Construction of Interstate 91 in Derby

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1 Construction of Interstate 91 in Derby by Dr. Allen Yale The Interstate Highway System As early as the Great Depression and again after World War II there was a recognition that the nation needed a transcontinental super highway system. Several states and localities began to experiment with limited access freeways and toll roads 1 The publication in 1955 of the General Location of National System of Interstate Highways mapped out what became the Interstate System. Assisting in the planning was Charles Erwin Wilson, who was still head of General Motors when President Eisenhower selected him as Secretary of Defense in January Richard F. Weingroff, Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956: Creating the Interstate System Public Roads, vol 60.1 summer 1996

2 On June 29, 1956, President Dwight Eisenhower signed the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 allocating $25 billion to pay 90% of the costs of a 41,000-mile "National System of Interstate and Defense Highways" linking 90 percent of all cities with populations of more than 50,000 to be completed by This was to be a limited access system with no stoplights or crossroads. Interstate 91 Interstate 91 is the primary north south highway in the western part of New England. Its southern end is in New Haven, Connecticut at a junction with Interstate 95. Its northern end is at Derby Line, Vermont. I-91 is the longest of three Interstate highways whose entire route is located within the New England states, and is also the only Interstate highway in New England to intersect all five of the others that run through New England; I-84, I-89, I-90, I-93, and I-95. Interstate 91 is 290 miles long and runs nearly straight north and south: 58 miles in Connecticut; 55 miles in Massachusetts; and 177 miles in Vermont. The distance as a crow flies from New Haven, Connecticut to the Canadian border is 259 miles. Most of I-91 is on the west side of the Connecticut River. The only stretch east of the river is between Enfield, Connecticut and just north of Springfield, Massachusetts.

3 Interstate 91 in Vermont In 1957 the Vermont General Assembly passed Act 223 authorizing the issuance of bonds to pay for Vermont s share in the construction of the first sections of Vermont s portion of I-91, appropriating funds to cover the state s 10% share of the cost of construction. That same year the legislature passed Act 242 An Act Relating to the Taking of Land for Highways by the Highway Board.... This act (how different) The 177 mile Vermont section of I-91 was built in stages. Construction started at Vermont s southern border in The first six miles, from the Massachusetts border to just south of Brattleboro, opened in By 1967, Interstate was completed from the Massachusetts border to White River Junction. It would be 1978 before Interstates 89 and 91 were completed. A short section of I-93 from New Hampshire to St. Johnsbury was completed in Interstate 91 in Derby

4 I-91 in Derby consists of 9.4 miles of four-lane, limited access interstate highway and three interchanges, Exits 27, 28, and 29. One might also include the construction of I-191, which provides access from Newport City to I-91 at Exit 27, although most of that project is in Newport City. The rightof-way consisted of over 633 acres of land in Derby.

5 While we were unable to determine how the planners determine the rough path of the highway, this map suggests that there were at least two possible rights-of-ways considered for the section of highway between Lyndonville and Coventry

6 Part I [Derby I 91-3 (2) ROW 7/9/1960] Most of the land in the I-91 right-of-way was in private hands. Therefore this land had to be acquired. Series of photographs, both aerial and on the ground, were taken of each of the properties that were to be acquired In 1960, the state purchased land to begin the first phase of construction of I-91 in Derby which consisted of the north bound lane between Route 5 and the Canadian border. This section consisted of the Caswell Avenue, Route 5, and Beebe Road overpasses and 4.95 miles of the northbound lane. In Derby, the highway right-of-way took approximately 633 acres of land from approximately 55 land owners: The three largest landowners forced to surrender land by eminent domain were Earl and Gladys Hackett (79 acres), Charles Hitchcock (75 acres), and C. B. Kelley (60.2 acres). The smallest parcel was 700 square feet from Charles and Myrtle Bacon (about the size of a small garage footprint.) During the early planning of part I, a disputed arose about the best location of the Derby Line exit. One faction favored the exit being at the intersection of the new highway and Rte 5, one mile south of the village. The State Highway Board favored the exit at the Canadian border at the intersection with Caswell Avenue. In the winter of Prescott Kelley circulated a petition signed by most Derby Line residence opposing the Caswell Avenue location. This was denied by the State Highway Department. At an April 1960 hearing in Newport, Prescott Kelley again protested the Caswell Avenue location. On May 31 st, 1960 a special meeting of the Village of Derby Line was called to vote on the village s choice. The vote was 54 to 12 in favor of the southern location at Rte 5. Nonetheless, the Caswell Avenue location was where the actual interchange was built. Phase I [project I91-3(3)] consisted of the 2.5 mile section from the Beebe Road to Caswell Avenue. This project was awarded to Fabi et fils of Sherbrooke on May 22, Included in this phase was the

