Emergency Detour Routes

[cl94]

I know we've had a thread about PA's "color detours" in the past, but from a quick search, we've had no topic listing all of the signed detours around the world.

I know of a few:

New York: Some detours along NYSTA-maintained roads
Pennsylvania: Color detours along many limited-access highways
Ontario: Emergency detour routes (signed as "EDR") along 400-series highways and the QEW

Does anybody know of other signed emergency detour routes?

[CYoder]

The West Virginia Turnpike has five posted routes A through E.

[Road Hog]

German autobahns have permanently-designated detours as a matter of course. The blue U40 sign in this picture indicates one (the U stands for Umleitung, or detour). I assume the yellow U sign is for an adjacent A-road.

[cwf1701]

And Michigan has been posting for years "Emergency" routes near its freeways (Including US-31)

Sample of a Michigan Emergency route

[hbelkins]

Kentucky is looking to post some type of permanent emergency detour routes for I-24. They are soliciting ideas right now, and my understanding is they're leaning toward Pennsylvania's color system.

Does anyone want to start a comprehensive list?

PA-color detour routes
WV-lettered detour routes (for WV Turnpike)
MI-"Emergency I-xx" or "Emergency US-xx" signage
MO-"Incident Bypass Route" signage

[noelbotevera]

Maryland has snow emergency routes. That's pretty much it for all I can tell. Some examples are I-81 for the whole state, I-70 up to exit 82/83 (I believe), MD 65, MD 75, the list goes on.

[cpzilliacus]

Maryland has snow emergency routes. That's pretty much it for all I can tell. Some examples are I-81 for the whole state, I-70 up to exit 82/83 (I believe), MD 65, MD 75, the list goes on.

Maryland's snow emergency routes are not emergency detour routes, unlike the ones discussed above. 

Snow emergency route designation in Maryland means that it is unlawful to drive on such a road without the appropriate tires or chains after a snow emergency has been declared.

[6a]

The Buckeye Lake area of Ohio has a system of not exactly well publicized evacuation routes using a system of colored posts on otherwise normal signs.

[ibagli]

The Buckeye Lake area of Ohio has a system of not exactly well publicized evacuation routes using a system of colored posts on otherwise normal signs.[/img]

It's not for evacuation but for detours around a section of I-70 that floods a lot. The emergency stopping only sign is actually a road closure sign folded in half. Depending on what exactly is flooded, they can open different signs to send traffic different directions. That sign would be unfolded for whatever closure results in the use of plans 1 or 2.

[Brandon]

Maryland has snow emergency routes. That's pretty much it for all I can tell. Some examples are I-81 for the whole state, I-70 up to exit 82/83 (I believe), MD 65, MD 75, the list goes on.

Maryland's snow emergency routes are not emergency detour routes, unlike the ones discussed above. 

Snow emergency route designation in Maryland means that it is unlawful to drive on such a road without the appropriate tires or chains after a snow emergency has been declared.

Odd.  Chicago's just make it illegal to park there until the snow has been cleared from a 2 inch or greater snowfall.

[6a]

The Buckeye Lake area of Ohio has a system of not exactly well publicized evacuation routes using a system of colored posts on otherwise normal signs.[/img]

It's not for evacuation but for detours around a section of I-70 that floods a lot. The emergency stopping only sign is actually a road closure sign folded in half. Depending on what exactly is flooded, they can open different signs to send traffic different directions. That sign would be unfolded for whatever closure results in the use of plans 1 or 2.

Ahhhh, thanks for the clarification.

[GaryV]

Maryland has snow emergency routes. That's pretty much it for all I can tell. Some examples are I-81 for the whole state, I-70 up to exit 82/83 (I believe), MD 65, MD 75, the list goes on.

Maryland's snow emergency routes are not emergency detour routes, unlike the ones discussed above. 

Snow emergency route designation in Maryland means that it is unlawful to drive on such a road without the appropriate tires or chains after a snow emergency has been declared.

Odd.  Chicago's just make it illegal to park there until the snow has been cleared from a 2 inch or greater snowfall.

I grew up in West Michigan and moved to metro Detroit over 30 years ago.  The first year I was here, Detroit declared a "code red" snow emergency.  OK, I looked outside and didn't think it was that bad - maybe 6 inches or so.  But I paid heed and didn't go in to work.  About 10:30 or 11:00 I decided to go in; it was melting into slush anyway.

Later I found that "code red" in Detroit meant you couldn't park on the street.  In W MI, "code red" meant that if they caught you out on the road, they were going to arrest you and impound your car, unless you were a doctor on the way to the hospital.

[jeffandnicole]

Maryland has snow emergency routes. That's pretty much it for all I can tell. Some examples are I-81 for the whole state, I-70 up to exit 82/83 (I believe), MD 65, MD 75, the list goes on.

