I-95 James River Bridge - 1958 construction

What better way to follow up yesterday's post, then a shot of the same bridge under construction from 6 years earlier?

Photo courtesy of VDOT

I-95 James River Bridge - Before and After

Here's an angle I'm sure most of us are very familiar with: The view from North I-95 as you cross the James River into downtown Richmond. Below is what it looked like nearly 50 years ago, and just 2 days ago. Interesting that from the 1964 skyline, I only see one constant building. West Hospital is another (for now, more on that in future posts), but it's hidden today.

1964:

2013:

1964 photo courtesy of VCU Libraries

I-95 traffic - Hurricane Camille - August 1969

With Hurricane Sandy approaching, I dug out this great shot of the traffic backup resulting from Hurricane Camille's flooding of the South end of I-95 as it crosses the James River.

Also, check out an older post with an almost the same angle, from 12 years earlier in 1957.

Photo courtesy of The Library of Virginia's Virginia Governor's Negative Collection

I-95 flooding - Hurricane Agnes

With Hurrican Sandy heading our way late this weekend, I thought it was a good time to take a look back. 40 years ago, in June of 1972, Hurricane Agnes caused the James River to crest at a peak of 36.5 feet in Richmond, still an all-time high.

Here's a shot of I-95, looking South from the Maury Street exit ramp:

Richmond skyline from I-95 - Before and After

Here's two shots of I-95 looking North towards the Richmond skyline. The first is probably from around 1960, the second 2012.

Click the photos below for the high resolution images.

I-95 and Main Street Station - 1976

Mike Robbins provides us with today's great image of Main Street Station across I-95 from June of 1976. Love the billboard! I'll let him describe it:

"Main Street Station in a view across I-95 in downtown Richmond, Virginia, June 1976. You may note that there is passenger equipment located on the platform tracks beneath the train shed. This station was originally built for the SAL and C&O. The station was out of service for many years, due to the James River flood damage from Hurricane Agnes, plus there was a couple of fires at the station too with damage. In 1975 the Staples Mill Road Amtrak Station, located 9.1 miles away to the north, was opened by Amtrak to replace this damaged facility. This station has been restored and is in use today for Amtrak Regional Service with more services to come hopefully in the future. Check out the Jive Cadillac or Kitty with the full size white wall tires and fender skirts rolling along the highway."

Photo courtesy of Mike Robbins

Proposed Richmond Expressway Toll Plaza - 1960s

Late 60s artist's view of a toll plaza proposed on the Richmond Expressway System. The Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike and a 42 mile stretch of 64 were the only highways in Richmond at the time.

Image from the 1969 Richmond Progress Report by the Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce

Hurricane Agnes - Broad Street flooding - 1972

Hopefully everyone in Richmond survived Hurricane Irene unscathed yesterday. Good luck to everyone in the Northeast today! Here's another look at Hurricane Agnes from 1972. This is Broad Street, looking West from Shockoe Bottom, up the hill towards downtown Richmond.

Photo from the 1972 book Hurricane Agnes…The Richmond Flood

Flooding in downtown Richmond - October 1972

From the 1973 Varina High School Yearbook comes this shot of flooding in downtown Richmond. On October 7, 1972 the James River crested at 24.2 feet, easily in the top ten flood stages in Richmond's recorded history, but overshadowed that year on June 23, 1972 with 36.5 feet as a result of Hurricane Agnes.

Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike construction - August 1957

Here's an amazing shot of the Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike (Interstate 95) being built in 1957, taken from what looks to be the edge of the former Navy Hill neighborhood, which unfortunately was mostly demolished to make way for the turnpike in the late 50s, and I-64 in the mid 60s. In the distance you can see Main Street Station, the construction of the I-95 James River Bridge, as well as the concrete walls that will eventually form the highway as it curves around downtown Richmond.

Photo courtesy of VCU Libraries

I-95 Toll Plaza - 1966

Postcard from 1966 of the Belvidere Street toll plaza. This was part of the Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike/I-95 toll road. You can still see today where this toll plaza was, the width of I-95 at the Belvidere Street exit is much wider than the rest of I-95 downtown. All of the original toll plazas have been removed though, this one in 1992.