At-grade freeway accesses

[Bickendan]

Interesting. I-10's not so unique after all.

That reminds me: Montana has (had?) an undivided section of I-90, I remember reading in the m.t.r FAQ. Where was this and does it still exist?

[Kacie Jane]

Had.  It was fully divided when I was there three weeks ago; the previous time I was there in the late 90s, it was not.  So sometime in the past 15 years they took care of it.

It was the far western portion climbing into (or descending from) Idaho.

[deathtopumpkins]

Pretty sure that was upgraded in the late 90s.

[agentsteel53]

Had.  It was fully divided when I was there three weeks ago; the previous time I was there in the late 90s, it was not.  So sometime in the past 15 years they took care of it.

It was the far western portion climbing into (or descending from) Idaho.

I think it was the early 2000s.

when did the divided section of I-5 in Oregon, in the Rogue River area, get its barrier?  I feel like that was already divided by the late 90s.

[agentsteel53]

plenty of ranch/forest accesses along many interstates.  a lot of them are tough to spot.  there are some on I-5 in the grapevine, I-8 in Arizona, etc... just look for the dirt path with the gate.

[deathtopumpkins]

How common is that east of the Mississippi? Only example I can think of is I-40 in the Smokies.

And while it's neither a ranch nor on an interstate, there is a cemetery entrance on MA 128 between 114 and Endicott St in Peabody. Complete with paddle signage and everything - though I've never seen anyone use it.

[agentsteel53]

How common is that east of the Mississippi? Only example I can think of is I-40 in the Smokies.

that's a good question.  I feel like there's some on the Alligator Alley section of I-75 but cannot confirm that.

[Bickendan]

Had.  It was fully divided when I was there three weeks ago; the previous time I was there in the late 90s, it was not.  So sometime in the past 15 years they took care of it.

It was the far western portion climbing into (or descending from) Idaho.

I think it was the early 2000s.

when did the divided section of I-5 in Oregon, in the Rogue River area, get its barrier?  I feel like that was already divided by the late 90s.

I moved up to Medford in '89, and I don't recall any undivided segments between Medford and Grants Pass.
On the other hand, down in the Siskiyous, there are (were?) defacto undivided segments where the entire roadway is paved over with no median (other than reflector posts) and the two carriageways were at different elevations.

[agentsteel53]

I moved up to Medford in '89, and I don't recall any undivided segments between Medford and Grants Pass.
On the other hand, down in the Siskiyous, there are (were?) defacto undivided segments where the entire roadway is paved over with no median (other than reflector posts) and the two carriageways were at different elevations.

okay, it was further south than I thought... don't have a very clear memory of this but by 2003 I am pretty sure there was a divider.

[NE2]

plenty of ranch/forest accesses along many interstates.  a lot of them are tough to spot.  there are some on I-5 in the grapevine, I-8 in Arizona, etc... just look for the dirt path with the gate.

How many of these have (public) median breaks?

[agentsteel53]

plenty of ranch/forest accesses along many interstates.  a lot of them are tough to spot.  there are some on I-5 in the grapevine, I-8 in Arizona, etc... just look for the dirt path with the gate.

How many of these have (public) median breaks?

good point.  next to none.  I'll have to look to see if the quality of the median is similar to the quality of the dirt path leading up to the gate from the shoulder.  I've never thought to look for that, actually.

the Grapevine has a barrier, but I believe I-8's median is such that one can drive on it with an average small truck.  sandy gravel, and the occasional small shrubbery.

[bulldog1979]

How common is that east of the Mississippi? Only example I can think of is I-40 in the Smokies.

I-94 has one for Fort Custer in the Battle Creek area. (See #17 on Road & Highway Facts, MDOT.)

[Alps]

Topic split/renamed. On one of the KY parkways, I just saw an example of a freeway with a dirt road coming out of the forest and right onto the shoulder. A pickup was actually exiting as I flew by the other direction.

[cpzilliacus]

That reminds me: Montana has (had?) an undivided section of I-90, I remember reading in the m.t.r FAQ. Where was this and does it still exist?

I-95 in Maine between Bangor and Houlton used to be a Super-2, widening out to 4 lanes divided at the interchanges, then back to 2 lanes.

[silverback1065]

I-93 in new Hampshire i think has a segment that is only 2 lanes wide and divided with a metal gaurd rail.

