Pointless Termini

[deathtopumpkins]

VA-32 crosses the James River Bridge multiplexed with US-258/17 according to some sources, only to terminate on the peninsula side, and be multiplexed for a long portion on the Isle of Wight side.

[74/171FAN]

VA-32 crosses the James River Bridge multiplexed with US-258/17 according to some sources, only to terminate on the peninsula side, and be multiplexed for a long portion on the Isle of Wight side.

VA 10 multiplexes with US 258 and VA 32 into Downtown Suffolk from Smithfield only to end in Downtown Suffolk

[deathtopumpkins]

VA 10 multiplexes with US 258 and VA 32 into Downtown Suffolk from Smithfield only to end in Downtown Suffolk

Yeah, that's another pointless one.

[njroadhorse]

US 33 needs to end at US 250 at the Richmond city limits, which would eliminate a confusing and rather useless multiplex.

I'd want to reverse that, given that US 33 is the two-digit U.S. Route

[OracleUsr]

IIRC, US 319's southern terminus alongside US 98 in Apalachicola, FL, would qualify.  From what I remember seeing, the two are multiplexed towards US 319's end.

[WillWeaverRVA]

US 33 needs to end at US 250 at the Richmond city limits, which would eliminate a confusing and rather useless multiplex.

I'd want to reverse that, given that US 33 is the two-digit U.S. Route

In that case, they both ought to end at US 1/301. Having both VA 33 and US 33 within a block of one another is pretty confusing as it is.

[74/171FAN]

US 33 needs to end at US 250 at the Richmond city limits, which would eliminate a confusing and rather useless multiplex.

I'd want to reverse that, given that US 33 is the two-digit U.S. Route

In that case, they both ought to end at US 1/301. Having both VA 33 and US 33 within a block of one another is pretty confusing as it is.

Seriously US 250 should be left alone and US 33 should follow US 1/US 301 North at Belvidere to end at VA 33/Leigh St(it might still be pointless but it makes sense)

[Scott5114]

I think US routes can be put on toll roads only if there is a U.S. highway facility that you can parallel the turnpike with if you're not in the mood to pay. US-412 Scenic bypasses the Cherokee for this reason. And US-64 bypasses the Cimarron.

[kaothinterceptor]

I-74/I-77 at the NC/VA border. For starters, there's no need for this duplex to exist yet. Throw in the fact that the only reassurance shield for I-74 during the duplex is on the northbound side and you have the definition of a Useless Duplex.

As for non-multiplexed routes, I'd have to say... well, I-74's western terminus.

[MDOTFanFB]

OH 65 at I-280. There used to be an exit there, but the Skyway project removed that. It would be better if the Craig Bridge wasn't turned to local control and have OH 65 routed on it so it can connect to I-280.

[kaothinterceptor]

OH 65 at I-280. There used to be an exit there, but the Skyway project removed that. It would be better if the Craig Bridge wasn't turned to local control and have OH 65 routed on it so it can connect to I-280.

Add I-76 to the list, TWICE. First off is the famous US 30 expressway off of I-71. This makes I-76's current western terminus pointless. The problem? Duplexing I-76 with I-71 would be just as pointless until US 30 is upgraded all the way to I-75 since US 23 (I-73) isn't going to be worked on for a LONG time.

[Eth]

A few here in my area:

MD 85's northern terminus.  Instead of ending at I-70, it continues an additional several hundred feet to end at an intersection with an unnumbered route.  Either truncate it to I-70 or extend it north to MD 144.

MD 107/109.  These routes share a terminus in Poolesville, where there are no other numbered routes.  I think this is because MD 107 used to continue west from here, but since it doesn't anymore, there's no need to have the route appear to arbitrarily change numbers.

MD 112/190.  Same situation as MD 107/109.

MD 119's northern terminus.  Currently ends at unnumbered Middlebrook Road.  Either extend it west on Middlebrook to end at MD 118 or east to end at I-270 or (preferably) MD 355.

MD 189's northern terminus.  Similar situation to MD 85 above; ends at a nondescript intersection just past I-270.  Either truncate it to I-270 or extend it into Rockville to end at MD 28.

