I think reversal lanes are pretty cool. I especially like reversible roads that use LED signage overhead to control traffic. I think Pittsburgh has the most roads like this. I have been trying to find all the examples of this in the US, and there are a lot more than I thought at first.
I think the coolest reversible lanes are in DC, as it is such a large system. I believe it is also the oldest such system. There are several more examples that I think are neat, such as I-35W in TX, I-70 in St Luis (not reversible anymore), and the elevated lanes in Tampa, which as far as I can tell, is the only example of a 3 lane carriageway that is reversible.
I recently found out that I-30 in the DFW area has the largest zipper lane system I have seen so far. Extending for 12 miles! However, from a friend that lives in the Boston metro and has used a similar system on I-93, they are quite scary to drive in. He has, on occasion, gone as far as calling it a "squeeze lane" , as the barriers are so close on either side, you feel like you are being squeezed.
Anyone else have thoughts on these types of systems?
3 system that I am familiar with:
1. Houston has a system of one way, one lane HOV/Toll lane system with separated exit and ramps independent to the interstate that runs in the median of the 2 major crosstown interstates. They run inbound to Houston in morning rush hour and runs outbound in the afternoon.
2. NYSTA has installed lane control signs above both N and S Grand Island bridge (I-190) where during constructions they redirect traffic onto one bridge via a set of ramp.
For more context: https://goo.gl/maps/jnjX1eGTHJNja4Gu9
3. Lewiston-Queenston Bridge & Peace bridge all have lane control signals that changes depend of border wait time and traffic.
Lexington, KY's Nicholasville Road (US 27) has three center reversible lanes controlled by overhead LEDs. One of the lanes is always a two way left turn lane while the other two are through lanes, with the direction changing based on time of day.
Dropped pin
https://goo.gl/maps/ckcRDmqdt3hteuMa7
Quote from: CardInLex on April 17, 2021, 10:23:12 AM
Lexington, KY's Nicholasville Road (US 27) has three center reversible lanes controlled by overhead LEDs. One of the lanes is always a two way left turn lane while the other two are through lanes, with the direction changing based on time of day.
That's wild! I was expecting a 7-lane roadway, but Nicholasville Road is only 5 lanes wide. Do they ever flip all three lanes the same direction during rush hour, or does that only happen after UK football games?
The Kennedy Expressway (I-90/I-94) in Chicago has them. (https://goo.gl/maps/G18rydsGr3QMMUYU9)
There's only one in Indiana, and that's on Fall Creek Parkway in Indianapolis.
https://www.google.com/maps/@39.8149348,-86.143033,3a,75y,43.4h,90t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1skg5aaNOhLQ0rgPDy718mhA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192
https://www.google.com/maps/@39.8269921,-86.1303332,3a,75y,206.5h,90t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sIsp-IS1lDiHj4RNHta7uGA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192
It's reversible depending on the time of day except for the Indiana State Fair that is right off that road. 5-7 lane road.
Chicago used to have them on Lake Shore Drive and the arterials that branched off to the north. I think there were lights directing the arterials. LSD has little dividers that retracted into the roadway.
Quote from: MCRoads on April 16, 2021, 03:11:00 PM
I think reversal lanes are pretty cool. I especially like reversible roads that use LED signage overhead to control traffic.
I think reversible lanes are dangerous, at least when there's no barrier. It just seems like a crash ready to happen. So, when I drive on them, which is not often at all, I stay in the lanes that don't reverse. I think the last time I was on a road like that was in US-29/Colesville Road in Silver Spring, Maryland (https://www.google.com/maps/@38.9973202,-77.0273556,103m/data=!3m1!1e3?hl=en-US), in 2014.
That said, I don't know if they actually are more dangerous or not.
The old Golden Gate Bridge setup with the plastic cones was always nerve-wracking (at night, they used to have it where the middle lane was left empty so that there would be more of a divide between the northbound and southbound directions). it's been about 6 or so years since the concrete movable barrier has been installed and that has made the experience a lot less stressful.
I've read recently that San Miguel Corporation wants to put in reversible lanes in the Metro Manila Skyway (most likely the San Juan River section that is currently only divided by cones, and maybe the Sgt. Rivera-Libis Baesa section that also is in the same shape) and I don't think that road has nearly the level of traffic to justify doing that at all, instead of just having a fixed concrete or metal barrier.
Baltimore has a reversible center lane on North Gay Street. (https://goo.gl/maps/2k9sAC8cekoYEi8t7) It's honestly terrifying. There's only some signs posted that say something along the lines of "lane changes direction from 4pm-6pm" .
Quote from: MCRoads on April 16, 2021, 03:11:00 PM
and the elevated lanes in Tampa, which as far as I can tell, is the only example of a 3 lane carriageway that is reversible.
The I-95 / I-395 reversible HO/T lanes in Northern Virginia between the Pentagon and Woodbridge is 3 lanes.
