http://web.archive.org/web/20030623215141/http://www.contrib.andrew.cmu.edu/~mn2n/tollun.html
Yup. Some of the e-library sites (Hathi Trust certainly, possibly Archive.org's own e-library side) actually have scanned documentation for some of these failed toll road proposals--Hathi, for example, has the feasibility studies for the Iowa and Michigan turnpikes.
Without wishing to oversell the contemporary relevance of these failures, I should point out that quite a few of these toll road proposals were motivated by an ongoing shortfall of federal funding for express highways, which was remedied by the Interstate legislation in 1956. Many turnpikes that were actually built had loan payment difficulties (e.g. Kansas Turnpike), while most that weren't already under construction were abandoned outright and replaced by untolled Interstates.
One important difference between the mid-1950's and the present is that tolling has fewer influential enemies now than it did back then. Thomas Harris MacDonald, the longtime BPR head (sometimes described as "the most powerful man you've never heard of"), disapproved of tolling and indeed criticized the Italian autostrade in 1926 on that basis, while Ziegler (head of the Michigan highway department) was so bitterly against tolls that I suspect he singlehandedly killed the Michigan turnpike proposal.
Quote from: hbelkins on May 04, 2014, 03:53:57 PM
http://web.archive.org/web/20030623215141/http://www.contrib.andrew.cmu.edu/~mn2n/tollun.html
OT: Where'd the rest of Michigan go on that map? :pan: :pan: :pan:
Just because it gets left off all the time doesn't make it okay!
There was a toll road in Oklahoma that was proposed to link the southern terminus of the Kansas Turnpike to the Turner Turnpike, roughly along the modern I-35 alignment. This project was cancelled because OTA's credit rating was overextended due to bonds from the Turner. However, the planning work was turned over to ODOT when I-35 became a reality.
Quote from: hbelkins on May 04, 2014, 03:53:57 PM
http://web.archive.org/web/20030623215141/http://www.contrib.andrew.cmu.edu/~mn2n/tollun.html
I thought there was also talk of a tollway in Nebraska connecting to the route across Iowa, IIRC connecting Omaha to Lincoln?
There was also discussion of toll facilities in Missouri for the US 40 and US 66 corridors in the early 1950's - the St. Louis City library had a copy of some legislative meeting transcripts discussing them.
The Maine Turnpike was originally planned to be extended all the way north to Fort Kent at the top of the state. The segment from Augusta to Sherman was eventually built as free I-95, which ended up being built to the border further east at Houlton.
Quote from: getemngo on May 04, 2014, 06:31:08 PM
Quote from: hbelkins on May 04, 2014, 03:53:57 PM
http://web.archive.org/web/20030623215141/http://www.contrib.andrew.cmu.edu/~mn2n/tollun.html
OT: Where'd the rest of Michigan go on that map? :pan: :pan: :pan:
Just because it gets left off all the time doesn't make it okay!
Where did that supplemental "e" in Corpus Christi came from?
Quote from: webfil on May 04, 2014, 11:31:18 PM
Quote from: getemngo on May 04, 2014, 06:31:08 PM
Quote from: hbelkins on May 04, 2014, 03:53:57 PM
http://web.archive.org/web/20030623215141/http://www.contrib.andrew.cmu.edu/~mn2n/tollun.html
OT: Where'd the rest of Michigan go on that map? :pan: :pan: :pan:
Just because it gets left off all the time doesn't make it okay!
Where did that supplemental "e" in Corpus Christi came from?
and let the governor of New Jersey jokes begin....
I don't remember which years, but there was a green (or yellow?) dashed line on some Rand McNally atlases in LA from the Westbank in New Orleans down to about Larose or so, for a few years, then nothing. I don't know if this was ever a really-planned toll road that never went anywhere, or what. I think this only appeared in the state-wide map; I don't remember seeing it in the New Orleans insets.
The NJ Turnpike talked about a toll road from near Interchange 2 to the AC Expressway a number of years back. For some reason, they proposed a route that would go thru many long-established towns and neighborhoods, rather than keeping it more to the south where fewer people would be impacted.
The proposal died a very quick death.
