The most elaborate interchange/intersection you seen?

Started by ColossalBlocks, December 03, 2016, 12:32:23 PM

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ColossalBlocks

What was the most elaborate freeway/road intersection you seen?
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US Highways: 36, 49, 61, 412.

Interstates: 22, 24, 44, 55, 57, 59, 72, 74 (West).


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1995hoo

Probably the Golden Glades Interchange north of Miami for interchanges and the Magic Roundabout in Swindon for intersections. The Magic Roundabout is pretty simple in principle, but to American eyes it looks complex.
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ColossalBlocks

Quote from: 1995hoo on December 03, 2016, 02:19:04 PM
but to American eyes it looks complex.

I looked and it looks pretty simple to me and a few others.
I am inactive for a while now my dudes. Good associating with y'all.

US Highways: 36, 49, 61, 412.

Interstates: 22, 24, 44, 55, 57, 59, 72, 74 (West).

plain

I'm going with the High Five in Dallas. Not necessarily the most complex but definitely elaborate
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Michael

The first one I thought of is I-81/I-690 in downtown Syracuse.  It isn't complex, but I think it's clever how they squeezed in all the ramps.  It will be interesting to see what it looks like after the I-81 viaduct is rebuilt or bypassed.

A bit to the north, there's another one I think is clever at Hiawatha Boulevard/NY 370/Destiny USA Drive/Old Liverpool Road/Buckley Road.  The bridge to the southwest was originally I-81. When the curve on I-81 was straightened, they used the old bridge as a sort of frontage road.

The I-81/I-476/US 6/US 11 interchange in Clarks Summit is the only triple trumpet I've ever seen.

When I first saw the I-81/I-84/US 6 interchange in Scranton, I thought it was crazy, and I still do.

On my way back from Atlanta in January 2015, I went through two "famous" ones.  The first was the I-95/I-395/I-495 Springfield interchange.  In Harrisburg, we took I-83 north through the I-83/I-283/US 322 interchange.  I never realized how tight that curve actually is.  We were in the left lane with a tractor-trailer on the right, and we had to veer onto the left shoulder since the truck was taking the curve so tight.  In 2007 or 2008, I went on the ramp from I-83 north to I-283 south, so I didn't get to experience the curve until my Atlanta trip.

coatimundi

The Orange Crush is the most elaborate I can think of within the US, particularly since they added the HOV ramps: https://www.google.com/maps/@33.7804191,-117.8801821,16.05z

Then there's the 25/76/270/36 complex in northern Denver: https://www.google.com/maps/@39.8216053,-104.9735603,14.55z


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MI: I-94, I-196
MN: I-90

cpzilliacus

Springfield, Virginia junction of I-95; I-395; and I-495 - and express lanes for I-95/I-395 and I-495 west of the interchange.

Honorable mention to the Judge Harry Pregerson Interchange of I-110 and I-105 in Los Angeles.
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thenetwork

My vote is for the I-96/I-275/I-696/M-5 interchange in Novi, MI.  The westbound I-96 transition ramp alone is around 2.5 miles.

bing101

The East LA interchange and the MacArthur Maze in Oakland are the most incredible interchanges in California.

ColossalBlocks

Quote from: bing101 on December 05, 2016, 04:18:50 PM
MacArthur Maze in Oakland are the most incredible interchanges in California.
Anywhere around SF is complex.
I am inactive for a while now my dudes. Good associating with y'all.

US Highways: 36, 49, 61, 412.

Interstates: 22, 24, 44, 55, 57, 59, 72, 74 (West).

roadman65

Woodbridge, NJ around its Fords section.  Its called the Tangle by some, but if you count the NJ Turnpike, Garden State Parkway, NJ 440, and US 9 all together, it makes one giant interchange.

The part of it that is most elaborate is where NJ 440 meets both US 9 and the Parkway with Smith Street and former Industrial Avenue as many ramps are concentrated in that parcel that go all ways.  In fact Smith Street is part of a long ramp that connects former Industrial Avenue to US 9 North and NJ 440 East.
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mvak36

The Spaghetti Interchange in Louisvile. It's probably more free flowing now that all the construction is done.

