Contributed by Maine Turnpike Authority
Description
The Maine Turnpike Authority commissioned the first left-handed plow in the United States to make plowing a two-lane divided highway easier, and more efficient. This "first" was considered an important advance, and representatives from several of the country’s new superhighways came to witness the new plow in action. In 2019, "lefthanders" are standard issue for highway maintenance crews throughout the nation.
The Maine Turnpike was the first superhighway in the world to be paved entirely with asphalt—not concrete. This decision surprised highway engineers who thought concrete was the only material suitable to build highway lanes. Many skeptics from around the world were invited to see the value and durability of asphalt under Maine's extreme weather conditions.
About This Item
- Title: Crosby Maintenance facility, South Portland, 1959
- Creation Date: 1959-03-13
- Subject Date: 1959-03-13
- Location: South Portland, Cumberland County, ME
- Media: Photographic print
- Dimensions: 20.3 cm x 25.4 cm
- Object Type: Image
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For more information about this item, contact:
Maine Turnpike Authority2360 Congress Street, Portland, ME 04102
(207) 482-8122
Website
This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. No Permission is required to use the low-resolution watermarked image for educational use, or as allowed by the applicable copyright. For all other uses, permission is required.
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