Road provisions/built for future use...that actually became a reality

[empirestate]

How about the George Washington Bridge? Designed for two decks but opened with only one. Now it has two.

Wasn't the lower deck originally planned for transit?

According to Steve's page, no. The median of the upper deck was, as one option (the eventual choice was additional highway lanes).

[Alex]

Many stub-ends and "missing links" have existed in PA. Some were actually extended or completed. (Wonders never cease.) In no particular order...

The interchange between Interstate 95 and 476 sat unused for years awaiting the completion of the Mid-County Expressway to the north. It opened in 1989 IIRC as a glorified connector to MacDade Boulevard, before I-476 was finally completed (south of I-76). The unfortunate aspect of this fact is that I-95 bottlenecks to two lanes per direction at the 1970s-era interchange.

[NE2]

How about the George Washington Bridge? Designed for two decks but opened with only one. Now it has two.

Wasn't the lower deck originally planned for transit?

According to Steve's page, no. The median of the upper deck was, as one option (the eventual choice was additional highway lanes).

A recent book about the bridge claims that it was: http://books.google.com/books?id=GeJkxTfuo7sC&pg=PA86 (I don't know where the idea of light rail comes from, however - that term wasn't in use until much later.) And a 1931 article: http://www.google.com/search?q=%22george+washington+bridge%22+%22lower+deck%22+subway&num=100&hl=en&safe=off&gl=us&sa=X&ei=IRzMToCDOsO1tgfY6eV_&ved=0CBIQpwUoBg&source=lnt&tbs=cdr%3A1%2Ccd_min%3A1920%2Ccd_max%3A1940&tbm=nws

[empirestate]

How about the George Washington Bridge? Designed for two decks but opened with only one. Now it has two.

Wasn't the lower deck originally planned for transit?

According to Steve's page, no. The median of the upper deck was, as one option (the eventual choice was additional highway lanes).

A recent book about the bridge claims that it was: http://books.google.com/books?id=GeJkxTfuo7sC&pg=PA86 (I don't know where the idea of light rail comes from, however - that term wasn't in use until much later.) And a 1931 article: http://www.google.com/search?q=%22george+washington+bridge%22+%22lower+deck%22+subway&num=100&hl=en&safe=off&gl=us&sa=X&ei=IRzMToCDOsO1tgfY6eV_&ved=0CBIQpwUoBg&source=lnt&tbs=cdr%3A1%2Ccd_min%3A1920%2Ccd_max%3A1940&tbm=nws

Yeah, I only sprang for the free sources.

I should correct myself, as well: Steve doesn't say that the lower deck was not considered for transit, only that the upper deck was. Probably, both decks were the topic of many conversations about what sorts of conveyance should use them.

As for light rail, in those days that was called "trolleys".

[Beltway]

A recent book about the bridge claims that it was: http://books.google.com/books?id=GeJkxTfuo7sC&pg=PA86 (I don't know where the idea of light rail comes from, however - that term wasn't in use until much later.) And a 1931 article: http://www.google.com/search?q=%22george+washington+bridge%22+%22lower+deck%22+subway&num=100&hl=en&safe=off&gl=us&sa=X&ei=IRzMToCDOsO1tgfY6eV_&ved=0CBIQpwUoBg&source=lnt&tbs=cdr%3A1%2Ccd_min%3A1920%2Ccd_max%3A1940&tbm=nws

Yeah, I only sprang for the free sources.

I should correct myself, as well: Steve doesn't say that the lower deck was not considered for transit, only that the upper deck was. Probably, both decks were the topic of many conversations about what sorts of conveyance should use them.

As for light rail, in those days that was called "trolleys".

Also called "interurbans" in suburban and rural areas.

[froggie]

@coelacanth  That one counts, considering that the "New Highway 10" was planned starting in the 1960s.  Because the connection from 610 to new 10 had always been planned, the loop (or expensive flyover as an alternative) was necessary, even if drivers didn't see it that way at first.

[apeman33]

The portions of U.S. 69 in Bourbon County north of Fort Scott were built as Super 2 with 4-lane right of way. And I believe when they recently built the new alignment from south of Fort Scott to Arma, they purchased four-lane right of way.

[kphoger]

agentsteel53:

I'm never sure where you guys get your information, so forgive me if I don't look it up myself.  Is the southern bypass of Reynosa, Tamaulipas, another example?  Until recently, Google satellite images showed it as a 'butt interchange' (yes, I just made that up) similar to the Avenue of the Saints at I-35; recently, the updated view shows the continuation of the highway under construction.  When was the original interchange constructed?

[brownpelican]

La. 16 north of Denham Springs to the Livingston/Saint Helena parish line had for years right-of-way set aside for future 4-lane widening. That became a reality when expansion occurred from just south of Watson to just below Amite Church Road. The remaining undeveloped right-of-way still exists.

