Freeways That End at STOP Signs

[Ian]

How many cases can you think of a freeway that ends at a STOP sign? One that comes off the top of my head is the east end of the Uhrichsville/Dennison By-Pass (US 250/OH 800) in Ohio. Any other examples?

[roadman65]

Currently FL 414 near Orlando, but that soon is going to change when the new FL 414, FL 429, and FL 451 interchange is completed.

[jwolfer]

How many cases can you think of a freeway that ends at a STOP sign? One that comes off the top of my head is the east end of the Uhrichsville/Dennison By-Pass (US 250/OH 800) in Ohio. Any other examples?

When I was a kid I-195 in NJ ended at CR 527.  There was a stop sign there.  (Roadgeek memory I was no more than 5 or 6 and I can still see the stop sign in my head)

[vtk]

Historically, the Kansas Turnpike, at the Oklahoma border, right?

I can't think of any other examples.

Taking a look at the Uhrichsville/Dennison By-Pass, Google's property lines imply some ROW for a couple more miles of freeway eastwards.

[Revive 755]

I think the MO 21/Blood Alley Replacement Freeway ended at a stop sign back when the southern terminus was at Schenk road.

[roadman65]

I-176 in PA used to before the PA Turnpike/ PA 10 interchange was redone to have a direct connection between it and its parent.

[Dr Frankenstein]

A-955, if you dare call that a freeway. And possibly the Bécancour section of A-30; though I would have to check and make sure.

[Brian556]

Grapevine, TX. In the 1970-80's, SH 121 northbound freeway ended at a T-interstection with the original alignment north of DFW Airport. My memories of this area are very vauge, but I'm thinking there might have been a stop sign. Does anybody else know?

[ctsignguy]

At one time, Ohio 11 (4-lane freeway) ended at Ohio 531 (2-lane) in eastern Ashtabula with STOP signs and flashing lights...but i haven't been there since 1989, so i do not know how it is done now

[apete2]

Lake Ontario State Parkway used to end with stop signs on both ends, but now it has a bridge over the Genesee River. There used to be a stop sign at Lake Avenue.

[cpzilliacus]

How many cases can you think of a freeway that ends at a STOP sign? One that comes off the top of my head is the east end of the Uhrichsville/Dennison By-Pass (US 250/OH 800) in Ohio. Any other examples?

In Howard County, Maryland U.S. 29, Columbia Pike (which is functionally classed an expressway, since it has some signalized intersections) formerly ended at a STOP sign at Md. 99, Old Frederick Road, just north of I-70. It's a signalized intersection now.

[1995hoo]

Southbound Autoroute 15 in Quebec comes to a stop sign shortly before the US border. Drivers can either turn off the highway, proceed to the duty-free shop, or head to US Customs. The freeway resumes on the other side of the Customs booths as I-87.

I suppose technically the autoroute "ends" at the border, not at the stop sign, but I'm viewing it from a practical standpoint, not a hypertechnical one, as you could justifiably say that the subject line asks where a "freeway" ends, as opposed to where the "route" ends.

[Michael in Philly]

Similar situation:  There's a three-lane left exit off I-280 eastbound in New Jersey (serving Newark) that leads abruptly into a street perpendicular to it.  I assume (haven't been there in years) it's a light rather than a stop sign, but I wonder how many people not paying attention go barreling down that exit and are taken by surprise by the intersection?

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=40.750411,-74.186554&spn=0.00473,0.00825&t=m&z=17&vpsrc=6

[CL]

Southern Parkway in St. George.

[J N Winkler]

Historically, the Kansas Turnpike, at the Oklahoma border, right?

Yes.  I have confirmed this against the original signing plans for the Turnpike (KTA contract no. SD-1).  Southbound traffic saw two STOP signs on either side of the carriageway, with lead-in signing as follows:  "STOP 600 FEET," "SPEED LIMIT 35," "TURNPIKE ENDS 1/2 MILE," "35 M.P.H. ZONE AHEAD," and "TURNPIKE ENDS 1 MILE."  This signing (which at first blush looks like everything that is necessary to give motorists plenty of warning of the upcoming end of the road) was soon amended after the famous sequence of run-off-the-road accidents in 1956-57.

