Talk:Interstate 45/Archive 1

Superfluous/incorrect comments
This bullet point was recently left on the I-45 page by 71.240.164.85:
 * Mile markers along US 75 in Texas are measured from the I-45 zero mile in Galveston, Texas, although exit numbers are currently measured as miles from downtown Dallas. The nearly $2.5 billion rebuilding of US 75 from Dallas to the Texas-Oklahoma border has been in progress in a non-stop sequence of phases since the late 1980s, including upgrading all at-grade intersections to interchanges or bridges, rerouting US 75 around the cities of Sherman and Dennison to meet Interstate standards, rebuilding the 1930s-era experimental pre-Interstate North Central Expressway to comply with modern Interstate standards, adding a subway 160 feet below the main lanes, and replacing the oversubscribed former interchange between US 75 and I-635 with a sprawling five-layer mixmaster, which is named High Five, which alone cost over $231 million, and which is composed of a gargantuan network of ramps supported on 733 piers. Once this multi-billion 20-year build-out of US 75 reaches conclusion upon the completion of High Five, US 75 will for the first time since its inception as an expressway in 1937 completely meet Interstate standards from downtown Dallas to the Texas-Oklahoma border. After that time a name change to I-45 would be increasingly likely.

Many statements are incorrect:
 * 1) US 75 does not have mile markers. The poster is referring to signs that appear to be mile markers that start in Richardson, TX and continue sporadically as a driver heads northbound. In fact, these are Dallas District TxDOT maintenance markers. Simple math shows that these mile markers would count down to 0 at an arbitrary location north of Houston.
 * 2) Exit numbers are sequential, not mile-based. They do not correspond to miles. That's why the numbering takes a huge leap when US 75 goes under 635. There used to be many more exits between downtown and I-635 than there are now.
 * 3) There is no concerted effort to rebuild US 75 to interstate standards between downtown Dallas and the Oklahoma border for the sake of doing so. Several projects have take place recently, but they are all separate projects, and there are lenghty stretches that have not been rebuilt. By 1969, US 75 was freeway-standard north of McKinney.
 * 4) The old North Central Expressway between downtown Dallas and I-635 is not 1930s-era, nor was it experimental per se.
 * 5) The short segment of subway below US 75 is an entirely separate project by Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) and has nothing directly to do with US 75 except that it mostly parallels the roadway.
 * 6) Dallas District TxDOT staff assure me that US 75 will be converted to I-45 no time soon because even the rebuilt sections do not meet interstate standards.

Novasource 04:37, 8 December 2005 (UTC)

Boilerplate needs editing
This article begins like the articles for the other interstate highways, but the introduction is especially awkward for this interstate:

"Interstate 45 (abbreviated I-45 or in Texas IH-45) is an intrastate interstate highway located entirely within the state of Texas, United States. Like other interstates, it is commonly referred to as I-45."

Since the highway is entirely within Texas, the phrase "abbreviated I-45 or in Texas IH-45" seems to imply that the abbreviation for the highway must be "IH-45" -- especially to a non-US reader who is less familiar with the 'lingo'. And then the next sentence, "Like other interstates, it is commonly referred to as I-45", contradicts the implication in the sentence before it.

(Grammar nitpick -- what other interstates are commonly referred to as I-45?)

I'm not a Texan, so I'll leave the edit for someone else: I-45 or IH-45? Either or both?

--Heath 128.173.105.144 22:11, 27 January 2006 (UTC)


 * Texans refer to it as I-45. The "IH" designation may just be a technical designation used internally by the TxDOT. It generally does not appear on signage.


 * Roadgeeks have a habit of fussing over irrelevant details like that. I vote to simplify the opening paragraph and remove the pointless wording.


 * Novasource 22:54, 27 January 2006 (UTC)


 * OK, I have finally removed that idiotic "IH" statement from all Texas interstate pages. Nova SS 18:17, 25 April 2006 (UTC)


 * I just re-removed the bogus IH statement from a few interstates. This is not widely-used abbreviation in common parlance. If IH is a convention that needs to be documented anywhere, it needs to be added to a trivia section of Interstate Highway System. Putting it on every page is just clutter. Nova SS 20:47, 16 February 2007 (UTC)

Nonsense about US 75 becoming I-45
I am pretty sure the following bullet point, which I moved from the main page, is nonsense:
 * ISTEA states that Oklahoma can submit U.S. Highways 69 and 75, from the Texas state line to Interstate 40 at Checotah, Oklahoma, as an Interstate at any time. US 75 is controlled access from Dallas to the Oklahoma border, as is US 69 from McAlester to Muskogee. However, the 125 mile (201 km) segment in between mostly has at-grade intersections.

