Craziest interchanges in the South

[ARMOURERERIC]

Exit 111, near my house, planned for replacement soon.  The locals claim that what is now I-40 from exit 94 to exit 119 was designed way pre interstate, like 1953 or so.

[planxtymcgillicuddy]

Exit 111, near my house, planned for replacement soon.  The locals claim that what is now I-40 from exit 94 to exit 119 was designed way pre interstate, like 1953 or so.

I'd not heard that. I'd heard they were bringing the interchange up to spec, not replacing it entirely

[roadman65]

The one on SC 31 at US 501 near Myrtle Beach is very wacked out in design.

[DeaconG]

The clusterf**ck betwen the Beachline, the Turnpike and Orange Blossom Trail. Yeesh. Had to use part of that intersection going back and forth to a job in an industrial park near there, it was always backed up on the surface streets surrounding Orange Blossom. Used the Consulate Drive plug-in ramps to that area once...no. It needs to be completely rebuilt yesterday.

[Finrod]

I-77's southern terminus at I-26

That interchange makes me wonder if there were plans to extend I-77 further south.

[planxtymcgillicuddy]

I-77's southern terminus at I-26

That interchange makes me wonder if there were plans to extend I-77 further south.

If that's so, I've never heard of it. Though it would have made sense. Would save travelers from having to go all the way to 26 at Bowman to get to 77 from 95.

[Stephane Dumas]

The clusterf**ck betwen the Beachline, the Turnpike and Orange Blossom Trail. Yeesh. Had to use part of that intersection going back and forth to a job in an industrial park near there, it was always backed up on the surface streets surrounding Orange Blossom. Used the Consulate Drive plug-in ramps to that area once...no. It needs to be completely rebuilt yesterday.

FL Tpk study the possibility to fix that interchange. https://floridasturnpike.com/turnpike-projects/major-projects/orlando-south/ with the following alternatives.
https://floridasturnpike.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/438547-1-Alt-1.pdf
https://floridasturnpike.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/438547-1-Alt-2-Opt-1.pdf
https://floridasturnpike.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/438547-1-Alt-2-Opt-2.pdf

[Road Hog]

This monstrosity has existed in downtown Little Rock since the early 1960s. It will go away soon with the new I-30 project.

[sprjus4]

A few in Hampton Roads.

I-264 / I-464 / Berkley Bridge / Downtown Norfolk Interchange
Bowers Hill Interchange (I-64 / I-264 / I-664 / US-58)
Oak Grove Interchange (I-64 / I-464 / US-17 / VA-168)
Pinners Point Interchange (VA-164 / US-58)
I-264 / I-64 Interchange
I-564 / I-64 Interchange
I-64 / US-258 Mercury Blvd Interchange

[cowboy_wilhelm]

I-240/Future I-26/Patton Ave in Asheville, N.C.

[Finrod]

Another I'm mildly surprised hasn't been mentioned yet is Spaghetti Junction on the northeast side of Atlanta, the junction of I-85 and I-285.  The complexity of it comes from the interchanges on three sides of it being folded into the main interchange.

https://www.google.com/maps/@33.8923505,-84.2601657,1160m/data=!3m1!1e3

[wriddle082]

A few in Hampton Roads.

I-264 / I-464 / Berkley Bridge / Downtown Norfolk Interchange
Bowers Hill Interchange (I-64 / I-264 / I-664 / US-58)
Oak Grove Interchange (I-64 / I-464 / US-17 / VA-168)
Pinners Point Interchange (VA-164 / US-58)
I-264 / I-64 Interchange
I-564 / I-64 Interchange
I-64 / US-258 Mercury Blvd Interchange

I feel like Virginia has more standard cloverleaf interchanges per capita than any other state, and at least two of the interchanges listed above are modified cloverleafs, primarily with additional flyover ramps that turn the original loop ramps into second chance ramps.

[rte66man]

You may argue, but to me the idiots who thought this would work were CRAZY:

https://www.google.com/maps/@35.1246454,-90.0692547,646m/data=!3m1!1e3

There was never a chance that having one lane in each direction for I55 (plus the one lane cloverleaf loop) was ever going to be anything but a cluster.

[sparker]

Speaking of I-77, how about the wrong-way interchange at I-85?

It's basically the DDI concept translated to a "system" format with over/underpasses replacing the signals at the directional crossings.  The old I-95/695 interchange NE of Baltimore was quite similar. 

[wriddle082]

Speaking of I-77, how about the wrong-way interchange at I-85?

