Closed Exits

[Shades101]

Any of you road enthusiasts out there have closed exits in your town? As in, the ramp is still there, but for some reason, you aren't allowed to use it. The only one I can think of right now has been demolished - the old exit 1 on I-195 in Providence, RI. Any of you know of more?

[Brandon]

There are a few closed entrances on the rapid-fire section of the Kennedy Expressway in Chicago.  Most of the traces have been removed.  The Eisenhower does have a few closed ramps near the Circle as well.

Former eastbound entrance ramp from Racine on the Ike.

Former exit ramp off the Tri-State for 88th Avenue.  Streetview shows very little left other than ROW.

[jp the roadgeek]

A few in CT

I-84:
Exit 12 on the west side of the Housatonic River
Eastbound Exit 25 short ramp onto Reidville Dr. near Friendly's (Exit 24 WB to be eliminated soon)
Exit 34 westbound and westbound CT 72 entrance ramp from Crooked St (replaced by CT 72 Exit 2 to CT 372)
Eastbound Ramps (50 and 52) to Ann St (NB only) and Morgan St (replaced by the I-91 Flyover)
Forbes St. exit ramp (eliminated when the I-384 interchange was completed).

I-91:

Exit 29 left exit SB to Charter Oak Bridge, as well as ramp from Charter Oak south to I-91 North
Exit 30 NB Founders Bridge Exit, as well as ramp from WB Founders to I-91 South
Exit 43 Warehouse Point exit.

[Alps]

In my town: Former left-hand entrance from Smith Rd. (original terminus of the freeway-let that became I-287) onto the I-80 WB Exit 43 ramp to I-287 SB. Now used for maintenance access, guiderailed off from the rest of the ramp.
Elsewhere in NJ: Easternmost exit ramp on NJ 33 around Freehold was barriered off, I think because locals didn't want traffic exiting there. Ghost ramps: NJ 58 (Orange St., Newark) and NJ 81 (NJ Turnpike Interchange 13 and I-278). Plenty of less notable examples but it's 1 AM.

[Scott5114]

I-44 exit 40C in Lawton, for Fort Sill Gate 2.

[dgolub]

A few in CT

I-84:
Exit 12 on the west side of the Housatonic River
Eastbound Exit 25 short ramp onto Reidville Dr. near Friendly's (Exit 24 WB to be eliminated soon)
Exit 34 westbound and westbound CT 72 entrance ramp from Crooked St (replaced by CT 72 Exit 2 to CT 372)
Eastbound Ramps (50 and 52) to Ann St (NB only) and Morgan St (replaced by the I-91 Flyover)
Forbes St. exit ramp (eliminated when the I-384 interchange was completed).

I-91:

Exit 29 left exit SB to Charter Oak Bridge, as well as ramp from Charter Oak south to I-91 North
Exit 30 NB Founders Bridge Exit, as well as ramp from WB Founders to I-91 South
Exit 43 Warehouse Point exit.

Also, exit 49 for Stiles Street on I-95.

[Alex]

A loop ramp from U.S. 31 south/280 east (Elton B. Stephens Expressway) south onto U.S. 11 (1st Avenue) north was closed, but remains in place:

10 year old photos, but its unchanged:
https://www.aaroads.com/southeast/alabama011/us-011_1st_av_n_abn_ramp_01.jpg
https://www.aaroads.com/southeast/alabama011/us-011_1st_av_n_abn_ramp_02.jpg
https://www.aaroads.com/southeast/alabama011/us-011_1st_av_n_abn_ramp_03.jpg
https://www.aaroads.com/southeast/alabama011/us-011_1st_av_n_abn_ramp_04.jpg

[roadman65]

I-4 has the left hand exit for South Street (Exit 83) that was closed when the City of Orlando had South Street closed west of I-4 to build the Amway Center.  South Street used to be one way WB, so traffic could not turn left, but right into the closed street.