Locally, here in KC, I'd say the Grandview Triangle.
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roadman65

Quote from: mvak36 on December 06, 2016, 09:14:10 AM
The Spaghetti Interchange in Louisvile. It's probably more free flowing now that all the construction is done.

Locally, here in KC, I'd say the Grandview Triangle.
It sucks they took out the left side driving on I-470/ US 50 as that made that more elaborate.
Every day is a winding road, you just got to get used to it.

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kurumi

I'll submit the compactly elaborate US 101 / Cesar Chavez / Potrero interchange in San Francisco: https://goo.gl/maps/gEUF3SnBCzC2

The US 101 SB exit ramp splits into 4 ramps, for NB, WB, SB and EB Potrero / CC, which are grade separated from each other.

Connecticut would have treated this with a simple diamond interchange and 5 signalized intersections, because CT is more urbanized than SF and land is more expensive  /s
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michravera

Quote from: bing101 on December 05, 2016, 04:18:50 PM
The East LA interchange and the MacArthur Maze in Oakland are the most incredible interchanges in California.

If the MacArthur Maze isn't it, somebody designed something while under the influence of at least 8 or 9 drugs after a severe whack on the head and a good ass kicking and after a spiritual awakening! If you include the area from 4th Street to I-580 north, you have the most elaborate road structure in the world. If you include the toll lanes eastbound, you have a situation where one lane can end up in no less than 30 different lanes in one direction. We got by with the Cypress Structure and the Bay Bridge out of commission for a couple weeks. I don't even want to consider how we would run life in the Bay Area without the Maze.

Rothman

Quote from: michravera on December 06, 2016, 12:39:23 PM
If you include the area from 4th Street to I-580 north, you have the most elaborate road structure in the world.

Napoleon, like anyone can even know that.
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position(s) of NYSDOT.

jeffe

Quote from: kurumi on December 06, 2016, 10:51:54 AM
I'll submit the compactly elaborate US 101 / Cesar Chavez / Potrero interchange in San Francisco: https://goo.gl/maps/gEUF3SnBCzC2

The US 101 SB exit ramp splits into 4 ramps, for NB, WB, SB and EB Potrero / CC, which are grade separated from each other.



One of the reasons why this interchange is so complex is because it was designed to provide a freeway connection to a new bridge crossing the San Francisco Bay.

There are also two grade separated pedestrian paths through this interchange.

Quote from: bing101 on December 05, 2016, 04:18:50 PM
The East LA interchange and the MacArthur Maze in Oakland are the most incredible interchanges in California.

Both of these interchanges started out rather logically planned out, but then had additional ramps added as new freeways were connected to the interchanges.  Here's a picture posted by TheStranger from this thread: https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=4284.msg94168#msg94168:

Quote from: TheStranger on March 16, 2011, 06:14:20 PM
1937, back when this was the US 40/50 split with Route 17 coming on the north and south.  From Eric Fischer's Flickr page:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/walkingsf/5532690495/



And the way it looks now:





roadman65

The Le June Road and FL 112 interchange near Miami International Airport with FL 112 having switched carriageways and a RR Grade is elaborate.  Before 1990 it was a cloverleaf between Le June and the Airport road as FL 112 ended a mile to the north on LeJune Road.  Then FL 112 got extended into that simple cloverleaf making what it is today.
Every day is a winding road, you just got to get used to it.

Sheryl Crowe

jeffandnicole

It's not particularly pretty or large, but the 130/168 intersection in NJ was unique for many decades, with left turn lanes crossing though the opposing straight lanes prior to the intersection.  https://goo.gl/maps/qA3WCKCdAmD2 .  It still remains fairly elaborate for what it does.  NJ built this one back in the 1940's or so to replace a Jersey Circle back then, and it actually still works functionally well today.