As for examples in general, Virginia has another set of reversible HO/T lanes in Norfolk along I-64 between I-264 and I-564, about 7 miles long. It was constructed in the early 1990s as an HOV roadway, and was recently converted to HO/T back in 2018.
Quote from: behogie230 on April 17, 2021, 10:49:44 PM
Baltimore has a reversible center lane on North Gay Street. (https://goo.gl/maps/2k9sAC8cekoYEi8t7) It's honestly terrifying. There's only some signs posted that say something along the lines of "lane changes direction from 4pm-6pm" .
Well, how about this one in Phoenix, AZ?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36zcTHj-AHk
Quote from: Great Lakes Roads on April 18, 2021, 12:07:14 AM
Quote from: behogie230 on April 17, 2021, 10:49:44 PM
Baltimore has a reversible center lane on North Gay Street. (https://goo.gl/maps/2k9sAC8cekoYEi8t7) It's honestly terrifying. There's only some signs posted that say something along the lines of "lane changes direction from 4pm-6pm" .
Well, how about this one in Phoenix, AZ?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36zcTHj-AHk
Having this kind of traffic control established via a small sign with font size 7 is pure negligence.
At minimum, they should have the overhead LED sign that changes between a red X and green.
DC has removed many of them over the years. Theyre simply not safe,
Maybe when 100% of our cars are self-driving, they can come back
The I-5 express lanes in Seattle opened in 1965 and had to be manually changed to reverse directions (with controlled gates and checking for errant traffic) until a modernization in 2012. Didn't stop a few incidents like this from happening: Oops! Wrong-way Metro bus causes havoc on I-5 Express Lanes (http://web.archive.org/web/20191011094209/https://komonews.com/news/local/oops-wrong-way-metro-bus-causes-havoc-on-i-5-express-lanes-11-23-2015)
The I-90 express lanes were opened in 1993 (having been used for a few years to carry eastbound traffic while the original floating bridge was rebuilt) and closed in 2017 to be converted to light rail. This had always been the long-term plan for the lanes, but the entitled folk on Mercer Island threw a fit because they wouldn't enjoy the same access privileges to the replacement HOV lanes.
Quote from: Dirt Roads on April 17, 2021, 11:09:29 AM
Quote from: CardInLex on April 17, 2021, 10:23:12 AM
Lexington, KY's Nicholasville Road (US 27) has three center reversible lanes controlled by overhead LEDs. One of the lanes is always a two way left turn lane while the other two are through lanes, with the direction changing based on time of day.
That's wild! I was expecting a 7-lane roadway, but Nicholasville Road is only 5 lanes wide. Do they ever flip all three lanes the same direction during rush hour, or does that only happen after UK football games?
Not sure if they flip all the lanes. From my experience there is always at least one lane dedicated as a two way left turn lane.
There are early planning studies about adding bus rapid transit to the corridor and eliminating the reversible lanes.
Quote from: CardInLex on April 17, 2021, 10:23:12 AM
Lexington, KY's Nicholasville Road (US 27) has three center reversible lanes controlled by overhead LEDs. One of the lanes is always a two way left turn lane while the other two are through lanes, with the direction changing based on time of day.
Quote from: Dirt Roads on April 17, 2021, 11:09:29 AM
That's wild! I was expecting a 7-lane roadway, but Nicholasville Road is only 5 lanes wide. Do they ever flip all three lanes the same direction during rush hour, or does that only happen after UK football games?
Quote from: CardInLex on April 18, 2021, 04:59:47 PM
Not sure if they flip all the lanes. From my experience there is always at least one lane dedicated as a two way left turn lane.
There are early planning studies about adding bus rapid transit to the corridor and eliminating the reversible lanes.
Sorry, I gave up on your response too soon and flipped this over to the Kentucky thread. Got a response there from
hbelkins also indicating that he's seen the flip with what we call a "Chicken Lane". Still makes me wonder if they ever need to flip all three lanes over after certain football games.
It's been a long time since I was on that stretch of Nicholasville Road (US-27). The last time I was there was a family emergency at the U.K. Hospital Trauma Center. I drove over from North Carolina all the way in the snow, arrived at night, and realized that I didn't have any toothpaste. As soon as I left the hospital the next morning, I stopped at the closest gas station convenience store and bought a tube of Crest there. It didn't taste quite right. When I got home, I did some research and found out that I had purchased a counterfeit version. Never a dull moment.
As stated, the I-70 reversible lanes are no longer reversible. There's a good reason. They were useless. I didn't miss them when they got rid of them, and my coworkers that commuted on I-70 appreciated they were gone.
They have their uses, like the reversible HOV lanes in I-64 in Norfolk (where I also lived for several years), but even that highway might be better served by an extra lane in each direction instead.
I think the only good use is when you have "Zipper" lanes where a movable divider changes center lanes to reverse traffic in those lanes.
