Interstate Gaps
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There are gaps in the
Interstate Highway System The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, commonly known as the Interstate Highway System, or the Eisenhower Interstate System, is a network of controlled-access highways that forms part of the National Hi ...
where the roadway carrying an Interstate shield does not conform to the
standards Standard may refer to: Symbols * Colours, standards and guidons, kinds of military signs * Standard (emblem), a type of a large symbol or emblem used for identification Norms, conventions or requirements * Standard (metrology), an object t ...
set by the
Federal Highway Administration The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is a division of the United States Department of Transportation that specializes in highway transportation. The agency's major activities are grouped into two programs, the Federal-aid Highway Program a ...
(FHWA), the body that sets the regulations for the Interstate Highway System. For the most part, the Interstate Highway System in the
United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
is a connected system, with most freeways completed; however, some Interstates still have gaps. These gaps can be due to unconnected segments of the same route or from failure of the road to fully conform to Interstate standards by including such characteristics as at-grade crossings, traffic lights, undivided or narrow freeways, or movable bridges ( lift bridges and
drawbridges A drawbridge or draw-bridge is a type of moveable bridge typically at the entrance to a castle or tower surrounded by a moat. In some forms of English, including American English, the word ''drawbridge'' commonly refers to all types of moveable b ...
).


True gaps

True gaps are where multiple disjoint sections of road have the same Interstate highway number and can reasonably be considered part of "one highway" in theory, based on the directness of connections via other highways, or based on future plans to fill in the gap in the Interstate, or simply based on the shortness of the gap. The sections are either not physically connected at all, or they are connected but the connection is not signed as part of the highway. This list does not include different highways that share the same number, such as the two different I-84s and I-87s, which despite appearances, were always intended as distinct highways and were never intended as a contiguous route.


Interstate 26

In North Carolina,
Interstate 26 Interstate 26 (I-26) is a main route of the Interstate Highway System in the Southeastern United States. Nominally east–west, as indicated by its even number, I-26 runs from the junction of U.S. Route 11W, US Route 11W (US 11W) ...
has a gap from Forks of Ivy to Asheville at exit 4A of Interstate 240. This is because not all of the parts in the gap were built to Interstate standards. As of May 2025,
Interstate 26 Interstate 26 (I-26) is a main route of the Interstate Highway System in the Southeastern United States. Nominally east–west, as indicated by its even number, I-26 runs from the junction of U.S. Route 11W, US Route 11W (US 11W) ...
is designated as Future I-26,
US 19 U.S. Route 19 or U.S. Highway 19 (US 19) is a north–south United States Numbered Highway in the Eastern United States. Despite encroaching Interstate Highways, the route has remained a long-haul road, connecting the Gulf of Mex ...
, and
US 23 U.S. Route 23 or U.S. Highway 23 (US 23) is a major north–south United States Numbered Highway between Jacksonville, Florida, and Mackinaw City, Michigan. It is an original 1926 route which originally reached only as far south a ...
, as well as a section also being concurrent with
US 25 U.S. Route 25 or U.S. Highway 25 (US 25) is a north–south United States Numbered Highway that runs for in the Southern United States, Southern and Midwestern United States, Midwestern U.S. Its southern terminus is in Brunswick ...
and
US 70 U.S. Route 70 or U.S. Highway 70 (US 70) is an east–west United States highway that runs for from eastern North Carolina to east-central Arizona. It is a major east–west highway of the Southeastern, Southern and Southwestern United States. ...
. In an effort to build the gap to Interstate standards, construction of the overall "Asheville I-26 Connector" project started in the summer of 2024 and is expected to be completed no earlier than October 2031.


Interstate 42

In North Carolina,
Interstate 42 Interstate 42 (I-42) is a partially completed Interstate Highway System, Interstate Highway in the US state of North Carolina, currently existing in two separate segments in the eastern part of the state, totaling up to . The completed an ...
has a gap from Clayton to Goldsboro. This is because the corridor that the Interstate will be on is not up to standards or is unbuilt. North Carolina plans to complete I-42 entirely by 2032.


Interstate 49

Interstate 49 Interstate 49 (I-49) is a north–south Interstate Highway with multiple segments. The original portion is entirely within Louisiana with an additional signed portion extending from Interstate 220 (Louisiana), I-220 in Shreveport, Louisian ...
(I-49) currently has three sections: the original alignment from I-10 in Lafayette to I-20 in
Shreveport Shreveport ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is the List of municipalities in Louisiana, third-most populous city in Louisiana after New Orleans and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Baton Rouge. The bulk of Shreveport is in Caddo Parish, Lo ...
, one from
I-220 Interstate 220 (I-220) is the designation for two Interstate Highways in the United States, both related to Interstate 20: * Interstate 220 (Mississippi), a bypass of Jackson, Mississippi *Interstate 220 (Louisiana) Interstate 220 (I-220) ...
near Shreveport to
Texarkana The Texarkana metropolitan statistical area (MSA), as defined by the United States Office of Management and Budget, is a two-county region anchored by the Twin cities (geographical proximity), twin cities of Texarkana, Texas (population 37,33 ...
; and the third section from I-40 near
Alma, Arkansas Alma is a city in Crawford County, in far western Arkansas, United States. It is located within the Arkansas River Valley at the edge of the Ozark Mountains; the city is the sixth largest in the Fort Smith metropolitan area. The population wa ...
to I-470/I-435 south of
Kansas City, Missouri Kansas City, Missouri, abbreviated KC or KCMO, is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri by List of cities in Missouri, population and area. The city lies within Jackson County, Missouri, Jackson, Clay County, Missouri, Clay, and Pl ...
. A bypass south of
Bella Vista, Arkansas Bella Vista is a city in Benton County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 30,102 at the 2020 census, and was estimated to be 32,368 in 2023. The community has taken advantage of the natural setting within the Springfield Plateau of t ...
was completed in 2021, and existed initially as Arkansas Highway 549; the latter designation is now used on a short section southeast of Fort Smith that is several miles long. It is planned to be connected to an interstate with a project to construct a new roadway from Arkansas Highway 22 to Interstate 40 in Arkansas. I-49 from Fort Smith to Texarkana is still unbuilt. These gaps are expected to be eventually closed.


Interstate 69

I-69 Interstate 69 (I-69) is an Interstate Highway in the United States currently consisting of eight unconnected segments. The longest segment runs from Evansville, Indiana, northeast to the Canada–United States border, Canadian border in Po ...
currently has several disconnected segments: the northernmost segment travels from near
Evansville, Indiana Evansville is a city in Vanderburgh County, Indiana, United States, and its county seat. With a population of 118,414 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is Indiana's List of cities in Indiana, third-most populous city after India ...
, to
Port Huron, Michigan Port Huron is a city in and seat of government of St. Clair County, Michigan, United States. The population was 28,983 at the 2020 census. The city is bordered on the west by Port Huron Township, but the two are administered autonomously. Po ...
. A second alignment located entirely within the state of Kentucky runs from the Tennessee state line at Fulton to
Henderson Henderson may refer to: People *Henderson (surname), description of the surname, and a list of people with the surname * Clan Henderson, a Scottish clan Places Argentina *Henderson, Buenos Aires Australia *Henderson, Western Australia Canada *H ...
. On October 2, 2006, a segment of I-69 opened in Tunica and DeSoto counties in Mississippi; this segment has since been continued (but is not signed) through
Memphis, Tennessee Memphis is a city in Shelby County, Tennessee, United States, and its county seat. Situated along the Mississippi River, it had a population of 633,104 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of municipalities in Tenne ...
, to an intersection with U.S. Highway 51 on the north side. Between 2012 and 2015, a portion of U.S. Highway 59 (US 59) between Rosenberg and
Cleveland, Texas Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Texas, within the Greater Houston metropolitan area and Liberty County, Texas, Liberty County. Its population was 7,471 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. History In 1854, a church and ...
, extending through
Houston Houston ( ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and in the Southern United States. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is the county seat, seat of ...
, became part of I-69. In South Texas, I-69's route splits into three spurs to cities on the U.S.–Mexico border, on which four segments are complete: a short segment of I-69E in Corpus Christi and another from Raymondville to the border in Brownsville; a short segment of I-69C in Edinburg and
McAllen McAllen is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in Hidalgo County. It is located at the southern tip of the state in the Rio Grande Valley, on the Mexican border. The city limits extend south to the Rio Grande, across ...
; and a very short segment of I-69W adjacent to the border in Laredo. As of 2025, projects to connect these segments are in varying stages of development. Kentucky and Indiana began construction of the eastern bypass of Henderson and new Ohio River Crossing, connecting the Kentucky and Indiana sections, in 2022. This segment has a tentative completion date of 2031. Kentucky has plans to work with Tennessee to reconstruct the current interchange at the south end of their segment in South Fulton to provide a free-flow connection to the existing US 51 freeway to Union City. Tennessee finished constructing a bypass of Union City in 2021 currently designated as SR 690. A further bypass of
Troy Troy (/; ; ) or Ilion (; ) was an ancient city located in present-day Hisarlik, Turkey. It is best known as the setting for the Greek mythology, Greek myth of the Trojan War. The archaeological site is open to the public as a tourist destina ...
is proposed but not yet funded, which would complete a freeway-standard route from
I-155 Interstate 155 is the designation for two Interstate Highways in the United States, both of which are related to Interstate 55: * Interstate 155 (Illinois), a spur to Peoria * Interstate 155 (Missouri–Tennessee), a spur to Dyersburg, Tennessee { ...
in Dyersburg to Henderson. Tennessee has deferred plans to complete the section between Dyersburg and Memphis to close the gap until the South Fulton–Dyersburg section is completed. The section from Memphis to Houston is the least developed; as of 2021, Mississippi has no current plans to extend I-69 further south, and the states of Louisiana and Arkansas have not funded construction of their portion of the proposed route (via
El Dorado El Dorado () is a mythical city of gold supposedly located somewhere in South America. The king of this city was said to be so rich that he would cover himself from head to foot in gold dust – either daily or on certain ceremonial occasions ...
and
Shreveport Shreveport ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is the List of municipalities in Louisiana, third-most populous city in Louisiana after New Orleans and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Baton Rouge. The bulk of Shreveport is in Caddo Parish, Lo ...
) between Mississippi and Texas, other than a two-lane southern bypass of
Monticello, Arkansas Monticello ( ) is a college town in, and the county seat of, Drew County, Arkansas. As of 2023, it had an estimated population of 8,175. Founded in 1849 in the Arkansas Timberlands near the Arkansas Delta region, the city has long been a comm ...
designed to be incorporated into I-69 at a later date. Texas has continued to fund projects to upgrade U.S. 59, U.S. 77, U.S. 281, and other routes that would eventually form parts of I-69 in South Texas and East Texas, including the I-69W/C/E spurs.


