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Most substandard on- or off-ramp on an Interstate

Started by kphoger, February 23, 2012, 12:06:16 PM

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kphoger

What is the most pathetic excuse for an on- or off-ramp you can think of on the Interstate highway system?

My #1 pick is this one in Von Ormy, Texas.
http://g.co/maps/5z5yh

My #2 pick is also in Texas, this one in Lewisville.
http://g.co/maps/ptqax
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.


agentsteel53

right now, Mira Mesa Blvd to 805 southbound here in San Diego.  4 lane down to 1 merge, with a jersey barrier so you cannot see what traffic is coming in the right lane of the freeway.

the Farad exit on I-80 (first or second exit in CA coming out of Nevada) is pretty underbuilt, even by 1958 standards.

that Lewisville exit isn't bad at all.  Lots of acceleration room.  Though I'd shudder to imagine that thing opening up to the mainline.
live from sunny San Diego.

http://shields.aaroads.com

jake@aaroads.com

NE2

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".

TheStranger

Chris Sampang

roadman

Worcester, MA - I-290 EB to Shrewsbury Street.  Very sharp curve, and poorly signed.
"And ninety-five is the route you were on.  It was not the speed limit sign."  - Jim Croce (from Speedball Tucker)

"My life has been a tapestry
Of years of roads and highway signs" (with apologies to Carole King and Tom Rush)

hbelkins

There are some funky right-angle ramps off southbound I-75 in Cincinnati.


Government would be tolerable if not for politicians and bureaucrats.

kphoger

Quote from: NE2 on February 23, 2012, 12:55:34 PM
I don't see the problem with the Von Ormy example - it's not like the right-angle turn is (a) busy or (b) directly onto I-35.
I submit I-10 west of Sierra Blanca: http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=31.211884,-105.49716&spn=0.032666,0.066047&gl=us&t=m&layer=c&cbll=31.211812,-105.497284&panoid=G_a_MVes-meP_vHMW4CZqQ&cbp=12,77.17,,0,8.1&z=15

You do realize the Von Ormy one has a U turn from the frontage road (southbound traffic) directly onto mainline pavement, right?  Sure, there's a bit of a buffer between it and the through lanes, but you can easily see from the satellite image that truckers end up using all but about 2 feet of that buffer to complete the maneuver.

The I-10 one was never intended to be a ramp, but is instead a level crossing.  Let's not go there, or else someone might submit I-180 in Cheyenne, WY.
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.

texaskdog

Quote from: kphoger on February 23, 2012, 12:06:16 PM
What is the most pathetic excuse for an on- or off-ramp you can think of on the Interstate highway system?

My #1 pick is this one in Von Ormy, Texas.
http://g.co/maps/5z5yh

My #2 pick is also in Texas, this one in Lewisville.
http://g.co/maps/ptqax

#2 looks like I-35 thru Duluth, also

kphoger

Quote from: agentsteel53 on February 23, 2012, 12:40:43 PM
right now, Mira Mesa Blvd to 805 southbound here in San Diego.  4 lane down to 1 merge, with a jersey barrier so you cannot see what traffic is coming in the right lane of the freeway.

the Farad exit on I-80 (first or second exit in CA coming out of Nevada) is pretty underbuilt, even by 1958 standards.

that Lewisville exit isn't bad at all.  Lots of acceleration room.  Though I'd shudder to imagine that thing opening up to the mainline.

Farad, CA, is an excellent example!  I agree there's plenty of acceleration room in my Lewisville example, but I posted it due to the lack of any barrier between the RIRO and the mainline–just white lines and little reflectors.
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.

formulanone

California Boulevard/Frontage road onto I-585 in South Carolina. It's more of a chicane.

flowmotion

#10
Quote from: TheStranger on February 23, 2012, 01:14:21 PM
Though built when the Bay Bridge was just US 40/50 in the 1930s, the eastbound ramp to Treasure Island (Exit 4) off of I-80 in the Bay Area is nasty:
Funny thing is they're planning on building thousands of homes on Treasure Island (former Navy base) with no plans on upgrading those ramps. The traffic management plan is "don't drive".

