basketball, it is the largest arena in the state of South Carolina and the tenth largest on-campus basketball facility in the nation, serving as the home of the men's and women's USC Gamecocks basketball teams. Located on the University of South Carolina campus, this one-of-a-kind facility features 41 suites, four entertainment suites, and the Frank McGuire Club, a full-service hospitality room that will have a capacity of 300. The state-of-the-art facility also features plush seating, a technologically advanced sound system, and a four-sided video scoreboard. The Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center, which opened in September 2004, is a 142,500 square foot, modern, state-of-the-art facility designed to host a variety of meetings and conventions. Located in the historic Congaree Vista district, this facility is close to restaurants, antique and specialty shops, art galleries, and a vibrant nightlife. The main exhibit hall contains almost 25,000 square feet of space; the Columbia Ballroom over 18,000 square feet; and the five meeting rooms ranging in size from 1500 to 4000 square feet add another 15,000 square feet of space. The facility is located next to the Colonial Center. Williams-Brice Stadium is the home of the USC Gamecocks football team and is one of the largest college football stadiums in the nation. It seats 80,250 persons and is located just south of downtown Columbia. The stadium was built in 1934 with help of federal Works Progress Administration funds and initially seated 17,600. The original name was Carolina Stadium but on September 9, 1972 it was renamed to honor the families Williams and Brice. Mrs. Martha Williams-Brice had left much of her estate to the University for stadium renovations and expansions. Her late husband, Thomas H. Brice played football for the University from 1922 to 1924. The Koger Center for the Arts provides Columbia with theatre, music and dance performances from around the world. The facility seats 2,500 persons. The center is named for philanthropists Ira and Nancy Koger, who made a substantial donation from personal and corporate funds for construction of the $15 million center. The first performance at the Koger Center was given by the London Philharmonic Orchestra and took place on Saturday, January 14, 1989. The facility is known for hosting diverse events, from The State of the State Address to the South Carolina Body Building Championship, and the South Carolina Science Fair. [http://coliseum.sc.edu/main.asp The Carolina Coliseum], which opened in 1968, is a 12,400-seat facility which initially served as the home of the USC Gamecocks basketball teams. The arena is also easily adapted to serve other entertainment purposes, including concerts, car shows, circuses, ice shows, and other popular events. The versatility and quality of the Coliseum also have allowed the University to use the facility for performing arts events such as the Boston Pops, Chicago Symphony, Feld Ballet and other performances by important artists. An acoustical shell and a state-of-the-art lighting system assist the Coliseum in presenting such activities. The Township Auditorium seats 3,200 persons and is located in downtown Columbia. It hosts a variety of events, including plays, concerts, musicals, and many other types of shows.

Sister cities

Currently, the city of Columbia has four sister cities:
- Kaiserslautern, Germany
- Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- Plovdiv, Bulgaria
- Chelyabinsk, Russia

External links

- [http://www.columbiasc.net City of Columbia]
- [http://www.columbiasc.net/cofc_pd.html Columbia Police Department]
- [http://www.columbiasc.net/fire/ Columbia Fire Department]
- [http://www.columbiacvb.com Columbia Metropolitan Convention & Visitors Bureau]
- [http://www.gcbn.com Greater Columbia Chamber of Commerce]
- [http://www.citycentercolumbia.sc Downtown Columbia City Center]
- [http://www.columbiadevelopment.org Columbia Development Corporation]
- [http://www.makeovercolumbia.com Makeover Columbia]
- [http://www.vistacolumbia.com The Congaree Vista District]
- [http://www.mostlivable.org/cities/columbia/home.html Columbia, SC: One of America's Most Livable Communities] Category:Cities in South Carolina Category:Richland County, South Carolina Category:U.S. state capitals

