CINCINNATI

At the turn of the 20th century, our country had an unreliable road system.  It was difficult for road builders and designers to keep up with the influx of new automobiles that Henry Ford was putting out.  Some forward thinking people, notably Carl G. Fisher, an Indiana entrepreneur in the automobile business, realized the need for coordination between states and cities in upgrading existing and building new roads.  He was especially interested in a good route to the south.  In 1914, he formed a group to develop plans for a highway from Chicago to Miami, Florida.  The group was called the Dixie Highway Association.  Fisher got people interested all along that corridor including Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia and Florida.  It wasn't long before Michigan and Ohio caused enough stink to be included with the group. 

The Dixie Highway ended up being a highway system instead of just one road.  It included a western route from Chicago through Indianapolis and Louisville to Nashville then Chattanooga, Atlanta and south to Marco, Florida.  An eastern route was designed from northern Michigan through western Ohio, including Cincinnati, south through Lexington, Knoxville, on to Savannah and then to Jacksonville and Miami.  Several pieces were added to connect the two main routes along the way.  I live only a few miles from that highway as it went from Lexington through Cincinnati to Dayton and beyond.  Many existing routes were included in the system - in our area the highway included US Rt 4 and US Rt 25.  US Rt. 42 is a connector from Louisville to Cleveland.

With the coming of the interstate highway system built in the 1950s, the importance of the Dixie Highway was minimized.  I-75 followed the eastern highway as far as Knoxville then picked up the  western system in Chattanooga and went on to south Florida.  I'm not sure if the bridge in Cincinnati across the Ohio River was a problem in those days but it is now. 

The Bent Spence Bridge will forever be known to me as The Car Strangled Spanner.  No kneeling.

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