[mightyace]

Not in PA: OH 711, Youngstown, OH. Between I-80 and US 422. The segment from I-680 to US 422 was built in hte late 1960s. The stub-end at the interchange with I-80 was constructed with that stretch of I-80. OH 711 between the two was completed in 2005.

Though it was not completed as envisioned.  Before the interchange was completed, there was a ghost ramp from future 711 north to I-80 east that would have entered 80 on the right hand side.  But, as that would have overlapped with the off ramp for exit 229, a new ramp exists today that is a LEFT entrance.

There are two missing movements in that interchange.  I-80 EB/OH 11 NB to OH 711 SB and OH 711 NB to I-80 WB/OH 11 SB.  Presumably, it was thought that those movements wouldn't be used much.

http://maps.google.com/?ll=41.149173,-80.672114&spn=0.007045,0.021136&t=h&z=16&vpsrc=6

____________________________________________________________

Also in Ohio, east of Wooster, the US 30 freeway ended at OH 3/83 with stubs running into a hillside.  US 30 got on and off the highway along with US 250.

http://maps.google.com/?ll=40.798802,-81.920972&spn=0.014164,0.042272&t=h&z=15&vpsrc=6

[vtk]

Also in Ohio, east of Wooster, the US 30 freeway ended at OH 3/83 with stubs running into a hillside.  US 30 got on and off the highway along with US 250.

http://maps.google.com/?ll=40.798802,-81.920972&spn=0.014164,0.042272&t=h&z=15&vpsrc=6

Also not quite as envisioned.  I think some of the service ramps were changed a bit.

[Revive 755]

Built almost or exactly as planned:

* US 61 between Canton and La Grange, MO:  The original Super-2 with overpasses for four lanes had the NB lanes added around 2003, although there wasn't much grading done originally for the future NB lanes.

* IL 255 at the I-255/I-270 interchange.

Modification:
* The Page Avenue Extension made use of the half diamond at Bennington Place that had been built many years early.  The original interchange did not come with the overpass, and the actually roadway was built wider with a concrete median compared to the original grass median.

[PAHighways]

The ramps to/from I-279 in Franklin Park were built when I-79 was under construction in the early-mid 1970s but wouldn't connect to anything until 1989.  There is a scan on its history page from the 1983 topographic map of Allegheny County which shows how far they extended off 79.

The stubs on US 422 at Wayne Avenue in Indiana and at PA 66 in Kittanning would remain from the early 70s until 1995 and 2001 respectively.

[PurdueBill]

The Forest St. bridge over I-95 in Peabody, Mass. was built in the 1970s but the road below didn't open until 1988.  Growing up around there, we would occasionally pass over it and for a long time the bridge went over nothing but dirt trails that ended not far south of the bridge.  For a time, it didn't seem certain that the bridge would actually pass over anything but dirt, but eventually they did build the road underneath.

[bugo]

US 425 in Arkansas.

[mgk920]

The south end of the Hoan Bridge (I-794) in Milwaukee, WI was a stub end from when the bridge opened the early 1970s until the Lake Parkway (WI 794, originally planned to be the Lake Freeway to extend to Illinois) was opened in the late 1990s.

Mike

[thenetwork]

I nominate the SR-176/Jennings Freeway in Cleveland.  It took nearly 30 years to extend that damn freeway from Denison (Harvard) Avenue south to I-480 and Brookpark Road (SR-17) -- a distance of just under 3 miles!   

They pretty much had the stub ramps from I-480 from the east done way back in the 70's, when I-480 was first built and they had the mainline lanes finished up to just under the Denison overpass when they finished that stretch in the 60s. 

In fact, for nearly a decade before the Jennings was completely done, there was an overhead BGS denoting southbound SR-176 (completely covered up with green patching) and that was even BEFORE they started the first bulldozing south of Denison!!!  I know that because at one time, a square of the green patch fell off and you could see part of the sign that wound up being replaced before the freeway officially opened up.

[jwolfer]

I thought someone posted this but I may be missing so if it is repeat please forgive me!   I-95 and I-10 near Jacksonville and Daytona Beach had overpasses and small bridges widened ~1990 to allow for 6 laning.  Which came to pass 1999-2004 on I-95 and working on I-10 to the new SR23.  The bridges are ready for 6 laning all the way to the Jacksonville city limit/Duval County line

[roadman65]

The Garden State Parkway was built with a super wide median between the Asbury Park and Raritan Toll Plazas back in the early 50s. Then nearly 20 years later another freeway was built in its median.

In Altamonte Springs, FL there were stubs at the former end of FL 414 at FL 434 for an interchange that is now built for the FL 414 extension west of FL 434 to US 441.  Now, of course, the John Landis Apopka Bypass extended FL 414 beyond that, but it was conceived then.