The ISTEA corridor which would allow this is Corridor 51. A cursory Google search on istea "corridor 51" turns up nothing to confirm this supposed fact.

Also, what does "submit as interstate" mean? Does a state need explicit legislative approval just to apply for a road to be an interstate highway? Nonsense!

Further Google searches only turn up uncited statements on roadfan sites that all appear to be communally-reinforced copies of each other.

I have spoken to engineers in the Dallas District TxDOT office about converting the Texas mileage of US 75 to I-45, and I have been assured that US 75 between Dallas and the Oklahoma border is not built to Interstate standards, partly because of an excessive number of exits, and that nobody at TxDOT is seriously pursuing this naming conversion. It would be strange for I-45 to exist from Galveston to Dallas, drop back down to US 75 to the OK border, then pick back up as I-45 to I-40 (presumably following US 69 after McAlester), then drop down to US 69 again.

Please do not move this back to the main page without a good citation (that isn't from those communally-parroted roadfan sites).

Nova SS 18:35, 7 April 2006 (UTC)


 * Similar text has been removed again. http://www.interstate-guide.com/i-045.html is not an authoritative source; rather, it's just repeating the same stuff that other sites say. Nova SS 20:29, 5 February 2007 (UTC)


 * Another point: US 69 starting north of the Texas border is far from interstate standards. It needs significant upgrading and bypasses before that can happen. Nova SS 20:34, 5 February 2007 (UTC)


 * It sounds like you're right, in part. Nobody seems to be moving forward on plans to extend the I-45 designation into Oklahoma, even though it was part of ISTEA.  That makes it a part of the route's history, rather than its future -- but it's still pertinent.  I'll make you a deal.  You quit using words like idiot and parroted, and try not to call a good-faith attempt nonsense (you may want to review this helpful guideline), and I'll wait until I can find something authoritative before I add the ISTEA information back, 'k? --Robertb-dc 23:23, 5 February 2007 (UTC)


 * Indeed - it at least has a basis in fact, because I found the text of the bill and it does mention the upgrading of US 69 to Interstate standards north of the Texas border. It does not, however, specify I-45 as connecting to it. (No idea how well Thomas links work here, so if this one does not work, then it is in section 1074 of the bill under the header "Designation of United States Route 69"). To quote: Notwithstanding any other provision of law, upon the request of the Oklahoma State highway agency, the Secretary shall designate the portion of United States Route 69 from the Oklahoma-Texas State line to Checotah in the State of Oklahoma as a part of the Interstate System pursuant to section 139 of title 23, United States Code. Link to LoC text of the ISTEA --Souperman 06:16, 11 February 2007 (UTC)


 * And yes, an Interstate designation does have to be submitted for approval, to the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. —Scott5114↗ 23:23, 16 February 2007 (UTC)


 * This doesn't even make sense. I have driven US 69, and the first 90 miles north of the Texas isn't even to Interstate standards. E.g.,, , , , , etc. But, frankly, when did Congress give explicit permission for states to submit to AASHTO? Isn't submission the prerogative of the state? Nova SS 05:13, 17 February 2007 (UTC)


 * Well, it doesn't have to "make sense" to be factual and verifiable. It would make no sense for the US Congress to designate an Interstate Highway's route number, but they did it anyway (only once, thank goodness).  On the other hand, since ISTEA doesn't specify which Interstate the upgraded US 69 would become, it may only warrant a brief mention on I-45, with a larger discussion on the U.S. Route 69 page.  For all we know, the OK DOT could petition AASHTO to let them call it I-144.  Stranger things have happened.  --Robertb-dc 18:02, 19 February 2007 (UTC)


 * If it needs to me mentioned, it makes most sense on US 69. Putting it on I-45 implies it has something to do with I-45, which is speculative and not verifiable if I-45 is not mentioned or if that clause's authors are not available for comment.


