Mini Freeways

[skluth]

There's a few I remember from St Louis

• US 67 between the Rock Rd and Natural Bridge Rd then underneath the runway. There is a RIRO at Lone Eagle Drive, but I've seen other freeways with those.
• There are a few short limited access sections of MO 141 the longest of which is between Page and Ladue Rd
• The west end of Forest Park Blvd is limited access as is a small section in NE Forest Park
• MO 30 is a freeway across the Meramec River and MO 141
• IL 3 in Columbia is a freeway between I-255 and Main St
• MO 367 from I-270 to the Missouri River (may be too long for this thread)
• MO 79 for a short distance north of I-70

Technically not all have freeway speed limits but I think some others previously mentioned have <55 mph speed limits.

I'll add IL-15 around the south side of Belleville:  https://goo.gl/maps/aJApDh7kvZjg8yya9

I checked IL 15 but thought it was all expressway. I missed the section you highlighted between IL 158 and IL 159. Should have known better considering the number of drives I took to Eckart's.

[TheStranger]

Not as short as CA 77 but a couple of two-exit specials in California:

The CA 178 bypass of Lake Isabella:  https://goo.gl/maps/Lfiu97ufNX7VVsYz8
US 101 just north of Crescent City, up to the US 199 interchange:  https://goo.gl/maps/MDeMXNaYYAN2xBAy6

You could even count CA 178 Freeway in Bakersfield or is that too long? https://www.google.com/maps/@35.3902911,-118.9615467,6143m/data=!3m1!1e3

Route 178 links to the Route 204 freeway/expressway right?  (which links to Route 99)

CA 77 fits this thread perfectly:

https://www.gribblenation.org/2019/02/california-state-route-77-real-shortest.html?m=1

What's amusing about that specific example:

From when it was built ca. 1957-1958 to the late 1990s, 77 used to be a direct freeway spur from the Nimitz Freeway (now 880)!

But the old semi-directional T with 880 was removed some time ago so now it essentially starts and ends at intersections, with 77 having the one interchange and 2 overpasses in the middle.

Still surprising that Caltrans bothers to even sign this at all.

---

Other examples of isolated mini-freeway segments in California:

- La Cienega Boulevard in the Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area, Los Angeles.  (this was to have been part of the 170 extension from US 101 in Hollywood south to LAX, which was never completed)

- Route 90 between La Palma Avenue and Yorba Linda Boulevard in Yorba Linda . (The freeway ends two intersections north of the Riverside Freeway/Route 91)

- Route 1 between Pleasant Valley Road and Las Posas Road southeast of Oxnard.  This used to include another now-isolated short freeway, the segment of Oxnard Boulevard from Pleasant Valley to Rose Avenue; when the 2010s project to reroute Route 1 onto Rice Avenue commenced, the short freeway was rerouted to feed into that instead of the freeway segment to Rose.  (To this day, Rice still has not been signed as Route 1 even after the project was first completed around 2012-2013)

From the late 1950s to mid 2000s, there was a large Y interchange between Oxnard Boulevard (then Route 1, originally Alt US 101) and US 101/Ventura Freeway; this however never connected to the rest of the Route 1 freeway segment.

- Route 29 from Kesleyville to Lakeport in the Clearlake area

- Route 108 in East Sonora

- Route 65 in Porterville

- Alfred Harrell Highway in northeast Bakersfield

- Route 1 in Morro Bay, and a separate segment in Cayucos

- Route 20/49 from Grass Valley to Nevada City

- Route 70 from Oroville to Route 191 almost counts, but 149 is pretty much a high-speed expressway connector now leading northwest to the 99 expressway/freeway towards Chico

- Route 135 (and Route 1) in Orcutt, the portion of 135 that does not run along historic US 101

- Route 68 west of Salinas towards Spreckels - not connected to the Route 68 freeway in Monterey other than via 2-lane road

[kphoger]

I checked IL 15 but thought it was all expressway. I missed the section you highlighted between IL 158 and IL 159. Should have known better considering the number of drives I took to Eckart's.

I'm the opposite:  I remembered more of it being freeway than actually is.

[skluth]

A few more in So Cal

CA 86 going south from I-10 in Indio
CA 78 on the NE side of Brawley
CA 330 going NE to Big Bear from CA-210
CA 79 near Gilman Springs Road just NE of the Scientology HQ
CA 1 near its southern terminus at San Juan Capistrano

[MCRoads]

At present, CO-21 has a 4.20 mile section of freeway near its current northern end. After a new interchange is built, it will be about 2 miles longer.

In the distant future, it will not count at all, as an appropriately 3 mile section will be built to connect it to I-25, making it about 10 miles.

[DTComposer]

Several of the Santa Clara County Expressways have mini-freeway segments, the most notable being Central Expressway (CR G-6) between Oakmead and Mary in Santa Clara and Sunnyvale.

