What is the point of this?

[MCRoads]

Here there is a tunnel and an at grade road less than 100 ft apart! Why does this exist?

[US 89]

The tunnel is a newer alignment that's almost certainly straighter and safer than the original alignment hugging the side of the mountain.

You can see something similar on US 189 in Utah, where the modern highway tunnels through the mountain but the old road is still in use as a scenic viewpoint. Looks like Colorado opted to simply close old 160 to auto traffic.

[mgk920]

The tunnel is a newer alignment that's almost certainly straighter and safer than the original alignment hugging the side of the mountain.

You can see something similar on US 189 in Utah, where the modern highway tunnels through the mountain but the old road is still in use as a scenic viewpoint. Looks like Colorado opted to simply close old 160 to auto traffic.

A few years ago MnDOT bypassed two short bad sections of MN (former US) 61 on the bluffs that overlook the Lake Superior shoreline between Two Harbors and Castle Danger, MN by drilling such tunnels.

https://goo.gl/maps/eYJtgigyLBrCiuy59
and
https://goo.gl/maps/qev9NSUJNYi9pK1D8

Mike

[TheHighwayMan3561]

The tunnel is a newer alignment that's almost certainly straighter and safer than the original alignment hugging the side of the mountain.

You can see something similar on US 189 in Utah, where the modern highway tunnels through the mountain but the old road is still in use as a scenic viewpoint. Looks like Colorado opted to simply close old 160 to auto traffic.

A few years ago MnDOT bypassed two short bad sections of MN (former US) 61 on the bluffs that overlook the Lake Superior shoreline between Two Harbors and Castle Danger, MN by drilling such tunnels.

https://goo.gl/maps/eYJtgigyLBrCiuy59
and
https://goo.gl/maps/qev9NSUJNYi9pK1D8

Mike

The old alignments mostly weren't left in place beyond a short stub leading to a utility site. The Silver Creek old road was partially turned into a trail, and the Lafayette old road was downgraded into a private access road.

[mgk920]

The tunnel is a newer alignment that's almost certainly straighter and safer than the original alignment hugging the side of the mountain.

You can see something similar on US 189 in Utah, where the modern highway tunnels through the mountain but the old road is still in use as a scenic viewpoint. Looks like Colorado opted to simply close old 160 to auto traffic.

A few years ago MnDOT bypassed two short bad sections of MN (former US) 61 on the bluffs that overlook the Lake Superior shoreline between Two Harbors and Castle Danger, MN by drilling such tunnels.

https://goo.gl/maps/eYJtgigyLBrCiuy59
and
https://goo.gl/maps/qev9NSUJNYi9pK1D8

Mike

The old alignments mostly weren't left in place beyond a short stub leading to a utility site. The Silver Creek old road was partially turned into a trail, and the Lafayette old road was downgraded into a private access road.

Are pedestrians/bicycles allowed through those tunnels?  I didn't see any signs prohibiting them while looking around in the streetview images of both areas.  In fact, I saw no signs noting the upcoming tunnels at all.

Mike

[Max Rockatansky]

The tunnel is a newer alignment that's almost certainly straighter and safer than the original alignment hugging the side of the mountain.

You can see something similar on US 189 in Utah, where the modern highway tunnels through the mountain but the old road is still in use as a scenic viewpoint. Looks like Colorado opted to simply close old 160 to auto traffic.

That's exactly right, the old alignment was garage and didn't really facilitate freight travel all that well.  Wolf Creek Pass itself is fairly well engineered for truck traffic but has a really infamous history before it was improved to current standards. 

[TheHighwayMan3561]

The tunnel is a newer alignment that's almost certainly straighter and safer than the original alignment hugging the side of the mountain.

You can see something similar on US 189 in Utah, where the modern highway tunnels through the mountain but the old road is still in use as a scenic viewpoint. Looks like Colorado opted to simply close old 160 to auto traffic.

A few years ago MnDOT bypassed two short bad sections of MN (former US) 61 on the bluffs that overlook the Lake Superior shoreline between Two Harbors and Castle Danger, MN by drilling such tunnels.

https://goo.gl/maps/eYJtgigyLBrCiuy59
and
https://goo.gl/maps/qev9NSUJNYi9pK1D8

Mike

The old alignments mostly weren't left in place beyond a short stub leading to a utility site. The Silver Creek old road was partially turned into a trail, and the Lafayette old road was downgraded into a private access road.

Are pedestrians/bicycles allowed through those tunnels?  I didn't see any signs prohibiting them while looking around in the streetview images of both areas.  In fact, I saw no signs noting the upcoming tunnels at all.

Mike

They're not banned, but given the recreational nature of the area almost all bikers/peds are going to opt for the lakeview trail.

[thspfc]

Figured this would be an Illinois I-180 thread before I opened it

[froggie]

The tunnel is a newer alignment that's almost certainly straighter and safer than the original alignment hugging the side of the mountain.

You can see something similar on US 189 in Utah, where the modern highway tunnels through the mountain but the old road is still in use as a scenic viewpoint. Looks like Colorado opted to simply close old 160 to auto traffic.

A few years ago MnDOT bypassed two short bad sections of MN (former US) 61 on the bluffs that overlook the Lake Superior shoreline between Two Harbors and Castle Danger, MN by drilling such tunnels.

https://goo.gl/maps/eYJtgigyLBrCiuy59
and
https://goo.gl/maps/qev9NSUJNYi9pK1D8

Mike

The old alignments mostly weren't left in place beyond a short stub leading to a utility site. The Silver Creek old road was partially turned into a trail, and the Lafayette old road was downgraded into a private access road.

According to both MnDOT and the trail's master plan, the old roadbed around Lafayette will also be used for the trail.

Regarding MGK's initial comment, the tunnels are more than just a few years old...both were built in the early '90s.

[1995hoo]

Reminds me a bit of the Beaucatcher Tunnel in Asheville, which is paralleled by an open cut where I-240 runs. The tunnel was there first and they initially planned to build two more tunnels for the Interstate, but they decided to cut through the mountain instead to save money. Both roads remain open.

35°35'54.3"N 82°32'18.5"W
https://goo.gl/maps/GyPgMfLVnZNH39LM7

[sparker]

Reminds me a bit of the Beaucatcher Tunnel in Asheville, which is paralleled by an open cut where I-240 runs. The tunnel was there first and they initially planned to build two more tunnels for the Interstate, but they decided to cut through the mountain instead to save money. Both roads remain open.

35°35'54.3"N 82°32'18.5"W
https://goo.gl/maps/GyPgMfLVnZNH39LM7

US 70 and US Alternate 74 still run through that tunnel.  BTW, there used to be an outstanding rib joint a block or so east of the tunnel entrance (circa 2002); wonder if it's still in business.