Over the River and Over the Town

The elevated structure for I-90 in Wallace, Idaho

As it goes through Wallace, Idaho, Interstate 90 runs on an elevated roadway, something you might not expect in a remote small town. The elevated structure, though, was the price that had to be paid for completing Interstate 90 through Wallace in 1991. The Historic Wallace website states that completion of the roadway eliminated the last traffic light on the United States Interstate highway system. Every building in downtown Wallace had been entered on the National Register of Historic Places, a move which prevented the destruction of the town. The original plans for an at-grade freeway would have nearly obliterated it.

The freeway also goes over the south fork of the Coeur d'Alene River, seen in this photograph taken in June 2010. You can click on the link for a close-up of the exit sign.