NJ 55 was first proposed as a toll road. Most of it was built as a free road. But who knows if the last section will be built. But it could be built as a toll road.
The "Carolina-Virginia Turnpike Authority" listed is likely the entity that was created to build a then-proposed "Outer Banks Toll road" from Virginia Beach to Nags Head. The proposal dates at least back to the late 1940s (if not earlier) and survived at least to 1965 where its connection showed up in the 1965 Southeast Virginia highway plan.
Quote from: froggie on May 06, 2014, 03:51:22 PM
The "Carolina-Virginia Turnpike Authority" listed is likely the entity that was created to build a then-proposed "Outer Banks Toll road" from Virginia Beach to Nags Head. The proposal dates at least back to the late 1940s (if not earlier) and survived at least to 1965 where its connection showed up in the 1965 Southeast Virginia highway plan.
that seems about the time when it died:
QuoteA 1966 study of Virginia's outdoor recreation resources recommended that a substantial ocean beachfront be made available for public use on the Atlantic Ocean south of Virginia Beach. The development of the park began with the purchase of approximately 4,300 acres of land.
http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/false-cape.shtml
The proposed Muskogee Turnpike extension to Poteau
The proposed US 69 turnpike from the Red River to Big Cabin (excluding the freeway section from Muskogee to McAlester).
I think there was a proposal for a turnpike from OKC to the panhandle.
Quote from: jeffandnicole on May 06, 2014, 09:17:45 AM
The NJ Turnpike talked about a toll road from near Interchange 2 to the AC Expressway a number of years back. For some reason, they proposed a route that would go thru many long-established towns and neighborhoods, rather than keeping it more to the south where fewer people would be impacted.
Probably because the Turnpike Authority's route-selecting process was "find the quickest route for Turnpike patrons" and not "keep communities intact".
Quote from: bugo on May 06, 2014, 06:07:09 PM
The proposed US 69 turnpike from the Red River to Big Cabin (excluding the freeway section from Muskogee to McAlester).
Man, I'd actually love to see this happen, just for the sake of extending I-45 into Oklahoma... but obviously it won't happen anytime soon. Plus, it would be
tolled so, yeah.
Quote from: getemngo on May 04, 2014, 06:31:08 PM
Quote from: hbelkins on May 04, 2014, 03:53:57 PM
http://web.archive.org/web/20030623215141/http://www.contrib.andrew.cmu.edu/~mn2n/tollun.html
OT: Where'd the rest of Michigan go on that map? :pan: :pan: :pan:
Just because it gets left off all the time doesn't make it okay!
Wisconsin took it, and then presumably Canada took it, and then blew it up.That's the funniest thing I could think of at 12:30 am. I am so sorry. :-(
Quote from: bugo on May 06, 2014, 06:07:09 PM
The proposed Muskogee Turnpike extension to Poteau
The proposed US 69 turnpike from the Red River to Big Cabin (excluding the freeway section from Muskogee to McAlester).
I think there was a proposal for a turnpike from OKC to the panhandle.
This reminded me of another big turnpike proposal–a diagonal from I-35 at Davis to Ada to I-40 at Henryetta. Then it was cut back to a spur to Ada. Then it was cut back to Sulphur and Roff, and further cut back to two lanes, and what was actually built? You guessed it, the Chickasaw Turnpike.
I spotted on DetroitYes forum, a thread about the proposed and aborted Michigan Turnpike authority in the 1950s.
http://www.detroityes.com/mb/showthread.php?11826-Michigan-Turnpike-Authority
as well as a map of the proposed corridor
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Michigan_Turnpike_map_1955.png
Funny how the Houston to Corpus road was never built...until now
The NJ Turnpike, had a proposal once to extend it northward to connect with the NY State Thruway, but as you can see now it never got built.
The Florida Turnpike once had a proposal to extend it north of its present day northern terminus to US 19/98 near Lebanon Station that got shelved for a while, but the talks are on again to make it happen.
