On the far east side of Plainfield, Indiana, within sight of the west border of Indianapolis, used to be an old alignment of the National Road and US 40. This is what it looked like in 2006, when I first visited. Eastbound:
Westbound:
Notice the orange Road Construction Ahead sign in the photo above. Ahead, the road was closed as the Ronald Reagan Parkway was being constructed. I didn’t know that the plan was to close this alignment permanently; it would not provide access to the new Parkway when that road was completed.
I further didn’t know that the plan was to remove this road entirely. Here’s the scene from my Ride Across Indiana this year. Eastbound:
Westbound:
I wonder why the city went to the expense of removing the road. They could have simply closed it at much lesser expense.
Pro roadgeek tip: whenever you see a line of utility poles like this, you may be looking at a place where a road used to be.
I’ve driven the National Road from its beginning in Baltimore, MD to its end in Vandaila, IL. To read everything I’ve ever written about it, click here.
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I never thought about the utility poles like that. Good tip!
Now you’ll see all sorts of old alignments!
I’m counting on it!
It’s rough to see a section of the National Road actually vanish. But the small mercy and glory is that you were there, saw it and walked it, and you made and shared the record that that little bit of it was once there.
I still puzzle over why they removed this historic road.
The powers that be said “down with the road”!
Sho nuff. But this little sliver of road wasn’t bothering anyone!
Cynic in me says follow the money. Whoever got the contract to remove the road might have had connections with those in control of funds.
Perhaps you’re right.