Just had this thought after looking at I-295 in Delaware, which almost qualifies for this (except for one at-grade onramp from US 13 south to I-295 north)...
Are there any freeways/limited access routes in which every single interchange is free-flowing without any sort of stop sign/stoplight/at-grade intersection?
I-865 in Indianapolis technically counts because of the complete lack of interchanges on it between the freeway-to-freeway junctions at I-65 and I-465.
If a ramp onto a frontage road counts as free flowing (I don't think it should, but it's kind of a gray area), I-375 in St. Pete counts.
Would this include where the ramps connect to free-flowing roundabouts? Roundabouts at the end of ramps have been rare until recently in the US, but they're pretty common in Europe at freeway interchanges. E.g., M62 (https://www.google.com/maps/@53.4363093,-2.6068232,11.88z?hl=en) west of Manchester is then free-flowing at all interchanges by that criterion.
Quote from: skluth on June 27, 2019, 07:02:57 PM
Would this include where the ramps connect to free-flowing roundabouts? Roundabouts at the end of ramps have been rare until recently in the US, but they're pretty common in Europe at freeway interchanges. E.g., M62 (https://www.google.com/maps/@53.4363093,-2.6068232,11.88z?hl=en) west of Manchester is then free-flowing at all interchanges by that criterion.
M62 comes close but at least one of the roundabouts is not a free-flowing junction:
https://www.google.com/maps/@53.4034215,-2.7434934,3a,75y,269.92h,88.04t/data=!3m5!1e1!3m3!1sL4k-rmtj_SVR-p8PN-mYhQ!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo3.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DL4k-rmtj_SVR-p8PN-mYhQ%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D306.90988%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100?hl=en
Interstate 295 in Virginia, with one exception at the I-295 / Meadowville Technology Pkwy interchange (Exit 16), north of Hopewell, which is a diamond interchange. Every other interchange on the 53 mile highway is a cloverleaf with some having a flyover replacing one loop, and also a free-flowing 3-way interchange at the I-95 southern junction.
Quote from: TheStranger on June 27, 2019, 07:12:33 PM
Quote from: skluth on June 27, 2019, 07:02:57 PM
Would this include where the ramps connect to free-flowing roundabouts? Roundabouts at the end of ramps have been rare until recently in the US, but they're pretty common in Europe at freeway interchanges. E.g., M62 (https://www.google.com/maps/@53.4363093,-2.6068232,11.88z?hl=en) west of Manchester is then free-flowing at all interchanges by that criterion.
M62 comes close but at least one of the roundabouts is not a free-flowing junction:
https://www.google.com/maps/@53.4034215,-2.7434934,3a,75y,269.92h,88.04t/data=!3m5!1e1!3m3!1sL4k-rmtj_SVR-p8PN-mYhQ!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo3.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DL4k-rmtj_SVR-p8PN-mYhQ%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D306.90988%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100?hl=en
I should have looked more closely. However, it's pretty easy to find short freeways in Europe where all the ramps are either direct connections or connect to roundabouts. M48 (https://www.google.com/maps/@51.6098979,-2.7274259,2303a,35y,6.54t/data=!3m1!1e3?hl=en) and M49 (https://www.google.com/maps/@51.5335323,-2.6549113,13.33z?hl=en) near Bristol both use roundabouts as does M275 (https://www.google.com/maps/@50.8230007,-1.0950472,14.73z?hl=en) in Portsmouth, and M55 (https://www.google.com/maps/@53.809364,-2.8372147,12.94z?hl=en) to Blackpool. The incredibly short CA-32 and CA-37 (https://www.google.com/maps/@36.5509499,-6.1900355,14.68z?hl=en) near Cadiz, Spain also fit as does A 27 (https://www.google.com/maps/@41.7554044,-8.6891345,12.67z?hl=en) in Portugal. I haven't looked to see if any of these are controlled, but at first glance none seem to be. I guess technically all roundabouts require a yield at minimum coming off most ramps, but again technically so does most every on ramp everywhere when you think about it.
