Take a trip back through time and the metric system on I-19
Oct 8, 2014, 5:30 AM | Updated: 12:31 pm
If the road signs read 104 kilometers to your destination, do you know how much longer your drive will be?
If you don’t know and plan on taking Interstate 19 from Tucson to Nogales, it might be a good idea to get well-versed in the metrics system.
Mileage along the 101-kilometer (63-mile) interstate is given in the metric system. The Jimmy Carter administration envisioned a great metric conversion for the United States, as it was and still is the only industrialized country in the world that has not adopted the measuring system.
Travelers have historically disputed the need to change the signage on I-19. The disagreements will continue for the time being, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.
“We don’t have a timeline, we don’t have the funding,” said ADOT spokesman Dustin Krugel.
However, the harsh Arizona weather has taken a toll on the aged signage, and ADOT will be forced to make some changes. When that time arrives, the public will be invited to offer their opinion on how to move forward.
“Since there’s such diverse opinions on the signs, we want to know what they want to see done with the signs,” said Krugel.