Cleveland, Ohio

For the Cleveland area, see Greater Cleveland. The city of Cleveland is the county seat of Cuyahoga County in the U.S. state of Ohio. The city is located on the southern shore of Lake Erie, in the Western Reserve in northeastern Ohio on the Cuyahoga River, approximately 60 miles (100 km) west of the Pennsylvania border. It was founded in 1796 near the mouth of the river, and became a manufacturing center owing to its location at the head of numerous canals and railroad lines. After the decline of heavy manufacturing, Cleveland's businesses are now more often in the financial services, insurance, and healthcare sectors. As of the 2000 Census, the city proper had a total population of 478,403, making it the 33rd largest city in the nation. It is the center of Greater Cleveland, the largest metropolitan area in Ohio, which spans several counties and is defined in several different ways by the United States Census Bureau. The Cleveland-Elyria-Mentor Metropolitan Statistical Area has 2,250,871 people and is the 23rd largest in the country. Cleveland is also part of the larger Cleveland-Akron-Elyria Combined Statistical Area, which is the 14th largest in the country with a population of 2,945,831 according to the 2000 Census. City residents and tourists benefit from investments made by wealthy residents in the city's heyday in arts and cultural institutions, and philanthropy also helped to establish a robust public library system in the region. More recent investments have provided the city with tourist attractions in the downtown area, such as Jacobs Field, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and Playhouse Square Center. In a study conducted by The Economist in 2005, Cleveland and Pittsburgh were ranked as the most livable cities in the United States. Nevertheless, the city faces continuing challenges, in particular from concentrated poverty in some neighborhoods and difficulties in the funding and delivering of high-quality public education. Residents of Cleveland are usually referred to as Clevelanders. Nicknames used for the city include The Forest City, The Comeback City, The New American City, America's North Coast, The Best Location in the Nation, The City of Bridges, Metropolis of the Western Reserve, and C-Town.

History

Cleveland obtained its name on July 22, 1796, when surveyors of the Connecticut Land Company named an area in Ohio "Cleaveland" after General Moses Cleaveland, the superintendent of the surveying party, a month after white settlers had signed a treaty with local Native Americans to acquire the land. Cleaveland laid out the plan for the modern Public Square area before returning home, never again to visit the area. The village of Cleaveland was incorporated on 23 December 1814. The spelling of the city's name was later changed to "Cleveland" when, in 1831, an "a" was dropped so the name could fit a newspaper's masthead. Public Square Though not initially apparent—the city was surrounded by swampland and the harsh winters did not encourage settlement—the location proved providential. The city began to grow rapidly after the completion of the Ohio and Erie Canal in 1832, turning the city into a key link between the Ohio River and the Great Lakes, and particularly once the city railroad links were added. The rapid growth resulted in Cleveland's incorporation as a city in 1836. The following year, the city, then located on the eastern banks of the Cuyahoga River, nearly erupted into open warfare with neighboring Ohio City (since annexed), over a bridge connecting the two. As a halfway point for iron ore coming from Minnesota across the Great Lakes and for coal and other raw materials coming by rail from the south, the site flourished. Cleveland became one of the major manufacturing and population centers of the United States, and was home to numerous major steel firms. Standard Oil founder John D. Rockefeller made his fortune there, and by 1920, it was the fifth largest city in the country. The city was also one of the centers of the national progressive movement, headed locally by Mayor Tom L. Johnson. Many Clevelanders of this era are buried in the historic Lake View Cemetery, including the 20th president, James A. Garfield. James A. Garfield winds through the Flats.]] In commemoration of the centennial of Cleveland's incorporation as a city, the Great Lakes Exposition debuted in June 1936 along the lakeshore north of downtown. Conceived as a way to energize a city hit hard by the Great Depression, the exposition drew 4 million visitors in its first season, and 7 million by the end of its second and final season in September 1937. The exposition was housed on grounds that are now used by the Great Lakes Science Center, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and Burke Lakefront Airport, among others. The city experienced a downturn in the post-World War II period, as heavy industries slumped and residents sought new housing in the suburbs. The city witnessed racial unrest in the 1960s, culminating in the Hough Riots on July 18–23, 1966, and the Glenville Shootout on July 23–25, 1968. The city's nadir is often considered to be its default on its loans on December 15, 1978, when under Mayor Dennis Kucinich it became the first major American city to enter default since the Great Depression. National media began referring to Cleveland as "the mistake by/on the lake" around this time, in reference to both the city's financial difficulties as well as a 1969 fire on the Cuyahoga River where the oil and waste on the river's surface caught on fire. The city has struggled to shed this nickname ever since, though in recent times the national media have been much kinder to the city, using it as the poster child for downtown revitalization and urban renaissance. The metropolitan area began a recovery thereafter under Mayors George Voinovich and Michael R. White. Redevelopment within the city limits has been strongest in the downtown area near the Gateway complex—consisting of Jacobs Field and Quicken Loans Arena—and near the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Cleveland Browns Stadium; however, many of the inner-city residential neighborhoods remain troubled, and the public school system continues to experience serious problems. Economic development, retention of young professionals, and capitalizing upon its Lake Erie waterfront are current municipal priorities.