Interstate 74

I-74 Interstate 74 (I-74) is an Interstate Highway in the Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Its western end is at an interchange with I-80 in Davenport, Iowa; the eastern end of its Midwest segment is at an interchange with I-75 ...
currently has five sections, the original segment heading northwest from
Cincinnati, Ohio Cincinnati ( ; colloquially nicknamed Cincy) is a city in Hamilton County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. Settled in 1788, the city is located on the northern side of the confluence of the Licking River (Kentucky), Licking and Ohio Ri ...
, to
Davenport, Iowa Davenport ( ) is a city in Scott County, Iowa, United States, and its county seat. It is situated along the Mississippi River on the eastern border of the state. Davenport had a population of 101,724 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 cen ...
; one from the
Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...
North Carolina North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...
line along
I-77 Interstate 77 (I-77) is a north–south Interstate Highway in the Eastern United States. It traverses diverse terrain, from the mountainous state of West Virginia to the rolling farmlands of North Carolina and Ohio. It largely supplants the ...
south and east to a point southeast of
Mount Airy, North Carolina Mount Airy is a city in Surry County, North Carolina, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, the city's population was 10,676. As of 2020, the city is the most populous municipality in Surry County. Mount Airy is located within t ...
; one traveling around High Point connecting with
I-85 Interstate 85 (I-85) is a major Interstate Highway in the Southeastern United States. Its southern terminus is at an interchange with I-65 in Montgomery, Alabama; its northern terminus is an interchange with I-95 in Petersburg, Virginia, n ...
and reaching
I-73 Interstate 73 (I-73) is a north–south Interstate Highway, currently located entirely within the US state of North Carolina. It travels , from northwest of Rockingham, North Carolina to northeast of Stokesdale, providing a freeway connec ...
, where the two are concurrent until Ellerbe; and from west of
Laurinburg Laurinburg is a city in and the county seat of Scotland County, North Carolina, United States. Located in southern North Carolina near the South Carolina border, Laurinburg is southwest of Fayetteville and is home to St. Andrews University. Th ...
to south of
Lumberton, North Carolina Lumberton is a city in Robeson County, North Carolina, United States. As of 2020, its population was 19,025. It is the county seat of Robeson County. Located in southern North Carolina's Inner Banks region, Lumberton is located on the Lumbe ...
, at
I-95 Interstate 95 (I-95) is the main north–south Interstate Highway on the East Coast of the United States, running from U.S. Route 1 (US 1) in Miami, Florida, north to the Houlton–Woodstock Border Crossing between Maine and the ...
.
North Carolina North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...
is currently working on connecting all its sections of I-74.


Interstate 86 (Eastern)

The eastern
I-86 Interstate 86 may refer to any of three unconnected Interstate Highways in the United States: * Interstate 86 (Pennsylvania–New York) * Interstate 86 (Idaho) * Interstate 84 (Pennsylvania–Massachusetts) Interstate 84 (I-84) is an In ...
has had two sections since 2006. One travels for from
I-90 Interstate 90 (I-90) is an east–west transcontinental freeway and the longest Interstate Highway in the United States at . It begins in Seattle, Washington, and travels through the Pacific Northwest, Mountain states, Mountain West, Great Pla ...
in
North East, Pennsylvania North East is a borough in North East Township, Erie County, Pennsylvania, United States, northeast of Erie. Its name comes from its position in the northeastern corner of Erie County, despite being near the extreme northwest of Pennsylvani ...
(which is a town in the northwestern part of the state) to exit 61 in Waverly, New York. The second section is a stretch outside of
Binghamton Binghamton ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of New York, and serves as the county seat of Broome County. Surrounded by rolling hills, it lies in the state's Southern Tier region near the Pennsylvania border, in a bowl-shaped valley at the con ...
traveling from
I-81 Interstate 81 (I-81) is a north–south (physically northeast–southwest) Interstate Highway in the eastern part of the United States. Its southern terminus is at I-40 in Dandridge, Tennessee; its northern terminus is on Wellesley Isla ...
in Kirkwood to exit 79 in
Windsor Windsor may refer to: Places *Detroit–Windsor, Michigan-Ontario, USA-Canada, North America; a cross-border metropolitan region Australia New South Wales *Windsor, New South Wales ** Municipality of Windsor, a former local government area Queen ...
. The gap is signed as Future 86. I-86 will eventually travel from North East, Pennsylvania, to the
New York State Thruway The New York State Thruway (officially the Governor Thomas E. Dewey Thruway and colloquially "the Thruway") is a system of controlled-access toll roads spanning within the U.S. state of New York. It is operated by the New York State Thruway ...
(
I-87 Interstate 87 may refer to either of two unconnected Interstate Highways in the United States: * Interstate 87 (New York), a highway running from New York City north to the Canadian border in Champlain, New York. * Interstate 87 (North Carolina) ...
) near
Harriman, New York Harriman is a Village (New York), village in Orange County, New York, Orange County, New York (state), New York, United States. It is in the southeastern section of the town of Monroe (town), New York, Monroe, with a small portion in the town of ...
. All the designated sections and gaps in New York are part of
New York State Route 17 New York State Route 17 (NY 17) is a major state highway that extends for through the Southern Tier and Downstate regions of New York in the United States. It begins at the Pennsylvania state line in Mina and runs east as a limite ...
.


Interstate 99

As of 2023, I-99 has two sections: one from the
Pennsylvania Turnpike The Pennsylvania Turnpike, sometimes shortened to Penna Turnpike or PA Turnpike, is a controlled-access toll road which is operated by the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) in Pennsylvania. It runs for across the southern part of the st ...
in
Bedford Bedford is a market town in Bedfordshire, England. At the 2011 Census, the population was 106,940. Bedford is the county town of Bedfordshire and seat of the Borough of Bedford local government district. Bedford was founded at a ford (crossin ...
to
I-80 Interstate 80 (I-80) is an east–west transcontinental freeway that crosses the United States from San Francisco, California, to Teaneck, New Jersey, in the New York metropolitan area. The highway was designated in 1956 as one of the ori ...
near Bellefonte, concurrent with US 220, and one from the Pennsylvania–New York state line north to
I-86 Interstate 86 may refer to any of three unconnected Interstate Highways in the United States: * Interstate 86 (Pennsylvania–New York) * Interstate 86 (Idaho) * Interstate 84 (Pennsylvania–Massachusetts) Interstate 84 (I-84) is an In ...
in Corning, concurrent with
US 15 U.S. Route 15 or U.S. Highway 15 (US 15) is a United States Numbered Highway, serving the states of South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and New York. The route is signed north–south, from US  ...
. Much of the intervening route, including the entire US 15 section between I-180 in Williamsport and the New York state line, has been constructed to freeway standards but as of yet is not signed as part of I-99. The signing of the intervening route as I-99 will be completed when the route is upgraded to Interstate standards, connecting the two segments of I-99.


