Old alignments visible from Google Maps

[Max Rockatansky]

Old US 60/70 (also US 180 I) can be seen east of Superior below the modern grade asending to the Old Queen Creek Tunnel.  Another abandoned alignment is directly south of the Pinto Creek Bridge which is highly eroded. 

[cpzilliacus]

This one is recent enough that there's no streetview of the new alignment:
https://www.google.com/maps/@40.1457997,-77.6406345,1229m/data=!3m1!1e3

I seldom go that way - nice catch.  I think I read someplace that much of the Turnpike reconstruction east of Blue Mountain is now complete.

[Mr. Matté]

This one is recent enough that there's no streetview of the new alignment:
https://www.google.com/maps/@40.1457997,-77.6406345,1229m/data=!3m1!1e3

I seldom go that way - nice catch.  I think I read someplace that much of the Turnpike reconstruction east of Blue Mountain is now complete.

Interestingly enough, I've noticed recently along the PA Turnpike that there's some kind of new photo sphere appearing along it. It's called "B&V Cam" and the imagery is from April this year (example from the new I-95 interchange). The area by the tunnel doesn't appear to be on GM yet but it apparently can go through tunnels since the bubbles appear on the EB Fort Littleton ramp.

[skluth]

There are a ton of them between Barstow and Needles pertaining to US Route 66.  The National Old Trails Route Facebook page actually posts a ton of them.

There's also the old 66 routings through Cajon Pass north of San Bernardino. Cajon Blvd is just one of several former routes. Some of the roadbeds have been completely abandoned or are converted to trails. Some background info can be found at https://www.theroute-66.com/cajon-pass.html

[ilpt4u]

The rest of Old IL 13, on both sides of the lake, is a decently well used roadway to this day, and I believe still under IDOT control (at least parts of it are)

I know I've seen state reference markers on that road, but I can't locate any official information about that.

The Old IL 13 segment a little west of the depicted area, between Carbondale and Murphysboro, shows route 913 on the IL Reference/Mile Marker Posts. Begin/End State Maintenance is also signed on this Segment. IDOT's District 9 Office is on this segment of Old IL 13, but actually the Office is on a piece that is Maintained by City of Carbondale. IDOT Maintenance picks up a few blocks West from the District 9 Office

Not sure if the Carterville-Marion part of the route is IDOT Maintained, but I can figure that out sometime relatively easily

[ChezeHed81]

Additional visible previous alignments include:

Illinois
US-51 before the construction of I-39 south of Wenona
US-51 before the construction of I-39 west of Kappa.
IL-251 (N 3rd St) in Rockford used to have an overpass connection for vehicles to access the Whitman Street Bridge.  This connection is now via surface streets.

Delaware
US-13 prior to the construction of DE-1 between Red Lion and Wrangle Hill.
DE-15 in Delaware west of Dover.

New Jersey
NJ-700/I-95 (NJ Turnpike) original northern terminus at US-46.
NJ-400 (Garden State Parkway) connection to the former Beesley's Point Bridge (US-9) prior to the construction of the Great Egg Harbor Bridge.

Oklahoma
Abandoned section of I-44, east of Tulsa, prior to the construction of the Creek Turnpike (SR-364).

Florida
FL-528 (Beachline Expressway) Exit 19 to Monument Parkway/International Corporate Park Blvd.
The former spur connection of FL-408 (East-West Expressway) to FL-417 (Central Florida GreeneWay)

Colorado
US-6/US-40 in Colorado before the construction of I-70 and it's tunnels.  Google Earth historic aerials reveals that the eastbound lanes of I-70/US-6 temporarily resumed running this former alignment in or around 2013 between the sewer plant and the Black Hawk City Water Plant during the reconstruction/widening of the I-70 tunnels.  The temporary alignment went along the Memorial Trail, through the Trailhead parking lot, across Clear Creek and followed East Idaho Springs Rd east to around the water plant where it transitioned back into the current alignment.
Another section of US-6 in Colorado before the construction of I-70 and it's tunnels through Beavertail Mountain.

New York
Aerial imagery along I-287 still shows the old Tappan Zee Bridge across the Hudson River with the 2017 bridge under construction.

Wisconsin
US-40/I-41 north of Lomira was realigned between 1992 and 2002 for constructing a grade-separated intersection at WI-49 and CTH-KK.  Relocation appears to be due to the railroad tracks near the previous insersection.

