Interesting new intersection planned for Texas A&M campus

[MaxConcrete]

See page 27 in this presentation.

This is at the intersection of George Bush Drive and Wellborn road, on the south side of the campus just south of the football stadium.

It is an unusual 3-level design with pedestrian paths on the first below-ground level and main intersection on the second below-ground level, which is 35 feet (10.7m) deep. The Wellborn through lanes (no traffic signal) are on the ground level.

This is long overdue since that intersection has congestion and trains are frequent, 20+ trains per day according to the presentation. Of course, for decades Texas A&M struggled with how to deal with the railroad, and eventually it became clear the railroad would stay exactly as-is, and the roads need to accommodate it. The presentation does not give a schedule for construction, but the inspection contract is slated to start in November so work is probably going to start in 2025.

Incidentally, I spent a year at the Treehouse apartments just southwest of this intersection and I bicycled to campus, passing through this intersection. That was back in the 1980s!

[Bobby5280]

I hope they have a way to pump water out of that sub-grade intersection when a severe thunderstorm rolls through. Security cameras and effective lighting would probably be a good idea for the pedestrian walkways on the first below ground level. They'll probably be safe during the day. After dark, maybe not as much.

[CtrlAltDel]

So, the proposal is this:


Which seems okay as far as it goes, although I'm wondering about some of the turns, like from eastbound Bush to southbound Wellborn.

It's definitely a change for an intersection that currently looks like this:

Still, though, there have also been other grade separations added here and there along Wellborn.

[I-35]

I'm sure it's addressed in the presentation, but how is this cheaper than elevating the entire intersection near the railroad and keeping it signal-controlled?  This is often done along frontage roads that run parallel to railroad tracks at major arterial intersections in Texas.

[BJ59]

So, the proposal is this:


Which seems okay as far as it goes, although I'm wondering about some of the turns, like from eastbound Bush to southbound Wellborn.

It's definitely a change for an intersection that currently looks like this:

Still, though, there have also been other grade separations added here and there along Wellborn.

The adjacent McDonalds probably isn't too happy about this plan

[Road Hog]

I see why it's needed that way. Pretty ingenious way to avoid train backups. Has this design been used before elsewhere?

[Anthony_JK]

So, the proposal is this:


Which seems okay as far as it goes, although I'm wondering about some of the turns, like from eastbound Bush to southbound Wellborn.

It's definitely a change for an intersection that currently looks like this:

Still, though, there have also been other grade separations added here and there along Wellborn.

The adjacent McDonalds probably isn't too happy about this plan

I'm sure it's addressed in the presentation, but how is this cheaper than elevating the entire intersection near the railroad and keeping it signal-controlled?  This is often done along frontage roads that run parallel to railroad tracks at major arterial intersections in Texas.

Elevating the intersection would take far more ROW, would require a higher clearance due to the proximity of the railroad ROW, and would be significantly more expensive due to the need for more elevated structure. Plus, no way to separate the pedestrian traffic, which must be pretty high during Aggie games, from the road traffic. This solution balances all three modes perfectly with minimal ROW. Though, they better have some strong pumps available when heavy rains hit. 

[bwana39]

Though, they better have some strong pumps available when heavy rains hit.

Or some really big off site cisterns.
Central EXPY in Dallas has them.

[Plutonic Panda]

So essentially, this will be a three level interchange with one of the levels being pedestrian paths? Isn't something similar like this planned in Washington state but with roundabouts?

[In_Correct]

McDonalds Is Too Close.

It is not uncommon for underperforming restaurant locations to be closed if they are dangerously near an Interchange. This happened to a place south of Durant, Oklahoma also.

[longhorn]

I'm sure it's addressed in the presentation, but how is this cheaper than elevating the entire intersection near the railroad and keeping it signal-controlled?  This is often done along frontage roads that run parallel to railroad tracks at major arterial intersections in Texas.

I noticed no one answered your question, but you are right. Just elevate the whole intersection. Been done all over the state of Texas.

https://www.google.com/maps/@29.2982147,-94.8269101,3a,75y,90.12h,87.06t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sPq8735uAztcPgU2Q8PlkGA!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fpanoid%3DPq8735uAztcPgU2Q8PlkGA%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D17.526054%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu

[Anthony_JK]

I'm sure it's addressed in the presentation, but how is this cheaper than elevating the entire intersection near the railroad and keeping it signal-controlled?  This is often done along frontage roads that run parallel to railroad tracks at major arterial intersections in Texas.

I noticed no one answered your question, but you are right. Just elevate the whole intersection. Been done all over the state of Texas.

https://www.google.com/maps/@29.2982147,-94.8269101,3a,75y,90.12h,87.06t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sPq8735uAztcPgU2Q8PlkGA!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fpanoid%3DPq8735uAztcPgU2Q8PlkGA%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D17.526054%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu

See response in post #6 above.

Elevating that particular intersection would do nothing for the heavy pedestrian traffic that serves the Texas A&M campus, and the elevated structures that would be needed to clear the railroad ROW would be prohibitively expensive for the scope of that local project. The current proposal is the best at achieving all the objectives of separating vehicular, rail, and pedestrian traffic, and at the least cost and removal of ROW.

[triplemultiplex]

It's a single point interchange with left exits and an extra level for pedestrians.