Mainline Interstate exits you cannot use

[UCFKnights]

There doesn't seem to be any actual restriction on the first one (google street view's vehicle seems to have no issue driving on that ramp and that service road), while the second one is actually strictly buses only (street view did not drive that ramp)

Street View did however have to make a U turn after taking that ramp. As I see it the reason the message is yellow and not white is because a cop cannot give you a ticket for using the ramp for non-railroad purposes. However since it leads to private property you may get in trouble for trespassing if you go there, should the railroad press charges.

google's street view vehicle seems to go all the way down to the entrance ramp to get back onto the highway? there is also no "no trespassing" signs visible from the street view? it appears to be a maintained and signed as a public road, just for the service of the trains

[empirestate]

There doesn't seem to be any actual restriction on the first one (google street view's vehicle seems to have no issue driving on that ramp and that service road), while the second one is actually strictly buses only (street view did not drive that ramp)

Street View did however have to make a U turn after taking that ramp. As I see it the reason the message is yellow and not white is because a cop cannot give you a ticket for using the ramp for non-railroad purposes. However since it leads to private property you may get in trouble for trespassing if you go there, should the railroad press charges.

google's street view vehicle seems to go all the way down to the entrance ramp to get back onto the highway? there is also no "no trespassing" signs visible from the street view? it appears to be a maintained and signed as a public road, just for the service of the trains

Sometimes I'm convinced that Google ends up driving through a lot of areas they're not "supposed" to be, and then they just don't publish those particular images, leading to some rather obvious "dead ends" in Street View coverage.

[JMoses24]

Similarly, there's an entrance to northbound I-75 in Cincinnati that cannot use I-75. It only offers access to I-74.

But that's supposed to change with the rebuild of the Hopple Street interchange -- specifically, the ramp from Hopple to I-74 that you mention. That ramp will be expanded to have a lane that will enter I-75 just north of the I-74 interchange.

[Kniwt]

Stretching the rules a bit because this isn't an interstate, but it is a freeway:

On the freeway part of Loop 375 around El Paso, the exit for Sergeant Major Blvd. (on Fort Bliss) is a regular diamond-style exit that has full-size BGSs saying the exit is not open to the public, but nothing stopping you from exiting. In fact, bicycles are required to use the exit and then the on-ramp to get back on the freeway.



https://goo.gl/maps/oNib9eh3e4A2

[wanderer2575]

The I-94/M-10 interchange in downtown Detroit has left-hand exits and entrances in all four directions (NB to WB, SB to EB, WB to SB, and EB to NB).  Signs on the right-hand entrance ramps preceding this interchange prohibit entering traffic from using the left exits, for example:
https://goo.gl/maps/yofwwLSCsM52

On those left-hand ramps, signs prohibit traffic from using the first right-hand exit after merging, for example:
https://goo.gl/maps/LWa89zy6rzM2  (Unrelated note:  Gotta love Michigan's false plywood decking on deteriorating bridges!)

There are no barriers preventing these moves and I see plenty of traffic ignoring the signs and cutting across lanes to access their exits.

The entrance ramp to westbound M-8 (Davison Freeway) from M-1 (Woodward Avenue) has a sign prohibiting entering traffic from using the left-hand exit ahead to southbound M-10.
https://goo.gl/maps/hJ7Vn4adXq52

Interestingly, the same situation exists on the left-hand ramp from northbound US-131 to westbound I-96 near Grand Rapids.  That ramp has its own exit to northbound Alpine Avenue, but entering traffic wanting to exit to southbound Alpine Avenue has to quickly cut across two lanes of I-96 traffic in less than 1/4 mile after merging to access that ramp.  But in this case, the movement is not prohibited and the overhead BGS instructs motorists to do so.  So why is it okay here?
https://goo.gl/maps/Y5q32DP3pXE2

[epzik8]

The Pennsylvania Turnpike is a half-example. There are a few E-ZPass only exits, and Interstate 76 is a mainline Interstate; however, the Turnpike is a toll road and there's a fair number of E-ZPass users.

I *think* I-95 Exit 56, Keith Avenue in Baltimore, is a hazmat-only exit.

[noelbotevera]

The Pennsylvania Turnpike is a half-example. There are a few E-ZPass only exits, and Interstate 76 is a mainline Interstate; however, the Turnpike is a toll road and there's a fair number of E-ZPass users.

I *think* I-95 Exit 56, Keith Avenue in Baltimore, is a hazmat-only exit.

Well, hazmats must exit there, but you can also exit there to avoid the toll.

As you can see.

[frankenroad]

Similarly, there's an entrance to northbound I-75 in Cincinnati that cannot use I-75. It only offers access to I-74.

But that's supposed to change with the rebuild of the Hopple Street interchange -- specifically, the ramp from Hopple to I-74 that you mention. That ramp will be expanded to have a lane that will enter I-75 just north of the I-74 interchange.

As of December, 2016, that reconstruction is largely complete, and the northbound ramp from Hopple leads to both 74 and 75.   As a side effect, the decision point on northbound 75 on whether to stay on 75 or take 74 has moved southward by probably 1/2 mile.   It is catching a lot of drivers off guard.

