After Saturday's trip into Southside Virginia - and all of the great pre-Interstate businesses we found, active and abandoned - I started to think about the Old US 66 trip I did last spring. There are plenty of sites (motor courts, restaurants, neon signs, small towns) and situations (bypassed by the interstate, abandoned businesses, empty two and sometimes four lane roads) similar to that of the revered "Mother Road".
So I have come up with five routes along with reasons for and against being the East Coast version of Route 66.
US 1: The Backbone US Route of the East Coast - Travels through major cities including Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington D.C. Parallels Interstates 85 and 95 for significant portions of the route. However, runs as an independent route from Henderson, NC to Jacksonville, FL.
US 301: Bypassed and pretty much ignored by long distanced travelers by Interstate 95 from Richmond/Petersburg, VA to south of Florence, SC. Roadside America attraction; South of the Border. It wasn't a major route in the 40's or 50's. Traffic south to Florida went via US 1 or the Ocean Highway.
US 29: Major US Highway serving Washington, Charlotte, and Atlanta. Parallels and is bypassed by Interstate 85 from Greensboro, NC to Tuskegee, AL. Unfortunately, this route doesn't have the lore of a US 1 or Route 66.
Dixie Highway (Various US Routes): It was the main route to Florida from the Midwest and dates from the Auto Trails Era. Much of the Dixie Highway became US Routes that would in turn fall to nearby Interstates. The numerous branches of the Dixie Highway makes it difficult to trace a specific route.
Ocean Highway (US 13/US 17): Created to help promote tourism along the coast, the Ocean Highway was the closest to the coast of all N/S routes. Mainly serves small towns, cities, and resort areas. For the most part untouched by an Interstate.
So which of these five highways do you consider as the East Coast's "Route 66"? Or do you have another highway in mind? Let me know by leaving a comment!
So I have come up with five routes along with reasons for and against being the East Coast version of Route 66.
US 1: The Backbone US Route of the East Coast - Travels through major cities including Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington D.C. Parallels Interstates 85 and 95 for significant portions of the route. However, runs as an independent route from Henderson, NC to Jacksonville, FL.
US 301: Bypassed and pretty much ignored by long distanced travelers by Interstate 95 from Richmond/Petersburg, VA to south of Florence, SC. Roadside America attraction; South of the Border. It wasn't a major route in the 40's or 50's. Traffic south to Florida went via US 1 or the Ocean Highway.
US 29: Major US Highway serving Washington, Charlotte, and Atlanta. Parallels and is bypassed by Interstate 85 from Greensboro, NC to Tuskegee, AL. Unfortunately, this route doesn't have the lore of a US 1 or Route 66.
Dixie Highway (Various US Routes): It was the main route to Florida from the Midwest and dates from the Auto Trails Era. Much of the Dixie Highway became US Routes that would in turn fall to nearby Interstates. The numerous branches of the Dixie Highway makes it difficult to trace a specific route.
Ocean Highway (US 13/US 17): Created to help promote tourism along the coast, the Ocean Highway was the closest to the coast of all N/S routes. Mainly serves small towns, cities, and resort areas. For the most part untouched by an Interstate.
So which of these five highways do you consider as the East Coast's "Route 66"? Or do you have another highway in mind? Let me know by leaving a comment!
Comments
The welcome center was almost shut down until a state-local partnership saved it.
BTW, it is America's oldest functioning welcome center.
US 19 is decent, the Dixie highway has stretches, especially in Michigan and Ohio, but I wouldn't call that the East Coast.
US 29 is very enjoyable, especially with the 4 lanes through Virginia, but it's missing something.
US 11 is incredible. So much history in each state, let alone as a piece together. I was a little disappointed by 11 in eastern Tennessee, but maybe I took the wrong piece.