Minnesota's only set of reversible freeway lanes are on I-394 between MN 100 and I-94. They're fun to drive going eastbound because of how tall the elevated roadway becomes at the I-94 interchange, but since I am virtually always a solo driver and have no need or interest in a MnPass transponder, I have not been able to drive on it in many years.
As for surface streets with reversible lane configurations, I can't think of any setups like that in the state.
The I-5 express lanes (and the imbalance they cause) actively make traffic in the reverse peak direction much worse than the peak direction, to the point where it would be faster to take any of the side streets.
Quote from: skluth on April 19, 2021, 01:52:56 AM
I think the only good use is when you have "Zipper" lanes where a movable divider changes center lanes to reverse traffic in those lanes.
That's what I call them, but the term Zipper doesn't quite mean that anymore. Anyhow, the last time I looked I-66 crossing the Teddy Roosevelt Bridge into Washington, D.C., still has a reversible center lane with a movable multi-articulated Jersey barrier system down the middle, with a "Road Zipper" machine. I always wondered if DDOT ever got a spare one of these guys. I remember way back when I lived in Northern Virginia that the "Road Zipper" broke down in the middle of the nightly switchover, reducing inbound traffic to two lanes.
Quote from: Revive 755 on April 17, 2021, 11:38:34 AM
The Kennedy Expressway (I-90/I-94) in Chicago has them. (https://goo.gl/maps/G18rydsGr3QMMUYU9)
I just drove in that lane on the kennedy last Monday. It backs up where it ends though.
The infamous reversible lane on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge (https://www.google.com/maps/@38.9972393,-76.3932774,3a,75y,286.19h,87.61t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s3PiOxVj1HVVNcaiSCOCCVQ!2e0!7i16384!8i8192!5m1!1e1?hl=en) (with no zipper barrier or bollards or anything). Inherently dangerous, but with the current traffic situation there aren't any better options.
I've never used it (in the days of the toll plaza, it was the left 2 E-ZPass lanes that fed it, so I just used other lanes), but there are periods overnight where all traffic is placed on one span with one lane in each direction (but this is much less nerve-wracking since there's much less traffic, and if all traffic is on the westbound span overnight they leave the center lane closed as a buffer).
Quote from: Ricw24 on April 17, 2021, 07:29:20 AM
3. Lewiston-Queenston Bridge & Peace bridge all have lane control signals that changes depend of border wait time and traffic.
Yes, I'm glad these were mentioned. Lewiston is usually 3 US / 2 Canada, and Peace is usually 2 US / 1 Canada. But I have seen both with the opposite configuration.
In Toronto, the only street with reversible lanes is Jarvis Street. It is 3 south 2 north for all time except for afternoon rush hour, when it's the other way around.
Start of the lanes with the sign that informs how the lane works:
(https://i.imgur.com/VBiCAMh.png)
Middle:
(https://i.imgur.com/qmVjBtT.png)
Quote from: andrepoiy on April 19, 2021, 09:40:37 AM
In Toronto, the only street with reversible lanes is Jarvis Street. It is 3 south 2 north for all time except for afternoon rush hour, when it's the other way around.
Start of the lanes with the sign that informs how the lane works:
(https://i.imgur.com/VBiCAMh.png)
Middle:
(https://i.imgur.com/qmVjBtT.png)
Don't know if I'll agree to the choice of white lane marking... it seems a little bit dangerous & fairly easy to mistake it as a way one street
The only operating reversible lanes in Hartford.
https://goo.gl/maps/zntzAFssagb9fVe97 (https://goo.gl/maps/zntzAFssagb9fVe97)
https://goo.gl/maps/nDJePGJ4xc5fm5fN6 (https://goo.gl/maps/nDJePGJ4xc5fm5fN6)
It used to reverse all the way up to Main St., but that was changed in the middle of the last decade. Note the empty gantry. It used to have indicators.
https://goo.gl/maps/nBnUyaczdsjhYsrFA (https://goo.gl/maps/nBnUyaczdsjhYsrFA)
Then there's Asylum Ave, which is standing but not operating since the late-2000s. These go all the way into the West End.
https://goo.gl/maps/3wixhJZwHc8N2TwF7 (https://goo.gl/maps/3wixhJZwHc8N2TwF7)
https://goo.gl/maps/oAKcgNye5E4H2kPE9 (https://goo.gl/maps/oAKcgNye5E4H2kPE9)
https://goo.gl/maps/br9euncJ3DH6mgZY7 (https://goo.gl/maps/br9euncJ3DH6mgZY7)
Merge Indicator: https://goo.gl/maps/L49vjkyLkD9o5c3q7 (https://goo.gl/maps/L49vjkyLkD9o5c3q7)
A long incorrect sign approaching from the west: https://goo.gl/maps/iQNBzDhjC3fNzzmQ8 (https://goo.gl/maps/iQNBzDhjC3fNzzmQ8)
I don't really know why they turned it off and just left it there.