If roundabouts are out, there's still the new G Ring Road (https://www.google.com/maps/@25.182364,51.5173722,13.02z?hl=en) in Doha, Qatar connecting the new airport to the Orbital Highway. I've only been a (terrified) passenger in Qatar between the old airport and Al Udeid, but I'm sure that even with limited access you are still taking your life in your hands driving on it.
Quote from: sprjus4 on June 27, 2019, 07:45:44 PM
Interstate 295 in Virginia, with one exception at the I-295 / Meadowville Technology Pkwy interchange (Exit 16), north of Hopewell, which is a diamond interchange. Every other interchange on the 53 mile highway is a cloverleaf with some having a flyover replacing one loop, and also a free-flowing 3-way interchange at the I-95 southern junction.
The Pocahontas Parkway is free-flowing. The two trumpet interchanges become regular roads and quickly meet cross-traffic, but the interchanges themselves satisfy the criteria. It's just not a freeway, but a toll road.
Quote from: skluth on June 27, 2019, 07:52:24 PM
It's just not a freeway, but a toll road.
A freeway is a high-speed divided roadway with no interruptions for thru traffic, cross roads pass under or over the roadway (grade separations), and ramps connect traffic to cross roads at major points (interchanges).
It doesn't matter if it's tolled or not, it's still a freeway. The "free" part means free of obstructions, free of cross traffic, etc, not the cost of driving on it.
The VA-895 Pocahontas Pkwy is a tolled freeway, and your example fully qualifies.
One could argue that VA 895 does *NOT* meet the criteria since the trumpet interchanges along it are surface roads and not controlled-access facilities themselves (and you don't have to go far down Laburnum to hit an intersection). But we'll let the OP make that call.
Quote from: froggie on June 28, 2019, 06:12:49 AM
One could argue that VA 895 does *NOT* meet the criteria since the trumpet interchanges along it are surface roads and not controlled-access facilities themselves (and you don't have to go far down Laburnum to hit an intersection). But we'll let the OP make that call.
Well if you look at it that way, you could also say a cloverleaf interchange dumps into a road that then hits an intersection. The point was to identify a freeway that only has free-flowing interchanges between the two facilities, once you're beyond the limited-access right of way or interchange area, all bets are off at that point.
Quote from: sprjus4 on June 28, 2019, 06:29:10 AM
Quote from: froggie on June 28, 2019, 06:12:49 AM
One could argue that VA 895 does *NOT* meet the criteria since the trumpet interchanges along it are surface roads and not controlled-access facilities themselves (and you don't have to go far down Laburnum to hit an intersection). But we'll let the OP make that call.
Well if you look at it that way, you could also say a cloverleaf interchange dumps into a road that then hits an intersection. The point was to identify a freeway that only has free-flowing interchanges between the two facilities, once you're beyond the limited-access right of way or interchange area, all bets are off at that point.
I'm definitely of the mind that as long as the ramps themselves don't directly lead to a stoplight/stop sign/at-grade intersection, then it absolutely fits the criteria.
So VA 895 might be the best example, with I-295 in VA and I-295 in Delaware as near-misses.
The earlier I-865 example works because at no point on 865 does anything lead to a stoplight (i.e. there is no section that stubs off into an at-grade intersection, and the two junctions on the road are free-flowing).
---
Here's one that may technically count: the unsigned Route 76C connector between I-76/I-676 and US 130 in Camden, NJ:
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Fairview,+Camden,+NJ+08104/@39.9067954,-75.1111729,15z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x89c6ced40f28ef11:0xd9745cd96a495a3d!8m2!3d39.9067798!4d-75.1023967
I-295 in VA could become a legit example again (I say again because the Meadowville interchange is its newest one) if VDOT decides to make that interchange a cloverleaf. The diamond here was designed to be upgraded in the future.
FWIW, I don't think a roundabout should count. They are not free-flowing, but rather have yield situations.
Quote from: kphoger on June 28, 2019, 02:34:16 PM
FWIW, I don't think a roundabout should count. They are not free-flowing, but rather have yield situations.