[TheHighwayMan3561]

The other that immediately came to my mind in Wisconsin is Campus Dr (unnumbered street) in Madison, WI.  Built in the 1960s to bypass a very congested and narrow part of W University Ave, which was formerly a couple of 'US' highways before the Beltline freeway was built.

I've always felt this is just a regular road with an interchange, not a freeway, similar to Snelling Avenue in St. Paul just south of the fairgrounds (which, frankly, that section of Snelling probably has a better argument for being called a freeway than Campus Drive does). But I suppose this comes down to opinion of "what is a freeway".

the section of Snelling Ave in question

[NWI_Irish96]

Two in Indiana

The new southern bypass of Logansport, carrying US 24/35 and then IN 25, is 4.1 miles long

US 31 at Kokomo is 12.6 miles long and perhaps stretching the definition of short.

There are a few other short freeways but they don't meet the criteria of not being connected to other freeways.

[Big John]

We have US 51 here in Madison from Buckeye Rd to WI 30.  The ramps at WI 30 means the freeway portion of US 51 ends before actually meeting the WI 30 freeway.

I imagine that's the kind of example you're looking for and not like a short freeway portion of a longer rural expressway. (Which there are too many of around the country to list.)

I'm thinking most examples will be like the Tillman Bridge in Green Bay:
http://mapper.acme.com/?ll=44.50892,-448.02175&z=15&t=S
A higher crossing of a navigable waterway with interchanges on one end or the other or both that serves as a de-facto freeway chunk.

I was going to mention the Mason St (WI 54/57) Fox River bridge in Green Bay, WI, too. It does have a regular sidewalk on its westbound side.  The other that immediately came to my mind in Wisconsin is Campus Dr (unnumbered street) in Madison, WI.  Built in the 1960s to bypass a very congested and narrow part of W University Ave, which was formerly a couple of 'US' highways before the Beltline freeway was built.

Mike

Most of the Mason St bridge is WI 54, with the east end unnumbered.  WI 57 does not enter it.

[JayhawkCO]

According to Rand McNally, we basically have four examples in Colorado:
CO47 which is a partial beltway of Pueblo that doesn't connect to anything else while still a freeway. It has a stoplight at its intersection with I-25.
US50 in Pueblo which is a freeway between Troy Street and 4th Street.
CO21 which is a freeway on the northeast side of Colorado Springs.
US285 is limited access between Santa Fe (US85) and Federal (CO88) for a bit before it goes back to open access for about a half a mile then back to limited access all the way to C-470 and a bit beyond.

[TheStranger]

Would Lexington, Kentucky's New Circle Road (KY 4) count?

13 miles of the belt route are limited-access...but there is not a single direct freeway link to I-64, I-75, or the Bluegrass Parkway!

Beyond that, not sure I can think of other examples in that state; in Louisville there is that one SPUI along South 9th Street (at West Oak) but otherwise all limited-access roads in the state do connect to each other.

[Great Lakes Roads]

Two in Indiana

The new southern bypass of Logansport, carrying US 24/35 and then IN 25, is 4.1 miles long

US 31 at Kokomo is 12.6 miles long and perhaps stretching the definition of short.

There are a few other short freeways but they don't meet the criteria of not being connected to other freeways.

I would add SR 37 through Fishers (between I-69 and 146th Street) as a "mini freeway" once construction is complete.

The Muncie Bypass from Cowman Road to McGalliard Road would also be considered a "mini freeway".

EDIT: I would add SR 49 between US 30 and Vale Park Road in Valparaiso as a "mini freeway".

Another section of SR 49 between E 600 N and N Calumet Ave/E 950 N would also be classified as a "mini freeway".

[SkyPesos]

There's a few I remember from St Louis

• US 67 between the Rock Rd and Natural Bridge Rd then underneath the runway. There is a RIRO at Lone Eagle Drive, but I've seen other freeways with those.
• There are a few short limited access sections of MO 141 the longest of which is between Page and Ladue Rd
• The west end of Forest Park Blvd is limited access as is a small section in NE Forest Park
• MO 30 is a freeway across the Meramec River and MO 141
• IL 3 in Columbia is a freeway between I-255 and Main St
• MO 367 from I-270 to the Missouri River (may be too long for this thread)
• MO 79 for a short distance north of I-70

Technically not all have freeway speed limits but I think some others previously mentioned have <55 mph speed limits.

For now, I wouldn't include MO 367 as it connects to I-270 at a full cloverleaf. Will probably count in the next few years, as iirc, the interchange modification includes removing 1 or 2 of the loops for signals.

Another possible one in the StL area: MO 21 between MO 141 and Hillsboro. It's a bit long, but fits the OP's criterion of not connecting to other freeways.

[Dirt Roads]

Do you count this, or does the canal access disqualify it?

Never seen that before.  The canal access connectors are not really RIROs, but certainly function that way.  I'll defer to the OP here, but I would certainly include it in my list of freeways.  On the other hand, I would not include the OP's example of Harshman Avenue in Riverside OH because it only has the one interchange.  That's qualifies as a "One Exit Wonder".