Interstate 695

When the Francis Scott Key Bridge in
Baltimore Baltimore is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the 30th-most populous U.S. city. The Baltimore metropolitan area is the 20th-large ...
, Maryland, collapsed in March 2024, a segment of I-695 would physically disappear for some time as a consequence of the bridge collapse. At the time of the collapse, the section of highway was legally Maryland Route 695, but this section was redesignated as I-695 by the
American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) is a standards setting body which publishes specifications, test protocols, and guidelines that are used in highway A highway is any public or private road ...
in April 2024.


Freeway gaps

Freeway gaps occur where the Interstate is signed as a continuous route, but part, if not all of it, is not up to
freeway A controlled-access highway is a type of highway that has been designed for high-speed vehicular traffic, with all traffic flow—ingress and egress—regulated. Common English terms are freeway, motorway, and expressway. Other similar terms ...
standards. This includes
drawbridge A drawbridge or draw-bridge is a type of moveable bridge typically at the entrance to a castle or tower surrounded by a moat. In some forms of English, including American English, the word ''drawbridge'' commonly refers to all types of moveable b ...
s where traffic on the Interstate can be stopped for vessels. This does not include facilities such as tollbooths, toll plazas, agricultural inspection stations, or border stations.


At-grade intersections


Major at-grade intersections

In urban and heavily developed areas, Interstates may travel along surface roads or have
at-grade intersection An intersection or an at-grade junction is a junction where two or more roads converge, diverge, meet or cross at the same height, as opposed to an interchange, which uses bridges or tunnels to separate different roads. Major intersections ar ...
s with stop signs or traffic lights. This usually happens because the Interstate started construction after the land was heavily developed and buildings such as residences and businesses and other roads would have to be removed to allow a freeway to pass through. Additionally, more developed land would have to be cleared for space to build interchanges to connect the Interstate and surface streets. This situation is extremely uncommon as Interstates are usually built around cities or through them on pre- or lightly developed land. *
I-516 Interstate 516 (I-516, also known as the W.F. Lynes Parkway) is a auxiliary Interstate Highway mostly in the coastal city of Savannah, Georgia, Savannah, located in the east-central portion of the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georg ...
downgrades to an expressway as it heads toward its eastern terminus. The expressway features a frontage road right turn and an at-grade intersection with Mildred Street close to the terminus at Montgomery Street and Derenne Avenue ( SR 21) in
Savannah, Georgia Savannah ( ) is the oldest city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia and the county seat of Chatham County, Georgia, Chatham County. Established in 1733 on the Savannah River, the city of Savannah became the Kingdom of Great Brita ...
. Mildred Street southbound is closed by concrete barriers. * I-19 between North West Street and its southern terminus at West Crawford Street at North Sonoita Avenue, in
Nogales, Arizona Nogales (; English: or ) is a city in and the county seat of Santa Cruz County, Arizona. The population was 20,837 at the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census and estimated 20,103 in 2019. Nogales forms part of the larger Tucson–Nogales L ...
, consists of surface streets with traffic lights. The signage of this segment is intended to help direct traffic entering from Mexico to the nearest interstate. * I-69E in
Brownsville, Texas Brownsville ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the county seat of Cameron County, Texas, Cameron County, located on the western Gulf Coast in South Texas, adjacent to the Mexico–United States border, border with Matamoros, Tamaulipas ...
passes through an at-grade signalized intersection with University Boulevard, as well as a minor intersection with Courage Street, before passing through the
Brownsville – Veterans Port of Entry The Brownsville Veterans Port of Entry opened in 1999 with the completion of the Veterans International Bridge at Los Tomates. The bridge was built primarily to divert commercial freight traffic away from the busy downtown bridges, but about a t ...
and crossing the Veterans International Bridge. * I-169 in
Brownsville, Texas Brownsville ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the county seat of Cameron County, Texas, Cameron County, located on the western Gulf Coast in South Texas, adjacent to the Mexico–United States border, border with Matamoros, Tamaulipas ...
is a divided frontage road with no parts built to Interstate standard; it runs parallel to the SH 550 Toll expressway and consists of a single 4-way stop intersection, a railroad crossing, and four traffic lights, two on each side. I-169 signage ends slightly east of Paredes Line Road to where the frontage road ends, approximately 4.1 miles from the I-69E interchange. The remaining portion of I-169, which ends at SH 48, is unsigned and has a 2-lane, limited-access toll-only segment starting from where FM 511 diverges. *
I-70 Interstate 70 (I-70) is a major east–west Interstate Highway in the United States that runs from I-15 near Cove Fort, Utah, to I-695 and Maryland Route 570 (MD 570) in Woodlawn, just outside Baltimore, Maryland. I-70 appr ...
uses part of
US 30 U.S. Route 30 or U.S. Highway 30 (US 30) is an east–west main route of the United States Numbered Highway System, with the highway traveling across the Northern U.S. With a length of , it is the third-longest U.S. Highway, afte ...
along a surface road in
Breezewood, Pennsylvania Breezewood is an unincorporated town in East Providence Township, Bedford County, Pennsylvania, United States. Along a traditional pathway for Native Americans, European settlers, and British troops during colonial times, in the early 20th cen ...
, at the eastern end of its concurrency with
I-76 Interstate 76 or I-76 may refer to: Transportation * Interstate 76 (Colorado–Nebraska) (I-76), US * Interstate 76 (Ohio–New Jersey) (I-76), running through Pennsylvania, US Other uses * ''Interstate '76'', a vehicular combat video game for W ...
on the
Pennsylvania Turnpike The Pennsylvania Turnpike, sometimes shortened to Penna Turnpike or PA Turnpike, is a controlled-access toll road which is operated by the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) in Pennsylvania. It runs for across the southern part of the st ...
. Traffic traveling eastbound on the turnpike must exit and travel a short distance on US 30 in order to continue south on I-70 heading to
Hancock, Maryland Hancock is a town in Washington County, Maryland, Washington County, Maryland, United States. The population was 1,557 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. The Western Maryland community is notable for being located at the narrowest part ...
. (The routing is similar for traffic following I-70 in the opposite direction: traffic traveling north on I-70 must exit and travel a short distance on US 30 in order to enter the turnpike.) This is one of very few instances of
traffic light Traffic lights, traffic signals, or stoplights – also known as robots in South Africa, Zambia, and Namibia – are signaling devices positioned at intersection (road), road intersections, pedestrian crossings, and other locations in order t ...
s on an Interstate. It was constructed this way because the original Interstate Highways act did not fund direct connections between an Interstate and a tolled road. There was formerly a sign of a policeman pointing at drivers leaving the Pennsylvania Turnpike to enter US 30, saying, "You! Slow Down!" Local businesses have lobbied to keep the gap to avoid a perceived potential loss of business. Despite this, the Pennsylvania Turnpike has announced plans to close this gap by directly connecting I-70 to the Turnpike in September 2024. Completion of the construction is expected in 8-10 years. * I-676 has a surface street section at the west end of the
Ben Franklin Bridge The Benjamin Franklin Bridge, originally named the Delaware River Bridge and known locally as the Ben Franklin Bridge, is a suspension bridge across the Delaware River connecting Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Camden, New Jersey. Owned and ope ...
in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...
, because of historically significant areas. Signage and the
Federal Highway Administration The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is a division of the United States Department of Transportation that specializes in highway transportation. The agency's major activities are grouped into two programs, the Federal-aid Highway Program a ...
consider I-676 to use the surface streets; the
Pennsylvania Department of Transportation The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) oversees transportation issues in the Pennsylvania, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The administrator of PennDOT is the Pennsylvania Secretary of Transportation, Michael B. Carroll. PennDOT ...
and the
New Jersey Department of Transportation The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) is the agency responsible for transportation issues and policy in New Jersey, including maintaining and operating the state's highway and public road system, planning and developing transport ...
consider I-676 to be continuous across the
Ben Franklin Bridge The Benjamin Franklin Bridge, originally named the Delaware River Bridge and known locally as the Ben Franklin Bridge, is a suspension bridge across the Delaware River connecting Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Camden, New Jersey. Owned and ope ...
, even though the bridge, built in 1926, is not up to Interstate standards. This does not specifically violate Interstate standards, however, as the two separated segments of I-676 are in different states. * I-78 travels along a
one-way pair A one-way pair, one-way couple, or couplet refers to that portion of a bi-directional traffic facilitysuch as a road, bus, streetcar, or light rail linewhere its opposing flows exist as two independent and roughly parallel facilities. Descriptio ...
of surface streets, 12th Street and 14th Street, in
Jersey City, New Jersey Jersey City is the List of municipalities in New Jersey, second-most populous
, between the end of the
New Jersey Turnpike The New Jersey Turnpike (NJTP) is a system of controlled-access highway, controlled-access toll roads in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The turnpike is maintained by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority (NJTA).The Garden State Parkway, although ma ...
Newark Bay Extension and the
Holland Tunnel The Holland Tunnel is a vehicular tunnel under the Hudson River that connects Hudson Square and Lower Manhattan in New York City in the east to Jersey City, New Jersey, in the west. The tunnel is operated by the Port Authority of New York an ...
, which leads into
New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
. Between the two aforementioned points are four signalized intersections. * I-180 in
Cheyenne, Wyoming Cheyenne ( or ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Wyoming, most populous city of the U.S. state of Wyoming. It is the county seat of Laramie County, Wyoming, Laramie County, with 65,132 reside ...
is an expressway with no parts built to Interstate standard; the interchange with
I-80 Interstate 80 (I-80) is an east–west transcontinental freeway that crosses the United States from San Francisco, California, to Teaneck, New Jersey, in the New York metropolitan area. The highway was designated in 1956 as one of the ori ...
is a simple
diamond interchange A diamond interchange is a common type of road junction, used where a controlled-access highway crosses a minor road. Design The freeway itself is grade separation, grade-separated from the minor road, one crossing the other over a bridge. ...
with two traffic lights on I-180. *
I-81 Interstate 81 (I-81) is a north–south (physically northeast–southwest) Interstate Highway in the eastern part of the United States. Its southern terminus is at I-40 in Dandridge, Tennessee; its northern terminus is on Wellesley Isla ...
near
Alexandria, New York Alexandria is a town in the Thousand Islands region of the U.S. state of New York, within Jefferson County. The town's population was 3,741 at the 2020 United States census. The town is named after Alexander LeRay, the son of an early develo ...
before the
Thousand Islands Bridge The Thousand Islands International Bridge () is an American-maintained international bridge system over the Saint Lawrence River connecting northern New York in the United States with southeastern Ontario in Canada. Constructed in 1937, with add ...
across the
Saint Lawrence River The St. Lawrence River (, ) is a large international river in the middle latitudes of North America connecting the Great Lakes to the North Atlantic Ocean. Its waters flow in a northeasterly direction from Lake Ontario to the Gulf of St. Lawrenc ...
has intersections with an off-ramp leading from NY-12 and a service road connecting from the bridge toll station to a police department while also intersecting NY-12. * I-587 in
Kingston, New York Kingston is the only Administrative divisions of New York#City, city in, and the county seat of, Ulster County, New York, United States. It is north of New York City and south of Albany, New York, Albany. The city's metropolitan area is grou ...
, has a
traffic circle A roundabout, a rotary and a traffic circle are types of circular intersection or junction in which road traffic is permitted to flow in one direction around a central island, and priority is typically given to traffic already in the junct ...
(with yield signs) at its northern terminus with the ramps leading to/from
I-87 Interstate 87 may refer to either of two unconnected Interstate Highways in the United States: * Interstate 87 (New York), a highway running from New York City north to the Canadian border in Champlain, New York. * Interstate 87 (North Carolina) ...
.