[NE2]

Yeah, we all know about Franconia Notch, and Cheyenne, and Breezewood, and Jersey City, and if I forgot any don't bother.

[hbelkins]

Topic split/renamed. On one of the KY parkways, I just saw an example of a freeway with a dirt road coming out of the forest and right onto the shoulder. A pickup was actually exiting as I flew by the other direction.

Do you remember where? Along the Hal Rogers and the two-lane portion of the Mountain, there have been terrible problems with controlling the access, and the locals cutting the fence and making their own driveways.

[formulanone]

How common is that east of the Mississippi? Only example I can think of is I-40 in the Smokies.

that's a good question.  I feel like there's some on the Alligator Alley section of I-75 but cannot confirm that.

I think there's one by the L28 Interceptor Canal; basically an interruption of the gate along I-75, leading to dirt path which follows along the canal. There's no median access, and I've never thought much about accessing it, until I've already passed it.

[Alps]

Topic split/renamed. On one of the KY parkways, I just saw an example of a freeway with a dirt road coming out of the forest and right onto the shoulder. A pickup was actually exiting as I flew by the other direction.

Do you remember where? Along the Hal Rogers and the two-lane portion of the Mountain, there have been terrible problems with controlling the access, and the locals cutting the fence and making their own driveways.

It was definitely a four-lane, whether it was the Mountain or WKY or one of the others I took that day I don't know.

[US12]

The Western I 88 near DeKalb has one or two farm driveways connected to the freeway.

[PurdueBill]

How common is that east of the Mississippi? Only example I can think of is I-40 in the Smokies.

And while it's neither a ranch nor on an interstate, there is a cemetery entrance on MA 128 between 114 and Endicott St in Peabody. Complete with paddle signage and everything - though I've never seen anyone use it.

North of there right before the signed Exit 21 (Trask Lane) there is still that intersection with Folly Hill Drive which really doesn't seem to have a reason to still be there, since Exit 21 provides access to that neighborhood.  I guess maybe they want two roadways in case one must be impassable?  Folly Hill Drive has a stop sign and one way/no left turn signs, and I think there at least used to be a signblade for the street, but no other signage.  The BGSs are only for Trask, exit 21.

Right before that there is a driveway for some utilities--at least that is reasonable as it isn't public access.

[Brandon]

The Western I 88 near DeKalb has one or two farm driveways connected to the freeway.

No, those are access points for the Tollway's vehicles.  They're usually gated off.

[US12]

For this one west of Rochelle, https://maps.google.com/maps?ll=41.835271,-89.273808&spn=0.001217,0.00327&t=h&z=19 I'm thinking there was a planned toll collection site to the east, as I couldn't see a reason for IDOT vehicles to use it.

[Revive 755]

* US 40 west of the Boone Bridge in Missouri has a cell phone tower driveway accessible from the EB lanes; the tower and it's driveway are (were?) supposed to be removed as part of the project to replace the WB Boone Bridge.
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=38.693051,-90.665381&spn=0.003538,0.008256&t=h&z=18

* This one is debatable since technically you could downgrade the IL 56 spur from IL 47 to I-88 to an expressway, but there's a RI/RO road intersection on the WB lanes across from a median crossover signed for no left turn.  Aerial:
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=41.776981,-88.411344&spn=0.002402,0.004128&t=h&z=19

Streetview:http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=41.776555,-88.411639&spn=0.004781,0.008256&t=h&z=18&layer=c&cbll=41.776555,-88.411639&panoid=4B7mKPVCKhh7nBlCZgi1Lg&cbp=12,27.77,,0,2.57

[Kacie Jane]

* This one is debatable since technically you could downgrade the IL 56 spur from IL 47 to I-88 to an expressway, but there's a RI/RO road intersection on the WB lanes across from a median crossover signed for no left turn.  Aerial:
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=41.776981,-88.411344&spn=0.002402,0.004128&t=h&z=19

Streetview:http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=41.776555,-88.411639&spn=0.004781,0.008256&t=h&z=18&layer=c&cbll=41.776555,-88.411639&panoid=4B7mKPVCKhh7nBlCZgi1Lg&cbp=12,27.77,,0,2.57

My assumption would be that you used to be able to turn left there?