Freeways that terminate at airport arrival/departures

[OCGuy81]

I wasn't able to find a post like this digging through the archives, but what airports are served by freeways that take you all the way to the arrivals/departures?  I was trying to put an initial list together, though I'm sure I'm missing a lot!

ORD: Interstate 190 transitions into the service roads for arrivals and departures

SLC: UT-154 becomes the airport terminal service roads.

MKE: WI-119 ends and becomes the roads for arrivals/departures

BWI: Interstate 195 transitions into arrivals/departures

IAD: VA-267 transitions into arrivals/departures

JFK: I-678 ends at the airport

FLL:  Not sure if this counts, but it looks like the end ramps of Interstate 595 can put you on US-1 OR onto the arrival/departures roads.

[Max Rockatansky]

Peña Boulevard in Denver.

[WillWeaverRVA]

IAD: VA-267 transitions into arrivals/departures

Technically speaking, since VA 267 continues onto the Dulles Greenway, the segment that enters the IAD airport grounds is an unnumbered spur and not the actual route. This was true before the Greenway was built, though.

VA 233 is essentially a freeway, connecting US 1 to DCA.

[froggie]

Are you looking just for freeways that terminate at the airport access, or freeways that provide direct unencumbered access to the airport even if they don't terminate at the airport?  A couple of my examples below are the latter.

ATL:  It seems debatable to me but could a case be made for GA 6?

BDL:  While CT 20 itself continues along and doesn't directly connect to the airport, the freeway does and ends at a roundabout connecting to the airport access roads.

BOS:  While I-90 doesn't directly end at the airport, it comes very close and the terminus at MA 1A is technically next to airport grounds.

CVG:  In the "oh so close" category, if not for the I-275 interchange KY 212 would count.

MSP:  Not a "freeway termination" per se but Glumack Dr is a controlled-access connection from MN 5 to Terminal 1.

PVD:  There's a freeway connector from I-95 to the airport.  Not sure if it has a hidden route number.

[OCGuy81]

Are you looking just for freeways that terminate at the airport access, or freeways that provide direct unencumbered access to the airport even if they don't terminate at the airport?  A couple of my examples below are the latter.

ATL:  It seems debatable to me but could a case be made for GA 6?

BDL:  While CT 20 itself continues along and doesn't directly connect to the airport, the freeway does and ends at a roundabout connecting to the airport access roads.

BOS:  While I-90 doesn't directly end at the airport, it comes very close and the terminus at MA 1A is technically next to airport grounds.

CVG:  In the "oh so close" category, if not for the I-275 interchange KY 212 would count.

MSP:  Not a "freeway termination" per se but Glumack Dr is a controlled-access connection from MN 5 to Terminal 1.

PVD:  There's a freeway connector from I-95 to the airport.  Not sure if it has a hidden route number.

I was looking for freeways that terminate at the arrivals/departures, but these are certainly honorable mentions! :-)

[Dough4872]

The Airport Connector in Harrisburg, PA leads to the Harrisburg International Airport

[lepidopteran]

CMH - A freeway spur off of I-670 turns into International Gateway, which ends at the terminal. Though for the highway's first ~20 years, it intersected Stelzer Rd. at grade with a traffic signal.  It's never been clear to me if I-670 ends at I-270, or if its terminus is the airport itself; the remainder stretch of highway leading to I-270 was actually a US-62 freeway before 670 was built.

DAY - An unnumbered freeway runs about 1.5 miles from a trumpet interchange with I-70 to the airport terminal.  The highway, known only as "Airport Access Road", was built in the early '80s and includes a diamond interchange with US-40.

[hobsini2]

Coming close is the I-74/US 6 stub in Moline.
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.4523171,-90.5121628,2578m/data=!3m1!1e3?entry=ttu

The Arthur Storz "Expressway"/ Abbott Dr comes close in Omaha. It transitions to a boulevard for the last mile.
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.3073005,-95.9288495,2803m/data=!3m1!1e3?entry=ttu

I would say Sea Tac counts. The Airport Expressway feeds directly into the airport.
https://www.google.com/maps/@47.453156,-122.3036878,3034m/data=!3m1!1e3?entry=ttu

PDX (Portland OR) comes close with Airport Way if it wasn't for the stoplight at 82nd Ave.
https://www.google.com/maps/@45.5824697,-122.5786396,3107m/data=!3m1!1e3?entry=ttu

SLC (Salt Lake City) technically qualifies with UT 154 Bangerter Hwy/Terminal Dr. No stoplights between California Ave and the Airport.
https://www.google.com/maps/@40.7662807,-112.0039205,14.22z?entry=ttu

[WillWeaverRVA]

ON 409 terminates at Toronto Pearson International Airport.