There was once a "Sunpike" toll road proposed for South Florida. All I could find on it was
http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1994-12-13/news/9412120445_1_tri-rail-toll-road-dade-county (http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1994-12-13/news/9412120445_1_tri-rail-toll-road-dade-county)
http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1995-02-06/business/9502030170_1_toll-roads-privatization-kimley (http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1995-02-06/business/9502030170_1_toll-roads-privatization-kimley)
ISTR that in Ohio, the "missing link" of I-73 between Toledo and Columbus was once planned to be a toll road. Not sure if it was to be multiplexed with (and toll added to?) I-75 north of Findlay, or a separate parallel highway was envisioned closer to US-23, but either way that ship sailed a while ago.
(The only toll road in the Buckeye State at present is the James W. Shocknessy Ohio Turnpike. Unless you count the 50-cent toll on the Cedar Point Causeway, if that toll still exists.)
I still don't get the thinking behind the Acadian Thruway proposal. It would have made more sense to have the thruway go from Texas to Mississippi, bypassing the major cities and passing between Baton Rouge and New Orleans but otherwise following the real I-10/12 corridor. Such a route would have actually facilitated cross-country traffic without the Baton Rouge cluster of the real route.
Quote from: txstateends on May 06, 2014, 06:41:21 AM
I don't remember which years, but there was a green (or yellow?) dashed line on some Rand McNally atlases in LA from the Westbank in New Orleans down to about Larose or so, for a few years, then nothing. I don't know if this was ever a really-planned toll road that never went anywhere, or what. I think this only appeared in the state-wide map; I don't remember seeing it in the New Orleans insets.
I think this was something that was proposed but not built. The part of it that actually exists is called the "Lafitte-Larose Highway" even though it doesn't even go to Lafitte, much less to Larose. There's a bridge north of Lafitte over the bayou that goes nowhere; it exits to the road along the bayou and just dies. (I've actually driven over it.) You can tell that it was designed to go to Larose, though.
I can't imagine at this time that Louisiana would ever build this. Perhaps to help commercial traffic go between Port Fourchon and New Orleans, which apparently isn't a big problem with existing roads. Other than that, I don't see a compelling reason to build it.
Wasn't the Chicago Skyway originally planned to continue on northwestward through Chicago from its original 'ghost' stub end and then on towards the MStP area, roughly following US 12? This would have continued the current cross-country tollway that runs eastward towards NYC.
Mike
Crosstown Expressway was to link to the skyway.
The Northwest Tollway, Tri-State Tollway where built in the 1950's what was the plans for linking the Tri-State Tollway to IN tollroad back then? What the the MI toll road?
There was also the NJ 92 proposal of the NJ Turnpike that finally got canned
CA-56 (Sorrento Freeway) Between I-5/I-805 merge to east of Poway, CA. It was realigned the proposed CA-56 freeway to several miles north of original proposed Sorrento Freeway (CA-56).
http://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~238655~5511604:Progress-Map,-California-Interstate?sort=Pub_List_No_InitialSort%2CPub_Date%2CPub_List_No%2CSeries_No&qvq=w4s:/where/California;q:california%2Btransportation;sort:Pub_List_No_InitialSort%2CPub_Date%2CPub_List_No%2CSeries_No;lc:RUMSEY~8~1&mi=88&trs=102 (http://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~238655~5511604:Progress-Map,-California-Interstate?sort=Pub_List_No_InitialSort%2CPub_Date%2CPub_List_No%2CSeries_No&qvq=w4s:/where/California;q:california%2Btransportation;sort:Pub_List_No_InitialSort%2CPub_Date%2CPub_List_No%2CSeries_No;lc:RUMSEY~8~1&mi=88&trs=102)
There was the NE Extension of the PA Turnpike that would have went further north of its current terminus in Clarks Summit, PA if I-81 had not been built.
Back in the 1990s the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority was wanting to build turnpikes from Duncan to Davis and another one from Clinton to Snyder. Neither one made any sense to me. Given the fact the roads were never built I guess they didn't make sense to too many lawmakers.
QuoteThe proposed US 69 turnpike from the Red River to Big Cabin (excluding the freeway section from Muskogee to McAlester).
I would be in favor of such a turnpike or free access Interstate style facility. I'd have a hard time finding another highway with at-grade intersections that has as much truck traffic as this route.
Quote from: bugoI think there was a proposal for a turnpike from OKC to the panhandle.
