Signage on the Last Interchange at the End of an Interstate

[ethanhopkin14]

I was messing around on Google Maps, and I am sure I am the only one that does this (ha) and I was looking at the southern I-215/I-15 interchange in Southern California.  I sometimes get fascinated in the way an interstate is signed at the last interchange before it terminates into another interstate.  Sometimes its signed like any interchange and sometimes the direction that terminates is signed like it is the route it terminates into.  Instead I saw this.  It's signed both ways. 

I am interested about other examples of how this is handled.  It doesn't just have to be interstates, but freeways seem to be the situation this happens at the most.   

This interchange near I-30's western terminus shows the entrance ramp onto the last bit of I-30 being for I-20. 

[tolbs17]

https://goo.gl/maps/ymLApDQ53cAqKgar5

[SkyPesos]

The OH 176 NB to I-71 NB ramp is signed as a ramp to I-90, since I-71 ends just a bit north of the location at I-90.

https://www.google.com/maps/@41.4489932,-81.689844,3a,39.5y,345.78h,91.78t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1subs-HaTXgecDAoJVWOyaNQ!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

[7/8]

Some Ontario examples:
Highway 85 in Waterloo becomes Highway 7 at Victoria Ave (itself also Highway 7 east of the interchange). The interchange to the north on Highway 85 is Wellington Ave. On Wellington Ave, on-ramps heading south are simply labelled "Highway 7" (GSV) since Highway 85 ends at the next interchange.

Likewise, Highway 8's east end in Kitchener merges into the 401 eastbound. Highway 8's last interchange is Sportsworld Dr, and the on-ramps heading east simply say "401 East Toronto" (GSV).

Here's an opposite example in London. The 402 eastbound merges into the 401 eastbound. The on-ramps from Wonderland Road say "402 East" with a separate "To 401 East" sign (GSV).

[zzcarp]

The west end of I-480 in Ohio is signed as I-80 West at its penultimate interchange but inexplicably no longer at its final interchange.

I-480 WB Exit 1B OH 10/Lorain Road. Notice there's no mention of I-480 whatsoever on the BGS.

Same exit, entrance ramp from OH 10 WB. Note that it appears that OH 10 and I-80 WB are signed as a multiplex on the BGS.

The final I-480 exit 1A now shows I-480 West to I-80. From its opening in the 1980s until around the early 2000s, this signage only showed I-80 WB.

[MATraveler128]

Here's an example from New Haven, Connecticut. This is at the Trumbull St onramp to I-91 south. As you can see, it is signed as "to I-95" with no mention of I-91 south at all.

https://www.google.com/maps/@41.3116171,-72.9181513,3a,75y,113.33h,89.09t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sZubRDB7tBbXp2mdC2qPrvA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

[ilpt4u]

Some Illinois examples:

https://www.google.com/maps/@41.9517064,-88.0355463,3a,75y,163.14h,96.75t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sYKMP-oV7xFP0qb-y3GmhMA!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fpanoid%3DYKMP-oV7xFP0qb-y3GmhMA%26cb_client%3Dsearch.revgeo_and_fetch.gps%26w%3D96%26h%3D64%26yaw%3D226.11401%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i16384!8i8192 Overhead BGS for NB I-355 at Lake St/US 20, using To I-290 and 290's Controls

https://www.google.com/maps/@41.577548,-87.6364766,3a,75y,224.18h,82.52t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s3VyQgChBAnCDohX1Fj02RQ!2e0!7i16384!8i8192 Entrance Ramp BGS for SB I-294/EB I-80 at SB Halsted St/IL 1, using EB I-80/94 shields

For comparison, the NB IL 1 Entrance Ramp BGS lists SB I-294/EB I-80: https://www.google.com/maps/@41.5757221,-87.6364873,3a,75y,182.24h,80.53t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sQUK5J-GSitcXi9qdG_4dTA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

https://www.google.com/maps/@37.7537611,-89.3321731,15z Last entrance onto WB I-290 from Woodfield Rd: To Toll I-90, NB IL 53, To IL 58 are signed

[webny99]

At each end of I-490 (NY), just I-90/Thruway is signed, not I-490 in that direction:
Exit 1 - NY 19 NB / SB
Exit 29 - NY 96 NB / SB

I-290 Exit 7 is another very interesting case because of the ramp configuration. The ramp from NY 5 EB to what's technically I-290 EB actually joins after the split for I-90, which means you have to take a left turn to access the Thruway EB (note the signage in the background as well), even though the interchange is otherwise a full (slightly modified) cloverleaf. I could definitely see this being confusing for people who aren't familiar with the interchange. NY 5 WB, however, is much simpler because you take a single loop ramp to access either direction of I-90.



