Freeways that should be demolished

[Roadgeekteen]

I know that on AAroads most of us are opposed to freeway demolition, but are there any that you do think should be demolished?

[tolbs17]

Maybe the Durham Freeway.

[PastTense]

Relevant thread:

https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=29409.0

[sprjus4]

Maybe the Durham Freeway.

Big time no.

[tolbs17]

Relevant thread:

https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=29409.0

Which is locked.

[Roadgeekteen]

Relevant thread:

https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=29409.0

This thread is not for political arguments, just civil discussion.

[ztonyg]

Maybe the Durham Freeway.

It looks like a direct connector is being built between the Durham Freeway and the US 70 freeway. It appears that the Durham Freeway northwest of this connector could be removed and most traffic that used this segment could use the existing Durham Freeway south of this point as well as the US 70 freeway and I-85 (essentially the I-885 corridor). 

[tolbs17]

Maybe the Durham Freeway.

It looks like a direct connector is being built between the Durham Freeway and the US 70 freeway. It appears that the Durham Freeway northwest of this connector could be removed and most traffic that used this segment could use the existing Durham Freeway south of this point as well as the US 70 freeway and I-85 (essentially the I-885 corridor).

Which may require extra lanes.

[ztonyg]

I know that on AAroads most of us are opposed to freeway demolition, but are there any that you do think should be demolished?

I actually have a few.

I-70 between Kansas City, KS and the I-35/I-70/I-29 interchange NE of Downtown Kansas City. The remaining freeway could be a spur into downtown Kansas City, KS. I-670 is the logical through route in this location anyways and it would prevent a lot of useless merging to stay on I-70 not to mention it would open up the Kansas City, MO waterfront. The I-35 freeway north of I-670 would simply become US 169 with both I-70 and I-35 following I-670 until the I-670 / I-70 / US 71 interchange SE of Downtown Kansas City with I-35 turning N/B at that point.

The freeway along the Cleveland waterfront carrying US 20 and OH 2. It serves as a barrier to the waterfront and while it may be a commuter shortcut seems relatively redundant to I-90.

I-229 in downtown St. Joseph, MO.  See above for rationale.

I-10 in New Orleans (the Claiborne Ave. portion). The remaining portions of I-10 could be spur routes and I-610 would be the I-10 through route.

One that gets mentoned a lot that I would NOT support tearing down is I-345. I actually think it serves as a vital link in the Dallas freeway system.

[SkyPesos]

OH 59 freeway section in downtown Akron and the Madison Ave Expy loop in downtown Youngstown. Both AADT is between 13k-18k, which isn't really worth going out of the way to remove right now, but as short downtown loops, it may be worth removing over repaving when the roadway reaches the end of its useful life.

[ztonyg]

OH 59 freeway section in downtown Akron and the Madison Ave Expy loop in downtown Youngstown. Both AADT is between 13k-18k, which isn't really worth going out of the way to remove right now, but as short downtown loops, it may be worth removing over repaving when the roadway reaches the end of its useful life.

Hasn't some of the OH 59 freeway already been demolished?

[In_Correct]

Freeways should never be demolished.

[TheHighwayMan3561]

I wouldn't really be surprised if in the next 15-20 years, the 4th St viaduct in Minneapolis gets torn down and replaced with a surface road or at least something smaller in size.

[Bickendan]

Freeways should never be demolished.

Are you implying that Harbor Drive and the Embarcadero shouldn't have been removed?

[SSOWorld]

How about I-180 in IL?

[Rothman]

Interstate 30.

[Henry]

Old I-170.

Amstutz Expressway.

CA 710 in Pasadena.

[bwana39]

Interstate 30.

Interstate 30 where?  this sure seems out of the blue????

[bwana39]

Freeways should never be demolished.

Are you implying that Harbor Drive and the Embarcadero shouldn't have been removed?

My take is those freeways which were built to insulate the city from the "Dirty" docks had outlived their usefulness. The bayside had become much more something to be relished and huge tourist draws as opposed to their earlier place where commercial cargo and fishing operations were the main thing there. It would be akin to building a freeway adjacent to a rail yard today.  It is a good fit UNTIL the rail yard goes away.  The figurative rail yard along the bay went away...

[thspfc]

I-44 between Busch Stadium and I-70 in St. Louis.

[Rothman]

Interstate 30.

Interstate 30 where?  this sure seems out of the blue????

All of it.

[Roadgeekteen]

How about I-180 in IL?

It's not needed but it's not exactly hurting anyone just sitting there.

[index]

Freeways should never be demolished.

Are you implying that Harbor Drive and the Embarcadero shouldn't have been removed?

And also the Alaskan Way and all the other no-good urban freeways like it. Seattle's waterfront is simply better without it being clogged up by that disaster. It's open, safer, better for business, and more scenic. Some places are better off without them. Roadgeek me enjoys the look and feel and existence of these pieces of infrastructure, but practical, reality-based me abhors them.

That said, in my dream world, I-277 is gone. However, I don't think it's actually feasible in this case. Too important of a route to really have a feasible alternative. I would like to see a highway lid over it with parks and water features or something. Uptown Charlotte, at times, is too drab and business-oriented at times and it could really use some more life breathed into it. Charlotte really isn't a city that people visit from the outside, other than a few specific things.

The removal of the expressway viaduct to the Hart Bridge in Jacksonville is welcomed by me, and it'd be smart if they removed that silly viaduct to the Main Street Bridge too. Aside from when there's a game, downtown Jacksonville is as dead as a doornail, so it's not like they need all that. Best they open it up to let downtown actually live up to its potential.

[Revive 755]

I-44 between Busch Stadium and I-70 in St. Louis.

Absolutely not.  The St. Louis area is already severely lacking in north-south corridors, and the recent ramp reconfigurations provide much better access to the Eads Bridge in case the PSB and/or the connecting ramps have issues.

[tolbs17]

I-40 through Memphis and reroute it.