Speaking of I-80 in CA, the downtown Auburn exit is pretty crazy:

http://g.co/maps/2wqz3   
(It's hard to tell from google maps, but this is also on a pretty steep grade.)

Quote from: kphoger on February 23, 2012, 02:10:06 PM
You do realize the Von Ormy one has a U turn from the frontage road (southbound traffic) directly onto mainline pavement, right?  Sure, there's a bit of a buffer between it and the through lanes, but you can easily see from the satellite image that truckers end up using all but about 2 feet of that buffer to complete the maneuver.
I agree it looks bad, but that cutoff appears to serve a church and about 4 homes, so it probably isn't a terrible issue in practice.

NE2

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".

Kacie Jane

Quote from: flowmotion on February 23, 2012, 05:00:31 PM
Quote from: kphoger on February 23, 2012, 02:10:06 PM
You do realize the Von Ormy one has a U turn from the frontage road (southbound traffic) directly onto mainline pavement, right?  Sure, there's a bit of a buffer between it and the through lanes, but you can easily see from the satellite image that truckers end up using all but about 2 feet of that buffer to complete the maneuver.
I agree it looks bad, but that cutoff appears to serve a church and about 4 homes, so it probably isn't a terrible issue in practice.

It also seems to be the shortest route for homes/businesses on the west side of the freeway as well -- one of which is a cafe/truck stop with four tractor-trailers in the parking lot in the satellite image.  Compare this http://g.co/maps/tckzx using the substandard U-turn to this http://g.co/maps/cmksh backtracking to the previous overpass.

hobsini2

I knew it. I'm surrounded by assholes. Keep firing, assholes! - Dark Helmet (Spaceballs)

NE2

Quote from: hobsini2 on February 23, 2012, 05:17:47 PM
Believe it or not. There are alot of those I-90 examples all over Wyoming. I-25 between Cheyenne and Casper is full of them.
I believe it. I just zoomed into a random place on I-90 and found one.


Do any Interstates have unpaved ramps? There are a few on SR 528 east of Orlando.
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".

TheStranger

Quote from: flowmotion on February 23, 2012, 05:00:31 PM
Quote from: TheStranger on February 23, 2012, 01:14:21 PM
Though built when the Bay Bridge was just US 40/50 in the 1930s, the eastbound ramp to Treasure Island (Exit 4) off of I-80 in the Bay Area is nasty:
Funny thing is they're planning on building thousands of homes on Treasure Island (former Navy base) with no plans on upgrading those ramps. The traffic management plan is "don't drive".

Which is funny as I don't think there is any practical non-road way to get to Treasure Island, I don't think it's served by ferry as far as I know.  Basically, the Bay Bridge IS their lifeline.


Quote from: flowmotion on February 23, 2012, 05:00:31 PM
Speaking of I-80 in CA, the downtown Auburn exit is pretty crazy:

http://g.co/maps/2wqz3   
(It's hard to tell from google maps, but this is also on a pretty steep grade.)

It seems that the onramp at least has a very very long acceleration lane.

While this hasn't been in the Interstate system in 3 decades, the Howe Avenue onramp for Business 80 eastbound in Sacramento is much nastier, with no merge room to speak of!!!

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Howe+Ave+%26+Auburn+Blvd,+Sacramento&hl=en&ll=38.624775,-121.415338&spn=0.002033,0.001955&sll=34.986963,-81.962031&sspn=0.003015,0.003911&hnear=Auburn+Blvd+%26+Howe+Ave,+Sacramento,+California+95821&t=k&z=19
Chris Sampang

Brian556

The one on Lewisville was just improved due to the reconstruction of the rail line for commuter use. it was once a MKT mainline that had fallen into local use, then out of use in the last 5 years before being reconstructed. Here is waht it looked like before.