[DriverDave]

Interstate 105 ends at LAX?

[bing101]

I-380 in the South San Francisco/San Bruno area ends near San Francisco International Airport.

[Rothman]

Coming close is the I-74/US 6 stub in Moline.
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.4523171,-90.5121628,2578m/data=!3m1!1e3?entry=ttu

The Arthur Storz "Expressway"/ Abbott Dr comes close in Omaha. It transitions to a boulevard for the last mile.
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.3073005,-95.9288495,2803m/data=!3m1!1e3?entry=ttu

I would say Sea Tac counts. The Airport Expressway feeds directly into the airport.
https://www.google.com/maps/@47.453156,-122.3036878,3034m/data=!3m1!1e3?entry=ttu

PDX (Portland OR) comes close with Airport Way if it wasn't for the stoplight at 82nd Ave.
https://www.google.com/maps/@45.5824697,-122.5786396,3107m/data=!3m1!1e3?entry=ttu

SLC (Salt Lake City) technically qualifies with UT 154 Bangerter Hwy/Terminal Dr. No stoplights between California Ave and the Airport.
https://www.google.com/maps/@40.7662807,-112.0039205,14.22z?entry=ttu

Regarding KSEA, it sure doesn't feel like it when you drive in there.

[formulanone]

FLL:  Not sure if this counts, but it looks like the end ramps of Interstate 595 can put you on US-1 OR onto the arrival/departures roads.

If you head straight (ease left), you go to Port Everglades on Eller Drive. It's probably the effective endpoint for I-595 since it doesn't have an exit number, but US 1 North does for Exit 12B (FLL and US 1 South share 12A). I couldn't find an End banner and have never seen one for I-595, but maybe there's one out there since all the reconstruction of those ramps.

[roadman65]

When I drove into Cincinnati' Airport located in the next state (lol) I noticed once leaving the terminal roads you go right into a 55 mph freeway. So it must be the opposite going in.

Miami now has SR 112 do it since 1990 when the toll road was extended to the airport entrance on LeJune Road.

[formulanone]

Tennessee SR 357 leading to Tri-Cities Regional Airport is probably the most obscure one. TRI is a fairly small airport...save the security line and jet bridges, it looks like it's right out of 1960.

[KCRoadFan]

That connector road in Dayton, Ohio comes to mind for me.

In addition, in my hometown: LP Cookingham Drive leading to KCI Airport.

[Evan_Th]

Honorable mention:  Aviation Parkway off I-540 has an unencumbered exit for RDU Airport.

(Heading the other direction, Aviation Parkway and Airport Blvd both connect to I-40, which's how most people actually get to the airport, but there're a few stoplights in the way.)

[cwf1701]

A forgotten close one is the for the former passenger terminal for Detroit Willow Run Airport. The Expressway system (built in 1942 to serve the bomber plant) had a ramp to the passenger terminal that operated there from 1945-70.

[roadman65]

If the City of Orlando didn't add stop lights on the spur from FL 417 to MCO, I would think the south access road would count as a full freeway. Apparently when building the Intermodal Rail Station they did it cheap and used two at grades rather than flyover ramps.

[Henry]

If you want to get technical...

CLE: OH 237 freeway ends, but the designation continues as a surface road.

IAH: A spur off the Hardy Toll Road leads into the terminals.

PIT: The northern end of PA 576 has ramps that lead directly to the airport.

[Hot Rod Hootenanny]

CMH - A freeway spur off of I-670 turns into International Gateway, which ends at the terminal. Though for the highway's first ~20 years, it intersected Stelzer Rd. at grade with a traffic signal.  It's never been clear to me if I-670 ends at I-270, or if its terminus is the airport itself; the remainder stretch of highway leading to I-270 was actually a US-62 freeway before 670 was built.

