Gribblenation

Michigan, Wyoming, and, at one point, North Carolina.  Three states that have or had what appears to be their flagship university's logo within their highway shield.  Is that truly the case? Within the roadgeek community - specific to those that are more sign enthusiasts - there has been debate on whether or not the three states do, did, or do not use the logo of their state universities in their highway shields.  Some say yes, while others say no.  So, I decided to take a closer look. Michigan: M-39 Highway Shield (Tom Fearer) Big Blue. Trunkline highways which are noted as "M-Route Number. "  At first glance, it sure does look like the M in a Michigan highway shield are the same - but when you look closely - they are not. University of Michigan logo ( 1000logos.net ) The M in the University of Michigan logo is wider, and the point of the M is much lower than that of the Michigan highway shield.  As shown in the illustration below from Chris Bessert at mi...

   One of the most important surveying markers in the United States, and perhaps, the world, is located in an otherwise unassuming field at Embreeville in Newlin Township in Chester County, Pennsylvania. That marker is the Star Gazers' Stone, which is the land marker that was used in 1764 by 18th century astronomers Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon to determine the true boundary between Pennsylvania and Maryland. At the time, the colonies of Maryland and Pennsylvania had a disputed border thanks to competing royal charters of the time. Maryland and Pennsylvania both claimed the land between the 39th and 40th parallels according to the charters granted to each colony, and this would have included the City of Philadelphia. The issue was unresolved until the British Crown intervened in 1760, ordering Frederick Calvert, 6th Baron Baltimore to accept a border agreement signed in 1732. As part of the settlement, the Penns and Calverts commissioned the team of English astro...

The 1968 Federal-Aid Highway Act expanded the Interstate Highway system an additional 1,500 miles - increasing the overall network to 42,500 miles.  During a series of public hearings and correspondences , the House Subcommittee on Roads, chaired by Illinois Congressman John Kluczynski, would help craft the legislation that authorized funding and the designation of the new corridors. On May 15, 1968, Chairman Kluczynski sent a telegram to every state highway/transportation department.  His request asked each state to return on their state's additional Interstate Highway needs as soon as possible with the approximate mileage and location.  He also asked if they intended to attend sub-committee hearings that were scheduled to begin on May 23. The individual state's responses varied. A number of states responded with specific corridors and mileages, a number were vague or gave long-winded answers in regard to funding and needs, and others requested very little mileage or in ...

  One of the more unusual sights while traveling the highways and byways of eastern Connecticut is the Frog Bridge, which spans across the Willimantic River between downtown Willimantic and neighboring Windham . Known officially as the Thread City Crossing and South Street, the Frog Bridge is 476 feet in length and connects CT 32 on the north side of the river with CT 66 on the south side of the river. The bridge was built in the year 2000  at the cost of $13 million to replace a stone arch bridge built in 1857 called the Windham Road Bridge (now a pedestrian bridge known as Garden on the Bridge ) located at the Windham Mills State Heritage Park . While the Frog Bridge is mostly a nondescript looking bridge, there are frogs sitting on tops of spools of thread on each side of the bridge. In 1986, Connecticut state legislator John Lescoe introduced a bill to fund a feasibility study for a new bridge over the Willimantic River between Willimantic and other parts of Windham. Af...

The Penobscot Narrows Bridge is a 2,120 foot long and 57 foot wide cable stayed bridge that carries US 1 and ME 3 over the Penobscot River in Maine between Verona Island and the town of Prospect. Needing to be a sturdy replacement for the outgoing Waldo-Hancock Bridge, the Penobscot Narrows Bridge opened for travel on December 30, 2006 at a cost of $85 million after just 42 months of planning and construction. The bridge's towers reach 447 feet into the sky and there is a bridge observatory open from May to October. Together with the Penobscot Narrows Bridge Observatory, you can visit Maine's historic Fort Knox. The bridge helps avoid a forty mile detour via Bangor for this major north-south tourist highway, on a coastline that is heavily dependent on summertime visitors, as well as being a major route to nearby Acadia National Park. The story of the Penobscot Narrows Bridge begins with the former bridge at its location, the Waldo-Hancock Bridge. While the David Steinman desig...