The Most Purposeless Interstates 

Here's the scoop on 675. About 40 years ago I75 had a draw bridge at Zilwaukee that would regularly stop traffic and cause long backups. While a new bridge was being built (took years and had lots of problems) 675 was put in to relieve traffic and it's still used as a detour for when the bridge needs maintenance.

Hi, I live in Indiana and can explain 865. It used to be a part of 465, but that created more confusion because 465 is a loop and 865 is a spur off that loop. They changed the number to 865 about 20 years ago so that there would be no more confusion, particularly in 911 calls. Hope this helps!

6:41 865 was originally part of 465 with mile markers starting at 900. It was somewhat confusing though, being referred to variously as the 465 connector or 465 dogleg. In 2002 they eased up the confusion with making it 865.

As a cartographer, I have some supportive reasoning for Interstate 155. The reason being, is to serve as a short-cut from Sikeston, Missouri to Jackson, Tennessee, making travel more efficient for travel from west-central Tennessee over to St. Louis, and vice versa. It also serves as a truck route.

I-865 in Indianapolis originally was labeled as I-465 and remained that way for thirty to forty years. It was and is an interchange for traffic traveling on I-65 north of Indianapolis and traffic using the north leg of I-465. As a part of 465, it caused confusion for radio station traffic reports when locating accidents. It also became confusing for help to find stranded motorists with mechanical breakdowns. Since it was an interchange with I-65 it became confused with the interchange for the same two highways a few miles to, the south. So to prevent all the confusion INDOT redesignated it as I-865. So you got it wrong it makes more sense and it removes confusion.

I-155 was built as a collaboration between MO and TN to have a direct connection between the two states. Also, I-69 is planned to use part of I-155 once it gets built, I-155 would be a direct connection between I-55 and I-69. An example of this happening before is the old I-164 in Evansville, IN. I-164 served as a connector between I-64 and Evansville but now is part of I-69 and will be extened into Kentucky once the new bridgte is built in Evansville.

I-155 is a vital link between Southeast Missouri and Northwest Tennessee. It links small rural communities to jobs as Dyersburg has several industries. It gives people access to healthcare as the rural Bootheel's hospitals have died and local doctors' offices closed. It is important in the transport of grain to conditioning plants and elevators, along with other goods heading across the Mississippi. It cut hours off travel bringing the only bridge between Cario, IL and Memphis, linking to US 412 to Jackson, TN then to US 45 into Mississippi. If I-69 is ever finished it will link to that as well. So I think you missed the mark on that one.

155 isnt bad. its a river crossing where there isnt one, and its supposed to connect to future I-69 too

I - 155 is vital for the whole Mid South area. When Memphis is dealing with traffic issues, the bridge over 155 is used a lot more. Also, it’s great for traffic moving from the east directly into the Ozarks region

Correction at 1:42: Actually, I-790 is never part of the NY Thruway (I-90)! I've driven through there annually to visit family in Rochester, and drove through there just a couple weeks ago to attend a convention in Toronto. For the entire length, the highway is a completely separated road and is never actually concurrent with the Thruway. The single Thurway interchange to the east of Leland Ave has the only on/off ramps for the Thruway in this area; and as a matter of fact, there is NO direct access to I-790 from the Thruway at all. The only access tp I-790 from the Thruway (via Exit 31 from either direction) is to take N Genessee St north, turn right onto Auert Ave, and then turn onto the on-ramp for I-790 WB. Now, I personally think they should have just simply designated it as NY-12. However, if they were to convert the Arterial Highway to interstate standards and designate it as I-790 (which I hope they do), then it would make a LOT more sense. Btw, love your videos! :3

Reason i155 is actually useful is due to the current construction of i69 in Tennessee It does serve a purpose of connecting nw Tennessee and sw Kentucky to Memphis and Little Rock w/o having to go thru many small towns It also serves as a backup river crossing if i57, i40, and i55 bridges get messed up

BEAVER YOU COVERING THE POINTLESS HIGHWAYS IN UPSTATE NY IS SO VALIDATINNG I DROVE THROUGH UTICA AND ROME NOT SO LONG AGO

Interstate 155 allows traffic to bypass Memphis while access western Kentucky from I-55. I have a lot of drivers that uses this spur to move oil from Louisiana to southern Indiana. It will also feed I-69 whenever TennDot completes it... but it did serve as a connection from I-55 to the Purchase Parkway (much of which is now I-69) and I-24.

