Interstate 115 (I-115) is a 1.194-mile-long (1.922 km) auxiliary Interstate Highway which connects I-15/I-90 to Butte in the U.S. state of Montana. The highway is concurrent with I-15 Bus./I-90 Bus. for its entire length. The highway travels from an incomplete interchange with I-15/I-90 through generally rural areas in western Butte. It also has an interchange with Excelsior Avenue before terminating. The entire route was built to Interstate standards during the 1960s, and was further changed in 2005.
.svg) Interstate 115 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 I-115 highlighted in red | ||||
| Route information | ||||
| Auxiliary route of I-15 | ||||
| Maintained by MDT | ||||
| Length | 1.194 mi (1.922 km) | |||
| Existed | 1971–present | |||
| NHS | Entire route | |||
| Major junctions | ||||
| West end |   I-15 / I-90 in Butte | |||
| East end |   I-15 BL / I-90 BL in Butte | |||
| Location | ||||
| Country | United States | |||
| State | Montana | |||
| Counties | Silver Bow | |||
| Highway system | ||||
| ||||
Route description
editI-115 begins at an interchange with I-15/I-90. As a four-lane highway with two lanes in each direction, I-115 heads east into downtown Butte. Before reaching exit 1, eastbound traffic makes a curve while westbound traffic goes to I-15/I-90 without making such a curve, therefore, that portion of I-115 contains a large median. Approximately one mile (1.6 km) from I-15/I-90, I-115 has its only interchange at Excelsior Avenue, which can be used to access the town of Walkerville. Excelsior Avenue is the only numbered exit along I-115, and the structure of the interchange directs motorists to stop and yield signs, as opposed to traffic signals for most exits in urban areas. I-115 ends at the overpass over Excelsior Avenue. It continues into Butte as I-15 Bus./I-90 Bus.[1]
History
edit
The development of a freeway along the modern-day I-115 corridor was proposed in the 1950s. The 1955 General Location of National System of Interstate Highways, an early platform for what would become the Interstate Highway System, contained an inset of the proposed freeways in and around the city of Butte including an east–west freeway spur on the west side of the community.[2] Designated as part of the Interstate Highway System around 1957, I-115's construction was funded by the federal government.[3][a]
Exit list
editThe entire route is in Butte, Silver Bow County.
| mi[6] | km | Exit | Destinations | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.000 | 0.000 |    I-15 south / I-90 west / I-15 BL begins / I-90 BL begins – Billings, Helena, Idaho Falls, Missoula | Exit 124 on I-15/I-90; no access to I-15 north/I-90 east | ||
| 1.194 | 1.922 | 1 | Excelsior Avenue – Walkerville | ||
  I-15 BL north / I-90 BL east (Iron Street) | Continuation beyond Excelsior Avenue | ||||
| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi | |||||
References
editFootnotes
edit- ^ I-115 was constructed and included in the Interstate Highway System before 1978. The Surface Transportation Assistance Act of 1978 provided that all Interstate construction authorized under previous amendments to the system would be funded by the federal government but additional highway mileage added under 23 U.S.C. § 103(c)(4)(A) would not be supported by the same allocation of funds.[4][5]
References
edit- ^ "Interstate 115" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved December 20, 2013.
- ^ Bureau of Public Roads (September 1955). "Butte, Montana" (Map). General Location of National System of Interstate Highways Including All Additional Routes at Urban Areas Designated in September 1955. 1:63,360. Bureau of Public Roads. p. 51. OCLC 4165975.
- ^ DeSimone, Tony (October 31, 2002). "Table 2: Auxiliary Routes of the Dwight D. Eisenhower National System Of Interstate and Defense Highways as of October 31, 2002". Route Log and Finder List. Federal Highway Administration. OCLC 47914009. Retrieved December 20, 2013.
- ^ United States Congress (1978). Surface Transportation Assistance Act of 1978. Pub. L. 99–599.
- ^ DeSimone, Tony (June 4, 2012). "Expansion of Mileage". Route Log and Finder List. Federal Highway Administration. OCLC 47914009. Retrieved December 20, 2013.
- ^ Montana Department of Transportation (2011). Montana Road Log (PDF) (Report) (2011 ed.). Montana Department of Transportation. Retrieved December 21, 2013.