Runaway Truck Ramps

[cl94]

I've seen more than one truck in the Mass Pike one. I have also seen a car stuck in there.

[cpzilliacus]

Md. 135 eastbound (Maryland Highway) has (what I believe to be) the only one on an arterial highway in the state, between Md. 495 and Bloomington here.

[TravelingBethelite]

Does this one on I-95 south in Dedham, MA count?

https://www.google.com/maps/@42.2580122,-71.210589,3a,75y,192.9h,82.02t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s2xwG5RaZeHou91K31ER7yw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!6m1!1e1

[vdeane]

Does this one on I-95 south in Dedham, MA count?

https://www.google.com/maps/@42.2580122,-71.210589,3a,75y,192.9h,82.02t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s2xwG5RaZeHou91K31ER7yw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!6m1!1e1

Looks like a parking area.

[jeffandnicole]

Does this one on I-95 south in Dedham, MA count?

https://www.google.com/maps/@42.2580122,-71.210589,3a,75y,192.9h,82.02t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s2xwG5RaZeHou91K31ER7yw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!6m1!1e1

No.  That's a paved area for trucks to pull over, it appears.

[2trailertrucker]

Md. 135 eastbound (Maryland Highway) has (what I believe to be) the only one on an arterial highway in the state, between Md. 495 and Bloomington here.

I have that. Thanks.

[2trailertrucker]

Does this one on I-95 south in Dedham, MA count?

https://www.google.com/maps/@42.2580122,-71.210589,3a,75y,192.9h,82.02t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s2xwG5RaZeHou91K31ER7yw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!6m1!1e1

Looks like a brake check area, or an area for DOT to inspect a truck safely.

[cl94]

That 128 one looks like an inspection/parking area. The region is relatively flat.

[US71]

South of Jasper, AR there in one on Hwy 7

US 65 has one in the vicinity of Marshall, AR

[1995hoo]

....

Then in WV, there is at least one on I-64 EB as it descends into what is essentially New River Gorge east of Beckley, and I wanna say there is one on I-68 WB between MD and Morgantown.  I also wanna say Corridor H has at least one.

Ok here's the start of a good list.  Proceed to add to it as necessary!

Corridor H definitely has one. I keep picturing the Dukes of Hazzard using this to jump.

[cl94]

....

Then in WV, there is at least one on I-64 EB as it descends into what is essentially New River Gorge east of Beckley, and I wanna say there is one on I-68 WB between MD and Morgantown.  I also wanna say Corridor H has at least one.

Ok here's the start of a good list.  Proceed to add to it as necessary!

Corridor H definitely has one. I keep picturing the Dukes of Hazzard using this to jump.

There's another one a few miles west of there.

[hbelkins]

I remember seeing the ramps at Fancy Gap on US 52 while I was on a family vacation in the early 80s. They struck me as being not much more than piles of sand, because the ones I was familiar with prior to then were much, much longer. It was about 25 years later the next time I was on that stretch of US 52, and I don't remember much at all about them. It was almost like they had been abandoned and left to grow over with weeds and brush, since I-77 to I-74 was then the through route.

[cl94]

I remember seeing the ramps at Fancy Gap on US 52 while I was on a family vacation in the early 80s. They struck me as being not much more than piles of sand, because the ones I was familiar with prior to then were much, much longer. It was about 25 years later the next time I was on that stretch of US 52, and I don't remember much at all about them. It was almost like they had been abandoned and left to grow over with weeds and brush, since I-77 to I-74 was then the through route.

I just looked through there on GSV and they aren't even signed as such. If you didn't know it was supposed to be a runaway truck ramp, you'd miss it.

[Bitmapped]

I remember seeing the ramps at Fancy Gap on US 52 while I was on a family vacation in the early 80s. They struck me as being not much more than piles of sand, because the ones I was familiar with prior to then were much, much longer. It was about 25 years later the next time I was on that stretch of US 52, and I don't remember much at all about them. It was almost like they had been abandoned and left to grow over with weeds and brush, since I-77 to I-74 was then the through route.

I just looked through there on GSV and they aren't even signed as such. If you didn't know it was supposed to be a runaway truck ramp, you'd miss it.

If I'm not mistaken, downhill trucks are banned on that section of US 52 now. No need for the ramps anymore.

