The mention of Mass. 146 in another thread got me to thinking about its underpasses with what is clearly room for more lanes that never got built.
The Housatonic River bridge on I-84 has room for a third lane on a road that is otherwise two lanes each way in that area.
When I was a kid and did not understand the climate of highway construction, I saw these and got excited that the bulldozers would be showing up in the near future. However, these scenarios remain the same today.
Where else has the capacity for road widening been built in but never used?
The new Woodrow Wilson Bridge on the Capital Beltway was (wisely, IMO) built with extra space on the inner carriageways (extra-wide left shoulder) to allow for HOV or a bus lane or some other type of transit use that is as yet TBD.
It's probably not fair in this case to say "never used" just yet because to me "never" implies it's been sitting there unused for a long time, but I think it's probably fair to list current projects built with provisions for widening in the future.
How about when they took away the extra lanes that existed from day one?
Betsy Ross Bridge 1976-1998 or so: 8 lanes, no shoulder and no median
1998-Now: 6 lanes with right shoulders. Some of the original striping is visible through the paint they put over them.
Two or three of the bridges on I-93 south of Derry, NH were rebuilt in the 1990s with extra-wide decks to accommodate future travel lanes. Although it now appears these bridges will be incorporated into the current Salem to Manchester widening project, the extra width was originally provided on the decks in anticipation of roadway changes due to the proposal for the Mall of New Hampshire being constructed off of exit 4 in Londonderry (which was the original plan) instead of at the mall's current location off of South Willow Street in Manchester.
Quote from: 1995hoo on December 09, 2014, 10:13:31 AM
The new Woodrow Wilson Bridge on the Capital Beltway was (wisely, IMO) built with extra space on the inner carriageways (extra-wide left shoulder) to allow for HOV or a bus lane or some other type of transit use that is as yet TBD.
It's probably not fair in this case to say "never used" just yet because to me "never" implies it's been sitting there unused for a long time, but I think it's probably fair to list current projects built with provisions for widening in the future.
It's not meant to exclude newer examples, although to me the older examples are more interesting in how they show a divergence of vision from how reality worked out.
For those who aren't familiar with Route 146, it's pretty cool:
http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=42.060557,-71.65015&spn=0.011359,0.024784&t=m&z=16&layer=c&cbll=42.060617,-71.650329&panoid=TV7hrPe7CfewiDc9XuYGsg&cbp=12,280.53,,0,-0.06
http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=42.076438,-71.682336&spn=0.01142,0.024784&t=m&z=16&layer=c&cbll=42.076505,-71.682401&panoid=WLnveVx3FdFJaltClgdAaA&cbp=12,310.89,,0,-0.56
http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=42.082633,-71.689289&spn=0.011419,0.024784&t=m&z=16&layer=c&cbll=42.082709,-71.689374&panoid=74ttynXiZ4lBuna3kH-rjw&cbp=12,289.7,,0,-1.68
The lower level of the GWB was apparently designed for a subway line instead of more roadway.
US 220 south of Bedford (http://goo.gl/HLaVhU) at the Cumberland Rd overpass was clearly designed for the I-99 expansion to Cumberland that isn't happening (and isn't really needed). In fact, the whole run up the side of the mountain until Cumberland Rd joins 220 seems designed for dual carriageways. (http://goo.gl/t2fHOr)
For some reason, I can't seen to get GSV (nor can I correctly view NE2's links).
When I-95 at the Philadelphia International Airport interchange was built in the 1980s, despite I-695 being cancelled years earlier; accomodations for that expressway were still built in the interchange. Along I-95 Southbound, the flyover ramp to the Airport Arrivals roadway shows space underneath it large enough to accomodate a separate roadways (parallel I-695). The original fly-over ramp for the Departures Roadway had similar space as well but that ramp was relocated & replaced when Terminal A-West was built in 2000-2001.
Along I-476 in Nether Providence Twp., Delaware County, PA; several overpasses (between Baltimore Pike and up to including the US 1 interchange) were built for the originally-planned 6-lane roadway but are currently striped for 4-lanes.
I-5 in Eugene has three new bridges (McKenzie River, Willamette River, SR 58 interchange) that can be used as 6 laners but are currently set up as 4-laners. ODOT has no plans to do anything until the 2030's despite the volume of traffic being high. They did a short 6-lane section between I-105 and SR 569/Beltline Road some years ago. To connect the two river bridges with the current 6-lane section would be child's play but once again there's that lack of urgency which has taken root in ODOT.
Rick
A pair of underpasses on NY 104 east of Rochester were built with room for a third lane each way, as was the Five Mile Line Rd overpass, so I'm guessing Region 4 at least had thoughts of widening NY 104 between Bay Rd and Hard Rd at some point.
Most Thruway overpasses/underpasses have extra space in the median. This also comes in handy during bridge replacements as the Thruway just needs to shift the lanes over; usually closures would be needed for such a project.
US 209 south of Kingston, NY is two lanes but has room for four lanes which were never built. Overpasses are "to one side."
Quote from: Pete from Boston on December 09, 2014, 10:09:58 AM
The mention of Mass. 146 in another thread got me to thinking about its underpasses with what is clearly room for more lanes that never got built.
Was this intended for a dual-dual configuration? Those overpass spans seem bizarrely short.
Quote from: sbeaver44 on December 09, 2014, 12:16:27 PM
In fact, the whole run up the side of the mountain until Cumberland Rd joins 220 seems designed for dual carriageways.
