Old photos of abrupt terminii/incomplete roads?

[_Simon]

I'm really interested to know if anyone has any construction-era photos - or pre-90's signage photos - of anything in NJ other than the turnpike or parkway, especially temporary ends.  I can't find any photos of I-78 before the 90s, same with I-287, or even I-80.  I would have loved to see how the ends of the highway were signed; and while we know that I-78 WB in Newark was signed as "TO NJ-24" or even as "NJ-24" depending on who you ask, and that based on HA only the outer lanes were in use in 1979; I want more.   As a kid, I was always fascinated with the abrupt endings of PA-33 and NJ-440 at the NJ-169 trumpet. 

[amroad17]

Although these are not photos, you could check out the Historic Aerials website. This shows you (depending on where you want to look) what certain roads or areas looked like in a particular year.  With your interest in NJ, you should be able to find what you need in relation to the above mentioned roads.

[NJRoadfan]

That NJ-440 loop hasn't even been gone that long as I drove it back in 2001-02. They removed the stub shortly after without much evidence it was there. I-78's old stub at NJ-24 was used for overflow parking for the 1980 US Open that was being held at nearby Baltusrol Golf Club.

[Alps]

I-287 I think was a fairly nondescript end, similar to new stubs in the South where the lanes just gradually merge over until you're on the exit ramp. What I'd really like to see is the multiple ends of I-80 where traffic should have been directed to connect to the next segment via US 46, but I doubt they were. But I don't know that until I see photos!

[Pete from Boston]

I-287 on the north had no stub, since it was simply a designation along 87 that stopped in Suffern.  I can't remember the southern stub around Boonton very well, but I believe it was like Steve describes.  What was interesting was in Riverdale where a half-mile segment opened around 1990 before the rest of the missing link. 

Going south on the orphan 287 toward NJ 23, barrels narrowed the lanes to just the exit ramps, beyond which pavement continued an indeterminate distance to an unbuilt but cleared right-of-way.  Same thing going north to Hamburg Turnpike, but the pavement ended as no 287 overpass existed yet over Hamburg Turnpike. 

It was a rare experience by that time to see a highway built from scratch in that area, one that might not be seen again.