It's basically the DDI concept translated to a "system" format with over/underpasses replacing the signals at the directional crossings.  The old I-95/695 interchange NE of Baltimore was quite similar. 

The main interchange in Downtown Birmingham on I-65 at I-20/59 is basically the same as the former one in Baltimore.  It looks like the recent 20/59 reconstruction added some new auxiliary ramps/flyovers to serve other nearby streets, but the original bones of the interstate-to-interstate movements still remain.

[Finrod]

The future I-40-42-540 interchange looks like it will be a worthy contender for this:

https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=22501.msg2514775#msg2514775

[Gnutella]

Exit 111 on I-40 at Valdese, NC. All kinds of wackadoodle

Looks like a RIRO with frontage roads.

[milbfan]

Memphis has a couple of interesting ones; that and I-55/I-240.

You may argue, but to me the idiots who thought this would work were CRAZY:

https://www.google.com/maps/@35.1246454,-90.0692547,646m/data=!3m1!1e3

There was never a chance that having one lane in each direction for I55 (plus the one lane cloverleaf loop) was ever going to be anything but a cluster.

[Ned Weasel]

This monstrosity has existed in downtown Little Rock since the early 1960s. It will go away soon with the new I-30 project.

Those complete circle maneuvers are rather clever.

[Tom958]

There was never a chance that having one lane in each direction for I55 (plus the one lane cloverleaf loop) was ever going to be anything but a cluster.

Indeed. It's even worse considering that that interchange wasn't built until the '60's.

The only reasonable explanation is that the interchange with Crump Boulevard wasn't intended to serve I-55. The intention must've been to build a riverfront freeway through downtown Memphis and have it cross the river on the DeSoto Bridge, with the Memphis-Arkansas Bridge being a shortcut for those who knew to take it. However, the only suggestion I've ever seen of such a thing was the 1955 Yellow Book map:

[froggie]

The first interchange on I-40 coming across the river was built to accommodate such a riverfront freeway.  I'm not certain when it was cancelled but MikeTheActuary may have an idea.

[mrsman]

Speaking of I-77, how about the wrong-way interchange at I-85?

It's basically the DDI concept translated to a "system" format with over/underpasses replacing the signals at the directional crossings.  The old I-95/695 interchange NE of Baltimore was quite similar.

Gilbert Chlewicki, P.E., the "father of the DDI" is a Baltimore native and was a student at University of Maryland when he came up with the design.  He credits the old configuration of the 95/695 interchange NE of Baltimore as being the inspiration behind the DDI concept.

https://divergingdiamond.com/history/

https://divergingdiamond.com/about-chlewicki/

[D-Dey65]

Speaking of I-77, how about the wrong-way interchange at I-85?

I'm still trying to figure out the reconstruction of that interchange, more on I-77 than anything else.

Complex interchange in  Southwest Greensboro.  Intersection of Interstates 85 and 73, and Business 85

https://www.google.com/maps/@36.0067523,-79.8554252,1481m/data=!3m1!1e3

Man, I haven't been to that part of I-85 in about 11 years. I even forget if there was a Business Loop 85 there at the time.

[Katavia]

I-277 around Charlotte (accessible just 2 miles south of the 77/85 interchange currently being discussed) is a large jumble of ramps masquerading as an downtown (half-)loop freeway. The chokepoints at I-77/US 21 (1, 2) and US 74 (3) have been something of a nuisance during my experiences going through Charlotte.
1: https://goo.gl/maps/6NhyzKuMVcGzEGPY7
2: https://goo.gl/maps/DVFNVayyHtRbbNK38
3: https://goo.gl/maps/6WWwzJQ8rS7gLoADA

I'd mention the "Upper Connector" (I-85 Exit 42) and the interchange at I-85 Exit 68 with US 29 and NC 152, but nowadays they don't resemble anything close to what they used to.

I'm still trying to figure out the reconstruction of [the I-77/I-85] interchange, more on I-77 than anything else.

They just replaced the HOV lane with an express lane, and added dedicated ramps from the 77NB Express to 85NB and 85SB to 77SB Express. The toll-free ramps for those directions were moved a bit to fit in the new lanes, but otherwise the geometrics of that thing were left intact. Trying to get to I-277 from 85SB would require you to move 4 lanes to the right in around 1.6 miles, which is not very fun during rush-hour, or to use the express lanes and pay a toll.

[tolbs17]

https://www.google.com/maps/@35.2247562,-80.8695851,15.75z

I say this one.