 * Simply existing in legislation does not automatically make it noteworthy or relevant. I was under the impression that Congress generally does not approve or specify conversion of existing routes to Interstate routes. For example, there are examples of states applying to convert routes directly with AASHTO to get around the old 55 mph speed limit (e.g., I-335 and Interstate 88 (west). If that is indeed the case, then I think this clause deserves no mention anywhere on Wikipedia because by authorizing Oklahoma to do something it already has the privilege of doing, it is trivial and perfunctory.


 * 20:48, 19 February 2007 (UTC)

More support
To further put a nail in the coffin of this theory, US 75 for several miles north of I-635 now has 11 foot lane widths, which puts it further from compliance with interstate standards: "each formerly 12-foot lane on Central Expressway will lose [one foot] in width to accommodate the new HOV lanes, which will also take up the inside shoulder." This makes this "US 75 conversion to I-45" idea even more speculative and unverifiable.

Nova SS 18:45, 12 June 2007 (UTC)


 * I agree, I don't see it happening anytime in the near future, too many things have to happen. The state has so many other projects in need of funding, I don't see them allocating funds to upgrade 75 to interstate standards anytime soon.  We will see US 59 become I-69 much sooner than we will see US 75 become I-45.  --Holderca1 19:37, 12 June 2007 (UTC)


 * How about this: Parts of US 75 in Oklahoma were once slated to become part of an Interstate route. That's factual and doesn't reflect us roadgeeks' hopes of an I-45 stretching from Galveston to Joplin. --Robertb-dc 21:31, 12 June 2007 (UTC)


 * That would be more appropriate in the US 75 article than the I-45 article. --Holderca1 22:01, 12 June 2007 (UTC)


 * I am not sure I agree with this. See the last comments on the above thread. Just because it is written in legislation does not automatically make it relevant or noteworthy. Given that this road remains quite non-Interstate compliant more than a decade and a half later, it doesn't appear this text emanated from anything serious. Can anyone find something besides that text in the legislation proving that this is something more than one legislator's wet dream? Nova SS 03:08, 13 June 2007 (UTC)

Old exit numbers
Old exit numbers are rather strange - they didn't always match up on opposite sides. Here's what I have from 1973 and 1976 AAA Triptiks:
 * Northbound
 * unnumbered Mosley Road?
 * 13 Monroe Road
 * 12 Howard Drive
 * 11 Broadway Street
 * 10 IH 610 east
 * 10 IH 610 west
 * 8 Woodridge Drive
 * 7 Maxwell Lane?
 * ? Wayside Drive
 * 6 Telephone Road
 * 5 Tellespen Street
 * 4 Lockwood Drive
 * 3 Cullen Boulevard
 * 2 Scott Street
 * 1 Pease Street; St. Joseph Parkway


 * Southbound
 * 1 Scott Street
 * 2 Cullen Boulevard; Calhoun Road (map shows two separate exits, but this photo disagrees)
 * 3 Tellespen Street?
 * 4? Telephone Road?
 * 5 Wayside Drive
 * 6 Griggs Road
 * 7 Flowers Street?
 * 8 Woodridge Drive
 * 9 SH 35
 * 10? Colgate Street?
 * 11 Broadway Street
 * 12 Howard Drive
 * 13 Monroe Road
 * 14 Airport Boulevard

Merge from Gulf Freeway
I am proposing that Gulf Freeway be merged into this article. The Gulf Freeway is just a section of Interstate 45. The article contains content that either 1. duplicates this article's content or 2. is information that would be highly relevant to this article.

The "Gulf Freeway" nomenclature should just be mentioned in the summary (it applies to I-45 between downtown Houston and Galveston), and the remainder of the aricle should be worked into this article's content.

Nova SS 19:34, 21 May 2006 (UTC)


 * And when this does occur, perhaps mention should also be placed that northbound in houston it is know as the North freeway. Feedloadr 14:48, 4 June 2006 (UTC)


 * Nope. Northbound I-45 between Galveston and downtown Houston is known as the Gulf Freeway, and northbound (and southbound) I-45 north of downtown is the North Freeway. Nova SS 21:48, 4 June 2006 (UTC)

Concur that Gulf Freeway should be merged into the Interstate 45 article. Quidam65 15:04, 29 June 2006 (UTC)

Concur that Gulf Freeway should be merged into I-45 article. The Gulf Freeway article also appears to simply not be factual "Gulf Freeway may begin at this point" and similar references. --Kraft 06:17, 4 August 2006 (UTC)