I wouldn't tie it in so directly with I-99, in part because that segment of 220 dates back to 1969, but also because this appears to have been standard procedure for all PA super two projects at the time. US 15 around Gettysburg and PA 147 near Milton were basically identical.
Quote from: SteveG1988 on December 09, 2014, 10:23:47 AM
How about when they took away the extra lanes that existed from day one?
Not far away from me: The Richmond-San Rafael Bridge was designed to accommodate three lanes in each direction (upper and lower decks), but a severe drought in the late '70s required closing a lane and running a water pipeline in its place. Those third lanes never reopened, leaving only two lanes per deck and an abnormally wide shoulder.
In northeast Sacramento, then-I-880 was constructed as dual-freeway configuration (not unlike today's 805/5 junction in Sorrento Valley) in anticipation for the new I-80 alignment through North Sacramento on a railroad right of way. After the 1979 cancellation of that project (whose funds were transferred to today's light rail system), with mainline 80 moved to 880 (and old 80, built as 40/99E, becoming today's business route), the planned alignment for 80 was instead used for that light rail system, covering three stations (Roseville Road, Watt/I-80 West, Watt/I-80) and their parking lots with a westbound left-exit (Exit 94) for the Watt/I-80 station.
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Roseville+Road+Station+(WB)/@38.6442393,-121.391572,3190m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m2!3m1!1s0x809ad9a701bf6f75:0x2880ff036395a294
It's no longer accessible to traffic due to construction, but the tunnel under Barney Circle in Southeast DC was built to accommodate an Interstate highway. It was never built and ultimately the tunnel carried a single lane each way to provide access to and from RFK Stadium.
https://www.google.com/maps/@38.8785298,-76.9796486,3a,75y,240.33h,89.56t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sKZaTd_JCTymBSyQ6YxXQcg!2e0
Quote from: 1995hoo on December 09, 2014, 01:44:43 PM
It's no longer accessible to traffic due to construction, but the tunnel under Barney Circle in Southeast DC was built to accommodate an Interstate highway. It was never built and ultimately the tunnel carried a single lane each way to provide access to and from RFK Stadium.
https://www.google.com/maps/@38.8785298,-76.9796486,3a,75y,240.33h,89.56t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sKZaTd_JCTymBSyQ6YxXQcg!2e0
Something I've wondered: In the end, other than taking a less direct route, the current 11th Street/695 connector to 295 basically is as equally functional as the Barney Circle Freeway would have been, correct? (Given how controversial the Barney Circle proposal was, I'm surprised that using the existing 11th Street right of way was not considered until much later)
Quote from: TheStranger on December 09, 2014, 02:04:23 PM
Quote from: 1995hoo on December 09, 2014, 01:44:43 PM
It's no longer accessible to traffic due to construction, but the tunnel under Barney Circle in Southeast DC was built to accommodate an Interstate highway. It was never built and ultimately the tunnel carried a single lane each way to provide access to and from RFK Stadium.
https://www.google.com/maps/@38.8785298,-76.9796486,3a,75y,240.33h,89.56t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sKZaTd_JCTymBSyQ6YxXQcg!2e0
Something I've wondered: In the end, other than taking a less direct route, the current 11th Street/695 connector to 295 basically is as equally functional as the Barney Circle Freeway would have been, correct? (Given how controversial the Barney Circle proposal was, I'm surprised that using the existing 11th Street right of way was not considered until much later)
I don't know. In terms of access to the Southeast—Southwest Freeway from DC-295, I believe you are correct. I do not remember whether the Barney Circle Freeway would have provided southbound access to Pennsylvania Avenue. If it would have, then it would have provided something the new 11th Street Bridge system doesn't, as the access from southbound DC-295 to Pennsylvania Avenue is incomplete due to there being a missing ramp, and you can't make a "cloverleaf U-turn" there due to a missing loop ramp.
(There is a road connecting what used to be the stub end of the freeway, roughly where the camera was in the Street View link I posted, with Barney Circle–if you pan the camera around, you can see it. It's always been marked with "DO NOT ENTER" signs at each end, though I've seen people ignore those signs often enough. I don't know whether that road is now available for RFK Stadium traffic due to the closure of the eastern end of the freeway because I didn't make it to any DC United games this year and I seldom have reason to drive through that area unless I'm going to a game.)
Quote from: briantroutman on December 09, 2014, 01:29:25 PM
Quote from: Pete from Boston on December 09, 2014, 10:09:58 AM
The mention of Mass. 146 in another thread got me to thinking about its underpasses with what is clearly room for more lanes that never got built.
Was this intended for a dual-dual configuration? Those overpass spans seem bizarrely short.
No - Route 146 was built as two lanes, which are now the northbound side. When they widened it to four lanes, they decided to put a wider median in this area, leaving the extra space and unused bridge.
Quote from: NE2 on December 09, 2014, 12:07:55 PM
For those who aren't familiar with Route 146, it's pretty cool:
http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=42.060557,-71.65015&spn=0.011359,0.024784&t=m&z=16&layer=c&cbll=42.060617,-71.650329&panoid=TV7hrPe7CfewiDc9XuYGsg&cbp=12,280.53,,0,-0.06
http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=42.076438,-71.682336&spn=0.01142,0.024784&t=m&z=16&layer=c&cbll=42.076505,-71.682401&panoid=WLnveVx3FdFJaltClgdAaA&cbp=12,310.89,,0,-0.56
http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=42.082633,-71.689289&spn=0.011419,0.024784&t=m&z=16&layer=c&cbll=42.082709,-71.689374&panoid=74ttynXiZ4lBuna3kH-rjw&cbp=12,289.7,,0,-1.68
Quote from: NE2 on December 09, 2014, 02:37:27 PM
No - Route 146 was built as two lanes, which are now the northbound side. When they widened it to four lanes, they decided to put a wider median in this area, leaving the extra space and unused bridge.
