Have interstates been truncated?

[noelbotevera]

I-370 in MD was truncated back from the P&R to the Interconnector when the latter was built.

I think I-370 has always ended at the Park and Ride - prior to 2007, there was no road there and I-370 ended at ramps to the Park and Ride.

[noelbotevera]

Both I-820 in Fort Worth and I-635 in Dallas were truncated in favor of I-20's eventual path along the south side of both cities; all of I-820's southern section was affected between Benbrook and Forest Hill and became only I-20, despite some of the Fort Worth street addressing in the corridor still being dubbed 'SW (or SE) Loop 820'; meanwhile, all of I-635's original portion between I-35E south and the US 175 interchange saw a gradual phase-in of the I-20 designation until the last new section of I-20 was opened between Balch Springs and Terrell around ~1990.

Other affected interstates here were either rerouted or lengthened.

In a way, I-20 got truncated. The rerouting shortened I-20 from ~650 miles to 635.

[hbelkins]

This is a photo from a few years ago of an Indiana overhead in Kentucky. It's north of the Ohio River but south of the state line.

https://flic.kr/p/dCTgyM



This photo is of the next overhead, right at the state line.

https://flic.kr/p/dCYEZQ

[TEG24601]

I don't know if it is official, but I-90 was originally supposed to extend West of I-5 to US/SR(WA) 99, but now stops at 4th Avenue (maybe), and the first exit, at I-5 is labeled at Exit 2.


There is also I-84 in Portland, which while still following its intended route, was modified after the cancelation of the Mt. Hood Freeway, requiring a Mile marker recalibration of a mile or two between what is listed as mile markers West of I-205 and those East of I-205.

[cpzilliacus]

I-370 in MD was truncated back from the P&R to the Interconnector when the latter was built.

I think I-370 has always ended at the Park and Ride - prior to 2007, there was no road there and I-370 ended at ramps to the Park and Ride.

A little more complicated than that.

I-370 used to end at the beginning of WMATA (transit authority) maintenance at the Shady Grove Metrorail station.

When Md. 200 was built, I-370 was truncated (perhaps in a cruel way, since it was never a very long Interstate) back to the interchange now marked "Shady Grove Metro Station," Exit 3 on both I-370 and Md. 200.  What used to be I-370 between Exit 3 and the Shady Grove station became "secret" (and untolled) Md. 200A.

[wriddle082]

The eastern end of I-26 in Charleston was truncated about a half mile in 2005 or 2006 when the US 17 Arthur Ravenel Bridge, and its associated interchange with I-26, opened.  The new bridge is slightly upstream from where the old bridges were.  US 17 continues south on the 1/2 mile of former I-26, and has a sharp curve to the right at the location of the former interchange with the old bridges.


But I think between 2006 and now, the western end of I-26 was extended from I-81 to US 11W in Kingsport, TN.  So all in all its still a longer interstate.

[hbelkins]

But I think between 2006 and now, the western end of I-26 was extended from I-81 to US 11W in Kingsport, TN.  So all in all its still a longer interstate.

Yes, the part of the freeway between 81 and 11W originally stayed 181 when 26 was established in Tennessee, but later became 26. So I guess one could say 181 has been entirely truncated. 

[thenetwork]

Technically, I-490 in Cleveland extends east of I-77 to the E. 55th Street "T" intersection, even though BGS's off of I-77 do not list an I-490 East.  With the building of the Opportunity Parkway boulevard now under construction connecting East 55th with the University Circle/Cleveland Clinic area -- including a rebuild of the E. 55th intersection -- one has to wonder if ODOT will officially truncate I-490 back to I-77 once the parkway is done.

[rickmastfan67]

The only example I know of is I-279 in the Pittsburgh area. It got truncated to I-376 in downtown instead of going to the PA Turnpike I-79 in Rosslyn Farms in 2009.

Fixed that for you, as I-279 has never intersected the PA Turnpike in any way, shape, or form..

[Kacie Jane]

I don't know if it is official, but I-90 was originally supposed to extend West of I-5 to US/SR(WA) 99, but now stops at 4th Avenue (maybe), and the first exit, at I-5 is labeled at Exit 2.


There is also I-84 in Portland, which while still following its intended route, was modified after the cancelation of the Mt. Hood Freeway, requiring a Mile marker recalibration of a mile or two between what is listed as mile markers West of I-205 and those East of I-205.