The Turnpike is paved.  In contradistinction, the state line road where the Turnpike ended was then, and still is, unpaved.  Considering their respective traffic volumes and states of improvement, it would have been arguably more logical for the STOP signs to face traffic on the state line road, but the Turnpike Authority nevertheless put them on the southbound Turnpike.

[1995hoo]

Historically, the Kansas Turnpike, at the Oklahoma border, right?

Yes.  I have confirmed this against the original signing plans for the Turnpike (KTA contract no. SD-1).  Southbound traffic saw two STOP signs on either side of the carriageway, with lead-in signing as follows:  "STOP 600 FEET," "SPEED LIMIT 35," "TURNPIKE ENDS 1/2 MILE," "35 M.P.H. ZONE AHEAD," and "TURNPIKE ENDS 1 MILE."  This signing (which at first blush looks like everything that is necessary to give motorists plenty of warning of the upcoming end of the road) was soon amended after the famous sequence of run-off-the-road accidents in 1956-57.

The Turnpike is paved.  In contradistinction, the state line road where the Turnpike ended was then, and still is, unpaved.  Considering their respective traffic volumes and states of improvement, it would have been arguably more logical for the STOP signs to face traffic on the state line road, but the Turnpike Authority nevertheless put them on the southbound Turnpike.

Have a look at this link for an aerial photograph of the former end of the Kansas Turnpike. It's a .PDF about the road's history from the Turnpike Authority's website.


Edited to add:

I found a photograph of the stop signs at the southern end of the Kansas Turnpike. It's easy to laugh now when we see this, but it must have stunk for Amos Switzer.

[thenetwork]

Prior to the late 80s/early 90s, before the bypass around Huron, OH was completed, SR-2 westbound ended at a stop sign at SR-61 near Berlin Heights/Ceylon. 

Kinda cool since they never fully built the "ramps" they made for the future full interchange with SR-61, and they remained as unbuilt stubs until they actually started building the missing link around Huron in the late 80s. 

[Michael in Philly]

Historically, the Kansas Turnpike, at the Oklahoma border, right?

Yes.  I have confirmed this against the original signing plans for the Turnpike (KTA contract no. SD-1).  Southbound traffic saw two STOP signs on either side of the carriageway, with lead-in signing as follows:  "STOP 600 FEET," "SPEED LIMIT 35," "TURNPIKE ENDS 1/2 MILE," "35 M.P.H. ZONE AHEAD," and "TURNPIKE ENDS 1 MILE."  This signing (which at first blush looks like everything that is necessary to give motorists plenty of warning of the upcoming end of the road) was soon amended after the famous sequence of run-off-the-road accidents in 1956-57.

The Turnpike is paved.  In contradistinction, the state line road where the Turnpike ended was then, and still is, unpaved.  Considering their respective traffic volumes and states of improvement, it would have been arguably more logical for the STOP signs to face traffic on the state line road, but the Turnpike Authority nevertheless put them on the southbound Turnpike.

When the Turnpike was planned like that, were there any plans in Oklahoma to build something to connect to it?

[SSOWorld]

The north end of I-79 ends at a traffic light, but I guess that doesn't count.

[Michael in Philly]

^^They could extend it to Kitchener... :-)

[J N Winkler]

When the Turnpike was planned like that, were there any plans in Oklahoma to build something to connect to it?

Yes.  What is now I-35 between the state line and Oklahoma City was originally planned as part of the Oklahoma turnpike system.  However, soon after the Kansas Turnpike opened, Oklahoma decided not to proceed with a turnpike in that corridor.  Oklahoma did however bail us out by building the first section of I-35 from the state line down to what is now the US 177 exit near Braman.  Construction began around 1959 and when it was finished, it was described as the first Interstate (either first overall or first funded with Interstate Construction funds) to be built across a state line.