Minor at-grade intersections

Several Interstates in rural areas of the U.S. have minor
at-grade intersection An intersection or an at-grade junction is a junction where two or more roads converge, diverge, meet or cross at the same height, as opposed to an interchange, which uses bridges or tunnels to separate different roads. Major intersections ar ...
s (including median breaks) with farm access roads or authorized vehicle-only driveways used for highway maintenance or connection to nearby utility stations. This is usually due to the lack of an old highway, the need to provide access to property that was accessed via the road prior to its upgrade to an Interstate, and the high cost to construct an interchange for the small amount of traffic that would use such a connection or to build a
frontage road A frontage road (also known as an access road, outer road, service road, feeder road, or parallel road) is a local road running parallel to a higher-speed, limited-access road. Where parallel high-speed roads are provided as part of a maj ...
parallel to the freeway to the nearest interchange. * The northbound lanes of I-5 in Washington intersect with an at-level crosswalk approximately south of the border with Canada. This crosswalk allows pedestrians access to a monument that is part of
Peace Arch Park Peace Arch Park is an international park consisting of Peace Arch Historical State Park in Washington, United States and Peace Arch Provincial Park in British Columbia, Canada. The park straddles the international boundary between the two count ...
. *
I-10 Interstate 10 (I-10) is the southernmost transcontinental highway in the Interstate Highway System of the United States. It is the fourth-longest Interstate in the country at , following I-90, I-80, and I-40. It was part of the originall ...
in
Hudspeth County, Texas Hudspeth County is a County (United States), county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 3,432. Its county seat is Sierra Blanca, Texas, Sierra Blanca, and the largest communit ...
has at least fifteen at-grade intersections containing median breaks with minor dirt or gravel roads. * I-520 in
Augusta, Georgia Augusta is a city on the central eastern border of the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. The city lies directly across the Savannah River from North Augusta, South Carolina at the head of its navigable portion. Augusta, the third mos ...
has an at-grade intersection with a gravel and asphalt road that provides access to Lovers Lane. *
I-40 Interstate 40 (I-40) is a major east–west transcontinental Interstate Highway in the southeastern and southwestern portions of the United States. At a length of , it is the third-longest Interstate Highway in the country, after I-90 and ...
in the mountains of western
North Carolina North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...
has at-grade access to several dirt roads, as well as a partially grade-separated interchange that lacks ramps or RIROs where roads directly connect to the I-40 carriageways. *
I-40 Interstate 40 (I-40) is a major east–west transcontinental Interstate Highway in the southeastern and southwestern portions of the United States. At a length of , it is the third-longest Interstate Highway in the country, after I-90 and ...
in western
Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...
has eight at-grade access points for cattle ranches with median breaks. * I-94 at Fort Custer west of
Battle Creek, Michigan Battle Creek is a city in northwestern Calhoun County, Michigan, United States, at the confluence of the Kalamazoo River, Kalamazoo and Battle Creek River, Battle Creek rivers. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a tota ...
is the only instance of an Interstate freeway in Michigan to have a gated driveway (at 44th Street), which facilitates access of
military vehicle A military vehicle is any vehicle for land-based military transport and activity, including combat vehicles, both specifically designed for or significantly used by military. Most military vehicles require Off-road vehicle, off-road capabilities ...
s.