I don't think it counts as "truncated" if it was never built.

[jakeroot]

I don't know if it is official, but I-90 was originally supposed to extend West of I-5 to US/SR(WA) 99, but now stops at 4th Avenue (maybe), and the first exit, at I-5 is labeled at Exit 2.


There is also I-84 in Portland, which while still following its intended route, was modified after the cancelation of the Mt. Hood Freeway, requiring a Mile marker recalibration of a mile or two between what is listed as mile markers West of I-205 and those East of I-205.

I don't think it counts as "truncated" if it was never built.

Speaking of Seattle, did the 405 ever run all the way to the 509 near Burien? Strange question, I know, but I always found it funny that the 405 sort of abruptly ends at the 5 interchange.

[Henry]

Would the I-40 reroute around Greensboro count? There were two of those in 2008, first around the Urban Loop, and then again through town, the latter of which is shorter.

[Grzrd]

The eastern end of I-26 in Charleston was truncated about a half mile in 2005 or 2006 when the US 17 Arthur Ravenel Bridge, and its associated interchange with I-26, opened.  The new bridge is slightly upstream from where the old bridges were.  US 17 continues south on the 1/2 mile of former I-26, and has a sharp curve to the right at the location of the former interchange with the old bridges ...

In a similar scenario, the construction of the Corpus Christi Harbor Bridge may result in a slight truncation of I-37:

https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=11684.msg2062284#msg2062284

[jbnati27]

I-75 got re-routed in Knoxville, TN on to I-640 instead of going downtown on what is now I-275. Not sure if it changed the distance, though. The exit at Jellico for US25W has always been Exit 160 to my knowledge. At least the overlap with I-40 was truncated.

[Kacie Jane]

I don't know if it is official, but I-90 was originally supposed to extend West of I-5 to US/SR(WA) 99, but now stops at 4th Avenue (maybe), and the first exit, at I-5 is labeled at Exit 2.


There is also I-84 in Portland, which while still following its intended route, was modified after the cancelation of the Mt. Hood Freeway, requiring a Mile marker recalibration of a mile or two between what is listed as mile markers West of I-205 and those East of I-205.

I don't think it counts as "truncated" if it was never built.

Speaking of Seattle, did the 405 ever run all the way to the 509 near Burien? Strange question, I know, but I always found it funny that the 405 sort of abruptly ends at the 5 interchange.

You could say the same thing about the north end. But no, as far as I know, 405 has always been I-5 to I-5.

[kkt]

I don't know if it is official, but I-90 was originally supposed to extend West of I-5 to US/SR(WA) 99, but now stops at 4th Avenue (maybe), and the first exit, at I-5 is labeled at Exit 2.


There is also I-84 in Portland, which while still following its intended route, was modified after the cancelation of the Mt. Hood Freeway, requiring a Mile marker recalibration of a mile or two between what is listed as mile markers West of I-205 and those East of I-205.

I don't think it counts as "truncated" if it was never built.

Speaking of Seattle, did the 405 ever run all the way to the 509 near Burien? Strange question, I know, but I always found it funny that the 405 sort of abruptly ends at the 5 interchange.

You could say the same thing about the north end. But no, as far as I know, 405 has always been I-5 to I-5.

Back when 405 was being planned, the policy was interstates could only end at other interstates, large natural barriers (oceans or great lakes), or national borders.

[Pete from Boston]

Speaking of I-84, ours was truncated back from Massachusetts to Manchester, Conn., for some years, with the intention that it would be extended west on a route mostly never built.  It was re-extended north, of course, once that plan was abandoned.

[jakeroot]

I don't know if it is official, but I-90 was originally supposed to extend West of I-5 to US/SR(WA) 99, but now stops at 4th Avenue (maybe), and the first exit, at I-5 is labeled at Exit 2.


There is also I-84 in Portland, which while still following its intended route, was modified after the cancelation of the Mt. Hood Freeway, requiring a Mile marker recalibration of a mile or two between what is listed as mile markers West of I-205 and those East of I-205.

I don't think it counts as "truncated" if it was never built.

Speaking of Seattle, did the 405 ever run all the way to the 509 near Burien? Strange question, I know, but I always found it funny that the 405 sort of abruptly ends at the 5 interchange.

You could say the same thing about the north end. But no, as far as I know, 405 has always been I-5 to I-5.

