Interstate 895 (I-895) was a planned 6.4-mile (10.3 km) long Interstate Highway in New Jersey and Pennsylvania that would have provided a freeway between I-295 near Burlington in Burlington County, New Jersey and Interstate 95 near Bristol in Bucks County, Pennsylvania.
[edit] History
In 1963, the Delaware River Port Authority proposed several new bridges across the Delaware River in the Philadelphia area, including a high-level crossing between Bristol, Pennsylvania and Burlington, New Jersey near the existing Burlington-Bristol Bridge.[2] Following this proposal, a freeway was planned to link this bridge to I-295 near Burlington and I-95 near Bristol. This proposed freeway would be designated I-895 in the late 1960s. I-895 would have completed the partial beltway around Trenton formed by I-95 and I-295 as well as provided a beltway around Philadelphia along with the Pennsylvania Turnpike, I-476, and I-295. The proposed six lane freeway was meant to have two mainline interchanges with US 13 in Pennsylvania and US 130 in New Jersey, and the terminus interchanges with I-95 and I-295, giving the freeway four total interchanges from start to finish. Once the freeway met I-295, there were plans to extend it as the Route 72 freeway towards Long Beach Island where it would meet the existing Route 72 at Route 70. [3]
In the early 1970s, I-895 gained opposition from area residents, who feared the road would cause disruption to residential areas in both Burlington and Bristol. [4] The alignment for I-895 was approved by the Federal Highway Administration in 1973.[5] The approach roads to the bridge were approved by New Jersey Governor Brendan Byrne in December 1975, but Pennsylvania Governor Milton Shapp opposed it because there was not a connection to I-95. As a result, the Burlington County Bridge Commission decided to build the Pennsylvania portion of the freeway.[6][7] However, rising costs and desire of funds for mass transit led to the cancellation of I-895 in 1981, with the money allocated to the road transferred to other road and mass transit projects.[8]
[edit] Exit list
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Route Log and Finder List – Interstate Highways. Federal Highway Administration. 1978.
- ^ Delaware River Crossing Needs. Delaware River Port Authority. 1963.
- ^ 1985 Regional Transportation Plan. Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission. 1969.
- ^ Sabatini, Richard V. (April 1, 1971). "Plan To Replace Bristol Span Called Time, Money Waste". The Philadelphia Inquirer.
- ^ Interstate 895: Administrative Action Final Environmental Impact Statement and Section 4(f) Statement. Federal Highway Administration, New Jersey Department of Transportation, and Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. 1973.
- ^ Lordan, Francis M. (December 12, 1975). "Bridge Access Road Is Approved". The Philadelphia Inquirer.
- ^ "New Burlington-Bristol Span OK'd". Philadelphia Daily News. December 23, 1975.
- ^ Nussbaum, Paul (August 19, 1984). "Schuylkill carries the load of many routes left unbuilt". The Philadelphia Inquirer.
[edit] External links
I-295 in Burlington
US 130 in Burlington
US 13 in Bristol
I-95 in Bristol
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PA 894
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