The concept of I-189, named as the Southern Connector, and the Champlain Parkway into the city of Burlington along the waterfront and service an industrial area was first made in the mid-1960s.

[2] The original Southern Connector project was eventually canceled as the city largely left behind its industrial past in favor of tourism in the 1980s and 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 offramp, orphaning approximately 0.65 miles (1.05 km) of road, along with a few ramps.

[3] The federal government previously gave the state a deadline to make a final decision on building the extension or they would lose matching funds.

[8] The segment of the parkway between Home and Lakeside Avenues opened in August 2024, with the entire highway going into service in 2026.