Geography and climate

Geography

Lake Erie Cleveland is located at . According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 82.4 mi² (213.5 km²). 77.6 mi² (201.0 km²) of it is land and 4.8 mi² (12.5 km²) of it is water. The total area is 5.87% water. The shore of Lake Erie is 569 feet (173 m) above sea level; however, the city lies on a series of irregular bluffs lying roughly parallel to the lake. In Cleveland these bluffs are cut principally by the Cuyahoga River, Big Creek, and Euclid Creek. The land rises quickly from the lakeshore. Public Square, less than a mile (2 km) inland, sits at an elevation of 650 feet (198 m), and Hopkins Airport, only five miles (8 km) inland from the lake, is at an elevation of 770 feet (235 m).

Cityscape

Cleveland's downtown architecture is varied. Many of the city's government and civic buildings, including City Hall, the Cuyahoga County Courthouse, the Cleveland Public Library, and Public Auditorium are clustered around an open mall and share a common neoclassical architecture. Built in the early 20th century, they are the result of the 1903 Group Plan, and constitute one the most complete examples of City Beautiful design in the United States. The Terminal Tower, dedicated in 1930, was the tallest building in the United States outside New York City until 1967 and the tallest in the city until 1991. It is a prototypical Beaux-Arts skyscraper. The two newer skyscrapers on Public Square, Key Tower (currently the tallest building in the state) and the BP Building, combine elements of Art Deco architecture with postmodern designs. Another of Cleveland's architectural treasures is The Arcade (sometimes called the Old Arcade), a five-story arcade built in 1890. 1890 and Lake Erie in the background]] Running east from Public Square to University Circle is Euclid Avenue, which at one time rivaled New York's Fifth Avenue for prestige and elegance. Known as "Millionaire's Row", Euclid Avenue was world-renowned as the home of such internationally-known names as Rockefeller, Hanna, and Hay. The countywide Cleveland Metroparks system, often referred to as the "Emerald Necklace", includes four parks in Cleveland. In the Big Creek valley sits the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, which contains the largest collection of primates of any zoo in the United States. The other three parks are Brookside Park and parts of the Rocky River and Washington Reservations. Apart from the Metroparks is Cleveland Lakefront State Park, which provides public access to Lake Erie. Among its six parks are Edgewater Park, located between the Shoreway and Lake Erie just west of downtown, and Euclid Beach Park and Gordon Park on the east side. The City of Cleveland's Rockefeller Park, with its many Cultural Gardens honoring the city's ethnic groups, follows Doan Brook across the east side.