And cloverleaves don't have yields? What the fuck.
Quote from: NE2 on June 28, 2019, 04:41:47 PM
Quote from: kphoger on June 28, 2019, 02:34:16 PM
FWIW, I don't think a roundabout should count. They are not free-flowing, but rather have yield situations.
And cloverleaves don't have yields? What the fuck.
Depends how your state signs entrance ramps.
Quote from: kphoger on June 28, 2019, 04:59:51 PM
Quote from: NE2 on June 28, 2019, 04:41:47 PM
Quote from: kphoger on June 28, 2019, 02:34:16 PM
FWIW, I don't think a roundabout should count. They are not free-flowing, but rather have yield situations.
And cloverleaves don't have yields? What the fuck.
Depends how your state signs entrance ramps.
They might not have yield signs, but they do have yields.
I just retested in Illinois rules. Merge rules are different now. P.26 Rules of Road.When approaching a merge sign with through traffic a driver must increase of decrease speed to avoid a crash.
If we look at just a state's portion of a freeway, I-76 within NJ only has 1 controlled offramp (Exit 1C Northbound, ending at a stop sign).
If you don't feel this counts, then neither does Delaware's I-295 example, as that route continutes into NJ and PA.
Quote from: jeffandnicole on June 28, 2019, 09:33:01 PM
If we look at just a state's portion of a freeway, I-76 within NJ only has 1 controlled offramp (Exit 1C Northbound, ending at a stop sign).
If you don't feel this counts, then neither does Delaware's I-295 example, as that route continutes into NJ and PA.
I'd count that, yeah (76 in NJ, 295 in DE as near-misses, 295 in VA as a near-miss, and 76C in NJ as fully qualifying)
In that vein, I-275 in Indiana fully qualifies as the only interchange is a trumpet to Indiana State Road 1!
Quote from: TheStranger on June 28, 2019, 10:24:07 PM
In that vein, I-275 in Indiana fully qualifies as the only interchange is a trumpet to Indiana State Road 1!
The IN 1/US 50 end of that Trumpet is a Stoplight...its just a bit of an elongated Approach (Mouthpiece?)
If sections of a Numbered Route count, I nominate the old US 66 Freeway that is now part of I-55 in DuPage County in Chicagoland, between the Joliet Rd (Old US 66 on Surface roads) entrances/exits at I-294 and I-355...All Cloverleaves on that segment, and the Joliet Rd ramps on both ends are freeflow
Earhart Expressway (LA 3139) in suburban New Orleans is iffy. I'm not sure the Cleary Ave exit is necessarily free flowing. More like a long ramp to the red light at US 61. It's an interesting freeway in general.
iPhone
Quote from: 1 on June 28, 2019, 05:01:05 PM
Quote from: kphoger on June 28, 2019, 04:59:51 PM
Quote from: NE2 on June 28, 2019, 04:41:47 PM
Quote from: kphoger on June 28, 2019, 02:34:16 PM
FWIW, I don't think a roundabout should count. They are not free-flowing, but rather have yield situations.
And cloverleaves don't have yields? What the fuck.
Depends how your state signs entrance ramps.
They might not have yield signs, but they do have yields.
Where are the yields in this cloverleaf? (https://www.google.com/maps/@40.7253109,-111.9539995,1318m/data=!3m1!1e3) Every one of those ramps has a dedicated lane where it merges.
Quote from: ilpt4u on June 28, 2019, 10:30:39 PM
Quote from: TheStranger on June 28, 2019, 10:24:07 PM
In that vein, I-275 in Indiana fully qualifies as the only interchange is a trumpet to Indiana State Road 1!
The IN 1/US 50 end of that Trumpet is a Stoplight...its just a bit of an elongated Approach (Mouthpiece?)
