A VERY unusual interchange

[WolfGuy100]

I was browsing around on Google Map until I found this interchange in Kentucky.

http://g.co/maps/hv23t

It's located on Bluegrass Parkway in Kentucky. I have NEVER seen anything like that, even I went past that area few times in the past, I have never seen anything like that before.

So, beside that, any of you guys seen a most unusual interchange such as that one?

[Ian]

Reminds me of this:
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=agne-gardien,+qc&hl=en&ll=45.345902,-72.783995&spn=0.008822,0.01929&sll=45.349491,-72.837639&sspn=0.141149,0.308647&vpsrc=6&t=h&z=16

[NE2]

There used to be a toll booth under the bridge. Oklahoma also did this, I believe, as did Quebec (the example above plus others).

[agentsteel53]

what is the advantage of that?  it seems like it takes up more space than a diamond, and has the same weaving problems as a clover.

[NE2]

what is the advantage of that?

It allows mainline and ramp tolls to be collected at one place.

[bassoon1986]

theres this one too, further west in KY:



http://maps.google.com/?ll=36.645656,-88.753516&spn=0.001573,0.002411&t=h&vpsrc=6&z=19&layer=c&cbll=36.645579,-88.753606&panoid=VL0cLbvtJpOIqrb3ZlRD_Q&cbp=12,57.84,,0,-6.41

crazy if you're trying to merge on

[agentsteel53]

I had not thought about that.

how many tollbooths could they squeeze under the bridge?  3 in each direction, to serve the corresponding two lanes?

[NE2]

Here's one still in use in Oklahoma: http://maps.google.com/maps?q=tulsa,+ok&hl=en&ll=34.362445,-98.409697&spn=0.007882,0.020599&gl=us&t=m&z=17&vpsrc=6&layer=c&cbll=34.362445,-98.409697&panoid=nciHxIe9w3T-CEthFlZxXg&cbp=12,169.99,,0,4.73

[Alex]

I thought I read somewhere that the ones in Kentucky are slated to be removed over time due to the weaving traffic concerns.

Anyway, here is another on Pennyrile Parkway northbound at Kentucky 56:

[Revive 755]

How about a one-sided version that includes a service road:

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=42.358909,-87.890604&spn=0.013034,0.033023&t=k&z=16&vpsrc=6

[Central Avenue]

I'm reminded of the I-270/OH 3 interchange in Westerville, though that only uses this configuration for one side.

[Duke87]

I-91 exit 7 in Vermont is half like this, although there never was a toll there. In that case the reason seems to be so that the more popular traffic movement (towards Springfield) can make right turns onto and off of the ramps. The interchange is basically a half cloverleaf with the ramps modified to allow left turns.

[Brandon]

A terrible idea for a toll plaza, IMHO.  I think ISTHA had the right idea by keeping toll plazas separate from interchanges.

[ghYHZ]

Reminds me of this:
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=agne-gardien,+qc&hl=en&ll=45.345902,-72.783995&spn=0.008822,0.01929&sll=45.349491,-72.837639&sspn=0.141149,0.308647&vpsrc=6&t=h&z=16

.......and if you drag the street-view icon to the building on the south-side of the highway you can still see where the canopy extended over the toll booths. This was the Eastern Townships Autoroute or "Autoroute des Cantons de l'Est"  

[hbelkins]

Yes, these types of interchanges were used as toll collection points  on Kentucky's parkways. All traffic had to stop and pay toll, and there were generally three booths for each direction of travel. The leftmost one was unmanned and was correct change only for passenger vehicles. The center one was staffed and accommodated all vehicles that didn't exceed width restrictions for through traffic. The rightmost one handled through traffic, and traffic entering or exiting, as well as overwidth loads. The toll for exiting was usually half of what the thru traffic toll was, and the proper procedure was to tell the attendant "just got on" or "getting off here" and then either toss your coins in the bucket, or hand a bill to the attendant for change. The attendant always threw the toll amount in the basket and gave you your change.

There were a few mainline toll booths on Kentucky's parkways, not at exits, but the idea was to collect money from traffic entering or exiting at reasonably high-volume points.

The KY 11 interchange on the Mountain Parkway had the toll booths on the bridge, as the four-lane crossed over the two-lane at this location. I think all the rest of the plazas had the toll booths underneath the bridge where the surface route crossed the parkway.

Only three of these type interchanges have been rebuilt, to the best of my knowledge -- KY 11/Mountain Parkway, US 127/Bluegrass Parkway, and KY 259/Western Kentucky Parkway.

Traffic is so light at these exits that weaving isn't a terribly major problem.

[Mr_Northside]

I'm reminded of the I-270/OH 3 interchange in Westerville, though that only uses this configuration for one side.

I-79 @ US 40, just south of the south I-70 junction, is pretty much the same thing as well.

[hbelkins]

Then there's this, the I-79/US 33-119 exit at Weston, WV: http://g.co/maps/jfds2

[agentsteel53]

Then there's this, the I-79/US 33-119 exit at Weston, WV: http://g.co/maps/jfds2

I see US-48 shields.  do they exist in the wild there?

[froggie]

Not that far west.  Brian Powell just E-mailed me saying the US 48 entry on Google Maps west of Elkins is in error...there are no signs posted there yet.

[vdeane]

Looks like I-81 near Syracuse Airport: http://maps.google.com/?ll=43.115834,-76.13328&spn=0.019611,0.036049&t=m&z=15&vpsrc=6

[WolfGuy100]

There used to be a toll booth under the bridge. Oklahoma also did this, I believe, as did Quebec (the example above plus others).

It was configured for toll booths under the bridge? I never knew that.

[NE2]

Obviously not, or you would not have made this thread...

[1995hoo]

Then there's this, the I-79/US 33-119 exit at Weston, WV: http://g.co/maps/jfds2

From looking at the Street View, I wonder if the terrain might have been a factor in the interchange design there.

[xcellntbuy]

Looks like I-81 near Syracuse Airport: http://maps.google.com/?ll=43.115834,-76.13328&spn=0.019611,0.036049&t=m&z=15&vpsrc=6

The US 11/Interstate 81 interchange used to be nightmare in Mattydale back in 1982 when it was an actual traffic circle under the Interstate and the concrete surface was extremely worn down from all the salt and sand dumped on it.  I believe the traffic circle aspect of the junction with US 11 was modified to some degree many years ago when the six-lane portions of Interstate 81 were finally rehabilitated and the highway realigned through Liverpool.

[pianocello]

Looks like I-81 near Syracuse Airport: http://maps.google.com/?ll=43.115834,-76.13328&spn=0.019611,0.036049&t=m&z=15&vpsrc=6

There are many interchanges of that sort along Illinois Tollways (mainly the Tri-State)