Talk:Interstate 40/Archive 2

Image positions and table floating
Hello, Imzadi1979,

While the image positions as I changed them to may not be ideal for accessibility reasons, it did improve the visual layout of the page. What accessibility reasons are there exactly for not doing it that way? Also, disabling float on the table gives more space for the images. I don't think it looks very good in this position anyway. Can we discuss these things? Thanks, DesertPipeline (talk) 03:41, 13 August 2021 (UTC)

User:Imzadi1979: Sorry; I forgot User: at the start so it didn't ping you. I need to use the preview option consistently. DesertPipeline (talk) 03:47, 13 August 2021 (UTC)
 * Images should be contained within the sections to which they relate, not appended to the end of the previous section. Otherwise, it can mess things up semantically for those using screen readers.  Imzadi 1979  →   03:55, 13 August 2021 (UTC)
 * User:Imzadi1979: I'm not sure, though, what the utility of an image is for someone having to use a screen-reader. Presumably they'd just have the caption read out? DesertPipeline (talk) 03:59, 13 August 2021 (UTC)
 * The point is, if you move an image above the header, it now belongs to the previous section and gets read out as part of the previous section. Or the reader skips it completely because he/she jumped to a specific section and past the previous section that contains the image. In short, it's considered a bad idea to put images ahead of a section heading.
 * In any event, we have to remember that people consume Wikipedia on different size screens, on both desktop and mobile devices, so your "don't think it looks very good" may not apply to someone else's platform.  Imzadi 1979  →   04:05, 13 August 2021 (UTC)
 * User:Imzadi1979: People don't "consume" Wikipedia; they view it. A page's material is still there after one person has viewed it, because their viewing of it doesn't use it up. Anyway, I digress. Yes, you're right about the different screen sizes and such. But is there a way we can make it look good in all cases? DesertPipeline (talk) 04:07, 13 August 2021 (UTC)
 * There's no layout that will look good in all cases.  Imzadi 1979  →   04:16, 13 August 2021 (UTC)
 * User:Imzadi1979: Can we at least change the table back to not floating? I think it looks better that way. DesertPipeline (talk) 04:17, 13 August 2021 (UTC)
 * Actually, never mind; I've looked at it more carefully and I think it looks fine. DesertPipeline (talk) 04:22, 13 August 2021 (UTC)
 * User:Imzadi1979: Are you okay with my latest change where I moved the second image in the "California" section back to the right? On my screen, it makes for a lot of blank space with no text when both are on the left. DesertPipeline (talk) 07:21, 13 August 2021 (UTC)
 * User:Imzadi1979: Your last edit makes the second image in the California section appear in the History section for me. I would suggest we put both images in a Multiple image template below the text, orientated horizontally and using the total_width parameter, either left-aligned or in the centre. What do you think? DesertPipeline (talk) 02:28, 14 August 2021 (UTC)
 * See below for examples. DesertPipeline (talk) 02:49, 14 August 2021 (UTC)

Centred images

In North Carolina, I-40 travels 421 mi. It enters the state as a winding mountain freeway through the Great Smoky Mountains which frequently closes due to landslides and weather conditions. It enters the state on a mostly north–south alignment, turning to a more east–west alignment upon merging with US 74 at the eastern terminus of the Great Smoky Mountains Expressway. From there the highway passes through Asheville, Hickory, and Statesville before reaching the Piedmont Triad. Just east of the Triad city of Greensboro, North Carolina it merges with I-85 and the two roads split again just west of the Research Triangle area, passing through Durham and Raleigh. From the Triangle to its eastern terminus in Wilmington, it once again takes a more north–south alignment.

A standard distance sign exists near the start of the westbound section of I-40 in Wilmington that indicates the distance to Barstow, California as 2554 mi. Although NCDOT stated it would not be replaced after frequent thefts, as of August 15, 2013, the sign was still present. However, between 2013 and 2020, the sign and base have been removed, replaced by a sign proclaiming the stretch as the Michael Jordan Freeway.

