WHY IS I-95 WHERE IT IS?

WHY IS I-95 WHERE IT IS? I have previously written about how much easier it was to transport goods by water rather than overland. I-95 is where it is because of this. I owe this information to a wonderful article many years ago in the WASHINGTON POST science section. Settlements developed along the Atlantic Coast at the point where the geology changed. Along the Coast, there was flat tidal land which was formed from silt running down from the hill formation which was generally a short distance inland. Goods were brought in by settlers by water up to the point where goods were transferred to overland carriers because the rivers and streams rose too steeply for water transport. At this point, the steepness of the streams made a good location for mills. Settlements grew up at these points. The Boston Post Road (in our area) marks the road that grew up to connect these settlements. I-95 generally followed the Post Road because that’s where the population centers were. Near us, the slope down from Noroton Heights to Long Island Sound is only about a mile, with the area south of the Post Road consisting of flat tidal inlets. In Virginia, there is a lot of Tidewater land, so I-95 is quite a ways inland.

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