Unbuilt Evidence

[1995hoo]

I'm a bit surprised nobody's mentioned the ramps from I-278 to what would have been the north end of the Richmond Parkway on Staten Island.

http://maps.google.com/?ll=40.610165,-74.110701&spn=0.006215,0.016512&t=k&z=17


You can see the other end of the unbuilt portion at the link below.

http://maps.google.com/?ll=40.560015,-74.171727&spn=0.012438,0.033023&t=k&z=16


Also on I-278 further west you can see where NY-440 was to have been extended southeast to meet up with the Richmond Parkway, but instead it has a stub end at Victory Boulevard.

http://maps.google.com/?ll=40.611542,-74.152458&spn=0.012429,0.033023&t=k&z=16


Down in southwestern Staten Island the interchange of NY-440 and the Richmond Parkway shows that what is now NY-440 was to be extended a bit further south (obviously not by much since there's not a lot of land there). I believe there was to be a parkway (meaning no commercial traffic allowed) running along some portion of the south shore.

http://maps.google.com/?ll=40.525772,-74.221272&spn=0.012445,0.033023&t=k&z=16

[Duke87]

The stub at the south end of the West Shore Expressway was potentially bound for a bridge across Raritan Bay.

[Revive 755]

* There's a stub and an extra wide bridge on IL 120 at IL 21 - possibly for a C-D setup? for the original ramp at this intersection before the EB entrance was changed to a loop ramp.
Aerial:
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=42.343534,-87.943497&spn=0.006503,0.016512&t=k&z=17

Streetviews:
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=42.342817,-87.943556&spn=0.003251,0.008256&t=k&z=18&layer=c&cbll=42.34361,-87.942621&panoid=cTBYaaqW9JfGWvngyJRbIQ&cbp=12,111.72,,0,1.64

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=42.343143,-87.94642&spn=0.003271,0.008256&t=k&z=18&layer=c&cbll=42.343143,-87.94642&panoid=TM044X4kkRAYhN5Iqi7bqw&cbp=12,97.43,,0,-3.1

* The IL 137 interchange at 24th Street features an abandoned entrance ramp to NB IL 137

Aerial:
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=42.316884,-87.842453&spn=0.003272,0.008256&t=k&z=18

Streetview:
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=42.315183,-87.844802&spn=0.003273,0.008256&t=k&z=18&layer=c&cbll=42.315262,-87.845024&panoid=tmWPJrevv5i1kxt90gMpiA&cbp=12,43.52,,0,7.54

[D-Dey65]

The stub at the south end of the West Shore Expressway was potentially bound for a bridge across Raritan Bay.

I thought that was supposed to be for the Shore Front Parkway.
http://www.nycroads.com/roads/shore-front-SI/

[mgk920]

* There's a stub and an extra wide bridge on IL 120 at IL 21 - possibly for a C-D setup?

Aerial:
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=42.343534,-87.943497&spn=0.006503,0.016512&t=k&z=17

Streetviews:
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=42.342817,-87.943556&spn=0.003251,0.008256&t=k&z=18&layer=c&cbll=42.34361,-87.942621&panoid=cTBYaaqW9JfGWvngyJRbIQ&cbp=12,111.72,,0,1.64

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=42.343143,-87.94642&spn=0.003271,0.008256&t=k&z=18&layer=c&cbll=42.343143,-87.94642&panoid=TM044X4kkRAYhN5Iqi7bqw&cbp=12,97.43,,0,-3.1

If you pan to the west, you can make out the ROW for the planned IL 53 and 120 Lake County freeways/tollways, including a 'Y' interchange on the south side of Grayslake, and you can trace the IL 120 ROW west to the north side of McHenry with it curving northward there to feed into the US 12 freeway at the Wisconsin state line at Richmond, IL/Genoa City, WI.

Mike

[Beltway]

When I worked on the 895 project in Virginia (I did signing and striping for the western segment -- Laburnum Ave. westward), I noticed that the geometry of the EB approach to the I-295 ramps at the eastern end suggested that the mainline was to continue at one time -- I thought perhaps to I-64.  (That would have been nice.)  I was told by Scott Kozel, though, that it was only for a local connector to Charles City Road.  Wonder why that did not come to pass.