I see what your saying about I-155. I've used that highway to bypass Memphis when driving from Louisville, KY to Texas. Going down US 51 from Dyersburg to Memphis has to many lights. And it will eventually connect with I-69. I'm glad it's there.

Utica is dying because they have never heard of Steamed Hams

From Michigan, I-675 is much more important than you think. If there ever was an accident on I-75 on the Zilawaukee Bridge, the entire route would be shut down. If that happens, then you would have to go all the way to Bay City and take M-13 which is WAY OUT of the route. 675 basically is a detour and also relieves traffic during summer holidays I think I-75B in Bay City is super pointless though. Much more than I-675. It’s a one mile stretch that ends in a 30mph road. Really pointless

Even more perplexing about Saginaw is why the GM Powertrain (formerly Saginaw Steering Gear) plant is almost dead center in the middle of the loop, rather than right beside it where it'd be if the loop was built for direct industrial-plant access.

I live in the Missouri Bootheel so I'm a frequent user of I-155 when going to Tennessee. Prior to I-155 and the Caruthersville Bridge being built, a ferry to the south carried road traffic across the Mississippi River between Cottonwood Point, MO and Heloise, TN, where it followed SR-104 to Dyersburg, TN. This ferry went out of service after completion of the bridge. Another ferry continues to run between Dorena, MO and Hickman, KY. US 412 is routed along the entire length of I-155. At the western terminus of I-155, US 412 continues as a divided highway to Kennett, MO, where it then becomes a two-lane road until crossing the St. Francois River into Arkansas and becomes a four-lane highway again. At the eastern terminus of I-155, US 412 continues SE to Jackson, TN and I-40. Those not exiting to stay on 412 follow US 51 to Fulton, KY where it becomes I-69.

The more bridges over the Mississippi River the better. When the big one hits, maybe one of the bridges will not get destroyed. Since I-55 provides a way over the river and serves as a short cut, it does in fact serve a purpose.

I-155 will connect I-55 soon with I-69 at Dyersburg. I-69 will be a border-to-border freeway when complete. Also, the I-155 bridge is built to be earthquake-resistant, which the bridges at Memphis and Cairo are not. The next-nearest river crossings are nearly 70 miles north and 75 miles south. Indiana I-865 reduces traffic heading out of Indy towards Chicago that would otherwise have to use I-65, I-70 or I-74 through the city. I-465 IS the loop around Indy! 865 is a shortcut, and INDOT says, a necessary one. I agree, especially since there is no ramp from the 465 outer loop to 65 North. You need to study traffic patterns and planned growth before making improper assessments.

I think the main reason most interstates that shouldn't exist do, is that the more feet of road a state can designate an interstate, the fewer feet of road need to be the exclusive problem of the state or city government.

Great job Beaver. Enjoyed it!

675 serves a great purpose. If you have nvr driven over the zilwaukee bridge, drive it, u will see one important reason. Also. 675 connects the major hospitals in town instead of emergency vehicles getting off in zilwaukee or getting off on the Sandusky exit. When I was living in Alpena and my dad had to be transported to St Mary's after suffering a widow maker, I understood the use of 675. Also. The traffic in Carrollton and Saginaw townships would make it more crazy if 675 wasn't there. Not to mention kochville and titabawasee as well

790 is proposed to extend along the NY49 and NY365 corridor to serve as a loop for Rome NY. The current short span was created early to assist the state in replacing the bridges over the Mohawk river and Erie canal.

Fun fact, I-155 *was* supposed to go to my hometown of Jackson, Tenn. For bonus points, you might note that it hits US-412. US-412 is an interesting US route, because it is *not* associated with its implied parent route US-12.

Correction on I-790: the part that turns to the east is not I-90, it’s a separate road on the outside of I-90. I-90 is the thruway and has its only exit for Utica east of the 790 bridge so 790 turns east to meet I-90 there. Only eastbound I-790 has a direct connection to I-90 though, you have to take a couple surface streets to get to westbound 790 from 90.