Near Gettysburg, PA, US 15 was built as a super two with rights of way for expansion to the full freeway it is now.

In Hickory, MD there was a stub at the north end of the Bel Air Bypass of US 1, but it was flattened as the formerly planned interchange there was made into intersection when the extension was finally built in 2001.  Nonetheless,  \original ramps are still there from when the super two freeway ended there with the stub, but one became Water Tower Boulevard (a new local street) and the other was abandoned (seen from google satelite) post intersection opening.

[mightyace]

Mack Hatcher Pkwy on the east side of Franklin is only 2 lanes but has room for four.

There is currently construction underway to 4 lane it from US 31 on the north side to TN 96 on the east side of town.

http://maps.google.com/?ll=35.918667,-86.863918&spn=0.075766,0.181789&t=h&z=13

[mapman1071]

In Arizona

(In 1985 Freeway Plan)
Current Loop 101 From 75th Avenue to Cave Creek Road.
Beardsly Road was a 2 Lane city Street Pre 1995 then Upgraded to A 4 Lane Frontage Road (1995) with a Wide Desert Median the freeway was later placed in that median (1995 - 1998).

(In 1985 Freeway Plan, Removed and downgraded to County Maintenance, Added Back In 2005 Freeway Plan)

Current Loop 303 From Thomas Road to Grand Avenue (US 60)
Constructed 1998-2000 as 2 Lane Rural Road Centered In 1/4 Mile Wide ROW (Underpasses constructed at Clearview Blvd and Mountain View Blvd, Both span 6 Lanes, Overpass at Grand Avenue (US 60)/BNSF Railway).
Currently Upgradeing to 6 Lane Freeway From I-10 (New Interchange) To Happy Valley Parkway/Vistanica Blvd Interchange.

[berberry]

The only Mississippi example of this I can think of, at least at this moment, is MS-25 between Jackson and Carthage, part of the main route between Jackson and MSU @ Starkville.  Hwy 25, prior to 1984, existed only from Carthage to points north.  During construction of the 2-lane route running south to Jackson, provisions were made for future widening, including construction of interchanges at the busiest crossroads.  People thought it was ridiculous to build those interchanges on an otherwise 2-lane highway, but I thought "Great!  At least you have SOME chance to pass the slower traffic."  As it happened, the road was later widened and the interchanges, which serve roads that are today much busier than they were then, were left unmodified and now seem essential to traffic flow.

Another situation that kinda sorta fits the OP's description would be the Barnett Reservoir Dam roadway, which was built in the 1960s as a 2-laner.  The dam provides a major connection between two metro-Jackson counties and had become a rush-hour nightmare by the '90s.  As state and local officials publicly debated what to do about the problem, one of the engineers who had worked on the original road and had later moved away was in town visiting.  He heard a news report about the problem and, thank goodness, spoke up saying that provisions had been made all those years ago for additional lanes to be built below the dam structure.  Construction began very soon after and the excellent 4-lane roadway has been opened for several years now.

AbE:  So now I'm wondering if there are any other cases similar to the dam road I mentioned, where provision was made for a future highway upgrade, then completely forgotten about, then at a very late date suddenly remembered and utilised.

[Laura]

In Hickory, MD there was a stub at the north end of the Bel Air Bypass of US 1, but it was flattened as the formerly planned interchange there was made into intersection when the extension was finally built in 2001.  Nonetheless,  \original ramps are still there from when the super two freeway ended there with the stub, but one became Water Tower Boulevard (a new local street) and the other was abandoned (seen from google satelite) post intersection opening.

Interesting, not the part of that road that first came to mind!

The divided part of the US 1 Bel Air Bypass was supposed to be part of the Perring Freeway, which would have been a bypass of Belair Road that extended from northeast Baltimore to Bel Air. The Baltimore section was built (it ends just north of I-695) and a bit of the Bel Air section was built, but the middle was not. (It wasn't part of any big controversy, but just not a priority when it was killed at some point in the 1970's or so.

Anyway, the part from Benson's Corner (known locally as "Jones Junction") to Winters Run was built as a divided, limited access highway. Then, it became a Super 2 up to Hickory. About 15 years or so ago, pieces of the Bel Air Bypass were upgraded to 3 and 4 lanes, but all of the upgrades were done in one carriageway. I honestly believe that the only reason they did not use the other carriageway is because there is literally one business the size of a small house blocking it, and for whatever reason, they weren't bought out/condemned. Then, in about 2000-01 the bypass was built as a dual carriageway around Hickory, reconnecting with US1 business just north of MD 543 (Fountain Green Road). So, the whole Bel Air section of the old Perring was built piecemeal, just in a different way than anticipated. Within the past year, a long-needed guardrail divider was constructed to separate the super 3 and super 4 lanes sections.

