The Worst Of The Missing Links -- Past & Present

[Revive 755]

* The ramp from EB US 40 to NB I-170 before it was finally added in 2008.

* All of MO 755 since MoDOT isn't looking at better access at the west end of the PSB to/from US 40 (I'd settle for a 3/4 volleyball interchange if nothing else.

* The Hannibal Bypass for US 61

[hm insulators]

the missing segment of I-710 in Los Angeles would make 5-710-210-5 into a very effective bypass of the East LA Interchange for traffic that would otherwise be taking 5 straight through.

The I-105 deadending at the 605 instead of continuing the extra two miles to hook up to the I-5.

California 2 at least should be extended to US 101 instead of dumping all the traffic onto Glendale Boulevard.

California 210 between Highland Avenue and about Sierra Drive before they finally closed that gap in 2007, I believe.

[bassoon1986]

I-22 in Birmingham right now probably isn't great

[Beeper1]

Still present gaps:    missing connection between I-95 and CT-78,  MA-2 between I-91 and the start of the freeway near Erving, and of course the south half of CT-11.

[froggie]

Jumping in late here, but...

The Barney Circle Freeway would be much more effective than the current project, as it would bypass 2 miles of the Anacostia Freeway, have minimal environmental impact, utilize the stub of the I-295 East Leg, not require massive replacement of the 11th Street Bridge, and would be on a much more direct connection to the north.

This one's not completely true.  The 11th Street Bridges were/are in horrid shape and needed replacement anyway.  There would have been more than just "minimal environmental impact", albeit not at the same level as the current project.

[D-Dey65]

The Clearview Expressway and JFK Airport Expressway were both intended to be part of I-78 and then I-295.

Aside from freeway gaps, there are also some pointless gaps for NY 24, NY 42, and quite a few Florida State Roads.

[Beltway]

Jumping in late here, but...

The Barney Circle Freeway would be much more effective than the current project, as it would bypass 2 miles of the Anacostia Freeway, have minimal environmental impact, utilize the stub of the I-295 East Leg, not require massive replacement of the 11th Street Bridge, and would be on a much more direct connection to the north.

This one's not completely true.  The 11th Street Bridges were/are in horrid shape and needed replacement anyway.  There would have been more than just "minimal environmental impact", albeit not at the same level as the current project.

The new 11th Street Bridges could have been 4 lanes instead of 12 lanes.

The Barney Circle Freeway would have paralleled a mainline railroad and (as far as I know) not removed any buildings.

[froggie]

The new 11th Street Bridges could have been 4 lanes instead of 12 lanes.

4 would've been a bottleneck, given the combined southbound and local traffic.  6 at a minimum...8 if you separate the local and thru traffic like the current project does.

The Barney Circle Freeway would have paralleled a mainline railroad and (as far as I know) not removed any buildings.

No buildings, but it would've taken out far more many trees than the current project, plus there would be some wetland impacts on the east side of the river.

[TheStranger]

The I-105 deadending at the 605 instead of continuing the extra two miles to hook up to the I-5.

Same local influences that have been holding up the I-5 widening in Norwalk for decades are probably what led to 105 terminating at 605 instead.

Interestingly, 105 was originally part of a longer route 42 that also included Route 90 east of Route 72 around Fullerton (and the unbuilt segment west of there).  When 42 was removed from the legislative definitions in 1968, the east half of 42 was then realigned on paper to meet up with the also unbuilt segment of 90 from the east end of the Marina Freeway, to Fullerton...

...while 105 basically took over the then-existing surface street 42 (which remained signed for many years and may have a few residual signs left).

If it was that hard to get 105 east of 605 at all, then I can't imagine how much harder the original airport-to-Yorba Linda freeway plan would've been to construct.

California 2 at least should be extended to US 101 instead of dumping all the traffic onto Glendale Boulevard.

The neighborhood out there is trying to close off the last 1/4 mile of the Glendale Freeway as is and turn it into a park of some sort, from what I remember...

[Beltway]

The new 11th Street Bridges could have been 4 lanes instead of 12 lanes.

4 would've been a bottleneck, given the combined southbound and local traffic.  6 at a minimum...8 if you separate the local and thru traffic like the current project does.

The Barney Circle Freeway would have paralleled a mainline railroad and (as far as I know) not removed any buildings.

No buildings, but it would've taken out far more many trees than the current project, plus there would be some wetland impacts on the east side of the river.

Then build a 4-lane freeway 11th Street Bridge, and a 4-lane local bridge (that part is being done). 

A 4-lane Barney Circle Freeway bridge would be a much smoother and more direct connection to the northerly section of DC-295.

As far as taking out more trees, I don't care about that.  Wetlands I do care about, and they should bridge over them, IMHO.