Apparently when the street reopened, the ramp did not and this was after FDOT placed new signage that included South Street as previously that left hand ramp had only one guide sign for it.  There was no advanced signing for decades and just a sign at the diverge point.  Even though the new Amway Center now could use that particular exit, they closed it off with a Jersey barrier.

The Eastbound I-4 exit for Robinson Street was closed when the new WB FL 408 to EB I-4 flyover opened to prevent weaving as that ramp was right after the merge of 408 traffic.  The new EB South Street ramp that replaced the former Anderson Street ramp that now connects with Garland Avenue which is the I-4 frontage road through Downtown allows the movement to Robinson.  Plus you could exit at Amelia Street too and double back one block as well.

The WB I-4 exit to Gore Street was removed as well. This is unclear as there is no weave issues of any sort, but maybe pre-planning as new ramps from WB FL 408 to I-4 will someday be built in this immediate area.

[mgk920]

On northbound US(I)-41 in Neenah, WI, there used to be a northbound off only exit at Cecil St.  It was closed in the late 1970s and the former ramp reworked into a southern extension of Green Bay Rd (pre-1960 US 41 north of Cecil St) called Jewelers Park Dr.

http://goo.gl/maps/uwQxA

Mike

[vtk]

We're not counting ramps closed temporarily for construction reasons, right?

[akotchi]

There is a left-hand ramp from U.S. 1&9 NB (express) to Delancy Street in Newark, NJ, that was permanently closed.  All movements are made now from the local roadway.

[jakeroot]

I hope this includes airports as well...

Seatac Airport (in Seattle) has lots of closed ramps along the freeway leading to the main terminal from SR 518. The Port rebuilt the airport to include light rail in the median of the freeway. The list of ramps include:

• A closed ramp from "the freeway" (it doesn't have a number) going south to Air Cargo Rd. The only remnant is the newer grass. It was replaced with a left-side ramp towards S 170th (which itself used to be a right-hand entrance to the freeway. (http://goo.gl/RD4qSx)
• Towards the terminal, two ramps can be seen joining the departure/arrival roads from the east. These were U-turn ramps. They were replaced with a large two lane u-turn ramp about a mile up the freeway. (http://goo.gl/xJgvT9)
• The departures road has a closed ramp that went into a parking garage. Still stands but is barricaded off. (http://goo.gl/8U3Lvg)
• The end of the departures road has a closed ramp that connected to International Boulevard. It's been closed for a while; 1990 imagery on Google Earth show it closed even then. (http://goo.gl/ZMebSc)

[Brandon]

We're not counting ramps closed temporarily for construction reasons, right?

No.  For example, I would not include the ramp for I-80 through the Burns Harbor Interchange (Exit 16) on the Indiana Toll Road.  That one will be closed for a year and half and be replaced.

[cjk374]

Exit 19A in Shreveport, LA...EB I-20...was originally a left-hand exit until the current right-hand elevated ramps were built in the 1980s.

[roadman65]

While speaking of I-4 in Orlando, many years ago other exit ramps have been closed back in the 70's.   EB I-4 to SB FL 435 had a ramp that was eliminated, as well as EB I-4 to Gore Street that was removed so the FL 408 trumpet interchange could be built in the very spot.

In Pennsylvania US 22 had ramps near Kuhnsville that were eliminated when the I-78 interchange was constructed.  EB US 22 had a ramp that led to one of the streets of Kuhnsville, that now require you to exit at PA 100 NB a mile sooner.  I also remember another ramp westbound on US 22 that also was closed as a result of the I-78/ US 22 interchange.

In New Jersey there was one in East Orange on NB Garden State Parkway just north of I-280.  Also in Newark, there was a direct ramp leading to present day I-78 EB from US 1 & 9 NB that was severed for I-78 Exit 58B to be built.  At the time it was access to the NJ Turnpike Exit 14 as I-78 did not exist to the west of US 1 & 9.