Left-aligned images

In North Carolina, I-40 travels 421 mi. It enters the state as a winding mountain freeway through the Great Smoky Mountains which frequently closes due to landslides and weather conditions. It enters the state on a mostly north–south alignment, turning to a more east–west alignment upon merging with US 74 at the eastern terminus of the Great Smoky Mountains Expressway. From there the highway passes through Asheville, Hickory, and Statesville before reaching the Piedmont Triad. Just east of the Triad city of Greensboro, North Carolina it merges with I-85 and the two roads split again just west of the Research Triangle area, passing through Durham and Raleigh. From the Triangle to its eastern terminus in Wilmington, it once again takes a more north–south alignment.

A standard distance sign exists near the start of the westbound section of I-40 in Wilmington that indicates the distance to Barstow, California as 2554 mi. Although NCDOT stated it would not be replaced after frequent thefts, as of August 15, 2013, the sign was still present. However, between 2013 and 2020, the sign and base have been removed, replaced by a sign proclaiming the stretch as the Michael Jordan Freeway.


 * The total_width could be decreased maybe. Currently it's set to 600. DesertPipeline (talk) 02:52, 14 August 2021 (UTC)
 * User:Imzadi1979: What do you think? DesertPipeline (talk) 06:39, 15 August 2021 (UTC)
 * User:Imzadi1979: I've put the images in a left-aligned Multiple image template and set the total_width to 400. Do you think that looks okay? DesertPipeline (talk) 08:21, 16 August 2021 (UTC)
 * Another possible option would be to put the images on the right vertically, with a single caption between them (on my screen, however, the second image appears in the History section):

In North Carolina, I-40 travels 421 mi. It enters the state as a winding mountain freeway through the Great Smoky Mountains which frequently closes due to landslides and weather conditions. It enters the state on a mostly north–south alignment, turning to a more east–west alignment upon merging with US 74 at the eastern terminus of the Great Smoky Mountains Expressway. From there the highway passes through Asheville, Hickory, and Statesville before reaching the Piedmont Triad. Just east of the Triad city of Greensboro, North Carolina it merges with I-85 and the two roads split again just west of the Research Triangle area, passing through Durham and Raleigh. From the Triangle to its eastern terminus in Wilmington, it once again takes a more north–south alignment.

A standard distance sign existed near the start of the westbound section of I-40 in Wilmington that indicated the distance to Barstow, California, as 2554 mi. Although NCDOT stated it would not be replaced after frequent thefts, as of August 15, 2013, the sign was still present. However, between 2013 and 2020, the sign and base were removed, replaced by a sign proclaiming the stretch as the Michael Jordan Freeway.

For about 1000 mi, I-40 follows the general route of Beale's Wagon Road from Arkansas to California. Beale's Wagon Road was built in 1857–59 by a team led by Lt. Edward Fitzgerald Beale using a team of camels as pack animals.

In Albuquerque, New Mexico, I-40 was originally meant to replace Central Avenue through the center of the city. However, due to development and public opposition, a route running to the north of that one was chosen. The freeway intersects Central Ave. at both ends of the city.

In 1957, the California Department of Highways proposed that the route be renumbered to Interstate 30 instead, because of the already existing U.S. Route 40 in the state. Then, U.S. Route 40 was decommissioned in California in 1964, as a part of a major revamping of California's overall highway numbering system, so the problem was resolved.

The California State government submitted State Route 58 between Barstow and Bakersfield for I-40 extension potential in 1956 and 1968, though those requests were rejected. This portion of SR 58 was once signed as the U.S. Route 466.

From 1963 to 1966, the U.S. government considered a plan, part of Project Plowshare, to use atomic bombs to excavate a path for I-40 through California. The project was cancelled largely due to the cost of developing the explosives and due to the unavailability of a "clean bomb".


 * Personally I think that having the images below the text is better than this, but what are your thoughts? DesertPipeline (talk) 08:34, 16 August 2021 (UTC)

User:Imzadi1979: I think it might be better for the layout to put the multiple image template below the text. It doesn't have to be left-aligned though; would you rather it was centred? At least if it's below, it avoids the problem that occurs with monitors wider than mine where the length of text is insufficient to fit the images. I suppose this is a general problem with all right- or left-aligned images, though. Making websites look good is hard. It's a shame there's no "fix-all" solution. DesertPipeline (talk) 07:20, 17 August 2021 (UTC)

Exit list for Greensboro
(other old exit numbers on I-85 are 120 - Groometown Road, 121 - Holden Road, 122A-B - US 220, and 122C - Rehobeth Church Road)