BACKGROUND:
June 29, 2006, marks the 50th Anniversary of the signing of the
Federal Highway Act of 1956 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower. This
landmark legislation set the wheels in motion for the development
of one of the most significant contributing factors in our nation’s
growth, economy, and mobility — the interstate system. One of the
most traveled routes in this system, Interstate-40, passes through
the heart of Memphis.
I-40 serves as a critical transportation lifeline across the
nation, and the October 1973 completion of its bridges over the
Mississippi River provided an important connection for that
lifeline. Currently, Arkansas and Tennessee are spending $150
million for a seismic retrofit of the I-40 bridges over the
Mississippi in Memphis. These modifications will enable the bridges
to withstand a magnitude 7.0 earthquake and remain serviceable.
Tennessee has more miles of I-40 within its boundaries than any
other state, with 455 miles traveling through 20 counties. I-40 has
a total of 2,554.22 miles across the United States in eight states.
Even before the completion of the route, countless restaurants,
tourist attractions, and motels sprang up along the way, including
the Eye 40 Motel in Dickson.
One of the largest missing segments of Interstate 40 is in
Memphis. The original federal highway legislation included a
section of I-40 passing through Overton Park. The federal highway
administrator approved this route in 1966, and three years later
the Tennessee Department of Transportation acquired right-of-way
from the City of Memphis, which owned the park, for $2 million.
Approval for the project was announced in November 1969. Shortly
thereafter, a group called the Citizens to Preserve Overton Park
filed suit to stop construction of the interstate through their
beloved park. On March 2, 1971, the case was decided by the U.S.
Supreme Court in favor of the citizens’ group in Citizens to
Preserve Overton Park vs. Volpe, 401 U.S. 402. By this point,
several miles of interstate had already been built within the I-240
loop, and this section remains in use as Sam Cooper Boulevard.
THE CACHE:
You'll be looking for a camouflaged Lock&Lock container
holding a log book, a pen, and a few small trade items. Do
not approach the cache from the interstate! Not only would
this be dangerous, but you can't reach the container from that
direction. There is a safe way to approach the site, with plenty of
parking available nearby. You might even find a couple of stray
tennis balls along the way. Have fun!