That explains it -- this is not unused ROW, it's disused. It's been a few years since I was down that road, but I recall the extra space and had always assumed it was a future part of the long-term upgrades to the corridor. Live and learn.
It's never-used. Disused implies it was once used.
Quote from: NE2 on December 09, 2014, 05:02:05 PM
It's never-used. Disused implies it was once used.
Then I'm misunderstanding. I thought you were saying that when it was widened, the now-empty parts were northbound lanes that were abandoned.
No. The current northbound lanes were two-way when it was built. Provisions were left for southbound lanes, but these were never used: instead the southbound lanes were built farther west.
http://www.historicaerials.com/aerials.php?scale=2&lat=42.083&lon=-71.69&year=1971
All of KY 67. Grade was excavated and filled for two carriageways, but only one was built.
There's that stretch of US 50 in Illinois that actually has the bridges built for the second set of lanes, but they are unusued.
The US 127 bypass of Jamestown, Tenn., is like this, as is a stretch of US 169 in Kansas (that was the focus of one of the "Where's Steve" photos).
Quote from: hbelkins on December 09, 2014, 07:43:00 PM
All of KY 67. Grade was excavated and filled for two carriageways, but only one was built.
Aren't there also mounds of dirt for future overpasses?
The I-95 portion of the Delaware Turnpike was built with accommodations for a express-local type configuration. Underpasses at DE 273 and 896 all have extra segments to cross these never built lanes and the extra wide overpass from DE 1 North to I-95 South was meant for this.
Iowa DOT recently replaced the bridges on I-80 over the Cedar River, and they now have 2 lanes with room for a third on the left. However, I think this falls in the same category as the Woodrow Wilson Bridge mentioned upthread; the third lane has never been used, but it probably will be before the bridge needs to be replaced again.
If an overly wide ROW counts as an unused accommodation for a road, than there are two examples in the Quad Cities: East Kimberly Rd (https://www.google.com/maps/@41.5567712,-90.5489725,3a,75y,75.97h,81.83t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sOHFDcCaegY_MbNrqgou4sQ!2e0) (US-6) in Davenport (there is a set of power lines on either side of the road that is roughly on the ROW line), and Avenue of the Cities (https://www.google.com/maps/@41.4895396,-90.4495628,3a,75y,286.45h,86.58t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sYQcFsD3vYN7T00mNiWxXIA!2e0) (formerly 42nd Ave/IL-2) in East Moline. I'm pretty sure the ROW includes everything between the frontage roads.
Quote from: NE2 on December 09, 2014, 07:52:04 PM
Quote from: hbelkins on December 09, 2014, 07:43:00 PM
All of KY 67. Grade was excavated and filled for two carriageways, but only one was built.
Aren't there also mounds of dirt for future overpasses?
All the grade separations are KY 67 over the other routes. The grade is done right up to where the bridge would be built. Can't think of any places where a road might cross over the Industrial Parkway.
I also thought of another place. Some work was done on I-64 in the Huntington area that left room for a third lane, but I believe that route's being widened right now. I haven't been up there since last August, 16 months ago, but I think some construction signs were just going up back then.
Quote from: hbelkins on December 09, 2014, 09:44:00 PM
Can't think of any places where a road might cross over the Industrial Parkway.
Here (http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=38.401655,-82.803129&spn=0.005995,0.012392&t=m&z=17&layer=c&cbll=38.401661,-82.802991&panoid=sFu4ZvHaZizb54qBYEseyA&cbp=12,145,,0,4.43), for example. The current crossroad would be converted to ramps. There are even stubs visible on the aerial. There's another one of these to the south, but nothing as obvious north of here.
IDOT was once visionary enough to include a 4 lane ROW when it built new 2 lane sections or sometimes just reconstructed them . Parts of US 50 which has come in handy for them near Olney and US 34 near Galesburg and Olds US 34 -IL 164 near Monmouth
- I-490 (NY) west of Rochester has space on bridges for a third lane in each direction
- The LaSalle Expressway in Niagara Falls has space for 6 lanes on some overpasses at the end, which currently have 4-5 lanes
- I-87 in Albany and southern Saratoga Counties has room for a 4th lane on all bridges reconstructed in the past ~15 years
- NY 17/Future I-86 has a couple extra-wide bridges in Orange County that could accommodate an extra lane per direction
- I-271 south of SR 8 has a few bridges, including the long one over the Cuyahoga River, that can accommodate 3 lanes/direction
- NY 104 in Wolcott has an overpass with room for an extra carriageway
- A bridge on US 20 ~1 mile south of NY 249 has room for 4 lanes, but currently carries 2
I-75 southbound through the Hartley Bridge Rd/I-475 south interchange complex in Macon, Georgia has a wide right median that is sufficiently wide to restripe for an additional through lane and full shoulder, giving 3 continuous southbound lanes to match the 3 continuous northbound lanes; the extra lane would drop about 1/2 mile south of the Hartley Bridge merge. I can't see volumes getting to the point this is necessary anytime soon - if anything, the additional lane is needed sooner south of Sardis Church Road to around Russell Parkway, particularly as a climbing lane for trucks between Sardis Church and GA 49 at Byron - but the pavement is already there.