I've used Interstate 155 for travel between the Ohio and the Southwest. Coming down across Kentucky and into Tennessee, it was great to get across to the west side of the Mississippi River and head on down to Little Rock etc., while missing underdeveloped US 51 south of Dyersburg and all of Memphis. I've wondered, though, about the upturn to Hayti at the west end. The highway seems to be designed better for NW-SE travel than for NE-SW travel.

I’ve used I-865 several times going to and from I-465 east around Indianapolis. I don’t have a problem with the designation it’s a to Dayton/ Cincinnati going east and a to Chicago coming from the east. BTW It’s also co-signed as US-52.

I can’t imagine Saginaw without I-675. Just because it doesn’t encircle the city doesn’t mean that it’s not useful. The historical context of the interstate, the drawbridge over the Saginaw River on I-75, which you did not include, would have told you why they built it and why it still exists today. Even though the drawbridge has long been replaced, traffic in Saginaw would be even worse without I-675.

I-345 in Dallas unsigned. Should just be 45 or part of 75.

Good coverage! Thank you

The I-97 designation is wasted on what could have easily just been a continuation of I-895 in Baltimore.

The scoop on I-865: It was originally labeled as I-465 and was an original part of the bypass - unlike the stretch of I-465 that goes south from there to I-65. As others have pointed out, it was part of I-465 for so long despite its existence causing problems, and the I-865 designation was done to make things easier for the people there. I-675 has been noted, with the caveat that there were a few places where they routed Interstates over Drawbridges because those things were already there and Saginaw was one of those places. As it happened, not only did the drawbridge cause delays when drawn, but that stretch of interstate went from 6 lanes to 4 lanes on both sides thanks to the drawbridge, causing delays even when there was no river traffic. (and as for the Zilwaukee Bridge, that has its OWN history.) As for I-790, that was built back when Utica was a bit more active and there were laws against Freeways directly interfacing with Tollways. Hence the odd ramps that go to the next exit to the east - that was the Utica interchange from the New York Thruway back when I-790 was built (and why that odd stretch of 790 still exists).

Another great video! I love this channel! Keep up the good work!

Another great video. This is definitely my favorite series of yours. I can’t wait for the next installment

I like I-155, it allows me to bypass Nashville and Memphis. Having been stuck in major traffic jams in both cities, I'll take the detour through SW Kentucky and NW Tennessee every time.

I go on I-480 all the time and that stretch you mentioned is basically an exit to merge to I-271 North. Since 480 proper continues to the East (after it combines with 271 South) I guess they had to give that long exit some designation.

Interesting enough I used Interstate 155 while driving from Austin TX to Hopkinsville, KY. Seems like a connector for Interstate 55 to Imterstate 69.

Hi Beaver. I grew up in Zionsville Indiana where I865 runs through. I believe that stretch is designated to give for the opportunity of exit ramps. Growing up there every so often there was a big hoopla about people proposing a partial exit at Ford Road and a full exit at 875 East/Cooper Road. I would argue that the adjacent section of Interstate 65 is more useless or just poor planning initially. The 2 mile stretch south of the 90 degree curve should have just had two Interstate designations for a short jolt.

Back a couple of decades or so, I drove a truck for a living. I-155 was important to us. Without it, loads to and from northern TN and southern KY would require a long route around and add a lot of miles to the journey. In my opinion, it does serve a very important purpose.

I’ve actually used I-355 on a trip from OK to PA via Jonesboro, AR. It connects you to various Kentucky parkways that take you through Elizabethtown, Lexington and I-64 which takes you east. It actually works.

How did you miss I-180 in Illinois, which spurs from I-80 into a very small town? It was an interstate highway built for one steel company that closed shortly after.

with 865, i think even though it doesn’t have any exits, it’s too long to not have a number.

Love you channel, been watching it for awhile now. I like to see routes videos. like route 41, From Chicago to Miami. Or up and coming build, like Chicago closing O'Hare airport expansion. Not sure of the highway name or number yet. Keep up the good work

I-675 exists now to relieve traffic on the Zilwaukee Bridge from those who live between Toledo and Flint who have weekend cabins in the sparsely populated Northern Michigan As for I-865, it used to be part of I-465 so those coming/going to Chicago have access to I-465

One interesting thing about I-790 is that you can get from I-790 onto I-90 just fine but you can't get onto I-790 from I-90 without having to make a few right turns and sit at a traffic light. I-790 is weird like that.

