Interstate Orphans | Why These Highways DO NOT Connect to their Parent Routes

On this video we'll take a look at some of the auxiliary highways that do not connect back to their parent routes across the US.

Equipment Used:

[baddriversofnorthcentralma]

You missed I-370 in Maryland, which spurs off of I-270. I-270 should also be an odd digit highway since it doesn't loop back to I-70.

[sckdeterb]

Born and raised in Worcester County, and I was wicked impressed by the correct pronunciation of the city, a lot of non locals butcher it often. And then you followed it up with Lee O Minster and my heart sank! Lmfao, obviously kidding, but correct pronunciation is easier than it looks - the "Leomin" is pronounced like "Lemon." Lemmen-Stir. Great video as always

[asheevee_]

I-495 in NY is most certainly an orphan interstate too! It was originally planned to cross Manhattan and connect to the Lincoln Tunnel (currently designated as NY 495 and NJ 495) which would then meet I-95 in NJ. If we want to go even further with potentially resigning, I-295, I-495, I-478, and I-678 are all spur routes and should have odd first digits. I-287, which bypasses the New York City area, does meet with its parent I-87, but both ends are at different points on I-95, so that should also be a child of I-95.
If I were to go about resigning all of these, I'd label the current I-278 as I-495 (to avoid confusion with I-295 around Trenton because of the tiny section of I-278 in NJ), the current I-695 staying the same, the current I-287 as I-895, the current I-295 as I-195, the current I-495 as I-395, the current I-678 as I-595, and the current I-478 as I-795. And for good measure, resign NY 895 as NY 295 to avoid confusion with the new I-895 replacing I-287, NY/NJ 495 as NY/NJ 395, and NY 878 as NY 995.
I also wouldn't be opposed to resigning the current I-495 as a major interstate, perhaps I-82, considering its prominence in serving nearly 3.8 million people across Long Island, as well as most freight, as it's Long Island's only interstate outside of the city.

[dantesinfernopurgatory]

I-495 in NYC actually never touches it's parent in I-95. I-495 in NJ was replaced by NJ-495 which spawns from I-95.

[aleks]

You have the classic military cadre/drill instructor voice. Very commanding, clear, concise....and oddly enough, very calming.

[dlinkster]

Good video, Mike! I’ve always been curious of these “bastard” child routes. I-238 is bad and it doesn’t have an Interstate parent. California and New York are the kings of these routes.

[ConrailHistorical]

Love the video Mike. In it, you mention an interstate with traffic lights. I have another example of that for you, which is I 70 in Breezewood, PA. It joins up with US 30 (Lincoln Hwy) for 2-3 lights through town before joining with the PA Turnpike (I-76). This stems from an old law (now changed) in PA where a toll road couldn't directly connect with the Interstate Highway System, which could be an interesting topic in itself.

[cdsteig]

The 210 used to connect to the 10 at the Kellogg Interchange with CA 57 and 71, but when the stub CA 30 freeway was extended east, California pulled the 210 off what is now the northernmost segment of the 57, and put it onto what was the 30 as CA 210.

And the Feds still consider that portion of the 57 to be chargeable Interstate.

[andrewberman]

I should point out that even though I 78 was cancelled in New York City (outside of that 1/4 mile you mentioned), 278 STILL could've been connected to I-78 - in New Jersey. You'll notice that 278 ends abruptly about a mile west of the Turnpike at US 1. However, 278 was supposed to connect with 78 at the point where the NJ 24 freeway meets 78, crossing the Garden State Parkway in the process somewhere not far from where the GSP and 22 intersect.

That freeway was cancelled somewhere in the 60's or 70's, for reasons that everyone can guess. And it explains several issues that existed for a long time (and one still does). For over 40 years, for instance, one could not go from the GSP north to 78 West or from GSP south to 78 East - because 278 was supposed to be that link instead. Didn't happen. Now you can as ramps have been built to make that possible.

The 2nd one is still a problem: The exit ramps from 78 to 24 and vice versa had to be rebuilt before they were finished in the first place in the mid 70's or so because 278 was not built. One consequence is that the ramp from 78 east (local) to 24 west is a sharp reverse curve underneath the rest of 78 with a left lane merge to 24 that is hazardous especially in bad weather, made even worse by the fact that 78 east is headed downhill rather steeply while 24 west goes back up the same hill.

So, yes, 278 is an orphan - on several levels.

[chiarosuburekeni]

I love these types of videos 😍. I’m such a nerd for this stuff lol

[NaanProphet]

I currently live in Maryland and I think the car changing lanes and almost cutting the person off without a signal at around 6:50 perfectly encapsulates Maryland drivers.

[rockingamerdad]

One that is often overlooked, and I'm not sure why because it's mentioned fairly heavily on other websites is I-690 in Syracuse, NY. It was originally supposed to extend beyond its current terminus passing through the Eastern suburbs of East Syracuse, Minoa Chittenango and Canastota and reconnect to the New York State Thruway (I-90) in Canastota, but was abandoned due to local opposition.

If you use Google maps to look at it's interchange with Interstate 481 to the Southeast of Downtown Syracuse, you can still see it's planned Eastern Route back towards it's parent route. It's something they've maintained to this day and to ensure it's still useable, constructed a New York State DOT barn at the former merge point to ensure that area did not go to waste.

[robertkendall]

I-280 comes really close to meeting I-80. When I-280 dumps you onto city streets at the sixth street exit go one block north, then two blocks east to reach an on ramp to I-80. So, three city blocks short. But it’s still the fastest way to get on the Bay Bridge from the peninsula, IMO, rather than using US 101.

There was some kind of freeway revolt in SF in the 1960s. I think that is why it stops short. That is definitely why US 101 goes onto city streets shortly after the I-80 interchange on its way to the Golden Gate Bridge. Interstate highway standards won’t allow the three city blocks between I-280 and I-80 to be signed as I-280. The street section of US 101 is several miles.

[ka]

Great video, another orphan interstate is the short I-579 in downtown Pittsburgh, it only connects to I-279 and the connection only allows you to go northbound on 279

[geardo]

There is one more in NYC, I-495 Long Island Expressway.
Going from Riverhead in Long Island west to the Queens-Midtown Tunnel, it was going to connect to the Lincoln Tunnel and continue to I-95 at Exit 16E. The Manhattan connector was never built. New Jersey used to have I-495 signs on their part but took them down though a sign still in Manhattan on route 9A 12th Street heading south above 42nd Street still shows i-495 on it for the Lincoln Tunnel.

[rowyourownthrows]

579 in Pittsburgh only connects to 279. Also used to be named interstate 876.

[KBHR]

Technically, I-235 in Wichita, Kansas is an orphan route. Although signed along with I-135 on the Kansas Turnpike exit (I-35), the actual begin and end of I-235 is about a mile north on I-135. On the singular exit between I-35 and I-235 on I-135 at 47th Street, I-235 is signed with a pathfinder shield as "To I-235". Of course, the norther terminus of I-235 is again at I-135.

[RealGJZig]

Here's a thought: these "spur-of-spur" routes should be called *GRANDCHILD ROUTES, * since they're branching off the branch, and (generally) connect to the main line through that branch.

[jasonfischer]

I was just on I-795 yesterday. It's definitely a necessary route, though orphaned.

[martinw]

Can you do a video on all the bridges and tunnels in NYC? I’d love to learn more about them, that would be very interesting!