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Freeways with only free-flowing (no stoplight/at-grade) interchanges

Started by TheStranger, June 27, 2019, 06:28:15 PM

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TheStranger

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.
Chris Sampang


pianocello

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.
Davenport, IA -> Valparaiso, IN -> Ames, IA -> Orlando, FL -> Gainesville, FL -> Evansville, IN

skluth

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 west of Manchester is then free-flowing at all interchanges by that criterion.

TheStranger

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 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

Chris Sampang

sprjus4

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.

skluth

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 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 and M49 near Bristol both use roundabouts as does M275 in Portsmouth, and M55 to Blackpool. The incredibly short CA-32 and CA-37 near Cadiz, Spain also fit as does A 27 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 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.

skluth

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.

sprjus4

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.

froggie

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.

sprjus4

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.

TheStranger

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
Chris Sampang

plain

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.
Newark born, Richmond bred

kphoger

FWIW, I don't think a roundabout should count.  They are not free-flowing, but rather have yield situations.
Keep right except to pass.  Yes.  You.
Visit scenic Orleans County, NY!
Male pronouns, please.

Quote from: Philip K. DickIf you can control the meaning of words, you can control the people who must use them.

NE2

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.
pre-1945 Florida route log

I accept and respect your identity as long as it's not dumb shit like "identifying as a vaccinated attack helicopter".

kphoger

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.
Keep right except to pass.  Yes.  You.
Visit scenic Orleans County, NY!
Male pronouns, please.

Quote from: Philip K. DickIf you can control the meaning of words, you can control the people who must use them.

hotdogPi

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.
Clinched, minus I-93 (I'm missing a few miles and my file is incorrect)

Traveled, plus US 13, 44, and 50, and several state routes

I will be in Burlington VT for the eclipse.

3467

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.

jeffandnicole

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.




TheStranger

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!



Chris Sampang

ilpt4u

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

bassoon1986

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

US 89

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? Every one of those ramps has a dedicated lane where it merges.

TheStranger

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.
Chris Sampang

webny99

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? 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.

kphoger

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.
Keep right except to pass.  Yes.  You.
Visit scenic Orleans County, NY!
Male pronouns, please.

Quote from: Philip K. DickIf you can control the meaning of words, you can control the people who must use them.



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