If sections of a Numbered Route count, I nominate the old US 66 Freeway that is now part of I-55 in DuPage County in Chicagoland, between the Joliet Rd (Old US 66 on Surface roads) entrances/exits at I-294 and I-355...All Cloverleaves on that segment, and the Joliet Rd ramps on both ends are freeflow
With regards to trumpet interchanges: IMO I feel like as long as the trumpet itself leads to at least a short stretch of road without a stop (so even as short as like 1/4 mile or so) then it's a freeflowing set of ramps from the freeway. I don't count the trumpet interchanges off of toll roads that lead to tollbooths.
That former 66 segment is interesting in that 55 does continue a little further north-east in free-flow mode, until Harlem Avenue.
Quote from: US 89 on June 29, 2019, 12:33:54 AM
Quote from: 1 on June 28, 2019, 05:01:05 PM
Quote from: kphoger on June 28, 2019, 04:59:51 PM
Quote from: NE2 on June 28, 2019, 04:41:47 PM
Quote from: kphoger on June 28, 2019, 02:34:16 PM
FWIW, I don't think a roundabout should count. They are not free-flowing, but rather have yield situations.
And cloverleaves don't have yields? What the fuck.
Depends how your state signs entrance ramps.
They might not have yield signs, but they do have yields.
Where are the yields in this cloverleaf? (https://www.google.com/maps/@40.7253109,-111.9539995,1318m/data=!3m1!1e3) Every one of those ramps has a dedicated lane where it merges.
Yeah, every example I can immediately think of has a lane for weaving, not yields. I would agree that yields don't count, but that is irrelevant at least with regards to freeway-to-freeway cloverleaves.
Quote from: 1 on June 28, 2019, 05:01:05 PM
Quote from: kphoger on June 28, 2019, 04:59:51 PM
Quote from: NE2 on June 28, 2019, 04:41:47 PM
Quote from: kphoger on June 28, 2019, 02:34:16 PM
FWIW, I don't think a roundabout should count. They are not free-flowing, but rather have yield situations.
And cloverleaves don't have yields? What the fuck.
Depends how your state signs entrance ramps.
They might not have yield signs, but they do have yields.
In that case, then, we must also rule out every interchange that has any instance of two lanes merging into one.
The Falmouth Spur in Maine has only two interchanges; each at both of its ends, with free-flowing ramps.
https://www.google.com/maps/@43.7219851,-70.2696191,13.16z
Quote from: kphoger on June 29, 2019, 01:19:34 PM
Quote from: 1 on June 28, 2019, 05:01:05 PM
Quote from: kphoger on June 28, 2019, 04:59:51 PM
Quote from: NE2 on June 28, 2019, 04:41:47 PM
Quote from: kphoger on June 28, 2019, 02:34:16 PM
FWIW, I don't think a roundabout should count. They are not free-flowing, but rather have yield situations.
And cloverleaves don't have yields? What the fuck.
Depends how your state signs entrance ramps.
They might not have yield signs, but they do have yields.
In that case, then, we must also rule out every interchange that has any instance of two lanes merging into one.
No, he meant actual yields with no merge area, similar to roundabouts (at least, that was my interpretation).
Edit: Aha! I knew there was plenty of these around. I found one here (https://www.google.com/maps/@43.20409,-77.6581143,3a,39.5y,315.6h,86.48t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sw4WF_GJDdgDISQx0DLZMQQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656), not far from me at NY 104 and Mount Read Blvd. For the purposes of defining "free-flow", this situation is very comparable to a roundabout, and IMO not at all comparable to a typical freeway-to-freeway cloverleaf. Only the latter counts as free-flowing, if you ask me.
The short PA 309 freeway west of Allentown, PA from I-78 to just north of US 22 has all free-flowing interchanges, not counting its northern terminus at a simple signalized intersection. Its partial interchange with I-78 is free-flowing, and it has full cloverleafs at US 22 and Tilghman Street.
I don't know of any other examples in Pennsylvania.
Only thing that comes to mind for Utah is the south end of Foothill Drive/SR 186 (https://goo.gl/maps/ty2PubBJ72wdfztb7) in Salt Lake City. I’m not sure whether it counts as a freeway - it could be seen as a glorified ramp, which is how UDOT inventories it. But in my opinion, you could also view it as a short freeway with partial interchanges at 215, 80, and Parleys, all of which are fully free-flowing.
