Counties: Chittenden | Length 2.395 km | |
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West end: US 7 at South Burlington/Burlington city line East end: I-89 in South Burlington County Chittenden County, Vermont | ||
Interstate 189 (abbreviated I-189) is an auxiliary Interstate Highway in Chittenden County, Vermont, United States. The highway extends for 1.488 miles (2.395 km) from Interstate 89 exit 13 in South Burlington to US Route 7 at the Burlington city limit. I-189 is the only spur on the entire length of I-89.
Contents
Map of I-189, South Burlington, VT 05403, USA
Route description
I-189 serves as an Interstate-grade connector between I-89 and a commercial district along US 7 (Shelburne Road). It is signed as an east–west highway. Prior to 2010, only one directional sign had been posted on the highway - on the eastbound side after the on-ramp from US 7. Sign replacements and additions in late 2010 added directional signs on both the eastbound and westbound sides of the route.
History
There was once a plan for the highway to continue north into the city of Burlington along the waterfront and service an industrial area. Construction was delayed due to the presence of a toxic barge canal and eventually cancelled as the city largely left behind its industrial past in favor of tourism in the 1980s. The roadway was abandoned just beyond the US 7 interchange. As a result, Jersey barriers are in place on I-189 west directing traffic onto the US 7 off-ramp, orphaning approximately 0.65 miles (1.05 km) of road, along with a few ramps.
Future
The Federal Government previously gave the state a deadline to make a final decision on building the extension or they would lose matching funds. As of Spring 2012, consensus is for a two-lane parkway named the "Champlain Parkway" that will run northerly from Home Avenue for about 0.7 miles (1.1 km), then curve onto existing city streets in order to funnel traffic into downtown away from US 7. I-189 would extend westward, then turn to the north, terminate at Home Avenue, and connect to the parkway. In August 2014, the parkway received its land use permit, clearing the way for the project to begin.
Exit list
The entire route is in Chittenden County.