One of your better videos, Beaver.

Yeah a lot of small spur routes don't need to be interstates. In grand rapids we have M6 a highway that essentially bypass grand rapids. Although it's a michigan highway it complies with all interstate rules, but it certainly makes things easier that they don't call it i596 or something.

I -555 is now part of a larger corridor 8 using US 412 designation that is slated to connect Oklahoma to Tennessee and will likely get major upgrades over time so it should be viewed as a long term relief route for I 40 that will allow cross country traffic to avoid the Memphis area. It also will allow I 69 traffic to connect from Kentucky to I 55 once the Union City bypass is completed as Tennessee does not plan to connect from I 155 to Memphis for some time

You should do one on the Y bridge in Zanesville, Ohio. Connects US 40 to a city street with a low train bridge that gets hit several times per year. Crosses two rivers with a traffic light in the middle. It used to be a covered bridge.

Well done! I am surprised that I-180 in Illinois or Wyoming wasn't on this list. You probably have enough material here for a second video should you want to do one.

The reason why the long exit ramps have number signage is that way in case of emergency or any other reason you can pinpoint a location instead of just saying you’re on a exit ramp. At least that’s what I think

As a Michigander here 675 servers of a good purpose not only a way into downtown Saginaw to many of the hospitals in the area and downtown plus the best detour if I 75 is closed at the zilwaukee bridge because without 675 there is not a good way around it

6:59 - exactly this. When NorthConnex in Sydney, NSW, was opened in 2020, many were wondering why the 9-kilometre tunnel had no route number. However, I'm one of the believers who are all for this road not having a route number when it has no exits or entries except on either end of the tunnel (it also doesn't fit neatly with the other surrounding routes as well). It would be nice if the US followed this specific NSW standard.

I-480N is an internal ODOT designation. It's not intended for public use. It has a designation for recordkeeping purposes as it's too long for what ODOT would consider to be a ramp.

Newborn-Dyersberg has the only other Amtrak station besides Memphis in TN at the moment (and thus least used). Amtrak usage seems to be going up a bit since COVID but I don't think an interstate spur is helping

Future video ideas...I-535 in Duluth MN or the lack of an interstate between the Twin Cities and St. Louis.

So I-865 came about because the route used to be called I-465 E-W and caused confusion with people who didn't know they were supposed to turn onto I-465 N-S when going around the city. Add no exits to turn around and lots of people used median turnarounds which are dangerous. INDOT decided to just name the route to clear up the confusion about 20 years ago. To be honest, it should have an interchange on it as the area to the north is rapidly developing.

I-75 in Saginaw was a drawbridge until the late 80's I-675 was built as a bypass

Great video. The next list should include I-375 because its so short and serves as much traffic as a surface street, which is why its getting turned into on soon. The whole Detroit area is a mess that may warrant a whole video in terms of over built and under built road systems

You need to make a video taking a look at shorter interstates or interstates that end abruptly and speculate on where any future routes could go. Good examples of this is I-44 that ends in Wichita Falls or I-27 that doesn’t go all the way to I-20 in Texas.

Some interstates were built "for future use," like Massachusetts 495. There was very little use the first 10 to 20 years. Then business located along the route because of the access.

NYC area interstes need to be renumbered IMO. A lot of them are also glorified exit ramps as well.

For I-865, during the building of the interstate system, at least here in Michigan, there were a lot of TO (interstate) signs, where a section of road was listed as TO I-75 or CONNECTOR US-24. A few of these remain today, where you have a freeway piece that exists solely to take you to the actual freeway. Seems like you could mark it was TO I-65 or CONNECTOR I-65 and be done with it.

You should cover I-124 in Chattanooga. Now, it is unsigned and i don’t know if you count Unsigned highway designations. Basically, US 27 comes into I-24 (exits later on rossvile blvd but who cares) and for some reason the stretch from the interchange to the Tennessee river was unsigned but designated as I-124.