Similarly the newly widened I-75 section between Arkwright and Pierce roads has an onramp from Arkwright that would accommodate an additional lane (two right turn lanes from NB Arkwright to SB I-75, and a leisurely merge).
Some of the bridges on I-475 in GA seem to be wider than they need to be, but I'm not sure if you could squeeze 4 lanes + shoulders on them or if that was just an esoteric design choice or just something that was done to make it easier for the construction staging when it was widened. You can see that the right shoulder gets wider but not a full lane-width wider. https://goo.gl/maps/0vYYx
A few bridges on US 23 between Macon and Cochran are built wide enough for four lanes even though the four-lane section ends at GA 96, and widening GA 96 in the future will probably eliminate any future need to widen this part of US 23, especially since the Macon-Brunswick GRIP corridor bypasses this part of US 23 anyway.
The mainline bridges on Corridor X/I-22 in Jefferson County AL are built wide enough for an additional left-hand through lane east of exit 81 to I-65, giving 8 through lanes; you can see the taper for the eventual exit-only lane drop at exit 81 westbound as the lanes subtly shift left (same thing happens in reverse eastbound). At highway speeds it's a little noticeable because the curve's banking isn't quite right for the current striping.
Half-constructed dual-carriageway roads are pretty common in growing areas; a couple of examples off-hand, where only one carriageway connects to anything:
https://goo.gl/maps/Ah3vd (this one isn't even blocked off with cones or anything...)
https://goo.gl/maps/ETfW4 (this one may now be connected; haven't checked it in a while)
As for wide rights-of-way for future widening... cataloging all of those would take eons.
* I-55 through Springfield has extra space and pavement around the IL 29 and IL 54 interchanges for a third lane each way in the median: Aerial at IL 29; (https://maps.google.com/maps?q=springfield,+il&hl=en&ll=39.786302,-89.598449&spn=0.001793,0.004128&sll=38.672645,-82.887726&sspn=0.937071,2.636719&hnear=Springfield,+Sangamon+County,+Illinois&t=h&z=19) aerial at IL 54 (https://maps.google.com/maps?q=springfield,+il&hl=en&ll=39.83055,-89.591902&spn=0.003584,0.008256&sll=38.672645,-82.887726&sspn=0.937071,2.636719&hnear=Springfield,+Sangamon+County,+Illinois&t=h&z=18)
* The Kankakee River Bridge on I-55 appears to have had the pier built to accomodate future expansion between the two carriageways: Aerial. (https://maps.google.com/maps?q=braidwood,+il&hl=en&ll=41.351212,-88.190743&spn=0.001752,0.004128&sll=39.827325,-89.602175&sspn=0.028674,0.066047&hnear=Braidwood,+Will+County,+Illinois&t=h&z=19)
* I-64 through O'Fallon, IL appears to have been built for four lanes each way, but with the fourth lane currently stripped as an extra-large inner shoulder: Aerial (https://maps.google.com/maps?q=O%27Fallon,+IL&hl=en&ll=38.599874,-89.988944&spn=0.001824,0.004128&sll=41.351212,-88.190743&sspn=0.001752,0.004128&oq=o%27&hnear=O%27Fallon,+St+Clair+County,+Illinois&t=h&z=19).
* IL 64 between Old St. Charles Road and Swift Road (just west of I-355) - the shoulder appears to be intended as use as a fourth through lane: Aerial photo (https://maps.google.com/maps?q=chicago,+il&hl=en&ll=41.910871,-88.174773&spn=0.001737,0.004128&sll=38.224997,-90.40481&sspn=0.001833,0.004128&t=k&hnear=Chicago,+Cook+County,+Illinois&z=19)
* One of the recently replaced bridge on I-65 between Lebanon, IN and Merillville is wide enough for an extra lane each way in the median.
* MO 364 has a couple spots where it appears an extra lane could be striped in the future: Aerial at the eastern MO 94 interchange (https://maps.google.com/maps?q=St.+Charles,+MO&hl=en&ll=38.753882,-90.543979&spn=0.00182,0.004128&sll=38.871026,-90.059266&sspn=0.001817,0.004128&oq=st.+cha&hnear=St+Charles,+St+Charles+County,+Missouri&t=h&z=19), aerial at the Arena Parkway interchange, (https://maps.google.com/maps?q=St.+Charles,+MO&hl=en&ll=38.74186,-90.526911&spn=0.00091,0.002064&sll=38.871026,-90.059266&sspn=0.001817,0.004128&oq=st.+cha&hnear=St+Charles,+St+Charles+County,+Missouri&t=h&z=20),
* US 40/US 61 over Dardenne Creek near Weldon Spring, MO, has space for an extra lane in the median: Aerial photo (https://maps.google.com/maps?q=St.+Charles,+MO&hl=en&ll=38.734668,-90.739152&spn=0.00182,0.004128&sll=38.871026,-90.059266&sspn=0.001817,0.004128&oq=st.+cha&hnear=St+Charles,+St+Charles+County,+Missouri&t=h&z=19)
* I-55 over the BNSF Railroad in Festus, MO, had the bridge rebuilt to accommodate future lanes in the median: Aerial photo (https://maps.google.com/maps?q=festus,+mo&hl=en&ll=38.224997,-90.40481&spn=0.001833,0.004128&sll=38.734668,-90.739152&sspn=0.00182,0.004128&t=k&hnear=Festus,+Jefferson+County,+Missouri&z=19)
When the NJ 33 bypass around Freehold, NJ was completed a few years ago, the final segment of the freeway bypass was built as a divided Super 2 (much to my chagrin). Some of the bridges along the route appear to only accommodate the single travel lane (with shoulder) - and some, as in this example, clearly were designed to accommodate a widening to 2 lanes in each direction:
https://www.google.com/maps?ll=40.2366,-74.243764&spn=0.000002,0.001635&t=h&z=20&layer=c&cbll=40.2366,-74.24402&panoid=RxvUpOcImPVQx6XiyEQsHA&cbp=12,251.75,,0,0 (https://www.google.com/maps?ll=40.2366,-74.243764&spn=0.000002,0.001635&t=h&z=20&layer=c&cbll=40.2366,-74.24402&panoid=RxvUpOcImPVQx6XiyEQsHA&cbp=12,251.75,,0,0)
The future proofing bridges appear to be across the 2 creeks, while the bridges over roads/former RR ROW were not, maybe to avoid the stream encroachment / wetlands permitting nightmare in the future for upgrades to those spans.