Concur as per stated arguments. It's almost October now, somebody want to do it? I would, but I'm terrible at merging. --MPD01605 (T / C) 18:04, 25 September 2006 (UTC)


 * I went ahead and did the merge. I don't know if I'm terrible at merging or not.  If anyone can clean it up a bit more, please go ahead and do so.  Thanks. Ufwuct 19:46, 25 September 2006 (UTC)

Gulf Freeway notes
This is from Talk:Gulf Freeway:

Looks like the bridge carrying Jefferson Street over St. Joseph Parkway (former Calhoun Avenue) is from 1954. This 1953 aerial doesn't have it, and this 1955 map does. This undated aerial also shows it. It's listed in the National Bridge Inventory as "IH45 SB RP J" over "IH 45,AVL & CALHOUN EXIT" with a year of 1954. --SPUI (T - C - RFC - Curpsbot problems ) 01:13, 28 April 2006 (UTC)

Here are some references for the one-way pairs downtown:

confirms the original one-way setup. shows it connecting to the North Freeway. --NE2 00:13, 21 August 2007 (UTC)

Gulf Freeway
Only early and very recent (thus possibly original) road bridges are listed south of Clear Creek.

shows that, by 1961, there were interchanges at SH 6/SH 146, FM 519, FM 1765, FM 1764, FM 517, and FM 518. shows almost all of Harris County in 1962, by which time it was a full freeway to Almeda Genoa Road.


 * 1951 over SH 6 and SH 146 original
 * 1980 over FM 519 probably original (highway designated in 1945)
 * 1961 under Vauthier Road: this is the only at-grade intersection south of FM 1764 on the 1961 map, so the completion date of 1976 for full freeway looks correct
 * 1982 over FM 1765 probably original (highway designated in 1951)
 * 1979 over FM 1764 probably original (highway designated in 1951)
 * 2001 over FM 517 probably original (highway designated in 1945)
 * 1998/2001 over FM 518 probably original (highway designated in 1949)
 * 1948/1971 over Clear Creek
 * 1971/2002 under FM 528 (highway designated in 1953)
 * 1971 under Bay Area Boulevard
 * 1971/2002 under El Dorado Boulevard
 * 1971 over FM 2351 (highway designated in 1965)
 * 1954 under FM 1959 (highway designated in 1952)
 * 1994 over canal
 * 1989 under FM 2553 (highway designated in 1965)
 * 1994 over canal
 * 1994/1996 over Beltway 8 frontage roads
 * 1997 under Sam Houston Tollway
 * 1989 under Fuqua Street
 * 1990 over Almeda Genoa Road
 * 1990 over Edgebrook Drive
 * 1990 over Airport Boulevard
 * 1989/1990/1990 over Berry Creek
 * 1991 over SH 3
 * 1992 over Howard Drive
 * 1952/1982 over Park Place Boulevard/Broadway Street
 * 1952/1977 over ramp to IH 610 east
 * 1977 under IH 610
 * 1951/1952/1981 over IH 610 frontage road
 * 1951/1977/1985 (?) over SH 35
 * 1951 over Woodridge Road
 * 1950 over Griggs Road
 * 1977 frontage roads under Griggs Road
 * 1949 over Wayside Drive
 * 1949 over Telephone Road
 * 1948 over Tellepsen Street
 * 1977 frontage roads under Tellepsen Street
 * 1977 frontage roads under Lombardy Street
 * 1948/1960/1985/1988 over Elgin Street/Cullen Boulevard/etc
 * 1948 over Scott Street
 * 1948 over Roberts Street/Nettleton Street
 * 1954 under Jefferson Street

oldest bridge is 1939 - southbound over the railroad north of FM 2920 - looks like it's being replaced