The DC area has a variety of reversible lanes. The OP here mentions the reversible carriageway on I-95 and I-395. That's the only one on an Interstate.
The notable thing about streets with reversible lanes is that I'm not sure any in DC have the "red X/green arrow" lights some places use, presumably for aesthetic reasons (note that DC also seldom uses either mast arms or span wire for traffic lights). You have to know what the traffic pattern is. The only place I've seen overhead lane control signals in DC in recent years was on Arlington Memorial Bridge during reconstruction work that is now complete.
The District of Columbia has certain roads that completely reverse direction at certain times of day, and they're not all necessarily obvious to someone who isn't from here. On 17th Street NW, for example, you have to be aware of these signs (https://goo.gl/maps/UMtVbMTmgsv6qwD57) and you have to know which days are holidays. I've seen plenty of near-misses on a couple of federal holidays that aren't always observed by the private sector, such as Columbus Day–you run a serious risk if you legally drive in the "non-peak direction" during the morning rush hour on those days. That applies even more so on District of Columbia territorial holidays, such as "Emancipation Day," because almost nobody except the city government observes those.
15th Street NW used to be similar to 17th except it was one-way outbound during the afternoon rush hour. They did away with that sometime within the past 20 years.
Canal Road has better signs (including a light-up sign on top of that pole) (https://goo.gl/maps/6U2Kyv8XjmzyZQui6) but is still best avoided on holidays. Further west, the center lane is reversible between Arizona Avenue and Chain Bridge (https://goo.gl/maps/yMGY3tTuM8g6JiwJ9). The pattern changes just west of there (https://goo.gl/maps/NvCud6cj4beTJzoQ7); the prevailing direction for the center lane is based on providing left-turn lanes at Arizona Avenue and Chain Bridge except during rush hours. Then when you hit Chain Bridge, during the morning rush hour the single lane is left-turn only because the road beyond there is also reversible (https://goo.gl/maps/P1uy5atKp3aXg4uW8). At certain times of day, inbound traffic on the Clara Barton Parkway in Maryland must use the infamous "Glen Echo Turnaround" because the National Park Police block the road with sawhorses (https://goo.gl/maps/7gf7GDMYCkUTUFa1A).
Then there is Rock Creek Parkway; that one involves moving sawhorses and flipping signs up and down (https://goo.gl/maps/UdGdKwkpr1H33DQz9). Non-local drivers tend to get the crap confused out of them at the spot where thru traffic needs to stay LEFT of the central median (https://goo.gl/maps/bHPV3Bs29uRVpn2m9).
Connecticut Avenue, a six-lane road, has reversible lanes during rush hours and you have to notice the signs to tell you what rule applies (https://goo.gl/maps/o6cVfAZ6KEj52fiZA). The city is thinking about doing away with the reversible lanes on there, in part because of accidents and in part because of speeding concerns. The signs are really not the sort of thing that will necessarily be obvious if you don't live here (https://goo.gl/maps/SMXnsVSfFtVg7LmJ6).
Virginia used to have reversible lanes on a portion of Wilson Boulevard between Seven Corners in Fairfax County and Ballston in Arlington County, but they did away with those years ago. A short section of Columbia Pike in Arlington County between South Courthouse Road and Washington Boulevard used to have them as well, but that has likewise been removed. Both of those segments had the overhead lane control signals. (Edited to add: Columbia Pike at Washington Boulevard has also been reconfigured. For many years, the right lane was right-turn-only during the morning rush hour and was right-or-straight at other times, while the left lane was left-or-straight during the morning rush hour and straight-only at other times (https://goo.gl/maps/as73Koazw14HBNwx9). That caused plenty of crashes when people in the right lane ignored the right-turn-only rule, went straight, and crashed into people legally turning right from the left lane. In the new configuration, only the left lane permits going straight and both lanes are permitted to turn right at all times (https://goo.gl/maps/7feKbUkwiokuqghf7).)
Butler St in Sandusky, OH has this:
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.4424203,-82.6895391,3a,40.4y,221.52h,89.36t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sA9Km6lzXKk4re5LLlPwudQ!2e0!7i16384!8i8192!5m1!1e1?hl=en
It connects Cedar Point to US-250, which leads to the Ohio Turnpike.
Adding onto what 1995hoo posted, there are a few more I remember from my time living in the DC area.
The first was US-29 in Silver Spring, MD, from Georgia Ave (https://goo.gl/maps/z8GFucnywznvYk656) to Sligo Creek Pkwy (https://goo.gl/maps/1qWoH32coqLXmk7VA).
