Stacks - Biggest and/or most interesting

[deathtopumpkins]

But the interchange along I-64/95 near downtown Richmond where the flyover travels over the local street overpass over the freeway mainline does count IMO.

Which I-64/95 interchange...? there are several. 5th Street?

[Alex]

I'm surprised no one's mentioned the Ghost Stack of CT 9/I-84 (would have been I-291).  See http://www.alpsroads.net/roads/ct/stack/.  Full four-level stack, one level and two halves in operation and the rest permanently closed.
NJ has three 3-level interchanges that I know of.  NJ 17 at NJ 4 is the second-newest one and is now a hybrid stack/clover.  US 46/NJ 4/I-95 is the oldest one, and really isn't a stack.  US 130/NJ 171 at US 1 is the newest one, and it's a modified diamond.

Actually I mentioned it on the first page:
"One easy to ignore is the symmetrical stack between Interstate 84 and planned Interstate 291 (Connecticut 9) west of Hartford. Half of this junction was never opened."

Unfortunately I've only ever shot it once:

But the interchange along I-64/95 near downtown Richmond where the flyover travels over the local street overpass over the freeway mainline does count IMO.

Which I-64/95 interchange...? there are several. 5th Street?

This one.

[Duke87]

Also, in Connecticut, this one's a partial stack.

What makes it interesting is that it's an interchange with the Merritt Parkway (Exit 52). This, and exit 49 with CT 25 are quite anomalous. You're driving along a quite little scenic old parkway and then all of a sudden you're going through this huge freeway junction.

As you might imagine, the design of these interchanges was quite controversial and, decades later (just a couple years ago), CONNDOT's plans to construct a similar huge interchange at US 7 got shot down in court over similar concerns. The current plan is now for a lower key, lower capacity, but still complete interchange. Some residents who would be right near one of the new ramps are making noise now, though, so we'll have to wait and see what becomes of that plan.

[deathtopumpkins]

But the interchange along I-64/95 near downtown Richmond where the flyover travels over the local street overpass over the freeway mainline does count IMO.

Which I-64/95 interchange...? there are several. 5th Street?

This one.

Yep, that'd be 5th St. Been through that one many times...

[Freewayjim]

Two of the most interesting in Atlanta are the fore-mentioned Spaghetti Junction.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rw5Lr5qMpCI&feature=channel_page

And the Cobb Cloverleaf (I-75 & I-285 in Cob Co. NW of Downtown Atlanta

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNm2QzpO0Ho&feature=channel_page

[Freewayjim]

Here are some (not all) of the awesome stacks & interchanges around Houston.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZg7jEXfhTE&feature=channel_page

[John]

US-101 at Sir Francis Drake Blvd/Unbuilt CA-251. That's what happens when a freeway and an interchange get killed after construction has started.

[Stephane Dumas]

in Montreal, the Anjou interchange http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=h&ll=45.605009,-73.565912&spn=0.010133,0.019226&z=16

the Turcot interchange, check it carefully, because it'll be completely reconfigurated http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=k&ll=45.468649,-73.598828&spn=0.020315,0.038452&z=15

Quebec city
A-73/A-540/Laurier Blvd/PQ-175 interchange http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=k&ll=46.760929,-71.297858&spn=0.009922,0.019226&z=16

Toronto, the junction of Hwy-401/Hwy-27/Hwy-427/Eglinton Avenue
http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=k&ll=43.671628,-79.580069&spn=0.020953,0.038452&z=15

[Voyager]

The Sir Francis Drake BLVD interchange is one of my favorites.

[yanksfan6129]

I was wondering, why the northeast lacks Texas/California style Big-Road Stacks?

[mightyace]

I was wondering, why the northeast lacks Texas/California style Big-Road Stacks?

Lack of room.

It's the same reason that many freeways in the northeast are not up to interstate standards.  There either isn't enough space or it's too costly.

[jgb191]

I have never been in the northeast, but my guess is that space might be limited there.  You need a lot of space for a modern stack interchange....ramps long enough to span at least a half-mile and high enough to clear up to 100 feet above ground level, and those require a lot of room to stretch out.  Also it's very expensive to build a modern stack.

Cities that have frontage roads so that requires an extra level on the stack.  Cities in Texas generally don't have to worry about space so they can build stacks as large as it takes to accommodate traffic.