[Android]

Exit 186B  from Bryan Stock Trail onto southbound I-25 in Casper, WY has been closed for months.  It was a very short ramp, and I think they decided it was unneeded as there's another slightly longer (#186A) southbound ramp a bit "south" - actually, cardinal-east, in the same area.

[froggie]

Unless things have changed in the past few years, the former Exit 251 on I-10 in eastern Orleans Parish, LA, formerly serving the Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge, has been closed since Katrina hit.  There's another full diamond interchange one mile to the southwest (near milepost 250) which was built to serve development that never happened and, to my knowledge, has never been open.

[NE2]

EB I-4 to Gore Street that was removed so the FL 408 trumpet interchange could be built in the very spot.

That was actually a full 6-ramp parclo: http://www.historicmapworks.com/Map/US/1637451/Page+067/

[Mapmikey]

North Carolina:

I-95: Exit 14 closed with ramps removed (current US 74-A; was US 74-301 at one time)
I-95: Exit 87 used to be a split exit with NB at SR 1162 and SB at SR 1178.  The SR 1162 ramps were removed and SR 1178 was converted to a full diamond
I-85 between exits 20 and 21 had a US 29-74 connector that has been removed
I-40: exit at current NC 16 Business was removed when NC 16 bypass was built
US 52 (future I-285): between exits 86 and 87 there used to be an exit to old US 29-70 Bus
US 52 (future I-285): Exits 110A and 111B in Winston-Salem have been removed.

South Carolina:

I-85 between Spartanburg and Gaffney a couple ramps to/from service roads have been removed.

Mapmikey

[DevalDragon]

There's one on Westbound I-70 between East Wheeling OH and Cambridge OH. I see it every time I drive that, but never have figured out why it was ever installed. But it's of the original 1950s design, sitting disused.

[PHLBOS]

Assuming that this meets the OP's criteria, I'm surprised that nobody has yet mentioned the old ramp to I-95 South from I-93 South (old MA 128 North) in Canton, MA.  Although the ramp was closed off when the interchange was converted to a trumpet back in the mid-70s; the ramp is still present but closed off to general traffic.

http://goo.gl/maps/Nfkbs

Similar was done with the I-95(MA 128)/US 3 North interchange in Burlington, MA.  The original on-ramp to US 3 North from I-95/MA 128 North is still present but closed off decades ago; again due to the interchange being converted to a trumpet-style type.

http://goo.gl/maps/10VP3

[TheStranger]

Some California examples:

- The onramp from Bayshore Boulevard to US 101/Bayshore Freeway north near Silver Avenue in San Francisco.  Closed some time in the last 10 years (presumably to prevent merging issues with the nearby Alemany Boulevard offramp) -

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Silver+Avenue+%26+Bayshore+Boulevard,+San+Francisco,+CA&hl=en&ll=37.732006,-122.404185&spn=0.001131,0.001089&sll=37.269174,-119.306607&sspn=13.172641,17.841797&t=h&hnear=Bayshore+Blvd+%26+Silver+Ave,+San+Francisco,+San+Francisco+County,+California+94124&z=20&layer=c&cbll=37.732006,-122.404185&panoid=XY0h_mlaSd3uB9WXYVgkig&cbp=12,220.24,,0,-1.66

- Barham Boulevard offramp from US 101/Hollywood Freeway north in Hollywood.  Closed decades ago in favor of a longer ramp to Cahuenga Boulevard and another ramp to Universal Studios (also, the old ramp led to a 5-way intersection at Barham) -

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Barham+Boulevard,+Los+Angeles,+CA&hl=en&ll=34.128699,-118.346612&spn=0.001184,0.001089&sll=34.066276,-118.461778&sspn=0.013403,0.017424&oq=Barham+Boul&t=h&hnear=Barham+Blvd,+Los+Angeles,+California+90068&z=20