As for the partial interchange with MD 23 and US 1 Bus in Hickory, I don't remember there being a stub there begging to be extended (otherwise it would have gone through the then Bel Air Roller Rink), but the intersections there were completely reconfigured, leaving some mini abandoned grass alignments (the sharp curve in MD23, the end of Bynum Rd, and the bit of US 1 that used to stop in front of the roller rink).

[PHLBOS]

In Massachusetts:

The Forest St. bridge over I-95 in Peabody, Mass. was built in the 1970s but the road below didn't open until 1988.  Growing up around there, we would occasionally pass over it and for a long time the bridge went over nothing but dirt trails that ended not far south of the bridge.  For a time, it didn't seem certain that the bridge would actually pass over anything but dirt, but eventually they did build the road underneath.

I went over there a few times myself in the early 80s.  Many were using the dirt roadbed underneath as a dumping ground.  I even saw an old matress there.  BTW, the Forest Street overpass has a '1972' date.  I guess the reasoning behind not originally building it out to 128 was due the fact that the timing coincided with the decison to cancel 95 south of 128.  The originally-planned interchange would've been a modified cloverleaf w/a flyover ramp from 128 south to 95 north & south; not too much different from the original 95-128 (now 95/93/US 1) interchange in Canton.

I-95/495 interchange (Exit 6/13) in Mansfield.  The full cloverleaf interchange was constructed when 495 northwest of 95 was constructed in the late 60s.  The then-ghost ramps to 495 South/from 495 North wouldn't be opened until the mid-80s southern extension of 495 became reality.

Route 25 near US 6 and Route 28 in E. Wareham.  Provisions were made for an eastern extension (that ultimately opened in the late 80s) when the interchange was originally built in the 60s.

I-290/495/TO 85 interchange in Shrewsbury.  Entire interchange (no sure about the fly-over ramp from I-290 East to I-495 North, that might've been a later replacement for an inner-cloverleaf ramp) was built in the late 60s but the eastern connector to Route 85 opened in the 80s.  Original plans called for an extension of 290 further east but never materialized.

I-93 in Somerville.  Northbound entrance stub from the long-cancelled Inner belt (I-695) would be later as an access ramp from the Leverett Circle connector; courtesy of the Big Dig project.

A more recent one in Salem - a stub for Bridge Street Bypass (Route 107 Extension) was built when the new Essex Bridge (for Route 1A) was built but laid dormant for almost a decade until the Bypass was built a few years ago.

A few more for Greater Philly, PA:

I-95 in Central Philadelphia.  2 on-ramps to southbound 95 and ramp stubs for the Vine Expressway (I-676) were built in the 70s but didn't open to traffic until 1991.

I-95 in South Philadelphia.  South of the Girard Point Bridge, 95 used to end at Enterprise Ave. (Exit 15).  The mainline stub from that interchange wouldn't be used until the entire 'missing link' of I-95 was built and opened in 1985.

The interchange between Interstate 95 and 476 sat unused for years awaiting the completion of the Mid-County Expressway to the north. It opened in 1989 IIRC as a glorified connector to MacDade Boulevard, before I-476 was finally completed (south of I-76). The unfortunate aspect of this fact is that I-95 bottlenecks to two lanes per direction at the 1970s-era interchange.

One can also add the I-76/476 interchange in W.Conshocken to that list.  The mainline 476 overpass and the ramps to 476 South/from 476 North were built in the 70s but weren't opened until 1991.

Prior to that interchange opening, a 70s PennDOT-era button-copy northbound pull-through sign was erected over the then-unused section read "476 NORTH Allentown"  Ironically, the sign was taken down once the road fully-opened in 1991.  Note: the sign bridge is still there today though unused - a new exit sign for 76 West was erected on a cantilever structure further back before the underpass.

On the southbound side, there was a similar sign but it just showed a blank 3di shield on the upper-left corner of the sign.  The sign would've likely have read "476 SOUTH Chester had PennDOT supplied the button-copy numerals and letters when the southern extension opened; but, again the sign was taken down when the road actually opened.

One up-and-coming: US 202 & PA 611 cloverleaf interchange in Doylestown.  Ramps to 202 South/from 202 North were built in the 60s(?) but have laid unused... until the 202 Parkway (Bypass) is completed.

[akotchi]

MD 32 in the Crownsville/Millersville area of Maryland had right-of-way for a second two-lane roadway to the west (or south) between its then-eastern terminus at MD 178 in Crownsville, extending west across Route 3 to what was then a signalized intersection at MD 175.  (This goes back to the early 1980s, and details are rather fuzzy.  From repetitive passage through that area, I do not remember any more what the Route 3/Route 32 intersection/interchange was originally . . .)  This is now a portion of I-97 and the MD 32 freeway.