"Semi-Abandoned" Expressways

[3467]

I thought about 180 I finally found its real history in the 1970 GAO report.
It may have reached a new low on traffic 1775 online segment. The first counts on the Macomb bypass are 1600

[planxtymcgillicuddy]

Florida has several of this along US-301. Saw some of it for myself coming back the last time. Was a 4-laner at one time, but had been scaled back to 2

[democratic nole]

Florida has several of this along US-301. Saw some of it for myself coming back the last time. Was a 4-laner at one time, but had been scaled back to 2

What part of Florida did you see this?

[hockeyjohn]

Chris Bessert's "Michigan Highways" website details US-131 between Mancelona and Elmira, Mich. when a divided highway between 1956-1968 (except during winter when it "reverted" to being a two-lane highway).   The pavement for the second set of lanes has long been removed but the former alignment is visible between the highway and the railway tracks.

https://goo.gl/maps/6yKyCUosaKqYgvbM7

A number of non-MDOT issued maps showed this stretch as a divided, 4-lane highway long after 1968.

[ozarkman417]

If I'm understanding this right, would this cancelled US 50 4-laner count?

[planxtymcgillicuddy]

Florida has several of this along US-301. Saw some of it for myself coming back the last time. Was a 4-laner at one time, but had been scaled back to 2

What part of Florida did you see this?

We were on 301 between Leesburg, FL and Jesup, GA

[seicer]

I think that was a realignment that tied into bridge replacements, but I'm not for sure 100%.

[democratic nole]

Florida has several of this along US-301. Saw some of it for myself coming back the last time. Was a 4-laner at one time, but had been scaled back to 2

What part of Florida did you see this?

We were on 301 between Leesburg, FL and Jesup, GA

That's a fairly lengthy distance. I know that the state has been adding bypass routes for 301 around towns like Starke, FL, so maybe it has something to do with these, but I'd be curious the exact location, because I have driven 301 from Ocala to I-10 a good bit and am not familiar with the sections you are talking about.

[nexus73]

I recall a bit of US 66 expressway with very little traffic on it due to being bypassed by I-40 in either Texas or Oklahoma.  Sorry I cannot remember the exact location.  A few farmers and houses were it for human presence as the short divided 4-lane stretch headed into a small town.  Very forlorn in appearance for sure.

Rick

[seicer]

I recall a bit of US 66 expressway with very little traffic on it due to being bypassed by I-40 in either Texas or Oklahoma.  Sorry I cannot remember the exact location.  A few farmers and houses were it for human presence as the short divided 4-lane stretch headed into a small town.  Very forlorn in appearance for sure.

Like this very narrow four-lane at Erick OK?

https://goo.gl/maps/sXdwmqe3nHArwRQz6

[US71]

US 60 around Aurora, MO

Back in the 1960's/70's, it was 4-lanes/divided about half a mile either side of MO 39. Later the EB lanes were abandoned, though part of it is now used for commuter parking.

https://www.google.com/maps/@36.9476664,-93.7206595,448m/data=!3m1!1e3

[Scott5114]

I recall a bit of US 66 expressway with very little traffic on it due to being bypassed by I-40 in either Texas or Oklahoma.  Sorry I cannot remember the exact location.  A few farmers and houses were it for human presence as the short divided 4-lane stretch headed into a small town.  Very forlorn in appearance for sure.

Like this very narrow four-lane at Erick OK?

https://goo.gl/maps/sXdwmqe3nHArwRQz6

I need to go check that out...

[nexus73]

I recall a bit of US 66 expressway with very little traffic on it due to being bypassed by I-40 in either Texas or Oklahoma.  Sorry I cannot remember the exact location.  A few farmers and houses were it for human presence as the short divided 4-lane stretch headed into a small town.  Very forlorn in appearance for sure.

Like this very narrow four-lane at Erick OK?

https://goo.gl/maps/sXdwmqe3nHArwRQz6

Maybe that was it, maybe not but it was spooky to see a semi-abandoned expressway.