The Kansas Turnpike and I-35 in northern Oklahoma have distinctive styles of overcrossing bridge.  KTA has historically preferred steel girder bridges with heavy-looking concrete post railings which look vaguely like a Romanesque colonnade.  On the other hand, Oklahoma's original bridges on its part of I-35 are reinforced concrete bridges with haunched slabs and a much more open post-and-rail style of bridge rail.  When Oklahoma built the part of I-35 between the state line and the US 177 exit, the overpasses that were entirely in Oklahoma were in the Oklahoma style while the bridge that exactly straddles the state line (carrying the state line road over I-35, classified by KTA as bridge number 0.000) was designed and built by Oklahoma but in the same style as other bridges on the Kansas Turnpike.  I have not confirmed this, but I suspect that the KTA made a contribution to the Oklahoma Highway Department in respect of the part of the bridge that is over Kansas soil.

[hbelkins]

All of Kentucky's parkways that end at surface roads end at traffic lights, not stop signs, with the exception of the turn from eastbound Bluegrass Parkway to westbound US 60, which has a stop sign for that movement only. However, that may change when the Natcher Parkway extension opens between I-65 and US 231 south of Bowling Green. When I was there last fall, the road was under construction and I didn't see any provisions for installation of a traffic light. That may have changed, however.

Kentucky's freeway endings:
Purchase Pkwy: interchange at US 45/45E/45W south of the Tennessee state line, traffic light at US 62
Western KY Parkway: interchange at I-24, traffic light at US 31W
Audubon Parkway: interchange at Pennyrile Parkway, interchange at US 60
Owensboro bypass: traffic lights at both ends
Pennyrile Parkway: interchange at I-24, interchange at US 60
Natcher Parkway: interchange at US 60, currently an interchange at I-65
Cumberland Parkway: interchange at I-65, interchange at US 27
Gene Snyder Freeway: interchange at US 31W/US 60, traffic light at US 42
Bluegrass Parkway, interchange at I-65, interchange at US 60
New Circle Road: full circle route
I-471: traffic light at US 27 (this is technically KY 471, as the I-471 designation officially ends at I-275
Hal Rogers Parkway: traffic light at US 25, interchange at KY 15
Mountain Parkway: interchange at I-64, traffic light at US 460

Did I miss any?

[J N Winkler]

I found a photograph of the stop signs at the southern end of the Kansas Turnpike. It's easy to laugh now when we see this, but it must have stunk for Amos Switzer.

This photograph (dated April 1957) shows a signing arrangement that has been modified from the original construction.  The barricades (with "STOP" in diamond) you see just outside Mr. Switzer's oat field were not there when the Turnpike opened.  They are in the original location of the "US 177 3 MILES -->" sign.  The stop signs also have conspicuity flags that were absent in the original installation.

Interestingly, the STOP signs are all black on yellow instead of white on red, which had been the standard in Kansas since 1954.  This makes me suspect that the STOP signs were old ones salvaged for reuse on the Turnpike since STOP signs were not expected to last long in that location.  The US 177 sign is also missing "3" before "MILE" (not "MILES" as shown in the plans) and the arrow points left, toward the legend block, rather than to the right, in the actual direction of US 177.  The original guide signing on the Kansas Turnpike consisted of extruded aluminum panels with demountable legend having whole-letter retroreflectorization.  The odd arrangement of legend on the US 177 sign in the 1957 picture suggests that the original sign was knocked down in one of the run-off-the-road accidents, some of the demountable legend was knocked off of it ("3" and the final "S" in "MILES" disappearing), and not all of the copy was put back on correctly when it was salvaged for re-erection.

Speaking of Mr. Switzer, newspapers at the time described him as being a good sport about the whole thing.

[agentsteel53]

I wonder if that is a Kansas or an Oklahoma US 177 cutout.

[ftballfan]

The northern end of the US-31 freeway in Ludington, MI ends at a stop sign (technicality: the ramp from the freeway to WB US-10 merges in, but the ramp to EB US-10 (which carries US-31) ends at a stop sign).