I-155 I kinda get. I wouldn't call it purposeless because it only exists to connect two other interstates. As for placement, it really depends on the factors. Maybe it was less expensive to put it father from major population centers, but serving a minor city would be a nice extra. It's also not going to be bogged down with local traffic as it would if it were in a population center. It also depends on anticipated travel patterns. S-shaped drives (north, west, north, for example) aren't really affected much by the placement, but U-shaped drives (north, west, south) are. I'm sure optimizing some U-shaped drives was a factor considered along with cost and minor connections.

SOMETIMES some public infrastructure is constructed in preparations for a new housing development, or a mega factory, or a military base or a power station which sometimes never happens. !

I-865 connecting I-465 to I-65 on the northwest side of Indianapolis was originally a part of the original alignment of I-465. I-65 and I-465 was planned to run concurrent from Zionsville, IN to the junction with I-465 on the west side. The segment between I-65 on the west side and I-465 east on the north side was originally built as State Road 100 and later redesignated as I-465 completing the loop and eliminating the concurrency.

Supposedly, I-155 was supposed to be "Interstate 24W," traveling between Hayti, MO and Jackson, TN (via Dyersburg). The bridge was proposed before this though, as there was not one anywhere near here (as you alluded to). The road and bridge were built in the 70's to Dyersburg but then the I-24W thing was dropped and route truncated. Looking at old USGS quad maps, It was called I-155 already by that point. As others have stated, US 412 was not a thing until the 80's, and technically this kind of "fulfilled" a Dyersburg to Jackson link; the road is an expressway with interchanges at major crossings, but it's not a freeway. Now the thing I want to point out is that many people are commenting on I-69; this was only a thing in the 2000's. I-69 or it's routing through TN was not even thought of until the past 20-25 years. It just so happens to have worked out that the 30 miles of US 51 east of I-155 was built as a freeway, the 5 miles north of Union City was built as a freeway, and the Kentucky parkways are freeways. (If you ask me, the entirety of I-155 should be designated as I-69 and then duplexed on the west side, then building a bridge which would extend I-269 west to connect to I-555 but that'll never happen). So with that being said: I agree that I-155 probably shouldn't have been a designation. It was probably due to the bridge being built with federal funds and the mileage dedicated to each state for interstate highways. Either this or lobbying to get an "interstate" into NW TN. However, I don't agree with it not being needed. Living in Memphis, I see a lot of traffic on this road sometimes and it is nice to take I-55 in Arkansas over to Dyersburg/point north instead of US 51.

I live close to I-480N and drive it several times a week. There is signage, but only the milepost markers on that stretch. There are two reasons for the designation - 422 goes north joining I-271, so that short stretch of freeway is without a highway number. And although it is really extended ramps to/from I-271 north, it is long enough to have its own interchange. So the next reason is for emergency purposes. Any accidents on that stretch can be pinpointed for emergency services by the mileage markers every 10th of a mile - making that an important reason. And finally, it is a designated interstate highway, so it requires the designation if not the full signage.

3:23 believe thats the proposed future location of I-69. Infact you can see it I-155 continues north with interstate standards a wee bit

I-865 in Indy is hugely important as it connects most of the population (north metro) to I-65 (the route to Chicago). I am CERTAIN it will have its own exits before long because suburban growth is angling that way. If it didn't have its own name already, a problem would emerge

I-579 in downtown Pittsburgh makes no sense. It connects the Liberty Bridge from the south to I-279 to the north but there aren't any real exits or service aside from a glorified exit ramp.

I-155 for all intents and purposes DID need to be built, not only for the local area and its economy (people in both W TN and the MO Bootheel commuting for work, etc.) but also as an alternate route to cross the Mississippi for travel. It came in handy when the Memphis I-40 bridge had to be shut down during summer 2021 due to a complete break in the bridge, which caused bumper to bumper traffic in both directions when all traffic was directed to use the I-55 bridge. I know because I drove that route JUST to avoid being bumper-to-bumper in Memphis.

Can you make a video about purposeless US Routes? There are a ton that still exist for some reason, with many running concurrent with Interstate Routes.

Designations may be important for first responders, maintenance, state highway department management of projects.

