The Story Behind This Abandoned Road To Nowhere In Vermont Is Truly Fascinating

Abandoned places are fascinating and raise many questions. Why were they abandoned? What is the backstory to these spots being reclaimed by nature? Interstate 189 in Vermont is in part a ghostly abandoned road that leads to nowhere. Here is the story behind the highway that never was…

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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. Wikipedia/Royalbroil Not all of the highway bears traffic. There is an abandoned half-mile stretch beyond the Route 7 interchange. Flickr/Doug Kerr 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. Flickr/Doug Kerr 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, continuation of the highway was halted completely. Flickr/Doug Kerr 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. Flickr/Doug Kerr 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 has a path through the landscape of Vermont. Flickr/Doug Kerr

Did you know the story behind abandoned Interstate 189? Continue to explore these remnants of the past by checking out these 16 deteriorating ruins in the Green Mountain state.