P.S.  When I first got involved in the project (for conceptual design), the route on the documents was I-895.  Further into the design, the route changed to the current VA 895.

It was still an Interstate project to be funded by FHWA 4F funds, before it was approved as a PPTA project in 1995.

The proposed eastern connector to Charles City Road was about 1/2 mile long, basically a 2-lane extension from VA-895 across I-295.

I saw a Henrico County planning map a couple years ago, showing that this connector is still proposed sometime in the future, but now extending for about 3 miles.  The VA-895/I-295 interchange was designed with the provision for this extension.

[SSOWorld]

http://g.co/maps/4b9r3

What was to become part of the Stadium freeway at I-894.  the Off-ramp from EB 894 was yanked already, and its expected the rest will go as well as part of the I-94 rebuild.  It connects to a park-and-ride but the shot shows construction staging on it.

[roadman65]

No one mentioned the ghost ramps in Elizabeth, NJ on I-278 that were once to be for NJ 81 before it was decided to join I-95 at current Exit 13A.  It is in the spaghetti bowl at the west end of the Goethals Bridge.

Then the median of I-278 from the tangle to US 1 and 9 shows evidence of a proposed inner freeway that would have been connected to the never built I-278 extension to meet its parent in Springfield, NJ.

Near Essex, MD is a freeway stub on I-695 at the MD 702 interchange where currently I-695 exits itself between the South-East and Windlass Freeways.  Originally the Windlass Freeway was planned to run from the I-95/ Moravia Road Interchange in Baltimore to Chase, MD.  That also explains the drastic curve between the Windlass and Patapsco Freeways as well.

The Bel Air Bypass for US 1 has stubs at the MD 24 interchange (south end of duplex) that were to be for a cloverleaf if MD 24 was ever to be realigned north of Bel Air.  In addition, an empty right of way with the bridges over US 1 throughout Bel Air over it, indicated once a full freeway planned for US 1.  Also, a stub once stood at the end of the Bel Air Bypass at its north end, but was flattened to make way for the US 1 Bypass around Hickory.  The original ramp to north beginning of the Bel Air Bypass is now Water Tower Road as seen from google maps and satelite if you check it out where both US 1 and US 1 Business meet between Bel Air and Hickory on the NW quadrent and on the SW quadrent is seen the old end ramp from the Bypass to the original US 1 severed from US 1, but connected to US 1 Business.

[vtk]

The ramp from 3rd/Elm to SB I-71 in Cincinnati appears to fork, with the right branch ending abruptly in mid-air.  I assume it's meant to eventually connect to I-75 NB?

[NE2]

The ramp from 3rd/Elm to SB I-71 in Cincinnati appears to fork, with the right branch ending abruptly in mid-air.  I assume it's meant to eventually connect to I-75 NB?

That's a remnant of the old configuration, when that ramp was I-71: http://www.historicaerials.com/aerials.php?scale=9.81483509824305E-06&lat=39.0984289386752&lon=-84.5192992762902&year=1970

[vtk]

The ramp from 3rd/Elm to SB I-71 in Cincinnati appears to fork, with the right branch ending abruptly in mid-air.  I assume it's meant to eventually connect to I-75 NB?

That's a remnant of the old configuration, when that ramp was I-71: http://www.historicaerials.com/aerials.php?scale=9.81483509824305E-06&lat=39.0984289386752&lon=-84.5192992762902&year=1970

I'm not convinced.  When I overlay the current configuration with the 1993 imagery from Google Earth, it's clear the old ramp was considerably wider than the current stub.  From that fact it's apparent that they rebuilt the entire structure in the Fort Washington Way project, meaning this stub was built as such, presumably for a future purpose.

[NE2]

I don't have Google Earth so I can't check, but it's possible that the apparent difference in width is an illusion caused by photos taken at different angles.

It's also possible that it was a new ramp required during reconstruction but no longer needed.

Or of course you may be right.