Back when 405 was being planned, the policy was interstates could only end at other interstates, large natural barriers (oceans or great lakes), or national borders.

This was my original assumption, but I wasn't 100% sure. Thank you for clarifying.

[Brandon]

Until I-90 and I-94 were switched in NE Illinois and NW Indiana, I-294 existed along the Borman Expressway (current I-80/94) concurrent with I-80 and I-90.  When I-94 was switched from the Toll Road and Skyway to the Borman and Calumet Expressways with I-90 continuing along the Toll Road and Skyway, I-294 was truncated to the current south end in South Holland.

[empirestate]

It seems there are three basic categories here.

1) First, the most common many times over, is that a particular numbered route got cut back, but was replaced by a different Interstate designation due to another route being extended or relocated. I-820 in Fort Worth would be a prominent example.

2) Interstate designation was removed altogether from a still-extant piece of road. The east end of I-70 seems to be this case.

3) The road itself was dismantled or removed. Off hand I think I-480 (CA) is the only example of this–note that I'm not including routes that got shifted a bit because the terminus of a route was reconstructed or relocated, even if the total mileage of that route becomes less as a result. An example of this might be I-195 in Providence.

And then we have some examples thrown in of routes simply being re-routed onto different pieces of road, which are not truncations.

Side question: which syntax is more correct? "Truncated to..." or "truncated at..."?

[TheStranger]

3) The road itself was dismantled or removed. Off hand I think I-480 (CA) is the only example of this–note that I'm not including routes that got shifted a bit because the terminus of a route was reconstructed or relocated, even if the total mileage of that route becomes less as a result. An example of this might be I-195 in Providence.

Would Baltimore's I-170 mostly count in this category?

[froggie]

Would Baltimore's I-170 mostly count in this category?

Only a small part of the western end.  Otherwise, I-170 falls under his Category 2.

[Duke87]

3) The road itself was dismantled or removed. Off hand I think I-480 (CA) is the only example of this–note that I'm not including routes that got shifted a bit because the terminus of a route was reconstructed or relocated, even if the total mileage of that route becomes less as a result. An example of this might be I-195 in Providence.

If you want to be super anal, I-480 does not count as a truncation since it was eliminated entirely. To count as a truncation in the most technical sense, a route must still exist, but have at some point in the past continued past one or both of its current endpoints.

Some examples in this thread also seem to fall in a couple of further categories:
4) The road was never finished as originally planned, and was truncated purely on paper. For example, I-78 through New York City.

5) The road was rerouted along a newer highway, with the old highway removed from the interstate system. For example, I-40 in Winston-Salem. Or I-78 in Allentown/Bethlehem.

Side question: which syntax is more correct? "Truncated to..." or "truncated at..."?

"Truncated to...". Although using "truncated" like this is awkward either way. I would say "cut back" instead if the point of truncation is being named, e.g. "US 15 was cut back to Painted Post", and leave "truncated" only for use without an indirect object, e.g. "US 15 was truncated when I-390 was built".

[empirestate]

If you want to be super anal, I-480 does not count as a truncation since it was eliminated entirely. To count as a truncation in the most technical sense, a route must still exist, but have at some point in the past continued past one or both of its current endpoints.

I wouldn't call that super anal at all; I'd call it quite apt.

5) The road was rerouted along a newer highway, with the old highway removed from the interstate system. For example, I-40 in Winston-Salem. Or I-78 in Allentown/Bethlehem.

There were a few straight-up relocations mentioned, but I wouldn't count those as any category of truncation.

Side question: which syntax is more correct? "Truncated to..." or "truncated at..."?

"Truncated to...". Although using "truncated" like this is awkward either way. I would say "cut back" instead if the point of truncation is being named, e.g. "US 15 was cut back to Painted Post", and leave "truncated" only for use without an indirect object, e.g. "US 15 was truncated when I-390 was built".

I would have chosen "truncated at..." because the sense of the word "truncated" (and the archaic adjective form "truncate") connotes a sudden, squared-off ending (as a limb or appendage) as though by having the end lopped off. So I'd want to say "US 15 was truncated at Painted Post" the same way I'd want to say "Luke's hand was cut off at the wrist", which would leave his arm truncated at the wrist. (But "truncated" doesn't necessarily suggest that anything was actually cut off, only that there is the appearance of this.)