North Freeway
See Everything in here has been replaced!
 * 1955: Jefferson Street over St. Joseph Parkway
 * 1955: under Dallas Street
 * 1962-63: frontage over Dallas Street
 * 1955: over Allen Parkway (including northbound exit)
 * 1962: frontage over Allen Parkway
 * 1962: Walker/McKinney ramps
 * 1956: Memorial Drive over Houston Avenue
 * 1962: over Houston Avenue
 * 1961-62: at I-10
 * 1961: under Hogan-Crockett
 * 1966-8: I-10 east of I-45
 * 1972: Travis Street ramp
 * 1959: NB under Quitman
 * 1960: SB over Quitman
 * 1961: under North Street
 * 1962: under Main Street
 * 1962: under Cottage Street
 * 1962: over Patton
 * 1962: over Cavalcade
 * 1962: over Link
 * 1961: over I-610
 * 1960: over railroad
 * 1960: over Crosstimbers
 * 1967: braided ramps
 * 1960: over Airline
 * 1959: over Tidwell
 * 1959: over Parker
 * 1959: over Little York
 * 1989: over Gulf Bank
 * 1989: over SH 249
 * 1989: over West
 * 1989: over FM 525
 * 1997: over Greens
 * 1997: over Rankin
 * 1997: over Airtex
 * 1997: over Richey
 * 1998: over FM 1960
 * 1996: over Cypresswood
 * 1994: under Louetta
 * 2002-2004: over FM 2920
 * 1970: NB FR over Cypress Creek
 * 1960: over Creighton
 * 1989: over Loop 336
 * 1962: under Gladstell
 * 1962: over FM 2854
 * 1962: over SH 105

Dallas
The earliest road bridge during the area reconstructed in the 1990s is from 1992, but some older bridges over water remain:
 * 1957: Richland Creek relief 0.6 mi north of 219A (NB ML)
 * 1959: Richland Creek relief 0.6 mi north of 219A (SB ML, EFR, WFR)
 * 1959: Richland Creek 1.3 mi north of 219A (SB ML)
 * 1958: 225
 * 1958: drain 0.8 mi north of 225 (ML, EFR)
 * 1958: 228A
 * 1958: Elm Creek 3.5 mi south of 231 (ML, EFR)
 * 1958: drain 3.35 mi south of 231 (ML, EFR)
 * 1964: Corsicana bypass
 * 1958: Chambers Creek relief 4.5 north of 231 (WFR)
 * 1958: 237
 * 1958: 239
 * 1950: draw 0.8 mi south of 246 (ML)
 * 1950: draw 0.5 mi north of 246 (WFR)
 * 1960: draw 0.5 mi north of 246 (ML, EFR)
 * 1960: draw 0.5 mi north of 251A (ML)
 * 1960: draw 1.7 mi south of 251B (ML)
 * 1959: draw 0.05 mi north of 251B (ML)
 * 1959: draw 0.3 mi north of 253 (or 249?) (ML)
 * 1959: draw 0.8 mi north of 253 (or 249?) (ML)
 * 1957: ditch 1.3 mi north of 255 (ML, FR)
 * 1958: Grove Creek 2.4 mi north of 255 (EFR, WFR)
 * 1957: Grove Creek 2.0 mi south of 259 (EFR, WFR)
 * 1957: draw 0.4 mi south of 259 (ML, FR)
 * 1957: Red Oak Creek relief 4 1.6 mi north of 259 (ML)
 * 1957: Red Oak Creek relief 2 1.7-1.8 mi north of 259 (EFR, WFR)
 * 1957: Cottonwood Creek 2.0 mi north of 259 (WFR)
 * 1957: Red Oak Creek 2.1-2.2 mi north of 259 (EFR, WFR)
 * 1957: Brushy Creek 2.4 mi north of 259 (EFR, WFR)
 * 1957: Bear Creek relief 4.7 mi north of 259 (ML, ramps)
 * 1957: Bear Creek 5.2 mi north of 259 (EFR, WFR)
 * 1957: ditch 5.7 mi north of 259 (ML, FR)
 * 1955: Cottonwood Creek 5.6 mi south of 276 (EFR, WFR)
 * 1954: railroad 0.75 mi south of 276 (ML)
 * 1973: under SH 310
 * 1973: under Langdon
 * 1973: I-20 ramps and main lanes
 * 1974: over Youngblood
 * 1974: over Simpson-Stuart
 * 1974: over Fivemile Creek
 * 1975: under Loop 12
 * 1975: braided ramps
 * 1975: over Honey Spring Branch
 * 1975: over Illinois
 * 1975: over Linfield
 * 1972: exit 281 ramps over Trinity River
 * 1973: over Trinity River
 * 1973: exit 283A ramps over U-turn
 * 1976: over Pennsylvania
 * 1972: SB exit 283B and NB entrance over Grand
 * 1961: two ramps at I-30??
 * 1971-72: at and north of I-30 (1974 map shows it completed south of Loop 12 and north of US 175)
 * 1951: Central Expressway over Bryan Street
 * 1949: Central Expressway over Ross Avenue

