With the creation of the Interstate Highway System in 1956, the approach to the Lincoln Tunnel was planned to become an Interstate Highway along with present-day Route 3, which itself was not included in the Interstate Highway System because New Jersey thought it would be too expensive to bring it up to Interstate Highway standards. However, the Lincoln Tunnel approach was included in the Interstate Highway System and in 1959, it was renumbered from Route 3 to I-495 despite the fact it does not meet Interstate Highway standards. Shortly after the road became I-495, the western portion of the road was brought up to Interstate Highway standards with the improvements of the interchanges with the New Jersey Turnpike and Route 3. I-495 was intended to connect with New York's I-495 by way of the Mid-Manhattan Expressway; however, this proposed freeway through Manhattan was canceled in 1971 due to strong opposition to the road running through the heart of Midtown Manhattan. Because of the fact that New Jersey's I-495 would not be connected to New York's, NJDOT started referring to the route as Route 495 in 1979. The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) approved the decommissioning of I-495 between I-95 and Pleasant Avenue/Park Avenue in Union City in 1980. In 1986, AASHTO approved the decommissioning of the rest of the I-495 designation in New Jersey.