Decommissioned highway
Encyclopedia
A decommissioned highway is a highway
that has been removed from service, shut down or has had its authorization as a federal or state highway removed. Decommissioning can include the complete or partial demolition or abandonment of an old highway structure because the old roadway has lost its utility, but such is not always the norm. Where the old highway has continuing value, it likely remains as a local road offering access to properties denied access to the new road or for use by slow vehicles such as farm equipment and horse-drawn vehicle
s denied use of the newer highway.
Decommissioning can also include the removal of one or more of the multiple designations of a single segment of highway. As an example, what remains as U.S. Route 60
between Wickenberg, Arizona and Phoenix, Arizona
carried the routes of three US highways (U.S. Route 60, U.S. Route 70
, U.S. Route 89
) and one state highway (Arizona State Route 93). The highway remains a federal highway, but with fewer designations.
Decommissioned highways are common in the United States of America, as the states
build freeways as a new classification of highways, the state may strip the old highway of its old designation as a numbered highway or downgrade it to a 'lesser' status. For example, U.S. Route 66
, which connected Chicago
and Los Angeles
from 1926 until 1972, lost its designation as a U.S. Highway in favor of faster, more direct Interstate highways, which had supplanted it. Some state highways may be partly decommissioned, such as M-21
in Michigan, or wholly decommissioned in favor of newer Interstate routes, as was the case with Texas State Highway 9.
Some state routes built on freeway alignments may be upgraded to Interstate Highway standards
(or already built to Interstate standards) and receive Interstate designation, such as the case with Pennsylvania Route 60
. On the other hand, some routes are devolved
to lower authorities, as with U.S. 61
in Minnesota, which became Minnesota 61
from Duluth to the Canadian border. At times a state can abandon a number as the reason for state maintenance of the entire route no longer exists; Arizona devolved the short Arizona State Highway 62 to Mohave County government after a mine in Chloride
closed and so did the economic purpose of the town. At the extreme a decommissioned route may be demolished, as was done with California State Highway 480. Once part of the Interstate Highway System, it required retrofitting to remain in service after the Loma Prieta earthquake
of 1989 to remain in use, instead the highway was demolished.
Even as superhighways supplant older surface routes as through routes, some historical highways get attention from those with antiquarian (and commercial) interests in the continued recognition of such routes. Route 66 in the midwestern and southwestern United States is a prime example of such efforts; "Historic Route US 66" markers, completely unofficial, designate most of the old surface road, some of which has literary significance (as in John Steinbeck
's novel The Grapes of Wrath).
's Autoroute
s supplant old through routes.
In 1997 and 1998, the province of Ontario
undertook a major highway decommissioning project, dropping over 5000 kilometres (3,106.9 mi) of road from the provincially maintained highway system. Most of the former highways are now numbered as county roads. See also List of former provincial highways in Ontario.
In the Republic of Ireland
, National Primary Routes are often realigned after the construction of new motorway sections, dual carriageway
s or bypasses. The old route thus loses its national route status and is usually redesignated as a Regional Road
.
Highway
A highway is any public road. In American English, the term is common and almost always designates major roads. In British English, the term designates any road open to the public. Any interconnected set of highways can be variously referred to as a "highway system", a "highway network", or a...
that has been removed from service, shut down or has had its authorization as a federal or state highway removed. Decommissioning can include the complete or partial demolition or abandonment of an old highway structure because the old roadway has lost its utility, but such is not always the norm. Where the old highway has continuing value, it likely remains as a local road offering access to properties denied access to the new road or for use by slow vehicles such as farm equipment and horse-drawn vehicle
Horse-drawn vehicle
A horse-drawn vehicle is a mechanized piece of equipment pulled by one horse or by a team of horses. These vehicles typically had two or four wheels and were used to carry passengers and/or a load...
s denied use of the newer highway.
Decommissioning can also include the removal of one or more of the multiple designations of a single segment of highway. As an example, what remains as U.S. Route 60
U.S. Route 60
U.S. Route 60 is an east–west United States highway, running from the Atlantic Ocean on the east coast in Virginia to western Arizona. Despite the final "0" in its number, indicating a transcontinental designation, the 1926 route formerly ended in Springfield, Missouri, at its intersection...
between Wickenberg, Arizona and Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
carried the routes of three US highways (U.S. Route 60, U.S. Route 70
U.S. Route 70
U.S. Route 70 is an east–west United States highway that runs for 2,385 miles from eastern North Carolina to east-central Arizona. As can be derived from its number, it is a major east–west highway of the Southern and Southwestern United States...
, U.S. Route 89
U.S. Route 89
U.S. Route 89 is a north–south United States Highway with two sections, and one former section. The southern section runs for 848 miles from Flagstaff, Arizona, to the southern entrance of Yellowstone National Park...
) and one state highway (Arizona State Route 93). The highway remains a federal highway, but with fewer designations.