Construction notes
has construction dates that may or may not be accurate; I also compared it to contemporary maps. Houston Freeways has Houston-area dates.
 * 48 to 51: July 24, 1962
 * 51 to 52: April 1961
 * 52 to 56: December 1959
 * 56 to 60: February 1963 (Loop 149 formed on old US 75, 53 to 60, in 1944)
 * 60 to 66: December 1961
 * 66 to 72: March 1963 - shown as divided to 70 in 1958, and freeway to beyond 81 in 1961
 * 72 to 81: 1960
 * San Jacinto River bridges dated 1957
 * 83 to 84: 1960 (bridges dated 1960)
 * 84 to 91: by 1965 (bridges dated 1962)
 * 92 to 98: by 1965 (bridges dated 1963)
 * 98 to 113: 1961 (bridges dated 1959-1961)
 * 113 to 118 around Huntsville: 1959 (bridges dated 1959)
 * 118 to 146: 1965 (bridges dated 1962-64)
 * 146 to 164: 1967 (bridges dated 1965-66??)
 * 164 to 211: 1969-71 (bridges dated 1967-71) - opened Fairfield to Streetman October 13, 1971
 * 211 to 213: by 1969 (bridges dated 1968)
 * 213 to 219: ? (bridges dated 1968)
 * 219 to 228: 1960 (bridges dated 1958-59)
 * 228 to 235 around Corsicana: by 1965 (bridges dated 1964)
 * 235 to Dallas: 1960 (bridges dated 1957-60) - shown as divided to 268 in 1958

By 1961 (or soon after; the maps seem to "jump the gun"), the following was complete:
 * somewhere in Harris County to 118
 * 219 to 228
 * 235 to 275

has general notes. --NE2 16:43, 25 August 2007 (UTC)

Other notes
Here's a good but probably unreliable source about the Central Expressway: --NE2 09:20, 22 August 2007 (UTC)

--NE2 16:42, 23 August 2007 (UTC)

Lane configuration
This is moved from the article, since it should be prose, and I needed to make some corrections. --NE2 18:46, 24 August 2007 (UTC)

From south to north, the one-way following lane counts are for mainlanes only:
 * 3 lanes between Galveston and FM 1959
 * 4 lanes between FM 1959 and US 59, except through Beltway 8 (3 lanes), through I-610 (3 lanes), and through Spur 5 (3 lanes)
 * 2 lanes through US 59
 * 3 lanes between US 59 and McKinney Street
 * 4 lanes between McKinney Street and Beltway 8, except through I-10 (3 lanes) and through I-610 (3 lanes)
 * 5 lanes between Beltway 8 and Parramatta Lane
 * 4 lanes between Parramatta Lane and FM 1488, except between Spring Crossing Drive and Lake Woodlands Drive (5 lanes)
 * North of FM 1488 is under construction; see the article.
 * 2 lanes between FM 1488 and exit 243
 * 3 lanes between exit 243 and US 175
 * 5 lanes between US 175 and I-30
 * 3 lanes through I-30
 * 4 lanes between I-30 and Spur 366
 * 3 lanes through Spur 366
 * 4 lanes at the beginning of the Central Expressway