Another was a tiny segment of Washington Blvd in Arlington, VA, from 13th St (https://www.google.com/maps/@38.8859491,-77.0987574,3a,20.2y,85.89h,86.05t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1s_hkR-3Wb9qUIWbT59DgowA!2e0!5s20180401T000000!7i13312!8i6656) to Wilson Blvd (https://www.google.com/maps/@38.8860634,-77.097416,3a,39y,264.65h,87.64t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1s96lVyTGbY4PUbdZidFha_A!2e0!5s20180401T000000!7i13312!8i6656). I am unsure of current status, given that the latest streetview (2019) had this portion of roadway under construction, and the overhead arrow/X signals removed.
Also, (and this may be a bit of a tangent), the stretch of Arena Drive (https://www.google.com/maps/@38.907077,-76.8542852,3a,47.6y,271.16h,96.97t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1ssiw947W9wrNvPtUhG1V7ag!2e0!5s20080801T000000!7i16384!8i8192) from I-95/495 to FedEx Field in Landover, MD utilizes reversible lanes and control devices. A piece of Harry S Truman Dr (https://www.google.com/maps/@38.8996234,-76.8466548,18.75z) (between where it now enters the shopping center and the Truman / Largo one-way pair) was once reversible as well, back when it served as the southern access road to the long gone Capital Centre.
A small section of River Rd in Newport News, VA leading to/from the shipyard.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/8RDecjJP8X9rMhQV6
Quote from: jmacswimmer on April 19, 2021, 08:40:34 AM
The infamous reversible lane on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge (https://www.google.com/maps/@38.9972393,-76.3932774,3a,75y,286.19h,87.61t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s3PiOxVj1HVVNcaiSCOCCVQ!2e0!7i16384!8i8192!5m1!1e1?hl=en) (with no zipper barrier or bollards or anything). Inherently dangerous, but with the current traffic situation there aren't any better options.
Not one day after I mentioned the above example with no barrier between oncoming traffic, a nasty head-on collision occurs during 2-way operations...
https://twitter.com/DildineWTOP/status/1384584127127687168
Was it due to driver misunderstanding? I don't see what's hard to understand about a big red X and a big green arrow.
Quote from: kphoger on April 20, 2021, 04:29:23 PM
Was it due to driver misunderstanding? I don't see what's hard to understand about a big red X and a big green arrow.
Unclear so far as this just happened less than 2 hours ago, but I wouldn't be surprised if this started as a rear-ending (drivers have a way of suddenly slamming on the brakes while crossing that bridge) that then spilled into oncoming traffic since there's no shoulders or anywhere else to go.
Of course there is the infamous Farnam Street in Omaha:
https://goo.gl/maps/NnHYLCK4PWXbY5Mx5
The entire street is reversible based on time of day with very little (my opinion) LED's and other controls.
Quote from: Great Lakes Roads on April 17, 2021, 12:58:24 PM
There's only one in Indiana, and that's on Fall Creek Parkway in Indianapolis.
https://www.google.com/maps/@39.8149348,-86.143033,3a,75y,43.4h,90t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1skg5aaNOhLQ0rgPDy718mhA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192
https://www.google.com/maps/@39.8269921,-86.1303332,3a,75y,206.5h,90t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sIsp-IS1lDiHj4RNHta7uGA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192
It's reversible depending on the time of day except for the Indiana State Fair that is right off that road. 5-7 lane road.
The local DPW has really butchered the layout of Fall Creek Parkway while a trio of bridge work, bus line work, and major sewer work was going on nearby. Its not as useful as it once was. However, I've read in INDOT plans that due to the upcoming major interstate closure for the North Split Project (https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=27307.0), they plan on putting Fall Creek Parkway back to its previous alignment to help support an increase in local road traffic.
There is also Meridian St on the south side of Indianapolis that has a reversible lane. Its a 3 land road with the middle being controlled only by over head metal signs.
https://goo.gl/maps/hJs5Rp2xcrpt7EX38
Quote from: behogie230 on April 17, 2021, 10:49:44 PM
Baltimore has a reversible center lane on North Gay Street. (https://goo.gl/maps/2k9sAC8cekoYEi8t7) It's honestly terrifying. There's only some signs posted that say something along the lines of "lane changes direction from 4pm-6pm" .
It's 2 lanes NB/1 lane SB from 4-6 pm. otherwise it's 2 lanes SB/1 lane NB. Because of the small signs which, in my opinion, are confusing as hell (they could have used a diagram), people just ignore them and either:
a) never use the middle lane
b) use the middle lane as a passing lane, especially around the one bus line that has stops at every block
c) use the middle lane until they come across someone also using it and then one person will cut back to the right lane.
There's also reversible lanes on Hanover St (https://goo.gl/maps/5JeZ2xu5xQ9Z15hp8) between I-95 and the south end of the Hanover St Bridge. It's usually 3 SB/2 NB except I think 6-10 am when it's switched, but the lane control signs haven't changed according to that in a long while, and to be fair, I don't use that route in the morning anymore, so I wouldn't know if it was working.