Quote from: Roadsguy on July 05, 2019, 11:59:38 PM
The short PA 309 freeway west of Allentown, PA from I-78 to just north of US 22 has all free-flowing interchanges, not counting its northern terminus at a simple signalized intersection. Its partial interchange with I-78 is free-flowing, and it has full cloverleafs at US 22 and Tilghman Street.
I don't know of any other examples in Pennsylvania.
The PA 413 connector on I-95 in Bensalem? It has no ramps on it and is long enough to be considered a freeway.
Quote from: roadman65 on July 07, 2019, 10:28:04 PM
Quote from: Roadsguy on July 05, 2019, 11:59:38 PM
The short PA 309 freeway west of Allentown, PA from I-78 to just north of US 22 has all free-flowing interchanges, not counting its northern terminus at a simple signalized intersection. Its partial interchange with I-78 is free-flowing, and it has full cloverleafs at US 22 and Tilghman Street.
I don't know of any other examples in Pennsylvania.
The PA 413 connector on I-95 in Bensalem? It has no ramps on it and is long enough to be considered a freeway.
The connector ends at a T-intersection though which isn't free-flowing at all.
Thought so, but I was not sure if that end counted or not. The 309 thing ends at a stoplight which is not free flowing,
Then I-587 in Kingston does not count being it has a roundabout on one end and a stoplight on the other?
Quote from: TheStranger on June 28, 2019, 10:24:07 PM
Quote from: jeffandnicole on June 28, 2019, 09:33:01 PM
If we look at just a state's portion of a freeway, I-76 within NJ only has 1 controlled offramp (Exit 1C Northbound, ending at a stop sign).
If you don't feel this counts, then neither does Delaware's I-295 example, as that route continutes into NJ and PA.
I'd count that, yeah (76 in NJ, 295 in DE as near-misses, 295 in VA as a near-miss, and 76C in NJ as fully qualifying)
If one's only looking at stretches
within a state, and assuming that cloverleaf interchanges count; then I-295 in MA would meet the OP's criteria as well.
Quote from: PHLBOS on July 08, 2019, 06:02:17 PM
Quote from: TheStranger on June 28, 2019, 10:24:07 PM
Quote from: jeffandnicole on June 28, 2019, 09:33:01 PM
If we look at just a state's portion of a freeway, I-76 within NJ only has 1 controlled offramp (Exit 1C Northbound, ending at a stop sign).
If you don't feel this counts, then neither does Delaware's I-295 example, as that route continutes into NJ and PA.
I'd count that, yeah (76 in NJ, 295 in DE as near-misses, 295 in VA as a near-miss, and 76C in NJ as fully qualifying)
If one's only looking at stretches within a state, and assuming that cloverleaf interchanges count; then I-295 in MA would meet the OP's criteria as well.
It does! It's actually pretty neat to see how the first two interchanges west of the state line have at-grade intersections at the end of each offramp, while the two in MA are both cloverleaf variants.
To some extent, I-895 in Maryland seems to nearly fit this description. Certainly the section south of the Harbor Tunnel. With the exception of the exit to Childs St, it was designed as being a roadway to only feed traffic to the tunnel (thereby bypassing Downtown Baltimore). Northbound, there are only entrances. Southbound there are only exits. With the exception of the Childs St exit, all traffic on this section is going to/from the tunnel. All of the exits lead to freeways or fast roads, and a quick check seems to indicate that between Childs St and I-95, every southbound exit does not lead to a roundabout, stop sign, or traffic signal.
Many yield signs certainly, and some of them are short merges, but I beleive those are allowed by OP's criteria.
North of the tunnel, there are some exits with traffic signals, (Moravia, Lombard) so it doesn't work as well.
Quote from: roadman65 on July 07, 2019, 10:28:04 PM
Quote from: Roadsguy on July 05, 2019, 11:59:38 PM
The short PA 309 freeway west of Allentown, PA from I-78 to just north of US 22 has all free-flowing interchanges, not counting its northern terminus at a simple signalized intersection. Its partial interchange with I-78 is free-flowing, and it has full cloverleafs at US 22 and Tilghman Street.