One thing all three of the above examples have in common is that the entrances are very near the actual terminus of the route, so there's no real point to signing that route. In cases where the terminus is a little further away, NYSDOT usually signs the original route and/or both routes, as seen at Winton Rd/I-590 and Bridge St/I-690.

[Occidental Tourist]

Here's an odd thing about the last interchanges for I-5 and I-805 in San Ysidro:



I-5's last interchange is for Camino de la Plaza. After that the freeway ends at the Mexican Border. The northbound entrance from Camino de la Plaza is signed for both I-5 and I-805 as the next interchange on I-5 north of Camino de la Plaza is indeed I-805.



The southbound entrance doesn't reference I-5 at all even though there is a short portion of the freeway left before the Border.

The last interchange on I-805 south before it ends with a merge onto I-5 is San Ysidro Blvd.  And the southbound entrance from San Ysidro Blvd. in fact merges directly onto the I-805's transition ramp to the I-5 south. Technically, the southbound entrance never puts you onto the I-805 mainline because it has ended at that point.



Yet the southbound entrance references only I-805.  What an odd set of choices.

[GaryV]

The Easterday Ave ramp to NB I-75 (Sault Ste Marie) is only signed "Canada / Toll Bridge" (2 lines). But there is an I-75 North shield on a green sign at the sb entrance ramp for eb Easterday.

The Pine Grove Ave (BL 94) ramp to the Blue Water Bridge is only signed "Bridge to Canada" or "Canada".

[webny99]

For I-190, the northbound entrances at Exit 25 are simply signed as "Canada" (here and here) since there are no further exit points to the US.

[jmacswimmer]

Here's a fun one: On Baltimore's Conway St approaching the intersection with Howard St (which upgrades into I-395 south of Conway), the signage ignores I-395's existence completely in favor of the only route you can access beyond.

Meanwhile, on Howard St approaching Conway there are I-395 shields painted on the pavement in addition to an I-95 trailblazer on a lightpole, and then FWIW there is one single I-395 reassurance shield south of the Howard/Conway intersection.

[ran4sh]

In Georgia the signage from the intersecting street is usually left unchanged, but thru traffic on the freeway gets a pull-through sign indicating "to [upcoming route]" or similar.

Examples:

I-985 approaching I-85 https://goo.gl/maps/Uv5frhjJ3DtQfZ179
I-675 approaching I-75 https://goo.gl/maps/F2W8hataGgzdzL5B8
I-475 NB approaching I-75 https://goo.gl/maps/f52sUFd3EBZbTXBn7
I-475 SB approaching I-75 https://goo.gl/maps/Qb5wGQ3pvpZCajLq7
I-575 approaching I-75 https://goo.gl/maps/uRGBrpGom5TyvJqD8 (There's also similar signage at the previous interchange, as that's actually a shorter way for traffic wanting to go to I-75 north. As for the express lanes, that traffic is warned prior to entering that there's no access to I-75 north https://goo.gl/maps/ifTWJ9rLbZaimd8z9)

If the ending freeway gets access to both directions of the upcoming freeway, then instead of pull-through signage at the last interchange, Georgia simply uses standard signage at the interchange itself. And also doesn't do anything different for signage from the last intersecting street. This is probably why routes such as I-185, SR 400, SR 316 (each at their respective end at I-85) don't get different signage at the last service interchange.

Example of how SR 400's signage changed to reflect the access to I-85 north being provided:
Before https://goo.gl/maps/oauTWFXvT2yVJWhA8
After https://goo.gl/maps/4n2rsLfaafC7ku557

[CardInLex]

Kentucky tends to denote that all lanes exit. With the left lanes being marked as "left"  while the right lanes are treated as a traditional exit. The use of "exit only"  is hit or miss around the state.