Honorable mentions:

MD 27's southern terminus.  This one might not really fit the description; there's not really anything wrong with it ending at MD 355.  However, since the BGSes on I-270 sign the Father Hurley Blvd exit as MD 27 (without a "to"), wouldn't it make more sense to actually have MD 27 continue the 3/4 of a mile or so to I-270 to actually make it accurate?

US 340's northern (eastern) terminus.  Final five miles are concurrent with US 15 and thus not strictly necessary.  However, it could be argued that this is necessary in order for it to connect to its parent, US 40, which it meets at the terminus.


EDIT:  Just thought of another:

MD 28's eastern terminus or MD 198's western terminus (take your pick).  There's no reason for the section of Norbeck Road between MD 650 and MD 182 not to have a number, so extend either 28 or 198 over it.  In an ideal world, they'd also be unified under the same number, but that's beyond the scope of this thread.

[hbelkins]

I-74/I-77 at the NC/VA border. For starters, there's no need for this duplex to exist yet. Throw in the fact that the only reassurance shield for I-74 during the duplex is on the northbound side and you have the definition of a Useless Duplex.

That's a change, then. There used to be an I-74 sign posted with the first I-77 sign going south as you enter NC from VA.

[Brandon]

I think US routes can be put on toll roads only if there is a U.S. highway facility that you can parallel the turnpike with if you're not in the mood to pay. US-412 Scenic bypasses the Cherokee for this reason. And US-64 bypasses the Cimarron.

Someone better tell Illinois with US-51 on the tollway (with I-90 and I-39) and only IL-251 paralleling it.

[rickmastfan67]

I-74/I-77 at the NC/VA border. For starters, there's no need for this duplex to exist yet. Throw in the fact that the only reassurance shield for I-74 during the duplex is on the northbound side and you have the definition of a Useless Duplex.

That's a change, then. There used to be an I-74 sign posted with the first I-77 sign going south as you enter NC from VA.

It was still there the last time I was there in May '10.  I'll be for sure back that way in May again and I'll double check on it.

[Traffic]

How about the west end of US 264?  It's last 17 miles are mulitplexed with US 64 to I-440.  It should either end at Us 64 near Zebulon or exit to what is now 64 Business (old 64 before the Bypass opened) so they don't overlap.  The east end of 264 used to also be overlapped with 64 to go over the Sound to Manteo where they both ended at US 158 (which also ended there).  Now they cut the east end back to where they intersect west of the Virginia Dare Bridge.

Another pointless termini is US 401.  It used to end at US 1 in Norlina.  Recently it was extended north along US 1 to end at I-85 (NC Exit 233).

I've got one more, which is as much a mulitplex question as anything else.  NC 24 and 27 are mulitplexed from Charlotte all the way to near Fayetteville, over 100 miles.  Add to this, that at the east end, NC 27 ends in Benson, while NC 24 goes all the way to US 70 at Morehead City.  On the west end, 24 used to end where 24 and 27 met US 74 (while 27 continued west), but a few years ago, 24 was extended along Harriis Blvd. to end at I-77.  Could this long mulitplex be elimininated?  Why not end 24 at 27 near Fayetteville (leving only the east section), or kill 27 and renumber the existing 27 west of Charlotte to be 24.  Of course, this is now pointless since 24 was extended over Harris Blvd., but that could have been another number and still ended 24 near Fayetteville.

While we're at it, do Us 74 and 76 both have to mulitplex east into and thru Wilmington so they can terminate at opposite ends of Wrightsville Beach (74 on the north and 76 on the south).  Seems like one US route would have been enough to go over the causeway.  Oh wait, I forgot they take separate routes (74 on MLK and 76 via Oleander) through Wilmington before they meet up just before the drawbridge.

[Bickendan]

SK 55 at SK 9. AB/SK 55 are part of the Northern Woods and Water Route (along with BC/AB49 and AB 2), stretches the width of Saskatchewan... only for SK 55 to end at SK 9 (a north-south route), which go the final few klicks into Manitoba, switching to a Manitoba secondary highway (MB 283, I think). It should have been SK 55 going into Manitoba, to retain a primary highway number on the Maintoba side (MB 55) before the Northern Woods and Water Route switches to MB 10 to go south.