Note: All references were intended to be viewed as 2D aerial images, which may need to be manually changed in your browser.  At the time of the post, the conditions above were true.  Google may update aerial imagery at any time.  Also, I apologize for getting carried away with the list.

[Tom958]

Spotted rock cliffs overhanging a river from the current US 290 just east of US 281 near Johnson City, TX, and doubled back for a better look.  Turns out the old road, now county road 215 has Streetview: https://www.google.com/maps/@30.1992814,-98.3374454,3a,65.5y,0.98h,80.52t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sxODBPJ7ETn2aKcI-CrRB7g!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Can't see make it out on Streetview, but the pavement markings are still barely visible: broken white centerline with yellow no passing lines everywhere I could see.

[mgk920]

Additional visible previous alignments include:

Wisconsin
US-40/I-41 north of Lomira was realigned between 1992 and 2002 for constructing a grade-separated intersection at WI-49 and CTH-KK.  Relocation appears to be due to the railroad tracks near the previous insersection.

Also, I-41 (US 41) at County 'K' just north of Slinger was slightly realigned when it was upgraded to a freeway at about the same time.

https://goo.gl/maps/u3pwnktC3cE2

The west frontage road there is formerly the southbound side of US 41 and the reroute was also due to the highway's close proximity to CN's intensely busy ex Wisconsin Central (nee SOO LINE) Chicago-western Canada mainline.

Mike

[Kulerage]

While we're on this topic of US 41, here's an old alignment near Baraga, Michigan containing an abandoned bridge, that now serves as someone's driveway, as well as
a long stretch of road named "Old US 41" nearby the abandoned bridge. There's even a former routing of US 141/Michigan 28 there.

[ChezeHed81]

One more:

Between 2010 and 2013, about 1.5 miles of the southbound lanes of I-75 near Venice, Florida were relocated to the inside (left) of the existing lanes, and those existing lanes were incorporated as part of the extension of Honore Ave to Laurel Rd.

[adwerkema]

Probably the largest collection of abandoned roads is the unfinished California City. Meant to rival the size of Los Angeles, California City was incorporated in 1965 and a dirt road layout of the city was built. However, the demand for such a city fell short, and most of the city remains simply dirt roads and street signs. Even today, California City is the 40th largest city in the U.S. by area.

[Max Rockatansky]

Probably the largest collection of abandoned roads is the unfinished California City. Meant to rival the size of Los Angeles, California City was incorporated in 1965 and a dirt road layout of the city was built. However, the demand for such a city fell short, and most of the city remains simply dirt roads and street signs. Even today, California City is the 40th largest city in the U.S. by area.

California Valley has something similar going on north of Soda Lake.  A bunch of the roads aren't even graded but yet contain street blades. 

[Beltway]

West Point, VA

You can see the old alignments of the approaches to these bridges which were replaced with new bridges in 2005 at a cost of $100 million
https://www.google.com/maps/@37.5345737,-76.8010474,2873m/data=!3m1!1e3

On the east side of West Point, the 3,545 ft long Lord Delaware Bridge crosses the Mattaponi River and adjacent marsh land with 28 spans.  On the west side of town, the 5,354 ft long Eltham Bridge spans the Pamunkey River and adjacent marsh land and railroad tracks with a total of 49 spans.  In both bridges, the main spans consist of two 880 ft long post-tensioned spliced girder units.  Each of these units has spans of 200-240-240-200 ft, including end span, haunched pier and drop-in girder segments.  The bridge over the Pamunkey River also included a 248 ft long steel girder double leaf bascule span.  Both bridges carry two lanes of traffic with a shoulder in each direction, for a total out-to-out deck width of 70.3 ft.

http://www.stalite.com/project_details.php?id=17

[TheHighwayMan3561]

US/MN 61 throughout MN are packed with disused and abandoned alignments from Grand Portage to La Crescent. My favorites include the abandoned Pigeon River border crossing, the pre-1969 MN 1 junction in Illgen City, and some of the old alignments near Weaver and Kellogg.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Grand+Portage,+MN/@47.3497675,-91.1866513,1031m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x4d58683e593daf8b:0x2d527267ecc75899!8m2!3d47.9637433!4d-89.6848712

[cpzilliacus]

Hancock, Washington County, Maryland. 

