Ever since I first created it in 2009, my Interstates as Subway Map diagram has been one of my most popular and enduring designs. It’s consistently the best selling print in the Transit Maps store, and is something I’m incredibly proud of. However, the last major redesign of it was way back in 2011, and it’s definitely starting to show its age.
At the time, I really didn’t think I’d still be maintaining and updating it nine years down the road, so little thought was put into future-proofing the diagram – it simply reflected the network as it appeared in 2011. This meant that any addition to the Interstate system over the years has had to be shoehorned into a design that wasn’t really ever meant to accommodate it. I think I’ve done a pretty good job to keep the diagram up-to-date and looking good over the years, but I’ve decided that it’s time to completely re-evaluate and redraw the diagram from the top down.
So, without further ado, here’s the revised 2020 version of the diagram as a pannable, zoomable map (or click on this link to view it in a full browser window).
My goals with this version were as follows:
Future-proof the diagram as much as possible
I’ve definitely done my research this time around. Within reason, all known future expansions of the network have been taken into account and shown on the diagram as cased lines. For the first time, I-69 and all its branches in Texas (I-69C, I-69-E and I-69W) are shown in their entirety. All the little gaps in I-49 are accounted for, as is the future extension from Lafayette to New Orleans. Future I-11 is shown from Las Vegas down to Nogales, but the proposed section from Las Vegas up to I-80 is not – there are still too many alternatives on the table for it to be shown with any certainty. Other routes that are barely more than rumour (I-3, for example) are also omitted, though I’m confident that this new design can handle them if and when they become reality.
Make the design my own
The previous iterations of this diagram leaned heavily on the design language of the London Underground’s famous Tube Map – colours, station symbols, line thickness, corner curve radius and more. I’m far more confident in my own ability as a designer now, and feel that this is the time to leave that comfortable, easy solution behind and create something that’s unique and truly mine.
While the colours remain similar to visually link the different versions of the diagram, almost everything else has changed completely. Most notably, the diagram now uses Interstate – a typeface based on that used on road signs across the United States – as its primary font, a far more distinctive and appropriate choice than the previous and somewhat generic Myriad Pro Condensed. The large interchange circles and dumbbells have gone, replaced by a more elegant “one dot per route” marker at each station. This carries across to intermediate cities, which use a similar dot instead of a Tube Map-style “tick”.
Be more rigorous in my design approach
Let’s just say I’ve learned a lot about transit map design since 2011. My approach to this reworking was a lot more methodical, and my design rules were stricter and applied with far less exceptions to make things work. The diagram sits on a 96-point grid, which informs much of the spacing and alignment of the routes, as shown below.
Using this grid helped me to ensure that major highways never get too close to each other, and allows for a nice even rhythm across the entire diagram. Some areas that seemed too cramped in previous versions, like the southeastern states, definitely have more room to breathe now even with some additional future routes added to the mix. Using this grid also helped me work out some fun little design features, like the way that I-4 and I-16 form similar shapes reflected symmetrically along the axis of I-10 between them.
A lot of care was given to labelling this time around (so often an after-thought!) with route numbers always being placed as close as possible to the the relevant terminus dot for easy identification and cross referencing. While having some labels cut across route lines on a complex diagram like this is unavoidable, I’ve really tried to keep it to a minimum and I think there’s less than ten examples of it on the entire piece.
Finally, I think that the simplified outline of the United States on this version makes a more elegant and proportionately “correct” shape than before, which this animation of all three major versions of the map shows rather nicely.
As always, there are prints of this map for sale in the Transit Maps store.
What do you think of this new version? Leave your comments below, as well as any corrections or suggestions – I always value your thoughts on my work!
I was a bit surprised the bend in future I-69 through SE Arkansas since there’s nothing in the way for a nice 45 degree line down from Memphis. Did you want to remain true to the geographic routing in the area?
That’s basically it, Jeff. The alignment south of Memphis runs down the east bank of the Mississippi quite a way before crossing over to Arkansas City or thereabouts. Running a straight diagonal, while simpler, would put the path of I-69 way too close to Little Rock for my liking. Once that segment opens, I’d probably be looking to add a “stop” at Monticello along the horizontal straight segment.
Not sure if you’re intentionally leaving things out but Iowa City-Cedar Rapids-Waterloo IA is missing
Yes, but that’s Interstate 380, a three-digit auxiliary highway: this map only show the two-digit primary Interstate highways.
Ah. So much for my reading comprehension skills.
Ugh. 30 is bogus. 45 is boguser. 29 needs to be renumbered as 35 above KC and 35 needs to be renumbered as 45 above KC. Then 49 can take its proper 45 the whole way. Didn’t realize there was another 76 out west … except …I think I’ve been on it. 69? Really? 11? Really? It’s bad enough that the motor fuel excise tax is 27 years behind in purchasing power (Congress won’t pay for anything, preferring to borrow) but do those roads really need to exist? And 99 .. OMG, 99.
But none of this is YOUR fault. YOUR map is awesome. And thanks for highlighting the 0s and 5s … and leaving out most of the auxiliary routes!
Excellent work! I love the routing of all the lines, and I enjoy exploring the country’s interstates via this map!
One error I noticed is that the junction between 78 & 81 is listed as being in Union Township. While 78 does pass through Union township in NJ, it meets 81 about 120mi to the west in Jonestown PA! I haven’t noticed any other errors, but that’s just because I haven’t searched for any others.
There’s more than one Union Township in Pennsylvania, and I-78 joins I-81 at the one in Lebanon County. Jonestown actually sits on US 22, a little off the I-78/I-81 interchange and with no direct access to it. See the Wikipedia entry on I-78 here, and also type “Union Township, Lebanon County, PA” into Google Maps, and you’ll see that it entirely encompasses the interchange.
As I thought oabout a previous version – this is so awesome. Thank you!
I particularly LIKE the parts that are contrary to geography – how Lake Erie runs diagonally and Akron is halfway between Cleveland and Pittsburgh, for example – since that is part of the point of subway maps, that their scale is totally inconsistent with actual geography.
(And I still think the two places where the Interstate system goes through traffic lights – the Holland Tunnel and Breezewood PA – should be indicated like the places on a subway map where you have to walk between nearby stations!)
Sad to not see Tulsa, OK make the map, given its size. Besides the termini, how do you decide which cities make the cut?
Just looking at it makes me smile. And my location Albuquerque is at the intersection of I-40 and I-25 (and vice versa), where it belongs.
I saw the original probably about 10 years ago, and kept a link to it all this time, knowing someday I’d find it useful, besides artistic. New one is great too.
I happen to be involved in a project to modernize the long haul trucking industry, structured around a Hubway concept, which the transit style map better depicts. We will also be involved in the creation of a new multi-decade project creating a completely new futuristic elevated National “interstate” HSR and local urban transit system for both freight and passengers, based on revolutionary “StringRail” technology and tokenized infrastructure funding. The current design will work well for the trucking project, but we may be interested in having a similar design created for the National StringRail Network, once lane routes have been established. I am using this forum to see if you might be interested in participating. Also regarding the revised map, do you have arrangements for allowing use of a digital version on websites ( with full credits and/or sales referral link for hard copies.) Please reply direct via email. Great inspiring work!