I don't know of any other examples in Pennsylvania.
The PA 413 connector on I-95 in Bensalem? It has no ramps on it and is long enough to be considered a freeway.
Also not sure if it were to count as it is a freeway segment (that just becomes either 2-lane or 4 lane at-grade on either end - not a separate road that's just a freeway) - but the stretch of US-119 that bypasses Indiana in central/western PA is a ~9 mile freeway that consists of 3 trumpets and a cloverleaf.
Quote from: Mr_Northside on July 11, 2019, 02:21:00 PM
Quote from: roadman65 on July 07, 2019, 10:28:04 PM
Quote from: Roadsguy on July 05, 2019, 11:59:38 PM
The short PA 309 freeway west of Allentown, PA from I-78 to just north of US 22 has all free-flowing interchanges, not counting its northern terminus at a simple signalized intersection. Its partial interchange with I-78 is free-flowing, and it has full cloverleafs at US 22 and Tilghman Street.
I don't know of any other examples in Pennsylvania.
The PA 413 connector on I-95 in Bensalem? It has no ramps on it and is long enough to be considered a freeway.
Also not sure if it were to count as it is a freeway segment (that just becomes either 2-lane or 4 lane at-grade on either end - not a separate road that's just a freeway) - but the stretch of US-119 that bypasses Indiana in central/western PA is a ~9 mile freeway that consists of 3 trumpets and a cloverleaf.
That absolutely counts - was the interchange with PA 286 always that trumpet setup or was there something simpler there in the past? This US 119 segment might actually be one of the best examples of this, where the effort to make sure that every interchange was free-flowing led to loop ramps at each junction, especially compared to nearby US 422!
QuoteWas the interchange with PA 286 always that trumpet setup or was there something simpler there in the past?
I'm almost positive that arrangement is original to the freeway construction.
QuoteThis US 119 segment might actually be one of the best examples of this, where the effort to make sure that every interchange was free-flowing led to loop ramps at each junction, especially compared to nearby US 422!
In some ways it was kind of coincidence. With 422 built/planned as a freeway (the section just west of the cloverleaf opened some time after the stretch of 422 east of there, and US-119 was built) the cloverleaf made sense (cloverleaves falling out of favor due to weaving notwithstanding)
The Wayne Ave and PA-110/Creekside trumpets were just how they got the respective existing alignments to tie into the new freeway (keeping the freeway as the "through" movement)
In these leaner times, you could say they went a little above & beyond with the PA-286 interchange(s)
The "Between the Beltways" segment of I-95 in Maryland almost qualifies; the interchange with MD 175 has at-grade crossings of each side of 175 by the exit ramps from each direction of I-95.
I-895 Spur in MD is that way really. It goes until the split where one leg is I-97 and the other leads to MD 2.
I-895 was that way sort of before the SB Lombard Street exit and the new ramp at the toll plaza. Before there were no exits before the tunnel in either direction and no entrance ramps beyond the tunnels.
Quote from: TheOneKEA on July 23, 2019, 09:24:16 PM
The "Between the Beltways" segment of I-95 in Maryland almost qualifies; the interchange with MD 175 has at-grade crossings of each side of 175 by the exit ramps from each direction of I-95.
Konterra Drive, just north of MD-200, is a folded diamond
All I can think of is the NJ turnpike. You get on it, you stay on it.
Quote from: mrhappy1261 on July 27, 2019, 04:12:33 PM
All I can think of is the NJ turnpike. You get on it, you stay on it.
The idea of this thread is that even if you get off the road, you don't have to stop.
Quote from: mrhappy1261 on July 27, 2019, 04:12:33 PM
All I can think of is the NJ turnpike. You get on it, you stay on it.
There's 16 exits along the entire roadway. You're not forced to stay on it, though logically a good portion of the traffic is thru traffic that is not going to exit.