Undivided and narrow freeways

This section addresses
two-lane freeway A two-lane expressway or two-lane freeway is an expressway or freeway with only one lane in each direction, and usually no median barrier. It may be built that way because of constraints, or may be intended for expansion once traffic volumes ri ...
s and other narrow or undivided freeway sections of the Interstate, excepting instances of continuing routes using one-lane ramps and merge leads. Narrow gaps between opposing directions with jersey barriers taller than are excluded from this section; therefore the separation criterion is either a wall, or a median, whichever is greater. *
I-335 Interstate 335 may refer to: * Interstate 335 (Iowa), a designation once proposed by city leaders in Carlisle and Des Moines, Iowa for the Des Moines Bypass * Interstate 335 (Kansas), a spur to Topeka, Kansas and designation for part of the Kansas T ...
in
Oklahoma Oklahoma ( ; Choctaw language, Choctaw: , ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Texas to the south and west, Kansas to the north, Missouri to the northea ...
is a two-lane, undivided turnpike roadway with a length of , starting from the
I-40 Interstate 40 (I-40) is a major east–west transcontinental Interstate Highway in the southeastern and southwestern portions of the United States. At a length of , it is the third-longest Interstate Highway in the country, after I-90 and ...
junction and ending at the SE 89th Street intersection, continuing south as McDonald Road. *
I-40 Interstate 40 (I-40) is a major east–west transcontinental Interstate Highway in the southeastern and southwestern portions of the United States. At a length of , it is the third-longest Interstate Highway in the country, after I-90 and ...
's western in
North Carolina North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...
in the
Harmon Den Wildlife Management Area __NOTOC__ Harmon may refer to: Places Canada * Ernest Harmon Air Force Base, also known as Harmon, a former United States military installation * Harmon Links, a golf course in Stephenville, Newfoundland United States * Harmon, Illinois * Harm ...
has several S-curves, a Jersey barrier with extremely narrow left shoulders and a few at-grade intersections albeit in RIRO style. *
I-555 Interstate 555 (I-555) is an Interstate Highway connecting I-55 in Turrell with Highway 91 in Jonesboro. It provides a complete freeway corridor between Jonesboro, Arkansas's fifth-largest city, and Memphis, Tennessee. Formerly kno ...
at its southern terminus through the I-55/ U.S. 61/ AR 77 interchange becomes a two-lane undivided highway for . *
Interstate 70 Interstate 70 (I-70) is a major east–west Interstate Highway in the United States that runs from Interstate 15, I-15 near Cove Fort, Utah, to Interstate 695 (Maryland), I-695 and Maryland Route 570 (MD 570) in Woodlawn, Baltimo ...
is one-lane only in these following locations: **
Interstate 70 in Kansas Interstate 70 (I-70) is a mainline route of the Interstate Highway System in the United States connecting Cove Fort, Utah, to Baltimore, Maryland. In the US state of Kansas, I-70 extends just over from the Colorado border near the town o ...
has only one lane for eastbound through traffic for several hundred feet in
Kansas City The Kansas City metropolitan area is a bi-state metropolitan area anchored by Kansas City, Missouri. Its 14 counties straddle the border between the U.S. states of Missouri (9 counties) and Kansas (5 counties). With and a population of more t ...
where the highway approaches the Lewis and Clark Viaduct Bridge, which carries the highway over the
Kansas River The Kansas River, also known as the Kaw, is a meandering river in northeastern Kansas in the United States. It is potentially the southwestern most part of the Missouri River drainage, which is sometimes in turn the northwesternmost portion of ...
toward
Kansas City, Missouri Kansas City, Missouri, abbreviated KC or KCMO, is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri by List of cities in Missouri, population and area. The city lies within Jackson County, Missouri, Jackson, Clay County, Missouri, Clay, and Pl ...
. Interstate 670, just a few blocks south provides an alternate route without this bottleneck. **
Interstate 70 in West Virginia Interstate 70 (I-70) is a portion of the Interstate Highway System that runs from near Cove Fort, Utah, at a junction with Interstate 15 in Utah, I-15 to Baltimore, Maryland. It crosses the Northern Panhandle of West Virginia, Northern P ...
has only one lane for approximately one thousand feet in Wheeling, where the highway enters the Wheeling Tunnel and crosses the
Ohio River The Ohio River () is a river in the United States. It is located at the boundary of the Midwestern and Southern United States, flowing in a southwesterly direction from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to its river mouth, mouth on the Mississippi Riv ...
on the
Fort Henry Bridge The Fort Henry Bridge is a crossing of the Ohio River main channel in Wheeling, West Virginia. The tied-arch bridge carries two lanes in each direction of Interstate 70 (I-70), U.S. Route 40 (US 40), and US 250. The bridge opened a ...
. Nearby I-470 provides relief from this situation. * The
Mackinac Bridge The Mackinac Bridge ( ; also referred to as the Mighty Mac or Big Mac) is a suspension bridge that connects the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, Upper and Lower Peninsula of Michigan, Lower peninsulas of the U.S. state of Michigan. It spans the Str ...
, which carries
I-75 Interstate 75 (I-75) is a major north–south Interstate Highway System, Interstate Highway in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes and Southeastern United States, Southeastern regions of the United States. As with most Interstates that end ...
over the
Straits of Mackinac The Straits of Mackinac ( ; ) are the short waterways between the U.S. state of Michigan's Upper and Lower Peninsulas, traversed by the Mackinac Bridge. The main strait is wide with a maximum depth of , and connects the Great Lakes of Lake M ...
between St. Ignace and
Mackinaw City Mackinaw City ( ) is a village at the northernmost point of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan, United States. Divided between Cheboygan and Emmet counties, Mackinaw City is located at the southern end of the Mackinac Bridge, which carries Interst ...
, Michigan, has no wide median or hard shoulders due to space constraints. Nor does it have a
Jersey barrier A Jersey barrier, Jersey wall, or Jersey bump is a modular concrete or plastic barrier employed to separate lanes of traffic. It is designed to minimize vehicle damage in cases of incidental contact while still preventing vehicle crossovers resu ...
; instead, it has either a yellow divider between the opposing directions (where the inner lanes are a metal grate) or a flat double-yellow line (where the inner lanes are paved). The speed limit is also reduced to for cars and for trucks. The highway returns to Interstate standard for about 50 miles until it reaches the
Sault Ste. Marie International Bridge The Sault Ste. Marie International Bridge spans the St. Marys River between the United States and Canada connecting the twin cities of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, and Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. The bridge is operated by the International Bri ...
, which carries undivided lanes to the Canada–US border in the middle of the bridge, where I-75 terminates. * The
Thousand Islands Bridge The Thousand Islands International Bridge () is an American-maintained international bridge system over the Saint Lawrence River connecting northern New York in the United States with southeastern Ontario in Canada. Constructed in 1937, with add ...
, which carries
I-81 Interstate 81 (I-81) is a north–south (physically northeast–southwest) Interstate Highway in the eastern part of the United States. Its southern terminus is at I-40 in Dandridge, Tennessee; its northern terminus is on Wellesley Isla ...
over part of the
Saint Lawrence River The St. Lawrence River (, ) is a large international river in the middle latitudes of North America connecting the Great Lakes to the North Atlantic Ocean. Its waters flow in a northeasterly direction from Lake Ontario to the Gulf of St. Lawrenc ...
, is an undivided two-lane road. *
I-93 Interstate 93 (I-93) is an Interstate Highway in the New England states of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont in the United States. Spanning approximately along a north–south axis, it is one of three primary Interstate Highways ...
is a two-lane divided parkway, or a "
super two A two-lane expressway or two-lane freeway is an expressway or freeway with only one lane in each direction, and usually no median barrier. It may be built that way because of constraints, or may be intended for expansion once traffic volumes ri ...
", through
Franconia Notch Franconia Notch (elev. ) is a major mountain pass through the White Mountains of New Hampshire. Dominated by Cannon Mountain to the west and Mount Lafayette to the east, it lies principally within Franconia Notch State Park and is traversed b ...
in
New Hampshire New Hampshire ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Gulf of Maine to the east, and the Canadian province of Quebec t ...
. A four-lane Interstate Highway was once proposed here, but the concept was abandoned because of environmental concerns, in part because of vibrations that could harm the
Old Man of the Mountain The Old Man of the Mountain, also called the Great Stone Face and the Profile, was a series of five granite cliff ledges on Cannon Mountain in Franconia, New Hampshire, United States, that appeared to be the jagged profile of a human face when ...
rock formation (which collapsed in 2003 regardless). This section of highway was for many years marked as US 3 and "To I-93", but these have now been replaced with regular I-93 signs. The Federal Highway Act of 1973 exempts this stretch from the Interstate Highway standards that apply elsewhere, and this highway is considered to be I-93 for all practical purposes. This section of I-93 in New Hampshire is now the only remaining multi-mile section of two-lane freeway on an Interstate Highway in the United States. In addition, parking along portions of I-93 through Franconia Notch was permitted until early 2019 when barriers and signage were posted due to safety concerns. * Some stretches of Interstate highway use a
barrier transfer machine A barrier transfer machine, also known as zipper machine or road zipper, is a type of heavy vehicle that is used to transfer concrete lane dividers, such as Jersey barriers, in order to relieve traffic congestion during rush hours. Many other ...
on some bridges to convert inner lanes from one direction to the other, where it would be too costly to upgrade/rebuild to a higher-capacity bridge. In any case the traffic distribution is strongly asymmetric depending on the hour of the day. This kind of bridge typically contains undivided lanes without the flexible Jersey barrier that is manipulated by machines.