It has been occasionally duplicated in recent years in other states, and is often times noted as a "new" design.  I have never seen this one mentioned in those other stories.  The biggest downside is you can't make a few turns at the intersection directly (168 North to 130 South, and 168 South to 130 North), although the nearby street grid allows for those movements.  And it still contains some of the oldest overhead gantries in the state (albeit with much newer BGSs: https://goo.gl/maps/YfoiGBwbgQ52 .   The DRPA still has some older signage attached to this one though... https://goo.gl/maps/euhmJWXdkAy )  Oh, and the lanes...yeah, they're a little tight.  I think they're 10 foot lanes, on a slight curve thru the intersection, with heavy truck traffic!

roadman65

You are right about that intersection, as when I first drove though it in 1985, it was attractive to me.  And yes those gantries are old despite the panels have been updated, but nonetheless NJDOT kept them considering many places replace them over short periods or at one point do a complete overhaul.

What amazed me was that there is (or was) horizontal signal heads used there as they were pretty much installed by municipalities or in bridge obstructions or drawbridge signals and never by NJDOT.  Of course there is NJ 21 and NJ 27 in Elizabeth and Newark that have had plenty, but back in 1985 I was to assume that NJDOT did not maintain those sections of highway.  So because of that, it did attract me to it as well.
Every day is a winding road, you just got to get used to it.

Sheryl Crowe

michravera

Quote from: jeffe on December 07, 2016, 01:35:04 AM
Quote from: kurumi on December 06, 2016, 10:51:54 AM
I'll submit the compactly elaborate US 101 / Cesar Chavez / Potrero interchange in San Francisco: https://goo.gl/maps/gEUF3SnBCzC2

The US 101 SB exit ramp splits into 4 ramps, for NB, WB, SB and EB Potrero / CC, which are grade separated from each other.



One of the reasons why this interchange is so complex is because it was designed to provide a freeway connection to a new bridge crossing the San Francisco Bay.

There are also two grade separated pedestrian paths through this interchange.

Quote from: bing101 on December 05, 2016, 04:18:50 PM
The East LA interchange and the MacArthur Maze in Oakland are the most incredible interchanges in California.

Both of these interchanges started out rather logically planned out, but then had additional ramps added as new freeways were connected to the interchanges.  Here's a picture posted by TheStranger from this thread: https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=4284.msg94168#msg94168:

Quote from: TheStranger on March 16, 2011, 06:14:20 PM
1937, back when this was the US 40/50 split with Route 17 coming on the north and south.  From Eric Fischer's Flickr page:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/walkingsf/5532690495/



And the way it looks now:



Traffic Structure look like 'Chaeli hair!

SteveG1988

East St Louis, the IL-3 and old US 460 interchange. Sprawling double interchange
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Anthony_JK

Quote from: jeffandnicole on December 07, 2016, 09:37:32 AM
It's not particularly pretty or large, but the 130/168 intersection in NJ was unique for many decades, with left turn lanes crossing though the opposing straight lanes prior to the intersection.  https://goo.gl/maps/qA3WCKCdAmD2 .  It still remains fairly elaborate for what it does.  NJ built this one back in the 1940's or so to replace a Jersey Circle back then, and it actually still works functionally well today.

It has been occasionally duplicated in recent years in other states, and is often times noted as a "new" design.  I have never seen this one mentioned in those other stories.  The biggest downside is you can't make a few turns at the intersection directly (168 North to 130 South, and 168 South to 130 North), although the nearby street grid allows for those movements.  And it still contains some of the oldest overhead gantries in the state (albeit with much newer BGSs: https://goo.gl/maps/YfoiGBwbgQ52 .   The DRPA still has some older signage attached to this one though... https://goo.gl/maps/euhmJWXdkAy )  Oh, and the lanes...yeah, they're a little tight.  I think they're 10 foot lanes, on a slight curve thru the intersection, with heavy truck traffic!

I wonder if the people who initially designed and built that intersection had ever uttered the words "continuous flow intersection"; because that's what that type or intersection would be called today.



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