Quote from: HTM Duke on April 19, 2021, 10:57:10 PM
Adding onto what 1995hoo posted, there are a few more I remember from my time living in the DC area.
The first was US-29 in Silver Spring, MD, from Georgia Ave (https://goo.gl/maps/z8GFucnywznvYk656) to Sligo Creek Pkwy (https://goo.gl/maps/1qWoH32coqLXmk7VA).
Another was a tiny segment of Washington Blvd in Arlington, VA, from 13th St (https://www.google.com/maps/@38.8859491,-77.0987574,3a,20.2y,85.89h,86.05t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1s_hkR-3Wb9qUIWbT59DgowA!2e0!5s20180401T000000!7i13312!8i6656) to Wilson Blvd (https://www.google.com/maps/@38.8860634,-77.097416,3a,39y,264.65h,87.64t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1s96lVyTGbY4PUbdZidFha_A!2e0!5s20180401T000000!7i13312!8i6656). I am unsure of current status, given that the latest streetview (2019) had this portion of roadway under construction, and the overhead arrow/X signals removed.
Also, (and this may be a bit of a tangent), the stretch of Arena Drive (https://www.google.com/maps/@38.907077,-76.8542852,3a,47.6y,271.16h,96.97t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1ssiw947W9wrNvPtUhG1V7ag!2e0!5s20080801T000000!7i16384!8i8192) from I-95/495 to FedEx Field in Landover, MD utilizes reversible lanes and control devices. A piece of Harry S Truman Dr (https://www.google.com/maps/@38.8996234,-76.8466548,18.75z) (between where it now enters the shopping center and the Truman / Largo one-way pair) was once reversible as well, back when it served as the southern access road to the long gone Capital Centre.
I had totally forgotten about Harry Truman Drive. Great catch. It's no longer like that now. Regarding Washington Boulevard, I haven't been that way in a few years, so I don't know–I used to go to a doctor's office near there, but they relocated.
Quote from: CardInLex on April 20, 2021, 05:35:34 PM
Of course there is the infamous Farnam Street in Omaha:
https://goo.gl/maps/NnHYLCK4PWXbY5Mx5
The entire street is reversible based on time of day with very little (my opinion) LED's and other controls.
The Atlanta area has a couple of these, including on Decatur Street/DeKalb Avenue (https://goo.gl/maps/yRoKkUNEVqTuqbd89) and on Atlanta Street (the one in Roswell) (https://goo.gl/maps/yoJCf5wqG71V7iNB8).
Generally not a fan of any of them that I have encountered. If traffic is bad enough to require more lanes, then more dedicated lanes for each direction should be built. Reversible lanes should be treated as a stopgap measure only, until the system can be brought up to speed.
There are some cases where that just isn't going to happen. How would the liberty bridge in Pittsburgh be widened? You can't twin the bridge, because the approaches would require a large amount of ROW in downtown Pittsburgh. You can't widen it, as I'm pretty sure the structure was already widened in the past. You can't really have a zipper, as there isn't a place to put the zipper machine. Maybe if they were desperate, they could put a second deck on the bridge somehow within the existing ROW (but that might require modifications to the tunnel and intersection on the south side of the bridge). It's just stuck. It can't be replaced with a better option.
Quote from: MCRoads on April 22, 2021, 02:08:03 PM
There are some cases where that just isn't going to happen. How would the liberty bridge in Pittsburgh be widened? You can't twin the bridge, because the approaches would require a large amount of ROW in downtown Pittsburgh. You can't widen it, as I'm pretty sure the structure was already widened in the past. You can't really have a zipper, as there isn't a place to put the zipper machine. Maybe if they were desperate, they could put a second deck on the bridge somehow within the existing ROW (but that might require modifications to the tunnel and intersection on the south side of the bridge). It's just stuck. It can't be replaced with a better option.
Not with that defeatist attitude. Sounds like it really just needs replacing entirely, something with two decks and some extra width perhaps.
Quote from: HighwayStar on April 22, 2021, 02:09:43 PM
Quote from: MCRoads on April 22, 2021, 02:08:03 PM
There are some cases where that just isn't going to happen. How would the liberty bridge in Pittsburgh be widened? You can't twin the bridge, because the approaches would require a large amount of ROW in downtown Pittsburgh. You can't widen it, as I'm pretty sure the structure was already widened in the past. You can't really have a zipper, as there isn't a place to put the zipper machine. Maybe if they were desperate, they could put a second deck on the bridge somehow within the existing ROW (but that might require modifications to the tunnel and intersection on the south side of the bridge). It's just stuck. It can't be replaced with a better option.
Not with that defeatist attitude. Sounds like it really just needs replacing entirely, something with two decks and some extra width perhaps.
You ever heard of cost constraints?
