Interstate 76
Two interstate highways named Interstate 76 exist in different parts of the United States. The western I-76 commemorates Colorado, which became a U.S. state in 1876; the eastern I-76 commemorates the signing of the United States Declaration of Independence, which occurred in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1776.The western I-76 runs from Interstate 70 in Denver, Colorado to an intersection with Interstate 80 near Big Spring, Nebraska.
The eastern I-76 runs from an intersection with Interstate 71 near Westfield Center, Ohio to an intersection with Interstate 295 (see Interstate 95) near Camden, New Jersey.
The connection to I-95 involves traffic lights; I-676 in Philadelphia also has a traffic light at the entrance to the Ben Franklin Bridge. The reason for the traffic light is because building a freeway would have disturbed historically significant areas in Philadelphia. In fact, until 1974, I-76 went on the Vine Street Expressway while I-676 went on the Schuylkill Expressway, but they switched designations.
At 129 miles, I-476 is America's longest three-digit interstate. It's longer than the western I-86, I-19, and I-97. (The average length of a 3di is 21 miles.) Nevertheless, no 3di is longer than its parent.
A movement exists in New Jersey to extend the I-76 designation eastward past the interstate's current terminus down the North-South Freeway (See New Jersey State Highway 42) and the Atlantic City Expressway to Atlantic City, New Jersey. Proponents of the change argue that since the NSF and ACE are interstate-grade highways, they might as well be interstates, and extending I-76 would not add a new designation to the Interstate highway system, just extend an existing highway. It would also be a justification to make the Camden Connector (New Jersey State Highway 76C) and the Brigantine Connector (See Atlantic City Expressway) spurs off of I-76. While the South Jersey Transportation Authority (the Authority runs the Atlantic City Expressway) is not against the idea, they feel that making the change without a compelling reason would only add to motorists' confusion in southern New Jersey.
Up until mid-2003, one had to exit on US Highway 19 in Cranberry Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania in order to enter Interstate 79. This is no longer true; there is a direct intersection between 76 and 79, thanks to the "Cranberry Connector" project.Number of Miles
185 Major Cities Along the Route
Intersections with other Interstates
Spur Routes
None Number of Miles
443 Major Cities Along the Route
Intersections with other Interstates
Spur Routes
Notes
If you start on I-80 in Nebraska and go to I-71 in Ohio, then this route is continuous.