[MNHighwayMan]

Before the recent reconstruction of the whole I-694/US-10/MN-51/Hamline Ave area, you weren't allowed to exit onto Lexington Ave if you were coming from SB Hamline Ave onto EB I-694.

[CrystalWalrein]

https://www.google.com/maps/@26.1664766,-80.8277516,3a,75y,299.28h,63.66t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sY9ks7TKOLcorvEyM3-AM7Q!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

This is on the Alligator Alley section of I-75 and appears to be for water management personnel only (and maybe the occasional State Trooper).

[TheHighwayMan3561]

Before the recent reconstruction of the whole I-694/US-10/MN-51/Hamline Ave area, you weren't allowed to exit onto Lexington Ave if you were coming from SB Hamline Ave onto EB I-694.

There was also a "NO CROSSING TO LYNDALE EXIT" on westbound MN 62 entering the I-35W mess before that was rebuilt.

[MNHighwayMan]

Before the recent reconstruction of the whole I-694/US-10/MN-51/Hamline Ave area, you weren't allowed to exit onto Lexington Ave if you were coming from SB Hamline Ave onto EB I-694.

There was also a "NO CROSSING TO LYNDALE EXIT" on westbound MN 62 entering the I-35W mess before that was rebuilt.

Oh yes. I'm pretty sure there used to be at least one more somewhere in the Twin Cities but I cannot remember where it was. Maybe that was it and my mind isn't connecting them.

[TheHighwayMan3561]

In Duluth there is a "DO NOT CROSS TO GRAND AVENUE EXIT" sign on southbound I-35 if you enter from the Central Avenue on-ramp. MN 23/Grand is a left exit almost immediately after entering the freeway.

[jeffandnicole]

The Pennsylvania Turnpike is a half-example. There are a few E-ZPass only exits, and Interstate 76 is a mainline Interstate; however, the Turnpike is a toll road and there's a fair number of E-ZPass users.

I *think* I-95 Exit 56, Keith Avenue in Baltimore, is a hazmat-only exit.

Well, hazmats must exit there, but you can also exit there to avoid the toll.

As you can see.

Or you can exit there just because it's a normal exit and you may want to do something near that exit.

Going back to Epzik...that's a normal exit.  The additional signage is simply telling Hazmats they must take that exit.  It'll be similar in nature to signage on the PA Turnpike (for example) that informs Hazmats there's a tunnel ahead, and they must take the next exit coming up.

[TravelingBethelite]

What's interesting here is that so far, only the Dallas example creates the prohibition by signage alone. I've seen various other examples that use lane striping or even physical barriers to prohibit exiting, but in this case the exit is perfectly permissible except by the presence of that regulatory sign.

Why are these exits prohibited? Is it because it would take unsafe maneuvers to access them?

[empirestate]

What's interesting here is that so far, only the Dallas example creates the prohibition by signage alone. I've seen various other examples that use lane striping or even physical barriers to prohibit exiting, but in this case the exit is perfectly permissible except by the presence of that regulatory sign.

Why are these exits prohibited? Is it because it would take unsafe maneuvers to access them?

Yes; typically it would require changing too many lanes in too short a distance to be considered safe, or otherwise create an unsafe weaving situation.

[cl94]

What's interesting here is that so far, only the Dallas example creates the prohibition by signage alone. I've seen various other examples that use lane striping or even physical barriers to prohibit exiting, but in this case the exit is perfectly permissible except by the presence of that regulatory sign.

Why are these exits prohibited? Is it because it would take unsafe maneuvers to access them?

Yes; typically it would require changing too many lanes in too short a distance to be considered safe, or otherwise create an unsafe weaving situation.

For example, take the I-70/I-71 case in Columbus that was recently removed. Very heavy merge in the foreground, ramp departs in the background. Traffic from I-71 couldn't use the ramp. In the other direction, the corresponding entrance ramp can't be used to access I-71 NB, again because of how much traffic you'd have to cross.

[JMoses24]

I-71 has no access to I-471's ramp to Liberty Street at all (there's a jersey barrier separating the two), and the onramp from I-471 North to 71 North cannot use Exit 2 to Reading Road without crossing all lanes of I-71.

Oh, and in the other direction, the onramp from Reading cannot access I-471 southbound without crossing all lanes of I-71. Of course, both movements involving Reading Road can be done via ramps to and from the Liberty/Reading intersection (the aforementioned Liberty Street ramp is one).

[Aerobird]

https://www.google.com/maps/@26.1664766,-80.8277516,3a,75y,299.28h,63.66t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sY9ks7TKOLcorvEyM3-AM7Q!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

This is on the Alligator Alley section of I-75 and appears to be for water management personnel only (and maybe the occasional State Trooper).

Actually, I'm pretty sure fishermen are allowed to use those as well, for access to the canal.

[CtrlAltDel]

Not quite the same as the OP requested, since the ramp for this exit begins before the toll both, but here is I-88 in Oak Brook IL:


https://www.google.com/maps/@41.8478298,-87.9417185,3a,37.5y,233.52h,95.32t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s1Ax4WVB15hy6EqVsNPbT-g!2e0!7i13312!8i6656