Though extremely rare, there have been instances where an at-grade railroad crossing was placed on a limited-access highway instead of the usual overpass or underpass. The most well-known example was the crossing for the Columbia Terminal Railroad on US-63 just north of Columbia, MO. That railroad crossing was replaced in 2011 with a brand-new overpass.
At one point there was even a railroad crossing on an Interstate. A segment of I-94 built in 1959 north of Albion, MI had an at-grade crossing that included railroad crossing signals that supposedly had to activated by a train crew manually. My guess is the track crossing I-94 was a branch line and not part of the railroad’s mainline since the article said the tracks served the Springport Elevator.
In any case this at-grade crossing isn’t present on modern-day I-94 since the branch line was abandoned in 1968 and the crossing paved over some time afterwards.
I wonder what railroad was operating the tracks from lbion to Springport in the 1960s? The article said the tracks were originally built for the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern, though that railroad was defunct since 1914 and became part of the NYC.
I can think of two such places in Michigan where there were/are at grade crossings. One was on US-23 south of Milan where the Ann Arbor crossed, which I believe was originally intended to be an interstate but was left designated a US highway. That one was long ago bridged.
One still remains; that being where the MMRR crosses US-127 west of Ashley. It’s a divided highway and marked ‘exempt’ due to very little rail traffic. IIRC, the railroad must stop and flag the crossing there.
On another note, there are still places with drawbridges on interstate highways but an effort is being made to eliminate them. One is the Steel Bridge in Portland, OR and really snarls auto traffic when it’s opened for ships.
Roads designated by US and a number are not part of the Interstate Highway System. Interstate highways were built to very specific standards with mostly Federal money. They did not allow at grade crossings of even roads, much less railroads. There were specifications for curves, overhead clearances, and pavement construction. The image posted here does not appear to be an Interstate Highway.
As time has passed, some pre existing roads have been “upgraded” and given an after the fact interstate designation. Some of those do not meet Interstate standards. State Route 17 in New York is such a road. It is being upgraded to become I-86. One of the things being removed during the upgrade is a grade level RR crossing in the Middletown area. Some local roads that connect to Interstate Highways have Interstate signs directing drivers to the Interstate, but are not actually part of the system.
Phoebe Vet is right…INTERSTATE highways cannot be so designated unless strict clearances and guidelines are in place. This includes separate direction lanes, minimum overpass heights, no intersecting roads, no traffic signals, and no railroad crossings. NY four lane highway 17 from Suffern to the PA line west of Jamestown. Intersecting roads are being cut off or grade separated with traffic lights eliminated, bridges heightened, and rail lines removed, and speed limits at 65 mph, all to achieve interstate status as I86. It is costing NY taxpayers a fortune and is taking almost 8 years so far to achieve. It is nice to be able to sail along at full gallop and be able to make it from Owego to Salamanca in less than two hours now and many are looking forward to a 2 hour drive to New York City from Binghamton. It is hoped that these improvements will bring more tourists through our beautiful Southern Tier counties while luring truckers off I80 in PA and maybe even getting them off the NY Thruway. We will soon be enjoying all these blessings along with more polluted air, noisier traffic, and congestion.
While it didn’t cross the Interstate itself, the Illinois Central’s since-abandoned ex-CA&E (Cook County and Southern) line in Westchester IL crossed the eastbound offramp and westbound onramp on I-290 just west of Mannheim Rd at grade.
In Pennsylvania and New Jersey people have to be aware there are two interstate highways designated I-95. One is that part of the New Jersey Turnpike that runs down the east side of the Delaware river. The second I-95 runs down the west side of the Delaware river in Pennsylvania. Why these two different highways are both designated as I-95 I don’t know but it can be confusing to drivers.
Safety. Speed. No impediments to moving traffic. Separation of Interstate traffic and all other road and rail traffic. In the Interstate Highway legislation or whatever rules.