Movable bridges

By Interstate standard, all bridges on the Interstate system must be fixed as to not interrupt the flow of traffic. Several bridges on the system, however, are movable: * I-5 crosses the
Columbia River The Columbia River (Upper Chinook language, Upper Chinook: ' or '; Sahaptin language, Sahaptin: ''Nch’i-Wàna'' or ''Nchi wana''; Sinixt dialect'' '') is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river headwater ...
from
Portland, Oregon Portland ( ) is the List of cities in Oregon, most populous city in the U.S. state of Oregon, located in the Pacific Northwest region. Situated close to northwest Oregon at the confluence of the Willamette River, Willamette and Columbia River, ...
, to
Vancouver, Washington Vancouver ( ) is a city on the north bank of the Columbia River in the U.S. state of Washington (state), Washington, located in Clark County, Washington, Clark County. Founded in 1825 and incorporated in 1857, Vancouver had a population of 190, ...
, on the
Interstate Bridge The Interstate Bridge (also Columbia River Interstate Bridge, I-5 Bridge, Portland-Vancouver Interstate Bridge, Vancouver-Portland Bridge) is a pair of nearly identical steel vertical-lift, Parker through-truss bridges that carry Interstate 5 ...
, a vertical-lift bridge. The Columbia River Crossing project sought to replace this bridge until being abandoned in 2013. However, in 2019, a new project was approved, scheduled to begin work in 2025. * I-110 has a drawbridge across the Back Bay of Biloxi in
Biloxi, Mississippi Biloxi ( ; ) is a city in Harrison County, Mississippi, United States. It lies on the Gulf Coast of the United States, Gulf Coast in southern Mississippi, bordering the city of Gulfport, Mississippi, Gulfport to its west. The adjacent cities ar ...
. *
I-64 Interstate 64 (I-64) is an east–west Interstate Highway in the Eastern United States. Its western terminus is at I-70, U.S. Route 40 (US 40), and US 61 in Wentzville, Missouri. Its eastern terminus is at the Bowers Hill ...
—the
Hampton Roads Beltway The Hampton Roads Beltway is a loop of Interstate 64 and Interstate 664, which links the communities of the Virginia Peninsula and South Hampton Roads which surround the body of water known as Hampton Roads and comprise much of the region o ...
—crosses the South Branch Elizabeth River in
Chesapeake, Virginia Chesapeake is an independent city in Virginia, United States. At the 2020 census, the population was 249,422, making it the second-most populous city in Virginia, the tenth largest in the Mid-Atlantic, and the 92nd-most populous city in the ...
, on the
High Rise Bridge The High Rise Bridge, also known as the ''G.A. Treakle Memorial Bridge'', is a four-lane, Bascule bridge, bascule drawbridge that Interstate 64 in Virginia, Interstate 64 (I-64) uses to cross the Southern Branch Elizabeth River, Southern ...
, which is a drawbridge, expected to be replaced by a larger fixed bridge. It opened in July 2022. *
I-264 Interstate 264 is the designation for two Interstate Highways in the United States, both of which are related to Interstate 64: *Interstate 264 (Kentucky), a bypass of Louisville, Kentucky *Interstate 264 (Virginia) Interstate 264 (I-264) ...
has a drawbridge, the Berkley Bridge, crossing the Elizabeth River in
Norfolk, Virginia Norfolk ( ) is an independent city (United States), independent city in the U.S. state of Virginia. It had a population of 238,005 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of cities in Virginia, third-most populous city ...
. *
I-278 Interstate 278 (I-278) is an auxiliary Interstate Highway in New Jersey and New York in the United States. The road runs from US Route 1/9 (US 1/9) in Linden, New Jersey, northeast to the Bruckner Interchange in the New Yo ...
has a drawbridge across the
Bronx River The Bronx River (), is a river that is approximately long, and flows through southeastern New York (state), New York in the United States and drains an area of . It is named after colonial settler Jonas Bronck. It originally rose in what is no ...
in
New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
. *
I-280 Interstate 280 may refer to multiple highways, all of which are or were related to Interstate 80: * Interstate 280 (California), a north–south freeway running from San Jose to San Francisco * Interstate 280 (Iowa–Illinois), part of the beltwa ...
has a
vertical-lift bridge A vertical-lift bridge or just lift bridge is a type of movable bridge in which a span rises vertically while remaining parallel with the deck. The vertical lift offers several benefits over other movable bridges such as the bascule and swi ...
, the Stickel Memorial Bridge, crossing over the
Passaic River The Passaic River ( or ) is a river, approximately long, in North Jersey, northern New Jersey. The river in its upper course flows in a highly circuitous route, meandering through the swamp lowlands between the ridge hills of rural and suburb ...
between Newark and
Harrison, New Jersey Harrison is a town in the western part of Hudson County in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is part of the New York metropolitan area. It is a suburb of the nearby city of Newark, and is located from New York City. Once considered "the bee ...
. *
I-95 Interstate 95 (I-95) is the main north–south Interstate Highway on the East Coast of the United States, running from U.S. Route 1 (US 1) in Miami, Florida, north to the Houlton–Woodstock Border Crossing between Maine and the ...
/
I-495 Interstate 495 (I-495) is the designation for the following five Interstate Highways in the United States, all of which are related to I-95: * The Capital Beltway, a beltway around Washington, D.C., running through Virginia, Maryland, and a sliver ...
pass together as the Capital Beltway over the
Potomac River The Potomac River () is in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States and flows from the Potomac Highlands in West Virginia to Chesapeake Bay in Maryland. It is long,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography D ...
on the
Woodrow Wilson Bridge The Woodrow Wilson Memorial Bridge, also known as the Woodrow Wilson Bridge or the Wilson Bridge, is a bascule bridge that spans the Potomac River between Alexandria, Virginia and Oxon Hill, Maryland in Prince George's County, Maryland. The ...
, a double-leaf bascule span. Even though the original bridge was replaced in the 2000s, the new bridge also has a draw span, albeit with more vertical clearance resulting in fewer openings than the old bridge—about 65 per year, an average of about one every six days. * I-695 has a drawbridge over Curtis Creek, south of
Baltimore Baltimore is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the 30th-most populous U.S. city. The Baltimore metropolitan area is the 20th-large ...
and just west of the Francis Scott Key Bridge. This section of the Baltimore Beltway is not part of the Interstate Highway System, however, and is officially Maryland Route 695 despite the Interstate signage on the highway.


