Freeways/expressways that should be demolished

[Bruce]

As a follow-up to the "streets needing to be expressways" post.

The Alaskan Way Viaduct is a good example, since it's (a) ugly and blocks the waterfront of Seattle, (b) old, (c) a huge earthquake hazard, and (d) opens up a lot of space for a waterfront promenade. Too bad the replacement is useless and should've never happened.

[peterj920]

When I was in Seattle, I found the Alaskan Way viaduct very useful.  Definitely the quickest way from Downtown to the airport and a lot faster than I-5. 

[froggie]

Depends on time of day.  WA 99 can jam up pretty bad too and there are no carpool lanes, either.

Bruce is right.  Whatever traffic benefits the viaduct brings to Seattle would be more than offset by the non-traffic benefits of removing the viaduct.

Plus, now that they have LRT between the airport and downtown, I've found that it's far more useful to hop that between the two and get a rental car downtown.  A lot cheaper than getting a rental car at the airport, too.

[TXtoNJ]

Pierce Elevated in Houston (soon!)
Claiborne Expressway in NOLA

Those are the only two I'd clearly support eliminating. I can see the arguments for getting rid of 345 in Dallas, but I still think it's too important as a commuter route to demolish entirely.

[tradephoric]

Detroit's I-375 under construction in 1961.   I didn't realize till today that I-375 was constructed before I-75. 

[Bruce]

When I was in Seattle, I found the Alaskan Way viaduct very useful.  Definitely the quickest way from Downtown to the airport and a lot faster than I-5. 

I'll be the first to admit that it's quite fun to drive on (especially northbound with the view), but still nerve-wracking.

Depends on time of day.  WA 99 can jam up pretty bad too and there are no carpool lanes, either.

Bruce is right.  Whatever traffic benefits the viaduct brings to Seattle would be more than offset by the non-traffic benefits of removing the viaduct.

Plus, now that they have LRT between the airport and downtown, I've found that it's far more useful to hop that between the two and get a rental car downtown.  A lot cheaper than getting a rental car at the airport, too.

Yes, the light rail is great despite some of its flaws (street-running...never again). Airport travel is a lot easier and there are a few good roadgeek views out the window, especially on the finally approach to Tukwila and the airport.

The viaduct has a tendency to jam up pretty easily. All it takes is one accident, god forbid something like a fish truck toppling over and taking 9 hours to clear, and everything halts.

[Buffaboy]

Buffalo's Kensington Expressway needs to be covered with a lid.

[Thunderbyrd316]

I find the entire premise of this thread to be blasphemous! ALL freeways, expressways and highways should be preserved for eternity, no matter how ill conceived or useless they may be.  (Though I would destroy the Bend Parkway and replace it with a true Interstate grade 6 lane elevated urban freeway!!!)

[TEG24601]

Detroit's I-375 under construction in 1961.   I didn't realize till today that I-375 was constructed before I-75. 

This was because it was originally I-75.

As a follow-up to the "streets needing to be expressways" post.

The Alaskan Way Viaduct is a good example, since it's (a) ugly and blocks the waterfront of Seattle, (b) old, (c) a huge earthquake hazard, and (d) opens up a lot of space for a waterfront promenade. Too bad the replacement is useless and should've never happened.

This is already in process.  The replacement will not be dis-similar to the viaduct in terms of traffic.  Just like the viaduct it won't have any exits/entrances to start with, but I doubt that will be a permanent state.  A boulevard is a non-starter, as the volume of traffic on 99 is such that it would just be the cause of more grid-lock.


Of all the routes I have driven, there are very few that I could see as useless/pointless to the point of needing to be demolished.  Even M-5 and M-8 around Detroit serve their purposes.

[Kacie Jane]

Just like the viaduct it won't have any exits/entrances to start with, but I doubt that will be a permanent state.

Unlikely.  The cost of putting an interchange in the middle of a tunnel is why it wasn't included in the first place.  That cost rises to the point of impossibility if you're adding it to a tunnel after the fact.

A boulevard is a non-starter, as the volume of traffic on 99 is such that it would just be the cause of more grid-lock.

Depends on your definition of non-starter.  Given that it was one of the plans studied, and the one backed by the Seattle City Council as late as about 2006 or 2007, I'd disagree here.

[noelbotevera]

I'd demolish the Walton Walker Boulevard segment of Loop 12 in Dallas,Texas. I-35E isn't that far away that's being widened from there to Denton.

[NE2]

I find the entire premise of this thread to be blasphemous! ALL freeways, expressways and highways should be preserved for eternity, no matter how ill conceived or useless they may be.  (Though I would destroy the Bend Parkway and replace it with a true Interstate grade 6 lane elevated urban freeway!!!)

You are an idiot.

[Brandon]

I find the entire premise of this thread to be blasphemous! ALL freeways, expressways and highways should be preserved for eternity, no matter how ill conceived or useless they may be.  (Though I would destroy the Bend Parkway and replace it with a true Interstate grade 6 lane elevated urban freeway!!!)

You are an idiot.

Obviously you are not adept at spotting sarcasm.

[NE2]

Poe's Law.

[Rothman]

Poe's Law.

Nah.  Faulty sarcasm detector.  Look at all those emoticons and whatnot in his post.

[hbelkins]

Still waiting for some clueless soul to pop up with "8664!"

[NE2]

Still waiting for some clueless soul...oh wait he just posted.

[froggie]

Obviously you are not adept at spotting sarcasm.

I don't think this was the case.  Given Thunderbyrd's posts elsewhere, he was likely being serious.

[Thunderbyrd316]

Obviously you are not adept at spotting sarcasm.

I don't think this was the case.  Given Thunderbyrd's posts elsewhere, he was likely being serious.

Only partially. I was actually making a round about attempt to point out the irony that on a web site for highway enthusiasts, there seem to be a remarkable number of people on here who seem to want to conceal or destroy that which they profess to love, i.e. the incredible monuments of functional artwork that are freeways and highways. But as for the elevated Bend Parkway replacement, actually yeah, I am being completely serious! And after that is done then I would build a Tolled Interstate grade Bend bypass freeway (with an 80 m.p.h. speed limit) to the east and run it all the way from south of China Hat Rd. to Terrebonne.

[hbelkins]

Still waiting for some clueless soul...oh wait he just posted.

I wasn't referring to you. You have no soul. 

[froggie]

I was actually making a round about attempt to point out the irony that on a web site for highway enthusiasts, there seem to be a remarkable number of people on here who seem to want to conceal or destroy that which they profess to love, i.e. the incredible monuments of functional artwork that are freeways and highways.

What you'll eventually find is that there are NUMEROUS facets of the hobby, of which many do not require "loving" freeways and highways.  All in all, only a few hobbyists actually profess a love for them.

[Jardine]

once the entire planet is paved, the only thing left to do is maintain the lane markings and signs

[dfwtbear]

I'd demolish the Walton Walker Boulevard segment of Loop 12 in Dallas,Texas. I-35E isn't that far away that's being widened from there to Denton.

A lot of traffic uses that route. I-35 is a little far especially for the more southern part of it as it goes south and connects to Spur 408.

[noelbotevera]

once the entire planet is paved, the only thing left to do is maintain the lane markings and signs

um, how do we live then without houses

[froggie]

It's a metaphor...