I-95 is a continuous highway. But instead of designating the whole of the NJTPK as I95 the Pike becomes I295 and I95 crosses to serve Philadelphia./ It is probably political rather than have any transportation reason…
Once Upon A Time… LION was stationed at Miramar Naval Air Station. The main road from the base met the Interstate at a right angle at grade .
Technically the Interstate ENDED just before the base and RESUMED just after the base, but you could not know that unless you were trying to make a LEFT TURN onto the base.
Who knows what is there now: The JARHEADS took over that base a long time ago.
If you drive on the New Jersey Turnpike you will see those blue shield interstate signs that say I-95.
I-295 is a completely different “interstate” highway. It is completely in New Jersey. In south Jersey it runs parallel to I-95 (the New Jersey Turnpike). I-295 has no tolls so many people prefer it, especially today because there have been multiple toll increases in recent years. In Hamilton, NJ I-295 turns west and, in Ewing, becomes I-95, crosses the Delaware River at Scudders Falls and turns south following the west bank of the Delaware.
I-195 is an east west “interstate” completely within the state of New Jersey too. It runs off I-295 in Hamilton and goes to the shore at Belmar.
On a trip across Michigan in 1965, I came upon the crossing in question. I clearly recall that the road was marked “I-94.” There were large warning signs in advance of the crossing, as well as the flashers shown in the photo.
In West Texas there are numerous intersections on I-10 and I-20 to allow ranch and oil well access. They are signed with the usual diamond shaped warning sign with a cross in the middle.
Maps are screwy and not easy to follow…I’m looking at the Rand McNally atlas and you can’t define how 95 crosses to PA except to go via 295 north at some point and at some point 295 becomes 95. In effect, it doesn’t make sense except to surmise that I95 is to shadow US Route 1 all the way from Key West FL to Houlton, ME. But the “I” designation does bring in more Federal money for its upkeep. I95 also is the Maine Turnpike, the NH Turnpike, and several other pikes and roads in various states in addition to the NJ Tpk to the G. Washington Bridge. I87 works south to north as the NYS Thruway to Albany then the toll free Northway to Rouses Point and the Canadian border. The NYS Thruway west of Albany as a handoff from the Mass. Turnpike. Etc. Crazy but some politician probably understands it in dollars and sense.
One exception to the interstate standards was a drawbridge on I-10 in Mississippi. The bridge was built over the waterway that had Saturn 5 rockets shipped from the Stenis center to Cape Canerval. The rockets were shipped upright for structural reason so the draw which I estimate only had a 60 ft wide opening. A few years ago the draw was removed and paved over.
Yet another grade crossing that existed on a limited-access highway in Michigan was on U.S. 131, west of Kalamazoo and north of I-94. This was the former NYC system branch to South Haven from Kalamazoo, which (IIRC) survived until the advent of Conrail. I was actually stopped by a train using it once.
The line was eventually replaced by the Kal-Haven Trail. Fortunately the trail ends west of the highway, with street connections into Kalamazoo.
I agree that maps do not necessarily reflect the terrain. And it also occurs to me that the I-95 signs posted on the New Jersey Turnpike may not be really accurate. None the less they are there.
If I put a sign in front of my house that says “I-95” do you think I can get the Federal Government to pay part of my property tax?
Limited access highways are not all Interstate highways…as was noted only “I” designated are Interstate and “U.S.” designated are national highways. It is permissible to have grade crossings on U.S. highways and other limited access roads but not on Interstate designated roads.
Well yes. But, as Lion has pointed out, it is also possible to simply drop the “interstate” designation for a short distance and then resume it again. Since for a mile or so there is no actual designation there is no interstate highway although most drivers will not know that.
When it was originally constructed, what is now the Baltimore Beltway or I695 had the Baltimore and Annapolis Railroad cross it at grade near Linthicum - subsequently this crossing was replaced with a overpass that maintains the grade line. In the original configuration, it was downhill to the crossing in both directions. B&A traffic, when the grade crossing existed was one round trip freight train a day to freight customers to the South of the roadway, as the B&A had ceased passenger operations prior to the construction of the highway. Existence of this crossing may even pre-date the legislation forming the Interstate Highway system in 1956.