Freeway-to-freeway crosspaths without direct connection

*
I-271 Interstate 271 (I-271) is an auxiliary Interstate Highway in the suburbs of Cleveland, Ohio, Cleveland and Akron, Ohio, Akron in the US state of Ohio. The highway is officially designated the Outerbelt East Freeway but is rarely referred to ...
in Ohio lacks a direct interchange with the
Ohio Turnpike The Ohio Turnpike, officially the James W. Shocknessy Ohio Turnpike, is a controlled-access toll road in the U.S. state of Ohio, serving as a primary corridor between Chicago and Pittsburgh. The road runs east–west for in the northern sect ...
(I-80); traffic interchanges between the two via
I-77 Interstate 77 (I-77) is a north–south Interstate Highway in the Eastern United States. It traverses diverse terrain, from the mountainous state of West Virginia to the rolling farmlands of North Carolina and Ohio. It largely supplants the ...
and
Ohio State Route 8 State Route 8 (SR 8) is a road in the United States, U.S. state of Ohio. SR 8 stretches from the eastern junction of Interstate 76 (Ohio), Interstate 76 (I-76) and Interstate 77 (Ohio), I-77 in Akron, Ohio, Akron to Public Square, Cleveland, Pu ...
, which both pass nearby. *
I-475 Interstate 475 may refer to: * Interstate 475 (Georgia), a bypass of Macon, Georgia * Interstate 475 (Michigan) Interstate 475 (I-475) is a north–south List of auxiliary Interstate Highways, auxiliary Interstate Highway in the US state o ...
has no direct interchange with the
Ohio Turnpike The Ohio Turnpike, officially the James W. Shocknessy Ohio Turnpike, is a controlled-access toll road in the U.S. state of Ohio, serving as a primary corridor between Chicago and Pittsburgh. The road runs east–west for in the northern sect ...
(
I-80 Interstate 80 (I-80) is an east–west transcontinental freeway that crosses the United States from San Francisco, California, to Teaneck, New Jersey, in the New York metropolitan area. The highway was designated in 1956 as one of the ori ...
/
I-90 Interstate 90 (I-90) is an east–west transcontinental freeway and the longest Interstate Highway in the United States at . It begins in Seattle, Washington, and travels through the Pacific Northwest, Mountain states, Mountain West, Great Pla ...
) near
Toledo Toledo most commonly refers to: * Toledo, Spain, a city in Spain * Province of Toledo, Spain * Toledo, Ohio, a city in the United States Toledo may also refer to: Places Belize * Toledo District * Toledo Settlement Bolivia * Toledo, Or ...
, though there is an indirect connection via
US 20 U.S. Route 20 or U.S. Highway 20 (US 20) is an east–west United States Highway, United States Numbered Highway that stretches from the Pacific Northwest east to New England. The "0" in its route number indicates that US 20 is a major ...
and Dussel Drive. * The Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension (
I-476 Interstate 476 (I-476) is a auxiliary Interstate Highway of I-76 in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The highway runs from I-95 near Chester north to I-81 near Scranton, serving as the primary north–south Interstate corridor through ea ...
) does not have a direct interchange with I-78 in
Allentown Allentown may refer to: Places * Allentown, California, now called Toadtown, California * Allentown, Georgia, a city in four counties in Georgia * Allentown, Illinois, an unincorporated community in Tazewell County * Allentown, New Jersey, a boroug ...
, though there is an indirect connection via
US 22 U.S. Route 22 (US 22) is a major east–west route and one of the original United States Numbered Highways, founded in 1926. It runs from Cincinnati, Ohio, at US 27, US 42, US 127, and US 52 to Newark, New Jers ...
and
PA 309 Pennsylvania Route 309 (PA 309) is a state highway that runs for 134 miles (216 km) through eastern Pennsylvania. The route runs from an interchange between Pennsylvania Route 611, PA 611 and Cheltenham Avenue on the border of Philadelphia ...
. I-476 also has an indirect connection to
I-81 Interstate 81 (I-81) is a north–south (physically northeast–southwest) Interstate Highway in the eastern part of the United States. Its southern terminus is at I-40 in Dandridge, Tennessee; its northern terminus is on Wellesley Isla ...
in
Dupont Dupont, DuPont, Du Pont, duPont, or du Pont may refer to: People * Dupont (surname) Dupont, also spelled as DuPont, duPont, Du Pont, or du Pont is a French surname meaning "of the bridge", historically indicating that the holder of the surname re ...
via a short stretch of
PA 315 Pennsylvania Route 315 (PA 315) is an state highway located in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. The southern terminus is at an interchange with the PA 309 freeway and the northern terminus of PA 309 Business (PA 309 Bus.) in Wilkes-Barre. The ...
, in addition to a direct connection at the turnpike's northern terminus in Clarks Summit. Additionally, while it connects directly to
I-80 Interstate 80 (I-80) is an east–west transcontinental freeway that crosses the United States from San Francisco, California, to Teaneck, New Jersey, in the New York metropolitan area. The highway was designated in 1956 as one of the ori ...
near White Haven, the freeway-grade is disrupted when the ramps intersect PA 940. *
Interstate 42 Interstate 42 (I-42) is a partially completed Interstate Highway System, Interstate Highway in the US state of North Carolina, currently existing in two separate segments in the eastern part of the state, totaling up to . The completed an ...
connects to
Interstate 95 Interstate 95 (I-95) is the main north–south Interstate Highway on the East Coast of the United States, running from U.S. Route 1 (US 1) in Miami, Florida, north to the Houlton–Woodstock Border Crossing between Maine and the ...
via
U.S. Route 70 U.S. Route 70 or U.S. Highway 70 (US 70) is an east–west United States highway that runs for from eastern North Carolina to east-central Arizona. It is a major east–west highway of the Southeastern, Southern and Southwestern United States ...
in
Selma, North Carolina Selma is a town in Johnston County, North Carolina, United States. In 2010, its population was 6,073, and as of 2018 the estimated population was 6,913. Selma is part of the Raleigh-Durham-Cary combined statistical area. The area has a populatio ...
. *
I-81 Interstate 81 (I-81) is a north–south (physically northeast–southwest) Interstate Highway in the eastern part of the United States. Its southern terminus is at I-40 in Dandridge, Tennessee; its northern terminus is on Wellesley Isla ...
connects to the
Pennsylvania Turnpike The Pennsylvania Turnpike, sometimes shortened to Penna Turnpike or PA Turnpike, is a controlled-access toll road which is operated by the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) in Pennsylvania. It runs for across the southern part of the st ...
(I-76) via a stretch of
US 11 U.S. Route 11 or U.S. Highway 11 (US 11) is a major north–south United States Numbered Highway extending across the eastern U.S. The southern terminus of the route is at US 90 in Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refu ...
in
Carlisle, Pennsylvania Carlisle is a Borough (Pennsylvania), borough in and the county seat of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States. Carlisle is located within the Cumberland Valley, a highly productive agricultural region. As of the 2020 United States census ...
. * The
Massachusetts Turnpike The Massachusetts Turnpike (colloquially the "Mass Pike" or "the Pike") is a controlled-access toll road that runs concurrently with Interstate 90 (I-90) in the U.S. state of Massachusetts. It the longest Interstate Highway in Massachu ...
(
I-90 Interstate 90 (I-90) is an east–west transcontinental freeway and the longest Interstate Highway in the United States at . It begins in Seattle, Washington, and travels through the Pacific Northwest, Mountain states, Mountain West, Great Pla ...
) passes over
I-391 Interstate 391 (I-391) is an auxiliary Interstate Highway located entirely within the US state of Massachusetts. It runs from the I-91/I-391 interchange in Chicopee to the center of Holyoke, a distance of about . It runs near the Connectic ...
without interchange in
Chicopee, Massachusetts Chicopee ( ) is a city located on the Connecticut River in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a population of 55,560, making it the second-largest city in western Massachuset ...
. The overpass is about north of the I-391 southern terminus at
I-91 Interstate 91 (I-91) is an Interstate Highway System, Interstate Highway in the New England region of the United States. It is the primary north–south thoroughfare in the western part of the region. Its southern terminus is in New Haven, ...
, and approximately from the Mass Pike interchange with I-91 and
US 5 U.S. Route 5 (US 5) is a north–south United States Numbered Highway running through the New England states of Connecticut, Massachusetts Massachusetts ( ; ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is a U.S. state, ...
. *
I-95 Interstate 95 (I-95) is the main north–south Interstate Highway on the East Coast of the United States, running from U.S. Route 1 (US 1) in Miami, Florida, north to the Houlton–Woodstock Border Crossing between Maine and the ...
( NJ Turnpike Pearl Harbor Memorial Extension) passes under
I-295 Interstate 295 is the designation for the following eight Interstate Highways in the United States, all of which are related to I-95: *Interstate 295 (Delaware–Pennsylvania), a bypass of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania * Interstate 295 (Florida), a be ...
without interchange in
Columbus, New Jersey Columbus is an unincorporated community located within Mansfield Township in Burlington County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The area is served as United States Postal Service ZIP Code 08022.I-195 Interstate 195 (I-195) is the designation for the following six existing Interstate Highways in the United States, all of which are related to I-95: *Interstate 195 (Maine), a spur in Saco *Interstate 195 (Maryland), a spur to BWI Airport *Intersta ...
passes over I-895 without interchange near
Halethorpe, Maryland Halethorpe is an unincorporated community in Baltimore County, Maryland, United States. The community is considered to be a sub-section of Arbutus by the United States Census Bureau. It is bordered by the main portion of Arbutus to the north, Ba ...
. *
I-295 Interstate 295 is the designation for the following eight Interstate Highways in the United States, all of which are related to I-95: *Interstate 295 (Delaware–Pennsylvania), a bypass of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania * Interstate 295 (Florida), a be ...
passes over the
Pennsylvania Turnpike The Pennsylvania Turnpike, sometimes shortened to Penna Turnpike or PA Turnpike, is a controlled-access toll road which is operated by the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) in Pennsylvania. It runs for across the southern part of the st ...
(I-276) without direct interchange in
Bristol Township, Pennsylvania Bristol Township is a township in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 54,582 at the 2010 census, making it the 13th largest municipality in the state. Bristol Township, along with Bristol Borough, is a cultural hub ...
, though an interchange is under construction that will provide direct connection. * I-99 has connection gaps with the
Pennsylvania Turnpike The Pennsylvania Turnpike, sometimes shortened to Penna Turnpike or PA Turnpike, is a controlled-access toll road which is operated by the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) in Pennsylvania. It runs for across the southern part of the st ...
(I-70/I-76) and
I-80 Interstate 80 (I-80) is an east–west transcontinental freeway that crosses the United States from San Francisco, California, to Teaneck, New Jersey, in the New York metropolitan area. The highway was designated in 1956 as one of the ori ...
in central Pennsylvania, both through at grade roads near
Bedford Bedford is a market town in Bedfordshire, England. At the 2011 Census, the population was 106,940. Bedford is the county town of Bedfordshire and seat of the Borough of Bedford local government district. Bedford was founded at a ford (crossin ...
and
Bellefonte, Pennsylvania The Borough of Bellefonte is a borough in and the county seat of Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is approximately 12 miles northeast of State College and is part of the State College, Pennsylvania metropolitan statistical area. ...
. The latter is expected to become freeway-grade as part of I-99's aforementioned northern extension.


Proposed

* I-422 (proposed) would have no direct freeway connection to its parent I-22, though the two routes would cross near
Adamsville, Alabama Adamsville is a city in western Jefferson County, Alabama, United States. It is north from the Birmingham suburb of Pleasant Grove. It initially incorporated in 1901 (although the 1910 U.S. Census stated 1900), but disincorporated in 1915. It ...
.


Connection gaps

Auxiliary Interstates (also known as three-digit Interstates) are intended to connect to their parent either directly or via a same-parented Interstate (like
I-280 Interstate 280 may refer to multiple highways, all of which are or were related to Interstate 80: * Interstate 280 (California), a north–south freeway running from San Jose to San Francisco * Interstate 280 (Iowa–Illinois), part of the beltwa ...
in California being connected to
I-80 Interstate 80 (I-80) is an east–west transcontinental freeway that crosses the United States from San Francisco, California, to Teaneck, New Jersey, in the New York metropolitan area. The highway was designated in 1956 as one of the ori ...
via
I-680 Interstate 680 may refer to: *Interstate 680 (California), a connecting freeway between I-80 and I-280 in the San Francisco Bay Area, California *Interstate 680 (Nebraska–Iowa), a bypass in Omaha, Nebraska *Interstate 680 (Ohio), a loop through ...
). Often, these connection gaps occur to eliminate concurrencies between other three-digit routes. Freeway gaps (signed or unsigned) that officially connect auxiliary routes to the parent are excluded.