- Offramp from Route 110/Arroyo Seco Parkway southbound to Fair Oaks Avenue in South Pasadena, another instance where a ramp closure took care of a former 5-way intersection.  Ramp seems to be used now for maintenance vehicles

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=1600+West+State+Street,+South+Pasadena,+CA&hl=en&ll=34.119373,-118.149601&spn=0.002368,0.002178&sll=34.119622,-118.149471&sspn=0.000837,0.001089&oq=1600+W+State+Stre&hnear=1600+W+State+St,+South+Pasadena,+California+91030&t=h&z=19

[Alps]

Assuming that this meets the OP's criteria, I'm surprised that nobody has yet mentioned the old ramp to I-95 South from I-93 South (old MA 128 North) in Canton, MA.  Although the ramp was closed off when the interchange was converted to a trumpet back in the mid-70s; the ramp is still present but closed off to general traffic.

http://goo.gl/maps/Nfkbs

That just reminded me of the short-lived but still-present ramp, which came up in another thread, that loops from I-78 EB to I-287 NB, although there is and always has been a direct left ramp between them.

[hm insulators]

There used to be an exit off southbound I-405 to a little street called Waterford Avenue just south of Sepulveda Pass. That offramp was blocked off some twenty years ago, and now any evidence of it has probably disappeared under all the construction.

[1995hoo]

The one that most readily comes to my mind was a portion of a ramp that was closed for many years but was eventually rehabilitated and returned to service.

To explain: I-66 used to end (or begin, depending on your viewpoint) at I-495. As originally constructed, traffic from northbound I-495 (the Inner Loop) exited to westbound I-66 via a left-side ramp that became the left side of I-66 (the ramp coming from the southbound I-495 Outer Loop became the right lanes). I-66 was extended inside the Beltway in December 1982, but the left-side exit remained in place and continued to merge on the left side. It was later augmented by a right-side loop-around ramp that was never especially popular with drivers.

Here's a 1964 image from HistoricAerials.com: http://www.historicaerials.com/aerials.php?scale=3.2E-05&lat=38.8846645348764&lon=-77.222830691406&year=1964  The configuration will be clearer if you zoom it out. I-66 runs in from the left side of the image. Note its stub end for the planned future extension.

I-66 inside I-495 has always had a peak-direction HOV restriction applicable to all lanes (originally HOV-4, later HOV-3, and in 1995 it became HOV-2, which it still is). In the mid-1990s VDOT imposed a peak-direction HOV-2 restriction on the left lane outside the Beltway. This created a problem with the left-side entrance coming from the Beltway. It was deemed undesirable to have general-purpose SOVs merging into the HOV lane. So the ramp was reconfigured to cross over westbound I-66 and merge in on the right side, creating an annoying bend or "kink" about two-thirds of the way around. The closed portion of the ramp was left in place but was blocked off and left to deteriorate. You can see this configuration in the 2002 image: http://www.historicaerials.com/aerials.php?scale=1.6E-05&lat=38.8838549806612&lon=-77.225054691406&year=2002

Then beginning in 2008, I-495 was rebuilt to include high-occupancy/toll lanes with their own dedicated exits. Part of the project involved rebuilding the I-66 interchange, and in doing so the old left-side entrance to I-66 westbound was rehabilitated and put back into service as an HO/T exit ramp. General-purpose traffic now has to exit I-495 on the right and use a reconfigured version of the loop-around ramp mentioned earlier. The annoying portion of the ramp after the "kink" was demolished. Current satellite image here: http://goo.gl/maps/98PQc

It was interesting to see an abandoned ramp put back into service again and I guess it's an example of why sometimes it's good to leave such things in place if there's a reasonable possibility it might be used again. An example of a situation where ramps were built prematurely and left in place long after it was clear they were never likely to be used would be those old ramps on I-278 on Staten Island that would have connected to the Richmond Parkway had it been completed. Those ramps probably could have been demolished a lot sooner than they were.