News:

Thank you for your patience during the Forum downtime while we upgraded the software. Welcome back and see this thread for some new features and other changes to the forum.

Main Menu

Worst freeway design

Started by iBallasticwolf2, April 13, 2017, 08:56:58 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

PColumbus73

Quote from: hm insulators on May 11, 2017, 02:22:37 PM
Earlier, the California 110 was mentioned. How about I-10 through the San Gabriel Valley east of Los Angeles with all those 1950s-era "squashed cloverleafs," as I call them.

By the looks of it, you'd have to brake hard to make those turns. I think those exits would be more acceptable if there were longer accel/decel lanes, or an Exit Only lane between all of those exits.


silverback1065

there are a lot of bizarre interchanges like that in california's large cities.

OCGuy81

Quote from: sparker on April 21, 2017, 03:20:32 PM
Quote from: nexus73 on April 21, 2017, 10:14:47 AM
I've driven both.  I-5 overall as described is far worse than I-84.  The Banfield has been upgraded considerably over its original design.  The Baldock?  ROTFLMAO!

Well, we'll just have to agree to disagree on this!  I'll certainly concede that the aggregate amount of sub-par I-5 mileage far exceeds that of the Banfield -- even though when "upgrading" the latter, they chose to stay within the original alignment easement as much as possible (since they were also installing the LR tracks and realigning the parallel UP downtown branch at the same time and within a limited space, it's likely there was no more room to effect any higher level of improvement to I-84). 

Unfortunately, local politics has gotten in the way of any substantial improvement to I-5 -- particularly the portion in North Portland from the Fremont interchange to the river.  "Capacity increases" seems to be the functional equivalent of the F-bomb when discussing regional needs within local planning circles; as long as that attitude persists & prevails, it's likely any improvements will be marginal at best.

Ugh.  I-5 in North Portland.  I'm honestly shocked the long term solution doesn't involve making I-5 bikes and TriMet only.  Seems very Portlandy.

7/8


roadman65

#79
I-70 in PA between I-79 and I-76 as it was never intended to be an interstate.  Waiting five minutes to enter the highway westbound in Bentleyville  because it lacked a proper merge and acceleration lane while traffic was heavy was ridiculous.
Every day is a winding road, you just got to get used to it.

Sheryl Crowe

Bickendan

Quote from: OCGuy81 on May 15, 2017, 11:28:47 PM
Quote from: sparker on April 21, 2017, 03:20:32 PM
Quote from: nexus73 on April 21, 2017, 10:14:47 AM
I've driven both.  I-5 overall as described is far worse than I-84.  The Banfield has been upgraded considerably over its original design.  The Baldock?  ROTFLMAO!

Well, we'll just have to agree to disagree on this!  I'll certainly concede that the aggregate amount of sub-par I-5 mileage far exceeds that of the Banfield -- even though when "upgrading" the latter, they chose to stay within the original alignment easement as much as possible (since they were also installing the LR tracks and realigning the parallel UP downtown branch at the same time and within a limited space, it's likely there was no more room to effect any higher level of improvement to I-84). 

Unfortunately, local politics has gotten in the way of any substantial improvement to I-5 -- particularly the portion in North Portland from the Fremont interchange to the river.  "Capacity increases" seems to be the functional equivalent of the F-bomb when discussing regional needs within local planning circles; as long as that attitude persists & prevails, it's likely any improvements will be marginal at best.

Ugh.  I-5 in North Portland.  I'm honestly shocked the long term solution doesn't involve making I-5 bikes and TriMet only.  Seems very Portlandy.
lol
Don't give them ideas.

dzlsabe

#81
Quote from: Brandon on May 01, 2017, 01:46:54 PM
Quote from: kphoger on April 21, 2017, 03:27:38 PM


I think we have a thread winner!  :bigass:

No doubt.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/editorials/ct-rail-freight-chicago-trump-edit-jm-20170516-story.html

And this one is worse.



Getting 75th up to snuff is good for twenty years ago. How bout the next twenty?

https://www.flickr.com/photos/63151554@N00/34541981586.