[WNYroadgeek]

Stub at end of I-390 NB Exit 13 onramp/offramp: http://goo.gl/maps/pbtT

[NE2]

http://russnelson.com/unfinished-railroads.html

[mcdonaat]

A few abandoned ghost ramps to speak of! Besides Louisiana 3132, I-220, and Earhart throughout the state, there are tons of abandoned slip ramps for Interstate 49's planned rest areas. I heard that I-49 will have them built when the road is connected north to Texarkana, but that's just wishful thinking on my part.

I-310 ghost ramp, to be connected to I-49 South (rumors of it being I-6): http://goo.gl/maps/rTtH
I-49 ghost ramps for rest areas, south of Natchitoches: http://goo.gl/maps/ymlk
I-49 ghost ramps for rest areas, north of Boyce: http://goo.gl/maps/SsaQ

[ARMOURERERIC]

Here's a ghost ramp that connected NY 96 and I-90 back when the Thruway was (believe it or not) free: http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=43.012673,-77.445159&spn=0.00386,0.006899&t=k&z=17

I don't think that the Thruway was ever free in that section.  I think that is the ghost ramp from the time before I-490 was built.  If you look closely you can see a line where the toll booth may have been.

In any case, good catch!

I actually looked this up on historic ariels.  It shows from 1951 a completed Thruway easterly to the now location of exit 44, ontly thing is the Thruway at that point curves southward to a grade separation with NY 96.  West of Victor, the Thruway was graded for a good distance, at the 96 cloverleaf, there were no Thruway E to 96/Rochester Ramps and no 96W to Thruway east ramps, no ramps at all in the SE quadrant.  But there appears to be no toll facilities in operation.  Check it out.

[NE2]

Check it out.

This is much easier with a link: http://www.historicaerials.com/aerials.php?scale=1.62411595546177E-05&lat=43.010368770868&lon=-77.4444569926233&year=1951

[Alps]

Check it out.

This is much easier with a link: http://www.historicaerials.com/aerials.php?scale=1.62411595546177E-05&lat=43.010368770868&lon=-77.4444569926233&year=1951

Not too much reason to toll a road that only goes one exit.

[TXtoNJ]

Surprised that no one has mentioned the ghost ramps for the proposed I-70 and I-83 on I-95 in Baltimore.

http://goo.gl/maps/eoA4
http://goo.gl/maps/tXqU

There's also the Goat Path Expressway northeast of Lancaster, PA, once planned to be a freeway extension of PA 23 to Norristown. It's now an overgrown right-of-way with bridges, but no roadways:

http://goo.gl/maps/nCal

[vdeane]

Check it out.

This is much easier with a link: http://www.historicaerials.com/aerials.php?scale=1.62411595546177E-05&lat=43.010368770868&lon=-77.4444569926233&year=1951

Sure, if you run Windows.  Silverlight won't run on Linux.

[PHLBOS]

A slip road is what we call a ramp. Collector/distributor lanes are the same in all counties, we sometimes shorten it to C/D road.

We'll occasionally shorten it to C/D road as well.

You'll also occasionally hear the term "slip ramp" in the US, too.

At least in the northeast, slip ramp and C/D road aren't necessarily the same thing/interchangeable.

An example of this is located along one of the ramps from Philadelphia International Airport (Arrivals roads) to I-95 North.  The ramp, which was constructed in 2000-2001, is located on the left side of the exit ramp and allows traffic access to the Recirculation Road and the Economy Parking Lot that wouldn't have otherwise existed.  The design plans indeed referred this short, connector road as a Slip Ramp.

Note: you'll have to zoom in and switch to Aerial view to get the full effect:
http://www.bing.com/maps/#JnE9LnBobCU3ZXNzdC4wJTdlcGcuMSZiYj01NS42ODkwNzc0NzkzMTY3JTdlLTM5LjE5MTQ4MjU0MzUlN2UxNi45OTIyMzgyODUxOTQ2JTdlLTExNC44NjUzMTA2Njg1

Back to the topic at hand:

I don't have time to post too many other links but here's a few locations of unbuilt evidence; I'm a bit surprised that many of these weren't mentioned as of yet.

Pennsylvania

Philadelphia: I-95/Airport/PA 291 interchange (Exits 12-13) - Built in 1985, this interchange still shows hints of how the long-dead I-695 Cobbs Creek Expressway would've connected.  Along the I-95 South exit ramps from the Airport Terminals where there are at-grade ghost-ramps for would have been I-695 north. 