The I-480 West and I-71 South ramps to OH-237 and Cleveland Hopkins Airport were built in the 70s to accommodate 2 lanes, as well as the I-71 North ramp to I-490 East near Downtown Cleveland. As of yet, they have only used one lane, with the other lane striped off.
The only times when they have used the striped-off lanes are the rare occurrences when they closed the normal lane for resurfacing or construction.
Meanwhile, down in neighboring Akron, there is also a striped-off lane where I-77 South turns right at the Central Interchange, however it once used both lanes at the transition. And I believe most of the I-76 ramps at both ends of the Kenmore leg have double-laned ramps with only one lane in use. Not sure if those were originally in full use or not.
And there are many Super-2 highways from the 60's where there was to be a 4-lane divided highway that was never built:
- OH-5/44 Ravenna
- OH 57 Rittman/Wadsworth
- OH 261 Kent
- OH 585 Doylestown
And then there is Salem OH, with a whole clusterf*** of roads to nowhere.
And OH-83's exits with I-90 and OH-10 were built as 4-lane divided highways in anticipation for a lengthy 4-lane realignment of OH-83 which were never built. To this day, those freeway exits to 83 are merely stubs (the I-90 exit gently, but quickly realigns 83 back to its original alignment on each end and the OH-10 ends at the parallel streets on either side of the freeway).
US50 in central IL was planned at one time to be expanded into an interstate, but I-64 was routed south of this planned section. Along the section built with expansion you have unused bridges over creeks, overpasses with farm fields under them where the lanes would be, etc. http://www.jimgrey.net/Roads/US50Illinois/index.htm
I-220's eastern interchange with I-20 had all of the dirt work formed for ramps to create a full cloverleaf interchange for a southbound expansion When it was originally built in the 70s. However, the expansion would put the road in the middle of Barksdale AFB. There is now talk about building this expansion, but it would be a new entrance gate into the base not really for public use.
In Wisconsin, WI 11/81 between the end of the four lanes just east of Monroe and Brodhead is graded for four lanes. There is also preserved ROW for a conventional diamond interchange at the WI 11/81 split intersection on the south edge of Brodhead. It was intended to be a westward extension of what became I-43 to Beloit. The original plans for what became I-43 (previously 'WI 15') were for it to continue westward, running between Beloit and Janesville, but was later on redirected to feed into Milwaukee Rd (WI 81) in Beloit.
Mike
Quote from: thenetwork on December 09, 2014, 11:05:46 PM
And then there is Salem OH, with a whole clusterf*** of roads to nowhere.
This one's pretty cool: http://binged.it/1wgUwRl
Let's not forget US 30 & Trump Ave just east of Canton, Ohio: http://binged.it/1x2rSpL
Apparently there are no current plans to continue 30 as a freeway east of this point.
Many autoroutes in Quebec are super-2 with ramps, overpasses, and ROW such that the other carriageway could easily be built.
Quote from: hbelkins on December 09, 2014, 07:43:00 PM
KY 67
Oh that thing. Fascinating to drive through, but also a total waste.
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Fort+Worth,+TX/@32.9589203,-97.3084635,20.33z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x864e6e122dc807ad:0xa4af8bf8dd69acbd
Tx 170 (Alliance Gateway Freeway) in Fort Worth currently uses its frontage roads with potential for main lanes in the future
Quote from: robbones on December 10, 2014, 04:22:42 PM
Tx 170 (Alliance Gateway Freeway) in Fort Worth currently uses its frontage roads with potential for main lanes in the future
At least link to the unused bridge (http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=32.985178,-97.238832&spn=0.012905,0.024784&t=k&z=16&layer=c&cbll=32.985176,-97.238602&panoid=kEGuezS0l39E8iXhCTU_Hg&cbp=12,74.42,,0,-1.5).
My recollection is that SR-37 between Noblesville and Marion, IN once had a wide ROW on one side, which could have accommodated a second carriageway. I don't see that now on GSV. I remember my father driving the road in the late '50s. When I asked about the wide ROW, he explained that SR-37 was originally envisioned as the "superhighway" route connecting Indy and Ft. Wayne, so the state had purchased the extra ROW when building the road.
I wonder if the state might have turned the extra land back over to the property holders after I-69 was routed farther east, through western Delaware County. I can't find historical aerials of the area back far enough to confirm my recollection.