7 construction of the Caswell Avenue and Route 5 overpass just south of Derby Line. On November 26 th, 1962, this section was open for traffic, accessed by temporary ramps at the Beebe Road. Survey Crew Clearing the land

8 Rough grading at Canadian border Construction of Caswell Avenue overpass

9 Construction visible behind Kelley s cabins

10 Building bridge over Rte 5 in Derby Line Two-lane highway between Derby Line and Derby Centre

11 Phase II [project I91-3(5) Temporary intersection of I-91 with the Beebe Road The following year, the Beebe Road overpass and the 2.1 mile section of the north bound lane south to Route 5 was constructed By Fabi et fils. It opened on 10/23/1963 the section from the Beebe Road to Route 5 was open. Construction near the quarry

12 Aerial view of junction of 2-lane I-91 with Rte 5 For the next nine years this lane carried traffic in both directions, until the entire section was open for traffic in Section II In 1967 the state began acquiring of property for the next section, a five mile stretch and the construction of both lanes between Rte 5 and Coventry. This phase included the Rte 5 overpass in Derby, the bridge over the Clyde River and the interchange and overpass for the I-191 ramp into Newport as well as the construction of I-191 itself. At the same time, the construction of the south bound lane from Derby Line to Rte 5 was under construction.

13 Aerial view of land to be taken for Clyde River bridge and Exit 28 (on right of Rte 5)

14 Aerial of route of interstate east of Clyde Pond (looking north) The aerial photograph below were taken of the land that would be taken for second section of construction in Derby, Newport-Derby Rd overpass Since I-91 was to be a limited access road, whenever the right-of way crossed an existing road and overpass had to be built. Schuler Road, Route 5 in Derby Center, the Beebe Road, and Caswell Avenue pass over I-91. Just below Derby Line, I-91 passes over Route 5. At three of these intersections it was decided to provide access between the cross road and I-91, so exits and access ramps had to be are constructed

15 Clyde River Bridge Where ever I-91 crossed a river or stream, a bridge or large culvert was called for. The size of the Clyde River and it level below the travel lane of the highway dictated that the bridge over the Clyde River would be a major project. To make room for the northern access to the Clyde River bridge, the Clyde River had to be realigned. Looking south from Rte 5 Realignment of Clyde River Building piers for Clyde River bridge Spanning river with steel girders Construction of the Interstate between Rte 5 and Coventry

16 Rest Area It was also decided that, since Derby was the northern end of I-91, that three rest areas would be built. Construction of I-191 access road into Newport

17 I-191 access road Opening On November 3, 1972 the Vermont Department of Highways issued a Certificate of Opening Highway that opened the stretch of I 91 from the Irasburg-Derby border to the International border of the United States and Canada. An opening ceremony was held at the rest stop on Interstate 91 between Barton and Derby on November 9, One final aspect of the project was the planting of trees and shrubs. Over thirty-thousand trees and shrubs were planted within the I-91 right-of-way in the town of Derby, including over twenty-seven thousand red pine seedlings.

18 Summary When I-91 finally opened in its entirety in 1972, the Derby section had taken twelve years to complete. 633 acres of land had been taken from 55 land owner. The total cost of the project was $1.5 million, which translates into $8.5 million in 2015 dollars. Impact The construction of I-91had major impacts on the area. It contributed to the decline of the Derby Line commercial district. It also attracted commerce eastward from Newport with the subsequent development of the Newport-Derby Road into the area s primary commercial district. Research Resources AOT Aerial Photos in VHS vault Series: Date: April 19, 1957 Number range: to Geographic range: Proposed I-91, Newport area, US-Canada border Identifiable towns/landmarks Clyde Pond Clyde River Derby Center, proposed Newport interchange Old Putney Farm, surnames Derby Line United States-Canada border Newport, Lake Memphremagog Newport, Lake Memphremagog Clyde Pond, Clyde River Golf course Missing: ? to 3-040

19 References Wikipedia, Interstate Highway System Wikipedia, Interstate 91 Wikipedia, Interstate 91 in Vermont Town of Derby, Towns & Highways, vol 1 pages Vermont Agency of Transportation, District 9, Derby, Vermont (See AOT Notes Survey I 91-3(3) Beebe Road to Canadian border Survey Derby I91- (5) Route 5 to Beebe Road Survey I-91-3 (29) 6/25/1971 (Plantings) Survey I-91-3 (16) row (Coventry border to Schuler Rd) Acts and Resolves of the General Assembly of the State of Vermont Session 1959 Title 19 VSA Chapter 5 [Condemnation] as amended by Act 206 of Acts of General Assembly of State of Vermont, Session 1959 Title 19 VSA Chapter 17 [Limited Access] Images Preliminary Surveyors: Artie Goss preliminary survey Loren Jonesy Jones ( Barre) Photographers Elwood Woody Grimes Donald Weidenmayer Clerk of the works Clyde bridge - David Sargent