OK that answers it: it's one of the original 1926 federal highway systems..
highways.
From Wiki: U.S. Route 71 or U.S. Highway 71 (US 71) is a major north–south United States highway that extends for over 1500 miles (2500 km) in the central United States. This original 1926 route has remained largely unchanged by encroaching Interstate highways.
So it's just part of the old highway system, but unlike Route 11 (also created in the 1926 act) never got parallelled/replaced by an interstate. Maybe towns are so far apart it never needed to be replaced: it acted as the interstate for the most part.
** Edited by `lag at 2/15/2026, 11:25:18 AM
Thread Replies (9)
I had never been on a 70mph, 4 lane divided hwy, with stop lights until we
-- coshokie
Feb 14, 2026 at 09:53 PM ET
coshokie
•
02/14/26 09:53 PM ET
I think that by definition, an Interstate does NOT have any traffic lights.**
-- Late 80s Hokie
Feb 15, 2026 at 11:06 AM ET
Late 80s Hokie
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02/15/26 11:06 AM ET
yeah, exactly but then what is it? I mean, I suppose it is Texas...
-- `lag
Feb 15, 2026 at 11:12 AM ET
`lag
•
02/15/26 11:12 AM ET
Nope, hwy 71 from I-10 to Austin **
-- coshokie
Feb 15, 2026 at 11:04 AM ET
coshokie
•
02/15/26 11:04 AM ET
OK that answers it: it's one of the original 1926 federal highway systems..
◄
-- `lag
Feb 15, 2026 at 11:20 AM ET
`lag
•
02/15/26 11:20 AM ET
an AI is good on this question:
-- VaTechie
Feb 15, 2026 at 01:37 PM ET
VaTechie
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02/15/26 01:37 PM ET
My real question is why was not an interstate built along the same corridor
-- `lag
Feb 15, 2026 at 04:58 PM ET
`lag
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02/15/26 04:58 PM ET
Damn..how's that work out?!**
-- HOKIERIT
Feb 15, 2026 at 08:30 AM ET
HOKIERIT
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02/15/26 08:30 AM ET
Better have long yellows**
-- scoop76cs
Feb 14, 2026 at 10:07 PM ET
scoop76cs
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02/14/26 10:07 PM ET