Quote from: sprjus4 on April 22, 2021, 02:21:56 PM
Quote from: HighwayStar on April 22, 2021, 02:09:43 PM
Quote from: MCRoads on April 22, 2021, 02:08:03 PM
There are some cases where that just isn't going to happen. How would the liberty bridge in Pittsburgh be widened? You can't twin the bridge, because the approaches would require a large amount of ROW in downtown Pittsburgh. You can't widen it, as I'm pretty sure the structure was already widened in the past. You can't really have a zipper, as there isn't a place to put the zipper machine. Maybe if they were desperate, they could put a second deck on the bridge somehow within the existing ROW (but that might require modifications to the tunnel and intersection on the south side of the bridge). It's just stuck. It can't be replaced with a better option.
Not with that defeatist attitude. Sounds like it really just needs replacing entirely, something with two decks and some extra width perhaps.
You ever heard of cost constraints?
Yep, that is always the excuse, any infrastructure we talk about today is "too expensive" or "we can't afford that", never mind someone built all this in the first place, apparently they never heard of that. Or never mind that China is throwing up infrastructure left and right not only in China but all over the globe. And we sit and moan that filling in the potholes is "too expensive"
I apologize if this has already been mentioned, but Stanley Park Causeway (https://www.google.com/maps/@49.2989482,-123.140116,3a,75y,117.24h,82.01t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sofsQXey2PpLC84bzkt-0tg!2e0!7i16384!8i8192!5m1!1e1) (BC-1A/BC 99) in Stanley Park and on the Lions Gate Bridge in Vancouver.
Quote from: CardInLex on April 20, 2021, 05:35:34 PM
Of course there is the infamous Farnam Street in Omaha:
https://goo.gl/maps/NnHYLCK4PWXbY5Mx5
The entire street is reversible based on time of day with very little (my opinion) LED's and other controls.
Gosh, I completely forgot that back in the 1980s much of northwest District of Columbia and Maryland between the CSX former B&O Mainline and Michigan Avenue were reversible in the same way. It was a big issue for folks to use neighborhood streets as an informal bypass to avoid lengthy delays on Michigan Avenue and other routes. I had a project where I would walk from the Silver Spring station down to Rhode Island Avenue station on one side, and would get stuck relocating an F7000 stakebody truck back to Silver Spring during rush hour. This got really complicated at times, when I would find most of the local streets reversed. No wonder I needed to forget all that.
Quote from: Dirt Roads on April 22, 2021, 10:02:40 PM
Quote from: CardInLex on April 20, 2021, 05:35:34 PM
Of course there is the infamous Farnam Street in Omaha:
https://goo.gl/maps/NnHYLCK4PWXbY5Mx5
The entire street is reversible based on time of day with very little (my opinion) LED's and other controls.
Gosh, I completely forgot that back in the 1980s much of northwest District of Columbia and Maryland between the CSX former B&O Mainline and Michigan Avenue were reversible in the same way. It was a big issue for folks to use neighborhood streets as an informal bypass to avoid lengthy delays on Michigan Avenue and other routes. I had a project where I would walk from the Silver Spring station down to Rhode Island Avenue station on one side, and would get stuck relocating an F7000 stakebody truck back to Silver Spring during rush hour. This got really complicated at times, when I would find most of the local streets reversed. No wonder I needed to forget all that.
There are a few still left. Here's 12th near Geranium:
https://www.google.com/maps/@38.9794441,-77.0278636,3a,37.5y,87.67h,87.99t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sWD6XaGGvwOEikAy66FK_Ww!2e0!7i16384!8i8192
This isn't so bad because 12th is not really a traffic corridor. It's really just meant to keep traffic off of the residential streets.
Except for Canal Road and Rock Creek Pkwy, it seems like the totally reversible one-ways have all been gotten rid of in DC.
Constitution Ave east of teh Capitol used to have something very similar to Farnam, with a one-way westbound during morning rush, but now it is 2-way at all times.
15th and 17th south of Massachussets Ave were changed more recently to full-time two-way operation. 17th was really crazy. During morning rush, you had six lanes (4 regular lanes and 2 extra because parking was prohibited at those hours) all facing southbound, despite a yellow line in the middle. At L street, the left lanes would force a left (and the next lane would allow a left), but only during the morning rush.
Here is an old GSV of the area:
https://www.google.com/maps/@38.9037855,-77.0384678,3a,15y,146.36h,89.96t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s9RBRlhF0PtmSWOTJzqB2pg!2e0!7i16384!8i8192
Thankfully, many of these reversible streets have gone away. They were too dangerous given the minimal traffic benefit they provided.
THe reversilbe lanes are still a thing and have their own issues, but at least if you are going the wrong way, you can simply shfit to the right when you realize it. Ideally, they'd get rid of them all, unless there is really good access control of the reversible facility.