Rick

[ftballfan]

UT 118 appears to have been four lane divided at one point between Salina and Elsinore: https://www.google.com/maps/@38.8135572,-112.0100155,871m/data=!3m1!1e3

[Dirt Roads]

UT 118 appears to have been four lane divided at one point between Salina and Elsinore: https://www.google.com/maps/@38.8135572,-112.0100155,871m/data=!3m1!1e3

That looks like an abandoned railroad running alongside UT-118 and UT-24.  You can see the rail line split from UT-24 at the coal mine before Salina.  Can't find much about the line, but a website for the history of Salina, Utah indicates that the infamous Thistle Flood in 1983-84 wiped out the railroad.  Following the line further north to the ghost town of Thistle, the Spanish Fork Canyon was home to the Denver and Rio Grande (D&RG) Utah Division.  So I suspect that the abandoned rail line was the former Sevier Valley Railway, which was gobbled up by the D&RG. 

[dkblake]

I-189 at the western end at US 7- if you're going WB, the highway bears slight right to the exit, and the straight corridor is abandoned- you can see the dirt path there:

https://www.google.com/maps/@44.4482921,-73.2050576,3a,75y,282.16h,103.9t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sNzt47LrleVXeoOBeSqGakA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

The abandoned section has become sort of a bike path.

[bing101]

https://www.aaroads.com/guides/alfred-harrell-hwy/

Bakersfield has a semi abandoned expressway called Alfred Harrell Highway. Note this is a city route.

[Max Rockatansky]

https://www.aaroads.com/guides/alfred-harrell-hwy/

Bakersfield has a semi abandoned expressway called Alfred Harrell Highway. Note this is a city route.

Alfred Harrell is far from abandoned, it sees significant traffic all the time. 

[US71]

I recall a bit of US 66 expressway with very little traffic on it due to being bypassed by I-40 in either Texas or Oklahoma.  Sorry I cannot remember the exact location.  A few farmers and houses were it for human presence as the short divided 4-lane stretch headed into a small town.  Very forlorn in appearance for sure.

Like this very narrow four-lane at Erick OK?

https://goo.gl/maps/sXdwmqe3nHArwRQz6

I need to go check that out...

There are a couple sections out that way if you know where to look and don't rush,

[bing101]

https://www.aaroads.com/guides/alfred-harrell-hwy/

Bakersfield has a semi abandoned expressway called Alfred Harrell Highway. Note this is a city route.

Alfred Harrell is far from abandoned, it sees significant traffic all the time.

It's just that I seen some pictures of the Highway but at the time of the photo it looked like it was off peak hours or weekends.

[Max Rockatansky]

https://www.aaroads.com/guides/alfred-harrell-hwy/

Bakersfield has a semi abandoned expressway called Alfred Harrell Highway. Note this is a city route.

Alfred Harrell is far from abandoned, it sees significant traffic all the time.

It's just that I seen some pictures of the Highway but at the time of the photo it looked like it was off peak hours or weekends.

Golden State Boulevard in Fresno County is more in line what you're looking for.  It is a segment of Old US 99 and in really bad shape in places.  The traffic count is low enough that the county never really has gotten around to patching any of it up after the 1960s.  There is even a small freeway segment in Fresno approaching CA 99/CA 41.

[bing101]

https://www.aaroads.com/guides/alfred-harrell-hwy/

Bakersfield has a semi abandoned expressway called Alfred Harrell Highway. Note this is a city route.

Alfred Harrell is far from abandoned, it sees significant traffic all the time.

It's just that I seen some pictures of the Highway but at the time of the photo it looked like it was off peak hours or weekends.

Golden State Boulevard in Fresno County is more in line what you're looking for.  It is a segment of Old US 99 and in really bad shape in places.  The traffic count is low enough that the county never really has gotten around to patching any of it up after the 1960s.  There is even a small freeway segment in Fresno approaching CA 99/CA 41.

Thanks!

[capt.ron]

The stretch of old US 66 just east of Albuquerque in the Carnuel area is still a nice 4 lane divided highway. I'm still surprised NMDOT still has it configured as 4 lanes since 2 lanes through that area is all it needs. Some more "semi abandoned" areas of old 66 that are 4 lane are around the Grants / Milan area and yet another short 4 lane stub around the Laguna area.

[TEG24601]

Old US24/35 around Logansport, IN - https://goo.gl/maps/hFmgo2PRdfTZeNgS8 - now known as Monticello Rd, having been bypassed to connect to the new SR 25 expressway (The Hoosier Heartland Highway).  The section that was bypassed, has existed in some form since at least 1981 (the first time it appears in HistoricAerials).