Additionally, the ramps to the Airport's Arrivals Roadway from I-95 that cross over the highway itself features a long overpass with 3 bridge supports spaced in such a manner that the outer sections are wide enough to accommodate another multi-lane highway (I-695).  The corridors in question currently are turfed.  Prior to the relocation of the Departures Roadway ramp (in 2000), the original ramp (which was located alongside the fore-mentioned Arrivals Roadway ramps prior to its tear-down) featured an identical  layout. 

One ghost-ramp to I-695 that ultimately became reality (somewhat) was the ramp from I-95 North.  A portion of this ramp, as it veered off the mainline I-95, was constructed in 2000-2001 is now an exit ramp to the Airport (Exit 12) from I-95 North.  Prior to this ramp's existence, 95 norhtbounders had to get on PA 291 east first (at Exit 10) before heading into the airport.

Doylestown: US 202/East State Street - while the Bypass is being extended to the south (in a Parkway arrangement at the PA 611 cloverleaf) evidence of a northern extension of a 202 Bypass/Expressway still exists a mile or two northward with a mainline stub to what would have been a diamond interchange.  Access to and from the bypass is done using what would have been entrance/exit ramps for the SW & SE quadrants of the diamond.

Bridgeport/Upper Merion (south of Norristown): US 202/PA 23 - a stub still exists for what would have been the Schuylkill Parkway (PA 23 bypass?).

Upper Leacock Township (Lancaster County): PA 772 (Newport Road), south of PA 23 - shows strong evidence (including PA 772 using an overpass) of a diamond or condensed cloverleaf interchange with what would have been the PA 23 Expressway/Bypass.  Ramp stubs from PA 772 are easily evident as well.  Note: a portion of the PA 23 Expressway/Bypass was built just outside of Lancaster City a few years ago.

Note: you'll have to zoom in and switch to Aerial view to get the full effect:

http://www.bing.com/maps/#JnE9Lmxlb2xhJTI1MmMlMmJwYSU3ZXNzdC4wJTdlcGcuMSZiYj01NS42ODkwNzc0NzkzMTY3JTdlLTM5LjE5MTQ4MjU0MzUlN2UxNi45OTIyMzgyODUxOTQ2JTdlLTExNC44NjUzMTA2Njg1

New Jersey

Ewing Township: I-95/Former I-295/(future I-195) between Exits 4 & 5 - Although not so much visible anymore, there used to be at-grade ghost-ramps/pavement patches (including ramp striping) for what would've been (and IMHO should've been) I-95 North.  The obviously wide median between the northbound and southbound lanes are the most visual hint of what would have been an interchange.

Rhode Island

Newport: RI 138/Admiral Kalbfus Blvd. - Ghost ramps and a mainline stub for what would have either been I-895 or even a southern extension of RI 24 from Portsmouth still exist to this day.  This is also where RI 138 changes from an east-west road to a north-south road.

Further south, towards the Newport Bridge/JT Connell Hwy/RI 138A/238, there's a mainline stub of what might've been a short highway spur from RI 138/possible I-895.  It appears to be presently used as a make-shift Park-and-Ride(?) lot.

Note: you'll have to zoom in and switch to Aerial view to get the full effect:

http://www.bing.com/maps/#JnE9Lm5ld3BvcnQlMjUyYyUyYnJpJTdlc3N0LjAlN2VwZy4xJmJiPTU1LjY4OTA3NzQ3OTMxNjclN2UtMzkuMTkxNDgyNTQzNSU3ZTE2Ljk5MjIzODI4NTE5NDYlN2UtMTE0Ljg2NTMxMDY2ODU=

North Kingston: US 1/RI 138 - ramps stubs and ghost ramps still exit on what would have been a full-cloverleaf interchange carrying RI 138 (& I-895) under US 1.

Johnstown: I-295/US 6/US 6A Exit 6 - mainline stubs, hints of ghost ramps and even a 'fly-under' ramp underneath I-295 are what remains of what would've been I-84 linking Providence to Hartford.