Ah, a breath of old stale air.
ILs mantra..the beatings will continue until the morale improves but Expect Delays is good too. Seems some are happy that Chicago/land remains miserable. Status quo is often asinine...Always feel free to use a dictionary as I tend to offend younger or more sensitive viewers. Thanx Pythagoras. :rofl:

tribar

Quote from: dzlsabe on May 16, 2017, 11:57:53 PM
Quote from: Brandon on May 01, 2017, 01:46:54 PM
Quote from: kphoger on April 21, 2017, 03:27:38 PM


I think we have a thread winner!  :bigass:

No doubt.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/editorials/ct-rail-freight-chicago-trump-edit-jm-20170516-story.html

And this one is worse.



Getting 75th up to snuff is good for twenty years ago. How bout the next twenty?

https://www.flickr.com/photos/63151554@N00/34541981586.

Ah, a breath of old stale air.

You're right. The hypotenuse is a terrible freeway design . Thanks for posting that here.

silverback1065

what is so terrible about it? also i-70 in pennsylvania and really any highway in pennsylvania for that matter

23skidoo

Quote from: 7/8 on May 16, 2017, 11:31:39 PM
Quote from: pianocello on April 29, 2017, 11:46:25 AM
O. Henry Blvd

The road named after a chocolate bar? ;)


Yes, the design of the road, like the flavor of the candy bar, is nutty.  :-D

seicer

Quote from: silverback1065 on May 17, 2017, 12:06:30 PM
what is so terrible about it? also i-70 in pennsylvania and really any highway in pennsylvania for that matter

Have you not driven it?

There are improvements underway to modernize I-70 in western Pennsylvania, but it contains:
* No left shoulder;
* Smaller than normal right shoulder;
* No clear zones;
* Limited sight distances;
* No acceleration/deceleration ramps on most interchanges, with stop-signs on ramps the norm, not the exception.

TheArkansasRoadgeek

Quote from: iBallasticwolf2 on April 13, 2017, 08:56:58 AM
Post the worst, most cringey, most gut-wrenching freeway designs in your area here!

I'll start with the cancelled atrocity known as the Taft Expressway.

The freeway would have started at an incomplete interchange at I-75. You'll see a lot of incomplete interchanges on this actually. It then curves around a hill in the same area as McMillan Street currently is. After that it passes very close to University of Cincinnati and intersects a few roads to the university with incomplete interchanges.

It doesn't get any better after that last section.  In this section we see a very strange left exit jumble that has access to Burnet Avenue, US 42, and I-71. The one good side to this section is that a few spots on the map are marked for "possible replacement park" so at least ODOT wanted to make a few parks along the road.

This section is probably the least eventful section.  It mainly has a left exit to Victoria Parkway and an incomplete interchange with both Victoria Parkway and Woodburn Avenue.

At the end of this road we see an interchange that marks the terminus of the Taft Expressway with Columbia Parkway.  This also includes another interchange with Torrence Parkway. I bet that being on the ramp from eastbound Taft Expressway to Columbia Parkway would have had a nice view of the Ohio River though.

So all in all, the Taft Expressway was one of the worst freeway designs that I've ever seen, and I'm pretty sure a lot of people were happy it was cancelled, as well as the people who owned the 660 properties that would have been destroyed at the time!

Where did you get these plans? I have been trying to find plans for certain projects for current and old around Arkansas, but AHTD contracts all of their projects out and expects the contracting company to draw up the plans and if that is the case, the company holds the plans. I am doing some 3D modeling and I am trying to find plans for the Big Rock Interchange bridge columns design purposal/plans.
Well, that's just like your opinion man...

silverback1065

Quote from: seicer on May 17, 2017, 03:45:26 PM
Quote from: silverback1065 on May 17, 2017, 12:06:30 PM
what is so terrible about it? also i-70 in pennsylvania and really any highway in pennsylvania for that matter

Have you not driven it?

There are improvements underway to modernize I-70 in western Pennsylvania, but it contains:
* No left shoulder;
* Smaller than normal right shoulder;
* No clear zones;
* Limited sight distances;
* No acceleration/deceleration ramps on most interchanges, with stop-signs on ramps the norm, not the exception.

i said that wrong, the "what is so bad about it" was in reference to the hypotenuse.  I've never driven past 79 on 70, but i know it's garbage from what you guys say. 

seicer




Opinions expressed here on belong solely to the poster and do not represent or reflect the opinions or beliefs of AARoads, its creators and/or associates.