Highways With Exits From Middle Lanes?

[LilianaUwU]

There's this one on A-740. I've used it many times while on Métrobus 804.

[NE2]

Oh shit.

[Joseph R P]

The Ferrell Parkway/VA 165 interchange has the Ferrell Parkway eastbound lanes splitting down the middle as it merges with VA 165 southbound to prevent the need for traffic coming from Ferrell to cut across multiple lanes of traffic in such a short distance to make a left turn onto Lynnhaven Parkway. https://www.google.com/maps/@36.7972594,-76.1266246,338m/data=!3m1!1e3?entry=ttu

[DriverDave]

Actually what's interesting is that most of these examples posted involve multiple sets of lanes in each direction. I wonder if there are any examples involving highways with one set of lanes in each direction, such as like that diagram in post # 15.

[TEG24601]

Does US Route 26 in Portland count?

https://goo.gl/maps/oqPD27b8b2U4z6Nr5

https://goo.gl/maps/Pg7b3xPmhpbfUnVi9

https://goo.gl/maps/R8mod3HLBuJirvYM7

Given that Market St. is the old routing for US 26, I wouldn't count it.


However, some of the old exits on Harbor Dr. used the right lane of one, and the left lane of another parallel carriage way (for lack of a better term), for the Exit to US 26/Clay St, on the Harbor Freeway/Highway back in the day.  Unless I'm completely misunderstanding the traffic pattern in this image.

[Bruce]

Does US Route 26 in Portland count?

https://goo.gl/maps/oqPD27b8b2U4z6Nr5

https://goo.gl/maps/Pg7b3xPmhpbfUnVi9

https://goo.gl/maps/R8mod3HLBuJirvYM7

Given that Market St. is the old routing for US 26, I wouldn't count it.


However, some of the old exits on Harbor Dr. used the right lane of one, and the left lane of another parallel carriage way (for lack of a better term), for the Exit to US 26/Clay St, on the Harbor Freeway/Highway back in the day.  Unless I'm completely misunderstanding the traffic pattern in this image.

That split (looking northbound at Market Street) was there because the right side lanes were connected to I-5 rather than the old routing of US 99W on Barbur Boulevard.

[-- US 175 --]

The only one I've ever seen is on the Woodall Rodgers extension near downtown Dallas.  There is a middle exit at Riverfront Blvd. between I-35E and the Trinity River.

[webny99]

Depending on how you define it, 400 at the 401 in Vaughan, ON may qualify. Technically the thru traffic movement (Black Creek Drive) is on the right, while the left lanes split to 401 EB and the center lanes split to 401 WB: https://goo.gl/maps/ur5eK29NYqhs6PZw9

But if you're looking for thru traffic lanes on both left and right that split around a center exit, that's going to be tough to find.

[DriverDave]

Sorry for the confusion, yes I did mean thru traffic in the same direction that splits around an exit ramp. I-78 in NJ does this westbound (although it's really 2 sets of lanes where the exit is on the right side in one and on the left side in the other). Normally highways that have multiple sets of lanes, like the NJ Turnpike, have the exits on the same side in each set.

Phillipsburg—Newark Expy
https://maps.app.goo.gl/vuth1KvJS1YWJJre8

[webny99]

There's actually an example much closer to me that is a better fit for the spirit of the thread, but still not exact: I-390 SB at I-490.

This interchange was redesigned a few years ago, so now southbound traffic splits just beyond Exit 21/NY 31. The on-ramps from NY 31 then join the "ramp" to I-490, and the original roadway to I-390 SB was retained to accommodate that traffic. So southbound through traffic can use either the new flyover or the old road retained to serve NY 31 traffic. The exit to I-490 WB splits off to the left of the latter roadway, but to the right of the new flyover, so I suppose you could call that an exit from the center as through traffic technically passes both left and right of it.

[NE2]

Actually what's interesting is that most of these examples posted involve multiple sets of lanes in each direction. I wonder if there are any examples involving highways with one set of lanes in each direction, such as like that diagram in post # 15.

Oh shit.

[1995hoo]

I found the location of the sign NE2 posted and it's probably as close as we're going to find. The exit for James Ruse Drive is actually a little further up the road–you have to bear to the right and then the exit is on the left a little further up. So it's not a perfect example, but it's probably as close as we'll find. The lanes off to the left stay separate for a while before re-converging, and you can indeed take either set. It's not really clear why the road is like that, but from what I can find it sounds like it was probably due to a widening project.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/ghe34qtVgzMur8vW6?g_st=ic

[CovalenceSTU]

However, some of the old exits on Harbor Dr. used the right lane of one, and the left lane of another parallel carriage way (for lack of a better term), for the Exit to US 26/Clay St, on the Harbor Freeway/Highway back in the day.  Unless I'm completely misunderstanding the traffic pattern in this image.