Neighborhoods

Downtown Cleveland includes several neighborhoods, such as the Flats and the Warehouse District, which are predominantly occupied by restaurants and bars. Residential opportunities in townhomes, lofts, and apartments also increased downtown during the late 1990s and the first half of the following decade. the Warehouse District in downtown Cleveland]]Cleveland residents often define themselves in terms of whether they live on the west side or the east side of the Cuyahoga River. The west side of the city includes the following neighborhoods: Brooklyn Center, Clark-Fulton, Detroit Shoreway, Cudell, Edgewater, Kamm's Corners, Jefferson, Ohio City, Old Brooklyn, Puritas-Longmead, Riverside, Stockyards, West Boulevard, and West Park. Three neighborhoods are on the west side of the river, but are sometimes referred to as the south side: Industrial Valley, Slavic Village (North and South Broadway), and Tremont. The east side comprises the following neighborhoods: Buckeye-Shaker Square, Central, Collinwood, Corlett, Euclid-Green, Fairfax, Forest Hills, Glenville, Goodrich-Kirtland, Hough, Kinsman, Lee-Miles, Mount Pleasant, Nottingham, St. Clair-Superior, Union-Miles Park, University Circle-Little Italy, and Woodland Hills.

Climate

The shoreline is very close to due east-west from the mouth of the Cuyahoga west to Sandusky, but at the mouth of the Cuyahoga it turns sharply northeast. This feature is the principal contributor to the lake effect snow that is a mainstay of Cleveland (especially east side) weather from mid-November until the surface of Lake Erie freezes, usually in late January or early February. The lake effect causes snowfall totals to range greatly across the city; while Hopkins Airport has only reached 100 inches (254 cm) of snowfall in a given season three times since 1968, seasonal totals approaching or exceeding 100 inches are not uncommon in an area known as the "Snow Belt", extending from the east side of Cleveland proper through the eastern suburbs and up the Lake Erie shore as far as Buffalo. The all-time record high in Cleveland of 104 °F (40 °C) was established on June 25, 1988, and the all-time record low of −20 °F (−29 °C) was set on January 19, 1994. On average, July is the warmest month with a mean temperature of 71.9 °F (22.2 °C), and January, with a mean temperature of 25.7 °F (−3.5 °C), is the coldest. Normal yearly rainfall based on the 30-year average from 1961 to 1990 is 36.6 inches (930 mm).

Demographics

As of the 2000 Census , there were 478,403 people, 190,638 households, and 111,904 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,380.9/km² (6,166.5/mi²). There were 215,856 housing units at an average density of 1,074.3/km² (2,782.4/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 41.49% White, 50.99% Black or African American, 0.30% Native American, 1.35% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 3.59% from other races, and 2.24% from two or more races. 7.26% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race. Latino There were 190,638 households out of which 29.9% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 28.5% were married couples living together, 24.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.3% were nonfamilies. 35.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.1% had someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 3.19. The population was spread out with 28.5% under the age of 18, 9.5% from 18 to 24, 30.4% from 25 to 44, 19.0% from 45 to 64, and 12.5% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 90.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.2 males. The median income for a household in the city was $25,928, and the median income for a family was $30,286. Males had a median income of $30,610 versus $24,214 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,291. 26.3% of the population and 22.9% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 37.6% of those under the age of 18 and 16.8% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line. Cleveland was hit hard in the 1960s and early 1970s by white flight and suburbanization, further exacerbated by the busing-based desegregation of Cleveland schools required by the United States Supreme Court. Although busing ended in the 1990s, Cleveland continued to slide into poverty, reaching a nadir in 2004 when it was named the poorest large city in the United States. The 2005 rankings announced the city had dropped from first in poverty to twelfth, with the rate dropping from 31.3% to 23.2%.

Government and politics

Cleveland's position as a center of manufacturing established it as a hotbed of union activity early in its history. This contributed to a political progressivism that has influenced Cleveland politics to the present. While other parts of Ohio, particularly Cincinnati and the southern portion of the state, have historically supported the Republican Party, Cleveland commonly breeds the strongest support in the state for the Democrats; Cleveland's two representatives in the House of Representatives are Democrats: Dennis Kucinich and Stephanie Tubbs Jones. During the 2004 Presidential election, although George W. Bush carried Ohio, John Kerry carried Cuyahoga County, which gave him the strongest support in the state. The city of Cleveland operates on the mayor-council (

Interstate 77

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Major cities along the route

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See also

Interstate Highway

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Terminology

Primary routes

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Columbia, South Carolina

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Downtown revitalization

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Cleveland, Ohio

History

Geography and climate

Geography

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Climate

Demographics

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