Louisville's I-264 Watterson Expressway (left & exit only): https://goo.gl/maps/3Hjn7f1qhPJTmWgB8
Louisville's I-264 GD Powers Expressway (left with no exit only): https://goo.gl/maps/mZKpkRekYWxjp4hV7
Louisville's I-71 (left & exit only): https://goo.gl/maps/poSr69rDrUWbCfBE6
Lexington's MLC BG Parkway (left & lane designation): https://goo.gl/maps/Lai5zgaDxsMHubSQ9
Elizabethtown's MLC BG Parkway (left with no exit only): https://goo.gl/maps/8DrCLw3xkNybhYHf7
Owensboro's Audubon Parkway (left & exit only): https://goo.gl/maps/SrSsT9u4q7ceKJFo9
Owensboro's I-165 (left & exit only): https://goo.gl/maps/CFKZQ2HgfZb62JKK9
Henderson's Audubon Parkway (left with no exit only): https://goo.gl/maps/5Mi3sTKsmuZojGJy7
Rural I-169 (left with no exit only): https://goo.gl/maps/fnNNiPUxGjfu8EmE9
Henderson's I-169 (left with no exit only): https://goo.gl/maps/kc1gfHA4HLQpxKHz9
Rural LBN Cumberland Expressway (left with no exit only): https://goo.gl/maps/cQzqrtWYswiKNeNr6
Rural BTC Mountain Parkway (no signage): https://goo.gl/maps/5NNJos4x5XZuPikU7

I am sure there are more that I missed.

[ran4sh]

Does Kentucky not have any freeways that end at partial interchanges, such that getting on at the last interchange leads only to one direction of the intersecting freeway (not both)?

[hbelkins]

Does Kentucky not have any freeways that end at partial interchanges, such that getting on at the last interchange leads only to one direction of the intersecting freeway (not both)?

The Mountain Parkway, but there's a project on the books to convert that to a full interchange.

There used to be surface-mounted yellow warning signs "Parkway Ends 1 Mile" signs on both sides of the westbound lanes, followed by "JCT I-64" signs on both sides of the road, but they've been knocked down so many times it's probably been decided it's not worth it to keep putting them back up.

[andrepoiy]

Ontario doesn't seem to have consistency


TO/VIA signs:





Warning sign:




No mention (this ramp merges onto Highway 420 which then joins the QEW):

[ethanhopkin14]

It's kinda a long way away, but the last interchange on I-20 before it defaults onto I-10 makes no mention of I-10.

[TheHighwayMan3561]

I-35E's last interchange at CSAH 42 in Burnsville is signed as "I-35E South/Albert Lea" with no mention of I-35 even though you merge into I-35W half a mile later and there is no other option to exit onto.

In Duluth, the on-ramp from 5th Ave W to I-35 NB is signed "TO MN 61". Neither the nearby Lake Ave ramp nor the Michigan Ave flyover to NB 35 mention MN 61 on the last two entry points to northbound I-35.

[plain]

VA 288 does continue to mention itself at the last exit before its northern terminus, but not at the last exit before its southern/eastern terminus.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/c89QqovWCtfg4bfw9

https://maps.app.goo.gl/JXMAC2aK4MwwJpJ46

[PColumbus73]

https://www.google.com/maps/@34.7519384,-82.2932399,3a,15.3y,44.65h,100t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1swwpuwj_GfiM_7fGkG9DZ_g!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

I-185 South at I-385 in the Greenville area, the pull-through references I-385 North, although at this point the remaining section of mainline I-185 South functions as a really long entrance ramp to 385 North.

https://www.google.com/maps/@34.0868109,-80.9591503,3a,19.4y,14.45h,92.21t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1srXEU5_VX9IL7OcqhT5XJ5w!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

The last interchange on the northern end of SC 277 before it merges on to I-77

https://www.google.com/maps/@32.8095514,-79.9502258,3a,30.2y,97.9h,86.91t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sPllI5WoX6OGIlMb307Q78g!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

Last entrance ramp on I-26 East in Charleston references both I-26 and US 17 South

[countysigns]

Greenbelt Parkway at I-280 NB - https://tinyurl.com/5ckpjxay - no mention of I-75 (that occurs here...on the gore sign - https://tinyurl.com/fa4d7ph5), not even a BGS for I-280 NB.
Bahnsen Road at I-280 SB - https://tinyurl.com/yck675xr - "control city" is the Ohio Turnpike which is approx. 1/2 mile south of here.