Current examples

* I-210 in California does not currently connect directly to
I-10 Interstate 10 (I-10) is the southernmost transcontinental highway in the Interstate Highway System of the United States. It is the fourth-longest Interstate in the country at , following I-90, I-80, and I-40. It was part of the originall ...
or any of its spurs according to freeway signage. It was signed all the way to I-10 until 1998, when
California State Route 57 State Route 57 (SR 57), also known as the Orange Freeway for most of its length, is a north–south state highway in the Greater Los Angeles Area of the U.S. state of California. It connects the interchange of Interstate 5 (I-5) and SR 2 ...
replaced the portion of I-210 through
Covina Covina (Help:IPA/English, /koviːnə/) is a city in the San Gabriel Valley region of Los Angeles County, California, United States, about east of downtown Los Angeles The population was 51,268 according to the 2020 United States census, 2020 ...
and San Dimas to provide a proper connection to current State Route 210. The former portion of I-210 now known as SR 57 still remains on the
Interstate Highway System The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, commonly known as the Interstate Highway System, or the Eisenhower Interstate System, is a network of controlled-access highways that forms part of the National Hi ...
federally defined as Interstate 210 maintaining its connection to I-10, but it is not signed as per
Caltrans The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) is an Executive (government), executive department of the U.S. state of California. The department is part of the Government of California#State agencies, cabinet-level California State Tran ...
tradition to sign state highways by their state definition over their federal definition. State Route 210, built as an extension to replace Route 30, connects to I-10 further east in Redlands, and California is petitioning to have that portion signed as I-210 as well. When that happens, this gap will close. * I-238 does not have a parent. It was previously a part of
California State Route 238 Route 238, consisting of State Route 238 (SR 238) and Interstate 238 (I-238), is a mostly north–south state and auxiliary Interstate highway in the San Francisco Bay Area of California. The southern segment is signed as SR ...
that was built to Interstate standards, and it was added to the Interstate system using the same number it had as a state highway. It was upgraded to be an auxiliary route of
I-80 Interstate 80 (I-80) is an east–west transcontinental freeway that crosses the United States from San Francisco, California, to Teaneck, New Jersey, in the New York metropolitan area. The highway was designated in 1956 as one of the ori ...
, but no three-digit combinations were available at the time the route was designated an interstate. Additionally, the exit numbers continue the mileage from the state highway instead of starting over from 1. * Due to
highway revolts Highway revolts (also freeway revolts, expressway revolts, or road protests) are organized protests against the planning or construction of highways, freeways, expressways, and other civil engineering projects that prioritize motor vehicle traff ...
in
New York state New York, also called New York State, is a state in the northeastern United States. Bordered by New England to the east, Canada to the north, and Pennsylvania and New Jersey to the south, its territory extends into both the Atlantic Ocean and ...
forcing the interstate to terminate prematurely, none of the spurs of I-78 in New York City (
I-278 Interstate 278 (I-278) is an auxiliary Interstate Highway in New Jersey and New York in the United States. The road runs from US Route 1/9 (US 1/9) in Linden, New Jersey, northeast to the Bruckner Interchange in the New Yo ...
, I-478, I-678, I-878) connect to the parent road I-78, nor is there any surface street with a state route designation with the same number that continues with a solid connection. I-78 was planned to extend southeast through New York City via the
Lower Manhattan Expressway Interstate 78 (I-78) is a part of the Interstate Highway System that runs from Union Township, Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, to New York City. In the US state of New York, I-78 extends . The entirety of I-78 consists of the Holland Tunne ...
,
Williamsburg Bridge The Williamsburg Bridge is a suspension bridge across the East River in New York City, connecting the Lower East Side of Manhattan with the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn. Originally known as the East River Bridge, the Williamsburg Brid ...
and Bushwick Expressway, then east along what is now I-878 and north along what is now
I-295 Interstate 295 is the designation for the following eight Interstate Highways in the United States, all of which are related to I-95: *Interstate 295 (Delaware–Pennsylvania), a bypass of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania * Interstate 295 (Florida), a be ...
. I-78 would have then split into two branches (the current I-295 and I-695), which would have both terminated at
I-95 Interstate 95 (I-95) is the main north–south Interstate Highway on the East Coast of the United States, running from U.S. Route 1 (US 1) in Miami, Florida, north to the Houlton–Woodstock Border Crossing between Maine and the ...
. I-478 comes the closest, and would have intersected I-78 as part of the Westway project; this project was later canceled. I-278, the only I-78 spur to leave New York City, was planned to extend northwest to I-78 at Route 24. Since all the spurs are interconnected, only one of them needs to be eventually connected to its parent route for all of them to conform to numbering standards. * I-585 in South Carolina currently does not connect directly to
I-85 Interstate 85 (I-85) is a major Interstate Highway in the Southeastern United States. Its southern terminus is at an interchange with I-65 in Montgomery, Alabama; its northern terminus is an interchange with I-95 in Petersburg, Virginia, n ...
. Until 1995, I-85 was routed along present-day I-85 Business. In that year, I-85 was moved to the north to bypass Spartanburg while I-85 Business took over its former route, leaving I-585 without a connection to its parent route until upgrades to the existing US 176 highway are complete. * As of July 2022, I-587 in North Carolina does not connect with its parent route,
I-87 Interstate 87 may refer to either of two unconnected Interstate Highways in the United States: * Interstate 87 (New York), a highway running from New York City north to the Canadian border in Champlain, New York. * Interstate 87 (North Carolina) ...
. Upgrades to the existing
US 264 U.S. Route 264 (US 264) is an east–west United States Numbered Highway System, United States Highway located completely within the U.S. state of North Carolina, running for . Its western terminus is located at Interstate 87 (North Car ...
freeway from
US 64 U.S. Route 64 (US 64) is an east–west United States highway that runs for 2,281 miles (3,672 km) from Nags Head in eastern North Carolina to just southwest of the Four Corners in northeast Arizona. The western terminus is at U.S. Route ...
to
I-95 Interstate 95 (I-95) is the main north–south Interstate Highway on the East Coast of the United States, running from U.S. Route 1 (US 1) in Miami, Florida, north to the Houlton–Woodstock Border Crossing between Maine and the ...
to Interstate standards, as well as extending I-87 via upgrades to US 64, will connect I-587 with its parent route. *
I-335 Interstate 335 may refer to: * Interstate 335 (Iowa), a designation once proposed by city leaders in Carlisle and Des Moines, Iowa for the Des Moines Bypass * Interstate 335 (Kansas), a spur to Topeka, Kansas and designation for part of the Kansas T ...
in Oklahoma will not have a connection with its parent route,
I-35 Interstate 35 (I-35) is a major Interstate Highway in the central United States. As with most primary Interstates that end in a five, it is a major cross-country, north–south route. It stretches from Laredo, Texas, near the Mexico–Uni ...
, until an extension of the road to
Purcell Henry Purcell (, rare: ; September 1659 – 21 November 1695) was an English composer of Baroque music, most remembered for his more than 100 songs; a tragic opera, ''Dido and Aeneas''; and his incidental music to a version of Shakespeare's ...
is built. *At the present, I-369 in Texas does not connect to its parent route,
I-69 Interstate 69 (I-69) is an Interstate Highway in the United States currently consisting of eight unconnected segments. The longest segment runs from Evansville, Indiana, northeast to the Canada–United States border, Canadian border in Po ...
. I-369 is proposed to extend south via
US 59 U.S. Route 59 (US 59) is a north–south U.S. highway (though it was signed east–west in parts of Texas). A latecomer to the U.S. Highway System, US 59 is now a border-to-border route, part of the NAFTA Corridor Highway System. It par ...
to Tenaha, where it will intersect with I-69 after its own extension via US 59 from
Cleveland Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located along the southern shore of Lake Erie, it is situated across the Canada–U.S. maritime border and approximately west of the Ohio-Pennsylvania st ...
, then via
US 84 U.S. Route 84 (US 84) is an east–westUS 84 was signed north-south in parts of Colorado and New Mexico. United States Numbered Highway that started as a short Georgia–Alabama route in the original 1926 scheme. Later, in 1941, it ha ...
from Tenaha to the
Louisiana Louisiana ( ; ; ) is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It borders Texas to the west, Arkansas to the north, and Mississippi to the east. Of the 50 U.S. states, it ranks 31st in area and 25 ...
state line near Joaquin. * Numerous three-digit Interstate routes are unsigned on some portions, leading some to think there are connection gaps. These so-called connection gaps do not have internal unsigned concurrencies on other Interstate highway segments between the "parent route" and signed terminus.


See also

*


References


External links


misc.transport.road FAQ
{{DEFAULTSORT:List Of Gaps In Interstate Highways Gaps Interstate gaps