[Hot Rod Hootenanny]

OH 65 at I-280. There used to be an exit there, but the Skyway project removed that. It would be better if the Craig Bridge wasn't turned to local control and have OH 65 routed on it so it can connect to I-280.

There is several state routes in Ohio that just "end" where they used to meet other state/US routes that are no more.

[ftballfan]

In Michigan, there are a few examples.

M-44 continues south of I-96 to M-11 in Grand Rapids, concurrent with M-37. At M-11, M-44 ends while M-37 continues south.

M-22 should end at M-72 north of downtown Traverse City, instead of at US-31. Between M-72 and US-31, M-22 and M-72 are concurrent.

I-275 has no reason to exist north of the I-96 interchange.

M-121's western end is less than 1/4 mile from BL I-196 in Zeeland. I can't see why it would simply be extended to BL I-196 instead of ending at a locally maintained road.

[mightyace]

Add I-76 to the list, TWICE. First off is the famous US 30 expressway off of I-71. This makes I-76's current western terminus pointless. The problem? Duplexing I-76 with I-71 would be just as pointless until US 30 is upgraded all the way to I-75 since US 23 (I-73) isn't going to be worked on for a LONG time.

Huh?

I-76 ends near Lodi 30 miles from US 30.  I can understand if you think that's a funny place to end an interstate, but what's US 30 got to do with it?  I-76 has always ended at I-71 west of Akron ever since it replaced I-80S in the early '70s.  And, AFAIK, I've never heard of any real plans to extend I-76 from there.  Many of us here have suggested routing across US 30 in fictional highways but that is just whimsy.

Or, to summarize, since there are no real plans to extend I-76 beyond where it ends now, then the state of US 30 in Ohio is immaterial to whether I-76's terminus is pointless or not.

[roadman65]

US 301 should continue across the Delaware Memorial Bridge and continue up US 130.  It would then end at its parent.

[Alps]

US 301 should continue across the Delaware Memorial Bridge and continue up US 130.  It would then end at its parent.

I agree, but that's fictional highways. At least 301 ends at a US highway, whether 40 or 13, although it's never had an end that wasn't somewhat awkward and contrived. If DelDOT ever builds the DE 1 connector, it'll be a lot more intuitive.

[roadman65]

US 301 should continue across the Delaware Memorial Bridge and continue up US 130.  It would then end at its parent.

I agree, but that's fictional highways. At least 301 ends at a US highway, whether 40 or 13, although it's never had an end that wasn't somewhat awkward and contrived. If DelDOT ever builds the DE 1 connector, it'll be a lot more intuitive.

How about US 113 ending at DE 1 in Milford, DE?  It once ended at its parent, but now is short some miles causing some in Dover to be an un-numbered street and orphaning its alternate route.

[froggie]

Its Alternate route no longer exists.  It was dropped at the same time 113 was truncated to Milford.

[D-Dey65]

U.S. 301 terminates at U.S. 41 in Sarasota. The two exist separately for 13 miles before multiplexing in Bradenton and after crossing the Manatee River into Palmetto, U.S. 301 departs U.S. 41 for points further north. It does seem pointless to have U.S. 301 multiplex with U.S. 41 south of Palmetto just to end 16 miles south in downtown Sarasota. Perhaps the southern portion of U.S. 301 between Bradenton and Sarasota would make a viable Alternate U.S. 41 instead...   

The other end of U.S. 301 is a similar circumstance.  The last number of miles is multiplexed with DE 896.  Truncate it southward to the intersection where 896 turns east.

Or an even better idea would be to truncate it when it reaches U.S. 50 and renumber the remaining portion up to DE 896 to a state route. I was up in Delaware in December and seen first hand how poorly signed U.S. 301 is in the vicinity of its northern terminus.

Nah, I'd rather have it terminate at US 1 in Pennsylvania.


But as for other pointless termini; New York State Routes 105 & 106 at each other in North Bellmore! NY 106 should end in Bellmore at either NY 27 or Merrick Road, and NY 105 should either end at NY 24 or NY 102 in Hempstead.