[pctech]

None here  in Louisiana, but there used to be "trucks use low gear" warning sign in the "high rise" bridge on I-10 just east of New Orleans. It's gone now.
I've driven in CO. I saw several there. I saw a pickup truck in one on I-70 just west of Eisenhower tunnel. I wonder if the driver had a oh sh*t moment?

[shadyjay]

Ones I can think of in VT:

Two on VT 9 between Bennington and Wilmington
One on VT 64 coming into Northfield
One on "Berlin State Highway" after leaving VT 62 East on approach to US 302

All of these are on undivided two lane roads.  I-89, I-91, and I-93 don't have any.
All are signed "RUNAWAY TRUCK RAMP".

[2trailertrucker]

South of Jasper, AR there in one on Hwy 7

US 65 has one in the vicinity of Marshall, AR

Thanks. The one in Leslie was a little hard to find. But I have it!

[hm insulators]

Heading south from Flagstaff, Arizona on I-17, after about 20 miles, the freeway goes down a very long grade as it descends the Mogollon (Muggy-on) Rim, a large geological uplift that separates Arizona's high country from the deserts. There are two or three runaway truck ramps on that stretch.

[cl94]

All of these are on undivided two lane roads.  I-89, I-91, and I-93 don't have any.

That's how New York is. Certainly doesn't mean that I-87 and NY 17 shouldn't have a few.

[2trailertrucker]

Ones I can think of in VT:

Two on VT 9 between Bennington and Wilmington
One on VT 64 coming into Northfield
One on "Berlin State Highway" after leaving VT 62 East on approach to US 302

All of these are on undivided two lane roads.  I-89, I-91, and I-93 don't have any.
All are signed "RUNAWAY TRUCK RAMP".

Thanks

[Fred Defender]

I've lived in Florida for nearly fifty years and I have yet to see one here.

[ModernDayWarrior]

I've lived in Florida for nearly fifty years and I have yet to see one here.

Same for Missouri. I have never seen a runaway truck ramp anywhere in the state.

Of course, I can't think of any roads here that would really need one, either. Maybe US 65 between Branson and Springfield.

[SteveG1988]

I've lived in Florida for nearly fifty years and I have yet to see one here.

Same for Missouri. I have never seen a runaway truck ramp anywhere in the state.

Of course, I can't think of any roads here that would really need one, either. Maybe US 65 between Branson and Springfield.

With US65 there are plenty of uphills, so you can use that to slow down

[empirestate]

I've lived in Florida for nearly fifty years and I have yet to see one here.

And given that the state's total rise is, what, 345 feet, you'll easily go another fifty many times over before you do.

[Beeper1]

I looked up the Monroe Hill ramps. You can still one that looks good, but there are no signs. Is this road not used for trucks, or has it been decommissioned? Thanks.

The truck traffic really no longer exists since the Yankee Rowe Nuclear Power Plant was decommissioned in the early 90's. It's completely torn down by now. Last I knew the bridge into the town of Monroe is closed, so the road isn't technically a through way anymore.

I took a bike ride out there 8 years ago, and one of them was signed, one was unsigned, and one looked liked it was so poorly maintained that mother nature was reclaiming it. It was also the most terrifying descent I had on a bicycle, it averages about a 14% grade top to bottom with a few sharp curves.

Thanks

Was on Monroe Hill Road today.  There are indeed two ramps, both of which have signs reading "Truck Escape Ramp".  The lower one seems to still be maintained, but the upper one is in kinda rough shape.

The bridge across the river at the bottom of the hill into Monroe has been repaired and reopened last year so there is some through traffic again. (Though probably not much since passing through Rowe, while scenic, isn't really a shortcut to anyplace.)  While truck traffic is probably much lighter now then when the nuclear plant was still there, there is still a hydro-power dam and power switching station on the east side of the river at the bottom of the hill.  Given the 90-degree turns on either end of the bridge to Monroe, going down this big hill is probably still the only way in for trucks to the dam.

The roads in the Monroe-Rowe-Zoar Gap area are fascinating for such a remote region.  Most are fairly wide, having been built for all the hydro and nuclear facilities in that valley, but also quite steep and now in rough shape as those towns probably don't have much in the way of population or resources.  But they provide some nice views of the river, the east portal of the Hoosac Tunnel, and the various dams and power canals.  The visitor center for the Bear Swamp project is really neat for being out in the middle of nowhere.