 * Giving the number of lanes "through ... Highway [X]" is getting too much into the details. Usually, this means that the freeway is at most, for example, 2 lanes for only a couple hundred feet.  Other small sections of additional lanes (merge lanes or "exit only" lanes) are left out here and in other articles.  (An additional note: At these points, there is usually a significant amount of traffic exiting before the intersecting highway and a significant amount of traffic entering afterwards, so the narrowing of the freeway doesn't seem to be indicative of a loss of capacity at this point.  It's usually the opposite: traffic leaving the highway (e.g. onto the West Loop from the NB Southwest Freeway in Houston) or entering from another highway (e.g. WB I-610 traffic onto I-10 in New Orleans) cause the backups.  Therefore, I think it's accurate and respresentative of the freeway as a whole to ignore these short segments.)
 * While Wikipedia strives to present most information in a prose format, it just makes sense to present other information in tables or as a list of bullets. With only 10 bullets, I can quickly read down the list, 3,4,3,4,5  ...  oh, that's 5 lanes north of BW 8, okay 4,2,3,5, oh, that's near downtown Dallas.  Presenting this information as prose makes it much more difficult and cumbersome for the reader.  Similarly, with a long list of dates (say construction milestones for a highway), or a list of mileages in each state, it makes more sense to present in a table or with bullets.  If anyone is good at creating maps to show this level of detail, this might be the best format, but I am not the person with this talent/software.
 * For all practical purposes, this information was deleted from the article, since it's been out for 5 months. If information is taken out for formatting reasons, it should be for a matter of hours, if at all.  If it is taken out for content reasons, a reason should be given.  There are other road articles that contain this information, so I think it's okay to include it here.
 * Also, while I do find the History section interesting, I think that it is too long. At first glance, I do not see anything that I would delete outright, but it is disproportionate to the rest of the article.  The article is about I-45, not the history of I-45.  If you want to form a side article, that might be appropriate, but I don't have a suggestion of what the article would be called.  Would you possibly consider shortening your own work a bit?  I think I would prefer that to having somebody else do it?  Thanks.  Ufwuct (talk) 20:29, 27 January 2008 (UTC)

Former Gulf Freeway configuration
This information is from 1957 aerials. ...and then it gets strange and the freeway ends.
 * began at a Y split; frontage roads formed from Pierce (southbound) and Pease (northbound)
 * over Nettleton
 * over Roberts
 * full X of slip ramps (exit 1)
 * over Scott
 * full X (exit 2)
 * over Cullen
 * northbound exit, southbound entrance (exit 3)
 * over Calhoun, RR; gap in frontage roads
 * southbound exit, northbound entrance (exit 3)
 * northbound exit, southbound entrance (exit 4)
 * over RR; gap in southbound frontage road (crosses over to north)
 * northbound exit, southbound entrance (exit 5)
 * southbound exit, northbound entrance (exit 4)
 * over Telephone
 * northbound exit, southbound entrance (exit 6)
 * southbound exit, northbound entrance (exit 5)
 * over Wayside
 * northbound entrance, southbound entrance
 * over water; gap in southbound frontage road
 * southbound exit (exit 6)
 * northbound exit (exit 7)
 * over Griggs, RR; gap in frontage roads
 * southbound exit, northbound entrance (exit 7)
 * southbound entrance (and northbound exit??)
 * southbound exit, northbound entrance (exit 8)
 * over Woodridge
 * northbound exit, southbound entrance (exit 8)
 * southbound exit, northbound entrance for SH 35 (exit 9)
 * northbound exit for I-610 west; southbound entrance is via frontage road
 * southbound exit, northbound entrance for I-610 east; gap in frontage roads
 * southbound exit, northbound entrance
 * northbound exit, southbound entrance
 * southbound exit, northbound entrance
 * over Broadway/Park Place circle
 * northbound exit, southbound entrance; gap in southbound frontage road
 * northbound exit, southbound entrance
 * over water; gap in southbound frontage road
 * southbound exit, northbound entrance
 * northbound entrance, southbound entrance
 * over Howard
 * southbound exit, northbound entrance
 * northbound exit, southbound entrance

--NE2 20:13, 13 June 2008 (UTC)

Elimination of Northern Extension
I went ahead and took out the uncited claims about expansion into Oklahoma gathered almost verbatim from: http://www.interstate-guide.com/i-045.html. As much as I would like to see I-45 actually cross a state line, I don't think it quite belongs here right now. --Pderry (talk) 06:16, 6 May 2011 (UTC)