Before the massive cut through Sideling Hill was completed in 1991 (the new freeway (ADHS Corridor E) through the cut was initially signed U.S. 48 but then became I-68), all traffic had to follow the old route of U.S. 40 (National Pike), which was up the mountain to a rather unpleasant hairpin turn (especially in winter) at the crest of the ridge, then down the other side. 

This part of the old National Pike is no longer a U.S. or state route, having been decommissioned and turned-over to Washington County maintenance as County Route 1036 (county routes are never signed in Maryland).

The hairpin turn at the ridgetop had to have the most intense lighting I have ever seen on any Maryland-maintained highway (including the tunnel crossings in Baltimore), with a collection of HPS lighting on poles very closely spaced (maybe 20 or 25 feet apart).  That's all gone now, but some of the climbing lanes are still there.  This old route was for centuries the only arterial highway connection between Allegany and Garrett Counties and the rest of the state, and it was a notoriously bad and crash-prone section of road. 

[cjk374]

https://goo.gl/maps/5uYTpnAGoxP2

I walked/clinched this old stretch of US 167 and got these shots:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/130771900@N08/albums/72157693260150831

[Rothman]

Unpleasant hairpin turn?  My siblings and I looked forward to it every time we headed down to Kentucky from Massachusetts from 1981 until the cut was finished (my father refused to drive the Pennsylvania Turnpike).  There was a small farm stand right on the turn, too. Don't know anyone who had the courage to stop there, though.

I don't think the lighting was there early on and the turn has definitely been widened since the 1980s.

[MCRoads]

Hancock, Washington County, Maryland. 

Before the massive cut through Sideling Hill was completed in 1991 (the new freeway (ADHS Corridor E) through the cut was initially signed U.S. 48 but then became I-68), all traffic had to follow the old route of U.S. 40 (National Pike), which was up the mountain to a rather unpleasant hairpin turn (especially in winter) at the crest of the ridge, then down the other side. 

This part of the old National Pike is no longer a U.S. or state route, having been decommissioned and turned-over to Washington County maintenance as County Route 1036 (county routes are never signed in Maryland).

The hairpin turn at the ridgetop had to have the most intense lighting I have ever seen on any Maryland-maintained highway (including the tunnel crossings in Baltimore), with a collection of HPS lighting on poles very closely spaced (maybe 20 or 25 feet apart).  That's all gone now, but some of the climbing lanes are still there.  This old route was for centuries the only arterial highway connection between Allegany and Garrett Counties and the rest of the state, and it was a notoriously bad and crash-prone section of road.

hey, there (might be) an old allighnment of an old allighnment visible! (although it might just be a private driveway) There is a gravel road that extends past the turn, turns around, then appears to line up with the current allighnment, allthough the road appears to be overgrown past the turn. Old alighnment-seption!

[BrianP]

hey, there (might be) an old allighnment of an old allighnment visible! (although it might just be a private driveway) There is a gravel road that extends past the turn, turns around, then appears to line up with the current allighnment, allthough the road appears to be overgrown past the turn. Old alighnment-seption!

Are you referring to the curve at the top of the mountain?  If so then ding ding your right.  The 1947 historical aerial shows that old road as the turn around.  The 1969 topo shows that old route in use.  The 1974 topo shows the current road in use.  The change is purple in the 1974 topo which means:

purple for features that have been updated using aerial photography, but not field verified.

https://www.geomart.com/products/topo/readingtopos.htm

Also Hixon road is also part of an older alignment.  But it didn't originally switchback like it does now.  It used to continue up the side of the mountain.  It came out here:
https://www.google.com/maps/@39.693285,-78.2996256,3a,75y,356.76h,90.49t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s1YneOgKUQtdN53M4eL7PIw!2e0!7i3328!8i1664
The part that replaced Hixon Rd is shown under construction on the 1952 topo map.

The maps are found here:
https://www.historicaerials.com/viewer

[roadman65]

Near Toano, VA you can see the old Route 168 alignment at the intersection where both US 60 and VA 30 swap places!  Look in the NE quadrant you will see how the road is not connected to VA 30 at either end but see how in line with VA 30 it is and can make out how it once was continuous.