I didn't realize there was any questions concerning present routing of I-670 approaching Gahanna.
Before the freeway got built, the road leading into (then) Port Columbus was 17th Ave. (Actually the original terminal was on 5th Ave near Hamilton Rd). It was extended east of Stelzer Rd in 1958.
The section east of Stelzer, leading into the terminal, was renamed 'International Gateway' before I-670 was completed between I-71 & I-270. The road didn't become limited access, between I-670 and John Glenn terminal till 2007.
Otherwise, I-670 ends at I-270 and always had.
This newish end sign is east of the airport interchange...
https://goo.gl/maps/XcsEBFK6zpt158in7

[1995hoo]

FLL:  Not sure if this counts, but it looks like the end ramps of Interstate 595 can put you on US-1 OR onto the arrival/departures roads.

If you head straight (ease left), you go to Port Everglades on Eller Drive. It's probably the effective endpoint for I-595 since it doesn't have an exit number, but US 1 North does for Exit 12B (FLL and US 1 South share 12A). I couldn't find an End banner and have never seen one for I-595, but maybe there's one out there since all the reconstruction of those ramps.

When we returned the rental car at FLL before flying home earlier this year, it definitely felt a lot more like a ramp to the airport than it did I-595 continuing into the airport. It's a long, curving ramp, and as you note it's signed as an exit prior to the last signed exit on I-595. I might list it as an "honorable mention" because the ramp does ultimately take you to the rental car return, parking, and terminal, depending on how far you go, but it's not quite comparable to how the Dulles Access Road defaults you to the short-term parking or the terminal unless you exit sooner.



The OP mentions that I-678 (the Van Wyck Expressway) ends at JFK Airport. There's another highway that provides access to the same area, the JFK Expressway; it's mainly useful for traffic coming from, or going to, the Belt Parkway to and from areas east of the airport to bypass I-678.

[jmacswimmer]

Col. H. Weir Cook Memorial Drive is a (short) freeway from I-70 to the IND terminal in Indianapolis.

[JustDrive]

Interstate 105 ends at LAX?

105 ends at Imperial Hwy, south of the terminals.

[mrsman]

Interstate 105 ends at LAX?

105 ends at Imperial Hwy, south of the terminals.

And the exit for the Airport drops you onto Sepulveda Blvd north.  You hit a traffic signal and then continue through the tunnel with an exit for the Airport on the right.  (the left two lanes allow you to continue onto Sepulveda Blvd towards Culver City (or Santa Monica if you make a left at Lincoln).

The airport roadway system was designed as though it would lead directly to a freeway, but it does not.  The main entrance onto the Airport is on Century Blvd.  If you're driving on Century WB, after the last signal on Avion, the left three lanes will lead you to the Airport (either Depatrurs or Arivals level) with a lot of ramps and a bridge over Sepulveda Blvd.

Take a look at the 105 between Aviation and Sepulveda.  Half of the freeway was built right over Imperial Highway and the other half over parking lots of the cargo areas that are south of the runway (i.e. no buildings were torn down to build this).  Now imagine if this design were instead implemented over Century Blvd.  You'd still have a surface level Century Blvd to access all of the hotels, but the upper level could lead directly from the Airport Arrivals/Departures to  a freeway.  Just have 105 parallel Century instead of Imperial.  Between Aviation and Sepulveda, no buildings will need to be torn down.  For the 405 interchange and the areas to the east, of course some homes would need to be torn down (but they were anyway on the current path that was a mile to the south).  But the idea is that a direct connection to the airport to the freeways could be had.  This still does not exist today, because of the traffic signal on Sepulveda at the 105 off-ramp.

[My general path would basically be along 98th street between Aviation and La Brea (to make room for the 405/105 interchange), then the freeway would dip south of Century and parallel 104th to about Western, and then parallel 108th (so that the 110/105 interchange is halfway between Imperial and Century).  The freeway would essentially follow the corridor of a "wash" and an old railroad so as to be near 110th and then it would shift parallel to Santa Ana Blvd and head due southeast following that corridor and meeting up with the current freeway alignment around Alameda/Imperial.  So basically either corridor would still have a lot of homes lost, but my corridor would better serve the sports facilities of Inglewood and of course the Airport.  Of course SoFi and Intuit are new, but Hollywood Park and the Forum were around when 105 was constructed.]