External links modified
Hello fellow Wikipedians,

I have just added archive links to 6 one external links on Interstate 45. Please take a moment to review my edit. If necessary, add after the link to keep me from modifying it. Alternatively, you can add to keep me off the page altogether. I made the following changes:
 * Added archive https://web.archive.org/20141006160718/http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/cgi-bin/aris/maps/maplookup.php3?mapnum=4885 to http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/cgi-bin/aris/maps/maplookup.php3?mapnum=4885
 * Added archive https://web.archive.org/20130601004226/http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/cgi-bin/aris/maps/maplookup.php3?mapnum=4865 to http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/cgi-bin/aris/maps/maplookup.php3?mapnum=4865
 * Added archive https://web.archive.org/20130601044142/http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/cgi-bin/aris/maps/maplookup.php3?mapnum=6254 to http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/cgi-bin/aris/maps/maplookup.php3?mapnum=6254
 * Added archive https://web.archive.org/20130601031743/http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/cgi-bin/aris/maps/maplookup.php3?mapnum=6183 to http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/cgi-bin/aris/maps/maplookup.php3?mapnum=6183
 * Added archive https://web.archive.org/20130601005257/http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/cgi-bin/aris/maps/maplookup.php3?mapnum=5138 to http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/cgi-bin/aris/maps/maplookup.php3?mapnum=5138
 * Added archive https://web.archive.org/20111001213013/http://www.greenargon.com/uh/uhprofile.php?id=39 to http://www.greenargon.com/uh/uhprofile.php?id=39

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Cheers. —cyberbot II  Talk to my owner :Online 06:36, 29 August 2015 (UTC)

Historical Reasons for Intrastate
I have read these discussions about taking I-45 all the way to Oklahoma and beyond. I am looking for the reason it was not done when I-45 was initially conceived and built. I assume Federal funds contributed to the cost of Interstate construction and significant changes had to be made to previous routes (like US 75) to get those roads up to "interstate standards". So why did this not continue through Dallas and north into Oklahoma? I have heard rumors growing up in this area, that Dallas blocked the conversion of US 75/North Central Expressway into I-45, but I cannot find any sources or proof this is the case. Being that this is the only primary Interstate Highway that is not interstate, seems like plans got changed somewhere along the way. Anyone have more information on the history of why I-45 stops it's northward march at Dallas? I understand what is currently standing in the way of US 75's or US 69's change to Interstate designation, but when the Interstate project first worked on I-45 it would seem they would keep on heading north until they reached Canada or at least I-40. OnceMore111 (talk) 10:17, 15 May 2014 (UTC)
 * Ironically the speed limit now goes up from 65 to 70 mph going north of I-30 where I-45 becomes US 75. Prior to spring 2015, the speed limit was 60 mph both south (I-45) and north (US 75) of I-30.  — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2602:302:D10D:6A70:917D:5C63:8F37:CD3B (talk) 15:06, 30 July 2016 (UTC)

External links modified
Hello fellow Wikipedians,

I have just modified 3 external links on Interstate 45. Please take a moment to review my edit. If you have any questions, or need the bot to ignore the links, or the page altogether, please visit this simple FaQ for additional information. I made the following changes:
 * Added archive https://web.archive.org/web/20110705014714/http://www.ultimateclearlake.com/stories/251016-i-45-corridor-work-kicks-off-summer-travel-season to http://ultimateclearlake.com/stories/251016-i-45-corridor-work-kicks-off-summer-travel-season
 * Added archive https://web.archive.org/web/20110721195613/http://www.dfwfreeways.info/pages/highwayInfo/highwayInfoHome.aspx?highway=45 to http://www.dfwfreeways.info/pages/highwayInfo/highwayInfoHome.aspx?highway=45
 * Added archive https://web.archive.org/web/20070927220124/http://www.ridemetro.org/TransportationServices/Carpool_Vanpool_Services/HOV_locations/Gulf_HOV/Gulf_HOV.asp to http://www.ridemetro.org/TransportationServices/Carpool_Vanpool_Services/HOV_locations/Gulf_HOV/Gulf_HOV.asp

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Update 2021
The History subsection contains some text that refers to the year 2011 in the future tense. As I write this 2011 is ten years in the past! In 2017, the Texas Department of Transportation announced plans for the North Houston Highway Improvement Project, which would expand Interstate 45. The new Transportation Secretary, Pete Buttigieg, just stepped in, asking Texas’ DOT to pause the project as it investigates civil rights concerns. It would be nice to have a NPV mention of this. Nick Beeson (talk) 15:14, 31 March 2021 (UTC)

Shield Change
Can you remove the state name on the shield on this article by removing this file and adding another one?2601:244:4081:500:780A:6104:5F7A:A770 (talk) 17:32, 17 December 2022 (UTC)


 * No. –Fredddie™ 22:18, 17 December 2022 (UTC)

I-345
is it possible to change the hyperlink from "Interstate 345 (Texas)" to just "Interstate 345"? NintendoTTTEfan2005 (talk) 04:52, 11 October 2023 (UTC)