Interstates used for Emergency landings?

I'm very curious about this! I remember a few years ago reading up on some of my towns history, that during WWII, our interstate I-90 was used for emergency air-craft landing. Though, I'm not exactly sure if they ever used it, but I found it interesting none the less! Does anyone know of any other towns that did anything of the sort?

 

The Interstate Highway system wasn't started until well into Eisenhower's 2nd term. Therefore, there were no interstate highways in the the US during WWII. Ike wanted them built not because it was a great set of roads for cars, but the strategic advantage of being able to move troops rapidly across the interior in wartime.

I am sure that there were plans to use the Interstates later as possible landing sites for smaller aircraft, but remember the structural strength that airport runways need is far greater than the interstate highways could provide (C-17, C-5, etc).

 

There is actually a plan to use certain sections as runways. During the Cuban missile crisis for example this plan was actually implemented. As a side note all US interstate highways are actually designated in their plans as "National Defense Highways."

 

Gottcha! I did remember reading about the National Defense Highways. I just found it interesting that something 'that important' would be found here, in South Dakota! Thank you for the information though!

 

ROCAF Fighters using a highway as a landing strip

YouTube - Han Kwang Exercise 23

Taiwan plays like it's war | Deseret News (Salt Lake City) | Find Articles at BNET

And my favourite from the DRC

http://tw.youtube.com/watch?v=mEN_mwn_NaM

Best and Warm Regards
Adrian Wainer






Best and Warm Regards
Adrian Wainer

 

You forgot the important one . We still train to fly off of small stretches of road in remote areas.

 

This is stil the case in some countries. I believe Finland is one of them. Kai could probably confirm this. When I went there in 2004 I was amazed to see the highways could easily be turned into runways.

 

Using highways or the Autobahn as alternative airfields is quite a common affair for most countries and within NATO countries during national or NATO manouvers it is a regular practice. In Sweden, Switzerland and Germany (NLP) the highways are fully incoorporated into their defence layout.

Sorry it's in German (but some nice pic's) http://www.lostplaces.de/cms/content/view/113/33/

Regards
Kruska

 

Deutsch geht auch Kruska

Thanks for the link

 

You are welcome, Ellsaesser?

Regards
Kruska

 

The post-WW2 Interstate system was designed and "sold" as a method to evacuate our population centers as rapidly as possible, and get the people out of harms way in the event of a nuclear attack. Also to disperse and employ our own troops internally as rapidly as possible. They really weren’t designed initially as solely transportation for civilians and products. Ironically the construction of the Interstate system was the last time the railroad showed a clear, unsubsidized profit in America. They carried most of the goods needed to construct their rivals in freight transport.

The Intestates have been used as emergency landing strips by any number of desparate civilian craft, I know of no military or commercial aircraft who did so. While it is sort of "cool" to think the Intestate had a "hidden" purpose and use, it is a false concept. It is totally debunked here:

snopes.com: Interstate Highways as Airstrips