Why don't they put buildings underneath elevated freeways?

[bulldog1979]

The parking lot and visitor's center for Fort Michilimackinac in Mackinaw City is under part of the Mackinac Bridge/I-75. Google Streetview

[Revive 755]

Part of the Greyhound Bus Station near downtown St. Louis goes under an elevated entrance to WB US 40.

Looks like part of the same transportation center may extend under the main lanes of US 40.

There's another bulding under US 40 just west of 18th Street.

[ErmineNotyours]

But Japan takes this to whole new levels:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/gGdzk93DMU5vriVg6

But this building may "lobby" to be counted as well.

There's a skate park under a freeway overpass near me! Always thought this was a good use of the space. https://www.google.com/maps/@37.7701603,-122.4216451,3a,75y,69.77h,93.38t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1swFBX-XyO1RfDIKakwWJMyA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

Skate park under SR 99

And unrelated to the above:

Streetcar barn, Portland, Oregon

[froggie]

One other reason, not mentioned yet, against permanent-use structures under freeways:  the concentration of particulates from the vehicles above would most likely exceed federal/state/local air quality standards.  Things like parks and parking lots are acceptable because they're considered "temporary use"...the users are not there for long.

[TEG24601]

They do it under bridge viaducts in much of the world.  The UK (as seen in Coronation Street), and Japan are prime examples.  Also, something like the H-1/Nimitz Highway setup is a great way to better utilize the space with the freeway above, and a surface street below, with stores and everything.  It would be a bit like the streets in downtown Chicago, with multiple levels for multiple uses.

[I-55]

I would imagine maintaining the bridges would take more than the average effort

[US 89]

This may or may not have something to do with it...

[Bickendan]

A more concrete example in Taipei:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/jzn1qk5LtyW77edHA

Apropos of nothing, Ludwig must be proud

[TheGrassGuy]

Coronation Street

Which one? There seem to be tons of them.

[mgk920]

This may or may not have something to do with it...

Wasn't that bridge that collapsed in Genoa, Italy a few years ago built over a bunch of multi-story apartment buildings?

Also, the service barn for the nascent tram system in Milwaukee ('The Hop') is built under I-794.

Mike

[sparker]

There were businesses under the US 101 viaduct in Santa Rosa circa 1989 (I actually bought a computer from a store under the freeway).  Don't know if they're still there, haven't been on the ground in that city for several years.  But there were at least 2 full blocks of small businesses there -- I'd venture a guess that the rent was relatively cheap compared to the more "toney" areas of downtown Santa Rosa to the east.  But, IIRC, it wasn't that unpleasant; the areas not occupied by commercial buildings were purposed for parking -- and the noise level wasn't particularly annoying (probably because US 101 in that area just didn't have the levels of traffic seen farther south circa the late '80's/early '90's). 

[UCFKnights]

Orlando is planning to build a park with some buildings under it starting after the I-4 revamp is completed.... supposed to include community rooms, bathrooms, and food and vendor kiosks. The bridges are being built higher to allow for more natural lighting and a more open feel. Heres a rendering: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJPV125KJxw&feature=youtu.be

[webny99]

The Canal Route here in Wichita gets pretty close, but not quite.  I'm specifically thinking of this house on 3rd Street.  (The cul-de-sac underneath the highway here was one stop on the Wichita roadmeet a few years ago.)

It would be very noisy and dark under a freeway, deterring would-be occupants.

It being dark was actually what attracted my wife and me to use the hike/bike path underneath the Canal Route for jogging.  During the summer months, the shade of the highway helped keep us cooler than we would have been at other locations.  (However, there are definitely some sketchy folks who use that path every day, and I never felt totally comfortable leaving our car parked on that cul-de-sac when arriving for a jog.)

[img snipped]

Your post and image reminded me of this, one of several trails at Genesee Valley Park that runs under an elevated section of I-390. You can see several of the trails and a small turnaround under the freeway here; no proper street view under that side, unfortunately.