ProMedica Parkway at I-475 EB - https://tinyurl.com/ru55ueuf - pretty ordinary mention of I-75 which is approx. 1/2 mile east of here.
Dixie Highway NB (OH-25, old US-25) at I-475/US-23 SB - https://tinyurl.com/2uw5v2u7 - this is at a diverging diamond interchange so the extra signage is needed to get people through the interchange without crashing into each other   At the gore point heading NB on OH-25, there is no mention of US-23 - https://tinyurl.com/4ppjnhss .  Perhaps it is signed this way to eliminate clutter?  Signage heading SB just before the interchange - https://tinyurl.com/2dx5cj6c - Dixie Highway is mentioned on the same BGS because that lane can also continue SB on OH-25.  The gore point signage is the same as heading NB on OH-25.

[mrsman]

There is a good bunch of this in the Sacramento area.

The ramps from Watt Ave onto Biz-80 east are actually signed as I-80 east:

https://www.google.com/maps/@38.6386234,-121.3832783,3a,75y,191.16h,84.59t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s2QC7aOkjprwLipSQrCgcww!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

Incidentally, the on-ramp from Watt to the collector-distributor road of I-80 eastbound, which only leads to the unsigned CA-244 freeway is signed as an on-ramp to Auburn Blvd.  No freeway entrance sign, but peds and bikes are prohibited.  It is somewhat unique:

https://www.google.com/maps/@38.6436638,-121.3832921,3a,75y,332.22h,90.2t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sNNtUC25aG2iDF9XAZ0EmCw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

This on-ramp from Tribute Rd onto CA-160 north is signed for Biz-80 east.

https://www.google.com/maps/@38.5992674,-121.4460887,3a,75y,52.18h,73.94t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s1S8B7jo8v3WvD-Bsqx-umw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

This on-ramp for the unsigned CA-275 freeway is signed for Biz-80.  It is interesting that the E-W portion of Biz-80 has been de-emphasized on freeway signage.  For example at I-5, the freeway is only referred to as US 50.  But Biz-80 signage still exists at practically every freeway entrance from a surface street, especially on the freeway entrance signs.  (IMO the Biz-80 designation should be totally removed, but it should especially be removed on the part that coexists with US 50, especially given that the overhead signs are not in agreement with the ground level freeway entrance signs.)

https://www.google.com/maps/@38.5783932,-121.5257188,3a,75y,211.04h,100.22t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s4EMV6hAelZhfBstbbyvFLg!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

In San Bernardino, we have a similar situation with the unsigned CA-259 freeway.  Highland Ave at CA-259.  Northbound is signed as being  210 east and southbound is signed as I-215 south.

https://www.google.com/maps/@34.1359646,-117.3023494,3a,37.5y,9.74h,95.34t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sxxOUxlvm9CMTPBVkAO2GIA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

https://www.google.com/maps/@34.135915,-117.3031176,3a,75y,145.61h,87.06t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sGeH0wDs_Cz3rAfA2EDpkPA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

And to bring it back full circle for the OP, the other 15/215 merge in Devore has an onramp for 215 being signed for 15:

https://www.google.com/maps/@34.2232132,-117.4028384,3a,37.5y,254.27h,94.07t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sSH9AxTNfZnfw7FceqKEjfw!2e0!5s20190401T000000!7i16384!8i8192

[US 89]

Of the four interstate endpoints in Utah:

The final interchange on I-84 is signed alternately as "East 84, Jct 80" or simply "East 84" with no mention of I-80.

The last interchange on I-70 is signed as "To JCT 15, West 70".

The north end of I-215 is signed as just "215 North". No direct mention of I-15, though it does have an I-15 control city.

The other end of I-215 is sort of a mess because it's in a rather complicated interchange involving I-80 and Foothill Drive. It includes two ramps intended to take you to "80 West", but actually dump you onto the 215 mainline first simply because that's how the interchange works.

[Henry]

I don't think beltways would count here, since they're essentially endless freeways going around the cities they serve. However, there are some exceptions to this, like in St. Louis, where I-255 transitions into I-270, and vice versa.