Quote from: GCrites80s on December 10, 2014, 02:51:42 PM
Quote from: hbelkins on December 09, 2014, 07:43:00 PM
KY 67
Oh that thing. Fascinating to drive through, but also a total waste.
It's a good bypass of Ashland, especially for I-64/US 23 travelers and those to Ohio. You can use US 52 to AA Highway to KY 67 to bypass much of the metro. It was cheap to build as it was built mostly upon Addington strip mine land, and so ROW costs were very low.
Quote from: Sherman Cahal on December 10, 2014, 07:09:11 PM
Quote from: GCrites80s on December 10, 2014, 02:51:42 PM
Quote from: hbelkins on December 09, 2014, 07:43:00 PM
KY 67
Oh that thing. Fascinating to drive through, but also a total waste.
It's a good bypass of Ashland, especially for I-64/US 23 travelers and those to Ohio. You can use US 52 to AA Highway to KY 67 to bypass much of the metro. It was cheap to build as it was built mostly upon Addington strip mine land, and so ROW costs were very low.
An extension to the US 23/KY 645 intersection in Lawrence County is under study. If that road ever gets built, it would be a great through route which would bypass not only Ashland, but the traffic lights at Louisa.
Not to mention it's a great alternative to KY 1 for me if I'm trying to get to Portsmouth and points north on 23.
I-20 in eastern DeKalb County, Georgia (https://www.google.com/maps/@33.7011763,-84.1159632,391m/data=!3m1!1e3) has a few overpasses/bridges with room for multiple additional lanes.
If I'm not mistaken, the Stan Musial Veterans Memorial Bridge, which now carries I-70 over the Mississippi River in St. Louis, carries four lanes with space for six when the time calls for it.
It's been a few years, but I do remember some bridges on I-40 just west of Nashville having unusually large inner shoulders. (As a matter of fact, here's an example of one here, (https://goo.gl/maps/G0vYW) with a few more in that area.)
As Revive 755 mentioned, I-65 just recently had a bridge replaced and was built to accommodate future expansion. It's actually located between the Indiana 14 and Indiana 10 exits near Demotte. I-65 was designed to hold a third lane between US 231 and US 30 (with exception for some bridges).
The Hillandale Road overpass on SSR 476 (Sherwood Island Connector) in Westport, CT was built wide enough for a four-lane divided highway
US 6 east of I-395 was supposed to have been designed for future four-lane divided expansion when the work was done c. 1958; but evidence of that (grading, etc.) is hard to see.
Having just traveled the route tonight, it appears I-80 between Omaha and Lincoln is potentially set up to add a 4th lane in each direction, although I have no idea when that would ever happen. The segment of US 275 built after 2000 between Omaha and Fremont could add a third lane each way as well.
The western stub end of Route 4 in Hong Kong
http://goo.gl/maps/BElv2 (http://goo.gl/maps/BElv2)
The I-10 Papago Freeway Tunnel underneath Downtown Phoenix has an unused center tube that was supposed to be used as an express tube for transit use. That tube is currently gated off.
Palm Beach County puts accommodations in for future expansions (drain/curbs exactly one further lane out, and bridges wide enough for another lane) on a lot of roads when they build them, lately they have been going back and completing a lot of them as well, but there is still a lot, just a few examples off the top of my head:
- Yamato east of 95
- Lyons north of Clint Moore
- Clint Moore east of Lyons
- Atlantic Ave west of Turnpike
- Flavor Pict Rd
The whole area is filled with that, a very forward looking DOT
I had forgotten about it until this week: Lots of roads around Viera, Florida, have quite clearly been designed for future expansion. I'm typing this on my iPad and can't easily get a map link, but if you look at Stadium Parkway you'll see how it's clearly designed for future four-lane expansion from Rosemount Drive north to I-95; same is true of Viera Boulevard to the east when you get close to Route 1. The right-of-way to extend Lake Andrew Drive north is pretty obvious in a satellite view.
The area feels like it's still growing a lot (the planned DDI on I-95 at Viera Boulevard would surely accelerate that), so I think the planners did a wise thing leaving room to expand the arterial streets. Won't require eminent domain proceedings when it comes time to widen the roads.
In the Las Vegas, NV area: The McCarran Airport Connector (unsigned SR 171) was built with space in the median (such that the several bridges above have two sets of support columns) and the Airport tunnel was constructed with a third, unused bore between the northbound and southbound lanes. [See Google Street View of southern tunnel portals (https://www.google.com/maps/@36.0714123,-115.1460449,3a,75y,343.45h,92.44t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sXZRK6IPVfWdun5zEyAVxPw!2e0).]
I believe the original intent of this was to accommodate potential future mass transit option to serve the airport from points south, although there has been no talks of this since the connector opened.
Quote from: Eth on December 10, 2014, 10:26:40 PM
I-20 in eastern DeKalb County, Georgia (https://www.google.com/maps/@33.7011763,-84.1159632,391m/data=!3m1!1e3) has a few overpasses/bridges with room for multiple additional lanes.
I'll see that and raise you this: the I-285-Memorial Drive interchange (https://www.google.com/maps/@33.7776586,-84.2410557,340m/data=!3m1!1e3), which has expensively-provided room for a ten lanes mainline plus three lane CD's in each direction even though there's no prospect of them ever being needed, let alone built. I've tried more than once to photograph it, but it's difficult to capture the immense scale of this boondoggle without driving through it.