In the United States
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
build freeways as a new classification of highways, the state may strip the old highway of its old designation as a numbered highway or downgrade it to a 'lesser' status. For example, U.S. Route 66
U.S. Route 66
U.S. Route 66 was a highway within the U.S. Highway System. One of the original U.S. highways, Route 66 was established on November 11, 1926 -- with road signs erected the following year...
, which connected Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
and Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
from 1926 until 1972, lost its designation as a U.S. Highway in favor of faster, more direct Interstate highways, which had supplanted it. Some state highways may be partly decommissioned, such as M-21
M-21 (Michigan highway)
M-21 is an east–west state trunkline highway in the US state of Michigan connecting the cities of Grand Rapids and Flint. The highway passes through rural farming country and several small towns along its course through the Lower Peninsula...
in Michigan, or wholly decommissioned in favor of newer Interstate routes, as was the case with Texas State Highway 9.
Some state routes built on freeway alignments may be upgraded to Interstate Highway standards
Interstate Highway standards
Standards for Interstate Highways in the United States are defined by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials in the publication A Policy on Design Standards - Interstate System...
(or already built to Interstate standards) and receive Interstate designation, such as the case with Pennsylvania Route 60
Pennsylvania Route 60
Pennsylvania Route 60 is a state highway located in the western suburbs of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in the United States. Although the route follows a mostly east–west alignment, it is signed as a north–south highway. The southern terminus of the route is at a pseudo-interchange with U.S...
. On the other hand, some routes are devolved
Devolution
Devolution is the statutory granting of powers from the central government of a sovereign state to government at a subnational level, such as a regional, local, or state level. Devolution can be mainly financial, e.g. giving areas a budget which was formerly administered by central government...
to lower authorities, as with U.S. 61
U.S. Route 61
U.S. Route 61 is the official designation for a United States highway that runs from New Orleans, Louisiana, to the city of Wyoming, Minnesota. The highway generally follows the course of the Mississippi River, and is designated the Great River Road for much of its route. As of 2004, the highway's...
in Minnesota, which became Minnesota 61
Minnesota State Highway 61
Minnesota State Highway 61 is a highway in northeast Minnesota, which runs from the junction of Interstate Highway 35 and Minnesota 61 in Duluth and continues northeast to its northern terminus at the U.S.-Canadian border near Grand Portage...
from Duluth to the Canadian border. At times a state can abandon a number as the reason for state maintenance of the entire route no longer exists; Arizona devolved the short Arizona State Highway 62 to Mohave County government after a mine in Chloride
Chloride, Arizona
Chloride is a onetime silver mining camp in Mohave County, Arizona, and is considered the oldest continuously inhabited mining town in the state. Chloride has a ZIP Code of 86431; in 2000, the population of the 86431 ZCTA was 352.- History :...
closed and so did the economic purpose of the town. At the extreme a decommissioned route may be demolished, as was done with California State Highway 480. Once part of the Interstate Highway System, it required retrofitting to remain in service after the Loma Prieta earthquake
Loma Prieta earthquake
The Loma Prieta earthquake, also known as the Quake of '89 and the World Series Earthquake, was a major earthquake that struck the San Francisco Bay Area of California on October 17, 1989, at 5:04 p.m. local time...
of 1989 to remain in use, instead the highway was demolished.
Even as superhighways supplant older surface routes as through routes, some historical highways get attention from those with antiquarian (and commercial) interests in the continued recognition of such routes. Route 66 in the midwestern and southwestern United States is a prime example of such efforts; "Historic Route US 66" markers, completely unofficial, designate most of the old surface road, some of which has literary significance (as in John Steinbeck
John Steinbeck
John Ernst Steinbeck, Jr. was an American writer. He is widely known for the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Grapes of Wrath and East of Eden and the novella Of Mice and Men...
's novel The Grapes of Wrath).
Canada
Many of QuebecQuebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
's Autoroute
Autoroute
Autoroute may refer to:* Controlled-access highway, particularly in French speaking countries* Routing , when routes to wires in a design are automatically assigned...
s supplant old through routes.
In 1997 and 1998, the province of Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
undertook a major highway decommissioning project, dropping over 5000 kilometres (3,106.9 mi) of road from the provincially maintained highway system. Most of the former highways are now numbered as county roads. See also List of former provincial highways in Ontario.
Europe
In Germany, many Autobahns supplant an older through route, as in Bundesstraße 60 (best translated as Federal Highway 60), which disappeared as the A40 Autobahn supplanted it.In the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
, National Primary Routes are often realigned after the construction of new motorway sections, dual carriageway
Dual carriageway
A dual carriageway is a class of highway with two carriageways for traffic travelling in opposite directions separated by a central reservation...
s or bypasses. The old route thus loses its national route status and is usually redesignated as a Regional Road
Regional road
A regional road in Ireland is a class of road not forming a major route , but nevertheless forming a link in the national route network. There are over 11,600 kilometres of regional roads. Regional roads are numbered with three digit route numbers, prefixed by "R" A regional road in Ireland is a...
.