It's been years since I've seen it, but I remember a map showing the locations of various turnpike proposals in Oklahoma. There was a bunch, including an Oklahoma City to Woodward & Boise City turnpike.
I wouldn't mind seeing a turnpike or freeway from OKC to Woodward, but would really prefer a full blown Interstate directly linking Oklahoma City to Denver. IMHO, that's a very major "spoke" missing from the highway system. It would be a diagonal route like I-44 just flipped the opposite directly. There's not very many Southeast to Northwest diagonal Interstate highways and there's none in the Great Plains. A turnpike from Oklahoma City to Woodward alone probably wouldn't generate enough traffic to be cost effective. A complete link from I-70 at Limon, CO spanning down through Woodward and then into OKC at I-40 would get a bunch of long haul traffic (and toll revenue if the road was a turnpike).
Quote from: roadman65 on May 07, 2014, 08:18:37 AM
The NJ Turnpike, had a proposal once to extend it northward to connect with the NY State Thruway, but as you can see now it never got built.
Doing some unrelated research I was reading through some Bergen County newspapers from 1956, and I was surprised how much serious coverage this proposal actually got. For better or for worse, Bergen was developing so fast in those days that acquiring the right-of-way to run another highway through didn't take long to become impossible. Just a few years earlier, the Parkway was built through a lot of farmland in northern Bergen, but those farms were vanishing every day (and are about 99.5% gone today).
If and when the Airport Parkway in the Jackson area is ever built, most likely, it will be a toll road.
Quote from: roadman65 on May 16, 2014, 12:02:45 PM
There was the NE Extension of the PA Turnpike that would have went further north of its current terminus in Clarks Summit, PA if I-81 had not been built.
Well for that matter, there were about seven other PA Turnpike extensions in the planning phase that were transferred over to the PA Department of Highways and built as free Interstates (or as a US Route in the case of the Gettysburg Extension) after passage of the 1956 Highway Act.
Quote from: Jeff Kitsko - PAHighways.com
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fupload.wikimedia.org%2Fwikipedia%2Fcommons%2Fthumb%2F7%2F7b%2FI-81.svg%2F20px-I-81.svg.png&hash=be54a6de4a0991ed66d52358d5126863320649b3) | Scranton Extension |
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fupload.wikimedia.org%2Fwikipedia%2Fcommons%2Fthumb%2F6%2F61%2FI-95.svg%2F20px-I-95.svg.png&hash=83c71a47fbe1b86087df03c43537184b91d71fd1) | Philadelphia Loop Extension |
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fupload.wikimedia.org%2Fwikipedia%2Fcommons%2Fthumb%2Fa%2Fa5%2FI-476.svg%2F25px-I-476.svg.png&hash=be398e26b919fff3d94c51f88ef7856386a7f5a3) | Chester Extension |
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fupload.wikimedia.org%2Fwikipedia%2Fcommons%2Fthumb%2F8%2F8c%2FUS_15.svg%2F20px-US_15.svg.png&hash=7a9a5be70f98bd0b2d6d876c9fbbadb2cab011b6) | Gettysburg Extension |
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fupload.wikimedia.org%2Fwikipedia%2Fcommons%2Fthumb%2Fb%2Fb1%2FI-79.svg%2F20px-I-79.svg.png&hash=2a9b60fe935e1b47aa6c2216637320c820cbc185) | Northwestern/Southwestern Extension |
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fupload.wikimedia.org%2Fwikipedia%2Fcommons%2Fthumb%2Fc%2Fca%2FI-90.svg%2F20px-I-90.svg.png&hash=9a36a5049cfc8e71f0ab9fba753c58b7a54bfa03) | Northwestern Extension |
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fupload.wikimedia.org%2Fwikipedia%2Fcommons%2Fthumb%2F1%2F11%2FI-80.svg%2F20px-I-80.svg.png&hash=6a96040be44f0dde80c809ef02e2c8f46569df7c) | Sharon to Stroudsburg Lateral Connection |
I think the most interesting proposal was an early plan for what is today I-80 to run from Stroudsburg westward to a terminus at the Susquehanna River in Millersburg–assumably a parallel of US 209. But why there–and why end it in a one-horse town 30 miles from the turnpike mainline? I wouldn't be surprised if the PTC's chairman at the time, Thomas J. Evans, a "good ol' boy" from Schuylkill County who was later convicted of defrauding the commission of millions, was instrumental in that plan.