The I-285-Paces Ferry Road interchange (https://www.google.com/maps/@33.8638193,-84.4792654,339m/data=!3m1!1e3) was similarly reconstructed, though it's less spectacular due to site conditions. There, though, the nearby bridges carrying Cumberland Parkway and Mt Wilkerson Pkwy over 285 were built to accommodate that same eighteen lane configuration.
EDIT: Oh, wow, it's still online (http://www.mindspring.com/~teeth/caution/tom_marney.htm)!
https://goo.gl/maps/pzXMk
US 4 in Durham NH, just west of NH 108. Always wondered about this one, especially given that there were no expansion plans that I know of planned for the route.
Quote from: SteveG1988 on December 10, 2014, 04:02:32 AM
US50 in central IL was planned at one time to be expanded into an interstate, but I-64 was routed south of this planned section. Along the section built with expansion you have unused bridges over creeks, overpasses with farm fields under them where the lanes would be, etc. http://www.jimgrey.net/Roads/US50Illinois/index.htm
I am 95 percent sure that the section of US 50 between Lebanon and Caryle had the extra bridges built as part of the supplemental freeway plans, not as part of the original I-64 routing. It would also explain the under construction symbology on the 1985-1986 Illinois Map (General link to the Illinois map collection (http://www.idot.illinois.gov/transportation-system/Network-Overview/highway-system/official-highway-map-collection)
In addition, some of the bridges on the section seem to have been built after completion of I-64 in Illinois, per IDOT's bridge inventory. (http://apps.dot.illinois.gov/bridgesinfosystem/map.aspx?sb=City&sv=38.61288245,-89.52309468&svn=BREESE)
You are right 755. I think the ROW in the East from Xenia to Indiana may be from 1-64 . Ironically the ROW was mentioned in the supplemental Freeway EIS and it said it was not good enough for current(70s) Freeway Standards ....and yet more irony IDOT now says its just fine for the 4 lane expressway from Olney to IL 1 . .
John Young Parkway has a very wide median at Princeton Street for a possible SPUI that has never been needed as of yet, but there nonetheless.
Orange Blossom Trail under FL 528 has an expanded area on the east side of the road for widening and dividing the road, but when FDOT did widen it in 2006, they never utilized it. Instead they just added lanes on both sides of the existing roadway and added a raised curb median instead of giving themselves a nice wide median as the original planners conceived when building the FL 528 in the late 60's and early 70's.
Also I-4 at the Polk Parkway's eastern end near Polk City. The bridge was given an area to both sides of I-4 when it was built to allow I-4 to be relocated to the outside of the original 4 lane carriageway. However a few years later when FDOT 6 laned I-4 from US 192 to I-75, they decided to keep I-4 where it was at and just add lanes to it. Now that bridge has two empty spaces with FL 570 having two extra spans built to it over that area never ever to be used.
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7552/15922346705_6518b8c220_z.jpg)
Here is another overpass in Lakeland that was rebuilt in 1999 when the first phase of the I-4 widening project from I-75 to US 192 that ended at Exit 28 that had I-4 EB travel lanes shifted over to the right. Here, as you see, it passes through the wide gap in the middle of the overpass, as that was to be temporary as to when the second phase to take place I-4 EB would have been completed it would have continued to the side of where it is now and pass through the right (unused) part of the bridge. However when the next phase commenced just shortly after this bridge was lengthened above they decided to not realign the new widened roadway to use the new addition and that is why this bridge now looks awkward.
I-90 in Cleveland, roughly between Warren Road and West 44th Street contains a very wide median that looks like what could've been some reversible and/or express lanes.
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Lakewood,+OH/@41.4691671,-81.7989075,3a,75y,58.5h,90t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1s00va8SqQpZeBExn2cnK_mw!2e0!4m2!3m1!1s0x8830f2204ee738e3:0x47bdfad952d70d25 (https://www.google.com/maps/place/Lakewood,+OH/@41.4691671,-81.7989075,3a,75y,58.5h,90t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1s00va8SqQpZeBExn2cnK_mw!2e0!4m2!3m1!1s0x8830f2204ee738e3:0x47bdfad952d70d25)
Smart that they didn't build them, as I-90 Eastbound between W. 44th and I-71 is a choke-point as it is in AM rush, having another two lanes to add to the morning mayhem would've been disastrous.
On the other hand, if there would've/could've been a way to tie the rebuilt Innerbelt Bridge directly into the reversible lanes -- building them now -- that might have been an interesting benefit for I-90 travelers to and from the farther west side of Cleveland.
https://www.google.com/maps/@40.4651983,-83.8786764,381m/data=!3m1!1e3 Along US33 in the vicinity of Lakeview, OH. RoW wide enough for 4 lanes. 2 lane road; obsolete bridge left in place in "westbound" part of RoW; new bridge built in "eastbound" part and roadway shifted several feet to accommodate. Bridge probably not fit for traffic, but the RoW is there...is this an "accommodation" within the meaning of the question?
Quote from: Pink Jazz on December 24, 2014, 12:27:13 AM
The I-10 Papago Freeway Tunnel underneath Downtown Phoenix has an unused center tube that was supposed to be used as an express tube for transit use. That tube is currently gated off.
It used to have signs on it that said "future bus terminal entrance" or something similar, I believe. There's been talk of maybe using it for some kind of light rail extention heading out to the West Valley, but not sure if that's been decided for sure or not. I-10 all the way out to the 101 in Avondale has room to accomodate a light rail line without infringing on the freeway really much at all. Honestly seems like a no-brainer to me.