BTW in the past, VA 168 never met US 60 there, but had a connector called VA 168Y as VA 168 east of Toano was the main highway to Norfolk before I-64.  VA 168 followed VA 30, then I-64, and then VA 143 to the HRBT and connected with where VA 168 goes into Central Norfolk along Tidewater Drive in Willoughby Spit.  That is why US 60 used to drop to two lanes after Busch Gardens and remain that way into Newport News and VA 143 is four lanes pretty much from VA 162 into Downtown Newport News along Merrimac Trail and Jefferson Avenue.

[D-Dey65]

Plenty of them of NY 25, but I recently found about an abandoned section near Greenport that was split in half by nature, and has the old concrete on the east end of it.

Old Main Road near "Moore's Drain" west of Greenport.

Old Man Roads east of Chapel Lane west of Greenport, NY.

This isn't the only one, of course. And I was really looking for a thread on concrete paved roads.

[HPfromTN]

Old Tennessee State Highway 3, the precursor to US-51 has an abandoned stretch leading to a closed bridge at the Obion River.  Follow 7th Street south from Palestine Avenue in Obion.

https://www.google.com/maps/@36.2568422,-89.191737,3a,26.3y,183.06h,85.79t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sY8el7PM_2G02Wo0cZh1kLQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

[sparker]

Surprised no one's mentioned one of the "granddaddies" of old alignments:  the Ridge Route, the original US 99 over the mountains between Castaic and Gorman, CA.  Very easily visible; starting in Castaic as an extension of a suburban street serving a local school, approximate coordinates 118 degrees 37 minutes 30 seconds west by 34 degrees 30 minutes 40 seconds north.  Easily followed north all the way to CA 138; that junction at approximately 118 degrees 44 minutes 0 degrees west by 34 degrees 45 minutes 54 seconds north.  Immediately north of Castaic this old alignment sits immediately east of the southbound lanes of I-5 during its reversed-alignment segment surmounting the hill north of Castaic.  As an added bonus, scrolling west will show the 2nd iteration of US 99 west of I-5 and terminating at Pyramid Lake dam (the lake inundated the segment north from there).   

[Max Rockatansky]

Surprised no one's mentioned one of the "granddaddies" of old alignments:  the Ridge Route, the original US 99 over the mountains between Castaic and Gorman, CA.  Very easily visible; starting in Castaic as an extension of a suburban street serving a local school, approximate coordinates 118 degrees 37 minutes 30 seconds west by 34 degrees 30 minutes 40 seconds north.  Easily followed north all the way to CA 138; that junction at approximately 118 degrees 44 minutes 0 degrees west by 34 degrees 45 minutes 54 seconds north.  Immediately north of Castaic this old alignment sits immediately east of the southbound lanes of I-5 during its reversed-alignment segment surmounting the hill north of Castaic.  As an added bonus, scrolling west will show the 2nd iteration of US 99 west of I-5 and terminating at Pyramid Lake dam (the lake inundated the segment north from there).

Isn't Ridge Route Alternate a service road for the dam now?  I drove about five miles of it in 2016 and ran the rest to the dam, there was a small gate that appeared to be for service vehicles and hikers. 

[sparker]

Surprised no one's mentioned one of the "granddaddies" of old alignments:  the Ridge Route, the original US 99 over the mountains between Castaic and Gorman, CA.  Very easily visible; starting in Castaic as an extension of a suburban street serving a local school, approximate coordinates 118 degrees 37 minutes 30 seconds west by 34 degrees 30 minutes 40 seconds north.  Easily followed north all the way to CA 138; that junction at approximately 118 degrees 44 minutes 0 degrees west by 34 degrees 45 minutes 54 seconds north.  Immediately north of Castaic this old alignment sits immediately east of the southbound lanes of I-5 during its reversed-alignment segment surmounting the hill north of Castaic.  As an added bonus, scrolling west will show the 2nd iteration of US 99 west of I-5 and terminating at Pyramid Lake dam (the lake inundated the segment north from there).

Isn't Ridge Route Alternate a service road for the dam now?  I drove about five miles of it in 2016 and ran the rest to the dam, there was a small gate that appeared to be for service vehicles and hikers. 

If you're referring to the later US 99 expressway iteration west of I-5 (aka "The Old Road"), then yes, that's precisely what it is; it terminates just below the dam at a gate.  The original 1-2-lane Ridge Route remains east of current I-5 for its entire length.