Maryland's snow emergency routes are not emergency detour routes, unlike the ones discussed above. 

Snow emergency route designation in Maryland means that it is unlawful to drive on such a road without the appropriate tires or chains after a snow emergency has been declared.

Odd.  Chicago's just make it illegal to park there until the snow has been cleared from a 2 inch or greater snowfall.

Most snow emergency routes I'm familiar with are the same way: No parking until the snow has been cleared (and the emergency rescinded).

In Philly, on Broad Street, it's well known that the yellow hash area between the northbound and southbound lanes are a free parking area.  While the actual shoulder parking spots are metered and you will get a ticket, somehow this painted median area became free parking that no one will ever ticket you for.

EXCEPT...during a snow emergency.  During those times, all cars have to be moved off of Broad Street.  That's the one and only time you'll get towed for parking in the center median.  (Maybe during a parade also...)

[mrsman]

In Philly, on Broad Street, it's well known that the yellow hash area between the northbound and southbound lanes are a free parking area.  While the actual shoulder parking spots are metered and you will get a ticket, somehow this painted median area became free parking that no one will ever ticket you for.

EXCEPT...during a snow emergency.  During those times, all cars have to be moved off of Broad Street.  That's the one and only time you'll get towed for parking in the center median.  (Maybe during a parade also...)

It seems odd to tacitly allow parking in the median, since it seems more dangerous for pedestrians who would have to cross the street in the middle of the block.

Yet, I am grateful when cars that do make deliveries decide to park in the median instead of blocking a lane of moving traffic.

[WashuOtaku]

North and South Carolina use blue "Evacuation Route" signs, which are typically found along the coast and within a ten-mile radius of Nuclear Power Plants.

[noelbotevera]

North and South Carolina use blue "Evacuation Route" signs, which are typically found along the coast and within a ten-mile radius of Nuclear Power Plants.

Make it 100 miles and I'll buy it.

[cl94]

North and South Carolina use blue "Evacuation Route" signs, which are typically found along the coast and within a ten-mile radius of Nuclear Power Plants.

I wasn't really thinking of evacuation routes because they weren't detours, but if we really want to stroll into that realm, Schoharie County, NY has flood evacuation routes in case Gilboa Dam ever fails.

[realjd]

In my part of Florida, they put small sized VMS signs along designated I-95 detour routes at every turn. They usually have the regular assortment of safety messages displayed. If I-95 is closed, they switch to indicate the detour route.

Here's an example:
https://www.google.com/maps/@28.0350741,-80.6232558,3a,75y,100.47h,94.04t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sDG7atKit7f7hZeoqQnRYLQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

[JoePCool14]

IDOT and ISTHA... Good luck finding any (at least any signed, not sure if they even exist on paper).

[Brandon]

IDOT and ISTHA... Good luck finding any (at least any signed, not sure if they even exist on paper).

IDOT sometimes marks them when a freeway is under construction.  I-80 has a few here and there marked during periods of construction that may create massive backups.

[Revive 755]

MO-"Incident Bypass Route" signage

Or "Bypass Route" with a color, as used on I-55 near St. Louis:  Streetview

Iowa uses emergency detour:  Example for I-80

IDOT and ISTHA... Good luck finding any (at least any signed, not sure if they even exist on paper).

There seems to be permanent ALT I-39/I-90 signs along IL 76:  Streetview.  Otherwise as Brandon says, Illinois only seems to post them for construction projects.

Wisconsin though seems to go the ALT I-xx route.

[jay8g]

I'm rather surprised no one has mentioned Britain's "emergency diversion routes", identified by shapes.

[roadman]

New Hampshire has posted markers indicating "I-93 N (S) Emergency Route" on state routes intersecting and next to I-93 between Salem and Manchester.

[Zeffy]

I remember seeing shields for WV Emergency Routes, with the routes being designated by letter, on interstates on WV. I don't know much more about them, though I'm curious of how it works. I remember seeing 3 posted on what I believe was I-64 near White Sulphur Springs, and I think I have the link somewhere on my PC but since I'm at work I can't exactly find it.

[hbelkins]

I remember seeing shields for WV Emergency Routes, with the routes being designated by letter, on interstates on WV. I don't know much more about them, though I'm curious of how it works. I remember seeing 3 posted on what I believe was I-64 near White Sulphur Springs, and I think I have the link somewhere on my PC but since I'm at work I can't exactly find it.

Those are for the West Virginia Turnpike and were installed after a snowstorm caused an epic traffic backup between Beckley and Charleston a few years ago. One detour uses I-79 and US 19 between Charleston and Beckley. Another uses I-64, US 219 (dipping into Virginia) and US 460 between Beckley and Princeton. I think there's another one that uses US 60 and WV 61 between Charleston and Cabin Creek. There may be others.