US 1 in Bel Air, MD has several feet of ROW for future expansion that never got used. Even the overpasses, have left room for another carriageway, however MdSHA widened US 1 by leaving it undivided and within the piers of the bridges.
Oh yes, in Linden, NJ the wide median of I-278 will never be used as the Union County Expressway died over 40 years ago. It would have had an express and local set up if I-278 continued all the way to connect with its parent in Springfield, NJ.
Most bridge replacements on 4-lane segments of I-71 in Ohio within the past decade are wide enough for an extra lane per direction, as the eventual plan is to 6-lane it from I-471 to the northern terminus, excluding the segment between I-70 and I-670.
I noticed on the 408 toll plaza east of downtown orlando that was recently rebuilt, they left room for one more e-pass lane that is not striped and has a temporary concrete barrier blocking it off.
These stubs are for the under construction Kempsey to Eungai Deviation on the Pacific Highway north of Kempsey, NSW
https://goo.gl/BxEIwK (https://goo.gl/BxEIwK)
Quote from: thenetwork on December 09, 2014, 11:05:46 PM
The I-480 West and I-71 South ramps to OH-237 and Cleveland Hopkins Airport were built in the 70s to accommodate 2 lanes, as well as the I-71 North ramp to I-490 East near Downtown Cleveland. As of yet, they have only used one lane, with the other lane striped off.
The only times when they have used the striped-off lanes are the rare occurrences when they closed the normal lane for resurfacing or construction.
Meanwhile, down in neighboring Akron, there is also a striped-off lane where I-77 South turns right at the Central Interchange, however it once used both lanes at the transition. And I believe most of the I-76 ramps at both ends of the Kenmore leg have double-laned ramps with only one lane in use. Not sure if those were originally in full use or not.
And there are many Super-2 highways from the 60's where there was to be a 4-lane divided highway that was never built:
- OH-5/44 Ravenna
- OH 57 Rittman/Wadsworth
- OH 261 Kent
- OH 585 Doylestown
And then there is Salem OH, with a whole clusterf*** of roads to nowhere.
And OH-83's exits with I-90 and OH-10 were built as 4-lane divided highways in anticipation for a lengthy 4-lane realignment of OH-83 which were never built. To this day, those freeway exits to 83 are merely stubs (the I-90 exit gently, but quickly realigns 83 back to its original alignment on each end and the OH-10 ends at the parallel streets on either side of the freeway).
It appears now to me, with both sides reopened on the Kenmore Leg, they are going to widen it to 3 lanes. The innermost lanes each way are still being worked on, but there is adequate size for a third lane, albeit with very little to no shoulder. They could just be having a larger shoulder there, though.
Quote from: exit322 on July 20, 2015, 12:51:40 PM
Quote from: thenetwork on December 09, 2014, 11:05:46 PM
The I-480 West and I-71 South ramps to OH-237 and Cleveland Hopkins Airport were built in the 70s to accommodate 2 lanes, as well as the I-71 North ramp to I-490 East near Downtown Cleveland. As of yet, they have only used one lane, with the other lane striped off.
The only times when they have used the striped-off lanes are the rare occurrences when they closed the normal lane for resurfacing or construction.
Meanwhile, down in neighboring Akron, there is also a striped-off lane where I-77 South turns right at the Central Interchange, however it once used both lanes at the transition. And I believe most of the I-76 ramps at both ends of the Kenmore leg have double-laned ramps with only one lane in use. Not sure if those were originally in full use or not.
And there are many Super-2 highways from the 60's where there was to be a 4-lane divided highway that was never built:
- OH-5/44 Ravenna
- OH 57 Rittman/Wadsworth
- OH 261 Kent
- OH 585 Doylestown
And then there is Salem OH, with a whole clusterf*** of roads to nowhere.
And OH-83's exits with I-90 and OH-10 were built as 4-lane divided highways in anticipation for a lengthy 4-lane realignment of OH-83 which were never built. To this day, those freeway exits to 83 are merely stubs (the I-90 exit gently, but quickly realigns 83 back to its original alignment on each end and the OH-10 ends at the parallel streets on either side of the freeway).
It appears now to me, with both sides reopened on the Kenmore Leg, they are going to widen it to 3 lanes. The innermost lanes each way are still being worked on, but there is adequate size for a third lane, albeit with very little to no shoulder. They could just be having a larger shoulder there, though.
I really don't think there is a need for a 3rd lane on the Kenmore Leg of I-76. The section is only about 2 miles in length and even though the interchanges with I-77 and US-224 can already accommodate an extra lane on some of the ramps, you still cannot adequately merge two lanes from the Kenmore Leg onto either of the other two freeways.
Quote from: exit322 on July 20, 2015, 12:51:40 PM
It appears now to me, with both sides reopened on the Kenmore Leg, they are going to widen it to 3 lanes. The innermost lanes each way are still being worked on, but there is adequate size for a third lane, albeit with very little to no shoulder. They could just be having a larger shoulder there, though.
Indeed when they are done with the last parts of the work, they will restripe for 3 lanes. (http://www.ohio.com/news/local/odot-to-reopen-kenmore-leg-of-i-76-early-monday-1.608705)
That'll be especially helpful when they work on the 76/224 widening in a few years.
I-81 from I-83 to I-78 in PA has room on all its bridges for a six-lane widening, which it could really use. Unfortunately, though, it was reconstructed several years ago and not widened.