The right carriageway was a ramp from I-5 (?) that combined with 99W after the exit, although they were only separated with chevrons for ~400ft before it (no barriers) so it was sort of a middle exit.

Here's an overhead view from 1964, taken from one of the Harbor Drive photos threads:

[Brandon]

^^ Unrelated, but it still says To I-90 east.  I thought  it was finally established that the Skyway was part of I-90

That's CDOT for you.  They rarely modify or replace signage (there's still a Skyway entrance sign at State Street stating 106th Street as the next exit - it's wrong and old as 92nd Street was added some years ago).  CDOT was also the only one claiming the Skyway was not a part of I-90.  IDOT and FHWA said it was.

[ClassicHasClass]

I found the location of the sign NE2 posted and it's probably as close as we're going to find. The exit for James Ruse Drive is actually a little further up the road–you have to bear to the right and then the exit is on the left a little further up. So it's not a perfect example, but it's probably as close as we'll find. The lanes off to the left stay separate for a while before re-converging, and you can indeed take either set. It's not really clear why the road is like that, but from what I can find it sounds like it was probably due to a widening project.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/ghe34qtVgzMur8vW6?g_st=ic

Allegedly we've been on this section of M4, but it's not an obvious "middle exit" from the ground that we recall, something more like a C/D running parallel.

[RM42]

Not exactly middle lane but there are several exits on the Jersey turnpike that go from the main travel lanes and over the exit lanes to the right.
https://goo.gl/maps/3bS46WdkGU9VMCkF7

[roadman65]

Not exactly middle lane but there are several exits on the Jersey turnpike that go from the main travel lanes and over the exit lanes to the right.
https://goo.gl/maps/3bS46WdkGU9VMCkF7

JeffandNicole will tell you why soon?

I think the old defunct West Side Highway in New York was already mentioned.

Plus the Pulaski Skyway between Newark and Jersey City in New Jersey.

[Bickendan]

Does US Route 26 in Portland count?

https://goo.gl/maps/oqPD27b8b2U4z6Nr5

https://goo.gl/maps/Pg7b3xPmhpbfUnVi9

https://goo.gl/maps/R8mod3HLBuJirvYM7

Given that Market St. is the old routing for US 26, I wouldn't count it.

I'd count it as the Market offramp is signed as Exit 74, while neither ramp to I-405 has a gore exit sign.

[roadman65]

Jacksonville, FL on I-95 SB used to have south of the St. John's River Bridge for US 1 South or US 90 East from the middle of the freeway. Now since the stretch from US 1/90 to I-10 has been redone, it's all on the right.

[roadman65]

https://goo.gl/maps/GEa7UsZjWV4cRJ1p8
I'm taking the center exit for I-59 doesn't count being the left exit for I-12 west diverges from it?

[DriverDave]

I meant more like this:

Phillipsburg—Newark Expy
https://maps.app.goo.gl/orPgkJ9725Miqf7b8

Same road, same direction, but to stay on it you have to avoid the middle lanes passing the exit. I find it odd that some roads have this configuration. Even highways that have multiple sets of lanes with duplicate exits, they'll be on the same side. Either the right or left, not "inner".

[roadman65]

I meant more like this:

Phillipsburg–Newark Expy
https://maps.app.goo.gl/orPgkJ9725Miqf7b8

Same road, same direction, but to stay on it you have to avoid the middle lanes passing the exit. I find it odd that some roads have this configuration. Even highways that have multiple sets of lanes with duplicate exits, they'll be on the same side. Either the right or left, not "inner".

I-78 has dual carriageways here. It’s not a depart from the center lanes but a right exit on the left ( inner) roadway and a left exit from the right (outer) roadway.

[DriverDave]

Which is weird as similar roads like the Turnpike don't have configurations like that. It would be like if the exits from the truck lanes on the Jersey Turnpike were on the left. I wonder what the benefit is?

[mrsman]

Here's another example nearby.  North Ave exit (and connection to NJTP) from US 1/9.  Right exit from express lanes and left exit from local lanes.

https://www.google.com/maps/@40.6864265,-74.1929591,3a,75y,178.89h,85.77t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sRn6s5Mm_VSX_R-5ElcFapQ!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu

It seems like the middle lane exit phenomenon is only going to exist to a degree that the flows of traffic are already separated by some kind of barrier (express-local or HOV-regular or cars-truck or car-car or regular-C/D lane).  Once the barrier is in place, this type of arrangement is simpler since once the stucture is created, it leads to one ramp to the exit, as opposed to two.

Of course, the NJTP design of both car lanes and car/truck lanes exiting to the right is more graceful, but it is also far more expensive, needing two ramps for every exit.

I don't think we have a situation existing today where the middle lane exits without a clear separation of traffic flows prior to the exit happening.  That would involve far too much weaving.

[RoadRage2023]

Easy.
The belt parkway split of the Gowanus expressway.
The 3rd lane of it goes toward the belt, and the leftmost lane is HOV.