[MCRoads]

Do you count this, or does the canal access disqualify it?

Never seen that before.  The canal access connectors are not really RIROs, but certainly function that way.  I'll defer to the OP here, but I would certainly include it in my list of freeways.  On the other hand, I would not include the OP's example of Harshman Avenue in Riverside OH because it only has the one interchange.  That's qualifies as a "One Exit Wonder".

If it is ok on an interstate, it is ok here. Would post a link, but I am on mobile. But Exit 106 on I-25 in CO is literally this.

[NWI_Irish96]

Two in Indiana

The new southern bypass of Logansport, carrying US 24/35 and then IN 25, is 4.1 miles long

US 31 at Kokomo is 12.6 miles long and perhaps stretching the definition of short.

There are a few other short freeways but they don't meet the criteria of not being connected to other freeways.

I would add SR 37 through Fishers (between I-69 and 146th Street) as a "mini freeway" once construction is complete.

The Muncie Bypass from Cowman Road to McGalliard Road would also be considered a "mini freeway".

EDIT: I would add SR 49 between US 30 and Vale Park Road in Valparaiso as a "mini freeway".

Another section of SR 49 between E 600 N and N Calumet Ave/E 950 N would also be classified as a "mini freeway".

SR 37 connects to I-69 so that would violate the condition set out in the OP.

The northern part of SR 49 you cite only has one interchange between at grade intersections so I wouldn't count that.

The other two seem to fit though.

[kphoger]

If it is ok on an interstate, it is ok here. Would post a link, but I am on mobile. But Exit 106 on I-25 in CO is literally this.

https://goo.gl/maps/E7dLHB8FKstxUAck9
https://goo.gl/maps/kjow1wG5G4n5uKjVA

[GCrites]

Do you count this, or does the canal access disqualify it?

Never seen that before.  The canal access connectors are not really RIROs, but certainly function that way.  I'll defer to the OP here, but I would certainly include it in my list of freeways.  On the other hand, I would not include the OP's example of Harshman Avenue in Riverside OH because it only has the one interchange.  That's qualifies as a "One Exit Wonder".

It has interchanges with both Springfield Street and OH-4.

[kphoger]

I would not include the OP's example of Harshman Avenue in Riverside OH because it only has the one interchange.  That's qualifies as a "One Exit Wonder".

It has interchanges with both Springfield Street and OH-4.

With two at-grade intersections in between the them.  And the interchange with OH-4 is only free-flowing for OH-4:  Hershman has stoplights there.

[ran4sh]

If 20 miles counts as "short" then SR 10 Loop in Athens GA counts, it's a full freeway beltway of Athens that has no connection to other freeways

[Hobart]

There's a freeway bypass of Minot, North Dakota, with stop and go lights at each end.
https://www.google.com/maps/@48.223435,-101.2892367,13.1z

There's also the Amstutz Expressway (Illinois 137), and the Bobby Thompson expressway, two very short discontinuous segments of freeway in Waukegan separated by Sheridan Road in the middle.
https://www.google.com/maps/@42.3456388,-87.8400237,13.23z

There's also the Wisconsin 11 freeway bypass around Monroe, Wisconsin, with four exits.
https://www.google.com/maps/@42.6136677,-89.6446161,14.27z

Then you have the Elgin Bypass, capped with stop and go lights at both ends
https://www.google.com/maps/@42.0314769,-88.2913021,13.65z

Finally, at the end of my mindless rambling, is a huge technicality: Illinois 251 is technically a freeway in Peru south of Shooting Park Road. It drops below grade, has one cloverleaf with US-6, and crosses the Illinois River.
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.324999,-89.1178946,14.64z

Oh yeah, one more, Expressway Street in Council Bluffs. Technically it has no interchanges, but it goes onto an elevated bridge with a speed limit of 45 over an industrial area.
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.2473707,-95.8534233,744m/data=!3m1!1e3

[Joseph R P]

The Ronald Reagan National Airport Viaduct (VA 233) is a very short, low-speed freeway-ish road that runs from a trumpet interchange at US 1 to a signalized intersection at the airport access roads:

https://www.openstreetmap.org/#map=16/38.8506/-77.0496

I also know about the Central Valley Expressway (ID 16) near Boise, Idaho. It currently has no interchanges but is planned to be extended down to I 84.

https://www.openstreetmap.org/#map=14/43.6770/-116.4687

[DJ Particle]

MN:
US 169 Princeton bypass
MN 65 Cambridge bypass
MN 23 Paynesville bypass
US 2/71 Bemidji bypass

How about MN-23/US-71 around Willmar?

Yes, and the MN 60 bypass of St. James.

MN-51 just south of the state fairgrounds.  3 close-together exits on a 45-mph freeway stretch.

[Terry Shea]

M-53 in Michigan has a 9.7 mile freeway segment from 18 Mile Rd to 27 Mile Rd, in and just to the north of Sterling Heights.

[MATraveler128]

There's also a short stretch of US 1 freeway in Maine between Brunswick and Bath.