See more pics of it, and what it looked like before at :http://www.rxrsignals.net/Texas/G-P/Lewisville/Garden/

The thing that I think is stupid is that the railroad and highway were constructed at the same time. They were both realigned due to the construction of Lewisville Lake.
Why they would design it with a railroad crossing on a ramp is beyond me. Cheapness I guess. I think they should have routed the tracks to the east of this interchange.

The next ramp to the north is also strange. It was rebuilt to this configuration in 2006-7. There is no "EXIT" gore sign; the impact cushion get hit very frequently.
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=33.113287,-97.027846&spn=0.001281,0.003085&t=h&z=19

Also, up I-35E in Denton are some very short on/off ramps with inadaquate length weave areas. http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=33.113287,-97.027846&spn=0.001281,0.003085&t=h&z=19

NE2

Quote from: TheStranger on February 23, 2012, 05:38:10 PM
Quote from: flowmotion on February 23, 2012, 05:00:31 PM
Quote from: TheStranger on February 23, 2012, 01:14:21 PM
Though built when the Bay Bridge was just US 40/50 in the 1930s, the eastbound ramp to Treasure Island (Exit 4) off of I-80 in the Bay Area is nasty:
Funny thing is they're planning on building thousands of homes on Treasure Island (former Navy base) with no plans on upgrading those ramps. The traffic management plan is "don't drive".

Which is funny as I don't think there is any practical non-road way to get to Treasure Island, I don't think it's served by ferry as far as I know.  Basically, the Bay Bridge IS their lifeline.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/04/16/MN4G1J0RGQ.DTL
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".

flowmotion

Quote from: Kacie Jane on February 23, 2012, 05:15:13 PM
It also seems to be the shortest route for homes/businesses on the west side of the freeway as well -- one of which is a cafe/truck stop with four tractor-trailers in the parking lot in the satellite image.  Compare this http://g.co/maps/tckzx using the substandard U-turn to this http://g.co/maps/cmksh backtracking to the previous overpass.
Gotcha - didn't see that underpass.

agentsteel53

Quote from: NE2 on February 23, 2012, 05:31:04 PM
Do any Interstates have unpaved ramps?

not officially, but there are a few forest access routes on I-40 in the Smokies, I-5 in the Grapevine, and quite likely elsewhere, which are very much dirt paths branching on and off the freeway.
live from sunny San Diego.

http://shields.aaroads.com

jake@aaroads.com

TheStranger

Quote from: NE2 on February 23, 2012, 05:43:44 PM

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/04/16/MN4G1J0RGQ.DTL

Thanks for the link.  I wonder when this ferry proposal is supposed to begin...surprised there hadn't been one before honestly given how isolated the island is otherwise.
Chris Sampang

Alps

Was trying to think of NJ examples. There are some pretty nasty left merges along US 1 in both Trenton and Newark, but unfortunately that's not an Interstate. There's a death ramp on I-44 in Tulsa, or I'm sure there are several, along the original freeway on the west side of town. It's basically a Roosevelt Blvd. (there's US 1 again) style slip ramp between the frontage road and the freeway with no ramp length or merge room.

cpzilliacus

Two suggestions from Maryland:

(1) Exit 7 off of I-895 (Baltimore Harbor Tunnel Thruway) Southbound to Md. 2 (Potee Street) Southbound in Baltimore City - Google Maps here.

(2) Exit 31 off of I-495 (Capital Beltway) in both directions to Md. 97 (Georgia Avenue) - all three "cloverleaf" ramps (one was removed in the 1990's) - Google Maps here.

All of the above are excessively sharp (and I-895 was designed in the pre-Interstate era and opened to traffic in 1957).  The I-495 interchange at Md. 97 was opened to traffic a few years before the full Capital Beltway in 1964, so even though it's Interstate-era, it's very early Interstate era.
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akotchi

Quote from: Steve on February 23, 2012, 10:07:38 PM
Was trying to think of NJ examples.
How about I-280 in Newark, just west of Stickel Bridge?  EB on ramp from Route 21 NB ends in stop sign with horrible sight distance.
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