Abandoned places in Vermont are fascinating and raise many questions. Why were they abandoned? What is the backstory to these spots being reclaimed by nature? Abandoned Interstate 189 is in part one of those ghostly abandoned highways that became a Vermont road to nowhere. Here is the story behind Interstate 189 in Vermont: the highway that never was...
Interstate 189 is an auxiliary highway in Chittenden County. It spans a mere 1.488 miles from exit 13 of Interstate 89 in South Burlington to Route 7 at the Burlington city limit.
Not all of the highway bears traffic. There is an abandoned half-mile stretch beyond the Route 7 interchange.
Once there was a plan for Interstate 189 to continue north. It would enter the city of Burlington and go to the industrial waterfront area for an easy connection for the freight carriers.
Construction on the extension of Interstate 189 was halted due to the presence of a toxic barge canal. As Burlington made the shift from industry to tourism, the continuation of the highway was halted completely.
In 2012, a new plan was proposed to continue the abandoned stretch of roadway to funnel traffic from Route 7 into the downtown area. Once again the project met resistance and the plan was stopped in its tracks.
Now what remains is a short stretch of ghostly highway that is being slowly reclaimed by nature. The ruins of the highway that was never finished still have a path through the landscape of Vermont.
Get an aerial view of abandoned Interstate 189 in Vermont:
Did you know the story behind abandoned Interstate 189? Do you know of any other abandoned highways in the U.S.? Let us know in the comments. We would love to hear about other interesting spots like this one. Continue to explore these remnants of the past by checking out these abandoned places in Vermont. And if you are looking for other unique local adventures to take, then check out Airbnb Experiences.
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