Historic Look: Zanesville's expressway, part 2 (2024)

A 1961 photo of the expressway project.

A 1961 photo of the expressway project.

Vincent McIntire, Zanesville businessman and public relations consultant, was the first to drive over the new expressway bridge after it opened to traffic in 1961. The opening of the new bridge was coupled with the closing of the old Fifth Street Bridge to vehicles.

The western end of the expressway is rapidly being completed in this 1961 photo. This photo was taken from Mount Auburn Hill and also shows the new bridge over the Licking River in the upper right.

A 1961 photo of the expressway project.

A 1961 photo of the expressway project.

Concrete is being poured for the floor of the expressway in this 1961 photo.

Concrete piers have been constructed for the bridge over the Licking River in 1961. It is one of the structures to be built in connection with the expressway project.

Concrete has been poured on the Fifth Street span of the expressway ramp in this 1961 photo

An unmarked photo of the expressway project in 1961.

A 1961 photo of the expressway project.

Arrows on the aerial photo above show how traffic will flow from the Terrace to the downtown area.

An unmarked photo from 1961.

This is a view of the new expressway bridge looking east from the Linden Avenue fill. Huge steel girders have been set in place for this structure spanning the Muskingum River.

This view, looking east, was taken from Mount Auburn Hill, and shows the State street overpass of the expressway in 1961.

A 1961 photo of the expressway project.

The expressway bridge across the Licking River is rapidly taking shape in this 1961 photo. Steel has been put in place over the river as well as Newark road.

A 1961 photo of the expressway project.

A 1961 photo of the expressway project.

A 1961 photo of the expressway project.

A 1961 photo of the expressway project.

A 1961 photo of the expressway project.

A 1961 photo of the expressway project.

Work on a five-foot wide pedestrian walkway along the Muskingum River expressway bridge is progressing in this 1961 photo.

Four-year-old Tim Bowman, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ed Bowman, plays in a huge sandpile in what used to be McIntire Park. The sand has been stockpiled for use in mixing of concrete for use in the expressway project.

A 1961 photo of the expressway project.

The first section of the multi-million dollar expressway was opened for traffic in 1961. It is the new State Street, from the junction with Blue Avenue to near Lee Street. The new street crosses a bridge that goes over the expressway proper. In the upper left of the photo can be seen one of the ramps which leads to Jackson Street.

Shown here is the State Street-Blue Avenue intersection in 1961.

Workmen for the V.N. Holderman Construction Company are pictured paving the first section of the new Blue Avenue which will be a link with and over the expressway. This is the approach to a new bridge looking from State and Lee streets.

This 1961 photo shows the south end of Maple Avenue near Ball Street, as workmen graded Maple Avenue for connection with an expressway ramp.

A 1961 photo of the expressway project.

These were among the early cars to use the new temporary ramps at the Elberon Avenue end of the Fifth Street Bridge in 1961. The autos are left are inbound and at right, the outbound.

This view from the west side of the Muskingum River shows the progress being made on the expressway bridge in 1961.

A 1961 photo of the expressway project.

The first of a number of poles to hold overhead signs at ramps and intersections on the expressway.

A 1961 photo of the expressway project.

A 1961 photo of the expressway project.

Another segment of the expressway takes shape in this 1961 photo. This is the overpass at the foot of Mount Auburn Street.

TR photographer Marjorie Trost took this motorist's eye view of the new expressway prior to its opening in 1961.

A barricade at Maple and Adair is removed for a practice run for when the road is opened to traffic.

A 1961 photo of the expressway project.

The framework of two expressway overpasses span McIntire Avenue in this 1961 photo.

Traffic flowed smoothy across the new bridge in this 1961 photo.

A 1961 photo of the expressway project.

This is the curve on the approach to the expressway bridge a short distance from Maple Avenue in 1961.

A 1961 photo of the expressway project.

New signs for Interstate 70 were erected in 1961.

New signs for Interstate 70 were erected in 1961,

A 1961 photo of the expressway project.

Looking south on Fifth Street from the expressway in 1961. A ramp leading from the bridge is at the right while in the left background is a new sidewalk and a partially paved section of Fifth Street which goes under the expressway.

A photo of the expressway project in 1961.

One of the expressway structures is this temporary foot bridge on Cemetery Avenue. Shown trying out the bridge are Ronnie Rath, left, and Al Madinger.

A night time photo of the expressway in 1961.

A night time photo of the freeway in 1961.

A photo from underneath the expressway overpass.

A 1961 photo of the expressway project.

A 1961 photo of the expressway project.

New signs were erected along the freeway in 1961.

A 1961 photo of the expressway project.

A 1961 photo of the expressway project.

New signs were erected along the freeway in 1961.

New signs were erected along the freeway in 1961.

New signs were erected along the freeway in 1961.

New signs were erected along the freeway in 1961.

An unmarked photo from 1961.

Resembling an old-fashioned covered bridge, this foot bridge across a deep cut near Cemetery Avenue was erected by contractors for the use of residents in the area in 1961 during construction.

The winding concrete ribbon in the left background is the newly-completed west leg of the expressway. In the foreground, the east leg of the expressway is beginning to take shape.

New signs designating the freeway were erected in 1961.

A 1961 photo of the expressway project.

An old National Road mile marker is shown along the new expressway.

A 1961 photo of the expressway project.

A 1961 photo of the expressway project.

This scene, facing east from Hamline Avenue, shows giant earthmovers assisted by tractors as they scoop up loads of dirt in leveling off the right-of-way for the east leg of the expressway in 1961.

A night time photo of the expressway in 1961.

A 1961 photo of the expressway project.

A 1961 photo of the expressway project.

New signs for Interstate 70 were erected in 1961.

New signs for Interstate 70 were erected in 1961.

New signs for Interstate 70 were erected in 1961.

This caravan of more than 200 cars moved east on the new expressway as the project was offcially dedicated in 1961.