Here is a pic
Quote from: ftballfan on April 19, 2021, 07:14:38 PM
Butler St in Sandusky, OH has this:
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.4424203,-82.6895391,3a,40.4y,221.52h,89.36t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sA9Km6lzXKk4re5LLlPwudQ!2e0!7i16384!8i8192!5m1!1e1?hl=en
It connects Cedar Point to US-250, which leads to the Ohio Turnpike.
I can speak from experience, that road has probably the worst quality pavement I've ever driven on. I don't remember the configuration of the reversible lanes when I was there though. I'm pretty sure I only ever used the right lane when I used the road. The center lane may not have been in use at all when I was there, not sure. Traffic was light enough that it wasn't necessary.
H-1 has Zipper Lanes from Piawa St. to the Nimitz Highway. I haven't had the pleasure of seeing them in action, but the seem quite useful. They also have some reversible lanes in Honolulu on the Surface Streets, the only one I recall for sure is along Kapiolani Blvd. When I saw it in action, they were using cones and cops for traffic control.
I love the Express Lanes on I-5 in Seattle, but the really need to exist on both ends of city, and not be a single lane ingress/egress at the south end. The issues with revere commuting has only really be an issue in the last 15 years, as more people are reverse commuting due to varying shifts and high rents in the city. Hopefully the Link extensions should help significantly.
Once upon a time there were a set of two reversible lanes on US 29 that went from Charlotte Motor Speedway at the north end to just shy of I-485 at the south end. They were removed some time ago, replaced with a paved median and some turn lanes. However, some of the lane-use signals stuck around for a few years(?) after.
A variable turn-control signal for the middle of 3 lanes (left only, variable turn-lane, right only) still exists on Speedway Boulevard/Bruton Smith Boulevard at the intersection of it and 29 (right in front of the Speedway) - yet I've never seen it deviate from its default "straight-or-left" indicator (the road markings also denote the second lane as "straight ahead or left turn OK")
On Kauai, I believe on their Route 56, the normal allocation is 2 lanes South, 1 lane north, with left turning lanes at intersections. During the morning rush, in certain areas they have a manual setup of reversible lanes using cones, including (barely) marking out turn lanes.
The DRBA bridges between PA and NJ uses concrete zipper barrier on the Commodore Barry, used infrequently, a concrete zipper barrier on the Ben Franklin Bridge, used every weekday, and a metal zipper barrier on the Walt Whitman, used every weekday. Prior to this, on those 3 bridges they usually kept an unused lane between directions, but not always. The Betsy Ross Bridge, 8 lanes wide, had reversible lanes but didn't need to utilize them for different directions (usually) as the bridge ultimately was wider than the traffic demands required; they eventually added a fixed Jersey Barrier for protection and narrowed the bridges' usable thru lane pattern to 6 lanes total.
And, there's the infamous XBL on 495 and the Lincoln Tunnel, using pylons to separate the flow of traffic.
Quote from: jeffandnicole on May 24, 2021, 10:25:29 AM
And, there's the infamous XBL on 495 and the Lincoln Tunnel, using pylons to separate the flow of traffic.
Though the XBL may be the hardest-working segment of pavement in the United States in terms of person trips carried.
Quote from: 1995hoo on April 19, 2021, 04:52:26 PM
The DC area has a variety of reversible lanes. The OP here mentions the reversible carriageway on I-95 and I-395. That's the only one on an Interstate.
The notable thing about streets with reversible lanes is that I'm not sure any in DC have the "red X/green arrow" lights some places use, presumably for aesthetic reasons (note that DC also seldom uses either mast arms or span wire for traffic lights). You have to know what the traffic pattern is. The only place I've seen overhead lane control signals in DC in recent years was on Arlington Memorial Bridge during reconstruction work that is now complete.
The District of Columbia has certain roads that completely reverse direction at certain times of day, and they're not all necessarily obvious to someone who isn't from here. On 17th Street NW, for example, you have to be aware of these signs (https://goo.gl/maps/UMtVbMTmgsv6qwD57) and you have to know which days are holidays. I've seen plenty of near-misses on a couple of federal holidays that aren't always observed by the private sector, such as Columbus Day–you run a serious risk if you legally drive in the "non-peak direction" during the morning rush hour on those days. That applies even more so on District of Columbia territorial holidays, such as "Emancipation Day," because almost nobody except the city government observes those.
Former reversible roadways include Constitution Avenue, N.E. between North Carolina Avenue, N.E. and 2nd Street, N.E. (I am not 100% certain about the limits). I think it only operated in the morning weekday peak commute periods.
Perhaps the biggest one in D.C. was 13th Street, N.W. (and Piney Branch Road, N.W. at the far north end) between Georgia Avenue and Logan Circle [Rhode Island Avenue]). This ran four lanes in the peak-flow direction (south in AM and north in PM) of mixed traffic and express bus service from the Maryland suburbs.