[Alex]

I was wondering, why the northeast lacks Texas/California style Big-Road Stacks?

Lack of room.

It's the same reason that many freeways in the northeast are not up to interstate standards.  There either isn't enough space or it's too costly.

Lack of creativity too! 

Surprisingly, I've not seen the mentioning of one of my personal favorites, where Interstate 81 and U.S. 22/322 come together north of Harrisburg.

[mightyace]

Lack of creativity too! 

Surprisingly, I've not seen the mentioning of one of my personal favorites, where Interstate 81 and U.S. 22/322 come together north of Harrisburg.

Yeah, I've been through that a few times, that's a big one. 

Only a few miles from there is the Eisenhower Interchange (I-83, I-283, US 322).

I guess PennDOT likes to show off to the legislators to keep that funding coming in. 

(Most legislators will hit at least one of these on their way to the capitol.)

[Chris]

I was wondering, why the northeast lacks Texas/California style Big-Road Stacks?

Most expressways in that area were constructed before the traffic volumes required stacks. Then the freeway revolts came, and even if necessary now, they won't be build I'm afraid.

Although lots of Texas stacks are a bit oversized for some directions, I think they do a good job planning for the future, because their cities grow like crazy.

[PAHighways]

Surprisingly, I've not seen the mentioning of one of my personal favorites, where Interstate 81 and U.S. 22/322 come together north of Harrisburg.

I mentioned it in my "Pennsylvania stacks" post on the first page of the thread.

After hearing that the cancelled East Shore Expressway was to connect to it, I'm not surprised anymore as to the reason for its complexity.

[Revive 755]

Best of Missouri:
* I-35 at I-670:
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=39.096071,-94.591062&spn=0.00383,0.010986&t=k&z=17

* I-70 at I-270:
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=38.747776,-90.43964&spn=0.007698,0.021973&t=k&z=16

Unbuilt, but seriously considered
* US 40 at I-170
* I-44 at once proposed I-170
* I-55 at once proposed I-170 (five level half stack)
* I-70 at the proposed New Mississippi River Bridge (nearly full, scaled back)

Less seriously considered
* I-70 at US 65 (now a cloverleaf, planned to be downgraded to a diamond)
* I-70 at US 63 (most likely to someday become a stack)
* I-70 at US 54
* I-55 at Rte M in Jefferson County

[DrZoidberg]

There are some great ones in California.  Doesn't one along I-105 in LA incorporate HOV exits in addition to ramps for the mainlanes?  I'd like to see pictures of that one if anybody has some.

[Voyager]

California has more of them because they're larger fans of emminent domain than the east coast is.

[mightyace]

California has more of them because they're larger fans of emminent domain than the east coast is.

And how well do they stand up to earthquakes out there?

[TheStranger]

There are some great ones in California.  Doesn't one along I-105 in LA incorporate HOV exits in addition to ramps for the mainlanes?  I'd like to see pictures of that one if anybody has some.

That one is the interchange with the Harbor Freeway (I-110).

And how well do they stand up to earthquakes out there?

The original Four-Level in Los Angeles (110/101, at one time a part of Route 66) has been around with few changes since its opening in the early 1950s; most route collapses from earthquakes in this state involved non-stack interchanges or elevated segments (in particular...segments of I-10 in downtown LA and the 14/5 interchange in '94, the elevated portions of 280 and 880 in the Bay Area and that one portion of the Bay Bridge in '89).  In fact, when the Cypress Freeway portion of 880 was being rebuilt, traffic from I-80 to I-880 had to go through the 980/580 stack.

Can't believe this October's going to be the 20th anniversary of Loma Prieta, now that I mention it...

[travelinmiles]

280 collapsed in '89 as well? I just thought it was badly damaged.

[PAHighways]

The then partially finished I-5/CA 14 interchange suffered damage in the 1971 San Fernando quake when a flyover ramp collapsed onto the Golden State Freeway, and then again in the 1994 Northridge quake.

[74/171FAN]

Would the I-95 interchange with VA 895 and VA 150 be considered a three-level stack if at all?

[njroadhorse]

Would the I-95 interchange with VA 895 and VA 150 be considered a three-level stack if at all?

I think it would be stretch, but yes.