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| Back in June 1971, you couldn’t do this yet: get on State Route 2 at Baumhart Road and go west |
Fifty years ago, westbound State Route 2 out of Lorain ended at Baumhart Road. It’s a funny thought to those of us used to taking it to get to Port Clinton.
But that was about to change, as noted in the article below, which appeared in the Journal on June 18, 1971.
As the article noted, “Bids will be opened July 20 for a $7.9 million project extending SR2 five miles west from Baumhart Road and creating picnic areas above the Vermilion River.
“This part of SR2 will then become a section of Interstate 90.”
“Still not completed on the western leg is a stretch between SR 60 and SR 61 in Berlin Heights.
“Also not built is a connection to the Jackie Mayer Expressway in Huron from SR 61.”
A close look at the map shows how different the plan was back then, compared to how the highways are designated now.
Both the article and the map indicate that part of State Route 2 was going to be part of I-90. As it turned out, at least in this area, I-90 is one of the designations for the Ohio Turnpike. State Route 2 strikes out on its own west of the Route 57 interchange, staying fairly close to Lake Erie all the way to Toledo.
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I’ve posted quite a few articles about State Route 2 construction. It’s of great interest to me because I was very aware of it while it was slowly happening.
This post describes how far along the highway was in 1966 – when it was going to be part of I-90.
This post describes what the plan was in 1967 to close the ‘Vermilion Gap’ of Route 2.
This post shows the progress by 1968.
This post noted how in 1969, highway signs gave the impression that you could take State Route 2 all the way to Toledo, but the highway really ended at Baumhart Rd.
This post noted how the section of Route 2 from Baumhart Road to State Route 61 finally opened in August 1975.
And when people traverse I-90 in Lorain County they are treated with potholes and uneven strips of road.When you travel from the Baumhart Rd entrance headed west toward Sandusky it is nice and smooth.And when you enter at the Colorado Ave entrance going east toward Cleveland it is nice and smooth.It'a only when you travel in between those 2 exits that people experience the nasty road conditions that Lorain County is highly noted and famous for.I wonder why?Corrupt politicians at play?Who does the upkeep on I-90?The county or the state?If it's the county,that would explain why.
ReplyDeleteState Route 2 doesn't go "all the way " to Toledo, at least as a divided limited access highway. It reverts to a two lane road at Camp Perry, just east of the Davis-Besse nuclear power plant. There's another 30 miles to go before reaching The Glass City.
ReplyDeleteAs we say in Ohio, "how come?"
One of life's biggest mysteries... Is it Route 2 or I-90? I don't think I will ever know the correct answer.
ReplyDeleteThe Ohio Department of Transportation is responsible for most interstate highways. Sorry, you can't blame your city, county, or even those darn baby boomers today.
ReplyDeleteI was reading the Wiki entry for Interstate 90 and it explains why I-90 jumps onto the Turnpike west of Route 57.
ReplyDeleteIt notes, "Originally, it [I-90] was going to be parallel to, and north of, I-80/Ohio Turnpike further west to Toledo. Parts were built with an interim assignment of State Route 2 (SR 2). Later; that plan was abandoned, and the I-90/I-80 exit/connector was built instead; those existing parts retain the SR 2 designation.”
(This also explains why, when Route 2/I-90 first opened west of Lorain, my parents had told us that we’d be able to get on the highway there in Amherst and take it all the way to Mt. Rushmore, which I thought was pretty neat.)
So, Dan, did you ever get to Mount Rushmore?
ReplyDeleteDon't forget Crazy Horse Monument Dan.It's just down the road from Mt Rushmore.Started in 1948 the face of Chief Crazy Horse is about the only thing done so far.I hadn't been there in 20 years till this spring,and it looked like nothing else has been done to it except that they are raking in the cash year after year from visitors.If and only if they get it done it will be the 2nd largest statue in the world.
ReplyDeleteYup, we saw Mt. Rushmore (and the Crazy Horse Monument) in 1965:
ReplyDeletehttps://danielebrady.blogspot.com/2012/08/1965-south-dakota-vacation-revisited_16.html
We went back to Rushmore a couple years later, so the idea of picking up I-90 on Leavitt Road in Amherst and going all the way to South Dakota on it was kind of exciting. I still want to see it again.
Do another trip Dan.You only live once.And who knows when we all get to meet our maker(Amen).I plan on taking another (road trip) out west later this year.And I'll be traveling on the above mentioned I-90,for a little while at least.
ReplyDeleteI don't remember rt 2 ending at Baumhart as I was only 3 when it opened. I do remember it ending at rt 61 when we went to Cedar Point and Sandusky Speedway in the summer.
ReplyDeleteI remember in the 80s you had to get off RT 2 and go through downtown Huron. Was that only for construction or was the road not finished? It seemed like it was that way for a long time.
ReplyDeleteIf I remember correctly, there was some kind of environmental issue that delayed the completion of State Route 2 around Huron.
ReplyDeleteI thought there was a Native American burial site that prevented RT 2 from being connected.
ReplyDeleteYou are correct, there are burial grounds there
DeleteI found an online EPA report from 1980, it looks like it involved wetlands. If you look at a map, you can see that the Route 2 portion that was eventually built dips pretty far to the south to largely avoid the Huron River and Mud Brook.
ReplyDeleteWetlands and burial grounds
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