I recall seeing a mid-fifties drivers' ed textbook with a similar map showing turnpikes from Atlanta to Birmingham, Chattanooga and Greenville.
Quote from: SimMoonXP on May 13, 2014, 08:57:22 PM
CA-56 (Sorrento Freeway) Between I-5/I-805 merge to east of Poway, CA. It was realigned the proposed CA-56 freeway to several miles north of original proposed Sorrento Freeway (CA-56).
http://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~238655~5511604:Progress-Map,-California-Interstate?sort=Pub_List_No_InitialSort%2CPub_Date%2CPub_List_No%2CSeries_No&qvq=w4s:/where/California;q:california%2Btransportation;sort:Pub_List_No_InitialSort%2CPub_Date%2CPub_List_No%2CSeries_No;lc:RUMSEY~8~1&mi=88&trs=102 (http://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~238655~5511604:Progress-Map,-California-Interstate?sort=Pub_List_No_InitialSort%2CPub_Date%2CPub_List_No%2CSeries_No&qvq=w4s:/where/California;q:california%2Btransportation;sort:Pub_List_No_InitialSort%2CPub_Date%2CPub_List_No%2CSeries_No;lc:RUMSEY~8~1&mi=88&trs=102)
I don't know that CA-56 was ever proposed as a toll road.
There are at least 3 dead toll road proposals in California that I know of.
State Route 276: This would have connected State Route 198 with a proposed recreation complex planned by Disney in the Mineral King area near Sequoia National Park.
State Route 57 extension: This project was one of 4 that were approved as part of California's first public-private partnership law. It would have extended State Route 57 south from its current terminus at the Orange Crush to I-405. It would have been located within the Santa Ana Flood Control Channel right-of-way.
Mid-State Tollway: This was another of the 4 projects that was approved as part of the aforementioned P3 law. This route would have run from I-80 between Dixon and Vacaville to the I-680/State Route 84 junction near Sunol, roughly the same routing as State Route 84. A spur would have connected with the I-505/I-80 junction in Vacavlle and another spur would have served the I-205/I-580 junction near Tracy; the latter spur is roughly the same as unbuilt State Route 239. The northern end of the route was later truncated to the junction of State Route 4 and State Route 160. This was due to high costs associated with the two high-level bridges that would have been needed to cross the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers (both of which are major shipping channels at those locations) and community opposition in Solano County.
Info on the State Route 57 extension and the Mid-State Tollway can be found at
http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/paffairs/about/toll/rt57.htm
http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/paffairs/about/toll/midstate.htm
Quote from: jrouse on May 27, 2014, 03:51:07 PM
Quote from: SimMoonXP on May 13, 2014, 08:57:22 PM
CA-56 (Sorrento Freeway) Between I-5/I-805 merge to east of Poway, CA. It was realigned the proposed CA-56 freeway to several miles north of original proposed Sorrento Freeway (CA-56).
http://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~238655~5511604:Progress-Map,-California-Interstate?sort=Pub_List_No_InitialSort%2CPub_Date%2CPub_List_No%2CSeries_No&qvq=w4s:/where/California;q:california%2Btransportation;sort:Pub_List_No_InitialSort%2CPub_Date%2CPub_List_No%2CSeries_No;lc:RUMSEY~8~1&mi=88&trs=102 (http://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~238655~5511604:Progress-Map,-California-Interstate?sort=Pub_List_No_InitialSort%2CPub_Date%2CPub_List_No%2CSeries_No&qvq=w4s:/where/California;q:california%2Btransportation;sort:Pub_List_No_InitialSort%2CPub_Date%2CPub_List_No%2CSeries_No;lc:RUMSEY~8~1&mi=88&trs=102)
I don't know that CA-56 was ever proposed as a toll road.
Prior to finding non-toll revenues to build CA 56, there was a political thought in the mid-1990s that tolls could be levied on the section between Carmel Valley Road and Black Mountain Road. But this idea never took hold, and a local proposition later allowed development along the CA 56 corridor, and funding was found to have the freeway fully open by 2004.