I759 serves no point, it is in a declining metropolitan area called gadsden only has 1 exit in between start and finished, and in 2011 they disbanded the traffic light intersection at the top of the ramp

Your satellite imagery shows a system with some potent convection right over me 😆

Clevelander here. I can speak to 480/271. The original intent was to have 480 follow US-422 all the way to Youngstown. When the Ohio Turnpike announced they would continue to collect tolls rather than remove them when the construction bonds were paid off. Given this update, the my rerouted 480 to end at 80 in Streetsboro so they could collect money from drivers part of the way to Youngstown. Another reason why 480/271 share pavement and are the only 2 auxiliary routes to share pavement in the entire country. 5:11

At least 675 can be used for people who are afraid to drive over the current Zilwaukee Bridge since it had some issues during construction.

Lived in Cleveland for 26 years and worked right near "I-480N." Never knew that I-480N was a distinction for part of the I-271 & I-480 interchange. If you asked someone in Cleveland they would not even know.

I always enjoy your videos, but you're mistaken about I675. Having lived not too far from Saginaw all my life, I've always found it to be very useful. It would be sorely missed if it weren't there.

There is the unsigned I-345 in Dallas which is nothing but a continuation of I-45 connecting it to US 75 which ends just before I-30.

This reminds of a place that actually made the correct decision. North of DC is I-270 running between I-495 and Frederick, MD. It has two connections, one to the south and one to the east. Only one is actually designated as an interstate, the other is simply referred to as a 1.7 mile spur

as of now yes I-155 is kinda pointless but in the near future like end of 2023 I-155 will be part of I-69 after TN extends 69 to meet with 155 (according to TDOT website segment 8) also 155 is part of the U.S. 412 which connects Jackson TN at i-40 to Dyersburg where i-155 starts

Minneapolis almost had one with 535, but local residents opposed it. You can notice some remnants of it.

I-155 is the only connection between two fairly-large states (Missouri and Tennessee) with a shared border. About halfway between Cairo and Memphis it is very useful, and will be even more useful as a connection between three small Arkansas cities (Blytheville, Jonesboro, and Paragould) with I-69 into Kentucky and I-40 toward Nashville. More roads in this fast-growing area might yet be built, and that bridge will have made those highways useful.

The bright line (between Vegas Valley and LA Valley) rail might be a good video subject!

I-345 in Downtown Dallas. It legit goes unsigned. It’s just a connection route from US-75 and I-45

I-790 actually doesn't share any road with I-90. In fact, I-90 only has one exit in the Utica area (exit 31), which is located at the eastern side of Utica and it's where I-790 actually starts. I-790 runs parallel to I-90 for a moment before splitting off and heading south. As for the interchange where I-790 heads south, that interchange never touches I-90. This interchange serves NY-49 while I-90 goes straight through. Therefore, the I-790 designation is correct.

465 wasn't always a loop, 465 originally ended at the modern day 865 and 65 junction and had State Road 100 (which was on High School road) near the path where the 465 loop is today. And yeah it can be confusing as coming into Indy on 65 as 865 will only take you onto the east bound route, to go south you had to wait till you reach the "newer" portion of 465 and you can't go north there.

Interstate 155 will eventually Connect I 55 with the future I 69. If I'm coming East from Little Rock and I need to go to Louisville,. It makes a lot more sense to take 40 to 55 to 155 to us 51 (future 69) and follow that up to eddyville ky and across instead of having to deal with nashville and memphis.

2:57 well I figure that’s the closest my area will ever be to being featured on this channel 😂. Shoutout to Cairo, my dad’s hometown

I was just on both 155’s yesterday. Illinois and Tennessee.

I55 is pretty slow, a lot of factories moved to Mexico and Asia that were in Dyersburg. That whole area was pretty much abandoned by manufacturing.

I go to school in Utica and the 790 is the most pointless interstate highway. The only thing that it is good for is the snow plows in the winter because it falls under the highway system.

155 has come in clutch, since there are not many other river crossings in the area.

I155 actually runs almost to union city TN and a connection to the purchase parkway in KY the purchase parkway. connects to I 24 east of Paducah KY in the Kentucky lake region

Can you make a video explaining why it’s no interstate connecting Tulsa and Dallas

No mention of I-180 in Illinois , although it may have been covered in another video. Now purposeless, it was built to access a now closed steel mill in Hennepin. Must have been a very powerful politician to get that one green lighted, back in the day.