Massachusetts

Canton: I-95/93/US 1/MA 128 Exits 12 & 1 - traces of ghost ramps and one fly-over ramp crossing the Yankee Division Highway (I-95/US 1/MA 128) still remain to this day.  The interchange, originally built in the mid-60s, was supposed be a cloverleaf design with fly-over ramps from I-95 south to then-MA 128 north & south.  The unused fly-over ramp over I-95 at the southern part of the interchange was torn down a decade to a decade-and-a-half ago to accommodate a longer ramp from I-95 North to I-93 North.  A portion of a long-since decommissioned cloverleaf ramp from I-95/MA 128 North to I-95 South still exists as construction/maintenance/salt vehicle accessway to a salt(?) shed.

Attleboro: I-95/295 Exits 4 & 2 - traces of a mainline stub for what would've been I-895 still exist.  Most of the ghost/unpaved cloverleaf ramps have since become overgrown with vegetation, trees and brush.

Revere: US 1/MA 60 (Cutler Circle) - traces of what would have been I-95 north of this interchange still exist, including unused overpasses.  It is worth noting that the ghost/unpaved roadbed for what would have been I-95 that stretched through Saugus up to the Lynn border (about 2 miles) that sat unused for decades has since been eliminated.

[mgk920]

A couple more:

In Wisconsin:
https://maps.google.com/?ll=43.400714,-87.925558&spn=0.017929,0.027595&t=k&z=15

The I-43/WI 57 split at Port Washington ('Port Washington Interchange').  The never-built Stadium North freeway was the original planned routing of what became I-43, it would have continued northward from Milwaukee, curved eastward around Saukville and fed into modern-day I-43 here.

Streetview:
https://maps.google.com/?ll=43.40062,-87.919593&spn=0.017929,0.027595&t=k&z=15&layer=c&cbll=43.400476,-87.927723&panoid=BPeg-PUUySPrhaih_cBB_A&cbp=12,343.13,,0,3.16
Note how high that overcrossing bridge is.  The NB Stadium Freeway to NB I-43 through roadway was to pass between the NB WI 57 roadway and the present-day SB I-43 overcrossing.  Graded fill is there for that roadway, too (visible in the aerial).

In Michigan:
https://maps.google.com/?ll=43.597425,-84.140253&spn=0.017995,0.027595&t=k&z=15
(US 10/M-47, Midland, MI)
Where was M-47 planned to continue to northward from here?

Mike

[Beltway]

Surprised that no one has mentioned the ghost ramps for the proposed I-70 and I-83 on I-95 in Baltimore.

I wonder when they are going to 8-lane the I-95 section within the I-83 interchange, to eliminate the lane drops that were legitimate with a completed I-83?

They did this at the I-70 interchange about 12 years ago.

[triplemultiplex]

https://maps.google.com/?ll=43.400714,-87.925558&spn=0.017929,0.027595&t=k&z=15

The I-43/WI 57 split at Port Washington ('Port Washington Interchange').  The never-built Stadium North freeway was the original planned routing of what became I-43, it would have continued northward from Milwaukee, curved eastward around Saukville and fed into modern-day I-43 here.

Streetview:
https://maps.google.com/?ll=43.40062,-87.919593&spn=0.017929,0.027595&t=k&z=15&layer=c&cbll=43.400476,-87.927723&panoid=BPeg-PUUySPrhaih_cBB_A&cbp=12,343.13,,0,3.16
Note how high that overcrossing bridge is.  The NB Stadium Freeway to NB I-43 through roadway was to pass between the NB WI 57 roadway and the present-day SB I-43 overcrossing.  Graded fill is there for that roadway, too (visible in the aerial).

Now I thought the grading in the median and extra height on SB 43 were for making that interchange full access (directional Y); something that was a leftover from when it was thought I-43 was going to follow a WI 57 alignment to Green Bay and this would be the I-43, US 141 north interchange.  I was not aware there was any preparation for the Stadium North Freeway making it out of Milwaukee.  Although that would explain the apparent curvature to the graded portion of the unbuilt NB entrance ramp, which seems slightly off for just a SB->NB ramp.

[colinstu]

Interstate 694 in Chicago?

he's maybe talking about this? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstate_94_in_Illinois#History