More on this at:
https://www.aaroads.com/california/ca-056.html
There was a proposal to build the West Virginia Turnpike north of Charleston to Parkersburg, but it was never built.
Quote from: andy3175 on May 27, 2014, 11:58:29 PM
Quote from: jrouse on May 27, 2014, 03:51:07 PM
Quote from: SimMoonXP on May 13, 2014, 08:57:22 PM
CA-56 (Sorrento Freeway) Between I-5/I-805 merge to east of Poway, CA. It was realigned the proposed CA-56 freeway to several miles north of original proposed Sorrento Freeway (CA-56).
http://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~238655~5511604:Progress-Map,-California-Interstate?sort=Pub_List_No_InitialSort%2CPub_Date%2CPub_List_No%2CSeries_No&qvq=w4s:/where/California;q:california%2Btransportation;sort:Pub_List_No_InitialSort%2CPub_Date%2CPub_List_No%2CSeries_No;lc:RUMSEY~8~1&mi=88&trs=102 (http://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~238655~5511604:Progress-Map,-California-Interstate?sort=Pub_List_No_InitialSort%2CPub_Date%2CPub_List_No%2CSeries_No&qvq=w4s:/where/California;q:california%2Btransportation;sort:Pub_List_No_InitialSort%2CPub_Date%2CPub_List_No%2CSeries_No;lc:RUMSEY~8~1&mi=88&trs=102)
I don't know that CA-56 was ever proposed as a toll road.
Prior to finding non-toll revenues to build CA 56, there was a political thought in the mid-1990s that tolls could be levied on the section between Carmel Valley Road and Black Mountain Road. But this idea never took hold, and a local proposition later allowed development along the CA 56 corridor, and funding was found to have the freeway fully open by 2004.
More on this at:
https://www.aaroads.com/california/ca-056.html
Thanks Andy. I was not aware of this.
The route of I-80 was proposed as a New Jersey Turnpike extension in this early 50s map (which also shows the erstwhile Northern Extension route):
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5235/14155293240_86b6fbb6fb.jpg)
(from http://mapmaker.rutgers.edu/MAPS.html)
In the early 1990's there was a proposal to build a toll road in Orlando that would have connected FL 528/Bee Line Expressway to I-4 near Kaley Avenue. It was known as the Central Connector and would have been signed as State Road 529. The primary purpose would have been to provide a faster route between downtown Orlando and the airport.
Quote from: RG407 on June 15, 2014, 10:14:20 PM
In the early 1990's there was a proposal to build a toll road in Orlando that would have connected FL 528/Bee Line Expressway to I-4 near Kaley Avenue. It was known as the Central Connector and would have been signed as State Road 529. The primary purpose would have been to provide a faster route between downtown Orlando and the airport.
The neighborhoods in it's path didn't want any parts of it. Hope they're enjoying the clusterfuck Semoran Boulevard is now, not to mention where it connects to the Bee (Beach) Line...
Add: Wasn't the Goldenrod Extension supposed to be the south end of the Connector?
Quote from: DeaconG on June 21, 2014, 01:12:24 PM
Quote from: RG407 on June 15, 2014, 10:14:20 PM
In the early 1990's there was a proposal to build a toll road in Orlando that would have connected FL 528/Bee Line Expressway to I-4 near Kaley Avenue. It was known as the Central Connector and would have been signed as State Road 529. The primary purpose would have been to provide a faster route between downtown Orlando and the airport.
The neighborhoods in it's path didn't want any parts of it. Hope they're enjoying the clusterfuck Semoran Boulevard is now, not to mention where it connects to the Bee (Beach) Line...
Add: Wasn't the Goldenrod Extension supposed to be the south end of the Connector?
The Central Connector would have connected with the Bee Line at or near the Orange Avenue overpass. Goldenrod is a few miles to the east and on the other side of the airport.
And speaking of Semoran (SR436), the Expressway Authority has toyed with the idea of making it a toll road between the airport and SR408, but it's never shown up in any long-term plans. I think that's why the interchange with SR528 is signed as Exit 1.