[Bruce]

Orlando is planning to build a park with some buildings under it starting after the I-4 revamp is completed.... supposed to include community rooms, bathrooms, and food and vendor kiosks. The bridges are being built higher to allow for more natural lighting and a more open feel. Heres a rendering: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJPV125KJxw&feature=youtu.be

I predict that no one will actually want to gather there. It's going to look nothing like the renderings.

[bing101]

Apparently in this clip there was a building under I-10 Santa Monica Freeway when the 1994 quake in Northridge took place. Sure in California its rare to see buildings under freeways and in our case its quake damage.

[TheGrassGuy]

Apparently in this clip there was a building under I-10 Santa Monica Freeway when the 1994 quake in Northridge took place. Sure in California its rare to see buildings under freeways and in our case its quake damage.

Japan would like to have a word with you.

[cpzilliacus]

Former Baltimore City fire station under I-95 (and almost under I-895) on Holabird Avenue at South Newkirk Street.  The fire station is older than I-95 and is now owned by the Maryland Transportation Authority.

[mgk920]

Don't forget the Aldrich Chemical building that the original Marquette Interchange in Milwaukee, WI wrapped above and around.  It was retained when the interchange was first built in the mid-late 1960s in that Aldrich was a critical defense contractor/supplier during the Vietnam era.  Since that need was no longer there when the interchange's replacement was being planned in the mid-late 1990s, it was demoed for to make way for that replacement.

Mike

[kphoger]

So, have we had any examples yet of a privately-owned building underneath a highway in the USA, still in existence?

[sparker]

So, have we had any examples yet of a privately-owned building underneath a highway in the USA, still in existence?

Right here in San Jose, occupying part of the space under the I-280 overpass of South 10th/11th Streets, is a prefab building serving as the office for the PS Storage units there, also right under the bridge.  It's been there since at least 1980.  There is a similar storage facility in Hollywood, CA at the location where the unbuilt CA 2 freeway would have intersected the US 101/Hollywood freeway; as the latter's carriageways separate there in order to accommodate LH ramps (in a fashion similar to the I-5/710 interchange in the City of Commerce).  The storage buildings are mostly in the space between the US 101 lanes but are also sited directly under the 101 viaducts as well. 

[D-Dey65]

I'm actually surprised there aren't any on I-495 between the Queens-Midtown Tunnel and Van Dam Street.

BTW, I found some really rusty segments of that bridge on Google Street View. Maybe I should report it to NYSDOT Region 11.

[brad2971]

So, have we had any examples yet of a privately-owned building underneath a highway in the USA, still in existence?

https://www.google.com/maps/@32.7589121,-117.2021763,3a,75y,33.76h,89.28t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1ssyPQ2LB4Kn95fpkIcpn-Fg!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

At least a portion of the EZ-8 motel is under the NB 5 to EB 8 ramp in San Diego, plus there's a storage place that looks to be under some of the EB 8 mainlanes.

[Bitmapped]

So, have we had any examples yet of a privately-owned building underneath a highway in the USA, still in existence?

For about 35 years, there was a warehouse below the I-64/I-77 interchange in Charleston, WV. The building predated the interchange. They ended up putting a hammerhead pier through the building to support a ramp, but otherwise, the building was undisturbed. The warehouse itself was demolished a couple years ago.

[kernals12]

The Bryan/College Station Metropolitan Planning Organization in Texas considered the idea in their study on improving FM 60


I think such an idea should be considered for MA 9 near the Golden Triangle.

And in Arlington, Virginia, a local group is urging the VDOT to drop its proposal to replace 3 grade separated interchanges with at-grade intersections near Crystal City, as they feel that it would be woefully dangerous and inconvenient to have to walk across a 6 lane boulevard, and instead to make do with what they have and put shops under the overpasses

[kernals12]

Here's a grocery store located under a highway overpass in the Netherlands. And actually, they build the grocery store before they built the bridge
https://www.google.com/maps/@52.4632561,4.8100982,3a,75y,341.82h,91.21t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1spN0CUYpAwKjTsF3pljmTcw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192